One-off Scenes

//List of short one-off scenes for the upcoming earlygame rework

//Desert Mirage
You've been trudging through the desert for some time when it hits you just how far away you are from the rest of the world. The sands seem to stretch endlessly in front of you, the vast expanse only broken by a few scattered dunes and shrubs. There is no cover from the sun's merciless rays here.

Your [if (istaur) sturdy body is well suited to traveling, and your [legs] haven't tired in the slightest|[if (isnaga) slithering tail seems especially suited to gliding through the sand|[if (tou > 30) endurance helps greatly in withstanding the environment|spirit is in it]]], but still the journey drags on. Your head pounds in this dry heat, and you find yourself wishing that you could just find some brief respite, anything to cool your head for just a moment. Your hazy thoughts drift towards the reason for why this region is like this[if (silly)—it's almost like someone's trapped all the rain somewhere far away, but you quickly realize how ridiculous that sounds|, but you come to no solid conclusions].

And as if by magic, you suddenly catch sight of an ocean of green in the distance, peeking out from behind a dune. You rub your eyes, but it's still there, and you think you can even see a hint of blessed blue in the middle, drawing an involuntary gulp from your parched throat. Without thinking, you rush forward and scramble up the hill, losing your balance [if (spe > 30) a bit|completely] at the top and [if (spe > 30) sliding|tumbling] down the other side. But when you recover your bearings, there's no green in sight.

You look around again, but the only thing you see is sand. Was that a mirage? You let out a silent curse as you pick yourself up and continue forward, certain that the trip back to camp will be a tiring one.

It seems this desert is more treacherous than you had thought.




//Finding a fruit in the forest
You've just stumbled on your third root in the past ten minutes, and you're starting to really dislike this forest. It's wild, untamed, and filled with creatures that want nothing more than to rape you, and all of these annoyances seem to compound upon one another, swirling around in your head.

You're so wrapped up in this line of thought that you don't notice the startling shade of yellow in front of you until you almost bump into it. There's a momentary flash of worry at such an unusual color for the forest, but you're quickly calmed when you see that it's just a fruit.

An odd fruit at that; the color that surprised you is no less strange upon closer examination. A bright, lively yellow-orange banded with bold red stripes—it seems almost too vibrant for this place, as if it had come from somewhere else. Whatever the case, it seems to have grown here undisturbed, and it certainly looks ripe. A quick look around confirms that nothing else is here to challenge you for this fruit.

Perhaps you could sample it, if you're feeling brave...

[Eat It] [Be Cautious]


[Eat It] //tooltip- Live a little.
Though you don't know exactly what this fruit is, it looks too good to pass up. You quickly pull it from its stem, surprised at the heft of it. It must be particularly juicy. The texture is smooth and glossy, and the flesh seems fairly firm. Turning it around in your hands, you can find no blemishes or indications that it might be unsafe to eat, so without further ado, you raise it to your mouth.

Your teeth press against the taut skin, breaking it after only a moment's resistance. The taste immediately hits you—sweet, though not so much that it becomes saccharine, with just a hint of sourness to balance it out. A torrent of juice floods your mouth, and you're unable to stop it from spilling down your chin and onto the ground, but it hardly matters. Chewing the flesh for a moment, you find it to be agreeably tender, but not mushy, making for an excellent eating experience.

It's not long before you've wolfed down the whole thing, a small pit in the center the only part you can't devour. That was certainly satisfying, and you're already feeling reinvigorated, ready to face any troubles that may lie ahead. In fact, all of the aching caused by your earlier escapes has faded; your legs feel like they're fresh from camp.

Looking around briefly, you can find no more of the marvelous fruit. A shame, but it can hardly dent the good mood this snack has put you in.
//Pure peach effects


[Be Cautious] //tooltip- You have no idea what it might do.
You're time in Mareth has [if (days < 30) already] taught you well that the unknown is dangerous. You have no business eating random fruits you find lying around, no matter how succulent they might look.

You quickly move past the fruit and on through the forest. Your following exploration is dull and dreary, with nothing else of note happening until, with aching limbs and dampened spirit, you think of camp, and it soon appears before you.



//Old Skeleton
While out exploring the wastes close by to your camp, you spy something oddly white a few paces away. Almost everything around here is the color of dust, so it's noticeable enough to stand out. You make your way over to whatever it is, being careful to keep your guard up. There's no motion anywhere in your general vicinity, but it never hurts to be cautious.

However, as you draw close, you realize that you've missed the danger by many years. Peering back at you, half buried in the dirt, is a bleached white skull, attached to a skeleton. It's adult-sized and human-shaped, and there are no identifying markers around. Not even a scrap of cloth. Whoever this was, they've been long forgotten by the rest of the world.

You suppose you could do something.

[Grave] [Skull] [Leave]


[Grave] //tooltip- It's the least you can do.
//Are we making a digging implement?
You find a promising spot and, using your [shovel|spade|hands], make a suitable enough hole. It's hard work, but the weather's already done quite the number on these remains, so you don't need to make anything too big. Before long, you judge the job to be done, and collect the bones for their final resting place.

After lowering them in, you fill the hole back up, and then step back to admire your work. It might not mean much, but you'd like to imagine that whoever that used to be is grateful in some way. A small smile finds its way to your face before you turn around, ready to face the world again.


[Skull] //tooltip- Why not take a memento?
It's a bit difficult to pry loose with your bare hands, but eventually you manage it, pulling the skull free from it's former owner. You regard the deathly visage for a moment, considering its pale, sun-bleached sheen. The empty eyes stare back at you, and you're surprised by how light it is in your hands. It's like you'd expect something so important in life to be more weighty now, but of course that's not how things are.

Clearing your mind of these thoughts, you stow the skull away with your other belongings and continue on with the vague thought that you'd like to not end up as some traveler's keepsake.
//Get a skull


[Leave] //tooltip- It's far too late to do anything for this poor soul.
Taking one last look at the old skeleton, you turn your back and continue on. Better not to dwell on things like that, better to just keep your head down and focus on survival. That's how you avoid ending up like him.