It took us two weeks to travel to the city of Corshar. We put our affairs in order at the town first. I left our inheritance in the Royal Ring with Ganzaya. In addition we awakened some of the more trustworthy of the new guards and had them getting ready to probe the first floor. I had them each use the Enforcer manual I started out with for now, but one of the tasks on the trip was going to be to acquire some lower tier manuals.

The journey out of the mountains went fairly easily, We all had spatial pouches from the stash and I had the Signet. We were attacked by an Eagle on the way out of the pass, but Gavel brought it down when it was climbing from missing its first dive. We did see what looked to be a bandit scout once we got to the trade road, but she did her best to pretend we didn’t exist so we gave her the same courtesy for now.

The lack of skilled craftsmen in the village, outside of Tully, meant we looked much the same as we did during that first dungeon dive. Zaya was wearing my old coat, since hers got torn up, and I was wearing a duplicate made of hides dropped by the dungeon. I could strengthen it with Ki or Mana but without it being made by an Awakened hand the effect was minimal. We hoped to fix that problem in the city. The only thing that really changed about us was that we now exuded the air of danger adventurers and soldiers were known for.

We approached Coshar from the southwest. It was a city of maybe twelve thousand and sat at the juncture of two rivers about a week upstream from the port city of Seris where the king of Serisol held court. There was some debate about the official names of two rivers that flowed into the city, some calling them the Nogoon and the Shar while others called them the Viridis and the Flavum. The river that flowed out was called the Olimar after the old Imperial general. In addition to trade the city had three dungeons within its control. One of them was said to be beneath the city itself. That is why the Adventurer’s Guild kept its regional headquarters here.

The line to enter the city was relatively short with most goods coming by water. Those that didn’t usually traveled by caravan and used the merchants gate. We stood in line behind farmers and other commoners coming to the city on their own business. Despite the fact that she was technically a commoner herself, Amala looked ready to light someone on fire by the way they didn’t just part ways and let us pass. As amusing it was to see her fume every time some ox left a pile on the road, the wait was still taxing. We got there eventually.

The guard looked us up and down before asking. “Purpose for visiting the city?”

"Visiting the adventuring guild hall."

"Are you awakened adventurers then?"

"Awakened, yes, Adventures, no."

“Is that so? Wait here for a moment.” so saying the guard then went to talk to another in what he thought was low tones. It was hard to make out over the crowd but my hearing was excellent. It didn’t hurt that he was looking back at us as he said, “Go get the lieutenant, we have a party of Awakened adventurers with no guild badges.”

The second guard walked into the gate house and soon came out with a better dressed guard with a gold blazon on his helm. He was obviously Awakened by the way he moved, but seemed low level and didn’t have the demeanor of someone who had seen real combat. He looked at us and smiled evilly as he walked up. He leered slightly at Amala and asked, “Am I to understand that you are not members of the adventurers guild?”

“No, Sir, we are not,” I said with a bit of heat to draw his attention away from Amala. “I was not aware that would be a problem.”

“Oh, it's not a problem at all,” he said with a self righteous smirk. ”By the Authority of Thomas Sel’Lakk, Count of Corshar, you are hereby conscripted into his army, you will follow me to the guardroom to await your formal induction.”

The man turned and walked away without a second to consider that we might not follow. I struggled to contain my rage at the injustice of it. I decided it was time to teach this pumped up tin soldier a new word.

“No,” I said simply, but loud enough for him to hear.

He spun, red in the face and practically hissed, “What do you mean ‘No’? I bear the Authority of the lord of these lands and you must do as I say.”

“No I don’t,” I said as I took off my glove, displaying my signet ring for him to see, “and neither do my retainers.”

“You're no lord,” he screeched, “you’re not even mounted. How are you defying my orders?”

“I was trying to be discreet so I could take care of my business without any fuss. Apparently, you are too prideful or stupid to let that happen. I am Baron Tarkhan Sel’Andur, Lord of the Barony of Tibor by Imperial Claim of Fief. Now tell me, Guard, why I shouldn’t ask your lord to put out your eyes for how you were looking at my companion?”

I was putting it on a little thick, but I was pretty sure this was how this piece of trash was used to people in power acting. I had actually given him quite a bit of information there. By mentioning discrete business I implied I had a backer. By being a Baron refusing a Count’s Authority he knew that my backer was either a high noble or I was a foreigner. Lastly, the Imperial Claim of Fief meant my family was very old, and someone would have to kill my liege first in order to claim my lands through conquest. Killing me would just make the land fallow or revert it to my lord. He didn’t need to know that I was my own liege lord. People who retained this kind of claim were uncommon nowadays and were often used as messengers for very powerful people. What was best was the fact that he had been vested with Authority himself meant that he could hear that everything I said about my noble claim was true.

The Lieutenant paled. He stammered, “My deepest apologies My Lord Tibor, how was I to know, I was only following the Count’s orders.”

“Your Count ordered you to undress my Court Mage with your eyes?” I asked with a doubtful expression. “I find that unlikely, and if he did, that is an insult I could not let lie. Are you sure you were acting strictly under his Orders?”

“Again I apologize, my lord, I may have been distracted by the lady’s beauty,” the man said, he seemed to be getting his feet under him. “Perhaps there is some small thing I can do to make amends so that this matter need not fester.”

A bribe that quickly, I was starting to see why the lowland kingdoms fractured so often if this was how they comported themselves. Still I was loath to leave this ‘man’ in a position of authority over any woman. To that end I said, “Perhaps we could discuss this in the guard house where it is more private?”

He led us inside and I saw five men sitting on a bench by the wall. They were all Awakened but none were particularly powerful by my reckoning. Three struck me as bandits, the fourth was obviously a mercenary and looked like he wanted to be there. The last was a man in a patched cloak with a bundle on his back. There were no women, but I needed to make it hurt enough that the count would make his men leave me alone. I pointed at the man in the cloak.

“Have you sworn any oath of service to the count or any other lord?” I asked quickly.

“No m’lord.” he shot back confused.

“Then if you will swear to serve me for the next three months I will allow you to join my entourage.” I told him.

“Wait just a minute,” the Lieutenant shouted. “He is to be inducted into the count’s army. You can’t insult the Count by taking one of his men.”

“The Count insulted me by trying to take four of mine, and myself as well,” I said calmly. “By claiming a man he has not even sworn yet from you, I have satisfied honor without costing him anything. He may have words for you for failing him, but that is a cheap price I think for risking the flames of my companions displeasure.”

The guard went from red to pale again while the cloaked man looked back and forth between us. He suddenly knelt, “My Lord, I, Danzick Loom, a humble Bard, would gladly swear myself into your service for the next three months.”

“I accept your oath with the same gravity with which it was given, now rise Master Loom, and attend me.” I was never so glad that I had practiced formal language as I was right now. The little clauses like telling him to attend me voided his order to stay in the guard house. Things like that also made you sound more noble, and I needed that badly right now. I thought I was doing the arrogant young noble act proud but I was afraid the veneer would crack at any moment. I’m sure that if someone didn’t just try to draft us, Kelder wouldn’t be able to stop himself from laughing.

There was a little more bluster from the Guard but he saw that this was the best way for him to avoid the possible worse fate that upsetting his own lord with this mess could bring. We entered the city at last, it was full of noise and smells but it was also full of life.

Corshar was a post-imperial city, but it was built in the imperial style. This meant it was roughly square with wide central avenues that divided the city into quarters. Additionally there was a central walled district where the leadership of the city lived. The inclusion of the three rivers meant the city effectively had ten districts of various sizes plus a sprawling slum outside the walls on the downriver side. We were in an area that seemed to be mostly middle class, with shops and tradesmen on all sides. There were a few people that looked to be well off merchants or master craftsmen, but there were none of the truly wealthy in evidence.

"So, where are we going, m'lord?" Denzick asked. "I am not a native but I have been to the city before, in more settled times. I know all of the best places in the city, just say the word."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"We have business at the adventurers guild," I said. “After that we have some trade goods to be appraised and sold off. Then we need to find a skilled leather worker to see about making a few commissions of Essence infused accouterments.”

“Very well, my lord,” He said, “The adventurers guild is in the Cut, the small riverside district north of the castle. It is a bit rough, perhaps I could lead you to a place to stay first, I know all the finest inns in the city.”

“More like been kicked out of the finest inns in the city,” Amala said with a smirk. “With that cloak you’d be lucky they didn’t beat you for a beggar. You are dressed quite shabbily for a man named Loom.”

“A yes, I am still in my traveling attire,” the bard said, and unslung his pack, “that is a necessity of life in these trying times, for if I walked the roads in my full glory I would be beset by cretons who thought my grand attire meant an equally grand purse.

“Please, hold this but for a moment,” he held out his bag to Kelder who just stood there leaning on his spear with both hands. The bard then proceeded to pass it to a smirking Gavel. “Thank you good man, that bag contains my life and is much too precious to lay upon the ground.”

He then reached up to the clasp of his cloak and with a billowing swirl of fabric had reversed it. The side now facing out was a mustard yellow with a double line of orange diamonds bordered in white circling him as shoulders and waist. His clothing was revealed to be a similar orange bur with dark blue trim. He retrieved his bag from Gavel and pulled out a well crafted mandolin. All in all, he was now the picture of a high court bard, if you didn’t look too closely at the many mended rips and occasional stain on his fine apparel.

"So you are in fact a bard." I said, impressed by his transformation despite myself. "If we are to be traveling together for some time, would you mind elaborating on that and telling us your class?"

"Of course my Lord," he said with a flourish, "I am a tier three [Honeysong Minstrel] on the path of the [Defthand Bard]. It is a grade four path and one hard to earn."

"And what level are you?"

"Ah, that, I am level sixty one. I am not slow, I have all but one requirement met, but to tier up I must compose an original song, and have it well recognized by my patron. I have not had a dedicated patron in some time, which is why it is so fortunate that I was able to come into your service."

"I had heard that many bard classes are of a retainer path. But why do you act so defensive of your level?"

"I can see you are a foreigner. The traditional belief around these parts is that you should tier up as quickly as possible." He explained. "People think that failing to advance quickly is a sign that you will stall out, like so many do. Even many of those in the adventurers guild who don’t advance quickly enough fail to reach tier five. I think only the royals and the young masters of the sects are guaranteed to reach tier five with the resources they have.”

“Interesting, that seems a strange view but it does explain some things,” I said. I wasn’t lying either. It was a vicious cycle from the start: weak dantians from tier zero would not be able support as many meridians in tier one; fewer meridians would not allow for as many Essence gates to be opened in tier two; the lack of gates would limit the amount of Essence you could infuse into your body at tier three; and it would only get worse from there. Since each tier is meant to be made up of more than double the levels of the previous, this focus on rapid advancement could lead to a person's foundation getting weaker and weaker until it can be built no higher without complete collapse. At that point the person would “stall out” as their body refused to process anymore Essence. I was starting to see why my ancestors' Red Book was such a prize.

We had been walking this whole time and had just crossed a bridge. It was like walking into a completely different city. Where before we had been marked out by being the only ones carrying weapons, now almost everyone was armed. Half the people we saw had some amount of armor on as well. The merchants had switched from those selling candles and broadcloth to those selling talismans and weapons. People also appeared to be moving in groups. Even as I took in the area I saw a woman in chainmail thrown bodily from a tavern by a man wearing an eyepatch, a bartender’s apron, and nothing else.

“Welcome to the Cut my lord,” the bard said with a smile. “Also known as the adventurers district. The tall building with the blue roof is the Guild Hall. You’ll also have better luck finding a crafter here than you will in Beminy Heights where the crafters who serve the noble usually live. Not only will they charge outrageously for the same quality, they have waiting lists that take months just to get on.”

“I’ll trust your advice for now,” I said to Danzick, “taking care of my business quickly and inexpensively would be appreciated. First things first, let us head to the Guild.”

I was regretting playing the noble more as we made our way to the Guild Hall as it made it so I couldn’t look around, it wasn’t aloof enough. We had joked about me playing the noble, and how everyone should act, on the trip here. Unfortunately I thought we would be able to just walk in, which is why I didn’t take it seriously. The others apparently did though because my friends were acting as we said they should.

Kelder was playing my bodyguard to the hilt, walking ahead and glaring at everyone. Gavel was acting more as a servant, which let him interact with those around easier. He had managed to go off and get us some sweetbreads earlier, now he just followed behind and waited for instruction while keeping an eye out. The girls were now hanging on my arms. Amala looked natural at it and even if she didn’t, her beauty would distract from any inconsistencies. Zaya kept blushing but clutched my arm to her chest in a death grip. Honestly she looked like the village girl with a crush I was taking advantage of. For all that I thought we were making a spectacle we reached the guild without garnering much attention.

The inside of the Guild Hall had a large room with one wall covered in pamphlets. The opposite wall held a bar and a waiting area. Across from the entrance there were two hallways leading back from each corner with three teller windows between them. The first had a sign over it that read registration, the second read quests, and the third read administration. All three had lines. I sighed at the act and sent Gavel to the administration line to tell them that Baron Tibor would like a meeting. Just to help smooth things over I sent the bard as well. The rest of us went to the bar to wait.

I watched the goings on of the adventurers guild while I waited. People would come in and about half would head straight for a teller. That other half would mostly head over to the far wall to check out the papers posted there. The interesting ones were the ones who headed straight down either of the halls. Those adventurers were obviously the most advanced, with better gear and a sense of power around them. Many of those were also the eccentrics, the man with rats sticking out of all the pockets of his coat, the woman covered in flour with a long baguette in place of a sword, or the hunched over man that exuded power but walked a pair of marionettes keeping pace ahead of him.

We were left waiting for some time. Long enough I was getting the impression it was intentional. A powerplay to show the noble he wasn't as important as he thought he was. I was getting tired of playing the arrogant prick so I just sat and chatted with the girls while I waited patiently. That was also a mistake, but at least I now knew several more terms related to fashionable dresses. It should be useful when Sarnia is older. When the two of them were trying to convince me that we should have a ball of all things an attendant finally arrived to fetch us.

We were led down the hall and up several flights of stairs. We were shown to a sitting room and made to wait again briefly before a tidy man with a ledger under one arm arrived. He looked us over, his gaze briefly landing on Danzick before he settled on me. "Baron Tibor I presume. I am deputy guild master Farthing. I am sorry to keep you waiting but we were unable to find any records of a Barony of Tibor. In fact the only Tibor we know about was part of the mountain kingdom centuries ago. I must say, I am quite curious as to where you come from?"

"That is quite the tale," I began, and then proceeded to lay out the contrived story of reviving the lost mountain Barony. He seemed skeptical but I let him identify my ring and it seemed to at least convince him that l was a sovereign over my lands.

When my tale was done I gave him a rye smile and said, "That brings me to why I requested this meeting today. When I took control of my lands I found something that is of concern to your organization. There is a young dungeon on my eastern border. We have explored the first floor and looked briefly at the second but do not have the resources to exploit it beyond that. Add in the fact that we in the mountains have always clove tight to imperial law and I think it is appropriate to bring the guild in at this time."

“Interesting,” the Deputy Guild Master said, “there are not many that remember that the Adventurer’s Guild was founded by the Empire to manage dungeons. How is it that a member of the, if you'll pardon the term, country gentry managed to be not only aware of that but holds to the code tightly enough to bring us in so readily?”

I retrieved my copy of the Imperial Codex of Laws from my ring. “This is what my father used to teach me to read. Even when we were lords in name only before I found a way to revive our title, the law was sacred to us. Borinal was one of the last of the kingdoms to be able to trace its line back to the fall of the empire and had kept imperial law as its foundation until the end.”

“Very good, what can you tell me about the dungeon?”

“It appears young, when we first found it the only monsters were wolves but since then it has added a number of other beasts. Wolves are still the primary but there are also boar, deer, various birds, and a number of small creatures. The first floor is on the surface but it isn’t a field dungeon, there is a cave in the center of the woods with a boss and stairs leading down. The second floor appears to be outside but an arrow shot upwards impacted the ceiling. The first floor is a dense wood of oak and pine with limited paths, the second is a more open forest though we didn’t explore much of it. I wouldn’t recommend shouted taunt skills on the second floor, there are many more creatures than you would expect in range. I think the dungeon must have killed one of the refugees from the Riverlands since some of the loot it has been dropping is cheap Riverland style jewelry. They also drop hides, meat, and the lead wolves on the first floor drop these little knives.” I summarized, placing one of the knives on his desk.

I spent the next hour going back and forth with Farthing about everything we knew about the dungeon. What were the drops, how many of each creature, behavior patterns. He also asked about things I didn’t know, like if the trees would grow back and whether the creatures wandered outside of the dungeon's territory to hunt. It was exhausting, but in the end he seemed satisfied.

“Well, it seems you have a fairly standard breech dungeon,” he said at last. “It doesn’t show any signs that you could tell me of breaking out or going rogue. I think with our presence there is little chance of that happening in the future. With your permission I would like to send out an evaluation team, a couple of high tier members and an artificer to take some readings. They will be able to get a better idea of the dungeons strength, letting us know how much of a commitment we will require to make. This is standard policy with a new dungeon that has not been fully explored. I would also like to send a liaison with you to set up a branch hall since you are not formally part of the kingdom of Serisol. Even though we are officially independent, this will keep people from trying to exert pressure regarding your lands. If your guild operations are self-contained neither I nor the other deputy guild masters could officially tell adventurers on your land to do anything.”

“I hadn’t even thought of that, I had always thought of the adventurers guild as above politics, that is the other reason I came to you rather than one of the sects.”

“We try, but we still have to live in the world,” he said. “That is why we try to set up independent halls whenever we can. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?”

I thought for a moment and asked, “We have a number of items and hides from our initial exploration, could you recommend any good traders or craftsmen who deal in Essence infused materials?”

The deputy guild master just smiled and turned to a new page in his ledger.