The Four Elementals signpost was a bit strange. It looked like a circle cut in four quarters with swirling lines. If there was a fire or water or anything “elemental” in there, Jonas had no idea where it would be. Was air on top and earth below? Or was it something else entirely. Without the name in large letters, it would have been hard to find out which building the tavern was.

“Looks large but quiet,” Laura said.

She was the only one accompanying Jonas, hoisting two bags of gear easily with her Professional Strength. They had not that much gear to trade, but it still was bulky enough. Their attempt at running the first two floors of the ruined plaza had netted them common items that were useless for their team, but they were the highest levels they had.

The rest of the team had dispersed. Ira going somewhere on his own again, Jonathan and Alton pairing off to explore the town more, and Guss headed to London to check on his family. Jonas would have expected Ira to come, but the Careful Barrier had declined.

The tavern itself was quiet because it was mostly empty.

“Where’s everyone? The way the Irishman described it, I would have expected more people. It’s Saturday afternoon, everyone should be heading back to town for the Sunday,” she commented.

“Only two tables out of twenty. And he isn’t around,” Jonas added.

The duo made their way to the bar, where an older-looking man was reading a book.

“Oh? Yes, that paddy’s gathering is in the left side room. That way. What you want to drink?”

Jonas dropped a few shillings and picked two tankards of a weird reddish-looking ale, and they made their way to the door to the private room.

“Hey! You made it! Great!”

Odhran O’Hogan was talking with a couple of other Professionals. All in all, there were eight of them around, meaning he’d persuaded at least one more team to come to trade. Bags were dropped on the sides of the room, and Jonas saw no gear anywhere. Either they hadn’t started trading or they’d already finished and they would get the last pickings.

“People, here are the heroes of the Labyrinth, the one and only Adapted Team!”

All of the Professionals raised their fist, gripping it with their other hand in a sign of recognition.

Then, of course, they all came to swap descriptors, the one-on-one discussions abandoned with the arrival of the duo. For a few moments, Jonas nearly felt overwhelmed, even though there were only a handful of people present.

“So, Finn Murray here is a lad from the Highlands.”

“Not the Highlands! Edinburgh’s in the Lowlands, you daft Irish,” the Scotsman mock-protested.

“Bah, Lowlands, Highlands, all the same to me.”

“The man from Aberdeen who tried to pretend to be a highlander wouldn’t last one minute. He’d be happy to escape with just a good trashing instead of losing his head,” he insisted. Then he turned back to Jonas, shrugging.

“M’lord the Marquess of Tweeddale organized the Thistle Company almost as soon as the Labyrinth Act was passed, but he couldn’t find enough people to fill the ranks until last year. We actually have a second team now, but they were just arriving in London during the Closure; they only stepped in the Labyrinth a month ago. Working on their third Milestone save Willow. That gal had twenty in Agility – can you believe it, twenty? – to start with, so she got her tier two already.”

“They’re not here?”

“Nah. They’re working at the lair up north, they’ll be there tomorrow. But if we can get them some gear instead of for us, we’ll trade it fer sure…”

The man then asked, “Noticed you got your tier two fast as well. Did that… Adaptation Milestone worked for that?”

“We only had two ranks at that time, but yes, that gave us plus three in all Potentials. Otherwise, we were not even qualified for the Labyrinth. I ended with nineteen Intellect thanks to it.”

“What I don’t understand is that works. I mean, I know you got weirded out, but why did you get it.”

“I don’t know either, but the academy thinks that we were caught by the Gate just at the exact right moment when it was closing. It couldn’t dump us back in London, and we couldn’t stay. So we were given Adaptation.”

“Did God give you that?”

“Nobody knows why not whom. It’s just a mystery of the Labyrinth.”

Jonas was introduced to another team from Ireland, and then a third.

“Lots of you from the Isle,” he commented after trading descriptors with a 79 Aetherist.

“We’ve got to catch up with you Brits. Until they figured out how to test Potentials, it was all people from London and the provinces that got to try to run the Gate and see if they got it,” the other caster replied.

“Yea, watch out for the Scots too!” Murray added loudly.

“So, four teams here? All in tier two?”

“Yup,” O’Hogan confirmed.

“Not too many of us small independent companies. Most of the companies got established when the Royal Company got disbanded, with lots of higher tier Professionals in them. That’s why we’re all relatively low tier. We started out in the last year or so,” Murray added.

“I would have expected more now with that testing,” Jonas enquired.

“Well, most of the testing is sponsored by big companies. Equipment is still very rare. Sure, they test you, but first, they make you sign long-term contracts and they boss you around. Always dictating yer build ‘for the good of the business’ and stuff.”

“That’s why Earl Clancarty would rather have us not under their thumb. The only thing he asks for is being ready to help Eire in need,” O’Hogan added.

“Who you’re working fer?” Murray asked. “I’m curious, everyone must have been scrambling to grab ye for their company.”

“The Duke of Wellington, actually.”

“Isn’t that the one who watches over her Highness?”

“The one and same,” Jonas confirmed.

“Ah, my boss knows the man well. Worked under him during that abortion of a campaign to stop Napoleon in Spain in 1806. Hates the Tyrant, he wants us to copy the Chinese and raise armies of high-end Professionals to blow him to pieces and guard his corpse until the resurrection expires, but the Duke does not believe in it,” Murray explained.

“Well, anyway, since the company doesn’t have any low tier, we’re in the same boat as you for gearing.”

With those words, the chitchat started to die off and the attention of the present turned back to the nominal reason for their meeting.

“So, how do we do it,” Jonas asked, looking at the meeting organiser.

“Let’s say, we divide the table in four, and put all on it? We start looking, then we find out what’s interesting. Everyone’s got their team’s memorised and trust us to negotiate.”

Jonas looked at the table, then the various bags spread over the room.

“I wonder if we can fit all on it.”

“Let’s see.”

Laura started by pulling out the various pieces of exceptional gear they couldn’t use and the high-tier stuff, monopolising the right side of the table. She had a slight hesitation when pulling out her old Earth Hammer, which she’d replaced at the lake on their last run. Then she added it next to the common shield from the molemen ruins and their best piece, the trousers from the dancing bear.

Bear-Fur Fringed Leggings

Legs

Exceptional equipment

Requires: Level 43

Provides: 21 defence rating, FOC+7, AGI+4, mind+61

The table ended up extremely full as every team started stacking pieces of equipment in their own section, but one area in particular dominated.

“You got lots. How come?” Murray commented.

Jonas hesitated a second, then saw no reason why not to explain.

“We started out in the middle of nowhere. Until we got rescued, we were on our own.”

The Scotsman caught on quickly.

“And you still go there. You have your own private lairs?”

“Essentially, yes. There’s a lot fewer of them…”

“But you don’t have to wait for your turn. We’re good if we do two lairs a week,” he lamented.

“I’m guessing we might even end up all trading with you instead of each other,” O’Hogan said.

Once they’d finished putting everything out for display, the Professionals started making a rotation around the table, checking the others’ stacks. Jonas’ attention was drawn to one section in particular since it sported three identical-looking off-white cloth gloves.

Thin Burlap Gloves

Hands

Quality equipment

Requires: Level 49

Provides: 5 defence rating, INT+6, end+71

The gloves had the same quality, levels and names, but had different secondary values. The one that drew his attention the most was the last one.

Thin Burlap Gloves

Hands

Quality equipment

Requires: Level 49

Provides: 5 defence rating, INT+6, +1 Freeze Limb rank

The high-level Aetherist noticed the interest and came around.

“What’s the story behind those gloves?” Jonas asked.

“A Vukodalar lair who is making fun of us. If a lair can do that. We ran it four times so far, and the elder at the end guarded a pair of gloves every single time.”

He raised his hands and wiggled his fingers, and Jonas immediately recognized the off-white pair.

“That three-tailed fox guarded an exceptional version only once, so that’s what I’m using, but the rest is surplus. I kept them instead of selling just to track how many variations we can get, but if I can trade them for something better…”

“I’ll be back,” Jonas told him as he moved back to the table.

“So, what do you make of it,” he asked Laura as everyone was finishing making the round trips around the table.

“Spotted a 30 ringmail tunic. Common, but Ira’s still sporting the first one that dropped. And Jonathan’s not much better. Speaking of which, there is a pair of quality 35 ringmail gloves that would fit him well.”

“Nothing for you? Got my eye on a pair of gloves,” Jonas asked.

“There’s a nice looking pair of exceptional 48 Strength-Stamina trousers, which would be absolutely awesome… if not for, you know…” she replied, alluding at the heroic-type Midnight Trousers they’d gotten during their escort back to civilisation.

“Got a common headband for Guss. Nothing fancy, but it’s better than what he has right now,” Jonas added.

“Seems to be all. There’s only a couple exceptional gear, and it’s almost all in the wrong builds,” she concluded.

“Any skill items I missed?”

“Nope, the only ones I think are those gloves of yours,” she confirmed.

“Okay, how many items do interest each of us? I think, to be fair, we should start with the person who wants the fewest. So that we all get an occasion to trade? Sounds good?” Odhran O’Hogan announced.

Nods of approval came around, and each team lead stepped forward to announce their numbers.

“4,” Jonas said. “3,” announced O’Hogan. “5,” announced surprisingly the high-level leader.

“3 or 8,” Murray said.

“Uh? Is that some Scottish thing?” Odhran replied.

“3 for me, but 8 if we count our beginner laddies,” he elaborated.

“Okay. So three. And we’ll see for your friends later,” the Irishman sighed.

“So, based on that, it would be me and Murray first,” he added. “Which should be good, I’ve spotted one on your stack.”

As the two started toward the table, Jonas found himself with the Aetherist.

“Sounds complicated.”

“It’s the first time. I think if we get more teams to participate, it will have to be faster anyway. But yes, my compatriot is overthinking stuff. That’s Galway for you.”

“You’re from the north, right?”

“Derry. We also got hurt by that epidemic, but less than the west. People say the walls stopped it, but, well…”

Both O’Hogan and Murray seemed to have reached an agreement as they fished from the table and traded nearly-identical looking leather tunics. Then they simultaneously approached Jonas, before stopping, looking at each other. Jonas almost laughed out.

“As long as you don’t want the same stuff, it’s fine for me.”

O’Hogan ended up talking first.

“Looking for that shield of yours. Our Shieldbringer got a real low level one. Oh, and that hammer. It’s a bit above our Smasher’s offhand. The rest… well, if you need stuff, we’ll trade you after, since it’s usually the same prices. But no, that’s what I’m looking for.”

Jonas quickly found out that the one item interesting them from the Irishman’s stack was the ringmail tunic. He swapped the shield for it, and then they both agreed to come back and discuss a swap once everyone had traded their most interesting stuff first.

Murray found himself happy to trade the burlap headband with only vitals and no Potentials for a pair of Strength-Intellect ringmail leggings. He admitted readily that their defender was still sporting basic ringmail, albeit level 60. But the quality alone made the defence much higher, even if the Potentials were not that good.

Jonas profited of the lull as O’Hogan was negotiating with the man from Derry to chat with Laura.

“They look as mismatched as us. I expected mainstream Professionals to be better off.”

She chewed on her lip, pondering.

“They’re independent. And if they’re running only a few lairs per week, then they don’t have that many pieces. The exclusive access is a big deal for us. It’s free licenses.”

“Yea. I didn’t realize why the Artefact Hunting company was making such a fuss of their lair licensing. Cowen’s team didn’t talk about that…”

“Foale did with us. But I think what differs for them is that there’s a lot more high tier zones to pick from, and fewer high-tier Professionals to compete against,” she said.

The next round of trading finally brought the Derry team and Jonas to the table. The man had the cloth glove set and the ringmail quality gloves of interest for Jonathan, the fact of which brought a smile from him.

“It’s all about your hands, then?”

“Yea. So what are you looking for?”

“Well, I was looking for the ringmail legs for our Smasher, but you traded them away.”

“Uh? Isn’t that defender gear?”

“Well, just because it’s ringmail doesn’t mean only they can wear it. It sure can work out if your build is STR or INT. It looks horrid, but most won’t care.”

Jonas could have – metaphorically speaking – banged his head on the walls. Okay, his own trousers also had 4 Intellect on them, same as the ringmail leggings, but they offered more defence, shaving some damage when he got attacked. And who cared if you had ringmail with the robe over them.

He ended up trading the exceptional bear leggings and the common sword with Focus from the molemen’s second floor.

“Anyone else still? Just me?” O’Hogan asked. Then he snorted as he saw Murray raising and wiggling four fingers before dismissing the Scottish jokester.

Jonas finally traded the Earth Hammer away in exchange for another ringmail tunic, a low 17 common item with just mind on it. He’d see if Jonathan would prefer it to his frog-skin tunic. He then finally traded 3 more commons to Murray for his lower-level company mates in exchange for random common ones, then left the Scottish man to pester the Northern Irishman for the last swap.

Laura started to shove back the items in her bags. With the shield gone, the volume was far more manageable. Even though it was more of a targe than a full shield, the item had barely fit in their largest bag.

A waitress came around bearing tankards of the same weird red ale that they’d began with, as O’Hogan announced he was offering the drinks to celebrate the success of the outing.

All of the Professionals slammed – carefully in the case of the high-Strength/low-Dexterity ones – their mugs and raised the beer in a toast.

“To our first faire. Which was fair. In the future, it will fare even better!”

There were groans at the horrible attempt at a joke, then everyone started sipping the slightly sweetened beer.

They finally shook everyone’s hands and came out to the slowly darkening sky of the falling night.

“Hopefully we’re not missing out on dinner,” Jonas said.

“We’re not that far from the Hog,” Laura replied. “And I’m betting I can outrace you even encumbered.”

“No bets in the team. Although I do have two more Agility than you.”

They started down the street, under the yellowish glow of the Crystal-powered lamp posts. Laura looked at Jonas inquiringly, before pointing out his hands.

“Got the skill?”

“Nope, but if I remember right, it’s an Aether/Control one, not an Aether/Offense. It will have to wait.”

“I noticed the guy was surprised at your choice between AGI, endurance and a wasted skill.”

“It’s an investment for the future. And I wasn’t about to explain about the skill gain. We’re already freaks enough for everyone.”

They walked in silence over the cobblestones as the first stars lighted above Gatepost.

Shieldbringer

(tier 2)

Required: 25 STA

Provides:

+5 health/+8 endurance/+3 mind/+2 aether per level

+1 Milestone/14 levels

Shieldbringer Milestone: +5 STA, +3 DEX, +2 PRE, +1 AGI, +1 FOR, 2.5% shield efficiency

Skill set: Equipment / Defence