First steps in Lisergia
I'll begin with a prelude to establish the location of the totem and the placement of the first corollary.
I arrive on the island of Keyhole and place my totem. This place will be my haven. From what I understand of the geography of Lisergia, is should be impossible to reach by conventional means. Improbable at least. My totem will be safe here.
I reflect on what I learned from the scribe, and I conjure a corollary. There is a lush verdant jungle full of snakes and beasts and a large tortoise. I take a piece from the tapestry and place it on my totem.
Thirty six slots on the totem. Some number or combination of them filled, and I will be able to go home.
I'll start by rolling on the map (624) and a location (214: Cavern of the [Angry] Magpie), experience (264: Dust cough), and maybe an descriptor avatar ([weak] missionary)
I'll go ahead and roll complication (Hostile forces oppose you) and alteration (none) on One Page Solo Engine just for fun.
The magpie is obviously in league with the birds and may know about the code, or about the whereabouts of swan. Or even the whereabouts of the squire
Questions for Recluse:
Who opposes me? Is it the missionary? No, but ... he is not a friend. He will help me begrudgingly, and will likely betray me later.
Does the magpie oppose me? Yes, but ... not sure here. Roll on womb for a line: All colors rejoiced with excitement. Interesting callback to the singing rainbow. Magpie should def get a trinket roll: Wand of Wind. Niceee. He's just angry, and not necessarily hostile toward me? Okay, the magpie opposes me, but needs me to get his Wand of Wind from the dusty cavern. It's something he was given by the singing rainbow? And all the colors rejoiced with excitement when he wielded it. But it was lost or stolen from him.. by the weak missionary! And he can't go into the cavern to retrieve it because the dust chokes him.
So the missionary doesn't oppose me right now, but will only cooperate with me as long as our alliance against the magpie is beneficial
The magpie sits on a rock cloaked in black and white. I'm still not sure what role the birds play in all of this. I approach cautiously and stop within speaking but, hopefully, out of striking distance.
It sits rigid and glaring, anger radiating.
"I know who you are. You are the Drifter. The chronicler. The watcher. You have no stake in any fight. No loyalties, no allegiances here. This makes you equally dangerous to all parties, but also potentially equally helpful.
"I implore you to help me. The herald with the broken wing has taken something from me. Something of no value to him, but of immense value to me. I cannot proceed without it. But I cannot follow him into yonder cave to retrieve it for the dust in the cavern vexes me.
"If you fetch my wand, Drifter, and return it to me, I will remember your kindness.
-*-
I'm not sure how much I am meant to interfere with the events on Lisergia. Or whether there are any expectations of me at all in that respect. I agree to seek audience with the herald in the cave. And nothing more.
I can hear the roar of the cave long before I can see it. Far away, grass has laid down flat. Closer, trees are bent and leafless. Next to it, the ground has been stripped bare and blown mostly away from the force of the gale coming from inside the cave.