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?))
*Ashleigh is a nineteen years old Heartlander woman with violet eyes and long, fiery ginger hair. Brawny in posture, she measures around 6'1 in height and 82kg in weight. Her attire consists of an "unique" fusion of typical commoner clothes intertwined with some rugged leather elements - pieces of old, worn equipment, some straps and patches, hinting at a life of travel or perhaps even vagrancy. Amidst the weathered ensemble, a singular standout: a pair of brass goggles with blue-tinted lenses perched atop her head - a distinctive, even if unfitting touch to her whole persona.
Having arrived at the old, deity-forgotten swampy settlement, a cold shiver creeped down her spine. Questions, such as "Was it really the place?" and "Is this a good idea?" popped up in her head as she walked along the rotted wooden bridge over the muddy water. Reaching the tattered tent, she took a deep breath and let out a prolonged exhale, preparing herself... Before stepping in.
Greeted by the old hag, she did what she was asked for and took a seat on the cushion. The scent of stale water and humidity filled her nostrils as she tried to gather her thoughts... Before speaking up. She travelled so far that she couldn't back up at the last moment.*
"Alright... So, the name's Ashleigh. I come from a small settlement within the border region of The Commonwealth of Petra. Daughter to two loving parents - a tailor and a miner, I was expected to follow in on my mother's footsteps. However... I wasn't exactly seeing that." *She smiled lightly at the memory of her childhood*
"It all started when my father took me into the nearby village - one that actually had proper shops, a blacksmith and such. It was a market day, and various vendors from even further into the heart of the country came over to showcase and sell their goods. There, I met the fascination that stuck to me since." *The woman crossed her legs, smiling a little, her words flowing out way more smoothly at this point*
"A small wagon of a Tech tinkerer. Copper, brass, bronze... And steam. Cogwheels, rivets, screws and nuts. And before you ask - What a small girl saw in those things? - Well, I didn't drool over the components themselves - it was what one could make using them. You see - this technician made toys using what I thought was magic. Nowadays - I know it was just a simple contraption using a spring, a few cogs and such - all hidden within the metal casing, painted and bent to resemble a puppy." *She looked up at the hag, shrugging her shoulders*
"Hey, you can't blame me! For a girl that used a ragdoll and a stick as toys, it was magic in its purest form.
Of course, my father couldn't afford to buy me anything off that stall, but as I watched and watched the toy move, listening to the technician explain how it works... I was sooo lost." *She took a short break, gathering her thoughts, staring at the cloth wall of the tent*
"...I ran away from home a few days after my sixteenth birthday. That evening... We had an argument. My parents tried really hard to get the idea of becoming a Tech inventor out of my head for a long time, and this evening they tried to shut it off for good. "It ain't something a girl should do!" - they said. They took away all of my tools and prototypes I made. Oh, and they planned to introduce me to the village's cattle keeper's son. That's when I drew the line." *Ash crossed her arms on her chest, adding even more of an accent to what she said*
"I do not hold anything against them, and I do miss them. But the years have passed... Ehh... Well, back to the story"
*She said with a solemn expression*
"I left them a note and ran, not looking back. And here am I, wandering around the realm. Picking up some work here and there, trying to find my purpose... And trying to find a Master that I could learn from. It ain't that easy, though, as I have nothing to offer - I'm a nobody, with no coin to my name nor purse. So, Academy is out of the question, same as many of the famous inventors... But I ain't giving up!" *She raised a fist up into the air, clearly meaning what she says*
"Oh, by the way, the surname... "Rivet"... It's not my real surname. I assumed it... Not sure why. It sounds cool, I guess... And well, noone will connect me to my parents in case something goes bad. Anyway... After I left, I roamed the surrounding crownlands...." *Ashleight spoke for many more hours, explaining in detail all the plight and peril, all her successes and weird encounters she experienced throughout the years of vagrancy. - recalling all of it after all this time was like a confession - lifting the weight off her shoulders. It was... liberating*
