ChocolateCereal

You’ve just arrived in a swampy, dim town. As you look around, your gaze is met with shacks and cabins. It smells of rotted wood and wet moss. You duck and step into a tattered tent, illuminated by a series of candles suspended in the air. At the back of the tent, an old hag raises her head, “What brings you to this dingy town? she begins, then pauses to study your face—”Ah, it’s you. I’ve been expecting you. Sit,” she gestures at a cushion, “Tell me your story.”

((How do you respond?))

 

1. Alfie the Great, son of Alfie the Herbalist, hails from the village of Deus. At the tender age of 5, tragedy struck when his village fell under attack. Anvil Asgard, the ruthless Emperor, led the assault, leaving death and devastation in his wake, including the loss of Alfie's beloved parents. Alone and orphaned, Alfie sought refuge in a nearby barn, hoping to evade the clutches of his assailants. For three harrowing days, he hid in fear, his only solace found in desperate prayers for survival. "Please, don't let them find me," Alfie whispered into the darkness of his hiding place, tears streaking his dirt-stained cheeks. Eventually, hunger and thirst drove Alfie to venture into the ruins of Deus. It was there, as he drew water from the river, that fate intervened in the form of a Viking warrior. "Hey there, little one," the Viking greeted, his voice gruff but not unkind. Alfie tensed, ready to flee, but something in the Viking's demeanor gave him pause. "Who are you? Are you with them?" he asked cautiously. The Viking shook his head. "Nah, kid, I'm just passing through. Name's Bjorn. What's yours?" Relief flooded through Alfie as he realized the stranger meant him no harm. "I'm Alfie," he replied, his voice trembling slightly. "Alfie the Great." Bjorn chuckled. "A bold name for a brave lad. Say, ever thought about joining a new village? Mine's not far from here." With nothing left to bind him to his desolate past, Alfie accepted Bjorn's invitation to join his people. For 13 years, he lived among the resilient folk of Tragistan, forging bonds of camaraderie and finding a new sense of belonging. "It feels like home here," Alfie remarked to his newfound friends one evening, the warmth of the fire flickering in his eyes. However, the call of adventure beckoned, and at the age of 18, Alfie resolved to explore the forbidden lands beyond his newfound home. "I'll never forget what you've done for me," Alfie said to Bjorn, clasping the Viking's forearm in gratitude. ''But my journey doesn't end here. I have to see what lies beyond." And thus, his journey begins, determination burning brightly in his eyes as he sets forth into the unknown.