My name is Cece, young warrior of the Steppes. And I did not expect to wake up next to a wooded lake I'd never seen before.
 
I'd preferred the storyteller's tales about delving deep into dungeons and back over the ones about battles in the open. But I didn't need to be an expert to realize that this was nowhere near where I was. The trees were a completely different kind, for one thing.
 
Plus, the sky being the color of something's insides. And me without anything I could use to fight with. Although... As I started doing a few exercises to keep warm, I began feeling like I could try catching something with my bare hands. At least the wind was warm today. I did not want to think about what I'd do if I ran into another person here.
 
As I began looking around for possible prey, I spotted a particular kind of winged, stinging lizard. Now, normally we see those as being good luck, but I wasn't so sure about that right now.
 
"I don't suppose you'd let me eat you, now would you?" I muttered.
 
*How about you let me eat you instead?*
 
"Hmmph. If that's the way it's gonna be, no one eats anyone."
 
*Pity, it might not be as bad for you as you're expecting. I'll go hunt something else then,* The pseudodragon readied to take flight. *And if I get lucky, I might bring back something for you.*
 
Well, I didn't expect to run into that critter again. But a few hours later, after I'd started exloring the ruins of an old shantytown, the dragon made it back carrying some of it's spoils. Apparantly, it had had a VERY lucky day.
 
--
Elsewhere...
 
"ANOTHER pseudodragon? We're spending too much time focusing on these temperate forests."
 
*~~~~~~~*
 
"Yes, I like them too. But-... fine. I guess I'm also annoyed that I had so much trouble finding a good destiny for a warrior. At least this one has what it takes to be a proper brute predator, if she finds something that's not willing to be friendly. Let's see what Alyn is up to..."
 
--
 
*Here they come!*
 
The pack of Dire Rats broke their huddle as one caught sight of the woman - that is, me. Fortunately, the fastest rat was still clumsy in it's attempt to grab and eat me. In turn, Lurleck had the opportunity to jab at it with her stinger, but missed the squirming animal.
 
A second rat caught up to us then, and was able to grab onto me. But the animated Chair, which was still following us for lack of anything better to do distracted it with an attempt to kick it with it's wooden leg. The third rat went for the chair, and began biting on it normally.
 
At this point I'd had enough, and hit the three Rats next to me with a Sleep Spell. Two of them were able to shake it off, but the one grabbing me did indeed fall asleep and lost its grip. The last rat rushed at Lurleck and grabbed onto her.
 
At this point, the Lead rat tried and failed to grab onto me again. Lurlec was preoccupied with her own would-be predator, but it seemed unaffected by her sting. The chair tried to follow up by ramming into it, but got brushed off.
 
I had one more spell, and hoped I could make it count. I caught the three remaining rats in another Sleep spell. Again, only one Rat fell asleep. Unfortunately it was the lead rat instead of one more sugessful. Fortunately, the rat trying to eat Lurleck was having difficulty cramming her into it's mouth.
 
Lurleck stung again, unsucessfully. The Chair lashed out at her opponent, more sucessfully. A free rat tried to grab onto me, unsucessfully. Lurleck's would-be predator tried to cram her in it's mouth again, Sucessfully.
 
*Oh, like I would give up at that.*
 
The Rat winced as Lurleck stung through its cheek, distracting it enough for the chair to clonk it on the head from behind and knock it out. The last rat standing easily slipped away from my attempt to attack it, and decided it wasn't going to stick around with the odds so clearly against it, running away.
 
*...Finally. Time to turn around and make a meal of these things.*
 
Logically, I should have protested at this, but the strange hunger told me that I could and should make the attempt. I held myself back enough to cast a few spells to purfy food on them first - I could only hope that this would prevent me from catching any diseases on the animals...
 
I gently picked up a sleeping rat and opened my mouth around it's head. Immediately I knew that something wasn't right - I shouldn't be able to stretch so much, and yet I was. In about 10 seconds, I'd managed to swallow the rat, and it had yet to wake up. I looked over at Lurleck and saw that she was similarly sucessful, although this made her look like a large inflated ball. At a questioning look, she indicated that I could have the last one...
 
---
 
Alyn has Leveled up twice!
Adept 1->3
Hp +7
BAB +1
Fortitude +1
Reflex +1
Will +1
Trapmaking +2
Religion +2
Planar Knowledge +2
Craft Wonderous Item gained!
Improved Grapple Gained!
 
Lurleck has leveled up!
Dragon 5->6
HP +7
BAB +1
Diplomacy +1
Listen +1
Search +1
Sense Motive +1
Spot +1
Survival +1
Ability focus (Poison) gained!
Aerial Predation Gained!
 
---
 
I felt newly energized by the meal, like the rush after finishing with a long tome of lore. I was starting to feel like a real adventurer now.
 
But this isn't how it's supposed to be. Practice is supposed to play more of a role isn't it? I'm starting to get the feeling that the Hunger is *replacing* something that should be present but isn't.
 
I think back to my research on other planes. Some of the planes have themselves taken sides in the battles of Good against Evil, and Order against Chaos. Therefore, in Good planes Evil acts are more vulnerable to bad luck, and vice versa. My own religious biases aside... could the promotion of this Hunger be a part of how this Plane functions?
 
As the Dire rats succumb to my stomach, I have a feeling I'm going to have a lot of time to think about this...
 
--
 
<Found living rock. Again. Acted hungrier than before.>
 
<Hungrier myself now. Anything besides pack?>
 
<Windy. So windy, almost could fly.>