Wader the Frog
The newly revealed path led Wader to a rocky hillside. The trees thinned out, and the ground was littered with debris from a recent storm. Broken branches and scattered leaves crunched under his feet as he cautiously made his way forward.
At the bottom of the hill, Wader spotted a small wooden hut nestled against a large boulder. A sign hung crookedly over the doorway: "CURBSIDE SCROLL REPAIRS - ALL WRITTEN WORK WELCOME." Intrigued, Wader stepped inside.
The hut was cluttered with scrolls, parchments, and ink pots. At a desk sat a wizened fox wearing spectacles, fur streaked with gray. The fox looked up from a piece of parchment they were repairing. “Ah, a traveler! I am the scribe of these lands,” they said. “What brings you to my humble shop?”
Wader showed the glowing scroll. “I'm on a quest, and this scroll has been guiding me. But I've just solved a puzzle, and I don't know where to go next.”
The scribe examined the scroll carefully. “Hmm… fascinating work. It seems your next destination lies in a place that has been buried by time.” They gestured toward a map on the wall, which depicted the surrounding area. “You'll need to reach the Tor of Shadows, but be careful—many travelers return from there bruised or not at all.”
Wader gulped but nodded. “I'll be careful. How do I find it?”
“Take the old bus route,” the scribe instructed, pointing to a trail marked on the map. “The bus hasn't run in years, but the path is still there. Follow it until you see the dice carvings on the rocks—those mark the entrance.”
Just as Wader turned to leave, a loud voice called from the back of the hut. “Dibs on helping him!” Out hopped a tiny, energetic chipmunk with a satchel almost as big as they were. “Name's Scid,” the chipmunk announced, puffing out their chest. “I'm great with puzzles, traps, and snacks. You'll need me.”
The scribe sighed but smiled. “Fine, Scid. But no mischief.”
Scid saluted and bounded over to Wader. “Let's go! Adventure awaits!”
The two followed the overgrown trail, the remnants of the old bus route barely visible through the underbrush. Along the way, they spotted weathered stone carvings shaped like dice. Just beyond, the path ended at a cavernous opening in the hillside.
“This is it,” Wader said, staring into the shadowy entrance.
The scroll in his satchel pulsed, glowing faintly as new words appeared:
"Among the debris, a truth lies still,
The path you take bends to your will.
Roll the dice, but choose with care,
For fortune and fate both linger there."
“Roll the dice?” Scid said, scratching their head. “I guess we'll figure it out inside.”
Wader took a deep breath, clutching the scroll tightly. With Scid at his side, he stepped into the darkness, ready to face the mysteries of the Tor of Shadows.