Year 5026, Pryin’s Era Year: 236 Month: 03 Day: 20th

Shawn Lee was pissed. That was the best way to describe his current mood. He was pissed at the fact that he was now an adventurer, pissed at the fact that he took a quest, pissed that he was now in the woods and pissed that his target was standing before him.

In front of him stood a tiny raven like humanoid and before the two of them, were a mountain of junk. Well, junk to Shawn, but apparently a bunch of minorly valuable things to a load of people, and this raven person.

It had been seven whole days since Shawn became an adventurer, and this was his fourth job already and he’s already done with it. He’s had to carry crates of supplies across town, he’s had to travel to different villages to deliver fruit, he had to find a runaway tropical bird. Now, he had to catch and detain some weird thief who’s been stealing shiny objects across the area.

Shawn tracked the thief into the forest and found them at a small hill overlooking a pond. It turns out the thief was this small raven humanoid. What do you call one of these things again? A Mynah-Folk? Shawn recalled.

Mynah-Folks tended to be kleptomaniacs for anything shiny.

“Alright, handover the… goods that you’ve stolen.” Shawn said to the raven like Mynah-Folk, pausing as he tried to figure out what the pile of scrap even was. He saw silverware, cheap looking jewelry, random buttons, and various other junk.

“Hand? No, no no. Mine.” The Mynah-Folk said skittishly.

“No, it’s not.” Shawn sigh with a tired sigh. “You stole it.”

“No, no I did not! It was, it was- mine!” The Mynah-Folk quickly replied.

“Alright, if it was yours then why did I watch you break into someone’s home and steal a bag of the stuff?” He questioned.

“UH- ah- Mine! No touch.” The Mynah-Folk yelled out quickly wrapping its body around the pile of stolen metal.

Shawn gave out another sigh and pulled out his sword and pointed it at the Mynah-Folk.

“I’m not here to play.” He warned the Mynah-Folk. Immediately Shawn could see the Mynah-Folk cower away.

“Fine! Fine! You take! I leave!” The Mynah-Folk yelped.

“Oh no you don’t.” Shawn moved blocking the Mynah-Folk’s escape path. “You’re coming with me.”

“No, no!”

“Yes, yes.” Shawn replied deadpan.

The Mynah-Folk was cornered by Shawn at the edge of the hill, began to look around frantically, before turning to face Shawn directly.

“Never surrender!” It screamed and turned around and leapt into the air, across the pond.

“Damn it!” Shawn spat as he watched the Mynah-Folk leap into the air and flap its wings as it moved over the pond.

Then Shawn watched as the Mynah-Folk fell straight down into the pond with a loud splash, still flapping its wings. Shawn recalled that most Mynah-Folk actually couldn’t fly.

“Huh.” Shawn said as he walked over to peer down at the pond.

There he saw a panicking Mynah-Folk desperately flapping around in the pond.

“Help! I can’t swim!” The Mynah-Folk screamed. Evidently, some couldn’t swim either.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Shawm groaned.

Shawn then saw the Mynah-Folk sink into the pond, bubbles rising up to the surface.

Shawn gave another very annoyed groan, dropped his bag, and jumped into the pool.

***

Reason Lorcan stood in line in front of the receptionist desk, he watched as the adventurer in front finished their report and Reason approached the desk.

Maxine, the blonde receptionist greeted him.

“Hello, how can I help you today?” She said sweetly, giving him a kind smile.

“I’m here to collect my reward.” He said pulling out a folded piece of parchment and handing it over to her.

Unfolding the paper, she quickly read the contents, “Ah, a rat hunting quest, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Please describe the details of your quest.” Maxine asked politely as she prepared to write on a piece of paper.

Reason began to recall the events of his quest; he had entered one of the water tunnels that for some reason had recently been infested by rats. The quest was simple, dispose of the rats so they do not infect the water.

However, what Reason wasn’t prepared for was the fact that half the rats were the size of literal dogs. Reason was extremely thankful that he had bought a new set of leather armour and antidotes. Otherwise, who knows what Reason could have caught from those giant rotting teeth.

Once finished writing down Reason’s report, Maxine to be contemplating something.

“Is something wrong?” Reason asked in concern.

“Oh, nothing, it’s just recently the sewers and aqueducts related quests have been coming in lot a more often. It just means more opportunities for you.” She said with an assuring smile.

“Right.” Reason said simply, nodding his reply.

Maxine then pulled out from a drawer a small pouch of coins, it jangled as she moved it around. From there she pulled out a several shiny silver coins, she then began to stack the coins up. After reaching a certain height, she pushed the stack towards Reason.

“Your reward of twenty silver dollars.” She said.

“Thank you.” Reason said as he messily scooped the money into his bag.

Leaving the reception desk Reason then began to wander around the guild, trying to figure out what to do. He had finished the rat quest before dawn and rested all morning, so he had plenty of energy left.

Maybe I should try another quest. He thought.

His thoughts were then interrupted when he bumped into a large man with slicked back hair and a goatee.

“Sorry their buddy.” The man with goatee apologized with a bellowing voice.

“No, no, it was my fault. I was lost in thought. Sorry.” Reason quickly apologised.

“Hah, what were you thinking about?” The man asked kindly.

“Oh, just wondering if I should take a quest.”

“Wanting to work is good.” The man commended him.

“Uh, thanks.” Reason said appreciating the compliment. Looking at the large man, Reason noticed how he was quite a few years his senior.

“Oh, uh, sorry. But do you have any advice for this.” Reason asked sheepishly.

The man looked at him with confusion for a moment before realizing something.

“Oh, sorry no, I’m not an adventurer. I’m here waiting for someone.” The man explained.

“Oh, sorry.” Reason apologised again.

“It’s fine. Call me Oskar.” The man said extending a hand to Reason.

Reason accepted, having his hand be engulfed by a bear paw as Oskar gave him a firm handshake.

“Reason Lorcan sir.” Reason quickly replied.

“It’s good to meet you. Now I may not be an adventurer, but I have been around the block for a while, I could give some advice if you would allow me?” Oskar asked politely.

“Of course.”

“Adventurer’s usually have teams and groups correct?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have one.”

“Uh… no, not right now.”

“No matter, you’ll join one soon, I’m sure of it.” Oskar said giving Reason a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Reason gave a smile of appreciation as he rubbed his shoulder.

“Remember.” Oskar told him seriously.

“When you do get yourself a team, always make sure that you trust them. Make sure to be there when they need you and make sure to lead and take responsibility when you need to.” Oskar lectured.

Reason nodded taking the words to heart.

“Thank you for the advice.” Reason said gratefully.

“Don’t mention it, you remind me a lot of someone I already know. About the same age as you.” Oskar said with a smile.

“I do?”

“Yes…” Oskar’s voice trailed of as he caught a glimpse of something behind Reason, “In fact he just came in.”

Reason turned around and saw a new person enter the guild. Reason vaguely recognized him; he had bumped into him after taking his first reward.

Reason saw the man who had recently entering the room to be extremely unhappy.

***

Shawn entered the Adventurer’s Guild still dripping wet, hair and clothes soaked through. A trail of water dripped behind him as he moved across the room. His appearance made quite him quite the interesting sight. However, any and all cursory glances towards him were quickly turned away as Shawn gave his best death glare towards them.

Shawn’s mood had somehow turned even more sour than it was this morning. He had to jump in after that stupid bird and drag him out of the water. Then he had to hull an entire pile of junk and the dumb waterlogged bird back to the city gate. Then he after having the burden handed of to the guards, he was told that he had to go back to the guild to collect his reward.

Now he was here, feeling soggy and angry he stomped his way towards the front of the desk. There he was greeted by Maxine the receptionist, who was currently looking at the dripping wet adventurer with an eyebrow raised.

“Gone for a swim I see.” She said eyes showing a hint of amusement.

Shawn stared at her in silence. Not saying a word slowly pulled out a dry form of paper that was given to him by the guards.

“Quest completed.” He said through clenched teeth.

The corner of Maxine’s lips threatened to curl up into a smile as she accepted the form and read through it. Satisfied she wrote something down and looked back up.

“Let me get you your reward.” She said cheerfully.

She then left, leaving Shawn standing there with water dripping of him and onto the carpet floor. A moment later she returned and held out to him a small pouch of coins.

“You know, you should really try swimming without all your gear on you, Shawn.” She teased.

Shawn said nothing as he snatched the pouch and stomped towards another room in search for Oskar. He quickly spotted him standing to next some kid, looking annoyingly bemused.

Shawn stomped towards him.

“I’m here, what do you want?” He asked irritated.

“I’ve arranged a meeting. Follow me, though dry yourself off.” Oskar said to him with a chuckle. Shawn bristled in response.

Before Oskar turned to leave, he spoke to the other person, “I’m off. You’ll be fine Mr. Lorcan.”

“Uh, thanks.” The person replied.

Shawn simply to annoyed to care about what Oskar was doing beforehand and just moved behind Oskar and followed over to the next room.