I wake up and feel excited. Today is the day I go back to visit Cal. I roll out of bed and head down to get breakfast and chat with John. Feeling my chin I am thinking about not shaving since arriving in this world. The description of Harrow indicates I won’t have facial hair, but I haven’t seen anyone else with any either. I ask John about it.

He says, “Facial will growth if you focus on it, but you really must want it. There are even barbers in the cities, but they don’t have to cut as much as style your hair. This can give you a temporary charisma bonus.”

What a strange world I think to myself. “I did have another question about the spells I learned last night. They reference skill Tiers. What is a Tier?”

John rubs his chin as he considers. “When you advance your skill with a spell you will gradually advance from skill progression level one to one hundred. The one hundred levels of advancement are divided into ten Tiers, which are Basic, Novice, Beginner, Advanced, Adept, Expert, Master, Grand Master, Sage, and Legendary. You will have to advance ten levels within a Tier to advance to the next Tier. Most skills see the biggest advancement in power as you progress to the next Tier.”

“So, I will start in Basic 1 and increase up to Basic 10 before going to Novice 1?”

“You’ve got it.”

“Thanks John, I will see you later, have a good day.”

I wave as I head over to see Cal.

Cal is out on his porch drinking a mug of something steaming. He appears to be in a great mood as he greets me and invites me in saying, “Great timing, everything is done. Come take a look.” He leads me back to his study.

There is now a clear spot on the cluttered table with the lights focused on a long flat wooden box. The box itself is a rich mahogany buffed until it glows under the lights. He gestures. “Go on and open it.”

I open the lid and gasp at what I see inside. There are 10 copper rings and a necklace in the box along with a small velvet bag. Each of the rings has a braided copper band etched with runes and inset with a faceted Amethyst that flared under the lights. I don’t know anything about runes, but it looks like there are two sets of different rune patterns for the rings in the box. The necklace is a copper chain that holds a copper amulet inset with seven Amethysts. One larger stone in the center of the amulet and six evenly spaced around it.

“Try the rings and necklace on and tell me what you think. The other stones are in the velvet bag and they are cut as well.”

I place the rings on my finger and they fit perfectly. I drape the necklace around my neck and turn to a mirror he has on the wall. They all look great, but more important are the notifications that suddenly pop up.

You have found:

Rings of Intelligence (x5) +1 to intelligence each

Rings or Wisdom (x5) +1 to wisdom each

Necklace of Mana Storage, this necklace can store up to seventy mana. When worn will increase the size of the user mana pool by seventy.

Cal then says, “This is the best I could do without incurring a level restriction that would block you from using the items.”

“Are you kidding, this is incredible, but I didn’t expect you would be doing this.”

“Consider it a bonus for completing the quest.”

I open the pouch and see a beautiful collection of ten cut and faceted Amethysts.

“If you sell the pouch of gems at the General Store you should get fifty coppers per gem.”

I peek at my Status and see my intelligence and wisdom have gone up 5 points each.

“This is great.”

“Glad you like it. The pouch has the remaining twenty-seven gems.”

After looking in the pouch, I say. “Isn’t that too many? I thought there were only twenty-seven gems in the geode.”

“That’s true, but the larger stones can be cut into three smaller gems and the medium into two. The rings use smaller stones and the necklace used one medium and six small. This should give you enough money to buy spells and some decent arms and armor.”

“I already bought some spells.”

“Well I suggest you get them all and practice them in the yard by the barracks. There are practice dummies behind the building.”

“The captain didn’t offer that when I talked to him.”

“He won’t until you finish the wolf quest, but if you ask he will let you use them. Go and sell the gems, get the remaining spells, and then go to the tailor and get leather boots, pants, belt, shirt, and a cloak of concealment from behind the counter. At the blacksmith you should be able to get a bronze sword and dagger. These are of course just suggestions.”

“I am sure if you are suggesting it I should give serious consideration to it. Thanks again and I will head to the General Store first.”

I wave good bye as Cal follows me out to take his seat on the porch.

I walk over to the General Store and once again find Burt up on his ladder. He slides down and greets me as I enter the store, saying, “Back so soon? Forget some supplies?”

“Actually, I have some more to sell.”

“You do? What did you do, go hunting at night?”

“Not exactly.” I pull the pouch out of my inventory and open a trade window with Burt, placing the twenty-seven gems in the trade window.

“How in the world did you get these?” Burt exclaims in surprise.

“I got this as a reward for a quest.”

“Impossible, there are no quests here for this.”

I just raise an eyebrow and say. “How much? I was thinking one silver each.”

“Ha, you jest. You may have surprised me, but you must think I am out of my mind to offer so much. Twenty coppers would be generous.”

“Now it is my turn to laugh. These are superbly cut stones with no flaws, I would only consider eighty coppers because we have done good business in the past.”

“Ridiculous, no one would be interested in such low-quality gems even if adequately cut, but because you are such a good customer, I will offer you thirty coppers.”

I open the pouch on the counter under the overhead lights they seem to catch fire. “Adequately cut? Look at the fire in these gems. Even taking seventy coppers for these beauties is a crime.”

“Crime? You are indeed a thief to try for such a price. Forty coppers will be my final offer.”

“It saddens me to hear you say that.” I start to pick up the gems one at a time to put back into my pouch and close the trading window.

“What are you doing?”

“You said it’s your final offer and it is not close to the gems value. A trader’s word is paramount when making a deal. While we may embellish and show our products in the best night we must never lie to finalize a deal. Therefore, I will hold onto my gems until I find someone who recognizes their real value.”

As I close the pouch a notification fills my vision.

Congratulations

You have recognized a key tenet of the Merchant class. Merchant is now available as a secondary class.

You have gained three levels in Trading. Basic 6, 75%.

As a reward your next trade will receive maximum value.

I start laughing as I close the notification.

Burt says. “What’s so funny.”

“Let me show you.” I say, as I open a trade window and offer the gems again.

“What are you doing?”

“I would like to sell these. How much will you offer?”

Twenty-seven silvers fill his side of the trading window, which is one silver per gem.

“I also want to buy the three-remaining level one spells and the five Lore books.”

As the spells slide into Burt’s side of the trade window the amount decreases by five silvers and thirty coppers and I click accept.

“What the hell?” Burt says with a furious expression. “How did you do that?”

“It was a reward.”

Burt’s expression looks to be equal parts surprise and anger.

“Thanks, now I have to be off to the Tailor.”

Burt starts to open his mouth to say something then snaps it shut as he grits his teeth.

I left the Store with a wave and head over to the Tailor. I took far too much enjoyment from doing that to Burt, but he just rubs me the wrong way.