gurdysadventure

[gurdysadventure]

You turn around at the sound of fluttering and a coo- did a pigeon just invade your room?

No, but the recent presence of some feathered creature can be felt, even though the window is shut. You look around for good measure, finding, as reason would dictate, no sign of birds.

But! On your desk is a folded piece of paper that was not there before. It is weighed down by a small rock with a white stripe across it.

You unfold the paper. Picture postcards slide out, scattering across your desk. You don’t know where they came from, or how they got here- but you do have a feeling you’ve seen them before. Have you?

The piece of paper has some writing on it. It says:

„THE ADVENTURE COULD CONTINUE?”

There is a little drawing of a bird underneath.

[gurdysadventure]

OOC update: sorry, I just had a depressive low that stalled everything in my life. I’ll be back asap, please don’t leave yet.

[gurdysadventure]

You freeze, expecting the plover to fly off at your slightest gesture. But it doesn’t seem bothered by your presence. On the contrary, it cocks its head left and right, looking right at you with curiosity.

“Birb” you breathe. The plover chirps.

“Hello,” you say, making the greatest effort to keep your voice at a volume acceptable for such a small animal, but without sounding condescending. The plover is young, sure, but it’s not a chick and deserves respect.

“Very nice to meet you. I hope you are doing well?”

The bird ruffles its feathers- this is it, you think, it’s going to take off. But no. It chirps again, as if to say: “Quite well, thank you! How may I help?”

Wait. Did you only imagine it saying that, or did it actually...

Obviously not, it’s a bird.

But even though you know it didn’t do it, it really, really feels like the plover just asked you how it could help, and since you already said hello, you might as well continue acting silly and ask it a more important question.

What do you ask the bird?

[gurdysadventure]

You move the stones further apart and draw your pattern carefully. Perhaps someone who comes by later with a third stone will place it there! Suddenly you feel the wind rise- just for a second, so quickly you think you imagined it. A bird chirps above you- you look up to see its wings cut against the sun. Ow...you got blinded again.

As the sunshapes vanish and you slowly regain your sight, you see that a bird has appeared in the circle between the stones! It’s a common ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula hiaticula) and it looks up at you, curious and unafraid.

[gurdysadventure]

You look at the stones in the water, hesitating. The water isn't cold or deep...you could roll your trousers up and wade in there. Probably wouldn't get any wetter or dirtier than you already are.

Then again, the sun has only just got you feeling dry and cosy...

You decide to check your pockets first. You find:

- a few old faded receipts

- a small dog treat shaped like a bone

- six hazelnuts

- a pocket notepad

- one of those really short pencils from the furniture store

- a penknife

- some twine

You play with the pencil for a little while, then reach for a stick floating at the edge of the water instead. It's a thin, young branch from the alder above you, with its leaves still fresh. A flimsy thing, but it will make a good quill for writing in the sand.

You hold the branch like a pen, the leaves sprinkling droplets of water, and pause over the stones. It has to be just right, whatever you draw, whatever you write. It has to be a message for whoever comes here next, or a spell, a secret pattern that will trigger the waiting magic. It has to be perfect.

What do you write?

[gurdysadventure]

How to Play

Hi to everyone who just joined us!

This blog is a game of interactive fiction, which means that the content of each next post is influenced by your comments. As the player, you can comment on the most recent post and suggest an action.

It’s almost like in one of those old text based games, except I’m not a computer so I will respond to non-standard commands ;).

For example “I want to take off my shoes and dip my feet in the water!” or “climb the tree”.

The images are my drawings but they’re just illustrative and aren’t necessary to play, if you aren’t able to see them the text description is enough to make your choice.

If you can’t think of anything, think about some of the commands that traditional text-based games used:

>look around

>see inventory

>go west

>throw rock

>drink water

I will pick either the most requested action, or the most interesting one, or combine them. I update at least every two days. Please check whether the post you are commenting on is the most recent one since I only plan to do one storyline (for now).

I hope you have fun and if you have any questions (including triggers, accessibility and tagging requests), send me an ask.

----

Oh, and if you like the game and want to show your appreciation with money, here’s a link to my Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/fthgurdy

[gurdysadventure]

You take off your shoes and walk into the water. It feels wonderful. The silt oozes between your toes until your feet vanish. You stand still until the water settles and becomes clear again. A few more seconds of stillness and tiny fish dart in to swim around your ankles. How could anything be so small and yet so alive? You try to imagine what it feels like to be such a fish, glistening and fast as lightning, living in the ever-changing underwater world. Even this little lake with its soft and quiet waves is full of life. To a tiny fish, it must be as big as the universe.

You look up at the world around you. What if you could dart through the air like that fish darts through water?

The sun peeks from behind a cloud, blinding you. You quickly look away; now the world is full of invisible shapes and colours which you can't blink away. Waiting for them to fade, you put your hand in your pocket and touch the rock.

Then you remember something you saw out of the corner of your eye, just moments ago...what was it? It felt important but...

You pull out the rock. Your vision has returned to normal and you can see it: a second pebble with a white stripe lying in the mud. You pick it up and compare it to the one you took from your pocket. It is about the same size and weight, but its shape is different. Of course it is- they are pebbles, rocks worn smooth by the elements- you didn't expect them to be identical, did you?

You squat by the water and place both pebbles on the ground, aligning their white stripes.

Nothing happens- why would anything happen? And yet...you feel like something could. As if those pebbles were two friends, meeting at a predestined location, and now waiting for...

For what?

The white stripe points North, into the water. There are pebbles in the water, too. Maybe they have stripes on them.

Perhaps there is some secret magic here, waiting to happen.

Perhaps you could make it happen.

Or perhaps magic is a silly idea, and you just want this to be an ordinary day, a day of wandering around the countryside, observing frogs and listening to birds, safe, warm, and calm.

You stare at the rocks and feel like somehow, you have to decide.

[gurdysadventure]

You get into a staring contest with the frog, which ends in a draw: you blinked first, but only because the frog splashed you with water. Cheater. When you look again, it's gone.

You push yourself up but decide not to stand- might as well sit, you're already dirty. You sit back against the bank that you just fell from and look out at the lake. The sun warms your muddy face.

The alder above you murmurs in the wind. Its roots hang down by your side. Looking North, on the other side of the water, you can see a small wooden fishing pier among the reeds. It looks to be in bad shape.

Frogs begin to emerge again, not bothered by your presence since you are quiet and polite.

There are some reeds here.

There are some frogs here.

There is a pebble with a white stripe across it lying in the mud.

What next?

5/?

[gurdysadventure]

You look up at the tree. It is a strong, tall alder, green and whispering. There are almost certainly birds in its crown- you can hear rustling! Best not to climb it even if you could find a good foothold. There may be a nest.

You look down at the bank and decide that you just don't feel like looking for another way down- the water is so close that you can't resist it. You're on an adventure and can afford to get a little bit dirty! You hem and haw and consider your options before finally sitting down on the edge of the bank. It won’t look very cool, but scooting down will be the safest way. Unfortunately, the bank is definitely higher than you are tall, and recedes deep under the outcrop of grass you were just standing on. Your legs dangle among the roots below, your back arches as you try to scoot back onto the bank. It's impossible- your shirt rides up and damp grass and mud touch your skin.

Then the turf gives.

A moment later you are where you wanted to be: right by the water. You are splayed in the mud, you're not quite sure exactly what position your limbs are in, and it definitely feels like there are chunks of turf under your shirt.

There is a frog peeking out of the water right in front of you.

4/?

[gurdysadventure]

You reach for the worm but it seems to want to get out of sight and is already halfway in the ground. You respect that. You watch it disappear into its hole, beautiful, segmented, purposeful.

You stand up and head North towards the lake. With one hand in your pocket you roll the stone in your palm as you go; it feels smooth and cool and heavy.

As you approach the lake you quickly realise the bank is is too steep to descend if you wish to retain any amount of dignity and keep your limbs intact. If you want to get closer to the water you will have to look for another way down.

The water looks fresh, though the small waves lapping at the bank are muddy and full of plant and bug life. A dragonfly flitters by. You hear something- perhaps a frog? You can't see it though.

There is a tree here. It casts a cool shadow over the bank where you stand. Though the day isn't particularly hot, the shade feels nice. It matches the coolness of the stone in your pocket.

3/?

[gurdysadventure]

You examine the small rocks. There are five. You arrange them in a circle- by moving the rocks you displace a family of red woodlice (Porcellio scaber) and one earthworm. The bugs quickly escape. The rocks are unremarkable, smooth and rounded grey pebbles, not flat enough for skipping on water, unfortunately. The biggest one is the size of your fist. Only one of the smaller rocks has a distinctive feature- a stripe of white all around it. It is slightly smaller than a chicken egg.

You pick up the pebble with the white stripe and put it in your pocket. What would you like to do next? 2/?

[gurdysadventure]

THE GAME BEGINS.

You are standing on a patch of bare, sandy ground among a stretch of short green grass. It is a sunny day in summer. To the North is a lake. There is a tree to the North-East.

There are some small rocks here. ---

HOW TO PLAY:

Post a comment telling me what you want to do next! Just like in one of those old text based games.  Except I’m not a computer so I will respond to non-standard commands, lol.

The images are my drawings but they aren’t necessary to play, if you aren’t able to see them the text description should be enough. :)

01/?