The warehouse was the same as he remembered on his prior visit. His contact was a lizard-like humanoid. He reminded James a lot of Soloman, but much smaller in scale. They exchanged passphrases like cold war-era spies and then exchanged goods. James traded the box of poison and the five hundred gold coins for a leather sack containing Enchanted items and finished gems. When he had the chance, he would Analyze all of them to improve his Skill.

Before leaving the warehouse, James changed his appearance and left via a back door. It wasn't long before he walked through a crowd of workers and shoppers, making his way to the food district.

"If you want to raise your Skills, you need to use them at every opportunity," Rocko suggested.

"Not much opportunity to use my sword Skill here," James smirked.

"What about Analyze or Inspect? How about Negotiate and Gather Information? It would help if you learned how to use those skills to their full potential as those are the ones that may save your life," Rocko admonished.

James kept quiet for a while, but he started using Inspect on everyone that walked past. He soon realized that it took him about a second to focus on someone before getting their information. The higher their level, the longer it took. During his walkabout, he didn't see anyone above level 15, and most people were between level 3 and level 8.

The following Skill he worked on was Analyzing. Walking into as many shops as he could, he spent the morning hours browsing through their wares. He haggled for some of the items he was interested in—nothing more than a gold coin, but each hard-fought.

Gathering Information was a little harder for him to perform until Rocko suggested. "Your Skill at Gathering Information is still pretty low at below ten. Therefore, any information you gain on a subject will help you. So, ask around for a restaurant or a craftsman. Once you get the name of a store, move on to someone else and ask for some information about the store's quality or the Skill of that craftsman. Then move on to someone else and ask for some information about the store's owners, the quality of goods, or information on the restaurant. It is just a matter of collecting information on something you don't know. If you do it after a purchase, the storekeeper is more inclined to give you the information, which helps with the Negotiation Skill and the Gather Information skill simultaneously. Don't ask anything that would warrant a knife in the back."

James had to agree. Most people were happy to point him toward the nearest blacksmith, give him the name of their favourite restaurant, or even suggest a tavern with good ale. Rocko made it sound so easy, and in the beginning, it was.

After lunch, his afternoon flew by with him changing his appearance several times and visiting several stores and merchants. One of his earlier purchases was several changes of clothes from a merchant who also directed him to a blacksmith who specialized in small blades. He found a paper merchant who referred him to an Ink merchant who sold a variety of colours, even a few that glittered. A food vendor sold him some mystery meat on a stick and told him of a young man who was a reliable currier for small packages within the city limits. Two guardsmen told him of a tavern safer than most and then spent half an hour regaling him with stories of a few of the seedier bars that they had to pay a visit to in the last month alone.

Walking out of the city to a small tavern on the outskirts, James ordered a small meal and reviewed his notifications. He hadn't looked at them since he left the Dungeon of the Drowned Rat. After the fight with the man in black, Rocko had shown him the two Skill notifications he got as a result. One was for Tumbling and the other for Defenestration. He took the first and declined the second, much to Rocko's mirth.

Willpower +1

Charm +1

Luck +1

Analyze +2

Gather Information +3

Inspect +3

Res - Mental +2

Negotiations +3

PSI - Targetted +1

Shield +1

James looked over at Rocko, 'Mental Resistance? That's a surprise.'

Rocko sighed, "Not all merchants are fair and above board. Most honest merchants will rely on using their Skills in Haggle or Persuasion to convince you to buy their products. But others may have a Spell or an Enchanted Item which may affect you like a minor Charm so that you like them more."

James thought about the Charm Attribute, 'There is a Charm Attribute and a Charm Skill?'

Rocko considered James' question before answering, "Yes and no. The Charm Attribute is specifically your likeability. Some Skills improve that, such as Carousing or Socializing. There are also a couple of different types of Charm-based Spells. Your Augment Attribute Power is a passive ability that can improve your Charm Attribute, and that would make people like you more. But some Spells are targeted and may Charm you so that you see the caster as a friend or ally, even though you have just met them for the first time. Other Spells may be more subtle, but just as effective."

'So they did it to get me to spend more money in their shops?' James thought to Rocko.

"Definitely. It is illegal but hard to prove," Rocko agreed.

James finished his meal and paid for it. Heading out of the back, he turned a corner, opened an Astral portal and stepped through it.

When he arrived at Glezda's, he dropped off the items from Ferdinand and a few things he wanted her to duplicate for him. Specifically, some different ales. He was surprised to see a folded piece of parchment on his table and picked it up to read. It was from Glezda, no surprise there, and it advised him that she had made minor changes to this room. She was adding some features that would make his stay a little more welcoming.

Entering the main chamber, James noticed it was a little larger, and the walls were smoother. The note had indicated that there were two coloured stones on the fireplace. A green stone on the left and a red stone on the right. They were hard to miss, but they were smaller than the other stones that made up the fireplace. The green stone started the fire, and the red stone shut it off. James was reminded of a gas fireplace he had back in Texas.

Glezda had also added a chest on a small side table with four tankards of ale. Now that he had provided her with other flavours, he hoped she would replace her current stock. It wasn't horrible, but the new ales were better. The last change was that she added a second chair before the fireplace. This led James to think that she knew about Ignatius' visit, if not the contents of the conversation. After moving to his sleeping area, he removed his street clothes and pulled his arm out of his Backpack of Holding. While travelling around the city, there were a few things he could not conceal. The backpack and the bag were two of them, along with these boots. He replaced the cloak with a different one several times but needed to cover the pack, leaving a distinctive bulge.

He was starting to collect a decent assortment of gear and was pleased with the result. Rocko had convinced him to do the Dungeon with the spiders the next day, and he needed to get his kit in order. His Backpack of Holding held all the larger items he needed for survival and travel.

Backpack of Holding (8/20)

Tent - Medium

Mess Kit - Deluxe

Rope - 50'

Steel Hunting Arrows (bundle of 20)

Clothes (bundle)

Clothes (bundle)

Clothes (bundle)

Clothes (bundle)

This Bag of Holding was on the washstand, and its contents were on display:

This Bag of Holding (5/8)

Improved Rations x10

Water Skin x10

Potion of Healing x10

Potion of Mana x10

641g, 987s, 319c

On the armour crosses and the floor between them:

Padded Gambeson

Steel Scale Mail Armour

Leather Cuisses with Steel Reinforcements

Leather Greaves with Steel Reinforcements

Leather Bracers of Shield

Steel Nasal Helm

Steel Kite Shield of Darkness

Boots of Stealth +3

After shopping for equipment, James realizes how valuable his stolen armour is. The group of items were his enchanted gear, and they lay across his bed:

Oak Bow of Piercing

Glrick Sword and sheath

Fine Steel Dagger

Steel Boot Knife

Leather Quiver with Iron Hunting Arrows (20)

Platinum Ring of PSI Regeneration

Senior Chief's Silver Ring of Mana Regeneration

Silver Ring of Strength +5

Silver Ring of Intelligence +5

Silver Necklace of Darkvision

Mana Crystal

Wand of Flame Bolts (x2)

Figurine of the Onyx Dog (Bonded)

Although he could only wear two Enchanted Rings simultaneously, he kept the other two Rings and the Wands in his Bag of Holding for easy access. He was going to give one of the Wands to Glezda, but it proved too helpful. The last item was on the floor at the foot of the bed and contained most of his mundane items and things he wanted.

Leather Satchel

Quill, ink, charcoal stick (x3)

Parchment x10

Potion of Healing x2

Potion of Mana x2

Potion of Physical Shield

Pocket Knife (F)

Compass

Iron Dagger x2

Snacks

James shook his head. When he was a SEAL, he never had to decide which ring to wear or where to store his wands. James picked up the Figurine and checked the timer on it. He was finally able to re-summon Onyx and did so immediately. The Figurine disappeared, and Onyx reappeared in front of him. Onyx bared once and wagged her tail as soon as she manifested. Dropping to his knee, James gave her a hug and a pat. He was as pleased to see her as she was to see him.

Looking up at the ceiling, James called out, "Glezda; I would like you to meet my friend Onyx. She will be living with me." There was no response, but James wasn't expecting one. He moved to the living area, grabbed a tankard of ale and sat down on his chair. Looking at Onyx, he smiled, "So, how was your day?" Her only response was to bark at him again, but her tail never stopped moving. Once he was comfortable, she walked over and put her head on his lap. James didn't realize how much he missed the normality of petting a dog. It overwhelmed him a little with emotion, but he smiled back at Onyx as he continued to ruffle her ears.

Climbing up, she placed her front paws on his lap and tried to lick his face. "No, Onyx. Down."

Onyx ignored him and climbed into his lap. "Jesus, Onyx. Down!" He tried to push her off, but she twisted around and licked his face when he wasn't protecting it.

Finally, James stood up, and Onyx jumped to the floor, "No!" Onyx's tail stopped wagging and hung low. There was nothing like a sad look from a dog to crush a man's heart. "Fine, you can curl up in the other chair that Glezda provided, but you are not a lap dog." Onyx climbed slowly onto the other chair and lay down. She was facing James, her head on the armrest staring at him.

After James sat down and took a drink of ale, he noticed that Onyx was still staring at him. Every time he looked over at her. Her tail would start thumping. "No." he would say forcefully, and her tail would stop. This continued for most of the evening, but he was damned if he would cave to a dog.

During the night, Onyx kept climbing into bed with him. He tried several times to get her to sleep on the floor or the chair, but he would just be woken up later with her climbing into bed with him. At first, she would jump on the bed, but after, she would creep slowly into the bed. When he woke up the last time, she was half in the bed with one paw still on the floor. When she noticed he was awake, she dropped down on the floor with a harrumph and returned to the chair. James woke up to Onyx curled up next to him, which did not surprise him in the least.

When he entered the exchange room, Glezda was already there with a smile.

"Don't start," James grumbled.

"I don't remember saying a thing," Glezda reminded him.

"Sorry," James apologized, "Long night."

Glezda remained silent but smiled at Onyx, who was staying next to James.

"Are you able to create Alchemical items, or are they considered Enchanted?" James asked.

Glezda looked over at the table for James. It already had several items that James was going to drop off in Ash Rumbo later. "I can make them, they are not Enchanted, so that I can make them with Mana instead of Experience, but I would need a pattern to work from."

James nodded, "Thank you. I may ask you to create some. I brought you some different ales, and perhaps one will be to your liking."

Glezda cocked her head, "You don't like my ale?"

James held up a hand, "Your ale is fine. But everyone has different tastes."

Glezda shrugged, "It was an ale I collected a couple of Challenges ago. I have no preference."

James smiled, "Well, I am off to another Dungeon. Spiders this time."

Glezda frowned, "You are going to another Dungeon?"

"I am going to try and get another Dungeon First." James sighed. It felt like he was walking through a minefield.

Glezda nodded, "I understand. Don't die."

James blinked a couple of times before walking through the portal with Onyx.