I think they might exile me.. do you have any recommendations where I should go?
"Before you go, uh..." You tap your feathers together a little anxiously. "To be honest, I'm pretty sure they're gonna exile me. I have no clue where to go. If you were exiled too... do you have any advice?"
Master Tibius shifts his weight a little. "Hmph." Then he starts drawing something in the dirt with his bone. It takes him a minute or two to finish, and when he does, he puts his hands on his hips and gives it a long look, tail thumping.
"The village instructors don't see fit to teach their children geography anymore, eh? Very well. I have drawn for you a map of the surrounding area."
"Well, I know we're at Last Hill," you say.
"Your intellect slices."
You suppress a scowl. "What's all the swirly stuff?"
"That is the Mother Mountain Mystery Dungeon.
Esinuculke. 'Beyond age.' It surrounds this village from all sides. To arrive here from within the mystery dungeon is quite easy. In fact, the challenge is ending up anywhere else." His face twitches from behind his skull-helm. "The dungeon twists and turns no matter which course you take within its bowels, and almost always its wayfarers are spit out here, at Last Hill."
"Did you really have to phrase it like that?"
"There is one way through," the marowak continues, ignoring your comment. "Zorua's Pass.
Cúlamnenne. The Foxway. This follows the course of an ancient stream, now dry, which once emptied the weepings of the Mother Mountain into a great spring. Boiling Water. It is a far greater city than this. You will find people there who can guide you further." He bows his head.
"One more thing. If you become lost in the dungeon... Do not stop. Always be moving, or you will be left behind."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
The marowak doesn't answer you. He just peers up at the sun, shading his eyes with a hand.
"It is time for your trial. Go, little one."
"Goodbye, Master."
"Goodbye. Do not die."
Your trip up the great mound at the center of the village is... great. Did they really need to build this thing so fucking tall? Just seems like a pain in the ass for everyone involved.
Your lungs are burning by the time you crest the top. Looks like you're not the first one there—the ceremonial fire is already billowing a great column of smoke and ember into the sky, not unlike like a black tower of judgment if you were being poetic and shit.
There's a smattering of people here already—you spot Pot Monkey and Perry, sure as shit, and your mom. Even Master Tibius is here. How the fuck did that guy beat you? The rest is random towngoers, most of them wearing nasty scowls and pointing them at you. Some of them you certainly remember wronging. Some you don't. Man. You've done so much mischief you lost track. This town really will be better off without you.
Notably, the village chief is missing. Looks like you're off the hook for at least another couple minutes until he shows up. You could go chat around for a little bit to kill time, or you could just wait it out—maybe socializing before your life-altering trial isn't the best look, after all, but how much do looks really matter at this point anyway.
