Review Your Surroundings and Yourself

Alone in the swamp, you take a deep breath, letting the smells of life and **** fill your lungs. You hold the breath for a long moment, your eyes closed. Finally, you exhale, open your eyes, and take in your surroundings.

You're not far from the village, still, surrounded by familiar colors, scents, and sounds. You kneel down to snap off a length of bloatreed before continuing to move forward, taking occasional sips of the naturally-filtered water it stores as you go. The Blood Swamp is large and complex, but you've spent your life growing familiar with the most useful, and dangerous, plants and animals in the area. You know which plants are safe to eat, which ones can act as medicine, and which ones can be used to create paralyzing toxins to aid in hunting or combat. The Nameseek begins in the warmest part of the year, and you know which animals are in the area, and what point of their own life cycle they'll be in. It's a bad season to hunt mudhounds, but the Netnest Birds will be abandoning their woven homes to fly North, soon, leaving you with a potential opportunity to scavenge useful supplies. Net-woven clothes won't protect you much from a swamp tiger, but it's better than being naked.

In short, you won't starve or die of exposure in the near future. But the Blood Swamp is a large, complex ecosystem, and the further you stray from the land you're familiar with, the more you'll have to adapt. There are many tribes in the Swamp, and even stranger people who live outside of it. Hopefully by the time you come across any of them, you'll have tools, clothing, a bit of experience, and a clear goal in mind. You're somewhat envious of the Nameseeker who went South today, already full of a warrior's confidence. You may have food, water, and momentary comfort, but your identity and destiny still remain mysteries to you.

Is it better to set a goal and work towards it, or to keep your options open, and take advantage of opportunities when they arrive?