Chapter 1.04
1.04
Erin Solstice discovers a magical cupboard full of preserved food but accidentally breaks it. Her fear escalates when she finds the skeleton in the inn is missing, culminating in a fight with a Goblin scout which she wins, unknowingly scaring off a larger ambush party.
Summary
Erin Solstice woke up in The Wandering Inn to a throbbing, burning pain in her hand from the previous day's injury. Searching for supplies, she explored the kitchen and discovered a Magical Cupboard. Inside, she found perfectly preserved food, including flour and dried fruit, thanks to a series of glowing silver Preservation Runes carved into the wood. In a moment of carelessness while trying to open a jammed drawer, Erin chipped the wood, breaking the line of runes and destroying the cupboard's magic.
Distraught by her mistake, Erin went upstairs and made another startling discovery: the skeleton she had named Mr. Skeleton was gone. The disappearance sent her into a panic, as she realized she might not be alone in the inn. She frantically searched the building, growing increasingly paranoid and terrified of what might be lurking in the shadows.
Her fears were realized when a Goblin Scout crept into the inn to ambush her. Erin fought back fiercely, eventually gaining the upper hand and throwing the goblin bodily out of the inn, where it landed unconscious. Unbeknownst to her, a Goblin Ambush Party of seven Goblins had been waiting outside. Witnessing their scout's swift and violent defeat, the Goblins decided Erin was too dangerous and fled into the night. As they left, a Littlest Goblin watched from a distance. The chapter ends by revealing a Mysterious Figure who had stolen Mr. Skeleton for some unknown purpose.
Major Events
Erin Discovers and Breaks the Magical Cupboard
While exploring the kitchen, Erin Solstice finds a Magical Cupboard with Preservation Runes keeping food fresh. She accidentally chips the wood, breaking the runes and destroying the cupboard's magical properties.
Mr. Skeleton Vanishes
Erin goes upstairs and discovers that Mr. Skeleton is missing from the room where she had left it. This discovery fills her with terror, realizing someone or something else may be in the inn.
Erin Fights Off a Goblin Scout
A Goblin Scout sneaks into The Wandering Inn to attack Erin. After a brief but intense struggle, Erin overpowers the goblin and throws it out of the building.
The Goblin Ambush Party Retreats
A waiting Goblin Ambush Party witnesses their scout's defeat at Erin's hands. Deeming her too dangerous, the entire group abandons their plan and flees into the night.
The Skeleton Thief is Revealed
The chapter reveals that a Mysterious Figure was responsible for the disappearance of Mr. Skeleton, having taken the skeleton for an unknown project.
Major Appearances
A young woman from Earth who stumbles into a fantasy world and takes refuge in an abandoned inn.
aka Erin, the young woman +20
Small inn where Erin is present; currently occupied by her. Noted by the Watch as having been abandoned years ago but Erin is using it; the Drake and Klbkch enter here to investigate.
aka the inn, Abandoned hilltop inn +10
Small green humanoids with red eyes and sharp teeth that chased and slashed at Erin.
aka Goblins, little green things +5
The skeletal remains of a person that Erin discovered in an upstairs bedroom of the inn.
aka the skeleton, a pile of bones +2
Minor Appearances
A lone Goblin who snuck into the inn to ambush Erin.
A stealthy, unknown individual who stole the skeleton from the inn.
aka a crouched figure
A kitchen cupboard inscribed with glowing runes that preserved food in fresh condition until its enchantment was disrupted.
aka magical pantry, runed cupboard +2
A local Goblin tribe with a chieftain and small warrior contingent operating around the inn.
aka Goblin ambush party, the Goblins +1
Magical symbols that can preserve perishable items indefinitely.
aka glowing, incomprehensible symbols, magic writing +1
A small female Goblin who shadows the warriors and observes Erin, apparently driven by personal motives.
aka little Goblin, small Goblin +2
Entities by Type
Quotes
“Either way.”
“Damn it.”
“Ow. Owch. Ow.”
“I've seen old kitchens in castles. I thought drawers and that kind of stuff only came later. This is, um, steel. Or at least iron. It looks like steel. Did they have a lot of steel in the medieval ages? Knights in armor, duh. But when were cheese graters invented? Is this place in the Dark Ages or past that? And can I get a light bulb somewhere around here?”
“It could be flour. Or—alternatively, it could be cocaine.”
“That’s not right.”
“Oh. Oh!”
“Huh. I guess it wore off. Or maybe they broke somehow? I wonder what they’re made of.”
“Don’t do this to me! No—I just—”
“True, you’ve gotta leave stuff behind when you leave. Can’t carry everything. But you had good food still here. And more, in those other cupboards. And here’s a kitchen full of supplies…how expensive are good, sharp knives?”
“Maybe that’s a bad question.”
“It’s gone.”
“Oh. Just a Goblin.”
“Maybe I can cut the rest off somehow.”
“Not knives.”
“What the—”
“Is that…flour?”
“…It's probably flour.”
“That’s butter.”
“How long does it take for dust to get two inches deep?”
“Is someone messing with me?”
“Wow. Magic.”
“Here. Here…they’re everywhere.”
“Silver? Or something glowy.”
“No, nonono—”
“Oh you’ve got to be shi—”
“It’s not fair. It’s not fair.”
“No one leaves that behind. So why would anyone…?”
“Question. How did Mr. Skeleton upstairs die?”
“Upstairs. Fine. Hello darkness my old enemy.”
“Am I afraid of dead people? Well yeah. But they can’t hurt me. Zombies can, but normal dead people can’t. It’s just a skeleton. I can take a look for signs of—of death, and then I’ll go sleep. Good plan. Let’s do it.”
“Okay. Okay. What’s the problem? It was just a skeleton. Just a spooky, dead thing. And even if it did move—somehow, where would it go?”
“Because it was valuable? Because skeletons are so useful, sure. Maybe the Goblins did it. Can’t you eat bones? Or—someone else?”
“Go to hell!”
“No, no. That's impossible. It's not here. It's somewhere else. Besides, where could it hide? I checked all the rooms upstairs. So where could it be?”