Tossing the few coins up in the air and catching them with my hands. I reperated this action several times as I lampooned to myself:
Man, I can barely buy lunch with this. Gonna need a better source of income. Should I start a ponzi scheme?
Soon, I arrived at a run down shack. The smell of the abusive man was strong but also other different scents lingered in the doorway.
A broad shouldered old man, who smelled of ozone, was standing by the doorway and as I got closer he squinted his eyes at me before gruffing out a statement, "Hmm, you're short enough to pass the doorway. Hurry in before anyone catches you!"
He then opened the door a creak, and beckoned me to enter.
Heh? Did he just called me vertically challenged? Sounds like a compliment though...
My intuition did send a warning, but it was small enough that I ignored it and just followed the door guard's intention and entered the building.
Inside, was a corridor that I slowly walked in and after a bend, led to a wide but shorter door.
Huh. So this is what he means? My head could barely touch the top of the door frame...
As I entered the room, I noticed a bunch of gruff bearded man sitting around a linen rug. Some were seated on stools while others on barrels.
They looked at me and several contemplated in quiet. Finally, one of them spoke up, "A new member huh? That's good. But first, step on that paper."
He pointed at a large sheet that was full of bootmarks. On the paper was a symbol.
I shrugged. And added my bootmark to the sheet. And then the others seemed to relax and beckoned me to an empty seat.
The abusive men, who was seated closest to me, slapped my back in some show of solidarity and said, "Another brother to our ranks! Well done stepping on that symbol of the God of Combat! Their church is truly our foe and one day we will suceed in driving them off our island!"
I stilled. And looked at the symbol printed on the paper.
Eh. Did I just partake in some kind of blasphemy? This group some kind of rebellion?
I looked at abusive man and gave him a crooked smile.
Gotta make them think I'm on their side.
"YEAH! The god of combat is a pussy!" I declared. My spirituality decreased.
The entire room hushed. A few looked around nervously.
When nothing happened after a few minutes, the abusive man clamped my shoulders and pulled me closer while chuckling nervously, "Young man, it's good to be enthusiastic but maybe try not to speak out loud when referring to our enemy. They might have some powers that can alert them when spoken of. We usually refer to them as 'tall ones'. Remember that, won't you?"
I nodded, "Tall ones. Alright. Those tall ones are pussies!"
My deceleration was met with cheers! Some even added their own insults about the tall ones! Mostly about how they can't swim properly or are useless in a boat.
Is this group basically a bunch of angry racist fisherman?
After a while, a few more gruff men entered the room, stepping on the parchment on the ground before sitting down. The last to enter was the doorguard and he locked the door as he entered. He nodded to the rest, probably to tell them that it was safe to start whatever it is they were about to start.
Several of the men worked together to open a secret door on the floor and took out an altar. They then placed in in the center of the room and everyone knelt down.
I followed them at the gesture of abusive man, whose name I earlier learned was Alder.
"Praise the storm!" Everyone chanted! Then prayed quietly. After a while, when everyone was finished with the prayer, the altar was hidden back in the floor. Everyone got back to the seats and started chatting.
I simply hung out in the background to listen and learn. After a while, I come to the realization that this was a secret beyonder meeting mostly of the tyrant pathway. There was also a seer and two hunters present but I guess the most important was that almost all was welcome except those from the warrior/giant pathway.
There was some trading going on, with the doorguard acting as the middleman slash arbiter. Guess he is the highest sequence?
Probably. He smells the strongest, I almost have to resist chomping on his thighs...
Ugh. That sounds wrong...
Anyway, he's definitely a sailor pathway. Maybe a high ranking member of the storm church?
After the trading session was completed, information was freely shared, most pertaining to the members of the church of combat, especially when certain locations lacked guards. Giving some members the opportunity to group up at attack them.
Ooh. Robbing from other beyonders. These bunch of dudes sure got big balls. Seems lucrative though...
I volunteered to join one of their 'raids'. Supposedly a remote storehouse belonging to a loyal worshipper of the Church of Combat had to decrease their guards due to reshuffling their men for an offshore assignment.
The doorguard asked me, "What can you do? You're not a sailor are you?"
I summoned a wisp of smog and held it above my arm, "Nope. But I'm strong, really strong, I could probably win against you in an arm wrestling contest. And I am really good with a knife."
He laughed at my challenge, "Ah! You're a criminal! No wonder you're so eager to join the raid on the storehouse. Tell you what, the crates inside mostly contain worshipping materials, you're not going to be able to sell them for money. But if you join the raid, I'll put a bounty on every tall one you kill, and also for helping destroy the contents of the storehouse. Sound like a good deal?"
Hmm. Murder for hire? Why am I not feeling any alarm or guilt? Actually I'm feeling anticipation. Anyway, I do need money.
I nodded.
The doorman laughed boisterously, "Hah! Spunky aren't you! If you manage to do a good job, I'll even send a letter of recommendation to my higer ups. You can be an unofficial secret member of the Church of Storm, acting as our informant and helper! Trust me, our church is honest and direct with our rewards, you won't regret becoming a member!"
I smell bullshit.
"Now, where do you live?"
After a few back and forth, the group realize that I am a homeless vagrant with barely a penny to my name. None seemed surprised as the criminal pathway is full of impulsive fools who easily part with their wealth.
They then decided that I should stay with a member until they finalized the plan on the raid...