Sword Quest - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> How long did that cough last?

> "Ah, thank you."
> Take the message and read it.

>Longer than you'd like.
>You accept the message and read it.
>"Youmu, I just finished it! I'm so excited! Now I need you to go and find me some actors as soon as you can, and maybe make sure there's nothing big happening in the human village so we can set up a stage. I'll need five people: One who is very tall, one who is medium-sized with red hair, one who does NOT have black hair,  one who is in really good shape, and one who is Reimu. Don't worry about everything else, I'll make sure it's settled! -Y"

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

Oh shit, Tenshi, you might just get your time in the spotlight after all.

> What is 'it'? Did Yuyuko write a play?
> How familiar are we with Nue Houjuu?

> Groan.
> "Very well. Please let Yuyuko-sama that I will begin immediately."
> Who do we know that is 'medium-sized with red hair' that might also be amenable to Yuyuko's chicanery?
> How many 'very tall people' do we know? Marisa could work, but she might be better off as the one in 'really good shape'. Maybe the Dragon Palace Messenger, if we can find her, or the Buddhist monk magician...does anyone else come to mind?

[Hello Purvis]

> What is 'it'? Did Yuyuko write a play?
> How familiar are we with Nue Houjuu?

> Groan.
> "Very well. Please let Yuyuko-sama that I will begin immediately."
> Who do we know that is 'medium-sized with red hair' that might also be amenable to Yuyuko's chicanery?
> How many 'very tall people' do we know? Marisa could work, but she might be better off as the one in 'really good shape'. Maybe the Dragon Palace Messenger, if we can find her, or the Buddhist monk magician...does anyone else come to mind?

>It...seems like she did. You think she made an offhand mention of something like that, a couple weeks ago.
>You've not had much contact with Nue, but you know of her.
>The functionary bows, politely ignoring your groan. "As you wish, Lady Konpaku."
>Thinking on it, you don't know too many people with red hair. The gate guard at Scarlet Devil Mansion is the only one that immediately comes to mind, but she's not exactly medium-sized. Nor is Komachi.
>As far as very tall people, your perspective might be a bit skewed, you are a fairly small person yourself. Yuuka and Komachi come to mind. Maybe Sakuya.  You are sure there are other examples, but you may not have had an opportunity to meet them yet.

>_

[O4rfish]

Marisa is short, according to Zun. Reimu is tall.

[Kilgamayan]

> Are we aware of any recent incidents involving tsukumogami and other artifacts gaining minds of their own?

Okay, here is my proposed dream team theater troupe. I think this would maximize hilarity, which I'm sure is all Yuyuko really wants.

Really Tall: Byakuren
Redhead: Raiko
Not-Black Hair: Miko
Well-Built: Tenshi
Reimu: Reimu

Discuss.

Fake Edit: Purvisverse Marisa is Cho-Marisa, super-tall and musclebound.

[Hello Purvis]

> Are we aware of any recent incidents involving tsukumogami and other artifacts gaining minds of their own?

>You have not heard of any such thing.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Inventory (can't believe I forgot this earlier!)
> Where in Gensokyo does the Hakugyokurou entrance dump us? Consider both overall geographic location and notable nearby landmarks.

[Hello Purvis]

> Inventory (can't believe I forgot this earlier!)
> Where in Gensokyo does the Hakugyokurou entrance dump us? Consider both overall geographic location and notable nearby landmarks.

>Your inventory contains:
>Green Dress
>A dress heavy enough to keep you warm, and light enough to allow you freedom of movement.
>Black Hairband
>It has a cute ribbon!
>Roukanken
>A katana forged by youkai, designed specifically to affect spirits and other intangible things.
>Hakurouken
>A wakazashi that has passed through your family for generations; it can cut through confusion.
>Pruning Scissors
>For clipping and trimming plants.
>The entrance to Gensokyo lets you out in the northeastern mountains. Not too far from there is the Prismrivers' Manor. Also not too far away are the banks of the Sanzu River, and the dock that leads to Higan, as well as the forest where the dead strip away those things that leave them too bound to life.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Would Tenshi qualify as 'well-built'?

[O4rfish]

>How did Yuyusama do in the Mahjongg tournament?

>She wants us to make sure nothing exciting is happening in the human village. Let's hope there isn't an incident.

[Hello Purvis]

> Would Tenshi qualify as 'well-built'?

>She's definitely fit, and fairly sturdy.

>How did Yuyusama do in the Mahjongg tournament?

>She wants us to make sure nothing exciting is happening in the human village. Let's hope there isn't an incident.

>You cannot predict the future!
>It would be nice if things were reasonably peaceful.

>_

[O4rfish]

>Do we think she wants to set up the play before or after the tournament?

[Hello Purvis]

>Do we think she wants to set up the play before or after the tournament?

>You would hope it's afterward; it takes time to memorize lines and rehearse...unless she made something that was meant to be ad libbed by and large? In retrospect, that isn't impossible...

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nothing for it. Let's head to Gensokyo.

[Serela]

Kosuzu is red-haired, but I think she's small? (Unsure about her height though) The unmentioned redheads are all PC-98 era... and the mentioned ones Youmu said are pretty tall. (or don't exist yet)

Uh... Orin? I think she's pretty short too, though? Well, checking Orin and Kosuzu is probably our best bet. (Next would be "check out random people in the human village", but...!)

>Have we ever met Kosuzu or Orin, for that matter? Enough to gauge whether they'd fit the medium red-hair role?

[Hello Purvis]

>Have we ever met Kosuzu or Orin, for that matter? Enough to gauge whether they'd fit the medium red-hair role?

>You've not precisely met either, but you have seen them. Kosuzu is a bit on the short side, but perhaps she's grown a little since you last saw her? Orin is reasonably mid-sized, but outside of special events that draws her, you're only vaguely aware of where to find her.

> Nothing for it. Let's head to Gensokyo.

>Indeed there isn't.
>Taking your leave, you make your way toward the main gates and fly over them, making your way down the stairs.  Soon they disappear into a valley. The walls rise up around you as you continue further down, until you reach the base of the stairs and emerge from a narrow valley between two tall mountains. The air here is noticeably warmer, and the sky clear. Before you is a small mountain vale, flanked on all sides by tall peaks. Four squarish columns, set in a square pattern rise up toward the heavens. The valley is cloaked in the shadows; the morning sun will need several more hours to rise high enough to illuminate it. A path to the west wends between two  severe cliff faces. Obvious exits are west and east.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

Kosuzu is shorter than Akyuu, who's shorter than Reimu, so I don't think she'll qualify. I considered Rin, but really, if we can't find Raiko, it might just be easier to ask Nue, as much as that puts the possibility of a HijiMiko play in doubt by tipping the religious scales.

Shame that pink isn't allowed, a play in the Human Village would be the perfect excuse for dragging Kokoro out of the woodwork. (Maybe it'll happen anyway?)

> West

[Serela]

Shame that pink isn't allowed, a play in the Human Village would be the perfect excuse for dragging Kokoro out of the woodwork. (Maybe it'll happen anyway?)

Miko's response about the hope mask earlier in the thread suggests Kokoro hasn't even happened yet! And Youmu's response just suggested DDC hasn't either, which would rule out Raiko.

If we end up needing a trip down to the netherworld, we can try to peek around for Orin, but I understand that it's likely pretty out of the way. She seems like the only non-loophole-y eligible person for the role, however.

[Kilgamayan]

Well, Youmu wouldn't necessary know about the events of DDC, since she didn't get caught up in them, nor does she actually live in Gensokyo.

[Hello Purvis]

> West

>You head westward, passing between the mountains.  After some time, they open up to reveal a field dotted with sparse trees and tall grasses. A large flock of birds rustle among the grass, some jumping up into the branches of nearby trees. To the west, the trees grow more and more numerous, until they eventually become a proper woodlands. To the north, the trees thin out; not too far from here would be the banks of the Sanzu River. To the south, the fields continue more or less unchanged, leading toward the rest of Gensokyo. A cool breeze blows. Obvious exits are North, South, East and West.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Head south, to the Human Village, and hurry a bit.

[Hello Purvis]

> Head south, to the Human Village, and hurry a bit.

>You make your way southward. This won't take you directly toward the human village; more toward the Hakurei Shrine, but it is a good start.
>As you travel, you note that the land growing more hilly. You also note that the grass and weeds are dotted by some lilies, which is unusual. Usually they don't extend out this far from the road to the west. Ahead, you can see the trees beginning to thicken up quite a bit, while the mountain range remains as formidable as ever. Obvious exits are North, South, and West.

>_

[Stuffman]

OOC Reminder that Sekibanki exists.

[Serela]

Oooh yeaaah. Sekibanki should theoretically be around even if DDC hasn't happened yet, too, unlike Raiko.

Not sure if we should go to the Hakurei Shrine to tell Reimu about the play or not. She might be a bit of a tough customer in terms of acting for it? I'd rather approach her about it after we have some other actors in line.

>Head towards the Village.

[Kilgamayan]

I get the feeling Youmu may be able to unintentionally guilt Reimu into doing this.

[Hello Purvis]

>Head towards the Village.

>You begin to make your way westward, following the rise and fall of the grassy hills.  As you proceed southward, you note that the lilies are becoming more and more common, which isn't terribly surprising. You've been here before. It doesn't take too long for a hill covered with them to come into sight, and the road some ways beyond it.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> This is beginning to get into Medicine and Yuuka's territory, isn't it?

[Hello Purvis]

> This is beginning to get into Medicine and Yuuka's territory, isn't it?

>Particularly the former's.

>_

[Solais]

Well, Youmu wouldn't necessary know about the events of DDC, since she didn't get caught up in them, nor does she actually live in Gensokyo.

That might be true, but it was also mentioned that Miko doesn't know Akyuu, meaning that Symposium of Post-mysticism didn't yet happen either, which was before DDC. And HM.

So lore-wise we might be just after the events of TD.

[Kilgamayan]

> Give the hill a fairly wide berth as we circle around it to the path that will take us to the village.