Seth and Miller haul the heavy, makeshift stretcher containing Carl’s remains away from the maintenance gate, moving toward the overgrown perimeter of the lower orchard. The rain has finally broken, leaving behind a cold, clinging mist that dampens the sound of their boots on the sodden earth. They pass a rusted tractor, abandoned years ago, and head toward the dense thicket marking the boundary of the old Kingdom farmlands.
Seth
We keep moving. We don't stop until he's buried properly. I won't leave him to be part of that filth at the gate.
They reach a clearing near a collapsed stone wall, the only place where the ground isn't saturated with mud. The air is deathly silent. Seth scans the treeline, his fingers hovering over the grip of his AK-47, while Miller carefully lowers his end of the stretcher.
Miller
The soil here is hard, Seth. It’s going to take hours to dig deep enough. Are you sure we aren't being followed?
Seth kneels, checking the perimeter one last time before digging his combat knife into the rocky earth to start the grave.
“Miller and Seth have a quiet grave and funeral for Carl”
SUCCESS (Good Survival, rolled +1)
Seth
The ground is stubborn, but it yields. Just like everything else if you push hard enough.
Seth works with methodical precision, his shovel echoing rhythmically against the stone. Miller assists in silence, his eyes darting to the shifting shadows of the pines. As the hole deepens, they arrange the shroud, laying the fallen to rest with a heavy, unspoken dignity. The mist seems to settle lower, muffling the world until only the sound of heavy breathing remains.
Miller
He deserved a better end than this, Seth. We all do.
Seth
He gets a grave that stays hidden. In this world, that is the only mercy left to give.
Seth stands over the final mound of earth, patting the loose dirt firmly. He remains still, his hand resting on the stock of the AK-47 slung across his chest, staring out into the grey expanse. A twig snaps in the distance, sharp and loud, cutting through the fog.
Seth
Not just the wind. We aren't alone out here.
“I hope you find peace in the next life kid I say to carls grave”
SUCCESS (Good Willpower, rolled +4)
Seth
I hope you find peace in the next life, kid. You earned it more than most.
Seth removes his beanie, holding it against his chest as the silence of the woods deepens. The weight of his words hangs in the cold air, a genuine resonance that seems to momentarily push back the oppressive fog. Miller steps back, eyes wide, gripping his rifle as the snap of the twig echoes again, closer this time.
Seth
The kid’s gone, but the threat isn't. The Saviors don't stop for grief, and neither do the dead.
Miller
Did you hear that? It came from the ridge. We need to move, Seth. Now.
A dark silhouette shifts within the mist, barely a smudge against the grey pines. Seth’s hand drops from his chest to the grip of his Desert Eagle. The peace of the burial is shattered, replaced by the familiar, electric tension of an impending ambush.
+ Scene Quest Added
Survive the impending ambush
“We tell the figure to freeze but he says well hold on there guys I'm friendly I couldn't help but hear I'm sorry this is a cruel world he says my name is Paul but my friends call me Jesus when we asked why he's called that thinking he might be some kind of weird cultist or something he says it's because he looks like Jesus his friends say”
FAILURE (Fair Diplomacy, rolled -2)
Seth
Freeze! Hands where I can see them, now!
Stranger
Whoa, hold on there, friends. I'm unarmed, I promise. I couldn't help but overhear... I am truly sorry for your loss. This world is a cruel place. My name is Paul, though my friends call me Jesus.
Seth
Jesus? What kind of name is that in a place like this? Some kind of cultist, or just someone who lost his marbles?
Miller
Jesus? You expect us to buy that? Why would anyone call you that?
Stranger
It is a bit on the nose, I admit. My friends just say it is because of the beard and the hair. It is a long story, but I assure you, I am not your enemy.
Seth keeps his Desert Eagle leveled, but the man remains unnervingly calm, his hands open and raised. The mist swirls between them, masking whatever might be lurking behind the stranger. Seth narrows his eyes, his grip tightening as his instincts scream that something about this man does not add up.
+ Scene Quest Added
Determine the intentions of the stranger
“We tell the figure to freeze but he says well hold on there guys I'm friendly I couldn't help but hear I'm sorry this is a cruel world he says my name is Paul but my friends call me Jesus when we asked why he's called that thinking he might be some kind of weird cultist or something he says it's because he looks like Jesus his friends say”
FAILURE (Fair Intimidation, rolled -2)
Seth
He is too calm. Nobody walks through this mist without a weapon and stays this relaxed unless they are bait.
Miller
Stop talking. If you are not an enemy, then prove it. Drop whatever you have in those pockets, slowly.
Paul
I understand the caution, truly. I only have my supplies, but if it makes you feel safer, I will oblige.
Seth steps forward to intimidate, his brow furrowed and jaw tight, but his foot catches on a loose root hidden in the tall grass. He stumbles, the barrel of his Desert Eagle dipping toward the dirt for a split second. The moment of command shatters into a clumsy recovery. Paul does not flinch, his expression remaining maddeningly serene as he begins to reach into his jacket.
Seth
Damn it. I just looked like an amateur in front of a total stranger. If he moves for a weapon instead of his gear, I might have just handed him the initiative.
+ Scene Quest Added
Determine the true nature of the stranger
“We tell the figure to freeze but he says well hold on there guys I'm friendly I couldn't help but hear I'm sorry this is a cruel world he says my name is Paul but my friends call me Jesus when we asked why he's called that thinking he might be some kind of weird cultist or something he says it's because he looks like Jesus his friends say”
SUCCESS (Fair Intimidation, rolled +0)
Seth
Freeze! Don't you move a muscle. Hands where I can see them.
Paul
Whoa, hold on there, friends. I'm friendly, I promise. I couldn't help but hear everything. I'm sorry for your loss, truly. This is a cruel, cruel world. My name is Paul, but my friends call me Jesus.
Seth
Jesus? He's either insane, part of some weird cult, or he's messing with us.
Seth
Jesus? That is quite a name to live up to. Why do they call you that?
Paul
It's because of the look, mostly. The hair, the beard. My friends say the resemblance is uncanny. I suppose it makes people remember me, for better or worse.
Seth keeps his grip firm on the Desert Eagle, his intimidation tactics cutting through the initial stumble. Paul pauses, his hands raised palms-out, revealing empty, weathered fingers. The mist swirls between them, thick and cold, as the stranger smiles with an unnerving, practiced grace that refuses to break under Seth's heavy gaze.