Eight Last Embers (Inspired by Rain World and Caves of Qud)

Beta-read by @Fated-Plan

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-[X] Survey the region for 5 days


As you emerge from the shelter, you're greeted by the sun in its usual position on the horizon, the last scattered drops of rain sprinkling over the awnings of the already half-built merchant stalls. Another long cycle, apparently.

Driven by a combination of your ongoing need for more funds and the desire to not hear any more secessionist propaganda, the first few days of it end up being used to once again remap some of the surrounding roads. With all the loose piles of scrap lying around, this area is especially prone to having previously clear paths vanish into the dunes.

As before, you take a little more time than strictly necessary to enjoy walking around and relaxing a bit. You'd call it seeing the sights, but while you can understand the historical appreciation for the relics of the Tenju, you don't really see a whole lot of aesthetic appeal in mounds of random junk. At least they pay you.

(Gained 2 aums. You now have 9 aums.)

---

-[X] Travel to Thunder-Bell via Mount Shan and Wind-Key (8 days; 3 to enter r6, 3 to enter r5 [as r6 is hazardous], 2 to enter r4)

Then, with your responsible adult business for the cycle out of the way, it's time for the fun part; exploring. Yep, you are out of here, and not just this unwelcoming town. You are leaving Azentu lands entirely to go and visit Thunder-Bell. After all, what kind of pilgrimage would it be if you never went more than a day or two away from home?

However, you're not about to just rush off without learning about the area. After all, that's what got you into the whole mess here. If you'd taken some time to research the Wire Dunes, you would have known that the people here suck and you wouldn't have come. As always, the solution is reading.

Then, with the first problem solved, the next one shows up right on schedule to ruin your plans; there's no library here. While you could go back to Monument Valley and use the one there, that would take a while. While this cycle is supposed to be on the long side, you've already spent a week surveying, and you'd like to avoid arriving right as the rain starts.

Luckily, through your incredible powers of observation, you've found an alternate solution. With the Dunes exporting so much of the Tenju metal, there's almost always a caravan heading towards Thunder-Bell to transport it to the industrial centers there. While they aren't planning on taking the same route as you, it's still possible to ask what the destination is like, allowing you to avoid any unfortunate consequences. Another win for Empathy.

Now, for your next trick, you will zone back into the conversation just in time to hear the important information you need.

"...should be fine as long as you don't do anything illegal. Sky-Deed's been pushing for closer relations with the Azentu, so they'll probably ignore any minor issues with a visiting pilgrim."

Then, with a quick thanks to the caravan worker you waved down, you're all ready to head out. Time to hit the road.

---

You were unprepared for the road to hit back. Massive elevation changes with no switchbacks, multiple points where the trail had washed away and you had to find a new route, even a river crossing – no bridge, of course; you now have a much better understanding of why so many people hate this mountain. There was absolutely nothing there aside from absurdly difficult hiking and an (admittedly quite nice) panoramic view of the surrounding area.

During one of the endless hours scrambling over boulders, you found a fork in the trail. Thankfully, one of them went straight up the mountain, so you didn't have to guess which was the right way to leave. However, if you ever feel in the mood to torture yourself further, you could come back and see where it leads.



Once you got out of the mountain proper and into the rolling foothills of Wind-Key, the difficulty of travel eased up significantly. There were even actual roads, albeit strangely laid-out ones. Always straight lines cutting through the natural terrain, and far too wide for the lack of traffic you would expect. From what you know about Sky-Deed, they keep this region mostly undeveloped on purpose for some religious reason. Maybe the roads were part of that?

Aside from that though, you really didn't see anything of note, aside from a small shelter in what you would call roughly halfway to Thunder-Bell with a sign saying that it was open to travelers. Apparently, a handful of people do actually live here, but you've yet to find any evidence of that.



Finally, you arrived at your destination, Thunder-Bell itself. The process of getting inside was a little more involved than anywhere in Azentu lands, as their solution for large-scale protection from the rain was building a giant dome over the entire city instead of having a network of bunkers connected by underground tunnels. In addition to being cool as hell, it also meant that you had to go through a checkpoint to get inside. It wasn't awful though – you just needed to let them know why you were here (pilgrimage), how long you were planning on staying (a couple of cycles maybe?) and if you had any contraband to declare (you weren't aware there was a smuggling issue going on).

Once you got through the minor bureaucratic hurdle, you were free to explore Thunder-Bell. The air inside felt kind of stale and there was some sort of dust or something, but that was probably just a side effect of being inside a giant dome. Can't win them all, and besides, you didn't hear anything about any health risks, so it should be fine. Time to get going.



You have learned the following secrets:
Peaked Curiosity
Very few people ever travel over the slopes of Mount Shan, preferring to take more hospitable routes. However, at some point, someone laid a trail up to the peak. Why would anyone want to do such a thing?
Route 666
The roads in Wind-Key are laid out in a mysterious pattern, one apparently part of some Animist religious doctrine. But is that really enough of a reason for the entire region to be left barren?
Dust in the Wind
The air quality inside Thunder-Bell is on the poorer side – probably to be expected from an industrial hub. Still, the foundries are all outside the dome, and it didn't smell like smoke.

---

The meteorologists currently predict that the next rain cycle will come in 5 days and that it will last for 2 days before stopping. You are currently in Thunder-Bell.

-[ ] Explore the settlement
Thunder-Bell is the largest city in the world, and it shows. Everywhere you look is just more and more buildings piled atop each other – there must be a hundred-thousand people here. Surely, in such a teeming mass, you can find something of interest.
Encounter something useful. (3 days, DC 6)

-[ ] Search for an expedition site (Illegal Action)
While in Azentu lands, you could go just about anywhere under the aegis of your pilgrimage, the Sky-Deed government doesn't officially recognize all of the finer aspects of 'foreign cultural rituals' and will get mad at you if you start poking anything sensitive. Of course, that's only a problem if you get caught…
Find an expedition site in a current or adjacent region. Can be performed once per rain cycle. (3 days, DC 7)

-[ ] Look through the markets
Thunder-Bell is the largest industrial site in the world. If someone's thought of it, they almost certainly make it here.
See what's for sale this cycle. (1 day, DC 1)

-[ ] Sell some of your possessions (Write in number of item if multiple available)
Maybe you have something they want, but you kind of doubt it. There's already a lot of stuff here.
--[ ] Water flask with nine aums
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Monument Valley trade goods (2)
--[ ] Tenju kinetic sculpture
(Cannot sell non-empty water flasks or your last water flask. 1 day per item sold, DC 0)

-[ ] Stash something in the wilderness (Write in number of item if multiple available)
You wouldn't really call Thunder-Bell 'the wilderness', but it's the spirit of the thing.
--[ ] Water flask with nine aums
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Monument Valley trade goods (2)
--[ ] Tenju kinetic sculpture
--[ ] Black ring
--[ ] Tiny spring
(Items stored in the wilderness have a chance to be lost each rain cycle. Cannot store your last water flask. 2 days per item stored, DC 1)

-[ ] Store something in the bank. (Write in number of item if multiple available)
According to the fancy brochure full of fancy economy words, banks are the safest place to keep your physical possessions. However, they are asking for quite a bit of water as an 'initial account fee'. (One time cost of 5 aums; only applies the first time this action is taken.)
--[ ] Water flask with nine aums
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Monument Valley trade goods (2)
--[ ] Tenju kinetic sculpture
--[ ] Black ring
--[ ] Tiny spring
(Items stored in the bank will remain safe indefinitely. Cannot store your last water flask. No time cost to store items.)

-[ ] Engage in diplomacy No known representatives present.
Dialogue is the foundation of society, and you're proud to take part in it.

-[ ] Establish diplomatic relations
You're back in civilization once more, with lots and lots of people that definitely need to hear about how great you are.
--[ ] Azentu Embassy
Back when Enbegi still had more diplomatic influence, they pushed for an international network of embassies. Of course, it backfired spectacularly for them when nobody established any in their cities, but the Azentu and Sky-Deed are allies. (2 days, DC 2)
--[ ] Senatorial Council
While ostensibly a republic, the Council is often very focused on ensuring the health of the economy, occasionally at the expense of the population. If you want to get their attention, you'll need to stand out somehow. (2 days, DC 8)
--[ ] Animist Temple
The official state religion of Sky-Deed, the Animist Temple is concerned with 'repairing the world'. They're always happy to welcome new converts to their great work. (2 days, DC 3)

-[ ] Survey the region (Write in number of days to devote to this expedition)
While Thunder-Bell is much more urban than anywhere you've been before, there are still areas on the outskirts where you could do a little mapwork.
--[ ] Write in
(Length 10, difficulty 2. Reward: 2 aums of water. Can be performed once per rain cycle, but progress does not carry over between cycles.)

-[ ] Consolidate water
Something about the weight distribution is a bit off. (Write in the new organization of your water between your flasks. You currently have 9 aums of water and 2 flasks.)
--[ ] Write in
(No time cost.)

-[ ] Travel somewhere else (Write which route to travel and the route taken.)
It's time to move on.
--[ ] Write in
(Ends the current turn, but not the current cycle.)

---

Sorry for the small delay; I ended up merging this one with the next turns' voting again and it extended the writing time. Still, Saturday is almost Friday, which means that I'll count this as a win for keeping my schedule. To finish up, please enjoy this week's assortment of artisanal author's notes.

First, we have our first look at another country. I'll do my best to balance the line of showing off a different culture between being indistinguishable from reality and being a giant mess of made-up words, so let me know if you think I'm going too far in either direction.

Next is an explanation for that little (Illegal Action) tag. If an action is marked as illegal, it is something that the local authority does not want you doing, and failing the roll will have some sort of negative consequence, with its severity depending on how much of a crime whatever you just got caught doing was in the area you did it. Some things might only be illegal in certain places. Of course, you're not about to fall into a life of crime, you're an upstanding and moral person. It's just that some places have … incorrect laws.

Finally, our secrets. When I first made those initial bonuses, I thought that learning a new secret the first time you enter a region wouldn't be too powerful. I might have misjudged that, and I also don't want to overwhelm you with a massive amount of free stuff, so I've been trying to tone it down to narrative hooks that will hopefully encourage exploration instead of just giving rewards with no effort. Also, I hope you like the names for them – I spend a lot of time trying to come up with ones that are both funny and thematically appropriate.

As usual, I hope that you're all doing well and that you enjoy the update. Voting will be open for two days or so.

Beta-read by @Fated-Plan.

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-[X] Look through the markets


Another cycle, another market visit. You'd say something witty about it, but you're both tired of it and very distracted by how this one seems to be actually interesting. Whereas the flagship industry of your homeland is mostly pottery, Sky-Deed works its magic in metal, and the hammering of smiths echoes throughout the enclosed dome like … no, thunder and bells are both already taken by the name of the city, you can't use either of those as a metaphor.

Maybe you'll come up with something later. For now, it's time to once again engage in the worst kind of social interaction: haggling away the ever-pervasive four-hundred percent foreigner markup.

(These items are generally available everywhere in appreciable quantities.)

-[ ] [Market] Water Flask (8 available)
--[ ] Write in number to purchase
A simple and durable container for water, of the type used all over the world. You can never have too many of these. Can hold 10 aums. (Costs 1 aum.)

-[ ] [Market] Trade Goods (13 available)
--[ ] Write in number to purchase
An eclectic collection of local trinkets and tchotchkes. You could probably sell these somewhere else for a small profit. (Sale price depends on distance from location purchased. Costs 1 aum.)

Thankfully, once you get out of the general goods market and into the realm of artisan commissions, you can trade haggling for the problem of finding something that wasn't already sold to someone else but is still good enough to be worth buying yourself.

(These wares are less common and more expensive. It might be a while before you see others like them for sale.)

-[ ] [Market] Storm Lantern (1 available)
This high-end lantern features both a fully-enclosed glass dome around the flame and a generous reservoir of oils. Apparently, the mechanism is robust enough that said oils can be burned raw, allowing for easy refueling while out in the wilderness – at least, for those who produce oils naturally. (Reduces difficulty of expeditions by 1 while held. Costs 7 aums.)

-[ ] [Market] Collapsible Pole (1 available)
A revolutionary new innovation in the field of long sticks, this hollow metal pole can be telescoped down for easier transportation. Useful for any and all long-distance poking situations. (Reduces difficulty of expeditions by 1 while held. Costs 8 aums.)

-[ ] [Market] Extravagant Pen (1 available)
With a beautifully embossed brass casing and a very satisfying click, this pen signifies that you have a lot of water and you're not afraid to spend it. Also you could write with it or something. (Increases rolls during water-rituals by 1 while held. Costs 5 aums.)

-[ ] [Market] "Dr. Salix' Miracle Salve" (3 available)
A small pot full of some sort of gray paste that the eponymous Dr. Salix assures you has been "clinically studied." Xe declined to elaborate on what exactly this study determined. ("Contains a variety of medicinal properties." Costs 3 aums.)

---

-[X] Establish diplomatic relations
--[X] Azentu Embassy


Then, with commerce out of the way, you can finally get back into friendly territory and talk to someone with no negative intentions towards you, financial or otherwise.

Finding the Azentu embassy isn't hard; the concept of a dome does not lend itself well towards urban sprawl. With the search area still further limited by the fact that all of the important public buildings are kept near the ground for accessibility reasons, it takes you a scant half-hour of navigation to reach your destination.

Right away, you can see differences from the Sky-Deed embassy back in Monument Valley. While that was a somewhat understated affair with only a handful of staff, this building has a near-constant stream of people bustling about and looking important. You're aware that the Azenty aren't exactly known for their population density, but this is a much bigger difference in scale than you were expecting.

Walking through the open doorway, you quickly spot a desk with someone with the signature look of an overworked clerk. Making your way over is slightly involved, what with all the weaving through and passing by and excusing yourself, but you eventually reach your destination.

…You're not going to be noticed unless you say something. Ah, your only weakness, starting conversations. "Is it normally this busy here?"

The young man (can you call someone a young man if they look older than you, even if they are objectively young?) looks over at you, customer service politeness clearly at war with exhaustion on his face. Eventually, the latter wins and you get an honest response. "No, and thank the stars for that. There's this whole mess with the Librarians' Union and it's been all hands on deck this cycle."

"Wait, what's going on with the Librarians?" This would be the first you've heard of it, and you spoke to Nothr just a few cycles ago.

"The entire staff of the library here in Thunder-Bell mysteriously vanished last cycle, and we've gotten reports that the ones in Shrine of Dust and Monument Valley are gone too. No news yet from Pearl of Amber, but it's looking to be the same case." The clerk is clearly excited for the opportunity to explain, but before you can ask any questions, he starts talking again.

"If you're here for a meeting with an ambassador, I doubt you'll be able to make it in this cycle. I can schedule you for the next one though, if you're okay with waiting."

Thoughts whirling, you give a vague affirmative and get your name taken down. What exactly is going on?

(The next time you perform this action, you will automatically succeed.)

---

-[X] Establish diplomatic relations
--[X] Animist Temple


Maybe it's just residual stress from the discovery that something weird is going on with the Libraries, but you find yourself lingering outside of the Animist Temple, unwilling to go inside. Apostasy isn't illegal or anything, but you still feel worried.

You've heard people of other religions wonder why anyone would worship an evil deity, but Air and Water aren't venerated out of respect. They're venerated out of obligation. And, while you wouldn't consider yourself the most pious person – you pray once a cycle, at most – you know the stories.

The original people created by Fire and Air lived simple and contented lives, with no need for deities of governance or commerce. Angry at being ignored, they created the necessary conditions for their own domains. Water cursing flesh to decay without the constant intake of resources, more than anyone could gather on their own, forced people to develop division of labor and a currency to trade amongst themselves, while Air twisted minds into performing the first evil acts, necessitating a government to keep the peace.

Finally, the storms. Those furious outpourings of wind and rain, an eternal reminder that civilization exists at the mercy of the gods. Even if thirst and sin were to be totally eradicated, the storms would always remain.

While you doubt that they care about you in particular, the fact that they're willing to do that over feeling slighted makes you wonder if entering the temple of a (presumably) rival deity could really be such a good idea. Maybe it's better not to risk it. Not this time.

---

Hey folks, how's it going. Another on-schedule update. Somewhat short, but with only five days worth of actions in the tail-end of the cycle, I think that's to be expected. I actually have the turn 8 voting nearly ready to go, but I want to leave it until we get the results from the market here so I can put the correct numbers in. That should be as soon as we get done with the standard two-day voting period, so save the date.

Mechanics question of the day is actually whether or not you all like the current length of the voting period. I'm willing to shift it around somewhat if that's what you'd prefer; I chose two days completely arbitrarily.

As usual, I hope you're all doing well and that you enjoy the update.

Beta-read by @Fated-Plan

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-[X] [Market] Collapsible Pole
-[X] [Market] Water Flask (8 available)
--[X] 1

At first, you were a bit leery of spending all your water. That was, until you realized that this was probably the best place to buy anything that you would need in the near future. After all, this is where they make things; you can entirely cut out any merchant fees from the price.

First up was another flask (to hold all the water you'll hopefully eventually have). Second, and also last, was a very nice extendable pole, which would be very useful for any sort of situation where you don't want to touch something directly.

Also, it's a big stick, the dream of every child. Life can't always be just about practicality.

(Spent 9 aums. You now have 0 aums. Gained Collapsible pole, Empty water flask.)

---

Then, with your business concluded, it's time for your first storm in a foreign country. You'd thought that having the dome would mean that at least a few places might stay open, but apparently the population is high enough that almost all of the interior space is already dedicated to housing and the like, so it ended up being mostly the same as back home.

The sound of the rain echoing through the dome was beautiful though – yet another reason for the name to be incredibly fitting. Still, with only two days, it was unusually short for a cycle, and before you knew it, it was time to once again get exploring. For a certain definition of the word.

---

The meteorologists predict that the next rain cycle will come in 19 days and that it will last for 6 days before stopping. You are currently in Thunder-Bell.

-[ ] Explore the settlement
Thunder-Bell is the largest city in the world, and it shows. Everywhere you look is just more and more buildings piled atop each other – there must be a hundred-thousand people here. Surely, in such a teeming mass, you can find something of interest.
Encounter something useful. (3 days, DC 6)

-[ ] Search for an expedition site (Illegal Action)
While in Azentu lands, you could go just about anywhere under the aegis of your pilgrimage, the Sky-Deed government doesn't officially recognize all of the finer aspects of 'foreign cultural rituals' and will get mad at you if you start poking anything sensitive. Of course, that's only a problem if you get caught…
Find an expedition site in a current or adjacent region. Can be performed once per rain cycle. (3 days, DC 7)

-[ ] Investigate the library (Illegal Action)
You've heard that the Thunder-Bell library is being searched. While their investigators are doubtlessly competent enough, you practically grew up in a library, and Nothr taught you a few of xyr hiding places that you might want to try here. If you can get in, that is.
(Learn a secret. 5 days, DC 8.)

-[ ] Look through the markets
Thunder-Bell is the largest industrial site in the world. If someone's thought of it, they almost certainly make it here.
See what's for sale this cycle. (1 day, DC 1)

-[ ] Sell some of your possessions (Write in number of item if multiple available)
Maybe you have something they want, but you kind of doubt it. There's already a lot of stuff here.
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Collapsible pole
--[ ] Monument Valley trade goods (2)
--[ ] Tenju kinetic sculpture
(Cannot sell non-empty water flasks or your last water flask. 1 day per item sold, DC 0)

-[ ] Stash something in the wilderness (Write in number of item if multiple available)
You wouldn't really call Thunder-Bell 'the wilderness', but it's the spirit of the thing.
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Collapsible pole
--[ ] Monument Valley trade goods (2)
--[ ] Tenju kinetic sculpture
--[ ] Black ring
--[ ] Tiny spring
(Items stored in the wilderness have a chance to be lost each rain cycle. Cannot store your last water flask. 2 days per item stored, DC 1)

-[ ] Store something in the bank. (Write in number of item if multiple available) Not enough water
According to the fancy brochure full of fancy economy words, banks are the safest place to keep your physical possessions. However, they are asking for quite a bit of water as an 'initial account fee'. (One time cost of 5 aums; only applies the first time this action is taken.)
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Empty water flask
--[ ] Collapsible pole
--[ ] Monument Valley trade goods (2)
--[ ] Tenju kinetic sculpture
--[ ] Black ring
--[ ] Tiny spring
(Items stored in the bank will remain safe indefinitely. Cannot store your last water flask. No time cost to store items.)

-[ ] Engage in diplomacy No known representatives present
Dialogue is the foundation of society, and you're proud to take part in it.

-[ ] Establish diplomatic relations
You're back in civilization once more, with lots and lots of people that definitely need to hear about how great you are.
--[ ] Azentu Embassy
They were apparently quite busy last time you went over, but you've been assured that someone will be able to meet with you sometime this cycle. (2 days, DC 0)
--[ ] Senatorial Council
While ostensibly a republic, the Council is often very focused on ensuring the health of the economy, occasionally at the expense of the population. If you want to get their attention, you'll need to stand out somehow. (2 days, DC 8)
--[ ] Animist Temple
Yes, you were worried about the theological consequences last cycle, but you get philosophical when you're stressed. You probably won't face eternal damnation for talking to someone of a different faith. (2 days, DC 3)

-[ ] Survey the region (Write in number of days to devote to this expedition)
While Thunder-Bell is much more urban than anywhere you've been before, there are still areas on the outskirts where you could do a little mapwork.
--[ ] Write in
(Length 10, difficulty 2. Reward: 2 aums of water. Can be performed once per rain cycle, but progress does not carry over between cycles.)

-[ ] Consolidate water No water
Something about the weight distribution is a bit off. (Write in the new organization of your water between your flasks. You currently have 0 aums of water and 3 flasks.)
--[ ] Write in
(No time cost.)

-[ ] Travel somewhere else (Write which route to travel and the route taken.)
It's time to move on.
--[ ] Write in
(Ends the current turn, but not the current cycle.)

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Keeping with our new schedule, next update should be out by Saturday at the latest. As usual, hope that you're all doing well.