The Red Barn Mystery Room Descriptions *app 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456 *app *app You step into a void that occupies neither time nor space. You experience a *app vortex of reality and hyper-reality mixing and thrashing at your senses. A *app strange glowing portal appears to reach back into time to a past era, and an *app aged farmyard is partially obscured by the eddies in the continuum. Closer *app is a portal to a possible future, albeit future imperfect, and a place that *app looks like the ruins of a school. You feel like you are being pulled in both *app directions as you decide which way to move. *app *app You enter a research space created in parallel with other environments to *app explore the engagement of the participant in non-linear fiction. MUD, MOO *app and SecondLife have been chosen as platforms to explore the user and their *app relationship to the environment, how the environment pre-disposes a way of *app experiencing narrative, and the imaginative burden and role placed on the *app participant. *app . *app This area, while having NOTHING to do the world of TerraMUD, is part of *app a study in action learning initiated by Mrs Lindy McKeowan as part of her *app PHD study into SecondLife as a vehicle for PD. Wonko?s part in the project *app was to explore the connection participants felt for the narrative and *app how that engagement changes as the environment changes. Wonko is also *app interested in exploring the balance between energy expended constructing *app the narrative and the amount of believable detail resulting from that *app expended creative energy ? particularly given that the environments are *app both very similar and very different. *app . *app Please feel free to browse, be patient as stuff develops here, feel free *app to feedback your experiences ? we are all learning here. Established TMUX *app players should note there are NO useful in-game objects, spells or other *app artifacts in this section ? all items monsters here are here as part of *app the narrative. *app *app 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456 *app *app You stand on compacted earth in the rut of a well-worn wagon trail that *app extends the length of an old farmyard. Ramshackle buildings surround you and *app hint at the dilapidated state of an old and run-down farm. In front of you *app stands a large barn, clearly designed for managing livestock. Large barn *app door rise to meet sections of the roof clad in rusty red shingles which you *app reason must be later additions to the otherwise thatched structure. You can *app see all around relatively level fields spread lazily into the hazy distance *app and the earthy smells of domestic animals assault your senses. *app *app You stand at the front of an old barn at the northern end of a large *app farmyard adjacent to a homestead. You can see the aged timbers are cracked *app and dry, gaps stuffed with rags to exclude winter drafts. An open door *app immediately to the north leads into a crowded workroom and large barn doors *app stand to the northwest and one of them moves gently in the breeze, rattling *app as it bangs in it's jam. You can see a rickety fence to the east and what *app looks like a narrow passage running alongside the barn on that side. Gentle *app sounds of stabled animals emanate from within the barn and the smell of *app freshly threshed hay mask other earthy odors. A low well-worn chopping block *app is to the west of the door, darkly stained you surmise from the last chicken *app dispatched there, yet strangely missing the axe. Piles of freshly split *app kindling are stacked on the eastern side of the door adjacent to an old *app water barrel under a corroded lead down pipe. *app *app 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456 *app *app You stand in the entrance to a crowded and untidy workshop adjacent to the *app main barn, carefully dodging broken farm implements and tools stacked in *app need of attention. Swathes of leather thong and strapping hang from pegs *app in the wall alongside coils of rough wire and sisal rope. Weeding hoes and *app shovels are stacked behind the rough-hewn door. A cluttered workbench can *app be seen to the west and to the east there is an opening to the main barn, *app warm ripe farm odors waft in from that direction. A door leading to the *app outside is ajar to the south, leading to a farmyard beyond and colder *app fresher air greets your senses in that direction. *app *app You stand beside a rough-hewn workbench clearly made from re-purposed *app timbers. Pegs on the walls provide perches for equipment and tools and you *app notice high on the western wall brackets for farm firearms, noticing a *app musket wrapped in oilcloth and the space where a flint-lock pistol should *app be. The workbench is littered with carpentry tools including adzes, spoke- *app shaves and awls. A worn pedal-powered sharpening stone sits in the south- *app western corner with hoes and an axe leaning on it, waiting sharpening. *app Oil-soaked burlap and pots of pitch line the northwestern corner with *app dully glistening scythes and ploughshares hanging above. *app *app 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456 *app *app You stand in the main body of a cavernous timber barn, old straw crunching *app under your feet. A dim oil lantern flickers overhead casting odd shadows *app that seem to dance amongst the hand-hewn timbers of the roof space. The barn *app runs roughly west-east, with a stock enclosure to the east, fresh manure *app gently steaming in the cool damp air. Saddle and harness gear is visible to *app the northwest and the straw is swept clear of a timber trapdoor set into the *app floor, a large rusted iron ring providing its handle. An unsophisticated *app pane glass window is set into the east wall, it's glass frosted with grime *app and age, allowing a shaft of eerie light in from outside, visible only *app because of the swirls of dust kicked up as you walk around. Soft noises *app from penned livestock makes you feel comfortable and safe. *app *app You find yourself inside a pen used to house domestic farm animals in the *app cold of winter. At the moment it is being used as stables for the draught *app horses who munch contentedly on winter oats in their feed bins along the *app east wall of the enclosure. You notice that fresh hay has been recently *app forked here and smells sweet, obscuring the wheelbarrow of spent hay that is *app ready to be taken away to the dung heap outside. Just to the south you can *app see a side room piled high with dried oats, chaff and sorghum and surmise it *app is where feed is stored before being used. You notice that in the absence of *app a loft, all available space is utilized for storage and other utilitarian *app purposes. Huge floor to ceiling timber barn doors can be seen further to the *app south, one of them seems to move gently in the light breeze, allowing odd *app irregular shafts of light to dance in the dust near that entrance. *app *app 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456 *app *app You stand amidst mounds and hand-formed bales of stock feed with yellow- *app grey hay and dark green lucerne and chaff freshly pitched. The floor is *app littered with crushed seed and husk and an ancient wooden pitchfork stands *app propped in the corner near the door. A wide timber hatch is visible in the *app southern exterior wall that you assume is used to pitch feed into this area *app but it is latched shut, presumably from the outside. Looking up into the *app roof space you can see open timber trusses holding up what looks like a *app tiled section of the roof, cobwebs clustered with dust and debris festoon *app the space disguising the ladders and other items in storage amongst the *app rafters. The sound of scuffling indicates vermin who you suppose scavenge *app for stray grains, the scat on the floor confirms their presence. *app *app You stand inside the entrance of an old barn, dwarfed by enormous timber *app doors, now closed, that lead to the outer farmyard. Straw and compacted *app earth are underfoot and a high gabled roof towers overhead. Exposed roof *app trusses festooned with cobwebs overhead provide storage for wagon components *app and drying timbers, partially obscuring the red tiles of this section of the *app roof which you notice is different to the main barn thatch. Numerous timber *app pegs in west and east walls provide perches for harness, bridle and leather *app yoke storage for draft animals. Broken timber wagon-wheels lean on the east *app wall lazily awaiting repair. Coopers tools and unfinished timber barrels and *app hog heads rest on the west wall. Tracks in the compacted earth suggest that *app a sulky or wagon is often in this part of the barn. One of the large doors *app moves slightly in the gentle breeze to the south, the main barn and stock *app livery opens to the north and what looks like a smaller feed room is east *app from there. *app *app 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456 *app *app Clutching a lantern, you find yourself on a steep and rickety timber ladder *app that leads from the main barn down to what looks like a cellar. Your lantern *app casts eerie shadows around you as you dangle precariously on a tread that *app you hope is not as rotten as you look. You can see an earthen floor below *app and a closed timber trapdoor above but can see no latch on this side. *app The air is cool and musty and there is a curious faint odor of decay but *app you are not able to localize it, nor easily separate it from the other *app earthy odors you have grown accustomed to in the areas above. You think you *app can continue carefully down the ladder so long as you watch your step. *app Pushing on the trapdoor you notice it is not locked shut above you, much to *app your relief as the proximity of the rough hewn walls of this space feel like *app they are closing in on you. *app *app You stand on the rough earthen floor of a cellar. Your lamp illuminates *app the timbers set into the walls shoring up the earth behind. You notice a *app crisp chill in the stale air and reason that being underground has an *app insulating quality that would keep the temperature here more or less *app miserably cold all year around. You notice small timber barrels stacked *app gathering dust and mould and reason they are spirit or liquor of some *app sort put down for storage. A rusty soot-encrusted lamp sits atop the stack *app unlit. A rickety and rotting timber ladder rises towards a dark timber trap- *app door and the barn above. Shadows and stacks of old farm equipment obscure *app your view of the south eastern corner. *app *app Your flickering lamp struggles to displace the enveloping darkness of this *app dark corner. You notice an old shovel resting against the wall, a mound of *app old farm equipment stacked against the southern wall and your boots crunch *app on what looks like relatively recently dug earth, mounded slightly and *app compacted inexpertly. You find this odd as the rest of the cellar floor is *app fairly level and dry. Along the eastern wall are stacked wicker baskets *app partially filled with root vegetables and other stored produce. The smell *app of fresh turned earth is mingled with something vaguely unpleasant but you *app struggle to identify or localize the odor. A ladder is visible lurking in *app the shadows to the west. *app *app 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456 *app *app Using the shovel, you dig into the softened earth and expose what appears to *app be a shallow grave, the reek of decomposition slaps your senses sharply, *app seemingly magnified by the cool crispness of the air and enclosed nature of *app the space. You notice decomposed sections of female clothing have begun to *app incorporate themselves into the soil you have dug out, and can make out that *app the body you have uncovered is female albeit badly decomposed. You get the *app feeling that you recognize something about the body, and also feel like you *app are being watched but when you look around there is no one else there. You *app can only guess what happened to this person, but sense that something is *app not as it should be. *app *app A narrow passage between an old timber fence and the eastern end of the barn *app extends north south. You can see bales of rusted wire and a disused wagon *app that have been placed here out of harms way. A well worn path extends north *app and stops near some broken fence palings forming a hole in the fence leading *app to the fields in the east paddock. The barn rises before you and stretches *app to the east, it's red tiles roof section jutting out in front of the main *app structure adding an odd asymmetry to the building. *app *app You stand to the east of a fence that forms a boundary for a sprawling farm *app yard further west. Looking to the east, a gently sloping paddock opens *app before you, an odd patchwork of dry stone walled, hedged and fenced fields *app each interconnected by rustic stiles. A muster path winds lazily up the hill *app into the distance. Damaged fence palings here provide a path through to the *app farmyard beyond. The sprawling shade of a chestnut tree in the southwestern *app corner of this field provides rudimentary shelter for resting livestock and *app knee-high oats sway gently in the breeze forming rhythmic waves up the hill. *app *app You stand atop a low hillock and are greeted with a near circular vista of *app the countryside surrounding you. A patchwork of different grains outlined by *app walls and hedges blanket the surrounding farmland. In the distance to the *app west a farm compound nestles in a dell, the bright yellow thatch contrasts *app with the sections of red roofing and the dark facing timbers. Far to the *app east a column of smoke rises from a wooded glade down towards the brook that *app meanders between the rises far into the distance. Muster paths wander lazily *app following the contours on both sides of the hillock. A stone cairn has been *app constructed at the highest point from stones gathered in the field but you *app can only guess as to it's significance and how long it has been there. *app *app You stand in the shade of a spreading elm tree, beside a gently babbling *app brook that meanders through the valleys between adjacent hillocks on its *app way to the sea. The water is deep and clear, weeds and rushes choke it's *app banks. To the southeast, in a wooded glade is what looks like the encampment *app of a group of itinerant travelers. A large covered wagon is visible through *app the trees and the smoke of a campfire rises lazily in the gentle breeze, *app being wafted this way then that. The sound of talking drifts towards you but *app it is difficult to locate the origin, occasional dog barks echo amongst the *app boughs but they do not spoil the beauty and tranquility of this place. A *app worn path leads along the bank of the brook towards the encampment and *app another meanders up the hill towards a cairn further to the west. *app *app 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456 *app *app You stand amongst the tents and lean-to's of a swag of Romany families. You *app notice that tents and other structures seem to cluster in an organized way, *app with women and children protected on one flank by a large wooden wagon, and *app on the other by the men's camp. The much-repaired covered wagon looks to be *app the home of an important family, although you surmise it also carries much *app of the gear when on the move. The encampment does not look like it has been *app here for long, suggesting these folk are itinerants that locals would label *app "Gypsies". Timber in the campfire and cooking pit crackles as a thin column *app of smoke rises through the sparsely wooded glade. You can hear hushed voices *app and a dog barking in the distance. A brook babbles peacefully to the east *app adding to the idyllic surroundings a peaceful soundtrack. *app *app You sit on a large felled bough arranged as part of a sitting circle around *app a campfire and cooking pit. Thin columns of smoke rise gently through a *app gap in the canopy above, mingling with the herbal odors emanating from a pot *app of slowly braising rabbit stew and the freshly brewed nettle tea one of the *app cooks hands you. The comforting glow of the fire warms you and you feel *app welcomed, but also detect a hidden unease amongst the residents around you - *app half finished conversations, hushed giggles and lapses into an unfamiliar *app dialect suggest that these people have learnt not to be completely open with *app strangers. You notice a pair of horses grazing in the distance on the sweet *app grass at the brook's edge, and see the rope hobbles preventing them from *app wandering far. Freshly washed clothes are draped over rushes to dry, a child *app is bathed by an attentive but tired mother on a slatted timber platform near *app the brook. You marvel at the simplicity yet effectiveness of their lives. *app *app You crouch a little so as not to hit your head on the suspended oil lamp *app hanging plumb in the centre of a congested but organized space. You notice *app cushions and a large bedroll have been arranged to make space for group *app discussions, simple decorations and hints of silver adorn the arched timber *app roof supports. Looking up you can see pitch and tar spots where the aging *app shingles have been repaired and made weather proof. The dark timbers of *app the floor and walls are smooth and cool to touch, glowing with a well-worn *app patina. Curtains section off the main living area from the opening that you *app presume leads to the drivers seat out the front, and campfire circle beyond. *app Although this is obviously the living space of an important member of the *app group, you do not feel like it is an unwelcoming place ? indeed decorations *app and precious things from many people seem to be housed here. You figure that *app this space is a communal concern. A small table in the centre of the space *app contains a coffee pot, freshly brewed smells emanate from it and you notice *app a number of small cups set out, as yet unused. *app @set here.description to "You stand on compacted earth in the rut of a well-worn wagon trail that extends the length of an old farmyard. Ramshackle buildings surround you and hint at the dilapidated state of an old and run-down farm. In front of you stands a large barn, clearly designed for managing livestock. Large barn door rise to meet sections of the roof clad in rusty red shingles which you reason must be later additions to the otherwise thatched structure. You can see all around relatively level fields spread lazily into the hazy distance and the earthy smells of domestic animals assault your senses." @set here.description to "You stand at the front of an old barn at the northern end of a large farmyard adjacent to a homestead. You can see the aged timbers are cracked and dry, gaps stuffed with rags to exclude winter drafts. An open door immediately to the north leads into a crowded workroom and large barn doors stand to the northwest and one of them moves gently in the breeze, rattling as it bangs in it's jam. You can see a rickety fence to the east and what looks like a narrow passage running alongside the barn on that side. Gentle sounds of stabled animals emanate from within the barn and the smell of freshly threshed hay mask other earthy odors. A low well-worn chopping block is to the west of the door, darkly stained you surmise from the last chicken dispatched there, yet strangely missing the axe. Piles of freshly split kindling are stacked on the eastern side of the door adjacent to an old water barrel under a corroded lead down pipe." @set here.description to "You stand in the entrance to a crowded and untidy workshop adjacent to the main barn, carefully dodging broken farm implements and tools stacked in need of attention. Swathes of leather thong and strapping hang from pegs in the wall alongside coils of rough wire and sisal rope. Weeding hoes and shovels are stacked behind the rough-hewn door. A cluttered workbench can be seen to the west and to the east there is an opening to the main barn, warm ripe farm odors waft in from that direction. A door leading to the outside is ajar to the south, leading to a farmyard beyond and colder fresher air greets your senses in that direction. " @set here.description to "You stand beside a rough-hewn workbench clearly made from re-purposed timbers. Pegs on the walls provide perches for equipment and tools and you notice high on the western wall brackets for farm firearms, noticing a musket wrapped in oilcloth and the space where a flint-lock pistol should be. The workbench is littered with carpentry tools including adzes, spoke- shaves and awls. A worn pedal-powered sharpening stone sits in the south- western corner with hoes and an axe leaning on it, waiting sharpening. Oil-soaked burlap and pots of pitch line the northwestern corner with dully glistening scythes and ploughshares hanging above." @set here.description to "You stand in the main body of a cavernous timber barn, old straw crunching under your feet. A dim oil lantern flickers overhead casting odd shadows that seem to dance amongst the hand-hewn timbers of the roof space. The barn runs roughly west-east, with a stock enclosure to the east, fresh manure gently steaming in the cool damp air. Saddle and harness gear is visible to the northwest and the straw is swept clear of a timber trapdoor set into the floor, a large rusted iron ring providing its handle. An unsophisticated pane glass window is set into the east wall, it's glass frosted with grime and age, allowing a shaft of eerie light in from outside, visible only because of the swirls of dust kicked up as you walk around. Soft noises from penned livestock makes you feel comfortable and safe." @set here.description to "You find yourself inside a pen used to house domestic farm animals in the cold of winter. At the moment it is being used as stables for the draught horses who munch contentedly on winter oats in their feed bins along the east wall of the enclosure. You notice that fresh hay has been recently forked here and smells sweet, obscuring the wheelbarrow of spent hay that is ready to be taken away to the dung heap outside. Just to the south you can see a side room piled high with dried oats, chaff and sorghum and surmise it is where feed is stored before being used. You notice that in the absence of a loft, all available space is utilized for storage and other utilitarian purposes. Huge floor to ceiling timber barn doors can be seen further to the south, one of them seems to move gently in the light breeze, allowing odd irregular shafts of light to dance in the dust near that entrance." @set here.description to "You stand amidst mounds and hand-formed bales of stock feed with yellow- grey hay and dark green lucerne and chaff freshly pitched. The floor is littered with crushed seed and husk and an ancient wooden pitchfork stands propped in the corner near the door. A wide timber hatch is visible in the southern exterior wall that you assume is used to pitch feed into this area but it is latched shut, presumably from the outside. Looking up into the roof space you can see open timber trusses holding up what looks like a tiled section of the roof, cobwebs clustered with dust and debris festoon the space disguising the ladders and other items in storage amongst the rafters. The sound of scuffling indicates vermin who you suppose scavenge for stray grains, the scat on the floor confirms their presence." @set here.description to "You stand inside the entrance of an old barn, dwarfed by enormous timber doors, now closed, that lead to the outer farmyard. Straw and compacted earth are underfoot and a high gabled roof towers overhead. Exposed roof trusses festooned with cobwebs overhead provide storage for wagon components and drying timbers, partially obscuring the red tiles of this section of the roof which you notice is different to the main barn thatch. Numerous timber pegs in west and east walls provide perches for harness, bridle and leather yoke storage for draft animals. Broken timber wagon-wheels lean on the east wall lazily awaiting repair. Coopers tools and unfinished timber barrels and hog heads rest on the west wall. Tracks in the compacted earth suggest that a sulky or wagon is often in this part of the barn. One of the large doors moves slightly in the gentle breeze to the south, the main barn and stock livery opens to the north and what looks like a smaller feed room is east from there." @set here.description to "Clutching a lantern, you find yourself on a steep and rickety timber ladder that leads from the main barn down to what looks like a cellar. Your lantern casts eerie shadows around you as you dangle precariously on a tread that you hope is not as rotten as you look. You can see an earthen floor below and a closed timber trapdoor above but can see no latch on this side. The air is cool and musty and there is a curious faint odor of decay but you are not able to localize it, nor easily separate it from the other earthy odors you have grown accustomed to in the areas above. You think you can continue carefully down the ladder so long as you watch your step. Pushing on the trapdoor you notice it is not locked shut above you, much to your relief as the proximity of the rough hewn walls of this space feel like they are closing in on you." @set here.description to "You stand on the rough earthen floor of a cellar. Your lamp illuminates the timbers set into the walls shoring up the earth behind. You notice a crisp chill in the stale air and reason that being underground has an insulating quality that would keep the temperature here more or less miserably cold all year around. You notice small timber barrels stacked gathering dust and mould and reason they are spirit or liquor of some sort put down for storage. A rusty soot-encrusted lamp sits atop the stack unlit. A rickety and rotting timber ladder rises towards a dark timber trap-door and the barn above. Shadows and stacks of old farm equipment obscure your view of the south eastern corner." @set here.description to "Your flickering lamp struggles to displace the enveloping darkness of this dark corner. You notice an old shovel resting against the wall, a mound of old farm equipment stacked against the southern wall and your boots crunch on what looks like relatively recently dug earth, mounded slightly and compacted inexpertly. You find this odd as the rest of the cellar floor is fairly level and dry. Along the eastern wall are stacked wicker baskets partially filled with root vegetables and other stored produce. The smell of fresh turned earth is mingled with something vaguely unpleasant but you struggle to identify or localize the odor. A ladder is visible lurking in the shadows to the west." @set here.description to "Using the shovel, you dig into the softened earth and expose what appears to be a shallow grave, the reek of decomposition slaps your senses sharply, seemingly magnified by the cool crispness of the air and enclosed nature of the space. You notice decomposed sections of female clothing have begun to incorporate themselves into the soil you have dug out, and can make out that the body you have uncovered is female albeit badly decomposed. You get the feeling that you recognize something about the body, and also feel like you are being watched but when you look around there is no one else there. You can only guess what happened to this person, but sense that something is not as it should be." @set here.description to "A narrow passage between an old timber fence and the eastern end of the barn extends north south. You can see bales of rusted wire and a disused wagon that have been placed here out of harms way. A well worn path extends north and stops near some broken fence palings forming a hole in the fence leading to the fields in the east paddock. The barn rises before you and stretches to the east, its red tiles roof section jutting out in front of the main structure adding an odd asymmetry to the building." @set here.description to "You stand to the east of a fence that forms a boundary for a sprawling farm yard further west. Looking to the east, a gently sloping paddock opens before you, an odd patchwork of dry stone walled, hedged and fenced fields each interconnected by rustic stiles. A muster path winds lazily up the hill into the distance. Damaged fence palings here provide a path through to the farmyard beyond. The sprawling shade of a chestnut tree in the southwestern corner of this field provides rudimentary shelter for resting livestock and knee-high oats sway gently in the breeze forming rhythmic waves up the hill." @set here.description to "You stand atop a low hillock and are greeted with a near circular vista of the countryside surrounding you. A patchwork of different grains outlined by walls and hedges blanket the surrounding farmland. In the distance to the west a farm compound nestles in a dell, the bright yellow thatch contrasts with the sections of red roofing and the dark facing timbers. Far to the east a column of smoke rises from a wooded glade down towards the brook that meanders between the rises far into the distance. Muster paths wander lazily following the contours on both sides of the hillock. A stone cairn has been constructed at the highest point from stones gathered in the field but you can only guess as to its significance and how long it has been there." @set here.description to "You stand in the shade of a spreading elm tree, beside a gently babbling brook that meanders through the valleys between adjacent hillocks on its way to the sea. The water is deep and clear, weeds and rushes choke its banks. To the southeast, in a wooded glade is what looks like the encampment of a group of itinerant travelers. A large covered wagon is visible through the trees and the smoke of a campfire rises lazily in the gentle breeze, being wafted this way then that. The sound of talking drifts towards you but it is difficult to locate the origin, occasional dog barks echo amongst the boughs but they do not spoil the beauty and tranquility of this place. A worn path leads along the bank of the brook towards the encampment and another meanders up the hill towards a cairn further to the west." @set here.description to "You stand amongst the tents and lean-to's of a swag of Romany families. You notice that tents and other structures seem to cluster in an organized way, with women and children protected on one flank by a large wooden wagon, and on the other by the men's camp. The much-repaired covered wagon looks to be the home of an important family, although you surmise it also carries much of the gear when on the move. The encampment does not look like it has been here for long, suggesting these folk are itinerants that locals would label "Gypsies". Timber in the campfire and cooking pit crackles as a thin column of smoke rises through the sparsely wooded glade. You can hear hushed voices and a dog barking in the distance. A brook babbles peacefully to the east adding to the idyllic surroundings a peaceful soundtrack." @set here.description to "You sit on a large felled bough arranged as part of a sitting circle around a campfire and cooking pit. Thin columns of smoke rise gently through a gap in the canopy above, mingling with the herbal odors emanating from a pot of slowly braising rabbit stew and the freshly brewed nettle tea one of the cooks hands you. The comforting glow of the fire warms you and you feel welcomed, but also detect a hidden unease amongst the residents around you - half finished conversations, hushed giggles and lapses into an unfamiliar dialect suggest that these people have learnt not to be completely open with strangers. You notice a pair of horses grazing in the distance on the sweet grass at the brook's edge, and see the rope hobbles preventing them from wandering far. Freshly washed clothes are draped over rushes to dry, a child is bathed by an attentive but tired mother on a slatted timber platform near the brook. You marvel at the simplicity yet effectiveness of their lives." @set here.description to "You crouch a little so as not to hit your head on the suspended oil lamp hanging plumb in the centre of a congested but organized space. You notice cushions and a large bedroll have been arranged to make space for group discussions, simple decorations and hints of silver adorn the arched timber roof supports. Looking up you can see pitch and tar spots where the aging shingles have been repaired and made weather proof. The dark timbers of the floor and walls are smooth and cool to touch, glowing with a well-worn patina. Curtains section off the main living area from the opening that you presume leads to the drivers seat out the front, and campfire circle beyond. Although this is obviously the living space of an important member of the group, you do not feel like it is an unwelcoming place ? indeed decorations and precious things from many people seem to be housed here. You figure that this space is a communal concern. A small table in the centre of the space contains a coffee pot, freshly brewed smells emanate from it and you notice a number of small cups set out, as yet unused."