Campaign Log: Chaotic Pioneering

[coronatiger]

Session 2 (continued):

Thoughts on May 18th

Wheat buns, yay! They truly are delicious. Olivia and I got up early to get some and to deliver a report of the events in the woods. The baker wanted me to draw some of the symbols I had seen in the sacrificial cave. I don’t have any training, but I have a steady hand, and made a fair try. It can’t have been too awful, because the baker gave me two gold pieces for it.

Out on the marketplace, we saw Kine selling foodstuffs she had bought at the farm. Since she’s a merchant, I thought maybe she would know where one can buy a good bow. The one I had borrowed from the farmer was a little weak compared to my arm strength. Kine suggested I tried to find either a general weapons trader, or one who specialized in bows, but she didn’t know any here. I asked a passer-by, who was able to give me directions. It turned out this small town only has one weapons trader, and he doesn’t have a very large selection of bows, but I found one that suits my strength, so I bought it and a hip quiver that can hold more arrows than the shoulder quiver the farmer gave me. Since the trader gave me a fair discount, I gave him the old quiver; I had no need for it now, anyway. Before Olivia and I left, the trader told me of two other inns that would offer a bigger crowd than the Golden Swan for my performances. I guess he had seen me there.

We met Magnar at the inn and had a chat. I told him that I had felt a bit naked when the little ones had gotten past him and into melee range with me, and asked if he knew of a practical weapon an archer could use, preferably without having to fumble it out of its resting place before I could apply it to my opponent. If I could hold it while using a bow, that would be ideal, but I couldn’t see how that could be possible. Even a small knife would get in the way. Magnar suggested something called brass knuckles, which is a set of rings joined together to make one’s punches harder. I went back to the arms dealer and asked him about it, but he didn’t have any.

When everyone was gathered back at the inn, Magnar paid us for our services (I got thirteen gold pieces, a small fortune) and tried to recruit us to join the Adventurers’ Guild. I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it pays very well, if today’s payment is representative, and I think our last mission was exciting, even though I was scared during the fight. On the other hand, I don’t want to take too much time off from practicing acrobatics. I have set myself the goal of becoming the world’s greatest acrobat, after all. At least, adventuring will let me practice some complementary skills. Lady Karita declared that she couldn’t sign a contract that had a potential to conflict with her other obligations. In the end, we all agreed to go see the local guild leader tomorrow, and postpone a decision until after we have talked to him.


Thoughts on May 19th

The day started in the regular fashion of wheat buns and reports, although there was less to report today.

After Lady Karita had risen from bed and done her morning rituals, everyone went to the guild leader who explained that the only thing that we bound ourselves to by joining the guild, was if the King or his representative here in the New World would give an order to the guild. Although the governor had given one such order just four months ago, the previous one had been sixty years prior. Except for that event, we could leave any time we wished. I was reassured that there would be plenty of time for training and performing, at least between missions, so I put my name on the guild list. I wrote down my birth name, Maystatea Viashniskaya, since I had the idea that a casual browser shouldn’t identify me by my more famous name, Mattea Vishi. I can’t fault Olivia for not joining, since she doesn’t have my taste for excitement, but everyone agreed that she could come along on our missions, and would be paid according to the amount of help she gives. Lady Karita and Kine signed up, though.

One part of joining the guild was having our portraits drawn for the purposes of identification. On a whim, I asked if it was possible to commission miniature portraits of myself and Olivia, so that we could give them to each other. Thankfully, it was. Feeling rich, we paid for the most expensive quality.

While Olivia was modelling, I browsed the guild members’ advertisements, to see if anyone had a composite bow for sale. There was one, but after reading the description, I think I won’t be able to draw it. I find a notice about a quest, but it doesn’t say much, other than “ask the guild leader”. It reeks of secrecy, but the guild leader tells me that he wants us to take the mission, so he’ll tell us about it when the rest of them return. They left to do various things when he started drawing Olivia.

I buy some healing potions, and give a couple to Olivia, just in case.

The quest is escorting one Fidel Sidel, a member of the area’s ruling family, to a small hamlet where there have been two murders. We will primarily be hired as bodyguards, but if we help him uncover the murderer, there’s a bonus. We’re leaving tomorrow.

Since the innkeeper at the Golden Swan doesn’t let me stay there for free any longer, Olivia and I check out the other two inns. I don’t see much difference between the two, so I go with Olivia’s suggestion. The deal with the innkeeper was a bad one, and I barely earned enough tips to pay for the room at the Golden Swan. We always stay at the best inn we can afford. Of course, it’s a bit cheaper when we share one bed.