by Noah Layton
I purchased the totem, my total stores of gold dipping to 3400GP.
The ground gave a familiar rumble, and a yard beyond the totem a sturdy wooden table exploded from the ground, seemingly unscathed by the earth. Upon it was a heavy book which quickly became shrouded in shadow as a small, open-fronted shack jolted up around the table as a form of protection from the elements.
I stepped up to the table and attempted to pick up the vial, but it was stuck firmly to the table. Instead of lifting up, it gave off a window that illustrated the potion table’s inventory.
Potion beaker x5
Sunleaf x2
Bone Dust x1
I closed the window and tapped the book. A crafter’s window appeared where I could drag items from my inventory, and a list of basic potions flickered into place next to it.
Potion of Healing – Heals minor wounds and injuries
Potion of Haste – Increases movement speed for several minutes
Potion of Durability – Increases resistance to injuries for several minutes
I tapped the three items and examined the required ingredients to construct them. I hadn’t heard of the herbs and materials required for the second and third potions, but for a Potion of Healing I only needed the sunleaf and bone dust that came with the table.
I crafted the Potion of Healing and it appeared in my hand, an orange liquid in a vial.
‘Something new, master?’
Santana appeared by my side, wrapping an arm around me and snuggling up to my shoulder. Her natural scent resembled roses; I couldn’t help but pull her closer.
‘Potions,’ I said. ‘This looks like it’s going to be very useful in the future. Don’t suppose you know anything about them?’
‘Quite a lot, actually. Many plants from the forest can be used as ingredients in them. I spent a lot of time exploring the forests when I was growing up, and my knowledge is reasonably expansive.’
‘I’ll keep that in mind,’ I said, running my hand through her hair as I examined the potion. ‘How are you doing?’
‘Me? I’m okay. It will be strange being away from my father, but we are both strong people. He is only a few miles away, and I can visit any time I want. Besides, there’s something comforting about the fact that the land officially belongs to the tribe. He feels closer somehow.’
‘Good. Listen, I’m going to need you to hold down the land from tomorrow. Ariadne, Lara and I are heading to Ichabod’s Cove to pick up a few things.’
‘And you are leaving me here?’ She said, her mouth falling agape.
‘That’s not what I’m doing, I just-’
‘I am joking,’ she grinned. ‘What, like you are the only person who can make a joke?’
‘You’re a demon,’ I smiled, kissing her. ‘I love you, you know that?’
‘I love you too.’
Back on Earth, saying I love you to a girl you had known less for a month would have sent her running a mile, but out here it was normal, especially with the connection that Santana and I had. Our first time in the forest had been electric. And our second time…
‘How do you feel after last night?’
‘In a word…?’ She mulled on the thought for a moment. ‘Excited. We’ve done that, but with Ariadne and Lara there…’
‘It wasn’t too much, was it?’
‘Gods, no. I felt… Complete. If that makes sense? By the end I had to fight to stop my hands from shaking. If anything I want more. I couldn’t stop smiling…’
Neither could I. Santana was a fighter – not in terms of swinging swords or throwing punches, but in her persona and her bravery. Her riding skills were the only reason that I was still alive after our chase through the forest two weeks ago, but there was a side to her that was still getting used to the world beyond the Rourke Homestead.
‘It’s our day off,’ I said. ‘What do you say we relax for the night?’
‘That sounds like an excellent idea, master.’
Lara and Ariadne joined us. Afterwards we bathed and filled our canteens with moonseed, mixed in with the last of the milk left over from the taurems that now resided at the Rourke Homestead.
We remained naked, crawling under the thin sheets of the large bed in my treehouse and drifting off to sleep together in the midst of perfect, unremembered dreams.
Chapter Three
Now was peacetime, but I still hadn’t gotten used to leaving the tribal lands with few of my citizens present. Even if we had a defensive perimeter, I was always weary.
Santana, Tormus and Eri were all armed with basic weapons, as well as Santana’s crossbow, in the unlikely event that anything decided to jump the fence. I had created ten bolts for the crossbow just a few days ago with some iron bars purchased at the trading post and some wood from the forest. She hadn’t practiced, but she had proven herself to have a steady hand on more than a few occasions in the short time that I had known her.
In addition, Alorion was routinely scaling the perimeter fence on lookout duty. His eyes were quick and he moved just as quickly. It was my intention in the future to add guard towers too, but Alorion’s fast feet would do for the time being.
Lara, Ariadne and I took the journey to Ichabod’s Cove on horseback. Ariadne sat behind me on Arabelle while Lara rode Myranthia, who dragged a cart in tow.
By the time we reached the 200-yard stretch that led to the gigantic sea-monster jawbones that framed the entrance, we slowed and blended in among the other travelling traders making their way.
We hitched the horses in the shade of the veranda at the lowest level of the cove just a few yards above the water splashing against the rocks and set off towards The Drunken Steed.
‘Does it feel weird being back here?’ I asked.
‘Not really,’ Lara replied. ‘I might have called it my home for years but I spent more time in the forests.’
‘Talking of hunting,’ Ariadne said. ‘Can I take a look at your bow? I’ve always wanted to.’
Lara pulled her bow from over her shoulder without hesitation and handed it to Ariadne, who examined it.
‘Oh, so it isn’t just me who’s using a starter weapon.’
‘Hey, I have the skills to outweigh the quality of it. I’m nostalgic over it. I’ve had it for a long time.’
‘So if we got you a new bow that was better in every way you would still hold onto that one? That’s what you’re telling me?’
‘Oh, no, I’d hoard it in my inventory.’
‘Judging by your apartment I would never have called you a hoarder.’
‘Just messy,’ Ariadne said from my right side.
‘Wo-o-ow,’ Lara laughed, rounding to her and hugging her from the side, ‘please, girl-who-sheds-hair-from-her-fox-ears, tell me more.’
‘Aw!’ Ariadne exclaimed in mock shock. ‘I think that in my time sharing a bed with you I have shed ten hairs. That is not me.’
‘It must be you.’
‘You’re exaggerating.’
‘Okay, maybe.’
‘But I still love you, just as our master does.’
They shared a smile together, and I managed to glance over at them fast enough to hide my expression. Having three wives was enough of a change, but knowing that they all got along made it so much better.
Things could change, of course, but I was the master – it was my job to settle disputes.
We made the walk along boards and gangplanks, getting a greater view onto the bay that the cove surrounded and the myriad merchant ships that were stationed in the water.
In the higher reaches of the cove’s structures we arrived at The Drunken Steed. The troll at the front door gave us the same third-degree as he had the first time we had entered the place, but when he saw Lara he simply nodded and stepped aside.
It was well before midday when we wandered into the dim light of the bar. Only a few quiet drinkers were scattered about the room, but Rook, the dwarven bartender and landlord, was still stood behind the bar.
‘Lar
a!’ He shouted out, loudly setting down a glass he was cleaning upon the counter and hardly initiating a stir in the passed-out goblin whose forehead was pressed against the bar top. ‘I was beginning to think you had skipped town!’
‘True and not true,’ she replied.
‘That right?’ He said, raising an eyebrow. He turned to look at me and his face lit up with a smile. ‘And you! Where’s that imp of yours? I would love to have him as my guest of honor here on a busy night.’
‘He’s back at our home, unfortunately,’ I smiled. ‘Although I’m sure he’ll come back if I suggest the idea, so long as you’ve got a crate of Morinthian’s in stock.’
‘He’s the only one who drinks it, but for him I’ll order a fresh crate any day.’
‘I’ll pass the message.’
‘So it can’t be coincidence that you arrive here after weeks on the day your rent’s due,’ he continued, returning to Lara. ‘Here to extend?’
‘That depends,’ I cut in. ‘We might be here to make a deal.’
‘That so? And what kind of deal would that be?’
I expected a defensive response from Rook, but instead I was met with genuine curiosity.
‘Would you be open to selling the room upstairs? Outright, I mean.’
Rook eyed the three of us for a long moment.
‘Potentially. But it would have to be worth my while.’
‘How much would you be looking for?’
‘You tell me what your offer is.’
‘I have no idea.’
‘You’re the one asking.’
‘But I don’t know how much you value this building.’
‘Well…’ Rook said, exhaling and taking a short pause. ‘Lara pays 200GP a month, which is a price that’s beyond fair. I also supply her with plenty of custom, of which I take a share of the profits. Speaking of which, I’m still looking for my share off the back-end of that manticap you killed just north of here…’
‘There wasn’t much to speak of,’ Lara said.
‘That can’t be the only reason,’ I said. ‘200GP sounds like a pretty low price to rent a room giving one of the best views in Agraria.’
‘It’s not the only reason,’ Rook admitted. ‘She’s been a model renter since she started living here years ago. No doubt you’ve had the pleasure of seeing many of the drunks that come out here at night. Hell, half of them pass through here every night, if only for one drink.’
‘All the more reason to leave it to us. We’ll never cause any trouble. We probably won’t even be here most of the time. I’m just… Expanding my property portfolio, shall we say?’
Rook looked me up and down.
‘Yeah, I don’t know what that means. But you don’t seem like too much of an asshole. Okay, for you? 3000GP and I’ll let it go.’
That would almost completely clean me out.
‘That seems a little steep. How about 2000GP, and we shake hands on it?’
‘There’s no way I can let it go for that. Land in the cove is worth a fortune. Nobody around here is selling.’
‘Well, you said that Lara was a trustworthy renter.’
‘That’s true,’ she said. ‘I never gave you any trouble or brought any back with me.’
‘Indeed,’ Rook replied. ‘But for 2000GP I would need something else to sweeten the deal.’
‘What did you have in mind?’
Rook took another pause, running a hand through his long beard.
‘Any of you folks ever heard of the Black Patch?’
‘Oh, gods…’ Lara said.
‘What is it?’ Ariadne asked.
‘I’ve had to hear this story twenty times since it happened. The Black Patch is a swamp downriver, further south from here. Insects and mud and dirty water… And plenty of things that don’t like visitors.’
‘It’s not only home to animals,’ Rook interjected. ‘Months ago there was a merchant vessel called the Mossley that became shipwrecked out there after a terrible storm.’
‘Allegedly,’ Lara cut in. ‘You’re failing to add in the part where-’
‘I’m getting to that part. Why would I leave out the most important part?’
Ariadne and I shared a smile.
‘The most important part,’ Rook continued, ‘is that the Mossley wasn’t a merchant vessel. It belonged to a group of smugglers who were transporting a case of Old Molly that they had lifted from a reclusive old tribe master, far, far west of here.’
‘What the hell is Old Molly?’ I asked.
‘Rum,’ Rook said gruffly, leaning over the bar to me and giving me a rotten-toothed smile. ‘Best rum in all of Agraria. Only a few hundred bottles were made by a tribe years ago. Nobody has been able to recreate it. But the Mossley was carrying a crate of the stuff, and the ship was lost, never to be seen again. The last place it was seen was heading through the Black Patch. Dangerous land, make no mistake.’
‘Why go that way if it’s so dangerous?’
‘Why do anything in remote and dangerous places? Because you won’t get caught with your britches down. Smugglers are willing to take the risk heading through there.’
‘But what makes it dangerous?’
‘Many legends exist. Creatures, monsters, and the like. All from the drunk sailors that grace the floors of my tavern with their vomit of course. Here is my deal: 2000GP for the room, but I want five bottles of Old Molly. That stuff is like gold. For every additional bottle you bring me I’ll knock off 100GP.’
‘Apologies for cutting in,’ Ariadne said. She had been quiet for most of our conversation so far. ‘There’s one thing I’m guessing – I will wager that this Old Molly of yours is worth a lot more than 100GP per bottle, isn’t it?’
‘Indeed it is.’
‘What’s stopping us from selling it?’ I asked.
‘You can try, but you won’t get very far. Everybody knows that that stuff is stolen goods, and most won’t touch it. Those that will… You probably won’t want to deal with them, unless you’ve got plenty of firepower behind you.’
That was one thing I didn’t have.
‘I’ve got the right connections to move it,’ Rook continued. ‘Or keep it here in my private collection.’
I looked Rook in the eye.
‘Give us a few minutes.’
‘Of course.’
We took up Lara’s table in the corner of the room and spoke in hushed tones around it.
‘This seems like nonsense,’ I started, looking at Lara. ‘Last time we came here you made me a similar deal in exchange for services. Do you remember? It entailed risking our lives. Now we’re heading into an area known to be dangerous in search of a pirate ship, only to knock off some gold from the asking price of the apartment. I’ve got that gold right now.’
‘But it would almost completely wipe us out,’ Lara said. ‘We could probably make the gold back over the next few weeks, but it would set us back financially.’
‘There are other potential upsides,’ Ariadne added. ‘We could still keep the Old Molly and move it in the future once the connections between our tribes and others build up.’
‘Ariadne’s right,’ Lara said. ‘Rum, just like most other spirits, lasts for years. This stuff won’t have been touched.’
‘That’s not all. If the sailors on board the Mossley really were smugglers, there will be other items of value on board the ship. Gold pieces, other spirits, precious ores…’
‘That’s true,’ I agreed. ‘If this thing was brought down a storm, then the items on board won’t have been touched. Even if there are monsters out there, it will be abandoned.’
‘Indeed. Monsters of the wilds have no interest in the objects that sentient beings value. Their priorities revolve around killing and eating. That’s all.’
‘Great,’ Lara said. ‘So, worst case scenario we end up being bled out and eaten.’
‘True,’ Ariadne said casually. ‘Not necessarily in that order.’
‘Awesome’ I said sarcastically.
‘Before you mentioned all of this about hidden riches I was ready to run a mile, but now that we’ve got that going for us it seems much sweeter. Let’s do this.’
I crossed back over to Rook.
‘So what do you say, human? Have we got a deal?’
‘You’ve got yourself a deal.’
We shook hands and I accepted the conditions.
It was still early in the day when we left the tavern. Finding a vessel to provide us passage downriver to the Black Patch was on my to-do list, but before that we had to kit ourselves out with some supplies.
Lara led us to a potions merchant where we picked up Potion of Durability x3 and Potion of Healing x2, bringing our total to three of each including the first that I had created back at the tribal land. The potions cost 20GP each, bringing our total to 3280GP.
In the event that we found ourselves in a confrontation with any of the unspoken beasts of the wild we were covered, but what happened after a fight wasn’t my priority; what happened during it was.
Our second stop was at the weapons merchant that Lara had spoken of. Sucker Stab was a pretty damn weird name for a weapon store, but the sheer ballsy nature of the name made me smile and happy to give the place a shot.
I still had my hand on the handle of my sword as I entered, but the notion seemed stupid – people who sold weapons were the last individuals I intended to fuck with, seeing as they were literally surrounded by them all day.
The interior of the building was well-lit. Opposite us was a counter, behind which was stood a human male with his hands set upon the wooden surface. The sight of him was both refreshing and intimidating; there was a knowing look in his eyes as he looked across at me and nodded suspiciously, while his appearance was a welcome change from the various magical beings that I had been surrounded by since I had arrived in Agraria.
He was around six-feet tall with thinning dark hair and simple clothes hanging off his lean frame. A sharp nose sat below his inquisitive blue eyes.
Behind the counter on the wall opposite the door, a vast array of weapons were situated. There were axes, swords and hammers, both one and two-handed, as well as bows and crossbows, spears and knives, all hanging from pegs like meticulously organised tools in a well-organised suburban garage.
