Nine years have you studied in the arcane tower.
Nine times have you progressed to a new art and a higher floor.
But today you stand in the plain stone courtyard, the shadow of the tower pointing you towards the great outer gates.
The grand warlock stands before you, a stack of enchanted cards in his wrinkled hand.
"[[Draw nine]]," he says, holding them towards you.You draw:
(print: $deck's "steed") steed(if: $deck's "steed" is not 1)[s], servant(if: $deck's "steed" is not 1)[s] of man.
(print: $deck's "spider") spider(if: $deck's "spider" is not 1)[s], weaver(if: $deck's "spider" is not 1)[s] of chaos.
(print: $deck's "serpent") serpent(if: $deck's "serpent" is not 1)[s], agent(if: $deck's "steed" is not 1)[s] of death.
The enchantments woven into these cards will serve you well over the course of [[your journey]].You step through the oaken gates, never to return. There is a time when all acolytes must make their way into the world: this time is yours.
You carry no provisions, no possessions. All you have are the robes upon your back and the nine cards in your hand: (if: $deck's "steed" > 0)[(print: $deck's "steed") steed(if: $deck's "steed" is not 1)[s], ](if: $deck's "steed" > 0)[(print: $deck's "spider") spider(if: $deck's "spider" is not 1)[s], ](if: $deck's "steed" > 0)[(print: $deck's "serpent") serpent(if: $deck's "serpent" is not 1)[s]].
The road to the arcane tower is seldom used. The earth is scored with the marks of merchants' cartwheels, but the only footprints are your own.
The forest here is dark and overgrown. You would fear bandits, were you not so certain that you are [[utterly alone]].After several hours of walking, you notice trails of smoke on the horizon: the mark of a small settlement. You have at least a chance of a roof over your head tonight, though after your years in the tower you are not sure whether or not you would welcome the company of the people with whom you would have to share it.
As if in response to your misgivings, an old beggar bursts from the undergrowth. His breath is foul, his beard unkempt. He clutches at your robes, babbling incoherently. He wants a coin--just one solitary copper would do--just enough to buy some soup.
His vast pupils and mushroom-stained teeth suggest that it is not really soup he is after. However, this does not much matter to you as you have no coins to offer.
You only have the cards:
(if: $deck's "steed" > 0)[[[Steed->beggar steed]]: (print: $deck's "steed")
](if: $deck's "spider" > 0)[[[Spider->beggar spider]]: (print: $deck's "spider")
](if: $deck's "serpent" > 0)[[[Serpent->beggar serpent]]: (print: $deck's "serpent")
]
(set: $deck to (datamap: "steed", 1, "spider", 1, "serpent", 1))\
(set: $deck's (either: "steed", "spider", "serpent") to it + 1)\
(set: $deck's (either: "steed", "spider", "serpent") to it + 1)\
(set: $deck's (either: "steed", "spider", "serpent") to it + 1)\
(set: $deck's (either: "steed", "spider", "serpent") to it + 1)\
(set: $deck's (either: "steed", "spider", "serpent") to it + 1)\
(set: $deck's (either: "steed", "spider", "serpent") to it + 1)\
(set: $karma to 0)\
(set: $coin to "none")(set: $deck's "steed" to it - 1)(set: $karma to it + 1)Though you do not believe what the beggar has said to you, you can see plainly enough that he is in dire need.
You draw the card of the steed and perform the incantation. The beggar stumbles back in surprise as a stream of cloud pours from the heavens, taking the form of a sturdy white horse. It is a steed fit for a king, though you suspect most monarchs would be a little put off by the blank, glowing eyes.
The beggar hesitates before approaching, but when he realises that the horse is for him, he weeps with gratitude. As you help him onto the creature's back, you notice that he has no shoes, and the soles of his feet are torn.
With unnatural speed, the horse carries him away to the arcane tower. There he will have a warm welcome, and perhaps, in time, a home.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[continue on your way->outskirts]].(set: $deck's "spider" to it - 1)(set: $coin to (either: "heads", "tails"))(if: $coin is "heads")[(set: $karma to it + 1)\
You draw the card of the spider and perform the incantation.
Fine threads drift in on the breeze, perceptible only by the sunlight glinting from them as they waft through your field of view. Gradually, the threads converge, forming themselves into a marvellous cloak: impossibly light, yet warm and sturdy nonetheless.
You hand the cloak to the beggar. He is astounded by your generosity, thanking you profusely.
It is only when he begins to walk away that you notice the rags wrapped about his feet. You can't help but feel that he would have been better off with a good pair of shoes.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[continue on your way->outskirts]].]\
(if: $coin is "tails")[(set: $karma to it - 1)\
You draw the card of the spider and perform the incantation.
A cold wind blows. The trees begin to shiver, moved by the weight of thousands upon thousands of skittering legs.
The beggar stares about in horror, too afraid even to move. He remains clutching at your robes, staring at the living tide sweeping towards him. Then, in a mindless panic, he flees.
You watch him crash away into the forest, stumbling over every branch. The horde of spiders crawls across your feet and up your ankles, but you feel no more than a faint breeze: it is an illusion, as harmless as the morning dew.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[continue on your way->outskirts]].](set: $deck's "serpent" to it - 1)(set: $karma to it - 1)You draw the card of the serpent and perform the incantation.
The beggar takes a few steps back, apparently unsure whether or not to flee. As your incantation fades and the hissing grows, he makes his decision. He runs into the forest, stumbling blindly over branches and stumps. Behind him, discernable only by the foliage shifting around it, something slithers.
He falls, his cry cut short.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[continue on your way->outskirts]].(if: $karma > 0)[You make your way through the forest in peace, contemplating the path before you. Eight cards remain. You wish to use them well, but if you are to do so you cannot afford to squander their power. You hope the beggar remembers your kindness, remembers to pass it on in turn.](if: $karma < 0)[You trudge along the path, barely hearing the calls of the birds, hardly aware of the breeze on your skin. You are haunted by the memory of the fear in the beggar's eyes. Eight cards remain. You know you cannot afford to waste their enchantments summoning gold for every vagabond you meet. Still, you wonder: did you choose that card to save the others, or was that what you wanted from the start?]
You come to a signpost, directing you to [[the nearby town]]. It is not a large place, though no doubt it will have an inn, a good meal, and a warm bed. You are confident that others of your order must have stopped here their first night. At the very least, you are certain that to continue along the forest path would mean [[a night in the open]].(set: $coin to "none")You pass through pastsures grazed by cows, fields thick with wheat. Farmers put up their hoes and squint against the low sun as you pass: no doubt these people, so close to the tower, recognise the significance of your robes. Perhaps it is even their grain that, until now, has made your bread.
As you approach the town, you see a boy walking the other way along the road. Seeing you, he turns and runs back home. You wonder if this bodes ill for you, but as you finally pass between the simple gateposts--the token border between town and farmland--you are greeted by the mayor himself. The boy, clearly, has brought news of your arrival.
The mayor makes a great speech, praising the arcane tower and all the great figures it brings forth. He is eloquent indeed, but throughout the spectacle you cannot shake the feeling that his words are addressed not to the crowd, nor even to you, but to the slim deck of cards in your hand.
There is no doubt in your mind now that many other acolytes have come this way before. This man wants, expects, //demands// a blessing from you.
They all do. Something in their eyes tells you that you cannot refuse.
(if: $deck's "steed" > 0)[[[Steed->town steed]]: (print: $deck's "steed")
](if: $deck's "spider" > 0)[[[Spider->town spider]]: (print: $deck's "spider")
](if: $deck's "serpent" > 0)[[[Serpent->town serpent]]: (print: $deck's "serpent")
]You use the final hours of the day to press on with your journey. The town vanishes beyond the horizon behind you as, gradually, the sun slips below the horizon ahead. You come upon a shrine by the wayside, and decide to take shelter beneath its roof.
You offer a brief prayer to whatever spirit this shrine serves, asking forgiveness for your intrusion. However, as you cross the threshold, you realise your prayer is futile: this place has been defiled.
Sheets of skin, scraps of clothing, splinters of bone litter the floor. In the long light of the doorway, you see a merchant's crate of jars broken open. In the long light of the doorway, yellow eyes meet your own.
You stumble back as the creature charges. Upon reaching the doorway, it shies back, its skin cracking in the sunlight. But the light is fading, orange, dim, and your foe shrugs off its burning rays. It steps from the shrine, claws twitching, strings of gore dangling from its tusks.
The sun will not save you, but it does allow you to see the cards:
(if: $deck's "steed" > 0)[[[Steed->troll steed]]: (print: $deck's "steed")
](if: $deck's "spider" > 0)[[[Spider->troll spider]]: (print: $deck's "spider")
](if: $deck's "serpent" > 0)[[[Serpent->troll serpent]]: (print: $deck's "serpent")
](set: $deck's "steed" to it - 1)(set: $karma to it - 1)You draw the card of the steed and whisper the incantation as quickly as you can.
Tormented by the last few rays of sunlight, the creature strides quickly forward, arm raised, claws like daggers poised to strike. Instead, it is knocked down by thundering hooves. The steed tramples the beast before you, paying no heed to its tusks or claws. Then, before it can recover, you find yourself whisked miles down the road upon the horse's back, the creature's roars of fury echoing behind you all the way.
Finally, your steed slows and stops. Nothing you can do will urge it to continue, and in truth you are not sure you deserve its aid. The creature in the shrine remains, waiting always to devour those who pass by night or approach to pray. You always knew you would never return to the tower, never see your fellow acolytes again. Now, after this, you know you never want to.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[continue on your way->trail]], seeking a place to sleep.(set: $deck's "spider" to it - 1)(set: $coin to (either: "heads", "tails"))(if: $coin is "heads")[(set: $karma to it + 1)\
You draw the card of the spider and hastily read the incantation.
The creature slows its advance. Behind it, cracks appear in the wood of the shrine. White nests bloom, a million pale spiderlings emerging to drift on dainty threads.
The creature sweeps a scaled hand through the swarm, its curiosity just for a moment overwhelming its hunger. It yelps in surprise, slapping at itself as a hundred hollow fangs pierce its thick hide. It attempts to sweep the spiders from its skin, but a thousand more have already landed.
The creature drops to the ground, scraping itself frantically across the earth as large welts appear all over its body. Finally, wracked by spasms and wreathed in silk, it drags itself back into the shrine, coming to lie still just inside the entrance as the spiders continue to feed.
A thick, ragged web is spun across the doorway, warning travellers away from the vile scene.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[continue on your way->trail]], seeking a place to sleep.]\
(if: $coin is "tails")[(set: $karma to it - 1)\
You draw the card of the spider and hastily read the incantation.
The creature stumbles, bands of thick silk tangling its legs. It roars in frustration, strong web ensnaring its arms, its face, even as it tears at its first restraints.
You watch for a minute before realising that this enchantment will not prove fatal to it. The spider will hold this foul creature at bay, but only for long enough for you to escape.
Wasting no more time, you hurry on down the road, hoping that no more travellers will pass this way in the night.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[continue on your way->trail]], seeking a place to sleep.](set: $deck's "serpent" to it - 1)(set: $karma to it + 1)You draw the card of the serpent and perform the incantation.
A viper lifts itself from the road, jaws gaping, head swaying in threat. The tusked creature growls, making a clumsy grab at the snake's head with its vast hand, and is stung for its foolishness.
The creature stares at the twin pinpricks just behind its thumb, baffled at the blood. Then, without a sound, it keels over, its eyes clouded before it even hits the ground.
This creature will claim no more travellers, and its body will be a sign to the keepers of the road to scour the trees for any bretheren it might have brought with it.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[continue on your way->trail]], seeking a place to sleep.You wrap your robe tightly around yourself and curl up in a sheltered spot between the roots of a great oak. It may not be as comfortable as your bed in the arcane tower, but you're glad to have something solid at your back.
(if: $karma > 0)[You used two cards today. The beggar on the road. The monster in the shrine. You hope that their enchantments were well spent. As you drift off to sleep, the deck in your hand feels worryingly slim.]\
(elseif: $karma is 0)[Your thoughts often return to the tower, wondering what the other acolytes are doing, though it can be of no consequence to you now. It is a comfort, you suppose. When your mind wanders from thoughts of the past, strays towards the future, it is consumed by a single question: what will you become?]\
(if: $karma < 0)[You used two cards today. The beggar on the road. The monster in the shrine. You wonder how many will be left when next you settle down to sleep. As you drift off amongst the roots of the oak, the deck feels heavy in your hand.]
The light of dawn reveals [[the path]] once more.
(set: $coin to "none")(set: $deck's "steed" to it - 1)(set: $karma to it + 1)You draw the card of the steed and perform the incantation.
There is a gasp from the crowd as a white horse appears on the horizon, following almost same path you took to get here. It leaps the low stone walls and trailing hedges, charging with unnatural speed through the pastures, though the cattle seem to pay it no heed.
The horse turns into a field of grain, hauling behind it a great wind as an ox would haul a plough. The wind tears the wheat from the stalks, and the chaff from the wheat. There are shouts of surprise as it bounds over the crowd, cries of delight as the harvest washes into town like a tide, coming to rest in an orderly pile beneath the roof of the market.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[rest for the night->town inn]].(set: $deck's "spider" to it - 1)(set: $coin to (either: "heads", "tails"))(if: $coin is "heads")[(set: $karma to it + 1)\
You draw the card of the spider and perform the incantation.
A fog sweeps into the town. But it is not a fog. It is a cloud of spiderlings carried on the wind, each one buoyed along by a fine thread of silk.
The townspeople turn to flee into their houses. Some of the women scream. However, the spiderlings pass high overhead, coming to rest on the rooves of every building in the town. There, they swarm across the thatch, securing the straw with elegant nets and stopping up the leaks with silk.
Their work complete, the spiders ride away upon the breeze once more.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[rest for the night->town inn]].]\
(if: $coin is "tails")[(set: $karma to it - 1)\
You draw the card of the spider and perform the incantation.
A fog sweeps into the town. But it is not a fog. It is a cloud of spiders carried on the wind, each one buoyed along by a fine thread of silk.
The townspeople flee into their houses. Only the mayor remains: he trusts that you will meekly pay tribute to this place, as no doubt so many others of your kind have done before.
But the only gift he receives from you is scuttling legs and stinging fangs. He darts into his house, as the others have done, and watches with dismay through the window as the spiders crawl into nooks and crannies all around the town.
Your visit will be remembered for years to come. For the next few weeks, at least, it will never be out of mind.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[rest for the night->town inn]].](set: $deck's "serpent" to it - 1)(set: $karma to it - 1)You draw the card of the serpent and call out the incantation.
The advancing crowd stumbles backwards as the serpent springs from the ground at your feet. Its eyes blaze. Its venom sears the ground where it falls.
This show of power leaves no doubt that the fruits of the arcane tower are always given, never taken.
(print: $deck's "steed" + $deck's "spider" + $deck's "serpent") cards remain.
You [[rest for the night->town inn]].(if: $karma > 0)[The mayor eagerly welcomes you into his home for the night. His servant provides you with rich food and fine wine: generous in itself, but sheer luxury compared to the simple fare of the arcane tower. However, as you settle down to sleep, comfortably full, you are very aware that this cannot last. Soon--perhaps even as soon as tomorrow--your time in the tower will seem a happy dream: your quest is to seek not comfort, but strife.]\
(if: $karma <= 0)[The mayor has a quiet word with one of the villagers, who reluctantly agrees to take you in. Strangers, it seems, are not altogether welcome here, even--or perhaps especially--those from the tower. The man and his family provide you with a meal and a bed, but speak to you only as much as hospitality demands. You...suppose you can't blame them for fearing you.]
In the low light of dawn, your host points you towards [[the path]]. Not the path you came by, but the path you must now take.Your journey is long.
The road leads beyond the lands that are merely unfamiliar to you--as a student of the tower--and into lands that are unfamiliar to all: the rolling wilderness that is home to only beasts and brigands.
You pass a few merchants as you walk. Those with full carts try to trade with you; those with empty carts merely nod in greeting. The farther you press on, the fewer you meet. At first, this is a matter of only casual interest. However, as days pass by, it becomes deeply troubling to you.
You have no food, and the land is bare.
Far before you, though not far from the road, lies [[a humble cottage]]. Far to one side, perched atop a hill, there is [[a formidable tower]]. The woodsmoke from the former, and the splendour of the latter, leave you confident that there will be food in both. However, you know not what else waits for you in either.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.
=><=
''//Draw Nine// is a work in progress, and you have reached the end for now.
Thank you for playing.
Find more work by Damon L. Wakes at (link-reveal: "damonwakes.wordpress.com")[(open-url: "https://damonwakes.wordpress.com/")].''