Chapter Three

**Darrow and Vroot’s**

Craftsman’s Row turned out to be a winding maze of alleys and cobblestone side streets. The storefront closest to the town circle was taken up by expensive shops that Jason was nowhere close to being able to enter. As he walked farther down The Row the shops began to appear more disheveled and the alleys more dark. Jason found it difficult to find a general store as all of the shops were exceptionally niche. He finally stopped in front of a store a little after a mile of walking. Compared to its rough looking neighbors, the store was well kept externally for being this far down The Row. The shutters were a freshly painted dark purple and a clean sign hung over the door. Darrow and Vroot’s was written in large white letters followed by Exotic Goods Emporium written in six different languages.

Jason tied Skippy to a post outside the shop and prayed to whatever virtual gods there were in this world that the animal would still be there when he returned. “Hello,” Jason called out as he pushed open the front door, but no one returned his call. The front of the store was neat, but after there it seemed like the shop devolved into a mad maze of shelves. Books and bottle hung carelessly off shelves micrometers from crashing to the wood floor. Clothes hung ruffled on racks in dire need of ironing. Jason could hear movement from the back of the store and a combination of loud sounds as whatever was making the sound attempted to move towards the storefront.

“One moment,” a voice called out. The commotions grew closer until a slim man crawled out from the shelves. He bowed from his waist, “hello zir. I beg your apologies I waz unloading a freshly delivered crate of Hanwell Tidal Conch Shells, very tricky buggers,” he chuckled. “My name is Darrow, of Darrow and Vroot’s and how may I be of your assistance? Darrow and Vroot’s haz a range of products that can meet any taste.” Darrow offered his hand and Jason meekly clasped it. The shopkeeper surprised him with a firm grasp.

“Um, ah,” Jason struggled to think of words. Basics, that’s what I need, the basics. “I’m going to do a bit of traveling soon and needs some of the basic.”

“Ah yez, a traveler, give me one moment zir,” Darrow turned and dived back into the shelves. Jason looked idly around the should for a few moments until he found himself staring at a mirror.

The glass was warped so it did not reflect as well as Jason normally experience with mirrors, but he could tell he did looked different. The changes were subtle, so small he couldn’t put a name to them. Maybe his skin was now a shade lighter or his eyes more upturned, but he was not his old self. Surprisingly this didn’t bother him, when Jason looked into the mirror it felt like he was looking at himself. It seemed like the game altered his actual features to look more “Braccian”.

The nearby shelves ruffled and Darrow emerged again beside Jason, “would you like to browse the clothes azz well zir?” Darrow shifted his eyes up in down fully taking in Jason’s peddler garb.

Jason’s cheeks went red, “I’m alright for now.” But no question I’m getting something else as soon as I can afford it.

“Too bad,” Darrow commented letting the thought linger with a pause. “Azz for the supplies,” Darrow said waving his hand at the items laid out on the shop counter, “I’ve procured bandages, a travel cooking pot, a fire starter, and a pound each of venison and dried fruits, and one moment,” he dove at the nearest clothing rack, “and a travelling cloak,” it can get cold up here in the fall, trust this old Hessian,” he chuckled. “I trust these are to your liking sir?”

Jason touched the navy cloak and learned more about it.

~Worn Cloak [Dark Blue](Durability 12/20, +2 blunt damage protection)

Jason smiled, “yes, this looks perfect, but how much will all this cost me?”

Darrow cocked his head back and forth for a moment while doing some mental calculations, “14 coppers for the supplies and an extra 6 for the cloak. One silver.” So twenty coppers are equivalent to a silver coin, good to know. I have no idea if that’s a fair price or not, might as well try for some bartering skill though.

“I think I’m going to buy a few more things as well, why don’t you knock two coppers off that. The cloak only has sixty percent of its durability anyway,” Jason commented.

“Sir, I assure you, for these commodities you will find at the same, if not a higher, price anywhere in the city,” Darrow said with a smile.

Jason found himself agreeing with the shopkeepers reasoning. Wait a minute, does he have his own bartering skill working against me!? Jason couldn’t come up with a counteroffer so he agreed on the price.

“Excellent zir. What else may I assist you with?”

I’ve got to work on my bartering somehow to at least get the tutorial notification to appear so I know how the skill works so that I can work around other merchants. “Um, do you have anything interesting, maybe like a skill book or something like that.

Darrow lifted a finger and spun around without a word. A minute latter he returned with a thin book in his hands. “While not a skill book per se zir, it should help you with your Lore Skill as you read it,” Darrow offered the book and Jason took it.

The leather cover showed signs of cracking and Jason could feel the corners peeling. He looked at the cover and found the title, A History of the Middle Kingdoms.

“A classic zir. Covers mostly the Heroic Age, and there probably isn’t an ounce of truth to the thing but it will give you a good understanding of the local mythology. I’m willing to relieve myself of it for four silvers.”

Jason’s jaw dropped, “for this thing? It’s falling apart.”

“It is quite rare zir.”

“I don’t even know if I will be able to read half of it with the pages falling out.”

Darrow inhaled, “Yes zir, I’d be willing to drop the price to two silvers.”

“One,” Jason said flatly.

“Ah very well sir, I guess the knowledge that the tales of this epic will continue to warm hearts is enough compensation for my soul.” The man tossed the book onto the counter. “Is there anything else the good zir is in search for?”

I need to be careful and not spend a lot so I have enough to trade with villagers later. Still he was curious so he asked, “have anything with magic?”

The shopkeepers face went pale, “good zir you humble me. I could never afford to keep magical devices here. Beg my apologies but are you a traveler?”

“Uh yeah, I guess you could call me that,” Jason responded a little confused. The blacksmith from earlier in the day had given him a similar look when he revealed that he was a player. The common NPC response seemed to be that players were like children.

“That explains it,” Darrow said mostly to himself. “Let me give you some advice. Magical ideas are typically reserved for the nobility and sanctioned sorcerers. I wouldn’t go around asking about the stuff unless I was looking for attention and by that I mean trouble. Magic is closely guarded around here.”

“I see,” Jason said. Darrow’s explanation only stimulated his curiosity to learn more about magic.

“Is there anything else I may help you with zir?”

“No I think that’s all,” Jason said and then fished two silver coins from his pouch. After he laid the coins on the table he looked back to see that he only had 3 silvers and 2 coppers left. He winced as he thought about his early mistake back at the gates. I need to be frugal until I figure out a way to make some money, so far all I’ve found out is everything in the game is expensive.

Jason pulled his purchases off the counter and thanked Darrow as he exited the shop. After he packed his new goods into Skippy’s saddlebag he checked the notifications in his vision.

**New Skill: Barter (Beginner I): .5% boost when buying or selling. Player’s modifier is counter by opposites party’s skill level. Barter does not stack with the Negotiating skill +50 Exp.**

**New Skill: Appraising (Beginner I): You are better able to identify the true value of an item. Increase this skill to receive more information when scanning an item. This skill increases by correctly identifying and valuing items +50 Exp.**

Jason was surprised for gaining the Appraising skill but glad as it seemed it would come in handy, as well as, level the playing ground with other merchants. He also wondered what the negotiating skill was and what made it different from barter. The system wasn’t going to give him any hints so he put it out of him mind for now. As he walked back towards the town circle he looked up to the clouds and saw the sun was already three quarters of its way through the sky. Jason figured he couldn’t accomplish much besides waste more silver coins so he decided he needed to find an inn for the evening.

Once Jason walked through the town he realized just how small it was. Craftsman’s Row took up half of the town with all of its side streets in alleys. The circle seemed to be the center of town and if he continued straight from the gate he entered he would have ended up at a small keep. Jason eventually found an inn near the keep. It was the first he came across with a stable for Skippy so he made due with the lodge. It was still only midafternoon and the tavern area was vacant and he was able to talk with the bartender without any interruptions.

By getting his barter skill up to beginner II he was able to get a room for himself, keep for Skippy, and a tankard of beer and a meal for 3 and a half coppers. When they came to the agreement Jason handed over four coppers and the innkeeper handed him a copper coin that had been cut in half.

Once he had settled Skippy outside, Jason sat down in one of the empty booths sipping his beer and flipping through his new book. He mostly looked at the pictures as over half the book seemed illegible. Here and there the ink had smudged or faded or a stain hid a passage, but Jason was still looking forward to reading the tome. He was about to flip back to the beginning and start reading when he heard a familiar voice call out, “Harold, I’m starting my tab early tonight.”