Day Forty-One

After dreaming he traveled across the world to attend GDC and then back to Australia to begin writing a thesis, the nomad woke up as the sun was rising on Day Forty-One. The mountain to his east blocked the view of the sunrise, but it wasn't long before slithers of red light crept along the northern and southern horizons.

Looking south from my pillar.

The only mob I saw all night, waiting for me to come down.

I took care of the creeper with my bow as the sky lightened. I scanned the trees for more creepers or flame-engulfed zombies, but could see nothing. I placed my sign and started the day.

.

Continuing up the mountain.

Snow on the leaves. A sign of things to come?

A little patch of snow powdered the summit of the mountain, but did not continue down the opposite side. A spider watched me from the shade of a tree, but seemed content to let me start my decent.

Spider in the trees.

Not as much snow as I expected...

Starting my decent.

The mountain declined gradually at first, making for a leisurely morning walk. Thought, it wasn't too last. Before long I hit a sheer and sudden drop. Beyond was a tree-filled valley and, beyond that, was the ocean.

Drop ahead.

The path ahead... if I can get to it.

I took a few careful steps onto a tree, thinking I could climb the leaves down to a safe distance. But I missed a gap in the folage and took a tumble. The damage was minimal, though, thanks to my armour.

Ow.

Guess my fall could have been worse (looking up and slightly to the north of where I came down the hill).

Moving on.

I stuck to the base of the valley as it hooked around slightly to the south. I hit the ocean in a small bay and was about to set out my workbench in order to make my boat when I heard zombies. I looked around frantically, but I was not being attacked. The moans were coming from somewhere beneath me. Though, in my vigilant panic, I spied a gathering of brown mushrooms just to the north. I plucked them (all while the disconcerting moans continued) and continued on to the coast.

The eastern bay.

Mushrooms to the north.

Cave entrance near the mushrooms. I kept an eye on it, but saw not a single zombie, but I certainly heard them.

Continuing east, to the north of the bay.

The coast, again.

And off we go.

I sailed out past the small islands and into the open ocean. Though, it wasn't long before another island blocked my path. I decided to try to go around it. My choice was wise; the island turned out to be deceptively small and I was able to sail on for some time.

Island ahead.

I think I will go around...

A good choice.

I kept sailing for some time until another island rose up before me. This one seemed more substantial so I pulled ashore. Snow peppered the waterfront. Perhaps the earlier hilltop snow was a prediction for this day afterall.

New land.

Cows of the new land!

More hills ahead.

I trodded into the snow and over the hills.

Up and over.

X-TREME MOUNTAIN PIG

And down the other side.

Beyond the hill. the snow was intermittent, covering mountaintops and stretching across plains in patches between long stretches of grass.

Spider looming in a cavern at the base of the hill. Think I'll stay out of that one.

Continuing east, through snow and grass.

A large snow plain, stretching off to the south.

And a plain of grass, stretching east. But more snow is on the horizon, atop the hill.

Beneath the foothills of the next mountain was a straggly assortment of caverns. I walked precariously over them and circled around the southern side of the mountain, continuing across the flat land on the far side.

.

I ain't climbing that mountain...

...but sheep always have to do things the hard way.

The flats beyond.

Although I went around the hill, I must have climbed higher than I had realised as before long the ground began to decline again. After a slight decent, I found myself passing one of those bare, stone hills that I see from time to time. Beyond that was a small forest through which I could spy another ocean.

Walking down and east, stone hill to the right.

Looking back west at the stone hill (and the setting sun).

Through the forest...

...to another ocean.

The sun was low in the western sky, but it wasn't that low yet. However, I did not feel much like crafting another boat and heading across the ocean. Tonight I would make camp early. I was further persuaded by a small island just off the shore, to my north.

That looks nice...

I swam out to the island and began making my tower. The sky was still blue when I was finished, but it had been a long day. It was nice to relax and watch the sunset for once, rather than missing it in a frantic race to safety.

An early night.

And up we go, unto tomorrow.