Day 1 Night

[12npcs]

[ Over the murmur of conversations, explorations and violent attempts at escape, there comes a sound tick tick tick tick tick.............. CLICK.... The sky above snaps across the dome from blue to black... and everything goes dark.

A glow comes from the front door of each of the inns and one by one, you can see street lanterns begin to light up steadily past each of the gates.

The only flickering, organic light comes from above in the tower, spluttering high, high above everyone, through the slats of the closed shutters. After a moment, it's gone. ]

Comments

[direstnews]

I don't believe I've had the pleasure of your tale.

[thevineintervention]

Well, that's quite a lot of pleasure for someone so small. How about a name, for now?

[direstnews]

A name will suffice. Though I would like to know how you came to be in this place. I'm comparing notes, you see.

[thevineintervention]

Aaaah, I see!

Well, my name is Aerta. I wandered in the darkness, and then watched a rather one-sided game of cards. Mm, perhaps I even won!

[direstnews]

And before the darkness?

[thevineintervention]

I was watching a girl about your age die.

[direstnews]

Ah.

[Takes a little bit of a step away.]

[thevineintervention]

Aah. Forgive me, that was a bit forward. . .

[direstnews]

I did ask.

[thevineintervention]

You did.


Is the answer helpful?

[direstnews]

I suppose that depends upon why she was dying.

[thevineintervention]

She was thrown from her mount. The broken limb of a tree caught her about here. [ she indicates on her own chest ]

It missed her heart, but not her lungs. Mm . . . it did not take so very long, though she fought with great fervor.

[direstnews]

You escaped injury yourself?

[thevineintervention]

Aah, you misunderstand.


Perhaps I am not direct enough. I am the healer, who did not save her.

[direstnews]

She was brought to you, then.

[thevineintervention]

As you say. There wasn't much I could do but make her comfortable. . . . she really wasn't interested in comfort.

[thevineintervention]

Aah, the details get a little heavy from there.

[direstnews]

Best then that I need no more than what you've given.

[thevineintervention]

If my story has helped, then you are welcome to it.

[direstnews]

More than you know, but less than I'd like.

Still, knowledge gained makes up the pages of the tales we tell about ourselves. Without them all, the holes of plot become most vexing.