The Ritual<!-- Initialize Variables -->
{
(set: $playerName to "Rinlu")
(set: $hubbyName to "Soldrim")
(set: $village to "Mirden Udh")
(set: $shaman to "Sutu")
(set: $anger to 0)
(set: $gentle to 0)
(set: $baby to "she has no name")
(set: $hasKnife to false)
(set: $hasBow to false)
}
==><==
#The Ritual
==><==
(button:)[[Begin.]]The wind moaned as it swept across the hills and valleys surrounding the village tonight.
It was close to morning, but though the sun-come-up had yet to brighten the sky, it was clear how deep and dark the sky-beasts overhead would be this day.
Perhaps to burst and spill their waters on the lands about them. Their cold waters--for it was nearing the cold-time. And cold waters would only make today's trials that much more difficult for the mother.
Cold waters falling from the sky or bright summer warmth: it didn't matter for the young mother.
She would be taking her baby daughter, her firstborn, to the cave today. She would do it herself. Not Soldrim--though he would insist relentlessly. But she would refuse him.
She would have to make him understand...
[[1.1A<-Continue.]]
Rinlu sat in her home. The dwelling that Soldrim had built for her--for //them//.
The two of them. And their children...
Their family. A pleasant waking-vision to have: herself and her husband, building a family in the home that he had built. Watching their young grow older. But those visions never included The Ritual.
They never included //The Cave//.
Rinlu conveniently skipped over those parts in her imagination. But now the day had come.
The babe was sleeping silently in her arms. Cradled in swadling she'd woven herself, the last months of her swelling.
[[1.2A<-Continue.]]Her sweet child's face could be seen through a gap in the swadling: the pale skin of her kinfolk, thick black hair (like her own), and--though her dear daughter's eyes were shut with dreams right now, she knew that behind those lids--were eyes just as black as her hair.
A trait not like any who lived in Mirden Udh. Not any who lived now, or any of their ancestors.
//Black eyes.// Not a hint of white in them...
[[1.3A<-Continue.]]The wind moaned again. It blew so fiercely that it shook the house.
$playerName could //feel// the chill of it coming through.
The embers in the hearth brightened into an deep orange glow as the wind touched them.
The fire had died through the long sleepless night. But the remaining embers still brought some warmth to Rinlu. And the nameless babe that lay in her arms seemed not to be bothered by the chill.
Kept comfortable by the warmth of her mother's body, and the swaddling so lovingly made for her.
[[1.4A<-Continue.]]All night long: time had slowed for the young mother.
And as the slow time went by, and the dark purple sky-beasts growled in low booms that journeyed far across the land, the dread of what would happen today built in Rinlu's heart.
Now: as the time of The Ritual was nearly upon her, she could barely stand the anxiety and the anticipation.
Her heart pounded furiously.
She waited...
Waited for //something// to happen.
And then $hubbyName came in through the door.
[[1.5A<-Continue.]]$hubbyName wore his hunting clothes, though Rinlu knew he was not on a hunt all night. His long hair in braids lay upon his shoulders. His bow and quiver of arrows slung across his back--but no game was brought in his hands.
He'd left in the night, when he thought that Rinlu was asleep. She'd heard him putting on his coat and gathering his hunting gear.
"You're awake," $hubbyName said. "You should be sleeping."
(text-color: purple)[[2.1A<-"I could not sleep," Rinlu said, pulling the baby closer to her.]]
(text-color: red)[[2.1B<-"So should you have been," Rinlu said. "But it seems neither of us could sleep."]]<!--"So should you have been," Rinlu said. "But it seems neither of us could sleep."-->
{
(set: $anger to $anger+1)
}
"Aye," $hubbyName said, nodding but avoiding Rinlu's eyes. "Could not find peace enough to sleep. So I made to hunt. But found myself in the Grove. And so I stayed there for much time, praying. For our child."
(text-color: purple)[[2.2B1<-"Why did you not tell me? I would have joined you."]]
(text-color: red)[[2.2B2<-"Did the gods hear you?"]]<!--"I could not sleep," Rinlu said, pulling the baby closer to her.-->
{
(set: $gentle to $gentle+1)
}
$hubbyName removed the bow and quiver from his back and placed it near the door.
"It doesn't matter," he said, taking a step closer to her and the child now. "You may sleep while I take the girl to The Cave."
He took another step and holds his arms out, reaching for the swaddled babe in Rinlu's arms. She sinks back, instinctively, and could hear a small cry come from the babe.
(text-color: purple)[[2.2A1<-Rinlu held the child tight in her arms. "I won't--I can't let you take her from me. I //can't//!"]]
(text-color: red)[[2.2A2<-Rinlu stood up carefully, so as not to disturb the slumber of her daughter. "No," she said. "//You// may sleep. Because I am going to take her to The Cave. I must be the one to do it."]]<!--"Why did you not tell me? I would have joined you."-->
{
(set: $gentle to $gentle+1)
}
"Because you were //supposed// to be resting," $hubbyName said. "It is almost time now. Give the child to me. I will take her to $shaman's hut and...complete the ritual."
$hubbyName tries not to show it, but $playerName can see the anxiety in his tired eyes, in his expression, the way that his shoulders seem to be bearing some huge weight. $playerName shared the feeling with him. She'd felt that way all night.
But now it was time to tell him. Tell him what she had to do. That //she// must be the one to take their firstborn to the shaman--and then through the ritual...
(text-color: purple)[[2.4B2a1<-"I must be the one to take our daughter to the shaman," $playerName said. She'd finally let out the words that were building in strength in her mind all night. //She must be the one to go through the ritual, not $hubbyName//. "I know it is not a woman's place. But the gods have told me. I //know// it. You must let me take her."]]
(text-color: red)[[2.4B2a2<-"I am taking her to $shaman's hut. I am doing the ritual. Nothing you say will change my mind. It is already made. And I am taking her."]]<!--"Did the gods hear you?"-->
{
(set: $anger to $anger+1)
}
"I was not given any sign," $hubbyName said. "If that's what you mean."
$hubbyName tries not to show it, but $playerName can see the anxiety in his tired eyes, in his expression, the way that his shoulders seem to be bearing some huge weight. $playerName shared the feeling with him. She'd felt that way all night.
(text-color: purple)[[2.3B2a<-"The gods heard your prayers--and mine as well. I'm sure of it," $playerName said. "But--I must tell you something, and I need you to trust me."]]
(text-color: red)[[2.3B2b<-"With the help of the gods or not," $playerName said. "I won't let our daughter be taken from us."]]<!--Rinlu held the child tight in her arms. "I won't--I can't let you take her from me. I //can't//!"-->
{
(set: $gentle to $gentle+1)
}
"We have no choice," $hubbyName said. "The ritual must take place."
(text-color: purple)[[2.3A1a<-"Then let me go," $playerName said. "Let me take her. Let me watch over her. It isn't that I don't believe you would protect our daughter. It's that...should we lose her, and it was you that took her--I would hate you. I would rather hate myself than you..."]]
(text-color: red)[[2.3A1b<-"Then I will take her," $playerName said. "And should anyone come close to her, try to take her away from me, I'll kill them."]]<!--Rinlu stood up carefully, so as not to disturb the slumber of her daughter. "No," she said. "//You// may sleep. Because I am going to take her to The Cave. I must be the one to do it."-->
{
(set: $anger to $anger+1)
}
"It is not a woman's place," $hubbyName said, a look of both surprise and defiance on his face. "It has to be me."
(text-color: purple)[[2.3A2a<-"Maybe so...but it is a mother's place to watch over her child."]]
(text-color: red)[[2.3A2b<-"My mind is made up. Let any man try to stop me."]]<!-- Midpoint of story -->
{
(set: $mood1 to (max: $anger, $gentle))
}
(if: $anger is $gentle)[passive]
(else-if: $mood1 is $anger)[anger]
(else-if: $mood1 is $gentle)[gentle]
[[The Cave]]<!-- end of story -->
{
(set: $mood1 to (max: $anger, $gentle))
}
(if: $anger is $gentle)[passive]
(else-if: $mood1 is $anger)[anger]
(else-if: $mood1 is $gentle)[gentle]{
(set: $gentle to $gentle+1)
}
"Whatever you have to say, do so quickly. It is nearing light. And the sky-beasts swell and growl. There will be water-fall on my journey to $shaman's hut. And I am already weary from the lack of sleep."
(text-color: purple)[[2.4B2a1<-"I must be the one to take our daughter to the shaman," $playerName said. She'd finally let out the words that were building in strength in her mind all night. //She must be the one to go through the ritual, not $hubbyName//. "I know it is not a woman's place. But the gods have told me. I //know// it. You must let me take her."]]
(text-color: red)[[2.4B2a2<-"I am taking her to $shaman's hut. I am doing the ritual. Nothing you say will change my mind. It is already made. And I am taking her."]]{
(set: $anger to $anger+1)
}
"And," $hubbyName said, "should the ritual go that way? How are you to stop them from taking her?
"Do you not remember the reason that she hasn't any name yet?"
(text-color: purple)[[2.4B2b1<-"She has a name," $playerName said. "Salum. It came to me last night. As I sat awake with her, looking into her eyes. Her name is Salum. And she is mine. And I won't let her go. I //can't// let her go."]]
(text-color: red)[[2.4B2b2<-"I have given her name," $playerName said. "Her name is Salum. She is my firstborn. And //no one// will take her from me. I'll kill them if they try to."]]{
(set: $gentle to $gentle+1)
(set: $baby to "Salum")
}
(go-to: "3.1"){
(set: $anger to $anger+1)
(set: $baby to "Salum")
}
(go-to: "3.1"){
(set: $gentle to $gentle+1)
}
(go-to: "3.1"){
(set: $anger to $anger+1)
}
(go-to: "3.1")$hubbyName finaly removed and set down his bow and quiver. He took a step towards $playerName and his expression was that of compassion, rather than anger, which $playerName had expected.
"I don't know why," he said, "but I have felt the same."
[[3.2<-Continue.]]{
(set: $gentle to $gentle+1)
}
(go-to: "3.1"){
(set: $anger to $anger+1)
}
(go-to: "3.1"){
(set: $gentle to $gentle+1)
}
(go-to: "3.1"){
(set: $anger to $anger+1)
}
(go-to: "3.1")"If you are the one to go," he said, "then you must go prepared."
He pondered for a moment.
"Are you more comfortable with the bow or with knife?"
[[3.2A<-"Give me the knife.]]
[[3.2B<-"Give me the bow.]]{
(set: $hasKnife to true)
}
(go-to: "3.3"){
(set: $hasBow to true)
}
(go-to: "3.3"){
(if: $hasBow is true)["The bow is a good choice. But remember not to let any predator get close to you."]
(if: $hasKnife is true)["You are fierce with the knife...just remember that you are at a disadvantage should your enemy have range on you. Or should a pack of wolves come on you...]
}
(go-to: "3.4")