The next morning Vina woke up refreshed, but in pain. Her hand had not healed much overnight despite her health recovering somewhat. She was relieved to see she had no warnings about infection, but decided she would seek medical assistance. After cleaning up her appearance, Vina tossed her backpack onto her back and stepped out of her room.
“Good morning Miss Vina.” said the inn keeper’s wife. She was sitting in a chair sewing a garment together.
“Oh. Good morning ma’am. I am sorry, I didn’t catch your name last night.” Vina responded warmly.
“My name is Rana. It’s nice to meet you. How are you feeling? Is your hand healed?” Rana asked as she gestured to Vina’s side.
“It’s nice to meet you too. It’s only slightly better today. Do you think you could point me to the clinic? Also I’m not sure how to pay for your accommodations. Do you accept this currency?” Vina asked as she fished out a Regal of the Watch.
Rana’s eyes opened wide when she saw the coin. “Don’t show those around in this town!” she said, gesturing with her hands for Vina to put the money away.
Vina was startled by Rana’s reaction and she quickly put the coin away. “Did I do something wrong? I didn’t mean to offend. I am new here and don’t know how many things work.”
Rana reached out and touched her shoulder, “It’s okay. Those coins are from an organization called The Watch. Some here do not support them or their activities. I’ll speak to my husband to see if we can exchange those for local currency.”
Vina suddenly remembered the coins she had received upon completing her first quest and she reached into her backpack again and came out with a bunch of brass colored coins in her hand.
Rana nodded her approval and reassured her that those would work for both the accommodations and other provisions she may need. Rana spoke again, “Please Miss Vina. The guardsmen from last night have required me to send you directly to the Town Hall. Is your hand in good enough shape to do that first?” Vina nodded and Rana led her from the Inn.
In the daylight Vina could see the town much better. It was a fairly large town consisting of many stone and wooden buildings. She estimated a couple hundred people probably lived here. The town seemed to still be in development with several dirt roads not yet converted to stone and several buildings obviously still under construction.
Vina followed Rana down several paths as the sun continued to rise. She could tell today was going to be a warmer day than she had yet to experience in her time at Palitern. Vina took an opportunity to ask Rana some basic questions about the weather, the seasons, and where she actually was. Rana helped as best she could, but without a map handy, she had some trouble describing their location. Vina just understood that an ocean was south of her and many more developed towns were to her north.
Vina soon arrived at one of the largest buildings in town. Rana pointed out the nearby clinic, but led Vina directly into the Town Hall. The Town Hall was bustling with activity. “Most of the people here are trying to get building approval or organize supply deliveries. You won’t have to wait in those lines.” Rana told her. She took Vina directly up to a desk and introduced her to a gentleman there and then politely excused herself.
The man behind the desk was Troy and he seemed to be in a hurry. “Please fill out this paperwork.” he said quickly as he slid a paper across the desk.
Vina picked up the document and read it.
Document: Prosit Visitor Record Common This document is used to track the entry of new persons to the city of Prosit.
Vina quickly read over the information the document was seeking. It was very basic such as name, gender, hair color, and other identifying features. Vina filled it out without question until she saw the field asking what her class was. “Uhm.. I don’t have a class.” Vina said contemplatively.
Troy was not worried. “Still low level eh? Don’t worry. You’ll have a class soon. You can leave that blank for now. When you get a class, if you intend to stay in this town, you’ll need to come here again and update this document.”
Vina eyed Troy with curiosity. She simply had to ask, “What level do you get a class?”.
Troy looked at her with a quizzing gaze. “You’ll get your first class at level five.”
Vina thanked him, finished up the paperwork quickly, and handed it back.
Troy checked the document and stamped it. Then he spoke, “You’re approved to stay for seven days. During this time you’ll have to stay at the Rind Horn Inn. If you plan to move or want to stay longer, you’ll need to change your paperwork here. If you wish to become a citizen of our town, we’re prepared to create a path for you to achieve that.”
Vina thanked the man and told him she would consider it. In her heart, she knew she would not be here forever though. Priya had already hinted that she would be leaving the town after she opened the sealed note.
Vina excused herself and left the busy Town Hall. She quickly walked to the clinic, eager to have her aching hand looked at. As she approached the building she saw the sign read Refuge of Trina. The clinic was white, but had plants growing all over it. Although the leaves were once again weirdly shaped, something akin to ivy grew all over the building. Vina was still trying to get used to the weird foliage of this world. Even after her trip in the wilderness, she had not seen everything this world provided. Vina gently pushed the door open to the clinic.
Inside she saw an foyer that led to two large wooden doors on the other side. An attendant sat in a chair off to the side and she approached as Vina looked around.
“Hello Miss. Is there something Trina can help you with today?”
“Good morning. I have an injury to my hand. I was wondering if I could get it checked out?” She paused for a second, considered the woman’s earlier greeting and also asked, “Is Trina here?”
The attendant gave her a weird look, “No Miss. Trina has been gone for quite some time, but we still honor her through our skills today. I will find one of our professed to look at your hand.” The attendant excused herself and vanished through the door on the left.
Vina realized the fact Trina had gone missing must be general knowledge at this point and realized her question must have seemed odd. “What did she mean by professed?” She wondered to herself. “She used that word like a title, but it’s just an adjective.”
While she waited, Vina looked around the room while she waited and saw several statues erected in various poses. In one a lady was bent over picking a flower and in another she stood with a hand held out. Vina looked at each of these poses, but the one that demanded her attention the most was the woman kneeling down with her hands pressed to her face in sadness. She was so engrossed with this pose, she jumped when she heard a voice behind her.
“Ah. Trina’s Tragedy has captured your heart.” said a soft old man’s voice behind her.
Vina turned in surprise, but quickly composed herself.
The old man raised a wrinkled hand in defense, “I apologize. I did not mean to startle you. This statue has a special meaning to me as well. Captured here is the stance Trina took when she was overwhelmed with sadness at the loss of life. She had witnessed a great death from a disease she could not stop. Trina’s sorrow was so great, we all felt it across the world.”
“Her pain and the pain we all experienced from that event inspired us to create these refuges. We seek to never have Trina feel sorrow this great again.” The old man paused, waiting to see if Vina would respond. When she didn’t, he continued. “I am Jan, one of the professed. I hear your hand has been injured. I am here to try to heal it. May I inspect your injury?”
Vina relaxed and nodded. “I am Vina. Thank you for helping me.” She held her hand out and Jan took it. His hands were soft, warm, and reassuring.
Jan looked intently at her hand. After a few minutes, he spoke, “This is a rare injury. The edges of the wound appear to have been split as if something was escaping. I have a special skill, but it requires your permission to be used. It will help me diagnose exactly the extent of the damage. Do I have your permission?”
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Vina nodded and spoke, “Yes. I give you permission.”
Jan’s eyes lifted to her and he smiled knowingly. Then Vina had a window pop up.
Jan would like to use a special skill to diagnose an injury to your body. Giving Jan permission will allow him access to detailed information about your health and body. Do you accept? Yes? No?
Vina selected yes and Jan’s eyes lit up in a soft yellow light. He took a few minutes as he intently stared at her hand and arm. He finally nodded his head and said, “I think it is best if we move to a room to talk.”
Vina’s anxiety flared up and she followed Jan through the door on the right. Once beyond the door, Vina saw about a dozen rooms with doors closed tight. She followed Jan past several of them and couldn’t help but ask. “What are all these rooms for?”
Jan was kind enough to answer for her. “Most of them are long term recovery rooms. People become injured very frequently while this town is being built. We take care of them here until they have fully recovered.”
Vina followed Jan into her own room and he softly closed the door behind her. “So, Vina, your hand has suffered damage to many of the blood vessels. I rarely see an injury such as this, but I believe I know what caused it. Are you using any skills that involve manipulation of your blood?”
Vina slowly nodded. “Yes. I was forced to learn Blood Runes and use them to escape from the forest.”
Jan considered her for a moment. “Blood Runes? That is not a skill I am familiar with. Unfortunately, I can see it is very dangerous to your body. I want to be clear with you. This is a skill that can kill you if used recklessly. The good news is there is no lasting damage to your hand. We can use a bandage to speed the recovery. After the treatment, your pain will be gone, but you will need to rest that hand for another day or two. Our little refuge is still new and I am unfortunately unable to provide you with direct healing items or abilities at this time.”
Vina thanked Jan, but then a thought occurred to her. “I have a skill called foraging that can give any items I pick a light healing effect. Would that help your clinic?”
Jan smiled warmly and spoke to the sky, “Ah. This young girl named Vina is already just like you, Trina, without even knowing it.” He turned back to Vina “Not only do you share similar names, you chose skills that selflessly help others.”
Vina cringed slightly, “I technically chose it so I wouldn’t die in the wilderness. I’m not sure that is very selfless”.
The old man laughed merrily, “It is such a wonderful balance you found in your choice to act both selfishly, but also to benefit those around you. There is a beauty in your choice that Trina would adore.” The old man left the room still laughing to himself and soon returned with a bandage. Vina quickly Examined it.
Item: Moderate Bandage of Healing Rare This bandage will stop bleeding, disinfect a wound, and speed up healing by 50%. All pain will be eliminated.
Jan began to apply the bandage and spoke as he did so. “Vina, I hope you will not be too offended, but I know you are not from this world. My skill told me when I used it to diagnose you. Trina always taught us to welcome and accept Travelers. I am here to heal your hand, but I am also here to provide you with any guidance you might need. Do you have any questions about our world?”
Vina was taken aback, but her heart welled up inside her and her emotions took control for a moment as she dumped every thought on her mind. “I know nothing about Palitern. I don’t understand the shadows, I don’t know Trina, and I don’t understand this leveling system. I ran into some horrible creatures called Spinerlings in the forest and had to fight them. I accidentally learned these blood runes and they nearly killed me in a cave. There is so much beauty and wonder here, but I am very scared.”
Jan nodded understandingly as he laid the bandage down, “You are not alone in that fear. Ever since Trina left, things have been difficult. I wish I could put your mind at ease, but some things, like the shadows, are very real threats.” Jan took a deep breath and continued. “The spinerlings are creatures from another world. They came here after Trina left. There are some truly horrible creatures in this world, but there are also some good ones. It is my hope you can someday meet a Trannersom.” Jan finished wrapping her hand and Vina felt immediate pain relief like someone had turned off a light switch.
“With Trina gone, many of us find comfort in the fact that skills still work. This bandage here could not take away your pain by itself. Trina is the one behind that. Although she is gone, we can still find her in our skills. I know it may not be a comfort for you yet, but I hope you’ll come to see her in every skill you use. Perhaps you’ll even find her in your blood runes.”
Jan washed his hands from a bag of water overhead and he continued, “The leveling system is one such marvel of Trina’s. Everyone has chosen their own path, and no doubt you’ll find yours soon. I believe your investment in the Mastery attribute will serve you well as you learn about our world. I would recommend a stronger focus on your vitality, but that may just be my concern for you talking.” He chuckled to himself and Vina joined him.
Vina found she had a question, “Are blood runes too dangerous for me to use?”
Jan thought for a moment before responding, “I am not familiar with the skill. I can tell from the damage to your hand though that you have trouble controlling it. It sounds like you were placed into an environment that demanded a lot more of you than your skill was ready for. I believe if you take it slowly going forward, you may develop better control. Certainly having a higher health will give you a better buffer against the unexpected.”
Jan’s face grew concerned. “Vina, I must warn you. Blood skills are taboo in this world. While a follower of Trina, such as myself, may not judge you for having it, there are certainly others who would disparage you if not attack you for learning such a skill. I recommend you keep this skill to yourself and do not display it prominently.”
Vina nodded in understanding. She had seen how the guards reacted to her blood red lantern last night. Their disgust and revulsion were easy to read. “I didn’t want to learn blood runes. I was trying to learn Rune Carving. Why did I learn Blood Runes when I intended to learn Rune Carving?
Jan thought for a moment before answering. “The skill system is sometimes very strange. There are times where only our efforts are sufficient to learn what we intend. Other times, no amount of effort will achieve success. Trina had often hinted at us each having a uniqueness about ourselves. She taught us to value our unique gifts and to not combat them. I suspect you have a unique proclivity for learning Blood Runes and also a unique inability to learn Rune Carving. With time that may change, but I encourage you to appreciate who you are now instead of beating yourself up for what you have yet to become.”
Vina felt uncomfortable with that last part. She was not yet ready for that level of self compassion.
Jan did not seem to detect her unease and continued “Regarding your traveler status, it may be difficult for you to understand, but Trina seems to give extra attention to those like you. Many of the greatest people of our world were travelers, and you may find you are no different in that aspect. Mark my words, Trina has a plan for you whether you are ready for it or not.”
Vina shifted in her seat, unsure how to accept his words. Her brain desperately tried to come up with another topic, “What can you tell me about the Aspects of Trina?”
Jan’s face displayed a range of emotions at this question. His face was angry and then sad, and then hopeful. “That is a sensitive and complicated topic. Those who follow in Trina’s steps are divided. Some of us believe the Aspects of Trina were stolen from her and desperately need to be returned. Others believe Trina removed them from herself so she could better help everyone.” Jan took a deep breath and appeared to steady himself. “When the fake aspects arrived, it only muddied the waters even further. Some of our followers have taken on the fake aspects of Trina. They believe if they can’t get a real aspect, they will at least do good in Trina’s name with a fake one.”
Vina softly asked, “What do you believe?”
Jan raised his head in confidence, “I believe the world quests are the truth. The aspects must be returned to Trina and the fakes must be destroyed. Some of my fellow followers here believe me to be too purist, but I stand by my choice.”
Vina pulled out a Regal of the Watch from her backpack, “I showed this coin in the inn and the innkeeper reacted in a way I did not understand. Can you tell me about The Watch?”
Taking a deep breath, Jan seemed to prepare himself, then he let it all out “There is a lot of history about The Watch. The simplest answer is to define the organization by their primary objectives. They claim to want to eliminate the shadows and creatures, reclaim the Aspects of Trina and bring Trina back to life.”
“Well that sounds like they’re doing good things?” Vina asked, turning her head to the side questioningly.
“Well on the surface you would be right. Unfortunately, The Watch is a massive organization now consisting of several cities with their own army. They have retrieved many Aspects of Trina, but they have returned none. Most of their people have access to a fake version of Trina’s Aspects. Sometimes their approach to recovering Aspects is barbaric and many people have come to fear them. Others have also flocked to them for both safety and to gain power themselves. Some people move as far away from The Watch as possible, hoping to get away from the shadows as well. This town is more or less in the middle. Prosit does not like The Watch, but we aren’t openly hostile with them.”
Vina recalled something she had seen in her attribute window before. “Can you tell me what the Divinity attribute does? It is locked on my screen.”
Jan leaned against a nearby wall and tried to strike a casual stance, “Divinity is locked for me as well, so I don’t know all the benefits. Divinity showed up as an option after The Severing. I am told once a person bonds with an Aspect, the attribute becomes unlocked. Those who have taken points in Divinity have reported feeling sick and that something was taken from them. In return they gain the ability to control the Aspect. Some people believe that a high Divinity attribute will allow a person to become like Trina.”
Jan paused and waited for Vina to look at him, “What I have seen tells me the opposite. Those with high divinity have something wrong with them. It’s almost like madness that cannot be cured. They’ve lost something and it can never be reclaimed. You’ll see when you start meeting them.”
Vina sighed. Her heart and mind felt heavy at all of this information. “Where do I go from here?”
Jan looked at her with encouraging eyes, “I recommend you follow the path of Trina. Develop your skills, learn more about her, and explore the world you now find yourself in.”