Xeno/Valley: Jack

[DM B]

Character name: Jack

Brief physical description: Jack is one of many young adults that live in the Village. For his age he is uncommonly strong and fit, good warrior material, but also a man that can work hard and long in the fields. He's not a learned man, that's for sure, and save his physique there is little that seems to set him apart from his fellows: He not dumb, but neither is he clever. He's not ugly, but not particularly handsome either (unless you've got a thing for muscles maybe). That's what the others see anyway; in his heart Jack knows he is different. He wonders what lies beyond the wall, longs to see what lies on the other side. Surely life must have more to offer than this?

Strength: 4
Endurance: 3
Smarts: 1
Learning: 0
Beauty: 1

You are in your sleeping quarters. What do you do?

Wake the girl next to me. She shouldn't be here in the first place and she better go home before dawn. If the Elders knew you were coupling without permission there will be trouble. Get dressed myself. Give the girl's butt a good grab for goodbyes. Eat a hearty breakfast. Head outside as the sun starts to rise and get to work.

[DM B]

Tons of stuff to do. Wood to chop. Play around with the axe like it was a weapon. Fences to fix. Girls to ogle. Roof tiles to replace. Stare longingly at the wall.

[Torele Anviras/TA (Niels)]

Day 1:
Valley Diary

The girl is named Lisa. She is a weaver's apprentice.

Jack stares off towards the wall, the dawn creeping up behind him and far off behind the wall. It's massive shadow falling far across the valley, until it is finally overpowered by the light coming from above.

He came out of a building three stories high that he shares with a number of his creche mates. All of similar age, they will reside here until their status changes, for good or bad, and other housing is assigned or achieved.

Since he has not proven responsive to advanced learning, Jack is a Hand, one of many, who reports to a work boss. The bosses make sure things get done, on behalf of the Mayor, whom everyone knows takes his orders from the Elders.

Yesterday, Jack was told to head to the Knoll this morning and report in, axe in hand. Perhaps they have some logging to do, though there are not many trees left in the Fields.

It is a brisk three hours of walking to the Knoll. Since he is up early, Jack can be there early enough to impress. If he wants to.

[DM B]

Impress is good. Impress generates goodwill. Goodwill can get one out of trouble later.

So unless something terribly interesting happens en route Jack will be on the Knoll early.

He takes a little time to admire the Wall as he catches his breath from the long hike. The Knoll is nice that way; it offers a good view of everything. Or at least everything that's of the Village. What lies beyond...it's not nearly high enough for that. Maybe if it was a mountain, rather than a small hill.

Daydreaming done for now. Reporting to a Boss, if one is around.

[Torele Anviras/TA (Niels)]

Jack takes little note of the materials underfoot, he has walked here hundreds of times after all. But it is clear that the very flat and treated surface of the village area is quite different than that of the fields.

There is nice paved road in a straight line from the village to the Knoll. It is two wagons wide and in very good repair. Wagons trundle by and turn on or off the lesser roads that wind between orchards, gardens and fields.

Buildings are scattered throughout the fields, some low walls surround gardens and plenty of picket fences surround areas for livestock. There is a scent of life in the air, farmland, growing things, manure.

The Knoll does indeed offer an impressive view of the whole region. Only blocked to the east by the Wall and the mountains behind the light covering of woods on their slopes.

As usual a Champion is guarding the gate to the Knoll. He wears full Champion Plate and a two handed sword is poking up over his back. He holds a spear in his hand. His visor covers his eyes, revealing Jack as a bumbling blot of red on blue in excellent contrast. If he desired it, the guard could track Jack's pulsing blood inside his body from 10 paces distance.

Armored so, the Champion is stronger than most men. If he and Jack were to lift heavy objects though, Jack would match him lift for lift. The armor makes the Champion impervious to arrows though, which Jack is not.

On the walls of the Keep militia can be seen, watchful and armed with bows. The gate behind the Champion is closed.

It appears this Knight is the thing closest to a Boss that Jack can see here.

[DM B]

Jack makes what passes for a salute with the haft of his axe.

"Honoured Champion. I have been instructed to report here, with mine axe. Now that I am here; what am I to do?"

Although Jack is a strong lad and can handle himself in a fight he's not a warrior born and bred. He has a hearty respect for the Champion and their near-mythical skills (even if they are mere men I'm sure Village legend makes them out to be something special).

[Torele Anviras/TA (Niels)]

"Greetings citizen Jack," rumbles the Champion, his voice augmented slightly. In battle the volume can be cranked up quite a bit further.

"you are expected. Your guide will be here shortly."

The Champion falls silent. A slightly awkvard pause develops, as the two men; out of topics of conversation and divided by social standing, look at their surroundings with feigned interest to pass the time.

Thankfully it is not long before the gate opens, and a young lady steps out. She is quite lovely, with her hair woven in advanced braids, and as her eyes adjust to the brightness of the light outside, Jack uses his time efficiently in taking a good look at her.

"Hi, Jack? - My name is Laurel, I'm your guide for the day. Please follow me." She speaks with a smile and a  clear quick voice.

Jack gets the sense that the Champion is gazing at him, and shakes himself out of staring at the retreating Laurel and instead follow her into the Keep.

Laurel continues her introduction over her shoulder. "Welcome to the Keep on the Knoll. I understood you've never been here before?" - She continues without waiting for an answer. "Well, most people haven't, you have to be given clearance. Something special."

Here she hesitates and looks wonderingly at Jack. "So... what's special about you?", she peeks over her shoulder as she continues down the corridor.

[DM B]

There are two kinds of special. The good special and the bad special. Jack wishes which is the case here, but he's not that good at reading people and situations.

"I wouldn't know Miss. Like you said; I never been up here. Don't know nobody here. Don't know what they do here either. Guarding I guess - seeing as it is a keep and all."

All the while trying not to be rude, just appropriately attentive to her female allure - it's never good to openly ogle those above you in standing, but giving a pretty woman too little attention is equally bad.

"But you, Miss, you are something special. That I can see." He gives her that playful boyish grin that is his staple.

[Torele Anviras/TA (Niels)]

Laurel replies with a coyly raised eyebrow and a smile.

The duo walks past a room where they are let through by militia with keys for the heavy metal-grid door.

Then more corridor, passing lanes and more doors. Several doors and walls have numbers or letters on them. Jack is clever enough to assume they are used by people to find their way around, but right now it is quite a maze to him.

Laurel turns, going through a door on loose hinges. There is a stairwell here, going down in cylindrical fashion, with a large round pillar in the middle. Set into the rounded pillar is what appears to be a portal of some kind. A shiny metal plate covers the opening though.

The portal has a heavy frame of the same shiny material. A raised round cylinder juts out a centimeter on the right side, and a black rectangle is on the frame above the door, perfectly in the centre.

On the left side of the pillar, on the side of the stairs going down, is a big "0" in black paint.

As Laurel skips down the stairs she calls back; "We're going down quite a bit, I hope you have stamina."

You begin circling down. On each floor the stairs have a platform in front of another portal into the pillar. The next floor down has a "-1" in faded paint.

When you get to "-7", the stairs continue down, but Laurel stops to catch her breath. Then waves for Jack to follow her through yet more corridor.

You have not passed any people for quite a while now, and it is much dirtier down here than up above. There is a heaviness to the air that is hard to explain and sound is both echoing, yet not travelling very far.

The journey ends with Laurel getting out a key from her pocket to open a lock on a chain that has been wrapped around a doorhandle, and then linked to a large metal nail with an "o" head. The nail has been driven into the wall and is rusty. It is clearly not part of the original building.

"Right, my instructions is to leave you locked in here. You're not allowed to walk around without escort and I am not allowed to go beyond this room. I've placed some juice and a sandwich for you in there. When you are ready to leave, hit the gong in there and I'll come over."

Laurel steps away from the door, the chain in her hands, ready to be placed back on when Jack walks through. She adds encouragingly; "I'll be just a few rooms over."

Jack senses no guile from Laurel. He has never experienced something like this before though. He is deep under ground, in a part of a building that is clearly not often in use. Well, he could probably break the chain or nail by slamming against the door. Probably. With time.

What is a Jack to do?

[DM B]

"And here I was thinking I got to spend some time in the company of a beautiful Elder's daughter...you sure you don't want to come in with me Laurel?" Jack looks thoughtful for a moment, "but I guess locking the chain back in place would be hard from the inside..."

He lets the words trail away. Words aren't really his thing. Girls and adventure are. He gives Laurel one last look - of the kind that leaves no doubt in a woman's mind regarding what a man thinks of her - and then steps into the room.

"I hope it's ham," he mumbles, "ham's my favourite."

[DM B]

Jack heads inside and waits for the door to be locked. It seems rather pointless really; neither the door nor the chain looked very robust. He could probably break out - even without the axe. With the axe it should take but moments to unhinge the door.

Anyway, Jack's not the paranoid sort. Neither is he overly clever. But he does have an active imagination, and being left alone in this strange place does set his mind turning. An Elder's daughter...that means these weir orders can down from top. Well, all orders do, but not this directly.

He's content to wait for a spell and see what happens. He's not really hungry, so rather than eating the sandwich he sticks it in his satchel. He has a drink of water from his own canteen.

Hmm, the biggest problem looks like it will be finding a place to piss.

[DM B]

Patience isn't really something Jack is known for. As minutes drag on he starts pacing. Searches the room (unless it's obviously completely bare). Practices some combat moves with his (he's of military age after all). Fantasizes about the Elder's daughter (he's got quite the imagination). Balances the glass of juice on his axe-blade, trying to avoid spilling any as he goes through increasingly fancy manuvers. Finally the glass goes spinning, but Jack catches it with a graceless lunge before it can shatter on the floor. Well, no juice for Jack. He scrapes around on the floor a bit, trying to make it less obvious that he's been an immature and ungrateful pig.

[Torele Anviras/TA (Niels)]

Jack does indeed spend some time alone in the room.

And just a bit longer...

[DM B]

Jack sits down and rests for a spell...zzzz...

[DM B]

After his little nap Jack gets hungry. He eats the (ham) sandwich and has a drink of water from the canteen. He then tries to listen to the door. That failing he starts to pace around the room.