Splitearth Valley, Southern Province, The Empire of Stone

"Quite the view," Horizon comments from the lip of the valley where Rospli Town sits, "If the weather is as given to rain as you mentioned, though, I question the choice of location logistically and from a defensive standpoint too."

"Well, you see..." I clear my throat, "You'd have to ask a local if you want that question answered. At the very least, they have the benefit of a river running through the valley, so that might be why settlers chose this spot. They don't get much by way of traders rowing down it - unless you count the Empire's supply requisition agents and tax collectors - but there's a seasonal fish migration that keeps the place in business. Prone to flooding though, due to the aforementioned rains."

"Interesting," she murmurs, with a far-off look that's becoming more familiar the more questions I answer.

"Trail down is just ahead, so you can explore to your heart's content when we get down there while I try and secure a ride," I offer, taking a bite out of some jerky. Tough, lean, and extremely bitter. Wolf meat isn't exactly the greatest food, but it's nothing if not abundant in Meteo after all the Carcasses we've dumped off.

I shake off my related worries. I've already informed the others of the coming problem on that front, so it's down to them to handle things in Meteo without me hanging over them. If they can't function without me, then...well, I won't go so far as to abandon them outright, but I'll be well-within my rights to take them to task over it and force a change in mentality.

Things like Windy asking me for my opinions on and verification of bigger moves like this morning, that's fine, and to be expected. But I don't want to be bugged over every little thing. Windy has to come to the understanding sooner or later the kind of position she's in, and the meaning that imparts.

I want to take this time out here to relax a little. Since there's nothing I can actually do there physically, I've basically no choice but to take it easy. Of course, playing travelling companion to Horizon Chaser brings it's own baggage, but...

"Hey," I nudge her arm, noticing that she's spacing out pretty hard, "You're not falling asleep on me are you?"

"Shush."

Horizon waves me off, staring intently at the vista overlooking the town in the river valley below. Getting an inkling of what's going on, I can only grin and bear it, waiting until she's satisfied.

"Do you have something I can draw with?" she asks after a few minutes spent in the wind.

"'fraid not. Left my writing supplies and knife back at the mansion," I shake her head, "There's a Cartographer Mentor NPC in Town though. Doubtless, he'll be able to accommodate you."

"Ah, that crafting class you talked about," Horizon shuts her eyes, internalising what she's seen, bringing to mind the shutter of an antique camera, "What are we waiting for then? Vamoose, vamoose."

The pensiveness in her posture is replaced by a strange almost vibrating aura of impatience. The way she switches tracks at the drop of a hat reminds me of a few old friends, specifically Utah, a Scholar who specialised as a Cryptolingual - essentially, a codebreaker and language specialist. He'd be stood still one moment, but the moment someone mentioned a hint of a puzzle involving wordplay in forgotten dialects, something in his head would click into place, and suddenly nothing and nobody could prevent him from rushing over to study it. He'd talk your ears off for hours about obscure language trivia if you let him, and I have him to thank for what I know on the subject. As much of it as I could be bothered to listen to and remember anyway. A lot of it went in one ear and out the other since it was his job to worry about it, and mine to keep him and any other non-combat specialists safe while they worked.

"What's with that look?" she eyes me suspiciously, and I realise I'm sporting a nostalgic smile.

"You reminded me of an old friend for a moment," I sigh forlornly, "Sorry."

I commence my stroll towards the trail down the side of the valley's left side. At this depth, it would probably be more appropriate to label it a gorge instead, if I'm understanding my geography right, but perhaps it was named for a time when the appellation was accurate. Names have a tendency to stick even as the place changes, I've noticed. Such as a dried-up lake still being referred to as the lake it once was. Things of that nature.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Horizon asks, perhaps a moment too late.

"Not right now," I deny calmly, kicking a larger rock to the side and down the slope where it will eventually meet water, "Another time perhaps. Have you given some thought as to what you're going to do after we reach our destination?"

"I'll ask around about this lump of rock my Guide foisted on me, I think," she hums, "After that...I think I'll head west to the Arborstone Expanse. Sounds like an interesting place."

"Can't imagine a burnt-out wasteland filled with petrified trees is a common sight in Reality," I comment amiably, "You're a Panoplast, too, so you shouldn't get too many unwelcome visitations from the locals. Monsters not included."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Horizon then breathes sharply, "No, don't tell me. Honestly, must you explain everything?"

"If you're going to ask a question, are you in any position to complain when someone answers?" I shoot back pointedly.

"...Ok, fair. But you did see fit to give out information unprompted," she complains huffily.

"Apologies," There's just not much else I can think of to talk about. The only other point of commonality between us is a tenuous thread from my time as an art student I wasn't even consciously aware existed, and I can't recall much of it, nor do I find the subject as compelling. My days as a starry-eyed youth looking to make his name as an artist on the streets of Paris are long behind me. I'm just an ageing mercenary out of his depth now.

"Just let me enjoy the journey," Horizon sighs, "I'll ask if there's something I want to know."

"As you wish," I concede, a little irritated by her attitude.

---

 

Iylu Gate, Rospli Town, Splitearth Valley

Rospli Town is likely the most prosperous settlement in the Southern Province, owing to it's role as the gathering point for the resources of nearby farms and towns, which then get sent upriver. The evidence that makes this clear right off the bat compared to Meteo Town is that the ordinary buildings and walls of Rospli are made with aesthetics in mind. The gate we're using isn't as, shall we say, imposing as Boulder Gate's enormous structure - partly due to the Guard Barracks being housed within the top layer - but despite the bustling traffic, there's little in the way of outward hint of disrepair. The buildings beyond the precipice are simply constructed, but uniform in aesthetic and inoffensively designed: Smooth grey stone walls, with exposed blue birch timber beams at evenly spaced intervals, jutting from the ground through to the second floor, which is made primarily of white brick, and wooden shutters.

With our Citizenship Pins, there's no issue in entering after showing them off to the Guard and paying a modest 50 Stone Copper entry fee. Most larger established settlements follow the same convention, and Meteo is something of an outlier in their treatment of Newborn players. Likely out of consideration for new players with little wealth of their own, from a meta perspective, though I won't pretend to know the in-universe explanation.

If I had to point out one thing that Meteo has which Rospli does not, it's a Cathedral. Instead, they have a much less ostentatious chapel atop a ledge overlooking the town. It's not hard to find them since Truth of Stars adherents share the tradition that places of worship must always be above any other dwelling, even if it's a royal palace. The higher, the better, which is also why mountains are a popular spot for shrines even amongst other religious and philosophical orders, like the one I'm headed to, which is carved into the base of a smaller mountain, not unlike like Petra Temple in Jordan back in Reality.

"I'll meet you at a place called 'Riverdock Rambunct' when you're ready to leave," I inform Horizon once we settle on the side of the road, a trio of labourers carrying sacks ambling by, their faces expressionless.

"Sounds like a bar," she peers at me suspiciously.

"It is, and it's also where I hope to catch a ride upriver to Kolpehead. Then I'll try and track down a supply caravan or some such that will take us the rest of the way. Failing that, the scenic route," I explain simply, "Shouldn't take more than two or three hours by river barge, but the terrain is pretty rough from here on out, so that'll be another two days by foot otherwise."

"Just don't get too drunk without me, ok? I want to test the local booze too," Horizon smiles mischievously, "Then I can brag about it to Jade and Win later."

"I won't be drinking, but I can spare some change to get you a pint of whatever they have on tap," I assent, "I don't recommend the local spirits. They're a local's choice, to be polite about it."

"Like limoncello?"

"That's the stuff that tastes like lemony bleach, isn't it?"

"Yup."

"Think spicy tree bark," I shake my head, remembering the first time I tried to drink a shot of Erenni. Vile stuff, but the dockworkers lap it up like ambrosia. On the rare occasions I do set out to drink, I set my sights to higher shelves for the good stuff. Which is also the pricey stuff, unfortunately. Viridian-seal Maomanuan rum, Fierdran Double Aged Kilk, and a mixer of Sweet Cloud for a nightcap after a particularly stressful day.

"Call me intrigued, if hesitant," Horizon murmurs, gazing off into space, "Not a fan of wormwood or peat-forward liquor. Prefer fruitier drinks."

"A rum person?" I hedge.

"Not straight. Tastes like shoe polish most of the time," she denies, "I prefer botanicals like gin, and rum cocktails. Especially tiki drinks, but we're not allowed to serve them to customers."

"Hm?" I tilt my head, not sure if I've heard this before.

"Oh, I'm a bartender back in reality," she smiles, "And if you ask me, a quintessential part of the travelling experience is finding out how to get shitfaced like a local. It's how I met Jade and Win."

"I see," I respond politely, "With criteria like that, I don't think there's anything I can recommend that will be stocked. You'd have to head to the capital if you're really serious about learning the ins and outs of Merrow's brews. But that's easily a several months long journey on your own two feet, so it'd be best to leave that as an eventual goal much further down the line. Not a good idea to wander too far away from Meteo just yet - the Central Provinces would be about the limit, I'd say."

Horizon stares at me dimly, and I feel the need to clarify to avoid annoying her again, "Please remember that the terms of the agreement were that you'd provide us with information we could all utilise. If you go too far away, we won't be able to help you. Best to broaden your exploration, rather than deepen it, if you catch my meaning."

She sighs, "Mm, fine. Not like I was planning on going too far away yet anyway."

"Think of it like filling in one page of a colouring book before moving on to the next," I encourage her, "Never forget the importance of a strong foundation, too. You'll find more opportunities you and the rest of us can partake in if you can restrain yourself a little, which will, in turn, make proceeding expeditions more feasible. Not to nag, but you have to remember that you're not playing Valiant Advance right now, the benefits you enjoyed there are lost to you now, and you have a need to build up your strength once more. Don't be impatient."

"I get it, I get it," Horizon rolls her eyes, ears flicking in irritation.

"In any case, I believe the Cartographer Mentor has a shop at the main street on this side of the river. So, take some money with you and see if you can pick up a map of the Southern Province while you're there," I pass over a few gold coins out of the 20 or so I took with me, "I want the change back, though."

"Sure thing," she accepts in perfunctorily, "Anything else?"

"An Angstätter, if they stock any," I request, "Before you ask, it's basically an enchanted navigational compass. They're less prone to interference from ambient mana compared to your standard magnetic compass. We can't afford a very good one, but we don't really need to care about that so long as we can orient ourselves."

If I have to, I can approximate it by looking at the stars in the sky and the positions of the sun and moon, but it's not very reliable, and useless if I don't have a clear view. Cloud coverage makes it more difficult than it needs to be on Firmament, to be quite honest.

"Is there enough for me to get one for myself?" she asks, jostling the coins in her palm, curious.

"If you can haggle him down, maybe, but you'll have to scrounge up some money of your own otherwise, I'm running on a tight budget right now, so I'll see what I can spare when we part ways," I smile apologetically, "Enchanted goods aren't cheap or easy to come by out here. I'm just assuming that a cartographer on the main supply route for the Empire will have one lying around for sale. Might be an idea to try fishing for a Quest, come to think of it."

"I'll see what I can do," Horizon stows the money away, "Riverdock Rambunct, right? See you there in a while."

"Mhm. I'll be checking a couple of shops first for things like Schematics," I add as an afterthought, "So I might be late myself."

"Ok," she nods, waves, then hares off at speed, weaving around passersby smoothly.

"Here's hoping she doesn't cause any trouble," I mutter, following in her wake at a more measured pace.

---

 

River of Purity, Romn Street, Rospli Town

Pushing open the door to the next shop on my mental checklist, I'm greeted by an interior thoroughly clogged with overflowing shelves of bottles contain fluids of unknown usage, ranging in colour, bottle size and shape. The air inside is thick, humid and an unpleasant middle ground between carbonised sugar, perfume and some sharp smelling acid. I'd sneeze, but I don't want to cause an accident, so I make the executive decision to pinch my nostrils shut and bear with the eye-watering pressure built up in my sinuses.

It's a stark difference from the peddlers' stalls back in Meteo, who probably got ahold of their stock from here in the first place, if I had to guess. The proprietor here is more in line with what I expect from an Alchemist, but they're still pretty firmly near the bottom of the barrel overall, which for my purposes, suits me just fine. Even if I were to find a vial of Titanic Truetincture here, I honestly wouldn't be able to afford it or survive drinking it. Potions aren't necessarily low-grade because they lack quality, rather because it also denotes the sort of Level required to safely consume it, generally speaking.

I carefully make my way through the aisle to the left after putting my sword into my inventory to prevent accidentally sweeping bottles off the shelf whenever I turn my body around, suddenly missing my old Unsheathe Skill, which let me summon my weapon from my intraspacial storage directly to my hand.

Sat in a corner at the back of the shop upon a stool next to a low table, is a pallid old man with patches of hair missing and discoloured teeth, looking more like a back-alley hobo than an Alchemist presiding over a modestly successful business. His eyes are unfocused, staring blankly at an unusually ornate bottle of clear green fluid as he rolls it from one hand to the other in the artificial light of an enchanted crystal behind him. Natural light is generally detrimental to preservation for this kind of good.

"Excuse me, Mr Rett?" I clear my throat to get his attention. It doesn't even phase him for a good ten seconds, before he mechanically turns to regard his visitor.

"What?" he questions gruffly, a rattling quality to his voice audible from his throat, likely a result of prolonged chemical exposure.

"I'd like to inquire as to whether you have any Formulae in your possession you'd be willing to part with, and to set up a long-term order with you on the behalf of my Guild for Minor Stamina Restoration potions," I declare evenly.

"I do have one Formula I can part with for a common fool," he responds haughtily, "10 Stone Gold. Intermen's Bright."

I click my tongue, "I'm afraid that's out of my price range for the moment, though I will certainly return to claim it, or send a subordinate, once we have the money to spare."

Intermen's Bright is a fairly mundane concoction, making it easier to see in the dark, but with the side-effect of making your eyes glow painfully, and leaving them sore for hours afterwards. It also makes you more vulnerable to bright flashes of light and mutes your perception of colours. Popular with teenagers and roleplayers, but not without it's practical uses as well.

It takes a few moments for him to respond again, either a result of senility or his limited AI, "Feh. What kind of deal are you seeking? Volume? Location?"

"1 Stone Gold and 25 Stone Silvers per crate of thirty, at five crates per week," I offer generously. Market price would be for 1 Stone Gold, 22 Stone Silvers.

"Deal," he nods, "Where?"

"Voinete Mansion in Meteo Town," I inform him, "Payment can be collected from Henna Rask or another Officer of Truthseekers."

"Bank transfer only," Mr Rett counters, "And I need your signature on a contract."

"Fine," I sigh, "My second-in-command is currently in possession of our funds, will a proxy be acceptable?"

"Yes," he leans to one side and fishes through some dog-eared books for an unblemished sheet of parchment, "I'll need payment upfront for the first order as a deposit."

I wince but agree to his condition. We need these potions badly, and securing a supply of them early will pay off massively going forward, and will be helpful even in the short-term. Although you can't chug them back one after another, similar to Mana Potions, they're much more efficient per item than food and water for quick bursts of Stamina replenishment. If we had these, WLR would've been a less stressful undertaking.

Of course, the ideal would be making them ourselves, but it would be time-consuming and ultimately more expensive, in my opinion. Plus, setting up a supply network between Rospli and Meteo is in the best interests of the Guild and Meteo. It's only a few smaller deals for now, like the iron ore I requested from a small company at the dock, but it'll strength and deepen as Meteor Manufactory becomes a reality.

Business concluded, I figure it's time I met up with Horizon. I can handle the less important deals when I'm passing through on the way back, once our finances have stabilised. Might have to forego the drink I promised her, after being obliged to spend 6 Stone Gold.