Beastborne- Mark of the Founder

by James T Callum

  As soon as he had set the mattress down, Hal got a new prompt. Upon closer inspection he realized it was the same one he got when camping with the Rangers. Only worded slightly different.

  You gain the effect of Shelter.

  +400% HP Regeneration.

  +400% SP Regeneration.

  +400% MP Regeneration.

  +100% Healing effects.

  Duration: While sheltered.

  “You can take the first bath,” Ashera said, drawing him from his inspection. “I will take one in the morning.”

  Hal was rather astounded to find a fully functioning bathroom. No shower, but there was a simple bathtub, toilet, and sink with a mirror.

  There’s running water!

  He never thought he’d miss indoor plumbing as much as he did.

  Drawing himself a hot bath, Hal peeled off his filthy clothes and dropped them in a wicker hamper nearby. He would never again take simple luxuries like hot running water for granted again so long as he lived.

  He ended up falling asleep in the tub until the water started to turn cold and his skin was all pruney. He jerked awake when Elora started pounding on the door asking if he was all right.

  As fast as he could, he rinsed off and dried with a fluffy towel. When he went to the hamper to retrieve his clothes, he started. He was dreading putting those filthy sweat and grime-soaked clothes back on after finally being clean after what felt like years.

  But to his surprise, his clothes were neatly folded. They were laying atop the hamper, glowing in the subtle light of his Perception identifying the thing as magical. And they were clean. His pants and long-sleeve shirt were still poorly made but they were no longer dirty.

  Putting his clothes back on, Hal left the bathroom and dropped into his pillowy mattress.

  He was out cold in seconds.

  Those strange glittering sigils haunted his dreams. They swirled around him in the dark. A sea of arcane symbols washed over him and threatened to drown him.

  When he woke the next morning, his strange dreams were already fast receding. Ashera and Elora were already awake and waiting for him. Strapping on his equipment, Hal was ready to leave for the Adventurer’s Guild.

  They were on their way down into the Blade Ring less than half an hour after Hal woke up. He was still groggy when they came across the imposing structure of the Adventurer’s Guild Hall.

  The Adventurer’s Guild was a massive circular building that doubled as an eatery, a bar, and an inn, all rolled into one towering structure that stretched high into the drizzly morning sky.

  The inside was warm, filled with shouting and talking, the clink of tableware, and the smell of home-cooked meals. Hal was instantly in love with the place. People in armor milled about, meeting up with other adventurers or going about their business.

  Hal had never seen so much variety in armor and weaponry.

  There was eastern-inspired armor, knightly tabards and plate mail, shifting colored cloaks that blended into the wooden tables, scantily clad bards regaling their tables with recent exploits, and everything in between.

  Some women wore nothing more than a bikini in terms of armor and others were so buttoned up in steel and metal that they looked like walking tin cans.

  The men were no less varied with several broad-chested individuals sporting little more than a loincloth and tattoos to keep them warm.

  Iconic Wizards and Rangers weaved through groups of Knights and Clerics. Vikings and Barbarians caroused and laughed heartily as they tried to outdo each other with feats of strength. There was a surfeit of diversity that kept Hal ogling every passerby.

  More than a few were wearing powerful magical items.

  Your Perception has risen to Level 6.

  +2% Perception highlight chance (+12%).

  +5% Awareness of magical items (+30%).

  It was up to Ashera and Elora to steer him in the right direction toward a dark stone counter with plate glass depictions of daring deeds and epic fights fixed into the arched sign that read “Adventurer’s Guild.”

  The uniformed woman behind the counter adjusted her thin black tie and smiled at them welcomingly. “Welcome! I take it by the look of your friend there that you’re new to the Adventurer’s Guild? Excellent! We’re now offering a signing bonus of a hundred sparks for any new Adventurers!”

  From the gasps of both Elora and Ashera, Hal guessed that was significant. “Isn’t a signing bonus usually for money?” he blurted.

  The attendant blinked her soft teal eyes at him. “Isn’t he just adorable?” she said to the girls. “You must not be from around here! Well, we get all kinds in Murkmire so don’t worry hon, Arabella here will walk you through everything!” She tapped her white button-up shirt, her ruby-painted fingernails gleamed in the lamplight.

  “Now,” Arabella began, leaning on the counter and taking out five crystalline pieces. They were hexagonal faceted pieces of crystal the size of poker chips, which sparkled with light every few seconds like a current of electricity was arcing from one side to the next. “These are sparks, I don’t know what they have where you’re from but most of the world uses sparks as currency.

  “These little darlings do everything! They can buy you a pint, enchant your gear, grant you a bit of skill EXP, and are dead-useful crafting ingredients. Plus aren’t they just the prettiest?”

  She slid the gray-blue crystalline chips around on the table, clinking them together merrily as she spoke. Sparks of light leaped from one to the other whenever they touched.

  “Now, there are many ways of getting them but our preferred way is by having you join the Guild!” Arabella flashed a scintillating red-and-black badge in the shape of a shield pinned to her breast.

  “By having one of these beauties, every time you kill a monster, it’ll drop sparks! Pretty nifty, huh? Bet you’ve been killing plenty of monsters without getting any sparks. Well, sign up today, get your hefty bonus, and you’ll start earning even more when you go out and beat up on some baddies!”

  Arabella’s eyes sparkled with true joy. This wasn’t just some salesman spiel, she sincerely enjoyed her work. It was infectious. Hal watched as she scooped up the sparks and slid them back beneath the counter somewhere.

  It was an alluring pitch, he had to give her that. Aside from the monumental implications of a currency that was also both magical catalyst and skill EXP, Hal couldn’t help but think how rich he’d be if he had been a guild member when he’d taken down all those goblins.

  He stepped closer to the desk. “Where do I sign?”

  Once they were all signed up, each of them received a bronze shield-badge and a small purse with their signing bonus.

  Before they left the counter, Arabella stopped them. “I almost forgot something!” The three turned to look at her. “Now that you’re all official members of the Adventurer’s Guild, just show that badge to any of the inn or tavern keeps in the Guild Hall and you get a hefty discount on your food and lodgings. Oh, and assignments are posted on the boards to your left.”

  And with that, they grabbed a table and placed an order for food. Only a few tables away somebody struck up a chord and an impromptu performance was put on to the cheering and stamping of the many patrons.

  It was some song about the lust of gold and the warning of delving too deep for the glitter of tomorrow. Apparently, a popular one too, as most people lifted a cup and sang along.

  The raucous, friendly atmosphere made Hal feel strangely at home. The Gone Goose was hard to beat for a lively, friendly atmosphere but the Adventurer’s Guild managed just fine.

  “Couple sparks for something to drink and a meal for a full table?” Elora said as she sank into her chair and drank her cup of dark blue liquor. “I could get used to that. They even have a supplier for common items. Why isn’t there an Adventurer’s Guild in Fallwreath?”

  A lean elf in scale mail one table over, her copper-colored hair fashioned into a faux hawk, leaned back in her chair. “Sorry, didn’t mean to eave
sdrop. Elf ears and all that,” she said pointing at the sharp, elongated tips of her ears.

  There was a merry light in her violet eyes. “But I heard you asking about the Guild in Fallwreath? Founder’s long since banned the Guild there, by-the-by. We got an uneasy relationship with them Founder-types, they don’t like us nosing around where they don’t want us but most of ‘em can’t deny our usefulness.” Plus, it’s not like Fallwreath accepts foreigners into their city at all. Hal was almost put to death for simply being one.

  “How do they get anything done?” Hal asked.

  “Mostly private guards and a notice board without cutting the Guild in. Doesn’t sit right with the Matron but not much they can do about it if they want to play nice.

  “Not a lot of love for the Founders within the Guild you’ll find. Just a friendly bit of advice since I noticed you were all new.” She pointed at their badges resting on the table and tilted her chair back to rejoin her own table’s conversation.

  “She’s right,” Elora said, setting her drink down as the barmaid sauntered over with their food. “The Founder forces anybody looking for adventure and glory to sign up with the Sanctum Guard. That way he has control over them and can tell where they go and what they do.” Ashera shivered and raised her hand to touch the scarf wrapped around her neck. “And it lets people who want to be ‘brave’ and ‘adventurous’ get it out of their system.”

  “Couldn’t somebody just… come all the way out here if they wanted to be an actual adventurer?” Hal asked. It didn’t make sense why people would put up with that if they could move and get at least a semblance of freedom.

  “That’s a lot easier said than done,” Elora put in. “Think about it this way. Most commoners don’t have enough money to buy a sword, armor, packs, supplies, and rations for the trip. And even if they did, most people are barely beyond Novice and only if they put in the proper paperwork.

  “You don’t get experience sitting around at most jobs you’ll find within a city like Fallwreath. Not any experience you could put toward being an adventurer, at any rate.

  “Think of what happened to us out on the road,” Elora said, giving Hal a pointed look. “Now, imagine a single person who doesn’t know how to fish, light a campfire, or even know what berries are safe to eat. There’s no hope. Going out on your own is a death sentence.”

  Hal let that sink in. And she didn’t even mention how somebody like that could get food once they arrived or where they’d sleep. No wonder the Adventurer’s Guild has a signing bonus. It would be a godsend for any weary traveler to sign up for the sparks alone. And that was if they survived the trip from wherever they came from.

  They each ate their meal in relative quiet, and despite Elora’s mask of indifference, Hal caught her eyes wandering about the various adventurers around them with the same awestruck look he knew he had.

  The food wasn’t anything specially prepared but it was hearty, simple fare that was rich and flavorful. After skipping dinner last night since they were all exhausted and days of eating rice with simple vegetables, it tasted like heaven.

  Hal had a plate of scrambled eggs, a bowl of grits, several slightly charred sausages, crispy bacon, and a stack of pancakes higher than two fists. He had to force himself not to shovel every last bit into his mouth.

  You eat an [Adventurer’s Hearty Breakfast].

  +5% HP | +5% SP | +5% MP.

  +12% HP Regeneration | +12% SP Regeneration | +12% MP Regeneration.

  Duration: 8hrs.

  It was one of the best meals Hal ever ate. And certainly what he needed that morning. With a tall glass of orange juice to wash it all down, all he was missing was coffee.

  Something, when he inquired about it, he was told was in short supply due in no small part to the recent beastmen activity in the region. Coffee was primarily a northerner export and with the roads so dangerous of late, few merchants were risking the trip until the cold of winter forced the raiding bandits into their holes.

  When he was done with breakfast, all Hal wanted to do was slump in his chair and close his eyes. He was warm and content for the first time in a very long while.

  Instead, he forced himself to go over to the notice boards that lined a substantial portion of the Guild’s inner wall. There were hundreds of postings, papers nailed to the wooden board, some with a variety of weapons even.

  One paper was nearly cleaved in half by the large axe that wedged the contract between its edge and the board.

  After a quick perusal, Hal gleaned the two major types of postings; contracts and bounties.

  Contracts were, as far as he could tell, the same as a Quest. They had specific objectives, outlined rewards, and explained what was expected of the adventurer agreeing to take the contract.

  Bounties, on the other hand, were less lucrative but often more open-ended. Kill this roving band of goblins. Find that merchant’s lost gold ring. Deliver a package to a noble.

  While they weren’t as valuable, they could be quickly done by anybody who had some decent skill.

  The Rangers could probably do quite well with some of the hunting bounties.

  But what Hal was looking for, was something very different. Up high on the leftmost notice board was a very old piece of parchment. Splashed with stains and curling at the edges, it was pinned to the board with a jeweled dagger.

  The Coffin Contract.

  Your Investigation has risen to Level 3.

  +1% Investigation speed (+3%).

  +2% Investigation success (+6%).

  As soon as Hal removed the dagger to take down the parchment, a hearty bell tolled from deep within the Guild somewhere. Dagger and contract in hand, Hal looked over his shoulder to find the Guild’s patrons all turning to stare directly at him.

  Not at him, he soon understood. But at the glowing Coffin Contract in his hand.

  28

  Hal stared hard at the paper in his hand, his jaw slacking further with each line read. Giel wasn’t lying. If anything, he was underselling the Coffin Contract.

  The reward was staggering.

  Guild Contract Obtained: The Coffin Contract.

  For years the town of Murkmire has had a stain upon its great mercantile history. A great tragedy befell the Sanctuary nearly twenty years ago that caused the destruction of the presently-named Coffin District.

  Sealed off by the skilled work of the Mason's guild, the Founder erected a barrier to prevent anything from escaping. Unfortunately, that same barrier prevents any and all attempts to reclaim the district.

  Nobody knows what lies beyond the barrier. The Adventurer's Guild is offering prestige and a hefty reward for any Adventurers willing to clear out the Coffin District and make it safe once more.

  Objectives

  Gain entry to the Coffin District.

  Clear all monsters from within the district itself.

  Additional objectives available.

  Rewards

  Guild Rank Increase (Variable).

  District Ownership Rights.

  20,000 sparks (Per party member).

  Additional rewards available.

  Quest Updated: Rest for the Weary.

  You’ve banged on doors, spoken to surly townsfolk who preferred to laugh in your face instead of giving a single thought to the plight of the poor koblins. Undaunted, you pressed on. You can continue to search for a kind soul that can house nearly 200 koblins, or you can choose to complete the “Coffin Contract.”

  Objectives

  Question local innkeepers (Complete).

  Find out more about the abandoned district (Complete).

  Investigate the “Coffin Contract” at the Adventurer’s Guild (Complete).

  Find a place for the koblins to rest within the safety of Murkmire’s protection.

  Alternative: Complete the “Coffin Contract” and provide the koblins with homes within your newly obtained district (Provides additional rewards).

  Rewards

  Murkmire Reputation (Variable)
.

  Koblin Reputation (Variable).

  Experience Points (Variable).

  Hal stood there, staring at that piece of slightly curled parchment for a long while. Ownership of an entire district? He had no real grasp on how much 20,000 sparks was, but it seemed like a lot.

  If the three of them pooled their money together, could they purchase all they needed with 60,000 sparks? It definitely seemed plausible.

  Maybe they wouldn’t need to sell any portion of the district.

  Even if Murkmire was under the Founder’s rule, having a foothold here could prove valuable. But first, he needed to talk to one of the agents about the contract. What they needed was a proxy. Some sort of buffer between the true owners - Hal, Elora, and Ashera - and the name on the deeds claiming ownership.

  Without that, it would prove too easy to trace back to them. Even if the Founder didn’t know their name, he could not rely on that holding out for long.

  The contract in his hands was a life-changer. Any adventurer who managed to complete it would be set. And likely, even with poor management, their entire lineage would be set as well.

  Immediately, the room broke out into whispering. Stabbing the dagger back into the board, Hal returned to his table to find Elora gone.

  The music picked up again but it was softer than before, somber. Enough that Hal could make out a few snippets of conversation.

  “Did that new guy just take the Coffin Contract?”

  “He’s crazy.”

  “How long has it been since somebody’s even tried it?”

  “Gotta be at least a year or more since Vran said he could get in and never returned,” said a grizzly looking man two tables away.

  His table, and a few nearby all raised mugs in memory of the man.

  “Might be the lad knows something we don’t,” a heavily armored woman put in.

  “Maybe he doesn’t know,” another put in.