There is a ravine high in the Dark Mountains, a ravine so deep that no-one knows what is at the bottom. This ravine is named the Cleft.

Those who fall down it are never heard of again in the world. But these people do not just disappear.

Vyran, Twig, Desrik and Karia lie in the bottom of this ravine, finding themselves in a small pool of water that broke their fall - not without injury, as the bruises that cover them testify. Surrounding the pool are stone buildings: a tavern and a smithy are easy to recognise based on sound and smoke, but there are many other buildings, most built into the cliffside possibly houses or tradesperson's workshops. Whatever the case, it is a quaint little village in the depths of the Cleft. Passersby do not pay much attention to the four unconscious figures lying in the pool, which means that people falling down the Cleft is clearly a common occurrence.

A glance upwards lets one see a shaft of light shining down from a gap in the rock a good few miles above their crevasse, the midday sun casting a few rays of direct sunlight into the village.

The things that shock the group? First, that they have no memories save their name and their language. Second, that they are naked as the day they were born.

Vyran awoke from the puddle. He blinked as the light blinded him tempremarly. He coughed up a little bit of water, as he sat up. Realising he was naked he became highly embaressed. He called out to anyone awake," Hey! Does anyone have any clothes I could have?" He glance around at the other three around him. He guessed that they must have been attacked, or worse, for all four of them to happened to be laying naked in this little bit of water.

Wet. Cold. These were Desrik's first consious thoughts.
He was dimly aware that he was laying in what might have been a large mud puddle. And he was getting a draft...

"Hey! Does anyone have any clothes I could have?" A call sounded from very near. 'Not just me, eh?' Desrik thought to himself, cracking an eye open and glancing over.
He quickly shut said eye again.
'Lovely. My first sight is a naked man....' He thought bitterly to himself. What had happened? Why was he lying here? And speaking of, where the hell was 'Here'?

Sitting up, he moved his head side to side, cracking his neck. Opening his eyes again, but avoiding the other man, he glanced around. It seemed they were in some sort of small village. Looking up, he could see the sky, distantly. Large earthy walls of a ravine surrounded him.
'Lovely...' He thought again, eyeing the passer-bys. They seemed to not pay much attention.
'Odd. I would think naked people in a pool of water would draw attention.....'
Looking around the pool, he saw two others besides the first naked man. Another man, and a woman.
Desrik's gaze paused on her. She was beautiful, even in the grime.
'Perhaps it isnt all bad.... Who is she?' he thought to himself, eyes not leaving her form.
He was distantly aware that he should really get some clothes... but then, at the moment, he wasn't exactly out of place.
Without turning to look at the standing man, Desrik asked,
"So, sir, if I may ask... Who the hell are you, and why the hell am i unclothed? And assuming you know more than me, why are we in each other's presence? All naked, i might add...."

"Dont forget, everything is up to you now." Karia looked towards the voice but couldnt see a face. "Who are you? What am I doing?" the voice responded "Never forget."

She opened her eyes and was startled she jumped up but immediately went back down. She grabbed at her sides that were in pain as she checked for bleeding she realized she had no clothes on. That was the least of her worries though as she couldnt remember anything else. As the sound of man rang in her ears her left hand dropped swiftly to her side, she looked down and saw nothing. She was confused "what was I looking for? What am I doing here?"
She looked around to see all the others naked just the same as her, The thought that she was the only woman surrounded by naked men crept into her mind "did they.." She dismissed that thought based on the fact that she was in the middle of the town, noone wold be that brazen. She saw the stone buildings around her and the people not paying much attention to the group of naked people surrounding laying in the middle of the town in a small pool of water. Something here wasnt adding up and this was no accident they were her. Moreso before she could figure out why she was here or what she was doing she would have to figure out who she was. Was she part of the town, a travel, a adventurer. Her head started to hurt as panic set in and she couldnt remember the slightest detail.


"Hey! Does anyone have any clothes I could have?"

"So, sir, if I may ask... Who the hell are you, and why the hell am i unclothed? And assuming you know more than me, why are we in each other's presence? All naked, i might add...."

She took a few deep breaths..."karia.. thats my name and thats where ill start." She stood up taking care to cover herself and looked to the others "Is everyone ok?" "Do any of you know whats going on?"

Vyran turned to Desrick after Desrick asked Vyran about their current situation.
" I have absolutley no idea whatsoever." Vyran replied," In fact, I have no memories of what occured before today, this second.
"Karia.. that's my name and that's where I'll start..." Karia groaned as she stood up, carefully covering herself." Is everyone OK? Do you know what's going on?"
"Like I said to this guy," Vyran gestured to Desrick," I have no idea. Though Judging by the towns reaction, or lack of, I think this must be fairly common place maybe they'll know." Vyran paused for a moment," I think the first course of action though, is to get covered up.

"Well then I guess we should move to find a tailor then and see if anyone saw what happened."

Alot of things didnt make sense to her why was everyone so apathetic to thier situation it seems like this would be more of a scene then it was made out to be. That led her to believe that they werent locals seeing as someone they knew would have said something to her or the men. But it seems like outsiders would also draw at least a good samaritan, unless this was more common occurence then it would seem. But how did all of us end up her, were we friends, comrades, enemies? She knew someone would know something. Through everything that happened Karia felt incomplete, she was missing something that was very attached to her. Only time would tell how this would all play out. But first things first they needed some clothes...

As if responding to their calls, a figure headed towards them from a house on the edge of the village. About twenty or so, she wore a very tasteful beige and brown ensemble, her blonde hair pulled back in a knot. In her arms was a bundle of clothes.

"Greetings to you all," she smiled, offering the clothes, "I regret to say that these clothes may not fit correctly, but I'm sure that you will not have many complaints," she apologised, all the time passing her eyes over Twig's naked form. She smirked and continued.
"My dad said to invite you to come get a drink at his tavern, the Falling Fool. First drink on the house, he says it'll draw more custom. Anyway, I've got to get back to work, so if you'll excuse me..." she finished as she gently lowered the clothing to the floor.

Desrik graciously accepted the garb, though his eyes continued to slide over to veiw Karia. He wasn't sneaky about it. After all, from their obvious lack of memory, it was just as likely that she was his as not.
'Still.... She doesn't seem familier to me.... But nothing does at this point....' He thought to himself, dressing quickly. It was nice to be out of the puddle.

Once finished, he began to the tavern, holding the door for Karia. (And the others, he supposed, since he didn't want to come off as rude in front of her.)

"My dad said to invite you to come get a drink at his tavern, the Falling Fool. First drink on the house, he says it'll draw more custom. Anyway, I've got to get back to work, so if you'll excuse me..."

The Falling Fool karia thought to herself, That clears up some mystery. As she looked through the clothes she grabbed a skin tight sleeveless white shirt, a pair of grey baggy pants with a pair of brown boots and a loosely slung belt and a black scarf that she through around her neck letting the excess hang behind her back. Karia looked at the girl "Did you see what happened, or does this type of thing happen often?" Karia had all but ruled out that they were from here and if they were enemies they wouldnt be afforded such graces.. nor would they have woken up for that matter. She knew that no matter what the young ladies response was her father was bound to have more information. It would seem more likely they were either traders,soliers or adventurers.

She noticed the social graces of one of the men.. the one that kept looking at her.. maybe he remembered something she didnt maybe not. First thing is they need to find out what the tavern owner knows and repay his kindness.

She entered into the Inn and greeted the man accepting whatever the first drink she saw was "Sir, thank you for your kindness I humbly offer my services around your inn as repayment for these clothes..and board?"

Karia would make sure that her group had proper food and lodging and thier was no better place for someone who needs information to be then the center of all gosip. But one thing else remained, Karia didnt know if any of them were warriors but she knew they needed weapons.

Karia looked at the girl "Did you see what happened, or does this type of thing happen often?"
"Oh, all th'time, but not always naked. I reckon old Butterfingers went and robbed you like he did the rest, unconscious as they were. Anyway, gotta get to work, these clothes don't sew themselves," she finished with a smile, "Pop by sometime, my clothes are good, if not free." She set off in direction of one of the simple looking buildings, which they now learned was a clothier's workshop.

The group entered into the Inn.
The Falling Fool Inn was a standard tavern: with a wooden plank interior, tables scattered around a bar at the far end, and a few patrons milling around. A grizzled old man in a chair by the fireplace, an old hag with a crystal ball at the other end of the room, a soot-stained burly man and a weedy boy each with a pint of beer... three adventuring types, armed to the teeth, strode out through the door as it closed behind the four clueless new arrivals.

Karia greeted the man accepting whatever the first drink she saw was "Sir, thank you for your kindness; I humbly offer my services around your inn as repayment for these clothes..and board?"
The barman laughed as he served each of the group a tankard of ale, "The clothes were Billie's, nothin' to do with me. Welcome to Cleft! I hope the fall didn't leave you all without anything to pay for your drinks with!"

He smirked as he grabbed a used beer mug and wiped it down, considering Karia's words, before replying, "I like your way of thinking. Pragmatic, first thought on your mind being lodgings and food. Tell you what, you can have two rooms for tonight, until you find somewhere to stay, or somehow to pay. Do you want some stew, or aren't you hungry?"

Karia: +1 Karma for "Pragmatism in the line of duty."

Vyran quickly dressed himself before dressing an unconcieus Twig. As the Desrick and Karia headed to the Tavern, Vyran trailed behind, carrying Twig with him. Vyran was curious about Desrcik's intrest in Karia. Did they know each other before hand? Or did Desrik hope think that they were? Whatever the case, Vyran carried Twig in to the Tavern, and set Twig's unconcious form on a seat. Vyran listened to the Barkeeper, but he was peoccupied with what Billie the seamstress said. If thsis Butterfingers did indeed take their stuff, they would need to get it back. Perhaps it would shine a light on their past. Also, Vyran thought, Butterfingers was a strange name for someone who took things. Butter was slippery after all.

Vyran turned to Desrick and Karia. Vyran observed," It looks like we have three primary goals: get our stuff back, find out who we are, and get a source of income to pay people. Vyran paused for a second before turning to the barkeeper. He asked," Good sir, what type of currency is used around here?"

A grizzled old man in a chair by the fireplace, an old hag with a crystal ball at the other end of the room, a soot-stained burly man and a weedy boy each with a pint of beer... three adventuring types, armed to the teeth, strode out through the door as it closed behind the four clueless new arrivals.


" It looks like we have three primary goals: get our stuff back, find out who we are, and get a source of income to pay people. Vyran paused for a second before turning to the barkeeper. He asked," Good sir, what type of currency is used around here?"

Karia payed close attention to everything around her the Adventurers that were "heavily armed" the weedy boy and the Hag with the crystal ball. One of them was bound to know the whereabouts of butterfingers..but if he indeed did rob them he would have all thier possessions if they werent hocked already. So going after him first may not be the safest course of action, till they could become more equipped at least. But Karia did have an idea that may just work.

Karia tried to look as innocent and charming as she could when she addressed the owner. "Thank you so much for helping me and my friends here in our time of need. How noble you are and your kindness will not be forgotten, Some stew would be lovely." she said with a smile "do you have a clergy in these parts by chance?"

After finishing up her conversation with the barkeep karia met with her friends at a table they had bought a little bit of time but they needed to act quickly or the trail would run cold.

"listen that one is still out cold so he wont be of much use to us as is, I suggest we leave him in the room and ask the bartender to rely a message to him in the event he wakes up. We have food and rooms for the night and a possible lead on our possessions, but we still dont know who we are or what we can do. But we do have a Fortune teller who may know a little bit of magic and some well armored warriors. Maybe seeing them in action might jog our memories, at least so we know what are strong points are. I will try to Charm the men into giving us a little display but we need to act quickly if we want a shot at this. Any thoughts on everything?"

Desrik nodded, having remained silent until now.
"This Butterfinger guy will pay, as is fitting of all thieves." He said cryptically, making a motion that seemed to indicate a noose.
"For now, we should focus on making money. I doubt these people will remain so civil if we can't pay our way..." He added, eyeing Karia. "No matter how 'persuasive' you can be, my dear. Besides, I'm willing to bet we had some cash on us when we were robbed." Desrik seemed to consider something for a moment.
"This is a rather small town. I imagine a thief that is known by the tavern girl can't be hard to find...."

"It looks like we have three primary goals: get our stuff back, find out who we are, and get a source of income to pay people. Good sir, what type of currency is used around here?"
"Here in Cleft, money ain't any use, as it can't be melted down and used for weaponry. We barter in useful objects or services, or duels."

"Thank you so much for helping me and my friends here in our time of need. How noble you are and your kindness will not be forgotten, Some stew would be lovely. Do you have a clergy in these parts by chance?"
The barman laughed, "The stew and room aren't 'cause I'm generous, they're to incite you to come back again. Business practices, y'see," he quickly served another patron before returning, "A clergy, y'say? Nothing of that sort I know of round here. I s'pose you could count ol' Dom..."

Karia met with her friends at a table they had bought a little bit of time but they needed to act quickly or the trail would run cold. Desrik said "This is a rather small town. I imagine a thief that is known by the tavern girl can't be hard to find...."
"Oooh, a tavern girl, y'say?" a voice piped up from behind the group, "Is she hot? Where is she?"
They turned around to spot a short, bald man in a stone grey cassock creeping up behind them, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"I'm Dominic Richardson, Priest of the Order of the Trouser. I couldn't help but overhear you talking of a new tavern girl. Would you know anything about her?"

Vyran turned to Dominic Richardson. Vyran said while attempting to be polite and tactful," I think we were just speaking about the barkeepers daughter. No new people whatsoever." Vyran did try to hide his disgust; perhaps here, this was common. Or maybe this guy was the town drunk. Whichever case Vyran decided that being polite to all, would be better than being mean to any. He did what to figure out what to do after all.