"Adventurers are needed to scout the area," he declared. "Lord Shorvin's Bounty is offered again. Perhaps this Dungeon can be successfully dealt with before the power grows too great."
"Fuck," I muttered. If people started glancing at us and Lana's outlandish garb...
"You, good adventurer!" the crier said, pointing out in our direction.
My skin prickled. I looked around, fearing the adventurer was right behind me. But I just saw townsfolk staring at not me but Lana. Then I realized what was going on. They thought she was some sort of adventurer.
"A priestess, yes?" the crier gasped. "I hope that you quickly form your party and dispatch the villains who lurk in the vicinity. The Dungeon and its foul Builder must fall before they spread darkness through the District."
People nodded. They shook heads and cheered on the priestess. Lana, the consummate actress, drank it in. She kept her mysterious hood drawn low and her hands folded in her robe. I was all but ignored by her.
"You're going to stop the evil dungeon builder?" a woman called.
Lana glanced at me for a moment. I nodded, not sure what to do.
"Of course," she said. "I have been called here by Lord Enlil and Lady Uttu."
My heart lurched. Those were who I called upon to use my magic. Was that bad? Were the Lord and Lady of Lightning respected here? My heart pulsed with the words. I could start casting magic if I had to. I didn't want to. I was so hungry.
But the townsfolk seemed even more impressed by that.
This was my chance to buy supplies while she had everyone distracted. I could tell she was loving it. Nearly every actor and actress was an attention whore. Sure there were probably exceptions, but for the most part they were people who had grown accustomed to having an audience that reveled in them. That showered them in love and praise.
Lana Fulmine was definitely not an exception to that.
"Is that why your skin is silver?" I heard a woman ask. "Did Lady Uttu bless you?"
"Of course," Lana said. "How else can I defend myself against the dark machinations of the evil builder? He must be a knave. The sort of man who wants to jerk off on the ass of a woman in booty shorts."
"Sometimes," Lana said, amusement in her voice.
I left her to her fun and started poking around. I found not one store that sold items, but various farmers set up on the far end of the village green. They sold a variety of products. I needed a way to get my supplies back to the dungeon, so I purchased a donkey and a cart. For meat, my choices were salted beef and salted pork. There was none being sold fresh, not that I knew how I would keep it cool if they did. Nor was I used to having meat come in huge hunks, the sides of the animals just sold. Not cut into parts.
I packed them into the cart. From another farmer, I bought a bushel of apples, a barrel full of the light red fruit. They were smaller. From other farmers, I bought carrots and potatoes. Good root vegetables that could keep for a bit. I stacked them into the cart. Spices were lacking. They had salt and garlic cloves. That was it.
Lastly, I bought sacks of grain. I didn't know what I could make with the grain, bread I supposed, but they were better than nothing. I stacked it all on the cart. From one farmer, I did buy a meat pie. It was like a stew baked in a loaf of bread.
I devoured it.
"My thanks," I groaned.
"Sure, sure," he said, staring at me. "You from around here?"
"Passing through," I said. "I have business at Lord Shorvin's and then I'm off."
"To Myrecilla?" the man asked.
"Right. Myrecilla," I said. "That's where my business will take me. Need to eat."
"That's quite a bit of food." He glanced at the cart.
"Oh, well, I have companions. They're waiting for me to gather the supplies, you know."