The quest to escape the Illamanati continues!

1. The Rhinehart Legacy
1.0

2. ‘UNIDENTIFIED AIRCRAFT CIRCLING STRANGETOWN MILITARY BASE. IDENTIFY
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YOURSELF OR WE WILL RETALIATE.’
•
Win’s plane radio had always been water-logged. It could only receive
•
transmissions and this flaw would be its downfall – unable to respond, flak shot
Win out of the sky before he had a chance to speed away. Had he not packed a
parachute ‘just in case’, he shuddered to think what may have happened.

3. Blearily opened eyes were greeted violently by beaming sunlight.
•
•
Instinctively, he shut his eyes and ground his face to the floor. Dusty desert terrain brushed
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against his cheek and he slowly began to hope that this was a dream. Any moment now,
he would have to wake up to collect herbs. Maybe he'd make a flower garland for Nanihi.
•
Nanihi… he’d never gotten to say goodbye.
•

4. His eyes still closed, Win sat up and rubbed his thighs, trying to ease his aching
•
muscles. Gingerly, his eyes flickered open and he kept them focused on the
ground, not daring to look into the light.
•
With a sinking heart, he came to accept that this situation was not a dream. All he
•
knew about his present situation was that he was on solid land; desert land, but
at least he was alive so far. He searched his thoughts to try to remember how he
came to be in this predicament.

5. The memory faded to black and Win cringed. In the back of his mind, he could feel Winford’s past scolding his
• reckless behaviour.
‘Foolish boy,’ it snarled, ‘I would never have allowed myself to be detected.’
Trying to shrug off the voice, he shakily stood up to survey his surroundings. The afternoon sun bore down on
• his back heavily. He shielded himself and groaned loudly, sweat already beginning to form on his brow.
The situation looked grim, he had to admit to himself. And if he didn’t find some kind of civilisation soon, his
• not-so-great luck would run out.

6. When his sight adjusted, he spotted a road on the horizon. Win briefly scanned Winford’s
• memories for any recollection of the Simojave, but the old man had only visited once
years ago to broker a deal with some owners of a casino.
•
‘Looks like it’s just me…’ Win muttered, and began to travel.
•
And travel…
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And travel…
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And travel…
•

8. • ‘Daddy! Daddy! Come look, quickly!’
•

9. • When Win had collapsed from heat and exhaustion after countless
hours of walking, he thought that it was the end. What he presumed
were his final moments were filled with regret and anguish, what-ifs
and tears.
•
• It was not the first, nor certainly the last occurrence where Win would
find himself extremely lucky.

10. Win woke up in a much friendlier place than before. He noted that his clothes were
•
gone, and he wore only his underwear and an unfamiliar blue dressing gown. His
entire situation was unfamiliar – the only recollection he had of this area was the
unwelcoming, vast desert he could spy from the window.
•
The house smelled of cinnamon and babies. He could hear a few children squealing,
•
undoubtedly playing outside. A woman was cheerily singing along with the radio, and
a dog barked loudly. It took a few moments before he felt steady enough to move.

11. He shifted slightly before realising that the family would probably want an explanation as to
• why he was half-dead in the back-end of nowhere. Win’s life had sadly been sorely lacking in
deception tactics but this was a specialty of Winford’s.
Tell them you’re an amnesiac.
•
Images and explanations flooded Win’s mind as he tried to understand the concept of
• amnesia. Win hated to lie, but somehow he doubted that (perhaps stereotypically) that
simple farming folk wouldn’t understand the true reason he had fled to the west.

12. They were actually very understanding people, though Win was correct in his assertion that
• they would be a bit too close-minded to understand Win’s predicament. Their chant of ‘Say
no more, say no more’ filled Win with relief as they allowed him to stay in their box room at
the back of the house in return for help on the farm.
•
Not wanting to disappoint his saviours, he worked as hard as he could on the land. He didn’t
• find it particularly rewarding as he would have much preferred to tear into their small
television and tinker with it, but somehow he doubted they would have appreciated that.

13. However, they fed and clothed him and Win couldn’t deny how wonderful it felt to
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finally get his life back on track. It wasn’t perfect, but he was alive and… safe?
•
Win was never sure about his safety during his time on the farm. There was always
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a nagging feeling. A niggle in the back of his mind. Something was watching.
Winford’s memories told him the Illamanati were vast… but did their dreaded
tendrils reach everywhere?

14. After several months, Win no longer felt safe in his bed at night. He confided with the
• farmhouse family that he felt he should go and ‘discover his past’.
In a way, he was telling the truth.
•
The father offered to give him a lift to wherever he wanted, as ‘the least he could do’.
•
Win considered it, and eventually one night the two of them sat in his pickup truck, with
• Win’s suitcase in the back filled with hand-me-downs and charity.
‘Where to?’ the father had asked.
•
Win had thought about it a lot. ‘La Fiesta Tech.’
•

16. The shaman had told Win about college before he gained Winford’s
•
memories and even then he wanted to attend. Now he had second-hand
memoirs of a college experience, he wanted more.
Enrolling was easy enough. The school assigned him to a ‘special’ dorm,
•
which seemed to be filled with students who for some reason couldn’t
live in normal dorms, be it monetary problems or special admittances.
• Once he had unpacked, he gave a small smile of triumph and knew that he
was really on his way to claiming a life of his own.

17. With the intent to grab some breakfast from the cafeteria, he stepped out of his room and almost collided with a girl who was poised to knock on his door.
• ‘Jeez Louise!’ she cried, taking a step back and dramatically grasping at her chest. Instantly, her eyes flickered all around his room, inspecting his few trinkets.
• Win cleared his throat, more to draw her attention back to him than anything else, ‘Can I help you?’
• She paused, as if trying to recall, ‘Oh! Right. Well, I’m Blossom. I wanted to get to know my new roomies here. So… hi, roomie!’
•

18. ‘Hello, Blossom.’ he tried to get in edgewise, ‘I’m Win.’
•
‘Win!’ she shrieked, her eyes widening in glee, ‘what a cool name! Is it short
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for anything?’
He hesitated, ‘Yeah… Winford.’
•
Her excited gaze faltered, but she quickly regained her slight loss of
•
composure. ‘I can see why you like Win better! Have you been here long?
I’ve been here since yesterday – I was so excited I arrived early! Does that
make me a geek, so excited to go to college!?’

19. He couldn’t help but grin at her energetic nature. ‘Um, I don’t think so. You don’t
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strike me as a geek.’
She finished trying to peek at his room and instead turned to inspect Win properly. ‘I
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don’t know if that’s good or bad… maybe I want to be a geek! Did you think of that?
No! You did not!’
‘Uh…’
•
She dissolved into a fit of giggles. ‘I’m kidding. I should go meet some other people.
•
Nice talking to you, Win!’ she bounded off happily, as a puppy would.

20. A bit shaken from his encounter with what could possibly be the world’s most energetic girl, he continued his journey to the
• cafeteria. He was passing by the windows when a blur appeared in his peripheral vision. Turning to see, he instantly felt as if his
gut had been punched and he reeled slightly. Winford’s voice was screaming at him, a plethora of curses and foul assertions. He
noted a girl with green skin, and felt a primal revulsion. Something from Winford’s memories – a prejudice.
But as Win focused on the girl, he realised Winford’s voice had silenced after the initial outburst. If she could quiet the grumpy old
• man within him, then he was definitely going outside to say hello.

21. Without a second thought, he strolled outside and put on his best friendly smile. ‘Hi!’
•
The girl averted her gaze and visibly crumpled before him.
•
His smile weakened. ‘I’m… sorry. If you want to be left alone?’
•
‘You can stay if you like.’ her voice was soft and quiet, he might liken it to a pixie’s.
•
He felt that he needed to make her a peace offering. ‘I’m Win. What’s your name?’
•
Straightening a little, she murmured, ‘Stella.’
•

22. ‘Stella? That’s a nice name. I think it means ‘star’. Kind of befitting for… um. Sorry.’ he
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ducked his head and reached for one of her bags.
‘What are you doing?’ she questioned, a hint of anger in her tone.
•
Well, this was going well. ‘Helping you?’ he offered weakly.
•
‘I didn’t ask for help.’ she stated matter-of-factly. Then, oddly, she seemed to take a
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step back from the situation and sighed. ‘Sorry. Not very good with human customs
yet. I can see you’re trying to be polite. It would be nice to have some help.’
‘O…kay?’ he nodded and tried to force a smile.
•

23. After the initial trip, there was only one suitcase left and so Win offered to carry
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it.
‘This weather is so nice. Just a little bit warmer than I’m used to.’ Stella took a
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deep, relaxing breath as she basked in the sunlight.
‘Yeah? Where are you from?’ he enquired.
•
She shrugged. ‘Not here. You?’
•
‘Uh…’ he panicked, ‘also not here.’
•
‘I’m glad we can be honest and clear with each other.’
•

25. • It didn’t take Win long to settle in, and after perusing the course list he
decided to study Physics. It was the most hands-on subject that was
offered, and after a few classes he found he truly enjoyed it.
•
• He spent a lot of his time studying, but his friend Blossom would have
none of it. She was always calling him and Stella sticks in the mud and
forever trying to drag them to social events.

26. Stella seemed adamant that she didn’t really feel like ‘clubbing’ but one day while the
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two of them were playing chess, she changed her tune.
‘Maybe we should go out.’ she mused, not really concentrating on playing.
•
Win hesitated on making his move, confused. ‘We went out to the museum two days
•
ago. Remember, we spent ages in the fossil exhibit.’
‘Not what I meant,’ Stella grunted, ‘Blossom wants us to go with her to the Wasteland
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Lounge tonight. I’m sick of her nagging so I think I’ll go, just to shut her up.’
He shrugged, ‘Well, if you’re going I might as well…’
•

27. A few short hours later, the two friends stood outside the entrance to the noisy din that emanated within the lounge.
• ‘Ready to go in?’ Win asked as more of a polite formality than a serious question.
• Stella nodded, feeling slightly nervous. Blossom had dragged her here under the promise that there would be boys. She
• didn’t really know how to respond to that; really only a handful of humans had touched her before, and never in that way.
‘Well, after you.’ he pulled the door open, and loud rock music greeted their cowering ears.
•

28. It was a den, a hub, a dive. The Lounge was packed with students dancing (or in some cases, doing
• another kind of ‘dance’) to the band. Win scanned the room for Blossom but instead was seeing all
sorts of new people he hadn’t met on campus. Some of them looked as if they really didn’t belong
in a grungy club, whereas others looked as if they were born into the loud college life.
‘There she is!’ he heard Stella shout out, yet he didn’t fully register her words.
•
He had spotted who was talking to Blossom.
•

29. He had to do a double-take just to make sure she wasn’t Nanihi. It was impossible that it could
• really be her, but for a few moments he allowed himself a false hope.
The girl was beautiful, and as they approached her smell overwhelmed him. She smelled exactly
• how Nanihi did. He knew it was probably her scented shower gel, but when he heard her voice
he reeled. She was so similar to Nanihi that he wasn’t sure if he should be so close to her.
•
But it was too late, Blossom had seen them and the two chatting friends turned to Stella and
• Win.

30. Win tried to force the words out of his mouth, and eventually managed ‘Hi.’
•
The woman could see how nervous he was and laughed. ‘Hey, I don’t bite!’ and
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of course, finished the line by poking out her tongue and adding ‘…much.’
Win blushed madly and Blossom grinned at him. When he glanced over to him,
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she seemed to mouth ‘Go for it!’
‘I’m Win.’ was, again, a mouthful to his weakened throat.
•
She smiled, clearly charmed by his awkward introduction. ‘I’m DJ. I’m a friend
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of the band’s and a member of the sorority.’

31. He wasn’t sure whether he was meant to be impressed but he acted as such and she seemed pleased.
• Stella certainly didn’t seem very pleased though, it seemed as the night wore on and he continued chatting to DJ, Stella
• dipped into a fouler and fouler mood. She wouldn’t even laugh at Blossom’s jokes.
After a particularly flirtatious remark from DJ, Stella grumpily retired from the gig with a growled, ‘See you tomorrow.’
• Win felt a bit awkward after that, and suggested that he and DJ get a drink from the rooftop bar.
•

32. As the band was still playing, the bar was very quiet.
•
‘Is your friend okay?’ DJ didn’t seem truly concerned, it was more to continue the
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conversation.
He pondered that. ‘I… don’t know. I think it might have been too loud for her.’
•
‘Or her time of the month, right?’ DJ laughed uproariously at her own joke, but Win
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remained quiet. He did care for Stella, and wondered at what could be wrong with
her. It was very unlike his friend to just up and leave, especially in such a temper.

33. After the gig wound down and most people had left, Win offered to call DJ a cab home since
• the sorority girl had drunk far too much.
‘Aren’t you sweet, coming to my rescue.’ her speech was on the slurred side, but she was still
• coherent. Her hand brushed along Win’s arm tenderly and he couldn’t help but lean in. If he
closed his eyes, it was almost as if he was with Nanihi.
‘Clearly you’re a damsel in distress.’ he breathed, not really focusing on reality and instead
• focusing on believing that DJ’s hand on his skin was Nanihi’s.
‘And your my handsome knight.’
•

34. She stumbled forward and kissed him. The movement was so unexpected that she half-fell, and
• Win had to grasp onto her to keep her steady.
The kiss itself was forceful, she seemed to smash her face against his in what could be called
• anything but loving. She tasted of alcohol and Win’s senses recoiled, instead he tried to
remember what Nanihi had tasted like the few times they had shared stolen kisses in clearings
far from the Chief’s gaze.
•
When she broke away, she gave him his number and he, still in a daze, agreed to go out with her
• properly soon.

36. • Still in a part-euphoric, part-repentant thrall from the previous night,
Win barely noticed his best friend slumped over one of the tables
when he entered to get breakfast.
•
• Normally Stella was the one banging his door down to get him out of bed
so they could discuss their plans for the day over pancakes, but
nobody had woken him that day and as such, he was running late.

37. He slid into the chair opposite Stella and the movement caused her to sit upright, yet
•
still averting his gaze. Win guessed the best tactic would be to avoid her odd
behaviour and try to act as if nothing was wrong.
‘Guess who got a kiss and a number last night?’ he was practically bouncing in his chair.
•
Fidgeting with her hands, she mumbled, ‘Great.’
•
He decided that this idea wasn’t going to work. ‘What’s wrong, Stella? You left early last
•
night and you’re not… exactly chirpy today.’
She didn’t say anything. He added, ‘Are you… jealous?’
•

38. ‘Jealous?’ she growled, her usually gentle features contorting angrily. ‘I’m not jealous, Win. I just enjoy
• having a friend! A friend that completely ditched me last night in a crowded room… some frat guy tried
to grope me! Did you even notice while you talked to her?’
Oh. ‘Stella… I’m… oh jeez…’
•
‘So… yeah. I’m a bit annoyed at you just completely ditching me and Blossom.’ she finished with a huff.
•

39. Clutching himself, as he often did when sad or confronted, Win began to apologise.
•
‘I’m sorry Stella. It’s just… DJ reminded me a lot of a girl I knew back home. I got
over-excited… and I’m sorry I ditched you.’
•
Stella could never keep up her steely tone forever. ‘It’s alright, Win. But… I don’t want
•
this to set a precedent between us. I don’t want to be left in the dust while you and
DJ ride off in the sunset together.’ she gave a weak smile, and Win responded in
kind. It seemed that for now, the issues between the friends had been resolved.

40. And for the most part, they were. Win still dedicated his days to concentrating on his Physics
• course, and also still harboured a passion for playing with electronics. He was doing so well
on his new course that he had achieved a place on the Dean’s list on his midterm exams.
This thrilled Stella, who had also been placed on the list for gaining a 4.0 on her Biology
exam but DJ was indifferent to Win’s success, herself only obtaining a modest grade.
•
But Win wondered what to do with his life after college. He toyed with being an inventor, but
• it felt like the idea wasn’t his true calling.

41. Stella assured him that his purpose would one day be clear to him, and Win couldn’t
•
help but be comforted by that.
•
His friendship with Stella had never been stronger, as they often went out together
•
to the theatre, the park, the student union, studying together in the library and all
manner of activities that friends could do together. Sometimes he felt Stella could
be a little on the needy side as a friend, but he never brought it up and her
companionship made any flaws dissolve in his eyes.

42. And several of these nights were dedicated to his time with DJ. They never really talked as
• their bond was, as he put it, ‘more physical than emotional’ but at the time that suited both
of them just fine. Whenever Win tried to discuss his favourite new project or what he should
do after leaving college her eyes glazed over and her boredom was apparent. Whenever she
tried to talk about a new band she’d been listening to or some poetry she’d written, he tried
to keep an interest but it was clear; they had nothing in common.
•
At the back of Win’s mind, it bothered him.
•

43. But these thoughts were only stored in the depths of his worries, and after a few weeks of
• dating when she had pinned him to her bed late at night after coming back from a frat party,
those thoughts seemed like they would never resurface.
‘You sure you’re ready?’ she murmured, trying to keep quiet since three other girls were in the
• house, probably trying to listen in.
Win gave a wide grin. ‘Yeah! I think so. Um… have you… have you done this before?’
•
DJ made an impassive face and shrugged. ‘Couple times. But never mind… come here…’
•

44. After a few minutes of fumbling, Win sighed and relaxed. DJ seemed to be happy to take charge, and so
• he closed his eyes as she kissed his forehead.
He stroked her back and breathed in her lovely smell. Her skin was so soft and she smelled so much like
• Nanihi. He kicked himself mentally for still dwelling on her, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t help it
to the point where he whispered, ‘Nanihi…’
‘Nanihi?’ DJ smiled at his babbling. ‘What’s that?’
•
Had Win been thinking, he would have made something up or at least brushed it off. But instead, he
• blurted out, ‘Sort of an ex-girlfriend of mine.’

45. Less than a minute later, DJ was standing over him in his boxer shorts, her underwear hastily shoved back on.
• ‘I can’t believe you. I have no words.’ she growled, still attempting to keep quiet.
• Win held himself, his eyes glued to the floor. ‘I… I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say.’
• ‘I thought you were one of the good guys, Win! After dating a couple of idiots I thought, now here’s a sweet, innocent kid
• who will treat me good. Okay, so we didn’t have a lot to talk about but I never expected you to… think of someone else!’

46. After a brief pause to gather her thoughts, she continued. ‘Get out of here Win. I don’t want to see you again, okay? This whole…
• thing between us was a mistake from the start. I know you’d rather be with your best buddy Stella.’ she added emphasised disgust.
Win looked up at her, ‘Stella’s nice, please don’t say her name like that.’
• DJ snorted. ‘Is that the best you can challenge me with? I really don’t know what to make of you. You’re a sweet dullard one day yet
• you’re thinking of someone else! This isn’t going to work. Just get out of here.’ she repeated.

47. • Sliding off the bed, Win fell weakly to his knees. ‘DJ…’
• She laughed bitterly. ‘Do you even know what that stands for?’
• ‘Uh…’ he had no clue.
• ‘You never asked. You were happy to let me fill in this… this fantasy of
Nanoni or whatever.’
• ‘I… I don’t want to lose you.’ he felt hot, stinging tears fill his eyes.
• ‘Did you ever really have me?’ she retorted.

48. ‘No, Win. This was a mistake. You’re going to leave now, and you’re not going to
•
try to talk to me again, okay? Because this isn’t fair on me, and it’s not fair on
you. Just… please go.’ her tone softened, but her resolve was firm.
•
Win had to admit that this was it. His first true relationship was a total failure. He
•
meekly picked up his clothes from the floor and dressed in record time. He left
the sorority house and he left DJ’s life.

50. ‘Rough night?’ Stella inquired on seeing Win slumped on the sofa with his head in his hands.
•
He chuckled bitterly. ‘Yeah. You could say that….’ he sighed, knowing that he’d have to tell Stella at some
• point. ‘DJ dumped me.’
‘Oh…’ Stella forced a sympathetic look. Of course she felt bad for her best friend, but she knew they
• weren’t right together. ‘We’ve only been here for a semester. You’ll totally find someone else.’
‘I know,’ Win hesitated, ‘but right now, I don’t want someone else.’
•

51. She knelt beside him, rubbing his knee understandingly. ‘It will be okay Win.’
•
‘I don’t know. I’ve gone through my whole life feeling like nobody really cares about me. How do I really
• know that things will be okay?’
Taking a bold move, she leant in close to his ear. ‘Some people really care about you, Winford Rhinehart.’
•
He could feel her breath, warm on the side of his face. He shuddered slightly and shut his eyes,
• understanding Stella’s intent. He hadn’t really considered her in that way before, but now she was so
close…

52. Across the room, Klara Vonderstein, another ‘college student’, was naturally a nosey person. She had to be, for she was an
• Illamanati agent, sent to La Fiesta Tech under the guise of a transfer student to keep close watch on this ‘Win’.
Eavesdropping on Stella’s words, she came to the conclusion that this man really was the doddering old scientist they were
• looking for and she froze, pondering what to do.
She made an important mental note to contact the head of the Illamanati as soon as was possible. Winford Rhinehart was their
• number one most wanted, and if Klara could bring him in then she’d be a rich woman for the rest of her days.

53. ->

54. Thank you ever so much for reading the first proper part of the Rhinehart Legacy! I might do some BTS stuff
• later on so look out for that too!
•
This part was a bit slow-paced considering most people put their founder through college in a single part,
• but things will speed up a lot. I just wanted to introduce things.
•
Oh, and Win is a Knowledge/Fortune sim, personality 5/5/5/5/5 (because Castaway Stories is creative).
• Don’t forget to comment! ‘v’
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