"Depends," Daniels replies. "You hungry? I'm game to eat if you are."
Disciplinary measures? What even for? What does making her sleep on the deck accomplish? The captain continues to cement himself as a bit of a whiny shit. But I suppose if she isn't too hung up on it.
You hungry, Shores? If not, let's get down to business.
Hungry? Never. She subsists on practice. Bread and water as well, when the mood happens to strike her. She lets her sword down by her side, and begins a quick warmup - wouldn't want to get yourself hurt now, would you?
[Scars of Time: 4]
You go through a routine of your own, though you somewhat doubt its efficacy in the face of a body only nominally bound by physical and biological laws of this world.
You do, however, have the opportunity to observe Two Shores, wearing a look of serenity above a solid background of nervousness. It is at this point that you notice something - her many and varied battle scars do not quite mar her beauty, for it seems to have never been natural to begin with, and the more you look, the more it seems that they were not obtained in battle at all. Instead it is as if someone molded her with scores of quick incisions, clearly done by a sword across a period of years. Random at first, but in the end clearly purposeful to make her look like she does. Ruined, but closer to perfection for it.
Shores turns to you - are you quite ready? You nod and stand within the sparring circle she sets up, your murder-thought scrabbling at the deck in preparation. She holds her sword forward in one hand and smiles politely.
[Move Like This: 1+1]
With a sword in hand Shores moves with such impressive confidence and ease it feels almost as if it were just another limb for her, somehow integral to her full range of movement. You go on much the same way as yesterday, and one thing you discover immediately is that this is plainly insufficient. Her advantage in reach disallows you from menacing her with your fists, and the minimal distraction you provide lets her keep a good eye on your murder-thought.
She appears content to run rings around you at first, testing your abilities. And you, of course, are determined to prove that her confidence is wholly unwarranted, and move for a desperate maneuver to shift her blade aside with your superior strength and pin her down with your murder-thought.
What happens instead, however, is that you manage to lose all four of the fingers of your right hand as you attempt to catch the sword, which turns out to be not just incredibly sharp but also quite difficult to reliably grasp. Having gambled and failed, you give Shores a moment to maneuver. At this point she turns about and with an overhead swing manages to somehow catch it on the very edge - and immediately sunder it. A sudden pressure explodes in your skull, and everything becomes pain.
And that's all you remember before you wake up in an unfamiliar cabin that smells strongly of pineapple, Peaks Ever-Crumbling standing over you and taking very careful notes. She does not fail to notice you stirring.
You bubble a lot when you're unconscious, she notes. There's an inherent instability to it all. Suppose that fits with what you already know, of course, but at least it made gluing your fingers back on a lot easier.
You look at your hand, and find it in surprisingly good health, if a few seams richer. Simple solutions are always the best in her experience, Peaks tells you. Lucky your weird thought-construct has enough presence of mind, if you'll forgive the turn of phrase, to put itself together.
Oh, she adds as an afterthought, and Shores did say to tell you she's terribly, terribly sorry about that. You hear a scratching at the door, and Peaks opens it up slightly to let a very concerned Dan inside - awfully well-behaved creature, that juggler of yours.
An electric charge? Better make sure it won't cause problems in future. A safe way to discharge it, or store into a battery for later use perhaps.
Otherwise the result is excellent. Gotta convert authority figures first for rapid inbound of new Asatruer.
"What's up, May?"
[Wall of Thought: 2]
The charge building up, you quickly realize, is just the pressure of roughly two hundred minds currently operating your mythscape, seemingly all collectively inducted into the ranks of its shapers by whatever psionic narcotic binge it was that empowered the elder. It's awfully light on your own head, you note with slight relief, but then you also notice that the place in general looks different. Hillier, darker, wilder, with dark places and crevices and considerably deeper shadows and tall exotic forests shrouded in absolute silence - Jehwlheimr has come alive, but also now seems beyond your grasp on a certain fundamental level. The box is no longer closed, the floodgates open. There will only be more changes from here on in.
But that's a matter for later. Right now you're conversing with a very drunk and naked woman. She fortunately is entirely pleased with this state of affairs, almost giddy - the elder told her about what you did, Leif, and she's absolutely delighted. They were stuck in a rut down there and it is wonderful that you came along with, well, all this - she points to the realm around her. It's nice to share a dream sometimes, don't you think? A little freedom does the mind good!
You look at the other Moths, who look much more clothed, but do not seem to pay her much mind despite this.
"Hello! What wares do you stock here?"
Greetings. Probably followed by looking around a bit when there's no response.
As expected, the person behind the counter makes no motion or sound. So you go in.
[Tread Lightly: 5]
You step carefully over the dozens of roots laying around on the ground and walls, reasoning that since they're extending from the proprietor it'd be rather rude to just tread on them. You step over to the counter, and find there to still be no reaction - although from behind the mask there is the very faintest of hums, like a distant industrial ventilator cycling busily while the rest of the place remains still, and concurrent with this you see a faint pulsing in the eyeholes, barely perceptible from as little as three feet away.
Behind the proprietor you see a dark passage leading into a back room, which you successfully illuminate with the very mild spillover from your helmet. It seems to be where all the goods are stored, or what little remains of them at this point. You suppose you could climb over the counter and take a look inside, if you were inclined toward petty theft.
Thomas stared agape. This guy was even more of a lunatic than he first thought. Why would anyone destroy Albany? How? Surely any terrorist attack would go after the City first; Albany really wasn't that interesting, just how he liked it. Then what the person said snapped him to attention.
"What? Yes, sure, that's why I came down, because she needed help. Sure."
Agree. Miss any subtext of "testing run," especially any gutter-minded one.
Your affirmation is noted.
A figure places its hand on your shoulder, as if it materialized the moment you agreed. She stands beside you, and you immediately know her name to be Evey, and in a brief moment of confusion you arrive at the unquestionable certainty that you are a man of means and knowledge, after a fashion, and she is confused but at the same time eager to help.
Thanks for the help there, Evey says, she thought she'd be stuck in this bloody hole forever. Whichever idjit it was what threw her down here will come to regret this, that much she swears. You stand there a second before the dark compels your attention again.
You are asked to take Evey with you. Expose her to the environment and take careful note of irregularities. For the report you will be granted three more answers. For returning her whole and broadly undamaged you will be given a fulfillment.
You have two questions and one fulfillment remaining. If you would prefer to save them for later, you are free to leave at any time.
"Monster hunter is a pretty good idea. Let's go with that if anyone asks."
I continue along the road as nonchalantly as possible, hoping that the stoat patrol doesn't stop us. If they do I identify myself as a monster hunter looking for quarry in this region, and introduce my doctor companion and my trusty sidekick Oggie.
[No Police Gonna Shut Us Down: 3]
Of course the patrol stops you. You're two humans and some manner of night creature strolling nonchalantly along the road to town. If they didn't stop you, you'd have to seriously doubt their commitment and general fitness as guards. They don't quite see the need to go as far as surround and menace you, of course, but you feel like they don't have quite as much to prove as the people in Anglefork would have. These stoatmen, as mildly comical as they look in their armored getup, have clearly received a good deal of training, and their weapons look fairly well-kept.
Your introduction, too, seems to raise a fair amount of questions. For one, it's very rare to find a human with a flawless command of the stoats' own dialect - secondly, a
monster hunter? And that thing you're traveling with! This Oggie! Is she fit to even go inside a town? Good heavens.
No, they say, they must insist that you go to the Speaker immediately. Under the watchful eye of several of their men. Anything less would be unconscionable.
Leif Erikson, Miner and Lush
- Sealed alchemist's brass box
- Half-basket of apple-like mushrooms (hallucinogenic)
- Paper party crown (worn)
- Moth-robe (worn)
- Itchy Woolen Britches (worn)
- Moth Elder's prized pigsticker
- A Word: INEVITABLE
- A Word: APOCALYPSE
- A Word: DRINK
- Body Count: 228
- Mead of Poetry (2 shining revelations remaining)
- Enders' Friend: The Grave of Red Clouds Parting
- Inscribed Wooden Stylus
- Iron spear
- 0.03 gp
- The Box: ?
- Induced Lucidity: Jehwlheimr, The Land The Gods Remember
- Compatibility: Minding
- Tricks of the Mind: Perception, Memory
- Tricks of the Mind: Engagement, Negation, Abstraction, Prestige
- Tricks of the Mind: the Self, the Other
- Tricks of the Mind: the Mythscape
- Gods of the Underground: Did You Just What
- A Visit From The Stork: Is What You Yes
- The Voracious Dark: Two Deals Made
- The Voracious Dark: The Promised Sixth
- Moth's Flight: Honorary Clansman
- A Night That Burns Forever: Juicy Gossip
- The Miracle of Life: Wayward Rabbit
- A Terrifying Deadly Trip: THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN
Eileen Minett, Vinyl Collector
- Distilled alcohol (in flask)
- Spirits of salt (in clay jar)
- Soaps of elk, bear, bat and snake
- 4 flasks of lamp oil
- Oil lamp (lit)
- Linen stoat shirt (worn, plasma-scorched)
- Stoat trousers (worn)
- Comfy slippers (worn)
- Never-made scimitar (blackened, slightly dull)
- Tooth-handled hunting knife
- Black leather boots
- An assemblage of amber and amethysts
- Silver thread-necklace
- Onyx spiral earrings
- 2 oaken rings
- Rusty, bloodstained knife
- A Word: HUNGER
- A Word: SYNTHESIS
- A Weapon: Explosive Cysts
- Grenade Jumping: A Solid Technique
- The Good Doctor: Secret Histories
- Sword of the Sand People: Cleaning Supplies
- Sword of the Sand People: The Services of a Minder
- Higher Tonight: There And Back Again
- The Old Mistress: Like A House On Fire
Jack Daniels, Karate Man
- 1 disabled manikin (motionless, stiff)
- Red and gold vest and breeches combo (worn)
- Leather boots (worn)
- Rubber mattress (filled with water)
- 14031 gp (in sack)
- Poor Unfortunate Soul: Forever Captive
- The Queen's Guard: Actual Asset
- Powers of the Beyond: Gardener of Thoughts
- Garden of Thoughts: the Stoat-Magistrate
- Dusty Wooden Speaking-Trumpet
- Crossbow Bolt (in throat)
- A Word: REND
- A Word: SILENCE
- A Word: EXECRABLE
- A Weapon: Murder-Thought
- Uncoupled: Strength
- Wooden Door
- Induced Lucidity: The Silent Garden
- Elongated Affairs: Enemy of the New State
- A Place In History: Vastly Unreliable
- 2 rats, crushed
- 1 rat, strangled
- 1 rat, live
- Doomstones: So High Up But Such A Bitter View
- The Majordomo: A Great Divide Between Us Now
- The Voracious Dark: Decreasing Demand
- The Voracious Dark: More Specific Requests
- The Vault of Heavens: Special Treatment
- Scars of Time: Not Quite Ready For Prime Time
- The Night Sky: How Very, Very Quaint
- Petty Crimes: Minded For Safety
- Fires, Pines & Day, Minions At Law: On Retainer
- Body Count: 3
Thomas Minstep, Insurance Agent
- A Word: ABSENCE
- A Word: GOODBYE
- A Word: WORM
- A Weapon: The Sword They Fear
- Insurance contracts, signed in triplicate: 12
- Nobody Cares
- Helen Clampitt
- Lily
- Undine and Prosper Eke
- Silver
- Tabernacle, treefisher scout
- Treefisher elder
- 4 treefishers
- Make A Man Out Of You: Battle-Tested
- The Grip of Tharn: Insurance Against The Storm
- Ranging fork
- 2 feet of sinew-thread
- Tooth-needle
- A Bowl, Black and Knobby
- Tight Leather Pants (worn)
- Incredibly Tight Blue Dress (worn, mutilated, mildly provocative)
- The Queen's Guard: A Reward Well Earned
- The New Queen: Lasting Gratitude
- The Box: Absolutely Delightful
- The Voracious Dark: The Place of Lost Souls
- The Voracious Dark: Testing Run
- Proof of Concept: An Interesting Student
- Body Count: 12
Oscar Wilde, Chemistry Teacher
- A Word: REVELATION
- The Wicked King's Missive On Economic Reform (in massive silver scroll case)
- Traces of Mischief: Glowing Facial Rift
- The Serpent's Egg: Dissemination
- Body Count: 4
- Cornerstone Helm (worn, collecting light)
- Bottle of aspirin
- Time-ender's measure (wrapped, processing? stopping?)
- 10 m of rope
- Half a candle
- 1 rat, skinless and smoked
- 6 gp
- Lock of Hair (unidentified)
- Iron nail, unused
- An Inauspicious Key
- Burlap Foot Wrappings (worn)
- Burlap Hand Wrappings (worn)
- Moth-Eaten Hat (worn)
- Respectable Brown Skirt (worn)
- Old Brown Waistcoat (worn)
- Bright Yellow Tunic (worn)
- A Wealth of Burlap Ribbons
- The Winding Path of Inspiration: The Less Dangerous Friend
- The King's Court: The Greatest Gift of All
- The King's Court: The North Wind's Gift
- The King's Court: Makala's Old Glory
- The King's Court: The South Wind's Gift
- The King's Court: The West Wind's Gift
- The King's Court: A Gift For The Wicked King
- Wizzards Bargins: A Spool of Copper Wire
- Wizzards Bargins: A Roll of Your Finest Sticky Tape
- Wizzards Bargins: A Hunk of Exquisite Graphite
- In High Spirits: But Not Very Useful In The Lab