Surveying the area where I landed, I see a bunch of objects haphazardly laid up against the wall. Probably the tools he mentioned?
A strange contraption. What is it meant to do? Scrape the precious slime off the walls for collection? It may be useful for mixing. Actually, that’s an amazing idea. I’ll take it!
Water in an open container? Why not a skin that can be worn? If mine runs out, then I suppose I can come back here to refill. Maybe that’s why it’s here?
The last item is a long stick with a sharp, pointy metal on the end. A spear, I suppose they call it. I’ve seen many others carrying these before, so they must be quite popular. I think it’s meant as a weapon? Won’t say no to more weapon treasures, that’s for sure. Safety first, after all.
After taking the spear and brush in my hands, I notice a small sign attached to the wall behind them.
? Clean water intake | Sewage output ?
My mind reflexively recoils as the big ones’ written mention of a “clean” anything ambushes my imagination. Best avoid that direction for now.
Beneath that smaller sign, a much larger red and white sign screams for my attention.
DANGER! Watch for rancor rats and awakened slime. Enter at your own risk.
There’s even easy flesh down here for me to steal?! I caught many rats in the forest. Not exactly delicious, but they did fill my belly. The wonders of this precious place grow and grow.
Exploring farther down the sewage output direction, I pass by many branching paths, all slowly feeding more sludge into the main stream. Every time a new branch appears, the same little sign repeats the directions, pointing towards the intake and output. That’ll make it easy to investigate these later without getting lost. However, for now, I really want to know where this main tunnel leads.
A moderate, downhill hike later, I hear the crashing of water and see a twinkling daylight shining back at me from the exit. The end opens up in a circular, gaping mouth protected by a series of teeth-like metal bars blocking it. The sludge easily slips out through the toothy cage, falling down a great height into a rushing river below, quickly carrying it all far away to be someone else’s concern.
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Sticking my head through the bars, I see that the tunnel exit is carved out of some kind of rocky, mountainous cliff above the river. Are they protecting this place to prevent someone sneaking in? Looking at the rough wall outside, I imagine that my tiny hands could find easy holds there. Let's experiment!
After taking off my pack, I barely squeeze my small figure through the metal bars. Then, accurate to my prediction, easily scale the rocky cliffside up to its peak. Taking a careful, discerning peek of the top, I see the very familiar grassy fields outside the village. A fair way off, I see the village walls. Also, the entrance, which faces away from my position. The guards are quite tiny from this distance.
Left blinking and dumbfounded by the discovery, its immense value strikes me mute and unable to properly celebrate. My body slightly trembles as my innards vibrate reflexively in elation. A back door! No more wagons, no more stupid guarded entrances, no more danger. Only a short climb, and then I’m inside.
My eyes narrow as my mind races even faster. The inner trails and layout of Vastra were nearly identical to Figeholm. Does that mean that Figeholm also has a sewage output exactly like this one? Can I sneak into all of the villages this way? And the towns? The city? All the dungeons? Do they really all contain a comfortable, convenient home, empty of the big ones, lying underneath and waiting for me to take up easy residence? To safely mix. To safely study. To safely relax and sleep.
Ha! Another song, another step up. It’s too easy for a simple genius like me.
Climbing back down, I squeeze back through the bars and grab my pack again. I hesitate to check the other, clean side, but fully understanding everything down here before moving in is critical.
The long march all the way to the other side of the tunnel feels incredibly brief in my excitement. As I progress, the sludge dilutes more and more until it runs completely clear after the last branch. Finally, there’s a large wall of stone with a slightly opened door of iron in its middle. The clear water quickly rushes out of the ajar door and into the tunnel, all to eventually exit out the opposite output side that I first investigated.
The appraisal result puzzles me. What is a sluice? It’s ancient? How old is this place?
I decide to bravely climb this wall to see what’s on the other side. However, all it seems to contain is a large pool of slightly agitated water, sitting there and waiting for its turn to rush out the open door. Considering the puzzle for a moment, I throw my pack down again and jump into the water. It’s very clear and my eyes are well adapted to the low light, so I immediately notice another barred entryway at the far end.
Struggling quite a bit, I clumsily wave my body around in my best imitation of the fishes I tried to catch in the river by my lost cave. Eventually, I squeeze through the bars and rise up on the other side. Breaking the water’s surface, I see that I’m outside again. Another wide river rages nearby, and I’m constantly pushed back towards the gate.
Can’t imagine easily making my way across this fierce river to enter on this side. I’ll stick to the better, dirtier end for my ins and outs. Still, it’s good to know what’s out here so that I have no regrets later. Returning back inside, I climb back over the wall and grab my pack, feeling slightly out of breath by the ordeal.
I wave the light away, happy to return home. New official home. At least for now. Still must explore all the branches to fully scout this place’s potential, but its promise is already crystal clear. Also, come to think of it, didn’t that big one say that he’s coming back? If he tries to take me out, do I follow? If not and I stay silently hidden down here, then what will he do? Will he come down to find me? What then?