The Ettin in the Woods | Mine Wyrtruman

# [The Ettin in the Woods](/your-home)

An interactive myth written by **Byron Pendason**, written in [Ficdown](https://www.ficdown.com/).

*Version 1.2.2*

Most of us know instinctively that it's not safe to go outside in the dark. Because there's things that go bump in the night that would frighten even the greatest and bravest of heroes...

## Your Home

> A blood curdling scream wakes you from your slumber. Your stumble out of your bed and look around.

Your home is a simple one. Your bed is a cot on the ground, and your mom's cot is on the opposite side of the room.

> Her cot is empty, and she is nowhere to be found.

On the west wall is a fireplace. To [the east](/front-yard) is the door to the outside.

## Front Yard

> You run out into front yard, looking around frantically for your mother.

> Out of the corner of your eye, you see movement. Turning to the direction you saw the movement, you only see the woods.

To [the west](/your-home) is your home. To [the south](/the-woods) is the woods. To [the east](/the-town) is town. To [the north](/the-barn) is your family barn.

> You've been told all your life to *never* go into the woods at night unprotected. Legends tell of an ettin that lives in those woods who loves the taste of humans.

## The Barn

The animals are restless, behaving as if they're frightened. They too must have been awakened by the screaming.

> You suddenly remember that your father kept a chest hidden underneath some loose floorboards. You quickly brush away some hay until you find them.

[You see the pit where the chest was hidden.|You see the loose floorboards.](?got-chest)[ The chest inside is](?got-chest)[ firmly closed.](?got-chest&!got-sword)[ open, the interior empty.](?got-chest&got-sword)

[Now that you have the key, you can ](?got-key&!got-sword)[try to unlock](?got-key&!got-sword#got-sword)[ the chest.](?got-key&!got-sword)

You can [dig up ](?!got-chest)[ the chest](?!got-chest#got-chest)[, or you can](?!got-chest) head to [the south](/front-yard) to exit the barn.

### Got Chest

*You carefully pull up the floorboards to find a chest. Unfortunately, it is locked.*

### Got Sword

*Inside the chest is a sword with runes engraved in the hilt. You carefully pick up the sword, wishing that you had taken the time to learn to read the runes.*

## The Town

> It is eerily quiet in town. The ettin has, on occasion, came as far as town to find his dinner, so no one is foolish enough to be out at night.

To [the north](/the-cemetery#visited-grave) is the town's cemetery. [To ](?visited-grave)[the south](/the-stream?visited-grave#time-passed)[ is the stream.](?visited-grave) To [the west](/front-yard) is your home.

## The Cemetery

The cemetery is the only one within twenty miles. It's here that your father is buried.

> As you stand by your father's grave, you remember that there is a stream to the south of town that was your father's favorite place when he needed to unwind.

To [the south](/the-town) is town.

## The Stream

As you stand by the stream, you remember the many times that your father had brought you here. [You remember that your father would always point to ](?got-chest&!got-key)[a specific tree](?got-chest&!got-key#got-key)[ and say, "That tree is special. The key to our family's safety is in that tree." You had always assumed that he was being metaphorical.](?got-chest&!got-key)

To [the north](/the-town) is town.

### Got Key

*You carefully examine the tree, and see a knot in the tree. It's just big enough to fit your hand into. You reach in, and feel something metal. You pull it out, and see that it's a key!*

## The Woods

You enter the woods. Before you stands a cave with a giant entrance. [With sword in hand, you feel like you're ready to enter the cave.|Your gut screams at you not to enter the cave without a weapon.](?got-sword) You can head [back out](/front-yard) of the woods, or [enter the cave](/the-cave).

## The Cave

A little ways into the cave, you see your mother sobbing uncontrollably in utter fear. A gigantic being with the shape of a human is taunting her about how tasty she will be.

The ettin has not yet seen you. You can [attack the ettin](/the-fight), or [sneak back](/the-woods#time-passed) out to the woods.

## [The Cave](?time-passed)

> A little ways into the cave, you see your mother sobbing uncontrollably in utter fear.

> "About time, I've been waiting on you!" snarled a gigantic being with a human-like shape, razor sharp teeth, and long sharp claws.

You can [attack the ettin](/the-fight) or [beg for your life](#beg-for-life).

### Beg for life

The ettin only laughs at you.

> "*I* am the king around here!" the ettin declares, "Any human who enters my lair may never leave!"

## The Fight

You bravely charge at the ettin. Unfortunately, without a weapon you never stood a chance. The ettin snatches you up, bites off one of your arms, and then tosses you towards your mother. Neither of you survive the night, becoming the latest meal of the bloodthirsty ettin.

## [The Fight](?got-sword)

With your father's sword held out before you, you charge at the ettin. He tries to snatch at you, but as soon as his hand touches the blade of the sword, he yanks back his hand and roars out in pain.

You take the opportunity to swing your sword at his other hand. The hand falls to the ground, and the ettin dives after it. While he's on the ground, you leap on top of him and bury the blade into his head.

After you calm your mother, the two of you head back home to safety.

Mine Wyrtruman

This game was written using Ficdown, and is displayed on this page using Ficdown.js.