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[Imic]

This seems as good a place to stay the night as any.

Find somewhere relatively sheltered from the wind, and rest as best we can-- the daylight will make our journey easier.

+1

You get out the bedroll and lay it out flat in the corner of the room, in an alcove that’s more likely to be the place showing it’s age than an actual design choice. You gather together your ragged clothing, do your best to conceal your bag, though it’s dark enough that you might as well not bother, and try to get a nap. In the end, through the clamour of thoughts wrestling their way in and out of your head, the distant wind lulls you, at long last, to sleep.

You are in a round, roofless hall filled with uncountable mirrors, all reflecting you, all watching you. You desperately try to find two reflections that look alike, but every single one is different. High above, massive statues watch you, their suffocating gases pressing down on you from every side. As you grow more and more desperate, a black formless mass the size of a continent and shedding swirling black vapour begins to descend towards you from far, far above. Beneath your feet, the floor disappears, and a pool of thick, black liquid begins to envelop you. No scream will pass your lips, or if it does, the screaming coming from the pool is too loud for yours to be heard. Slowly, you disappear into the pool, and are lost.

Then you wake up.

Light streams into the Tower room from the stairs leading upwards. There’s almost no wind. Your bag and your bed are still where you left them, though you somehow ended up about 3 feet away from both.
As your hands work to push you up and away from the floor, you notice that they aren’t changing colour anymore. They’ve settled on a deep, almost greyish shade of blue and so, it seems, has the rest of your body.

You’re not hungry, though you could use a drink. All is silent.

Spoiler: Inventory (click to show/hide)

Cloth bag
Metal knife
Kight metal pot
Metal lantern
Firelighter
Fistful of root vegetables: (x2)
Waterskin: Empty.
Smaller bag: Fistful of flour (x4)
Salt box: Pinch of salt (x?)
Black sphere
Bedroll
Plate

[Superdorf]

Right then-- adventure awaits!

Pack up our things, and set off down that dirt path we saw. Paths mean civilization, yes?

[Naturegirl1999]

Right then-- adventure awaits!

Pack up our things, and set off down that dirt path we saw. Paths mean civilization, yes?

+1 along the way, try to find a river or lake to drink from

[Imic]

Right then-- adventure awaits!

Pack up our things, and set off down that dirt path we saw. Paths mean civilization, yes?

+1 along the way, try to find a river or lake to drink from

You gather your things, and hoist the bag over your shoulder. Heading downwards, the floor below you is empty and dark, containing another stairway down and little else beyond cobwebs, dust, and a sprinkling of moss. Ass you head down those stairs, however, you are greeted by an empty doorway leading to the great outdoors, a large stone statue on a plinth of a heavily-armoured Soldier with a Sword in one hand and a torch in the other, and an alcove in one wall with a pit, rope, and bucket. A quick cock of the head reveals distant running water. Soon, your waterskin is filled, your thirst satisfied, and you head out the doorless doorway.

   The light is blinding, but as your eyes adjust, you see rocky green hills not far ahead of you. They look a lot bigger from down here. There’s a ring of scattered rocky debris surrounding the Tower, free of moss and age. After a few minutes, you tear your gaze from the blackened peak of the Tower, and stick one foot in front of the other, then repeating. Soon, the road brings you through a few acres of marshland, over the crest of a hill, and up towards the crest of a much, mich bigger hill. Far behind, you can see the Tower and its blackened peak. You can just about make out the ring of debris. Beyond it, you can see the long string of chasms it overlooks, running off towards opposite horizons. In some places, you can see spots where you could walk across. In others, you can’t see the other side clearly, even from this height. You press on.

   Massive hills pass by on either side. Occasionally, you spot a small collection of trees, never very close to the path. The sun shines down, and the wind is at your back. And then you spot something else. A tall, elderly, gaunt-faced individual with not-blue skin, wearing a long dark cloak and carrying a large bag is approaching. As you get closer, they seem to spot you too. They (She, seemingly) adopts a faster pace until you reach each other. She greets you.
   ‘You turned around, then. Did something happen?’
She stares at you, awaiting a response.

Spoiler: Inventory (click to show/hide)

Cloth bag
Metal knife
Kight metal pot
Metal lantern
Firelighter
Fistful of root vegetables: (x2)
Waterskin: Mouthful of water (x10)
Smaller bag: Fistful of flour (x4)
Salt box: Pinch of salt (x?)
Black sphere
Bedroll
Plate

[Naturegirl1999]

”Do you know who I am? I don’t remember anything about myself”

[Imic]

”Do you know who I am? I don’t remember anything about myself”

”Do you know who I am? I don’t remember anything about myself.”

She continues to stare at you. She blinks a few times.

‘I... ah... okay. That’s... I don’t... You were in the, ah, Inn. You said you were going to cross the Graves. I’m afraid I don’t think I caught your name... I... did something happen? Stupid question. Of course something happened. Was it something from the Graves? I... um...’

The look she gives you while she’s speaking is unreadable, but you can safely bet that she didn’t expect a conversation such as this when she got up this morning.

[Naturegirl1999]

“Did I mention anything specific about the Graves? What do you know about them?”

[King Zultan]

“Did I mention anything specific about the Graves? What do you know about them?”

+1

[Imic]

“Did I mention anything specific about the Graves? What do you know about them?”

+1

“Did I mention anything specific about the Graves? What do you know about them?”

‘I, ah... no. Plenty of People pass through here to cross the Graves, I don’t stop them all to quiz them. Well... really not that many, I mean... there are much better places to cross... uhm... I... The Graves themselves are... a lot of pits and chasms, and they go very, very deep. Sometimes, things come out. Sometimes they want to sell things to you. Sometimes, they... don’t. There’s nothing in the World more terrifying than being told that something’s crawled out nearby. I... I don’t know what to say to you. I’m sorry.’

[Superdorf]

"Ah-- I should explain."

"You find me rather out of sorts-- it seems I've lost my memory in yonder tower!" (Point back that way.) "I'm most eager to learn again of myself and the world about me, but I fear I've been a bit-- abrupt-- in the process? I apologize for that."

[King Zultan]

"Ah-- I should explain."

"You find me rather out of sorts-- it seems I've lost my memory in yonder tower!" (Point back that way.) "I'm most eager to learn again of myself and the world about me, but I fear I've been a bit-- abrupt-- in the process? I apologize for that."

+1

[Naturegirl1999]

"Ah-- I should explain."

"You find me rather out of sorts-- it seems I've lost my memory in yonder tower!" (Point back that way.) "I'm most eager to learn again of myself and the world about me, but I fear I've been a bit-- abrupt-- in the process? I apologize for that."

+1

+1

[Imic]

"Ah-- I should explain."

"You find me rather out of sorts-- it seems I've lost my memory in yonder tower!" (Point back that way.) "I'm most eager to learn again of myself and the world about me, but I fear I've been a bit-- abrupt-- in the process? I apologize for that."

+1

+1

"Ah-- I should explain."

"You find me rather out of sorts-- it seems I've lost my memory in yonder tower! I'm most eager to learn again of myself and the world about me, but I fear I've been a bit-- abrupt-- in the process? I apologize for that."

She smiles nervously, and gives a few reassuring nods, more to herself than to you.
‘Well, uhm. You’re in the Far Reach. That’s a start.’
She waves back down the road in the direction you came from.
‘Back there’s the Graves, all the pits and chasms. In some places you can walk between them, or jump across them, in some places they’re a mile across. Around here we call them the Graves of the Nine Traitors, east of here they call them the Graves of the Heartless King. If you keep on heading in that direction past the Graves through the Near Reach for week or two, you’ll reach Surin. Don’t go to Surin.’
She turns around, and starts to wave in the direction she came from.
‘If you head that way, you’ll reach my Village, and the Highway eventually. It runs parralel to the Graves at a safe distance, and the Cities and Towns along it are the most you’ll find of Civilization until you reach Surin. Actually, now that I think of it, you said you had been through one of them... Lent, that was it. You didn’t say much else. You got irritated when People asked your name or your Species. Then someone asked your gender, and you punched them. You left after that.’

She’s mostly regained her composure, but she’s still not hiding her discomfort very well.

[King Zultan]

"Do you know anything about the tower?" Point at the tower. "And why shouldn't I go to Surin, is it a bad place or something?"

[Naturegirl1999]

"Do you know anything about the tower?" Point at the tower. "And why shouldn't I go to Surin, is it a bad place or something?"

+1