71

basement.order

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ src/epistolary/00067.md
 src/epistolary/00068.md
 src/epistolary/00069.md
 src/epistolary/00070.md
+src/epistolary/00071.md
 src/notes.md
 src/acknowledgements.md
 src/afterword.md

src/epistolary/00071.md

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+---
+title: 00071
+created: Thu, 09 Mar 2023 21:05:50 -0700
+updated: Thu, 09 Mar 2023 21:05:50 -0700
+public: yes
+syndicated: yes
+---
+### 00071 {#00071}
+
+Neddas loves mortals. Possibly more than they love themself. It's why
+they've diminished their own divinity over the eons by freely giving
+parts of themself away---gifting tiny aspects of themself to the
+mortals. Part of their constant delight in doing so is that even with
+their divine wisdom they can never quite be sure what any mortal or
+mortals will actually do with a sliver of godhood, with a divine
+spark. Consequently they have a lot of experience with giving what
+they thought is a perfect gift only for it to be misused, or for it
+to backfire in some unexpected way.
+
+The Sword of Y'aml is a prime example. Justice without Wisom turned
+out to be a cruel weapon, seeing evil everywhere and smiting it on
+sight. And Wisdom itself proved as impotent as Justice was
+overzealous: it became as cold and as cruel in its own way, locked
+away in ivory towers, refusing to intervene, made lame by theory and
+academia.
+
+So now, in this moment, Neddas watches closely to see if they finally
+got it right. Does this mortal have not only the Wisdom to know what
+to do, but also the Courage to do it in the name of Justice?
+
+> Alex rushes to Marvelo's side and quickly begins to administer
+> medicine to him. "Sorry old friend, it's not much considering the
+> wound, but it should help you at least stay lucid" Alex says as he
+> administers the medicine Inky gave him. He takes quick stock of
+> Marvelo's wound, most of his teeth are gone, his jaw is horribly
+> disfigured, it's doubtful if it'll heal properly. At best he'll need
+> prostethics, potentially a full mechanical jaw. It is essentially a
+> death knell in this kind of work, the perfect normality Marvelo had
+> always strove for would be forever marred by his sudden abnormality.
+> Alex shakes his head, "It's fine Marv, I'm positive we can get this
+> fixed, no worse than at wound Agent 3 took in Cosovo, remember that
+> one? Hell of a thing that" Alex grins grimly, casting a glance over
+> his shoulder. "Alright, you should be set old friend, best I can do
+> for now." Alex hands him back his blaster and sits him up against the
+> wall, the bleeding staunched, but the magled jaw not much better.
+> 
+> Alex stands, reloads his pistol, and turns to face the malevolent
+> apparition.
+> 
+> "I don't know who the fuck you think you are, or what the fuck you
+> think you're doing. But nobody, and I mean nobody, messes with my
+> agents, my friends." Alex approaches the apparition, pistol gripped
+> in one hand, and the crystal pendant Neddas gave him held tight in
+> the other. "Alright Neddas, you said you'd give me something I could
+> protect my friends with. Don't think I believe in it much, but I'd of
+> said until about 15 minutes ago that candles don't produce macabre
+> dentists either." Alex stands before the apparition, daring it to
+> move, come and try me if you dare.
+
+Alex faces down the howling apparition---pistol in one hand, amulet
+in the other---daring and defiant.
+
+The wind engulfs him, swirls around him, wraps him in its embrace,
+and presses him to its bosom.
+
+> While Master Alex faces the screaming presence overhead, Inky steps
+> over to where Marvelo is slumped against the wall. Working quickly,
+> they wipe the blood on the agent's face with a clean kerchief and
+> antiseptic, then gently realign the shattered jaw, wrapping bandages
+> around his head to hold it in place. They pull a blanket laying on
+> the ground nearby over his body before getting to their feet again.
+> 
+> At the mention of Neddas, they tense minutely before turning away to
+> stand in a corner, gloved hands in their coat pockets, a quiet
+> witness to the ensuing confrontation.
+
+Inky continues to patch up Marvelo and watches as the nightmare
+chooses its new vessel.
+
+Flesh and bone start to materialize around Alex as the Nyxmaer tries
+to encase him in its ribcage and grow a new body.
+
+The creature starts to take shape, but falters at the threshold of
+creation. It appears to you as though through a smoky haze, or from
+the bottom of a murky well. Something is holding it back from
+materializing.
+
+It thrashes and redoubles its efforts, desperate to be born. Alex
+stands still in the eye of its storm. You see the Nyxmaer's tiny face
+take shape in the small cyclone. It roars as Alex lifts the amulet,
+and fires his pistol.
+
+The demon's pinched face wails as the wind no longer presses in on
+Alex from all sides but is suddenly *yanked* toward him. The
+struggling body collapses and folds in on itself. The wind goes out
+of the room as the amulet inhales the Nyxmaer and all its fury.
+
+And then all is quiet.
+
+Marvelo looks up at Inky and whimpers.
+
+A heavy paper envelope, disturbed by the wind, settles to the ground.
+It was torn open in the commotion, and two tickets spill out: "The
+bearer of this ticket is entitled to an all expenses paid trip to the
+moon." It is signed by Blavin Blandfoot and bears the seal of the
+Benefactor.
+
+WHAT DO YOU DO

www/index.html

@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@
 <li><a href="#00068" id="toc-00068">00068</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00069" id="toc-00069">00069</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00070" id="toc-00070">00070</a></li>
+<li><a href="#00071" id="toc-00071">00071</a></li>
 </ul></li>
 <li><a href="#afterword" id="toc-afterword">Afterword</a></li>
 <li><a href="#appendix-a-dramatis-personae"
@@ -371,11 +372,11 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
 you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
 the rss feed</a>.</p>
 <h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
-<p>Total length: 90664 words / 387 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
+<p>Total length: 91533 words / 391 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
 length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
 just the story.)</p>
-<p>There have been 243 messages posted over 238 days since the first
+<p>There have been 247 messages posted over 239 days since the first
-post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.</p>
+post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.03.</p>
 <h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
 <p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
 <p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
@@ -7660,6 +7661,91 @@ the center of the circle.</p>
 <p>A malevolent force rides the still howling wind and hovers screaming
 up near the ceiling of the fish market.</p>
 <p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
+<h3 id="00071">00071</h3>
+<p>Neddas loves mortals. Possibly more than they love themself. It’s why
+they’ve diminished their own divinity over the eons by freely giving
+parts of themself away—gifting tiny aspects of themself to the mortals.
+Part of their constant delight in doing so is that even with their
+divine wisdom they can never quite be sure what any mortal or mortals
+will actually do with a sliver of godhood, with a divine spark.
+Consequently they have a lot of experience with giving what they thought
+is a perfect gift only for it to be misused, or for it to backfire in
+some unexpected way.</p>
+<p>The Sword of Y’aml is a prime example. Justice without Wisom turned
+out to be a cruel weapon, seeing evil everywhere and smiting it on
+sight. And Wisdom itself proved as impotent as Justice was overzealous:
+it became as cold and as cruel in its own way, locked away in ivory
+towers, refusing to intervene, made lame by theory and academia.</p>
+<p>So now, in this moment, Neddas watches closely to see if they finally
+got it right. Does this mortal have not only the Wisdom to know what to
+do, but also the Courage to do it in the name of Justice?</p>
+<blockquote>
+<p>Alex rushes to Marvelo’s side and quickly begins to administer
+medicine to him. “Sorry old friend, it’s not much considering the wound,
+but it should help you at least stay lucid” Alex says as he administers
+the medicine Inky gave him. He takes quick stock of Marvelo’s wound,
+most of his teeth are gone, his jaw is horribly disfigured, it’s
+doubtful if it’ll heal properly. At best he’ll need prostethics,
+potentially a full mechanical jaw. It is essentially a death knell in
+this kind of work, the perfect normality Marvelo had always strove for
+would be forever marred by his sudden abnormality. Alex shakes his head,
+“It’s fine Marv, I’m positive we can get this fixed, no worse than at
+wound Agent 3 took in Cosovo, remember that one? Hell of a thing that”
+Alex grins grimly, casting a glance over his shoulder. “Alright, you
+should be set old friend, best I can do for now.” Alex hands him back
+his blaster and sits him up against the wall, the bleeding staunched,
+but the magled jaw not much better.</p>
+<p>Alex stands, reloads his pistol, and turns to face the malevolent
+apparition.</p>
+<p>“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, or what the fuck you
+think you’re doing. But nobody, and I mean nobody, messes with my
+agents, my friends.” Alex approaches the apparition, pistol gripped in
+one hand, and the crystal pendant Neddas gave him held tight in the
+other. “Alright Neddas, you said you’d give me something I could protect
+my friends with. Don’t think I believe in it much, but I’d of said until
+about 15 minutes ago that candles don’t produce macabre dentists
+either.” Alex stands before the apparition, daring it to move, come and
+try me if you dare.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Alex faces down the howling apparition—pistol in one hand, amulet in
+the other—daring and defiant.</p>
+<p>The wind engulfs him, swirls around him, wraps him in its embrace,
+and presses him to its bosom.</p>
+<blockquote>
+<p>While Master Alex faces the screaming presence overhead, Inky steps
+over to where Marvelo is slumped against the wall. Working quickly, they
+wipe the blood on the agent’s face with a clean kerchief and antiseptic,
+then gently realign the shattered jaw, wrapping bandages around his head
+to hold it in place. They pull a blanket laying on the ground nearby
+over his body before getting to their feet again.</p>
+<p>At the mention of Neddas, they tense minutely before turning away to
+stand in a corner, gloved hands in their coat pockets, a quiet witness
+to the ensuing confrontation.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Inky continues to patch up Marvelo and watches as the nightmare
+chooses its new vessel.</p>
+<p>Flesh and bone start to materialize around Alex as the Nyxmaer tries
+to encase him in its ribcage and grow a new body.</p>
+<p>The creature starts to take shape, but falters at the threshold of
+creation. It appears to you as though through a smoky haze, or from the
+bottom of a murky well. Something is holding it back from
+materializing.</p>
+<p>It thrashes and redoubles its efforts, desperate to be born. Alex
+stands still in the eye of its storm. You see the Nyxmaer’s tiny face
+take shape in the small cyclone. It roars as Alex lifts the amulet, and
+fires his pistol.</p>
+<p>The demon’s pinched face wails as the wind no longer presses in on
+Alex from all sides but is suddenly <em>yanked</em> toward him. The
+struggling body collapses and folds in on itself. The wind goes out of
+the room as the amulet inhales the Nyxmaer and all its fury.</p>
+<p>And then all is quiet.</p>
+<p>Marvelo looks up at Inky and whimpers.</p>
+<p>A heavy paper envelope, disturbed by the wind, settles to the ground.
+It was torn open in the commotion, and two tickets spill out: “The
+bearer of this ticket is entitled to an all expenses paid trip to the
+moon.” It is signed by Blavin Blandfoot and bears the seal of the
+Benefactor.</p>
+<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
 <h2 id="afterword">Afterword</h2>
 <p>I don’t know what I’m going to put here, but I didn’t want this
 document to just abruptly end. So here you go: a kind farewell and a

www/spoilers.html

@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@
 <li><a href="#00068" id="toc-00068">00068</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00069" id="toc-00069">00069</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00070" id="toc-00070">00070</a></li>
+<li><a href="#00071" id="toc-00071">00071</a></li>
 </ul></li>
 <li><a href="#spoilers" id="toc-spoilers">Spoilers</a></li>
 <li><a href="#acknowledgements"
@@ -374,11 +375,11 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
 you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
 the rss feed</a>.</p>
 <h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
-<p>Total length: 90664 words / 387 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
+<p>Total length: 91533 words / 391 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
 length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
 just the story.)</p>
-<p>There have been 243 messages posted over 238 days since the first
+<p>There have been 247 messages posted over 239 days since the first
-post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.</p>
+post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.03.</p>
 <h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
 <p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
 <p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
@@ -7663,6 +7664,91 @@ the center of the circle.</p>
 <p>A malevolent force rides the still howling wind and hovers screaming
 up near the ceiling of the fish market.</p>
 <p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
+<h3 id="00071">00071</h3>
+<p>Neddas loves mortals. Possibly more than they love themself. It’s why
+they’ve diminished their own divinity over the eons by freely giving
+parts of themself away—gifting tiny aspects of themself to the mortals.
+Part of their constant delight in doing so is that even with their
+divine wisdom they can never quite be sure what any mortal or mortals
+will actually do with a sliver of godhood, with a divine spark.
+Consequently they have a lot of experience with giving what they thought
+is a perfect gift only for it to be misused, or for it to backfire in
+some unexpected way.</p>
+<p>The Sword of Y’aml is a prime example. Justice without Wisom turned
+out to be a cruel weapon, seeing evil everywhere and smiting it on
+sight. And Wisdom itself proved as impotent as Justice was overzealous:
+it became as cold and as cruel in its own way, locked away in ivory
+towers, refusing to intervene, made lame by theory and academia.</p>
+<p>So now, in this moment, Neddas watches closely to see if they finally
+got it right. Does this mortal have not only the Wisdom to know what to
+do, but also the Courage to do it in the name of Justice?</p>
+<blockquote>
+<p>Alex rushes to Marvelo’s side and quickly begins to administer
+medicine to him. “Sorry old friend, it’s not much considering the wound,
+but it should help you at least stay lucid” Alex says as he administers
+the medicine Inky gave him. He takes quick stock of Marvelo’s wound,
+most of his teeth are gone, his jaw is horribly disfigured, it’s
+doubtful if it’ll heal properly. At best he’ll need prostethics,
+potentially a full mechanical jaw. It is essentially a death knell in
+this kind of work, the perfect normality Marvelo had always strove for
+would be forever marred by his sudden abnormality. Alex shakes his head,
+“It’s fine Marv, I’m positive we can get this fixed, no worse than at
+wound Agent 3 took in Cosovo, remember that one? Hell of a thing that”
+Alex grins grimly, casting a glance over his shoulder. “Alright, you
+should be set old friend, best I can do for now.” Alex hands him back
+his blaster and sits him up against the wall, the bleeding staunched,
+but the magled jaw not much better.</p>
+<p>Alex stands, reloads his pistol, and turns to face the malevolent
+apparition.</p>
+<p>“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, or what the fuck you
+think you’re doing. But nobody, and I mean nobody, messes with my
+agents, my friends.” Alex approaches the apparition, pistol gripped in
+one hand, and the crystal pendant Neddas gave him held tight in the
+other. “Alright Neddas, you said you’d give me something I could protect
+my friends with. Don’t think I believe in it much, but I’d of said until
+about 15 minutes ago that candles don’t produce macabre dentists
+either.” Alex stands before the apparition, daring it to move, come and
+try me if you dare.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Alex faces down the howling apparition—pistol in one hand, amulet in
+the other—daring and defiant.</p>
+<p>The wind engulfs him, swirls around him, wraps him in its embrace,
+and presses him to its bosom.</p>
+<blockquote>
+<p>While Master Alex faces the screaming presence overhead, Inky steps
+over to where Marvelo is slumped against the wall. Working quickly, they
+wipe the blood on the agent’s face with a clean kerchief and antiseptic,
+then gently realign the shattered jaw, wrapping bandages around his head
+to hold it in place. They pull a blanket laying on the ground nearby
+over his body before getting to their feet again.</p>
+<p>At the mention of Neddas, they tense minutely before turning away to
+stand in a corner, gloved hands in their coat pockets, a quiet witness
+to the ensuing confrontation.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Inky continues to patch up Marvelo and watches as the nightmare
+chooses its new vessel.</p>
+<p>Flesh and bone start to materialize around Alex as the Nyxmaer tries
+to encase him in its ribcage and grow a new body.</p>
+<p>The creature starts to take shape, but falters at the threshold of
+creation. It appears to you as though through a smoky haze, or from the
+bottom of a murky well. Something is holding it back from
+materializing.</p>
+<p>It thrashes and redoubles its efforts, desperate to be born. Alex
+stands still in the eye of its storm. You see the Nyxmaer’s tiny face
+take shape in the small cyclone. It roars as Alex lifts the amulet, and
+fires his pistol.</p>
+<p>The demon’s pinched face wails as the wind no longer presses in on
+Alex from all sides but is suddenly <em>yanked</em> toward him. The
+struggling body collapses and folds in on itself. The wind goes out of
+the room as the amulet inhales the Nyxmaer and all its fury.</p>
+<p>And then all is quiet.</p>
+<p>Marvelo looks up at Inky and whimpers.</p>
+<p>A heavy paper envelope, disturbed by the wind, settles to the ground.
+It was torn open in the commotion, and two tickets spill out: “The
+bearer of this ticket is entitled to an all expenses paid trip to the
+moon.” It is signed by Blavin Blandfoot and bears the seal of the
+Benefactor.</p>
+<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
 <h2 id="spoilers">Spoilers</h2>
 <details>
 <summary>