Journey

Jane stares into her bag and cannot believe that it is meant to carry all of her earthly possessions with her to her new life. It cannot carry it all. She must make decisive choices about what to bring, and take only what will help her once she reaches her Aunt Katalin’s house in town. “Jane.” She looks up and finds her father standing in the doorway. “Yes?” “I know we talked about you taking either the horse or the donkey, but you never said which you wanted. I need to know which to prepare for you if you want either of them and to leave this morning.” Jane nods, and thinks about which she should take or if she should even take one at all. [[Take the horse. He’s not so important to the farm, and he can carry all of the food she’ll need for the journey, his own feed, and a little extra as well.|horse]] [[Take the donkey. He’s important to the farm, but he can can weather the journey better than the horse can and carry just as much.| donkey]] [[Take neither. There’s no room for them in town, and the farm needs them.|neither]]

“Very well,” her father says with a nod. “I’ll prepare the horse and his feed.” (set: $horse to 1)(set: $animal to 1) (display: "Map")

“Very well,” her father says with a nod. “I’ll prepare the donkey and his feed.” (set: $donkey to 1)(set: $animal to 1) (display: "Map")

“If you’re certain you don’t need either,” he says, crossing his arms. "I'm sure," she says. (display: "Map")

(align:"=><=")[<h2>The Path of Three</h2> by Victoria Root] (set: $inv to (a:)) (set: $animal to 0) (set: $horse to 0) (set: $donkey to 0) (set: $invLim to 23) (set: $food to 0) (align:"=><=")[ [[Start]] ] (set: $feed to 0) (set: $hhp to 2) (set: $dhp to 3) (set: $jhp to 4) (set: $jClean to 18)

He turns to leave then turns back. “Perhaps it would be best if you were to take the map as well.” “I told you why I didn’t want it,” Jane reminds him. “It takes up so much space that could be used for food.” “You wouldn’t need so much extra food if you knew where you were going the whole way.” “But it’s the most valuable thing the family owns. You’ll likely have need of it in the future. You’ll make more trips in more directions than just my one trip to town.” Her father shakes his head. “I won’t ever be travelling alone though. I know the ways better than you do. You have greater need of it.” Jane sighs, thinking the option over. [[Take the map. It will spare time and food over the trip.|MYes]] [[Refuse the map. It takes up more space than several extra days' worth of food. Jane trusts her sense of direction.|MNo]]

Her father sighs in relief. “Thank you. I’ll pack it up for you.” (display: "Clothes") (set: $inv to $inv + (a: "map"))

He sighs and nods. “I can't force you to take it." (display: "Clothes")

Jane turns back to her bag as her father leaves. The time has come to fill it. Clothes will be the most expensive items she brings, and the most difficult to replace if she leaves them behind. She may need that space for other items on such a journey though. Aside from what she already wears -- undergarments, a chemise, a kirtle, shoes, girdle, and hose -- she also owns a newer, nicer kirtle which she wears on Sundays. She has an extra pair of shoes, acquired when she first learned she might need to leave. She also has a girdle and an extra pair of underclothes, both of which could be beneficial on a trip such as hers. Take the newer kirtle. (click-replace: "Take the newer kirtle.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "kirtle")) Jane packs the kirtle into her bag.] Take the extra shoes.(click-replace: "Take the extra shoes.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "shoes")) Jane packs the shoes into her bag, careful to pack them in such a way that won't dirty the rest of her belongings.] Take the girdle.(click-replace: "Take the girdle.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a:"girdle"))Jane packs the girdle into her bag.] Take the extra underclothing. (click-replace: "Take the extra underclothing.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a:"underclothing"))Jane packs the underclothes into her bag.] [[Jane has everything she needs.|Food]]

Jane takes her bag and finds her mother. Her mother takes a look at her bag and sighs. “Is it time?” “Yes, I need to pack food for the journey.” “How much do you think you’ll need?” [[Ask for just enough.|Min]] [[Ask for a little extra in case Jane accidentally takes a longer route.|Mid]] [[Ask for all that can be carried. Better be prepared for all possibilities than die of hunger.|Max]]

“Alright,” her mother says, frowning as she packs up the food. “If you’re sure you won’t need any extra.” (set: $food to 6)(set: $feed to 6) "I'm sure," Jane says. (if: $animal is 1)[ “I’ll also pack just as much feed. You’d better take care of that animal. They’ve never done anything to harm you, and you should treat them just as kindly.” “I will,” Jane promises. ](display: "Cooking")

“Good. It’s always better to be on the safe side. You never know what lies in those woods.[(if: $animal is 0)[You can’t carry that much just on your own, but I’ll pack as much as I can. It may still go faster than you may think.]" (set: $food to 10)(set: $feed to 10) Jane nods. (if: $animal is 1)[“I’ll also pack just as much feed. You’d better take care of that animal. They’ve never done anything to harm you, and you should treat them just as kindly.” “I will,” Jane promises.](display: "Cooking")

"I'll fit in as much as I can," her mother promises. (if: $animal is 1)[ “I’ll also pack just as much feed. You’d better take care of that animal. They’ve never done anything to harm you, and you should treat them just as kindly.” “I will,” Jane promises.](display: "Cooking") (set: $food to 18)(set: $feed to 18)

“Now, you’ll need to take some utensils and such to be able to eat that food we just packed you.” Jane’s mother bustles about the kitchen. She comes back with a few items in her hands. “We can spare these for you.” She holds out a knife, a spoon, a pot and a flask. Take the knife. (click-replace: "Take the knife.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "knife")) Jane packs the knife into her bag.] Take the spoon.(click-replace: "Take the spoon.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "spoon"))Jane packs the spoon into her bag.] Take the pot.(click-replace: "Take the pot.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "pot"))Jane packs the pot into her bag, having to shove things around to make room for it.] Take the flask. Jane must take this to be able to drink during the journey.(click-replace: "Take the flask. Jane must take this to be able to drink during the journey.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "flask"))Jane fills the flask with water then packs it into her bag, keeping it near the top.] [[Jane has what she needs.|Cleaning]]

Her mother nods. “You’ll also need to take care of yourself as you travel. I don’t want you to arrive at my sister’s house looking like a filthy rat.” Jane watches as her mother gathers other items to offer her. She brings soap to bath and wash her clothes with. She also carries a comb for Jane’s long hair that she typically keeps plated and pinned up and out of the way as well as a linen cloth to clean her teeth with. Her mother also offers a small kit with needles and thread to mend any tears or holes that may appear during the journey. “You never know whose path you may cross while traveling. Better be prepared for that as well.” “I know,” Jane assures her. Take the comb.(click-replace: "Take the comb.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "comb")) Jane packs the comb gently into her bag.] Take the linen cloth.(click-replace: "Take the linen cloth.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "linen cloth")) Jane packs the linen cloth for her teeth into her bag.] Take the needle and thread.(click-replace: "Take the needle and thread.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "needle and thread")) Jane packs the kit with needle and thread into her bag.] Take the soap.(click-replace: "Take the soap.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "soap")) Jane packs the hunk of soap into her bag.] [[Jane has what she needs.|Odds and Ends]]

“I should have a few other odds and ends that you can take with you on your journey. They could also prove useful,” her mother adds. “I can’t take the whole house with me, mother,” Jane says, looking down into her quickly filling bag. “Still,” her mother says, returning with still more items. “Don’t say no before you consider them.” She lays before Jane a small, lightly rusted axe that Jane hasn’t seen in years. It could be useful for gathering wood or it there are any obstructions. She also offers a little ventilated box of cloves to keep insects away from her bag and clothes. She also has a handful of candles, some used, and a little lantern to carry them in. “These should help.” Take the small axe.(click-replace: "Take the small axe.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "axe"))Jane packs the rusty axe into her bag after placing its cover back on it.] Take the box of cloves.(click-replace: "Take the box of cloves.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "box of cloves"))Jane packs the little box of cloves into her bag.] Take the candles.(click-replace: "Take the candles")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "candles"))Jane packs the candles into her bag.] Take the lantern.(click-replace: "Take the lantern.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "lantern"))Jane hooks the lantern onto her bag.] [[Jane has what she needs.|Packing]]

Jane carefully packs away all the items she’s gathered with the help of her parents. (if: $animal is 1)[She then packs her bags onto the(if: $horse is 1)[ horse.](else:)[ donkey.]] (if: $inv contains "map")[(if: $inv's length + $food + 5 > $invLim) [Jane’s mother then comes out and puts a hand on her shoulder. “You’ll rip the bag packing it like that. Take some things out.” [[Jane sighs and pulls off her bag to start pulling things out.|Drop]]](else:)[[[Start the journey|Journey Start]]]](else:)[(if: $inv's length + $food > $invLim)[Jane’s mother then comes out and puts a hand on her shoulder. “You’ll rip the bag packing it like that. Take some things out.” [[Jane sighs and pulls off her bag to start pulling things out.|Drop]]](else:)[[[Start the journey|Journey Start]]]]

Jane has to decide what to take out and leave at home. [[Check Jane's inventory|Inventory]] (if: $inv contains "map")[Drop the map (click-replace: "Drop the map")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "map")) She drops the map.]](else:)[] [[Drop clothes]] [[Drop cooking utensils]] [[Drop toiletries]] [[Drop other items]] (if: $inv contains "map")[(if: $inv's length + $food + 5 <= $invLim)[ [[Start the journey.|Journey Start]]]](else:)[(if: $inv's length + $food <= $invLim)[[[Start the journey.|Journey Start]]]]

<h2>Inventory</h2> (print: $inv.join(" ")) (link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)

(if: $inv contains "kirtle")[Drop the kirtle. (click-replace: "Drop the kirtle.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "kirtle")) Jane leaves the kirtle.]](else:)[] (if: $inv contains "shoes")[Drop the shoes. (click-replace: "Drop the shoes.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "shoes")) Jane leaves the shoes.]](else:)[] (if: $inv contains "underclothing")[Drop the underclothing. (click-replace: "Drop the underclothing.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "underclothing")) Jane leaves the underclothing.]](else:)[] (if: $inv contains "girdle")[Drop the girdle. (click-replace: "Drop the girdle.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "girdle")) Jane leaves the girdle.]](else:)[] [[Try packing again|Packing]] [[Drop more|Drop]]

(if: $inv contains "knife")[Drop the knife. (click-replace: "Drop the knife.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "knife")) Jane leaves the knife.]](else:)[] (if: $inv contains "spoon")[Drop the spoon. (click-replace: "Drop the spoon.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "spoon")) Jane leaves the spoon.]](else:)[] (if: $inv contains "pot")[Drop the pot. (click-replace: "Drop the pot.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "pot")) Jane leaves the pot.]](else:)[] [[Try packing again|Packing]] [[Drop more|Drop]]

(if: $inv contains "comb")[Drop the comb. (click-replace: "Drop the comb.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "comb")) Jane leaves the comb.]](else:)[] (if: $inv contains "needle and thread")[Drop the needle and thread. (click-replace: "Drop the needle and thread.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "needle and thread")) Jane leaves the needle and thread.]](else:)[] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[Drop the linen cloth. (click-replace: "Drop the linen cloth.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "cloth")) Jane leaves the linen cloth.]](else:)[] (if: $inv contains "soap")[Drop the soap. (click-replace: "Drop the soap.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "soap")) Jane leaves the soap.]](else:)[] [[Try packing again|Packing]] [[Drop more|Drop]]

(if: $inv contains "axe")[Drop the axe. (click-replace: "Drop the axe.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "axe")) Jane leaves the axe.]](else:)[] (if: $inv contains "box of cloves")[Drop the cloves. (click-replace: "Drop the cloves.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "box of cloves")) Jane leaves the cloves.]](else:)[] (if: $inv contains "candles")[Drop the candles. (click-replace: "Drop the candles.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "candles")) Jane leaves the candles.]](else:)[] (if: $inv contains "lantern")[Drop the lantern. (click-replace: "Drop the lantern.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "lantern")) Jane leaves the lantern.]](else:)[] [[Try packing again|Packing]] [[Drop more|Drop]]

Jane finally finishes with her packing. She’s ready to leave her small village and join her aunt Katalin in town. She swallows down her nerves and heads to the road leaving her family’s farm. (set: $invLim to $invLim - $food) [[Take the left road towards town.|Left]] [[Take the right road in the wrong direction|Right]]

Her mother and father and younger sisters wave goodbye as she leaves, calling out final shouts of advice and farewells. She waves one last time before she leaves their sight. The road seems so long and winding ahead of her, but all she can do for the moment is keep putting one foot in front of the other. (display: "Lantern")

“What are you doing, you silly girl,” her mother says, grabbing her by the shoulders. “You know that’s the wrong way, now go on.” She turns Jane around and sends her down the correct path. Her mother and father and younger sisters wave goodbye to her, calling out final shouts of advice and farewells. She pauses just before she’ll be too far to see them anymore and turns back to wave goodbye. Once she is out of sight of the farm, her nerves swell within her. She stops and looks back, wondering if she should turn back now before the day is totally lost to her. She could always leave tomorrow. Instead, she forces one foot in front of the other because as much as her parents don’t want her to go they’ll continue to send her away for her own good. (display: "Lantern")

As the light begins to fade, Jane looks around herself wondering where she should stay for the night. She had known there wouldn’t be inns or even others houses to stay in along her route, but she still doesn’t know where best to settle in for sleeping rough. She eventually chooses a place where others seems to have slept previously with flattened grass and an ashen area left from someone’s long dead fire. She sets down her pack(if: $animal is 1)[, and ties up her animal], and begins to set up camp for the night. As she searches for dry enough wood to make her own fire for some cooking, she stubs her toe. She swears under her breath, still familiar with her mother’s scolding for using such language. She looks around for what she stubbed her toe on, expecting a stone or maybe a protruding root. Instead, to her surprise, she finds an abandoned lantern. Out of curiosity, she picks up the lantern, brushing the dirt from it. It’s nothing like the small tin lanterns her family used at home. No, this had a weight to it with metal thick enough for etchings that she can’t make out in the fading light. It seems far too nice for someone to have just cast to the wayside. Then again, there’s only a puddle of dried wax and the bottom and no wick to be seen. Perhaps whoever had lost it hadn’t meant to. She considers whether to keep it herself. (if: $inv contains "lantern")[[[Take the lantern and abandon the one from home.|Take Lantern]]](if: not ($inv contains "lantern"))[(if: $inv contains "map")[(if: $inv's length + 5 < $invLim)[[[Take the lantern.|Take Lantern]]]](else:)[(if: $inv's length < $invLim)[[[Take the lantern.|Take Lantern]]]]] [[Leave it.]]

Jane tosses the lantern back onto the side of the road. (set: $lant to 0) (display: "Crossroad1")

She returns to her little camp and starts her fire. She removes her shoes and rubs her feet as her food warms. She’s spent all her life on her feet, helping out at the farm for as long as she can remember, but somehow it’s not the same traveling on them. (if: $animal is 1)[She makes sure to feed her companion then eats herself.](else:)[She eats her meal, trying not to listen too closely to the quiet noises around her.] She sleeps deeply. Late the next morning after packing up and beginning to move again, Jane reaches a crossroad. She needs to figure out what way to go. (if: $inv contains "map")[She pulls out the map for guidance. It shows that the quickest way to town is to the left.] [[Go straight.|C1 Straight]] [[Go right.|C1 Right]] [[Go Left.|C1 Left]]

Jane chose poorly. The road takes her the long way around and over poorly maintained roads. {(set: $food to $food - 3) (if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }She eats three days' worth of food and has $food days left of food. (display: "Meeting Martha")

The path Jane chose turns out alright. It doesn't cost her too much in time, but it was still not the fastest path. She eats two days' worth of food as she travels along it. (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] { (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Meeting Martha")

Jane chose the quickest path. It only takes her one day of travel, one day's worth of food. (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] { (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Meeting Martha")

Jane notices when she begins to move out of the farmlands. Trees begin to grow more frequently and closer to the road. She appreciates the shade they bring, but finds herself wary of how they might block her sight of the road ahead. She jumps when she spots a sudden flash of moment in front of her (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $horse is 1)[and her horse whinnies in fear](else:)[her donkey balks and brays]]. “Woah, I didn’t mean to scare you,” the person says, and Jane can now see that it’s a young girl standing in the middle of the road. “I just didn’t want to miss you.” “You could have said something before just jumping out into the middle of the road,” Jane says, putting a hand over her chest to calm her racing heart. (if: $horse is 1)[She then has to calm down her horse, whispering to it and petting its neck.] “Right,” the girl says sheepishly before perking up. “Are you headed to town? Would it be alright if I joined you? I got separated from my group a while back, and that’s where we were headed.” Jane looks the child over. She has wild, tangled hair and dirty hands and bare feet. Her tunic seems too large for her and sports many stains of all different sorts. She’s tucked a portion of the tunic into her braes to keep it from getting in her way, and at least her braes seem decently maintained. “And have you steal from me?” Jane asks. She might be from a small farming village, but she’d like to think she isn’t completely naive. The girl laughs like the concern is completely ridiculous. “Nah, I wouldn’t do that to you. You look like you’ve barely got more ‘n me. I’d have done it without showing myself too if that’s what I was gonna do. I just want someone to travel with. I’m Martha, by the way. What’s your name?” “Jane.” “Well, Jane, think we can travel together?” she asks, taking a few steps closer to her. Jane considers what taking her along would mean. [[Let her join. Jane doesn’t want to travel alone.|With Martha]] [[Tell her to leave. A child and more likely a thief is too much trouble on a long journey.|Without Martha]]

“Great,” Martha says loudly and claps her hands together. “This will be fun. I know a lot of songs.” Jane sighs as Martha launches into a tune at the top of her lungs. She can only hope it makes others of a less kindly sort want to stay away rather than come towards them. She finds that the advantage to Martha’s company is that she makes the traveling pass more quickly. (if: $animal is 1)[The (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] takes a liking to her despite the initial scare of Martha’s sudden appearance. It probably helped that Mary had fed him an apple she’d pulled out of her bag.] When evening falls and Jane prepares camp, with barely any help from Martha, she fears for a moment that she’ll need to feed Martha. She would never let a child go hungry right in front of her, but she had only packed for one. Martha, however, pulls food for herself from her worn and grimy bag. She eats her evening meal which needed no cooking as Jane prepares the fire. “I'm not too good at doing that myself,” Martha admits unselfconsciously. “Do you know any stories?” “Stories?” Jane asks as she gets the fire started and sits back on her heels. “Yeah,” Martha says excitedly. “We always share stories at night.” Jane has no idea who her group was or if they really did tell each other stories, but she does know a few stories. She gets through one about a girl almost too adventurous and clever for her own good over the course of their evening meal. As a girl of Martha’s age, Jane had wanted to be like the girl in the story and go on adventures and trick her way out of trouble. This journey to her aunt’s house is the closest she’s ever gotten. “That was a good story,” Martha tells her at the end of it and the fire has died down to embers. “Goodnight, Jane.” “Goodnight,” Jane responds. She doesn’t even get close to sleep before making sure that Martha is sound asleep and safe. (if: $animal is 1)[Of course, her (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] is displeased with the drop in attention paid to them.] Martha wakes early in the morning and immediately gets the day started with songs. Jane finds herself less irritated with it than she thought she would be. It reminds her of her younger sisters, and who knows when she’ll be able to see them again. By noon, they reach an intersection. “Do you know which way to go?” Martha asks. (if: $inv contains "map")[”Of course,” Jane says, pulling out her map to check where they are. Martha laughs. “It’s good you let me come along with you. If I’d known you’d had that map on you I’d have probably taken it.” Jane frowns. “Do you even know how to read a map?” Martha blushes and looks away sheepishly. “Not really.” “So it is good I let you come along then,” Jane says easily. She turns her attention to the map. "We should go right."] (else:)[Jane blushes. She isn’t sure she’s ever traveled this far in this direction from her home. “Um, I’m not sure.” Martha makes a frowny thinking face. “Well, I don’t really know the best way to town, but I’m pretty sure that way is where Jack broke his foot.” She points straight ahead, and Jane decides she doesn’t really like the look of that direction anyways.] [[Go straight.|C2 Straight W Martha]] [[Go right.|C2 Right W Martha]] [[Go left.|C2 Left W Martha]]

“Oh,” Martha says, suddenly downcast. “If that’s what you want, I’ll go.” She gives Jane puppy dog eyes as she makes to leave, but Jane holds strong. Martha then readjusts her bag and runs off into the woods, back in the direction she had appeared from. Jane sighs in relief. She puts the child from her mind. It’s much better she doesn’t have someone to look after on this journey. She’s barely able to look after herself as it is. She makes camp for the night, and the following day she comes across another crossroads. She can’t help feeling a little lost looking at the roads without any hint of familiarity. (if: $inv contains "map")[She pulls out the map to find her way. She must go right.](else:)[She looks about herself and tries to divine which way to go.] [[Go straight.|C2 WO Martha Straight]] [[Go right.|C2 WO Martha Right]] [[Go left.| C2 WO Martha Left]]

Jane chose a long and winding path that makes for difficult walking for her(if: $animal is 1)[ and her animal companion]. { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }It costs her two extra days of travel, three days' worth of food overall. It leaves her with $food days of food left. (display: "Staff WO Martha")

Jane travels down along the quickest path, finding it straight and easy to travel.{ (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }It leaves her with $food days of food left. (display: "Staff WO Martha")

Jane chose a moderately stony road. It was not the quickest road she could have taken, but it was also not the longest.{ (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }She ate two days' worth of food over this leg of the journey. That leaves her with $food days of food left. (display: "Staff WO Martha")

By the evening, Jane feels as if she could sleep standing. Walking has worn her feet so much that she can hardly feel them. (if: $animal is 1)[Her handsome companion looks as tired as she feels. It takes more coaxing than normal to keep him moving.] She must not be lifting her feet high enough as her toe catches, and she tumbles to the ground. She lands hard her knees and hands, and when she checks herself over for scrapes or other injuries, she’s thankfully unharmed. Her clothes also remain whole. She climbs back to her feet and searches around her for whatever tripped her. At first glance, she thinks it’s a branch that fell and landed in the road, but when she picks it up she realizes that it’s carved. She finds herself holding a heavy staff carved with symbols she doesn’t know how to read. It seems too important for someone to leave abandoned in the middle of the road. She had thought the same of the lantern she’d found so perhaps she couldn’t presume to know other travelers as well as she thought she did. Still, she wonders if something had befallen the original owner. Jane considers what to do with the staff now that she’s found it. (if: $inv contains "map")[(if: $inv's length + 5 < $invLim)[[[Take the staff.|Take Staff WO Martha]]]](else:)[(if: $inv's length > $invLim)[[[Take the staff.|Take Staff WO Martha]]]] [[Jane doesn't have enough room for it. Leave the staff.|Crossroad3 WO Martha]]]

Jane makes camp for the night. She massages her feet before the fire, paying careful attention to the toe that had struck the staff. (if: $animal is 1)[At least her animal companion seems unbothered by the rather rank smell of her feet.] She sleeps that night with her feet completely bare, but completely tucked under the shelter of her skirt. The following day(if: $inv contains "staff")[, she begins to walk with the staff in hand, and the road] brings her to another intersection. She had never realized how many choices would lie before her just to get to town and her aunt. (if: $inv contains "map")[She consults the map and decides she must go straight.](else:)[She looks at the roads before her and tries to determine which way is the best path.] [[Go straight.|C3 WO Martha Straight]] [[Go right.|C3 WO Martha Right]] [[Go left.|C3 WO Martha Left]]

The path Jane chose runs straight and true. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)] (if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } It leaves her with (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Esther WO Martha")

The path Jane chose turns out to be slyly treacherous. One wrong move could twist her ankle. (if $animal is 1)[In fact, her (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] trips at the edge of the road.] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)] (if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Esther WO Martha")

Jane chose a curving, muddy road to travel along. The mud sapped away her time and energy, causing her to need an extra day of travel. { (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Esther WO Martha")

“You’re very noisy, you know.” Jane freezes wondering where the old woman’s voice had come from. “Excuse me?” she calls out, trying to locate the voice. “You’re noisy,” she repeats, and she finally steps out onto the road from a barely visible side path. “Plodding around like that.” “I was only walking,” Jane argues, not sure what else to say to the older woman. She looks to have several years upon Jane’s mother, but she wears her hair unbound and uncovered. “Well, you do it rather loudly,” she says, continuing along the road. “Where are you heading?” “In to town,” Jane answers. “It doesn’t look like you have anything to sell on you,” she says. (if: $animal is 1)[She even chances a glance into the saddlebags and nods to herself. “Unless you plan on selling the animal. It’d be worth more outside of town than in, though.”] “I’m not going to sell anything,” Jane says, feeling the need to defend herself. “I’m going there to live with my aunt.” “What did you say your name was?” she asks, not responding at all to Jane’s correction. “I didn’t say, but my name is Jane. Why? What’s your name?” “Esther,” she answers brusquely. “I could travel with you, if you’d like. I haven’t been to town in some time, but I surely know this area better than you do if you’ve never been before.” Jane considers what to say to this odd, pushy offer. [[Agree to travel with the old woman.|WO Martha W Esther]] [[Reject the woman’s offer.|WO Martha WO Esther]]

“You’re welcome to join me.” Jane says, preferring a strange old woman’s company than continuing to be alone. “Ah, excellent,” Esther says, walking the last few paces to catch up with her. (if: $animal is 1)[She pats Jane’s (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] on the side as she passes it. They seem to like her at least.] After a few minutes of walking, Esther says, “You should step lighter.” “Excuse me?” Jane asks. “Walk lighter,” she repeats. “You’ll wear your feet out less. They won’t hurt so much at the end of the day, and you won’t be so loud.” “Alright,” Jane says, making an attempt at it. She tries mimicking Esther, but she can’t see much of how she places her feet with the skirt of her kirtle in the way. “Are you the daughter of farmers?” she asks. “Yes,” Jane answers. “How’d you know?” “They all plod along like that. No feet for traveling. You’d think they’d do better with all the work they have to do on their feet.” “If you say so,” Jane says. She listens for a moment then realizes that Esther barely makes any sound as she walks. “May I ask what it is you do since you know I’m a farmer?” “I’m a midwife, when called upon. More often, I’m an herbalist. I sell my remedies in town.” “Ah, I see,” she says, and she had no knowledge of where herbs grew best, but Esther had clearly decided that they grew best in forests well away from everyone else. They come to a set of crossroads a few hours before nightfall. Jane asks, “Do you know the way from here?” “I do. We should go left,” Esther says. [[Go straight.|C4 Straight WO Martha W Esther]] [[Go right.|C4 Right WO Martha W Esther]] [[Go left.|C4 Left WO Martha W Esther]]

“No, thank you. I can manage on my own,” Jane says politely. She speeds up her pace to pull ahead of Esther. (if: $animal is 1)[It takes a great deal of effort to get her animal companion to feel the same need for increased speed.] Jane doesn’t relax until the woman was well out of her sight. She was just too strange to travel with. She comes to another intersection before night fall. (if: $inv contains "map")[She pulls out the map to find her way. She must go left.] (else:)[She looks about herself and tries to determine which way to go.] [[Go straight.|C4 WO Martha WO Esther Straight]] [[Go right.|C4 WO Martha WO Esther Right]] [[Go left.|C4 WO Martha WO Esther Left]]

Jane chose a winding and stony road to travel along. All the carful stepping caused her to need two extra days of travel. (if: $lant is 1)[She uses the lantern in the evenings to guide the way around troublesome stones.](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] stumbles on a rock in the road, injuring itself. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.](else:)[Jane steps into a hole some small animal had dug into the road, twisting her ankle. She bandages it as best she knows how. She walks with a limp.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)]]{ (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak WO Martha WO Esther")

Jane chooses a path that swings out and away from the most direct path. The path is guarded by large, thick trees. (if: $lant is 1)[It's dark enough that Jane feels more comfortable with her new lantern lit. It helps her (if: $horse is 1)[and her horse](if: $donkey is 1)[and her donkey] avoid the roots crisscrossing the path.](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] trips on a root, injuring itself.]]{ (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)] (if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak WO Martha WO Esther")

Jane chose the most direct path. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak WO Martha WO Esther")

Near nightfall, Jane searches the area near the road for wood to make herself a fire when she notices something darker than shadow near some bushes. She picks her way carefully over to the dark shape and cautiously reaches out to touch it. She jerks her hand back in surprise to find it soft to the touch and too cold and still to be a living creature. She steels herself with a breath then pulls the thing out from the shadows, discovering that it’s a large fur lined cloak. Further examination reveals large tears through the cloak, and she doesn’t want to imagine what might have caused them. It doesn’t feel or smell of dried blood, though. She supposes it could have gotten caught on a branch. Still, how wealthy would a person have to be to leave behind such a finely made cloak even if it had been torn? She could keep it and mend it. (if: $inv contains "needle and thread")[She has the means with which to repair it tucked away in her bags. ]While she was no seamstress, it would certainly make it wearable. (if: $inv's length > $invLim)[She has no space for it though, and must [[leave it.|Crossroad5 WO Martha WO Esther]]] (else:)[ [[Keep the cloak.|Cloak Take WO Martha WO Esther]] [[Discard the cloak.|Crossroad5 WO Martha WO Esther]]]

The next day, she finds another intersection and must determine which path to take towards town. (if: $inv contains "map")[She pulls out the map to find her way. She must go straight.] (else:)[She looks about herself and tries to divine which way to go.] [[Go straight.|C5 WO Martha WO Esther Straight]] [[Go right.|C5 WO Martha WO Esther Right]] [[Go left.|C5 WO Martha WO Esther Left]]]

Jane chose the quickest path to town. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea WO Martha WO Esther")

Jane chose a path that winds its way through hilly and rocky terrain.(if: $staff is 1)[It's troublesome enough that having the staff is a great boon to her. It helps her keep upright](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] stumbles on a loose rock and injures itself.](else:)[Jane trips on a loose rock, scraping her hands and knees when she lands.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)]] { (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea WO Martha WO Esther")

Jane chose a muddy and rutted road. All the carful stepping caused her to need two extra days of travel. (if: $staff is 1)[She uses the staff check the ground ahead of her for any unexpected holes.](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] lands a foot into a hole hidden by mud and is injured . Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.] (else:)[Jane steps into a hole some small animal had dug into the road that she couldn't see through the mud, twisting her ankle. She bandages it as best she knows how, and she continues on with a limp.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)]] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea WO Martha WO Esther")

Jane shoves the new lantern into her bag. (if: $inv contains "lantern")[She leaves the small, old one on the side of the road for someone else to find.](else:)[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "lantern"))](set: $lant to 1) (display: "Crossroad1")

The following day she comes to another set of crossroads. (set: $inv to $inv + (a: "staff")) (if: $inv contains "map")[She consults the map and decides she must go straight.](else:)[She looks at the roads before her and tries to determine which way is the best path.] [[Go straight.|C3 WO Martha Straight]] [[Go right.|C3 WO Martha Right]] [[Go left.|C3 WO Martha Left]]

“Hello,” a woman calls out brightly. Jane turns in nearly a full circle before discovering the speaking to be a woman a little older than herself, walking along a little trail that joined the larger road. “Hello,” she says to be polite. “Are you on your way to town, too?” she asks. “Yes.” “Oh, good, I’m Rhea,” she says as she joins Jane on the main road. “You don’t seem to have anything to sell. Are you moving or just a traveler?” “Moving, I’m going to live with my aunt.” “Do you know what you’ll do once you get there? I became a webster after marrying, and I’ve found the work pleasant enough.” Jane looks Rhea over and decides she must be doing well along with her husband. She wears a clean and fairly new looking kirtle over her chemise, and the nicest girdle Jane has ever seen. She’s a much more proper lady than Esther as well as she wears a veil to cover her hair. Her shoes, however, are in a strange style, pointier than the shoes people wear in Jane’s village. “I’m not sure what I’ll do,” she answers. Rhea nods and clears her throat. “Would you care to join me since we’ll both be heading to town? At least, until we make it to the city gate.” [[Join Rhea.|W Rhea WO Martha WO Esther]] [[Reject Rhea.|WO Rhea WO Martha WO Esther]]

“Yes, I’d appreciate your company,” Jane says, relieved that someone normal had finally crossed her path. “Excellent,” Rhea says, moving to walk beside Jane. “I’m sure you’ll come to enjoy living in town once you’re settled.” “I hope so,” she says. “I’m guessing your village must be like the one I was born in. There are plenty more women to meet your own age in town than back home, I’m sure,” she says. “I found town overwhelming at first, but there really are a lot of benefits to living there.” “Meeting more people does sound nice,” she says. That was a lot of the reason she was sent away. There weren’t any marriageable men left in her village. She was also preparing the way for some of her sisters. There weren’t many boys their ages either. “Will you have any cousins to look after?” Rhea asks. “No, unfortunately not,” she says, leaving out details of her aunt’s failed pregnancies. “That’s why I’m going to live with this aunt in particular.” “Well,” Rhea says very politely. “I’m sure that will just give you more time to yourself.” Jane laughs. “Yes, I suppose it does. I look forward to it.” Rhea continues to tell Jane more about living in town as they walk. Jane notices how lightly Rhea packed as they settle in for the night. They must be close to the end of the journey then. They reach a set of crossroads the next day. “Do you know which way to go?” Jane asks. “Not really, no,” Rhea admits with a blush. “I have a terrible sense of direction. That’s why I wanted to join up with you. I’m never able to remember my way back.” “Oh,” Jane says, surprised. (if: $inv contains "map")[She pulls out her map to check the direction they need to go. “We should go to the right.”](else:)[Jane looks around and takes a guess.] [[Go straight.|C6 Straight WO Martha WO Esther W Rhea]] [[Go right.|C6 Right WO Martha WO Esther W Rhea]] [[Go left.|C6 Left WO Martha WO Esther W Rhea]]

“Sorry, no,” Jane says shyly. “I’d prefer to travel alone.” Rhea appears to swallow down the disappointment. “Oh. Very well then. Hopefully, our paths won’t cross again.” Jane finds that a little rude to say, but nonetheless finds herself agreeing with the sentiment. Rhea hitches up her bag, turns on her heel, and walks away primly. She moves much quicker than Jane as she doesn’t carry her whole life with her. Jane sighs in relief once she’s out of sight. {(if: $animal is 1)[”We’re much better on our own, aren’t we?” Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] flicks its ear and otherwise doesn’t answer.]} Jane continues along the road, coming to another set of crossroads. She can’t tell which way Rhea might have gone. (if: $inv contains "map")[She pulls out her map, checks it, and decides she must go to the right.](else:)[She has to decide which way she’ll go without any sort of clues.] [[Go straight.|C6 Straight WO Martha WO Esther WO Rhea]] [[Go right.|C6 Right WO Martha WO Esther WO Rhea]] [[Go left.|C6 Left WO Martha WO Esther WO Rhea]]

Jane chose a winding, treacherous road. (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] is startled by some noise in the forest around them, bolts, and Jane finds it injured. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.](else:)[Jane tumbles down an unexpected drop, and the landing hurts her feet and knees.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town WO Martha WO Esther WO Rhea")

Jane chose the most effective route to town. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town WO Martha WO Esther WO Rhea")

Jane chose a road that veered away from the most direct route and wasn't very well maintained after the first few yards. (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] trips over a rotten log hidden by foliage, injuring itself.](else:)[She stumbles over a stick she hadn't seen in the overgrown grass, landing hard on knees. (set: $jhp to $jhp -1)] { (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town WO Martha WO Esther WO Rhea")

Town is loud, dirty, and completely overwhelming. Jane has to learn to wade through people and refuse. She has to ask a number of people for directions, and eventually, with a great amount of luck, she makes it to her aunt’s house. [[Knock on the door|End WO Martha WO Esther WO Rhea]]

“Oh, look,” Rhea says excitedly with her hand up to shade her eyes. “You can make out the walls now.” Jane looks into the distance. “I see them.” “Let’s go,” she says, grinning at Jane and picking up her pace. They make good time to the town, and pass through the gate without any trouble. Rhea turns to Jane with a sad smile. “I suppose this is where we part ways for now.” “Not forever, I hope,” Jane says. “No, not forever. I attend a church down that road. You’ll be able to find me there at mass.” Jane looks down the road Rhea gestures towards and memorizes the sight of it. “I’ll remember, and thank you for accompanying me.” Rhea smiles charmingly at her. “You’re welcome.” “Farewell,” Jane says, and Rhea waves at her before turning down a road away from Jane. Town is loud, dirty, and completely overwhelming. Jane has to learn to wade through people and refuse. She has to ask a number of people for directions, and eventually, with a great amount of luck, she makes it to her aunt’s house. [[Knock on the door|End WO Martha WO Esther W Rhea]]

Jane and Esther chose a winding and stony road to travel along. All the carful stepping caused her to need two extra days of travel. (if: $lant is 1)[She uses the lantern in the evenings to guide the way around troublesom stones though Esther seems more interested in her lamp than watching where she's going.](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] stumbles on a rock in the road, injuring itself. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.] (else:)[Jane steps into a hole some small animal had dug into the road, twisting her ankle. She bandages it as best she knows how. She walks with a limp.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)]]{ (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }Jane has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak WO Martha W Esther")

Jane and Esther chose a path that swings out and away from the most direct path. The path is guarded by large, thick trees. (if: $lant is 1)[It's dark enough that Jane feels more comfortable with her new lantern lit. It helps her (if: $horse is 1)[and her horse](if: $donkey is 1)[and her donkey] avoid the roots crisscrossing the path. Esther follows carefully after her.](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] trips on a root, injuring itself.]]{ (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }It takes an extra day for them to make it through the trees. Jane has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak WO Martha W Esther")

Jane chose the most direct path. She and Esther travel comfortably along the road. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak WO Martha W Esther")

Esther sits down on a stump as Jane sets up camp. “Not only do you walk heavy, you pack heavy,” she says as she watches Jane. “I only packed as much as I needed,” Jane insists. “And it’s still too much,” Esther says, pulling out food that didn’t need any cooking from her bag. “You’ve no need for all of that.” “I’ve had much farther to travel than you,” Jane argues. (if: $animal is 1)[”And an animal to care for.”] (if: $inv contains “lantern”)[Jane sets up her lantern as it is getting too dark to finish gathering firewood without any extra light.] (if: $lant is 1)[”Where did you get that?” Esther asks. “Most farmers don’t carry lanterns like that.” “I found it, abandoned. What of it?” she asks defensively. “It’s a guiding lantern. See the lines? It’ll guide you away from trouble should you need it. Farmers aren’t a very adventurous sort so you don’t see them with those lanterns very often,” she explains. “Hopefully, we won’t need it for that, just for light,” Jane says before getting up.] It doesn’t take very long for Jane to finish gathering the firewood and to set up the fire. She eats while Esther tells her stories of her work as a midwife. Jane had had no idea that so much could go on while a woman has a baby. “Goodnight, Jane,” Esther says once she’s finished with her stories and the fire has died down to embers. She pulls a blanket from her bag, and Jane can hear jars rattling from the movement. Esther finds a place thick with clover, lies down her blanket wrapped around her, and promptly falls asleep and begins to snore. “What a strange woman,” Jane remarks to herself. Jane repacks her things before finding her own place to settle down and sleep. She wakes in the morning with a dream fading form her mind, and she swears she could smell fruit and pastries. She would love a pastry to replace the dry ad bland meals she’d been having while traveling. Perhaps her aunt would have some prepared for her arrival. “Heavy walker, heavy packer, heavy sleeper,” Esther says loudly, jogging Jane from her sleepy morning thoughts. Jane looks up to see that Esther has returned to sitting on her stump. (if: $animal is 1)[Jane’s (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] stands behind her as if they were her lackey. ]Jane grumbles as she gets to her feet. It’s not as if she had slept in until morning. She had woken very near to her normal hour in fact. “I’ve been up for an hour already,” Esther says. “We should get moving if we want to make any headway.” “Alright,” Jane says, picking up the last of her things, and then she realized that she had picked up something that wasn’t hers. She separated the item from the rest of her things and held it aloft in the early morning light. “You didn’t have that with you yesterday or you’d have worn it,” Esther says. “Not that either of us could afford such a thing.” Jane had found a cloak with large tears running through it. The tears did nothing to disguise the high quality of the fabric or the fur that trimmed its edges. “What’ll you do with it?” Esther asks. (if: $inv contains "map")[(if: $inv's length + 5 < $invLim)[[Keep it.|Cloak Take WO Martha W Esther]]](else:)[(if: $inv's length < $invLim)[[Keep it.|Cloak Take WO Martha W Esther]]] [[Leave it.|Crossroad5 WO Martha W Esther]]

“I’m going to keep it and fix it,” she says, folding it and stuffing it inside her bag. (set: $inv to $inv + (a: "cloak")) The following day they come to another crossroads. (if: $inv contains "map")[Jane pulls out her map to check the direction. “We need to go straight.”] (else:)[Jane looks at the paths then to Esther. She shrugs, and Jane sighs.] [[Go straight.|C5 Straight WO Martha W Esther]] [[Go right.|C5 Right WO Martha W Esther]] [[Go left.|C5 Left WO Martha W Esther]]]

“I don’t have room for it,” Jane says. “Leave it then,” Esther says. “I won’t be bogged down by such a large and silly thing.” Jane almost feels bad tossing such a fine garment back onto the ground to be further ruined. She sighs and walks away from it. Later that day, they come to another crossroad. “Do you know which way to go next?” Jane asks. Esther scratches her head, mussing her loose gray hair. “My memory is not what it used to be. I can remember the first one, but not this one.” Jane frowns. (if: $inv contains "map")[Jane pulls out her map to check the direction. “We need to go straight.”] (else:)[Jane studies the roads in front of her, trying to decide which looked best to take.] [[Go straight.|C5 Straight WO Martha W Esther]] [[Go right.|C5 Right WO Martha W Esther]] [[Go left.|C5 Left WO Martha W Esther]]]

Jane chose the quickest path to town, and Esther easily keeps up with her. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } Jane has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea WO Martha W Esther")

Jane chose a path that winds its way through hilly and rocky terrain, and Esther struggles mightily with it.(if: $staff is 1)[It's troublesome enough that having the staff is a great boon to her. It helps her keep upright](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] stumbles on a loose rock and injures itself.](else:)[Jane trips on a loose rock, scraping her hands and knees when she lands.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)]] { (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea WO Martha W Esther")

Jane chose a muddy and rutted road. (if: $staff is 1)[She uses the staff check the ground ahead of her for any unexpected holes. Esther finds her own stick to do the same with.](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] lands a foot in a hole hidden by mud and is injured. Jane cares for it as much as she can as Esther doesn't know anymore than she does, but there's only so much she can do.] (else:)[Jane steps into a hole some small animal had dug into the road that she couldn't see through the mud, twisting her ankle. Esther helps her to bandage it, and she continues on with a limp.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)]] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea WO Martha W Esther")

“Hello,” a woman calls out brightly. “Another loud one,” Esther mutters. Jane looks around and finds the woman walking towards them from a smaller side path. She looks to be around Jane’s age, or maybe a little older. Her kirtle is certainly cleaner than hers or Esther’s. “Hello,” Jane says to be polite. “Are you two heading to town?” she asks as she joins them on the main road. “Yes,” Jane answers. “I am as well. My name’s Rhea,” she says, smiling brightly. “Are you coming to live there? You don’t seem to have anything to sell.” “Yes, I’m going to live with my aunt,” she answers. “I’m not,” Esther says bluntly. “I’ve got plenty to sell. I’ve got my wares and my expertise.” “Ah, I see,” Rhea says, and Jane wonders if she imagines Rhea grimace because the next moment she’s asking Jane, “Do you know what you’ll do once you’re there? I became a webster after marrying and moving into town. I’ve found the work pleasant.” Jane looks Rhea over and decides she must be doing well along with her husband. She wears a clean and fairly new looking kirtle, a coathardie over her kirtle, and the nicest girdle Jane has ever seen. She’s a much more proper lady than Esther as well as she wears a veil to cover her hair. Her shoes, however, are in a strange style, pointier than the shoes people wear in Jane’s village. “I’m not sure what position I’ll take.” “And she can decide on her own,” Esther adds, and Jane can’t help but wonder if speaking for her ruined the point she was making. “Of course, I meant no harm,” she says, bowing her head slightly to Jane. “Should we continue on to town together? It’s not much farther.” Jane considers what to say, and she can feel Esther’s eyes on her. [[Let Rhea join.|W Rhea WO Martha W Esther]] [[Leave Rhea.|WO Rhea WO Martha W Esther]]

“Yes, you can come with us,” Jane says. She doesn’t see the harm in having company that's around her age. “Excellent,” Rhea says, clasping her hands together. Esther doesn’t say anything, only nodding to Rhea before continuing on down the path. “That’s Esther, by the way,” Jane says. “And I’m Jane.” “It’s a pleasure to meet you two,” Rhea says, smiling. “May I ask what you do, Esther?” “I’m a midwife,” she answers. “Plenty of women in town to call on me.” “Oh, do you enjoy the work?” Esther doesn’t answer for a moment, and Jane briefly worries that she won’t answer. “I don’t know that I would say I enjoy the work, but I find it meaningful. I am very good at what I do.” “Well, I think that would be enough to satisfy anyone,” Rhea says, and Jane agrees. They come to a crossroad, and Esther and Jane turn to Rhea. “Do you know which way to go?” Jane asks. “Not really, no,” Rhea admits with a blush. “I have a terrible sense of direction. That’s why I wanted to join up with you. I’m never able to remember my way back.” “Oh,” Jane says, surprised, and she can hear Esther sigh heavily behind her. She found it rather hypocritical as Esther couldn't remember the way either. (if: $inv contains "map")[She pulls out her map to check the direction they need to go. “We should go to the right.”](else:)[ “Better to be lost together than alone,” Esther says glumly. “And we can’t be too far from town anyways.” Jane looks around at the paths and makes a guess.] [[Go straight.|C6 Straight WO Martha W Esther W Rhea]] [[Go right.|C6 Right WO Martha W Esther W Rhea]] [[Go left.|C6 Left WO Martha W Esther W Rhea]]]

“Sorry,” Jane says. “I think we’d be better off traveling separately.” Rhea swallows down the offense, and Jane watches Esther out of the corner of her eye, but she does nothing. “Very well then,” Rhea says, taking a step back from them. “Perhaps we’ll see each other in town.” She turns on her heel then walks quickly ahead of them. “She’s a bright girl,” Esther says. “Seems like her husband’s been treating her well.” Jane considers Rhea before she turns a corner and out of sight. “Seems so,” she says, though she really wouldn’t know. They come to another crossroad, but there’s no sign of which way Rhea went. Esther turns to Jane. “Your sense of direction is as good as mine.” (if: $inv contains "map")[Jane pulls out her map. She checks where they are and says, “We’ll need to go to the right.”] (else:)[Jane shrugs helplessly as she looks around. They all seem the same to her.] [[Go straight.|C6 Straight WO Martha W Esther WO Rhea]] [[Go right.|C6 Right WO Martha W Esther WO Rhea]] [[Go left.|C6 Left WO Martha W Esther WO Rhea]]]

Jane chose a winding, treacherous road, and Esther lags behind her, moving extremely cautiously. (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] is startled by some noise in the forest around them, bolts, and Jane finds it injured. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.](else:)[Jane tumbles down an unexpected drop, and the landing hurts her feet and knees. Esther scolds her for her clumsiness for the rest of the evening.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town WO Martha W Esther WO Rhea")

Jane chose the most effective route to town, and Esther keeps up at the comfortable pace. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town WO Martha W Esther WO Rhea")

Jane chose a road that veered away from the most direct route and wasn't very well maintained after the first few yards. Esther picked her way along the route carefully. (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] trips over a rotten log hidden by foliage, injuring itself.](else:)[She stumbles over a stick she hadn't seen in the overgrown grass, landing hard on knees. (set: $jhp to $jhp -1)] { (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town WO Martha W Esther WO Rhea")

“Finally,” Esther says with a sigh once the walls of the town are in sight. “We’ve made it,” Jane says, smiling in relief. They make their way together through the town gates. “If you ever need to find me for help,” Esther says, and Jane hopes she doesn’t think she plans on having a baby soon. “If you ask for me, someone will be able to tell you where I am. Women always keep track of where the midwife is.” “I will,” Jane says. “Farewell, Esther.” “Farewell,” Esther says, giving her a small wave before turning onto a side road and leaving Jane on her own. Town is loud, dirty, and completely overwhelming. Jane has to learn to wade through people and refuse. She has to ask a number of people for directions, and eventually, with a great amount of luck, she makes it to her aunt’s house. [[Knock on the door|End WO Martha W Esther WO Rhea]]

Jane chose a winding, treacherous road. Rhea is able to keep up, but Esther struggles. (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] is startled by some noise in the forest around them, bolts, and Jane finds it injured. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.](else:)[Jane tumbles down an unexpected drop, and the landing hurts her feet and knees. Rhea helps her get back to her feet and onto the road.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town WO Martha W Esther W Rhea")

Jane chose the most effective route to town. Rhea picks flowers from the roadside while Esther moves at a languid pace along the flat and level road. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town WO Martha W Esther W Rhea")

“Look, there it is,” Rhea says, pointing out the town walls as they round a bend. Jane smiles, relieved to finally be in sight of her destination. “Finally,” Esther says. “Let’s get a move on.” “Of course,” Rhea says with a small laugh. { (if: $animal is 1)[Jane has to coax her (if:$horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] along as it seems that they decided that being in eyesight wasn't exciting enough to move faster.] } They pass through the gates together. “If you ever have need of me, you should be able to find me if you ask around. Just make sure you’re asking the women, and not the men,” Esther says. “Farewell, Jane and Rhea.” “Goodbye, Esther,” Jane says. Esther gives her a final nods then walks down the road, disappearing into the crowd. Rhea turns to Jane with a sad smile. “I suppose this is where we part ways for now.” “Not forever, I hope,” Jane says. “No, not forever. I attend a church down that road. You’ll be able to find me there at mass.” Jane looks down the road Rhea gestures towards and memorizes the sight of it. “I’ll remember, and thank you for joining us.” Rhea smiles charmingly at her. “You’re welcome.” “Farewell,” Jane says, and Rhea waves at her before turning down a road away from Jane. Town is loud, dirty, and completely overwhelming. Jane has to learn to wade through people and refuse. She has to ask a number of people for directions, and eventually, with a great amount of luck, she makes it to her aunt’s house. [[Knock on the door|End WO Martha W Esther W Rhea]]

Jane chose a long and winding path that makes for difficult walking for her(if: $animal is 1)[ and her animal companion]. Martha has no trouble navigating the path. { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }It costs her two extra days of travel, three days worth of food overall. It leaves her with $food days of food left. (display: "Staff W Martha")

Jane travels down along the quickest path, finding it straight and easy to travel. She even joins in with Martha on a couple of the songs she recognizes.{ (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }It leaves her with $food days of food left. That leaves her with $food days of food left. (display: "Staff W Martha")

Jane chose a moderately stony road. It was not the quickest road she could t have taken, but it was also not the longest.{ (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }She ate two days worth of food over this leg of the journey. That leaves her with $food days of food left. (display: "Staff W Martha")

After another day of travel with Martha, Jane has no idea where she gets her energy from. She continues to sing as Jane does everything she can not to complain loudly about her aching feet. It wouldn’t help either of them to do so, and Martha is at least a distraction from the pain. Also, as the adult of their little group, she doesn’t feel right complaining in front of Martha. Martha’s song cuts off, and Jane startles at the sudden silence. (if: $animal is 1)[Even the (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] looks concerned, looking around for why the singing stopped.] “Hey,” Martha says, darting ahead. “Look at this.” She stoops down beside the path and pulls a staff out of the growth of weeds along the roadside. “It’s heavy.” She frowns down at it as she turns it over in her hands. It’s taller than she is, and as Jane draws nearer to it, she can see that it is carved with symbols of some sort. “It was just there on the side of the road?” Jane asks. It seems too well made to have just been left by someone, even if they were careless. Maybe it was left by whoever had dropped the lantern before. “Yeah,” Martha says, dropping her hands and causing the end of the staff to strike the road. “Do you want to carry it?” Jane considers the staff and how much she already carries. (if: $inv contains "map")[(if: $inv's length + 5 < $invLim)[[[Take the staff.|Take Staff W Martha]]]](else:)[(if: $inv's length < $invLim)[[[Take the staff.|Take Staff W Martha]]]] [[Leave the staff.|Crossroad3 W Martha]]

Jane keeps the staff with her and uses it to walk. She doesn’t know if it actually helps her walking any, but her feet feel better anyways. They continue on and reach another crossroad. “Any idea on which way to go?” Martha asks. “I don’t think I’ve ever been down this way before.” (set: $inv to $inv + (a: "staff")) “Neither have I,” Jane says. (if: $inv contains "map")[Jane pulls out the map to check the direction they need to head in. “We should go straight.”](else:)[Jane looks at the three paths, but none have any obvious markers.] [[Go straight.|C3 Straight W Martha]] [[Go right.|C3 Right W Martha]] [[Go left.|C3 Left W Martha]]

Jane shakes her head. “Just leave it. It will just be extra weight.” “Are you sure?” Martha asks. “Yes.” “Aw,” she says before dropping the staff back onto the roadside. They continue on and reach another crossroad. “Any idea on which way to go?” Martha asks. “I don’t think I’ve ever been down this way before.” “Neither have I,” Jane says. (if: $inv contains "map")[Jane pulls out the map to check the direction they need to head in. “We should go straight.”](else:)[Jane looks at the three paths, but none have any obvious markers.] [[Go straight.|C3 Straight W Martha]] [[Go right.|C3 Right W Martha]] [[Go left.|C3 Left W Martha]]

The path Jane chose runs straight and true. Martha gets bored of singing for a time and practically runs circles around Jane with her extra energy.{ (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)] (if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } It leaves her with (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Esther W Martha")

The path Jane chose turns out to be slyly treacherous. One wrong move could twist her ankle. (if $animal is 1)[In fact, her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] trips at the edge of the road.] Martha stumbles a few times after not paying attention to where she's putting her feet. { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Esther W Martha")

Jane chose a curving, muddy road to travel along. The mud sapped away her time and energy, causing her to need an extra day of travel. It's even enough to get Martha to slow down.{ (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Esther W Martha")

Their walking eventually brings them to a more shaded area, and Jane takes relief from the harsh sun. Martha doesn’t seem bothered by the sun any though she’s switched to humming as she’s likely forgotten the words to whatever song she’s singing. (if: $animal is 1)[The (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] seems more comfortable in the cooler environment.] “You’re very noisy, you know.” Martha screeches and ducks behind Jane. Jane looks around and finds that the speaker is an older woman joining the main road from a far less traveled side path. Martha looks around Jane’s skirt, points at the woman, and cries, “Witch! She’s gonna eat me.” “Very noisy,” the woman repeats with extra emphasis, glaring down at Martha. “I am no witch, only a midwife and healer.” Jane thinks that she does look rather like a witch with her earthen colored kirtle and gray, unbound and uncovered hair. She even carries a large satchel with her that if Jane were a few years younger she would assume carried all sorts of witchy potions. Jane, however, is an adult today and doesn’t want to get in trouble with the woman whether or not she is a witch. “Apologies ma’am. She’s very sorry for any offense she might have given you.” Martha looks up at her like she is anything but sorry about what she’d said. The older woman raises an eyebrow in a way that suggests she’d noticed and doesn’t believe Jane. “Apology accepted,” she says nonetheless. “May I ask where you’re headed?” “We’re headed to town,” she answers. The older woman nods. “And are you two sisters?” Martha shakes her head, and Jane says, “No ma’am.” “Curious,” she says, raising an eyebrow again and making her look all the more like a witch. “Neither of you appear to have anything to sell on you(if: $animal is 1)[, unless you plan on selling your livestock].” Martha laughs, almost too loud in their quiet surroundings. “Do we look like merchants to you?” “At least one of you appears to be the daughter of farmers,” she says, looking directly at Jane. “We’re meeting up with others, not trying to sell anything,” Jane explains. “What’d you say your names were?” the woman asks. “We didn’t,” Martha says, crossing her arms. She probably thought the woman could take their names like a fairy and harm them. “I’m Jane, and this is Martha,” Jane answers for them. “Why? What’s yours?” “Esther,” she responds. “I was considering joining you on your journey, but I’m not sure that I will with such a loud child in the group. A pity, as I’m sure my knowledge of the area could be helpful for a traveling farm girl.” Martha looks up at Jane, grabbing a fistful of the skirt of her kirtle. Jane presses her lips together and she thinks of her answer. [[Ask Esther to join.|W Martha W Esther]] [[Let Esther leave.|W Martha WO Esther]]

Martha and Esther do not get along well. “There’s no need for such loud singing,” Esther says. “Yes, there is,” Martha argues back. “It makes the traveling go faster.” “It’s annoying,” Esther says, and around the argument goes. “Esther, please,” Jane eventually says. “Your complaining is less pleasant than anything she’s sung.” Martha grins at Jane then turns back to Esther to stick out her tongue. Esther scowls back at her. “I would not mind so much if she weren’t so loud,” she says, readjusting her satchel. Jane sighs and turns to Martha. “Could you be a little quieter in your singing so that we may have some peace?” Martha screws up her face for a moment and Jane worries she’ll argue with her as well. Then she lets out a breath and says, “Fine, since you asked nicely.” Martha continues to sing, but at a more reasonable volume, even humming at times rather than singing. Esther ceases her complaining. Jane sighs, happy to finally be freed from the squabbles. They come to a crossroad an hour or so before it would be time to make camp. “Any ideas on which way to go?” Martha asks, kicking a stone across the roads. (if: $inv contains "map")[Jane pulls out her map. “Let me check. We’ll be needing to go left.”] (else:)[”I’m not sure,” Jane says. “If my memory serves,” Esther says, examining the roads with her long, bony fingers tapping at her chin. “We should be going left.”] [[Go straight.|C4 Straight W Martha W Esther]] [[Go right.|C4 Right W Martha W Esther]] [[Go left.|C4 Left W Martha W Esther]]

“I think we’d rather travel on our own, ma’am,” Jane says politely. “It’s probably for the best,” Esther says, eying Martha as she glares back. “Let’s go,” Jane says, urging Martha(if:$animal is 1)[ and her (if:$horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey]] along past Esther. “I’m glad you didn’t let her come,” Martha says when they’ve put some distance between themselves and Esther. “I still think she was a witch.” “Maybe so, but she isn’t our concern now.” By the end of the day, they come across another intersection. “Any ideas on which way to go?” Martha asks. (if: $inv contains "map")[Jane pulls out the map and determines the direction they need to take. “We need to go left.”] (else:)[”Not really,” Jane answers, examining the three roads.] [[Go straight.|C4 Straight W Martha WO Esther]] [[Go right.|C4 Right W Martha WO Esther]] [[Go left.|C4 Left W Martha WO Esther]]]

Jane chose a winding and stony road to travel along. All the carful stepping caused her to need two extra days of travel, and Esther clearly has the worst time making it down the road. (if: $lant is 1)[She uses the lantern in the evenings to guide the way around troublesom stones](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] stumbles on a rock in the road, injuring itself. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.] (else:)[Jane steps into a hole some small animal had dug into the road, twisting her ankle. She bandages it as best she knows how. She walks with a limp.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)]]{ (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak W Martha W Esther")

Jane chose a path that swings out and away from the most direct path. The path is guarded by large, thick trees. (if: $lant is 1)[It's dark enough that Jane feels more comfortable with her new lantern lit. It helps her (if: $horse is 1)[and her horse](if: $donkey is 1)[and her donkey] avoid the roots crisscrossing the path. Martha and Esther follow her and her light carefully.](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] trips on a root, injuring itself. Esther does her best to help it, but she knows human anatomy better than animal anatomy.]]{ (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }It takes an extra day for them to make it through the trees. Jane has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak W Martha W Esther")

Jane chose the most direct path, and none of them have any difficulties walking along the route. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }It only takes them a day to complete this part of her journey. Jane has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak W Martha W Esther")

“So, if you’re not a witch, what are you?” Martha asks, squinting at Esther as Jane begins to set up camp. “I’m a midwife,” Esther says. “I also know a great deal about herbs and medicines.” Martha continues to frown at her, and Jane assumes she must still think Esther is a witch. “You can relax, Martha,” Jane says as she gets up to gather firewood. “She won’t eat you while I’m around if she is a witch.” Esther start chuckling at that, and it doesn’t sound much like a witch’s cackle. “But you’re leaving me now,” Martha points out. “Only to get firewood. I’ll hear you if you call out.” “Best not cry wolf then,” Esther says teasingly, and Martha whirls around to glare at her. “I’ve got my eyes on you,” Jane can hear Martha say as she leaves the camp to look for suitable firewood. She searches through the underbrush for a few minutes then she notices something darker than shadows near some bushes. She picks her way carefully over to the dark shape and cautiously reaches out to touch it. She jerks her hand back in surprise to find it soft to the touch and too cold and still to be a living creature. She steels herself with a breath then pulls the thing out from the shadows, discovering that it’s a large fur lined cloak. Further examination reveals large tears through the cloak, and she doesn’t want to imagine what might have caused them. It doesn’t feel or smell of dried blood, though. She supposes it could have gotten caught on a branch. Still, how wealthy would a person have to be to leave behind such a finely made cloak even if it had been torn? She could keep it and mend it. (if: $inv contains "needle and thread")[She has the means with which to repair it tucked away in her bags.] While she was no seamstress, it would certainly make it wearable. “Woah,” Martha says when she brings it back to the fire with the wood she’d collected. “That was lying in the woods?” Esther asks, eying the cloak suspiciously. “Yes.” “And what’ll you do with it?” she asks, looking up from the cloak. “Keep it, of course,” Martha says, rolling her eyes. “Whoever had it before doesn’t want it.” (if: $inv contains "map")[(if: $inv's length + 5 < $invLim)[[[Take the cloak.|Take Cloak W Martha W Esther]]]](else:)[(if: $inv's length < $invLim)[[Take the cloak.|Take Cloak W Martha W Esther]]] [[Leave the cloak.|Crossroad5 W Martha W Esther]]

“I’m going to keep it,” Jane says, folding the cloak up. “I’ll fix it when I get to my aunt’s house.” Esther rolls her eyes. “Hopefully you sell it so it’ll be of more use to you than just to break sumptuary laws.” Martha scoffs. “It’s not that nice. She should wear it since she’s found it and is gonna fix it.” Jane shoves the folded cloak into her bag then says, “I think we should eat.”(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "cloak")) “Very well,” Esther says, ending the argument. They have a pleasant meal, and Jane falls asleep while figuring out the best way to mend the cloak. The following day leads them to another set of crossroads. (if: $inv contains "map")[”Which way does your map say?” Martha asks. “I don’t know yet,” Jane says, pulling it out. Esther attempts to look at the map over Jane’s shoulder, but isn’t very successful as Jane stands half a head taller than her. Jane gives her a look for it, but Esther shrugs and is unbothered at being caught. “We should be going straight.”](else:)[”Any ideas, Esther?” Jane asks. “I think we should go right,” she says, then puts a hand to her chin. “Or maybe it was that we shouldn’t go left.” “Very helpful,” Martha says sarcastically, and Esther glares at her. “Quiet, child. It’s not as if you know the way.” Jane looks at the three roads.] [[Go straight.|C5 Straight W Martha W Esther]] [[Go right.|C5 RightW Martha W Esther]] [[Go left.|C5 Left W Martha W Esther]]]

“I don’t have any room for it,” Jane says, disappointed. “I’ll take it then,” Mary says, standing up and taking the cloak from her. “And do what with it?” Esther asks. “Wear it,” Martha says, wrapping it around herself. Esther does not appear to be impressed. Jane adds, “It’s better than leaving it on the side of the road.” She finishes the fire, and they settle down to eat then sleep. The following day leads them to another set of crossroads. (if: $inv contains "map")[”Which way does your map say?” Martha asks. “I don’t know yet,” Jane says, pulling it out. Esther attempts to look at the map over Jane’s shoulder, but isn’t very successful as Jane stands half a head taller than her. Jane gives her a look for it, but Esther shrugs and is unbothered at being caught. “We should be going straight.”] (else:)[”Any ideas, Esther?” Jane asks. “I think we should go right,” she says, then puts a hand to her chin. “Or maybe it was that we shouldn’t go left.” “Very helpful,” Martha says sarcastically, and Esther glares at her. “Quiet, child. It’s not as if you know the way.” Jane looks at the three roads.] [[Go straight.|C5 Straight W Martha W Esther]] [[Go right.|C5 RightW Martha W Esther]] [[Go left.|C5 Left W Martha W Esther]]]

Jane chose the quickest path to town, and she has enough energy to keep Martha and Esther from arguing as they continue along. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }It only takes them a day to complete this part of their journey. Jane has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea W Martha W Esther")

Jane chose a path that winds its way through hilly and rocky terrain. Martha is slowed by helping Esther navigate the road. (if: $staff is 1)[It's troublesome enough that having the staff is a great boon to Jane. It helps her keep upright](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] stumbles on a loose rock and injures itself.]] { (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }It takes her an extra day to complete this part of their journey. She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea W Martha W Esther")

Jane chose a muddy and rutted road. (if: $staff is 1)[She uses the staff check the ground ahead of her for any unexpected holes. Martha and Esther to their best to follow her example with their own sticks](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] lands a foot in a hole hidden by mud and is injured. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do. At least Martha keeps it calm while she works.] (else:)[Jane steps into a hole some small animal had dug into the road that she couldn't see through the mud, twisting her ankle. Esther helps her bandage it, and she continues on with a limp.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)]] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea W Martha W Esther")

Jane is in the process of picking a stone out of her shoe when she hears a woman call out. “Hello!” “Hello?” Martha calls back, spinning around in a circle to try and find who spoke. Esther droops and sighs heavily. A woman steps out from behind some rather overgrown bushes and steps onto the road from a small side path. Jane nods to her and says, “Hello.” “Are you all traveling to town?” she asks. “Yes,” Jane answers while Martha comes to stand beside her and look over the newcomer. Esther makes a disgruntled noise from behind them. The woman can’t be much older than Jane, and she isn’t carrying as much with her as Esther so she couldn’t be going to town to sell any wares. She’s also more nicely dressed then any of them with a coathardie covering her kirtle, and a girdle that even had some engravings in the leather. She had to be from town and returning to it after a journey to somewhere else. “I’m headed there as well,” the woman says. “I work there as a webster. I’m Rhea.” “Nice to meet you,” Jane says. “I’m Jane, and this is Martha and Esther.” “Are you all related?” Rhea asks, looking between the three of them. “Absolutely not,” Esther says. “We’re merely traveling companions.” “Oh,” Rhea says, looking surprised for a moment before schooling her expression. “I didn’t want to assume.” “We don’t even look related,” Martha mutters. Jane can tell who she doesn't want to be related to. “I’m going to live with my aunt in town, and I found Martha and Esther along the way,” Jane explains. Rhea nods and clears her throat. “Would it be alright then if I joined your group of traveling companions?” Martha shrugs, and Esther looks over to Jane. Jane considers her answer. [[Let Rhea join.|W Rhea W Martha W Esther]] [[Tell Rhea no.|WO Rhea W Martha W Esther]]

“We’d be happy to have you join,” Jane says, smiling even though Martha makes a face. Rhea smiles back at her. “Excellent. I really think you’ll come to enjoy living in town. Martha, what do you plan to do when you get to town?” “I have people I have to find,” she explains. “Then I’m sure I’ll be on the move again.” “Oh, that’s good,” she says like she isn’t sure what to say. “I’ve found living in town to be quite pleasant, but I suppose not everyone is suited for that.” “I’d have stayed in my village, but there was no future for me there,” Jane says. No marriageable men her age, and no land or work she could take to support herself. “But there are prospects in town, and time to find them if you don’t have too many cousins to look after,” she says. “My aunt, unfortunately, has no children of her own.” “Ah,” Rhea says. “I understand.” “That’s not any fun,” Martha announces. “Singing’s more fun than all this talk.” She then launches into a rousing tune, and Esther sighs. Rhea compliments Martha’s voice, and they continue along their path. They reach another intersection. Jane, Martha, and Esther all turn to Rhea for directions. “I’m sorry,” Rhea says, flushing. “I actually have a terrible sense of direction. That’s why I wanted to join up with you.” (if: $inv contains "map")[Jane tells her. “It’s no trouble. I have a map.” It takes her a few moments to orient herself to the map, and she says, “We should go to the right.”](else:)[”Now what do we do?” Martha asks. “Nobody knows which way we’re going.” “Then I suppose we must get lost together,” Esther says. Jane sighs and considers their options.] [[Go straight.|C6 Straight W Martha W Esther W Rhea]] [[Go right.|C6 Right W Martha W Esther W Rhea]] [[Go left.|C6 Left W Martha W Esther W Rhea]]

“It’s probably for the best,” Esther says once they’ve separated from Rhea. “I didn’t think she liked us, thought we were too raggedy for her.” “I know,” Martha says. “Only mean ladies cover their hair.” “I thought that was just married women,” Jane says, smiling because Martha didn’t get along with Esther even though she didn’t cover her hair. “I think you should dress however’s practical,” Esther says. “And I can do what I want with my hair when I live well away from town and its busybodies.” “And away from your own mother,” Jane adds, thinking of how her mother would scold her for dressing untidily, and Martha laughs. They come across another crossroads, and there was no sign of which road Rhea had taken. (if: $inv contains "map")[Martha and Esther huddle around Jane as she pulls out the map. “I don’t know why you even bother when you can’t read it,” she mutters as she checks the map. “We should go to the right.”](else:)[”I wish my memory were better,” Esther says as they look over the three roads. “If only,” Martha says. Jane looks over the roads, trying to see if there are any clues.] [[Go straight.|C6 Straight W Martha W Esther WO Rhea]] [[Go right.|C6 Right W Martha W Esther WO Rhea]] [[Go left.|C6 Left W Martha W Esther WO Rhea]]

Jane chose a winding, treacherous road, and only Martha seems unbothered by the state of it. (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] is startled by some noise in the forest around them, bolts, and Jane finds it injured. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.](else:)[Jane tumbles down an unexpected drop, and the landing hurts her feet and knees. Rhea helps her get to her feet and back onto the road.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display:"Entering Town W Martha W Esther W Rhea")

Jane chose the most effective route to town. Rhea manages to get Martha talking about the songs she knows rather than singing them which ends Esther’s perfervid complaining and makes her a more pleasant traveling companion. Jane is grateful and relieved. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display:"Entering Town W Martha W Esther W Rhea")

Jane chose a road that veered away from the most direct route and wasn't very well maintained after the first few yards. Rhea has trouble making her way through the growth in all her layers, and Esther lags behind her. (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] trips over a rotten log hidden by foliage, injuring itself.](else:)[She stumbles over a stick she hadn't seen in the overgrown grass, landing hard on knees. (set: $jhp to $jhp -1)] { (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display:"Entering Town W Martha W Esther W Rhea")

“There is it,” Martha shouts when the walls of the town finally appear on the horizon. “So it is,” Esther says, showing a barely there smile. “Home sweet home,” Rhea says. “Finally,” Jane says, thinking of how her aching feet might soon be able to properly rest. (if: $animal is 1)[ Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] whickers, and she pats his neck to calm him down.] They pick up their pace and reach the town’s gate in good time. “I’ll see you around,” Martha says, giving Jane a comradely nudge to the side. She then turns to Rhea and tells her, “Goodbye.” For Esther, she nods and says, “Esther.” “Martha,” Esther responds coolly. Martha then begins to run off towards the center of town, only stopping for a moment to turn back and wave goodbye. Jane waves back. “If you ever have need of me, you should be able to find me if you ask around. Just make sure you’re asking the women, and not the men,” Esther says. “Farewell, Jane and Rhea.” “Goodbye, Esther,” Jane says. Esther gives her a final nod then walks down the road, disappearing into the crowd. Rhea turns to Jane with a sad smile. “I suppose this is where we part ways for now.” “Not forever, I hope,” Jane says. “No, not forever. I attend a church down that road. You’ll be able to find me there at mass.” Jane looks down the road Rhea gestures towards and memorizes the sight of it. “I’ll remember, and thank you for joining us.” Rhea smiles charmingly at her. “You’re welcome.” “Farewell,” Jane says, and Rhea waves at her before turning down a road away from Jane. Town is loud, dirty, and completely overwhelming. Jane has to learn to wade through people and refuse. She has to ask a number of people for directions, and eventually, with a great amount of luck, she makes it to her aunt’s house. [[Knock on the door|End W Martha W Esther W Rhea]]

Jane chose a winding, treacherous road. (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] is startled by some noise in the forest around them, bolts, and Jane finds it injured. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.](else:)[Jane tumbles down an unexpected drop, and the landing hurts her feet and knees. Martha helps her to her feet.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town W Martha W Esther WO Rhea")

Jane chose the most effective route to town. Esther easily keeps up with Jane and Martha’s pace. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town W Martha W Esther WO Rhea")

“There is it,” Martha shouts when the walls of the town finally appear on the horizon. “So it is,” Esther says, showing a barely there smile. “Finally,” Jane says, thinking of how her aching feet might soon be able to properly rest. (if: $animal is 1)[ Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] whickers, and she pats his neck to calm him down.] They pick up their pace and reach the town’s gate in good time. “I’ll see you around,” Martha says, giving Jane a comradely nudge to the side. For Esther, she nods and says, “Esther.” “Martha,” Esther responds coolly. Martha then begins to run off towards the center of town, only stopping for a moment to turn back and wave goodbye. Jane waves back. “If you ever have need of me, you should be able to find me if you ask around. Just make sure you’re asking the women, and not the men,” Esther says. “Farewell, Jane.” “Goodbye, Esther,” Jane says. Esther gives her a final nod then walks down the road, disappearing into the crowd, and Jane is on her own. Town is loud, dirty, and completely overwhelming. Jane has to learn to wade through people and refuse. She has to ask a number of people for directions, and eventually, with a great amount of luck, she makes it to her aunt’s house. [[Knock on the door|End W Martha W Esther WO Rhea]]

Jane chose a winding and stony road to travel along. All the carful stepping caused her to need two extra days of travel. Martha is quicker than her, but not by much. (if: $lant is 1)[She uses the lantern in the evenings to guide the way around troublesome stones](else:)[ (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] stumbles on a rock in the road, injuring itself. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.](else:)[ Jane steps into a hole some small animal had dug into the road, twisting her ankle. She bandages it as best she knows how. She walks with a limp.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)]]{ (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak W Martha WO Esther")

Jane and Martha chose a path that swings out and away from the most direct path. The path is guarded by large, thick trees. (if: $lant is 1)[It's dark enough that Jane feels more comfortable with her new lantern lit. It helps her (if: $horse is 1)[and her horse](if: $donkey is 1)[and her donkey] avoid the roots crisscrossing the path. Martha follows carefully after her.](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] trips on a root, injuring itself.]]{ (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] }It takes an extra day for them to make it through the trees. Jane has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak W Martha WO Esther")

Jane chose the most direct path, and Martha travels along it cheerily with her. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } Jane has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Cloak W Martha WO Esther")

Near nightfall, Jane searches the area near the road for wood to make herself a fire when she notices something darker than shadow near some bushes. She picks her way carefully over to the dark shape and cautiously reaches out to touch it. She jerks her hand back in surprise to find it soft to the touch and too cold and still to be a living creature. She steels herself with a breath then pulls the thing out from the shadows, discovering that it’s a large fur lined cloak. Further examination reveals large tears through the cloak, and she doesn’t want to imagine what might have caused them. It doesn’t feel or smell of dried blood, though. She supposes it could have gotten caught on a branch. Still, how wealthy would a person have to be to leave behind such a finely made cloak even if it had been torn? She could keep it and mend it. (if: $inv contains "needles and thread")[She has the means with which to repair it tucked away in her bags.] While she was no seamstress, it would certainly make it wearable. “Woah,” Martha says when she brings it back to their campsite with the wood she’d collected. “I found it, just now,” she said, gesturing to the direction she’d come from. “Who would leave a cloak like that?” “I don’t know,” she says, putting the wood on the fire. With the extra light, she holds up the cloak to examine the tears. “You should keep it,” Martha says. Jane considers the room she has in her bag. (if: $inv contains "map")[(if: $inv's length + 5 < $invLim)[[[Take the cloak.|Take Cloak W Martha WO Esther]]]](else:)[(if: $inv's length < $invLim)[[Take the cloak.|Take Cloak W Martha WO Esther]]] [[Leave the cloak.|Crossroad5 W Martha WO Esther]]

“I plan to,” she says. (if: $inv contains "needles and thread")[She starts sewing and repairing the tears that night before the fire.] (set: $inv to $inv + (a: "cloak")) The next day, they reach another crossroads. (if: $inv contains "map")[”What’s your map say now?” Martha asks as Jane’s already pulling it out. “That we need to go straight,” Jane says after studying it.] (else:)[”Any idea on what way to go?” Martha asks. Jane shrugs. “I don’t know.”] [[Go straight.|C5 Straight W Martha WO Esther]] [[Go right.|C5 Right W Martha WO Esther]] [[Go left.|C5 Left W Martha WO Esther]]]

“I have no room,” Jane says miserably. “Then I’ll take it,” Martha says, marching around the fire and collecting the cloak from her. She takes it back to her side of the fire and shoves it into her mysterious, ratty bag. The next day, they reach another crossroads. (if: $inv contains "map")[”What’s your map say now?” Martha asks as Jane’s already pulling it out. “That we need to go straight,” Jane says after studying it.] (else:)[”Any idea on what way to go?” Martha asks. Jane shrugs. “I don’t know.”] [[Go straight.|C5 Straight W Martha WO Esther]] [[Go right.|C5 Right W Martha WO Esther]] [[Go left.|C5 Left W Martha WO Esther]]]

Jane chose the quickest path to town, and Martha has no trouble singing and occasionally skipping her way down it. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } Jane has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea W Martha WO Esther")

Jane chose a path that winds its way through hilly and rocky terrain, and Martha does a better job of navigating it than she does.(if: $staff is 1)[It's troublesome enough that having the staff is a great boon to her. It helps her keep upright](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] stumbles on a loose rock and injures itself.](else:)[Jane trips on a loose rock, scraping her hands and knees when she lands.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)]]] { (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea W Martha WO Esther")

Jane chose a muddy and rutted road. (if: $staff is 1)[She uses the staff check the ground ahead of her for any unexpected holes. Martha finds a stick to help her do the same.](else:)[(if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] lands a foot into a hole hidden by mud and is injured. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do. Martha helps by petting it while Jane works](else:)[Jane steps into a hole some small animal had dug into the road that she couldn't see through the mud, twisting her ankle. She bandages it as best she knows how, and she continues on with a limp.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)]] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } She has (if: $food < 0)[0](else:)[$food] days of food left. (display: "Meeting Rhea W Martha WO Esther")

“Hello,” a woman calls out brightly. “Hello?” Martha calls back as Jane looks around for the sound of the voice. A woman a few yards back and away from the road waves to Jane when she spots her. Jane waves back, “Hello.” They wait for the woman to join them on the road. “Are you on your way into town?” she asks, smiling at Jane before frowning down at Martha. “Yes,” Jane answers as Martha stares back at the lady. “I am as well. I’m Rhea,” she says. “Are you sure your sister’s quite alright going around like that? Where’s her kirtle?” “I’m not her sister,” Martha says, crossing her arms. “What’s wrong with my clothes?” Rhea looks down at Mary in surprise. “I suppose they’re suitable if you’re traveling on your own.” She turns back to Jane. “Are you intending to live in town? You don’t appear to have anything to sell.” “Yes, I’m joining my aunt there,” Jane explains. “Do you know what you’ll do once you get there? I became a webster after marrying, and I’ve found the work pleasant enough.” Jane looks Rhea over and decides she must be doing well along with her husband. She wears a clean and fairly new looking kirtle with a coathardie over it, and the nicest girdle Jane has ever seen. She’s a much more proper lady than Esther as she wears a veil to cover her hair. Her shoes, however, are in a strange style, pointier than the shoes people wear in Jane’s village. “I’m not sure what I’ll do,” she answers. Rhea nods and clears her throat. “Would you care to join me since we’re all heading to town? At least, until we make it to the city gate.” Martha shrugs like it doesn’t matter to her at all. Jane considers it. [[Let Rhea join.|W Rhea W Martha WO Esther]] [[Reject Rhea.|WO Rhea W Martha WO Esther]]

“Yes, I think we can join up,” Jane says. Martha huffs and rolls her eyes. Rhea must not notice because she claps her hands together and says, “Wonderful.” Jane would have continued on without her for Martha’s sake, but Rhea would be good to talk to as she already has found work in town. Martha returns to singing, louder than she had before. Rhea has to lean close to Jane to be heard. “She’s quite lively, isn’t she?” “Yes,” Jane admits. “Will you have many cousins to look after when you get to town?” she asks. “Unfortunately, no,” she answers. “My aunt’s never had any children.” “Oh, sorry to hear that, but I suppose that will give you more time to do with as you please.” “I suppose it will,” Jane agrees(if: $animal is 1)[, and she pets the side of her steed’s neck to encourage them along]. The reach another intersection, and Martha stops singing. Jane turns to Rhea and asks, “Where to?” “I’m sorry,” Rhea says, flushing. “I actually have a terrible sense of direction. That’s why I wanted to join up with you.” (if: $inv contains "map")[Jane tells her. “It’s no trouble. I have a map.” It takes her a few moments to orient herself to the map, and she says, “We should go to the right.”](else:)[”Now what do we do?” Martha asks. “Nobody knows which way we’re going.” “Sorry,” Rhea repeats. Jane looks around and considers their options.] [[Go straight.|C6 Straight W Martha WO Esther W Rhea]] [[Go right.|C6 Right W Martha WO Esther W Rhea]] [[Go left.|C6 Left W Martha WO Esther W Rhea]]

“Sorry,” Jane says. “I think we’ll be fine on our own.” “If it pleases you,” Rhea says, curtsying briefly before turning on her heel and walking briskly away from them. “She took that well,” Martha says sarcastically and scowls as much as her young face will let her. “She was wrong about my clothes. I’m glad you didn’t let her join.” Jane shrugs. (if: $animal is 1)[She pulls on the reins of her (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey]. “Let’s keep moving.”] Martha nods then launches back into her singing. They come to another pair of crossroads. (if: $inv contains "map")[”What way?” Martha asks, trying to look over Jane’s shoulder as she pulls out the map. Jane looks over the map. “We need to go to the right.”](else:)[”Which way do you want to go?” Martha asks, dropping all pretense of really knowing which way to go. Jane looks at the paths before them.] [[Go straight.|C6 Straight W Martha WO Esther WO Rhea]] [[Go right.|C6 Right W Martha WO Esther WO Rhea]] [[Go left.|C6 Left W Martha WO Esther WO Rhea]]

Jane carefully tucks the cloak into her bag. (set: $inv to $inv + (a: "cloak")) The following day they come to another crossroads. (if: $inv contains "map")[She pulls out the map to find her way. She must go straight.] (else:)[She looks about herself and tries to divine which way to go.] [[Go straight.|C5 WO Martha WO Esther Straight]] [[Go right.|C5 WO Martha WO Esther Right]] [[Go left.|C5 WO Martha WO Esther Left]]]

Jane chose a winding, treacherous road. (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] is startled by some noise in the forest around them, bolts, and Jane finds it injured. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.](else:)[Jane tumbles down an unexpected drop, and the landing hurts her feet and knees. Rhea helps her to her feet and back onto the road.(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town W Martha WO Esther W Rhea")

Jane chose the most effective route to town. Martha occasionally skips down the road, and Rhea picks wild flowers from the roadside as they travel. { (set: $food to $food - 1)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 1)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 1) (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town W Martha WO Esther W Rhea")

Jane chose a road that veered away from the most direct route and wasn't very well maintained after the first few yards. Rhea struggles to move with all her layers of clothing. (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] trips over a rotten log hidden by foliage, injuring itself.](else:)[She stumbles over a stick she hadn't seen in the overgrown grass, landing hard on knees. (set: $jhp to $jhp -1)] { (set: $food to $food - 2)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 2)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $animal is 1)[(if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.]] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 2) (if: (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "linen cloth")) or (($inv contains "comb") and ($inv contains "soap")) or (($inv contains "linen cloth") and ($inv contains "soap")))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 2)] (if: ($inv contains "comb") or ($inv contains "linen cloth") or ($inv contains "soap"))[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town W Martha WO Esther W Rhea")

Jane chose a winding, treacherous road. (if: $animal is 1)[Her (if: $horse is 1)[horse(set: $hhp to $hhp -1)](else:)[donkey(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)] is startled by some noise in the forest around them, bolts, and Jane finds it injured. Jane cares for it as much as she can, but there's only so much she can do.](else:)[Jane tumbles down an unexpected drop, and the landing hurts her feet and knees. Martha helps her get back to her feet. (set: $jhp to $jhp - 1)] { (set: $food to $food - 3)(if: $animal is 1)[(set: $feed to $feed - 3)] (if: $food <= 0)[(set: $jhp to $jhp - 1) Jane is starving and losing health.] (if: $jhp <= 0)[(goto:"Death")] (if: $feed <= 0)[(if: $horse is 1)[(set: $hhp to $hhp - 1) Her horse is starving and losing health.](if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $dhp to $dhp - 1)Her donkey is starving and losing health.] (if: $hhp <= 0)[Her horse dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $horse to 0)] (if: $dhp <= 0)[Her donkey dies at the side of the road.(set: $animal to 0)(set: $donkey to 0)]] (set: $jClean to $jClean - 3) (if: $inv contains "comb")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "linen cloth")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] (if: $inv contains "soap")[(set: $jClean to $jClean + 1)] } (display: "Entering Town W Martha WO Esther WO Rhea")

“There it is,” Martha shouts and points when the town’s walls come into view. Rhea sighs in relief. “Indeed.” “Let’s get a move on then,” Jane says, picking up her pace(if: $animal is 1)[ and coaxing her (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] to follow along with her]. “There’s no need to rush,” Rhea says. “Let’s go,” Martha says, zooming along to take up the front again. After they’re through the gates, Martha turns back to Jane, “I guess this is going to be farewell then.” “Maybe we’ll cross paths again someday,” Jane says. “Maybe,” Martha says, grinning. “Goodbye.” She waves as she leaves. “Thank you, again, for letting me travel with you,” Rhea tells Jane. “If you want to find me, I attend the church that’s down that road. You can find me there at Mass.” Jane memorizes the road that Rhea gestures towards. “I’ll find you once I’ve settled in.” “I look forward to it,” Rhea says. “Goodbye for now." Jane waves goodbye, and once Rhea has turned away, she begins to search for her new home. Town is loud, dirty, and completely overwhelming. Jane has to learn to wade through people and refuse. She has to ask a number of people for directions, and eventually, with a great amount of luck, she makes it to her aunt’s house. [[Knock on the door|End W Martha WO Esther W Rhea]]

Martha shouts when they’re finally able to see the town. “I guess this is going to be farewell then,” Martha says a little sadly. “Maybe we’ll cross paths again someday,” Jane says. “Maybe,” Martha says, grinning. They stay together until they make it through the gates. Martha leads the way into the city then turns back and waves, “Goodbye, Jane!” She turns around and runs off, quickly disappearing into the crowd, and Jane is on her own again. Town is loud, dirty, and completely overwhelming. Jane has to learn to wade through people and refuse. She has to ask a number of people for directions, and eventually, with a great amount of luck, she makes it to her aunt’s house. [[Knock on the door|End W Martha WO Esther WO Rhea]]

{(set: $score to $jClean + $jhp) (if: $horse is 1)[(set: $score to $score + $hhp)] (if: $donkey is 1)[(set: $score to $score + $dhp)] (if: $lant is 1)[(set: $score to $score + 1)] (if: $inv contains "staff")[(set: $score to $score + 1)] (if: $inv contains "cloak")[(set: $score to $score + 1)] (if: not ($inv contains "flask"))[(set: $score to $score - 10)]} (if: $score <= 10)[It takes a few moments after knocking, but the door opens. Jane wouldn’t recognize the woman who answers it except for her similarity to her mother. “Hello,” Jane says. “I’m your niece, Jane. My mother sent word about coming to live with you.” The woman looks her over with a scowl so Jane judges her back. Despite the familial resemblance to Jane’s mother, Jane found she didn’t look all that like her mother as Jane’s mother had never seemed so cold. Her aunt was the older of the two sisters and she looked it with more gray hair and wrinkles. “You’re not very much are you,” her aunt says eventually. Jane looks down at herself. (if: $jClean <= 6)[Her hands are covered in dirt including under her fingernails. Her kirtle carries more dust and stray leaves and seeds than it ever has after a day working in the fields. She runs a hand over her hair and can feel the tangles, dirt, and greasiness of it. She suddenly feels so grimy after being in such a state for days.](if: $jClean <= 12)[She can see dirt coating the underside of her fingernails. The hem of her kirtle has never looked worse with all the mud and dirt caked into it. She runs a hand through her hair, and while it hadn’t been kept clear of mud and tangles, it could use a proper washing still. She wipes her hands on the skirt of her kirtle though she knew that wouldn’t greatly improve her state.](if: $jClean > 12)[She held up better than she worried she might have. She had made sure to keep clean and fresh as much as possible while traveling, but that still left her with dirt under her nails and dust on the hems of her kirtle. She could use a proper cleaning after so long without one.] “I’ll expect you to earn your keep,” her aunt continues. “My sister promised me you were well behaved.” “Yes, ma’am,” Jane says, not sure what else she can do. “Well, get cleaned up round back and be quick about it. There’s plenty of work for you to do,” she says, going into the house. (if: $animal is 1)["And take that filthy beast back there with you.”] Jane doesn’t know what to say, and only watches as her aunt shuts the door on her. She goes round to the back of the house, and she catches her aunt shutting the back door. She’d left a bowl of water and a rag for Jane to clean off with. Jane goes to grab the rag and finds that the water is cold. Still, she uses it to clean herself off, pouring the dirty water onto the ground once she’s finished. She then heads into the house. “Leave your shoes outside,” her aunt calls out. Jane sighs and takes her shoes off at the door and sets them down on the stairs leading down to the backyard. She then closes the door behind her. (if: (not ($inv contains "box of cloves")) and ($inv contains "kirtle") and ($inv contains "underclothing"))[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "kirtle"))(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "underclothing"))When Jane unpacks, she realizes that her bag hadn’t quite done its job. Bugs had gotten into her clothes at some point during the trip. There were holes in her kirtle and spare undergarments. She now had only the clothes on her back, and it would take time to have new ones made.] {(set: $cScore to 0) (if: $inv contains "kirtle")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "shoes")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "cloak")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "girdle")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "underclothing")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)]} (if: $cScore >= 4)[Jane finds seeking out work for a wage not entirely unfamiliar. It hadn’t been unusual to ask the neighboring families for work when times and circumstances called for it. In town, however, there were more people all of them unknown to her and the work for far longer terms than a day or a week of help. She finds wearing her newer kirtle helps even though she knows she should save it for church. She finds a position after a few months searching and happy for the extra money. Her aunt takes the most of the wages for herself, but Jane is plenty happy to be away from her during the day and save for herself to one day be away from her aunt entirely.](else:)[Jane finds seeking out work for a wage not entirely unfamiliar. It hadn’t been unusual to ask the neighboring families for work when times and circumstances called for it. In town, however, there were more people all of them unknown to her and the work for far longer terms than a day or a week of help. Something about her, however, causes people to turn away from her. Perhaps she can’t list her virtues well enough or maybe they dislike her plain and clearly travel worn clothes. She never finds a position with a wage, instead left to help her aunt’s neighbors for whatever coin they can spare her for any extra work she does for them.] ] (if: $score <=19)[It takes a few moments after knocking, but the door opens. Jane wouldn’t recognize the woman who answers it except for her similarity to her mother. “Hello,” Jane says. “I’m your niece, Jane. My mother sent word about coming to live with you.” “So I see,” she says evenly, looking Jane over. Jane looks back at her, sizing her up. She looks a bit older than her mother with grayer hair and more wrinkles. Not unexpected as she was the older sister. “Pleased to meet you,” Jane says to try and feel less awkward. “You certainly look as if you’ve had a journey,” she says, ignoring Jane’s remark. Jane looks down at herself with fresh eyes. (if: $jClean <= 6)[Her hands are covered in dirt including under her fingernails. Her kirtle carries more dust and stray leaves and seeds than it ever has after a day working in the fields. She runs a hand over her hair and can feel the tangles, dirt, and greasiness of it. She suddenly feels so grimy after being in such a state for days. ](if: $jClean <= 12)[She can see dirt coating the underside of her fingernails. The hem of her kirtle has never looked worse with all the mud and dirt caked into it. She runs a hand through her hair, and while it hadn’t been kept clear of mud and tangles, it could use a proper washing still. She wipes her hands on the skirt of her kirtle though she knew that wouldn’t greatly improve her state.](if: $jClean > 12)[She held up better than she worried she might have. She had made sure to keep clean and fresh as much as possible while traveling, but that still left her with dirt under her nails and dust on the hems of her kirtle. She could use a proper cleaning after so long without one.] “Let’s get you cleaned up then,” she says, stepping onto the street and shutting the house’s door behind her. She leads Jane around the house to the back. (if: $animal is 1)[Jane hobbles her (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey].] “Hold on a moment while I get you a few things,” her aunt says, going in through the back door. She returns after a moment with a bowl of water, a rag, and a comb. “Come inside when you’re finished and have supper.” “Thank you, ma’am,” Jane says before starting to get washed up. “You’re welcome,” her aunt says then returns to the house. Jane hurries through her washing and combing her hair before entering the house, bringing in everything her aunt had brought out. “Much better,” her aunt says, assessing her shrewdly when she sees her. “Now, come eat. There’s much we must discuss and work to be done.” Jane follows her to dining room for dinner. (if: (not ($inv contains "box of cloves")) and ($inv contains "kirtle") and ($inv contains "underclothing"))[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "kirtle"))(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "underclothing"))When Jane unpacks, she realizes that her bag hadn’t quite done its job. Bugs had gotten into her clothes at some point during the trip. There were holes in her kirtle and spare undergarments. She now had only the clothes on her back, and it would take time to have new ones made.] {(set: $cScore to 0) (if: $inv contains "kirtle")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "shoes")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "cloak")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "girdle")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "underclothing")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)]} (if: $cScore >= 4)[Jane finds seeking out work for a wage not entirely unfamiliar. It hadn’t been unusual to ask the neighboring families for work when times and circumstances called for it. In town, however, there were more people all of them unknown to her and the work for far longer terms than a day or a week of help. She finds wearing her newer kirtle helps even though she knows she should save it for church. She finds a position after a few months searching and happy for the extra money.](else:)[Jane finds seeking out work for a wage not entirely unfamiliar. It hadn’t been unusual to ask the neighboring families for work when times and circumstances called for it. In town, however, there were more people all of them unknown to her and the work for far longer terms than a day or a week of help. Something about her, however, causes people to turn away from her. Perhaps she can’t list her virtues well enough or maybe they dislike her plain and clearly travel worn clothes. She never finds a position with a wage, instead left to help her aunt’s neighbors for whatever coin they can spare her for any extra work she does for them.] ] (if: $score > 19)[It takes a few moments after knocking, but the door opens. Jane wouldn’t recognize the woman who answers it except for her similarity to her mother. “Hello,” Jane says. “I’m your niece, Jane. My mother sent word about coming to live with you.” “Oh, yes, Jane,” she says, smiling and brushing her hands off on her apron. “I’m your aunt Katalin. You look just like your mother did at that age.” “Thank you,” she says, smiling back. “Though it does seem like you could use a little cleaning,” she says with good humor. Jane looks down at herself.(if: $jClean <= 6)[Her hands are covered in dirt including under her fingernails. Her kirtle carries more dust and stray leaves and seeds than it ever has after a day working in the fields. She runs a hand over her hair and can feel the tangles, dirt, and greasiness of it. She suddenly feels so grimy after being in such a state for days. ](if: $jClean <= 12)[She can see dirt coating the underside of her fingernails. The hem of her kirtle has never looked worse with all the mud and dirt caked into it. She runs a hand through her hair, and while it hadn’t been kept clear of mud and tangles, it could use a proper washing still. She wipes her hands on the skirt of her kirtle though she knew that wouldn’t greatly improve her state.](if: $jClean > 12)[She held up better than she worried she might have. She had made sure to keep clean and fresh as much as possible while traveling, but that still left her with dirt under her nails and dust on the hems of her kirtle. She could use a proper cleaning after so long without one.] “I think you might be right.” “I’ll meet you round the back. It’ll just take me a minute to grab a few things,” she says. (if: $animal is 1)[”You can hobble your (if: $horse is 1)[horse](else:)[donkey] back there as well.”] Jane does as she’s bid and waits behind the house for her aunt. Aunt Katalin reappears from the door at the back of the house. with a bowl of water, a rag, and a comb. “Come inside when you’re finished and have supper.” “Thank you, ma’am,” Jane says before starting to get washed up. “You’re welcome,” her aunt says then returns to the house. Jane hurries through her washing and combing her hair before entering the house, bringing in everything her aunt had brought out. “Much better,” her aunt says, smiling when she sees her. “Now, come eat. There’s much we must discuss.” She follows eagerly after her aunt. (if: (not ($inv contains "box of cloves")) and ($inv contains "kirtle") and ($inv contains "underclothing"))[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "kirtle"))(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "underclothing"))When Jane unpacks, she realizes that her bag hadn’t quite done its job. Bugs had gotten into her clothes at some point during the trip. There were holes in her kirtle and spare undergarments. She now had only the clothes on her back, and it would take time to have new ones made.] {(set: $cScore to 0) (if: $inv contains "kirtle")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "shoes")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "cloak")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "girdle")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)] (if: $inv contains "underclothing")[(set: $cScore to $cScore + 1)]} (if: $cScore >= 4)[Jane finds seeking out work for a wage not entirely unfamiliar. It hadn’t been unusual to ask the neighboring families for work when times and circumstances called for it. In town, however, there were more people all of them unknown to her and the work for far longer terms than a day or a week of help. She finds wearing her newer kirtle helps even though she knows she should save it for church. She finds a position after a few months searching and happy for the extra money.](else:)[Jane finds seeking out work for a wage not entirely unfamiliar. It hadn’t been unusual to ask the neighboring families for work when times and circumstances called for it. In town, however, there were more people all of them unknown to her and the work for far longer terms than a day or a week of help. Something about her, however, causes people to turn away from her. Perhaps she can’t list her virtues well enough or maybe they dislike her plain and clearly travel worn clothes. She never finds a position with a wage, instead left to help her aunt’s neighbors for whatever coin they can spare her for any extra work she does for them.]] [[Credits]]

Jane struggles to lift her feet. Her strength and energy slip through her like water through fingers. She has nothing more to give. She drops to her knees at the side of the road, unable to move any farther. She wonders what will happen now. She can’t send a message on to her aunt or back to her family. She will be left here at the road with no one to bury her. She releases a breath and closes her eyes. Game Over [[Start Again|Title]] [[End|Credits]]

(align:"=><=")[<h2>Credit</h2> The Muses: patrons at the $30 level given the opportunity to pick out a word for use in this game Timothy Persons: Perfervid]