It wasn't long before Cam came to a halt in front of a door and opened it. He stepped aside and motioned for Quintin to go inside with his extended hand.
"Have a seat while you wait here. I'll find our Vice-Guildmaster and [Bounty Examiner]. All we were told was to expect you, and a big bounty head, which we'll need to verify," after speaking, Cam closed the door. Quintin was left alone to his thoughts.
This is going pretty well. I can imagine that without the [Message], this would've been nigh-impossible to pull off.
He scanned the room and noticed that it was a reasonably spacious trophy room. A variety of different monsters and beast heads lined the walls, some were fully stuffed and stood on raised scenery-platforms in places. Sitting, stood-up or crouched, and all had a menacing presence that brought them to life. There was a couch and a handful of comfy chairs that surrounded an oval table with a Dragon 'logo' cloth spread out over the top. A long and wide bowl-pedestal in the middle, presumably, for displaying heads or other objects for examination.
"[Jakolaag], [Humbaba Claw], [Eel-shape Ocelot]..." Quintin read some of the nameplates out loud as he paced around the room and used [Identify] on the more remarkable monsters or beast parts he saw.
| [Jakolaag] — Beast — Burrower — Loner A beast found primarily in lower elevations. Stalks the plains where it waits while burrowed for tremors above. It has six great shoveling hands, squat shape, and a long, sleek tail. It is known for glinting in the sunlight if seen above ground. |
It seems like a deadly predator for the unprepared, scything through the dirt and rock to pop out at unsuspecting prey.
Quintin turned towards the door, but there was still no sound or presence just yet, so he continued.
| [Humbaba Claw] — Monster — Human-Killer — Terror being Its head is made up of [Human] entrails. Two piercing blue rays shine out from the squirm. Two bull-like horns protrude from the mix of intestines. It stands on two legs and has two arms, much like the [Humans] it hunts. Two scaled and green Snake-Cocks stand erect in search of vitals from its groin and spinal-base. |
D-did I see that right? Snake...cocks?! As in multiple?! Holy shit! The monsters on Whorrl are not messing around.
Quintin stifled the mental image as he finally heard a sound coming from the hallway. The door slowly opened up to reveal two men and a woman. Cam led the way for the other two as they came inside and closed the door behind them. A middle-aged man strode through first. He had patches of grey in his hair. Facial features that were strong with a chiseled jaw and beveled nose. His presence was slightly subdued by wrinkles and over-grown stubble but wore it well with immaculate brown robes and laced jackboots tied together with a black belt that clasped around his waist.
The second was a 30-something woman with Tomboy-style golden hair. She stood out while wearing spotless full plate armor from the neck down. It would seem somewhat normal except for the fact that she was utterly silent as she made her way forward to meet him with an extended hand.
"Well met, rookie. My name is Cassida Morvain, Vice-Guildmaster of PanQuil's Adventurer's Guild. I hear you're the newbie we got word of, Quintin, right?" Her eyes took on an odd, orange sheen as she looked at Quintin, but quickly went back to a regular, blue color moments later.
Quintin shook her hand and said, "Yes, that's right. A pleasure to meet you, my full name is Quintin Julle. I've got an important [Bounty Head] to deliver on behalf of my team."
That orange sheen was probably an [Identification] ability of some design, he thought.
Next to speak was the middle-aged man. He butted in front of Cassida, who was about to ask a follow-up question.
"Yes, yes. We know this, where is this grand bounty? I'm Halrik, [Bounty Examiner]." He quickly added his name to the end, seemingly in some hurry, or excitement, Quintin wasn't sure which or both.
Quintin made to incline his head in a quick greeting, but Halrik was already striding towards the table, where he sat and crossed his arms. Cassida made an apologizing gesture with her two hands together and spoke, "Well, he's not wrong, I suppose. Shall we?"
The [Bag of Holding] he got from Nyathamon was still in-tact for the time being. After rummaging around for a few seconds, he opened it and pulled out the head of Nyathamon before placing it on the pedestal in the middle of the table.
The [Bounty Examiner] was on his feet in an instant as an indigo gleam spread out from his eyes in a triangular beam — like LED strobe lighting. Halrik's forehead creased with exertion, and sweat began to bead and fall from his face. He steadied himself in concentration with his hands braced against the tabletop.
Five seconds,
ten seconds,
and finally, fifteen seconds later, the man's concentration eventually broke. A stream of blood came out from his nose and the corner of his eyes as he sank to his knees and panted miserably. Cam had left before the examination, but Cassida was there, looking on with mild discomfort yet made no move to help the man.
It would seem this is the price he has to pay to use his ability, Quintin mused.
Halrik slowly got back to his feet with a huff, but was smiling as he spoke, "I [Leveled], twice... couldn't identify everything, but I can safely promise this [Bounty] verified to a minuscule percentage of doubt!" He began laughing. Quintin couldn't help but be reminded of a Martial Artist, laughing out at a passionate challenge.
Cassida was less amused as she smacked the back of the man's head and said, "Well, who the hells am I looking at?! Damn fool, don't leave the important part out."
Halrik huffed one final time as his breath fully returned to normal. He dabbed the blood on his upper lip and nose with a handkerchief and spoke, "Why, 'tis the head of Nyathamon, [Mind's Desire Illusionist] and former member of the Ghastly Half-Hearts."
