The heavy silence in the ruined cottage is broken only by the crackle of the indigo rift and the bizarre, echoing sound of a feline vocalization. Bram stands frozen near the door, his eyes darting between the pulsating light and the sorcerer who has seemingly lost his grip on reality.
Bram
Did he just... meow? Is this some kind of arcane trap, or has the stress finally snapped his neck? I should probably run, but the magistrate’s men are blocking the path.
Wolfie
If I keep acting like a lunatic, maybe they will decide I am too much of a liability to arrest today. A man who meows is rarely a man worth hanging.
The lead rider shifts his weight, the steel of his armor clinking softly. He peers into the swirling indigo rift, his face a mask of confusion and mounting dread. He hesitates, his gauntleted hand hovering near the hilt of his blade, waiting for the sorcerer to make a move that makes sense.
+ Scene Quest Added
Avoid arrest by the magistrate's men
“Nah. *He waits there, he even grabs a snack*”
SUCCESS (Great Willpower, rolled +2)
Wolfie
The best defense is a complete lack of urgency. If the world is ending in a rift, a dry biscuit is the only logical priority.
Wolfie reaches into his satchel, produces a crusty, travel-worn loaf, and begins to chew with deliberate, rhythmic apathy. He leans against the splintered doorframe, turning his back on the swirling indigo anomaly as if it were nothing more than a drafty window.
Lead Rider
Are you mocking the Magistrate, sorcerer? Step away from that gateway or I shall have your head on a pike before the sun reaches its zenith.
Bram
This is madness. He is eating bread while the fabric of reality shreds itself. Maybe I should just walk away while they are distracted by his lunacy.
The Lead Rider steps forward, his boots crunching on the debris. He reaches for his weapon, but the rift pulses violently, casting long, distorted shadows that dance across the floorboards. The air grows heavy with the smell of ozone and burnt sugar.
“Sup?”
SUCCESS (Good comedic timing, rolled +0)
Wolfie
Sup. Want a bite? It is a bit stale, but the flavor adds character.
Wolfie
If he tries to draw that rusted hunk of iron, I am going to have to actually stand up. That would be a tragedy for my nap schedule.
Lead Rider
You... you imbecile! You think this is a game? That rift is consuming the very foundation of this house!
The Lead Rider’s hand freezes on his sword hilt, his knuckles turning white as the floorboards beneath him groan and warp into jagged splinters. The indigo light flares, casting his shadow into a long, jagged silhouette that reaches hungrily toward Wolfie.
Bram
He is going to get us all killed. The Magistrate will be furious if there is nothing left to arrest but a pile of ash.
A shower of glowing, crystalline dust erupts from the rift, coating the room in a cold, shimmering haze. The Lead Rider takes a frantic step backward, his eyes darting from the yawning instability to the infuriatingly calm man holding a piece of dry bread.
“"I could close it... *Munch munch* for a price...*”
FAILURE (Mediocre Persuasion, rolled -1)
Wolfie
I could close it... for a price, anyway. Consider it a service fee for my time.
Lead Rider
A price? You are standing in a collapsing ruin, you lunatic! There is no coin worth your life!
Wolfie
Tough crowd. He really lacks a flair for the dramatic. Or maybe he just hates riddles.
The floorboards beneath the Lead Rider snap with the sound of a dry bone breaking. A jagged gap tears open toward his boots, sending him stumbling. Indigo shards spray upward, glowing with a malevolent, pulsating rhythm that seems to sync with the frantic hammering of his heart.
Bram
Look out!
Bram dives behind a heavy oak table, shielding his face as a shelf of books buckles and cascades into the shimmering rift. The Lead Rider drops his sword in surprise, the steel blade clattering against the warped wood, sliding perilously close to the edge of the abyss.
+ Story Quest Added
Survive the cottage collapse
+ Scene Quest Added
Leap across the rift and escape the collapsing cottage
“"I could close it... *Munch munch* for a price...*”
SUCCESS (Great Willpower, rolled +1)
Wolfie
I could close it. *Munch, munch.* Just requires a proper service fee. Don’t tell me you’re broke, Rider.
Wolfie
He looks far too panicked to appreciate the bargain. A shame, really. I was looking forward to some coin.
The floorboard beneath the Lead Rider’s boots shrieks as the indigo rift surges, consuming the timber in a spray of violet splinters. Gravity claims its prize; the rider collapses, his boots scrabbling frantically against the disintegrating wood.
Lead Rider
Help! By the gods, you insane wretch!
Bram
It's eating the house, Wolfie! Get out of there!
Bram scrambles backward, his back hitting the wall as the oak table slides toward the abyss. The Lead Rider’s sword skids along the warping floor, hitting the edge of the hole and teetering—the blade vibrating with a dissonant, magical hum as it catches a splinter, holding for a heartbeat before tipping into the void.
Wolfie
He really is going to fall in. I suppose saving him would be more work than just letting him tumble, but my tea is already getting cold.
Quest Complete
Survive the cottage collapse