Sandstone

Kanum. A barren desert moon that sits in the outskirts of its planet's gaze. Whatever jungle or grass plain lives on this moon is far from you. You, Hanib, are a Wanderer. A being immune to this moon's dangerous effects and a master of the mystic arts. Water sits in your pack and sand grips at your feet on the long walk towards the nearest human settlement. Ahead of you sits the entrance. A towering metal grey door with a slit for cautionary interaction. Arrows charred in the sun's gaze litter the sand outside. [[Knock on the door.]]

The metal touching your knuckles would melt the flesh of a regular human. However, you feel nothing more than a nice warmth. Churning and unlocking of metal rides up the door following your knock. A few moments pass until the slit on the door opens. "Who goes there? Ah, a Wanderer. What do you want?" Dirt layers the man's face and his cracked lips. [[Show the pack of water.]] [["Do not bite the hand that feeds, Human."]]

The man eyes the pack. He licks his cracked lips and closes the slit. You hear shuffling and metal grinding against each other. Suddenly, the door opens, and the man stands to the side, avoiding the sun shooting through. "Come in, quick." [[Walk inside.]]

"Listen here, Wanderer. If your kind wasn't the way you are, I'd blast you right here where you stand!" Red blotches unveil on his face the best they can under all the dirt. [["And you would miss, most likely. If you even have the arrows."->And you would miss, most likely. If you even have the arrows.]] [["I apologize. Here, I brought water." ->Show the pack of water.]]

The man stares at you and the supplies you carry. Thus is the existence of the Wanderer, so you pay no mind. You walk deeper in, entering one of the few human settlements left on the moon. The darkness evaporates to the sight of artificial lights of many colors and shop stands made of sheet scrap metal. The settlement sits inside a hollow cave. You look up to take in the vast and limitless ceiling. Men in feathered costumes dance, twirling fire magic to create spark shows for giggling children. Haggling for moisture jugs and bug steaks create an echo that throngs against every metal shack, pushing the sound up into the cave's expansive, pitch black dome. Two lizard folk in scrap armor stand in front of you with their jagged spears blocking your path. "This way, Wanderer. The Mount wishes to see you." [["Tell your Mount that I am not here to see him. I care only to deliver these materials and leave."->Tell your Mount that I am not here to see him. I care only to deliver these materials and leave.]] [["Alright. I don't want any trouble."->Alright. I don't want any trouble.]]

The man grunts as his face turns more red. "You bastard. Get out of here." He turns to slide shut the slit. [["Calm down, I have things you might want. Water? Maybe some arrows?"->Calm down, I have things you might want. Water? Maybe some arrows?]]

After a few moments of frustrated analysis on the Human's part, he shuffles with the locks and opens the door. [["I appreciate it. May the gods bless you."->Walk inside.]]

"His majesty requires your help on a life-or-death situation that cannot be detailed here. Please, Wanderer. It will only take a few minutes." By this point, all the people in the market are staring daggers at your presence. Some seem curious and others look absolutely disgusted. [["Alright, lead the way."->Alright. I don't want any trouble.]] [["Can I have a quick minute to talk to the people?"]]

"Good. Follow us." The lizards turn and begin a march down the path past the shops. [[Follow]]

The soldiers lead you down the path and up a series of stairs going farther down until you reach the Mount's home. It is a large house made of dark wood. The garden out front is patchy. The only plants growing are yellow tufts of grass in a dried dirt bed. The soldiers approach the door and open it for you. "Mount!" a guard shouts. They rush inside, leaving you on the front steps. [[Head inside.]]

You walk inside. On the floor, laying in a pool of blood is the Mount. Next to him is an overturned table and a cracked amulet. "Who could have done this?" asks one of the guards. [["A mystic force did this."->A mystic force did this.]] [["He was a good man. I wish I could say I knew him better than I did."->He was a good man. I wish I could say I knew him better than I did.]]

"Really? Oh, please, Wanderer. You must help us discover the wretch who did this!" "Judging by this amulet, whoever did this has some ties with the mystic arts." [["It is against my oath to ignore such evil, young man. I will help."->It is against my oath to ignore such evil, young man. I will help.]]

"He was the best of us. Now we must look for a successor. But who?" asks one soldier who had taken off his helmet. "We can't. Not yet. The Mount must be allowed vengeance before any talks of succession," the soldier said. [["Allow me to help. I swore an oath to fight evil whether beast or otherwise."->Allow me to help. I swore an oath to fight evil whether beast or otherwise.]]

The room encapsulates you. A body lays in a pool of blood, begging to be searched and avenged. The room holds a painting at the back wall, a dark oak desk in front of it, and a large interwoven black and white rug, slightly stained crimson from the dead Mount. The soldiers watch attentively, waiting for your next move. [[Check Body.]] [[Investigate the Room.]] [[Question Guards.]]

"We will assist you in any way we can. You need mages or soldiers or scrap tech. You will have it." [["No need. I only need my senses and time. I shall begin right away."->It is against my oath to ignore such evil, young man. I will help.]]

The body laid there in a pool of blood. He wears a dark purple coat with a white trim collar. His powdered wig drenched crimson. The slick black boots at his feet being the only article of clothing not tainted by the crime. [[Flip body over.]] [[Back away->It is against my oath to ignore such evil, young man. I will help.]]

"Did the Mount have any enemies or make any unpopular decisions recently?" "Not any we can recall. But you know how these people can be. Living underground is always a recipe for desperation when resources get low." [["Have resources been getting low?"]]

The room feels as dead as the man that lays below you. All you can see is a desk, a painting of the Mount, and a giant carpet. Nothing seems out of the ordinary, but a Wanderer knows that what you see isn't always the case. [[Check Desk.]] [[Check Painting.]] [[Check Carpet.]]

The Mount's face stares at you, cold and grey. A gash lines his abdomen in a vertical shape. Judging by the look, it seems the wound was created by a jagged weapon. Next to him is the overturned table, most likely a result of the struggle that took place before his death. Also to the side is the amulet. A black obsidian piece with a cracked amethyst jewel in the middle. The stone stares at you but you ignore it. Your kind grew immune to the allures of such magic long ago. [[Go back.->Check Body.]]

"Maybe. But that's none of your business, Wanderer. Not all of us can be immune to the deserts harm, free to eat whatever we want.'' "Fair enough," you say. [[Go Back->It is against my oath to ignore such evil, young man. I will help.]]

You rifle through the drawers. Stacks of papers pile in the top, middle, and bottom drawers as you pull them out. The drawer at the bottom gives more resistance, which is fixed by your quick strength. You rifle through the papers but each one is the same. Most are documents detailing the settlements resources by each month and their taxes. As you work your way down, the resources lessen, until you reach the bottom of the drawer and find a single unique paper with the Mount's seal. [[Read Paper.]] [[Go Back.->Investigate the Room.]]

The painting hangs tall on the wall behind the desk. It depicts the Mount standing on a hill. Humans gather around him while non-human people wallow at his feet in a sign of prayer and devotion. In the Mount's right hand is a sword that glows yellow in the light of the painting's sun. In the left holds a book. The Mount wears a red toga and a crown upon his head made of pure gold, imbued with red jewels. [[Check Desk->Check Desk.]] [[Go Back.->Investigate the Room.]]

The carpet sits uneven on the floor. You inspect the fibers for any detail but find nothing aside from the Mount's blood and bugs skittering their way through the fibers whenever you uncover their hidey holes. As you get hup, the floor creaks louder than you expected, as if the wooden floor's integrity has been compromised. You step onto the carpet and feel around. Upon further investigation, you feel less resistance on certain parts of the carpet, specifically the center. [[Remove Carpet.]] [[Go Back->Investigate the Room.]]

It reads: //By order of the Mount. I hereby declare that any non-human be expected to pay an increased tax to the Mount and his Human subjects. As Humans, we are the progenitors of this settlement and thus, deserve accommodations from the sub races we so generously allowed into our ranks. Any and all resistance to this decree shall be met with quick and harsh punishment and will set a standard for the race of the perpetrators. This order will be enacted on the third awakening of Shadowfall. Signed, The Mount// "That was four days ago," you say to yourself. [[Go Back.->Investigate the Room.]]

The carpet is set to the side. A hole, crudely boarded up, is revealed. [[Remove Boards and Go Through the Hole.]] [[Go Back.->Investigate the Room.]]

You take off the boards and enter. The hole is deep enough to reach your waist. Below is a hole that looks like a person sized tunnel. "What the hell is that?" one guard asks. "You're not really going down there are you? "Yes. I'm sure that this hole will lead me to whoever killed the Mount. Follow me close behind but stay hidden. I'll call for you when I find the killer." The guards look hopeful yet disgusted that you would do such a thing. [[Crawl Through Tunnel.]]

Dirt and bugs drip off your skin as you squeeze through the tunnel. On the other side is another part of the settlement. Isolated and desolate, but the buildings and somewhat lit windows make it clear that people live here. At your feet is a tread of footprints that lead down the road. You look around and notice that this is the only way to go. Everywhere else either leads to a house wall or has no path at all. [[Follow Footsteps.]]

The footsteps follow down a winding path through alleys and pathways. Eventually, you find yourself in another market, each stall decorated with black cloth, unlike the previous area. "Ah, a black market," you say to yourself. The people crowd around certain stalls. The only people running stalls are a human, a satyr, and a lizard folk. [[Speak to Human.]] [[Speak to Satyr.]] [[Speak to Lizard folk.]]

The human wears a large brown trench coat. His hair is slicked back, probably with mud. His pants are caked with mud as are his shoes. His face is scarred by what look like claw marks. "Hello. How are you?" you ask. "I'm alright?" The human stares at you cautiously. The human's stall holds pelts and skins of animals that you recognize as native to the surrounding desert. [[Ask About The Pelts.]] [[Ask About The Mount.]]

The satyr leans against the wall, looking down at his hands, fiddling with his fingers. One of his horns is twisted and chipped. He doesn't seem to have a stall in the area and his clothes are ragged and old. "Hello, Satyr." The satyr acknowledges you with a quick nod devoid of eye contact. [[Ask About His Horn.]] [[Ask About How He Feels About The Mount.]]

The Lizard's scales are a dark green that clash against the soft white flesh only visible under his chin. His vertical slit eyes close sideways every time he blinks. On his body is an almost full set of scrap armor. By the looks of it, the armor was handmade and just neatly fits against the Lizard's beefy body. "Lizard, did you see anyone come this way? Someone with mud on their feet?" "Look around you, Human. Everyone has mud on their feet." He's right. Even your feet are caked upon further investigation. The lizard in front of you has a stall which has scrap armor and weapons. [[Ask About The Weapons.]] [[Ask How He Feels About The Mount.]]

"You have a lot of pretty crude weapons here. Ever use one to kill?" The lizard looks at you like you just spat at his feet. "What do you mean by that? I'm not a violent person. The art of crafting is all I care about." [[Ask About The Mount->Ask How He Feels About The Mount.]] [[Go Back->Follow Footsteps.]]

"How do you feel about the Mount?" "I do not like him one bit. But I don't care to get into politics. Especially not with a Wanderer." [[Ask About The Weapons->Ask About The Weapons.]] [[Make An Accusation About The Lizard->Make An Accusation.]] [[Go Back->Follow Footsteps.]]

"Guards!" The guards run out to you. One of them speaks. "Did you find them?" You point to the Lizard. "What? That's Francis. He wouldn't hurt a flysquito." "Are you sure? He clearly has the knives capable of killing the Mount." "I like the art! That is so hurtful," the lizard said. "Where were you the night of the murder, anyway?" a guard asked. "I didn't even know he was dead but probably just at my stall." "Is that true?" a guard asked the Human and Satyr. They both nodded. The human had tears in his eyes from the sudden news. The guards look at you disappointed and walk off. [[Go Back->Follow Footsteps.]]

"Those are some exotic pelts you have there, sir. Where'd you get them?" "From the outside? Where else?" "I have never once seen a Human outside in the desert. Where'd you really get them?" The Human looks frustrated and embarrassed. "Fine. I got them from one of your kind. What of it?" "No need to hide that. It's what I expected." "Just don't tell anyone. I make a lot of money when people think I hunt these myself." You wink at the human. [[Ask About The Mount.]] [[Make An Accusation About The Human.]] [[Go Back->Follow Footsteps.]]

"What is your consensus on the Mount?" "I love him. He'll be the one to send us into a new era. One without any unmentionables." "Right." [[Go Back->Follow Footsteps.]] [[Make An Accusation About The Human.]]

"Hello, there. That's a rather interesting horn atop your head." The satyr looks up at you and winces. "Is that supposed to be a greeting?" "It's just interesting is all." "What do you want?" The satyr fiddles with his fingers. [["Could I inspect your horn?"]]

"The Mount is a pretty horrible guy, huh. Always stepping on the non-humans." "Yeah, he would always get under my nerves. Why do you ask?" "I just hate injustice." The satyr looks at you, confused. "I see." [[Go Back.->Speak to Satyr.]]

"Guards! Come here!" The guards rush to your position. "What is it? Where's the killer?" "Right here in front of me." The guards look at each other concerned. "Uh, Wanderer? That's Paul. He's the president of the Mount's fan club." "What?" "Hey, what's this all about guys?" Paul asks. "Well, you see the Mount-" A guard pulled your arm gently to the side and whispered. "Don't, it'll crush him." "Oh." You look back to Paul. "Sorry. It's nothing. Go about your day." The guards walk away, relieved. [[Go Back->Follow Footsteps.]]

"What? Why would I let you do that? Do you go around 'inspecting' all the strangers you come across?" You look down and notice the satyr isn't wearing shoes. [[Ask About The Bare Feet.]] [[Go Back->Follow Footsteps.]]

"Why aren't you wearing any shoes? Do you not have any?" "The were getting too dirty so I ditched them. Didn't want to trek mud all over the place." [[Ask Where He Is From.]]

"Where are you from, Satyr?" "The neighboring settlement." "It must have been hard to get here." "Not exactly. There are many tunnels between the two. You just have to know how to crawl." The satyr laughs like you two were at the pub. [[Go Back.->Follow Footsteps.]] [[Make An Accusation About The Satyr.]]

"Guards! Come here!" The guards rush over to you. "What did you find?" "Not what. Who. this satyr is the culprit. He took off his shoes because they were too muddy. He's used to crawling through tunnels and I bet if you checked that jagged horn of his, you would find small specks of blood." [[Continue]]

The guards look to each other, communicating without saying a word. They look back at you and nod approvingly. You turn around to see who is around. There is a human woman with a crystal ball, a magenta cloak, and tattoos all over her face. She is entertaining a group of kids. Maybe her wisdom is not exclusive to young children? There is also a gnome bard. He is singing some love song about a woman who left him. Men drop shekels into his lute case, children dance and giggle to his songs, and the women in the area are fawning over every word he says. Perhaps he would sing a song for you? Leaning against a nearby shack is a fellow Wanderer. Judging by his clothes, he has been hunting for a while and came down here for some reprieve. He is carrying a giant sand boar pelt on his back. Maybe he has some hunting stories to share? Finally, there is a cat folk running a game stand. The game is darts. You watch as kids line up to take a shot and each one fails. The cat has a smirk on his face that shows he would be an interesting person to talk to. [[Speak to the Fortune Teller.]] [[Speak to the Bard.]] [[Speak to the Wanderer.]] [[Speak to the Game Runner.]] [[Go Back->Tell your Mount that I am not here to see him. I care only to deliver these materials and leave.]]

The woman looks at her crystal ball. Once you approach, she looks at you with a smile. "Hello, Wanderer. I am Madame Lorique. What do I owe this pleasure? Care for a fortune? On me." [[Ask to Have Your Fortune Told.]] [[Go Back.->"Can I have a quick minute to talk to the people?"]]

The gnome prances circles around you before you can say a word. "Oh, a Wanderer! That's two today, how delightful! Care for a tune?" [[Listen to his Song.]] [[Go Back.->"Can I have a quick minute to talk to the people?"]]

You catch the eye of the cat. He looks worried. "Uh, hello Wanderer. What brings you to my humble stand?" "I thought I'd try your game. It looks like quite the challenge." "Oh, you know. Children don't have the skill for it," His laugh shakes from his mouth. "When I was a child, I killed a sand rat from ten feet with a dagger." The comment creates a deep silence. The cat pokes his voice through the thick awkwardness, "Would you care to give the game a shot?" [[Play the Game.]] [[Go Back->"Can I have a quick minute to talk to the people?"]]

The Wanderer rushes towards you with open arms. "Kin!" He lifts you in a vice-like embrace. "It is good to see you too, Jelik." "Haha. What brings you here?" "Just to deliver water, but the Mount has asked for me. How about you? Those pelts look like quite a burden." "Oh, these? They're for a human in the lower markets." Jelik leans in to whisper. "I let him pass them off as his own kills, and I make a profit." You laugh, "Keep your nose clean, Brother. The Mount might not like the drama if this were to come out." "Then I guess you'll have to keep him occupied. Good luck, the Mount is an... interesting man." "Thank you for the warning. I will see you back at the Pit." You embrace and then part ways. [[Go Back->"Can I have a quick minute to talk to the people?"]]

=><= (align:"=><=")[Sandstone by. Dominic Tramontana] [[Begin->Sandstone]]

The guards take the satyr by the arms and looks at his horn. The satyr struggles. "Let me go!" The guard peers at the horn fiercely. [[Next]]

"Found some blood!" a guard said. "You're going away for a long time." The satyr's arms are tied and before he can speak, the guards gag his mouth. They carry him off and provide you their gratitude. It looks like you found the killer. Well done! [[Leave the Settlement.]] [[Stay and Settle Down.]]

The seat opposite the woman is comfortable and accepts you. The woman flares her fingers over the ball and chants a tongue you have not heard. Lightning and fog swirl in the ball as the woman's eyes turn white. The chanting grows faster until she comes to a sudden stop. Her eyes return and she greets you with a smile. "Wanderer, I see a great trial in your future." "What is this trial?" "I can't say. Your future is cloudy, unlike any I've seen. It seems you're not as tied to fate as most. I did see this, however. A riddle of sorts." The woman closes her eyes. "Death awaits for those not dead. To find the truth, think with your head. That is all." You stand up and place a coin on the table, which is met with a smile. [[Go Back.->"Can I have a quick minute to talk to the people?"]]

The gnome composes himself. "Ahem." //Oh, brave Wanderer, Slayer of monsters. Savior of maidens And magical casters.// //Immune to the wastes, That trouble us so. They provide us with food And bring riches to our home.// //Like a sword in the night, They leap to and fro! Do not mess with their kin Or they will suck dry, your bones.// The gnome finishes with a backflip, which is met by an uproar of cheers. He extends a hand which you place a coin, despite the inaccurate last couplet. [[Go Back.->"Can I have a quick minute to talk to the people?"]]

You step into position. The cat stands back against the wall. It's obvious to you that he presses a button with his hand on the wall. A child could never tell, but the dartboard becomes stiffer to you, most likely from a reinforcement from the button. You wind up your arm and shoot the darts from your arm like a scrap rifle. The dart pushes through the center bullseye. Metal thuds as the dart pierces the board. "Wha- I mean. Con-Congratulations, Wanderer. Here are the earnings for today." [[Take His Earnings.]] [[Refuse the Earnings.]]

The coins enter your possession. The cat sprints to inspect his board and curses under his breathe. You're able to make out that some of the words are about you. [[Go Back.->"Can I have a quick minute to talk to the people?"]]

The earnings stay where they are as you walk away. The cat sighs, exhausted yet relieved. [[Go Back.->"Can I have a quick minute to talk to the people?"]]

You leave the people to their own devices. Whether the Mount's death causes issues is a problem, but one separate from you. The outside Wasteland accepts you back with open arms as you make your way back to your people, until the next adventure calls for you. The End [[Go Back?->Sandstone]]

Your feet ache, and the charm of the people here has attracted you. You buy a house in the slums, slightly nicer than what you expected. Children make you into the local legend, knocking on your door and asking questions until you decide to start a family and have kids of your own. The rest of your life is peaceful and free of conflict. The End [[Go Back?->Sandstone]]