Chahpru 2016/07/01(Fri)21:35 No. 733181 ID: e142a3
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You are Piadong Gzhi, now (almost) Piadong Gzhi Adowaa, new Oracle of Gaudowo, and it's been an day of more and more uncomfortable situations. First, you haven't been able to see your (hopefully?) boyfriend since sunup, the Dead, who have not spoken to an Oracle in generations, are now very chatty, and I've had one hell of an initiation ritual, and it's not gonna be even over yet.

All I have left is to search for an ancient relic, and then the trial will be complete and I can go back to somewhat normal life, and I need you guys to tell me where.
You are currently outside the WESTERN ANCESTOR CAVE, and the places you can go are:
EASTERN HILLS, about 4 hours away
CENTRAL PLAIN, about two hours walk away
SOUTHEASTERN SWAMP, about 4 hours away
SOUTHERN CLIFFS, about 4 away

There is also THE TOWN in the North, but you cannot go there until you complete your task.

So what does that make you?

>>733181
Are you a boy Piadong or a girl Piadong?

>>733181
>where go for trials
The cliffs! They're great for trials. Harrowing climbing and a great view for spiritual awakenings and as a backdrop for rituals.

So what, other than distance, makes any of these places worth going to?

Let's check the central plain.

Chahpru 2016/07/02(Sat)21:30 No. 733328 ID: adc6f1
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>>733194
Oh, I am most sorry, ancestor! I presumed you'd know the significance, but if you're from a time when the lands shifted, or even from another tribe, I will explain.

Each of the places I mentioned going too has some chance or history of finding RELICS.

EASTERN HILLS
Contains the entrance to the TLITLING people and lands, it is populated by green trees that bear olives and haunted by Iursau bears.
A few small trading outposts are here for interaction with the TLITLING. Notable as a space mostly for the discovery 6 generations ago of the Metal Adodago, who taught us the gifts of body-knowledge and healing.

I suppose I could go to and trade with the TLITLING for a RELIC - unorthodox but not forbidden.

CENTRAL PLAIN
The largest area, desert and grasslands with scattered small oasis, it often contains small ruins and odd burrows, sometimes containing the gods gifts. While hunting and scavenging Gaudowo can be encountered there, there are almost no permanent settlements here. According to a priest, this is where most of their SUN-STYLII were found.

SOUTHEASTERN SWAMP
The SWAMP is surrounded by small hills that fall into a murky, salt-water maze-valley of vines, swamp, and streams.
A reliable source of fish and spider-octopus, it is a source of constant challenge to not be eaten by the crocodiles. On the hills, built safely above the water is the other Gaudowo settlement, Kaibuzoge. Burning-Tears and scrypt-scales of SANII,are sometimes washed up onto the islands, and could be a good place to search for the relics.

SOUTHERN CLIFFS
The CLIFFS are a series of desert valleys, outcroppings, and rocky cliffs, many of them containing caves, or odd things in the brush.
The Cliffs are the source of the rest of the SUN-STYLII, and could hold other mysteries unexplored as well. As Jaguars live here, it is dangerous, but some wondors, such as GZOM DEM, Metal-God-Thing and companion to the old, was found. In addition, it holds a magnificent view of the Sunrise and Set.

Since I'm explaining the lands of Gaudowo places where it's unlikely to find a RELIC are:

WESTERN ANCESTOR CAVE
Contains the burial chamber, and the place of religious rituals in the small cave system. Lit by smoking fat and SUN-STYLII,
it is a cave that radiates an overwhelming energy. Mostly used by Oracles and the Priests outside funerals and celebrations. You did not normally go here often before, preferring the SHRINE OF SANII for worship.

THE BONEPLACE (SOUTHWEST)
Heaped with ancient ashen bones of ancient beasts and mythical enemies, it is a source of BONE for tools or decoration, but is often avoided, as it has the bleak stench of death. No RELICS have been found there to the best of your knowledge.

HAZO VALLEY (CENTER SOUTH)
A desert valley with an odd abundance of flowers, it used by the few who keep hornets and bees, but has little else of extreme significance.

THE TOWN (NORTH)
Your hometown, the long living camp of the Gaudowo, a source of comfort that you cannot return to until your searches end. Built around a small fertile valley, a burbling stream providing green earth. Hopefully it will be soon, to return to your partners arms (if he wants too.)

Chahpru 2016/07/02(Sat)21:30 No. 733329 ID: adc6f1
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>>733188
>>733182

What does that make me? Several things:

I am a GAUDOWO, children of the desert plains and champions of the sun, grown from dried clay by SANII, DIVINE TYRANT and CEHOÑ, BLACK EARTH MOTHER; A woman, daughter of the Piadong family, child of PAZHIM and IWODE, trained in HUNTING, SCAVENGING, MEDICINE and MUSIC.

I am (almost) the new Oracle, which does not have a formal title- Seeker perhaps? The search for a RELIC is the final part of the process, including druggedly memorizing several hundred parables and tattooing runes of DIVINE AWE with SUN-STYLUSES. It's a bit of an exception though: most of the whispers I've heard are not commands from the gods, but the odd rapid-fire chats of the MISCREANT DEAD; the spirits that wander in the night far from the Ancestor Cave. It's sorta thrown my relationship with the divine in a bit of a loop, y'know?

And all this makes me rather anxious, as before I'd sorta had a plan: date, have fun, kids, make sanctification to the divine tyrant, then travel to the lands of the other tribes perhaps. This is now a new, not entirely welcome addition to a life; in addition to walking around looking for ancient and/or magnificent items.

>>733188
>>733208
Since there seems to be some disagreement among you, Ancestors, I shall first go the CENTRAL PLAINS, and then from there if I can find nothing I shall go to the CLIFFS.

I have 4 DAYS PROVISION, a FLINT SHORTSPEAR, BONEAXE, and two SEALED OBSIDIAN KNIVES, and some PALM WINE. You also have RUNES OF DIVINE AWE, which in addition to prestige can sometimes manifest godly powers at the cost of BURNING TEARS.

It would please me if before your trip to the cliffs, you went to the bone place first, so you might protect your form for what is to come with the bones of the fallen.
Don the armor of death. Honor the forgotten departed by giving them meaning and purpose one final time.

The ground moved again?
I swear, what happened to people's backbone? In my day, we'd have never let the land go wander'n about! Give it a right good spearing we would.

It is odd that the boneplace would not have any RELICs. Great beasts collect such oddities, and the heroes who battle them would wield the same.

Chahpru 2016/07/11(Mon)21:44 No. 735307 ID: 85e2f0
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>>733348
Well, it's not quite honor; as they were the bones of the Betrayers, burnt to dust, ÑVIM, GOD and WHITE SAND MOTHER, has given

to us them as like the beasts of the fields. More fresh ones are useful for the tools we normally use, of course, but sometimes the

needs arise - my BONE AXE is made from one such former hip-bone.

Repentance of sorts, I guess.
Still, we are running short and I could certainly fashion something from them. But Armor, no, perhaps a ceremonial outfit, perhaps

even a wedding outfit...

....I'm most sorry, Ancestor, I'm still getting used to explaining the nuances of the world.

>>733355
Hmm, the stories don't suggest it, but it would make sense, wouldn't they? Old Engjii of Combat, fallen BURNING TEARS....
Off to the BONEPLACE, then - I should reach it within the hour. If no fruit to be had there, then to the PLAINS and wing it from

there.

////
after about an hour and a half scrambling through rocky hills, you reach the entrance to THE BONE PLACE. On the other side of the

valley entrance the SHRINE OF SANII stands proud, a monolith to the sun. Before you, in the scarred earth, lies the bleached bones of

old. Aside from devotees at the shrine, you see not a soul as you move into the old place.

Suddenly, you observe another rummager in the dips and peaks, and they gesture at you.

IGNORE THEM - Follow the spirit of the rules and not talk to all but the divine (...or dead) during your trial.
TALK <SPEECH> AT THEM - Tradition don't follow what happens, why should you follow it? Yell a greeting at them?
TALK <SIGN> AT THEM - But the rules only discuss SPEECH, not SIGN, and it's likely that they know PAMGO TRADE SIGN as well. Some

creativity is always part of a journey... Sign a greeting at them?

>>735307
As a general rule for any adventurer, every encounter is an opportunity. Problem is, WHOSE opportunity?

Calculate your next decision carefully. How far are you willing to go, how much are you willing to risk, for the potential gains that can be made from your interaction? And how much gain do you NEED?

Since you lack intel but have no combat techniques / evasion skills, I suggest you keep your distance. Just say hello and let him offer you something, do not say anything about your mission until you are sure it is public gossip.

counterpoint: no pain no gain.

sign to them a greeting.

Us Dead enjoy following the letter of the law. Sign at them.

It is important to know when to bend the rules. A chance encounter with another traveler deserves a response. They might need assistance, and just ignoring them without explanation will seem strange and potentially threatening. At least acknowledge the greeting, possibly approach, and sign that you are on a journey and forbidden to speak.