In a previous post I generated the opening of a story set in Luka Rejec's Ultraviolet Grasslands RPG setting using AI Dungeon, the neural-network-powered adventure game. After trying to improve the formatting of the World Info that I provided to the AI, using the format created by a user called Zaltys, I decided to continue the story. Here is an edited version, with some parts cleaned up and cut down for brevity. Some names of locations have been changed so the AI can keep them straight. I have italicized my inputs, although sometimes I could not remember what I wrote and what the AI generated. This time I just tried to get the AI to continue the story wherever possible and only prompted it in order to add my character's own agency or to keep things on track (there was some pointless noodling around before the caravan set off).
"Where is the destination of the caravan?" you ask.
"The town of Twenty-Three, on the way to the Black Portals and the Gloom."
It's an adventure!
You shake his hand. "It's an honor, sir" you tell him. "But what trade goods are we carrying to the Black Portals?" you ask.
The Caravan master laughs. "We're not selling any. We're just transporting a gift to the Black King. He's the one you need to speak to, not me"
You make a mental note of what the Caravan Master tells you and ask "Where will the caravan head to first? The Great Steppe or the High Road?"
"The Great Steppe. It's not too far away from Twenty-Three, and we're likely to find water there. We'll fill the water skins and move on from there."
"How can I help?" you ask, thinking that it would be best to secure yourself a place in the caravan.
The Caravan Master smiles and says "We're just looking for one more person to share the costs and split the profits. It's dangerous out there, but I think you'd do well."
You offer your handshake to the Caravan Master "It would be an honor to join you. I'd be happy to take my share of the risk."
The Caravan Master shakes your hand and nods. "Great! We leave at noon. I'd introduce you to the rest of the crew, but they're all busy making preparations right now. We'll introduce you when we're on our way."
You thank him and take your leave, heading back to your home to pack for the journey.
…
When you reach the caravan the next morning you see that it is packed full of goods, and the crew are all busy loading the last of it. The Caravan Master sees you and smiles. "Perfect! You're here! The rest of the crew is inside getting ready. We leave as soon as they're done loading."
You enter the caravan. It's well-furnished inside. There's a small kitchen with a cauldron for cooking, tables and chairs, even a few bunks for sleeping.
"Impressive operation you are running here," you tell the Caravan Master "How many of us are travelling in the convoy?"
He chuckles. "Convoy? This isn't a military operation, sir. There isn't any need for all that. We're just going to the next town over. Only one of the caravans is leaving today. The other will leave tomorrow or the day after."
You nod, and he shows you to a seat at the table. Soon, the rest of the crew arrives.
There's the Caravan Master, who you've already met. There's the Navigator, a young man who promises to get you to your destination quickly and safely. There's the Doctor, a cheerful fellow who assures you that if you do get sick on the trip, he can provide the best care. There's the Chief, a massive man who is in charge of defending the caravan from raiders and monsters. Finally, there's the Guide, an older fellow with a long white beard who is familiar with the route to your destination.
You introduce yourself, swap jokes with the other Rainbowlanders and shake hands.
You sit down and introduce yourself. The other members of the crew are happy to meet you. They swap a few jokes, tell a few stories, and then the caravan sets off.
You travel West for three days. The land is flat and grassy. You see no people, but you pass several old towns and cities, now just ruins in the grass. The air is warm and humid, filled with birdsong.
You examine your map. You trace your route West from the Violet City. The map indicates that the road continues West for many miles, before turning North and ascending into the mountains. The mountains are high and jagged, and you see a narrow pass that winds through them. This is the route to the Black Portals. You are not going there, however: your destination is Twenty Three, a small community near a lake at the foot of the mountains.
You talk with the Navigator about the route. He traces it on the map for you.
The caravan stops for the night. The crew set up tents, start a fire and begin cooking supper. You're just heating some water to make coffee when you hear a chugging noise over the hiss of the fire.
You all look up. A strange vehicle is coming along the road. It's only the second time you've seen one of these vehicles in your life, but you recognize it immediately. It's a land train, powered by an ancient solar engine. The train runs on a set of metal tracks that disappear into the grasslands to the East. The train is long and flat, with a row of small windows, and a back engine to push it. There's a small platform at the front, and a door to access it.
It chugs toward you. There is no urgency to its movement. It looks almost like an old steam train, except that it is much longer, and the engine is in the back instead of the front.
The caravan crew stares at the strange vehicle as it approaches. You can hear it chugging along for miles. It eventually pulls up alongside the camp.
You walk over to it.
"Hello there," you call to whoever is in the train "We are traders travelling West. Do you have any news from the Ultraviolet Grasslands?"
There is a pause, then the door opens. A figure steps out.
You gasp. It is a woman, with purple skin and four arms. She wears a strange outfit of leather and brass. You've heard rumors of such people, but you've never seen one before. She stares at you in surprise. She's clearly just as shocked to see you.
She talks to you in a language you don't understand. It sounds almost like Red Tongue, spoken by the Redland dwarves. [Edited as the AI referred to contemporary languages]
"I am sorry," you apologize "Do you speak the Violet dialect like myself and my comrades?"
She stares at you, surprised by your fluency. "Who are you?" she asks "What are you doing out here in the middle of the Ultraviolet Grasslands? How did you end up so far from the caravans' usual routes?"
"I am called Aleph," you reply. You explain how your trading caravan is journeying to the town of Twenty Three via the Great Steppe.
"I see," says the woman, "My name is Ravan. I am a... a warrior of the Steppe Nomads."
"What brings you so far from your homeland?" you ask.
"I'm looking for someone," she says simply. She looks at you, as if trying to read your mind. "A child, lost in the wilderness. His name is Ata."
"I am sorry. If I every meet him I will tell him Ravan is looking for him."
She looks at you.
"How do I know you are not lying?"
"You do not," you say. "But I will tell you one thing. I have never lied. Not once in my life."
"Hmm..." she says, thinking about your answer. "I shall have to trust you."
You look at her, surprised.
"Just like that?"
"Just like that," she says, smiling.
"Good luck on your quest," you tell the purple woman as she climbs back into the land train. She waves as the train pulls away from the station.
You turn, and continue your own journey to Twenty Three.
It is nearly dawn and your caravan companions are beginning to break camp and reload the gear into the caravan. The Caravan Master is ready to set off again. You are looking forward to a long day in the saddle, chewing the fat with your friends. "Come on, Aleph," calls out the Caravan Master, "let's ride!"
Twenty minutes later, you are riding through the desert. The land is harsh and inhospitable, but there are signs that people have made this journey before. You pass by a stone obelisk carved with symbols from before times. The obelisk is cracked and weathered with age.
Your mount stops suddenly. "Woah, easy there," you tell the startled beast. The obelisk is strange though.
You descend from your mount and walk over to the obelisk for a closer look. "What do you think these symbols are, Guide?" you ask your travelling companion.
The Guide dismounts from his pack lizard and walks over to the obelisk. He squints at it for a while, then scratches his head. "I'll be damned if I know," he says.
You all scratch your heads in confusion.
He stares at the obelisk in silence. "It's old," he replies, "very old."
You look at him, then back at the crumbling stone pillar. You run your finger along the line of symbols on its surface. What could it mean? You've never seen anything like it.
"We should go back," says the Guide.
You look at your map of the Twenty Three Cities. It is old and faded, and the cities have probably changed names many times since it was written. Still, it is all you have to go on. You trace the line of the trade route from the Violet City to Twenty Three. Your finger stops at each numbered city along the path.
"One... Two... Three..."
Something clicks. There must have been a city here long ago. But it was swallowed by the Ultraviolet Grasslands. Now all that remains is this obelisk. You shake your head and return to the caravan.
"What's that?" asks the Caravan Master.
"It's an obelisk," you reply, "but I don't know what it means."
The Caravan Master frowns.
"How do you know it means anything?" he asks.
You shrug and point to the line of symbols near the bottom.
"I think there was a town here once. That's what my map indicates, anyways," you say to him, slightly melancholy "I guess we had better be going if we want to make it to the Great Steppe before nightfall".
"Very well," says the Caravan Master.
The Caravan Master calls the caravan to depart. The great beasts of burden that carry your supplies begin to lumber forward. You turn to leave, then stop.
You've forgotten something... but what?
The obelisk. The obelisk is important.
You hurry back towards it and find... nothing. It's not there. Nothing is there. Your brow furrows in confusion. You must have imagined it.
Perturbed, you spur your mount back to the rest of the caravan. You try not to think about it during the rest of the journey.
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