I knew just what to do with the remainder of my day. I didn’t have the girls to take care of so it was time to go find this mysterious cave and adventurers guild! I was ready to on the hunt for the moon-eyed cave mushroom and to complete my quest. I wasn’t sure I was ready or wanted to see the wizard right now, but I did want his money.

I checked the map and saw that though the cave wasn’t marked, the adventurers guild was. It was northeast of the farm, with several blacked-out areas in between. I headed back to the farm first to prepare. It was only a short way from Leyanna’s, and I walked it on auto-pilot, my thoughts racing ahead to the adventure I was to embark on.

I was excited. As much as I enjoyed spending time with the girls, some alone time would also be nice. Not to mention a new activity beyond farming that got me stretching my legs and learning a bit more about this world. Once I reached the farm I checked how late it was.

[ It is now 2:00 PM ]

I still had a few hours before I needed to pick up Frannie. Perfect. I walked over to the chests to prepare any items I needed. I decided to take the mining pick and the map with me. They were really the only relevant supplies I had. I told myself that I didn’t need much. After all, my plan was simply to find the cave and guild. I’d explore the entrance. Be safe. I could always come back later to go deeper.

I took the route behind the farm, heading in a direction I’d yet to go, between the abandoned greenhouse and the cabin. Again, there was a dirt path I’d yet to see that led northwards. When we reached the end of my property, just like had been the case with the southward direction, there was a fence with a gap in it. I felt a little like a certain hobbit leaving a certain shire out into the wilderness on his own. I took one step and then another.

It’s a dangerous business… going out your front door…

Actually, it didn’t feel dangerous at all. The day was sunny but cloudy so it wasn’t too hot. I enjoyed the hint of a breeze as well. As I exited my property the dirt path turned into a proper gravel road that led me along some nice fields of wildflowers. On one side of the road, the hills rose upwards and I followed them, feeling the elevation increase with each wind and turn. I checked the map and we still were trending in the direction of the adventurers guild so I decided not to worry and just enjoy the walk. There were a few paths that jutted out from the main road but I ignored them for the time being.

I bent down to pick up several things along the way and found they could be looted into my inventory. I managed to pick three wildflowers, six berries, and two acorns. I finally reached a cliff and a stream. Thankfully a small rope bridge spanned the stream, allowing me to cross. As I did so the planks swayed beneath me unsteadily. I wasn’t the biggest fan of heights, but I sucked it up. Today was adventure day after all.

After fording the bridge I was on a fairly level cliff, a clear area. I stared down and was surprised at how far I’d come in elevation. This area was very rocky and there was little vegetation. I saw a small drab building up against the rock face, nearly blending in with it, no paint, just dusty grey wood, and daub.

I approached the building but there were no further signs of life or movement. The whole area looked abandoned. Beside the building was the entrance to a large cave. I looked between the yawning maw set in the rock and the run-down building. Neither looked appealing as a place to start. I thought out my options for a moment. Going into the cave without any prep or knowledge seemed unwise. Yes, it would be best to try my luck inside this place first, even if it was empty. Maybe there would be some clue as to what had become of the adventurer’s guild.

I knocked on the dusty door and it rattled under my fist but there was no response. I knocked again and again but still, no one responded. Finally, I pulled open the door.

It was like I was teleported into another world. The interior of the space seemed twice as large as it had from the outside. I sensed magic at work but had little time to question things as my senses were overwhelmed by all that was going on. The first thing I heard was the clashing of steel on steel. To my left, a dwarf with twin axes was swirling and parrying as a large human sent blow after blow his way with a two-handed battle blade. On my right three gnomes and a rather shady-looking elf were smoking out of a hookah. In the background, I heard loud music but its source was difficult to ascertain. No one seemed to notice or care about me at all.

This is absolutely wild. If this isn’t the adventurer’s guild, I don’t know what is!

I strode up to the counter to find a shirtless man with a mustache and a strip of blonde hair on his head. He looked like some kind of ridiculous German strongman archetype from an anime and I struggled to take him seriously as he eyed me down, polishing a glass into which he poured ale. Instead of serving a customer, as I expected he would, he drank the mug in one long gulp and began filling it up again, wiping the foam off his mustache. All the while he looked me up and down.

“What do you want, farmer? You look lost. Barbold’s store is south of here. Head back down the mountain. Off with ye,” he grumbled dismissively.

I heard a chuckle from one of the gnomes as he sputtered on his smoke pipe. “The guild master is right farmboy, it’s dangerous in these mountains. You’ll need more than a rake and hoe to make it in these parts!”

I felt my blood begin to boil. I did not wield a sword, true, but these people had no idea about my life. Their attitudes reminded me of how people judged me in law school, looking down on me for where I came from. Just like then, these people had no idea how hard my upbringing was, how I’d fought, literally with my bare hands to get to where I was. I slammed those same hands onto the countertop and glared into the eyes of the guild master.

“I want to get into that cave, I have a mission. And I’m guessing it's dangerous, so I will need a weapon to protect myself. Now. Will you sell to me and help me with some information, or do I have to do this with my fists? Because I will.”

There was a silence in the room. I noticed that the swords had stopped ringing. The only sound was the bubbling of the pipe and the sound of smoke being released into the air. The man across the counter paused and cracked his knuckles, sizing me up a little more seriously. I did not flinch or move. He grinned then he chuckled, then he all out laughed. I heard the others joining him. He reached over the counter and clapped me on the shoulder.

“Well farmboy, you are alright! I like that spunk, that attitude. Maybe I misjudged you. Okay, I will tell you what you need to know, and sell you a sword if you need it”

“Great. Before we get down to business, there is a quest I was given, to get a spotted cave mushroom. Barbold told me it might be found in the cave over there. Do you know anything about that? ” I asked.

He chuckled.  “Oh Barbold, he should stick to selling seeds! Yes, there is a cave behind us, but this is merely the entrance to the mines themselves! I doubt you’ll find such a rare item there. No, I suspect you will need to reach at least level ten in the mines to get such a thing, but you are in no state for that my friend. Even level five would be tricky, and that is the minimum level we require to join our guild  Perhaps, if you must, try level one. But you were right to ask for a weapon. Even on the first level you will need a sword, feel free to browse my wares.”

A large window of text and items popped up and I rubbed my hands together excitedly as I scrolled through all my weapons options. Farming, well, I’d grown to love that. But this was exciting on another level. A primal one.

“The sword. Give me that sword!” I said, a smirk growing on my face.