Light green being the first. Soft. Feminine. Like someone cooing to a nervous animal, careful not to scare it off. I liked her already. She felt safe, like curling up under a tree on a sunny day.
Reddish-brown practically barged in after her, all brazen energy and masculine swagger. He whispered, but it was the kind of whisper you use when you really want someone to hear you. Like, "Hey! Hey, kid! Wanna see something cool?"
Might be another Wildlife guide, with a different vibe, or it may be a guide explaining actions/skills.
Like "how to make your kwn fishing rod and how to use it", "how to start a fire", maybe even "how to cast [a very basic spell]".
Then there was White. Cool. Calm. Like the person in charge of giving directions at a theme park. Only, every now and then, they'd break from their script—just a hint of fondness here, a touch of hesitance there. A warning. A glimmer of hope. The kind of person who could probably hold your hand through a crisis and make you feel like everything was going to be okay.
Deep blue joined in next, rough but smoothed over, like sanded wood. He was excited, though—like a storyteller who couldn't wait to share his adventures. "Let me tell you what I've seen!" he seemed to say. I liked him too. He felt… solid. Like a good friend.
Then Pastel Yellow showed up, all direct and stern, like your favorite teacher who still gave pop quizzes. She was measured but not mean about it. Just, "This is the way it is, deal with it." I got the sense she didn't tolerate nonsense, which was a shame because nonsense was kinda my specialty.
Tan, though? Oh, Tan was a trip. Snobby, absurd, and dripping with condescension. "Listen, darling," he seemed to say, "if you're smart enough, I may just grace you with some useful information. Maybe." I rolled my metaphorical eyes at him but couldn't deny that he probably had some good points buried under that tone.
Hm.
Either something where we have to dig through the drivel of a pompeous cunt to find good info.
Or something highly academic/dealing with very hard to understand stuff.
(Spellbook?)
Grey sent shivers down my nonexistent spine. Haunting, ethereal, like a ghost weaving a story that faded in and out of hearing. I almost wanted to lean closer, even though it was spooky as hell. Like the feeling you get when you can't stop reading a scary book late at night.
And finally, Iron. Reverent and whimsical, like a little kid spinning their favorite story, eyes wide with wonder. "And then, you won't believe what happened next!" I couldn't help but smile at that one. It was just… pure. Unfiltered enthusiasm wrapped in something magical.
Hey fun thought would werewolf ability just made the book be bound by werewolf fur/leather and bind with werewolf sinew and have fangs to use as a lock
Hey fun thought would werewolf ability just made the book be bound by werewolf fur/leather and bind with werewolf sinew and have fangs to use as a lock
I just wanted to give everyone a heads up! I will be posting the chapter and its corrisponding vote tonight. I do not yet know if it will be posted early or late, as it is the New Year and I will be out at the time of normal posting. However, it is going to be one of those two things!
I hope everyone enjoys themselves with whatever way they wish to celebrate the New Year!
I just wanted to give everyone a heads up! I will be posting the chapter and its corrisponding vote tonight. I do not yet know if it will be posted early or late, as it is the New Year and I will be out at the time of normal posting. However, it is going to be one of those two things!
I hope everyone enjoys themselves with whatever way they wish to celebrate the New Year!
'Alright now. Let's see what Eryngo has to say.' With a metaphorical deep breath, I dove back into the notes, starting the process of rereading. Infinite Layers was a lifesaver. Well, maybe not a lifesaver, but definitely a time-saver.
It didn't organize or format the text—no bullet points, no neat little sections—but it let me kind of… scroll through for what I wanted. More like the words shifted out of the way? Watching it happen on my pages was almost mesmerizing. The lines of text twisted and glided like a kaleidoscope, reshaping themselves to highlight whatever I was looking for.
The first bit of good news? Eryngo hadn't gone looking for a Nightstalker. They'd marked down where they thought the creature's range was—noting some grayberry bush markings—but they'd never actually gone in. Smart move, especially since they didn't have the frostroot that Wildlife mentioned was crucial.
It seemed like Eryngo had dreamed of seeing one someday, but they'd had the good sense to know that heading into Nightstalker territory without proper precautions was basically danger incarnate. Especially since they hadn't unlocked a Druid class yet. Still, from what I could gather, they'd evolved their class at least once already, which meant they'd hit level 10. They had become a Forrest Warden, which sounded something like a Park Ranger?
Speaking of leveling… Eryngo's earlier journal entries went into surprising detail about how this whole System thing worked. Apparently, you start with basic classes or professions—nothing flashy for your first pick. But here's the kicker: nothing in the notes mentioned anything about Race. That felt important, somehow. 'I mean, I have a Race. I don't see anything for Class or Profession either. Hmm, could I get one? The notes say its possible to unlock the other later on if you have a class or profession, but that it is tricky. Huh, interesting.'
Eryngo confirmed that gaining XP mostly came from combat, quests, or doing stuff related to your chosen path. And there were other ways to earn XP—and even loot. Events and Dungeons.
Events were announced by the System and sounded like big multiplayer chaos festivals. Dangerous, sure, but manageable if you played your cards right. Dungeons, though? They were a whole different beast. Wilder, deadlier, but way more rewarding.
'Huh,' I mused, skimming over another note. 'It seems it was an event that Eryngo was gearing up for.' From the sound of their notes, it seemed like a fairly standard one, though "standard" probably still meant "life-threatening." 'I don't know, Eryngo, but you seemed to know what you were talking about.'
A warmth welled up inside me as I lingered on their words. 'But you would have taken me with you, right?' It wasn't like I'd be much help as a book, but still… it would've been nice to be part of their story. But they would have taken me… well before the book was me, right? Eryngo seemed to have had taken me everywhere. 'So… what happened?'
It wasn't time for the event. Not yet. I searched through Eryngo's journal and flipped through the notes scribbled in Wildlife, hoping something would pop out at me. But nothing stood out. No hints, no warnings, nothing to explain what had happened. It was like Eryngo had gone to the market one day and just… never came back.
'Something tells me things would be a lot more fun if I was still with you, Eryn—' My thought cut off mid-sentence. 'What was that?'
I froze. The dust beneath me had shifted, brushing faintly against my cover. 'Hello? Is someone there?'
Inside my void, nothing had changed. The rhythms still whispered, their gentle presence dancing around me as if they hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. Which, to be fair, they probably hadn't.
'Okay, focus. What am I feeling?' I focused in on the sensations around me. I was still wedged snugly in place, with nothing above me but open air. Dust below—wait. 'Oh…' Something felt off.
It was subtle, but unmistakable. That sense you get when you forget to wear your ring or watch, and your skin can't stop nagging you about it. Like something was supposed to be there but wasn't. That's what it felt like.
And then—'hold up, what is that?' Something fluttery and soft brushed against my pages, tickling in a way that made me want to squirm. I could feel the faintest hint of whiskers skimming along, too. 'Is something sniffing me?'
'What do we have here? A mouse or something?' My text rippled across my pages as something tugged at my attention, the feeling pulling me toward whatever was out there in the dust.
Though many dismiss the dewmous as little more than a whiskered nuisance, I find their ingenuity worth a moment's admiration—provided they remain at a respectful distance. These nimble creatures collect dried leaves, bits of straw, and any scrap of cloth or paper they can drag away, tucking their nests into the quiet gaps between walls and beneath floors. While their insulation can keep a house cozy in colder days, the same tinder-like materials pose a real danger should an errant spark arise.
If you wish to avoid a larger infestation, gentle deterrents often work best: sprinkle a handful of pungent herbs near suspected nest sites or seal common entry gaps with damp cloth. The dewmous prefer dry comfort and will generally seek new shelter on their own. By showing these small scurriers a firm yet considerate hand, one may avoid harm to both hearth and home.
A chill gripped my center. 'Scraps of paper… Scraps of paper?!' I focused back in on the touch along my pages. 'Shoo! Shoo! Go away! Leave my paper alone!'
The nose pulled away, as if it heard me. 'Oh, thank goodn-nooo!' Little hands pawed at my pages. 'Don't do that! Drop it!' The paws grabbed ahold of one of the feathered edges and tugged at it.
'Please stop, I'll… I'll give you some cheese? I don't know where I'll get it, but I'll find you some! No! Put those teeth down! Stop it!' Sharp teeth came up between the paws and pressed against my paper. 'Come on, please?'
The teeth bit into my paper and pulled tearing through it. I've had cuts, bumps, and bruises. Never in my life had I ever had anything torn out of me! Heat bloomed around the torn edge of my page. The dewmous had managed to tear off the corner of an uneven page that had stuck out just a bit further than the rest.
Health: 23/25
'I'm going to be killed by a mouse!'
That ends Chapter 3! Woo! How's that for drama? This has been fun to write. Again, I hope ya'll are enjoying it!
I've been wondering how much information to present for this next vote. I decided on a little bit of a limited approach. I think this one will work best as a Majority Vote, no Approval. So you get one vote each! Use it wisely. HINT: Think 'personality'.
Votes:
[ ]"The Quiet Tide – A calm and introspective soul, seeking understanding over conflict."
[ ]"The Guiding Lantern – A steadfast light, thoughtful and balanced in their actions."
[ ]"The Wild Flame – A fierce energy, driven by passion and untamed resolve."
This has been fun to write. Again, I hope ya'll are enjoying it!
