By the time SJ returned to the inn, the late afternoon crowd had begun to arrive. She was starting to see a pattern in the inn and how busy it got. She walked to the bar and asked for a coffee before returning to her room, treasuring the glass mug as though it was made from platinum.
She sat on the sofa and opened her profession screen. The raft of information it held was overwhelming. Stripping back to the basics, she read through the various crafting progression titles.
Apprentice – Level 1 of 10
Skilled – Level 0 of 20
Journeyman – Level 0 of 30
Expert – Level 0 of 40
Master – Level 0 of 50
Grand Master
“There are one hundred and fifty levels to reach Grand Master,” SJ whistled. “Have you ever known anyone who reached it?”
“Obviously!” Dave replied.
“Who?”
“Fizzlewick, duh!”
“No. I mean normal people, not gods.”
“Maybe you should be clearer with your questions then? Also, you don’t want to use the term people. It’s beings on Amathera.”
“So have you?”
“Only rumours. I have never met a Legionnaire who was anywhere near a Grand Master. Once they reach higher levels, many buy what they need rather than craft them themselves.”
“Oh. I thought there would be more perks if you crafted items yourself.”
“There are. Unfortunately, most do not have the patience.”
“I still can’t believe I have the extra space in my inventory now.”
“Nor do I. That is a Journeyman trait.”
“Well, I need to reach Journeyman to be able to start thinking about making bags of holding anyway, so I will get there eventually.”
“Good luck!” Dave replied dryly.
“Why do you not sound more enthusiastic about the prospect?”
“I have heard it all before. Legionnaires spouting off saying they will do this and do that blah, blah, blah.”
“I am not an ordinary Legionnaire. I thought we had already concluded that?”
“Just because you are an anomaly doesn’t mean you have the time and patience to level a profession. Look at someone like Zej. He will have been smithing for years and does it as a full-time job to be able to level.”
“That reminds me. I was supposed to go and see him to collect the cutlery from him.”
“Yes, you are.”
“I want to try knitting, though.”
“What an exciting life we lead!” Dave replied, dripping in sarcasm.
“You could be a little more supportive!” SJ huffed.
“Sorry. I just don’t get excited from seeing balls of wool.”
“I don’t find them exciting either; I find the promise of what can be achieved exciting.”
“I really did get a strange one,” Dave sighed.
“If you are not going to be supportive, then go and watch a film!”
“Actually, they are showing a re-run of the Matrix. That is not a bad idea.”
SJ shook her head in disbelief. She removed the recipe and crafting basket from her inventory and placed them on the sofa. Taking out the knitting needles and a ball of wool and opening the recipe, she got to work knitting.
“Arghhhhhhh,” SJ screamed, throwing the needles and wool across the room.
“What? What? What’s wrong?” Dave said.
“Knitting is what is wrong!”
“Oh, I thought it was something serious. You just made me miss the scene where he dodges bullets.”
SJ huffed, hitting the sofa and the small basket in frustration. Rubbing her hand, she glared across the room at the ball of wool and knitting needles.
“You think I would remember how to do it.”
“What do you mean, remember?”
“I used to knit back on Earth as a child, but every time I try here, it starts messing up.”
“Erm. Are you trying to knit like you did as a child on Earth in Amathera? You do realise how stupid that is and sounds, don’t you?”
“What do you mean?” SJ frowned.
“Just because some things are the same as on Earth, not everything is. What exactly have you been doing?”
SJ walked over to pick up the needles and wool before returning to the sofa and sitting back down. “Here, I will show you.” SJ began to knit like she had as a child and as her Grandmother had taught her.
“Ah. I see what the problem is.”
“What?”
“You didn’t read the recipe, did you?”
“Erm.”
“For someone who read the terms and conditions, I am amazed that you didn’t read the recipe fully.”
SJ felt her cheeks redden. She was so excited about starting to level her profession that she had just got on with what she could remember rather than read the instructions. Picking up the recipe, she carefully read how to start.
“I think I will go and see Zej and have another go when I get back,” she said, sighing deeply in frustration at her own failure.
“That sounds like a very good idea.”
SJ stood, dropping the knitting needles and wool on the sofa, picked up her empty coffee mug, and headed downstairs.
“Hey SJ,” Fhyliss called from the bar.
“Hi Fhyliss.”
“Floretta wanted to see you. Do you have a minute?”
“Sure.”
SJ walked across the bar to the kitchen hatch. “Hi, Floretta. You needed something?”
The skeleton cook turned around when she heard SJ and smiled, but SJ was unsure if it was a smile.
“Hi SJ. I have a favour to ask.”
“Of course, what do you need?”
“I could do with some bellpops to add to the gloss berry pie. Little Stuart has been ill recently and unable to collect me any.”
“I see. I know I saw some when I travelled to town, but they were a good half day from here.”
“Behind the old jewellers is a flower garden with bellpops. I would go myself, but I can’t leave the kitchen right now; otherwise, the food will ruin tonight’s dinner service.”
“How many do you need?”
“Ten at most. No more. They can be tricky little things to catch. If you don’t mind, it would be appreciated.”
SJ’s display triggered.
Quest – Catch for the Cook
Floretta has requested you help her with the Gloss Berry pie by providing ten bellpops.
Rewards:
10 x coppers
50 x experience
1 x Portion of Gloss Berry Pop Pie (adds +2 to Dexterity for 4 hours)
Would you like to accept the quest? Yes/No
SJ had no idea that the pie could offer attribute boosts and smiled at finding out. SJ accepted the quest.
“I was on my way to see Zej. So can stop off at the flower garden on the way back.”
“That would be fantastic. Bellpops, add that extra zing to the pie. Here, take this with you.” Floretta reached under the hatch and withdrew a small net and a glass jar. It reminded SJ of the nets she had as a child when she used to fish in the river for tadpoles and insects.
“I will be back as soon as I can,” SJ smiled, adding the items to her inventory. Turning, she left the inn. She couldn’t believe she had just been offered a quest to catch insects worth 50 experience.
“That was a bonus,” SJ whispered as she headed towards the smithy.
“As you speak to more locals, you will be offered all sorts of quests. They always need things done.”
“I will also have to spend some time tonight talking to some patrons.”
“It can be worth it, although a lot of the time they are pointless little tasks, such as could you deliver this, can you collect that, etc.”
“You say pointless, but fifty experience points and a piece of pie that increases Dexterity doesn’t sound pointless to me.”
“No. I suppose not. You need to be careful you don’t fall into the trap that many do, trying to do everything.”
“It is not as though I don’t have time.”
“I know, it is not a time thing, more over an issue that you take things away from the townsfolk, and you can end up lowering your reputation with people.”
“Oh. I thought the quests were for Legionnaires only?”
“No. Quests are the normal job market.”
“That makes a little more sense now. I had not seen any other Legionnaires around here.”
“There are only three of you in the town I have seen,” Dave replied.
“Who?” SJ asked, surprised.
“That idiot Malcolm was one and one of his friends he was stood with.”
“I hadn’t realised. I thought Malcolm maybe just because of his name, age, behaviour, and being so like louts back on Earth.”
“You would be surprised how many could fall into that category, and I am not just talking about Legionnaires. Wait until you leave a starter town and visit a normal town or a city. You will soon see.”
“If there are only three in the town, then there must be many more around in other starter towns?”
“As I say, this is not a normal starter town. I am unsure how many are currently in starter zones, but when you consider Legionnaires can’t continue levelling after level 10, they must move on. So, the number of starter towns is always kept down. It is the cities where many of them will flock to.”
They arrived at the smithy, and Zej was shouting at another apprentice. “Your mother must have been a sapling to give birth to such a weak twig as yourself.”
SJ stared in amazement as she saw who he was berating. It was an Ent. It was dressed in full garb of protective clothing from head to toe, and SJ thought it a rather strange profession for an Ent working around flames all the time.
“Hi Zej,” SJ shouted to be heard above the banging.
Zej turned, grinning, and walked over. “I have what I promised,” he said as he headed over to the workbench, picking up a small wooden tube. “Here you go,” he said as he returned, handing it to her.
SJ took the small tube and noticed it had a small hinge. Opening the lid of the tube revealed a set of cutlery. They were bright silver in colour and reminded her of the sets her mum used to keep for special occasions. She tipped them out. Zej had made her not only a knife and a fork but also a spoon. They were expertly crafted and had a small dragon emblem on the ends. SJ beamed.
“These are beautiful. Thank you so much. I must pay for them, though.”
“No. You owe me nothing. It was a pleasure to make them. I have not made something so small and delicate for a long time; it was enjoyable.”
“But the tube as well? I never expected them in a tube.”
“You don’t want them rattling about and losing them now, do you?”
“No. I just didn’t expect this. Please let me give you something for them?”
“I won’t accept anything. All I ask is that if you hear of anyone needing anything crafting, you send them my way.”
“I most definitely will.”
“How are you today?”
“I reached level 5 and have got my profession.”
“Congratulations. What profession have you taken?”
“Tailoring.”
“Oh, that is not an easy profession. I wish you good luck with that.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Smithing, all we need is some ore to do our work and a hot fire most of the time. Tailoring you can need so many different materials as you progress. I used to know an expert tailor, and he had spent years improving his craft and nearly made himself broke due to it.”
“Oh. I see. Hopefully, that won’t happen to me.”
“I hope not. Anyway, I must get back to this useless sapling. He has the Strength of a fly.”
SJ glanced over and saw sparks flying from the piece of metal he was busy hammering, and he appeared to be doing a much better job than the being this morning had been. “No problem, thank you again, and if I need anything else, I will be back.”
Zej smiled before turning back around and hurling more abuse at the Ent.
“I wonder where the jeweller’s is. I forgot to ask,” SJ whispered.
“Umm. I haven’t seen one yet. Then again, there are still a lot of areas in town we have yet to explore.”
SJ walked back into the town centre, looking at all the building signs. It was now late afternoon, looking at the sun in the sky. She could not see anything representing a jeweller, so she approached a man watering flowers outside a house.
“Excuse me. Could you tell me where the jeweller’s is?”
The man turned to look at SJ, sneering slightly as he did. SJ frowned at his response.
“Another one of them enchanters, are you?”
“No. I am not an Enchanter, and why do you say that?”
“Always looking for the jewellers. Causing issues when their charms don’t take. Three times this week, I have had to put fires out.”
“Fires?”
“Yes. When their enchantments fail, they always set something on fire. I don’t know why they can’t just move to a safer location to enchant, but they don’t. They do it in the most ridiculous of locations.”
SJ was baffled; she could not understand how enchanting could cause a fire. “And they use the jewellers?”
“Yes. That is where they will buy their tat from to enchant to then try and sell off at the market for stupid prices.”
“I haven’t seen any traders sell jewellery yet. I only arrived in town yesterday.”
“You are lucky then. A word of advice: stay away from their kind. They are troublemakers.”
“I will take your advice,” SJ replied to appease the man. Could you please direct me to the jewellers? I believe there is a flower garden behind it.”
“There is indeed. I care for it. Why do you need to go there?”
“I have been asked to collect some bellpops.”
“That makes sense. Little Stuart normally collects them for Floretta, but I haven’t seen him the past couple of days.”
“He is ill.”
“That’s not good. I will have to call in and check on him. Here, let me show you to the garden.”
SJ followed the man, who had now realised she wasn’t an enchanter and took a completely different tone with her. They walked down a couple of tight-knit streets and ended up at the end of a row of buildings, where SJ could see the sign of a gem hanging down from above a doorway. The shop itself had barred windows and doors, reminding SJ of jewellers in the UK.
“Do they get broken into or robbed?”
“What?”
“The jewellers, it is the first time I have seen barred windows and doors.”
“No. It used to be the town jail. The jail moved a few years back, so it is more accessible. They used to have problems getting the wagons in to move the prisoners, and Miss Oputi took residence. She is a little paranoid.”
“Oh, I see.” SJ was shocked to hear they had a jail and prisoners who were transported. “Are there many prisoners?”
“Not many, and most who end up behind bars are outsiders apart from drunks most of the time. Some think they can walk into town and start bossing people around. We also get visiting merchants who will try to bump up the town’s prices. The mayor doesn’t take kindly to that.”
“There is a mayor. I had no idea.”
“Mayor Maxwell. He has overseen the town now, for it must be nearly fifty years.”
“Is he a good mayor?”
“Apart from not coming down on the pesky enchanters enough, yes, he is a good mayor.”
Walking down past the shop, they turned down a small alley. At the rear of the properties of surrounding buildings was an area of a few hundred feet square. It looked like a luscious green meadow with a large tree, that looked like a weeping willow, dropping its fine branches to the ground. Throughout the meadow, she could see hundreds of flying insects. She was amazed to find this hidden gem in the centre of the town.
“This is stunning,” SJ said.
“Thanks. Keeping it tended takes some work, but I do my best.”
“I never would have thought it existed in the town.”
“It is the smaller one, more natural. There is a larger park across town that has a playground for the kids, and the grass is kept short by the goats. I would dread to think what a goat would do if one was ever let loose in here.”
It was another sign of normalcy SJ had not expected to see, considering they had a park or a playground. ‘Is there an equivalent to everything I know from back on Earth?’ she thought.
“Thank you for the directions. I never would have found it without your help.”
“That is fine. When you see Floretta, tell her Kevin will be in for his usual tonight?”
“Yes, of course.”
The man, whom she now knew as Kevin, turned and walked back up the alleyway. SJ walked into the meadow area. The grass was a foot tall, and the brilliant, bright flowers lit the area with their myriad of colours. The perfume from the flowers filled her nostrils and smelled just like a meadow from Earth on a bright summer day.
SJ retrieved the small net and jar from the inventory and looked around at the various insects. She knew the bellpops were the bright orange ones. Noticing them flying around in various locations, she began collecting them.
