Quick Hit Story Seeds #2

Image Source: http://domen-art.deviantart.com/art/Hill-Monster-461814409

In the far north of Navarene, entire villages have gone silent, with no word from farmers or traders or local lords.  Rumors of a new weapon held by the Gaians have the lords on edge. Dispatched by the crown to investigate you find that there is a creature, something unknown previously, consuming all in it's path ...

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Image Source: http://xiaoxinart.deviantart.com/art/Find-the-lost-one-461691212

With the right cyphers, the right allies, and a lot of luck a dread destroyer can be stopped.  When it was discovered that three were converging on the city luck flew out the window on wings of fright.  Now the city's only hope, and your best chance to save the only home you've ever known, is to  do what none have ever done since before the city's founding: enter the Guardian and activate it ...

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Image Source: http://pinkabsinthe.deviantart.com/art/Temp-add-460273034

While attending a ball in Iscobal you are surprised to see that all of the young women have added a small amount of armor to their attire.   Investigating further you find that the women in question are all unmarried and of eligible age.  When the decidedly not ritual combat began between two young women vying for one of the men at the party you begin to understand why Iscobalan men are so diffident to their wives.

Story Seed - Not Yet Dead

Image Source: http://moth3r.deviantart.com/art/Almost-Human-Skull-462036173

You stumble into the clearing off the path, exhausted from a long day's travel.  Before you can relax however you realize that there is already somebody taking rest in the camp site.  The fire pit is clearly cold and unused, and the stranger is unresponsive, apparently asleep given their reclining position and the hat pulled down to shade their face.

After several attempts to rouse them you remove the person's hate to discover a long dead corpse, it's skull shining in your torchlight with the gleam of metal and synth.  Disturbed the body collapses and the apparently artificial skull rolls free.  More startling still are the dim lights that suddenly illuminate deep within the eye sockets.

Story Seed - Blood

Image Source: http://boosoohoo.deviantart.com/art/Mayan-Civilization-335468226

"Blood."

"Blood?"

"Yup. Just ...blood."

"C'mon."

Clarke shrugged, "What do you want me to say? The key was blood.  The smell of it, the feel of it, the friggin' taste of it. Blood. Blood blood blood blood blood!" He shivered, "We don't have to do this.  Honestly, I'm creeped out. This could be some seriously bad place."

"If we bail out we'll never know." Sean jerked a thumb back to the other room. "They're waiting.  What do you want me to tell them?  Tell them that we skip a payday because this one seems dangerous? We've seen danger before."

"Not like this.  This seems ..."

"Bad. Yeah, you said that. Listen," Sean said, "we translate, blend in when we get there.  We grab some cyphers, maybe some gold or jewels, and then we bail.  We have a inapposite gate if we need it, and we can always translate out with only a little time.  What's the risk?"

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"OK. Now I think I get it." Sean looked up the steep steps of the pyramid. The plaza was busy, but he, Clarke, and the others blended in.  They were dressed in apparel that matched the world, skins and woven grasses. Ornamentation made of volcanic glass, gold, and teeth. "Blood. Yeah, makes sense."

"Yeah." Clarke agreed.  The others nodded as well. "Listen, we're here, and we may as well stick around and try to go unnoticed.  Make the trip home tomorrow."

"And try to at least make a payday out of this excursion," Sean finished for him.

"I'd agree," Samuels said, "but I don't think we want to stick around that long."  They all turned to look at him. Samuels was decked out in priestly garb, and his face was more serious that usual.  "Sacrifices will be made today, and according to the new memories I have, the gods themselves will choose."

Looking upwards to the pyramid they could see a massive figure, body slick and red with blood, appear in a flash of fire and smoke. A sudden thunderclap drove the point home.

Summary - A group of recursion minors translate to a world based on Central American myth and find that sometimes the danger of a new recursion truly is not worth the risks.