TBD

You have been hired by the King to bring him the treasure of the Kingdom Modnar. Right now, you have no clue whatsoever. The King has dismissed you and you are in your house. He has given you twelve hours to decide your fate. [[Be the Hero->Suspicious Behavior]] [[Stay Safe->Fail #1]]

After packing the essentials, you take your last steps outside the door. One long glance at your childhood home suffices. Having no idea where to start, a seizure of panic attacks you. Suddenly, you realize you are being watched. As you gaze about you, a hooded figure catches your eye. The figure is standing across the street, near a lamp post. It begins walking towards you. [[Wait for It->A Friend or an Enemy]] [[Run!->Fail #2]]

You cannot forsake the quest! It is forbidden. The King is angered and orders you to be executed. Goodbye, criminal. [[Restart->You]]

The figure doesn't speak. You can't tell if it's a man or a woman. You open your mouth to scream, but a gloved hand clamps together your lips. The stranger is inches away. Without a word, another gloved hand extends from under the grey cloak, holding a scroll. "Take it." The hiss escapes from under the hood. Without any other choice, you take the scroll. The hand releases you and the figure dashes off in a silver flash. [[Read it->The First Clue]] [[Don't Read it->Leaving Home]]

You turn around quickly and run away. As you scramble to escape the impeding disaster that you're sure is under that grey hood, you trip on a rock and, because of your speed, fall flat on your face. Life pours out of you along with your blood. Goodbye, coward. [[Restart->You]]

The scroll reads: "Welcome, hero, to your unnerving quest; Truly made for only the best - Forged long ago by the Sorceress great, Created from a soul of envy and hate. Your kingdom, your home, is facing its bane Unless! There's a way... A way to escape pain. Find the treasure, find it all well, Come back in one piece with a tale to tell! The treasure you need lies by the seas, Guarded by a terrible monster hiding in the trees; Travel to the ocean that calls you the most Underneath the water, right by the coast - You'll find a savior - at least, one piece - The treasure is buried in the monster's fleece!" [[Leave Modnar->Out of Modnar]]

Deciding to save the scroll for later, you continue your confused gazes. You have no idea, so you decide to first leave the kingdom. [[Leave Modnar->Out of Modnar]]

You stand outside your kingdom's walls. Sighing, you turn your back on the kingdom you've known ever since your birth. A forest glares at you from all directions. You'd never noticed that your beloved Modnar was surrounded by dark foliage. A path winds ahead, leading into the darkness. [[Move On; You've Read the Scroll->Following the Clue]] [[You Haven't Read the Scroll Yet->Camp Night Out]]

You consider the clue you've received. What bane? What treasure? The "ocean that calls you the most"? What is all this? You don't understand a word of it. You only know that you can only go onward because you have given your faith to the King. [[Onward->Down the Path]]

Late that night finds you still on the brink of the forest. You have set up camp. The tent and the fire that shelter you are the only things keeping away the forest's darkness. Suddenly, a familiar hissing noise erupts. "Read... READ..." You stop eating to listen. "READ THE SCROLL!" Slowly, you make out a silhouette in the darkness. It's the hooded figure! [[Read It->The Scroll]] [[Don't Read It->Fail #3]]

Suddenly, a large shadow covers you and the hooded figure is in front of you! A dagger extends from under the cloak... Goodbye, fool. [[Restart->You]]

You wake the next morning in your camp to the sound of partridges and sparrows twittering in the branches above. With no other way to go, you decide to follow the path. The forest seems less menacing in the daylight. Shuddering, you remember the hooded figure. Who is it? Why is... IT following you? As you admire the emerald light pouring in through the canopy above your head, you reach a fork in the road. One path is gravel and trampled by dozens of human footprints. Confused, you remember no one has visited or left Modnar for years. The other path is untouched but natural dirt, leaves piling here and there. A jackrabbit hops along, staring at you quizzically. Which path do you choose? [[The Gravel Path->A Town]] [[The Dirt Path->Eternity]]

You've reached a town! Bustling crowds of people shove you all around. You feel a little homesick for your kingdom. Swallowing your sorrow, you check your surroundings. A pair of middle-aged women push past you, and you can't help but snatch a piece of their conversation. "The blacksmith... heard he got some treasure..." Alarmed, you unwittingly follow them for a few yards. Then a bald man and his wife walk past and you hear: "Some treasure... the baker... pfft, what savior?" Befuddled, you decide where to go. [[The Blacksmith->The Blacksmith]] [[The Baker->The Bakery]]

You seem to journey on forever. Hours and hours you trample on, until night finally sets in. You decide to make camp. However, you notice a spot of yellow light amidst the sea of green. Hurrying forward, you break through the viridescent wall and find yourself in a vast field. [[Make Camp->Fail #4]] [[Continue On->A Calling]]

That night, you set camp and drowze by the fire. A growling awakens you and you find yourself facing a ferocious wolf. It stands between you and your suitcase of weapons. You have only a short flaming branch to defend yourself. Soon, it burns out. Goodbye, sleepyhead. [[Restart->You]]

Deciding you should make as much of your time as you can, you drag yourself across the field, which is almost as never-ending as the forest. In the distance, as your energy drains, a sound of music perks your ears. A few notes of birdsong pull you forward. You are at the edge of the field. Ahead is what seems a desert, with slopes of rocks and sand. As you continue your traveling, you realize the birdsong has fallen behind you. It comes from the field or the forest. You decide it's better to resume your quest and not to be distracted by petty birds. [[Onward->The Desert]]

You're facing a desert. In front of you, masses of cacti and sand dunes tower, spotting the landscape. The sun glowers at you from above, and before three second have passed you are sweating continually. You must get out of this place! [[Continue Across Desert->Fail #5]] [[Go Back->The Path... Again]]

"Treasure?" the blacksmith scoffs. He is staring at you incredulously. "Ya bedder leave rat now, o' yer's as good as ded." To prove his point, he brandishes a freshly built pickaxe and glares at you. [[Stay->Fail #6]] [[Leave->The Bakery]]

"So, wat yer wantin', sonny?" the baker enquires, hands on hips. He looks at you quizzically but not unkindly. You stutter but fail to answer. What can you say? "Give me the treasure"? "I's bettin' yer doan wan' a croissan', eh?" Screw manners. "Tell me about the treasure," you demand. His eyebrows quake and he begins to tremble. "I doan goddang know anytin' bout dat." He begins to walk away. [[Persist Boldly->The Bakery, Cont.]] [[Beat Around the Bush->Help]] [[Give Up->Fail #7]]

An hour later finds you on the ground in front of a cactus, gasping for breath, wheezing for water. Finding no one around you for miles, you succumb to the heat. Goodbye, toast. [[Restart->You]]

You're all the way back to the fork that you discovered early that morning. You sigh and continue upon the gravel path this time. You've wasted a day already. Time was catching up to you. [[Onward->A Town]]

The blacksmith spits at your feet and charges. The last thing you see is his pickaxe brought down onto your head. Goodbye, dumb-dumb. [[Restart->You]]

"No, sonny!" he roars. "I ain' goan spill all dem beans fo' a fool lak ya! No, sirree, bah Gawd." You groan but realize that this quest is vital. You can't fail it. You just can't. But you also know that you can't force anything from this man. [[Beat Around the Bush->Help]] [[Give Up->Fail #7]]

He narrows his eyes. "Now yer wanna cookie?" You nod your head eagerly and offer to double the price as well. "What's innit fer ya?" he murmurs. You shrug, smile and offer him a bottle of brandy. His eyes light up, still narrowed, but he accepts it and glugs the whole thing. You grin maliciously. You have a whole store of bottles in your bag. [[Continue->A Story]]

As you leave, a wagon of fruit comes crashing along, led by panicked horses and a terrified driver, and, before you can jump aside... Goodbye, pancake. [[Restart->You]]

"Well, sonny," the drunk baker says, burping and chuckling. "Ah was trav'llin' 'cross dem kingdoms mahself foo years back. Herd dere was sum kinda treasure 'round here. Ah went ter dem forests, dose forests 'round Modnar - ya know, dat kingdom a foo miles frum here. Anyhoo, dat forest - goddang mos' beautiful ting Ah seen fo' decades. A sea o' green. All mah friends used ter call it de Emeral' Ocean o' sometin' lak dat. It was amazin', 'twas. Well, dat phoenix - Sonny! Don't'cha sit dere an' tell me yer don' know 'bout de phoenix o' de forest! Mighty beast if dere e'er was 'un. Anyhoo, herd dere was sometin' special 'bout dat phoenix. All Ah know, sonny. Hoo! Dis brandy be good." [[Onward->A Revelation]]

A sea of green... Emerald Ocean... The first clue! The forest - that's the ocean that calls you the most! Gasping with delight, you nearly cheer out loud. You keep your calm and ask to excuse yourself. The happy drunk agrees and continues gurgling his brandy. You race out of the bakery and head back to Modnar. [[Onward->The Forest Again]]

Sighing happily, you find yourself back in the forest. The familiar verdant landscape surrounds you. You're at home. You've answered the call. Suddenly, a rustling overhead startles you. You catch a flash of red amidst the branches of an oak tree. Is that... the phoenix? Then a squawk of phoenix song comes from the pine tree a few yards away. Which tree should you climb? [[The Oak Tree->Fail #8]] [[The Pine Tree->The Mother Bird]]

It's a Gorgon fox! You'd heard of those before. They were bloodthirsty menacing beasts. This one growls and rears its piercing fangs at you. Its red fur bristles... and it pounces. Goodbye, unfortunate soul. [[Restart->You]]

It's the phoenix! You gasp at the bird's glistening feathers that appear aflame under the sun's rays. Its crimson and golden body nearly blinds you. Then you realize it's perching on a nest and hissing at you viciously. A flare of green catches your eye. One of the egg is made of jade! That's... that's the treasure! But there's one problem: the ferocious, deadly mother bird that's ready to peck and claw you to death. [[Slowly Back Away->Fail #9]] [[Attack->Try Again!]]

The mother bird takes this as a sign of weakness. She almost smiles, and the last thing you see is a sparkle of golden beak, aimed straight at your heart. Goodbye, slowpoke. [[Restart->You]]

You dodge its attacks and offense becomes defense. You realize this is a futile way to retrieve the treasure. You hop onto another branch and climb down. On the ground, you see two stones that you can start a fire with. They can burn the mother bird to death! You also see a hollowed rock and a puddle of water. You can fill it and somehow drown the bird? You also spot a sharp dagger-like stone. Which weapon do you choose? [[The Fire->Fail #10]] [[The Water->Victory!]] [[The Dagger->Fail #11]]

You forgot - fire is the phoenix's birth source! She cackles as you try to wave the flaming torch in her face. The fire passes through her body like a ghost. She stares at you as your fire runs out. Goodbye, fireball. [[Restart->You]]

Hurrah! Water is a phoenix's worst enemy, because its birth source is fire. As you dowse the mother bird jeers at you. Finally, she seems to stumble and fall, but as a gooey vermilion liquid forms under her, you understand that she's melting. Only a puddle is left of the fiery mother bird. You take the treasure victoriously and cheer for glory. Urged on by newfound adrenaline, you climb down the tree swiftly and head home. [[Onward->Modnar Again]]

The phoenix can be reborn in a matter of seconds when injured with mortal weapons. Every time you attempt to swiftly snatch the egg, the mother bird is reborn and targets you. Finally, she learns and grabs the dagger with its beak. She chuckles and attacks. Goodbye, swordsman. [[Restart->You]]

The King smiles down at you and takes the treasure. "Thank you," he says in his strong voice. The Queen beams at you and her silky voice soothes your ears. "Sir Knight, you have proven yourself loyal to Modnar." "Thank you," they both repeat. You are bursting with happiness. Congratulations! THE END

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You have been hired by the King to bring him the treasure of the Kingdom Modnar.
Right now, you have no clue whatsoever. The King has dismissed you and you are in your house.
He has given you twelve hours to decide your fate.

Be the Hero

Stay Safe