It is the apocalypse. A once grand and magical world has been reduced to ruins and ash. Civilization is extinct, populaces are sparse, and the wilds hold little to sustain yet much to fear. But the true terror of this world - the bringers and wardens of the apocalypse - are the shifting forms of the sky: believed to be manifestations of the Children Above. These Children are unfathomable entities that bring ruin to all life for reasons unknown.
Throughout the months, the sky cycles through each of its many colors - its many Children - that bring their own flavor of destruction to the world. It is now the Week of the Red Sky, the time when Vhal, “The Burning Red Above”, manifests and Gorestorms - wretched bombardments of bright red lightning - ignite vast wildfires.
You live within a community of survivalists aboard the Thunderfort: a complex of wooden houses and facilities built upon a gargantuan, lumbering creature called a thunderbeast. The fort is kept strong by Scoot, a skillful tracker and heroic leader, and a friend to you. Some time ago, she accepted you into the Thunderfort against the popular, opposing opinions of the fort’s residents. Being the tamer of the thunderbeast and leader of the community, she omitted the views of her own people to give you a safe home.
Despite occasional frictions, the people of the Thunderfort look up to Scoot. However, a recent call made by her has many on the fort questioning her seat as a governor. Amidst the recent Gorestorm, desperate stragglers of a village consumed by a forest fire were spotted by Scoot. She guided the Thunderfort close and sent members of the community to rescue and guide them to the fort. Though the five surviving villagers were saved and taken in, the rapid fires spread to the fort as the thunderbeast retreated. Half of the housing shacks were lost, as well as seven of the people inside them.
There has been chatter of Scoot’s blunder. Though unknowingly, she traded months of construction and the lives of seven established fort residents for five strangers. This isn’t the first time she has risked the fort to save someone, but now her questionable judgment has backfired. Many are calling for her to step down as the Thunderfort’s leader, saying she is unfit to protect the community. Some may be planning more violent measures.
You have been called to the topmost shack of the Thunderfort by Obsidian, Scoot’s most trusted companion. You know that Scoot trusts you as well. Outside the shack, a small group of other survivalists, other people you know Scoot trusts, have also been called up. It seems Scoot wants to speak with you all.
The Week of the Red Sky is at its most furious, and the next Gorestorm could happen any day now. People are afraid and fed up with Scoot’s dangerous compassion for every poor soul of the apocalypse, but you were one of those souls – perhaps only alive at all because of Scoot. Will you uncover the coup-in-the-making and save Scoot’s skin? Or, has the time come for a new leader?
What will you sacrifice to keep the Thunderfort moving?
Hosted and narrated by:
Lever Stewart (Lever)
Started 01/24/22.
Scenes played: 2
License: Community License
