Siabsungkoh (SAB-sung-koh) is a land of rural valleys and lush jungles, criss-crossed by well-kept roads and surrounded by jagged mountains. Its people - mostly humans, with significant numbers of dragonborn, gnomes, kobolds, and orcs - owe their existence to the spirits of the land and have traditionally held tight bonds to nature, but to encourage trade, Siabsungkoh's ruling families have expanded the Dyn Singh Night Market, pushing it into the center of local life. Trade and enterprise has always been part of Siabsungkoh's culture, with families spending generations developing reputations for their expertise in specific trades or fields, and this move has attracted traders from far-off lands. However, the markets are also rife with competition and underhanded politics, and many fear that Siabsungkoh is losing its connection to the natural world.
The Dyn Singh Night Market dominates Siabsungkoh's valley, but those that don't care for its bureaucracy and crowds live in the Outer Edges, at the base of the mountains. Outer Edges communities are self-sufficient and attuned to nature; the merchants here are either those too small or niche to compete in the market district or those selling dark magic or dodgy merchandise. Many in the Outer Edges leave cut mangoes in streams as offerings to the spirits, and many animals are considered to be the spirits' messengers - especially tut-krogh caterpillars, which produce iridescent silk as they transform to tea-moths, and pangolins, which are said to comfort souls in times of hardship.
According to Siabsunhkoh's oldest legend, a sorcerer named Phi Maynoon climbed Avryn Mountain many years ago to plead the nature spirits for protection from invaders from the west and south. The spirits raised the mountains around the valley, blocking the invasion, but this was at the cost of Phi's life. Believers climb the mountain to leave offerings of food and drink on the cliffside, and druidic communities live on the mountain to serve as the people's connection to the spirits. It is among those communities that Valerie lives now.
It is evening. From the mountainside, Valerie can see most of the valley, and the soft, blue-purple glow of the bioluminscent lau-pop flower is just beginning to show, blushing across the mountains and the greenery at its base - though not in the cleared market district. Valerie hears the rustle of leaves before one of the other druids comes into view - Pathma, a middle-aged orc with her white hair in a long braid.
"Valerie," Pathma says softly. "Velguardr is asking for you. Are you busy?"
Welcome to the game! Please take the opportunity to introduce Valerie and whatever she's doing. Whatever information you want to provide is fine!
Valerie is tending to some of the flowers. She's always had a fascination with how delicate and beautiful they are, and spends a lot of time amongst the fields if she can. Though as her eyes wander over the market district, she gives a small sigh-it's good to be connected to the world, but at the cost of such beauty? It feels wrong, to her at least.
She is currently in one of her usual appearances-that of a relatively tall halfling woman. Her hair is a long and flowing blonde, her eyes a deep green, and her skin a deep tan. She stands from her cross-legged position, and turns to face Pathma. "I've always time for them," she replies. "But especially when I'm not doing much of note. Are they in one of their usual spots?"
Pathma cries out in pain as her braid suddenly snaps backward into the air behind her head. She swings a hand backwards, and Valerie hears a familiar squeal as it nears but doesn't quite touch her braid. The braid falls limp, and from mid-air appears a wynling - a winged, furred fey the size of a small housecat. They are among the fairies that protect the mountains, using their powers of invisibility to harass and misdirect their enemies...and cause mischief.
"How many times do I have to tell you?!" Pathma waves a fist as the wynling flies away, snickering. "Stop grabbing my hair!"
Pathma sighs and looks back at Valerie. "Sorry, where was I? Velguardr's been acting...hmm. It's hard to say exactly. Preoccupied, I suppose, but I don't know why. They're waiting at the entrance to Saan's cave."
Saan is the guardian spirit of the mountain, and is said to reside within a cave at the mountain's top. Most people in Siabsunhkoh know Saan's cave as a place where relationships are tested, but the druids use it to meditate and connect with Saan.
She stifles a giggle when the faerie tugs on Pathma's hair. It's funny when it happens to others-but it's happened to Valerie too, and she doesn't want to add to the indignity. "Preoccupied?" Valerie asks, walking with Pathma towards Saan's cave. "That... The way you say it, seems worrisome. I'm not sure how much I can really help, though I'll try as best I can."
Taking a moment to listen to the spirits, Valerie thinks on what she knows of events that might be troubling her parent.
Casting Guidance to help an Intelligence check. Um, how do I properly use the dice roller?
Now that Valerie thinks about it, Velguardr has been acting like something's been on their mind lately, but they haven't shared their concerns with Valerie. The state of the mountain or the druid circle hasn't changed significantly, so it's likely something to do with the spiritual world rather than the physical one. Velguardr is extremely in-touch with the world of spirits, like many of the elder druids, but Velguardr is the only elder with significant experience outside of Siabsungkoh and how the spiritual world may change on other worlds. If they are concerned, however, they have not shared that concern with any of the other druids.
Valerie ascends to Saan's cave. Just inside the entrance, they find Velguardr, sitting on the ground and facing inward. Velguardr is spry enough to move about the mountain unaided, even at their venerable age, is alone. They look over their shoulder as Valerie approaches.
Velguardr says that about every day and every night, but somehow, it seems genuine every time. Velguardr extends a hand and pats the cave floor beside them. "Would you be kind enough to sit and chat with me a while? I have a favour to ask."
No need for an Intelligence check yet. As for the dice roller, I like to use hamete. Provide me an email and I'll set up a dice log for the game; the email is only used to access the log, so I recommend using a disposable email provider like YOPmail.
With a small laugh at their parent's continued admiration at the beauty of the world, Valerie takes a seat. "Of course it is. We're lucky to live in such a majestic part of the world-though from your stories, there's plenty of other places that are just as wonderful in their own ways."
She leans against Velguardr, giving the older druid a hug, and in response to the favor, says "I absolutely can. Whatever you need, I can do it!"
With others, Valerie might be a little hesitant to say yes to a favor. She'll always hear someone out, but sometimes, they ask more than she can do. But Velguardr knows her, and she knows them-they'd never ask for too much. If it seems like a daunting task, that's because they believe in her capability to rise to the challenge.
"Oh, yes!" Velguardr returns the hug and grins, eyes far away for a moment. "The things I've seen, and haven't seen. I'm lucky to have traveled so far and experienced so much. Everyone should have that opportunity...but so few do.
"Mm!" They blink and give their head a shake. "I got distracted. I'm sorry."
Velguardr rests their chin in one hand, elbow on knee. "Before I ask this favour, there's something more important to discuss. How are you, Valerie?" He grins warmly. "Have you learned any new, ah...tinkering techniques? I know this mountain isn't the best place to learn. Some of the other druids here are such sticks-in-the-mud about such things."
They whisper the last sentence, leaning in close to Valerie and giving her a conspiratorial smirk.
"Oh! I actually... Wait, wrong pocket," Valerie says, eagerly searching her various bits and bobs for the object she so desires. After a few hectic moments, she pulls out a mossy rock, with a smile carved faintly into the surface of the rock beneath the moss. "Give it a tap!"
She hands the rock to her parent, who obeys, tapping the rock on the top. It emits a surprisingly loud message, saying "You're doing great!"
Valerie blushes a little. "It's, uh, a bit of encouragement. I'm trying to get it to not be so loud, but I can make it happen pretty quickly. Like, um, here," she adds, and takes a single silver coin from her coinpurse. She whispers a message into it and taps it with her lockpicking set, and then hands it off. "Same deal to activate it."
When tapped, this one says (once again, too loudly) "I love you!"
Velguardr laughs, then lays an arm across Valerie's shoulders and pulls her close. "I love you too!" they chuckle. "And you are doing better than great. You grow wiser in the way of spirits every day, and no one here can match this tinkering. I truly don't know where you get it."
They hand the coin and rock back to her, but when she takes them, Velguardr clasps her hand in both of theirs. "I'm very proud of you, Valerie. Always remember that."
They smile warmly, then release Valerie's hand and lean back. "Now...if you don't mind, that brings me to my favour. I've been communing with the spirits, and I think there is a...what is the word for this?" Velguardr thinks for a moment. "A dark influence in Siabsungkoh. It is faint, now, but it could grow, if it has the chance to feed on grief, on betrayal, and on anger.
"This influence now lurks in the Night Market, in the valley. I would like you to find it and stop it. End the suffering that it would use to feed. I...am sorry to send you on this alone, but the other druids, I think...I think they could not find it in the Night Market. Is it too different from what they know. But you, Valerie, are clever...open-minded. Enough to find the influence, and wise enough to defeat it."
Velguardr smiles at Valerie. "Can you do this for me?"
"If you believe I can, I can," Valerie responds. "I feel like you know what I can do more than I know myself. But, if you happen to have any more information about what I might be facing, that can only help."
Inwardly, Valerie has a mix of feelings. She's happy that her parent is so confident in her, so complimentary of her skills. She's proud that she'd be chosen-and that comes with a bit of conflict. She knows she's not quite like the other acolytes, but is she better? Worse? Just different? It feels here like she's better, but she shouldn't look down on anyone else for not being chosen.
Outwardly, she only adds "Also, do you know how long this might take? Will I need to say any goodbyes, for now?"
"No, not yet." Velguardr shakes their head. "The darkness is small now, mere shadows. If you act quickly, I think you can stamp it out before it takes hold. I doubt it will take more than a few days, even with the walk into and out of the valley."
They place a hand on Valerie's shoulder and smile warmly. "Thank you for accepting my request. I'm sorry it's so sudden."
With a big smile back, Valerie says "You raised me to kindle the light and to do good where and when I can." She pulls Velguardr in for a hug, and when the brief contact is over, moves to gather the last of her supplies. "See you soon!" she adds before going out.
Once her supplies are in her pack, she says quick and temporary goodbyes to her friends and comrades. If asked, she doesn't elaborate too much on what she's doing-just telling them that Velguardr foresaw something spooky, and she's going to help handle it. On the path to the Night Market, she hums and whistles jauntily, mostly excited, only a little nervous.
The Dyn Singh Night Market is placed in the heart of the valley, where its roads cross. From the heights of Avyrn Mountain, it's a considerable walk, but at least it's downhill. The sparse, stubborn shrubbery of the mountaintop gives way to lush greenery, lit by the soothing, blue-purple glow of bioluminescent lau-pop flowers. At the base of the mountain are the Outer Edges, where farmers butt up against the wilderness. The old traditions, passed down by druids like Valerie, are still dominant here. Though she doesn't know them personally, Valerie knows the Preed family live here, who rail loudly - louder than any druid Valerie knows - that the land has grown angry at people's arrogance and will soon swallow Siabsungkoh whole.
The road takes Valerie along the streams that supply communities and flood certain crops. Placed on the shoreline, just under the water, are cut mangoes - offerings to the land's spirits. Occasionally, Valerie passes small independent merchants. On the road, she passes an old woman pushing a wheeled cart, whose sign identifies it as Nyvrn's Candy Cart and teases an array of magical and cursed candies; the many glass jars do not make clear which is which, nor does the woman's mischievous smile as she bids Valerie good evening. Crossing the center of one relatively large village, she passes Hiccup's Generally Nice Goods, a large and only slightly ramshackle building offering "discounted Sangarian rugs" and "semi-genuine Yongjing porcelain".
By the time Valerie reaches the Night Market, it is well into night. Fortunately, that is when the market is in full swing - when the cool air makes it easy to wander the crowds. Ever-changing and town-sized, the Dyn Singh Night Market is lit bright as day by hanging lights, both mundane and magical. Food vendors take center stage, selling noodles, seafood, pot stickers, and other delicacies from colourful stalls and carts. Also available are fine desserts, artisanal works, live entertainment, and overnight companions wearing little more than inviting smiles. Valerie is awash in the smells of coconut desserts, spiced meats, sweet buns, and others, and surrounded by the sounds of music, sizzling food, fast-talking hagglers.
I haven't given you the plot hook yet; if you want, I can do that in the next update, but you can take some time to explore the setting first if you'd prefer.
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