Elder Gold noted the looks she was receiving from all the Iyrmen, and those who had appeared from the side to see what was happening, quickly retreated back to minding their own business. 

“The Iyrmen were warned and the children were evacuated, so there was no trouble caused by the noise,” Elder Gold said. 

Adam’s eyes flashed wide. ‘Oh fuck!’ For a moment he thought she was being sarcastic, but he glanced around and found that Citool and Lanarot weren’t around.

Sonarot pat his back gently. “I had them sent away and the nearby estates were informed.”

Adam wiped his brow. “I’m not half as intelligent or as wise as my statistics suggest,” Adam joked, only to realise he hadn’t told anyone about his system properly. “Never mind,” he said, noting Sonarot’s confused expression.

“The shield is amazing,” Elder Gold said, taking it from Jurot and admiring it. ‘A shield even a third as good as this would assist the Iyr greatly.’

“Thank you,” Adam replied. “I am thankful to Sonarot for the ge-“

“Aunt Sonarot,” Elder Gold corrected, her eyes still glued to the shield.

“Right.” Adam cleared his throat. “I am thankful to aunt Sonarot for the gems, and the Iyr for their shrines.”

Elder Gold’s heart beat evenly as she kept her emotions in check. “You only spent two days enchanting to make this shield?” 

“Yes.”

Elder Gold continued to keep her emotions in check. “How did you manage that? Such a fine shield would have taken weeks, if not months, to create.”

“Really?” Adam said, before noting the shocked expressions of the Iyrmen. “I mean, I was just lucky, that’s all.” 

Elder Gold tried not to let his words get to her. “Then you’d be able to create a similar shield to this for the Iyr?”

“Sure, though it might take a while. Like I said, I was very lucky in creating that shield.”

Elder Gold’s forehead throbbed, but she remained calm as the half elf tried to anger her. “Then what about handing us this shield? We will pay for it, of course.”

“No,” Adam replied. “That shield is for Jurot.”

“We will pay you five thousand gold,” Elder Gold replied. “In whatever gems you’d like, and we will return the gems used by the family to them.”

Elder Zijin stared at Elder Gold, surprised that she’d offer so much for the shield.

“I refuse,” Adam replied.

“Five thousand gold is a lot of gold,” Elder Gold said.

“I know,” Adam replied.

Elder Gold stared into the half elf’s eyes. “Six thousand gold?”

“No.”

“Seven thousand gold?”

Adam sighed, shaking his head.

“How much gold do you think this shield is worth?” Elder Gold asked, her forehead throbbing.

“I don’t know, but it’s not for sale.”

“Elder Gold is offering you a lot of coin,” Sonarot said, rubbing Adam’s shoulder. “You should accept the offer. It will assist you in creating better items in the future.”

Adam felt her rubbing his shoulder, trying to get him to give in. “One hundred thousand gold.”

“What?” Elder Gold stared at him, gripping the shield tighter in her grasp.

“That shield was made for Jurot,” Adam said. “I made it specifically for Jurot. It was made with the intention to protect him. I already refused to sell it to you, but you kept pushing the matter. This isn’t a matter of buying a shield, but the cost of your arrogance and the price of Jurot’s life. Ninety nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine gold for Jurot’s life, and one gold for your arrogance.” Adam’s brow also throbbed as he glared at Elder Gold. “If you can’t pay that much, then you can,“ Adam noted the children around him, “buzz off.”

Sonarot had almost moved to cover his mouth, but she didn’t want to restrict Adam’s freedom, even if it meant he’d get punished. Still, she didn’t expect him to disrespect Elder Gold right to her face.

Elder Zijin was filled with shock, doing his best to not burst out in laughter as he bit his lower lip, his teary eyes falling onto the Great Elder.

Jurot’s eyes remained firmly fixed on his mother, not daring to look aside.

‘Adam! You crazy bastard! You’re going to get us killed!’ Lucy, who had been watching from the side, pressed herself against the wall, trying to hide within the shadow over her. ‘I don’t want to die!’

‘This boy!’ Elder Gold stared down at Adam, her heart pounding wildly. “You should be careful with how you speak to me, son of Fate. I am a Great Elder of the Iyr.”

“You should see the way I speak to gods,” Adam said, staring up at her. 

Sonarot quickly grabbed her mouth, laughing and coughing into her palm at his words. Her other hand squeezed his shoulder and tried to pull him back.

Elder Gold inhaled deeply, causing the other Iyrmen to tense up. 

Adam crossed his arms before her, certain he’d be protected under the Iyr’s laws, though he knew very little about them. ‘She won’t just kill me because of her ego.’ He was fairly certain of it. The worst she would do was challenge him to a duel, which he’d run away from without shame. ‘She’s probably around Level 15, so if she does try anything, I’ll just shame her. It’s not like she can do anything to me.’

“I was told that you wanted to create a deal with the Iyr,” Elder Gold said. “You wished pay your taxes as a nephew of the Rot family, and to use the shrines without being bothered.”

‘Damn it,’ Adam thought, recalling what she was the Great Elder of. “Yes,” he said, swallowing.

“You don’t have to pay taxes as a nephew,” she said. 

“I did hear that, but I’d like the Iyr to know I’m someone who doesn’t forget those show me their favour.” Adam tried to sound fancy, but most of his brain was trying to figure out how he could dig himself out of this hole.

“In exchange for using our shrines freely, as long as you have the materials to work with, would you be willing to enchant an item?” Elder Gold asked calmly. “It would be an item similar to the swords at your side, or the shield you enchanted for Jurot. We would like one item yearly.”

Adam tilted his head slightly, unsure of what happened to the conversation. “I could?”

“We would like first rights to every item you plan to auction, though we will not bother you for items which you create which already have a buyer, or those you plan to gift,” she said.

“Okay?” 

Elder Gold bowed her head. “Then would you be willing to create a shield for us as part of the payment?”

Adam glanced to Sonarot and then back to Elder Gold. “Could I pay you with my old sword? The one that can split into two?”

“That would be acceptable,” she replied. “Would you still be willing to create a shield for us, the same as the one you created for Jurot? We will pay you for it.”

“Okay?”

“You seem uncertain.”

Adam looked to Sonarot for guidance, unable to keep pace with the Great Elder. Sonarot just nodded slowly. “Okay,” Adam said, more clearly.

“What is your price for the shield?”

“Whatever, uh, whatever you want to pay for it,” Adam said. “I always have need for gems so I can create more magical weapons.”

“Plate mail,” Jurot blurted out.

“If you have need for plate mail, we may have something for you,” she said, noting his height and weight. “It would be made out of puthral.”

Adam’s ears twitched. “Puthral? So it would be light?”

“It would be light, and it would not be quite as noisy as your typical plate mail.”

Adam squinted his eyes. “Is puthral just mithril?” 

“No,” Elder Gold said, smiling slightly. “It weighs a little more than mithril, but otherwise is similar.”

“Oh,” Adam said. “Then puthral plate mail sounds good.”

“We will prepare the gems,” Elder Gold said.  

“Okay,” Adam said. “I can start on that today if you’re in a rush.”

“It would be greatly appreciated.” With that, she turned and began to leave. “One more thing,” she said, before Adam could even begin relaxing. “The Iyr would like to make pizza for the festival.”

“Okay?” Adam replied.

“May we?”

“Sure?”

Sonarot pat his back. “Will you give permission to the Iyr to make pizza?”

“Yeah, sure,” Adam replied, still somewhat confused.

Elder Gold nodded and then made her way out, going to prepare the shields and gems required.

Adam blinked several times. “What the hell just happened?”

Sonarot rubbed his shoulders again. “You took a heavy beating from the thunderous shield and decided to enchant some more.”

“Oh,” Adam said. “Sorry.”

Sonarot sighed, but brushed his hair anyway. 

Adam inhaled deeply and flexed, regaining his strength.

Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0
2D6 + 3 = 13 (4, 6)
Health: 17 -> 30

“You have been working too hard,” Sonarot said.

“Well, it’s best to get the boring stuff out of the way in the beginning, you know?” Adam smiled at her innocently.

“Once you are done with the enchanting, it will be time for the festival. You will be relaxing during it, won’t you?”

“Yeah,” Adam said. “I’ll rest once I’m done with the shield.”

“Good.” Sonarot hugged him tight again, rested her head against his. “It is important to rest, Adam.”

“I understand…” Adam wrapped his arms around her. ‘What kind of a shitty nephew am I?’

Elder Forest crossed her arms as she watched Elder Gold find herself a shield. Elder Gold ignored her, which only caused the Great Elder to smirk. 

“I don’t want to hear it,” Elder Gold said, finding a large shield, one which was thinner towards the bottom.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” Elder Forest said, her smirk growing.

Elder Gold picked up a few gems, each worth a few hundred gold a piece, and turned to face the other Great Elder.

“I heard he made you look a fool.”

“He did,” Elder Gold admitted. “Right in front of Elder Zijin too.”

Elder Forest smiled. “You should have expected the response.”

“I underestimated his love of the Rot family.”

“The Chief warned you not to aggravate him. He’s well within his rights to make a fool of you.”

“And so he did,” Elder Gold said. The corner of her lips twitched into a smile.

Currency: (5) Tiger Eye -> (25) Tiger Eye
(1) White Pearl, (1) Silver Pearl, (1) Pink Pearl, (1) Gold Pearl, (1) Amber, (1) Jade, (4) Garnet, (2) Amethyst, (1) Diamond (100GP) -> (2) White Pearl, (2) Silver Pearl, (2) Pink Pearl, (2) Gold Pearl, (2) Amber, (2) Jade, (5) Garnet, (4) Amethyst, (2) Diamond (100GP)
(1) Black Pearl -> (2) Black Pearl

“You’re giving me all these?” Adam asked, noting the other gems which were laying beside the shield she had brought. The Iyrman who took his measurements quickly retreated.

“The rest of your payment,” Elder Gold said, not mentioning the extra payment which would be handed to the Rot family. “I expect the shield to be well made.”

Adam blinked. “Whatever you say, boss.” His brain had stopped working after realising his wealth had more than doubled to over four thousand gold.

“I will check on you once you are done,” she said, waiting for him to leave with the items she had brought.

Adam picked up the shield and the gems, which lay on the inside of the shield. He stared at Elder Gold, wondering if she was going to reveal it was all a prank, before he slowly stepped away from her, towards the shrine. He glanced back, seeing that she had already turned and was leaving to finish some of her own business.

Mana: 6 -> 2
Enchanting
D20 + 7 = 22 (15)

It was in the dead of night when he finished enchanting, using all the beautiful gems Elder Gold had given to him. He lay there, under the shield, feeling its warmth.

‘How the hell did she know about all the pearls?’ he thought.

Omen: 14, 14

Mana: 8 -> 6
Enchanting
D20 + 7 = 21 (14)

Mana: 6 -> 2
Enchanting
D20 + 7 = 21 (14)

XP: 1200 -> 700

Thundershield (Shield)
Requires Attunement
You gain a +1 bonus to your defence when wielding this shield.
On a hit by a creature next to you, you may command a thunderous force to blast it. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 4d6+4 thunder damage and is pushed away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed.
The shield contains 3 charges and regains 1D3 charges every dawn.

XP: 700 -> 1300

Intelligence Saving Throw
D20 + 3 = 18 (15)

Health: 39 -> 27

Adam coughed as his muscles strained under the assault within his mind again, though resisted the effects of the disease. His body flashed hot, then cold, before finally laying there, panting as he filled with sweat.

“Ah, fuck,” Adam panted. “I’m not going to enchant twice in one day unless I get god tier rolls…”

“May I see the shield?” Elder Gold asked, appearing from the darkness.

Adam screamed.

 

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Adam keeps flirting with death. At some point it's going to get him killed.