She sat alone drinking her ale.

You’d think the adventurer’s guild would serve better.

Her friends were off doing whatever, and while she could have joined any of them, she didn’t want to. She sighed.

Great. I’ve discovered a new kind of boring.

She took another drink from her mug and looked around the room.

Well, I could go drink those men under the table again. No, they probably wouldn’t fall for that again. Maybe I should go take a bath. No, I need to wait for Rose. She always gets a bath when she’s done with training and doesn’t like to be the only woman.

“Alright, lass. Need you to sign for this piss water,” a distinctly dwarven voice said.

Anna looked up from her drink and spotted the strangest dwarf she’d ever seen.

Why is his hair short, and why doesn’t he have a beard?!

She’d never seen a dwarf without a beard before, not counting the women dwarves of course. He was standing at the counter with a sheet of paper in his hand waiting for one of the attendants. Anna downed her drink and walked over to him.

“So, you’re the lad that’s been pissing in my mug!” she said. He looked over at her.

“Don’t blame me for this swill, lass. Me and the lads are just delivering it,” he replied.

“You know where a lass could get a proper drink?” she asked, partly because she wanted to know why he shaved, and mostly because she was bored out of her mind and drinking with strange dwarves seemed like the perfect way to alleviate that problem. He rubbed his chin.

“How come you can speak dwarven so well?” he asked.

“I grew up around a dwarf,” Anna replied. He nodded.

“Place called the Cracked Boulder. Just tell them Obroc sent you, and you’ll be fine,” he replied.

“See you there then. I’m Anna by the way,” she said.

“Obroc, if you hadn’t guessed,” he replied. They shook hands.

The attendant was looking at them oddly. They had been speaking dwarven the whole time, and while it wasn’t uncommon to hear, few of the other races spoke it.

He handed the paper he was holding to the attendant who signed it. He told her how to get to the Cracked Boulder and then left through the side door. She went up to her room and put on the rest of her winter clothes before leaving the guild hall.

She took the transport gate to a part of the city in the northeast, near the wall, and walked a few blocks before finding the street that Obroc had described.

So, this is where all the dwarves live!

Dwarves didn’t need to wear thick winter clothing like humans and elves, so she was able to look at them as she walked.

Most of the dwarves here were shaven or with huge-waxed mustaches unlike anything she’d ever seen before. The men had short hair to a point, and the woman all had long braided hair. The braids weren’t like the ones that Elaine would put in Anna’s hair. They were far more elaborate.

She didn’t have the hood to her cloak up, but her hair was hidden beneath her hat, so she didn’t get more than a few curious glances as she made her way to the tavern.

The Cracked Boulder was easy to find. There was a sign with a cracked boulder of all things on it hanging above the door. She pushed the thick wooden door open and walked into a warm smoky room. Dwarves sat at tables around the room and lined up at the bar. Most were smoking from long clay pipes. All eyes seemed to be on her as she walked over to the bar.

“Ya never seen a lass before, or do I got something on my face?” she asked in dwarven as she sat down.

The barman laughed. She heard chuckles around the tavern as well.

“What’ll have, lass?” the barman asked.

He had the biggest mustache she’d ever seen which had thoroughly been waxed and formed into points that curled at the ends.

“Something that doesn’t taste like horse piss,” she replied, tossing a small silver on the bar. He picked up the coin and nodded.

“Don’t give me the weak human shit either!” she added as he walked to the barrels that lined the wall behind the bar. He chuckled and shook his head.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, lass,” he replied.

“Never seen anyone like you before,” the dwarf next to her said.

His head was shaved smooth and so was his face. She’d never seen a bald dwarf before, and so she looked at him for a moment.

“Never seen a bald dwarf before, so I guess we’re even,” Anna replied. He laughed.

“Aye, you got me there, lass,” he said. She held out her hand.

“Anna,” she said. He took it.

“Gidder,” he replied as he shook.

“So, what brings you to this little hole in the wall?” he asked.

“I was tired of drinking the horse piss at the guild hall,” she replied. He laughed.

“Well, old Fotmil has the best stuff in this city, so you came to the right place,” he said.

I doubt it’s better than what the necromancers have, but I won’t tell them that.

The barman returned with her ale and put it on the bar in front of her. She thanked him and picked up her mug. It was a foamy drink with a light-colored head on it. It smelled of barley and spices. She took a sip.

Wow, this is really good stuff. I should bring the others here. They’d love this! Wait, I didn’t see anyone but dwarves in here. Does that mean this is one of those places the others told me about that is only for one race? They told me to stay away from places that didn’t allow everyone.

The dwarves didn’t seem bothered by her being there and were back to smoking and drinking. She noticed a few had plates of food in front of them. It wasn’t anything special, mostly just bread and cheese, but she did see a few bowls filled with mushrooms.

Oh, I hope those are like the ones they served at the tavern in Oldforge!

“Excuse me? Could I get a bowl of mushrooms?” she asked.

“Aye, how spicy do you want ‘em?” Fotmil replied.

“Hot enough to burn the asshole off a dragon,” Anna said. Fotmil chuckled.

“Lass, you don’t want that stuff,” he replied.

“I’ll be fine. I’m tougher than I look,” Anna said. He thought about it for a moment then shrugged.

“Don’t blame me if you’re shitting all day for a week,” he replied. She laughed.

“It won’t happen. Trust me,” she said.

He walked away and leaned into the back room, shouting at someone in the kitchen. She heard a woman shout back, and then he shook his head and walked back to the bar. A few minutes later, a thick dwarven woman walked out with a large bowl of steaming mushrooms.

“Who wanted to die?” she asked. Fotmil nodded in Anna’s direction.

“HER?!” the woman asked.

“Aye,” Fotmil replied.

“Lad, I’m not giving that scrawny thing these. She’d keel over from the smell alone,” the woman said.

“Hey, I’m not scrawny!” Anna replied.

She took off her mittens and then undid her cloak, taking it off and setting it on the stool next to her. Her winter dress was form fitted just like her adventuring dresses were and showed her generous curves well. She heard a few whistles from dwarves around the room. Even though she was too thin to be dwarven, she was still more than ample in a few places and suited dwarven tastes just fine.

The thick woman set the bowl on the bar and put her hand nearly around Anna’s waist.

“Lass, there’s nothing to you!” she said.

“I wouldn’t say that, Vameani!” Gidder said.

“Shut up, lad. No one asked you!” Vameani replied.

Anna reached over and took a mushroom while the woman was distracted with poor Gidder. She popped the still steaming thing in her mouth and chewed. The mushroom was juicy and tender with a rich flavor. She could taste the bitter metallic taste that her friends had said was spicy. To her, it complemented the mushroom’s strong savory flavor well. She took another one and ate it. Vameani had noticed and watched with a sort of shocked look on her face as Anna munched away on the supposedly deadly things.

“Well, dip me in shit!” Vameani said as Anna popped a third one into her mouth.

“That sounds messy,” Anna replied. Vameani laughed.

“You’re a strange one, lass,” she said.

“I know. Name’s Anna,” Anna said, holding her hand out.

Vameani shook it. She let go and sat at the bar next to where Anna was seated. Anna sat back down and ate another mushroom. Vameani ate one as well, and her face turned red. She chewed it quickly and swallowed it down, coughing a few times when she finished.

“Gaa, I thought I might have made them weak or something, but they’re as bad as always,” she said.

Anna pushed her ale over to the woman who drank it down in one gulp. Fotmil brought them fresh mugs. Anna found a big mushroom and ate it in a few bites, the juices dripping down her chin. Vameani looked at her like she was some kind of monster.

“What are you made from, lass?” she asked.

“Dreams,” Anna replied seriously. Vameani took a drink of her ale.

“Aye, that would explain a lot,” she said.

Gidder took a mushroom and ate it while she was drinking. His entire head turned red, and he started to cough, downing his whole mug of ale in one huge gulp.

“I ought to keep a bowl of those on the bar more often,” Fotmil said.

“You’d have to add another shitter,” Gidder replied.

“Good thing I know a dwarf who’d do it for cheap,” Fotmil said, putting another mug in front of Gidder.

“Aye,” Gidder replied, picking up the mug.

Anna kept eating the mushrooms and drinking her ale. Vameani went into the back and brought her another bowl of mushrooms when she finished her first. This one was much larger and didn’t have anywhere near as much of the spicy seasoning in it. To her, it was just as good because Vameani had added other spices. Fotmil, Gidder and Vameani ate this bowl with her.

The door opened, and a dwarf so wide he had to turn to the side walked in.

He walked over to the bar and slid onto the stool next to Vameani. Fotmil went to fill a mug for him without saying a word. The new dwarf took a mushroom and popped it in his mouth.

“Who’s the scrawny lass?” he asked.

“I’m not scrawny. I’m slender you hamhock, and my name is Anna,” Anna replied.

The huge dwarf just grunted and took a drink from the mug Fotmil had placed in front of him. It looked like a tea cup in his massive hands.

RUDE!

She shook her head and ate another mushroom. Vameani got up and picked up Anna’s cloak, mittens, and hat. She walked over to the door, hung up the cloak, and placed her hat and mittens onto a shelf. She then walked into the kitchen, most likely to check on whatever they were serving for dinner.

“Name’s Brolmumir,” the huge dwarf said after swallowing the mushroom he’d taken.

Anna just grunted and took a drink herself, figuring that was a valid way to communicate with the massive dwarf. She picked up another mushroom and took a bite out of it. The mushrooms were all different kinds, and she really liked the big ones like this. Its cap was as wide as her palm, and the stem protruded slightly out of the bottom. This kind had gills like other mushrooms, but they tasted good when they were boiled, so the dwarves tended to leave them in.

She’d eaten plenty of mushrooms at the dwarven tavern in Oldforge, but never any that had been seasoned quite like this. She munched away, enjoying the mild bowl as much as the spicy ones.

“Have Vameani bring out a big plate of eastern fried ones,” Brolmumir said as he stuffed a mushroom in his mouth.

“What’s that?” Anna asked, her voice partially muffled from the food in her mouth.

“Dip ‘em in batter, and fry them in oil,” Brolmumir replied.

“I had pig balls like that yesterday,” Anna said.

“You ate pig balls?” Brolmumir asked.

“Yep,” Anna replied.

“Wha’d they taste like?” Gidder asked.

“Tender pork,” Anna replied.

“Where’d you get them?” Fotmil asked.

“There’s a food market that has all kinds of weird food. I got them there,” Anna replied.

“Where’s it at?” Brolmumir asked. Anna gave them directions to the food market. She could see other dwarves listening in.

“Uh, if you go there, be careful. The lizard people are kind of mean,” Anna said.

“Fuck ‘em,” Brolmumir replied.

“I’d rather not,” Anna said. The dwarves burst into laughter.

“Aye,” Brolmumir replied.

Vameani brought out a tray of the fried mushrooms and placed them on the bar in between Anna and Brolmumir. Anna picked one of the still sizzling mushrooms up and stuffed it in her mouth.

She bit down, causing hot oil and steam to gush out of the mushroom. She chewed for a moment savoring the flavor. The breading reminded her of the pig balls and the mushroom was one of the round ones that reminded her of buttons. Brolmumir reached out and picked one up, dropping it the moment he touched it.

“Fucking abyss that’s hot!” he said.

“No shit. It just came out of the oil,” Vameani replied. Brolmumir glared at Vameani for a moment.

Anna ate another one of the steaming mushrooms.

“Don’t finish them all before the rest of us get a chance to eat them!” Brolmumir said.

“Sorry,” Anna replied, a bit of steam coming out of her mouth as she talked. Vameani shook her head and chuckled.

“You’re a tough one, that’s for sure,” she said.

“Aye,” Anna replied.

They chatted while the food cooled. She mostly listened to them talk about their jobs or the weather or other things that normal people liked to talk about. She liked to listen to people, so she did just that, answering the few questions they asked, but for the most part keeping quiet.

They started to eat the mushrooms a few minutes later and continued to chat. Obroc showed up a few hours and a few plates of different eastern fried foods later. He walked over and sat at the bar.

“Good to see you made it,” he said.

“Thanks for telling me about this place. You were right. The drinks are good,” she replied. Obroc got a drink and started to eat from the plate of fried food with the rest of them.

“So, what clan are you all with?” Anna asked. The dwarves looked at each other.

“We aren’t in a clan, lass,” Fotmil replied.

“Really, I thought all dwarves were in a clan,” Anna said.

“All of us were born and raised in this city, and so were our parents and their parents,” Brolmumir replied.

Anna just nodded. She’d never heard of any dwarves that weren’t from a mountain clan, but it made sense.

I bet all the big cities have little places like this. I wonder if Oldforge has dwarves that were born and raised there?

She decided to look for them when she got back.

“So, what do you do anyway, lass?” Obroc asked.

“Hunt monsters. It’s getting kind of boring though. We’re thinking about treasure hunting,” Anna replied.

“You hunt monsters?” Brolmumir asked.

“Aye, I’m an adventurer,” Anna replied.

He looked suspicious, so she fished out a few of the giant spider fangs she kept in her back pouch. She dropped them on the bar next to the big dwarf whose eyes went wide at the sight. He picked one up, looked at it, then back at her, and then back at the fang.

“By the stone one’s balls, how’d your scrawny ass kill something with teeth like this?!” he asked.

“First off, my ass is amazing. Second, I’m stronger than I look,” Anna replied. She grinned at him, and he shook his head.

“Fuck it,” he said.

“Come on, lad. Ya had to know there was more to her than a pretty face,” Fotmil said.

“Aye, she’s got a great pair of tits, too,” Brolmumir replied.

“Thanks,” Anna said. The dwarves started to laugh.

“So, why treasure hunting?” Fotmil asked.

“I like to travel and explore places, so why not?” Anna replied.

“Aye,” Fotmil replied.

“Well, don’t expect to get rich from it,” Obroc said.

“Aye, the only way to make good coin is to work,” Brolmumir replied.

“I’ll drink to that,” Gidder said.

“Lad, you’ll drink to anything,” Fotmil replied.

“Aye,” Gidder said, causing the dwarves to laugh again.

I wonder what they would say if they knew I have two huge chests full of gold and jewels back in Oldforge and another chest full here from my share of the monster parts and those eggs.

She laughed with the dwarves, keeping her secret.

“What’s the biggest monster you ever killed?” a dwarf sitting at a nearby table asked.

“Sea monster. Fucker had to be forty feet long, had teeth this big!” Anna replied. She held her hand, showing the size of the teeth, and a few of the dwarves scoffed.

“How’d you kill the critter?” another asked.

“Stabbed it in the throat with a spear,” she said.

“How big was the spear?” a dwarf asked.

“Huge! I like them big. What can I say?” Anna replied.

“I bet you fucking do!” a dwarf said.

“You’ll never know,” Anna replied.

The dwarf chuckled and started to get ribbed by his companions. She started to tell the dwarves about some of the adventures she’d been on. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, though most thought she was lying.

“Hey, Lass, if you’re looking for treasure, I have a map you might be interested in,” a dwarf said. He got up and walked over.

“Oh, for fucks sake, lad. Stop with the map thing!” Brolmumir said.

“Quiet you over sized gnome!” the dwarf said.

“Call me a gnome again, and I’ll wring your neck!” Brolmumir replied, sliding off the bar stool.

“Easy, lad. Vameani will fucking kill you if you make a mess for her again,” Fotmil said.

Brolmumir flinched and got back on his stool, grumbling about Vameani, but not saying it loud enough for anyone to really hear.

The other dwarf pulled a ragged looking roll of paper from his belt and handed it to Anna. She looked over the well-worn map. It was of poor quality to begin with, so some of it had faded completely. She was able to see most of it because of her strange eyes though and memorized it instantly.

This is the undercity Elaine mentioned. According to this, there is a secret passage near the eye of the deep worm that leads to a chamber of untold wealth.

Anna handed the map back to the dwarf.

“Like I said, I have a map, and I’d be willing to part with it for a one gold piece,” he said.

“Nope,” Anna replied. He looked like she’d slapped him, and the other dwarves started to laugh hysterically.

I might have paid a silver for it, but a gold is just rude!

“But it’s a real treasure map!” he said.

“Then why haven’t you gone to get the treasure?” Anna asked. Now the dwarf looked nervous.

“Look, I’m no treasure hunter, and there might be a guardian. I couldn’t handle that!” he replied. Anna just nodded.

“Aye,” she said. She turned back around to the bar and started to eat the fried food, ignoring the dwarf who was still trying to make excuses. He gave up after a while.

“That lad has been trying to sell that map for months now,” Fotmil said.

“He needs to come down on the price some or go find some young elves,” Anna replied.

“Aye,” Fotmil said as he nodded.

I’m so going to go look for that treasure! If I find it, I’ll give that dwarf a gold coin to be fair though.

She finished the fried food and drank a few more ales before heading out for the night. The walk back to the adventurer’s guild was quiet. It was freezing cold outside and only dwarves and furry beast people were out in any great numbers.

She sat with her friends, bubbling with excitement about the treasure map she’d memorized.

“You look happy,” Elaine said.

“I found a treasure map!” Anna blurted out.

“You know most of those are fake, right?” Voekeer asked.

“No, but I didn’t buy it or anything. I just memorized it, so it’s no problem,” Anna replied.

“And where is this treasure supposed to be, child?” Barika asked.

“The undercity,” Anna replied.

“I take it you’re going to go and look for it?” Voekeer asked.

“Yes,” Anna replied.

“Looks like we’re going to need some supplies for a subterranean excursion,” Voekeer said.

“Aye,” Thokri replied.

Anna smiled. She didn’t even have to ask them to go with her.

“We can swing by the bazaar first thing in the morning. The undercity has places to stay and restaurants as well, so we don’t need to carry that much,” Elaine said.

“You mean it’s not a sewer?” Lyreen asked.

“There is a sewer system, but it’s not connected to the actual undercity,” Elaine replied.

“Who lives down there?” Anna asked.

“Mostly beastfolk,” Elaine replied.

“Let me get a piece of paper, and I’ll draw the map for you,” Anna said.

She went to her room and drew the map, filling out the faded parts so the others could read it. She went back to the table and set it down. Everyone leaned over and looked at the map.

“Looks like we need to get into the caverns below the undercity. This might take longer than I thought,” Elaine said.

“Well this means we try our hands at treasure hunting sooner than I thought,” Voekeer said.

“I don’t mind that one bit, lad,” Thokri replied.

The rest of the party nodded in agreement.