A whole new world

[aestrix]

There is a forest that likes to pretend that it's ordinary. It isn't, it's quite bizarre. Every night, in fact, zombies and other horrible monsters swarm this place, looking for people to kill. Not that they've found anyone, the forest itself is quite empty of residents. But they search anyway, during the night, shambling and groaning and occasionally leaving body parts lying around. Those disappear pretty quickly, but it still happens. Then the day comes, and they depart to who knows where, swearing (if mindless monsters could think, or in fact swear to anything in particular) that they'l be back the next night. Repeat ad nauseum.

It's currently in the day portion of this cycle of directionless attempts at violence. Maybe this day will be different from all of the others.

But then, probably not, it's a very boring island without anyone here.

Comments

[greatestgift]

"Yeah, so I've heard."

[aestrix]

"Greetings, Sable. Is there something I can help you with?"

[greatestgift]

"You could try being less of a pain in the butt," she grumps.

[aestrix]

"They say there is a person who will tell you how to survive in this land... oh wait. That's me."

[greatestgift]

"I'm done here," she sighs, and she goes out and blocks up his door again and starts trying to figure out a sensible way to organize her various resources. It's a pity there don't seem to be any recognizable desks available in her crafting repertoire. But there is something called a 'Dresser' that has a respectable number of drawers visible in its little picture...

Dressers turn out to be a decent organized storage option. No way to label the drawers for now, but she remembers what they're all for.

[aestrix]

The dressers are happy to be of service. It's not technically what they're there for, but they don't mind. Helps that they're inanimate.

The rest of the day's pretty quiet. It's up to her if she wants to go out star hunting or not that night.

[greatestgift]

She is grumpy and sore and does not feel like ground-ripping any more zombies. She stays in with her nice cozy bed and her nice cozy campfire.

In the morning, she considers trying to have another conversation with Dylan, and then decides to go exploring instead. Keeping a careful eye out for purple things so she can avoid going anywhere near them.

[aestrix]

There are more caves, and more pots, and more bizarre biomes. Snow, for instance. Even though there is also still a desert on this island.

The crazy cube land is not going to stop being crazy and cubelandy.

[greatestgift]

"Okay," she says, glaring at the snow, "the desert was one thing, but I shouldn't be able to take two steps and enter a different season."

[aestrix]

The snow has no comment on this. There is a very abrupt border between forest and snow, though.

[greatestgift]

She can step from one to the other and feel the change in air temperature, or stand back and feel it with groundsense. It's deeply bizarre.

No point standing around staring at it for an hour, though. She keeps exploring.

[aestrix]

Eventually: there is a building, ahead. It is made of stone and looks ominous.

There's an old man standing outside of it. He looks very tired.

[greatestgift]

Sable checks with groundsense. This one doesn't have a mind, either.

She sighs and starts examining the outside of the building, making no attempt to interact with the old man.

[aestrix]

The old man makes no attempt to interact with her. He's got red eyes. They glow a bit.

There is a somewhat elaborate entranceway to the building. It's a sturdy thing, almost castle-like in appearance. But it's not particularly big - at least, not on the surface. Groundsense proves that it goes deep, deep down below.

It's not like the corruption, it does not say murder murder murder. It doesn't hate her. But there is a something in there, guarding the place. It does not feel like a nice something, and it feels connected to the old man, over there.

[greatestgift]

...Sable sighs to herself. Whatever that is, she's the nearest Lakewalker and it's her responsibility to do something about it. The same with the corruption, really.

Which means she should probably talk to the mindless old man.

She approaches him, sword in hand in case he turns out to be a more hostile sort of mindless person-thing than she's used to.

[aestrix]

He doesn't look to be hostile. He looks to be - tired. Worn. More of a shell than the other mindless person-things. He looks at Sable with hollow eyes.

"My master cannot be summoned under the light of day," he says hoarsely, monotone.

[greatestgift]

"Is your master the horrible thing in the big creepy stone place?"

[aestrix]

"Please, no, stranger. You'll only get yourself killed," he murmurs.

[greatestgift]

"Do you have anything useful to say?"

[aestrix]

"I cannot let you enter until you free me of my curse." He motions to the door to the place.

[greatestgift]

"...And is your curse the horrible thing that's in there?"

[aestrix]

"Defeat my master, and I will grant you passage into the Dungeon," he informs.

[greatestgift]

"Uh-huh. Bye," she says, and she heads back home. To (ugh) ask Dylan about it.

"What's the big stone building with the red-eyed mindless old man and the horrible thing?"

[aestrix]

"There is a old dungeon not far from here. Your current equipment simply won't do. You need to make better armor."

[greatestgift]

"We've been over this. It would be a lot easier if you'd tell me what I should be making better armor out of, and how, and where to find it."