Unknown Campsite, Tzintkra

The evening of Earth’s integration

Raz had never traveled on a floating metal disc before, and if he ever had the choice, he never would again. Not unless it was a much better design. Either a place to sit or something to hang on to, at the least. The flying carpet was a much more stable experience!

Gustav hopped off the disc and held out his hand. The disc shrank until it was half a foot across and Gustav stuck it in his pocket. “Nothing like a quick flight, is there? So much fun.”

The place was clearly a temporary camp, but one that had been there for a few weeks, at least. There were no permanent structures, but Raz could see the paths formed in the dirt when people walked between the tents.

Everything was dirt and rocks. Raz didn’t see a single living - or dead - plant. Most of what he’d seen on the way to the camp was dead or at least it should have been dead.

Tzintkra was disturbing. Even the scrublands he’d grown up in supported some life, especially whenever it rained. This land was simply wrong.

Raz shook himself. That wasn’t why he was here. He was here to find a place for Aki. Maybe delve into a Catacomb and get something for that Quest, if it was convenient. He was also here to hide, but he doubted anyone would be looking for him now that he was gone from Asihanya. He needed to make a new life for himself. Maybe someday he’d be able to go back and fix things, but he doubted it. There was nothing at all left for him there, now, after all.

As they walked through the camp, Raz heard crying followed by screams from one of the tents. He started to head towards them on reflex, but Gustav caught his arm. “Discipline tent, someone must have broken the rules. It happens. You don’t want to go in there. Whoever is being disciplined would prefer their privacy.”

Raz reluctantly let himself be led away. The situation didn’t feel right, but he didn’t know these people; maybe that was normal away from his Clan?

Raz couldn’t really tell the tents apart, but eventually Gustav led him to a smaller tent with a woman inside - another human. It looked like Tzintkra was like Asihanya, most of the people seemed to be human. The woman was sitting at a table. The table was covered in bark-paper and there was an odd board with slots in it on a corner.

“Hey, Anna. Got another one for you. This is Raz, he says he’s got [Quick Heal] and knows a little about trapfinding. Got a slot for him?” Gustav pushed on Raz’s back, making him walk farther into the tent.

“Oh, yeah, definitely. There’s a team headed out tomorrow that could use another trapfinder and healing’s always useful.” Anna reached into a bag and pulled out something that looked like a wooden disc. “Name?”

“Raz. But - uh, shouldn’t I meet the team first? Make sure we’ll mesh?” ‘Headed out tomorrow’ sounded like there wouldn’t be any time to work out how to work together, and Raz had always had it drilled into him that that was vital.

“Nah, they just need a trapfinder, your healing’s bonus. They’ll know what to do with you.” Anna picked up a board with slots from the edge of the table and slid the disc - which Raz could see now had his name - into one of the slots. It looked like it was probably a listing of all of the team members, but she handed it to Gustav before Raz had a chance to read who the other people were.

There seemed to be space for twenty teams, but four slots didn’t have any discs. Was this group really keeping track of sixteen teams? That seemed like a lot.

“Garrett’s group? What do they need a new trapfinder for already? He’s gotten the last three.” Gustav set the board back on the table.

“Eh, Garrett’s an idiot but a successful idiot. Two of ‘em died finding traps, the third’s in the Discipline tent. He’ll be no good tomorrow, so I’ll send the newbie as well. Maybe he can stay alive.”

Raz was starting to get a really bad feeling about the situation. “Ah, why do you keep sending him out if he’s getting people killed?”

Anna didn’t look at Raz, she looked at Gustav. “Why do you always make me explain the facts of life?” She turned to Raz. “Look, kid, we didn’t bring you here to coddle you. You’re here to work. That means you do what we tell you to and go on the teams we put you on or it’s the Discipline tent for you. And don’t go asking me about pay. That gets settled at the end, if you survive. Which I doubt you will unless you quit asking so many questions. Got it?”

The petite woman sitting behind a table suddenly looked just as intimidating as Raz’s Clan Chief ever had. She was higher Tier than he was, but he wasn’t sure how much higher.

“Uh, yeah. Got it.” Raz wondered if he’d be able to run away from this place. It was in the middle of nowhere as far as he could tell, which meant he’d have a hard time getting away. If this weren’t a planet of the dead, he’d be fine - he knew how to forage - but here? He simply didn’t know enough.

Gustav led him to a small, single-person tent. He’d have to crawl into it, but it held a sleeping bag already, at least. “You’ll sleep here. Garrett or one of his people will get you in the morning. Food’s at the mess tent - it’s the big tent at the end of the row. You can get dinner there, and breakfast in the morning. Latrines are two rows over, turn left, then follow the smell, you’ll find them. Use the latrines; if you don’t, well, I’m sure you can guess that’s what the Discipline tent is for.”

“And - get that worried look off your face, it’s really not that bad here. We’re exploring an uncharted sector, so it can start being properly managed. It’s dangerous work, but has the chance for some big payouts. That’s why I’m here.” Gustav turned and left Raz standing at the entrance to “his” tent.

Raz suspected the tent had once belonged to someone who no longer needed a tent.

[Path choice quest]

[The man you met at the portal no longer seems like such a generous stranger, and the place he’s taken you to looks more dangerous by the minute, yet there is opportunity to go with the risk. The actions you take here will help set your future]

[Path of the Paladin: There are others here who need aid more than you do. Find them and aid them. You may not be able to save them tonight, but over the days to come you can find a way to save them and stop this group from their practices]

[Conditions: Pray to Asterte for aid for someone other than yourself within the next 24 hours, then find a way to rescue those who need it]

[Reward: Allies, Holy Aura, large increase in Holy Affinity, Kept Dungeon will tend towards Holy and related Affinities]

[Contingent reward: Rescue the healer of Asterte from her degradation tonight to receive Asterte’s Favor]

[Path of the Thief: Gustav said there is the chance for some big payouts. Some of the items that have been found already are quite valuable and have been stored somewhere in the camp. Find them and steal them, then escape]

[Conditions: Steal what you can before morning. Do not accompany Garrett on the mission]

[Reward: Powerful items]

[Hired Gun’s Path: As long as you’re careful and don’t give them cause to act against you, membership can have significant benefits.]

[Conditions: Lead the way into the tomb Garrett is robbing. Successfully disarm all traps. Warn of the threat in time for some or all of the group to escape]

[Reward: Trust, Allies, a split of the treasure. Many future missions will be available]

[Path of the Dead: Secrets lie in the tombs you explore. Some of them bring power, and not all of the power is in items]

[Conditions: When infected, do not request or accept aid in curing the condition]

[Reward: Successful conversion to a powerful intelligent undead form; Aura of Undeath, large increase in Death Affinity, Kept dungeon will tend towards Death and related Affinities]

[Contingent Reward: Complete the Path of the Dungeon as well to receive training in Death Affinity and Undeath]

[Path of the Dungeon: You are set in your goal; only Aki matters]

[Conditions: Keep your head down and don’t volunteer. Accept rescue if it is offered. All strangers have secrets, but know that not all secrets should be sought. This is a time for adventures, so follow your quest to find it. Travel to the Necropolis only if you bear the touch of Undeath and the Shining Caverns if you do not. Fight the good fight and follow the dragon to his home, for he can help you find what you seek]

[Reward: Allies, Aid in locating an unused ley line junction near a city]

[Conditional Reward: Not all dragons’ hoards are the same. Share information and listen and you may gain quest information and progress of your own]

[Choose Your Path]

That was the biggest Quest screen Raz had ever seen. He’d heard of Path Choice quests; they were supposed to be fairly common, given whenever there were major options that would affect your future. He’d never been sure if it was Order’s Voice handing out rewards or if it was simply showing options that already existed.

As he read through the quest, he realized it was actually five different quests, most of which probably couldn’t be combined. Only the last two explicitly stated that they could, but Raz suspected the Path of the Dead could also be combined with the Hired Gun’s Path, since both of them mentioned the tomb. Raz was pretty sure the Hired Gun’s Path and Path of the Dungeon directly conflicted.

Path of the Thief might be possible to combine with Path of the Paladin, but since it said not to go to the tomb and the other three required going to the tomb, the others were off the table. It would be funny to combine those two, but difficult; it would require stealing stuff and somehow staying nearby long enough to rescue people.

Path of the Paladin could be combined with any of them based on purely the Conditions, but Raz doubted most would work well with it. The Hired Gun’s Path in particular was obvious, but the Path of the Dungeon hinted he wouldn’t be staying with the group either - and most Holy deities seemed to have problems with the Undead, so Path of the Dead was off the table as well.

Raz felt a little silly about working out what would combine when he didn’t need to know all of that. He was going to follow the Path of the Dungeon. Only Paths that didn’t conflict with it mattered, which meant that the only other Path he’d even consider was the Path of the Dead.

Path of the Dead seemed much weaker than any of the others - conversion into a powerful intelligent undead form? Why was that even a reward - were there any powerful undead? Raz had no interest in being an intelligent skeleton, and he wouldn’t have called a skeleton “powerful” anyway, so he didn’t understand what that could mean. The Path was clearly set up to be “equivalent” to the Paladin’s reward, and he knew how powerful that was. Was he missing something that would make it worth it, or was it just because this was a world of Death?

He’d have time to make that decision later. The important decision was easy; he wanted the Path of the Dungeon. The Quest description was accurate. Only Aki mattered.