“You want me to do what?” Adam asked, surprised. He hadn’t expected Paul to make such a request.

“I know,” Paul replied. “I can understand if you don’t want to, but this is an assignment I can only trust you with.”

Adam wondered whether or not he should take the assignment. His plan was to rest, taking a few days to rest and recuperate from the last few weeks. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to take such a long quest. It was a special request though, and Adam wasn’t sure if he could refuse without it coming back to haunt him.

“Well… at least it isn’t what I thought you were going to ask me to do,” Adam said.

“What did you think I was going to ask you to do?” Paul asked, intrigued.

“I thought you wanted me to join that devilkin’s group for some reason.”

Paul furrowed his brows. “The same devilkin that wanted to stab you?”

“That’s the one.”

“Why would I do that? That would have been too dangerous.”

“I don’t know… I just thought maybe life would be like that.” Adam shrugged. He was pretty unfortunate, he could only imagine how his luck could ruin him.

“No, no.” Paul shook his head. “This is just a simple mission, but one that’s fairly important to the guild.”

“So I’m to help some kind of herbal expert?”

Paul nodded. “You’re to help escort the herbalist. He’s Ser Andal Bromheart, and he’s been dispatched by the capital. He’s a dwarf, though he’s been a citizen of the Kingdom for his entire life. He was born and raised in the capital, one of the few dwarves in the Kingdom able to claim such a thing. Though he’s an accomplished warrior, he needs some assistance in a variety of forms and he’s probably decided that a group of adventurers is best.”

“The party is a bronze ranked party, you said?” Adam brushed his chin. “Do you have any more information about them?”

“A mage and two martials. That’s all I can really tell you, I’m not familiar with them myself. It’s probably best you meet them and try to get to know them better, you may be fighting side by side with them. They’ll arrive some time this evening.”

Adam nodded. It was the best way to get to know them better, though he wondered if he’d be able to make a good impression. He was glad he had increased his Rapport. Adam looked down at his armour and then back up at Paul, throwing the man a questioning look.

“Why did you get me to put my armour on?” Adam asked.

“To cool your head,” Paul replied. “I tried to remove you from the scene in a way that allowed you to save face.”

Adam paused for a moment. That did make sense. “Thank you.”

“You too. You didn’t need to get angry for my sake, and next time you should probably not engage with people like that, but I appreciate it.”

It had taken a short while to don his armour, so Adam decided he may as well wear it for the rest of the day. He needed to buy himself a holy symbol, but he also had something else in mind too, something he wanted to do the day before. He hadn’t because he had been a little shocked by meeting with that woman.

Adam returned to the guild common room, finding that the party had already left. The man that had been facing the devilkin raised a drink towards Adam and was about to say something, though paused as Adam made to move for the doors, and then let the half-elf be.

Adam made his way to the centre of the town, moving with a will in his steps. He avoided the markets, slipping around a couple of back alleys, before he made his way to a beautiful building. It was white, with a dome near the top, and then a spire that reached for the heavens, though it didn’t go too high. It was the most obvious place to buy a holy symbol.

A temple.

There was a young man, donned within simple robes of beige, sweeping outside. He was bald, with not a single hair that lined above his neck other than his eyebrows. He spotted Adam, giving him a curious look. Adam nodded, and the priest bowed his head before returning back to his work. Though, as Adam stepped up towards the doors and motioned to open the heavy red oak doors, the priest cleared his throat and then stood at attention.

“Excuse me,” the priest said. “How may I be of assistance?”

Adam paused. “I was hoping to acquire a holy symbol,” the half-elf asked, tentatively.

The priest’s eyes flashed open with surprise, and then he smiled. “A holy symbol?” His voice was filled with great delight, as though he was told he was going to be eating pie in the evening. “Who is it that you pray to?”

“Belle,” Adam said. Though that wasn’t quite right. “Well, Belle and Sozain.”

The priest raised his brows, his smile twitching. “Is that Belle, of Order?”

“Chaos, mostly.”

The brother’s eyes went wide in alarm, but he quickly composed himself, straightening up further.

‘What,’ Adam thought. That was quite the peculiar reaction.

“If it is a holy symbol you are after…” the priest said, pausing for a long moment after. “Is the Lord of the Underworld’s symbol fine?”

“It’s preferable,” Adam replied. “If it’s no bother.”

“Ah, uh…” The priest squirmed. “Just a moment.” The priest placed his broom beside the door. “Do you have the donation ready?”

‘Donation?’ Adam wondered if perhaps he meant payment, but of course this was how these things operated.

“How much is the… donation, exactly?”

“Is an amulet fine?” The priest seemed hopeful in his words.

“Yes.”

“Five gold pieces.”

Currency

25 Gold -> 20 Gold

Adam handed over the coin to the priest, who quickly snatched them up and skittered into the temple. He opened the door but a crack as he slipped inside, Adam only just realising how thin the priest was. He didn’t catch much of the inside, other than the cold stone floor and some benches. The priest returned a minute later with an amulet in hand. It was a simple amulet, a stylised skull that was linked to the rest of the chain. It was different than the feynt woman’s, but he supposed this was just a general amulet of death.

“Thank you,” Adam said, taking the amulet and then donning it. It felt rather comfortable to wear, as though he had found his childhood teddy bear. With the amulet against his neck Adam would be able to cast many of his abilities, those of his Priest and Guardian classes.

The priest nodded, and then stared at Adam for a long while. There was the kind of look Adam was used to, the awkward look of whether or not Adam would leave.

Adam nodded and turned, leaving the priest alone. He wondered just why the priest was acting queerly. Was worshipping Belle weird? Was it worshipping Sozain? No, that probably wasn’t it. It was Belle, God of Chaos, which had caused the priest to falter. Well, that would be a thought for another time.

Adam returned to the guild with a pep in his step, though he did not enter it. Instead he turned, looked towards the right, made a mental point within his mind, and then retraced his steps. Not the steps he had just taken, no, but the first steps he had ever taken on these streets. He veered this way and that before he finally found it.

He opened up the doors to see half the inn was packed, and the other half was empty. He stepped up towards the innkeeper, who had narrowed his eyes slightly, and then raised them in surprise.

“Little elf boy!” he exclaimed.

“Khan,” Adam replied.

The devilman narrowed his eyes once more. “It was… Adam, wasn’t it?”

“That it was…is,” Adam said, quickly correcting himself.

“Come, take a seat! I see you’r-” Khan’s eyes flashed towards Adam’s chest. “Is that bronze I spy around your neck?”

“It is.” Adam nodded, sitting down on the stool before he grabbed the token and pulled it up to show Khan.

Khan whistled. “No… really?” Khan asked, almost uncertain of his eyes.

“Yes.” Adam smiled.

“You’ve gone through the ranks rather quickly, haven’t you?” Khan said, not hiding how impressed he was.

“Well, I didn’t do it alone. I joined up with an Iyrman, and then I went to the Iyr and fought alongside a few of them.”

“Uhuh,” Khan replied, narrowing his eyes. “Not quite as impressive, but impressive still.”

“Well, I did do some things alone.” Adam paused as though to think about what he did alone. “I beat a black bear and a brown bear alone, but separately. Oh, I beat Alten and his champion too. Alten is the Captain’s son, and his champion, Robert, was a pretty tough guy. I actually beat Robert twice.” Adam smiled.

“The Captain’s son? Which Captain is this?” Khan asked, cocking his head aside in thought.

“The Captain of the soldiers, I think.”

“No!” Khan replied, eyes wide in surprise. “Are you telling me tales of tall?”

Adam paused. “No?” he said, unsure. “No, I’m not. I fought Alten a while ago, after I killed the brown bear. That was the reason why, if I recall correctly. I fought Robert in a tavern brawl, and then again in the Iyr.”

“You’ve been to the Iyr?”

“I have.”

“We don’t get many Iyrmen about our little tavern,” Khan said. “Usually it’s vagabonds and such, those that don’t care that we’re devilkin. Those that can’t afford much else.” He smacked his towel against a nearby patron to wake him up.

“We had a devilkin guy show up at the guild,” Adam said. “He had a party of a halfzer, an orc, and a feynt.”

“Sounds like Dark Harvest.”

“Ah! Yes.” Adam nodded. “That was them.”

“Oh.” Khan frowned. “I hear he’s quite the ass.”

“He was, yeah. He tried to start a fight with Paul.”

“Well sounds like you have a number of stories to tell me. Why don’t you drop some coin and I can get to pumping you full of food and drink as you regale us?”

Adam chuckled. “Alright. How much coin?”

“We’ll call it a silver for the entire meal, but the story better be good.”

Currency

27 Silver -> 26 Silver

Adam began to regale the tale, having much practise after doing so with the Iyrmen. Khan paid keen attention to him, like a hawk. Adam had been served some bread with jam, as well as some fruit, vegetables, cheese and some ale. Amira would come now and again, as pretty as a painting she was, though Adam remained focused on the tale.

When Adam was done, Khan clapped, whistling with delight. “Wow! Now that is quite a tale!”

Adam smiled. He had decided to leave out some of the tale, especially with the otherworldly creature. He wondered what Khan would have thought of that.

“A bone dragon and all?” Khan narrowed his eyes. “I believe you, though I’m not sure if I should.”

“I’m glad you do.”

“Even if it’s made up, I think the story itself was fine.”

Adam chuckle. “One day an Iyrman will come and validate at least that much.”

“Why don’t you bring a few along next time?” Khan asked.

“I’m not sure if any are around, right now.” Adam thought about if he had seen them at the guild in the morning. “I’ll bring it to their attention next time I come about.”

"Now that you’re bronze ranked, why don’t you come by more often?” Khan asked. “You and your gold are more than welcome here.”

“I was meaning to come by before, but I only just returned a few days ago. Actually, I was meaning to come yesterday, but I was a little sick. I’ll try and come by around more often, though I’m about to go on another quest soon. When I come back I’ll be sure to spend some of that coin here.”

Khan grinned wide and then slapped Adam’s shoulder. “That’s a good kid! Or is it a man now?” Khan laughed.

Adam smiled and then started to eat as Khan began to speak with him, keeping an eye on some of the more rowdy fellows in the room. The patrons would often walk up to order something, sometimes dropping copper, other times Khan would just hand them a drink and then write something down under the desk.

Khan spoke of many tales from his home, far in the south east Kingdom of Saleh. He spoke of the Desert Reavers, a group of pirates, and spoke of tales of small communities who would disappear and reappear once every generation with the Pale Winds. Khan never went in to too much detail about anything, giving Adam just a taste of things, just the appetisers, never the main course.

Eventually Adam was done with his food, and Khan finished up his stories. With that, they said their goodbyes, and Adam, now refreshed after speaking with Khan, made his way out.

“Don’t forget to come back again!” Khan shouted out as Adam left.

He had spent a couple of hours at the inn, and he went about spending most of the day just walking about the town. He finally returned to the guild, stripping out of his chain mail and then relaxing on his bed.

Adam had been waiting for dinner with the remaining groups of adventurers, when a group stepped into the guild. Leading the party was a dwarf in chain mail. Well, it was a short figure in chain mail, but the beard gave him away. Behind him was a man and a woman, both also in chain mail, as well as a woman that was definitely a mage. The last three figures wore bronze tokens around their necks. They began to situate themselves, with the men removing their helmets to reveal themselves.

The dwarf was older, at least a century and a half, with a thick, dark beard sprinkled with white. He had at his side a dwarven sword, and at his back lay a shield.

The man was quite young, maybe in his mid-twenties or so, with copper hair and green eyes. His chain mail had seen quite a bit of wear, and Adam could see that his blade was new and shiny. It was much longer, a great-sword, and he also wore a handful of javelins at his side, which poked out like feathers in a cap.

The woman was a mage of some kind, carrying with her a quarterstaff with a white gem embedded at the top. She had raven black hair, and her face reminded him of a hawk, with her narrowed eyes and her thin nose. She wore long dark robes which covered her entire frame.

The other remained with her helmet on, though she was the tallest of the group. She had a shield on her back and a battleaxe at her side.

The dwarf shambled his way up to the desk where he spoke with Emma for a few moments before Paul arrived. Adam wondered if perhaps this was the party he was meant to team up with, though Paul quickly arrived with that information.

“This is Adam,” Paul said, motioning with a hand. “Adam, this is Ser Andal Bromheart.”

“Alright son?” The dwarf said, a touch of a dwarven accent in his words. “Paul says you’ll be joining us.”

Adam stood up, reaching out a hand to shake the dwarf’s hand. “A pleasure to meet you. That’s right, I was asked to accompany you.”

“Escort,” the dwarf said sharply. “You’re getting good coin too. Two gold pieces a day, I’ll be paying for your stay, with an additional bonus depending on how many herbs I’m able to gather.”

Adam nodded his head. The terms were fair enough, and the job simple enough, not that he knew the exactly specifics.

“Alright, go ahead and meet the group. I’ll be having a talk with Paul.” The dwarf dismissed Adam, who made his way to the group that were in conversation with one another.

“Hello,” he said to them as they turned to face him. Each glanced at his token before nodding.

“Yes?” the mage woman asked.

“I’m Adam,” he said. “I’ll be joining you with your quest.”

“You’re the new guy?” the man said, looking at Adam’s amulet. “Sozain, eh? What’s your speciality.”

“Underworld.” Adam assumed he meant his Priest subclass.

The man whistled, flashing a cheeky smile. “Not many of yours around.”

Adam shrugged.

“Take a seat,” the mage woman said. As he did, she began to introduce the others. “I’m Imma,” she said, before motioning her head to the man. “That’s Jay, he’s an ass.” She then motioned to the other woman. “She’s Kay, she’s quiet.”

“A pleasure to meet you all,” Adam said, throwing a nod to each of them.

“So how long have you been adventuring?” Imma asked.

“About a month,” Adam replied.

“A month? And you’re already bronze?” Imma’s eyes flashed wide with surprise.

“Yeah, well, I had some help. I helped out some Iyrmen.”

“You mean the Iyrmen helped you.” Imma narrowed her eyes suspiciously, her lips taut.

“Yeah.” Adam chuckled. “That, mostly.”

“Uhuh.” She seemed far less interested now. “Well, at least you met some Iyrmen. That’s not what any of us could say, except Kay. She met a few when she was a kid.”

“Oh?” Adam asked, looking towards the heavily armoured woman. “Do you remember which family?”

Kay nodded, though did not say anything. Adam looked to the other pair.

“I did say she was quiet,” Imma said.

“Why is that?” Adam inquired.

The Jay and Imma shared a look. “Just… it’s her choice,” Jay said.

Adam shrugged. “Fair enough.” It was probably a religious thing, unless she was just shy.

Kay left as Andal returned, and they all began to eat together. They spoke for a short while before Andal decided to clue Adam in to the current task.

“We’ll be moving towards the north in order to find a herb,” Andal said. “Frostamber, which I have been tasked to bring back to the capital in order to create some potions. This is what they look like.” The dwarf revealed a small poster with the herb. The herb was long, with a thick lower stalk which split into three, orange bulbs at the end of the stalks. “If you find any of these, let me know. Do not touch them. I will harvest them, for they are a tender little herb. If you do touch them there is a chance you might be affected by the flower.”

“What does it do?” Adam asked.

“It will make you want to use the bathroom constantly.”

“Oh.” Adam wondered if his Guardian ability affected that since he was immune to diseases.

“If I am able to harvest enough, about forty of these herbs, I will be tipping each of you at least ten gold pieces. It shouldn’t take longer than two weeks. They don’t grow too far North, but if you want to continue on and help me harvest a hundred, I will increase your bonus to fifty gold pieces.”

‘Now that’s a lot.’

“What are these herbs used for?”

“They are one ingredient for various potions, cold resistance being one, but there are far more potions which they can be used for.”

They continued to talk and eat with one another, Adam wondering if Kay would return. He was taken out of his thoughts as Andal threw an obvious look down to Adam’s side and then back up him.

“I’ve been meaning to ask…” he said. “Where did you get your sword?”

“I bought it from Thundersmith, just across the guild.”

“Aye, that so?”

“Aye, that’s so.”

Andal smiled and gave Adam a nod. “Welcome to the team.” Andal reached out and shook Adam’s hand.