The first thing you notice when you wake up is the smell.Everything around you reeks of rancid acidity mixed with the musty odor of mold and fungus, like you threw up a really bad, really moldy cheese. The ground? below you is rugged, with random shapes jutting into your sides and back. Once you force your eyes open, against your tired, throbbing brain’s complaints, you see the world suffused in a radioactive green glow. No, wait, the world isn’t glowing.You are. Your skin, hair, everything is glowing.Looking down at your clothes, soaked in some odd, sticky fluid, you find yourself in better condition than you expected, albeit more than a little radioactive looking. You sit atop a pile of random junk- dirt, garbage, debris, and busted machinery, some of which is dated and some of which is so sleek and modern (despite the dirt and damage) that it seems out of place. Looking down at a speartip jutting out of the rubble a few inches from where you fell, you breathe a sigh of relief that you managed to avoid being impaled.“The intake came on time, boss!” You hear a rugged voice ring out from behind you. He seems to be speaking some other, completely unfamiliar language, but you find yourself able to understand it perfectly as if it were in English. Wheeling around, you see a cluster of figures emanating light of different colors gathered in the distance. Your eyes are bleary- you can hardly make out any of the details, “Wait, is that Drop-In alive?”“I think he is! Looks Terran too. He’s all yours, Mike!”Terran- that means from Earth, right? What the hell is going on?You see a gentle purple glow climbing towards you. Thinking fast, you pull the rusted spear that almost made you into a shish kabob out from the pile of detritus you’re sitting on. Managing to yank it out, you wield it to the best of your limited ability.
>>6126579“Woah kid, no need for that,” the purple-glowing man says, coming into view as he scales the hill of trash to meet you. He seems older, maybe in his forties, with a disheveled head of black hair, a greasy goatee, and a scar over his left eye. His clothes seem ratty- a torn t-shirt and blue jeans covered by a tan trenchcoat riddled with clumsy patchwork repairs, “Let’s talk this out like civilized people, shall we?”His words aren’t uncannily translated like the others: instead, he seems to be speaking real, genuine English.“Who are you? Where are we?”“Name’s Mike. Mike Arthurs.” He answers, pulling a thick, pitch-black cigarette from the inside pocket of his coat. “As for where we are, well, there’s not a great answer for that. The people here just call this place the MAW.”“The MAW?”“That’s right,” he pauses for a moment to take a drag of smoke before continuing, “Belly of some sorta interdimensional predator. Not as bad as it sounds, but definitely not good.”“W-what?” “Look kid, it’s a long story. Let’s get you cleaned up first- oh, and most of this stuff goes to the government, but that bag seems like it’s yours, so feel free to keep it.”Your eyes widen, only now remembering the strap slung over your shoulder.“I never caught your name.” He prompts you to introduce yourself.>Write in: what’s your name? Default: Ben Miller“Also, what’s in the bag?” (All <Standard> stats default at 5, giving no modifier to checks and dcs. Each point higher or lower than 5 will give that modifier to all checks.)>Your football gear (+2 Athletics, -1 Wits)>Your reference books (+2 Wits, -1 Knack)>Your whittling supplies (+2 Knack, -1 Charm)>Your instrument (+2 Charm, -1 Athletics)>Weird occult stuff (+1 ???. -1 all other stats)>Write-in (+1 to any normal stat)
>>6126581>Your football gear (+2 Athletics, -1 Wits)HUT HUT!
>>6126581>Name: Teddy Roosevelt. No relation>Your instrument (+2 Charm, -1 Athletics)Y'all ever hear a THERAMIN before?
>Name?Chad Torchwick>What's in your bag? Football gear (+2 Athletics, -1 Wits)
>>6126581>Name: Brad Masters>>Your football gear (+2 Athletics, -1 Wits)>>Your football gear (+2 Athletics, -1 Wits)
Rolled 3 (1d3)Seems like football gear wins, rolling now for name
>>6126600+1 if it's not too late
>>6126585>>6126594>>6126595>>6126643>Your football gear (+2 Athletics, -1 Wits)“Brad.” You say, using the spear to bring yourself to your feet, “Brad Masters.”Mike laughs, a raspy smoker’s cackle resounding through your pounding head, “Seriously dude?”“Seriously.”“Badass. Anyway, you never did say what was in the bag.”“Football stuff, mostly. I was on my way to practice when I.. fell?”“Got eaten more like, but close enough. So, we got ourselves a football star, eh?”“Not really.” You clarify, too dazed for fabrications, “We kinda suck.”He shrugs, “Still, you seem pretty well built. Muscle serves you well down here.”Your mom always told you that you had a better future focusing on academics than wasting your life away on sports. You showed her, you guess.“I’m keeping the spear.” You declare, using it as a walking stick to make your way down from the peak of the trash heap. Mike shrugs, “Well, that's fine. The metal’s pretty valuable, but Drop-Ins usually get to keep whatever they fall in with. Spear looks Albian, but hey, who's counting?”“..Isn’t that your job?”“Well, you had it when I got here. This is probably the worst day of your life, so, I’d rather not act like a dick.”“..thanks.”“Don’t mention it, kid. Anyway, let’s get you registered.”Holding you by the arm, he leads you down the pile. Making conversation, he decides to ask you a question. “So kid-”“Brad.” You interrupt.“So, Brad.” He corrects, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, “What position you play?”>Center (Gain Knack skill- Aim)>Guard (Gain Athletics skill- Intercept)>Tackle (Gain Athletics skill- Slam)>Quarterback (Gain Charm skill- Leadership)>Runningback (Gain Athletics skill- Rush)>Wide Receiver (Gain Athletics skill- Dash)>Bench Warmer (Gain Wits skill- Keen Eye)
>>6126648>Center (Gain Knack skill- Aim)Spearmaster built is go.
>>6126648>Quarterback (Gain Charm skill- Leadership)I feel like this might be pretty handy as THE protag..
>>6126648>CenterI was convinced, spears are cool
>>6126648>>Quarterback (Gain Charm skill- Leadership)We may as well go all in frankly, tho they all seem fine
Rolled 1 (1d2)Flipping a coin to break the tie- 1 for center and 2 for quarterback
>>6126650>>6126653>>6126655>>6126663>Character sheet: https://rentry.org/masters-character-sheet>Center (Gain Knack skill- Aim)>Aim (Knack):Grants a number of bonus die to all (Athletics) or (Knack) checks that involve precision aiming equal to the level of this skill + your (Knack) modifier (Minimum of 1)“Center.” You say, clutching the spear in your hands a little tighter as you remember getting stiffed for quarterback. “Cool.” Mike replies, seemingly lacking anything else to say on the matter, “What year is it up there, anyway?”“2024.” You reply.“Shit, really?”“Why, when did you fall?”“1994.”“Oh, you must have been young. I’m sorry about that.”“Actually, it was only 5 years ago for me. Time.. works a little differently in the Maw.”“Time goes slower here?”“Sometimes. Not always. Oh, right, before we get down to the others, I have to warn you in advance: a lot of the people here aren’t exactly.. human. Or even human looking. There’s no monsters on level zero- that’s where we are- so don’t start stabbing unless they’re obviously hostile.”You nod, and, once you make your way to the bottom, you find yourself grateful that you followed his advice: you’re met with some sort of massive invertebrate creature, its brilliant golden carapace only adorned with an awkwardly fitting black necktie. It moves its asymmetrical crab-like claws with shocking dexterity, writing some illegible characters (though the handwriting seems pristine) down on what looks like a miniature clay tablet using a stylus.
>>6126723The creature’s mandibles twitch as it releases a series of clicks and wet gargles that, while barely even recognizable as a form of communication on an auditory level, you recognize it instinctively as a feminine voice.“Name and occupation?” It asks.“Brad. Masters. Student.”“Athlete-” Mike corrects, “He’s a bit more modern, boss.” He turns to you, explaining: “Student has implications down here.”..Is he calling you stupid? Doesn’t really matter, but you can’t help but feel a little offended.“I understand. Temporary housing will be provided until you either settle into a permanent residence or attempt to Climb.”“How do you guys do day and night down here?”“Oh, right, you’re new. The Lining glows for about, what would it be in Terran time?”“20 hours, give or take. Then it stops for another 20. That means, in effect, days here are twice as long as they are on earth. Albian time is about the same as ours, but our chitinous friends here are pretty happy with it. Their days are about 43 hours Terran time.”“So, he really is a Terran? I assumed based on his apparel, but it really is quite odd to see three in a row.”“..is it that weird?” You ask.“A vast majority of Drop-Ins are Albian.” the bug lady explains.“Albians.. I guess if I had to make a comparison, it’s kinda like Middle Earth from Lord of the Rings?” Mike elaborates, “It’s not that similar, but, uh, they have elves and dwarves and stuff. Technology level is around high medieval. Ah, also, don’t call them ‘Albians’ to their face too much. They prefer ‘Children of the Gods’. It’s a religious thing.”You haven’t read those books, and you thought the movie was kinda boring, but it’s a fantasy world, you get the gist.“So, (Masters),” the bug lady says some series of clicks that obviously isn’t your name, but somehow you hear it as if it were, “You will receive a weekly allowance during your 30 day trial period of adjustment time, but after that you will need to work for your keep. For now, though, please rest and take your time adjusting down here. Once your ID is issued, you may begin to either Climb or seek employment.”“And, uh, when is that?”“It should be prepared in around 144 hours- or, if you prefer, three and a half days.”“Oh, so, what do I do until then?”She hands you a pouch containing 20 coins- ten copper, 14 silver, and one gold.“This is your weekly stipend. We have already arranged for temporary housing in the Terran district, but it will take some time to prepare. You may explore during the day.”>Ask more questions>Explore the city>Look for something to eat>Fast forward until your ID is issued>Write-in
>>6126726>Explore the city
>>6126726Small typo, should be 30 coins instead of 20
>>6126735And here I was thinking it was just our innate athlete being unable to add up 25 coins
>>6126736Nope, should be a total of 15 coppers, 14 silvers, and 1 gold- that -1 Wits hit me harder than it hit Masters
>>6126726>Explore the cityGet our bearings. Holy shit, this is a lot to take in, right?
>>6126726>explore the city
>>6126733>>6126739>>6126740>Explore the city“You ok, kid?” Mike asks, “You’re looking a little pale.”“I’m fine,” you lie, “Just need a little walk around to clear my head. You said I was gonna live in the, uh, Terran something?”“Terran district,” the boss explains, “Though it’s a little.. politically incorrect to call it that.”“Officially,” Mike explains, “This place, the bottom or ground floor of the Maw, has five distinct Districts. The whole thing is a nearly perfect circle, which makes life convenient for mapmakers, except for this place right here: Black District, colloquially called the Gut. This is where garbage, and occasionally people, get dumped after they get eaten. Once a month, every month, occasionally with a couple days of leeway. Compasses don’t work, but the Black district is due north by convention.”“A month down here is thirty days.” the bug lady clarifies, “There are no seasons, for obvious reasons.”“And, uh, the other four?”“Easiest to explain and due south of here is the Blue District, colloquially the Lyxish District. Lyx is the empire that the lady here comes from, some sorta futuristic utopian civilization. Their tech is neat, but it doesn’t work down here at all, so it’s a bit useless.”“Certain quantum phenomena are completely unable to occur down here,” She explains, “Because of this, primitive Albian artifacts and most Terran technology are functional, but even the simplest Lyxish devices are completely and utterly nonfunctional.”“Wow, that really sucks,” you give your condolences, not really knowing what else to say.“Don’t feel too bad,” Mike reassures you, “The gravity of the Maw is earthlike- almost half of what you might find on Lyx. Down here, they’re basically superhuman.”“Anyway,” he continues, “southwest is the Gold District- Terrans, or earthlings, whatever you like, and southeast is the White District, Albian turf. Of the three, the White district is the biggest and the Gold district is the smallest.”“And in the center is the Red District- or the commercial district. It’s the biggest of all five, and it’s where most stuff is. Additionally, it’s where the Serpent’s Tower is.”“Serpent’s tower?”“Yep. Once you leave here, you can’t miss it- big red tower with a snake carved on the outside. Real obvious.”
>>6126755“Uh, thanks for the tip.” You say, “Where do I go now?”“Wherever you want. Exit’s right over there.” He gestures to a massive iron fence situated to your right. With a grateful nod, you follow the path to it.Opening the gate, you see the accuracy of the district names: brilliant white, yellow, and blue lights flicker through the darkness as you look down upon the city. Though some structures, especially in the Blue district, tower high enough to match some large apartment complexes back on earth, all pale in comparison to the colossal tower overlooking the center of the city: a faintly glowing ruby pillar, wide enough to fit an entire block inside, juts into the sky, its top disappearing into the fleshy roof of the Maw’s ground floor. Coiling around it is an ornately carved, almost lifelike crystal serpent, its tail forming the base of the structure and its head arrogantly watching over the entire city.You can’t suppress a sigh, stricken by awe at the fantastical sight. Honestly, even though you know it has to be real, you still can’t shake the notion that this is all a dream.>Head to the Red District>Head to the Gold District>Head to the Blue District>Head to the White District
>>6126757>Head to the Gold District
>>6126757>>Head to the Red District
>>6126757>Head to the Gold DistrictStart slow. Get used to this new, uh, normal. Maybe lock down a job if we're really, truly stuck in this gut.
>>6126757> Red District
>>6126757>Gold DistrictSave best for last
>>6126781>>6126806>>6126898>>6126908>>6127144>Head to the Gold DistrictYou begin the trek down from the Black District to the city below- the closer you get, the bigger you realize this place is. It’ll take hours, maybe even multiple days for you to walk all the way from here to the Gold District. Eventually, as you reach the base of the hill leading up to the Gut, you see.. a bus stop? And not even like, the fantasy equivalent, it’s literally a modern metal bus stop structure. The only difference is the symbol for the bus: rather than what you’re accustomed to, it seems almost more like an elongated palanquin. You see a large, blue-glowing bug dressed in a tie, bowler hat, and a strap for his satchel, similar in appearance to the boss from the trash heap. You decide to take this opportunity and see if they know what’s going on.“Uh.. what is this place?” you ask as casually as possible.“Airbus stop. Hang on a minute-” He replies, adjusting his hat to get a better look at you, “Are you the new drop-in?”“Oh, uh, I guess, yeah.”“A Terran again? What are the odds?”“Is it really that unusual?”“Yeah, you usually only get one for every, ten, twenty Albians? Regardless, you almost never see two in a row, let alone three.”Damn, that is weird.“Anyway, for the airbus, do you need a pass or something?”“Paying the fee is fine too. Oh, here it comes.”You look over the horizon, and are shocked at how accurate the term ‘Skybus’ was- it’s literally an old city bus, with the wheels remodeled as landing gear and large metal handles jutting out from the front. Four massive insects, more reminiscent of beetles than your mantis-esque friend here, seem to be carrying it around, two in front of the vehicle and two in the back.“Woah,” you say on reflex, “They must be really strong.”“Oh, no, there’s a Weightlessness Charm placed on the skybusses.” The Lyxish gentleman- whose name of clicks and gargles you decided to translate as Randy- explains, “The pilots are just there to move it from stop to stop. Speaking of which..”The beetles set down the bus, the wheels flipping to a grounded configuration as it approaches the concrete bus platform. The scene is surreal, but you’ve become numb to it, dropping one silver coin into the payment box as instructed and taking a seat next to your new acquaintance on the empty bus.“So, headed to Blue District?” you ask, trying to make conversation.“Actually no, Gold. I’m a bit of a unique case.”He unfurls a newspaper from his suitcase, and you spend the ride enjoying the view of the city.About half an hour and a few stops at Blue District later, you find yourself at your intended destination- the first Gold stop. You and Randy file off the bus, with him giving a tip of his hat to the pilots and you awkwardly following suit by nodding.
>>6127263Gold District isn’t like you expected it to be, or at least this area isn’t: brilliant electric streetlights, modern in tech but gothic in style, line an asphalt road. The whole district seems to have a layer of concrete covering the natural fleshy terrain of the Maw, but, despite the relative familiarity of the planning, the buildings are an anomaly: you see modern apartment complexes sitting right next to Roman style architecture, next to traditional chinese housing, and so on. The whole thing seems to be a massive hodge-podge of not just places, but also time periods, with some of the styles (particularly brutalism and some traditional aesthetic) being fused together to varying effect.The smell of cooking meat hits your nose- you forgot how hungry you were- but before you can investigate, you hear a shout coming from your left.“You must be the drop-in!”The voice is female and, surprisingly, in English, but it has a distinct accent to it that’s hard to place. You turn your head and see her- a short girl, maybe a foot shorter than you, with an oversized wide-brim wizard’s hat and a head of messy silver hair. She radiates a muddy red light, fluctuating with her heavy breathing as she recovers from running over to you,“I’m Eleanor! Or at least, that’s my Terran name, haha. Nice to meet you!”She seems nervous, like a kid at their first job interview. Your eyes wander over to her unnaturally elongated ears.“Are you.. an elf?”“Hmm? Oh, yes, that is what your kind calls us. This all must be really confusing for you. I’m.. really sorry. Anyway, uh, if you have some time to chat-”“I wouldn’t get wrapped up with this one, kid.” Randy interrupts with a sigh, “There’s a reason she’s here in the Gold District and not her hometown.”“L-like you’re one to talk, (Randy).” She shoots back, somehow pronouncing his Lyxish name almost flawlessly, “I never did anything to anyone. You’re a killer.”“Still, the consequences for being around me aren’t nearly as severe as that of fraternizing with a Witch.”She stiffens, seemingly having dreaded the title coming up, “Don’t listen to him! Magic is normal down here!”“Not your kind.”You seem to be missing a lot of context here. What should you say?>”Uh.. I should go. Got a whole city to explore.” (Look for an exit)>”If she isn’t hurting anyone, what’s the problem?” (Side with Eleanor)>”..I think you should leave, elf.” (Side with Randy)>”Let’s calm down and talk this out.” (Attempt to diffuse the situation, requires a Charm roll)>”Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” (Ask for more clarification)>Write-in
>>6127263Quick clarification- airbus and skybus are interchangeable. The proper term is Lyxish, and the words for 'air' and 'sky' in their tongue are identical, hence a bit of confusion for the translator
>>6127265>The fuck's a Witch? (clarification)Also murderers are based, (Randy) is our guy
>>6127265>”Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” (Ask for more clarification)
>>6127282>”Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” (Ask for more clarification)Also +1 with >>6127282, if possible. What's a Witch and what's with this forbidden form of magic?
>>6127265Wrong reply*
>>6127265>”Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” (Ask for more clarification)Wait, so Randy killed someone? Like murder, or... Uh, war or self-defense or something? And what exactly makes Eleanor's magic so sinister?
>>6127282>>6127328>>6127571>>6127576>”Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” (Ask for more clarification)“And what the hell is a Witch? Isn’t that just a female wizard or something?”Randy shakes his head, “No. To the ‘Children of the Gods’, magic is their divine gift, a tool for their lonely children to compete with the beasts and monsters of their world. In effect, Mages are almost like a mix between mathematicians and theologians- though some have more interesting perspectives on the divine than a clergyman might.”“..and a Witch?”“A Devil worshiper.”“T-that’s not true!” Eleanor interrupts, “A Witch is just.. how do I explain this.. oh, right, so, it’s like this!”She pulls out a pad and paper, doodling a clumsy and probably intentionally unflattering picture of Randy, fit with an anatomically incorrect pair of angry eyebrows.“It’s like an upset Randy?”“What? No- see, I drew a picture, right? I took this idea, and I communicated it without words, right? So, like, imagine if language was a gift from the gods. What would people think about pictures then? About bypassing the divine revelation of <Language> and communicating with pictures instead?”“They’d see it as a sin, I guess?”“That’s right! But, you don’t believe in that.. p-probably, right? So, like, you don’t see anything wrong with pictures!”“She’s leaving out the fact that using Witchcraft degrades your soul and makes you evil.”“That’s just a myth!” She turns to you, her face flushed with anger, “Seriously, it’s not true!”“Regardless of the rationality of the matter, Witchcraft is the ultimate heresy among Albians. So much so that if an Albian finds out that you and her are even associated, there’s a very real possibility of being banned from the White district. That’s what happened to me, anyway.”They did seem like they knew each other. Are they friends or something?
>>6127681“Do you two know each other?”“She and I are known as the Exiles. We’re the only two people in the entire Maw banned from their home district but still allowed to live here on the Ground floor. She lives here in the Multicultural quadrant of the Gold District, and I live amongst the People of the Book, about half a day’s walk south.”“W-we’ve been looking for a third person to Climb with us, but, uh, people don’t wanna get banned from half the ground floor, so we’ve been kinda.. stuck.”“You’re better off not sticking around us, kid.”Eleanor rushes forward, keeping you in place by the hem of your shirt.“P-please stay! I’ll do whatever you want- I can teach you magic! Well, you don’t seem like you really have the bra- still you could learn it! Or Aura- like, the knight version of magic, I could teach you that! That seems like a good deal, right?”You look to Randy for confirmation, and he gives a slight nod, “Back before she got caught practicing Witchcraft, they apparently called her “Eternal Novice Eleanor”- she knows all the theory and could probably teach it just fine, she just lacks the natural talent for both magic and swords. Still, you could hire an instructor just as good for a couple gold a week once you start working.”Eleanor shoots Randy a look of betrayal, but he replies with an unrepentant shrug."Take it from someone who knows, pal, you don't want to become a pariah on your first day."This is a lot to take in. Before you make any commitments, you’d like to know more about..>Witchcraft and Magic>The quadrants of the Gold District>Why Randy got exiled>What the consequences would be for joining them>Nothing, actually, you’ve made your choice (join or decline)>Write-in
>>6127683>Why Randy got exiledMaw QM is Olympus QM?!
>>6127683Ha whoops, forgot to change names. Well, the art style was the same anyway so it wasn't exactly a secret. Still, my bad for breaking the immersion for those who hadn't already figured it out
>>6127683>Why Randy got exiled>What they mean by climb
>>6127796>What they mean by climbGood idea, adding that to >>6127691>>6127683
>>6127691>>6127796>>6127806>What ‘Climbing’ means>Why Randy got exiled“So, she keeps asking me to ‘Climb’, what does that mean?”“Well, exactly what it sounds like.” Randy answers, “You know they call this place the Ground Floor, right?”You nod, and he continues, “That means there are more floors than that. A party of 3 to 6 people enters the Serpent’s Tower, and they go to the first floor. Then you find the next staircase, climb to the second, over and over again until you reach the top.”“So you need a specific number of people?”Eleanor answers this time, “Y-yeah, and, well, the <Maw> is different for every party that tries to climb. Of course, modifications can be made, but, um, the only way for somebody to be ejected from a party without completely disbanding it is for them to die, so, it’s a bit of a commitment.”“And a disbanded party loses all progress in the Maw.” Randy adds, “So if you start climbing with us, make it up a few floors, and then decide to change your mind, all three of us will need to agree, and even if we do, you’ll have to start from the bottom all over again.”“People are really upset at you guys, huh.” You say, unable to understand why these seemingly decent people are so despised, “So, I get why Eleanor was exiled, but what about you? Did you really kill someone?”“Among other things.”“..What other things?”“Assaulting an officer, evading law enforcement, resisting arrest, obstruction of justice.. really it goes on and on.”“H-he’s just trying to make himself look bad!” Eleanor interjects, “You should tell him what really happened!”He sighs, rummaging for something in his satchel for a moment and mumbling to himself before beginning:“I promised Father Garibaldi to be honest about this, so I suppose I have no choice." His eyes swivel, focusing intently on you, "You haven’t been down here long, so you probably don’t know, but every sentient Lyxish species is a little bit psychic.”“Woah, really?” You gasp, “So you can, like, read minds?”
>>6128070“Well, I said a little bit. For most of us, it basically amounts to a heightened sense of empathy- instead of just sympathizing with what other people are experiencing and replicating it in your own body, a Lyxish mind can literally feel other people’s emotions, pain, and joy. Because of this, the crime rate in the Lyxish Federation is almost zero, and the poverty rate is even lower. Letting another member of your kind live on the street is anathema to us.“But, like all traits, the extent of this effect is genetic. How much you can sense others- and how much others can sense you- is determined at birth. Furthermore, the heritability of this is almost nothing; it’s impossible to predict what a child would be like based on the sensitivity of their parents.“Some are born with sensitivity so powerful that they can do far more than what we consider normal- they can commune with and control others, animals, and even objects. Due to their heightened empathy, these individuals are also often the kindest of our species. ‘True Psychics’ like that are rare though, less than one in a million. So rare that, in the entire existence of the Maw, we’ve only ever seen one get swallowed.“Even rarer than that are ‘Null Children’, born without any sensitivity at all. They are inscrutable- one cannot sense their emotions, and they cannot feel the emotions of others. Even though this is considered normal among your kind, in our culture, such individuals are.. terminated immediately after being born because of the threat they can pose to society. They would abort if possible, but a child only ever awakens to their sensitivity after hatching.”He pauses, his tone and expression dripping with melancholy. You put a reassuring hand on his arm, and he continues:“My son, my pride and joy, my very first, he.. was insensitive. I tried, I tried everything I could but I-”“It’s ok.” you say, “I understand.”>Witchcraft and Magic>The quadrants of the Gold District>Lyxish Society>What the consequences would be for joining them>Nothing, actually, you’ve made your choice (join or decline)>Write-in
>>6128071>What's the point of climbing? Can a person get home that way?
>>6128071>>6128273+1, What does it mean to get to the top?Also curious about the other quadrants but that can take the backseat for now
>>6128071>>6128334 +1
>>6128273>>6128334
>>6128642Sorry, +1
>>6128273>>6128334>>6128438>>6128643>Why Climb?“What happens if you make it to the top?” You ask, “Does it mean you get to go home?”“It can,” Randy answers, “According to legend, everyone who makes it to the top gets one wish from the Devourer. The thing that ate us in the first place.”“It’s not just a Myth.” Eleanor corrects, “I’ve spoken to people who were around when the Trailblazers escaped the Maw.”“The Trailblazers?”Randy nods, “The first and only party to ever make it to the top. But that’s just a legend.”“It isn’t.” Eleanor declares, “The [r]Serpent’s Tower[/r] is proof of that.”“Was it not always there?”Eleanor shakes her head, “When they made it to the top- back then they just assumed it was how you could get home- the Devourer offered each of the Trailblazers a request as a reward for their persistence. Their captain wished to liberate the entire ground floor, but, obviously, the Devourer rejected that. After all, we are his food, and though he could afford six losses, he could not afford thousands. So, he offered a compromise- a method to make climbing up the Maw a lot easier. That is what the Tower is.”“But,” Randy interjects, “It was a trick. Sure, the Tower makes climbing a lot easier, but it also makes it easier to quit. The ability to give up and go home at any time without losing your progress, the ability to use the lower floors to safely and reliably gather resources and make money, the Gifts you receive by reporting to the tower on every new floor.. it all makes it more and more tantalizing to give up on the deadly, nigh impossible hope of escape and live comfortably in the Maw until your will burns out.”“Well, um, that’s one interpretation,” Eleanor sighs, “Others say he had no ill will at all, that it was the Trailblazer Captain’s idea, and that human laziness is at fault.”“The floors get exponentially more deadly and, ever since that first escape, no party of Climbers has ever made it past the 40th floor. It’s essentially a suicide mission.”“But, it’s also the only way home.”
>>6128720>Note: You will not age within the Maw. Instead, you will only die due to Injury, Disease, or a loss of Will.>Your Will to live is represented in two aspects: your will to Stay and your will to Escape. The difficulty and availability of certain actions may be affected by these values. Additionally, various actions or events may impact your Will.>Every day that passes, the Maw will devour one point of Will from your highest current Aspect. Should both values drop below 20, [r]you will die.[/r]Stay: 20/100Escape: 80/100“..Why do you guys want to go home so badly?” You ask, “Aren’t you guys both persecuted?”“U-um, actually, I was going to wish for us all to go to Terra!” Eleanor declares.Looking between her and Randy, you imagine that she could probably pass if she covers her ears, but..“Um, I think Randy might stand out a bit.”“Obviously, I was going to use my wish to become human. I.. can’t trust myself to wish for anything else.”You give an understanding nod.“T-that means, if you climb with us, you can use your wish for whatever you want! Money, power, fame-”“A bigger phallus.” Randy interrupts.“Randy! That’s inappropriate!”“It’s not my fault are so invested in that sort of thing.” Randy shrugs, “Lyxish women have Ovipositors, so I don’t have a-”“Shutupshutupshutupshutu-”“Uh, I guess I’ll think about it for a bit.” you cut her off.It seems like, with these guys or otherwise, you’ve found your ticket home. Though, based on what Mike said earlier, you don’t know if things will be the same if or when you get back home.“I can give you free lessons! No strings attached!” Eleanor offers, “Swordsmanship- or, uh, I guess spearmanship? Not the point- I could teach you magic, whatever you want! Humans learn pretty fast, you know?”“Honestly kid, I’m just waiting for another person like us to join- you have prospects. You’d be better off somewhere else.”>Witchcraft and Magic>The quadrants of the Gold District>Lyxish Society>Albian martial skills>Nothing, actually, you’ve made your choice (join or decline)>Write-in
>>6128721Whoops, messed up the formatting a bit. Does this work?
>>6128721These guys are cool and probably our climbing party, but we may want to check out the other districts first before we get black-listed, get those supplies, maybe an Albian spear that's not rustedWe can always come back and join them
>>6128721>Write-InCheck out the other districts first, starting with the Terran district.Get a way to get in touch with these guys before we go though.Let's see how much our stuff would sell for while we're at it, in terms of like...I don't know, a standard set of adventurer gear. Which brings up the question of what sorts of things exactly climbers face. Is it monsters? Traps? Tests and puzzles? Reality warping? Maybe let's make this our last question to these two.
>>6128721>>6128723 +1
