This is another run through for the cool Untold: Adventure Awaits game by the Creativity Hub.
This is only one session with the game (it is broken into 3 parts as it turned out so long). I decided I wanted to write some short fiction based on the gameplay so here goes.
This is the pilot episode for the series " Ft. Stone Telegraph"
It’s a nice sunny day here in Ft. Stone. I had just gotten off circuit when the local native american representative, Two Trees, came stumbling into what I call my “office”. The place is a small room in the local Frontier Outpost suitably arranged for a young hotshot US Army scout such as myself.
Two Trees was agitated.
Seeing how he was mighty upset I inquired as to why? He, since I am the resident liason for the US army and the Native Americans, told me that there is trouble brewing at the tower of rocks southeast of town, known to the locals as the Finger of Gods. The Finger of Gods is also a very sacred site for the local Native Americans.
Two Trees suggested to me that Art, the local blacksmith, might be involved. He didn’t give me particulars, but he decided to leave the investigation to me.
I sauntered over to the blacksmith, known as the “Anvil”. Not very descriptive, but that’s Art Stolnach for you.
Upon opening the door I was greeted by Art engaged in the art of romance with a cute blonde lady. Art was upset, but I told him I was there on official business and what I was seeing wasn’t official. Art shooed the blonde out back and turned on my like dogs were at his tail. He explained to me that he had been out of town for the last fortnight or so with a couple of the local deputies. I told him I knew that, but I had to come check. I advised him to stay in town until this was over as I didn’t want any problems since the locals were upset.
Realizing that the easy part of my day was over I headed out towards the Finger of Gods.
The Finger of Gods. No idea what made the place, but it is a sight to behold. I hear tell that the rock itself is one of the tallest out on the plains of the Nebraska Territory, nothing taller, except the Rockies, they are a good ride away though. And it does look a bit like a finger, a bony narrow finger stabbin’ up out of the earth, and nothing else around but flat old prairie.
We had a couple of geologists come look at a year or so ago. They think it was molten lava, spewed up into the air and cooled off. Me I prefer the local speculation that it was the UnderGod climbing from the bowels of the earth. He was stopped by the pantheon of gods, deities and spirits the locals all worship. They couldn’t get the UnderGod all the way back into the eart, but they made sure his influence on the world was just a finger’s worth. One finger’s worth, sometimes even that is too much…..
Two Trees was right. I couldn’t believe it. I could see the tip of the Finger, hell that thing seems like a mile tall, and a cone of utter darkness descending from it. I recall Two Trees saying something about an altar in the middle of it. I don’t want to go in there, but sometimes (hell most times) you have to do things you don’t want to do.
I had failed to bring any of my kit, so I whipping out my trusty hunting knife, I leaned over and sawed on the branch of a shit tree. No, that’s not its real name, but christ when you burn it, it makes you gag. Not even real human shit smells that bad, but it’s one of a very few trees (more like weeds) that grow large enough around here to burn for warmth or light, especially in a pinch, which would describe my situation perfectly.
As I walked over the threshold it winked from day to night, that quick. Nothingness, pitch black and eerie as hell. I couldn’t see very far due to the wane light of the shit tree torch, but I was able to make out what looked like some type of animal tracks leading towards the Finger. I grope my way through the darkness occasionally finding a faint human footprint, always headed away from the Finger.
Although the walk didn’t seem to take long I started to see a weird glowing in front of me. The best way I can describe it is like a flickering of the darkness, not as dark but kinda glowin’, ain’t never seen nothin’ like it. I slowed down a little as I was certain I was getting close to the center of this mess. I wasn’t sure what I was going to encounter, so I unslung my rifle, affectionately known as Never Miss (cuz that’s how much I miss my targets by). I checked the breech, yep there was a cartridge seated and ready for action. Taking a set forward I entered the glowin’ darkness……..
The remaining 2 parts will be up in the next few day I hope you enjoyed.
John Fiore, Rory O'Connor
#untoldbg