We all do our best not to stick out, going so far as to remove the armor intended for serious battles and sticking to mainly cloth pants, tunics, and pelts to keep us warm in the gray weather. My Wanderer item set doesn't set me apart so I keep them on as well. The children play around outside as children do, but once inside the general store I am pleased to see they are well behaved.

The vast space encompassed by the large building is actually an enclosed flea market, or swap meet, where a little over a dozen vendors in seperate stalls sell a variety of goods and services including clothes, crafting material, produce, Alchemical items, weapons, armor, and even repairs for wagons and carts since they are the main demographic of visitor. It's a large, uncrowded building, but our people just about double the amount of costumers in one moment.

Richter redeems his previous mistake, finding a stall that sells bolts of fabric and dyes. They had a bolt of common grade silk, but when we asked about Drider Silk she practically laughed in our faces, "You boys would have better luck growing six more legs and spinning some yourself!"

After putting her in such a jovial mood, we are able to talk her down to seven silver for a bolt of the common silk, two silver for two bolts of white common cloth, and a whopping three gold for four bottles of dye, two of which are black. Unfortunately, the main colors that are "in fashion" right now are turquiose and a light grey. We look at each other with uncomfortable smiles, but burst out laughing as we move on to other stalls.

Once in a while, our people would come up to us and make a case for something they wanted. It really wasn't hard for us to agree to almost everything they asked us for. It's mostly personal items like hair brushes or a specific kind of soap. We ended up pushing them to search for less practical items, since they seemed too shy. Even after that, nothing they wanted cost any more than a handful of copper, but the sheer joy on their faces made our own hearts sing. Knowing that something as simple as a music box, new shoes, or a set of water colors and a paint brush belonged to them lifted their spirits, unslumped their shoulders, and pulled big, goofy grins on their faces.

The children are not as shy as the adults, asking for toys and sweet treats that had us showering the vendors with pieces of copper. I even bought a barrel of taffy, my favorite candy of all time, for a mere silver and stuffed it into my Bracelet of Storage for later. Dawn and Victoria roll their eyes but still smile at me when they see me surrounded by children and a few adults, standing next to the ecstatic candy vendor.

"So, did either of you find anything good?" I ask, only after I finish the taffy in my mouth. As anyone who's had some knows, it's mighty hard talking while eating it.

"Oh yeah, lots," Dawn starts, unwrapping a piece of taffy I had handed to both of them, "But we can talk about it in the vardo. Let's just say we have a lot of crafting to do."

I unsuccessfully look around for Richter's blonde head past the stalls and people, "About that, have you talked to Richter at all? Apparently he's a walking index of old world weaponry and armor. He's full to the brim with ideas."

She nods her head and is about to speak when she realizes nothing but gibberish is about to come out with the taffy sticking to the roof of her mouth.

Victoria giggles, "I found an accessory vendor and picked up several more Amulets of Holding. Apparently, they're not as valuable as the Rings or the Bracelets. I was able to talk them down to a silver each and I picked up all ten that they had." She considers eating her candy for a moment, but after glancing back at Dawn she decides to finish speaking first, "I have an idea for our little militia and we're going to need them."

"I picked up some silk and cloth for our tailors. We even found some dye, though I'm not thrilled about the colors."

Dawn lets out a small sigh, having finished her candy, "Good thing I don't have to worry about cavities. Anyway, a lot of the weapons and armor here are classes below what we're used to." She looks around suspiciously, "I pretty much took mental pictures of everything of interest and we can craft them later." She gives me a wink, and I raise an eyebrow in response.

Victoria tells me about Kona and Serenity accompanying Mika as she shopped around for more alchemy materials and getting into a rather heated arguement with the Halfling running the stall. Apparently, she was trying to get a price for the potions she had crafted in the vardo and the vendor said something about how her Sleeping Potions couldn't knock out a drunk Elf.

It took both Faunus and Infernus to restrain her and drag her off to the tavern after she punched the Halfling in the face. I pinch the bridge of my nose, thinking I should have directed my earlier instructions to her specifically.

It isn't much longer until everyone else heads out of the general store. I take another solo lap around in case I missed something good. I even swing by the Alchemy stall where Mika caused a ruckus. I don't see anything that catches my eye or that I can't make myself, but I send a message to Dawn of the list of things I'd be willing to try to craft. She responds, saying she had the same exact list.

The tavern looks to be able to seat about three hundred people, with tables for food, a stage for a band, dance floor, and an adequately sized bar. I can see the large barrels of tapped beer behind the bartenders, a scruffy, overweight human and what looks like a blue Saurian on steroids, but is actually a Dragonkin. Their scales and muscles are more pronounced and they almost always have a breath attack like a regular dragon would. The blue ones usually have a cold type, sometimes water. Either one of those I could see as useful behind a bar.

I find a slightly buzzed Mika spouting words at Kona and Serenity, who are sitting on either side of her with thousand yard stares. The closer I get, the more I realise that the two are actually drunk already, their mugs still half full. I pick up Kona's, "Mind if I have a drink?"

She's all smiles, shooting me a thumbs up and then signs, "Save us."

I nearly choke on the beer, not from its flavor, I always enjoy a malty, brown ale or lager, not like the hoppy, bitter beers. No, it's the fact that my two mages are already buzzed but they needed saving from the still complaining Dwarven Alchemist. I'm about to suggest I take their place when a curiously aggressive group of seven armed people approach us.

"There she is," a squeaky voice behind them says indignantly, "The rock banger who thinks she's hot shit."

I analyze them to be on average level 10. They're wearing a mix of leather and iron armor, but none of them are carrying any kind of weapon.

I look over at the bartenders and call out as a courtesy, "Do we have to take this outside?"

They're standing next to each other closer to where the action is, folding their arms and watching in interest.

"Not if you're unarmed," the human says, grinning at me.

I slide my mask over my face while Mika stands and cracks her knuckles, "So, wee one, did you just call me what I think you called me?"

Even sober, I know the mages wouldn't be much help in a bar fight. Sure they could cast magic, but in such close proximity its easy to miss and cause collateral damage.

I signal them to scurry away and find cover as I look around the room for anyone else from Linqs. Gorm and Boulder stand next to me, beers in hand, and I feel my confidence rising. Then, when I activate my Apex Predator abilities, I notice several red dots surrounding us and realize that multiple seated patrons are wearing the same emblem on their armor, but in different places.

Eighteen hostiles.

I contemplate whether I should kill any of them when a notification pops up.

[Minor Quest: Defend the Dwarf

[Special Event! Spells have been locked, No other items can be equipped, Unarmed attacks will only knock others unconcious]

[Do not let Mika Willowrock fall 1/1, Incapacitate all eighteen hostiles 0/18]

[Reward: 200XP, 1*Bar Room Blitzers, 1*Knight Chest]

[Punishment: Three days jail time. Death of Mika Willowrock

Now this is a bar fight!

Although, I'm not really thrilled about the possible punishment. With this many enemies, I do wish one of the players could have been here.

"Okay,” I say after cracking my neck, “Who wants to swallow a mouthful of their own teeth?"

There are fists and chairs flying everywhere. I slide past a few people just to get right in the middle of everyone. Echo Strike becomes my go to move since it ignores the enemy's Armor completely. I can smell pungeant body odor and the tang of blood as I deliver on my threat of a dental meal to someone.

I try not to lose myself in the melee, but with so many attackers my mind quickly blurs into fight or flight. At some point my claws come out and the flash of red blood in my vision forces me to retract them.

I barely brush my back into someone, so I turn to strike and see the fanged face of my Half-Ogre friend. It takes us a brief moment to realize who the other is before we smirk and return to the task at hand.

With my head clear once again I glance over my shoulder and see Mika getting swarmed by multiple attackers, the Halfling near the back getting a few kicks in. I activate my ability I've been calling Reach since it has no formal name and, from across the room, I pummel the sneaky little bastard into a crumpled mess on the floor.

A few heads turn to see what just transpired and I roll my neck again, cracking my vertebrae. In the small space I don't get to extend to the full fifteen feet, but in the moment I feel like a gunslinging cowboy. I pace around the room, not even giving some of them a chance to stand up out of their chairs before I throw fists from my hip, knocking them out cold. If they're red on my radar, I move so their dot is lined up in front of me and I let my yellow fists act as ambassadors to their faces.

Someone is swift enough to sneak behind me, locking my arms behind my back. Another hostile gets two swift punches to my stomach, knocking the wind out of me.

[Unknown Assailant punches you for 36 damage!]

[Unknown Assailant punches you for 29 damage!]

I grit my teeth, forcing a Roundhouse Kick into the opportunistic attacker's ribs in front of me and loosening the grip of my captor. Not taking too kindly to what he had done, I extract my claws and drive them into his arms as he puts his guard up. He howls with pain and I switch back to fists, pushing him back with my Reaching strikes. He eventually drops to the floor, signaling the end of hostilities.

[Quest Complete! Defend the Dwarf]

[You received 200XP, 1*Bar Room Blitzers, 1*Knight Chest]

[Special Reward, For completing the Quest during a Special Event: 200XP, 18 Gold]

[Reputation +250 with Mika Willowrock]

[Reputation increased to Respected]

"Hahaha!" A small but rough hand slaps me on the back, almost sending me flying, "That was the best bar fight I've ever been a part of!"

I shoot the dwarf an unamused look, but she ignores me. I look around at the broken furniture and bodies. With my Spells unlocked I cast Healing Breeze multiple times on everyone I can.

Notifications of Reputation increases clog my vision and send my head reeling, my eyes rolling back into my skull. Everyone is now healed and back on their feet, looking expectantly at me. The eighteen attackers and the two bar men are so impressed with my gesture after such an ass whoopin' that I gain enough points to put me back into Neutral, most into Liked. I find the mug of ale that I took from Kona still standing. I grab it, raise it high, everyone echoes my actions, and we all cheer as we down our drinks.

After buying a round for the whole tavern, only costing a gold, some silver, and a generous tip, everyone is best friends with everyone. I even catch Mika making out with her Halfling rival in a dark corner like a couple of teenagers. Kona and Serenity, sober after watching the battle, left for the vardo and I go soon after spying a Halfling's hand disappearing into a Dwarf's tunic.

Yikes. Not my problem anymore.

The night air is still charged with the possibility of rain. Slightly humid, you can smell the heaviness of the atmosphere and I wonder how the hell someone managed to code that. I check out my prizes as I dawdle to our parking spot. First is the pair of black leather gloves with squat, pyramid shaped, iron studs where the knuckles would be.

[Bar Room Blitzers, Advanced Journeyman

[Durability: 190/190

[Strength,Dexterity/Melee/0

[Base Damage: 25

[These gloves can be equipped during any event that locks out weapon or item use. For every damaging hit within two seconds the wielder gains +1 Dexterity Bonus to a max equal to the wielder's level. If the wielder fails to succeed in a hit within two seconds the bonus resets to 0 and gains the Dazed Debuff for 5 seconds]

I glance at the night sky, wondering which member of the Pantheon has such a wicked sense of humor. I put away the gloves and start opening my Knight Chests.

[Great! You received 4*Random Apprentice Artisan Kit Package]

[Fantastic! You received Bolt Master's Ring]

I save the Artisan packages for the vardo, but I have to check out the ring especially with a name like that.

[Bolt Master's Ring. Journeyman Accessory

[Requirement: Able to cast a bolt spell

[Requirement: Arcane 35

[At the cost of +50% MP use, you may alter your bolt spells in one of the following ways:

[-shorten distance to ten feet but spreads bolt into a cone shape with a six foot diameter, damaging everything in its path

[-doubles range and speed of bolt, but deals 75% damage

[-bolt homes in on a target, curving once around obstacles, but deals 50% damage

[You may also freely alter the shape and color of the bolt.]

Oh, yes: Shotgun, Rifle, and Homing Shot. I slip the ring on and the knowledge and skill within it flows like icy water in my veins towards my brain. I channel an Arcane Bolt into it and fire a red, ass shaped bolt into the air. I hear loud giggling from the direction of the parking area and I can tell the guards posted there appreciate my sense of humor. Looking over the ring's abilities once more, I consider using a DecaStat point to increase Arcane Bolt to level two just to see what kind of craziness it could get up to when joined with the ring.

Conner and Sonny are still on the roof of the vardo and I simply wave at them as I head inside, not wanting to interrupt their on going conversation. Everyone is still up, though the kids are starting to drift off and falling asleep in random spots. Their parents pick them up like discarded laundry and carry them to their beds.

With the help of a few people during Richter's turn driving, Dawn and Victoria relocated the craft area to a distant corner. As expansive as the place is, it doesn't echo sound so we won't disturb anyone's sleep. I join Dawn, Victoria, Elsbeth, Rachel, and Richter in our isolated crafting center.

It takes us most of the night to prepare and catalog all of the materials, list out our ideas, and draw up the blueprints. By the time we finish, we're all ready to catch some sleep. There's so much to do, but I know we're all tired so I suggest we pop open the three Knight Chests and four Artisan Packages before we sleep.

[You received 1*Box Drum, 1*Reed Flute, 1*Lyre Harp!]

[You received Deluxe Gardening Tools!]

[You received Deluxe Spice Rack!]

[You received Deluxe Rune Scribing Set!]

[Great! You received 1*Amulet of Bracing!]

[Great! You received 3*Hedge Mage's Hat!]

[Amazing! You received Cloak of the Raptor]

With a slight sense of satisfaction, we toss the items into the bags. Our eyes are too heavy and our brains are too fuzzy to deal with anything else at the moment. Victoria and I set up a total of six bedrolls, the padded mats, and the two tents, perfect for all of us. We haven't figured out how to turn down the lights so we needed something to block it out. Victoria joins Richter and me in one tent and we wish each other good rest.