Hey you, yes you 🫵 Are you interested in a Grimdark Western-Fantasy based off of Lakota/Sioux/ Oceti Sakowin culture set in a faux 1890s-1910s setting? Well have I got the story for you.
Summary: we follow Eiva Black Dog as she escapes her sheltered life in the corrupt political world that her father brought her up in, and try to truly make a difference for her people in a way that matters | A Bounty Hunter duo finds themselves in trouble as the new government cracks down on non-licensed magic users | 3 witches who have lived for over a millennia are looking for their lost sister | 6 corrupt knights try to avenge their brother who has been slain | A foreigner from a far off land comes to make things right | And the Circus comes to town
For anyone wondering, this story is still in development in the background. Ended up getting 2 jobs, am taking care of my Dad, and I plan on attending classes in the summer, so this story just ended up getting pushed back much farther. Hoping to have some new material by the end of summer at least.
Hello everybody! Here i've got some fanart i made today for my friend's story "Old World" Which is honestly AWESOME, and i don't say that just as their friend, but i'm indeed amazed by how good it is, and honestly, it impressed me deeply ^^
I hopy you too enjoy it as much as i did! If you wish to support them, you can read, repost or just like the story as such!
Luix Oxdoyx is a famous outlaw, well known for his strange ability to exit himself from seemingly inescapable situations. He wanders the vast and brutal territory of District 4, a land whose eroded mounds undulate in a strange fashion, with the soil being ungrowable, and the hills seeming as if they are skeletons of their former selves. Something plagues these lands that is far beyond Luix's own understanding.
The fog and haze that covers Three Ridges also affects this area. Nearly the entire territories have been awash in this strange fog for a long time, and as far as the colonials know, this is how it has always been. Still, there are some areas where the fog parts for but a brief moment, the first shine of the full moon glows through haze. The first light Luix has seen in a long time.
It parts long enough for Luix to notice a small town with a large tavern not that far away. Commanding his horse to ride him forward, he pauses it near a water trough, hooking it up next to some other horses before grabbing his bag and heading inside.
Inside of the tavern, he finds some mean faces. People like him in the mix; those who have come here to escape the prying eyes of the law and keep to their activities. His reputation seems to precede him, as many notice his iconic tyrian purple shawl and immediately know the name.
He walks up to the counter, a tall Native man polishing a glass greets him. "Mr. Oxdoyx?"
"The very one"
"What brings you to our part of District 4?"
"Landed into some hot water, but not hot enough apparently, since the cold chill of this fog still rattles the bones. Give me the best drink you got to warm a poor man's weary soul."
The bartender pours a glass of some concoction into a shot glass. Sliding it to Luix, the outlaw slides a coin over to him before taking the shot as quickly as he can. A strong taste that burns the sinuses and throat. "To your liking?" The bartender asks.
"Woo-ooh!" Luix says slamming his glass down. "That will keep me going for the night!"
"And may I ask where you plan on going?"
"Wherever the wind takes me, Red; or in this case wherever the fog parts a path in my way."
He puts another coin down, sliding it over for one more glass, before another hand takes the coin. "No," says a man in a wide brimmed hat now holding said coin, "next one's on me, put it on my tab."
Luix chuckles, "and to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Oh, I just make it a point to always offer 'em a last drink." The brimmed man says while the bartender pours two shot glasses.
Luix chuckles again, "Last drink?"
"Yes," the man says standing up. His wide brimmed hat lifting to reveal a white mask under. "Your last drink before I bring you in. Now see, Oxdoyx, I've done my research on you before your arrival. A lot of people out there would pay top dollar for your head on a silver platter, but you're lucky the highest bidder is the Government station who wants you alive. Now, you can either follow me there of your own accord, or I can beat your head in until I bring you back a mumbling mess, which will it be?"
Luix chuckles. "Listen, I got a good laugh from your tough man act. Now let a man enjoy his drink before he-"
As Luix reaches for his glass, a blade pops out of the Red Brimmed Man's sleeve, swinging down and slicing Luix's glass in half. After a moment of silence where the two stare each other down, waiting to see who will make the next move, the red brimmed man looks towards the bartender. "… Sorry about scratching your table again, Garsen…"
"Oh don't worry, I'll buff it out again. But could you please take this outside? I don't get enough from these lowlifes to keep renovating the place."
The two men walk outside, standing a good distance from each other as some locals gather around to see what will happen, behind beams and barrels so they hopefully do not become apart of the crossfire.
Luix loads his pistol full of etherstones, the lifesaver of the New World that keeps average outlaws on par with the Plague Doctors they often go up against. They can be imbued with magic, and cause a variety of effects on contact, often elemental based but other spells can be imbued.
With a variety of etherstones of differing effects, Luix notices that the red brimmed man has no pistol of his own. "Hey, guy!" He yells from meters away. "You sure you don't want me to lend you some of these? To even the playing field?" He laughs.
"Nah, I felt I should handicap myself, so you can stand a chance against me." The Red Brimmed Man points his blade towards him.
"Heh, you think you're slick guy, but I know who you are. I did my research before coming here too. Red hat, white mask. You're that Scarecrow guy, aren't you?" He aims his gun at Scarecrow. "I know you're the muscle, but not the brains of the operation. You have a sister or someone, named Dollmaker. She's gonna be here with one of those voodoo doll things, isn't she? What, did you pluck one of my hairs before I came in? I don't think that's quite fair, guy." He spins the the cylinder of his gun, so it will land on whatever spell it may.
"I don't need her, to help me." Scarecrow scrapes his blades together in preparation. "She's just here to stitch your parts together, after I cut you limb from limb."
"Hah! You're some guy, aren't you. I just wanted to get to know the famous women better. I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to get to know her better, " he licks his lips at the thought, "After I end your embarrassing tirade."
He fires the first bullet, Scarecrow dodging with ease as he charges toward Luix. When the bullet lands on a wall, the thick wooden structure explodes, collapsing the building it was holding up. The bystanders who wanted so much to get their front row seats to this now scattering in different directions.
As Scarecrow gets within distance, he swings his blades toward Luix, the outlaw also having the amazing ability to dodge damage just a hair away from him. This dance goes on for awhile; Luix lands on a barrel and Scarecrow slices said barrel; Luix jumps off a beam and Scarecrow slices said beam; until Luix has the chance to finally get a shot within close range.
A huge mistake for Scarecrow to get so close to him, but it's almost as if a force outside of his own skill pulls him away just in the nick of time. Amazed by Scarecrows luck, as this black hole bullet scrapes passed it's target, Luix laughs before yelling out "Looks like both of us have a way with lady luck!"
Their dance continues once again, to what others would seem the greatest choreography, though this skill just came naturally to both of them. Waiting until one or the other to have just one moment, one slip up where the other could finally gain the advantage. Scarecrow finally gets his moment, as a blade swipe that was supposed to miss all of a sudden cleaves down at just the right moment to cause a gash in Luix's arm.
Taking a large leap backward, Luix pants as he uses one hand to press against his bleeding wound, an almost clean cut that if he hadn't jumped out of the way could've ended with the loss of his right arm. " *huff* huff … You're more clever than you look, boy."
"I'll take whatever compliments I can get." Scarecrow flings his arm in a way to flick the blood off his blade. He charges once more, but Luix uses his lame arm to aim another bullet at him, now making three bullets fired from a six bullet chamber. The technique worked, as Scarecrow did not suspect a sneak attack from this damaged arm, but ducks as the bullet explodes in a cloud of smoke above his head. With this thick cloud of smoke, Scarecrow does not notice as Luix uses the weight of his body to punt Scarecrow back with his good hand.
Flung backward, Scarecrow gets up and scans around the still smoke covered area. Instead of using this moment to attack Scarecrow, Luix defaults to running into one of the buildings, to get away from the haze. Hiding behind a desk in what seems to be someone's office, Luix nurses his wounded arm, tearing his sleeve off to make a makeshift tourniquet. Had to get out of there as quickly as possible, He thinks to himself. That was a poison bullet. That boy may not feel it now, but he's not going to know his west hand from his east hand in a bit.
Luix jumps as he hears the door to this establishment break open. How?! He thinks to himself. He shouldn't have been able to see me come in here in that thick haze?!
Scarecrow swings his blades, slicing different objects in half in his search for Luix. Knowing that he only has so much time before the man's precises blades find his hiding spot, he quickly peaks his gun over the top of the desk to fire his next bullet, but a surprise finds him. As he pulls the trigger, firing what was supposed to be a flame bullet to set his target ablaze, he finds himself face to face with Scarecrow, as the bladed man grabs Luix by the throat and throws him outside with one hand.
Luix now looks at Scarecrow in fear as the blade wielder walks out of the burning establishment to meet him in the middle of the street. Keeping his hand around his bruised throat, he shivers for a moment.
They now go back to their original dance from before, but with Luix now more on edge. Dodging Scarecrow's swipes now feels more urgent, as if any swing could be the last for a poor stray limb. "Something is wrong with you, boy!" He yells as he weaves left and right to miss each swipe, "you get hit by 10 canisters worth of toxic gas," miss, "and yet you have the reflexes of a cat," weave. "You can pick a grown man up with your skinny arms," miss, "and throw him out a goddamn window," weave. "I've had enough of this dance." Quickly drawing his arm with both hands, he fires two bullets, each with different effects, and smiles as Scarecrow dodges both. "I imagine you've been keeping count," the lame-armed man states as he manifests a mysterious seventh shot from his cylinder. Just as the bullet gets in range of scarecrow, the quick-reflexed bounty hunter slices it in twain, the two peaces trailing off in different directions and exploding in a brilliant burst. Luix has truly seen everything now.
"You think you're the only one who has done his research before coming here?" Scarecrow states as he marches towards the rattled man. "We both did a little a digging into your past, and met some of your old acquaintances before coming here. They all had an interesting story to tell." He steps forward as Luix backs up. "The great escape act, they all called you. The Grim Hill's most untouchable criminal… but some people had different stories. Oh, I was the one that killed Luix Oxdoyx, one man said in St.Vernert; Oh no, I was the man to kill Luix Oxdoyx, said a man in a Vatiste-on-pine; No, I left the man bleeding in a ditch, said the man in New Little Krovsgart; but they all had similar stories. That you had a secret seventh bullet that no revolver was built to have."
Blood on his face, Luix grins a wicked smile. "Cat's out of the bag now, is it?"
"Yes it is, Mr. Oxdoyx. The great escape man uses copy magic to truly exit these improbable situations. They all told the truth, in that they all killed Oxdoyx, and yet none of them did; the legend lives on. I imagine the Plague Doctor Corp already knew this before the public, and that's why they're willing to pay top dollar for your ugly cloned face, but one thing I don't understand… How did you perfect copy magic to such an extent? Most copy magic that used to be taught was primitive, and created cheap copies that were always worse than the original; but you, you're exactly the same as the man in the ditch in New Little Krovsgart."
Luix chuckles, "Let a man keep at least some secrets." His hand waves over his revolver, generating a copy out of thin air. "And now that the cat's out of the bag," his arms split into 4 perfect copies as he now brandishes 4 shining revolvers to match, "he's going to go out scratching and clawing."
A flurry of bullets fly passed Scarecrow, all of them containing explosion magic spells that are like a beautiful tapestry of fireworks, in a storm that this small convict town will not survive. A maniacal laugh that somehow pierces through the deafening explosions escapes out of Luix's mouth; his eyes with a devilish fire to them not there before. And somehow, through some dark magic that Luix can not comprehend, his smile and laughter slowly fade as Scarecrow jumps from an impossible to height to bring his blades down, slicing off all four of Luix's arms.
Now bleeding profusely from his sides, Luix screams a frantic sound that has never escaped his throat before. "AaaahhAAAAAAhhhh."
"Oh calm down," Scarecrow demands as he scrapes the blood of his blades with the other. "You can just clone them again, can't you?"
"I don't have healing magic!! I can't clone a body part that's not on me anymore you idiot!! Aaaaagh!!"
"Oh, fair I guess." Scarecrow says as he steps forward to deal the final blow.
As Scarecrow steps forward, this magician outlaw steels himself for one final trick, as the adrenaline takes over and he jumps towards Scarecrow, knocking him on the ground. The weight of his body keeping the bounty hunter pinned down, a clone escapes from Oxdoyx's back, running away from this strange battle, and his mysterious killer.
Having not looked back for a while, this Oxdoyx clone takes a quick moment see the burning and half destroyed town he is leaving behind glow in the dark. I always wonder how it feels for the original as they are dying… best not give thought to it, As he escapes into a grove and deeper into the fog. A strange predicament I've found myself in, not having been able to produce two arms… but I must be able to find some New Worlder witch doctor who will heal me…
Running through the thick pine trees that dot this portion of the Makoxica, he sees a break in the thicket that will lead him to the other side, the great escapist close to yet another victory… until he falls forward, and he can not feel his left foot anymore. He turns back after having face planted to see his dismembered foot still stuck to a thin string tied between two tree trunks.
He panics, feeling a fear that he has never felt before. Adrenaline can not save him now. With his working foot, he pushes himself backward away from this horrific sight, not able to take his eyes off, his voice quivering out a frail and pathetic sound that he can not control. When his back hits something behind him, he looks up to find a masked girl in a pink, green, and tan dress looking down at him. "Don't worry, I can put you back together," she says as she brings her hands down to wrap a glowing colorful string around his neck.
Eiva Black Dog never liked this tight dress, the corset always digs into her back in a way that does not seem practical for movement. Still, it is necessary for her to keep up appearances in a room like this. Her mother, Madlen, hits Eiva in the back with her arm to indicate the girl to not slouch and seem to pay attention to what Governor Maleforch is saying.
Finally clocking in to the long winded speech that feels as if it has gone on for hours at this point, she hears what seems to be the trail end of this speech "…and I am honored to keep Mr. Black Dog and his family hear at the manor, and I hope you can all help them feel welcomed in Three Ridges. Give them that good old Three Ridges hospitality. Now, Mr. Black Dog is fighting very hard for his district, and has made a proposition to help fix his home. We all understand what it's like to want to fight for our home, for it's prosperity, and we all know the crime that happens in the Foglands that keeps that a far off dream for those who live there…. Mr. Black Dog has come to me with a proposition that no other District leader has come up with, and that is to incorporate his district of District 4 into the jurisdiction of the Plague Doctor Corp. … I am proud of Mr. Black Dog, and what he is willing to do for his people, and I want this to be more than just an agreement of protection, I want this to be a symbol of the growing relations between our people. How we can overcome our differences and strive for a better future, arm in arm as brothers." The room applauds his proclamation. Holding up Stevreux Black Dog's hand up in early-proclaimed triumph, he then continues on. "I'm trusting all of you to help bring this bill to my desk, and to vote yes in the next senate meeting, now I am considering this a historic day…"
Eiva begins to clock out again, as her eyes wander around the room. She looks at her father, who although he and Maleforch are of similar height, Maleforch puffed his chest out in a way that made his figure seem imposing next to Stevreux's more subtle frame. While he kept a convincing plastered smile on, Eiva knows that in secret he loathes the long social dinners he has to do to network connections in the Colonial Government. Her eyes dart to her siblings, her younger sister who stands right next to her and also has a tired expression; Her brothers who stood to the other side of their mother from her, trying their best to stay focused on the situation at hand; her mother who keeps a stoic figure that stares forward, with an unreadable facial expression. All of them were dressed in variations of blue, the color the family has seemed to claim for themselves, despite the color indicated in their name. As far as she knows, she is not sure where they got their name from.
Her eyes then dart to an imposing figure not that far away from them. He must be important to the conversation she assumes, although he seems as checked out as her and her siblings. He mutters to someone right next him, and although he thinks he is being quiet, Eiva could hear him ask, "why the hell did they have to choose me for this?"
"And here!" Maleforch proclaims, his hand aimed toward this tired man, "We have someone of pertinence to help signify this fateful day." Saying this, the man finally stands to attention and walks forward toward Maleforch. "He needs no introduction, but I will say his name with the gusto it deserves for his presence and service. Valentis! The Knight of Fortitude! Here to signify the strong bonds that we will create through this meeting."
"Valentis?…" Eiva mutters to herself, not recognizing the name. Her sister Avlen whispers in her ear, "You don't know Valentis?"
"No, never heard of him." She responded.
"He's apart of the Plague Doctor Corp? How do you not know him?"
"There are like seven of them, that's a lot to remember."
"That's not a lot to remember" Avlen whispers harshly, prompting a "SHH" from Madlen to get them to stop.
Valentis puts on his plague doctor mask, before walking up to shake Stevreux's hand and posing for a picture. Now Eiva could better recognize his form, how he was wearing his Plague Doctor's outfit this entire time. A leather belt around his abdomen that keeps a green robe together, with a hood drooped over his beak shaped mask. Eiva is glad that he has a mask on, as she does not care for his face too much.
After the cameramen finish, Malenforch looks towards Valentis and asks him, "Do you have any words to mark this occasion, Valentis?"
After staying paused for a bit, the words finally begin to flow through Valentis' beaked mask, "Uhh, yes. I am quite honored to be here today. These magic practicing menaces have not only been plaguing our lands, but the lands of Black Dog and his people as well. Through this partnership, we will better eradicate these wannabe witches and warlocks, and finally be rid of this danger to both of our people."
Some reporters jot down what he said, while the rest of the room claps. After this wave of applause ends, Maleforch signs off this eventful day. "And to that, I leave you where you all left off."
Eiva's father walks back to the group with a bit of a pondering look on his face, although quickly wipes it off once Eiva's younger siblings run up to him. Madlen walks up and straightens his tie, "You did a good job out there." She affirms
"Really?" He answers, "I only got to tell a third of my speech, and you know how long I rehearsed that last night."
"I know, I know," Madlen responds while then straightening his collar. "If we abridge it, maybe you can finish your speech at the next dinner."
If you were to ask Eiva about the politics of District 5, Eiva could not tell you. Her father always told her not to "worry her pretty little head" over these topics, but in a sense of curiosity and wanting to give affirmation her father, she decides to ask "What was the rest of your speech going to be about?"
"Ah, nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about," Stevreux sighed.
All of a sudden, Stevreux stands to attention as he hears the voice of Governor Maleforch behind him. "Oh, Black Dog, my dear friend. I wanted to give your kids a chance to meet Valentis. I know how popular he is with the youth."
"You flatter me with such words, Governor." Valentis says.
"Oh, of course!" Stevreux exclaims. He rushes his two sons in front of him. "Alein, Junior, come and meet a real hero."
The youngest of the brother's, Alein, looks up at Valentis with reverence. "Oh wow! A real plague doctor!"
"Yes young man, a real one." Valentis says, stepping down on one knee to be on equal level with Alein. " And what do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I want to be a Plague Doctor like you!" Alein says with excitement.
Valentis chuckles, "Well kid, it's a hard vetting process. Not everyone is to be trusted with magic, so we go through difficult training to make sure we master our powers, and never use them on the innocent. Now, do well in your studies, and then maybe a Plague Doctor will take you on as an apprentice."
"Really?!"
"Yes, really. Maybe you could even become my apprentice if you work hard enough." He pats the kid on the head, before standing up to meet Stevreux Junior at eye level. "And you there, Junior was it? Have any questions for me?"
Stevreux Black Dog Jr. being older, close to adulthood within the year, does not have the same childlike wonder for the Plague Doctor corp as his little brother. Still, he tries to think of something to ask. "Uh… Does the mask ever get stuffy while you're fighting?"
His father tries hard not to smack his own face in disappointment at that question, but Valentis answers as he would any other. "Well, maybe for my colleagues, but as the Knight of Fortitude I have no problem going where I need to, or fighting who I need to with ease, mask on or otherwise."
Black Dog Sr. pulls his son away, "Well I do not mean to leave on such short notice, but I have to get the kids to bed early for tutorin-"
"Hold on," Maleforch interjects, "Don't you want to give your daughters a chance to meet a hero?"
"Oh, certainly, "Stevreux says with a bead of sweat on his forehead, guiding Avlen in front of him, his hands on her shoulders.
"Well aren't you a cute little thing." Valentis says, half bent down to be at eye level with her. "And what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Avlen huffs, "You don't have to talk to me like my little brother, I'm 13 now. Practically an adult."
Maleforch and Valentis chuckle at her response. "Feisty little thing, isn't she?" Valentis says to Stevreux. "Probably a big trouble maker I imagine. Well, listen to your Dad and complete your studies, ok?"
Stevreux moves Avlen out of the way, and guides Eiva over, standing very close to her. "Hello, Mr. Valentis." Eiva says.
Maleforch corrects her, "normally we refer to those of the Plague Doctor Corp as Sir or Madam."
"Oh, of course. Sir Valentis." She does a curtsy as her mother has instructed her before. "I do like the look of your costume."
"Ah, pretty little thing." Valentis says, observing Eiva. "Tell me, how old are you?"
"I am 16, going on 17 soon."
"That is amazing! You look very mature for your age." Valentis chuckles. "You could have told me you were 21 and I wouldn't have known the difference."
"Oh, thank you Sir." Eiva blushes.
"I imagine your father needs to get you to bed soon, but anytime you have questions come ask me whenever. I'll be still be here in the morning."
"Oh sure, I think I'll have ti-"
"Actually, we'll be leaving fairly early in the morning to… see Tall Elk peak." Stevreux interrupts.
"Oh come now, Mr. Black Dog," Maleforch says, "I'm certain your kids would love to have the chanc-"
"They have been very excited to see Tall Elk peak," Stevreux interjects, but Eiva could not remember anyone saying a thing about Tall Elk peak. "We'll have to be on our way now, but thank you for this rare opportunity Governor and Sir." He shakes their hands before leaving.
Leaving Maleforch and Valentis to talk among themselves, Eiva looks back at them as Stevreux walks her and the family toward the door and out to the hallway. Once they are out of ear shot, Eiva asks "Father, we've never said anything about Tall Elk peak, and I sort of wanted to get a chance to talk to-"
"Listen sweetie," Stevreux leans to talk into her ear, "I need you to make sure that man never gets you alone with him, ok?"
"But-"
"Now let's get you and your sister to bed, we have a big day tomorrow."
That night, in the room's loaned to them in the governor's mansion, Madlen tucks Eiva and Avlen into their respective beds. Before she exits to go stay in her room with Stevreux, Eiva asks her mother "Hey Mother, I was wondering why Father was so urgent earlier?"
Madlen sighs, wondering how to explain. "Well, you see Eiva, your father was raised in a more… traditional setting. Even though we attempt our best to acclimate to Old Worlder culture, he sometimes has more conservative ideas of how women and men should interact."
"And what does that mean?" Avlen asks.
"It means that you really should not be talking to random men outside of our supervision, alright?"
"But he's not some random man, he's a Knight of the Plague Doctor Corp." Eiva adds.
"You see…" Madlen tries to figure a way to cushion her words. "Even the most righteous of men can find themselves… slipping." She explains. "… Well, I can explain more in the future, a lot of this is above your age group."
"But I'm sixtee-" Eiva tries to respond before Madlen interrupts her.
"In the future. For now, you may read your book for a few moments longer, and I ask that you turn off the lamps before falling asleep. Alright?"
"Uhm… Alright." Eiva acquiesces.
"Alright then." Madlen shuts the door behind her.
Eiva chooses not to rock the boat, turning off her lamp and shutting her eyes when her sister begins speaking. "What do you think she means by that?"
"I don't know, and I don't think we're going to find out anytime soon, so might as well drop the subject."
"Do you think Sir Valentis is a bad man?"
"I don't think he would be, the Plague Doctor Corp does a lot to protect us."
"Yeah, that's what I don't get. What could he do to make them act like that? The Plague Doctor Corp are heroes."
"Well, I mean, life isn't like the novels you and I read, there's a lot of things we don't know yet."
"I wish they were. If any novel were real, which would you choose?"
"Maybe Star Girl, this one I started about a girl and her journey into the different worlds beyond us."
"You think there are other worlds out there?"
"I don't know, but I'd like to think there is. The world I've personally mapped is so small, that it feels nice to think of bigger and better world's somewhere out there."
"Well, I read the first few chapter of Star Girl and couldn't get passed how little happens."
"And you told me that I can't pay attention."
"Well I at least want a bit of action in my books, like those frontier books I'm reading."
"You know that New Worlders are always the villains in those books, right?"
"Yes, but we're not like those other ones."
"We're more alike than we think."
"Whatever, they're not all about Old Worlders versus New Worlders, a lot of them are about magic slinging bounty hunters taking down evil people. Shooting a spell that will ricochet across the room before finally hitting it's target, and like, turning them into a frog or something."
"That seems like an impractical use?"
"A frog can't fight back! And besides, these bounty hunters usually have to bring them in alive before cashing in their reward."
"I just feel there are more practical uses of magic than to specialize in some sort of… frog magic?"
"Whatever… I think it'd be cool to be a bounty hunter. Imagine having the ability to save people like the Plague Doctors, but to be your own boss. Stopping those evil magic users on the frontier. Don't you wish you could do that? With how much our Dad complains about those outlaws, I would've thought that'd be a dream of yours."
"Too much activity."
"As if hopping the stars isn't?"
"I don't know, star hopping just has it's appeal… I could never imagine being a bounty hunter."
You find yourself lost in a thick cloud of haze. It was not supposed to be like this, the fog was supposed to have cleared up, or at least you heard it was supposed to have cleared up by now. You forget who you heard that from, but the bastard who lied to you about this and set you on this path is sure going to get it, when you get back; if you can get back.
The fog parts for a brief period to allow you to see a light poke through the shield of white, a reprieve from your travels? You run forward, hurriedly. As you get closer, you can see it is the light of a fire that is breaking through. Somebody in a red coat, pilgrims hat, and serape covering their persons sits at the fire, staring into it's blazing wonder. They look up at you, and you can see a bright toothy grin peak through the shadow created by their brim.
"Ah! Hello there Traveler! Come and sit a spell! Best to keep warm during this daunting haze."
You accept their invitation and step forward; you can not parce from the sound of their voice whether or not they are man or woman, though either way they do not seem a threat. They sit hunched at the fire with their red serape covering most of their body, giving their frame a small and meek look.
"So I guess you've heard that the fog was supposed to clear up, eh? That a path was opened up to riches in the hills? Yes, that is what everyone who passes by has heard." They laugh a wicked laugh, "But the threat is not fully extinguished, and the people are not completely safe. Do you know where you are?" You nod your head no. "You are in the Ghostlands! Or at least that's what the newcomers have dubbed it. Strange happenings in these parts, though the natives say it has always been like this."
They light their lantern with the fire in front of them, and keep it near their face as if to add some forebodance to their words. With this you can see that their visage is bandaged up, with no discernible features to make out within the gaps of the white tape covering their appearance. "Yes, you chose to come from the southern route, didn't you? Hah! You chose the hardest path! Everyone goes around to take the eastern route through the Elklands."
Damnit, who was it that gave you this map again? And who was it that helped set you on this path? They're bound to get their ass kicked.
"But now you're here, and here nary a colonial nor native is seen wandering through these parts. It's just you and me, and those of us who choose this route have to stick together, for mutual security. If a voice speaks to you from the fog, I'll tell you whether it is just imagination or not, and you the same for me. If you thought about rough backing it through here and proving something to yourself, you're in for a bad time, ha!"
They hand you a can of something, with a small spoon to scoop out it's contents. Though you swish your spoon through the gray mush that seems to inhabit this can, you feel afraid to actually explore it's taste.
"And out here, we use stories for bonding and company. Stories are just as valid a currency here as any other. Might you have one to spare?"
You have not created your story yet; you set out on this path to create your story.
"Hah! Perfectly fine if haven't a story yet, that is why we set ourselves on routes that seem suicidal to others." They pour a bright liquid from their canteen into a small cup and hand it to you. "Might you be willing to stand a tale weaved by a fellow death-wisher?"
Taking a sip of the contents in the can, you attempt to keep yourself from spitting it out as you nod yes.
"Perfect." They clap their hands together, causing a light gust that blows the flames of the fire toward you. "I present to you tonight, a tale of lost ones finding a home." They take out a piece of string, moving their hands in a hypnotic rhythm as they conjure creations to match their words. "A story of seven sinister sins plaguing the land," they make a seven of diamonds. "A story of 4 sisters hoping fate will string their paths together," they proclaim putting up a 4 of diamonds. "The two siblings tied together by a string of their own making" they change it to a 2 of diamonds. "And the one star guiding all of them together," they make the star symbol out of their string. "This is our story today, and I hope you find it at least entertaining in this dark and murky night. To take a look at the tapestry presented before us."
