Deeper (Dungeon Quest)

Rock rises from the floor, trapping a half-awake Dappled, and Skali hears the voice of the Sleeping Shelterer: "Ask Nulumi if this eel can be confined in the shrine."

Skali dutifully obeys.


The bright pearl pulses once.

"That's a yes, then."

---

Snippy has much to ponder. Under the light of the Brilliant Sky Pearl, then the Radiant Daystar, as the cycle goes. His thoughts race, wiggle, and weave. Why does the strange barrier sometimes bar him? What is so familiar about the Orb in barriered room? Why is it so peaceful there? Snippy grapples with deaths most of all. Those few, who remained in the Sleeping Shelterer, but will never rise again to defend or praise them.

Snippy does not understand why the Wonderful Sleeping Shelterer has spared the gluttonous sibling snatcher. Snippy would claw out her eyes himself to protect the Serene Sleeping Shelterer. Even now he feels a mote of anger, hears the sickening crunches. Perhaps the Dappled intruder will yet meet a suitable end…

The other words of the Humbling Sleeping Shelterer turn in Snippy's head. "To centre themselves". Snippy knows this is for Skali more than him, as the Wise Sleeping Shelterer spoke then of wanderings and of teaching and maybe learning? Maybe Snippy should speak to Skali.

"Hey Snippy!"

Snippy was looking for Skali just now! Would Skali come to look at the Sky with Snippy?

"Ah, I heard you've spent a lot of time staring at the sky recently. Have you been meditating?"

Yes! Snippy has had many difficult thoughts, and thinks Skali might be able to help.

"You've been having difficult thoughts?" Skali pauses. "Wait! Slow down Snippy!"

Snippy is sorry. Snippy should be more patient. Maybe Snippy's thoughts are difficult because Snippy is trying to think too quickly.

"Hmm. Well, some thoughts can be difficult at any speed."

Snippy does not like difficult thoughts.

"Nobody really does, but they happen anyway."

Snippy would like to ask Skali if she understands why the Sibling Snatcher is still alive. Snippy is not experienced like Skali or the Wise Sleeping Shelterer. Snippy… Snippy would rather finish what they started.

"I don't know either. I know the Diokynians sometimes keep their enemies stuck in a space, like naughty children. I'm not sure what the end goal is, though."

Snippy will ponder Skali's words. Snippy is grateful to have a wise friend.

[X] Remain silent
[X] Write-in

Snippy has other questions too, if Skali is not too busy.

"I think the Brilliant Sky Pearl can spare me a while longer."

Snippy is confused. The Brilliant Sky Pearl is up above Skali and Snippy. Snippy is sure the Brillia- Oh. Snippy understands now. The Bright Orb in the Peaceful Place. It is a Bright Pearl. It is… a Little Brilliant Sky Pearl?

Skali chuckles a little "Yes Snippy, and there are others like it; it marks a sacred place of the Brilliant Sky Pearl."

Snippy feels a little slow.

"It's ok Snippy. You've served the Sleeping Shelterer all your life. You can't be expected to know everything."

Snippy wonders if Skali is a friend of the Brilliant Sky Pearl? If that is why Skali Stays here with the Great Sleeping Shelterer?

"You made it sound so great here I couldn't leave until I found out if it really was." Skali runs a claw through her beard. "The peace in that room was wonderful too. I felt drawn in, and then the Brilliant Sky Pearl called to me. It was only here that I learned to put my trust in her."

Snippy understands. Even before the Peaceful Place the older crabs told Snippy it was safer inside the Splendid Sleeping Shelterer. That it is bad in the out-of-doors.

"Yeah. It's not easy out there."

Snippy wonders if Skali might help Snippy understand the bright barriers to the Peaceful Place. Snippy does not like it when they stop Snippy, and Snippy has been stopped a few times when Snippy goes through them. Snippy would like it if he never got stopped by them.

"Oh, I guess this is your first Shrine experience." Skali taps her shell thoughtfully. "It's like this; when divinities like the Brilliant Sky Pearl consecrate places, they don't want any schmuck waving a claw about to tear up the place, or anyone to get the idea of using the place as a fortress and stopping folk from visiting."

Snippy follows so far.

"So, yeah, it's pretty common for them to stop anyone from leaving and then coming right back in. It stops people loosing at anyone they don't like and avoiding reprisal by ducking back into the shrine."

Ah. Snippy understands about fighting. Snippy will not annoy the Brilliant Sky Pearl's bright barrier from now on!

"You're a funny one, Snippy."

After another cycle on the rock, Snippy has an answer:

[X] Snippy has pondered the movement of the eels, and noticed that their speed and planning has given them a distinct advantage in some situations. Snippy will not fall behind. (Snippy gains the Tactician skill)

• Tactician - You gain 1 vantage on initiative rolls. If you give orders, Rallied allies that follow the plan gain 1 vantage. In a formation, this bonus only applies to the lowest vantage level. Routed hostiles lose 1 vantage on initiative next turn (Leader)

[X] Snippy will take great care to recognise the prowess of intruders. Knowing the strength of the intruder, and the strength of Snippy's allies will make decisions clearer. (Snippy gains the Martial Eye skill)

• Martial Eye – You gain one vantage on attempts to learn other creature's martial modifiers - in combat you can tell without a check. (Martial)

[X] Snippy is not satisfied with Stripes escaping again. Snippy is committed, this intruder will not escape a third time. Snip! Snip! (Snippy gains the Sanguine skill)

• Sanguine - If you have less than your maximum health, you gain 1 vantage on initiative (If you are leading a formation, any casualties it takes will count towards this). Routed hostiles that have less than their maximum health lose 1 vantage on all actions when trying to flee. (Leader)

---

Clink

Skali turns to the noise, and finds half a dozen crabs carrying a glass bottle.

Clink-clonk

"What's going on, you found this on the beach?"

Snippy did! Snippy found it on the shore, just sitting in the sand. It has a paper in it, like the journal the big metal lady had!

"Oh, let's have a look then!"

She uncorks the bottle with a loud Plop!, and struggles briefly with turning it upside down to get the small, rolled up piece of paper out of the thin bottleneck.

"Aha!" She unrolls the paper, taking care not to harm the already crumbling sheet.



"...Well isn't that interesting."



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Trivia:
Did you know that asking the question "What do we call the bipeds?" can lead to the construction of an entire world map and also, the fabrication of about a dozen different languages? Because that's a thing we do, apparently.