Not only is attempting to do the "rescue" very dangerous during the night, there's no telling how strong the current will be.
In addition, most objects decompose quickly in water(Assuming that black lump is actually a formerly-living being and not driftwood covered in plants), and trust me that we don't want that thing's belongings after it has been rotting in the river for a couple of days.
Besides, we just murdered two goblins, made a lot of noise doing so, and shouldn't spend our night trying to drag a corpse from a lakebed. It gets us soaked again, nom up several hours of precious time we could spend better, and entails a boatload of risks.
All in all: We've got better things to do, like getting out of the woods.
Still: If the vote in the end favors going in and dragging the presumed corpse out, I would suggest trying to hook it in using the rope&hook or twirl a lasso around it and drag it up the shore. Under no circumstances should you attempt a swimming "rescue" during the night, it often ends up with a dead "rescuer".
I swear I’m done with “The Last of Us”… Updates will be a bit more frequent compared to the last couple of days.
Results:
B: Ignore it and continue on. Minor Action: Say “Whatever”.
…You think about your decision… and conclude that it simply isn’t worth the risk. You’re stranded, alone, in the wilderness and need to continue on your journey. A corpse that has been rotting in the river for a couple of days, maybe even longer, simply isn’t worth the risk of falling into the river and being carried further downstream… or worse.
You have a couple lingering thoughts as to what might be on the cadaver but you mutter a simple “whatever” and make your way across the bridge.
As you walk across you can’t help but admire the stonework and skillful masonry that has been put into this piece of architecture:
The small walls erected on either side were not simple bricks laid out with mortar like the rest of the structure, but instead, were a series of columns lined up equidistant from one another. Each one was circular and had an hourglass like shape, a couple inches thick at the middle point and then widening as you went either up or down. On top, a series of flat stones were laid across, almost resembling a spread deck of cards. They rise up to a peak every couple of feet and then flow back down into each valley.
You get a strange feeling as you continue to cross the bridge: You can’t help but wonder how many other people – who aren’t goblins - have used this in the last couple of months. These “Hazelands”, as they’re called, feel empty, almost like they have no life to them. You didn’t meet anyone on your journey so far besides the goblins and they seemed quite surprised to see you. Of course, that could be attributed to the fact that you were weren’t a goblin and half undressed. For whatever reason, though, this land seems to be covered by some perpetual mist. You saw it from the train and it persists even now. Someone built this bridge and considering the goblins’ state of dress and their weapons you doubt that it was them. No, someone else built this bridge and that means that this land was once inhabited by others, which you’re hard-pressed to find any proof of their existence, save for this bridge.
Now half way across the bridge another thought starts to edge its way into your mind. You’re reminded of the newly acquired items your bag and begin to wonder about them. You shift your bag to your front and unlatch it and open it up. You’re about to reach your hand in and rummage about but find the necklace from earlier right on top. You can’t help but stare at it, stopping in place to admire the piece of jewelry. You reach into your bag and retrieve it, holding it up to cherish its design.
Perhaps you didn’t notice it before or you were simply too preoccupied with moving on, but the chain of the necklace actually seems to be made of silver, the radiance of the metal a bit more noticeable than before. You run your hands along the metal and feel how smooth the chain is, the sensation almost pleasurable as you fingers pass each link. You can’t help but wonder how it would feel around your neck. You go to put it over your head, the rune-covered pendant now in front of your face, but are caught off guard by a sudden gust of wind, almost causing you to lose your grip on the precious item.
You lower the pendant and look around, seeing the branches of the nearby trees rustling in the wind. You look up to the sky but all you are greeted with is the same grey mist. You hope the weather doesn’t take and turn for the worse. You discard the idea of donning the necklace and slip it back into your bag. You tell yourself that you can examine it later, proceeding to move and reaching the end of the bridge after another couple of minutes.
As your steps transition from the hard cobblestone of the bridge to the soft soil you notice that a slightly overgrown road lies before you, cutting through the trees. You open your bag again, this time retrieving your compass, and proceed to flip it open. You face down the path and keep the compass level, watching the metal disk inside spin around. The circular piece of metal, slowly but surely finds its mark, the southern tip pointing a bit to the right. You compare the angle at which it points to that of the road and see that the path strays a bit to the southeast.
You could continue following the path or you could simply follow your compass south through the forest. Unfortunately, all you know is that Bayton is “south” of Novo; Scarper failed to mention if it was southeast, southwest or straight south of the city.
Whatever your choice, fate may need to be on your side to arrive at your destination unscathed...
Choices:
Decide on a course of action.
Primary Vote:
Where do you go from here? Do you take the path, go through the forest, or perhaps decide on another course of action?
X) Other.
Z) Minor Action. Available.
---
Minor Actions Explanation:
Minor Actions are small actions you may do in addition to your Primary Vote (A, B, C, etc.). They will usually just provide you with additional information or perhaps, in rare circumstances, an item. If it would cause an encounter or runs the risk of causing general havoc then it's best to put it as an additional detail under primary vote.
Examples are asking someone a simple question, inspecting an object or feature in the environment, checking on or using an item in your bag, or changing some feature on your person. (i.e. Putting your hair into ponytail - See: Sections explained > Appearance)
They may help you, but please, try not to abuse the system. Trying to examine a couple objects in detail may be fine, but picking every item off the shelf in a store can get a bit... tedious.
And as always: I retain the right to reject them however much it may pain me to do so...
STATS:*
Current Inventory:
Gold: 8
-Ticket from Hangsmire to Novo. 2nd Class.
-Ticket from Bayton to Respeiro. 1st Class.
-Ticket from Novo to Bayton. 3rd Class.
-Red Discrete Crystal x3
-White Discrete Crystal x2
-Note from “J”
-Bundle of Rope with treble Hook on end.
-Lock-pick.
-Metallic Brooch (Type:?)
-Blood Stained Blouse. Torn.
-Leather Dress-Boots.
-Compass.
-Healing Potion. Will heal all but the most brutal of wounds.
-Goblin Potion. Unknown Effect.
-Leather dress Gloves. Brown.
-Small container of water. Professionally Made.
-Goblin Necklace. Silver chain. Pendant adorned with runes.
-Waterskin. Half filled with some sort of alcoholic beverage. Seems to be wine.
Weapons:
-Revolver. Single Action. Single load. Holds Six Rounds.
-Rounds: x3 (3 in Cylinder)
-Goblin (short)Spear. 5' long. Wooden shaft with secured dagger as blade.
-Small skinning knife. 2 inch blade. Notched in belt.
Apparel:
-Belt & Holster. Knife tucked between belt folds.
-Small Belt-Pouch 1: Contains - Empty
-Small Belt-Pouch 2: Contains - Healing Potion. Goblin Potion.
-Duster. Down to calves. Khaki. Cut on right sleeve.
-Skirt. Down to ankles. Black. Couple of tears, some making your legs visible.
-Shirt. Buttoned.
-Vest. Dark Leather. A bit shrunken.
-Sturdy Boots. Brown Leather.
-Bra. Black. Silk.
-Underwear. Black lace. Silk.
-Stockings. Transparent. Black. Slightly torn.
Abilities/Effects:
- Amnesiac: You have lost your memory and have little understanding of the world.
- Revolver Training: "It ain't much but you're a natural" -Tinder
- ”Quite the Bust”: Your vest adds a certain appeal to your bosom.
- ".........."
Physical Appearance:
-Red/Auburn Hair: Little longer than “Shoulder Length”. Messy, but clean. Bedraggled look.
-Height: ~5’ 7”
-Small cut on right arm. Almost healed.
-Small cut on left cheek. Almost healed.
-Bullet wound scar on left abdomen.
Crystal explanations can be found in the first post.
Explanation of Sections:
A "*" next to the "STATS" title will denote that there has been a modification since the last post.
A blue + will denote that an item has been gained.
A red - will denote that an item has been lost or destroyed.
Current Inventory: What you have with you.
Weapons: Objects that may be used to inflict harm on opponents. Note, that these are your primary means of damaging an enemy in combat but you may use other items you possess or objects in the environment in creative ways. This includes your bare hands and feet.
Apparel: Clothes that are currently being worn. Any damage will be detailed as well. Clothing not being worn will be held in your inventory. A “???” symbol denotes the knowledge of it being worn, but no specific details are known.
Abilities/Effects:Special abilities possessed by the character. Some may be directly linked with items/pieces of clothing. Also lists passive effects present upon the character, including passive skills and negative conditions.
Physical Appearance: A basic overview of the physical features of your character. Some aspects may be altered via a minor action if necessary requirements are met (Tying hair up into a ponytail), or against the character’s will depending on the nature of the alteration.
Travel South because if its either southeast of southwest, at least you will be closer than if you were southeast and it happens to be in the southwest. It might be in the forest but roads are a good place to get ambushed (although its possible to do that in the forest but at least if you go slowly, the trees will give you protection from being seen easily and also the storm should be dampened a bit by the trees).
Travel South, keeping close to the river for as long as the road allows.
It might be coïncidence, but bayton might just hint at it being situated near water, and would anyone care to make a wild guess about where rivers end?
Also, the necklace is obviously charmed in one way or another(Positive or negative, but nighttime in the woods isn't the time to experiment), with the way she is near-compelled to try it on.
Minor Action: Bury the necklace in the deepest reaches of the backpack in a way it can't be "accidentally" put on again.
Travel South, keeping close to the river for as long as the road allows.
It might be coïncidence, but bayton might just hint at it being situated near water, and would anyone care to make a wild guess about where rivers end?
Also, the necklace is obviously charmed in one way or another(Positive or negative, but nighttime in the woods isn't the time to experiment), with the way she is near-compelled to try it on.
Minor Action: Bury the necklace in the deepest reaches of the backpack in a way it can't be "accidentally" put on again.
Travel South because if its either southeast of southwest, at least you will be closer than if you were southeast and it happens to be in the southwest. It might be in the forest but roads are a good place to get ambushed (although its possible to do that in the forest but at least if you go slowly, the trees will give you protection from being seen easily and also the storm should be dampened a bit by the trees).
Travel South, keeping close to the river for as long as the road allows.
It might be coïncidence, but bayton might just hint at it being situated near water, and would anyone care to make a wild guess about where rivers end?
Also, the necklace is obviously charmed in one way or another(Positive or negative, but nighttime in the woods isn't the time to experiment), with the way she is near-compelled to try it on.
Minor Action: Bury the necklace in the deepest reaches of the backpack in a way it can't be "accidentally" put on again.
South – Try and stay close to either the river or the road, in hopes that the river will empty near the ocean and the river will stay close to the road.
Minor Action: Try to ignore the necklace and put it from sight and mind.
As you think about which direction you should take you remember a detail of note: Raphael mentioned how Bayton was situated near an actual bay. If it indeed does empty into the sea you could probably follow the coastline to the city.
You look ahead and see how the road curves slightly southwards and decide that you could follow it as long as the river remains in view, simply following the river if the road goes astray. With your compass handy, you set forth down the path, trying to keep your mind active and eyes alert.
Your journey leads you down the dirt road, the river still visible through the trees to your left. As long as you can see that solid shade of grey from the mist that hovers over the river you’re rather confident you haven’t gone too far. You continue on like this for a while, occasionally glancing at your compass to make sure you’re still headed southwards. The path winds a bit but, luckily, it never strays too far from the river. You’re starting to wonder if the road was put it place to follow it, perhaps? Whether or not it was you find yourself fortunate and keep walking.
As you walk you look around, noticing that the trees look just the slightest bit livelier. No longer dead looking, there are actually quite a few of them that boast a canopy of leaves, albeit dead grey ones. The bark seems to be slightly less dark as well, no longer resembling tar. The underbrush however remains as unpleasant as ever, bushes without leaves and broken branches scattered along the sides of the path. Maybe it’s best you decided to stick to the path as a journey through the woods may have been quite slow and tedious.
After a while you start to become worried as the path turns more to the south, but are quickly relieved as you see that the river has turned in the same direction. After a few more minutes of walking down the path you begin to notice the two are almost right next to each other now. It appears as though fate is on your side at the moment.
With the river in plain view of the road you feel comfortable walking without your compass and open your bag to put it away. You flip open your bag and just as you let the leather-bound instrument fall from your hand you see the necklace again. Yet again, you find yourself in a state of rapture as you view the piece of jewelry. You reach down and tenderly touch the pendant, lifting out of the bag yet again. It dazzles in what little light shines through the mist and you admire it as it sits in the palm of your hand. Perhaps you didn’t notice it before or you were simply too preoccupied, but the chain actually seems to be made of gold… it almost seems to glow as you run your hands along it, delighting in the sensation of each link as they pass in between your fingertips. You can’t help but wonder how it would feel around your neck. You lift it up to place it over your head, but the pendant catches your attention and you stop, the medallion suspended in front of your face. There, situated in the center of the ornament, was a most resplendent and perfectly cut ruby. It was almost a full 2 inches wide and looked to be crafted by a master artisan, the cuts so precise, the angles themselves almost captivating. You think yourself so lucky to have found such a gem and go to put it on… but freeze, a sense of foreboding wafting over you.
You think back to when you found this. It’s hazy, but of all your memories admiring this absolute treasure you… can’t quite recall a ruby having ever been there. You lower the trinket back down, letting your arms go limp. You strain your mind as you try to recollect any mental images of the object in your hand, but find yourself greeted with only images of a stone pendant, runes carved on the front. A sense of dread fills you and you feel almost earful of the bauble in your hand. You remember how enraptured you felt after each time you gazed upon it, wanting nothing more than to wear it proudly and be admired. You’re not quite sure why, or even how, but you can’t shake the feeling that this precious cameo might be enchanted somehow.
You lift it up again this time with a wary gaze. You think of simply going to the river and chucking it away, but thoughts of simply selling it for a hefty sum take their place. “No, I can resist its efforts”, you tell yourself. Even if you do put it on later you can surely take it off when you plan to sell it… right? Confident you won’t be tempted by cursed item again, you rummage through your bag and shove all of your items to one side, dropping the jewel to the bottom and letting the items fall back on top of it. With that done, and hopefully no longer a concern, you keep moving forward down the path, glancing over to your left every once in a while to make sure the river is still within sight.
An hour… maybe two go by, you don’t know. All you know is you’ve been walking the same path for quite a while and your feet are starting to feel a bit more than just a simple ache. Miraculously you don’t feel tired, although hunger is starting to gnaw at your form. Only a minor concern at the moment, although you don’t know how it’ll progress through the day. As you try and put it from your mind the scenery finally changes, the trees giving way and becoming sparse.
You see now that, instead of trees, fields of bare soil dotted with small tufts of grass flank each side of the road. Upon closer examination it seems that they have a rather angular shape to them, almost as if someone cultivated the land like that on purpose, regular wild grass edging over the border and into the field. You continue at a slightly slower pace, cautious of the change in scenery. It’s not long before a solid dark shape comes into view to the right of the road beyond the mist. You narrow your gaze and walk forward hesitantly, wary of everything in this land.
The shape becomes clearer and you realize that it appears to be a barn. You stop and stare at it, soon realizing that it has become quite dilapidated: sections of the walls are missing, the roof has quite a few holes in it and the overall structure seems to be leaning. It looks to be made of some bright wood, such as oak or yew, although you can't be sure from this distance..
You scan around a bit more and see that the road up ahead actually forks, the right side, passing the barn and leading into the mist, and the other splitting off towards the river again. You squint and try your best to peer through the fog, but to no avail. You jog forward a bit, until your right at the point in which the two paths diverge, and then notice a sign posted at the intersection. It’s wooden and seems to be near collapse. You examine the section that points to the left and see one word “Brill”. The other side seems to be missing, a section of the wood looking as though it has been torn off.
You look off to the left again, in the direction the sign is pointing, and see now that the path leads to a wooden bridge, which spans the width of the river. Beyond the bridge, however, you can see more shapes obscured by the mist. Tall and square, they seem to be more buildings. You guess “Brill” is a town of some sort just on the other side of the river. You’re reminded again about your stomach and how you’re quite famished. Of course, you also told yourself you’d make your way to Bayton with all due haste. Then again, you’re still not sure if you’re completely on the right track to begin with, your only guide being to “head south”.
If you do stop by this town you may be able to satisfy your hunger and even rest a bit before you continue on with your travels. A couple hours of downtime may be worth it as you don't know how much farther you'll have to go until you reach your destination. You are a bit worried though, as you don't know how much longer you want to stay in this mist-covered land.
You take out your compass again to check your orientation and see that the path heading into Brill is southeast and the path off to the right that passes by the barn leads southwest. If you were to continue going straight south you’d end up following the riverbank again. You feel a little overwhelmed at the moment, your decision making addled by your hunger, the fact that you’re relatively lost, and your stress that reaching Bayton is the next step in your journey to finding out your past.
You try to keep yourself calm and think of a rational way to proceed.
Choices:
Decide on a course of action.
Primary Vote:
A) (SE) Cross the bridge over into "Brill". (I'll make sure to take it slow so you're not practically in the town square by the the time you can make your next decision.) B) (SW) Take the right path, passed the barn, that leads back into the forest. C) (S) Head south and continue to follow the riverbank.
X) Other.
Z) Minor Action. Available.
---
Minor Actions Explanation:
Minor Actions are small actions you may do in addition to your Primary Vote (A, B, C, etc.). They will usually just provide you with additional information or perhaps, in rare circumstances, an item. If it would cause an encounter or runs the risk of causing general havoc then it's best to put it as an additional detail under primary vote.
Examples are asking someone a simple question, inspecting an object or feature in the environment, checking on or using an item in your bag, or changing some feature on your person. (i.e. Putting your hair into ponytail - See: Sections explained > Appearance)
They may help you, but please, try not to abuse the system. Trying to examine a couple objects in detail may be fine, but picking every item off the shelf in a store can get a bit... tedious.
And as always: I retain the right to reject them however much it may pain me to do so...
STATS:*
Current Inventory:
Gold: 8
-Ticket from Hangsmire to Novo. 2nd Class.
-Ticket from Bayton to Respeiro. 1st Class.
-Ticket from Novo to Bayton. 3rd Class.
-Red Discrete Crystal x3
-White Discrete Crystal x2
-Note from “J”
-Bundle of Rope with treble Hook on end.
-Lock-pick.
-Metallic Brooch (Type:?)
-Blood Stained Blouse. Torn.
-Leather Dress-Boots.
-Compass.
-Healing Potion. Will heal all but the most brutal of wounds.
-Goblin Potion. Unknown Effect.
-Leather dress Gloves. Brown.
-Small container of water. Professionally Made.
-Goblin Necklace. Golden chain. Pendant adorned with runes and a magnificent Ruby.
-Waterskin. Half filled with some sort of alcoholic beverage. Seems to be wine.
Weapons:
-Revolver. Single Action. Single load. Holds Six Rounds.
-Rounds: x3 (3 in Cylinder)
-Goblin (short)Spear. 5' long. Wooden shaft with secured dagger as blade.
-Small skinning knife. 2 inch blade. Notched in belt.
Apparel:
-Belt & Holster. Knife tucked between belt folds.
-Small Belt-Pouch 1: Contains - Empty
-Small Belt-Pouch 2: Contains - Healing Potion. Goblin Potion.
-Duster. Down to calves. Khaki. Cut on right sleeve.
-Skirt. Down to ankles. Black. Couple of tears, some making your legs visible.
-Shirt. Buttoned.
-Vest. Dark Leather. A bit shrunken.
-Sturdy Boots. Brown Leather.
-Bra. Black. Silk.
-Underwear. Black lace. Silk.
-Stockings. Transparent. Black. Slightly torn.
Abilities/Effects:
- Amnesiac: You have lost your memory and have little understanding of the world.
- Revolver Training: "It ain't much but you're a natural" -Tinder
- ”Quite the Bust”: Your vest adds a certain appeal to your bosom.
- "..."
Physical Appearance:
-Red/Auburn Hair: Little longer than “Shoulder Length”. Messy, but clean. Bedraggled look.
-Height: ~5’ 7”
-Small cut on right arm. Almost healed.
-Small cut on left cheek. Almost healed.
-Bullet wound scar on left abdomen.
Crystal explanations can be found in the first post.
Explanation of Sections:
A "*" next to the "STATS" title will denote that there has been a modification since the last post.
A blue + will denote that an item has been gained.
A red - will denote that an item has been lost or destroyed.
Current Inventory: What you have with you.
Weapons: Objects that may be used to inflict harm on opponents. Note, that these are your primary means of damaging an enemy in combat but you may use other items you possess or objects in the environment in creative ways. This includes your bare hands and feet.
Apparel: Clothes that are currently being worn. Any damage will be detailed as well. Clothing not being worn will be held in your inventory. A “???” symbol denotes the knowledge of it being worn, but no specific details are known.
Abilities/Effects:Special abilities possessed by the character. Some may be directly linked with items/pieces of clothing. Also lists passive effects present upon the character, including passive skills and negative conditions.
Physical Appearance: A basic overview of the physical features of your character. Some aspects may be altered via a minor action if necessary requirements are met (Tying hair up into a ponytail), or against the character’s will depending on the nature of the alteration.
If the buildings are tall, then I doubt its a goblin town especially when the ones before were using primitive weapons and were pretty stupid. Although it being obscured in mist doesn't seem like a good sign. I guess she can sell that jewel or w.e to someone and use that money to get food and sleep.
A Sell that necklace for food and a sleeping place and maybe more supplies like ammo.
Why?
If there's any form of habitation, it's likely going to be there.
If friendly or at the least approachable: Free directions and maybe supplies.
If unfriendly: Pity, nothing lost and we go back.
If uninhabited: We're in trouble and need to leave fast.
Minor action: Run like hell if there's a huge graveyard near the village.(I'm sure Cevrik gets the hint).
Why?
If there's any form of habitation, it's likely going to be there.
If friendly or at the least approachable: Free directions and maybe supplies.
If unfriendly: Pity, nothing lost and we go back.
If uninhabited: We're in trouble and need to leave fast.
Minor action: Run like hell if there's a huge graveyard near the village.(I'm sure Cevrik gets the hint).
I'd say A. Also, If the opportunity presents itself don't sell the necklace just yet. The metallic brooch is probably worth a little more, and we still don't know what the necklace does.
I'd say A. Also, If the opportunity presents itself don't sell the necklace just yet. The metallic brooch is probably worth a little more, and we still don't know what the necklace does.
With a (now) unanimous vote for A, let’s take a visit to “Brill”!
After a little bit of thought you finally decide that heading into the town is probably the best bet. The thought that Brill may be a goblin settlement crossed your mind but considering the goblins from earlier used nothing but spears and seemed pretty primitive, you doubt that this is the case. Hopefully, you can also find somewhere to pawn off this necklace… before you succumb to whatever magic it may possess.
You turn to the left and start towards the bridge, your footfalls becoming louder as you transition from the soft soil to the wooden planks. The bridge creaks under your weight and, for a second, the thought of falling through into the river below crosses your mind. You look down and notice that you can even see the water rushing by through the cracks in the boards. You’re confident that the structure will hold however; the thought of the bridge just suddenly collapsing when you try and cross it almost seeming like a bad joke. You make it to the other side, your footfalls taking on the same subtle crunch from the dirt beneath you, and can now see the buildings that were obscured before.
From where you are now you can see that most of the buildings rise up two stories and seem to all hold somewhat of the same basic design. Unlike the barn from earlier, these seem to be in better shape, although not by much. They still miss the occasional plank in the wall and stains coat much of their surface. You can’t get much a view from where you are, finding that the mist still obscure the finer details, and decide to venture a bit more inside the town.
You keep moving forward until you come to an intersection. You peer down the three roads that join with yours and see that the town is actually quite large. A sense of relief washes over you as you’ve finally found a bit of civilization. Now able to see all the structures clearly, you start to look around and examine the different storefronts, all of which are either connected together or have small alleyways separating them.
A general glance around reveals that many different shops surround the small intersection. They all follow the same general pattern of a small porch, a couple of windows out in front for displaying goods and a door to the left or right of the windows. Flanking each side of the road you entered from you can see a tailor and a grocer. On the opposite corners a blacksmith and an inn, which seems to lack windows, oddly enough. Many other shops line the other streets, ranging from coopers, bakers, pawnbrokers, butchers, leatherworkers, fletchers, and carpenters. You smile as you start to contemplate where you should go first, but something strikes you as a bit off, though… you don’t hear anything.
You listen a bit closer, straining your ears, but you only hear the occasional bug buzzing by. Complete silence surrounds you. Unlike Novo, you hear no orcs discussing maps and charts, no goblins perusing potions, and no well-to-do individuals selecting jewelry for their collections. So far, you have yet to see anyone in this town. You could understand no one wanting to go to that side of the river, but not even a guard or a sentry of some type posted at the bridge? Something’s not right here. You take another, closer look at the buildings surrounding you and start to notice more details this time.
The inn’s sign is a bit askew, hanging on only one hook. Piles of apples and other produce lie scattered across the porch of the grocer, long-since rotted and almost completely decayed. The tailors shop has broken windows and tattered garments lie scattered across the threshold. The cooper has slats of wood piled up haphazardly all around his building and you can see tools strewn about the ground, most of which are broken. Even the butcher’s shop, while in a better physical state than the other shops, has a swarm of flies surrounding it.
In fact, as you glance around, more and more details of disrepair come to your attention. The balconies on some of the houses lean slightly forward, the supports on the porch below cracked or fully broken. More and more stores seem to have broken windows as you peer down the streets, some of them actually boarded up haphazardly, the planks seemingly nailed across the windows in haste. What is going on here you ask yourself. Surely the whole town can’t be abandoned… can it? Perhaps it’s just this section of town? Maybe everyone has moved away from the other side of the river? Countless reasons and scenarios flash through your mind but you simply aren’t able to tell what has transpired at this time. Whatever has happened it seems no one has been alive here for quite a while.
Knowing you find yourself lost and alone yet again, you no longer feel the joy you once did upon entering this town. It almost seems like nothing from this land can be trusted, a glimmer of hope nothing more than a trick. Your eyes almost water in defeat, wondering if anything in this land can actually provide you with a bit of relief. You feel like collapsing, your knees knocking together before you succumb to your feelings of defeat and letting your form fall to the ground in defeat. You hang your head as you convince yourself that there’s no one here.
Your stomach growls, hungry for sustenance. You recall your events and realize you actually haven’t eaten anything since you “woke up”. You think back to the market by the train station and try to imagine the smells and tastes of the meat. Your mouth waters at the thought, hoping to have a bite of the food. You actually almost believe you can smell it for a second, the thought so real. You close your eyes and inhale, slightly losing yourself to your fantasy. Strangely enough, you could swear you actually smelled food, though.
You open your eyes, your brow furrowed in confusion, and sniff the air again. Instead of fantasy, your nostrils are met with reality: somewhere around here something is giving off a very interesting scent. You can’t place your finger on it but it might just be the smell of cooked food. Oh, how you relish the though. You turn your head, searching desperately for the origin of this smell. You turn completely around a few times until you finally notice it.
Further down the road, opposite of where you came in, you can see the orange glow of fire in the mist. It’s small, nothing more than an orange hue in the white fog, but at least it’s a sign of life. You think about going over to it, hoping to find whoever may be preparing a meal. You don’t think you would be that far from the bridge and you just might be able to be pointed in the right direction as well. Of course, you might also find yet another threat. You’d like to believe, that after all that has happened, that fate will finally show you a bit of favor but you know it’s not that simple. You remind yourself that you have only three bullets left. Although, with the spear and small knife you have you can probably keep your ammunition in reserve until needed.
Fate shows you favor
As you think about what to do, your eyes wander aimlessly over the ground and happen upon a peculiar sight: There, scattered in the dirt are what appear to be footprints. They’re relatively larger than yours, and it seems whomever they belong to wore some kind of shoe, perhaps even a boot. You’re relieved that they aren’t goblin tracks, but at the same time are uneasy as you’re now unsure of what you may find. You examine it yet again and find that they lead off in the direction of the orange glow. You find yourself a bit disturbed, however, about another set of prints heading in the same direction. They are human – or perhaps even elven – but it is the fact that you can tell that disturbs you as they appear to be wandering around barefoot.
You’re not exactly sure what to make of this but upon closer inspection you also notice that they shuffle more so then actually walk, lines of something being dragged through the dirt connecting every other set of footprints. Almost as if they shuffled or had suffered an injury of some sort.
You stand back up, done examining the two sets of tracks and glance down the other roads. You check your compass quickly and get your bearings. To the northwest is the bridge you just crossed and to the east lies the orange glow and where the scent of food is most likely coming from. You can’t see what lies to the south, further down the road, but you can guess that it joins up with the river. To the northeast, however, you can see the road slopes up and around a hill of some sort. On top you can see a large wall. It looks as though it could be a keep or fort of some sort, but you can’t be sure. You can always leave if you don’t think the risk is worth it. Nothing, save for your hunger, is really begging you to move further into the town.
You think about your decision, finding yourself conflicted as your stomach, your instinct to survive, and your mind all agree and disagree on various points about how you should proceed.
Choices:
Decide on a course of action.
Primary Vote:
A) Investigate the light to the east. B) Take the northeastern path that leads up the hill to the wall. C) Head south to, what looks to be, the river ward. D) Head northwest back across the bridge. E) Investigate one of the nearby buildings. (Which?)
X) Other.
Y) Examine: Examine a building nearby. Post, with or without your vote, and, once I receive the e-mail notification, I'll write up a paragraph or two of additional details to help you make a choice. This minor action will take up a small bit of time in the narrative's world but will not act as the main choice. This may be done before or with your primary vote, not after.
Z) Minor Action. Available.
---
Minor Actions Explanation:
Minor Actions are small actions you may do in addition to your Primary Vote (A, B, C, etc.). They will usually just provide you with additional information or perhaps, in rare circumstances, an item. If it would cause an encounter or runs the risk of causing general havoc then it's best to put it as an additional detail under primary vote.
Examples are asking someone a simple question, inspecting an object or feature in the environment, checking on or using an item in your bag, or changing some feature on your person. (i.e. Putting your hair into ponytail - See: Sections explained > Appearance)
They may help you, but please, try not to abuse the system. Trying to examine a couple objects in detail may be fine, but picking every item off the shelf in a store can get a bit... tedious.
And as always: I retain the right to reject them however much it may pain me to do so...
STATS:*
Current Inventory:
Gold: 8
-Ticket from Hangsmire to Novo. 2nd Class.
-Ticket from Bayton to Respeiro. 1st Class.
-Ticket from Novo to Bayton. 3rd Class.
-Red Discrete Crystal x3
-White Discrete Crystal x2
-Note from “J”
-Bundle of Rope with treble Hook on end.
-Lock-pick.
-Metallic Brooch (Type:?)
-Blood Stained Blouse. Torn.
-Leather Dress-Boots.
-Compass.
-Healing Potion. Will heal all but the most brutal of wounds.
-Goblin Potion. Unknown Effect.
-Leather dress Gloves. Brown.
-Small container of water. Professionally Made.
-Goblin Necklace. Golden chain. Pendant adorned with runes and a magnificent Ruby.
-Waterskin. Half filled with some sort of alcoholic beverage. Seems to be wine.
Weapons:
-Revolver. Single Action. Single load. Holds Six Rounds.
-Rounds: x3 (3 in Cylinder)
-Goblin (short)Spear. 5' long. Wooden shaft with secured dagger as blade.
-Small skinning knife. 2 inch blade. Notched in belt.
Apparel:
-Belt & Holster. Knife tucked between belt folds.
-Small Belt-Pouch 1: Contains - Empty
-Small Belt-Pouch 2: Contains - Healing Potion. Goblin Potion.
-Duster. Down to calves. Khaki. Cut on right sleeve.
-Skirt. Down to ankles. Black. Couple of tears, some making your legs visible.
-Shirt. Buttoned.
-Vest. Dark Leather. A bit shrunken.
-Sturdy Boots. Brown Leather.
-Bra. Black. Silk.
-Underwear. Black lace. Silk.
-Stockings. Transparent. Black. Slightly torn.
Abilities/Effects:
- Amnesiac: You have lost your memory and have little understanding of the world.
- Revolver Training: "It ain't much but you're a natural" -Tinder
- ”Quite the Bust”: Your vest adds a certain appeal to your bosom.
- "..."
-Hungry: You find yourself a bit famished. You're not starving but you're not content either.
Physical Appearance:
-Red/Auburn Hair: Little longer than “Shoulder Length”. Messy, but clean. Bedraggled look.
-Height: ~5’ 7”
-Small cut on right arm. Almost healed.
-Small cut on left cheek. Almost healed.
-Bullet wound scar on left abdomen.
Crystal explanations can be found in the first post.
Explanation of Sections:
A "*" next to the "STATS" title will denote that there has been a modification since the last post.
A blue + will denote that an item has been gained.
A red - will denote that an item has been lost or destroyed.
Current Inventory: What you have with you.
Weapons: Objects that may be used to inflict harm on opponents. Note, that these are your primary means of damaging an enemy in combat but you may use other items you possess or objects in the environment in creative ways. This includes your bare hands and feet.
Apparel: Clothes that are currently being worn. Any damage will be detailed as well. Clothing not being worn will be held in your inventory. A “???” symbol denotes the knowledge of it being worn, but no specific details are known.
Abilities/Effects:Special abilities possessed by the character. Some may be directly linked with items/pieces of clothing. Also lists passive effects present upon the character, including passive skills and negative conditions.
Physical Appearance: A basic overview of the physical features of your character. Some aspects may be altered via a minor action if necessary requirements are met (Tying hair up into a ponytail), or against the character’s will depending on the nature of the alteration.
