I helped Lyndis get up and though she looked at me angrily at first she soon realized she needed some help to walk back to town. By the time we were back in town, she had recovered enough to walk on her own. The two peasant town guards let us pass-through the gate entrance without any incident.

We finally arrived at the adventurers’ guild red-brick building to claim our reward. The sun was setting by the time we reached it. The place was a lot quieter than it was when I had last been here at noon. Helen was not there either at the till but in her place there was a halfling standing on a box. He had curly brown hair and ruddy cheeks. He wore a green cloak held together with a small green badge with a leaf design.

I have met a few halflings and it has never been a pleasant experience. This was no exception. The halfling eyed us suspiciously.

“Who are you?” He asked us bluntly.

“Members of this guild,” Replied Dazai just as firmly.

“Good, then show me your plates,” the halfling ordered imperiously.

We showed him our guild tin plates.

“Beginners, I see.”

“Who are you?” asked Lyndis unexpectedly.

“I am Teser, the delegate sent by the Royally Chartered Guildry Incorporation of Perth. I have been sent to this backwater town adventurers’ guild to make sure you sneaky adventurers actually do your job.”

He was an underling sent by the Merchant Guild from the merchant city of Perth.

Dazai, the dwarf was getting tired of all this talk.

“Look, I don’t care about any of that just give me my reward for this killing those orcs.”

“I will not be talked to in that manner by a lowly dwarf!” said the halfling in an unusually loud voice for his small body.

“What did you say!” said Dazai preparing to attack the halfling. I had no intention of stopping Dazai.

Just then Helen came down from the stairs to the upper floors. Dazai, the dwarf was immediately distracted by the bouncing of Helen’s large breasts so by the time Helen reached us it seemed Dazai had lost any intention to attack the halfling only feebly pulling his sling.

“Mr. Teser, please stop getting into fights with guild members. I can’t always come to save you.” Helen pleaded with the halfling.

“Hmph, you got to let adventurers know their place. No wonder the Incorporated Guildry had to send me.” saying the Halfling got off his box and stormed off.

“Please excuse Mr. Teser, he has had a bad day,” lied Helen. “Please follow me to the first floor. I will get a bed for you to rest tonight.”

“How much is it going to cost,” asked Dazai as we made our way up the stairway voicing the concern going through my own mind.

“As active members of our guild, you will get free accommodation.”

“What about our reward?” asked the dwarf.

“You will get that tomorrow after taking Mr. Teser to the Orc Lair. It’s to prove to him you have actually done the quest.”

“That sounds awful.” I groaned. Dazai just nodded in agreement. Lyndis didn’t seem to care.

We made our way into a dingy room with a single lamp on a table. There was just enough room to walk in one by one and the rest of the space was taken by a triple bunk bed.

We ate from our food rations and then wordlessly stepped onto the creaky bunk beds. I was on top bed and the ceiling was just a few inches from my face. There wasn’t enough space for me to lie onto the side so it felt a bit uncomfortable. Well, at least it was better than sleeping outside. Unless creaky bed suddenly decided to fall into pieces I was safe.

The next morning I felt a bit better but not much. I didn’t particularly relish the thought of going back to the orc lair, what with the wandering blink dogs and that Green Dragon. What was that dragon even doing in a backwater town like this? Green Dragons were normally attracted to treasure. If there was one I wanted to get it.

Alhwald Tillyworth’s Character Sheet STAT VALUE BONUS AB +1 STR 11 INT 14 +1 WIS 11 DEX 7 -1 CON 10 CHA 11 AC 15 HP 9(10) Race Human Class Fighter Sex Male Level 1 Age 16 XP 329XP (1,250) Hit Dice 1d8 Money 244 gp, 3gp Equipment Chainmail, Shield, Long-Sword, Backpack, Rations-6 days, Water-skin, Tinderbox, Flint and Steel, 50′ rope, Tin Plate. Spells/Abilities 10% bonus to all XP earned. SAVING THROWS Death Ray/Poison 12 Magic Wands 13 Paralysis or Petrify 14 Dragon Breath 15 Spells 17 Lyndis Hersandoral’s Character Sheet STAT VALUE BONUS AB +1 STR 10 INT 14 +1 WIS 15 +1 DEX 13 +1 CON 14 +1 CHA 14 +1 AC 13 +1 HP 10(15) Race Elf Class Cleric Sex female Level 1 Age 17 XP 276(1500) Hit Dice 1d6 Money 10 gp, 3sp Equipment Quarterstaff, Shield, Long-Sword, Backpack, Rations-6 days, Leather Armour, Water-skin, Tinderbox, Flint and Steel, 50′ rope, Tin Plate. Spells/Abilities 60′ range Darkvision, 1-2 on 1d6 to find secret doors with just a cursory, immune to paralysing attack of ghouls, less likely to be surprised in combat by 1 in 1d6. SAVING THROWS Death Ray/Poison 11 Magic Wands 12 +2 Paralysis or Petrify 14 +1 Dragon Breath 16 Spells 15 +2 Dazai’s Character Sheet STAT VALUE BONUS AB +1 STR 11 INT 14 +1 WIS 13 +1 DEX 13 +1 CON 9 CHA 12 AC 13 HP 4(4) Race Dwarf Class Thief Sex Male Level 1 Age 74 XP 276(1500) Hit Dice 1d6 Money 21 gp, 1ep Equipment 6 days of Rations, Thieves Pick and Tools, Hemp Rope 50′, Backpack, Sling, 58 Bullets for Sling, Dagger, Leather Armour, Tin Plate. Spells/Abilities Darkvision with a 60′ range, able to detect slanting passages, traps, shifting walls and new construction on a roll of 1-2 on 1d6 (a search must be performed before this roll may be made). It takes a turn for the next abilities: Open Locks, Remove Traps, Pick Pockets, Move Silently, Climb Walls, Hide, Listen, and Sneak Attack. Restrictions Cannot use large weapons more than four feet in length like two-handed swords, polearms, and longbows. May not wear metal armour as it interferes with thief abilities. SAVING THROWS Death Ray/Poison 13 +4 Magic Wands 14 +4 Paralysis or Petrify 13 +4 Dragon Breath 16 +3 Spells 15 +4