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storyboard part 1

Arrival on the beach
      you pull the boat ashore, tired and smelly, hungry for anything but those thin tough fish jerky. you can control now. wash yourself in the refreshing, clear water. (you have a bar of soap). the beach seems private. strip to underwear to wash your clothes separately. hang them to dry and wait. seagulls on the beach. look into the clear water, find a shell. put hand over brow, peer to the horizon. the scene slowly zooms into the departing ship he rowed from. it vanishes in the distance. soft, tranquil background music. lapping waves on the sand. a trail through sea oats and dunes. you find a dirt road. it heads into town.

Into Town
      as you walk through town you find a market area, and a stand selling fruits, veggies, fish, and other things you've never seen in your life. a girl is running the stand. see "market conversation" file. she has invited you to a fire that evening. you can meantime browse the town, meet a few folks.

Exploring Town

Campfire Gathering
      see "campfire" file

Attack of the Spider
      With a quick move you pierce its head with the end of a long stick you had in the fire.

A Decision
      a group including you decides to go down that cliffside and enters that cave where the spiders likely came from. to be safe, one of the young men is advised to take the others home first, and also return with some weapons and lanterns.
      there first appears to be nothing in the caves. it's quiet and eerie, however, with odd noises like rummages and creepings echoing from down the tunnels. on going deeper, one will lower itself down on a silky thread, while another races out from cracks in the the rock.
      [spiders may respawn in this area but not just appearing out of nowhere. they will come out from crevices and down from the celeing. a limited amount of respawns will happen in these caves, allowing your character to grow in skills up to a limit, and providing opportunity to get used to battle techniques.]
      during the fights, good conversations short and sweet draw you closer to the characters.

Returning to the Cliffside
      they offer a plan for the next day, to meet here again. meantime you stay in a place kindly provided by one of them. you get some rest.

Next Day
      you meet with friends at cliffside again. although wanting to, Aya cannot go, as she has responsibilities at the market and taking care of her father.
      It begins to rain as you arrive. Inside the cave you see the pouring rain falling through the cave mouth, and lightning flashes begin.
      You explore the cave, fight a couple more spiders. And talk about Aya, learn of her qualities. You share your background, and your initiative, which are reported to Aya later.
      After the cave is clear your friend suggests a beer in town. It seems there is no further danger at this time. Perhaps a bath in the ocean/waterfall with some soap before you head over.
      Meeting up with him at the restaurant you can get a meal and drink. You talk and form a closer bond, and more about Aya and yourself. You also speak of what may have caused these strange creatures, and that it may be related to rumors of something called LS. He also arranges for you to stay in one of the rooms upstairs for a night or two, until you can afford to take care of yourself. (perhaps he speaks with the owner and gets a discount.) he invites you to come and arrange some work for yourself. you visit a man who needs help with some practical labor and offers you to start the next day.

// removed
      you return to the cave to find the spiders you had slain along with a cave-in in the tunnel. Or was it caused by an explosion? Is someone trying to help or hinder the progress?
      Well, you cannot continue into the caves any more, and no other spiders have appeared. But who would have done this? You might ask around. The folks you talk to don't have any idea and most of them were confirmed sleeping in their homes by relatives.

      Later in the evening you visit the market and you see Aya again. she gets off early. you guys go to some pretty riverside with one of her friends (Fay?) and wade a little, sit and talk on the rocks, watch the glimmer on the water.

      You do some labor for the man. After that your friend meets up with you on the job and suggests you join the group to head out for more observations of what is going on.

Further explorations
      Heading deeper into the cave you spend the evening searching out and killing spiders. The cave eventually leads out through a narrow dark tunnel, twisting for several minutes that seem like hours of crawling, until finally letting out behind a moss wall and into a beautiful cliffside view. how unexpected and wonderful! is this the end of the spider's domain? supposing it may be, you look around anyway, and find another surprise: a giant beetle. apparently not only spiders have become unusual in size.

The Journey Begins
      Aya desires to join but feels she cannot go because she must care for her father and run the market. But her father insists she go, and uses the excuse that she may find a rumoured herb that could help heal him. he knows it likely does not exist or at least anywhere on these islands, and knows Aya believes the same, but he insists, with the hidden intention of her having a happy life away from the labor of the store and caring for him. But who will care for him?

// unsure
      after a day's work you're tired but feel good because you are earning your keep. a friend drops by and invites you to go somewhere. during that time with him you meet another character just back in town, a brother who has been up to some things far away. he's preaching Lucid Science, with a subtly arrogant disposition. yet he's convincing, even exciting. he's welcomed warmly by the family. this is the beginning of some uncomfortable stuff. hurt, rivalry, jealousy, something is splitting the family apart. (it may be important to first make this character very likeable for some time before the negative events unfold.)

--< Possible story path split whether she goes with you or not.

[ Aya goes with you: ]

Someone is found to help check in and care for father. The market will close.

You ready yourselves, buying supplies, discussing a plan. You will travel around the island countryside in search of more of the spiders or any clues as to their cause by speaking with the residents. You identified the kind of spider as being similar to one in the land but a variation of the species, so you are not yet sure if the antivenom you have will work, besides that you don't have a lot of it, maybe a single strong dose.


Idea: You find within the caves or another cave a dead carcass wrapped in spider silk, hanging. Nobody can recognize the person but apparently they were partly responsible for these spiders, because of the items that remain there: some books on LS, some tools, some chemicals. A stone bath of chemical and some ingredients in a box. It's not a great deal of utensils but the book is very in-depth as far as the anatomy of spiders, down to details that are far more complex than you've ever seen, even the DNA. But a large part of the book is written in a different handwriting, and seems to be a completely different language. (Later this would be recognized as a spirit creature's communication of deep things of LS. How does one come to understand such writings? Only by being granted them, infused with such knowledge. But this can take place with or without the Creator's approval. The abusers of LS have been doing so without.)

One night during sleep you have a vision that you have received something special. "To you it is granted, because your heart is favorable to the Highest One. Go and write in the language of deep knowledge. As you write, you will understand, and you will be able to protect the people whom these rebels are threatening, my people. Only do not make a display of yourself, because it is a gift to you. Be humble in your spirit as you have been, and fight for The Way."

Assuming a more outline style for now:

Whether by a dream or a visit with wise men, a sudden vision in midday, somehow you are granted special ability with LS. An understanding of the nature of some of the physical world and the ability to manipulate it in certain ways. The abilities will grow and new knowledge will be added as you progress.

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