As we approached the gates the guards signal Fred to stop, and he does so. I note the walls and gates are made of thick lumber, and that they are generally pleasant to Fred. They have all of us disembark so they can check the cargo Fred'd brought. They then check all of our guild IDs.
"Welcome to Dueling Rivers, I am the Captain of the Guard around here, my name is Dulcan. Follow the laws and keep your manners and we'll all get along. As none of you look family, I recommend you get the tour from Thomas, here. He's the best-only- tour guide we have in Dueling Rivers." Dulcan announces.
Thomas stepped towards us and says "Thomas knows all about Dueling Rivers. Thomas can take you anywhere you wanna go." He's a bright eyed blonde boy, and looks around 8 years old.
A few of our group make non-committal sounds, Ash gives her greeting and introduces herself and Lana to Thomas. I glance at Plight then agree to take the tour with Thomas. My agreement seemed to have gotten the rest of the group to agree as well, oddly enough.
The first thing I want to see is Thomas's favorite place. Having told him so he makes a beeline for the bakery, all while chatting about that direction leads to this place and so on.
From what I gathered, the south gate is the main gate and directly to the left is the guard house. Between the guardhouse and smithy is a bridge that goes to the Dwarven district. Passing the smithy in our left, we enter the town square. In the middle is a well, to the right are homes, to the left are small business stalls. Thomas tells us a little about each of the stalls as we pass. Leaving the square we see a tidy tavern to our right, with a church behind it, and the bakery dead ahead of us. To the left a second bridge with a west facing gate. Listening to this child go on, I found myself entirely charmed. He's kinda like Daelyn, I thought.
Once we'd reached the bakery, we all filed inside. "Welcome to Kaz's Bakery, where the bread is as tough as my wife." The proud Dwarven baker greeted us in a friendly manner.
Looking at his selection of breads, I noticed he had cookies on display. "Ooh. Cookies! Do you make sweet breads and a cloud bread as well?" I ask.
"I'm not familiar with it, but I'm sure I can." Kaz replies.
"I can give you some recipes, I don't know how popular it would be out here, but I certainly love it as do many in the capital," I tell him, "It doesn't even take that many.... I'd best write it down for you, that way you can price it in a manner befitting this area."
"Sure, how much would you like for the recipe?" Kaz inquired.
"Hm? Oh, no. I'm not a business person. I'm just a new adventurer. If I give you recipes for treats I like, then I can buy them even when I'm here. It's purely greed on my part. And no worries, I have paper and a writting utensil." I smile at him and bring out my writing pen and paper. I write the ingredients and instructions on the paper. Including recommendations for pairings to go with tea or other drinks. I then hand it over to the baker and put away my writing things.
"Do you think you'll be able to do it?" I ask as he looks it over.
"Easily. I think this'll be popular here.. if people would try it. Hmm." Kaz seemed lost in thought for a moment.
"Ooh. What about free samples? You make it free for a day or two and hand it out as samples then you charge a little more for it for a while until the cost pans out." Ash suggested.
"That's a good idea." I agree, looking at Kaz, "When introducing new things, samples are a great way to market it. Or bards. I'm no bard, but if you tell me when you'll make them I can come up with a song about it to excite people into trying it."
"That's an amazing idea!! I can help!" Lana announces.
Kaz nods to himself and says, "Alright. Alright. Give me a couple of days to try out the recipe and see if I can get it down or tweak it any, then I'll let you know. In the meantime, can I interest any of you in anything?"
"Thomas is giving us a tour." Fish announced.
"Ah, Thomas!" Kaz looks at the boy, then he retrieves a small pouch and hands it to the boy.
Thomas take the pouch with delight in his eyes, pulls out a cookie from the pouch and munches it immediately.
"Thomas gets paid in cookies to bring in new customers." Kaz explains.
I laugh and say, "I'll buy some of your cookies."
"That'll be 20 silver." He replies. I pay him and he loads up a pouch like Thomas's and gives it to me.
I give cookies to the adventurers, just because it could help him with future sells. Of course, Plight didn't want it, and Ione took some effort to get him to try it. But he ended up buying a pouch of his own cookies, too. Jack bought some bread and butter, which took all his money to buy. Ash didn't want anything and Lana couldn't decide so settled on nothing. Fish had no money.
With business settled, we left the bakery with our guide. Who walked us around the town, going over the details we'd already been told by him. I didn't mind it at all, especially as he filled in the rest of the town as well. Next to the church is more homes, behind them is a north facing gate that leads to the mayor Tilton's home along with the Guildhall. To the left of the guild is the East gate, to the right is the butcher shop, and in front of the Guildhall is the Inn, followed by a general goods shop; Tibin's store Thomas clarified.
We finished our tour at the Guildhall's entrance an hour later, and Thomas went on his way. With that, we enter the Guildhall and went to report our arrival.
There were two secretaries at the desk, a man and a woman, Ash strolled up to the desk and did her introduction of who she is, where she's from and asking who they are.
The woman rolled her eyes and returned to reading her newspaper. She seemed particularly irritated. The man, however, answered and said, "You must be the new arrivals from the Capital. I am Crowley, this is Clara, you all are currently ranked Porcelain, if you head over to the job boards, anything Porcelain ranked you may do. Do not do anything higher than your rank. You may do jobs lower than your rank once you are higher ranked."
"Should we still be Porcelain when we done killed two owlbears?" Jack inquired.
Crowley frowned, "Were you on a quest to do so?"
"Well, no. We was just attacked on our way here." Jack replied.
"Then no." Clara chimes in, continuing to read the newspaper.
Jack seemed disappointed, as I walked to the board. Followed by the rest in short order.
There are several types of quests available. I select two immediately and tell the rest to choose wisely. I then smile at Plight and tell him to come with me. The quests I selected were simple. There is a rat problem in the bakery, and the other is a herb gathering quest.
Oddly, it specifically says to see the quest giver before fulfilling the quest for the herbs.
I show Plight the quests I selected with a smile and say, "First, lets go get you a weapon, shall we?" I take his arm excitedly and bring him to the Smithy.
"Oh, alright. What do you suggest!?" His voice fluctuated a bit, almost distressed as I pulled him along.
Just from looking at the outside I tell Plight, "I bet you this is dwarf owned and ran, what luck you have! We'll be able to get you the finest quality of weapon here."
I enter the building comfortably, excited to look at the blacksmith's wares. Plight looks about as soon as we enter.
"Welcome to my shop, you're welcome to browse. Ask questions if you need to." The blacksmith said from behind his counter. I was right, he is indeed a dwarf.
"We will, thanks. See anything you like, Plight?" I asked, looking at a dagger.
Turning towards him I realized he seemed uneasy on the prices. After watching him quietly, I Mind Linked with him.
*Don't be concerned with the price. I've plenty to get you something. I could even get you breast plate, if you'd like.*
He started shaking his head firmly, he selected a Warhammer. "I think I'll go with this one.. Thank you."
"What about ranged?" I asked him, tilting my head. "Don't be uncomfy. Helping you live will help me live. Adventurers, once high enough level, make tons of money."
"Never been much of one to use a bow, crossbow or such.." He said.
"No good with it? Or just don't like it?" I smiled at him.
"Pretty much just not good with it." He replied.
I nod a little and said "I won't press you more on the matter. It's all alright."
I direct him to take the hammer to the counter, then to the blacksmith I ask, "Are your weapons easily enchanted?"
"Depending on the enchanter." The blacksmith said. "My weapons tend to hold elemental magicks better than anything else."
"As expected for Dwarven craftsmanship." I nod with a broad grin. I nodding to the hammer and a dagger I'd taken a liking to, "Plight, do you need anything else gear wise? We'll take these for sure, sir."
Plight said "I'm all good."
"Very well. Your total will be 30 gold." The blacksmith said, "If you need anything else, I'll be here. I mostly work with iron but I can work with any metal, should you find any."
I gave him the coin, and then said, "So you mind telling me your name? I like to get to know excellent blacksmiths."
"The name's Balnur, brother to the baking-fool Kazmuk." Said the dwarf, Balnur.
"We were about to go see him, Balnur, how good are you with fine details?" I give him a friendly smile.
"How fine of a detail are we talking?" He asked.
"Hmm. I have an idea that I'll need four poles, four feet in length, about an inch to two in diameter. Two should extend at the end into handles, and the other two should be able to have a latching mechanism to lock onto the other two. I then need two joints that will fit onto the plain sides of the poles that can also have another pole fit to it, though this pole should be a foot and half long and can be only a half inch thick." I watched his features to see in there was understanding or any other emotion in his eyes as I went oven my plans.
"Yeah, I can probably get that done." He said.
"See, Plight? That's why I was so excited. Dwarves are the best at their craft! How long do you think it'll take you, Balnur?" I smiled broadly, confident in Balnur, even with his lack of reaction.
"With the other orders I have on hand at the moment, I'd say about 3 weeks to a month." Balnur answered.
"Would you like me to pay for the materials upfront? I can pay for you labor when the product is ready." I tell him.
"That sounds fair enough." Balnur agreed.
I give him 5 gold, and cheerfully tell him, "Extra for annoying you. I'll be doing so again, I assure you."
"If you tip that well, you can annoy me anytime." He stated, clearly amused.
I laughed and bid him a good day. "Let's head to the bakery, shall we?" I say to Plight.
As we leave Balnur's I tell Plight that Dwarven made weapons synergize exceptionally well with magic, while human crafted metals fail to do so with the same level of convergence as Dwarven craft does.
"It's interesting isn't it?" I ask him.
"How do you know so much about smithing?" Plight asks.
I grimaced a little and said, "Well, aside from books, I did try one summer to do some smithing. I worked for four solid months in a smithy with no good results. I eventually had to accept the master smith was right, I wasn't cut out for it. I've ideas a plenty, but no skill with metal working."
He chuckled and said, "Yes. Smithing can be.. quite difficult.. and requires.. the right skillset."
"You know about smithing?" I asked.
"Just from the things I've.. seen. I've never tried my own.. hand at it." he replied.
I nodded a little, "No shame in that."
"It is something I would like to try later in life. See what I could do." Plight commented.
"We'll need to bulk you up some. Shall we great Kaz, then?" I say.
"Yes, I believe we shall." He replied.
Laughing, I open the door for us to enter the bakery, Kaz looked up, recognized us, and said "Welcome back my returning customers! I haven't mastered your bread yet, but I have managed a very light cookie."
"Ooh. Excellent job. You had a quest on the board at the Guildhall." I told him.
"Ah yes, yes. I did have a quest on the quest board. I have something in my basement that needs taken care of...'they're rats'. I need them taken care of before they become a problem. I have no idea where they've come from, but they haven't gotten into any of my stock." Kaz explained.
"It's alright. We're here to fix your problem if we can. We just came from the blacksmith's after harassing him." I inform him.
"Oh so you stopped by my brother's, mm? He said he was gonna send a few of his buddies over to handle it and they never showed." Kaz said.
"I don't know about buddies, but yes, I asked him to make something for me. If it goes well, it'll be nice. I'm not entirely sure if my plans will work." I frowned contemplating it a moment. "Anyhow, they are in the basement, you say? What shall we do with the dead ones?"
"Well if you bring the dead ones back up to me, I can dispose of them." Kaz said.
I nod, and he shows us to the basement. I not that its rather dark down there. So I take out a torch, I wait to light it until we go down the stairs, though.
Once light shone about the basement I was able to tell its generally well maintained, though there are obviously rats. They haven't tried to get into anything, none of the crates or bags touched, there are no obvious signs of the rats gnawing anything.
My confusion mounting, I start to reach for my bow and string. Then, I nix that plan. I instead step off the stairs to gauge their reaction. Normal rats flee from people. These do not.
As I scan the wall with the help of my torch light, I spot the hole they come in from. It's in the far back of the basement where it wouldn't be noticed right away, partly hidden behind crates.
I look at Plight who is watching me, and watching the rats for signs of aggression. There wasn't any.
With the situation so odd, I decided to feel around mentally and see if I could locate anything with the intelligence to be Mind Linked to. The basement held only Plight that I could. So I turned my attention to the hole.
After a moment I did connect to something. I jumped slightly and looked at Plight. "I can talk to something mentally.. deep within the hole. Shall I ask it to come out?"
"Can you tell what it is?" Plight asked.
"No more than can tell if you are human or that you can tell if I am." I replied.
"Go ahead, but I'm going to be prepared for whatever might come out of there." Plight says.
"Fair. Since its likely responsible for the rats' odd behavior." I tell him.
*Hello, will you come to the baker's basement to chat?*
We immediately began to hear a muffled voice speaking within the wall.
*Right. I forgot how alarming this voice can sound to someone else. If you control the rats, we really need to have you come out for a chat.*
A head popped out the hole suddenly, and, much to my embarrassment, I jumped a bit.
"Ahm... Hi, will you come out?" I asked, trying to hide my initial reaction. "I can stop speaking in your head, if you do."
Slowly, the person comes out. The person had rat features while also wearing clothes. Its pants are dark brown and its shirt tan-ish. I note that its hand is on a sword, and its eyes darting between Plight and I.
"Who are you and why are you in my head." It asked.
"To talk to you. We noticed the rats weren't behaving normally, so I assumed there was something intelligent controlling them. So, instead of causing alarm by shouting, I simply reached out with my unique ability.. and found you. I do apologize that it was alarming." I explain.
"What do you want? Why are you talking to me? Most people don't want to talk to this." It says waving its hand at its face.
"Arguably, most people don't talk in others' heads either." I reply.
"Yes, but that doesn't answer my questions." It replies.
"Ok. So, we were hired to exterminate the rats. Rats are known for carrying disease and bringing famine, though that's not true, rats go where there is abundance and its fleas that spread disease, and I don't see any scratching. Anyways, we can't let you stay here, as you and the rats are here without permission, but I could talk to the mayor for you and could probably get permission to build a house for you and your rats, though it'd probably have to be outside of town. In the tree's likely. I do know a fair bit about how to build a house, so I could probably get one done in three days time if you weren't worried bout insulation, though I'd need permission, probably, from the mayor to do so. If you were worried bout insulation it'd probably take a week or two." I babbled to it. I sat down in the middle of my babbling, thinking it over.
The rat thing looked at me flabbergasted and gave me a double take. "We are not looking for a house. We are just trying to gather information."
"Then where is your information being gathered to?" I inquire.
"T-to me." It says, "I don't really have someone to sell it to. Would you like to buy some information?"
I frown at it. "So you have no base of operations?"
"...We do.. I just feel I shouldn't tell you where it is. It defeats the purpose of a hideout." It stammered.
"Then why hole up here long enough to be noticed?" I ask.
"I feel the baker knows things. What things I don't know. Like why are the dwarves here. They were chased from the mountains, but by what?" It says.
"That's an unnerving thought. It's more efficient to send in one or two informants at a time. Less likely to be noticed that way. That you have rats is good. They can be smart if trained correctly. And they can find lost things well. Are you not aware that if you have a location people can see, they'd start coming to you for information in you put it out there you existed?" I lecture him.
"People don't typically like it when you get information on them. For them, yes. On them, no." It replied.
"That's why you don't play your cards, silly. You tell them you may have information, for a price. Or that you may have heard some things that you may part with, but your lips aren't loose." I say.
"So what I just get a building and put a sign on it?" It quips.
"Why not?" I ask, "Of course you'd need the sign to be a front, and the businesses appearance to seem like its typical."
"I was hoping to find people to buy my information and then I could expand but.. the mayor doesn't want it. The tavern keeper doesn't want it.. cause the tavern keeper gets information on his own." It tells me.
"Tilton knows bout you?" I ask, surprised.
"Yes. Not as this, but he knows me." It replies.
"Huh. So you have a home?" I muse.
"Technically." It said.
"Ok, well. You need to have your rats leave the basement, and I can tell the baker that I've an agreement through druidic means for your rats to not be here. If you want to learn of why the dwarves are here I can ask around, and I wouldn't mind letting one of your rats ride along as long as they are clean." I state firmly.
"Hmm. Hm. Hmm" It ponders, "but if you're gathering information, then I'm not gathering information, and thats what I want to do!"
"So you want to be a resource rather than an supply?" I ask it.
"Yes..?" It says.
"Do you understand the difference?" I ask.
"Mmmn. Yes." It says.
"Then who is your master?" I ask, bluntly.
"Currently that's an open position. I figured once I proved myself useful at gathering information I'd get one." It told us.
"Are you attached to this area?" I inquire.
"No.. Not really." It says.
"How do you feel about cats?" I reply.
"Um.. fine.." It said.
"Excellent. Are you willing to travel to Valor's Crest?" I question.
"Th-the Capital?" It asks.
"The very one." I reply.
"Why would I go there..? Just curiosity." It says.
"There are two men there who would employ you. Particularly, if you use my name." I explain. "One is a Leonin, the other is a blonde human."
"Intriguing." It said.
"The human has no particular agents, but is ambitious. The Leonin has many agents." I tell it, "I can tell you which would be best for you to go to, if you will answer one question."
"Hm? What question?" It asks.
"Who harasses Mayor Tilton?" I smile wickedly.
"We have heard cursings of a white Leonin. We don't know if its a name or a comparison, but we hear 'Snow' get thrown around quite a bit." It answers.
I laugh and nod and say "You've done well. Do you have a name?"
"It's Trevel." It said.
"My name is Sarial Hearthry, and this is my friend Plight. I recommend you go and see the Lucky Stone, owned and operated by the Hearthry's. James Hearthry is the head. He'll like to hear about Plight. I'll write you a letter, and you'll receive adequate training. You'll be a master informant in no time." I smile at it.
I take out my writing things and start writing a letter to Father.
[Dear Father,
The travel from home to Dueling Rivers was long. I found myself deeply regretting my decision, especially as we didn't have a chat as usual before bed.
In addition to my new found loneliness, I have met several people whose heads may not remain upon their shoulders for long. Especially if they cross me once more.
I apologize deeply for how Mother surely reacted to my hijinks. Nothing I prepared could have curbed that, and I didn't want her angry with you if you knew ahead of time. I'll definitely make it up to her later on, and you if I can.
I'll tell you, I have a person who is with me now, he's strange, but I like him. He doesn't eat with others, nor does he sleep. But he is healer and is why I am not owlbear poop.
That being said, had he not been there I'd have probably ran from it. So perhaps I wouldn't have been. I do have some nice scarring across my chest, though.
My companion resembles me. He's tall, black hair, with green eyes. Just as pale. I think many nobles would like him as a pet. Not that I shall tell him so. It'd make us both uncomfortable as we've already been accused of being in a physical relationship. He was quite angry over it. Whereas I'm accustomed to such idiocy.
Father, I haven't completely decided yet on how this tool shall be used, so I thought I'd send it to you. It's skilled in information gathering, but doesn't have the ambition to be a proper broker. It's desire is to gather and sell the information.
It was an amusing thing that I frightened initially. I'd used Mind Link on it. It overcame its fear quickly though. It's named Trevel.
Dad, I miss being home with you all. But I am doing well. I am adjusting, even if its been slow. I'll admit to tears the first few nights away. I'm too old for that, I know. I'll be writing to you all again soon.
With Love, Sarial Hearthry]
Once the letter is written, I wave it some to dry the ink, then fold it and place it in an envelope. which I seal with wax and address it to James Hearthry.
I then write a second letter but to my mother. Apologizing for worrying her and telling her I've made a sweet friend. I repeat the actions, except addressing it to Snow Den Hearthry, and tell Trevel that if the white Leonin, Snow, is with the gold one, James, to say he has a letter for Snow Den and a recommendation letter for James. It would be safer for him, though, if only James is present when he gets there. Go East past East Haven to reach the capital in three and a half days, or travel the King's Road to reach the capital in a week. Afterwards I put up the writing stuff.
Trevel accepts the letters and agrees to go. Says he'll do as recommended, too. Which is good for him... Mother will kill the messenger if he's not careful.
I turn to Plight as Trevel leaves with the rats. "I'm sorry, Plight. I didn't ask you at all about your opinion on how to handle this."
"That's fine. I was a little lost through most of that. I'm glad it didn't come to blows.. that was nice." Plight replied.
"I'll tell Kaz the truth about the rats." I tell him.
Plight definitely seemed more comfortable with not lying, which is good, because I've never been a good liar anyways.
After we went back up the stairs, I looked around making sure there were no customers presents. Once sure the coast was clear I said, "Good news Kaz, no bodies! I sent them to my father in the capital."
"Why does you father want a bunch of rats? And how did you send them? You were in my basement. I'm so confused." Kaz questioned.
"To be fair, they are on the way to my father, and he probably doesn't want them. But he'll use them, I think. They are being controlled by a.. well, it could be a ratfolk, similar to a harengon? or maybe a were rat or some other shifter, since it can talk. They were trying to gather information about why the dwarves fled their homes and came to Dueling Rivers." I explained.
"Mm. Alright." Kaz said.
"It also kinda like a prank on my Father, to be honest. He's a leonin and I've sent him rats!" I giggled.
A look of surprised and bewilderment crossed his face, he then said, "This isn't how I expected this to go.. but the less bloodshed in my storage room is better.. Thank you for your work.. Let me sign your paper."
I take the quest paper out of my bag and offered it to him. "I'm sort of adopted, if that helps your mind. I'm quite used to the looks." I tell him as he signs and pays us for the quest.
"I'm sorry about the look.. I meant no offense by it, its just odd to hear." Kaz looked apologetic.
"No apology needed, Kaz. This falls under no blood no foul." I smiled at him, "Thank you for being easy to please with this quest. Oh, you'll be happy to know they never touched your things down in the basement. Just chewed a sizeable hole in the wall."
"Ah a hole is easy to fix." Kaz said.
"That they can be. Have a profitable rest of your day, lets go, Plight." I say. Rather than splitting the gold, I just give it to Plight.
We were now on our way to the next quest. The herb gathering.. and to speak to Mills for some reason.