<<Oy… this looks... boring.>> [Buddy]
The adventure guild was clean, quiet, and well ordered.
No newbie busting bully appeared.
The reception room was largely empty, except for a row of bank cashier type windows along one wall - most of them had stern looking guild workers behind them, busy transacting with a customer.
One such clerk was writing head down in a ledger. A sign hung on the window with a large X on it - apparently signifying that window was closed for the moment.
A few small tables of various heights were scattered around the room, but other than benches along one wall, there were no chairs anywhere.
Various beings stood at a few of the tables, using the supplied pens and paper to make notes, before they lined up at the cashier windows - some of the adventurers had various game and other materials that they presented to the clerks.
Buddy walked up to a clerk that just became free.
Her name tag said “Franzeen” - a dry and poker faced woman.
She had her mostly black hair sporting a few stripes of grey tied up in a no-nonsense bun.
Clad in a black one piece dress with black ruffles at the throat and shoulders, on her writing arm Franzeen wore a dark sleeve protector.
"Ah so, new registration? If you can write, please fill out this form, otherwise I can do it for you." [Franzeen the Clerk]
"Course I can write! Learned my letters when I was not even three cheeses high1This is referring to the size of the huge wheels of Swiss Cheese made in Switzerland - three of those stacked are about as tall as a typical four year old child.!" [Buddy]
Buddy looked around for a pen.
There was a quill stuck in a quill holder next to a simple ink pot.
<<Oy, I haven't used one of those since I was ten... wonder if I can still do it?>> [Buddy]
He deftly grabbed the quill, popped the ink bottle's lid back, dipped, carefully swirled the quill along the inside edge of the bottle to remove excess, and then proceeded to fill out the registration.
The letters he printed were not the letters he had learned when he was not even 3 cheeses high.
They were the local letters.
<<Oy... guess Auntie Goddess gave me this skill - well that explains why I understand people here, I suppose...>>[Buddy]
He finished filling out the form as best he could, before handing it over.
"Thank you... Buddy Marks? And you come from, Basel? Where is that?" [Franzeen the Clerk]
"Well now, I don't rightly know you see... very, very far from here, if you ask me. I sort of got here by accident, and I don't think I'll ever be able to find my way back - at least not easily..." [Buddy]
"Well, that is rare, but it happens sometimes - the guild has no problem with this. Give me a moment..." [Franzeen the Clerk]
With that Franzeen walked away from the cashier window and out through a door.
After a few heartbeats she returned with a metal card in her hand, about the size of a bank or credit card, similar to the one Buddy got from the merchants' guild.
“And here is your guild card, and this pamphlet details the guild rules plus other related information. You can check for requests on the board over there, and pick whatever you think you can deal with.” [Franzeen the Clerk]
“Oy? So… no ranking system to prevent people from taking requests they can’t handle?” [Buddy]
Franzeen looked at Buddy with her poker face, and bent her head a bit to one side as if asking <<Eh?>
“Why would we babysit our members? If you are part of the guild, we expect you to know what you can deal with, yourself. We take care to ensure there is enough data on each request to allow for an informed decision. See, this one for example…” [Franzeen the Clerk]
Franzeen pulled out a request form and placed it in front of Buddy.
“Here you see who made the request, here the reward, and here the type, in this case it is an escort, here the duration, and here the types of expected dangers, in this case a lightly armoured bandit group of seven to eight members is rumoured to be active on the road. And here we state our recommended response of having at least ten intermittently experienced guards.” [Franzeen the Clerk]
“Well, OK, I see... um, there is only one name here as the one who took the request… Sel Mogr something or other?” [Buddy]
“Ah, yes. Sel Mogr'Phe is a very experienced member of the guild from the Capital, so they can handle this sort of escorts easily on their own. But this is an extreme exception to the rule. Should you try and take an obviously inappropriate request by yourself, both we clerks and the requester will simply refuse you - and you will be branded as a fool, so try and avoid that.” [Franzeen the Clerk]
“Oy! Got it! Self-management is the key here! Well, not like I want to take any dangerous requests anyway - I’m a blacksmith, not a fighter!” [Buddy]
“In that case, there is a request to fix a pump at the farm near the grain mill - I think you mentioned you already will be helping with the mill repair? You could do both at the same time.” [Franzeen the Clerk]
“Perfect! You are really helpful, thank you! I’ll take that pump repair job then!” [Buddy]
Franzeen nodded, and carefully wrote Buddy’s name and guild ID onto the request form, and then handed Buddy a copy for his use.
“Please bring that back stamped by the requester when you are done. We are holding the reward in escrow, so you will receive payment from the guild.” [Franzeen the Clerk]
"So, the same as with the merchants' guild then, makes sense! Oy… sorry to ask, but can you recommend an inn?” [Buddy]
“The one next to us, the Broken Crok, is one many of our members use. Tell them I sent you - you won’t get a discount, but they will know I think you can be trusted to behave.” [Franzeen the Clerk]
The inn “Broken Crok” was indeed pleasant - the bed was clean and fluffy, and breakfast was hot and plenitful.
The next morning Buddy first visited the local blacksmith - he had gotten the directions from the innkeeper, and by chance the blacksmith and carpenter were neighbours - and apparently they were siblings, too.
The smith was working in his open-air front shop, hammering delicately on a metal brooch designed to be part of horse armour.
He was short, stout, and had arms that rivalled Buddy’s great guns.
<<Oy! Another dwarf! Well, there goes the stereotype that dwarves have to be smiths…>> [Buddy]
Buddy rapped on the table that was set up in front of the shop showcasing some standard smithing products - chisels, knives, door latches, hinges and the like.
“Master Blacksmith, I’m Buddy Marks - also a blacksmith. I’m looking for parts to repair a pump?” [Buddy]
Buddy showed the pump repair request form.
“A colleague! How nice! I’m Crandon - everyone just calls me Cran tho… Is that for the farm near the mill… oh right, I see, the pin holding the handle must have snapped again - some of those farmhands are a bit rough with things… One moment, I think I have a rod here that will fit the bill...” [Crandon the Smith]
Crandon rummaged in the back of the smithy a bit before returning with a few rods, all about the length of his palm.
“Can’t exactly recall which thickness, but I’m sure one of these will work - just bring back the excess, once you are done… for now, that will be a copper coin.” [Crandon the Smith]
“Oy, that’s kind of you! I’m also helping with the grain mill repair - do you have any crowbars of, oh, about this thick and this long?” [Buddy]
“Let me check… oh here, how about this. So you are helping big sis, huh, well, she might still be asleep - she lives next door, and never was a morning person… so make sure to knock a few times! And that will be another six coppers, please.” [Crandon the Smith]
“Here you go, yes, that will do nicely.” [Buddy]
Buddy stood in front of the carpenter’s house.
It was a skinny three story wood and plaster affair, with a shop on the side.
The shop was closed.
Knock knock.
No answer.
KNOCK KNOCK.
“Just go on in!” [Crandon the Smith]
“Oy! I can’t enter a strangers house!” [Buddy]
Candon sighed and walked over to Buddy, opened the carpenter’s front door and entered, tugging on Buddy’s sleeve.
“Come on there brother smith… let’s go wake up sleepy head together.” [Crandon the Smith]
Crandon led Buddy up to the second story - there were only two rooms on that floor.
At the first door, Crandon kicked the door open.
“WAKEY WAKEY BIG SIS!” [Crandon the Smith]
The room was a mess - clothes, books, stuffed animals, and other random things were strewn all over the place.
A large covered bed was the centrepiece - it was a mass of bed-sheets and frilly laced pillows.
A small delicate naked foot was all that was visible of the occupant.
Crandon grabbed the big toe and shook it.
“WAhayyahryusays….. Five more minutes… for the love of the Goddess… just five…” [Voice from the bed]
“I’ve got a guest with me, so I hope you are decent under there.” [Crandon the Smith]
“Warghle… Unn… Cran... get me coffee before you wake me up, you mean brother…” [Voice from the bed]
The foot shook and freed itself from Crandon’s grip.
“Eh, looks like we have to use the <final method>!” [Crandon the Smith]
With that, Crandon grabbed the ankle and yanked.
What appeared with terrible bed hair, sprawled out in a most unladylike fashion on the floor amidst several cushions, and dressed in a light night gown, was someone Buddy had met yesterday in quite the opposite circumstance.
Casidiea Lalar Bianca.
The town of Fennvall’s respectable mayor.
<<OY! GIVE ME BACK THAT RESPECT I HAD FOR YOU, MAYOR!>> [Buddy]
Downstairs in the kitchen breakfast area.
“Hehe, yeah, my sister is the mayor, too, on the side. She does that every second afternoon and works late into the night. Guess that is partly why she isn’t much of a morning person. She’ll be down in a bit… might as well make her some coffee, so you two can get going to the mill.” [Crandon the Smith]
As the coffee was percolating and the toast was toasting, steps were heard coming down the stairs.
“Ugh… oh, you’re that blacksmith from yesterday…” [Mayor Casidiea]
“Yes, I took the request to help fix the grain mill - please take care of me!” [Buddy]
“Right… I see you have a crowbar… lemme drink a jug of coffee and then we can start.” [Mayor Casidiea]
“Then I’ll leave you to it! Take care!” [Crandon the Smith]
Crandon grinned and escaped before he could reap the punishment that was clear in his older sister’s eyes.
“Ugh… that Cran. Sigh... Ok, off we go, follow me, Mister Smith.” [Mayor Casidiea]
Casidiea gulped down a mug of steaming coffee, grabbed the toast, and waved to Buddy to follow her.
They reached the mill after a short walk.
Buddy was carrying his new crowbar and had offered to take Casidiea’s work bag and materials, too.
Thanks to not having to to slug around her tools, Casidiea was a very fast walker considering her small size.
“Should be relatively quick work - the main grinding stone just needs a re-seat, and the miller has already brought the lumber I need. If you could rebind the metal parts after I’m done?” [Mayor Casidiea]
“Sure, and I can help lift the stone, too.” [Buddy]
Said, done.
After an hour’s work the mill was back in service.
The great vanes of the windmill unfurled and started moving again in the gentle wind.
The newly re-seated top grinding stone slowly rotated, milling the wheat into fresh new flour.
“Well now… you are sure useful there Mister Smith! I didn’t know anyone could lift that stone by themselves!” [Mayor Casidiea]
<<Oy… I did that, didn’t I? What is with that cheat power, Auntie Goddess? That thing is heavier than a fully loaded delivery van! Wait… I think I can talk myself out of this. Maybe...>> [Buddy]
“Eh hehehe…. Yeah well us wandering smiths have to be strong you know - we have to shoe huge war-horses, after all…” [Buddy]
“I suppose… my little brother is pretty strong, too… guess being big like you helps.” [Mayor Casidiea]
Casidiea shrugged, and wiped down her hands.
<<OY! Dodged further questions…>> [Buddy]
“So you still need to go repair that pump, right? I’ll tag along and show you the way - the farm is another ten minutes from here, so not much of a detour for me.” [Mayor Casidiea]
Buddy did a thumbs up, and after grabbing Casidiea’s tool bag and his crowbar, the two continued towards his second task.
Thanks to Casidiea’s help, the pump repair was also quickly done - fresh clear water gushed with each push on the handle.
“Oy, got my stamp for this request now, too!” [Buddy]
“That’s your first adventures’ guild request, isn’t it? Well, I suppose we can go back now… I still have some work to do, myself. Let’s take the other road back - it is less travelled and goes through some woods, but from here it is closer to town.” [Mayor Casidiea]
“Oy! Lead the way, Mayor!” [Buddy]
Casidiea chuckled at that.
They were half way through the woods.
“Eh, do you hear that Mister Smith… sounds like a fight up ahead…” [Mayor Casidiea]
“OY! Let’s go slap those evildoers!” [Buddy]
“Wait…! You don't have any weap… ons... oh he’s gone.” [Mayor Casidiea]
And indeed, Buddy had sprinted ahead and around the bend.
There Buddy came upon a merchant wagon being beleaguered by bandits.
Several cat eared figures were cowering under the wagon.
A splendid tall silver furred panther beastkin in a white fencing shirt, tight black pants and wearing a "three musketeers" type swashbuckler hat was slashing and stabbing at the bandits with a shiny sabre.
The silver panther showed no sign that they felt they were outnumbered, and calmly faced the enemy.
One of the bandits was about to sneak up from behind the panther, but Buddy ran up to them, and slapped the back of the cheeky bandit's head.
The bandit did a two-seventy flip mid-air before dropping onto their back - stunned to K.O.!
“Oy! Sneak attacks are cowardly!” [Buddy]
There were still seven bandits of various races standing and approaching with drawn weapons.
The silver panther faced off three bandits at the same time, its sabre dancing as if possessed, parrying and stabbing away at breathtaking speed.
The three bandits had zero chance against such superior sword-play.
After a short scuffle, with Buddy slapping three more bandits to unconsciousness, and throwing one of the more aggressive fellows head first into a tree, there were suddenly no more bandits to worry about.
A smaller panther with dark brown fur came rushing from under the wagon up to the tall silver furred panther.
"Oh Master Sel, are you alright? We were so worried! Are you not hurt at all? Oh thank the three tailed Goddess!" [CuteSmallPanther]
The cute small panther’s voice was very high pitched. It wore puffy pants and a blouse - both brightly coloured in yellows and pinks full of fluffy fluffy frills and silk laces. Its ears were pieced with several silver and gold earrings
The brown panther fussed all over the tall silver furred panther, who simply patted the shorter one on its head gently.
“I am fine, thank you, Surana.” [Sel]
Buddy noticed both panthers wore sandals to protect their foot pads from the rough road, but also to allow their foot paw claws to be free.
<<They both wear a silver pendant of a small hammer. OY!?!? That's my hammer!2And also the same hammer the statue of Auntie Goddess holds in her hand, if you recall.>> [Buddy]
Deep emerald eyes, seemingly with their own internal light turned towards Buddy, and he noticed this silver furred panther was as tall as he was.
"My thanks, warrior. I am Sel Mogr'Phe." [Sel]
The tall silver furred panther Sel’s voice was smooth, neither high nor low - in fact it reminded Buddy of THAT sort of note some of his favourite Enka singers such as Fuji Ayako would use at times - a sort of spine tingling throat singing note.
"Oy, I’ve heard your name before - Mograffy, right?" [Buddy]
"Mogr'Phe." [Sel]
"Oy, I'm sorry... my mouth... Sort of missing fangs, I guess? Can I call you Meow?" [Buddy]
"No." [Sel]
"Mogwart?" [Buddy]
"..." [Sel]
"Mogiwoggy?" [Buddy
"...!!!" [Sel]
"Ok, so.. .how about just Sel? Maybe a bit rude to be on a first name basis when we just met, but..." [Buddy]
"...sigh... Fine. Sel will do. Seeing as how you helped us without asking for anything in return, I will grant you that. And you do seem an interesting fellow." [Sel]
Buddy was staring a bit at Sel.
"Oy! Sel it is! Um... you are a cat beastkin?” [Buddy]
“No - I am of the panther race. What? You were expecting me to say <<meow>> instead of <<now>> or to add <<nyan>> to all my sentences?” [Sel]
“Oy… sorry for such rudeness to my first fighting comrade in this place!" [Buddy]
Buddy did a short bow instinctively.
“Comrade? You are looking to form a party with me? I have been considering joining a party for a while, but have not found a worthy partner - well, at least until today.” [Sel]
“Oy sorry... A party sounds like fun, but I’m just a blacksmith, not really a fighter, so not sure how much I can help you.” [Buddy]
“... Eh? …. You just took out half of the bandits without a weapon, and you state you are not a warrior?” [Sel]
Casidiea finally caught up with Buddy.
“Hey you Mister Smith, don’t just run into a fi…ght... oh…” [Mayor Casidiea]
Casidiea looked around with wide eyes around the wagon and noticed the ten heaps of groninng and moaning bandit has-beens.
Surprisingly, they seemed to be all still alive - just completely out of commission.
“Ah, Mayor Casidiea, I see you are doing well.” [Sel]
Sel bowed towards the mayor, removing the musketeer hat and waving it about in a glorious fashion.
Nice got to meet the friend now.