It isn't late at night, but it is late in the year, and the sun went about its business quickly ere it departed.
Jacqueline Somer walks beside a busy road, with her back to oncoming traffic, which she's read you aren't supposed to do but it makes the stupid LED headlights somewhat less unbearable.
She flinches every time a car passes her.
Cars are loud, and she has enhanced hearing.
She'd be much happier, she thinks, in a world without automobiles.
The scout jogs up to the chief.
"I found another otherworlder sir, out on the planes. She's right there."
He points at Owl.
She doesn't feel up to waving at the "chief", but she'll raise a hand and waggle her fingers.
"Hello! Please come with me so we can discuss."
He begins walking toward a wagon in the circle.
She's hoping they have a book or a pamphlet, if they get people from off-planet frequently.
(In the (few) worlds where this is actually happening - but those are also the only worlds where it matters which actions she takes, so.)
She'll follow.
He talks at Owl while he walks.
"You are the 4th otherworlder that we know about. You and your kin have started appearing since the last confluence. Reshma has blessed us with not just one but now two in our tribe of Ignara."
He arrives at a wagon that has a purple stripe above the door and knocks twice.
It's an elf.
Of the Tolkien variety, rather than the Polar type.
Well, either that or she's been mutated by her powers, but for whatever reason Owl is leaning towards "elf".
The elf glances you up and down
"I take it you're not from spes then." she says disappointedly.
"Where are you from?"
"Earth? I've never heard of it. Umm.. here you go.. it's a list of all the useful information I've gathered about this place so far. I'll.. need it back later though."
She hands Owl a piece of paper.
The paper, to the best of Owl's interpretation, says the following:
This planet is called Chartara, It orbits a Red Dwarf Star. It is incredibly dry year round and has a very thin atmosphere. The world is small enough that the "caravale" that everyone rides can go from equator to pole in about a week of travel. There are twelve tribes who travel the world by caravan. The surface of the planet is split into 32 "plateus" each about the same size. An expansive tunnel network exists underneath the surface. Inside tunnels creatures called "craghowlers" spawn, this has yet to be explained. They grow with time and apparently there is no hard cap. These are harvested for meat. The longer inteligent life spends in or near a tunnel the less craghowlers will spawn in them. The tribes also grow various plants to subsidize their diets. When a "caravale" dies they eat it, but they never kill them for food. Each rider has a bond with their caravale. Each tribe gets water from their artifact while traveling. This artifact can emit a constant stream of water but isint nearly enough to sustain the whole tribe. When the tribe camps inside of the tunnels they collect massive barrels of water which they transport by cart. This water comes from the river systems that carved out the tunnels and surface at parts.
"Um, well Spes was very advanced in technology compared to this place. I've been trying to teach some of our knowledge to these people but it's been slow going. Mainly because.. I didn't really know a lot about why stuff worked in Spes. I just kinda lived life. Do.. do you want to help this tribe? It's.. the biggest tribe. I think it has the most resources."
Woah, hold up.
That was fast.
Owl has zero interest in aligning herself with one of this world's political factions for the long run based on "they're the biggest, I think it has the most resources".
It's been less than ten minutes since she landed on this rock.
She doesn't even know what "resources" refers to, since they clearly have matter generation! Though they can't produce food, they have to kill animals... Owl does not know how to kill and cook megafauna.
She would like breakfast tomorrow.
"What do you envision me helping with?" It's not like she's swimming in marketable skills.
"Oh! Um.. I was thinking you might just do whatever you do best for the tribe.. did... did the goddess give you powers too?"
"Oh! I forgot to write it down. The goddess is called Reshma. The tribe here worships her. Maybe you didn't get any because she thought you'd be useful without them? I think... I think that's the only reason I got mine."
She looks down at the ground
"If you have any questions ask me or Mislav" she gestures to the chief. "For tonight I think that you can stay in a guest wagon and we'll make sure you get some food. Also make sure you get one of the cloaks everyone is wearing if you plan on being outside at all, and a mask. When the dust storms start you'll want one."
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