At the smithy.
He stepped inside the smithy. Along the walls were an array of tools and weapons. The quality wasn’t amazing, but it was pretty good for only being established two years ago. He examined a blade on the wall. It was short, sturdy, and built for fighting. It wasn’t pretty, but things that do their job the best usually aren’t.
He slipped a hand into his bag and fingered through his charms for the one he wanted. The silence in the room was the giveaway. He mumbled under his breath and the charm in the bag dispersed into energy and flowed onto his hand leaving a tattoo-like marking on his forearm. Nott’s vision blurred for just a moment and settled back in. He was seeing things differently but it wasn’t incredibly obvious at first. Everything looked the same except that there was an area where something simply wasn’t.
He stared at that space, willing it to be something. It was slowly taking shape but it was still all wrinkles. But that’s what it was, a long flowing cloak with a hood. Nott started towards the cloaked figure and it took a step back.
“Hi.” Nott said.
“You really are good.” The figure pulled back their hood and offered a smile.
“Just more prepared than most.”
“And humble. You know, your skills cou-“
Nott interrupted, “Nice try. Not happening. What’s the real offer here?”
“So, down to business then. Can’t say I’m not disappointed to be the one to bring you over. Anyways, we have this little thing we’d hope you might be interested in handling for us.”
“Wait, what is that sound?”
“Um, nothing?”
“Grunts… straining… you tied up the shopkeeper didn’t you?”
“Yeah, whatever, he’s in the back.”
“Let’s just get this over with.”
“Anyways, there’s this erron, he’s wreaking havoc on a small village east of here. There are some people that would like this village to experience peace and quiet.”
“Right, so what’s in it for me?”
“You mean you don’t just get a kick out of being the good guy and saving people from hardship?”
“When you guys are involved there’s a price.”
“Fine, there’s an offer to expand your father’s temple on the table. Not a small feat either. Turn that little one floor shack into a real piece of property.”
“So deal with your destructive magi and my father gets an upgrade? I hardly see how that benefits me.”
“Since his Temple is the only ‘neutral’ ground it would seem that expanding the usefulness of that would help you in plenty of ways. I’m sure I don’t need to go through the list of reasons I was given to try to convince you.”
“No, no you don’t. Which village is it?”
“Larita.”
“I’ll handle it. Just get out of town, the locals aren’t too fond of the Council.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to joi-“
“No. Get out of here or I’ll expose you.”
“Ugh, fine… jerk.” The figure drew their hood and made their way out of the smithy.
He slipped a hand into his bag and fingered through his charms for the one he wanted. The silence in the room was the giveaway. He mumbled under his breath and the charm in the bag dispersed into energy and flowed onto his hand leaving a tattoo-like marking on his forearm. Nott’s vision blurred for just a moment and settled back in. He was seeing things differently but it wasn’t incredibly obvious at first. Everything looked the same except that there was an area where something simply wasn’t.
He stared at that space, willing it to be something. It was slowly taking shape but it was still all wrinkles. But that’s what it was, a long flowing cloak with a hood. Nott started towards the cloaked figure and it took a step back.
“Hi.” Nott said.
“You really are good.” The figure pulled back their hood and offered a smile.
“Just more prepared than most.”
“And humble. You know, your skills cou-“
Nott interrupted, “Nice try. Not happening. What’s the real offer here?”
“So, down to business then. Can’t say I’m not disappointed to be the one to bring you over. Anyways, we have this little thing we’d hope you might be interested in handling for us.”
“Wait, what is that sound?”
“Um, nothing?”
“Grunts… straining… you tied up the shopkeeper didn’t you?”
“Yeah, whatever, he’s in the back.”
“Let’s just get this over with.”
“Anyways, there’s this erron, he’s wreaking havoc on a small village east of here. There are some people that would like this village to experience peace and quiet.”
“Right, so what’s in it for me?”
“You mean you don’t just get a kick out of being the good guy and saving people from hardship?”
“When you guys are involved there’s a price.”
“Fine, there’s an offer to expand your father’s temple on the table. Not a small feat either. Turn that little one floor shack into a real piece of property.”
“So deal with your destructive magi and my father gets an upgrade? I hardly see how that benefits me.”
“Since his Temple is the only ‘neutral’ ground it would seem that expanding the usefulness of that would help you in plenty of ways. I’m sure I don’t need to go through the list of reasons I was given to try to convince you.”
“No, no you don’t. Which village is it?”
“Larita.”
“I’ll handle it. Just get out of town, the locals aren’t too fond of the Council.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to joi-“
“No. Get out of here or I’ll expose you.”
“Ugh, fine… jerk.” The figure drew their hood and made their way out of the smithy.