Choose Your Own Adventure #1 [Frith Chronicles]

(As I said before, I'm going to be trying this out. For everyone who has "see short stories" picked for the Patreon ($5 tier), I'll also be providing a CYOA adventure through the Frith Chronicles world. Hopefully it'll be fun and exciting!)

Here is the first installment. Let me know what you think.

Frith Chronicles [Choose Your Own Adventure] Part 1

For your entire life, you’ve lived on the Isle of Haylin.

It’s a moderate island with two towns, and ports on both the northern shore and western shore. Sun shines across the white beaches most of the year, except for the storm season, when clouds blot the sky with darkness for 2-3 months.

Currently, it’s the warmest summer you’ve ever known in your fifteen years of live—even the ocean seems to be sweating as the sun beats down on everything. Umbrellas are planted on the walkways and canopies hang over every balcony.

This is the perfect weather for salamanders, the fire-breathing lizards that inhabit the caves near your hometown, West Jin. The mystical creatures have been swarming lately, and they fill their caves with charred plants and smaller animals. Their nests smell of char and flesh.

People claim that salamanders gravitate toward courage and recklessness. They dislike cowards, and they often enjoy bravado.

Unfortunately, this is terrible weather for the pack of wendigo that live on the sole mountain in the middle of the island. To be fair, the Wendigo aren’t native to the Isle of Haylin. They were brought here by pirates who wanted to hide them from the Royal Navy. The pirates were defeated in a battle over a decade ago, and they never returned for their prized mystical creatures.

The pirates had left two adult wendigos. They had pups, and now they roamed the mountain, picking off people who foolishly braved the steep slopes. The man-eaters love flesh, and anyone who they deem unworthy is killed on sight.

They’ve become a local nuance, and guild arcanists have been summoned to deal with the problem. This is the season they’ll be removed from the island, you’re sure of it.

Wendigo only bond with people who are close to death and display some sort of tenacity. It’s difficult to pass their Trial of Worth, and mystery surrounds the whole process.

The bright sun has also brought with it smooth sailing. Well, some people have other ideas on why the waves are so calm. Sailors whisper rumors at the local taverns in North Jin. They say a group of baby leviathans have turned up in one of the coves. The sailors believe the leviathans are the ones responsible for the waters.

No one has proved that, though. It’s all just whispers.

Leviathans want to bond with travelers, leaders, and people with strong willpower. Leviathans are considered royalty of the ocean, and have personalities as big as they are.

This year, everyone is excited for the salamander’s Trial of Worth. The island has traditions about the bonding ceremony, and the whole island is getting prepared for the festivities. You’re certain there will be a lot of grilled meat to eat.

To your good fortune, you’re fifteen and you want to become an arcanist. To your misfortune, there are three others who want to become arcanists as well.

Brixin was taller and wider than any fifteen-year-old had the right to be. He was built like a horse, and his blond hair reminds everyone of spun gold. His dashing looks were destroyed when he smiled, though. He had sharp canines, and an even sharp gaze. The man had the aura of a shark.

Nini was the exact opposite in all ways. Short. Cute. Quiet. She was fifteen, but she could’ve passed as a red-headed eleven-year-old. All her life, people had overlooked her, even her five older sisters. Nini always excelled at academics, though. She studied like no one else and memorized everything.

Wyre… was an unknown. He had arrived on the island only a year ago—an orphan. He had been given to the silversmith for an apprenticeship, and little else is known about him. He kept his dark hair shoulder-length, and rarely spoke. The sailors who spread rumors said his parents had abandoned him in order to join a band of privateers. A few elderly women in town claimed Wyre had killed his own parents, but managed to get away with the murder by pinning it on his uncle.

You have no idea what the truth is. You’ve never really interacted with the guy.

Today is the day to head out and try your hand at a Trial of Worth. Once you’ve bonded to a mystical creature, you can then head to the mainland to join a guild—or perhaps the navy, or even a group of pirates, if your heart is black enough.

But what creature will you even attempt to approach? Each creature on the Isle of Haylin is unique—and dangerous. People have died during the salamander’s Trial of Worth. Wendigos eat people they don’t enjoy. Leviathans are elusive, and they drown those who aren’t leaders worthy of their magic.

What do you do?

A) Head to the salamander caves.

B) Head to the wendigo-infested mountain.

C) Head to the secluded leviathan cove.

D) Wait until Brixin, Nini, and Wyre head off to their respective Trials of Worth… and then head to the mystical creature that has no competition.

E) Wait until Brixin, Nini, and Wyre head off to their respective Trials of Worth… and then head to the one with the most participants.

F) Stay home. It’s dangerous out there.