The Hub, a decent place as any to die for a retired soldier you suppose. You aren't the best okranite, but you tried to lay the old man to rest properly. Burn the body with fire, let his spirit rise and be forgiven for the sins of the body. With him gone, you aren't sure what to do now. You have a thousand cats, the rags on your body, and that's about it. Nobody to rely on, no reputation of any significance. You could scrounge around The Hub, but this isn't the kind of place you want to stay. Might be some things you can scrounge up and sell to the barman. What do you do now though?
Well lets see, there's the local trade ninja bar, where you can eat and sell whatever garbage you find for some cats, the local shinobi thief hideout if you wanted to try your luck joining their gang, or the old man's house with what he left behind. That and the rubble are really all that's left of The Hub. Outside of this place, there's that Shek town to the southwest you heard of, but you've never visited. And you saw a shack to the north today.
The rusted iron stick in your hand feels heavy with history and is studded with violent intent.
The hiver had nothing of value on him, someone got to his pockets before you could. The old man probably wouldn't approve of it anyways.
The house feels strange now. You see you left breakfast out; the old man won't like that. Best to tidy up before you get another ear full of noise. There's the bread and sake leftover from your meal today, the water and flour you were sent to buy, an old hacksaw, some cups and a bowl. You know there's more in the bedroom, but now isn't the time to go back there. The old man would be having his afternoon nap, and he's always cantankerous when you disrupt his rest. You're grateful to him, taking you in, keeping you alive all this time. You still haven't thanked him properly.
You take the sake and bread. You're a little hungry, but you don't need to eat just yet. Best keep this for later, not like you have much left. Is it right to take what you can to sell? If you leave everything behind, in a place like this, it won't be untouched for long. People here don't like old paladins.
Going into the bedroom, you start to grab whatever you think will be useful on the road. Leather could fetch you a good price at a tailor's shop, the first aid kit is something you absolutely need, along with the raptor bacon the old man was saving for your birthday. Then there's that ceramic bowl he had, nicest thing he owned, kept trying to teach you how to eat with little utensils instead of your hands like everyone else. And those papers he always kept locked in his chest, but despite having skill in absolutely nothing else, you've always been a half decent lockpick. Decent enough to get into the sake when he kept it locked up. You thank the old man for getting you this far, now you're on your own. Best not let him down. There's that city to the southwest, that shack to the north, and places in The Hub you could ask around for directions. Or you could wander into the desert.
Go to The Hub? But you're already in The Hub... you enter your mind, trying to decipher... no, not the physical hub, the center of your mind palace. What is your true goal? To become a wealthy man, never to want for anything... to become the greatest warrior in the land, undefeated by even the legends of the continent... or to attain ultimate knowledge, to have nothing beyond your mind and ability? Or else mentally, you will stay, in The Hub.
