From 35e107869df6f22300a0373b389e351f781f2d0e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Sarah Duck Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2025 02:15:31 -0700 Subject: WIP of the first chapter --- .vscode/settings.json | 3 +++ Zamir/1TheFirstSong.md | 49 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Zamir/BackstorySummary.md | 2 +- 3 files changed, 53 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) create mode 100644 Zamir/1TheFirstSong.md diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json index 0d269e7..aa8a692 100644 --- a/.vscode/settings.json +++ b/.vscode/settings.json @@ -1,12 +1,15 @@ { "cSpell.words": [ "Baldur's", + "broodguard", "broodguards", "Deebee", "Doro", "Dragonborn", + "Jeanny", "lockpicked", "oneshot", + "purebloods", "snakey", "Thunderwave", "Volo", diff --git a/Zamir/1TheFirstSong.md b/Zamir/1TheFirstSong.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2cac9ae --- /dev/null +++ b/Zamir/1TheFirstSong.md @@ -0,0 +1,49 @@ +# The First Song + + + +"Look at that one, there." Mother says, pointing towards a beggar slumped against the alleyway. + +Upon approaching, Zamir wrinkles their nose and snorts. "He smells utterly repulsive," they state dispassionately. "This whole place is vile." How long will they have to scrub their scales after this? + +"Most have a similar reaction during their first time in the city. You will get over it." Mother responds. The illusion of the human woman she wears points again. "Now focus. Look at the man. What do you see?" + +Zamir reluctantly slithers closer and stares at the sleeping beggar, trying to come up with some sort of answer. He looks human, filthy, and wears tattered clothing. The texture of his face mirrors that of older purebloods. "He is... old?" + +Mother strikes Zamir and hisses. "Your lack of ambition is unbefitting of leadership. How can he benefit you? He is destitute, defeated, worthless. You could get him to do anything with the promise of sustenance. Nobody would notice his absence, he'd have purpose as a broodguard." + +"I see." Zamir concedes. Mother is always disappointed by their lack of initiative. Why can't they say the right things? How could they ever be Mothers successor if they remain so indolent? How does a Yuan-Ti manifest ambition? + +"You will learn," she says flatly. "Come." + +"Yes, Mother." They state, then obey. + +The moment they're gone, the man carefully sits up and opens his eyes. "...Fuckin' wackos." + +--- + +The two disguised Yuan-Ti Abominations slither deeper into the city, appearing no different from your average human. They weave around overcrowded bazaars, rancid pubs, temples to undeserving gods, and humanoid stench. Unfortunately, Mother eventually leads Zamir to a public square packed with rowdy onlookers. A man donning a ridiculous outfit stands in the center, elevated by a large crate. He's holding some sort of wooden... something? It has wires and a hole. + +Zamir flinches hard as the crowd suddenly screams at the man. What did he do? "Thank you, thank you!" The man cheers with outstretched arms. "I didn't expect such a lovely crowd! I might actually afford a room tonight!" Screaming is praise? The crowds hollering mercifully settles as the man grasps his wooden contraption. "My next song is named after my dearly departed wife, Jeanny. I'll never stop loving you, my sweet." + +The man takes a breath. Then his fingers start to flutter. He plucks the wires along his tool, creating warm tones which somehow perfectly fit together. The audience is utterly enraptured. The man begins speaking, but his pitch is modulated in such a way that it compliments the resonance of the wires. + +He speaks about his wife, and how much he loved her. He speaks about the pain of losing her. He speaks about his journey through the depths of misery and alcoholism. He ponders whether love is worth the price of loss, but ultimately concludes that love is what he lives for. Finally, he speaks about how he'll keep on living because she wanted him to be happy. + +"This man truly loved and grieved for his wife," Mother observes, "and that is an exploitable weakness. What a fool to confess it to an entire crowd." She looks to her child, and her eyes bulge in shock; Zamir was crying. + +Zamir had never heard something so beautiful. A strange occurrence, as beauty wasn't something they ever thought about. It unearthed something deep inside that they didn't even know was there. It flooded their very being, filling their emptiness. For the briefest moment they felt whole. But it was too much! They burst from the pressure. Their face felt hot, breathing quickened, eyes watering. What sorcery is this? This tale is so upsetting! How could the man live without Jeanny? How!? + +Mother slaps them hard, then slaps them again. They recoil and whimper. "What is wrong with you?" She demands. "No child of mine is this weak. We are leaving. Now." She drags them away with no room for debate. Zamir mutely complies as they try to manage the turmoil within. Neither of them speak until they return to the hidden tunnels and dispel their disguises. The strange sensations had faded away. + +"I... I don't understand what happened." Zamir admits. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Zamir/BackstorySummary.md b/Zamir/BackstorySummary.md index 4cab675..8c07bbf 100644 --- a/Zamir/BackstorySummary.md +++ b/Zamir/BackstorySummary.md @@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Eventually, people were noticing odd behavior from Zamir. Zamir's mother eventua (Zamir theorizes they got the propensity for emotion from their mother: Most Yuan-Ti would have just killed them.) Zamir enjoyed the concert, but didn't enjoy being homeless. They were used to certain standards as a noble amongst the Yuan-Ti. -A week or so into being homeless, Zamir witnessed the performance of a traveling halfling Bard named Finn, finding it particularly moving. +A week or so into being homeless, Zamir witnessed the performance of a semi-famous traveling halfling Bard named Finn, finding it particularly moving. Zamir desired to be his pupil and followed him out of the city. They propositioned Finn while alone in the woods. Finn was absolutely terrified of the scary Yuan-Ti Abomination before him and agreed out of fear, certain he was bargaining for his life. He'd normally reject these sorts of requests. Zamir wasn't quite good enough at reading people to realize this. (Finn is very much like Volo in Baldur's Gate 3, an agreeable bullshitter who can talk their way out of any situation. Not as much of a pathological liar though, and more genuine when relaxed.) -- cgit