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Mare Internum: An Exalted Quest

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Now That You Are Pure 114
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    • Second Bear said:
    [X] Please have this delivered Captain Logris' tent. I'll make my own way up.
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    "Please have this delivered Captain Logris' tent. I'll make my own way up."

    The engineer shrugs.

    ENGINEER: "Aye lady, as you wish, we'll have it up with the next pallet. Should be delivered within the hour."

    CRAFT: They are probably still moving supplies from the wreck up to the camp.

    "Good enough. See you at the top."

    Refreshed by your recent swim in a winter sea and warmed up after dragging a heavy chest across the ground for an hour, you decide that now is a good time to scale a sheer cliff by hand.

    PHYSIQUE: Yes, training!

    ATHLETICS: Oh boy, we're doing this again! I think this is a great idea.

    Okay, let's get to it!

    ATHLETICS: DIFFICULT
    2 3
    CHECK FAILED

    Climbing up a cliff is actually quite a lot more difficult than climbing down it. Lacking as you do any sense of self-preservation, you could swiftly hop down from handhold to handhold without much delay. On the way up, you need to carefuly leverage your weight against the surface at every step, digging your hands into the soft soil between the rock face or clinging on to sharp outcroppings. It's slow going, but your body is up to the challenge.

    Unfortunately your brain is not. You deftly manage to maneuver yourself into a position where you are clinging to the underside of a large outcropping, unable to descend without dropping a hundred paces on to the beach and unable to climb up any further.

    ATHLETICS: Oh dear.

    Well, what now?

    PHYSIQUE: We play the waiting game. This rock will move before we do.

    We're in a hurry, we can't wait for the rock to erode.

    ???: "Er, hello?"

    A high, reedy voice sounds from above.

    "Hello yourself, who's up there?"

    You see a young face framed with tousled black hair peek over the top of the cliff, fifty paces or so above you. A girl, you decide, after some consideration.

    CINNAMON: "Cinnamon, lady. I'm Captain Logris' aide. Are you magistrate Vesper?"

    "Vesper's fine!"

    CINNAMON: "Ah, good, I've been looking all over for you. Er, may I ask what you're doing?"

    "I'm exercising."

    CINNAMON: "Oh, I see."

    There's a long pause. She seems to be unsure how to proceed.

    CINNAMON: "Is it going well?"

    [ ] Yeah, I'm just waiting for this rock to erode.
    [ ] I need some time alone with this rock.
    [ ] What, are you some kind of rock expert?
    [ ] Well, I don't know, whatever, I'm on a rock.
    [ ] Actually I have no idea how to get down from this rock.
     
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    • [C] Actually I have no idea how to get down from this rock.

    Edit: In my defence, the c and x are right next to each other and I was trying to vote quickly.
     
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    Now That You Are Pure 115
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    • Legionman said:
    [C] Actually I have no idea how to get down from this rock.
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    "Actually I have no idea how to get down from this rock."

    CINNAMON: "Oh."

    There is another long pause.

    CINNAMON: "Would you like me to get you a rope?"

    You are defeated. "Yes please."

    CINNAMON: "Alright, I'll be back soon, you just hang on!"

    With little choice, you do so, fingers digging into the rock. You wonder how long you can hold on for.

    PHYSIQUE: That's good endurance training!

    Not now, Physique.

    After some time, a knotted rope ladder tumbles down the side of the cliff behind you.

    CINNAMON: "Can you reach it?"

    "Yes, is it secured?"

    CINNAMON: "I think so!"

    "You think so?"

    CINNAMON: "I mean yes, yes it is!"

    You grab on to the rope. It is indeed secure, and much easier to climb than the cliff. In moments, you scale to the top.

    Cinnamon is a plump, dark-haired girl in her early teens, wearing a freshly-pressed naval uniform and a harried expression. It looks like she's tied the rope ladder to the wooden one that reaches into the camp.

    "Thank you, Cinnamon. Did you say you were looking for me?"

    CINNAMON: "Yes, magist- er, Vesper." she points to the south, where the cliff rises above the camp into the mountains, away from the manse. "Captain Logris told me that you are invited to meet her at the apple tree grove up yonder."

    "Apple tree grove?"

    CINNAMON: "Er, I haven't seen it. She said you would know it when you found it. Anyway, I'm late for my other chores, i'll see you at supper, lady."

    She bobs in a quick curtsy and runs off before you can ask anything more.

    WAR: Navy folk do the heart salute or bow, they don't curtsy. I wonder where Logris found her?

    Without any clearer guidance, you walk up towards the mountains. Your headache is back. This time it's an odd bubbling sensation, like pressure inside your skull is finding relief by pushing small amounts of air around your eyeballs. It is so distracting that you almost miss the patch of green.

    AWARENESS: What is that?

    NAVIGATE: It's a tree.

    You hardly remember trees. Well, not green trees, anyway. This is a tree, with green leaves. They look like big weird bushes full of red bits with stumps attached to them. Are these apple trees?

    NAVIGATE: Yes, these are obviously apple trees, look, there are apples on them. What is wrong with you?

    You probably shouldn't think too hard about that question. You head towards the apple grove.

    There are a dozen or so trees on a sandy plateau of the mountain, almost half again as high as cliff you ascended. From here you can see the whole camp lain out behind you, red-coated figures scurrying around like ants. A memory itches at you, but you push it aside.

    AWARENESS: VERY DIFFICULT
    1 2
    CHECK FAILED

    Inside the grove, Logris sits on a sea-green blanket on the sand, sipping tea from a porcelean cup. Her greatcoat is folded next to her, revealing a starched white uniform tunic with quilted paneling.

    LOGRIS: "Ah, Vesper, how wonderful that you could make it."

    LOGRIS FACE: What delayed you?

    "How are apple trees?" you ask, your pressing question undeterred by any other consideration.

    Logris does not answer, but her eyes flick up over your head.

    FINCHER: "My fault, boss. I just fancied some apples."

    Fincher is slouched on the branches of one of the trees, holding a half-eaten red apple in one hand.

    "You can grow apple trees?"

    FINCHER: "I can grow anything. Takes some time and effort, and I need the seeds. Got some from them pickled apples they keep on the ships. Fresh tastes better."

    "Looks like you've been busy."

    FINCHER: "Been waiting a while and I didn't feel like making conversation. What've you been doing?"

    [ ] I failed to rob the quartermaster.
    [ ] I had a chat with the boat's figurehead, she was nice.
    [ ] I spoke to a mysterious woman in the surface of the water.
    [ ] I had a bath.
    [ ] I went on a vision quest and found my luggage.
     
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    • Now That You Are Pure 116
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    • Theaxofwar said:
    [X] I had a chat with the boat's figurehead, she was nice.
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    "I had a chat with the boat's figurehead, she was nice."

    LOGRIS: "Please stop calling it a boat."

    FINCHER: "Oh yeah, how did that go?"

    "I don't know, she gave me some life advice. And some directions. Oh, and she was surprisingly knowledgeable about demons."

    FINCHER: "Demons."

    "Yep."

    Fincher crunches her apple in silence for a few moments as she looks narrowly at you.

    FINCHER: "I see you got your sword back."

    "I took the initiative."

    FINCHER: "Oh yeah? Did you take anything else?"

    LOGRIS: "Talonlord, please, should we really be discussing this? You are an officer and we are talking about criminal acts that-"

    "I got a bar of soap."

    LOGRIS: "-that I approve of in this case."

    FINCHER: "Well, the thing is, you see, when I heard you agreed to a duel with Dragonlord Mei-"

    She pauses and pinches the bridge of her nose between two fingers.

    FINCHER: "Sorry, needed a moment to get over that. When I heard you agreed to a duel with Dragonlord Mei, I sent Toothsome and Brindle to pick up your sword with a requisition order, so I could give it back."

    "Oh yeah?"

    FINCHER: "Yeah. Thing is, someone had already broken in and made a huge mess, and the sword was missing."

    [ ] That's so weird.
    [ ] Yeah, I got the sword from whoever did that.
    [ ] We should look for this mystery vandal immediately.
    [ ] Good thing someone was around to inspect security.
    [ ] This is just an identical sword.
    [ ] Logris gave me this sword.
    [ ] They must have gotten in through the roof.
    [ ] Back to my other questions.
     
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    • Now That You Are Pure 117
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    • GAWR said:
    [X] This is just an identical sword.
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    "This is just an identical sword."

    FINCHER: "Oh yeah? Where'd you get it?"

    Your brain freezes.

    "An identical place."

    FINCHER: "Right, so this is actually a replica of the sword I took from you, stored just next to the other one, and you broke in to steal that one, but the other one went missing at around the same time, is that what you are telling me?"

    "That seems accurate to what I have said, yes."

    Fincher stares at you as she chews on her apple.

    INTEGRITY: I don't think she believes you.

    LOGRIS: "Why did you confiscate her sword, talonlord?"

    Fincher throws aside her apple core and plucks another one from the tree branch next to her in agitation.

    FINCHER: "Don't you have a sparring match you called me off my free time to supervise?"

    LOGRIS: "Well, yes, I suppose we should get to that. Are you feeling well enough to begin, Vesper?"

    [ ] Sure, do we start punching now?
    [ ] Wait, Fincher, why are you talking to me?
    [ ] Can I get an apple?
    [ ] I think I need to lie down.
     
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    • Now That You Are Pure 118
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    • TheMaskedReader said:
    [X] Wait, Fincher, why are you talking to me?
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    "Wait, Fincher, why are you talking to me?"

    FINCHER: "I got permission."

    "Oh yeah?"

    FINCHER: "Yeah." she nods to Logris. "When she approached me about this, first thing I did was ask the dragonlord if it would be okay. She said I might as well keep an eye on you for her."

    "What, so you're spying on me?"

    FINCHER: "No." she sounds defensive. She takes a bite from the fresh apple and continues through a mouthful. "S'only spying if you don't know about it, and I just told you."

    "Well, it's good to talk to you again."

    FINCHER: "Yeah, whatever, just get on with it, you're cutting into my free time."

    [ ] I think I need to rest a bit first.
    [ ] Can I get an apple?
    [ ] Okay, let's get started.
     
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    • Now That You Are Pure 119
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    • Timothy said:
    [X] Can I get an apple?
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    "Can I get an apple?"

    FINCHER: "Fine."

    She plucks one off the branch above her and hurls it at you.

    ATHLETICS: NORMAL
    1 6
    CHECK PASSED

    You narrowly manage to grab the apple out of the air before it bounces off your head.

    "Thanks?"

    FINCHER: "We're here so you can train, right boss? That's training."

    "You mean you didn't want to hit me in the face with an apple?"

    FINCHER: "No, I did, you deserved it, for being a fucking idiot."

    LOGRIS: "You are a very rude young lady."

    FINCHER "I'll fucking apple you too! It's your fault that she's in this mess!"

    LOGRIS: "And how is that?"

    FINCHER: "You convinced her that the only way to deal with Mei was to fight her."

    LOGRIS: "I did no such thing."

    FINCHER: "You did! It was you that put this idea in her head that she has to either fight her or go on the run. What are you trying to pull?"

    LOGRIS: "Were you spying on our earlier conversation, talonlord? I do not recall you telling us about it."

    FINCHER: "Ugh, you know what? Just do your thing and pretend I'm not here."

    She climbs up into the higher branches of the apple tree and vanishes among the foliage.

    You turn to Logris, who gives you a small, wry smile. You take a bite of the apple.

    [ ] We should talk.
    [ ] I'm ready to get started.
     
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    • Now That You Are Pure 120
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    • TheMaskedReader said:
    [X] We should talk.
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    "We should talk."

    LOGRIS: "Do you think so? Well, bearing in mind what the talonlord just said, we should not talk about anything you do not want her to hear."

    LOGRIS FACE: Or that you do not want Mei to hear.

    LOGRIS: "What would you like to talk about?"

    [ ] I think I found my trunk from the Kazudaris. I'm having it sent to your tent.
    [ ] I remembered something about you.
    [ ] Have you been dishonest with me?
    [ ] I have forgotten what we are doing.
    [ ] Can I have some tea?
    [ ] What's up with Fincher?
    [ ] I don't think sparring is a good idea.
    [ ] Actually I don't want to talk about anything.
     
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