OOC
Minecraft Username: DerKommissar_
Are you at least 18 years old?: Yes
Have you read the rules? (Link): Yes
(Optional) Introduce yourself if you’d like, as well as any creations you want to share (e.g. art, builds, skins): I am a 'forever-DM' in my TTRPG group, so I'm looking forward to being part of a world that's already created, as a player.
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In-Character
Read the following prompt:
The rhythmic lull of hoofbeats are a marching drum to the small group of pioneers and variety of folk you have found yourself amongst, packed into a wobbling wagon. The rolling plains of the Southern Reach and a clear sky stretch out all around you, the buzz of excited chatter a dull wash in your ears as your mind strays to your former life and what has led you here to new lands.
“Nervous?”
You blink, returning to the present moment. A kindly older woman sat near you is smiling warmly with a crinkle to her eyes.
“I can tell it’s your first time. Still remember mine,” she flashes a grin and leans in.
“Tell me my dear, why have you come to the Reach?”
How do you respond (in character)?
I clear my throat and right myself in my seat, fully realizing that I had begun to drift off into my own thoughts on this lengthy wagon journey. "Well, it's a place of mysteries, isn't it? And what greater mysteries are there, than those of our pasts..."
I reach into my coat pocket and pull out a small golden coin. The crown on its face glistens as the amber rays of the morning sun find their way into the wagon. It might not be one of those legendary 'lucky coins,' but it still had some sentimental value to me. I remember how an elderly Falstoner merchant gave it to me after I helped him unload a cart at his market stall. I was probably 8 or 9 years old then, and it was the first money I ever really earned. He told me to go and spend it somewhere nice, but I never did — I kept it as a reminder of how big the world really is, and how much we rely on each other for the smallest quirks of day-to-day life.
"I spent almost all of my life living on a homestead with my father, out in the Faded Steppe," I say absentmindedly, looking at the coin. "We were quite well-off, and farm work is rewarding and builds community, even if it is hard at times. But the world is bigger than just the four walls and a roof that we grow up under, right?"
I pocket my coin once more and turn to face the older woman, raising my sun hat a little to get a better look at her face. She nods in response, her kind expression showing a keen understanding. No doubt her wrinkles each tell a story and reflect many an experience, as well. "I never knew my mother. Well, I know she was Arsa Sidhe. But I never really saw her. Father always says she left right after I was born and doesn't speak a word more than that, but he keeps saying that he harbours no ill feelings towards her." I sigh. "Me neither. Truth is, I am quite content with my upbringing, but a curiosity still tugs at me... who am I, if I am a river without a source, or an event without a cause?"
A brief pause follows as I gather my thoughts. I notice that some of the other passengers have begun to shudder awake in response to the conversation. "This place, the Reach, and that Spire that I've heard about — they are the heart of the mystery right? These plains were the homeland of the Aedall before they disappeared. Vanished, and left no trace. Maybe their disappearance has something to do with my mother's. I've made peace with the fact that I might not know her, but perhaps through my time here, I can at least know myself."
The older woman gently chuckles. "In that respect my dear, you may find more mysteries than answers in these parts."
"That's alright by me," I respond and pull my hat back down over my eyes as I lean back into my seat, clutching the coin in my pocket. "That's not the only reason I've come here."
This old woman probably recognizes that my curiosity about my lineage alone wasn't enough to stir me to leave my life of routine. It's true, there's more to the story than that. In his advanced age, my father has accrued quite a few debts on the farmstead that need to be paid off, though I'm not sure about the details of those arrangements as he remains steadfast in his secrecy — to whom does he owe money, and for what? That's a mystery for later, I reckon, but it's another one that I'll have to get to the bottom of. For now, I just gotta put my nose to the grindstone like I've always done and figure a way out of that debt hole.
"Father is older now, and he owes quite a bit of money," I mumble beneath my hat. "I know it seems selfish to leave under such circumstances, especially since I'm set to inherit the land, but... the prospects of earning enough money in the steppe to pay off those debts are grim, to say the least. I'd told father that I left to find more work and send money back to help in any way I can. Honest work, I mean. And here, in the Reach? I've no doubts that there are people around that might need an extra set of hands, eyes, or ears for some coin. And hey, fate has dealt fairly with me so far, so things will work out. I've heard this fertile country is a land of opportunity, after all..."
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Character Name: Dusty
Character Race: Half-human/Half-elf
Character Age: 26
Brief Physical Description: A relatively slender individual, around 5'10" in height, though it is hard to tell given that he always seems to wear a faded, wide-brimmed leather hat and a beige poncho-like garment. Short, pale-blonde hair flows down the sides of his face which has hints of some sharp, elven features despite his otherwise human appearance. His skin is slightly tanned from the years work as a farmhand, yet his hazel eyes still look ever-forward with a youthful optimism.
