WD's Gamma World IC

Characters:
Shadow
'Doc' Ivan
Trayce

Recruitment/OOC Thread:
http://www.enworld.org/forum/talking-talk/300343-recruiting-gamma-world-play-post.html

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You are inhabitants of a small village of about 200 that is situated just inside the border of a great forest. You have grown up listening to the legends of the Ancients and of the Shadow Years, but since those years were long before your time, you consider them just that - legends. You are much more concerned with hunting for meat to supplement the meager living you scratch out of the soil, and with avoiding the dangerous creatures which prowl the area.
It is now the time of the year, however, for your coming-of-age and for the "Trials," in which you will be judged by the village leaders and elders as worthy (or unworthy) of membership in the adult society of the village. Part of the "Trials" Involves venturing forth into the wild lands outside and proving yourselves to be proficient hunters and fighters.
The sachem, the chief elder and leader of the village, possesses a device of Ancient technology (incomprehensible to you, other than its effects) that can kill at a great distance. You have seen this device used against a villager who attempted to steal it for his own. The sachem touched the device in some strange manner and a brilliant beam of light was projected, striking the Villager and searing a small hole through his chest. He died almost instantly and the sachem warned the villagers about attempting any similar theft in the future.
There is an old tale, however, that the sachem returned from his own "Trials" with that very device. It is by means of the power which this device gives him that he was able to elevate himself to his present position. It is said that the sachem had come back from his "Trials" from the west - a taboo area. It is said that only gods can walk in the taboo area and live. The only thing the sachem had ever said about his "Trials" is that the strange device had come from one of the houses of the Ancient Gods.

This year's "Trials" are to be different. The sachem has decreed that any who desire to be an elder or to sit on the Council of Leaders must go to the taboo lands in the west.
To prove you have done this, you must bring back a stone from one of the houses of the Ancient Gods. Therefore, at dawn you leave with your allowed weapons, a bow and six arrows, your personal melee weapon, and food and water for one week. You have little choice; if you desire to rule, you must go west into unknown danger. But, the thought occurs to you, it would be nice to have a device like the sachem's....

Your total knowledge of the geography of the surrounding area is as follows: the forest extends north, west, and south at least two days' journey in each direction, there are mountains to the north, and about a day's travel to the east is a wide river, on the banks of which is a large city to which villagers sometimes travel in order to trade.

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Where do you go? (west will be more classic prepared adventure, but in each direction lies danger, weirdness and treasure)

At the question, Shadow thinks about the Sacheem's weapon as well as the task. "I say we go west, to find the brick or block as the ancients called them. The stone we are required to find" he explains. ~It is also the best place to find a 'zapper' ~he thinks to himself.

"I agree" 'Doc' Ivan replies. "If the sachem thinks it's that important, we should try it. And I think we have what it takes."

He looks out over the land, contemplating the journey ahead.

*thum*

*thum*

Trayce's approach can be heard and felt even before her head is visible poking up over the roof of a nearby hut. Villagers gave her a wide berth, by habit. Nine feet tall, slim of build but with strangely dense muscles that were stronger than they seemed to have any right to be, even the idea of being accidentally stepped on or kicked as she passed was enough to get people scattering. She had a hooded poncho of cured hide pulled around her shoulders and as usual she was sort of hunched forward as if trying to appear smaller. She was like that in the village...quiet and shy and extremely careful in her movements. She was using the blunt end of her spear, as big as a full grown man!, as if it were a cane or walking stick.

Those few who had been hunting with her got to see someone entirely different.

"I'm sorry I'm late," she said as she joined the others. Her voice was feminine, but with an odd, deeper vibration that underlaid it and emanated from her chest as she spoke. "I had to redo the lacing on the waterskins."

Her mouth, all that was visible of her face under the shadows of her hood, smiled a small, anticipatory smile. "Are we ready to leave?"

"Yes, Trayce, Doc and I had decided to head west. Any objections?" Shadow asked, the tall woman. You notice no fear from Shadow, he knew what it was like to different from others. Although, it was the reading more than anything else, that made him stand out in the village.

"West," Trayce muses, looking off in that direction at the impenetrable canopy swaying in the breeze. "No...no objections. Though...well it's probably not important."

She stood up a bit taller, as if just thinking about leaving the village made her feel more comfortable.

"I was thinking we might start by heading east, to the city. We could get things there we can't here. Metal weapons, maybe...or armor from giant beetle shells. It might take more than a spear and a handful of arrows to survive the dangers of the Ancients." She shrugged. "But I will go West now, if that is what you want to do."

"Trayce, never think what you think is unimportant." Shadow responds. "However, there is one thing wrong with your plan. We have nothing to trade." Shadow continues.

[sblock=ooc]I love the in-play discussion. If you want me to jump to another seen, add it in an ooc spoiler block (like this one) to your post or make a small post in the OOC thread, please.[/sblock]

"Oh, I know," Trayce agreed quickly. "I just thought...well, we wouldn't really know what they wanted if we didn't go look. And who knows? Maybe we can hunt a few furs, or do some work for a while, and that would be enough?"

She shrugged and diffidently prodded her speartip with a finger. "I guess I just wanted to see the city. I hear the traders talking about it, and it sounds so amazing. And I think...when will we ever get to go anywhere again? If we come back victorious, we'll be on the Council, and they're too busy. If we fail, but live, we'll be back to hunters again, and never leave our territory."

"But right now...we can go anywhere. There's no time limit on this. Imagine the things we could see..."

For a moment Trayce stretched upwards, unhunching completely and even craning her neck up as if she were trying to extend into the sky. Her eyes were closed as whatever visions beckoned her danced in her brain. It was easy to see now how differently she saw the world...her perspective was higher up, and she saw the horizon as being farther than anyone else.

Finally she sighed and settled back down, and blushed red when she opened her eyes. "Sorry. I got carried away. West it is. I'll take the lead, you just tell me where to go."