"I'm willing to take some risk," I venture, "but not too much."



Dernhind nods. "All right, you're best off exploring the areas between Red Rocks and Joppa. Head north from the town and the terrain will change quickly. Be wary of salthoppers, chameleons and swine, but if you get the drop on some snapjaws you'll soon have plenty of gear to use or trade."



"What happens if I get overwhelmed?" I ask.



"Run like hell," Dernhind laughs. "Start sprinting and try to lose your pursuers. If you lead them back to Joppa, Warden Ualraig may even help you dispatch them. If he feels like it."



"Okay."



"Try to cover all of the paths you might take up close and personal," Dernhind advises, "as once you know an area, you're not likely to get lost in it."



[[(more questions)|some questions]]

They are a party of nine bipedal figures, most dressed in robes that hide their features, swaying in the morning breeze like thick brinestalks. Each carries a wickedly curved machete of shining metal.



"Get down!" Dernhind whispers harshly, and I drop to my haunches, plunging my torch into the mud and extinguishing it. I try to keep a good eye on the strange party, catch a glimpse of what seems to be their leader, prisoner, or ward -- I can't tell which.



In the center of the group, a young waif staggers on spindly legs. Her hair hangs stringy around her face, and I can scarcely see her milky-white pupils as her head lolls lazily upon her neck. A nausea rises in my gut to look at her.



"By the Hindmother," Dernhind murmurs, "those are Seekers of the Sightless way. And in the middle... a prophet of Ptoh. We need to leave, now. If you--"



Suddenly, the waif's head snaps up to face us, and my vision [[shatters into shards]].

//Caves of Qud makes effective use of the number pad and the keys around it. The numpad + and - keys serve as 'down' and 'up' respectively, and are used to zoom in and out of the world map. The / key hides your status menu, which you should sometimes do if you need to keep an eye on a large map area. * cycles the menu.



The '5' numpad key serves both as 'wait one turn' and also 'the space I'm standing on' for purposes of directing a skill or action. The period key means 'wait twenty turns' and CTRL and period together mean 'wait one hundred turns'.



You can use 'W' to walk in a direction until you're stopped or see something dangerous, and numpad 0 will cause you to "auto-explore" an area until the whole map is known. You can also hold the ALT key to highlight significant items, monsters, harvestable plants, and stairs.



The 'force attack' key is CTRL; hold it down and hit a directional button to attack things that you don't auto-attack, like dreadroot or brinestalk stakes. This is also useful for finding invisible enemies later in the game.



Remember: C is for converse. T is for throw. Mixing these up is sometimes fatal. The space bar is a contextual button that can substitute for a lot of common commands -- converse, open, operate, get -- and may be a better choice than using the C key to talk.//



[[(back in character)|some questions]]

"I want to be like you!" I say, striking the butt of my vinereaper against the mushy ground. "I want to have adventures, become strong, leave behind the place I came from!"



Dernhind stares at me for a few moments, visibly horrified, then shakes his head.



"That is the most asinine thing I have ever heard," he says. "Be like me? A wandering mercenary who kills for survival and treasure? A pariah to his own people, living in a land of fluctuating alliances and cutthroat dealings? I suppose if you want that life, it's here for you."



I must look excited, because his face turns stern and he holds up a flat palm.



<<warning>>

I pad through wet grasses, each step pushing briny mud up through my toes. My hind legs are tense, ready to launch me into a fast gallop at a moment's notice. Night has fallen, and my keen ears pick up the movement of creatures beyond the light of my flickering torch.



This is my first time away from home, and I am frightened and lost in the saltmarshes of Qud.



My inner faundren wails for the meadows of home, the irrigated vinegardens. My inner //hartind// shouts its objections; we will make it to the oasis of Joppa or die trying.



Sadly, the rest of me may do neither: I know not where Joppa lies from here, nor home. I can do little but [[wander]].



----

//[[(skip)|(listen)]] to the guide?//



Quickplay as a Hindren? Use build code BLNOMMIIAABJBLBOB1

<h1>A [[Hindren]]'s Guide to Qud</h1><h2>as told by Dernhind, Hindren pariah</h2>a work of fanfiction and/or quickstart guide by Caelyn Sandel

''Updated! January 11, 2018''



[[(continue)|beginning]]

"Make no mistake, faun," Dernhind warns, "this land will kill you. It may take its time, but if you explore Qud you will be as doomed as I am. If you don't accept that this place is cruel and alive and will swallow you, you have no business staying."



[[(I won't die)]]

[[(I understand)]]

[[(I should go home)]]

"I've never done any trading myself," I admit, "can you tell me more about it?"



"Of course," Dernhind inclines his head. "The basic currency in Qud is fresh water, measured by the dram. As you ask for the price of items and offer them, you and the trader will mark how many drams worth of items are being offered. If one of you is short, you will make up the cost in fresh water.



"The camel-people, the 'dromad', are hardly the only traders in Qud, but they're the best. You can always find Tam in Joppa, and you may find other traders elsewhere. All traders refresh their stock from time to time, so be sure to check back. Some traders specialize in artifacts and data, like Argvye does. Some... well, some are pig farmers.



"Trading is important to your survival, so I'd be happy to tell you a bit more about it. You should likely know about [[trade goods]], and then about [[trading strategy]]."



[[(other questions)|some questions]]

"I didn't fit in there," I said. "I am //hartind//, two-gender. I spent so long on the edges of my own society that I came to hate how their minds are all as stagnant as a fallow marsh."



Dernhind stares at me for a few moments, then shakes his head.



"Well," he admits, "I daren't tell you that outside the meadow, Qud is not a place for pariahs and loners. We are everywhere, and things like gender are unimportant details out here."



I must look excited, because his face turns stern and he holds up a flat palm.



<<warning>>

After an hour of aimless walking, I cannot tell whether my exhaustion outstrips my despair or vice versa. I fall to all four of my knees, drop my vinereaper on the wet ground, and cover my face with my hand.



I expected to die out here, but not so early. Not like this.



"By the Argent Fathers," someone says. "Can it be?"



I snap my head up, snatch my vinereaper from the ground and scramble to my feet.



"Who goes there?" I call out in a quavering voice.



A figure walks, empty hands held up in a gesture of peace, into my torchlight. [[I gape]].

"What are the common ones?" I ask.



"Where to start?" Dernhind muses. "Dispatching snapjaw scavengers and hunters should be easy for you, but they can be vicious if they team up. Snapjaw warriors and brutes are a bit more dangerous, but you can still take them on if you isolate them.



"Amoeba have tough membranes, you'll need to hit hard or they'll wear you down. You may be able to handle one boar at a time, but they're tough. The two-headed ones? Not unless you have witchwood bark on you. Slugsnouts? Run.



"Salthoppers are fast and nasty. Sprint for cover if you see one until you have good equipment and a few skills under your belt.



"You should be able to handle these beasties once you've made some strides on your progress, but be very careful of them starting out."



[[(rare dangers)]]

[[(other questions)|some questions]]

"Good," Dernhind says, pointing ahead of us, "as we'll reach Joppa before long. Here comes the harvest dawn to light our way."



I look toward the purpling sky, where streaks of warm light filter through fields of brinestalk and silhouette the distant Spindle. Even knowing of all its danger, the very sight of Qud fills me with awe.



"There's nothing I can do to really protect you," Dernhind says, wistful, "save leave you with some supplies and the advice I've given you. I wish--"



"Dernhind," I interrupt, squinting, "I see something moving out there."



He frowns, and looks in the direction I'm looking.



[[(look)|Servants of Ptoh]]

"Thank the Great Hindriarch," Dernhind breathes a sigh of relief. "Let's get you home. I've traveled this marsh many times, and I know how you can find the path again."



----



When I return home, it is in disgrace, but I bear the scolding of the elders patiently.



At least I am alive and home.

I cannot believe my eyes: have I met another [[Hindren]] here? They are certainly not dressed the part.



Like me, the stranger's body is covered in reddish-brown fur, from tiny tail to muscular arms. They have four legs, too, and downy pointed ears, and a pair of majestic antlers. Their surprised face bears softer, shorter fur than their body, with a black nose and split philtrum.



No [[Hindren]] would be so heavily-armed, though. The stranger wears heavy-looking plate armor and boots of dull blue-gray material, and some kind of arcane half-moon axe glowing with heat. Two long guns cross their back, and their hands are covered with smooth, shiny, thin gloves.



I shift my hind legs, ready to flee.



"Wait!" the stranger shouts, "I will not harm you!"



[[(talk)]]

[[(flee)]]

I'm still tense, but I don't run. "A-are you..."



"[[Hindren]]?" The stranger smiles. "Yes. I am Dernhind. And you are?"



I gape. "Dernhind?"



"What a striking coincidence," Dernhind grins, "that we should both bear the same name! Live and drink, fellow Dernhind!"



"I-- no-- sorry," I stammer. "Live and drink. I am Khashind. I have heard so much about you. Legends float back to the meadows."



"All good, I hope!"



[[(yes)|all good]]

[[(well...)|some good]]

My stomach turns over in the prison of my body, and I am scarcely able to keep hold of my vinereaper as I struggle to stay upright. What is happening to me?



Next to me, my swirling vision registers Dernhind clutching his head, struggling to get to his feet. Blood pours from his nose freely.



I can hear the Seekers approaching, their droning chant crescendoing, their kukri flashing in the morning sun.



"Dernhind!" I cry.



"Faundren, you must go!" Dernhind draws the half-moon hatchet from his side, and its blade burns with a bright fire.



"But--"



"Khashind," the battle-hardened hart fixes his eyes on me. "Please! I will hold them here. Turn and run, and don't look back. Find Joppa! Live and drink, young one!"



He shoves me, and I stumble in a direction I believe to be away from the fight. I look back and see the Seekers raise their blades to meet Dernhind's flaming axe.



[[(fight)|Death at the Hands of the Seekers]]

[[(flee)|Discretion is the Better Part of Valor]]

//As with most roguelikes, it takes time to get used to the control scheme in Caves of Qud.



Are you playing on a [[full keyboard]] with a number pad, or a [[laptop keyboard]] without?//



[[(never mind)|some questions]]

My nervous strength flees me as I approach the safety of the oasis-village. I find myself using the haft of my vinereaper like a walking stick, planting it in the spongy ground and leaning against it as I alternate the rest of my weight between my four wobbly legs.



One of the figures, a craggy-faced old man in a weather-worn tunic, walks forward once he notices me.



"Dernhind?" he asks, squinting. There is a nobility in his voice, in his posture.



"No," I croak. "I am Kashind, Dernhind's... sibling. He is... lost."



"Ah," the old farmer nods ruefully, unsurprised. "Welcome to Joppa, sibling of Dernhind. I am--"



"Mehmet," I smile. "It is a pleasure and relief to meet you. Live and drink. I need a moment to rest, but after that... I hear you have a pest problem?"



<h2>End</h2>



[[(play again)|Start]]

[[(return to guide)|(listen)]]

//If you're using a laptop, the very first thing that you should do in-game is hit escape, press 'k' for the controls menu, and activate the laptop default keys, then review those assignments. Remember -- the cardinal direction keys are one key to the LEFT of the home keys, not on them!



The HJKL directional keys are disabled for many menus, such as your items and equipment menu. You'll have to either use your arrow keys or the letters assigned to each line item.



You probably want to reassign the 'look' command; it's too important to leave unassigned. I personally like to assign semicolon to 'wait one turn' and single quote to 'look'.



The 'force attack' key is SHIFT for laptops; hold it down and hit a directional button to attack things that you don't auto-attack, like dreadroot or brinestalk stakes. This is also useful for finding invisible enemies later in the game. You can also hold the ALT key to highlight significant items, monsters, harvestable plants, and stairs.



Remember: C is for converse. T is for throw. Mixing these up is sometimes fatal. The space bar is a contextual button that can substitute for a lot of common commands -- converse, open, operate, get -- and may be a better choice than using the C key to talk.//



[[(back in character)|some questions]]

"What dangers should I look out for?" I ask.



"Eveything is dangerous in Qud," Dernhind replies, but continues. "That aside, there are certain things more likely to claim your life early on than others. Would you like to know about common things that are likely to kill you, or rare things that are guaranteed to kill you?"



[[(common dangers)]]

[[(rare dangers)]]

[[(never mind)|some questions]]

A Hindren's Guide to Qud

"Do you have some advice on trading?" I ask.



"Well, let's see what I can think of off the top of my head," Dernhind says. A moment later: "well, first things first -- buy copper and silver nuggets. They buy and sell for the same price, the only things to do so except fresh water itself. Buy out all of Tam's ammo, too; it's feather-light and useful.



"If you're making choices in the field about what saleable items to keep: don't bother with leather or bark armor. They're extremely heavy and don't sell for enough to justify that. Wear 'em or ditch 'em. Hand axes and clubs aren't worth it. Daggers and one-handed swords go for a very good price for their weight, axes and maces less so. Obviously, better metal means a better sale price. Accessories are usually good, sap masks especially.



"If you can't afford the thing you want, that's all right! Merchants are weirdly respectful of your things, so you can leave your loot in a pile next to one and pick them up when you come back with more items to trade. Or haul a chest to town."



[[(ask about trade goods)|trade goods]]

[[(other questions)|some questions]]

"Umm," I shuffle my feet in the wet grass. "Perhaps I should reconsider leaving home."



"You are wise and prudent beyond your years, Khashind," Dernhind nods to me. "There are many times when I question my decisions, and I should not wish any Hindren to envy me this life."



I look up at him, tears in my eyes.



"Kashind, dear child," Dernhind reaches out and strokes my mane with his gloved hand. "Think of yourself. If you insist on wandering Qud, I will offer you advice to prolong your little life. But there's no shame in returning to the meadow, and I will point the way."



[[(I wish to wander Qud)]]

[[(I wish to go home)]]

"What do I need to know about fighting?"



"This may sound silly, but the most important part is not dying," Dernhind smirks.



"Don't start a fight without having ''witchwood bark'' or a ''salve injector'' on you, something to heal up. Eating witchwood bark can confuse you, so take a good look at your surroundings before you do it and make sure you have somewhere to run when you can't see where you're going. You can harvest the bark from trees with a yellowed trunk, by the way.



"If you feel your health flagging and you don't have something to mend your wounds, start sprinting and get out of there. Always have an escape route and don't get stuck.



"To avoid being overwhelmed, see if you can find bottlenecks: narrow corridors or doorways can prevent critters from surrounding you.



"In the end, just remember: providence gave us these extra feet. Don't be afraid to run away with 'em."



[[(more questions)|some questions]]

"What's the first thing I should do? Once I have spoken to everyone?"



"Well," Dernhind thinks on that, "I think most important is to get some essential supplies. You can steal from the village chests if you stay out of sight, but you seem like you're better than that. You can [[trade|trading]] for some things, some of them you can [[harvest or scrounge|loot]] for."



"What's essential?"



"Well, your vinereaper will do for a starting weapon until you find an iron battle axe or the like. You have torches, I see. So you're going to want a ''missile weapon'' and ''ammo'' for it. This will probably mean taking a short bow off the corpse of a snapjaw. This is also how you'll get some ''armor''. We Hindren can't wear helmets or hats, but we can wear two pairs of shoes instead.



"You'll also want ''healing items''. Buy some ''bandages'' from Tam to stop the bleeding when you get stuck by a young ivory or horned chameleon, and take some time to harvest ''witchwood bark'' from yellow-leaved trees. It's dangerous to use, since you might get confused, but its healing will save your life.



"Finally, you should keep some ''food'' on hand as well as your waterskins. Your training as a farmer will help here, since there's plenty of watervine growing near Joppa. Take your time, harvest as much as you want, since it takes a lot of vinewafers to make a meal. I like to have a few hundred on hand before I go anywhere far."



"Wow," I say. "Thanks."



[[(more questions)|some questions]]

"I'm not afraid," I say proudly, "so tell me the riskiest route."



"Well, this is likely to get you killed," Dernhind says, but continues reluctantly, "but using the world map to head straight for the three Rustwells to the East of Joppa is a quick way to get all of the supplies for use and trading that you might need."



"That sounds good," I muse, "what's the catch?"



"The catch is that you're likely to get lost along the way," Dernhind answers, "and being lost in the canyons can be deadly for faundren like you. Apple farms and wandering merchants, yes, but also boars, salthoppers, and snapjaw strongholds. Find witchwood bark before you go."



I nod. "Um, okay."



[[(more questions)|some questions]]

"Oh, yes! The faundren cannot stop telling stories about you." I bite back the rest.



"By your face," Dernhind sighs, "Hindriarch Aanh is as kind to my memory as I expected her to be."



"Oh," I look at the ground. "Hindriarch Aanh passed on. It's Hindriarch Isth now."



Dernhind groans. "Isthind is elder? I suppose I'm glad I left. Speaking of which, little faun, you're a bit far from home, aren't you?"



[[(I ran away)]]

[[(I'm lost)]]

"What does it mean to share water out here?" I ask carefully.



"Same as in the Meadow. Bond of sworn peace, and you can exchange a bit of gossip and knowledge. Don't ever raise a weapon to your water kith, though. Everyone will know." Dernhind stares at me.



I shrink a bit. "Oh."



"But if you //do// share water with Mehmet and Irudad," he says, straightening as the levity returns to his voice, "you have to get them to teach you their recipe for Apple Matz. It's good stuff."



"I... see."



[[(other questions)|some questions]]

"I won't die," I say. "I'll be careful, I'll become strong."



"You //will// die, Khashind!" he barks. I shrink back, and he continues, his tone gentler. "I am not trying to be cruel, faundren, but this is a vicious place that affords no peaceful deaths like you can expect in the meadow. Here, violent death is always mere moments away. You have to accept that now, so that the realization later does not crush you."



"Oh," I whisper.



"Do you still wish to wander Qud? If you insist on staying, I will offer you advice to prolong your little life. But there's no shame in returning to the meadow, and I will point the way."



[[(I wish to wander Qud)]]

[[(I wish to go home)]]

"Well, somewhat," I slow my speech, constructing my words carefully. "The faundren tell rumors of your exploits as adoring stories. But Hindriarch Isth does not care for such stories, and punishes those telling them."



Dernhind blinks. "Isth? Hindriarch Aanh died?"



"Oh. Yes."



"Oof, Isthind as elder," Dernhind groans. "I suppose I'm glad I left. Speaking of which, little faun, you're a bit far from home, aren't you?"



[[(I ran away)]]

[[(I'm lost)]]

[[(what should I do first?)|get started]]

[[(how should I explore?)|exploration]]

[[(how should I handle fighting?)|combat]]

[[(where do I get useful items?)|loot]]

[[(what dangers should I be aware of?)|dangers]]

[[(how should I grow?)|leveling]]

[[(how does trading work?)|trading]]

[[(what is sharing water?)|water]]

[[(what should I do once I finish the first quests?)|moving on]]

//[[(controls & meta help)|controls]]//



[[(that's enough questions)|done]]

"How should I approach exploring the areas around Joppa?" I ask.



"That depends," Dernhind says cautiously, "on how much risk you want to take. Are you looking to play it safe, or would you rather take risks for a higher reward?"



[[(safe)]]

[[(risky)]]

[[(dangerous)]]

"I will accompany you to the oasis village of Joppa, and then you must find your own way," Dernhind tells me, and starts walking. "Come."



"What should I do when I get there?" I ask, scampering to keep up.



"First, talk to Mehmet," he says. "He stands out and should be easy to find. He can probably offer you work, as I hear they've been having a pest problem lately. You may wish to introduce yourself to everyone in the village; Argvye is a prickly sort but finds use for artifact hunters. A dromad merchant, Tam, has a permanent shop on the East side of town. There's also a preacher, but no one likes them. If you wish to befriend the town, Mehmet and Irudad could share water with you. And Warden Ualraig, I suppose."



"What do I do when I've talked to them all?"



"Whatever you'd like." Dernhind shrugs. "Admire their Sultan statue, learn some history from it? Harvest some watervine? Past that, you've got lots of options. Ask me more and I'll tell you more."



I try to think of [[some questions]] to ask.

Dernhind takes in a deep breath, then nods and lets it out slowly.



"Very well," he says. "Pay close attention to what I am about to tell you. It may well save your life."



[[(listen)]]

"What are the rare dangers?"



"More than I can list, but the ones that show up near Joppa..." Dernhind thinks for a moment. "Well, if you come across any ruins, be careful. You'll know them by the light composite stone they're made of: fulcrete, it's called. No two ruins are alike, and sometimes there'll be an infestation with who even knows what. Also, don't go in any caves you stumble across that aren't Red Rocks or the Rustwells, early on.



"Sometimes there will be packs of dangerous people or creatures with a noteworthy leader. They'll stand out //(pink icon)//, so you can spot 'em from a distance. Some won't attack you, but many will. Take a look at them before you act, but you're usually best off running.



"Other than that, it's a safe bet that if you don't recognize something, you're best off taking a good hard look at it before you even move."



[[(common dangers)]]

[[(other questions)|some questions]]

"What should I do once I've finished the tasks I am given in Joppa?" I ask.



"Knowing him, Argvye may send you to visit the Barathrumites at Grit Gate," Dernhind says, stroking his furry chin. "They are helpful allies, learned of ancient technology and pragmatic survivors."



"Could I just explore?"



"Certainly, if you're careful. You should visit Kyakukya and see if you can't buy the Corpus Choliys from the mayor there. You may wish to brave the depths of Golgotha, but don't dare go inside without carrying yuckwheat and honey to help stave off disease. I caught ironshank once. Nasty illness. Past that? Follow your own path. Oh, but do visit the Six-Day Stilt once you can brave the desert. Hell of a sight."



[[(other questions)|some questions]]

//The deer-centaur people of the Cervidian Meadows are a great starting race for new [[Caves of Qud|http://freeholdgames.com]] players. If you're interested in playing as an 'average' Hindren pariah, enter this code://

BLNOMMIIAABJBLBOB1//



If you want to customize your hart or hind, here's a character creation guide:



Create a mutated human. Make sure their toughness is at least 16, and their Strength and Agility should both be 18 or higher. Distribute the rest of the points as you see fit.



At the mutations screen, take the following:

Chimera

Heightened Hearing

Horns

Multiple Legs

Thick Fur



For class, choose 'Watervine Farmer'. For name, choose any single-word name that ends in 'hind' or 'hart' (both suffixes are gender neutral in spite of their etymological origin). Enjoy!//



[[(back)|previous()]]

"How should I plan my future?" I ask. "What about myself should I improve?"



"Experience will help you no matter what," Dernhind says, "but some things may help you more than others. Learn how to shoot a ''bow or rifle'' as soon as you can. If you find a really good weapon, it's probably smart to pick up the skills to use it, but if not, you already know how to use axes and can get better with those. You might want to learn more about ''cooking'', now that you have access to more than two ingredients. Good food means good travels.



"If you feel your body changing, try to channel that change into your ''antlers'' first, or horns, or tusks. They're deadly and effective, and will only become more so. You also may wish to improve your ''legs'', so you can run faster and carry more.



"I personally enjoyed learning how to ''tinker'', but it took a while and a lot of study, so it may not be for you."



[[(other questions)|some questions]]

"Dernhind -- live and drink!" I wail.



Screwing my eyes shut, I gallop as hard as I can away from the sounds of violence. As the chanting becomes louder and Dernhind's shouts are replaced by screams, I try to cover my ears with the clenched fists that clutch my vinereaper and muddy torch.



After what seems like an eternity of running, my head clears and my nausea turns from dizziness to the sickness of adrenaline comedown. I look behind me and see no sign that the Seekers of the Sightless way followed me.



Dropping my torch and trudging in what I hope is the direction Dernhind pointed me, I see the brinestalk gradually give way to watervine, the smell of saltmarsh becoming loamier, more familiar.



And in the distance... simple buildings. Huts of dried brinestalk. Bipedal creatures tending to a messy but abundant watervine crop.



[[Joppa]].

"I ran away from the meadows," I answer. "I was headed toward Joppa, but became lost."



Dernhind quirks a brow. "You're this far from our people on purpose?"



"Aye."



"What drove you from home, faundren?"



[[(I didn't fit in)]]

[[(I crave adventure)]]

[[(I want to be like you)]]

[[(I don't know)]]

"I think I'd like to play it safe," I say.



"There's nowhere truly safe in Qud," Dernhind warns, "But the vinemarshes and saltmarshes are safer than most places, especially near Joppa. You shouldn't have much trouble killing the crocodiles that prowl around."



"That doesn't sound too bad."



"It's not, but be careful. You'll sometimes encounter a pack of snapjaws, which you can probably handle one by one but they'll kill you if they gang up on you. They have good loot, though."



"Oh."



"If you encounter anything else -- especially if you see someone who looks important //(pink)// -- stop, and take a good look at them. If they're hostile, and any worse than 'tough', run. Oh, and stay away from ruins."



"Understood."



[[(more questions)|some questions]]

"What do you mean by 'trade goods'?" I ask.



"Well, hmm," Dernhind thinks about that for a moment, "trade goods are items that are high in value but don't weigh very much, so you can buy expensive things without weighing yourself down too much.



"Some of them are good to find and sell but not worth buying: beaded bracelets and neck-rings go way up in price once you sell them, so they're only useful once.



"Nuggets and ingots of precious metal are another matter. They always buy and sell for the same price, so if a merchant carries them, it's in your interests to buy them. Fresh water is the same way, but hoarding it gets real heavy, so buying trade goods is a good policy. Got all that?"



"Um," I reply.



[[(ask about trading strategy)|trading strategy]]

[[(other questions)|some questions]]

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Wheeling about, I turn toward the battle and stumble forward. I clutch my vinereaper with both hands, white-knuckled, and plunge into the fray.



Dernhind sees me and his face falls. "Khashind, no! Why?"



"I will fight alongside you," I shout, "and neither of us need die alone!"



"Khashind!"



Roaring my best, I bring the blade of my vinereaper down on the nearest robed figure.



----



Dernhind and I die together in battle, slain by the servants of Ptoh.

I think for a moment, then nod, jaw set. "I understand, Dernhind. I knew when I left that my life would end here. I accept that and have no regrets."



"Oh, Khashind." He says. When I look up at him, I think I see a glimpse of tears in Dernhind's sad eyes. "I am not trying to be cruel, faundren, but this is a vicious place that affords no peaceful deaths like you can expect in the meadow. Here, violent death is always mere moments away. It hurts to see you accept it so easily, but it is still important."



"I know," I whisper.



"Do you still wish to wander Qud? If you insist on staying, I will offer you advice to prolong your little life. But there's no shame in returning to the meadow, and I will point the way."



[[(I wish to wander Qud)]]

[[(I wish to go home)]]

"I want adventure!" I say, starry-eyed. "I don't want to spend my life tending to watervine, I want to explore and discover and face danger!"



Dernhind stares at me for a few moments, then shakes his head.



"Well," he admits, "I daren't tell you there's no adventure to be found here. The caves and ruins ooze with it."



I must look excited, because his face turns stern and he holds up a flat palm.



<<warning>>

"I... I'm lost," I answer, casting my gaze at the ground.



Dernhind quirks a brow. "I reckon you are," he says, "to wander the saltmarshes of Qud with waterskins. Did you plan to be lost?"



"No..." I am a poor liar and I know it.



"What drove you from home, faundren?"



[[(I didn't fit in)]]

[[(I crave adventure)]]

[[(I want to be like you)]]

[[(I don't know)]]

"Heard everything you need to, eh?" Dernhind asks with a smile. "You sure?"



[[(yes, I'm done)|toward Joppa]]

[[(no, I have more questions)|previous()]]

"I don't know," I say, shrugging slowly, "but living in the Meadow was killing me. I needed to leave."



Dernhind stares at me for a few moments, then shakes his head.



"Well," he admits, "I daren't tell you there is not a fresh start to be found out here. Your actions here will define you anew."



I must look hopeful, because his face turns stern and he holds up a flat palm.



<<warning>>

Caelyn Sandel

"Where can I find good equipment?" I ask, eyeing Dernhind's fancy arms and armor.



"Well, you'll not find anything like these any time soon," he chuckles, patting the burning axe at his side, "but you'll get such eventually if you live that long. At first, your best bet is to kill snapjaws. The little monsters find good gear from time to time, and a few of them even have shotguns or grenades."



I blink. "That sounds dangerous."



"It is," he nods, "but if you can isolate snapjaws, get them alone and up close, they won't have a chance against you. You're much stronger than most of them. Just watch out for the warlords, and take their flunkies out first.



"You'll also find good gear in the caves, sometimes just lying around, sometimes in brinestalk chests. Keep your eyes open. If you [[learn how to scavenge trash|leveling]], that can be a valuable source of tinkering components or saleable scrap, depending on whether you've got a mind for science."



[[(more questions)|some questions]]

I wheel and sprint away with quick strides, leaving the stranger to shout their objections at my back. I wince in anticipation of the gunshot ending my life, but none comes.



By the time I reconsider my actions, I am lost again and the stranger is gone.



Days later, I am found by a war party of Putus Templar. My death is painful but swift.



[[(play again?)|Start]]