I growled at myself for following a Stray through a drift so we could bring him home. Except Ryan wasn’t anchored and now we were all fucking lost in a drift.
Ryan put his hand on my shoulder and a wave of calm washed over me. Not only were we in the godforsaken sun but there was nothing for the eye to see but fucking sand! I was not in a good mood and Ryan tried to placate me but I pushed his hand from my shoulder mid-calm and Ryan shook his head. “Dude, it’s okay. Trust me.”
“I trust you!” I shouted.
Those blue eyes found me and he frowned but he didn’t say anything. “I don’t trust Strays.”
“I’m not a stray.” Alex said without really knowing what he was not. I wasn’t even talking about him.
“Scythe is that way.” I said. “Fucking bullshit town. I hate this place!”
Ryan sighed. “Let’s just get Nox and go. We can search for the Nexus in a better Shift.”
“What’s wrong with this one?” Alex asked but he followed after Ryan and I growled in response.
Ryan laughed. “Scythe isn’t known for it’s warm receptions.”
“Nexus ain’t going to do us shit. We can’t get in.” I growled loudly.
“Trust me, brother.” Ryan said as he stopped and waited for me. “You didn’t come naked, you are protected.”
“It’s fucking hot!” I complained.
I don’t know how long we walked. It felt like forever in the blazing sun. I collapsed to my knees more times than I could count. Ryan and Alex talked in hushed whispers as Ryan slung my arm over his shoulder. I hated the sun!
A low growl in the distance had us moving faster. Ryan lost his grip on me and I stumbled into the sand face first. Both of them helped me to my feet and slowed to a much slower pace. But it wasn’t long before the silhouettes of a giant dinosaur fighting men came into view.
I swear I saw a flaming man running towards the beast before I fell to the ground.
Another roar later and I was on my feet watching as the beast cantered away with thirty men in tow — but not the men who had fought the creature at the walls. Where had them been? I thought to myself.
I was delirious by the time we reached the gates. “Pardon out intrusion, but my friend needs shade immediately. Can we press you for shelter?” Ryan always sounded so formal except when he was joking. He wasn’t joking now.
The boy who’d killed my mother tucked himself under my arm and hosted me up with Ryan. The two of them carry-dragged me through the gates. I’d missed the conversation apparently.
They didn’t let us past the gate, but when the gates closed behind us, the shade offered the must needed shelter and I collapsed from the arms of the two men holding me. I wasn’t going to make it.
Anthony Giovanni is a Stealthy Vampire Warrior who Slays Monsters and Drifts from Purple Shift #45
Effort: 1
Armor: 0
Recovery:
□ □ □ □
Damage:
□ □
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □
Speed: (1)
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Intellect:
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
XP:
■ ■
Abilities: drain creature, drift, determine shift
Weapons: unarmed 2 – eased, long sword 4, blaster 4 long range
Setup
Q: Do they see the glinting light in the distance?
(1d20+0: [5]+0 = 5)
No
Q: Does Ant know where he is?
(1d20+0: [17]+0 = 17)
Yes
Q: Can Ant find his way to the town?
(1d20+0: [19]+0 = 19)
Yes, and [“Dance”, “Hide”, “Sentimental”]
GM Intrusion: Ant can’t handle the sunlight -1 might +1 XP (+1 Ryan)
Cypher System disclaimer and Open Game License
Numenera, the Cypher System, No Thank You, Evil!, Invisible Sun, and their respective logos are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. All Monte Cook Games characters and character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof, are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC. Content derived from Monte Cook Games publications is © 2013-2023 Monte Cook Games, LLC.
The Mind of Nox 