Beginning of the JourneyOnce the Favors have been exchanged, there's the slightly lengthier issue of actually getting them sorted out. Finding and fetching appropriate gifts takes time, even for a power such as this.
Fortunately, you don't have to wait around for that. Instead, you're led to one of the Throne's many exits- to Mourn. Strange as it may sound to leave a dimensional nexus to travel between worlds, you've been assured that Mourn's Underworld is the best, most well understood way to get to your new home.
Trudging through a blizzard, you are forced to question that claim.
You are guided not by an actual person, maybe somebody to assure you that yes, you're close or no, you're definitely not going to freeze to death, but by the periodic Echoes of Mourn's God of Death. It's a long journey with nothing but the occasional, luring ping.
As you start to get close, however, your divine senses start picking out other signs of activity. Trains of mortals struggling against the storm, peculiar beasts ferrying sacks of something or other, divine and monstrous entities assisting or inhibiting the mortals or storm.
Until finally, there ahead of you, lie the Gates to the Underworld. The thick, inscribed slabs of stone form more of a primitive doorway into a mountain than a proper gate, but are somehow more ominous for it; there's nothing keeping you out of the realm of the dead other than your own good sense.
Even as strong and generally far from death as you are, you still feel a chill entering. It's clear this is not a place for the living. Even Orphella knows she doesn't quite belong here.
After a moderately long, dark tunnel, you emerge in a rather beautiful meltwater cavern, dripping and lit by a faint cyan glow. Standing before you are two figures.
The first you all recognize immediately, even if only by reputation: Eternal Echo of Dawn's Lost Glory, Mourn's God of Death. An imposing figure of silver armor and furs, with a lion's head and mane for a face or helm. He carries his trademark silver staff, the source of the echoing that led you here.
The other figure you do not recognize, though you can make some immediate guesses. She's a young-looking girl, probably quite a ways out from growing to her full height assuming she's roughly human. Her hair and eyes are gleaming silver, and her skin is pale but not the deathly pale you might expect from Death's apprentice or maybe even daughter. She even has her own staff, though being scaled to her height it's more like a cane or even baton for most of you.
"This is Faint Flickering Candle of the Wheel's Unending Chime. She will guide you and all who follow you to their destination. It is unlikely any among you will be able to navigate the Underworld without her assistance. She is also to be your liaison with the Throne; unless informed otherwise, she shall make routine journeys between the two points, ferrying news and small packages."The girl steps forward and gives a short bow to the group, smiling but not saying anything. You notice behind her appears to be a large wooden cart pulled by skeletal oxen or similar. A ghostly lantern sits atop it, and the more perceptive of you notice her staff/cane/stick appears to have a hook at one end.
She then gestures to the cart, climbs atop it, and gently guides the skeletal oxen- they're very large- around and down a given path. You follow, on the cart or otherwise, and behind you the Echo continues, apparently drawing in more than just you. You even notice a mortal caravan struggling down the tunnel as you leave.
The caves and tunnels mostly follow the theme of meltwater caverns. You suspect that will change later on- nobody can agree just what the Underworld is or how it works, exactly, but the fact that different areas are wildly different from each other is well agreed upon. For the rest, the closest thing to a consensus is that it functions as a sewer of sorts, catching runoff from all the known worlds and supposedly this new one as well.
You come to a stop in a fairly large chamber missing one wall, which looks out over a myriad of mortal caravans trying to organize themselves far below. Your guide just sits and waits, so you presume you're intended to do the same. Not long after this proves correct, as another pair of land angels arrives to hand you several papers- apparently the manifests and technical estimates for the expedition. They also mention your Favors are being assembled and should start arriving shortly.
Expedition and PurposeThe expedition is composed of five separate caravans, one from each world. Each caravan's purpose is to establish a settlement on arrival to Paradise. The initial quality and attitudes of this settlement will be greatly influenced by the state of the relevant caravan. In the event that a caravan is lost entirely, no settlement from that world will be established.
Each caravan is further divided into five trains, each with their own leader. One of these will also serve as the leader for the caravan in general, and disproportionately influence its opinions on various topics. You may spend an Interaction to investigate, get to know, or attempt to influence a caravan or train leader.
Health and MovementEach turn, the expedition moves, eats, loses Health, checks for Health, and performs actions of its choice. Movement is expedition-wide, while other actions are per caravan.
The effects of speed and food consumption are detailed below.
Speed | |
Plodding | +1 Health, move 0.5 tiles |
Steady | +0 Health, move 1 tile |
Grueling | -2 Health, move 2 tiles |
Rations | |
Generous | +1 Health, consume 2 Food |
Adequate | +0 Health, consume 1 Food |
Stingy | -2 Health, consume 0.5 Food |
None | -4 Health |
Each turn, each caravan loses 1 Health from the rigors of travel. It also makes a Health check, gaining 1 Health on success and losing 1 Health on failure. At especially low Health, a failed Health check may sometimes cost it a train rather than another point of Health.
Finally, each caravan has an action to undertake each turn. This may be something practical like attempting to treat the disease running through its ranks, or more exotic like attempting to capture and domesticate some exotic Underworld beasts. Failing these actions may carry unfortunate consequences.
In addition to expedition actions, external events and forces may act upon it. As might be expected, these may help or hinder the expedition, presumably with a focus on the latter.
Mourn Caravan
5/5 Health
5/5 Trains
30 Food
Led by Archer-of-Dawn, Greedy Proud Hunter
Fray Caravan
5/5 Health
5/5 Trains
30 Food
Led by Princess Kur, Scheming Ambitious Sage
Wrack Caravan
5/5 Health
5/5 Trains
30 Food
Led by Chorus, Wise Kind Sage
Praise Caravan
5/5 Health
5/5 Trains
30 Food
Led by Stemmas, Ambitious Proud Rogue
Soul Caravan
5/5 Health
5/5 Trains
30 Food
Led by Cordion, Cautious Inquisitive Commander