A Favor
- Pronouns
- He
You decide to do the most important things on your mind, that is, visiting Lady Arienna and looking at this city's mercenary's guild. You decide to go and meet your fellow mercenaries, perhaps they would also be able to provide clues on who Lady Arienna is and where to find her. You walk up to the innkeeper who was currently marking things off some sort of list and ask him where the guild is. The instructions aren't too clear, such as "turn left when you see the Weeping Maiden, but you decide that it's a fine opportunity to explore the city nonetheless.
The city in broad daylight was much different than the city you remember when you first entered it. The streets were packed with people, all taking their time to enjoy the sunlight, not hurrying in the slightest. While people still give you a strange look or two, none of them seemed to be actively avoiding you. It was a strange thing, like two sides of the same coin, one at day, and another at night.
You pass by the market you saw yesterday and admire the strange fruits they have for sale here. Various craftsmen were selling their trade here, offering some sort of good, tool or service for the passersby. You decide to take the opportunity to purchase a few sets of clothes, as well as get your knife sharpened by a blacksmith in the area. You taste a weird, purple fruit which tastes both sour and sweet at the same time and marvel at the supposed ancient relics that shopkeepers had to sell because they were "lacking funds" and their "grandmother was dying." It was curious how many grandsons with dying grandmothers were gathered here.
Eventually, you find the mercenary's guild. In front of you, you see a simple but spacious building with a sign next to it saying: "You've got a problem, we've got the answers." This was one of the few buildings in the city which had unprotected windows and a simple door. The inside was much more luxurious than you thought it would be. The tables were made from some good quality dark wood, the floor was suspiciously clean and there were fineries that any guild master would be afraid to display publicly. The mercenaries didn't have the best reputation around, you were known for stealing, pillaging and looting while holding no regards for any morals. You couldn't say that the rumor was wrong, but it was exaggerated, though a mercenary down on his luck wouldn't be opposed to robbing his guild.
There were a few people around milling by the tables, either drinking away their sorrows or drinking before they went on a mission. Some things never changed despite what city you were in. You approach the reception desk and a large, grizzly man greets you. He takes in the state of your equipment and his eyes stare directly into yours for a few seconds, trying to gauge something or other. You pull out your rusty badge, a lion's head surrounded by a circle of swords and place it on the table. The man inspects it for a few seconds before saying: "A badge of Alerst's guild, am I right?" His voice was hoarse and grating on your ears. Now that you were inspecting him, you saw a nasty claw wound on his throat, half of it covered with some dark spots.
You nod and he continues: "There are a few things I'm obliged to tell you before you can pick out a contract. First of all, you need to realize that every contract you pick up could be your last. Of course, this applies to mercenary work in general, but the problems people are plagued by in this city are much worse than in other cities. You won't be fighting bandits and thieves, but ghosts and horrors, each and every one of them deadly to the common man, which you look to be like." You get where the guild master is coming from, if you had to face threats like the shadow controlled man you saw in the forest of shadows, you might not get so lucky each time.
"Make sure you're thoroughly prepared for every contract. We make sure not to ask questions about how you deal with the problems you are facing, but neither do we take responsibility for the death and injuries you sustain during the mission." You saw that the guild master was deadly serious, a gleam in his eyes told you that he had seen too much death already.
"Remember that death is not the worst thing that can happen to you. Occasionally, a man comes back with empty, vacant eyes or even worse, he's overwhelmed by madness." He looks at you as if he was looking at a dead man walking before he continues: "I'll tell you my name after you come back from your first contract. The contract board is over to your left," he handed you a different badge, on it, a serpent baring its fangs at the sun.
The contract board wasn't too big and there were only three contracts which caught your attention, the rest would take too much time for not enough reward. You carefully deliberated on your choice, but eventually, you plucked a monster-hunting contract, some terrifying beast or a full-blown horror had been spotted in the Yawning Hills and someone wants you to slay it. You return to the guild master filing away some paperwork and put down the contract on the desk. He looks up at you and then looks at the contract before sighing once.
"The contractor is an alchemist that currently resides on the purple street. You can find information about the Yawning Hills in a book called "Dream Planes and You." He gives you the instructions for finding the alchemist and picks up a pink book from a small bookshelf behind him. Handing you over the book, he says: "You can read the book here, it's the only book on the Yawning Hills.
The book has a picture of a pink cloud as its cover and on the back were the words "Dreaming is a piece of a larger truth." You're interested in the book and what it has to say about the dream realm, but reading it would take most of the day. You flip over to a section called "Cracks in Dreams", where it describes several locations on Eludria where the connection between the dream realm and our realm is the weakest.
An excerpt from the book about the Yawning Hills reads: "The Yawning Hills is a place on Core Island where even someone uninitiated could enter the dream world. The threats here are generic, no abnormality in dreams has been observed. The magic in the air lulls the person entering into a dream, where they wander the dream world. Often, without any guidance or knowledge on what to do, the person simply gets lost, unable to find an exit before his body expires in the main realm. The lost souls are then converted into dream spirits, which wander around until they can find a dream to feast on. Even worse is when someone wanders into a nightmare, their bodies become corrupted, their minds completely shatter. They grow much stronger and gain special abilities, often related to attacking minds and dreams in general. Because any person can wander into the dream realm, the dream spirits are stronger and more numerous. The Psyche Aberrations are also numerous, but one has to be careful of a rogue Nightmare that might be released because of the negative emotions."
You ponder over the words that you just read, the dream spirits seemed to be harmless as long you didn't fall asleep, but you were likely dealing with a Psyche Aberration. You only had your trusty knife and armor to help you against such a horrifying beast, perhaps it was time to read your tome and see what answers it holds.
Pushing those thoughts out of your mind, you return the book to the guild master and approach a group of mercenaries, wildly celebrating the success of a mission. Buying a round of drinks for the people there, you ease into the conversation, listening to their stories of slaying a four-headed tiger prowling the roads south. Eventually, you get the chance to ask about the Yawning Hills, but none of the mercenaries have been there, quoting that it's too dangerous without a way to protect yourself against the hill's charms.
On a more eventful note, you do learn about Lady Arienna and her manor. The house of Brightblood is one of the noble houses that has been in this city before the Descent. Lady Arienna is a strict but powerful woman, single-handedly managing many of her house's estates. She has also been known to punish insubordination by hanging the wrong-doers on a pole and allowing birds to eat them, earning her a reputation of being cruel and ruthless.
The things you learned unnerved you quite a bit. You couldn't muster the nerve to visit the mansion, so, deciding that this was the perfect chance, you head over to your contractor's house on the purple street. True to its name, the purple street's houses were adorned by all kinds of purple decorations. Even the houses which couldn't afford the ornaments still placed a purple flower by their door, though you couldn't figure out the meaning or the importance of such a tradition. Walking towards the more luxurious part of the street, you notice that the more prestigious a house is, the more purple is on it, but not a single house has been painted purple.
You arrive at a shop near the very end of the street, a shop called "The Purple Extract." Just like the rest of the houses, the front of the shop is decorated in purple, but as you walk in, the purple fades away, leaving a pleasant blue. An old man, probably in his late 60's, was sitting on a rocking chair, reading a book in a foreign language. The hand holding the book was stained in numerous colors that had seeped into his skin. He looks up as a chime rings out above you. He doesn't bother to stand up, yelling at you in an overly loud voice: "What'dya want?"
You are a bit taken back at the sheer volume produced from his mouth, but manage a response in return: "I came to discuss the contract you put up, a creature in the Yawning Hills," that seems to have caught the old man's attention as he stood up and you notice that his height easily trumps your height, standing at about 2 meters. His hair was gray mixed with white, but none of his age showed in his movements. He barrels over to you, holding out his colored hand to shake yours.
"Finally one of you bastards has balls big enough to do the contract. Name's Erik, an alchemist by trade." You shake his hand, matching his strength with your own. He nods appreciatively at you and beckons you to sit down in one of the chairs next to the hearth.
"So, what do you need to know?" Erik places the book he was reading on the store counter and sits back down in his rocking chair. You took a few seconds to formulate what you wanted to know before replying: "Let's start with the basics. What do you know about this beast and the Yawning Hills in general? Have you met the beast personally?" Erik leans back in his chair, grabbing a pipe from who knows where. Lighting it up and inhaling the smoke it produced, he started retelling his experience.
"I visited the Yawning Hills once, a month or two ago if I recall correctly. I was looking for more of the herb that I've come to calling the Dreamcaller, as well as other things I could research. Along the way, I chanced upon a crack in reality and from there, I saw the horrific creature come out. It looked like two humans were merged, wrong in every way imaginable. Thankfully, I escaped before it noticed me." He puffs out smoke as he gazes outside the window, describing the exact location where he saw the crack and the abomination.
"I know this isn't usual, but would you mind sharing why you need this exact creature? It sounds like you're describing a Psyche Abberation and from what I know, there are quite a few of those in the hills," curiosity overtook you for a minute and Erik didn't look like the person who would get offended by any other thing, so you decided to ask the question on your mind. Erik only laughs, his boisterous voice nearly bursting your eardrums before he starts talking.
"I suppose I should tell the whole story for a curious lad like you, eh? I was researching the properties of a certain herb I have when I realized that burning it and inhaling enough of the smoke would drop you to the ground and put you in a dream, though you would be fully aware you were in a dream at all times. Following what I know about the dream realm, I could create a potion that would allow one to navigate the dream realm, just like someone initiated in the art could do, if only I knew how to properly shackle a part of the soul to our realm."
"This is where the creature comes into play. It has recently been corrupted by the dreams so its body should still be infused with them. The older creatures shackle themselves to the hills, but this has yet to do that. Its body would allow me to research this further and make the potions. Besides, I can always sell the creature to some interested parties harboring only the best intentions in mind." Erik winks at you and laughs once more, but this time you were prepared for the sound. The depth of what he implied hadn't quite sunk in, but it's not like mercenaries didn't get their hands involved in something dirty once in a while.
"One last thing. You must know how dangerous the hills are for common people. I don't wish to walk into my doom, and seeing that you're an alchemist, I would expect someone of your talents to know how to subvert sleep for a day or so?" You know that you would fall asleep once you got there and seeing that this old man explored the hills by himself, he must have something that could protect you once you were at the hills.
Erik scratched his chin, thinking about what you said. "I suppose I can do that, a potion that makes you stay awake for a full day. I'd need some time to prepare it, but it should be ready by tomorrow." You nod your head and stand up from the chair, thanking Erik for his cooperation. Even with the potion secured, you weren't sure of your chances, but you had the night to deliberate when to hunt the creature.
You walk out of the store and remember about the final task you have to do, that is, visit Lady Arienna in her manor. It was getting a bit dark, but as long as you hurried, you should be back at the inn at sundown. Your feet take you past the purple street, all the way to the town center and then to the west. You pass several houses in good condition, most likely built recently, and head towards the massive mansion in the distance. It towered over other buildings both in size and in presence, but before you could admire its beauty, you saw a large, black gate blocking your way. The large, menacing spikes on top of it banished all thoughts of getting in uninvited. Two guards stood by the gates wearing metal armor with a sword and a shield in their hands. The two of them stood motionless, just like statues, but as you approached, one of them stirred and pointed his sword at you.
"State your business or be prepared to face your doom," the voice was unnatural, the man was speaking in a single, constant tone, without any emotion in his voice. Deciding to simply state your business, you say to the guards, mustering up all the courage you possess: "I'm here to deliver a letter to Lady Arienna from her dead husband."
The guard, still pointing a sword at you, falls silent. After a few tense seconds, both of the guards put their hands on the gate and push it open, the gate creaking ominously. One of the guards glances at the dagger while the other starts looking you up and down, but none of them prevent you from moving. Past the dark gate, the atmosphere of the mansion changed. An elegant garden stood to the side, beautiful and colorful beyond words. Vibrant-red roses, violet tulips, sky-blue irises growing next to a clear pond. You take in the sight as you approach the mansion.
The mansion was much more grandiose when you were looking at it up close. You would've expected for such a mansion to be worn down by time, but it looked brand new. You were staring at the closed entrance of the mansion, wondering whether to knock, wait or try to push it open when the entrance opened and from it exited a young man, dressed in reds and blacks. He bows deeply, saying to you: "Welcome to the Brightblood manor, Lady Arienna is expecting you."
You've never had anyone bow so deeply to you, so it was a new experience. The elegant way the butler was speaking to you also baffled you, but you kept silent and started following him. As you start walking, the door closes behind you and you realize that you might be trapped in here. Silently following the butler through the many hallways and rooms, you're not sure you could find your way out of the mansion without him showing you the way back. The place is built like a maze, but soon enough, you arrive next to two massive doors. The doors depict a man wearing heavy plate mail, holding a shining sword and a tower shield while attacking a dragon, a beast of legends. You weren't sure if a dragon would survive in a world full of eldritch beings, even if they weren't eradicated.
You enter the great hall of the mansion, the biggest room in the entire mansion. A red carpet with complicated patterns was laid on the floor, purple drapings were hung on the ceiling and thin, blue curtains were obscuring the windows, letting a soft, blue light shine on the hall. You immediately notice Lady Arienna, sitting at the head of the table, looking directly into your eyes. You try to avert your eyes, but you find that you can't control your body anymore. Fear settles into your mind as you try and try, but your body simply doesn't listen to you. After an excruciating amount of time, the Lady lowers her eyes and you stumble forward, almost falling to the ground.
"Come, sit by my side," she says in a melodic voice as you take a deep breath. You try to avert your eyes from her, but they're drawn in anyway. Her skin is flawless, her red dress complimenting all of her features. You take another look at her gorgeous face, noting the deep-blue eyes, the long, brown hair and the faint smile she carries on her lips. You hesitantly approach her, looking for anyone else in the room for you to observe, but there is no one else.
The dreaded moment arrives faster than you want it to, you sit down next to Lady Arienna, holding a letter in your hands. She doesn't spare a glance at the letter, keeping her full attention on yourself.
"You must simply imagine my shock when I learned of a man carrying a letter from my husband, who has been missing for five years. Perhaps you can tell me the tale of how you found this letter?" Her voice carries a hint of something you don't understand and as you look into those eyes, the words start spilling from your mouth - how you awoke in the forest, met a man corrupted by shadows and bested him in combat, leaving only the letter and ashes behind. The Lady simply listens, not interrupting your tale even as you stumble over your words.
"How most interesting, may I see the letter?" she grasps the letter, not giving you a chance to reply. Her eyes scan the seal and the handwriting at the back before slowly opening the letter. She takes her time to read the letter and as you observe her, her smile on her lips becomes evident. Finally, she finishes the letter and, momentarily, you feel like you are on the edge of seeing something beneath the surface, perhaps something that you shouldn't see.
Whatever it was, it quickly passes, with you none the wiser. The Lady claps her hands once and turns her gaze back to you. "Thank you for this letter. This... changes some things. Let it be known that I owe a favor to you, Mister Ezekiel. My halls shall be open to you when you wish for it, if, of course, you dare to come here again." She laughs, but your head is spinning, a vacant look in your eyes. You don't remember when you were escorted out of the manor, but you stand there until you see the sunset.
The next day, you decide to...
The city in broad daylight was much different than the city you remember when you first entered it. The streets were packed with people, all taking their time to enjoy the sunlight, not hurrying in the slightest. While people still give you a strange look or two, none of them seemed to be actively avoiding you. It was a strange thing, like two sides of the same coin, one at day, and another at night.
You pass by the market you saw yesterday and admire the strange fruits they have for sale here. Various craftsmen were selling their trade here, offering some sort of good, tool or service for the passersby. You decide to take the opportunity to purchase a few sets of clothes, as well as get your knife sharpened by a blacksmith in the area. You taste a weird, purple fruit which tastes both sour and sweet at the same time and marvel at the supposed ancient relics that shopkeepers had to sell because they were "lacking funds" and their "grandmother was dying." It was curious how many grandsons with dying grandmothers were gathered here.
Eventually, you find the mercenary's guild. In front of you, you see a simple but spacious building with a sign next to it saying: "You've got a problem, we've got the answers." This was one of the few buildings in the city which had unprotected windows and a simple door. The inside was much more luxurious than you thought it would be. The tables were made from some good quality dark wood, the floor was suspiciously clean and there were fineries that any guild master would be afraid to display publicly. The mercenaries didn't have the best reputation around, you were known for stealing, pillaging and looting while holding no regards for any morals. You couldn't say that the rumor was wrong, but it was exaggerated, though a mercenary down on his luck wouldn't be opposed to robbing his guild.
There were a few people around milling by the tables, either drinking away their sorrows or drinking before they went on a mission. Some things never changed despite what city you were in. You approach the reception desk and a large, grizzly man greets you. He takes in the state of your equipment and his eyes stare directly into yours for a few seconds, trying to gauge something or other. You pull out your rusty badge, a lion's head surrounded by a circle of swords and place it on the table. The man inspects it for a few seconds before saying: "A badge of Alerst's guild, am I right?" His voice was hoarse and grating on your ears. Now that you were inspecting him, you saw a nasty claw wound on his throat, half of it covered with some dark spots.
You nod and he continues: "There are a few things I'm obliged to tell you before you can pick out a contract. First of all, you need to realize that every contract you pick up could be your last. Of course, this applies to mercenary work in general, but the problems people are plagued by in this city are much worse than in other cities. You won't be fighting bandits and thieves, but ghosts and horrors, each and every one of them deadly to the common man, which you look to be like." You get where the guild master is coming from, if you had to face threats like the shadow controlled man you saw in the forest of shadows, you might not get so lucky each time.
"Make sure you're thoroughly prepared for every contract. We make sure not to ask questions about how you deal with the problems you are facing, but neither do we take responsibility for the death and injuries you sustain during the mission." You saw that the guild master was deadly serious, a gleam in his eyes told you that he had seen too much death already.
"Remember that death is not the worst thing that can happen to you. Occasionally, a man comes back with empty, vacant eyes or even worse, he's overwhelmed by madness." He looks at you as if he was looking at a dead man walking before he continues: "I'll tell you my name after you come back from your first contract. The contract board is over to your left," he handed you a different badge, on it, a serpent baring its fangs at the sun.
The contract board wasn't too big and there were only three contracts which caught your attention, the rest would take too much time for not enough reward. You carefully deliberated on your choice, but eventually, you plucked a monster-hunting contract, some terrifying beast or a full-blown horror had been spotted in the Yawning Hills and someone wants you to slay it. You return to the guild master filing away some paperwork and put down the contract on the desk. He looks up at you and then looks at the contract before sighing once.
"The contractor is an alchemist that currently resides on the purple street. You can find information about the Yawning Hills in a book called "Dream Planes and You." He gives you the instructions for finding the alchemist and picks up a pink book from a small bookshelf behind him. Handing you over the book, he says: "You can read the book here, it's the only book on the Yawning Hills.
The book has a picture of a pink cloud as its cover and on the back were the words "Dreaming is a piece of a larger truth." You're interested in the book and what it has to say about the dream realm, but reading it would take most of the day. You flip over to a section called "Cracks in Dreams", where it describes several locations on Eludria where the connection between the dream realm and our realm is the weakest.
An excerpt from the book about the Yawning Hills reads: "The Yawning Hills is a place on Core Island where even someone uninitiated could enter the dream world. The threats here are generic, no abnormality in dreams has been observed. The magic in the air lulls the person entering into a dream, where they wander the dream world. Often, without any guidance or knowledge on what to do, the person simply gets lost, unable to find an exit before his body expires in the main realm. The lost souls are then converted into dream spirits, which wander around until they can find a dream to feast on. Even worse is when someone wanders into a nightmare, their bodies become corrupted, their minds completely shatter. They grow much stronger and gain special abilities, often related to attacking minds and dreams in general. Because any person can wander into the dream realm, the dream spirits are stronger and more numerous. The Psyche Aberrations are also numerous, but one has to be careful of a rogue Nightmare that might be released because of the negative emotions."
You ponder over the words that you just read, the dream spirits seemed to be harmless as long you didn't fall asleep, but you were likely dealing with a Psyche Aberration. You only had your trusty knife and armor to help you against such a horrifying beast, perhaps it was time to read your tome and see what answers it holds.
Pushing those thoughts out of your mind, you return the book to the guild master and approach a group of mercenaries, wildly celebrating the success of a mission. Buying a round of drinks for the people there, you ease into the conversation, listening to their stories of slaying a four-headed tiger prowling the roads south. Eventually, you get the chance to ask about the Yawning Hills, but none of the mercenaries have been there, quoting that it's too dangerous without a way to protect yourself against the hill's charms.
On a more eventful note, you do learn about Lady Arienna and her manor. The house of Brightblood is one of the noble houses that has been in this city before the Descent. Lady Arienna is a strict but powerful woman, single-handedly managing many of her house's estates. She has also been known to punish insubordination by hanging the wrong-doers on a pole and allowing birds to eat them, earning her a reputation of being cruel and ruthless.
The things you learned unnerved you quite a bit. You couldn't muster the nerve to visit the mansion, so, deciding that this was the perfect chance, you head over to your contractor's house on the purple street. True to its name, the purple street's houses were adorned by all kinds of purple decorations. Even the houses which couldn't afford the ornaments still placed a purple flower by their door, though you couldn't figure out the meaning or the importance of such a tradition. Walking towards the more luxurious part of the street, you notice that the more prestigious a house is, the more purple is on it, but not a single house has been painted purple.
You arrive at a shop near the very end of the street, a shop called "The Purple Extract." Just like the rest of the houses, the front of the shop is decorated in purple, but as you walk in, the purple fades away, leaving a pleasant blue. An old man, probably in his late 60's, was sitting on a rocking chair, reading a book in a foreign language. The hand holding the book was stained in numerous colors that had seeped into his skin. He looks up as a chime rings out above you. He doesn't bother to stand up, yelling at you in an overly loud voice: "What'dya want?"
You are a bit taken back at the sheer volume produced from his mouth, but manage a response in return: "I came to discuss the contract you put up, a creature in the Yawning Hills," that seems to have caught the old man's attention as he stood up and you notice that his height easily trumps your height, standing at about 2 meters. His hair was gray mixed with white, but none of his age showed in his movements. He barrels over to you, holding out his colored hand to shake yours.
"Finally one of you bastards has balls big enough to do the contract. Name's Erik, an alchemist by trade." You shake his hand, matching his strength with your own. He nods appreciatively at you and beckons you to sit down in one of the chairs next to the hearth.
"So, what do you need to know?" Erik places the book he was reading on the store counter and sits back down in his rocking chair. You took a few seconds to formulate what you wanted to know before replying: "Let's start with the basics. What do you know about this beast and the Yawning Hills in general? Have you met the beast personally?" Erik leans back in his chair, grabbing a pipe from who knows where. Lighting it up and inhaling the smoke it produced, he started retelling his experience.
"I visited the Yawning Hills once, a month or two ago if I recall correctly. I was looking for more of the herb that I've come to calling the Dreamcaller, as well as other things I could research. Along the way, I chanced upon a crack in reality and from there, I saw the horrific creature come out. It looked like two humans were merged, wrong in every way imaginable. Thankfully, I escaped before it noticed me." He puffs out smoke as he gazes outside the window, describing the exact location where he saw the crack and the abomination.
"I know this isn't usual, but would you mind sharing why you need this exact creature? It sounds like you're describing a Psyche Abberation and from what I know, there are quite a few of those in the hills," curiosity overtook you for a minute and Erik didn't look like the person who would get offended by any other thing, so you decided to ask the question on your mind. Erik only laughs, his boisterous voice nearly bursting your eardrums before he starts talking.
"I suppose I should tell the whole story for a curious lad like you, eh? I was researching the properties of a certain herb I have when I realized that burning it and inhaling enough of the smoke would drop you to the ground and put you in a dream, though you would be fully aware you were in a dream at all times. Following what I know about the dream realm, I could create a potion that would allow one to navigate the dream realm, just like someone initiated in the art could do, if only I knew how to properly shackle a part of the soul to our realm."
"This is where the creature comes into play. It has recently been corrupted by the dreams so its body should still be infused with them. The older creatures shackle themselves to the hills, but this has yet to do that. Its body would allow me to research this further and make the potions. Besides, I can always sell the creature to some interested parties harboring only the best intentions in mind." Erik winks at you and laughs once more, but this time you were prepared for the sound. The depth of what he implied hadn't quite sunk in, but it's not like mercenaries didn't get their hands involved in something dirty once in a while.
"One last thing. You must know how dangerous the hills are for common people. I don't wish to walk into my doom, and seeing that you're an alchemist, I would expect someone of your talents to know how to subvert sleep for a day or so?" You know that you would fall asleep once you got there and seeing that this old man explored the hills by himself, he must have something that could protect you once you were at the hills.
Erik scratched his chin, thinking about what you said. "I suppose I can do that, a potion that makes you stay awake for a full day. I'd need some time to prepare it, but it should be ready by tomorrow." You nod your head and stand up from the chair, thanking Erik for his cooperation. Even with the potion secured, you weren't sure of your chances, but you had the night to deliberate when to hunt the creature.
You walk out of the store and remember about the final task you have to do, that is, visit Lady Arienna in her manor. It was getting a bit dark, but as long as you hurried, you should be back at the inn at sundown. Your feet take you past the purple street, all the way to the town center and then to the west. You pass several houses in good condition, most likely built recently, and head towards the massive mansion in the distance. It towered over other buildings both in size and in presence, but before you could admire its beauty, you saw a large, black gate blocking your way. The large, menacing spikes on top of it banished all thoughts of getting in uninvited. Two guards stood by the gates wearing metal armor with a sword and a shield in their hands. The two of them stood motionless, just like statues, but as you approached, one of them stirred and pointed his sword at you.
"State your business or be prepared to face your doom," the voice was unnatural, the man was speaking in a single, constant tone, without any emotion in his voice. Deciding to simply state your business, you say to the guards, mustering up all the courage you possess: "I'm here to deliver a letter to Lady Arienna from her dead husband."
The guard, still pointing a sword at you, falls silent. After a few tense seconds, both of the guards put their hands on the gate and push it open, the gate creaking ominously. One of the guards glances at the dagger while the other starts looking you up and down, but none of them prevent you from moving. Past the dark gate, the atmosphere of the mansion changed. An elegant garden stood to the side, beautiful and colorful beyond words. Vibrant-red roses, violet tulips, sky-blue irises growing next to a clear pond. You take in the sight as you approach the mansion.
The mansion was much more grandiose when you were looking at it up close. You would've expected for such a mansion to be worn down by time, but it looked brand new. You were staring at the closed entrance of the mansion, wondering whether to knock, wait or try to push it open when the entrance opened and from it exited a young man, dressed in reds and blacks. He bows deeply, saying to you: "Welcome to the Brightblood manor, Lady Arienna is expecting you."
You've never had anyone bow so deeply to you, so it was a new experience. The elegant way the butler was speaking to you also baffled you, but you kept silent and started following him. As you start walking, the door closes behind you and you realize that you might be trapped in here. Silently following the butler through the many hallways and rooms, you're not sure you could find your way out of the mansion without him showing you the way back. The place is built like a maze, but soon enough, you arrive next to two massive doors. The doors depict a man wearing heavy plate mail, holding a shining sword and a tower shield while attacking a dragon, a beast of legends. You weren't sure if a dragon would survive in a world full of eldritch beings, even if they weren't eradicated.
You enter the great hall of the mansion, the biggest room in the entire mansion. A red carpet with complicated patterns was laid on the floor, purple drapings were hung on the ceiling and thin, blue curtains were obscuring the windows, letting a soft, blue light shine on the hall. You immediately notice Lady Arienna, sitting at the head of the table, looking directly into your eyes. You try to avert your eyes, but you find that you can't control your body anymore. Fear settles into your mind as you try and try, but your body simply doesn't listen to you. After an excruciating amount of time, the Lady lowers her eyes and you stumble forward, almost falling to the ground.
"Come, sit by my side," she says in a melodic voice as you take a deep breath. You try to avert your eyes from her, but they're drawn in anyway. Her skin is flawless, her red dress complimenting all of her features. You take another look at her gorgeous face, noting the deep-blue eyes, the long, brown hair and the faint smile she carries on her lips. You hesitantly approach her, looking for anyone else in the room for you to observe, but there is no one else.
The dreaded moment arrives faster than you want it to, you sit down next to Lady Arienna, holding a letter in your hands. She doesn't spare a glance at the letter, keeping her full attention on yourself.
"You must simply imagine my shock when I learned of a man carrying a letter from my husband, who has been missing for five years. Perhaps you can tell me the tale of how you found this letter?" Her voice carries a hint of something you don't understand and as you look into those eyes, the words start spilling from your mouth - how you awoke in the forest, met a man corrupted by shadows and bested him in combat, leaving only the letter and ashes behind. The Lady simply listens, not interrupting your tale even as you stumble over your words.
"How most interesting, may I see the letter?" she grasps the letter, not giving you a chance to reply. Her eyes scan the seal and the handwriting at the back before slowly opening the letter. She takes her time to read the letter and as you observe her, her smile on her lips becomes evident. Finally, she finishes the letter and, momentarily, you feel like you are on the edge of seeing something beneath the surface, perhaps something that you shouldn't see.
D100+15>110
66+15<110
81<110
Failure!
66+15<110
81<110
Failure!
Whatever it was, it quickly passes, with you none the wiser. The Lady claps her hands once and turns her gaze back to you. "Thank you for this letter. This... changes some things. Let it be known that I owe a favor to you, Mister Ezekiel. My halls shall be open to you when you wish for it, if, of course, you dare to come here again." She laughs, but your head is spinning, a vacant look in your eyes. You don't remember when you were escorted out of the manor, but you stand there until you see the sunset.
The next day, you decide to...
[ ] Explore the city. There are many strange things a newcomer can stumble upon. Be careful not to attract too much attention.
[ ] Hunt the Psyche Abberation. (2 actions) The land of the dreams is not for everyone and none return the same.
[ ] Find a permanent residence. A place to hide from horrors, conduct the darkest of experiments and rituals and a place of privacy.
- [ ] A small house in a shady corner. Rent - 7 Lions per week. Offers almost no safety from outside threats, people won't care what you do unless you do it in front of them. Offers less restful sleep.
- [ ] A house on the craftsmen's street. Rent - 14 Lions per week. Offers medium safety from outside threats. People will investigate if you make too much noise. Offers good sleep
- [ ] A lavish residence next to the noble's quarter. Rent - 25 Lions per week. Offers high safety from outside threats. People will investigate strange things in the area. Offers good sleep. Offers an opportunity to earn more lavish work. Comes with a large basement.
[ ] Listen to rumors about immortality. Shadow 75%. You can't forget about your original goal. In a city this strange, there must be a way to extend your life.
[ ] Investigate the inn's basement. Shadow 45%. Uncovering secrets comes from the smallest of things. Something makes you think that the screams Kel heard weren't from a horror.
[ ] Use and research The Tome of The Crackling Eye. Mind 75%. To start researching the artifact that you have, you need to experience first-hand what it does.
Locked option
[ ] Invest in Kel's excavation projects. 100 Lions.
[ ] Hunt the Psyche Abberation. (2 actions) The land of the dreams is not for everyone and none return the same.
[ ] Find a permanent residence. A place to hide from horrors, conduct the darkest of experiments and rituals and a place of privacy.
- [ ] A small house in a shady corner. Rent - 7 Lions per week. Offers almost no safety from outside threats, people won't care what you do unless you do it in front of them. Offers less restful sleep.
- [ ] A house on the craftsmen's street. Rent - 14 Lions per week. Offers medium safety from outside threats. People will investigate if you make too much noise. Offers good sleep
- [ ] A lavish residence next to the noble's quarter. Rent - 25 Lions per week. Offers high safety from outside threats. People will investigate strange things in the area. Offers good sleep. Offers an opportunity to earn more lavish work. Comes with a large basement.
[ ] Listen to rumors about immortality. Shadow 75%. You can't forget about your original goal. In a city this strange, there must be a way to extend your life.
[ ] Investigate the inn's basement. Shadow 45%. Uncovering secrets comes from the smallest of things. Something makes you think that the screams Kel heard weren't from a horror.
[ ] Use and research The Tome of The Crackling Eye. Mind 75%. To start researching the artifact that you have, you need to experience first-hand what it does.
Locked option
Last edited:
