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?))
Tobias steps carefully onto the cushion, letting the weight of his 188 cm, muscular frame settle. His blue eyes scan the dim tent, flickering candlelight reflecting off the worn folds of his faded blue scarf. He shifts slightly, letting the scent of smoke and herbs fill his senses before speaking.
“I’ve come from the Heartlands,” he begins, voice calm but steady, carrying the cadence of someone used to long days of work. “I’m a Heartlander—used to hard labour, harsh weather, and making do with what you have. Grew up in the fields and forests, learning to handle tools, animals, and the wild hills. Life out there teaches you patience, endurance, and how to read people—skills I’ve relied on my whole life.”
He leans forward slightly, his large hands resting on his knees, the strength in his build evident even in stillness. “I’ve travelled a long way, seen my share of storms, and learned to keep moving. This scarf,” he gestures subtly to the faded blue fabric around his neck, “is a keepsake from a travelling merchant I met years back. Reminds me of journeys, of lessons learned, and of why it’s worth keeping steady no matter what comes.”
Tobias lets a quiet pause hang in the air, the rugged, practical clothing on his frame hinting at someone accustomed to effort rather than luxury, earthy tones blending into the candlelight. “I don’t know why I was expected here, or what this town holds, but I know how to observe, listen, and act when needed. If there’s guidance to be given, work to be done, or danger to face, I’ll take it on. That’s what being a Heartlander means—practical, strong, and ready.”
He leans back slightly, the muscles in his broad shoulders shifting naturally, his presence calm yet imposing, a man shaped by years of labour, survival, and discipline, quietly waiting to see what the old hag has to tell him next.
