Scilla brought back help, and at my request they also brought back the rabbit.

I wanted to at least wear the little bastard if we don't end up eating it.

After a night's rest my health has risen from 5 to 6/20.

While in bed I finally completed my Apprentice quest.

You have completed Bookish!

You have gained +1 Mind!

You have gained 100 Experience!

You have awakened your mana!

With 200 Experience it fills up the Apprentice tree climbing up to the top. Its ⅕ full, so 1000 is the ultimate goal.

My current Experience is enough to get Literacy a spell and the ability to learn more.

Now I have a huge list to pick from for basic spells.

Seeker's Missile- Never misses so long as you could see your target at time of casting and it is possible. Deals ¼ of caster Mind as damage.

Pretty basic. There are non combat options like Parlor Trick, Mend Object, and Prestidigitation.

Prestidigitation was tempting; it was not as godly as Dungeons and Dragons; it only warmed, chilled, flavored, and cleaned.

But in sessions I've made masterful use of those effects, and toilet paper is scarce.

I don't need to pick now. I walk over to Barum's house for answers and advice.

I knock and after I'm invited in and get to business "can I sit down and ask you some questions?"

He chuckles, "I'll lend a chair to the conquering hero."

"Yesterday I heard you're a Warden. Can you explain that concept to me?"

"Thinking about joining? You're escapade yesterday wasn't to get my attention I hope. Well, a Warden's primary job is the management of Upheavals. So we have to explain that first." Barum sits down after grabbing some tomes. He lays them on the table alongside his necklace.

"Upheavals are a phenomenon where monsters, resources, and environment spontaneously appear in Argval. This universal interconnectedness was designed by the God's and why Foreign Worlders are not entirely uncommon. The reason for the name is, things get messy here when they show up. Trees get uprooted by temples, houses get hoisted by their foundations by clumps of trees, and monsters upset the normal quiet of life. This book here will suffice if my lecture is insufficient." He slides the volume, On Raids, Dungeons, and Upheavals.

"I think I get it. Upheavals shake things up. Wardens solve upheavals. Is that it?"

"The Warden's are a guild that has roots in the nations of all the kindred. Governments also tend to handle Upheavals when they are able but the purpose for some to join is to gain personal power while not affiliating oneself with a nation. Any number of reasons, I'd sum them up as 'opportunity' and 'attitude.' From one perspective the Warden's Guild is a bunch of free spirits, entrepreneurs, and self reliant killers. Overtime we unified under the Warden system, those who fulfill guild quests earn Merit. Merit is backed by gold coins, borderlands and frontier towns may not have gold to pay out dangerous work" he taps the necklace on the table.

"The Warden's badge is a magic item which is produced by the guild to track merit. The perks of joining is being able to spend merit internally for weapons, armor, and tomes or to get paid gold from various guildhouses. There are no hard demands on Wardens to protect people or defend villages; most are in it for the money. It's an organization for the strong. We fight to live. If you join, what happened yesterday is going to become just another job hazard." Barum was very cold and clear with his warning.

"Ok. Join for Merit to buy things. They aren't heroes. It's dangerous work. I guess I need to align my priorities.” I sigh, well at least I probably won’t be getting in over my head.

“It's a good thing you're not overly eager to jump into danger.” Barum slyly smiles, I guess he only has so much evidence to work with.

“Are you a mage? I had a question about what my priorities with Literacy should be. I think I should get something to protect myself but if tomes of that are common, maybe I should get prestidigitation or a utility spell.” I move onto questions about my build.

“Ah, an Apprentice. Well, attack spells are common since purchasing elemental damage is almost alway in demand for exploiting weakness or atleast using something your enemy does not resist. Now what don’t pick yet but what do you think you should do?” he grinned as he posed the question.

“It doesn't matter unless I can afford them, I might need to take a damage option. You need to spend money to make money.” D&D Wizards can scribe spells, but not every wizard finds scrolls or books.

“Or?” Barum teases there's another answer I'm missing.

“I either need money or…” if I don’t have the money. Ok how do I get spells. I got one from a skill, but that seems obvious. Well I got enough Experience from the quest to get Literacy

“… Or aside from skills, earn them as quest rewards?” I completed the thought.

“Or get help from an individual or organization.” Barum declares as he begins to explain.

“Many Mages lead an academic life, they buy or by the whim of the teachers. Apprentices gain access to Mages, and…” He points at himself with a flourish “Sages.”

“Will the excitement of teaching an Foreign Worlder suffice?” I throw out the bait, I’m not committed yet but it could be my best opportunity.

“No, while you would be the first. That isn't what I’m looking for. Tell me about your priorities when you sort them and we'll see. Now, are there any more questions?” Barum arches his eyebrow while smiling.

“You bullshitting me?” I roll insight.

“Ha, if you don’t trust me, then don’t ask for advice. Now shoo” we share a laugh as he shows me out.