The cliff is predictably massive. I am climbing, and climbing, and climbing. It is dull, but at least unlike the wet cave I can climb as fast as I can normally move. It is still taking forever, Old-me is patience at least. I use my other eyes to look out. It seems the Willow is just slightly taller than the cliff, so mostly I am observing the leafy fronds, and occasional bird or bug that is moving through the leaves.
Moving through the fronds I notice the scary [Un-ended] again, this time it's dragging along a [Lagomorph]. For a moment I think it's my other quest target, but no, the fur is darker. It only takes a moment before the pair is out of sight, if I was on the ground I would be able to see more... I can see that is is surrounded by a teeming horde of monsters. To see more I would have to be closer as well, and... I am staying up here where the horror cannot possibly get me.
A little after that I see a glimpse of something even larger than the scary [Un-ended] It seems to covered in spikes, and moving extremely quickly. I am glad it woudn't notice me, but I see so little that all it really does is give my mind terrible shivers.
----------------------------------------
Fortunately the rest of the trip is without further scary stuff. Old-me is soon to the top of the cliff, as I crest the cliff. I emerge surrounded by rows of plants, un-naturally spaced at even and regular distances. Through the bright green leaves I see a several large objects, that at first I think they are more cliffs and trees. But they are connected in a manner than old, old me remembers from being close to the swatters. I think I found nests, all of them massive. Large enough for even the [Serpent] and scary [Un-ending] to be able to fight inside.
Entering [Caecs-Freithe Village] [Village] [Civilized] [Swamp] [Defended]
I can see further here, less obstructions, and I can see many many swatter. More than I can count at least, each larger than almost anything else I have seen. This must be [Caecs-Freithe Village] I do see some swatters that are much smaller. Even the smallest is the size of the scary [Un-ended]. They will not care about me, so I work my way forwards, I will climb the nearest next to get a good look.
It is clear that the plants here have been planted, I see holes that have been dug where plants are missing, and I even find one that has been partially eaten. Food I assume, I would have through the swatter to be predators, but perhaps they use Intellect to grow plants. Bug here, of course, though significantly less than down in the deepmarsh.
Soon enough I am at the wall, the area was so tidy and clear it was easy to travel along. I climb up, it appears to mostly be stone, but soon it becomes wood. Up, up, up I go, until I reach the top of the wall. The top is slopped, made of small stones, so I continue up the slope. I see a small, hot stone that protruded up up up, and from the top emerges the black smoke. I climb up and up until I reach the top where a the black cloud is formed.
I finally get a good view of the area, and I see nests as far as I can see. Way more than twelve swatters, maybe twelve sets of twelve, or more. They are going around, some wear different [Hats] some wear things that look like [Sarong]. I see so many things that are like silk. Huge amounts growing from tree-trunks in the water, large bits with different shapes hang above swatter that are yelling. So many, some that are very clearly not silk. A wood platform with dozens of different textiles, all sort... Oh I must know more.
They are making sounds at each other. It is strange, one makes sounds and then the other grunts back. I wonder what they are doing for a moment, but then as one hands a pile of textiles to another I understand. This is co-operation, this is social. I am watching them use the attributes that other creatures seem to ignore. This is what it looks like, and this is why they can have so many swatters in one place. Is this how the [Spidereater Wasps] do it as well? Perhaps the two [Lagomorphs]? I have not heard sounds like this from other creatures, but they must communicate somehow. It is dangerous to be alone, so the social attributes must help creatures go from a simple [Arachnid] like me to the swatters.
Oh, I see a creature, it looks like the scary [Un-ended] but with more fur and less stagger. It is the normal version I think. It is following the swatters, one of the smaller swatters, just around half the size of the big swatters. It looks like the not-scary creature is communicating with the swatter, so it is not a unique ability to them. I will have to learn it, but for now I will focus on finishing my quest and finding out about the textiles.
The nest that I am on, is not unique, many very similar ones constructed and scattered across the area, as far as I can see. Each is a little different, in layout and size, it would take me forever to explore every nest. Oh, I see the swatter from earlier walking to this nest with container full of textiles. This is good, I feel that Old-me has chosen to go here first, and find out more before I search other nests.
It enters the nest, and I skitter back off the black cloud pipe and then down the sloped stones until I reach the wood again. I had see some holes in the wood while climbing that I hadn't given any though to when I passed them before. I peek in a few and I see a pair of swatters inside the nest. It is warm inside, I can feel heat creeping out the cracks... a big fire in the center. That is where the black smoke is coming from.
Edge of Village [http://www.christophedia.com/Repository/Storypics/SWAH/Maps/SWAHedgeOfVillage.PNG]
Legend [http://www.christophedia.com/Repository/Storypics/SWAH/Maps/SWAHLegend.png]
It's hard to see something as [Tiny] as me, but just in case I will try to slip into a different part of the nest. I can see that it's divided into several parts. I climb along to the next hole and I am rewarded with a much darker room. No fire, and no real light. But deep inside the room I do see a pile of textiles of all sorts, and a...
What? Why are their small Swatters, the wood surface is covered with them. They are not moving, but they are much much bigger than me. Almost half as big as the [Serpent]. I don't think they are creatures are they?
No, no, they are not. Nothing stands still for that long, and they are only as warm as the wood. Old-me is also quite wary of them... because even the [Un-ending] look warmer. Oh, they could be [Constructs] like the [Clockwork Beetle]. Well they don't move, so if they are it is ok. Old-me can go in and touch them, learn about the textiles on them.
I carefully skitter into the hole and climb down to the ground. It doesn't take long, and the warmth is making everything easier. Soon Old-me am climbing the wood that hold the textiles. I am excited, so many things to see. I am sure I can learn about the [Artisan] [Family Class] if I look at all these textiles. Probably not progress, but perhaps it will teach me something like [Slayer] did.
I finally reach the piles, from here they loom far over me, and in fact look almost like the [Trees] of the [Deepmarsh] a forest of fabric sounds about right. I get close enough to the first one to reach and touch. The textile is rougher than my silk, folded neatly into a dense pile.
Material(Textile)- [Raw Plain Weave Linen Bolt] Craft: Average [Small] [Durable] [Plain Weave Linen] This bolt of undyed linen is unremarkable
-It has a common [Plain Weave]
-It is undyed
-It is in good condition and undamaged
That is so interesting, so this is a very common textile, and something I could certainly use. I think my silk is a little better than this, but I haven't made a whole bolt to compare with it. Several others are here so I grab as much as I can. This one was folded and very flat, but this one over here is a very thick strand wrapped in a ball. I wonder why.
Material(Textile) [Raw Chenille Silk Yarn] Craft: Average [Small] [Soft] [Chenille Silk] This spindle of yellow dyed Silk is unremarkable
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
-It is a the uncommon [Chenille Yarn]
-It is made with [Silkworm silk]
-It is dyed yellow
-It is in great condition and undamaged
Oh, other creatures can make silk, that is interesting. Wait, I heard a sound near me, and light fills this part of the nest.
"Habari buibui mdogo, subiri, ni nini hiyo."
Old-me Freezes, and I look at the creature with my eyes. It just entered and is making those strange sounds. I don't know... I don't think it's seen me, I should be too small for it to notice, even though it's eyes are looking towards me.
"Hiyo ni... umevaa nguo?" Tick Tick Tick "Lo, wewe ni, hiyo inapendeza, Mama, buibui amevaa nguo"
It isn't moving closer, I think I am ok. It is a much smaller creature, less than half the size of a swatter, but basically a smaller version of it in every way. It must be looking at one of the [Constructs] wearing textiles around me. It is holding one, I think it brought it in when the swatter arrived, they must be important to it.
"Ni kwamba mkoba kidogo? na upanga? hiyo ni hariri kwa hakika. Nashangaa ikiwa umewafanya au buibui mwingine."
Curious to what it's doing I watch it for a moment, but it's just looking at the [Construct] in it's hand, then back at the forest of [Textiles]. If it is missing me then I am quite content to explore the forest more and find out what possibilities my class might bring. This first bolt seems so light and soft.
Material(Textile) [Raw Chiffon Silk Yarn] Craft: Average [Small] [Soft] [Chiffon Silk] This bolt of blue dyed Silk is unremarkable
-It is a the uncommon [Chiffon Silk]
-It is made with [Silkworm silk]
-It is dyed blue
-It is in fantastic condition and undamaged
More silk! I thought it might be, it seemed so much like the webs I spin, yet it's still from this [Silkworm], I admit I feel a little jealous of it, why have I not found any [Spider Silk] I know we can all make it, and I am supposedly very common from the [Common house spider] in my name. I want to try making this, but it will have to wait for now.
I touch a what appear to be a much rougher fabric as I move past it.
Material(Textile) [Raw Mohair Wool Bolt] Craft: Average [Small] [Rough] [Wool] This bolt of undyed wool is unremarkable
-It is a the common [Mohair Wool]
-It is made with [Goat Hair]
-It is undyed
-It is in decent condition and undamaged
Alright, so it still from an animal, but a different one. I am surprised at the feel of it, it is not nearly as rough as I expected, and... the thread stretch... where is the tension. I don't understand this, my thread doesn't move like this. I guess I can't discount other creatures.
I feel another smug sense of satisfaction as Old-me completes another of our tasks. The swatter moves, not towards us, so it should ne fine. Old-me is still surprised and skitters behind the wool for a moment.
"Subiri ... ni wewe, unatazama kitambaa. Utambulisho wako. Lo, nilijua wanyama wanaweza kupata ujuzi, lakini kamwe ujuzi wa biashara. Natamani ningekuwa na lenzi bora ya tathmini. Hunielewi wewe?"
No sudden swat attempts by the swatter, so after a moment Old-me re-emerges and moves towards yet another bolt, which is by far the largest towering above me.
Material(Textile) [Raw Waterproof Jute Canvas Bolt] Craft: Average [Large] [Rough] [Jute] [Waterproof] This bolt of undyed canvas is unremarkable
-It is a the common [Jute Canvas] with a mild treatment to [Waterproof]
-It is made with a [Jute Fiber] and [Bees Wax]
-It is undyed
-It is in decent condition and undamaged
Oh, I like this one, it is heavy, but if it protects from Water, that could be super useful... it's the size of all of the other textiles here combine though, I couldn't even take the Yarn at my size... maybe some scrap was left behind... I will keep an eye out.
Old-me isn't paying attentions to the textile or my musings and is already moving towards the [Constructs] skittering over, careful to stay out of easy reach of the swatter. Did they make the [Constructs] I see so many all over, not quite twelve twice but more than twelve. I get close to some of them, some have textiles, others do not, I choose one with an interesting [Sarong]. Instantly I feel a sense of contentment from Old-me, happy to get the boxes to me.
Trinket(Toy) [Female Dressing Doll] Craft: Average [Small] [Doll] This small doll is made of
-It is humanoid, with elfish proportions
-It is made of [Oak Wood], [Porcelain], and [Iron]
-It is in great condition and undamaged
-It is wearing a [Feminine Green Boufont Dress]
Body [Clothing] [Feminine Green Boufont Dress] Craft: Fine [Small] [Doll-wear] This small dress is made of green silk
-It is designed and tailored for a humanoid doll
-It is made of [Spider Silk]
-It is dyed green
-It is in perfect condition and undamaged
Spider silk! someone else made stuff out of it, that's great this [Dress] is made of the best fabric here, everything else looks rather sad next to it. I wonder if the [Arachnid] that made it is still around. I hope they gained a new-me like I did. Old me is moving on, clearly missing how wonderful this development is... clearly in a hurry to get back.
Well I also learned that they are not [Constructs] and are no different than the [Clothing] they wear. The wonderful [Clothing] that I thought to be a [Sarong] is instead called a [Dress] I'll need more words for this clearly. In any case, Old-me isn't wrong, we'll just see...
"Nadhani nina la msingi, wewe ni nini. Lo, buibui wa kawaida wa ngazi ya kwanza, wa chini sana. Oh, huna jina la kwanza? Lakini jina lako la mwisho ni [Artisan]"
Old-me eyes swivel to face the swatter almost instinctively, my attention had meandered, but the fear washes away my curiosity. The small swatter said [Artisan] and I know that word. I can't tell if it is looking at me, but for the first time it seems to be looming. I focus all eight eyes on it, noticing that it has been getting hotter this whole time. It keeps making sound, and is starting to move around a little, stepping from one side to another and partially rotating in place. I don't like it.
"Lo, kitu kidogo, wacha nizuie macho yangu. Naam, nadhani wewe ni mpya. Kweli, katika kesi hiyo, naweza kukusaidia. Wewe ni mwanamke, ngoja tuone... vipi, nakupigia simu..."
It looked away, and I feel old me relax, and start to move again. No, don't you fool, I can hear the sounds, and they sound wrong, stop thinking the threat has passed because you instincts aren't... Damnit, it is too late, Old-me skitters across the surface, at least it's moving away from the swatter. I see that Old-me decided to visit the small pile of [textiles] they look like scraps, clearly intent on grabbing something for later. I watch as the swatter turns around to face me again, right as Old-me grabs hold of a [Tiny] scrap of the [Jute Canvas]
"Kysa o'Mnoko"
I'm not even really here, but agony lances into my mind and my vision goes black.