Henry looked around the room. He then grabbed a large bag from under the table. After setting it on the table he began to remove things from it. The first was a bundle of arrows. He nodded to E as if to show this was his prize for the event and set it aside as if to show it mattered less than what followed. He retrieved 5 bottles of a strange dark black liquid that had a glitter like shimmer as it swirled slowly in the container, two books bound in leather with small metal clasps, and one ring. He lay each of the items across the table and told them what they were. " What we have here are items we prepared for your E. At the request of your parents and due to the circumstances you will have to make due, we intended to find you a party suitable to your skills and lay a foundation for you. Your resolve to make your own party has changed the details a bit but that's not something we wish to take from you, Follow your own path. These bottles here are experience potions, if you ingest these you will have three days of double rewards on leveling your skills, proficiencies, and class level. Each of these bottles if sold on the market would usually auction for quite the sum, sometimes reaching tens of thousands of gold. They are great for the first class stage and will lose their potency once you receive your advance class. These two books are what we believe will help you the most. One is a Dungeoneering compilation volumes 1-3. It compiles the base stats and abilities of most beasts and creatures you would find in the wilds and the most common settings you would find them in. Looking to this book in battle is not recommended, you all should study this book and familiarize yourselves with it. Knowing what you will be dealing with beforehand is crucial and sometimes you won't be able to study your opposition. The second book here is a tome of Identify, Each scroll in these book is used to identify magical properties of items, ingredients, or armament. This is another crucial item we believe and it holds only 25 scrolls. You must be able to use magic device to activate these scrolls and since none of you seem adept in the arcane that is why we prepared this last item. This ring allows the wearer the ability to use magic device. It requires you to attune to it. A minimum of 24 hours and you will begin to feel it, it has an unlimited amount of use, but over do it in a single day and you may break it. It's essentially a medium between your stat points to activate magic until you learn to do so. When it is activated you will feel it pull from you inlaid magic separate to your mana pool. It's best in the hands of a Spell class, but until you find one use it as needed. These items are things we gathered together from our travels, Use them wisely."
Mae, E and Bean all nodded in agreement. E slipped all of the items into his bag except for the ring which he wore. Ru'jai stood from her seat and bowed to E. " As retainer to your mother I grew up in her servitude, and followed her after she left the A'pesh. It is my duty until I die, and as her child, and my prince, it brings me great pride to see you have grown. If ever you need of me send word through the Guild hall and I will ready myself. Until you parents give word as to our next moves that may only be in advice or query, but think of me beholden to you. I will send you all with my blessings of good fortune good luck."
E was still waiting for his answer he looked at everyone and asked again. " Where do we start? What's next. Also thank you so much.."
Jasper slapped E's back firmly jolting him. "Ahahahah Boy... You go and grow of course. Be on your way and accomplish quests and deeds. Get strong and prepare, your lives are sure to become very chaotic in the next year. When the time comes, you will hear from us. Until then set forth and make something of yourselves, were not putting all our eggs in one basket. Make yourselves something of value. This is more than most would receive at their start, consider yourselves extremely lucky." After that he grabbed a small barrel from his shelves and another small corked bottle. Handing the small barrel to E he uncorked the small bottle. " 'Ere, Drink this all of you. Pass er round. My reserves. And here's a barrel for the road to take the edge off."
E held the bottle, smelling the strong scent of liquor coming from it. He put it to his lips and knocked his head back with a deep gulp. And passed it to Mae.
Fortitude save rolled - Failed
Bonus' Applied - Dwarven Fire Water
E sat there for a few moments as the rest of them took a swig. He tasted the liquor on his tongue and enjoyed it as the best he'd tried yet. After a few moments passed he felt its effects, the room swirled and he heard the laughs of everyone except his party at the table. His eye's grew heavy and he let out a deep breath as he felt the smooth burn hoth leave his mouth. He stood up in an attempt to gain his bearings an fell to the ground. A few seconds went by and he look to Mae and Bean who passed out in their chair. Henry stood over him. "AH hahahaha. Good stuff isn't it. Lesson one, Don't take a drink from a stranger." Henry leaned over and got close to E. " Only have a sip next time" And he gave a swift chop to E on the neck knocking him out.
~~ Prologue End ~~
E woke up under a tree, a blanket sprawled across him with light snow around him and a small fire in front of him. He looked around to see a tent propped up next to a log. He smelled a nice roast and heard it sizzling on the fire in front of him. Next to it Mae sat on the log holding it above the fire as she turned it. She looked over to him. " Oh you're awake. Good. Well I guess I better catch you up then. Seems we're already outside the city a few miles. Guess they had to give us a good shove out then." E sat up and leaned forward feeling a mild headache. A quick lick on the cheek brought him to his senses as Topher appeared next to him.
" Urghh.. My head is throbbing.. Bean in the tent? Well I guess we learned how strong that alcohol is. Are we in the right direction?"
" Yea he woke up first and then got me up. We set up the tent and stuff then he went back to sleep. He handed me a letter they had given us. Apparently they knew what quest we took, so yes we are on the route towards the capital. The main road is just a clip that way through the trees. The note basically said good luck and they will track our progress. It also had a few terms that implied if we betray you they would seek us and our next of kin out and... well it doesn't matter. I gotta say, this past day with you two.. Probably the most adventurous I have felt. It also told about how you didn't slip me the Pirate Liar's Coin. I guess Jasper thought it good to get you some muscle, he didn't want me to harbor any ill will towards you. Come sit by the fire and I'll split this rabbit with you. I would have used the stove but I didn't want to wake you."
E got up and sat next to Mae. He reached for his water skin, it luckily must have been filled by Jasper or something and he took a few generous drinks from it. " So I guess we better read up and after a little more rest should head out." E looked around the camp. Topher and a heavy horse were saddled and strapped to two trees close by where he was resting. The tent was a new addition it looked large enough to sleep all of them, which was saying a lot considering Mae's size. " Do you think you're up for this? Is it easy to reach A rank? Or level 9?" E asked Mae about the level's afterward to mask he had another task given to him by his Seer class menu. He still didn't know how to approach that conversation or if he even should.
"Reaching A rank is honestly probably impossible. We would have to rid the realm's of a nuisance or take political level quest's helping out settlements of various kingdom's before we gain that level of renown. Level 9 is absolutely out of our reach.. It can take some adventurers years to gain a single level. The amount of skills we would need reach another level is large at first and then the mastery rank of each individual skill usually matters for certain levels. Sometimes skills will develop into other skills based on your ability, all in all. No way. Those potions will help us gain a couple levels, so we should save them for boss level monsters in our later stages. We could attempt a wizards spire, but many die in those. I don't know... Some people level faster than others but I never got to study enough as to how. We are kind of fucked. You might even just need to go into hiding the way I see it."
E sat there in silence for awhile contemplating everything she said and reflected on what his Seer class skills were as he ate. "No. There's a way. Don't get down. Follow my lead I have a few ideas. When we get in battle I'll call the shots. Let's get the camp put up and head out, we cant sit around any longer. It's time to power level." E stood up and took a deep breath. " Level Zero to Level Five in one Month. Let's do this!"