Jackal_based

Your character has just arrived in a swampy, dim town. As they look around, their gaze is met with shacks and cabins. It smells of rotted wood and wet moss. They 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?))
 

I drop onto the cushion with a soft oof, giving the hag a sheepish grin as I brush my cloak out of the way. “Well now, that’s a greetin’ you don’t get every day,” I chuckle, settling in like I’ve walked into a familiar tavern instead of a swamp tent lit by floating candles.

“Truth is, ma’am, I've been wandering since before my feet were big enough to trip over tree roots. My folks moved from place to place—didn’t matter if it was a mountain pass or a backwoods trail—so I grew up meetin’ all sorts of folks. Farmers, hunters, mages, the occasional traveling oddball who swore the moon talked to him.” I shrug with an easy smile. “Made me pretty good at talking to strangers, at least.”

I gesture vaguely at the glowing teal markings along my arms. “Magic kind of… happened on its own. Didn’t have tutors or fancy books. Just watched other people do things until I figured out my own way of doin’ it. Turns out if you pick up enough half-lessons and campfire tricks, you end up with a full bag somehow. Mostly harmless ones, promise.”

The candles flicker, and I laugh under my breath. “I travel because it feels right. New places, new folks, new stories—there’s somethin’ mighty special about seeing the world one muddy step at a time. And let me tell you, I’ve stepped in a lot of mud.”

I glance around the tent, then back at her. “As for why I’m here? Well, the road bent this way, the air smelled… interesting, and I figured ‘why not?’ Never been afraid of a little muck.” I grin wider. “Plus, someone telling’ me they’ve been expectin’ me? That’s usually where the fun starts.”

I lean back slightly, relaxed and curious. “So that’s me. Soryn. Wanderer, spell-slinger, occasional firestarter—accidentally, I swear. What’d you want to know next?"