My walk on from where I found Jian is spent in contemplative silence. The revelations I experienced after the reading have left me a little shaken.
I have been blind to who I truly am, and to my deepest desire.
I'm currently following the direction shown to me by a divination for a suitable gourd, but I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts that I keep almost walking into trees. This can't continue; the forest is full of unknown predators that require my full attention.
There will be time for soul searching once I'm safe and sound.
I take a second to perform another divination, which points behind me. With a shake of my head, I sigh, turn around and work my way back, my eyes searching. After a little bit of walking, I see what I think is a cluster of gourds in the near distance. I quicken my pace, still alert, and stop under them.
Staring up, I search for one that looks best suited for my purpose; bulbous at the bottom, leading to a thin spout, and most importantly, dry. Finally, spotting one that looks good, I lift Jian and carefully manoeuvre it to the stem of my chosen gourd. I make sure the blade isn't too close to the fruit, then grasp the bottom of the gourd with my other hand, and slice.
The weight of the gourd settles in my hold as I lower Jian. I turn it the gourd in my hand, examining it for any damage or holes, but I don't find any obvious damage. Happy, I perform a quick divination for the nearest water source, and head off.
…
I'm sitting atop a boulder on the bank of a river, inspecting the gourd. Turning it this way and that way, I try to work out how I'm meant to make it into a bottle. From a first look, I know the neck has to be cut to make a mouth, but how am I meant to remove its contents without damaging the body?
The gourd I picked is the best of those I found, so I don't want to start cutting into it without a plan. I bring it to my ear and give it a shake, and hear what sounds like loose stones, so I know it's hollow.
...I think I'm gonna need a second gourd.
…
After retracing my steps and grabbing two more gourds, I sit back at the river, and get to practising. First, to not risk damaging Jian, I grab a sharpish rock from the bank, and start to cut along the width of one of the new gourds. It takes a bit of time and effort, but I manage to slice it open, exposing its seeds and dry flesh.
Based on what I'm seeing, I might be able to dig out the flesh with a blunt stick, if I go in through the mouth. I put the open gourd down and get to work on the second one, now with some idea as to what I'm doing. Using the same rock, I create the mouth opening, and use a blunt stick to start grinding at its insides.
When that's done, it shake out all the loose flesh and place the gourd in the water to clear out any refuse. I drain it out and repeat the process, then pour out some water into a divot on a rock. I study the puddle and see that the water is cloudy, showing me that the gourd isn't clean enough.
After two tests, I have a pretty good idea on how to make a clean bottle. Taking my original gourd, I go through the same steps as the last, but this time, after clearing it with the stick, I place a handful of loose pebbles inside and give it a good shake for a couple of minutes, before emptying it all out.
With a few dunks in the river, I pour some water out in a puddle, and see that it's clear.
Satisfied, I get started on a stopper for the gourd. Finding a thick enough branch and measuring it against the mouth of the gourd, I cut off a suitable length and start shaving it down. Once I've done that, I test it, to find that it fits perfectly.
Gourd secured!
My celebration is cut short by a notification,
[Ability Learned – Crafting (Basic): You have achieved a basic level of ability in the art of crafting. You wont be making any complex creations just yet, but you have enough competence to be able to make your own grave marker.
Crafting eases the initial hurdle in learning to make simple, new items, and stops you from losing proficiency due to disuse.]
So that's how the character sheet applies abilities? Good to know, I wouldn't have wanted it to start granting me easy knowledge.
With the gourd finally made, I now need something that I can use to boil water. My first thought is to dig a hole in the ground and line it with clay that I might be able to find in the river; then boil the water with hot rocks.
To even begin making the 'bowl', I need to make a fire. I understand the principal of firemaking; all you need is sufficient friction and oxygen. With dry, flammable tinder and some big sticks, I should be able to do it. Before I start on that though, I need to enter the river and gather some clay.
How fun.
…
Clay forms deeper then you'd think.
To collect it, I had to cut into the body of my test gourd and managed to craft it into a big spoon, which I used to slowly pull back the earth, eventually finding clay. When I felt I had enough, I wet it and spread it evenly in the deepish hole I'd dug.
The next thing I needed to do was create a fire.
I used divination to find suitable firewood, which took quite a while, but I succeeded in making a small campfire after many attempts. With the fire burning away, I placed the stones in it. While I waited for them to heat, I started to fill the hole, before I remembered that I needed to filter the water.
I had no clue where to even begin making an acceptable filter, so I was forced to use my shirt. Once the water was filtered and the stones were heated enough, I used the spoon to pick them up and place them to the water.
As the water started to boil, I washed my shirt in the river, then draped it over a rock near the fire.
When the water finishes boiling, I place my gourd in it, fill it up, and take a sip. Although it has a slightly earthy taste to it, my first drink of water in two days is almost heavenly. It energises my body in ways I didn't realise it needed, and helps me to stave off my hunger.
Now, I have drinkable water.
As I'm relishing in my quenched thirst, I get another notification,
[Ability Learned – Survival (Basic): Using nothing but your wits, and some half-remembered clips from that Bear Grylls show you sometimes caught late at night, you have successfully managed to survive your first days of being stranded.
Survival grants you the instincts necessary to survive in the mundane environments of Earth.]
Again, pretty good. I assume that means that in any non-supernatural areas, I'll feel if I'm doing the correct thing in order to ensure that nature doesn't kill me.
As I read the skill, a sense of danger pings in my awareness. Alarmed, I quickly crouch and move behind the boulder. With a quick look over its top, I don't notice anything visible before I re-cover. I close my eyes and concentrate on my hearing, but nothing breaks through the ever present sounds of nature.
The danger I feel hasn't lessened, nor is it coming from a specific direction, leaving me with a sense of confusion. With no other choice, I brace my left hand against the boulder and prepare to sprint, before I stop.
...My hand.
As I look at it, my new instincts tell me that my hand is the source of the danger.
Realisation hits me like a ton of brick; my missing fingers.
With all I've had going on, I haven't had time to even consider my wounds. If I continue to leave them untreated, they'll get infected; and I'll die before I ever step foot beyond the forest.
The bandages I created are stained with dried, brown blood. I know I need to remove them and see the extent of the damage, but fear is holding me back. I've lost part of myself that I might never get back.
With a deep sigh, I sit on the boulder and start removing the bandages. I untie the knot I made and slowly peel them away.
The first look I have at my new stumps causes a sense of loss to overcome me. My pinky and ring finger have been eaten away to my knuckles by whatever attacked me.
I pass the fingers of my right hand over the new absence, when a dark, humorous thought comes to mind, 'I guess I can't get married now...'
A sharp, short laugh escapes my throat, before I take a breath and centre myself.
I need to stop thinking about what I've lost, and treat my injury. As I have no medical supplies on hand, nor access to a doctor, the only option I can think is to cauterise the wounds, but that comes with its own problems.
I can boil some water and heat the tip of Jian, but I can't do anything about any potential infection that might set in.
Even if it risky, it needs to be done.
Hopping off the boulder, I get to preparing what I'll need. First, I boil some water and wait for it to cool before setting it aside in my makeshift shovel. Then, I clean Jian in the river and wash my hands in different boiled water.
With that done, I clean my wounds in the shovel water and sterilise Jian in the fire, then leave its tip there to heat. While I wait, I take my now dried shirt and rip a strip from the bottom.
When I see that Jian's tip has a hint of red, I roll up my shirt and clench it between my teeth. Taking Jian out of the fire, I quickly make my way over to the boulder, where I place it down and secure it.
Nervously, I move my wound close to the heated area and push down into it with force.
"-Fuck!" I choke out, the pain greater then anything I've felt before. As I try to ignore it, the five seconds I hold there seem seem to stretch; but I manage.
Taking my shaking hand off Jian, I bring it to my face and inspect it, finding that the wounds seem closed enough for my liking.
As my adrenaline fades, I fall beside the boulder and lean against it, before remembering that I have to bind my hand. Moving over to the fire, I grab the strip of my shirt and wrap it around.
I sit down on the ground and spend the next five minutes trying to focus on anything but by sore hand. In my mind, I go over what I've accomplished so far; I've acquired shelter, found a way to gather drinkable water, and possibly stopped myself from dying of an infection.
Not too bad for an introvert, if I do say so myself.
It seems reasonable to me that I can now start searching for civilisation. I douse the fire, put my now torn shirt back on under my jacket, and start walking back to my cave.
Five minutes into my walk, I start to wonder; how come I haven't come across any wildlife?
...Shit, I better not have jinxed myself.
…
Nerves taut, I arrive at the cave safely, just as the sun is starting to set. Before I step inside, I perform a Stickfall to make sure the cave is safe to sleep in. When the stick falls in its direction after I request a close location free from danger, I enter, sit against the back wall, and start thinking.
Even though I've made sure that I that I won't die of thirst, I'm going to eventually need food. I can find edible plants and berries using divination, but I'm not sure how long my body can survive on just that; it will need meat, meaning I'll have to hunt.
As I am now, I don't think I can bring myself to kill an animal. If it was a person, then yeah, I could probably kill them, but only because, in my eyes, humans kill for pleasure. If I'm attacked by someone, and have to kill them to defend myself, I won't lose any sleep over it.
Animals kill for survival. Unlike humans, who have other sources of acquiring sustenance, an animal will kill you because it needs to in order to see tomorrow.
...But I also want to survive. Can I convince myself that killing is necessary for my continued existence? Maybe. Though I hope I won't find out until I'm desperate enough.
With those thoughts running through my mind, I start to feel sleepy. This time, I face the entrance, Jian lying next to me, and close my eyes
Tomorrow, I'm going to find people.
…
Waking up with a clearer mind, I go over my plan once again, and find some obvious flaws.
One, I'm a lone white woman with blonde hair, in what I assume is ancient china, who has no knowledge of its current society. With no idea of how I'll be perceived in this age, I'm somewhat worried that the first person I see could attack and capture me, with the intention of selling or enslaving me.
There's not much I can do about it, though.
Two, this is a world of magic and hell dimensions; for all I know, I could step out of the forest and run straight into a supernatural being, who will also kill me.
I'd rather that didn't happen, honestly.
Although, with my limited ability in divination, I should be able to find a safe route out of the forest.
And finally, I have no clue how far I'll have to travel. Thankfully, I have a half-formed plan to solve that, once again using the fantastic power of divination. If I stand at one point and divine the nearest group of safe people, then move far off and repeat the question, I should be able to roughly triangulate the distance.
I've no real world experience with this type of math, but I'll make it work.
I walk away from the cave and start the divination, then move about thirty meters away in a straight line, and repeat. Going by the angles, the distance between them, and using some shitty math, I estimate that I'll have travel just over... two and a bit miles? Not too far. And looking at the position of the sun, it seems I'll be moving south-west.
Another divination shows me that a safe path there follows the same route for a bit, so I won't have to go out of my way.
Walking back and picking up Jian, I move into the forest at a cautious pace.
...I'm getting kind of sick of trees.