Gab: Well, guess it's time to get started! First thing to find out is just how this adventure starts... Did Lyssa get some sort of magical item that takes her to Faerun?
Kreios: No, not an item.
Gab: Huh, okay. How about a Wish?
Kreios: Yes, just not her wish.
Gab: Ahh, but she probably would think it's hers! That sounds about right, let's see now...
The world was moving on without her, it seemed. Alyssa Hutchins, or Lyssa as she preferred to be called, had been a high school graduate for almost a year now. But filling that year with part-time work, video games, and personal projects hadn't given her any real drive. She had no plans, no motivation, no real future at all. Well, that's how it felt anyway.
All her friends were moving on (some of them literally) and it was all finally weighing on her. One night, it finally felt like too much. It happened suddenly- one moment she was awake, wishing to be anywhere but here as tears blurred her vision. But in the next moment... darkness.
Gab: Does Lyssa wake up outside? Or like, some sort of building?
Kreios: No, it's a sort of building.
Gab: Ahh, what's it like? Got a portent for that?
Kreios: Hmm, I'll give you "rotten" and "cord".
Gab: Okay, so it's a old building, and there's definitely some rope around... A fisher's shack?
Kreios: Yes, exactly.
When Lyssa did start to awaken, she was no longer in her room, but an old fisherman's shack. Daylight was poking through the rotted holes in the surrounding wood, and she was laying on a dusty bedroll on the floor. She sat up, coughing the dust particles away from her. She watched them dance in the light- they entranced her for a good minute before she realized where she was. Or rather, where she wasn't.
She stumbled to her feet, pushing open the fragile door and stepping onto the grass outside. She saw a river a short distance away from her. But mostly, she saw green- trees and grass and hills that turned into mountains the further you looked past. It was pure nature, something she'd only seen in documentaries or photos, and absolutely like nothing near her home.
And back inside the shack, there was barely anything at all. A usable bedroll, some usable rope, a broken fishing rod, and no bait or tackle. She did see her backpack and she had her phone with her, but checking it for a moment, she saw no signal. It was finally all dawning on her that this wasn't a dream.
Gab: Is she able to stay calm?
Kreios: Oh, not at all. In fact...
Lyssa's breath quickened; she was completely panicking now.
Lyssa: Oh my god, I'm being kidnapped! Oh my god, was it- did I get drugged? Or something? Cause I-I didn't even leave the house, I just... I just fell asleep? What did I do- okay okay but like... Mom and Dad were home, so how? ...Are they okay?
She was on the verge of tears. She desperately tried to remember what has happened before she fell asleep last night...
Well, she remembered playing video games that day, tons of different ones that couldn't seem to grab her attention for very long. There was this nagging feeling that she was trying to ignore... the feeling of being alone. Emily just moved last week. Ben was out of town this week checking out a college. But y'know, at least they were still in the same state as Lyssa, whereas Jeff and Megan already had plans to move to different states for college. It was all set in stone. And here was Lyssa. All by herself, no plans, no acceptance letters. Not that she had even applied for any colleges, she honestly hadn't. It all reminded her how her life seemed to have no purpose, no meaning. She only wanted to ignore the feeling, but none of her distractions were working. Not even any of her online friends were around that night, and that seemed to be the final nail in the coffin.
She flung herself onto her bed, and just started crying. She yelled into her pillows and cursed the world around her. Everything sucks! Everyone sucks! Why did everything have to be so stressful and difficult and dumb!? She thought about her video game distractions... why couldn't life be more like that? Real life was disappointing, but in the fantasy worlds she explores in games, everything is so much easier. Maybe she knew that wasn't exactly true, but it's all she wanted in that moment. She wished for it out loud, "I need to leave this place. God, I wish I could go somewhere far away from this life. Somewhere... better..." Then, everything faded to black as she fell asleep.
The memory made Lyssa pale. Did she seriously get her wish? Is this... She stared at the majestic nature surrounding her. She turned to look at the dilapidated fishing shack, then she turned back to the river. Frantically, she ran towards the edge. Her steps were erratic, so she slipped and fell. Undaunted, she moved on all fours, right to the edge of the river, and there she saw...
A fish! A normal fish, no weird fantasy or alien appendages. Just a fish. A wave of relief washed over her, at least for the moment before the thoughts of actually being kidnapped crept back into her mind. In that moment, she felt she could rest easy knowing this was the "real world."
Kreios: Silly child.
Gab: Shush, she's doing her best. She has her backpack right? Can she have a few other items inside, like her sketchbook and her whistle?
Kreios: I don't see why not.
She sat on the grass watching the fish swim about for a while, before returning to the shack she woke up in. She took stock of everything she had in the tiny building, and finally realized her backpack was sitting there against the wall. Inside it was her sketchbook, a few loose pens and pencils, and her "emergency" whistle (she didn't like to carry pepper spray, but she knew this wasn't a great alternative in comparison). She wanted to keep the rope and bedroll with her, just in case, but the latter wasn't going to fit totally inside her backpack... She attempted to use the rope to tie the bedroll to the top of the backpack and- huh! Not bad! Kinda like her fantasy games... no, no, it's more like normal hiking. Yeah, hiking
Lyssa looked around to see if she could recognize anything, but couldn’t. There weren't enough trees around here to be the forest near her neighborhood, and the rolling hills contrasted her normally flat town. ...Just how far was she taken from home?
Regardless of where she ended up, she did know what to do! She was no stranger to the outdoors, and she knew to follow rivers downstream to find people. And even if she didn’t, she would know how to get back to the shack and not get lost. And beyond all that, she had a water source should she need it.
Gab: Does she end up finding some kind of settlement within a good amount of time?
Kreios: Yes.
Gab: Oh nice! Let’s get her moving then and see where she ends up!
Lyssa walked along the river for some time, trying her best not to check her phone like she was used to. Her battery was at 77%, apparently she’d forgotten to charge it last night. So annoying… well, at least she had her phone at all. The more she thought about it, the stranger that seemed. If she was kidnapped, why would they have let her keep her phone? She could easily just call 911… if she had a signal. Maybe that was why- no cell phone tower out here? Eugh, best just not to dwell on it anymore. She had to find help, and maybe they’d have a landline, or police station.
She tried just enjoying the nature around her. It was actually really nice, with pretty flowers, long, wild grass, and trees dotting the land around her. Despite the beauty, that made her uneasy too. It was so unfamiliar.
Thankfully, after her fourth glance at her phone, she looked up and saw smoke in the distance. Excitement overcame her, and her track star instincts kicked in! She shoved her phone in her sweater pocket and ran towards civilization.
Gab: Now, is everything as expected for this small settlement in Faerun?
Kreios: Of course not. In fact, let’s increase a major element, shall we?
Gab: Dang it, I knew you’d make this difficult. Alright, so, an element is anything in the scene, like spatial dimensions, people, or even things like smells. And a major element is something that affects the scene, or even the plot itself. Increasing it means something is bigger or more important... So, what is "bigger" here? Wanna give me some words of inspiration here?
Kreios: Here, try these words: “salty” and “abandon”
Gab: Okay, well “salty” makes me think of saltwater since she was by a river- I’m guessing this places her closer to the actual coast. Does this mean the town she’s headed to is flooded or something?
Kreios: Yes, but not how you expect.
Gab: …OH, is this like a Pacifidlog Town situation?
Kreios: Yes, exactly!
Lyssa rounded a tree hoping to find some campers, maybe even a small town with farmers or fishermen, but she was not prepared for what she actually found. It was a town completely flooded with water. Or rather, a town built on the water! The river expanded into a gulf, and then into a vast ocean- and in that gulf was the smoke she'd been following. There was a rather sizable village with varying sizes of huts on floating boards and bridges
Lyssa was dumbfounded. If the town wasn't flooded... Why not just build it on the land right here? Literally, why not?
She moved closer to the buildings, noting how well-built everything was. The architecture was what she would describe as "tribal" and "tropical"; it reminded her of what she thought Hawaii might look like, since she’d never been. Maybe it was a sort of tourist trap by the ocean? Nothing here reminded her of home either, so she must have been taken really far... did she maybe get taken onto a boat? Would she have been able to sleep through a whole boat trip? All these questions halted as a new one popped into her mind.
...does that man have fins for ears?
Gab: Is she taking this well?
Kreios: What do you think?
Lyssa let out a shriek, then swiftly covered her mouth. The fin-eared man jolted at her reaction and stared at her. He had a swampy-green complexion, seaweed-like hair, and brown eyes. His eyes were filled with just as much confusion as hers. The more she looked around, the more of these fish-like people she saw. Varying skin tones of green and brown, fins and tails and scales. It finally dawned on Lyssa: she was the strange one here. She was the one who didn’t belong.
Gab: How are the attitudes of the people here?
Kreios: They are friendly towards her.
Gab: Oh good! And if I’m guessing right, these are tritons, yeah?
Kreios: Yes, that’s correct.
Gab: Then I know who the first party member Lyssa meets is!
Lotlyn spotted the commotion as it was happening. Her business was usually slow this time of day, so while she was staring off into the distance, she spotted Lyssa. She witnessed the whole thing, thinking “Wait, has this human never seen a triton before?”
The fin-eared man tried his best to calm Lyssa down, but she was inconsolable. The reality of this situation was falling on her, very hard. She wasn’t just kidnapped; she was in a completely different world! There was no other explanation in her mind, and it was actually terrifying. Why was she here? How?? Lyssa stumbled and fell backwards into the dirt, trying to get away from the fin-eared man. He asked her to calm down-
Lotlyn: Hey! Back up, alright? You’re scaring her!
The man dejectedly replied that he was only trying to help, but did as Lotlyn said and stepped aside. Lotlyn never wanted to assume the worst in people, but the moment she saw this poor girl falling to the ground, she’d jumped over her shop counter to Lyssa’s aid.
Gab: Does Lyssa pass out at this point?
Kreios: No, but she is quite out of it.
Gab: Poor thing… Is she starting to calm down at least?
Kreios: Yes, but she isn’t “all here,” remember? Lotlyn may be able to help.
Lotlyn attempted to check Lyssa for any scratches or injuries, but she pulled away at the first touch. There was genuine fear in Lyssa’s eyes.
Gab: Oh wait, is this going to be a persuasion check?
Kreios: Yes, that’s correct.
Gab: …wait, I have an idea.
Kreios: …?
Lotlyn knew this wasn’t good. This girl was causing a scene in town, and she was really panicking now. Lotlyn only knew of one thing that could help her calm down, and it might not work, but it was worth a try. She stood up and quickly ran back to her shop, leaving onlookers to only stare. She told Lyssa to wait there, and she did- but it’s not like she could go anywhere. Lyssa was in a fetal position on the ground now, trying to repeat to herself how this couldn't be real, how it was probably a dream, or a hallucination, or a-
Lotlyn: Here.
Lyssa smelled something delicious, and out of the corner of her eye she saw it; a bowl of soup? Lotlyn had brought her a bowl of ramen from her shop, it was her specialty. She held it out for Lyssa to take, and once she did, the crowds around them began to disperse. The anxiety Lyssa felt started to melt away as she looked at the bowl. It hit her that she hadn’t eaten all day, and all the emotions had really drained her. Hunger overtook fear in this moment, as she began to drink the broth from the bowl.
It was amazing. It reminded her of home. It reminded her of this Japanese place in the outdoor mall that she loved to walk to. It reminded her of that scene in Spirited Away, a movie she would rewatch annually. It was a mix of emotions- nostalgia, fear, comfort. It was realizing that she now had someone who was willing to help her. She wasn’t alone anymore, so she cried and drank some more. Lotlyn placed a hand on her back, and it was welcomed this time.
Kreios: Alright, well done. I’ll allow it.
Gab: YEAH!
The sun was setting, and Lotlyn had taken Lyssa back to her home. Lotlyn made sure she was well fed and had enough time before trying to talk to her.
Lyssa: …thank you.
Lotlyn: Hey, no prob! You looked like you could use a hand.
Lyssa: Yeah…
Lotlyn: So, you lost? Kinda seems like you’ve never seen a triton before.
Lyssa: … a what?
Lotlyn couldn’t help but laugh a bit, but she did take the time to explain what tritons are. She told Lyssa about the different colors and variations they came in, and how they were mostly secluded in the ocean, except for her people in Lathtarl’s Lantern. The whole village was pretty friendly, Lotlyn assured her.
Lyssa got the feeling that she did know what a triton was, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to admit it. She was slowly reaching the end of her denial stage. She was in a magical world, some kind of fantasy place. Honestly, this is something she thought she would be happy about, but this wasn’t romantic or exciting… it was scary. Was this a good thing? Did her wish from last night do this to her? Was it her fault? Could she ever go home?
Lotlyn: Hey, you okay?
Lyssa: Wh-?
Lotlyn: I was asking about your name. Do you remember it?
Lyssa: Oh, uh… it’s Lyssa.
Lotlyn: Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you Lyssa! My name’s Lotlyn Vodarath, and you’re welcome to stay here as long as you need, alright?
Lotlyn was being so nice to her… Lyssa was starting to feel a little guilty. She tried to apologize, but Lotlyn wouldn’t have it. She kept it up, reassuring her she was more than welcome here. Lotlyn asked if Lyssa was on her own, which she confirmed. Lotlyn was confused- the nearest human settlement wasn't very close to the village, so what was Lyssa doing here all alone?
Gab: Is Lyssa going to tell Lotlyn the truth though? Like, that she’s from another world and not sure how she got here?
Kreios: No, she may reveal some things, but not the whole truth.
Gab: Dang it, I was worried about that. Partial truth it is.
Lyssa began to tell Lotlyn a story about how she believed she was kidnapped. How she didn’t recognize anything and had no way to contact her family or home. She didn't know how far from home she was because… she had amnesia? Beyond that, she was scared and alone and felt like what was happening was her fault (because of her wish, but she didn’t say). Lotlyn made sure to tell her it wasn’t her fault, not at all. A young girl taken from home? That’s hardly her fault, and Lotlyn decided right then and there she would protect her.
Lotlyn: Hey, you should stay here, like as long as you need. I know I already offered, but you’re lost and you need help, and you sound like you just need a friend right now to take care of you. Would you, let me be that friend?
Lyssa finally relented- yes, she was in a magical fantasy world. Yes, she was alone and had no idea how to get home. There might not even be a way home. But she was here, and it was real, and there was someone willing to go out of their way for her. Someone she actually felt safe with. She cried and wrapped her arms around Lotlyn. Lyssa was about half a foot taller than Lotlyn, but Lotlyn was definitely the stronger of the two. She held Lyssa in a hug for a long while, and the two of them knew in that moment that they’d be sticking together for as long as they could.
Gab: Awww, this is so wholesome!
Kreios: Yes, indeed.
Gab: …we’re not going to ruin this, are we?
To be continued
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