Sofia 2023/02/13(Mon)13:01 No. 1055940 ID: 0ba437
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You awaken with a gasp, sitting bolt upright. You had another dream about the mountain. This one felt so real you still feel like you're not sure if you're really awake, and not still staring into that fire pit, hundreds of miles up above the world. You shake your head, and with it the sensations of the dream begin to fade away.
The mountain remains clear in your mind. Ever since you can remember you've been able to see the gold beam of light, thin and barely visible, but on clear dark nights you can plainly see it. Stretching from beyond the horizon up into the heavens and out of sight.
It's clearer to some than to others, but everyone has heard the stories of the unsuccessful expeditions up the mountain to reach the thread. To this day nobody has ever managed to reach it, either giving up some distance up, or never returning again.
Your own father, a once well-known explorer, was one of the last people to attempt a climb up the mountain. You've not seen or heard from him since then, leaving you in the care of your older brother and sister.
Recently the three of you had discussed the possibility of going after him. You each argued and yelled and cried about it for several days. Ultimately it was decided that as the only one of the three who could see the light, the thing that he went looking for, it should be you.

The sun hasn't come up just yet, but you plan to leave soon. But before we go...

In your dream you remember these details:

you were a FEATHERKIN named MILLIE
Your pronouns were HE/HIM, and you had BOY BITS
Your favorite color was TEAL
Your casting implement was a REVOLVER
Your personal hope was to CLIMB the thread of light

Are these still accurate, or would you like to change anything before your journey begins? Are there any other details you would like adjusted?

All good! Full speed ahead.

Absolutely down and ready as a cute birdman as always LETS GO

>>1055940
Sounds good to me! Time to shoot some threads!

Still accurate!

We good! Gogogo

Yep, that all sounds accurate. Why mess with perfection?

Excellent

Go, go, go~

Perfectly accurate.

Here's a (hopefully more restful) adventure!

Yes, those details are still accurate but, are you too stressed to rub one out?

be a scalekin (a featherkin is fine too)

yup, all good!

All's in order. Let's go!

Sofia 2023/02/13(Mon)23:29 No. 1056014 ID: 0ba437
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Look, it’s you!

You briefly contemplate trying to get some morning care in, but you don’t have time for that as there’s a soft knock at the door, and your sibling peek into the room.

Sofia 2023/02/13(Mon)23:29 No. 1056015 ID: 0ba437
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“Oh, good, you’re up already.” They enter the room and take a seat at the end of the bed. Your sister has a green bundle in her arms, and your brother is holding a small plate of muffins.

“These are berry?” you say as you take one of the muffins, “That’s expensive, are you -”

Your brother Stella brushes your protests away with a chuckle. “Of course. We’re not sending our little brother to a horrible mountain on an empty stomach. We’ll be fine.”

You try not to feel guilty about the muffins and take a bite. It’s your favorite, made with a rare berry that doesn’t grow in the Land of Moss. “This is dad’s old stuff?” you motion to the bundle.

“His old adventuring gear, yeah,” your sister Toby says, “He had a lot of stuff he left behind, stuff he’d outgrown, or was too worn down to use anymore. It just got back this morning from the blacksmith. The picks should be nice and sharp, sturdy as ever. The lens on his compass is cracked, but it should still work fine. One of his journals so you can write about the things you see. You know he would have a fit if you forgot any details. And the enchantress finished patching up his old cloak. You remember how it works, right?”

You swallow more muffin nervously. “I-I think so. I’m not as good as either of you, but I can do the basics.”

“We wrote down some runes in the front of the journal,” says Stella, “it’s simple stuff, but it should be enough to keep you safe.”
He fidgets a little bit and produces a small wooden box. You recognize it immediately.

“N-no, I can’t-“

“Take it,” he pushes it into your lap, “It’ll do you a lot more good than me. The roads are dangerous, and there’s no telling what’s on the mountain. Just, don’t use it unless you really need to.”

Sofia 2023/02/13(Mon)23:29 No. 1056016 ID: 0ba437
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You open the box. Inside is your brother’s pride and joy, an immaculate metal revolver. The handle is carved dragon bone, the metal is flawlessly cast. There’s a large spool set in the center. It’s currently unwound.

“You put a thread into the spool when you need to use it,” Toby explains, “Just be careful not to fire it too quickly or you’ll eat your whole cloak in seconds. This one is a PUSH spool, but there are others out there somewhere. I’m sure you could find a way to get your hands on them if you find them.”

You feel your eyes well with tears again, overwhelmed by the scale of the task you’re about to take on, and by the care they’ve taken to make sure you’re safe along the way. You hug your siblings and together you share one last breakfast.

Sofia 2023/02/13(Mon)23:29 No. 1056017 ID: 0ba437
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You jump out of bed and slip on some clothes. Simple garments for decency and a pair of boots for protection.
You wrap the cloak around you and immediately feel comfortable. The magic fibers work to keep you warm in your relatively cold room.
The inside of the cloak is lined with deep pockets, pockets so deep you have trouble finding the bottom of them. You put the climbing picks in one, the compass and journal in another, and the revolver in another. You also have a little bit of money which you stow away. Not much, but enough to get you started. You can hardly feel their weight on you once they’ve disappeared into the pockets.

“Gosh, they must have spent a fortune on prepping me for this trip… I hope they’ll be ok.”

Sofia 2023/02/13(Mon)23:29 No. 1056018 ID: 0ba437
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You bounce your way out of the house and make your way to the station. Your plan is to ride as far as you can before you start walking the rest of the way.
The soft glow of the sunrise is only just beginning to light the sky as you arrive at the station. The platform is completely deserted, save one lone stranger, a human girl. Dressed in red, a small backpack by her legs, she sits on one of the benches, looking thoroughly bored.

Sit with her, or sit by yourself?

Sit by yourself!

Sit by myself, let’s give her some space. Let’s test the compass (it’s cracked, make sure it spins okay) and pass the time by journaling what we’re looking forward to, and practicing our sketching skills. All good journalists gotta get good at sketching too.

Sit by yourself, you're feeling a lot of love for your siblings right now and it's hard to keep it all in ;w;

Sit with her. Recall how the Chester in your dream compared to the real one.

>>1056020
>All good journalists gotta get good at sketching too.

Do this. As for what to sketch, Sketch the human while you sit alone. Maybe if it's good enough, we can offer it as a gift before we ride.

>human
Sir that is Dog
Sit with her!

Ask for permission to sit with her.

>>1056018
AD-Venture AWAITS!

I say we sit with them, as it's one bench. Perhaps making small talk to pass the time.

Well duh, go sit with her!

Sit with her, make small talk.

Go make a friend by sitting next to her then awkwardly not knowing how to, or if it would even be appropriate to, start a conversation with this complete stranger.

>>1056018
Sit with her, make a friend!

Sofia 2023/02/20(Mon)12:17 No. 1056581 ID: 0ba437
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There are a couple of empty benches on the platform, but you decide to start your journey by making a new friend. She scoots to the side to make room as you approach.

“Hey,” you say as you take a seat, “I didn’t expect there to be anyone else up this early for the train.”

“Me either,” she says back.

You sit together in silence, your breath rising in soft clouds in the cold air. The sun slowly begins to creep above the dark hills and trees, casting golden rays on the land.

“What uh, where are you headed? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Grand Station. Got some stuff to drop off and pick up. Same reason I’m here in Lichen Shores.”

“Oh, right on. I’m going past the station. I’m headed to Spool.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Spool, huh? You visiting one of the towns or…?”
You briefly explain your task. She nods somewhat solemnly. “Well, you gotta do what seems best, but uh, I guess you don’t need me to tell you how dangerous the mountain is.”

“Yeah, I-I know.”

More silence.

Sofia 2023/02/20(Mon)12:17 No. 1056582 ID: 0ba437
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After a bit you decide to try doing some sketches. You steal a couple of glances at the lady and try to draw yourself and her on the bench together.
[1d10 = 4](Fail, take stress)
It’s… well, it definitely looks like …. … something! It’s not nothing… you’ve never really spent a lot of time drawing, and the pen feels unfamiliar and jittery in your hand.
You scratch it out in frustration. The lady snickers as you stuff the journal back in your pockets.

((Failing checks will generate Stress, while succeeding checks will generate Courage. These will build up and gradually begin to effect various checks. They aren’t meant to be harsh punishments, more like complications that add color to the party, so don’t shy away from trying things out!))

“Next time ask and maybe I’ll do a cute pose for your picture,” the lady says playfully.

1. try again? (call her bluff?)
2. change the subject? (to what?)

Alright then, let's see that form!

>>1056582
Well, who are we to shy away from a challenge when it's presented in the form of a cute human?

1, you have gotta take her up on that!

Well, since she says it's alright, maybe now you'll get to draw the picture better without the distraction of having to sneak glances.

If it turns out good, we can give it to her to keep.

1. Let’s do it!

1, let's do the draw warp again~

1
Not like there is anything else to do at the moment, and sometimes you've just gotta put ink to paper to get better. This time, with her permission.

1! Draw!

1 THAT'S A CHALLANGE.

1!
try not to blush TOO badly at getting teased!

1
Maybe you could use your art to impress her

Sofia 2023/05/03(Wed)18:34 No. 1062653 ID: 0ba437
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Feeling encouraged, you pull the journal out again and take another stab at it.

“Well, since you’re offering, how can i refuse?”

The lady chuckles and assumes a saucy pose on the bench. The sun is starting to shine a little brighter by now, and you feel like this time, this time, you'll really really nail it...

Sofia 2023/05/03(Wed)18:34 No. 1062654 ID: 0ba437
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1d10 = 3,5 (fail, take stress)
OO

Are you sure you're using your dominant hand..? At least it looks a little bit better this time. You also seem to have trouble with the ink blotting and smearing over your work, which isn’t helping.

Chester sits back up as you show her the drawing. "Well you're improving at least," she chuckles.

You stuff the journal away as a blush washes over your beak. "S-so you're going to the Station you said?" you ask, "What stuff were you picking up?"

She sighs and nudges her bag with her foot. "Oh, just odds and ends mostly. Needed to get some of the moss that grows here for my Grumpa's medicine, figured I'd stock up on some tools and spices and stuff while I'm in town. Had some stuff to deliver to a family member too, so the timing just worked out really well."

Sofia 2023/05/03(Wed)18:34 No. 1062655 ID: 0ba437
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"Oh, who's that?"

"Oh, looks like the train is ready," she says suddenly and rises up.

A long flat bug with large pincers pulls up to the platform. There are several large wooden boxes strapped to its body, each with windows and doors adorning them. It eyes the two of you for a moment, then a small ramp unrolls from the first door to allow the two of you to climb into the box nearest its head. “Good morning,” it says in a soft, low voice, “All aboard.”

Absentmindedly start showing the centipede your ticket or if you dont have one, pull out some money and ask how much for a ride.

Oh, they kinda cute tho. Thank them as you got on.

Forget your ticket. Let's get all our failures out of the way early.

that's a nice centipede, ask how it's doing!

Show your ticket (unless trains are free where you live) and board.

>>1062655
We got our money, right? Get in and make sure to thank the... driver? Would this be called a driver?

Compliment the centipede. Tell them they look lovely today.

>>1062729

"today" not unless you've seen the centipede before.

Sofia 2023/06/22(Thu)19:51 No. 1066480 ID: 0ba437
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>do you have enough money?
You have just enough for a ticket to the Grand Station and then to Spool. For food, you were planning on taking on odd jobs in either town to pay for meals. Hopefully you don’t have to resort to foraging or stealing.

“How are you doing today?” you say to the large insect as the two of you approach.

“I am well,” it replies in that gentle voice, “I don’t think I remember if you’ve ever left your home, little bird.”

“No, this is a first for me,” you say nervously, “Do I give you money, or, how does this work..?”

“The lady inside will give you a ticket,” the bug cooes.

Sofia 2023/06/22(Thu)19:51 No. 1066481 ID: 0ba437
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You wait for the passengers to disembark before hopping on up the ramp and into the car. It’s a lot bigger inside than it seems from the outside, or rather it’s longer than it is wide. The interior is made up of several compartments next to a narrow hall which runs alongside each one.

A tall, thin snake in official looking attire is waiting just inside the train. “Good morning, sir, ma’am!” she says brightly as you and the woman from the platform approach, “just you two?”

“Oh uh, we’re not together, we’re just-“

“Just the two of us, yes,” the lady cuts you off, “how much?”

“Twenty KB,” the stewardess replies.

Sofia 2023/06/22(Thu)19:51 No. 1066482 ID: 0ba437
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The two of you hand her ten each in the form of small polished metal shells. She hands you each a ticket and escorts you to an empty compartment.


“I hope you have a comfy trip! If you need anything just ring the bell and I’ll come running!” She beams at the two of you and then flounces away.

Sofia 2023/06/22(Thu)19:51 No. 1066483 ID: 0ba437
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The yellow lady closes the door and turns to face you. “So, I wanna ask you a favor.”

“Oh uh..”

She takes a deep breath, “I need something that grows in a cave somewhere on Spool, and I need your help getting it.”

>>1066483
Alright, what's the pay?

>>1066483
"Uhh, Sure, it's the least I can do for letting me draw you"

no need to ask for payment. this is a good way to gain a friend and ally

What is the thing? Will she be able to get to Spool since you won't have enough for a round trip from Spool back to the Grand Station? If she can come with you to Spool, sure, why not! Companions are a great thing to have on adventures, and she seems to have a bit of knowledge of the area, which could prove valuable.

>>1066486

Whoa whoa, we've got goals of our own, don't we? She sounds like she's asking a lot of us! Maybe if she could let us draw her again... sweeten the deal with a lack of clothes?

"What is this 'thing that grows in a cave somewhere on Spool?'"

It's a long way to the mountain still, and you need to get some experience exploring the wide world beyond your home. Sounds like a chance to learn what grows in caves! And to learn about caves! But why could she possibly need your help in getting it?

Oh sure, is it like some sort of moss or something?

"Not if you expect me to add an extra round trip between Spool and Grand Station, I barely have enough to get there once. If you can come to Spool with me and return to Grand Station yourself, however, I'm game - whatchu need?"

"Ok, I'll bite, what are you looking for and why do you need my help with it?"