ANTHROFRACTAL

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani elects to pick up the sparkling powder. But without something to hold it in, it’s going to keep spilling everywhere!

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani elects to examine the strata first. Looking closely, there's a layer of stone that's mostly bits of plasticite and other translucent, sparkling bits compressed together. But there's also things that are strangely familiar…a wire? Colored glass? A flat, metal wafer with tiny lines etched into it?

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani says, "Okay. Thank you for coming this far." With that, the two part ways. Joy's History heads back towards the swamps, and Nomiani continues down towards the layered pit. Once down there, they stop and look around. It's eerily quiet. The pit is lined with layers of soft, pressed stones that seem to sparkle. Some of the sparkle has flaked off into piles of powder.

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani elects to keep heading towards the pit. They crest over the hill, and look out towards dry, hilly terrain. A snaking, layered pit lays before them. The pit steeps down in tiers, each with what appear to be layers of sparkling stone. It's much drier than the swamps they left.

Joy's History turns to Nomiani. "Hey…this is as far as I can go. This looks a bit too dry and dangerous. But…I hope you find what you're looking for! If you do, come back to the shore and tell me what you find, okay?"

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani picks up the scattered bones. They got the sawaim bones!

Joy's History comments, "Uhh…no clue what those belong to. Creatures having bones is so weird. Long rocks all stuck inside your body…ick!"

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani says, "I'd rather help than hurt things."

Joy's History replies, "It's weird, but also…yeah, that seems really true about you! It's sincere…I don't get it, but I like it!" They seem satisfied with this explanation.

DESCRIPTION:

Nomiani replies, "No? It needed to go home!"

Joy's History says, "Haha, aww, it's weird what things you care about…but kind of cute, too!" They motion to the nest full of chirping chups. "Chups are easy snacks for most things that eat meat."

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani decides to put the stray chup back in the nest. It joins all of the other chups in the big huddle, and is removed from their inventory.

Joy's History remarks, "Oh…I thought you were getting a snack!"

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani elects to pick up the bird creature. They have no issue picking it up. It's added to their inventory as a 'stray chup.' 

Joy's History asks, "What're you gonna do with that?"

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani responds, "I think I need to keep going." Joy's History gives an enthusiastic "Okay, let's go!" and they move on to the next area.

Here, the swamp is beginning to thin out a bit, and winding paths lead to rockier areas ahead. A couple of stray bones lay by the side of the shallow shores. A moss-covered overhang protects what looks like a large nest, filled with round, gray, peeping bird-like creatures. A stray one stays on top of the overhang, looking a bit lost.

Joy's History remarks, "Looks like we're getting closer to that pit…"

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani stops to think about if there's something familiar here. However, they only see the strange keyboard once again, adding more to the message from before: "DO TO AVOID THE" is added before they again lose the thought and it goes black. 

They return to where they just were on the swamp shore, with Joy's History hovering over them. "Woah, you okay? You kind of drifted off there…"

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani stops to look a little closer. "Hey, shouldn't we keep going?..." says Joy's History.

But, the creature just dips its head into the swamp water and comes back up with a mouthful of water reeds, which it chews on quietly. It appears horse-like, with an exceptionally long neck layered with stringy hair. Its coloring appears blotchy brown and greenish. Whatever it is, it appears herbivorous. Joy's History notes this, saying, "Oh, looks like it just eats plants, huh?"

DESCRIPTION:

Nomiani and Joy's History elect to quietly swim across the swamp. The creature turns its head to watch them, but otherwise doesn't move towards them or appear threatening. They reach the opposite bank, and Joy's History says, "Whew! Guess it's busy…"

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani and Joy's History decide to head on towards the swamps. Solid ground gives way to mud and then opaque water all around them. A large creature moves steadily through the swamp in the middle distance…it's a creature that hasn't been seen before: a silhouette with a long neck and long hair. Joy's History doesn't seem to know what it is, and they shrink back, saying "Woah! Um…no idea if THAT thing is safe!"

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani replies, "'Should' doesn't mean 'have to'." Frettin-Second doesn't seem to know what to do with this idea. "Well, no, but…yes, uh… S-sorry, I need to go think about things!" With that, they take off at a loping run. As they leave, they call back, "Thank you for the stone!"

Joy's History shrugs and adds, "What a nervous Fress."

DESCRIPTION: Nomiani asks, "Do you HAVE to court someone?"

Frettin-Second looks like they weren't expecting that question, and stumble over their answer a lot. "Well, n-no…but, yes? But…I should, right? It's…so unlucky…"

Joy's History deflates a bit and mutters, "Fress mating is so complicated."

DESCRIPTION:

Nomiani replies, "No problem! What do you want it for, anyway?" Frettin-Second sheepishly replies, "W-well…my family's really eager to get me bonded with someone soon; I'm so unlucky, and I'm only getting older…I just have such a hard time trying to decide who to court, though! And then I had that dream about this stone, I j-just got it into my head that…uh, it'd help me find my mate." They first imagine all the choices of Fress around them and the pressure to choose a mate, and then imagine themselves giving the blue stone to the right mate.