You walk around to the end of the shelves for a better angle on the object and reach up for it, but your fingers can only brush the corner. You stretch up again on your tiptoes but still fail to get a solid grasp on the object. Tentatively, you place your foot on the lowest shelf and press your right hand against the corner wall for stability, then slowly raise yourself just high enough to grab hold of what appears to be a small wooden chest only slightly larger than your hand. As you slide it off the shelf however, you realize it is far heavier than you would expect. Before you can pull the chest towards you to balance yourself against the wall, the extra weight tips you in the opposite direction and you fall forwards onto the wooden floor with a muffled thwump. The chest is knocked from your hand and clatters to the floor with additional commotion. You lay there frozen, wishing you had thought to use a chair and hoping that both Tarah and Voryn are deep sleepers... but mere seconds later you hear the master bedroom door creak open and quickly scramble back to your feet to see Voryn's piercing eyes glittering back at you in the light of the fire's embers. The door shuts, then reopens shortly after with Voryn clad in leggings and striding angrily, but in a restrained manner, over to where the chest rested on the ground. He ignores you as he picks it up easily as a feather and walks over to the shelves, muttering the whole time about nosey travelers not knowing how to appreciate good hospitality. You see briefly a sturdy lock holding the latch to the chest secure as it is raised back into place. Then Voryn turns back to you, his eyes weary. "Let me help you to your room. You seem to have forgotten where it is." he says, pointing towards the dark entryway to your bed chambers. Silently you enter, turning around to hopefully apologize only to find the door shut in your face with the sound of a latch falling on the other side. "We will tend to you in the morning, traveler." says the slightly muffled voice of Voryn. Footsteps recede as he returns to his own chambers and you shuffle over to the thin feather mattress on slats that comprises your bed, falling exhaustedly onto it and only belatedly realizing what further consternation you would have caused your hosts had you broken it in the process. You let out a sigh of exasperation, roll over and close your eyes.
You wake up to darkness once again. There are no windows in your room, so as far as you know it could still be night outside, but as the bleariness falls from your eyes you notice slivers of light peering in between the cracks of the wooden walls. You also realize you're freezing and spot the blanket folded next to the foot of the bed, unseen last night in the darkness. You shiver and pull the thickly-woven yet soft material around you as you rise and walk to the door, giving the wood a firm pounding with your fist. "It's open!" comes the voice of Tarah from the other side. You push the door open and find Voryn sitting at the table munching on some leftover Tha'nit stew as Tarah tends to the dishes in the water basin. Sunlight streams in through the windows, and by the angle of the rays glinting off the dusty air inside the house you can tell it's not far past mid-morning. A much smaller fire burns in the hearth, but it is enough to make the common area noticeably warmer than your bedroom. Voryn doesn't acknowledge you as he continues to eat, and you realize he is pouring intently over some documents laying out on the table next to his plate. Tarah dries off her hands and walks over with a small smile. "Bright morning to you, traveler. I hope you slept well, we did not know if you would be vertical before the sun was or not." She smiles wider at her joke and beckons you to follow her outside. "Come," she says, "now that it is light, I can show you the way back to your camp and we can get you ready to set out once again."
[size="4"]Backstory
[spoiler]
You are a traveler. Orphaned at a young age, you have survived on your own throughout your early years hopping from village to village and learning to live off the land. You began hearing stories from other travelers of a great civilization far off beyond the tall mountains. No one from there was willing or able to give you details - all they could remember was that it was grand and amazing. Curious, and with nothing to tie you to this land, you have set out to find this place. After crossing the mountains and a substantial desert on the other side, you have once again reached fertile land. You made camp beneath the trees for the first time in many weeks, but when you awoke again, you find yourself in a house with no memory of having traveled there. Worse, it seems that besides this vague recollection of your past your memory has become very hazy - so much so that trying to call up your own name proves ultimately futile.
Taken in by a couple living out on the borders of the land you have traveled to, Tarah and Voryn have sheltered you and provided you with food to regain your strength. They have also shown an understanding of your ignorance of local customs and religion, although you are now aware that such ignorance could become possibly deadly for you in the future. Even on the far reaches of this strange land, however, they seem to be affected by something you have not yet discovered. Now that you appear to have recovered, at least physically, they are more than happy to see you off as soon as possible.
[/spoiler]
[size="4"]Inventory
[spoiler]
Inventory Key
#x = the number of uses an item has
# / # / # = the stats of an item - Attack / Defense / Damage
Items
- Pants pockets
- Small case of picks (5x)
- Small knife (3 / 1 / 2) [/spoiler]
[size="4"]Codex
[spoiler]
- someone named "Ashwyn" appears to be a powerful... person?
- you are in some region of the land know as the "Hinterlands", east of a river known as the "Feora"
- Tarah and Voryn are a married couple homesteading out in the Hinterlands
- A Tha'nit is a reptilian creature that has a poison-tipped tail, can be very aggressive if provoked in certain situations but is generally scared off by loud noised. Not edible, unless you have Tarah around to cook one up for you so you don't get poisoned
- Darkmold is a fungus that grows in dark and dry places - with the right herbalist it can be transformed into a healing poultice [/spoiler]
[size="4"]Story Log
This log only shows the last 10 turns. To look back further, just select a turn action to view that turn's log. There aren't actually any spoilers in the Log, it's just to save vertical space.
[spoiler]
(#13)"Well you're in luck!" says Tarah as her smiles brightens. "This is my own recipe for Tha'nit stew." She chuckles. "Now I know how that sounds, but trust me I've been making it for years and there's nothing to worry about! It's Voryn's favorite dish and after the news recently well... I felt it would help cheer him up. Plus it's always been well-received by what few guests we've had." She takes another taste test. "Ah yes, just about ready..."
> "Worry? What's a Tha'nit?"
(#14)The ladle doesn't go back to stirring the pot as Tarah stares at you in confusion. "What's a Tha'nit? Why, everyone knows what a..." she breaks off as realization dawns and plops the ladle back in the pot as she chuckles to herself. "My my, but you must have traveled a long ways indeed." She grabs the pot's wooden handle and lifts, sinewy muscles appearing along her arms. She carries the pot over and sets it on the table, then continues to prepare the place settings. "It's a reptile, about an arms-length long, brown, with a poisonous barb-tipped tail. It's the poison I was joking about. I figured out how to cook it out so you could eat the Tha'nit. They're tough to catch, they'll chase you for hours if they're provoked, but thankfully they're mostly just scared off by any loud noises." She pats the stool at the table. "Voryn should be back any moment now. Ready to eat?"
> Sit at the table
(#15)You walk over and sit on the stool as the big front door swings open and Voryn walks in carrying a large bundle of wood, which he sets down near the hearth and uses to stoke the dimming fire. Tarah moves over to the corner near your room and lifts up a trap door. She descends down into a cellar and returns shortly with three bread loafs stacked in her arms. After placing one on each plate Tarah and Voryn take their seats, closing their eyes. Propping both elbows on the table a shoulders-width apart they straighten their hands as if they were going to chop the air. Slowly, they raise their forearms, touching the two middle fingers of their hands together as they reach their slightly bowed temples, palms facing inwards. One of Voryn's eyes cracks open to see what you are doing.
> Do nothing
(#16)Voryn's left hand balls up into a fist and slams down on the table with enough force to cause the placings to leap a good inch above the thick wooden surface and send small waves splashing around inside the large pot. Both eyes are now open and glaring at you, but before he can speak Tarah's hand blurs across the table faster than you can imagine to lay on his wrist. You are still recoiling slightly at the rage you see in Voryn's eyes as Tarah's plea reaches your ears. "Voryn, wait!" She says as she attempts to tear Voryn's rapt attention away from you. "He is not a traveler among this land, but beyond it! He does not know our customs." A few seconds of silence pass, but to you time seems frozen as you stare back into the depths of Voryn's eyes and realize his pupils are slightly larger than normal, and there seem to be flecks of yellow in his brown iris. As you wait wondering if his right hand is going to strike out, finally the eyes shift, and Voryn stares down at his plate of bread. You can see the muscles in his arms relax and Tarah sighs with relief while patting his hand. "My apologies, traveler," he says softly, still staring down. "I must admit my temper these days is even shorter than usual." He looks up to make eye contact with Tarah and her mouth turns grim as she nods in agreement.
> [Angrily] "What the hell was that all about?!"
(#17)The words barely escape your mouth before you realize that it probably wasn't one of the smarter things you've said in your relatively short lifespan, which you now hope isn't about to come to a swift end at the hands of Voryn. But if anything, the anger in your voice only seems to make the big man collapse further into himself and the sharp rebuttal instead comes from the opposite end of the table. "You watch your tongue traveler!" says Tarah harshly as she continues to stroke Voryn's hand with hers. The other one is waving its index finger under your nose. "Voryn may have overreacted but he had every right to be offended towards a blasphemer in his house. You may be from beyond this land but if you plan to travel in it I suggest you pay more attention to what is going on around you." With that, she resumes her previous posture and Voryn shortly follows suit. Still confused as to whether you should do anything or not, you sit and watch as they both begin to chant: "High is the One who judges us, Low are the Ones who protect us, Near are Ones we love most, Far are the Ones we know least, Thanks we give for all we have, Death we receive for all we keep." With that, they both reach for their food and Tarah gives you a slight nod. Voryn speaks again as he is tearing a chunk of bread off his loaf, "I think, traveler, that you should depart in the morning."
> Nod silently and finish dinner
(#18)Still wary of Voryn's earlier outburst, you silently nod in agreement and watch as Voryn and Tarah dip chunks of their bread loaf into the pot. You rip a chunk off your own loaf and mimic their dipping action. When you bring the bread back out, you see the broth is now actually rather viscous, and long tendrils hang off the bread piece before finally snapping and falling back into the pot. You can see little bits of meat clinging to the bread as the broth cools and hardens even further, but not enough to lose its gooey texture or feeling. You still see steam rising and so carefully insert the piece into your mouth and chew, recognizing that even in your caution you've just singed your tongue but don't want to further upset your hosts by spitting out your food. Surprisingly, the taste of the broth and meat bits reminds you of a type of poultry found in your native land. Despite the discomfort of your burnt tongue, you hastily dip another bread piece as hunger explodes in your stomach. Although Voryn seems to take no notice of your ravenous appetite, you see a small smile form at the corner of Tarah's mouth as she watches you enjoy her meal. Before you even realize it, the last of the bread loaf is working its way down your gullet and you are staring at an empty plate before you. You're pretty sure everyone at the table can hear your stomach rumble for more, but you're also pretty sure that your welcome has already been overstayed.
> Ask for seconds
(#19)Your stomach rumbles again as you clear your throat. Directing your voice to no one in particular and simply staring down at your plate you tentatively ask for a second helping. You hear a grunt from your left as Voryn reacts to your request, but surprisingly he responds: "well traveler, you may be an offensive heathen but it seems you can at least appreciate good cooking!" he lets out a small chuckle and waves Tarah back into her seat as she gets up to return to the cellar. As he descends below the flooring Tarah leans over with a smirk on her face. "See, I told you his favorite dish would help his mood." She gives you a reassuring pat on the shoulder as Voryn reappears with another helping of bread loaves for everyone. He hands yours to you almost like a peace offering and you smile and nod your acceptance. Tarah leaves the table and returns with spoons, which you quickly realize are necessary as the stew in the pot has cooled enough to make dipping with the bread difficult. The rest of dinner passes in silence as the hungry participants gobble down their food until bare plates are all that is left. As Tarah rises to start collecting dishes and utensils, Voryn leans back in his chair and lets out a long contented sigh. "My dear, your Tha'nit stew is as good as ever!" he booms. Tarah smiles at the compliment as she brings the dishes over to the water basin. Focusing his attention on you, Voryn lowers his voice back to conversational levels. "So, traveler - you shall depart in the morrow. Tarah and I rise with the sun but you may still require some extra rest so please take it. We are retiring now for the night and shall see you when you awake." With that proclamation, Voryn lifts himself out of his chair and thumps over to the master bedroom. Tarah finishes arranging the dishes to soak the night in the water basin and gives you a slight bow before following her husband. The door creaks shut and you hear a latch fall, then the noise of the crackling heath is all that remains.
> Go down to the cellar
(#20)You cast once last glance back at the closed door to the master bedroom before silently descending through the still-open trapdoor leading down into the cellar. Other than what light filters through the floorboards above, the cellar is dark and damp. The floor is dirt and the walls are shored up by wooden beams, some of which have started to rot through from moisture in the ground. Soil crumbles through some of the cracks. The extent of the cellar does not include the entire foundation of the house - as your eyes adjust to the dimness you realize it is only about 15 to 20 feet square. Several tools and spare kitchen utensils hang from the walls but there are no shelves. Wooden crates and thickly-woven sacks line the walls on the floor, filled with a variety of items you assume are either non-perishable or able to stay fresh without refrigeration - although the air is definitely chiller down here. They don't all appear to contain food either, but various supplies. A small rodent with thick fur scurries across the floor into a hole in a corner. The closeness of the room and the dark atmosphere gives you the feeling that you really shouldn't be staying down here much longer. Your eyes dart around the room and identify several objects of interest.
> Go back upstairs
(#21)Feeling like there are eyes on you from the walls themselves, you quickly swipe the small hunting knife and case of metal picks, hoping that neither will be missed anytime soon. Stashing them as unobtrusively as possible in your deep pants pockets you ascend the stairs back up into the common area as quietly as you can, although several small creaks escape the wooden staircase as you climb. You pause at the top and listen, but hear no movement or voices from inside the master bedroom, although the door looks as thick as the one keeping out the cold air in the front of the house. The hearth fire has dimmed considerably, but then a log shifts as the embers crumble beneath it and falls into the waning fire, shooting up a barrage of sparks and making you jump at the sudden crackling of the re-stoked blaze. Still, you see the fire won't last much longer and consider feeding it, but being under no explicit instructions to do so you figure it is better off left alone to die out. As light from the fire continues to fade you realize the pitch blackness is slowly seeping in from the twin windows looking out the back of the house and shiver as a slight chill comes over you. Hoping it's just a breeze let in by the crack under the main door, you cast one last quick glance around the room, noting the dining area you sat at for dinner and the water basin in the corner, the shelves of commodities lining the wall next to your room, and the powder rifle still propped up in the opposite corner. Without being able to stop it, your mouth suddenly stretches into a huge yawn as you cast your gaze finally towards your bedroom.
> Inspect shelves
(#22)You walk over to the shelves that line the wall beside your bedroom door and start scanning over the objects resting upon them. Up at the very top are jars labeled in a text you can't understand, and they are so high up it's hard to make them out anyway in the fading light from the dying fire. The next row down, about head height, contains objects that are more visible as well as larger since they don't have to be lifted so high. Several rather large jugs filled with various colored powder conjure up blurry images in your mind's eye of a wizened old man kneeling over a camp fire and sprinkling powder in to the flames. Suddenly, with a flash of light, a cloud of green-tinged smoke billows up from the flames and forms the shape of a mystical beast. The squealing laughter of a child rings in your ears and you shake away the image, wondering where it was called from within the still-forgotten realm of your memory. Returning your focus to the shelves, you see the jars of powder turn to smaller jars with what appear to be plants - no doubt herbs and spices. You recognize a small jar of darkmold but the rest is completely unfamiliar and the labels are written in what appears to be some sort of shorthand script. The bottom shelf contains dishes, pots and pans as well as various large kitchen utensils like ladles and cleavers. You're about to turn away when the last flickers of light from the flames in the hearth cause an object way up on the top shelf to glint and catch your eye. You look back up and see on the far end the edge of something sticking out, but can't make out what it might be.
> Reach up for object
[/spoiler]
