Devil's Blessing

[Cheshyr]

Lost Tribe (Custom)

Your faction will be a tribe.
Start with 1 person.

Start with:
- Silver x200
- Pemmican x220
- Herbal medicine x12
- Wood x500

- Forced health condition: Luciferium need
- Luciferium x400
- Plasteel Shiv
- Hyperwave Duster


Starting Character

Vulture 'Lasciel' Canto, 35(34) Female
Childhood: Fire tender
Adulthood: Scout

Incapable of:
(none)

Traits:
Hard worker
Fast walker
Too smart

Health:
Torso, Bite scar

Notable Skills:
(none)


Map Seed: luciferium
Tropical rainforest, small hills
Average Temp, Winter to Summer: 56F - 83F
Rainfall: 2134mm
Stone types: granite and limestone
Growing period: Year-round

AI Storyteller: Phoebe Chillax

Playing at Normal speed only.  No save reloading.

-----

Rimworld is a recent purchase for me.  After my first successful playthrough, I decided to try the above custom scenario.  In the past, I would write gameplay records styled as stories for games in progress.  The Dead-is-Dead formats from Egosoft bring back fond memories.  Rimworld emergent story and gameplay seemed ripe with opportunity, so I'll give it a shot here.


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[Cheshyr]

God caressed my mind with fingers of smokeweed and campfire and charred capybara. Maybe it was one of the Spirits reverently adored by the Tribal Elders. More likely, it was the relief of collapse after a long day foraging. I dropped into meditation, to enjoy the mild euphoria.

My camp was nestled in a small marble ruin, like so many that littered the rainforest. Marble was not native to the region, nor was it as resilient as the local Limestone, so its existence was an oddity. My thoughts drifted to imaginings of a society of excess and comfort, the stories of glitter and sky travel and impossible tools, where beauty overvalued function. Sometimes the trade caravans would showcase these wonders, but they required silver in exchange. Our Elders shunned the technology; we couldn't afford it anyway.

Disagreements with the Elders led me here. They wouldn't miss one middle-aged woman. It would be difficult, but I can make a life for myself elsewhere. One of the more progressive factions would take me in, surely.

Firelight pulled my attention to the rubble in the corner, where a point of color was seeking privacy.

Blue. Offworld blue.

I moved over to disrupt its subversion.

The Duster unfurled as a ghostly blanket, disgorging guts of magical red and sharpened Plasteel. The Hyperweave slid over my hands like water, accentuating my tattered tribal wear. A small Shiv of nigh indestructible metal. I'd stumbled on a treasure trove. 

And then there were the packets.

I'd seen these red pills before, once. While guiding an archaeology team, I caught one of the mercenaries walking out of camp. Subtly following him seemed prudent, since there were wild animals about, and he was unfamiliar with the territory. Once out of firelight, he removed a packet from his pocket, and swallowed the slightly glowing red pill inside. I watched him twitch and shiver as if coupled with a lover. The awkward voyeurism pushed me deeper into the shadows. His head snapped around towards me, his hand instinctively flickering to his pistol. How had he noticed me? 

After a moment, he beckoned.

"I've seen glitterworld drugs before, but nothing like that," I mentioned as I approached, trying to keep my voice neutral. "Is it Flake?"

He snorted. "No."

We stood in silence.

"Have you heard of Luciferium?" he continued, his gaze an unsettling stare. His hand hadn't moved from his pistol.

"That one is new to me. Is it any good? You seemed to enjoy it," I replied, trying to ignore my embarrassment.

His voice took on a fervent edge. "They say it's dealing with the Devil. It makes you new again. Makes you better." He smirked, slightly. "Do you want to try it?"

After a moment, I declined. Trying a new drug offered by a stranger, while acting as their guide, seemed unwise. I returned to camp, and he stayed out there alone until we left in the morning. The expedition was a failure, and they all left the planet soon after. I'd nearly forgotten the incident, until a small fortune of the drug sat at my feet.

Now seemed a good time.

The pill slid easily from the packet. It glowed and pulsed slightly, the red liquid swirling of its own accord inside the gelcap. I let my eyes follow the shifting patterns, the smokeweed from earlier in the evening lending amusement to the dance I held in my fingertips. I settled comfortably onto the floor, and gently swallowed the pill.

Some drugs come on slow. This was not one of those drugs. I could feel it moving through my body, a rush of heat, tingling skin that bordered on itchiness. My eye snapped open. The fire was brighter, louder, more distinct. The night more vast. My heart raced. I needed to move. I need to do something. Now.

Resisting the urge, I lay back and watched the sky, enamored with the detail everywhere.

I could do anything. I didn't need another faction's help. If this was the work of the Devil, I welcomed my newfound friend.

[Barazen]

Hooked on the first post! Keep them coming my friend!

[Cheshyr]

I awoke to a thunderclap and a wave of warmth creeping up my arm. My eyes cracked open and scanned the area, while I held my body still. A turtle pulled itself across a branch 10 meters away, breaking off small twigs. The sunrise peeked over the eastern rim, walking across my body.

Holy shit, was I still high? 

The hypersensitivity hadn't faded in the slightest. All yesterday's soreness and fatigue was gone, though. Only a few short hours had passed since I fell asleep, but I was no longer tired. Even the dreams were incredibly vivid. I briefly worried what the crash from this drug would feel like, but resolved to make the best of it while it was still active.

The campfire was smoldering. I rose to gather more firewood, and examine the local area under daylight.

A hazy mist retreated across the marshy valley floor as the twin suns spiraled away from a lightly mountainous horizon. Teak and Cecropia trees lorded over the arguing raspberry bushes and wild grass. This was a good place to set up a home. Space. Resources. No local tribes or villages. No obvious predators. A reasonable line-of-sight once the rainforest was pushed back a bit.

Is that what I wanted?  A home, out in the middle of nowhere?  The idea flirted with my pride, promising freedom and ownership and simplicity. Peaceful order. By myself.

No, I wanted more. I wanted the smokeweed daydreams from the night before. I couldn't do that alone. I couldn't do that with wood and stone and berries.

My stomach grumbled. I couldn't do that hungry, either. It was time to get to work.

#

As the day flew by, I discovered that Luciferium was good for more than night watch and staring stoned at a campfire. The Devil guided my hands, my eyes, my feet. My walk through the forest became a jog, then a dance. I skipped through the trees, untiring, breathing in the world around me.  The weight of the deadwood was trivial. Nothing was effortless, but everything was easier. He purchased my fatigue and pain with energy and clarity.

I began to worry about the exchange rate.

By the end of the day, four buildings stood where a ruin had slumped that morning. Log walls and rough hewn wooden doors constituted the majority of the new construction, with the buildings facing each other across an intersection of grass walkway roughly 4 meters wide. Not exactly a town square, but this wasn't exactly a town.

One of the new buildings contained a desk; another the beginnings of a crafting room for sculpture and weapons. The last was storage, with spare wood, berries, pemmican.

The old marble relic was cleaned and walled. It housed a bed, table, stove, a little food, and a couple benches. A false back wall hid the silver and drugs.

The Devil stayed with me through another night.

I began to wonder if it would ever end. What the mercenary said was true; I felt like a new person, a better person. Who would need so many of these pills if they last this long? When I saw him, was that his first dose, or was he re-upping? So many questions.

While I couldn't answer those questions, the stone ruins in the area could teach me something about construction. I held no hopes for my little cluster of shacks should a fire sweep through the area. Stone buildings would be better. I collected some of the strangely uniform slabs, and lost myself in trying to recreate them.

#

Rumbling torchlight had long since replaced sunlight, when a swishing in the grass disturbed me. This had become a constant struggle today, with every flash and rustle drawing my attention. Meditation helped, and I'd been practicing it liberally. The quiet of evening provided relief, but that made the extraneous sound all the more peculiar.

I fingered the Shiv at my belt, and crept out the door into the night. The darkness was cool, with rising evening mist embracing my face and sliding off the Hyperweave Duster. The cloth was too bright for stealth, so I broke line of sight from the torches and listened intently.

Leather scuffed stone near the storage building.

My feet whispered, the duster tickling my neck as I moved closer. 

Peering around the corner, we made eye contact. A women roughly my age and stature. Tribal garb. Unarmed. Startled, but with an aggressive stance. I straightened to speak with her when she lunged at me.

Instinctively, I parried her first punch, but she continued forward, folding the strike into an elbow to my temple. I felt my legs started to buckle.

My blood surged, and the Devil rejoiced, pouring his anger into my muscles. The assailant looked shocked when I didn't fall, but instead glared at her from a crouch. I lept at her, a panther hunting prey. Her guard slipped; my hand found her neck.  I planted my feet, my hips twist, slamming her head into the marble wall once, then again. A kick to the side of the knees left her dazed and sprawling.

Looking down on her, I drew the Plasteel Shiv from my belt.

"Wait!" she sputtered, blood pouring from her scalp.

I resisted the fire inside me, subduing it to smoldering coals. "I caught you creeping around my home, and then you assaulted me. Now you want mercy?"

She started to shake her head, then winced in regret. "These buildings weren't here yesterday," she explained between breaths. "I thought there would be multiple people, and I... But it's only you, isn't it? When I saw you alone, I thought..." her words drifted off.

"You thought, if you killed me, you could take it for yourself," I finished for her.

Steel infused her eyes. "If you can't protect it, you don't deserve it." She spit at my feet.

I squared my shoulders. "I still don't see why I shouldn't kill you." I tilted my head at her, questioningly.

"I'll..." she hesitated. "I'll help. You're in charge. I'll serve you."

My laugh was coarse. "So you're offering to stick around long enough to kill me in my sleep." 

I shook my head, and considered. I would need more people eventually, if this were to become a town. If I let her go, I feared she would return with friends, although I doubted she had many. Still, if it had been a group of people, I would have had problems. Now that my rage had cooled, killing her wouldn't bring me any satisfaction. Keeping her close would be best.

"You can sleep in there," I gestured towards the building with the sculpting table.

She looked at me mildly shocked, but hopeful.

"You were looking to join a community; you found one. You'll make your own bed, tomorrow. There is food by the stove in the marble building. The storeroom is off limits for tonight. What's your name?"

"Camino."  The name rolled off her tongue. 

"I'm Lasciel," my voice stayed firm and commanding. "I have work to do. We'll sort out the rest tomorrow."

She grumbled something under her breath as I walked away. No doubt, she was going to be trouble, but you don't always get to choose your comrades, and I would need allies in the coming days.

-----
Camino Brana, 37 F
Childhood: Vengeful child
Adulthood: Loner

Incapable of:
Caring, social

Traits:
Volatile
Trigger-happy
Pessimist

Notable Skills:
Shooting, Melee, Growing

-----
Thanks for the encouragement, Barazen.  I wasn't certain how involved the community was in the fiction side of things.  Seeing a reply definitely helped with motivation.  :-)

[Cheshyr]

The morning was spent bandaging up Camino.  My own bruise healed in the night, but her scalp was split badly, blood matting her hair and dirtying the single long braid.  Her body language was awkward, and she said nothing.  I gave a tour of the area, explaining my plans as she looked bored.  Crops, a social area, a building specifically for food, and another to act as her permanent bedroom.

"The rooms are too small," she said curtly.

"Huh? Why? You can fit a bed and a couple plants."

"They're too small. Make them bigger."

I rubbed my eyes. "Could you explain your thought process?"

"Stupid. They won't fit families. Family things." Her tone was smug and matter of fact.

I bit my tongue, and thought about it. The current layout could barely fit 2 beds, or one double bed. She was right; we should probably build them bigger from the beginning.

I sighed. "Fine. We'll double the size, but that's more for us to haul. I expect help."

She looked away and wandered off. Her dislike for me was obvious, and she had no interest in my opinion of her. As long as she carried her weight, though, I could put up with her attitude. Probably.

And she did prove herself, somewhat. Our crops went in fast, and I found myself watching her and mimicking her patterns. Rice, Potatoes, Corn, Strawberries. They should all be ready for harvest well before we ran out of Pemmican.

When it came to other activities, she was less engaged. We cleared a small stretch of trees, and began hauling back the lumber. I was making two trips for every one of hers, and I frequently caught her laying down staring at the clouds while I worked. I finished the last few loads alone, and had just sat down in the kitchen area, exhausted, when she stormed in.

"You're incompetent," she spat, with no prelude.

"You're a lazy, ungrateful leech. What's your point?" I replied wearily.

"I could do better."

My anger kindled.  "Why didn't you? You said this area was empty before. That means you'd been here, and did nothing with it. Where's your home?  Where's your masterpiece?"

"You're ugly and demanding. That's why you're single, out here alone. Nobody will ever want you."

That stung. Tribal life encouraged pairing off young, and while I was not inexperienced, her words echoed insecurities and sentiments of failed relationships. My mouth moved on its own.

"That makes you a worse failure than I am. Alone, stealing what you can, digging through their garbage when you can't. I don't know why I let refuse like you live."

Her first blow was not a surprise. However, I quickly realized she was a much better fighter. We beat on each other for several minutes.  Both sustained bruises, and a couple cracked bones, before collapsing in separate corners of the room.

After I caught my breath, I looked at her. "What brought this on, anyway?"

She got shakily to her feet. "My room is hot. We need coolers." Then she limped out into the night.

I made my way back to my room, and sighed. She wasn't wrong.

[Cheshyr]

The morning was unreasonably warm for early spring, even before the suns rose. Between the sweat, my wounds, and the drug-induced restlessness, I tossed and turned all night. A bird chip shocked me out of my hard-earned doze, and I gave up. Being hypersenstive wasn't always a good thing.

Camino was still asleep when I crept into her room carrying enough medicinal herbs and bandages for both of us. A gentle knock at the doorway brought her awake, and I ignored her piercing glare. Deja vu. Hopefully morning medical care didn't become a pattern.

"We'll build passive coolers in the bedrooms today. I stopped by to patch you up."

She shrugged and winced, but tried to hide it. There was no argument while I bandaged up the scrapes, and splinted her right shin. When I finished, I placed the rest of the medical supplies on the bed and sat down on the bench. I couldn't treat myself.

She stood up and limped out.

I looked after her disappearing form, slack-jawed.

When it became apparent she wasn't coming back, I examined my own wounds. I was certain my left forearm cracked last night, but now it felt solid, if a little sore. My other bruises and scrapes had healed up faster than expected as well.  That caused me concern. Was this also a side effect of the Luciferium? It'd been 4 days since I found it; 4 days since my only dose. No negative side effects, abundant positive effects. Why wasn't this the drug of choice everywhere?

The passive coolers were installed by late morning. I worked solo. Maybe we needed some time alone to let things cool down. By afternoon, a serviceable short bow lay next to her bed. My time would be spent finding some steel.

That evening, I heard her footsteps in the grass. First to her room, then to my door. There was no knock, only silence. Eventually they resumed again towards her room. Perhaps my peace offerings did some good. Or maybe she'd decided tonight was a good night to kill me.  I slept with the Plasteel Shiv under my pillow.

[Barazen]

Ahh! this gets better and better, you my dear author have a fan!
and yeah I love the stories that everyone has, I tend to lurk about and read almost every one!

[LordUbik]

Really a nice story, written in a marvellous way! I'm eager to read more!

[Cheshyr]

Tree branches tore gouges in my skin, flogging me for caring. I sprinted hard, the ebbing dredges of the Luciferium finally releasing itself, and leaving behind a Devil spurned, jealous and angry. There was no time for this now, so I ignored him, which only made it worse.

Rocks grew less treacherous as the forest flatland approached, and I slowed to hide my breath; hide my presence.

Camino stood in the clearing, throwing arrows uselessly at a thoroughly ignorant game bird of some kind. Her pace was furious, her aim atrocious. Fresh meat did not threaten our table tonight, but that was not my overriding concern at the moment.

Two men, most likely from a nearby town, quietly approached her along the treeline. I'd spotted them a ways off, while mining a steel deposit in the mountains. She was still unaware. Their weapons were drawn, a pistol and a steel club, but that was not so uncommon in the wilderness. Their mannerisms left no question to their intent, however.

I crept from tree to tree, rock to rock, wishing for the grace granted by the Luciferium, but sternly ignored the worrying hunger that continued to grow with each minute. I could reach them. I had to reach them.

(crack!)

I missed a step, and twig hidden under a leaf pile announcing my presence. I dropped low and froze. My coat was not assisting in the concealment, so I drew the Shiv.

(squak! caw!)

Miraculously, Camino had struck the Cassowary, and it flailed about making a racket. Finally noticing its predator, it moved away, with Camino following fumbling for arrows. The men noticed and snickered, but continued their hidden pursuit. Grateful for the distraction, I stalking my own prey.

30 meters. 20 meters. 10 meters. The forest stayed dense, and I used it to my advantage. The man with the pistol whispered something to his companion, who moved forward with club brandished, while he took aim.

My pulse quickened, the anger flared. She was mine! My legs coiled and sprang, and I buried the blade in the shooters back. Fire lept from the pistol, skyward. He cried out and spun. I reversed my grip and plunged the Plasteel into his ear.  The corpse slid silently to the ground. I retrieved my weapon, and the battle rage carried me towards his alerted companion.

Camino was now fully aware that something was happening behind her, and stood in shock as I left the tree line, covered in blood and menace. I kept my stance low. The man charged. Why do they always do that? My first cut tore at his abdomen. I stepped inside his next swing and skewered his hand to the wooden pommel of the club. His screams were cut short as I headbutt him. I followed his body to the ground, stabbing him over and over, releasing my fury into him long past his expiration.

It wasn't enough. I looked around for another.

Her eyes stopped me. I'd never seen fear on this woman's face, but she was afraid of me now. She took two steps back, dropped her bow, and fled. It was all I could do not to chase her.

The pounding in my ears would not quiet. I scrambled for the spare packet I carried in my garments. Glowing red salvation. I tore into it savagely, and swallowed it dry. The Devil smiled at me warmly as I returned to the fold. Blood smeared my hands, my clothes, my face. It was horrifying bliss.

I collapsed and wept.

-----

Thank you. I'm glad people are reading and enjoying. Feedback from readers always make it worthwhile. I'll try to keep a reasonable pace with the updates, but it will depend on my work schedule.

[Mese]

Really good story , well written
Looking forward to the next installment

[New_Roman]

Very well written, and thoroughly enjoyable. Thanks for this!

[Arctic_fox]

Figure ill add my support, dont be discouraged a lot of us read these but rarely comment! Good work so far looking forward to more.

[Cheshyr]

Dark brown eyes judged me cautiously as I made us breakfast. She sat across from me at the table while we ate. No words were spoken.

We examined the corpses, but aside from the pistol and a small hand radio, there was little of value. Coarse embroidery on their sleeves suggested a dragonfly among the trees. It meant nothing to me. I dug the graves. She buried the corpses. The pistol snuck its way into my hidden stash. There was too much uncertainly for either of us to carry it right now.

The hand radio stayed on the kitchen table. Volatile words spit and crackled from the device, and while we could not comprehend its magic, we knew we were eavesdropping on potential enemies. Most of the conversations were meaningless or routine, but fragments suggested our attackers were a scouting party, searching for a missing person. Someone important to the leadership. They were still looking.

#

Sweat and blisters proved sufficiently distracting, and the fragrant shards of teak at my feet encouraged an inviting calm. Clearing trees was mindless physical labor, and I delighted in the focus and solitude. But despite my best efforts, my thoughts drift back to the previous day. How could they not?

The bloodlust yesterday...  I'd experienced battle rage before, during one of many tribal skirmishes. This was something different. Nobody had been an ally. Everything was prey. My purpose was violence. These were not normal thoughts or comfortable concepts for me, yet yesterday they became an intimately familiar lash, a hunger driving me forward. I had never felt it before, but there it was. That could not happen again.

I was back on Lu again, of course. I was obviously addicted. If this was withdrawal, I was not ready to face it yet. The size of the stash I'd uncovered made more sense now.

My heightened senses heard Camino's hurried approach before I saw her. She slowed her jog, and pointed east.

"More raiders," she informed me between breaths. "They're pursuing someone."

We hurried back to our collection of shacks, and turned up the volume on the small radio, catching fragments of their conversation between bursts of static.

"-some shacks ahead. She'll-"

"-boss feels about his livestock esc-"

"-a problem. Scouts are likely cir-"

"-lavers arrive tomorr-"

"Well fucking do it then."

"-stood."

Our eyes met, and a silent decision was made.  She moved to her room to prepare, while I hung behind, and retrieved the pistol.

We met outside. She had donned a heavier layer of leathers, and was stringing the bow. I approached and handed her the pistol along with a couple boxes of ammo. Her eyebrows rose, and I nodded.

A waif of a young woman stumbled out of the treeline, barefoot, pale, and threadbare. She saw us, and bolted our direction, occasionally casting glances behind. I caught flashes of rope burns on her wrists and ankles, blood and mud caking her feet. 

"Please, help me! They're chasing me! They'll sell me!" she cried in desperation.

I let her approach, watching for weapons or signs of deceit. My Shiv left its sheath, and she slowed. I nodded towards the building with the kitchen and marble walls, and followed her in. Camino stood watch in the doorway, and continued to load clips with ammo.

"Who are you? Who's following you? How many?" I asked. I tried to project confidence and calm, but my back itched. A sniper could be lining up a shot right now.

"I'm Aura. Aura Muuurtor. I was a model, traveling for a show... but that doesn't matter. Pirates. I don't know how many... At least three. They call themselves Dragonflys Forest. They're slavers, and worse. I finally escaped," the panic and pleading in her voice sounded sincere. "Let me stay here! I'll cook or whatever. Help me?"

I knew nothing of her usefulness or what her previous career might mean, but I wasn't about to hand over a woman to slavers.

Camino saw my face and nodded.  We prepared to fight.

-----

I am far from discouraged; this is a pleasant surprise. Thank you! Turning game content into a legible story takes time, but I'll do my best.

I'm hoping to maintain at least 3 updates a week, but my day job is project based, not hourly, so deadlines will come first.  :-)

[Arctic_fox]

i feel you there im a trucker so my game time is...random to say the least.

[Cheshyr]

That must be rough.  I'm an engineer, so my time may be a lot more fluid than for most, but some days/weeks/months I have literally no free time.  Turning game events into story is very time consuming, and I don't want this to be an event list.  :-p  I also let the game run idly in the background sometimes, and count on the critical event pause to keep us from dying horribly.

edited to remove possible spoiler