I pop up five clones once I am setup with my room, keeping my personal items stored in my inventory. We’ve all changed into different outfits and hats to cover my head and face.
All together we leave and split into different directions, Number 1 and Koda will go with Dr Rath to get food and meet his cousins, the other four clones will go around the city to different sites. I will head toward the Adventurer Society and get myself sorted there.
I nod to the others and head toward the direction of the large towers in the distance, that's where the society and other major sites are. Including the Institute…
Making my way out of the alleyway I head out and after a few short turns become quite lost. I find myself after a few minutes outside of Voice Chat range and in a large square with dozens of different paths out.
Looking around I must be close cause I can’t see the towers over the buildings, the people here are also dressed quite well so I gotta be in a good part of the city. I see a younger man of about 20 or so walking down the road in light flowing clothes and jog to catch up.
“Excuse me, I'm a little lost. Mind directing me to the Adventurer Society?”
Slowly turning to me he replies “I did not realise you would not be so brazen. And you are?”
“Uhhhhh, Michael. Hi nice to um, meet you. What are you talking about?”
“Oh please, you and I both know my parents hired you. I’m just surprised they actually followed through with it.”
“Uh, mate I got no clue what you're on about. I just arrived in the city.”
Shaking his head he replies “Yes, yes and you probably came from some tiny village from the middle of nowhere and you were the strongest one there. We’ve all heard that story before.” he replies hand waving.
“I think you’ve got me confused with someone else, I’m just gonna go and ask someone else.”
“Oh don’t bother, come. Let's eat and we can discuss the contract my parents gave you.”
“I was actually looking for a good food place but I really want to get going now, and it's not like I have any money.”
“Yes, yes come on. Follow me.”
Ok this is weird, I kinda don’t want to follow him but looks like he’s heading for a nearby restaurant and I’ve got no idea what to expect. I have the gut feeling that he’s not a bad guy but yea this is weird.
I am quite curious though so let's see what this guy's parents would have in store for him. Joining him at an outdoor table near a guy standing and playing an instrument while singing. A waitress comes by and gives us a menu and some water.
“Just let us know if you want to order something gentleman.”
“Sure”, “Thank you.” We both reply. “So, Michael I suppose you know who I am so tell me about yourself?”
“I actually don’t but sure, I’m from down south. A drifter from one of those tiny islands, I ran away some time ago and have slowly been working my way up. My last job was at Farmers Rest Island, for crop planting. And you are?”
“You know who I am, you were hired.” “Oh indulge me will you?” I reply a bit annoyed with an eye roll.
“Fine, my name is Lockness Nessgray of the Nessgray family, I have finished my training and was on my way to the Society to register as a member. Then I ran into you, a Martial who are normally hired by rich families to ensure the safety of their children when they become Adventurers.”
I look bewildered at him for a moment before starting to chuckle “y, your name is Lock Ness?” I say with a wide smile. “Yes?”
“Ok, mate. Where I’m from Lock Ness means Lake Ness. Your named after a lake!”
“A lake? No my name is all one word. Lockness, not Lock Ness, that sounds weird… Wait” he says with eyes going wide, “You actually don’t know who I am?”
“Bingo! He finally gets it” I exclaim as I lean back in my chair. “Bingo? Oh gods I’m so sorry! I could have sworn that my parents had, my cousin told me if I’m very arrogant the Martial would decide to drop the job. Ahhg oh I’m so sorry!”
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Ah it fine mate, no harm done but I do want to know what a Martial is.”
“Yea um, they're basically a bodyguard for new Adventurers if their family thinks they might get into trouble. I didn’t think they would as it’s normally for people who are troublemakers, like my cousin actually.”
“You know what yea I can see that being a thing, and I certainly would have given you up if I was a Martial upon our introduction.”
“Ugh I feel so stupid, let me buy you a meal to apologise.”
“Mate, all I need is directions to the Adventurer Society, there’s no need for payback.”
“Yes, yes of course I’ll guide you to the Society.”
“No worries mate, also real quick would you accept the invite that I send you?” “Invite? Wha-”
Interrupting Lockness I send through a Party Creation Invite, with limited permissions. No need to share anything further.
You have been invited into “Temp1” Party by Michael Hayes
Accept / Decline
Leave Party
“Uhh, well that’s an interesting Power, whats it called?”
“System Interface, but I call it either System or Interface for short. Basically it creates a group which can share things between people, it can be used for communication.”
“Cool, I’ll Accept.”
Lockness Nessgray has accepted the invite to “Temp1” Party by Michael Hayes
Use “Trust but Verify” ability? (Y/N)
Trust but Verify ability enabled.
Outcome: Trustworthy (99.99% accuracy)
Unable to use Trust but Verify ability on Lockness Nessgray again.
“Nice, just wanted to check if that would work. I’m ready to become an Adventurer when you are.”
“Of course, let’s go.”
Lockness Nessgray has left “Temp1” Party owned by Michael Hayes
Walking toward one of the alleyways we talk for a short while, my time at Farmers Rest Island and his time training and living in the city. He’s quite chipper now and the Trust but Verify ability looks like it worked.
You could describe him as a “young master” of a xianxia novel, fair skinned, medium length brown hair and slightly pointed ears. Not as pronounced as the Elf from the Powered Carriage (train) so maybe some elf ancestry.
As we walk toward the Adventurer Society we are starting to see a large number of people in the area, several Trax, Elves, and some people who look right out of Narnia on either two, four or more legs.
No Harden or Intelligent Hordes that I can see unless there are three of them in a trenchcoat.
Moving in we enter the Adventurer Society building, a large tower that looks like a wide wizards tower at least 30 metres in diameter and covered in a white brick with a large mural over the front oval entrance. All over the outside wall of the building is a large array of opal coloured carvings.
Entering through a large set of wooden double doors with embossed metal and opal carvings, the entryway is a large hollow first floor with a circular centre desk where several employees are located and the rest of the room is covered in job boards, seats and tables, and a small library of books sitting on shelves that line the outside of the room.
There is just about a small army of people standing about in different groups or individually, looking around I cannot see many with swords, but several with polearms, maces, spears and more. All of the magical variety and almost all having very long reach.
We join a line together and slowly wait till we reach the front. “Hello, how can I help you?” says a slightly portly bearded human man who has several scars along his bare arms. He’s wearing a large red shirt that does not have a collar but is embossed with the same opal carvings and a name typed in glyphs. Bertinald.
Lockness speaks up “Hi, yes we would like to become Adventurers. What’s the signup and grading process?”
“Well that won’t take too long, the signup process is just signing documents but the grading process is a bit different. Once all this is sorted you’ll need to go through a series of tests and exams. Once done then you are Adventurers and can take jobs, after your first 10 successful jobs that receive a good grade then your probationary period is over.”
“I can give you the forms now and you can do them on your own time, but for now I’ll get you to sign these here.” he adds and hands over a small stack each of forms and a single piece of paper for us to sign along with a pen with a crystal stone set into it.
Each of us takes the pen and starts writing our name on the separate piece of paper, well Lock’s does, my pen starts to glow a dull yellow when grabbing it and my eyes go wide.
At the sight of the glowing pen, Bertinald’s eyes also go wide. “Um, I think you should come with me sir, the Master would like to see you.”