Isa was still talking about Jabo Feldspicer as they turned down a crooked road that Joth said led to Beggar’s Lane. “He changed his mind like that!” She snapped her fingers. “Do you think he knows Ealda? Or are all Fazarian priestesses like her?”

“She only recently arrived at the temple, but it’s possible that she came from Hanchen.”

“Why do you live in Bywater, Joth? And why isn’t it as big as Portland?”

“Portland?” Joth seemed to have been startled out of a daydream.

“Yeah. Bywater is like this little village. I thought it would be bigger since Portland is bigger.”

“I don’t….”

“Didn’t you come from Portland? I just assumed….”

“I’m from Vermont. Montpelier.” He stopped in front of a small shop. “Here we are. Gear Ten.”

“Is this like Gimble’s?”

“No place is like Gimble’s.” Joth smiled. “This is more like a pawn shop. Like a serious pawn shop. OK?”

He pushed the door open, and a bell rang somewhere at the back of the shop. Where Gimble’s had looked and felt like a hoarder’s living room, Gear Ten looked like a museum. Each piece was precisely placed, labeled, and lighted.

Isa muttered “Beggar’s Lane, huh?”

A tall man looked up from a book as they entered. Isa now knew that he was a half-orc, but he looked nothing like her friend Lund. He was tall with shaggy black hair that actually complimented his light green skin. “Yes?” The word came out softly but with a force behind it that said, “I am very busy.”

“We’ve come to trade,” Joth said. “Or sell.”

Isa took a few steps into the shop. Did all the pawn shops in Varana look like this? She saw a mannequin on a pedestal wearing full armor. Nearby sat three casks stacked like a pyramid. A row of bottles sat on top of the uppermost cask.

Isa peered at the bottles. Across the top of the label, the words “Greyvine Estate.” A small paper tent sat beside the left bottle. It said “Maerusel-White. 100gp”

She took a step back. 100 gold for a bottle of wine? That’s not what Joth meant by his toast, was it? She had other things to do with her cash, thank you very much. She looked for Joth and saw the shopkeeper’s eyes on her. Joth stood at the counter talking with him, and Isa quickly joined them.

The tiger eye gem lay between them, and Joth was putting away his coin pouch. “Ah, Isa! Show him your scimitar.”

Isa took the scabbard from her belt and laid it on the counter. The half-orc picked up the scabbard and turned it over. He used a fingernail to scratch at a clump of dirt.

Isa refrained from saying anything, but she thought to herself: Clean loot before you sell it. Why hadn’t that occurred to her? Why hadn’t Joth suggested it? And why had he sold the gem so quickly? She was curious about what he’d gotten for it. Was it rude to ask? She just might do it anyway.

The half-orc pulled the blade free and grunted softly. In the light of the shop Isa saw the blade up close for the first time. The edge glinted like cool death.

“10 gold.” He slid the blade into the scabbard.

“10! Look at that blade again!” Isa couldn’t believe her ears. “It’s mighty sharp, I can tell you that.”

“It’s a common weapon of a common thug.”

“Mr. Dakgu, you and I both know it’s a finer blade than that.” Joth smiled at the half-orc. “Did I see a dwarven mark at the hilt?” Joth reached toward the blade, and Mr. Dakgu moved it toward himself just slightly.

“It has not been well maintained.”

Joth slapped his belly, “Who has?” He leaned his elbows on the counter. “I know you can get 30 gold for it. Maybe 35.”

The half-orc was silent for a moment. “I can give her 13 gold. I can give you 13,” he said to Isa. “It needs cleaning, sharpening. I must replace the grip….”

“I’ll take it,” said Isa. “And, thank you.”

Once they were back on the street Joth said, “I could have gotten 15 maybe 18.”

“I appreciate the extra you got. I didn't want to push our luck.” She paused. “Did you get as much for your gem? I mean I don’t know how much something like that--”

“I did OK.” Before Isa could say anything else Joth rubbed his hands together. “What shall we do with our afternoon?”

“Are there places where someone could practice with her weapons?”

Joth gave her a sidelong glance. “Embracing the fighter in you?”

“This world of yours seems bent on killing me.” Isa gripped her quarterstaff. “So I need to make sure I can fight back.”

Spoiler: Character Sheet

Name: Isa Chamberlin

Race: Human

Height & Weight: 5ft 6inches / 120 lbs

Class: Fighter Level: 3

Alignment: Good

Background: Stranger in a Strange Land

Hit Points: 20 AC: 13

Current Hit Points: 20

Combat: +4 to Hit

Weapons: Rapier (left hand) 1d8 +2 (piercing) / Quarterstaff (right hand) 1d6 +2 (bludgeoning)

Coin: 10gp, 10sp, 22cp

STR

11

0

DEX

14

+2

CON

11

0

INT

13

+1

WIS

13

+1

CHA

12

+1

Saving Throws: Str and Con +2

4

Acrobatics* (Dex)

1

Medicine (Wis)

1

Animal Handling (Wis)

1

Nature (Int)

1

Arcana (Int)

3

Perception* (Wis)

0

Athletics (Str)

1

Performance (Cha)

1

Deception (Cha)

1

Persuasion (Cha)

3

History* (Int)

1

Religion (Int)

3

Insight* (Wis)

2

Sleight of Hand (Dex)

1

Intimidation (Cha)

2

Stealth (Dex)

1

Investigation (Int)

1

Survival (Wis)

Special Attack: Two weapon fighting. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Class Features:

Second Wind - On your turn, you can use a Bonus Action to regain hit points equal to 5 + your fighter level. Short or Long Rest before you can use it again.

Action Surge - On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible Bonus Action. You must finish a short or Long Rest before using it again.

Martial Archetype: Surgical Fighter

3rd level - Clinical Eye: Spend 1 round studying your enemy and learn one of the following: if the enemy is equal to or stronger than you in strength, dexterity, or constitution. Can spend up to 3 rounds to discern all 3. Can be used outside of combat as a free action - spend 1 minute to learn all three.