Chapter 3: CHAPTER 3: Lost in the Woods
For a moment, I can't remember where I am, as I open my eyes. I can hear birds singing, and the titter of whatever other animals are around. I know that I'm hungry, and cold. I'm lost, and and barefoot. But all I feel is… well, nothing. I'm just numb. I feel like nothing is real, like last night – the fallen star, the goblin, the hunter's trap… like it never happened. The goblin. He understood me. Sitting up against a tree where I must have fallen asleep, I focus on the gnashing sounds that I made last night. "The Goblin language", I say. It's the only thing that I can think to say in the goblin language, checking to see if the words really do come. And they do. But how? The system! I mentally summon the interface, to check it.
The screen pops up and I realize that it's where I left it, looking in a page marked "Backgrounds" at the 'Acolyte' heading.
*ting!*
Acolyte. Spent 10,000 hours in religious service and observance.
REWARDS
Shelter of the Faithful. Can seek refuge and assistance from members of a religious order.
You are now skilled in Insight, Religion, and two additional languages. (Goblin, one language left)
You gain: A holy symbol, a prayer book or wheel, 5 sticks of incense, vestments, a set of common clothes, a belt pouch which is containing 15 gp.
Learn additional language now?
There was something strange here. Goblin? Did I learn a whole new language all of the sudden because of this? Did I somehow choose to learn Goblin when I was running from him? I must have. Suddenly remembering the cold, I shiver. As amazing as learning a new language in the blink of an eye was, it wouldn't keep me warm or get me home. But maybe something here could. I can worry about learning to speak Elvish or Giant later. I reposition myself against the tree, in a half-hearted attempt to sit more comfortably. I take a deep breath, inhaling the scent of earthy mud and moss. If only I'd kept that backpack! It must have had something that I could use. None of the other 'Backgrounds were filled in – I hadn't met their conditions. Maybe something else, then. I looked up at the titles of some of the other pages; Class, Background, Title, Stats, Quests, Inventory…
Inventory. The page is blank, though. There's nothing here, except for 'Common Clothes (torn, dirty)' and 'Holy Symbol'. I look down at myself. Torn doesn't say half of it. There seemed to be more holes than fabric, and there wasn't much of me that was covered. I blushed a little as I wrapped my arms around myself. There was nothing to be modest about, with no-one out here, but I still feel embarrassed. As for 'Dirty', the sweat and the goblin blood are nothing compared to the mud caked on my useless house shoes. I keep them on, anyway, more for mental than physical comfort.
Titles. The system said last night that I had a new title, and maybe it's something that's helpful. Like the pack I got for 'Acolyte', maybe clothes will be included! Like the Background screen, it had a column for names and a column for descriptions, but here, everything except for the top row was just question marks. The top row, though, was more promising.
Name Requirements
Commoner. Humanoid.
REWARDS; one Potion of Healing and one simple weapon of your choice.
Accept rewards? YES / NO
"I accept." But this this time there was no backpack.
*ting!* "Potion of Healing transferred to inventory. Please select a Simple Weapon."
"What are my choices?" I asked.
*ting!* "List of Simple Weapons, melee; Club, Dagger, Greatclub, Handaxe, Javelin, Light hammer, Mace, Quarterstaff, Sickle, Spear. List of Simple Weapons, ranged; Crossbow (Light), Dart, Shortbow, Sling."
Hmmm… There is no way that a greatclub will be of any use. I'm in the forest, right? Surrounded by trees? So the choice is obvious. "I'll take the axe."
*ting!* "Handaxe transferred to inventory."
"Great. Is there anything else that I've unlocked? Anything that can keep me safe or get me home?" The 'Stats' screen is open.
Statistics
There's a lot that I don't understand, like "Armor Class: 10" and "Hit Points: 4". I had no idea what these things meant. But there was a column that I did understand. It had six rows; CHARISMA, CONSTITUTION, DEXTERITY, INTELLIGENCE, STRENGTH, and WISDOM. They were all at ten. I knew what most of these meant, but I had the system explain them all anyway. It actually seems pretty simple. More STRENGTH means I'm stronger. More CONSTITUTION means I'm healthier. Stuff like that. Other than the these columns, I noticed that there were a few sections here that were blank. Right on cue, the system chimed in.
*ting!* "Race Identified: Human Variant. You have one feat and two attribute points to spend."
Now the column with CHARISMA was lit up. But where to spend the points. "System, all I want to do is get back to town in one piece. Which one of these is best for that?" Suddenly, constitution was brighter than it had been, and showed 12 instead of 10. Next to it, a notice that was just as bright asked, "Accept Changes?" I shrugged to myself. Why not? "Yes." The screen changed to a new tab titled 'Features'. As it did, I tried to feel if anything had changed in me. I know that my CONSTITUTION was directly related to my health. My constitution had improved. But was I healthier? I didn't feel any healthier… I don't even feel like I got any sleep, but I stand up and stretch. I straighten up with a start and put the system interface away for a moment. Moss! Moss only grows on the north side of trees! …or is it … moss doesn't grow on the north side of trees? I'm still wondering which it is as I check the second tree – which, like the first, has no moss on it anywhere. I'm back to thinking that it's 'moss grows on the north side of trees' when I check the third tree. The woods are west of town – so if I just figure out where north is, I can just head back to town! The third tree has moss on it! And … it has moss on every side. The sun rises in the east, right? I look up, but I feel clueless. The sun is almost directly above. I sigh deeply. 'Stupid', I think to myself. I can hardly find my way around town, much less back to it. Back into the system I go, hoping for a miracle.
Feats.
What follows is a list – a long list. "I don't have a clue here. System, will one of these tell me which way home is? Or which way is north?" The rows of words fly by, until one 'feat' is in front of me, expanded to give it's details.
KEEN MIND. You have a mind that can track time, direction, and detail with uncanny precision. You gain the following benefits; (1) Increase your Intelligence score by 1, to a maximum of 20. (2) You always know which way is north. (3) You always know the number of hours left before the next sunrise or sunset. (4) You can accurately recall anything you have seen or heard within the past month.
I'm so happy that my eyes well up with tears. "Oh, thank goodness! I want it! Oh, thank goodness. I'm going home!"
*ting!*
I can't stop myself from smiling. Any second now, the system is going to chime to tell me which way is north. So I'll just figure out which direction is east by facing north and then looking right. Easy peasy. The woods are west of town, after all, so I can just keep 'north to the left and keep walking. Everything is coming together. So I wait… and wait… and nothing happens. I'm waiting to hear which direction is north.
"System! Which way is north? You're supposed to tell me!" but the system is silent. I look up at the sun. I spend a long moment thinking, and looking into the sky. That's when I realize that the sun isn't really straight up. It's a little off to the side. This early in the morning (it's a little after seven), I'd think that the sun would be further to the east, but it's not. It's also a little to the… south.
South.
SOUTH!
I know which way is south! And north, and east and west... And I start walking back to town.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone