A new solo journaling RPG – Wandering … in City WonderFull – where a visitor explores the neighbourhoods of a new (to them) city. I’ve turned mine into more of a guided tour.

Introduction

I have to wonder what Their Majesties were thinking in sending me here. I’m not the most senior diplomat in the corps, far from it, but I’ve gained a great deal of experience in my first few years in this area of endeavour. In fact I’ve been building a reputation for negotiating positive trade agreements in testing circumstances, And yet, they send me here. To Wynderfall. A strange, hard-to-get-to place, which makes any idea of trade challenging at best and, more likely, a compete waste of time.

Still, I’ll find a bright side. The city’s officials have me comfortably ensconced in a good quality inn. Although I’m not sure how valuable the location is. I know nothing about the layout and various aspects of the city.

And since they’re hemming and hawing about how long it might take to arrange a meeting with whoever’s in charge (they’re very unforthcoming on the nature, style, and location of their leadership), I may as well use my days to wander this curious place and learn what I can of it, and its people.

Although, I think I’ll need a guide. Both to show me around, and to show I’m not trying to do anything underhand.
Yes, I’ll speak with the innkeeper about a local guide to show me the sights and tell me the stories of Wynderfall in the morning.

The Guide

The innkeeper seemed surprised, and quite amused, by my request for a person to show me the sights and sounds of his city. He promised to look into suitable candidates to the task; with a good knowledge of the city and its history, and plenty of free time. I assured him I was happy to pay for their services, that such a role was quite normal in other places I’d visited. That may not have been a good thing to say. It might have implied Wynderfall was out of the way and out of touch. Which is true, but it’s best not to say so.
He didn’t seem to take offence though, just chuckled and said something about places being so over-run with strangers, they make a job out of showing them how to get about.

I wasn’t sure he’d taken my request seriously, but when I went down for breakfast the next morning, a young woman was waiting and introduced herself as my guide.

She seemed to find the whole concept as funny as the innkeeper did, and I’ve no doubt they’re cheating me blind on her daily fee, but it’s one I can afford and I have to admit to looking forward to spending time in her company.

She seems to be a little younger than me, intelligent and witty. The type of person who makes a good storyteller. Of course the fact she’s distractingly pretty and I find my heart bouncing a little when she smiles, that helps too.

We spent the day planning our itinerary. I had no idea there were so many, and so varied areas of the city. I’m already far ahead in knowledge compared to when I arrived, and that in turn puts me far ahead of anyone else in their majesties’ diplomatic corps.

Her name is Ilsa, and she has brown hair, and brown eyes that seem to hold a twinkle of gold in their depths. Not that I looked all that closely, it would be rude.

She has mapped out the eight boroughs of Wynderfall for me: North Cauldron, the Vale, Weston, Old Town (where we are now), Lakeside, East End, Tunnel Town, and Isles Borough.

We will be exploring them in that order in the coming days and I’m told some are far enough that an overnight stay will be warranted. Will I need to ensure the addition of some sort of attendant or chaperone for her? We wouldn’t worry at home, but some other places I’ve visited have been quite strict. I’m going to leave that question for a time when it becomes relevant.

Meanwhile, I spent the afternoon at a nearby clothing merchant’s shop, being properly outfitted for our expedition as Ilsa insists on calling it. I feel like everyone here is aware of something I’m not, and is amused by it. They don’t seem malicious though, so I’m happy to afford amusement where I can. It will make them more kindly disposed towards me, I hope.