I spotted the source of the comment. A pair of Saa who were looking through the jobs posted on the board and discussing their previous quest.
The first was a caster of some sort, a Saa with long braided hair and a long silk robe with a jeweled dagger hanging on his belt.
His companion, also Saa, was decked out in a suit of hardened leather armor and had a large bronze war axe strapped to his back with a physique that screamed warrior.
I stepped out of the line and approached the two. “Did you say something about undead?” I asked.
The two turned towards me and the one with the axe nodded. The caster turned a second later, their movements odd and jerky.
“Hey man, how’s it going? I’m Jeckel and this here is Phoobar,” he said, gesturing towards the mage. “Don’t mind him, he’s playing on an old VR headset so his toon’s a bit wonky. You needed something?”
“Hey guys, I’m Kheph," I said, returning their greeting. "Heard you say something about undead and was curious. Haven't seen much of that kind of thing around.”
Phoobar answered, his mouth moving slightly out of sync with his voice, “We saw some waterlogged zombies down near the docks a while ago. Decided to check the board here to see if there were any quests that mentioned them, but no luck."
“Near the docks?” I asked. “Anywhere in particular?”
Jeckel shrugged. “We were at the eastern end of the docks turning in a delivery quest to some merchant and spotted a few zombies or something crawling around the sewer outlet. That’s when we headed back here. The normal xp from killing mobs is nice and all, but all the big rewards are in the quests.”
*** Quest Update: Tainted Roots ***
*** You’ve discovered a possible lead! Investigate the undead spotted at the docks. ***
Phoobar chimed in, “We’re going to try the board at the merc hall next. There’re a ton of quests there if you’re willing to walk a bit.”
Jeckel glared at the mage. “That’s easy for you to say, man. You don’t actually have to feel the fatigue in your legs when you trudge across half the city. Sitting there in your cushy chair while you watch the world pass by.”
He shook his head and turned back to me. “It's worth it though. The merc hall's much better staffed, so things tend to move a lot faster that they do at this place.”
I nodded thoughtfully. “Thanks. I’ll check them out too. Apparently, I need to level up a bit and learn some new skills. Maybe upgrading my gear too if possible.”
“Good luck with that.” Jeckel laughed. “If you really want to make some good experience and money, I recommend you stick to the board quests. The quests the temple gives out are pretty light on the rewards, once they'll actually give them to you anyway. These guys are a stingy bunch, even with the intangibles. Just wait until you see the prices they are charging for healing and the like at the infirmary.”
“Thanks for the heads up,” I said. “Where are the temple merchants? And trainers for that matter?”
Jeckel shrugged. “The gear merchant is on the other side of the main entryway. Just head straight across to the other side of the hall. No clue on the trainers.”
“Guess I’ll have to go exploring then, it’s a temple, there has to be a priest trainer somewhere,” I answered and bid the pair goodbye.
I decided to see what the main temple quest giver had to offer since the High Priest had pointed me in his direction. Maybe the rewards would be better for priests?
A quick glance at the clock showed it was half past nine, still early enough to get things rolling if the line didn’t take too long.
I planned to wait until Kjara returned before investigating the undead since she’d come all this way to help me. I didn’t want her to miss out on the xp for that.
In the meantime I should be able to burn through a generic quest or two and get some xp.
A flash of memory told me that Heru-et was one of the many Saa gods with a link to the sun, but he was also a god of war and the protector of the Pharaoh, so the temple was often utilized as a sort of law enforcement within Sehkem. So I expected that sort of quest.
I finally arrived at the desk, and the bored looking Acolyte droned, “How can I be of service, citizen?”
“The High Priest directed me to you to inquire about services the temple might need,” I answered.
The Adept glanced up at me and then opened a logbook, “Name and Rank?” he asked.
“Kheph Sa’tep, Acolyte” I answered, and the Adept looked up at me looking for something.
“I don’t see your stole, Acolyte. In what temple were you awarded your rank?” he asked.
I wasn’t quite sure of what the answer was, I had never officially joined a temple, but I guess the one where I had been gotten my spec was probably it. “The Temple of the Restless Dead.”
“Never heard of it, but whatever. You’re now registered and eligible to take on jobs for the temple. You’ll need to prove your mettle before we give you any critical missions. The board over there has jobs deemed appropriate by the Hierophant council. Complete three of those missions and we’ll consider you for direct service.”
*** Quest Received: Prove your Worth. ***
*** The Temple of Heru-et doesn’t allow just anyone to take on their special charges. Prove your worth by completing three jobs deemed acceptable by the council of Hierophants. ***
*** Reward: xp, Reputation with the Temple of Heru-et. ***
Reading quickly through the quest I pushed it aside. "The High Priest said you might be able to tell me if there are any reports of undead in the city. Have you heard anything of the sort?"
The Adept frowned. "No. There have been no reports of undead in the city. Now if you would please move along, I'm busy enough."
“Okay,” I said, and headed over to the board. Someone had definitely woken up on the wrong side of the cot this morning.
I scanned the posts for something that I could tackle solo in the next few hours.
The board had several sections. The first seemed to be a list of commissions; orders for weapons, armor, and other crafted items as well as assistance in construction projects throughout the temple complex. Not really what I was looking for.
The next section was more to my liking and I found a pair of quests that seemed a good fit for my current goals. Old school dungeon diving fun.
The first quest was posted by a woman in the nobles’ quarter who was having an issue with some vermin that had burrowed into her basement.
The second quest was posted by a wealthy merchant complaining about the sewers under his shop being taken over by trogs.
I pulled both notices off the board and accepted the quests.
*** Quest Received: Exterminate! ***
*** Lady Bakuit’s basement has been invaded by vermin! Investigate the basement and clear out any unwanted visitors! ***
*** Rewards: xp, Monetary compensation, Reputation with the Nobles of Sehkem and the Temple of Heru-et. ***
*** Quest Received: Here be Trogs. ***
*** The sewers and under passages under the merchant’s quarter have recently seen an influx of trogs. Eliminate at least 15 trogs. Bonus available for additional trogs killed. ***
*** Rewards: xp, 1 gold per trog, Reputation with the Merchants of Sehkem and the Temple of Heru-et***
None of the other posts really struck my fancy so I left the board behind and decided to check out the temple store before looking for the Priest trainer. I definitely needed to see if there was a dispel magic or some type of debuff clearing spell.
Across the hall was a small counter with another priest, an Acolyte like myself, sitting behind it.
He glanced up as I entered and welcomed me. “Greetings traveler. What can I help you with today? Armor? Weapons? Accessories?”
“What do you have in terms of medium armor?” I asked, watching as the man flipped through a large book that he produced from under the counter. He settled on a page and pushed the book across the coun
ter towards me. Jeckel wasn’t kidding about the prices.
The medium classification for armor seemed to be very broad, ranging from studded soft leather all the way to light brigandine.
My current armor was towards the low end of the spectrum, being composed of mixed soft and hard leather.
A full set of hardened leather would be an decent upgrade, but not at these prices. Even picking up a set of gloves and a helm to fill out my current kit would put a serious dent in my finances.
I didn’t really have a reference point for cost, so I couldn’t tell quite how much they were overcharging but I was pretty certain that a basic hardened leather helm shouldn’t cost upwards of fifty gold.
I turned back to the Acolyte who was waiting patiently and said “I’ll have to pass for now. Could you direct me where I might obtain some training in the priestly arts?”
The Acolyte took back the book with a frown and gestured vaguely back at the main hallway. “Take a left at the main hall, second door on the left.”
I thanked him and followed his directions to a large chapel. Sitting on a padded bench along the far wall was an elderly priest wearing the stole of a Hierophant.
They sat with their eyes closed, content in the silence. I almost felt bad disturbing the man.
I approached and bowed. “Good evening, Hierophant. I was told that you might be able to help me in learning more about the abilities bestowed upon me by the gods.”
The older Saa opened his eyes and turned to me with a smile. “That depends on what you wish to learn,” he said in a warm voice. “I have made it my life’s work to study the gifts the gods have chosen to bestow upon us, but even I am limited in what I might teach.”
I returned his smile and said, “I recently encountered a necromancer who afflicted me with dark magic, weakening me. I would like to learn how to remove such afflictions from myself and my companions if that is possible, Hierophant.”
The old man smiled and shook his head. “Please, call me Master Kaluitep, and you are?”
“Kheph Sa’tep, Acolyte of the Temple of the Restless Dead,” I answered, and the old man’s eyes widened slightly.
“Anpu has taken an Acolyte? After all this time. Well, well, well, that is surely something,” he said. “You will definitely need to learn a cleansing spell with the foes you will find yourself up against. I can teach it to you… for a price.”
Of course, I thought with a grimace, ready to be robbed blind. “How much?”
The old man chuckled. “I see you’ve been to the store. Well, don’t worry Acolyte, all I want from you is the story of how you found your patron."
"For that precious tale," he said, "I will teach you that and one other spell of your choice for no monetary cost whatsoever, regardless of temple policy."
His eyes seemed to turn inwards for a moment. "I haven’t heard anyone speak of your temple since my own days as an aspirant, and I would very much like to know your tale.”
I smiled. “Deal.”
I told the Hierophant my story; the letter from my grandmother, the attack on my caravan and the escape from the slavers. My defense of the djinden girl and my murder on the order of her Saa attacker, and everything that happened in the underworld.
He sat quietly, listening to me drone on and on and smiled as I described meeting Anpu for the first time and the mission he had given me.
Tapping his chin with a finger, he nodded and said, “Yes, that does make a bit of sense to me now. There has been an influx of new souls recently. Souls like yourself who are both of, and not of this world. Many have run counter to common sense and embraced the dark arts.”
“I have served Heru-et for many years and in that time I have seen the pain that such darkness can bring. Your tale, and your mission are worth much more than two paltry spells. From now on, seek me out when you need training and I will teach you the skills you seek, free of charge.”
I gave him a warm smile, “Thank you, Master Kaluitep. That means a lot.”
“Now let us begin,” he said, raising a hand and drawing a golden glyph in the air before him.
“This is the glyph of negation. It is the core of all counterspells. To forge Sekhmet’s Cleansing, we combine this glyph with those of the divine, distance, and of course, their linking runes.”
As he spoke, each glyph appeared in the air before him and then melded together into the full spell form.
I studied it, my mind sifting through its component parts and the entirety of the form until they clicked into place.
“Now you,” he said, indicating the air in front of him.
I normally formed the spells in my mind but remembering the method I used with the Jackal’s Tooth spell, I guessed it could be done externally.
As Kaluitep had done, I started with the negation glyph and then added the divine and distance glyphs as well, linking them as instructed. The spell coalesced and solidified, complete.
“Now channel your mana into the spell”, he prompted, and as I did so there was a flash of light as the spell activated and then disappeared.
*** Congratulations! You have learned a new spell: Sehkmet’s Cleansing (Rank 1)! You gain 100xp! ***
“Good, you picked that one up pretty quickly," Kaluitep said.
I nodded. “The glyphs seem to make a lot of sense. and putting them together is almost instinctual. Having you show me was a lot easier than piecing them together myself. And without the potential to blow my skull into pieces.”
“You’ve crafted spell-forms on your own without a teacher?” he said, eyes wide. “That is very reckless. What spells have you crafted in such a way?”
Drawing the glyphs in the air, I showed him how I had modified the Soothing Touch spell into Purifying Touch, and the conglomeration of glyphs that I had pieced together to create Flamestrike.
He nodded in appreciation. “Useful spells both, but I would caution against too many experiments. The wrong formation and you and any around you might find themselves holding an unplanned conversation with your patron.”
I nodded. “Can you teach me a spell that will allow me to heal my allies from a distance?”
“That one is quite easy,” he said. “As you already know the Soothing Touch spell, and have modified it once, I will show you another modification that you can apply to both of your touch spells to extend their range.”
We worked through the modified forms, and I studied them as he explained how the new glyphs fit together and formed the energy matrix that was the spell.
He demonstrated how mana would flow along the channels created by the glyphs and finally produce the effect of the spell.
It was fascinating and I was pleasantly surprised when a prompt appeared for a new skill.
*** Would you like to spend 1 Divine Skill point and learn the ‘Spellcrafting’ skill? (Y/N) ***
“Spellcrafting?” I said out loud and focused on the skill description.
*** Spellcrafting is the understanding of the underlying structure of spell forms and their inner workings. Ranks in this skill give a bonus to modifying spells and crafting new spells, decreasing the chance of critical failure during experimentation. This skill also grants the ability at higher ranks to refine spells you already know to increase mana efficiency and effects. ***
I selected ‘Yes’ and flinched as an avalanche of arcane knowledge poured into my brain. Spell construction, magical rules and theory, and a lot more that still lurked beneath the surface of what I could currently access.
*** Congratulations! You have learned the Spellcrafting skill (Rank 1)! 1 Divine Skill Point used! ***
*** Congratulations! You have learned a new spell: Cure Wounds (Rank 1)! You gain 100xp! ***
*** Congratulations! You have learned a new spell: Purification (Rank 1)! You gain 100xp! ***
Kaluitep gave me a wide smile. “It seems I was able to help more than I realized, Acolyte. I would love to teach you more, but I feel I must send you on your way as my replacement will be here m
omentarily, and he is not as generous as I. Should you need additional training, I will be here between the sixth and tenth bells each day.”
Seconds later the bells began to toll and he gave me a wink and pointed upwards as he walked out of the room.
Another priest entered, an Adept, and bowed to Master Kaluitep as they passed. I bowed to the Adept and left as well. It was time to get some xp.
…
Chapter 24
The trek from the temple to the nobles’ quarter was pretty short, owing mostly to the fact that those of wealth lived in close proximity to the city center.
Each miniature estate had its own set of walls separating it from the rest of the city, creating a strange sort of labyrinth between the various estates.
I followed the markings on my map to the location of the noblewoman with the vermin problem and ended up being directed to a servant’s entrance while the lady’s snooty Karillian butler fetched his mistress.
She arrived in a huff. “Quick, Quick. Come in before you are seen. All we need now is more rumors.”
Lady Bakuit was a Saa of middling years. Her hair was arranged into hundreds of small braids, each capped with a gold bead adorned with scattered emeralds.
The cost of her hairdo alone was likely on par with that of a small house… or a piece of armor at the temple store.
She rushed me through the house to a set of stone stairs that led to a basement currently closed off by a large wooden door.
She sputtered and gestured down the stairs. “Down there. All I hear is scuttling and chittering and I just know they've ruined my husband’s collection. Wipe them out, whatever they are and you will be well rewarded! And if you see my maid Hepti down there, tell her she's fired!”
*** Quest Update: Bonus Objectives (2).
*** Discover the fate of the chamber maid Hepti. [0/1]
Crimson Sands Page 31
