PlayerOliver

When you were a kid, you lived with your grandmother in the small town of Silvertree, on the edge of a magical forest. Grandma is a witch, and she taught you how to use your magic to affect the natural world, too. “Magic is a part of you,” she always told you. “Learning how to use it means figuring out who you are.”

Now you’re 19 and on your own. After years of living in the forest while you perfected your witchcraft, you’ve returned to take care of your grandmother’s house and crow-familiar while she’s gone. Figuring out who you are feels more important than ever - not to mention, figuring out what Silvertree is. A lot is just as you remembered: the friendly generous next-door neighbors with a kid just your age, the proud town council, the quaint little shops with quirky punny names, the gentle shadowy forest full of magic.

Stone in the shoe

Happy to be starting off with something easy, you run upstairs to brush your teeth and very quickly check today's news. But instead of cramming into the study along with the boxes, you decide to move Grandma's laptop into your room so you can have it nearby first thing each morning.


Well, how else do you expect me to keep up with current events?, you imagine yourself saying to Grandma as you read over a headline about a nursery for orphaned wild animals. By the time you reach your room, you've moved on to a short article about last night's Town Meeting ("Some essential points were raised, such as the importance of preserving our environment in the face of the tempting luxury of a new five-star resort"). As well as confirming the date for next week's big vote on Friday the 14th, it ends with the following declaration:


"As part of its commitment to serving the residents of the town, Silvertree Today! will do its best to track public opinion about the Alberobello Developments, whether positive, negative, or neutral. Readers will be able to check back at any time in order to see the live results of our polls, which should give some indication about which way the Town Council may vote next week."


Then, at the bottom of the page, you see the results of the first poll:


"As of Friday, June 7th, approximately 45% of people are opposed to the Alberobello developments."


You spend a few moments just staring at the number in front of you, a little shocked to have it spelled out in black and white. This, more than the confusion of last night's meeting, is clear proof of just how many people really don't want these developments—at least according to this news site.


The fact that it could change at any time, for better or for worse, only makes you feel even more:


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