The story so far:
You awoke on an island full of anthropomorphic animals not remembering how you got there. Among the many adventures you have had, you met a crazy old English blackbird, found an otter village destroyed by an evil Bulldog and his lizard henchmen, rescued the only survivor of the otter decimation as well as your new friend, the Penguin Pirate Captain Pierre. You were almost killed by a scary fairy and a black lake monster, and recently have been traveling with some friends, Ox, Rand and Mina to Edgeton, to find Pierre's ship.
Currently, you have all been hiding from a group of Jackals in a ghost town, when Mina goes missing. You find a secret lair underground and everyone equips themselves with some weapons in preparation for the upcoming fight!
Now begins Time is a Loop: Episode 21
While you know that the bo staff is the coolest weapon avaliable, you pick up the short sword because you are a pussy. You consider picking up the dagger as well, but you can't carry more than one weapon at a time. Sorry.
"We should definitely check out that whip noise," says Pierre.
"They could be hurting Mina!" cries out Ox.
The group heads off north-west towards the noise. They come to a closed door, and behind it you can hear grunting, whip noises, and most especially, screaming.
"Okay, what is the plan?"
"Let's smash down the door and take 'em out, and save my sister!"
"On the count of three!" says Pierre.
"One"
"Two"
Smash! Rand knocks down the door.
"Three?"
You look around the room. Its a large room, with torture devices all along the west side of it. On one of the chambers lies one of the horses you saw earlier. A rather large, demented looking Jackal is whipping it, and laughing manically. In 4 other chambers lie horses tied up, and jackals torturing them in all kinds of gruesome ways. Other animals seem to be tied and caged up in the far east corner.
"Mina!" yells Rand, as he charges the closest Jackal.
Ox goes running at another one, leaving Pierre, the otter child and you to take on the last three.
You and Pierre take the offensive and the child readies its sling. Pierre is able to keep his foe at bay with his rapier. Rand is pummeling his Jackal, whose whip doesn't seem to do much against his tough hide. Ox is going wild, swinging his axe wildly. You keep to the other side of the room from him, who knows what he will hit, swinging the axe like that.
Two Jackals come running at you, one with a spear and one with a sword. You prepare for the attack by readying your shortsword to swing. If only you had chosen the bo staff you could combat two at once! One Jackal, the one with the sword, swings at you and you jump to the right. You just barely manage to dodge the attack. The spear comes swinging at you then.
The jackal rolls low, luckily, and only hurts you for 3 HP. (He stabs you in the left leg). You swing at him with your shortsword, but don't manage to reach him, as the sword is too short. Foiled again!
Just then the Jackal with the sword turns to swing at you! Raising his sword he prepares to cleave you in half. But bam! A stone hits him between the eyes! Go Otter Child!
You stand back up to face the other Jackal. He stabs his spear at you but this time you were ready. You dodge the spear tip and grab it with your unarmed hand, pulling it away from the Jackal. He looks shocked, but not for long as you whack him over the head with the flat of your blade, knocking him unconcious. You look around, everyone else seems to have finished with their enemies too.
Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun--DunDunDun!
You gain 82 EXP, 2 AP, 50 GP.
You gained a Level!
LVL: 2
HP: 36
MP: 0
ATK: 6
DEF: 3
MGC: 2
MDF: 0
AGL: 5
LCK: 3
Rand comes up to you. "Why didn't you kill your enemy?" He asks. "You could have gotten more experience for killing him."
"Its probably a good thing," says Pierre, "We need someone to question."
"Pierre has a point," says Ox. "I don't think Mina is here."
You look around, there seems to be horses, some cats, a dog and some mice tied up in the corner. They all look just as wornout as the horses tied up on the torture devices. Speaking of, the Otter child and Pierre have been untying the horses from their torture devices and helping them up. One horse, with a white mane, approaches your group. "What have you done?" he says.
"What do you mean? We freed you!" says Rand.
"You doomed us is what you did."
"You were being tortured! Now you are free!"
"Yes, you defeated a few of them, but they are numerous. We will never escape here alive. And now they will kill us for trying to escape. We were better off being tortured."
"That's a terrible way to think!" says Pierre. "Listen, you can all escape easily. Go back this way and you will find a large barracks. You can escape through there, and find a path to the surface."
"Yes, and head south to Ladon Fields. There is a small village there, our parents live there. They can help you. I promise!" says Ox.
"We won't be able to make it."
"Stop it! Stop being so negative, father Ben! We can do it! These people saved our lives, we should be grateful!" says a younger horse. "And anything is better than this life we have. I say we take this chance they gave us!"
"Don't worry sir, you can do it. And we can send one of us with you to protect you," says Ox.
The older horse looks at the rest of the captives. They all nod. "I guess you all have given us the spark we need. Fine, we will try to escape. But who will lead us there?"
You think about it, probably the best options would be Rand or Ox. Rand is a little crazy, annoying and overall a risk. He could snap at any moment, and doesn't seem to get along with Pierre. Ox is calmer, but not the best fighter. Pierre or the otter child could lead them back in theory, but neither really knows how to get back. Plus, who knows when you will see that party member again.
You chose:
A: Rand
B: Ox
C: Other
to go.
They prepare to lead the captives out, and you ask the captives if they have seen Mina. "No, we haven't seen anyone of that description, but we know they keep the "better" slaves in the back."
"Better slaves? What do you mean?"
"We are slaves. We are bought and sold for profit, and forced to work our lives. The prettier or healthier ones are sold off, but the weaker ones are put to work down here in the caves. Or tortured to keep in line, or killed when too weak. We are the only ones here currently, except for the leader's favorites. He keeps them in the back."
"Okay, so we need to find his personal stash. That may be where Mina is." says Pierre.
"Who is the leader?" asks Ox.
"I've never seen him, but the Jackals seem to be afraid of him." says the older horse. "Anyways, I wish you well. I know there are two paths in the cavern, one goes through the mines below to the boss' chambers, and the other through the main fortress. Obviously, the main fortress path is going to be more heavily guarded. I wish you well on whichever path you take, but I hope it goes well. We should be off."
Whomever leaves with the captives heads off, and the rest of you decide where to go next. Should it be:
1: The path through the mines, which should be less guarded.
2: The path through the fortress, which should be faster but more heavily guarded.
(Choose both by thursday.)
4/27/09
4/23/09
Choose your own adventure: 20
The story so far:
You awoke on an island after a night of binge drinking with friends because of a shitty day. You don't know how you got there, so you go off to find how to get home. After a few adventures you find a village where the natives, a bunch of otters, have all been slain. You follow the trail of whoever killed them and find a secret lair in a cave in the cliff wall. There you sneak around until you find a secret passage, and overhear some leader and his underlings discussing the deaths of the otters, and that there is some spy (aka you) in the cave. You find a passage to a prison where there are three captives, a huddled furry thing, a penguin with a cool hat and a scary sounding thing in a corner. You talk to the penguin, who encourages you to escape with him down a secret escape passage that another prisoner made in the cell next to his. You free a young otter who is too afraid to speak, and a scary jaguar, who guards the exit while you escape. After escaping, the penguin, Pierre, volunteers to bring you and the otter child to Ellestria if you go with him to his ship, last seen due west in Edgeton. While walking west through the forest of fortune, you stumble into some lizardmen on patrol and get into a fight. You manage to disarm one of them, but reinforcements arrive and chase you all to a marsh, which the lizards are afraid to approach. You and Pierre row a canoe you find out towards the island in the middle of the lake, but while doing so a gigantic black lake monster attacks your boat and sends you all flying. You and Pierre manage to swim to the island, but the otter child is nowhere to be found.
You search a small cave you find and inside is the otter child with a mysterious winged creature. The creature seems to know you both and offers you food and answers tomorrow after allowing you to rest underground. But things are not all they seem, as both the otter child and Pierre are a bit creeped out by the winged one. You, though, slowly succumb to her, seeing your friends as horrible creatures as she sucks the life out of you. Luckily for you, Pierre saves you and you all make your escape. As you see sunlight again, you pass out, only to wake up weeks later in a small village in Ladon Fields, south of Edgeton. Pierre and the child apparently carried your body there and nursed you back to health. Now you decide to renew your journey to Edgeton. You decide to travel with two young men, Ox and Rand, on their way to sell wheat to a caravan in Edgeton. While going there, you pass through an old ghost town called Newburry. There you find out that Mina, Rand's sister, had hidden herself in the cart, against her father's wishes. While heading out of Newburry Pierre spies something coming towards your group in the distance. Your group goes and hides in a barn, but watches and sees a couple of groups of Jackals riding horses who all meet up in the town square near your barn. A ghost appears to the Jackals, who seem to be expecting it. Since the Jackals don't seem to be leaving any time soon, you all take turns sleeping the night, but when morning comes, Mina is missing!
Now begins Time is a Loop: Episode 20
You suggest searching the barn for clues as to where Mina disappeared off to.
"That sounds reasonable enough," says Pierre. "Afterall, I never saw here leave the barn."
"That's because you were sleeping on watch!" yells Rand.
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
As the two yell at each other, you, Ox and the otter child begin searching the barn. You start by checking the cart. You can tell that Mina must have slept in the wheat for a while last night, as it has been arranged into a bed-like shape. You can't find any clues as to what happened next though.
Just then the otter child cries out in the corner of the barn, and the group goes to check out what it found. It seems that there is a trap door underneath the hay in the corner of the barn.
"Perhaps she went down there..." Pierre states.
"Well, we won't know unless we look," says Ox.
You climb down the hole in the ground first. It goes down about 15 feet into a small, dimly lit tunnel. You follow the tunnel for a bit, and it seems to lead to a larger room, with smaller tunnels leading out in different directions.
"I would guess that those smaller tunnels lead to other trap doors in other buildings in Newburry," says Pierre.
"Why would you think that?" asks Ox.
"Because that is how I would set up my base of operations."
You look around the larger room and realize he is right. This seems to be a base for some criminal group. There are small cots by the walls, as well as dressers and a weapons cashe. You would guess that you stumbled into the barracks of some group. Luckily there is noone there except your group currently.
"Maybe we should get some weapons, just in case there are still some enemies around," says Rand.
You all walk over to the weapons cashe. Ox picks up what looks to you like a great-axe, but seems small when he holds it. Pierre still has his rapier from before, so he holds onto it. Rand finds some brass knuckles which fit his hands, and the otter child picks up a sling and some rocks. The other weapons look too large for his small otter hands. You look at your options:
You could pick up:
1: A dagger, which would allow you to move quicker but not hurt as much, you feel.
2: A shortsword, which seems nicely balanced.
3: A longsword, which is kinda heavy in your hands, but intimidating.
4: An axe, which has a good swing, but can sometimes be awkward to use.
5: A mace, which is heavy, but would leave a good "impression" on people.
6: A spear, which is awkward in small spaces, but keeps the enemies away.
7: A bow and arrows, which also would be awkward in small or upclose areas, but handy in larger ones.
8: A bo staff, which also subs as a nice balancing stick when tightrope walking.
(Choose wisely. Or choose your favorite.)
You select your weapon and look around. It seems there are three larger areas to go to out of the barracks you are in, that don't seem to lead to one of the houses in Newburry. One path leads North-East, and seems more lit, another leads North, and from it you think you can hear voices discussing something. The other leads North-West and is darker. You think you hear something like the crack of a whip from there.
Where will you go?
A: North-East towards the light
B: North towards the discussion
C: North-West towards the whip-noise
(Don't forget to vote for direction AND weapon, and vote by monday. Also, if you have any other suggestions as to what to do, or ideas as to where you are and what is going on, feel free to discuss them.)
You awoke on an island after a night of binge drinking with friends because of a shitty day. You don't know how you got there, so you go off to find how to get home. After a few adventures you find a village where the natives, a bunch of otters, have all been slain. You follow the trail of whoever killed them and find a secret lair in a cave in the cliff wall. There you sneak around until you find a secret passage, and overhear some leader and his underlings discussing the deaths of the otters, and that there is some spy (aka you) in the cave. You find a passage to a prison where there are three captives, a huddled furry thing, a penguin with a cool hat and a scary sounding thing in a corner. You talk to the penguin, who encourages you to escape with him down a secret escape passage that another prisoner made in the cell next to his. You free a young otter who is too afraid to speak, and a scary jaguar, who guards the exit while you escape. After escaping, the penguin, Pierre, volunteers to bring you and the otter child to Ellestria if you go with him to his ship, last seen due west in Edgeton. While walking west through the forest of fortune, you stumble into some lizardmen on patrol and get into a fight. You manage to disarm one of them, but reinforcements arrive and chase you all to a marsh, which the lizards are afraid to approach. You and Pierre row a canoe you find out towards the island in the middle of the lake, but while doing so a gigantic black lake monster attacks your boat and sends you all flying. You and Pierre manage to swim to the island, but the otter child is nowhere to be found.
You search a small cave you find and inside is the otter child with a mysterious winged creature. The creature seems to know you both and offers you food and answers tomorrow after allowing you to rest underground. But things are not all they seem, as both the otter child and Pierre are a bit creeped out by the winged one. You, though, slowly succumb to her, seeing your friends as horrible creatures as she sucks the life out of you. Luckily for you, Pierre saves you and you all make your escape. As you see sunlight again, you pass out, only to wake up weeks later in a small village in Ladon Fields, south of Edgeton. Pierre and the child apparently carried your body there and nursed you back to health. Now you decide to renew your journey to Edgeton. You decide to travel with two young men, Ox and Rand, on their way to sell wheat to a caravan in Edgeton. While going there, you pass through an old ghost town called Newburry. There you find out that Mina, Rand's sister, had hidden herself in the cart, against her father's wishes. While heading out of Newburry Pierre spies something coming towards your group in the distance. Your group goes and hides in a barn, but watches and sees a couple of groups of Jackals riding horses who all meet up in the town square near your barn. A ghost appears to the Jackals, who seem to be expecting it. Since the Jackals don't seem to be leaving any time soon, you all take turns sleeping the night, but when morning comes, Mina is missing!
Now begins Time is a Loop: Episode 20
You suggest searching the barn for clues as to where Mina disappeared off to.
"That sounds reasonable enough," says Pierre. "Afterall, I never saw here leave the barn."
"That's because you were sleeping on watch!" yells Rand.
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
As the two yell at each other, you, Ox and the otter child begin searching the barn. You start by checking the cart. You can tell that Mina must have slept in the wheat for a while last night, as it has been arranged into a bed-like shape. You can't find any clues as to what happened next though.
Just then the otter child cries out in the corner of the barn, and the group goes to check out what it found. It seems that there is a trap door underneath the hay in the corner of the barn.
"Perhaps she went down there..." Pierre states.
"Well, we won't know unless we look," says Ox.
You climb down the hole in the ground first. It goes down about 15 feet into a small, dimly lit tunnel. You follow the tunnel for a bit, and it seems to lead to a larger room, with smaller tunnels leading out in different directions.
"I would guess that those smaller tunnels lead to other trap doors in other buildings in Newburry," says Pierre.
"Why would you think that?" asks Ox.
"Because that is how I would set up my base of operations."
You look around the larger room and realize he is right. This seems to be a base for some criminal group. There are small cots by the walls, as well as dressers and a weapons cashe. You would guess that you stumbled into the barracks of some group. Luckily there is noone there except your group currently.
"Maybe we should get some weapons, just in case there are still some enemies around," says Rand.
You all walk over to the weapons cashe. Ox picks up what looks to you like a great-axe, but seems small when he holds it. Pierre still has his rapier from before, so he holds onto it. Rand finds some brass knuckles which fit his hands, and the otter child picks up a sling and some rocks. The other weapons look too large for his small otter hands. You look at your options:
You could pick up:
1: A dagger, which would allow you to move quicker but not hurt as much, you feel.
2: A shortsword, which seems nicely balanced.
3: A longsword, which is kinda heavy in your hands, but intimidating.
4: An axe, which has a good swing, but can sometimes be awkward to use.
5: A mace, which is heavy, but would leave a good "impression" on people.
6: A spear, which is awkward in small spaces, but keeps the enemies away.
7: A bow and arrows, which also would be awkward in small or upclose areas, but handy in larger ones.
8: A bo staff, which also subs as a nice balancing stick when tightrope walking.
(Choose wisely. Or choose your favorite.)
You select your weapon and look around. It seems there are three larger areas to go to out of the barracks you are in, that don't seem to lead to one of the houses in Newburry. One path leads North-East, and seems more lit, another leads North, and from it you think you can hear voices discussing something. The other leads North-West and is darker. You think you hear something like the crack of a whip from there.
Where will you go?
A: North-East towards the light
B: North towards the discussion
C: North-West towards the whip-noise
(Don't forget to vote for direction AND weapon, and vote by monday. Also, if you have any other suggestions as to what to do, or ideas as to where you are and what is going on, feel free to discuss them.)
4/20/09
Choose your own adventure: 19
The story so far:
You awoke on an island after a night of binge drinking with friends because of a shitty day. You don't know how you got there, so you go off to find how to get home. After a few adventures you find a village where the natives, a bunch of otters, have all been slain. You follow the trail of whoever killed them and find a secret lair in a cave in the cliff wall. There you sneak around until you find a secret passage, and overhear some leader and his underlings discussing the deaths of the otters, and that there is some spy (aka you) in the cave. You find a passage to a prison where there are three captives, a huddled furry thing, a penguin with a cool hat and a scary sounding thing in a corner. You talk to the penguin, who encourages you to escape with him down a secret escape passage that another prisoner made in the cell next to his. You free a young otter who is too afraid to speak, and a scary jaguar, who guards the exit while you escape. After escaping, the penguin, Pierre, volunteers to bring you and the otter child to Ellestria if you go with him to his ship, last seen due west in Edgeton. While walking west through the forest of fortune, you stumble into some lizardmen on patrol and get into a fight. You manage to disarm one of them, but reinforcements arrive and chase you all to a marsh, which the lizards are afraid to approach. You and Pierre row a canoe you find out towards the island in the middle of the lake, but while doing so a gigantic black lake monster attacks your boat and sends you all flying. You and Pierre manage to swim to the island, but the otter child is nowhere to be found.
You search a small cave you find and inside is the otter child with a mysterious winged creature. The creature seems to know you both and offers you food and answers tomorrow after allowing you to rest underground. But things are not all they seem, as both the otter child and Pierre are a bit creeped out by the winged one. You, though, slowly succumb to her, seeing your friends as horrible creatures as she sucks the life out of you. Luckily for you, Pierre saves you and you all make your escape. As you see sunlight again, you pass out, only to wake up weeks later in a small village in Ladon Fields, south of Edgeton. Pierre and the child apparently carried your body there and nursed you back to health. Now you decide to renew your journey to Edgeton. You decide to travel with two young men, Ox and Rand, on their way to sell wheat to a caravan in Edgeton. While going there, you pass through an old ghost town called Newburry. There you find out that Mina, Rand's sister, had hidden herself in the cart, against her father's wishes. While heading out of Newburry Pierre spies something coming towards your group in the distance.
Now begins Time is a Loop: Episode 19
You tell your new friends that they should turn around and head back to Newburry and hide in one of the abandoned buildings. Luckily there is one nearby with a large enough barn to hide the wheat cart in. Rand and Ox push the cart into the barn and close the doors as Mina, Pierre, the otter child and yourself follow behind.
"We should be safe here," Ox says, looking over at Mina.
"But shouldn't someone watch the travelers to see who they are and where they are going?" Rand asks.
You look up and spy that the barn has an opening near the roof by one of the rafters. You volunteer to watch through the opening to see what happens. Ox and Rand help you up to the rafter.
From the hole you can see the path going east and Newburry to the west. Clouds seem to be rising from the past east, and you watch as some strange-looking creatures come riding in towards town. They seem to be... a group of jackals riding upon horses. Yet the horses are not saddled like you are normally used to, instead they are wearing sack-cloth clothes.
The jackals, (there are about 5 of them) come riding into the town square, which is close to the barn you are hiding in, but not close enough to hear what they are saying. They stop at the square by the empty fountain and dismount their horses. You see the jackals do... something... by the fountain and then momentarily you watch as a creature comes out of the fountain!
You are sure that the fountain was solid stone, and empty of water before, but now you watch as a pale figure rises out of the stone, almost like a... ghost? The Jackals seem to interact with the ghost figure. You watch as soon from the other direction of Newburry as another group of Jackals on horses come riding up. Soon after that come another group from another direction. It seems this is a meeting ground for a large group, and they are... trading or something with the ghost that lives there. You climb down and report your findings.
"So if we wanted to leave, we would be seen by a very large group jackals?" Pierre says.
"Looks that way," Rand replies.
"And the town is haunted afterall!" Ox says.
"Yeah, but why are the Jackals interacting with the ghost? Aren't people usually afraid of ghosts?" says Mina.
"Who knows. But I would prefer not not interact with anything out there. The way they are riding those poor horses like they are... animals or something! Its just too cruel!" says Rand.
You agree, and mention that while the Jackals seem to be hanging out by the town square for a while, it doesn't seem like they are wandering the town itself. We should be safe in here until they leave.
"I agree," says Pierre. "But we should have someone on watch, to make sure."
You all decide who gets what shift watching, and the rest of you decide to try to get some rest. By now it is about night and you have been traveling all day. Mina takes the first shift, and then Pierre, followed by the otter child and then you. Ox and Rand are too big for the beams to hold them.
Mina's shift goes well enough, and you watch as Pierre heads up to take her place. Then you drift back to sleep along with everyone else. Time passes...
You wake up to sunlight. The otter child is pulling at your arm in desperation. You look around. Everyone else is waking up too, and noticing that something is missing.
"Mina! Ox cries.
"Where is Mina!" says Rand. Everyone looks around but noone sees her. Pierre comes down from the rafters.
"What time is it?" he says.
"It looks like morning. Why were you still up in the rafters?" says Rand.
"Its morning? But I just climbed up into the rafters less than an hour ago. It can't be morning yet, we still have two shifts to cover."
"Well it is. You must have fallen asleep on the job. And now Mina is gone. Missing or... worse." cries Rand.
"Don't say that!" says Ox.
"Well I am sorry, but I swear I didn't fall asleep, and I didn't notice Mina missing."
"You WILL be sorry. After I..." Rand gets ready to punch Pierre as Ox jumps between them. "This is no time for that Rand. We need to find Mina first."
You peek out the door, but the Jackals are gone.
"When did they leave?" Pierre says.
"See, you fell asleep and now my sister is lost!"
"I swear I didn't fall asleep!"
"Enough you two, lets just look for Mina." says Ox.
"Ok, but where could she be?"
You think about it and decide to check out:
A: the barn, there may be a clue as to Mina's disappearance.
B: the fountain, she may have been wondering about the ghost.
C: the town, there may be some trail as to what happened to the Jackals.
D: the woods. Maybe she went out to go to the bathroom?
(Vote by thursday. Hopefully this time I won't forget to update on Thursday;)
You awoke on an island after a night of binge drinking with friends because of a shitty day. You don't know how you got there, so you go off to find how to get home. After a few adventures you find a village where the natives, a bunch of otters, have all been slain. You follow the trail of whoever killed them and find a secret lair in a cave in the cliff wall. There you sneak around until you find a secret passage, and overhear some leader and his underlings discussing the deaths of the otters, and that there is some spy (aka you) in the cave. You find a passage to a prison where there are three captives, a huddled furry thing, a penguin with a cool hat and a scary sounding thing in a corner. You talk to the penguin, who encourages you to escape with him down a secret escape passage that another prisoner made in the cell next to his. You free a young otter who is too afraid to speak, and a scary jaguar, who guards the exit while you escape. After escaping, the penguin, Pierre, volunteers to bring you and the otter child to Ellestria if you go with him to his ship, last seen due west in Edgeton. While walking west through the forest of fortune, you stumble into some lizardmen on patrol and get into a fight. You manage to disarm one of them, but reinforcements arrive and chase you all to a marsh, which the lizards are afraid to approach. You and Pierre row a canoe you find out towards the island in the middle of the lake, but while doing so a gigantic black lake monster attacks your boat and sends you all flying. You and Pierre manage to swim to the island, but the otter child is nowhere to be found.
You search a small cave you find and inside is the otter child with a mysterious winged creature. The creature seems to know you both and offers you food and answers tomorrow after allowing you to rest underground. But things are not all they seem, as both the otter child and Pierre are a bit creeped out by the winged one. You, though, slowly succumb to her, seeing your friends as horrible creatures as she sucks the life out of you. Luckily for you, Pierre saves you and you all make your escape. As you see sunlight again, you pass out, only to wake up weeks later in a small village in Ladon Fields, south of Edgeton. Pierre and the child apparently carried your body there and nursed you back to health. Now you decide to renew your journey to Edgeton. You decide to travel with two young men, Ox and Rand, on their way to sell wheat to a caravan in Edgeton. While going there, you pass through an old ghost town called Newburry. There you find out that Mina, Rand's sister, had hidden herself in the cart, against her father's wishes. While heading out of Newburry Pierre spies something coming towards your group in the distance.
Now begins Time is a Loop: Episode 19
You tell your new friends that they should turn around and head back to Newburry and hide in one of the abandoned buildings. Luckily there is one nearby with a large enough barn to hide the wheat cart in. Rand and Ox push the cart into the barn and close the doors as Mina, Pierre, the otter child and yourself follow behind.
"We should be safe here," Ox says, looking over at Mina.
"But shouldn't someone watch the travelers to see who they are and where they are going?" Rand asks.
You look up and spy that the barn has an opening near the roof by one of the rafters. You volunteer to watch through the opening to see what happens. Ox and Rand help you up to the rafter.
From the hole you can see the path going east and Newburry to the west. Clouds seem to be rising from the past east, and you watch as some strange-looking creatures come riding in towards town. They seem to be... a group of jackals riding upon horses. Yet the horses are not saddled like you are normally used to, instead they are wearing sack-cloth clothes.
The jackals, (there are about 5 of them) come riding into the town square, which is close to the barn you are hiding in, but not close enough to hear what they are saying. They stop at the square by the empty fountain and dismount their horses. You see the jackals do... something... by the fountain and then momentarily you watch as a creature comes out of the fountain!
You are sure that the fountain was solid stone, and empty of water before, but now you watch as a pale figure rises out of the stone, almost like a... ghost? The Jackals seem to interact with the ghost figure. You watch as soon from the other direction of Newburry as another group of Jackals on horses come riding up. Soon after that come another group from another direction. It seems this is a meeting ground for a large group, and they are... trading or something with the ghost that lives there. You climb down and report your findings.
"So if we wanted to leave, we would be seen by a very large group jackals?" Pierre says.
"Looks that way," Rand replies.
"And the town is haunted afterall!" Ox says.
"Yeah, but why are the Jackals interacting with the ghost? Aren't people usually afraid of ghosts?" says Mina.
"Who knows. But I would prefer not not interact with anything out there. The way they are riding those poor horses like they are... animals or something! Its just too cruel!" says Rand.
You agree, and mention that while the Jackals seem to be hanging out by the town square for a while, it doesn't seem like they are wandering the town itself. We should be safe in here until they leave.
"I agree," says Pierre. "But we should have someone on watch, to make sure."
You all decide who gets what shift watching, and the rest of you decide to try to get some rest. By now it is about night and you have been traveling all day. Mina takes the first shift, and then Pierre, followed by the otter child and then you. Ox and Rand are too big for the beams to hold them.
Mina's shift goes well enough, and you watch as Pierre heads up to take her place. Then you drift back to sleep along with everyone else. Time passes...
You wake up to sunlight. The otter child is pulling at your arm in desperation. You look around. Everyone else is waking up too, and noticing that something is missing.
"Mina! Ox cries.
"Where is Mina!" says Rand. Everyone looks around but noone sees her. Pierre comes down from the rafters.
"What time is it?" he says.
"It looks like morning. Why were you still up in the rafters?" says Rand.
"Its morning? But I just climbed up into the rafters less than an hour ago. It can't be morning yet, we still have two shifts to cover."
"Well it is. You must have fallen asleep on the job. And now Mina is gone. Missing or... worse." cries Rand.
"Don't say that!" says Ox.
"Well I am sorry, but I swear I didn't fall asleep, and I didn't notice Mina missing."
"You WILL be sorry. After I..." Rand gets ready to punch Pierre as Ox jumps between them. "This is no time for that Rand. We need to find Mina first."
You peek out the door, but the Jackals are gone.
"When did they leave?" Pierre says.
"See, you fell asleep and now my sister is lost!"
"I swear I didn't fall asleep!"
"Enough you two, lets just look for Mina." says Ox.
"Ok, but where could she be?"
You think about it and decide to check out:
A: the barn, there may be a clue as to Mina's disappearance.
B: the fountain, she may have been wondering about the ghost.
C: the town, there may be some trail as to what happened to the Jackals.
D: the woods. Maybe she went out to go to the bathroom?
(Vote by thursday. Hopefully this time I won't forget to update on Thursday;)
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