Fantasy Farewell to Kings: Loneliest Little Village (open)

[Jodyguru]

It is an age of disparity in the land of Paladina. The fall of Dominion to Rodrick’s forces has lead to a disbanding of many guilds, including the Wolfhead heroes guild. As a result, raiders, war clans, and magical beasts have begun terrorizing the public.


Somewhere out in the countryside, the grasslands spread out for miles on end. Only a single dirt road to follow, and it leads to a nameless village by the river bend.

A small rough looking cottage was set up by the road. An old man wearing rags and a straw hat was digging a hole beside the cottage, and a pair of bodies were stacked nearby, a man and a woman. He sucked in breath and fought back tears. His shovel hit the ground and he felt the life drain from him. He was overwhelmed with terrible dread, as if death would come for him.

 

[BlueUmbrella]

The beating sun shone heavily upon the grassy wasteland, through a cloudless sky. Scavenger birds flew above, circling nearby. A shuffling sound could be heard as it echoed in the silence of the countryside. A cloaked figure limped along that empty dirt road. Swaying with each step it took. The figure's face was covered with fabrics, to shield their face from gusts of wind and sand. Only leaving their eyes to be visible.

The figure noticed the dilapidated cabin, in the middle of the fields of swaying grass. Ten feet away they stop dead in their tracks upon approaching the structure, noticing the man hunched over a hole.

 

[Jodyguru]

The old man stood in the hole for a moment, then turned his head towards the stranger in the road. His expression changed to that of fear.

“No, not more of you bandits! Leave me alone I’m just an old man!” He said and he quickly climbed out of the hole and ran quickly into his house. Leaving his shovel and the pair of bodies out to bake in the sun.

The old man was terrified of something and it likely didn’t have to do with the stranger out on the road. It wasn’t exactly the welcoming committee for the new arrival, but it was better then a stickup.

 

[BlueUmbrella]

The stranger watched the man, motionless, as he ran for cover in fear of what was to come. They began to make their way closer to the grave in a curious manner, only to stare at the bodies beside it. Turning their attention back to the road, they limped at a slower pace, only to have their face meet the ground they walked upon. Collapsing in a plume of dust and dirt beside a crooked tree.

The breathing of the strangers was raspy and shallow as they hit the ground. Wincing in pain. They had said something but it was slurred , as they coughed up blood. A faint trail of blood could also be seen on the road from where they were walking. The strangers figured this was to be expected; walk-off in the middle of nowhere to see a grave, and to fall a few feet from it.

"At least there is some shade..." They murmured as they lay still among the grass.

 

[Jodyguru]

The old man opened his door slowly and saw the man lying in the road. Nobody was around for miles. This was not good at all.

The stranger would lay on the road for a little while and then feel water trickling on his lips. The old man had a canteen and was trying to get the man to drink.

“Please drink a lot. The last thing I need is to dig another grave” He said, hoping his cowardice didn’t sentence the man to death. Being under the shade was good. Hopefully this heat stroke could be beat.

“Apologies, stranger. I don’t see many come this way unless they mean me harm. You can call me Risler. Do you got a name?”

 

[BlueUmbrella]

Feeling the water trickle down on their lips. The stranger removes the cloak hood atop their head, revealing a feminine yet rough-looking face, with a few scars across their eyes, mouth from the previous run-in with danger and sunburn on the bridge of their nose. Her hair was cut short. It was intentional. A way to blend in, a way to hide.

Taking in a shaky breath, she manages to muster up some words. "It's okay...I don't blame you. People have become more dangerous these days. My name Sloan" Her voice was raspy when she talked, most likely from dehydration or strain of the vocal cords. The water given to her felt nice. Despite the heat, she found the ground to be comfortable.

"Sorry about your friends...what happened?" She said looking over at the two bodies again.

 

[Jodyguru]

The old man sighed and hung his head. It pained him to remember the dead.

“My son and his wife. He was a hunter, she a school teacher. They were expecting a child in a couple months, but that never happened. Instead, that demon Geddy Conroy cut them down in the street.” The old man spat despite having no spit. “That cursed gang ruined what little good came out of Nameless once upon a time. I know some who’d pay a modest wage for killing that Conroy. If I had two cents to rub together I’d give both for some retribution.”

He let the girl have as much to drink as she pleased. It was better here than in his dilapidated hovel.

 

[BlueUmbrella]

Silently listening, Sloan noticed the man's expression change, realizing her question still stung. Rolling onto her side she sat up taking a drink of water. Noticing her clothes under the cloak were soaked with blood. Putting pressure on the abdomen where most of the blood accumulated.

" I would be happy to take care of him for you. No payment required..." She said looking at the man with a very blank expression. She knew how hard losing a loved one can be.

 

[Jodyguru]

The old man offered her a forced laugh at her insisting on doing the task for free.

“Free? Then it’s worth less. Do you know nothing of business? Business makes people happy even when there’s nothing to eat. Here.”

The old man reached into his shirt and offered her a single piece of silver.”At least get a decent night’s rest at La Grande’s. If you take the left at that big stone, the village is just afar.Nobody will know you in Nameless. It’s the loneliest little place in the world.”

 

[BlueUmbrella]

An expression of confusion appeared across her face, as her eyebrow furrowed. She watches the man offer her a silver piece, as he spoke of a place to rest.

"Thank you for the directions and the water. I appreciate your kindness... But I can't accept your silver piece. Not until the task is done anyway." Sloan said just holding the piece in her palm, as she held her abdomen with her other hand. The buzzards had gone, as the sun became more intense as it faded behind the horizon. " I shall be back..." She said as she stumbled to her feet, handing both the silver piece and the canteen back to the old man.

 

[Jodyguru]

“Wait! You could pass out again. I’m coming with you if you’re going to be this foolish!”

The desert heat beaded down on her head. The water given was necessary but it still felt like getting to town would be challenging.
Thankfully, she managed to make it to the nameless little village tucked away in the desert.

There was nobody around. Just dusty buildings and a sandy breeze blowing through. Risler followed a few paces behind Sloan.

Walking into the village, all of the houses and buildings were boarded up. Through a small opening, a man saw Sloan and Risler and blew at them.

“psst... hey! Get out of sight before the Wendigo gang sees you!” The man said and gestured to a piece of leaning lumber half covering the building.