Dappled sunlight stains the forest floor. Vinn lies half-buried in fern and leaf mold, purple cloth skin dusted with old ash and ozone.
Their stitched smile catches the light as they stir. Nearby, a humble passerby with a basket of herbs stops dead, pale with shock.
The herb-gatherer takes one shaking step back, eyes fixed on Vinn’s button gaze. Their knuckles whiten around the basket handle.
The Herb-Gatherer
By the gods... what are you?
Wind shivers through the trees. Somewhere deeper in the woods, a bird startles into flight, and the herb-gatherer flinches at the sound as if it were a blade.
Vinn
The ground is forest loam. The basket smells of sage and bitterroot.
The herb-gatherer’s fear and curiosity war with each other across their face. They do not run yet. They wait, trembling, for Vinn to move or speak.
✓ Quest Accepted
Calm the herb-gatherer enough to hear them out
“Speak in a soft, raspy voice to tell them I mean no harm. “I hath just awakened in this world, and do not possess any hostility.””
SUCCESS (Superb Intimidate, rolled +1)
Vinn’s rasp slips out low and steady, soft enough to be a hush beneath the trees. The herb-gatherer’s shoulders loosen by a fraction, and their basket dips from their chest to their waist.
Vinn
I hath just awakened in this world, and do not possess any hostility.
The Herb-Gatherer
Awakened? Not hunting? That voice... it sounds wrong, but it is calm.
They swallow, still trembling, but their feet stop edging backward. Their grip on the basket eases, though they keep it close as if it might shield them.
The Herb-Gatherer
You... mean that? You are not here to seize me?
Fear remains in their eyes, yet curiosity climbs over it. The clearing feels quieter now, as if even the leaves are waiting for Vinn’s answer.
Quest Complete
Calm the herb-gatherer enough to hear them out