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?)) Murmund's face lights up at the request, as he steadily takes a seat, and places his legs on the table in front of him, knocking one or two wooden cups in the process.
"As if I've waited my whole life for this moment!" He rummages through his sack that's buckled onto his back, as leaves, small rodents and dead flowers get thrown out of the bag, and one peculiar, large journal he's been searching for.
He licks his thumb, and opens the book on his lap.
"Let's see. . ." The dwarf rushes through the pages to find something, a sentence, an entry, perhaps?
"There it is!" He let's out a chuckle, as he starts reading the few pages he landed on:
" DAY 1: I said my goodbyes to the livestock and friends in the area, and got my equipment together. I can't believe I'm going from my trusty town, into the unknown expanse
of the outer world. . . Oh- What was I thinking. . . ?! No turning back now, is there?" He now sits there, going through his journey once again, page-by-page. . .
-------- _/‾‾‾‾\___/‾‾‾‾\___/‾‾‾‾\___/‾‾‾‾\___/‾‾‾‾\___/‾‾‾‾\__ BACKSTORY _/‾‾‾‾\___/‾‾‾‾\___/‾‾‾‾\___/‾‾‾‾\___/‾‾‾‾\___/‾‾‾‾\_ --------
In the heart of an ancient elf settlement, Nevaehlen, resided Murmund, a diminutive yet steadfast forest dwarf. Even from the start, Murmund was weirdly intrigued by science. He studied the books and the scrolls, while also documenting many species of his home town. Murmund didn't have much family. Accompanying him we're his uncle, Grefthad, and his goat, Jhonneh. Grefthad served as a father figure for the young Murmund, for his real one was lost to war. . .
Throughout his many books on alchemy and botany, he stumbled upon a peculiar specimen. . . It was the elusive legend of The Pollen of Gold that captured his imagination, whispered rumors of its existence echoing through the mystical glades. Fueled by an unrelenting passion for discovery and a desire to unravel nature's mysteries, Murmund embarked on a daring journey, venturing beyond the familiar boundaries of his homeland. With the wisdom he acquired guiding his path and the resilience of his dwarven spirit bolstering his resolve, Murmund set out to find The Pollen of Gold, believing its discovery held the key to unlocking the secrets of the natural world. And so, amidst the whispers of ancient trees and the gentle melody of woodland streams, Murmund's quest began, set out to leave an indelible mark on botany as we know it.
