It had taken several minutes for Trevor to both finish the pickle and compose himself after Jackson had left. Despite the old elf’s instruction, he had not quite been ready to strike off on his own. However, he recognized that now was not the proper time for his long awaited freak out. Not only was he in somebody’s study, but who knew how far his voice would carry and he really didn’t want to cause someone to become concerned.
Replacing the pickle juice still in his inventory into the sealed clay jar, he removed the whole thing and placed it on the table. At the very least, the knowledge that he could bypass containers was handy to have. He couldn’t think of many instances where it was needed, but that was easily blamed on how long his day had been even though it had only just started.
He headed downstairs. The tower was fairly nondescript and circular, and there was a long drop from the top of the spiral staircase to the bottom. There was, however, a railing all the way down, so it was at the very least safe.
The sounds of the crowds were much louder as Trevor stood in front of the wooden door that he assumed led outside. With his hand already on the metal handle, he took several deep breaths.
“Do not panic,” he told himself, quoting the Quest Master. “It’s just like going on vacation overseas to a new culture. Don’t worry about elves, or Powers, or whatever. Just take it easy, Trevor.”
Taking one last breath, Trevor opened the door and realized that, no matter what he thought, he had not been ready for what lay on the other side.
The plaza before him was covered with colorful cloth awnings, protecting the plethora of stalls from the sun above. People of literally all shapes and sizes filled his view. Some were meandering aimlessly, stopping at the various booths and shopping more with their eyes than their wallets. Others were zipping around, or at least walking with purpose, carrying different sizes of bags and boxes with them.
While the market was one thing that Trevor could easily wrap his mind around, the people were another.
As he took his first steps down the stairs to the plaza, he noted that there were humans around. They were the prominent majority, and were just as diverse as they were on Earth. This one had dark skin and light hair, this one had light skin and dark hair. That one was tall, while this one was short. It was easy to tell the men from the women, and aside from the fact that there didn’t seem to be an obesity epidemic in this country like there was in his own, things wouldn’t have looked any different than a ye olde renaissance faire.
Whereas the crowds frequenting such events may have cosplayed as different races, elves in particular, these people didn’t have to put on prosthetic ears to sell the illusion.
Trevor was not ignorant when it came to games and various races popularized by them. When he saw an elf, he knew that it was an elf. When he saw a gnome, he knew it was a gnome. When he saw a kobold, he knew it was a kobold.
What stopped him was the fact they existed.
The town was inhabited by people of all types. He caught himself staring at a small humanoid with twisted blue hair that wouldn’t have been out of place on an old Troll doll bartering with a black-scaled, bipedal lizard wearing fine clothes and several gold bracelets on its tail.
In another area, a platinum blond elf was stringing a bow while speaking with a bald dwarf sporting a massive, chestnut-brown beard.
Even further in, he could see a red-skinned woman with horns and a tail pass a grinning orc some coins. From this distance he could pick out the glint of gold, and in return she received a sword.
While Trevor was processing, something large and furry struck him in the side and knocked him to the ground. The young man twisted so that he was looking up at the person who had run into him, and froze.
“Sorry, didn’t see you there,” the minotaur said in a deep, rumbling voice. “Shouldn’t be standing in the middle of everything, you know?”
Sure enough, the creature standing in front of Trevor was a minotaur, half bull and half man. His brown fur covered almost every inch of his body, and his black eyes were looking down with an unreadable emotion. His snout was unadorned with the gold ring his culture had come to expect from a minotaur, though his body was covered with loosely draped silks of dark blue, green, and purple, and jewelry of gold.
What really stuck out aside from the fine clothes and huge size were the horns. Each one had carvings and markings that Trevor couldn’t decipher at first glance, and they were covered in colorful ribbons and golden sleeves. Four coins with shiny, platinum sheen hung from leather straps, two to a side.
The minotaur rumbled in amusement as he looked from Trevor to the tower not ten feet away. When he looked back at the fallen man, he squatted down. “You staring at my horns, boy?”
“Um,” Trevor said wisely as his eyes snapped from the minotaur’s horns to his eyes. "Sorry?"
This time, the minotaur laughed and threw his hands up. “Look! Look all you want, that’s what they’re for!” he exclaimed. “Wouldn’t go through so much trouble if I don’t want people looking, you know?”
“Yeah, I get it,” Trevor said, not fully getting it but releasing an unwittingly held breath. “Sorry, it’s… It’s my first day. First ten minutes, even. I’m still getting used to things.”
“No need to apologize, friend,” the minotaur said jovially. He offered Trevor a hand, and the young man took it. He was lifted to his feet with ease. “I’m glad you are one of the Summoned who knows manners. There are some who would look at me, yell ‘ahh, beast’ and then try to slay me. Not very kind of them. Very rude. Not like you, though! Staring is fine. Rude, but much less so. Don’t you think?”
“I think, if your first instinct is to try to kill something, then you really need to reevaluate your priorities,” Trevor responded cautiously.
“Yes!” the minotaur clapped Trevor on the shoulder. A jolt went through his body, but it didn’t hurt as much as he thought it would. “Yes, this human gets it. Tell me, are there more of my kind in your world?”
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“Oh, no, sir. Only humans, and it’s always been that way.”
The minotaur clicked his tongue and shook his head sadly. “A shame, that. I can see that you are nervous, but you don’t have any reason to be,” he claimed, waving a hand towards the market. “This is the safest place in the city, doubly so next to me.”
“Next to you?” Trevor asked.
“Ah, I have not introduced myself. My sincerest apologies.” The minotaur took a step back and gave Trevor a slight bow. “I am Klarkartar, merchant prince hailing from the Isle of Horns. I am a minotaur, in case you don’t know.”
Trevor had known that Klarkartar was a minotaur, but deliberately held his tongue. The myth of the minotaur from Earth would likely be frowned upon in other societies, and he didn’t want to be the one to bring it up. Especially when the one he was addressing introduced himself as a prince.
Instead, the young man bowed just as he had before to Jackson. “I’m Trevor Anderson,” he said. “Human, from Earth. One of the Earths, I think. There might be more than one. I, uh, I didn’t ask. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Klarkartar. Or, is that Prince Klarkartar?”
“No stuffy pleasantries here,” Klarkartar rumbled. “Please, my friends call me Klar, and I am always on the lookout for new friends as I’m out and about.”
“Okay, Klar. Feel free to call me Trevor, then.”
“I shall indeed. Tell me, Trevor, may I ask you a question?”
Despite the initial culture shock, Trevor found himself becoming more at ease with his new minotaur friend. Klar was loud and half again as tall as he was, but the voice was nonetheless soothing. The young man found himself nodding in response.
“Thank you,” the minotaur said, inclining his head further. “You have only just been summoned. This is what you said, correct?”
“Yep, not long ago.”
“Then this is a matter of fate!” the minotaur roared. Some people gave them curious looks, but most went about their business. “I must take you under my horns, as they say.”
“Oh, that’s really not necessary,” Trevor said, holding his hands up. “I mean, I can’t have you spending time on some nobody like me. I’m sure that, as a prince, you’re very busy.”
“I am a merchant prince, but it is just a title,” Klar said dismissively. “I am a merchant operating out of the capital, and haven’t seen my home in many years. By choice, mind you. It is simply something to say to impress people, like these horns.”
“They really are quite great,” Trevor agreed.
“Yes, they truly are, but I suppose that’s your first lesson. You mentioned that there are only humans on your Earth?” Klar asked, to which Trevor nodded. “Then let me tell you this as an icebreaker for other races: if they dress something up all fancy, that means they are proud of it and praising them is worthwhile. Easy, right?”
Before Trevor could agree, Klar turned him towards the market and pointed out the kobold he had been staring at earlier. “Look at this woman, for example,” Klar said. “In their society, women wear gold and men wear silver, this makes it easy for those who are not kobolds to tell. They understand the limitations of us mammals and dress accordingly. Makes sense?”
“Yes, I’ve got it.”
“Good, but you see how she has fancied up her tail with bracelets. She is proud, and she is drawing attention. A kobold’s tail is like a minotaur’s horns. Some are proud, others are more modest, and even some others are ashamed. That is a kobold who is proud. If you wanted to start a conversation, or strike a bargain, that would be an easy way to build a connection.”
“Yes, that makes sense,” Trevor said.
“Gnomes are always ready to talk about their hair,” Klar said, gesturing towards a group of them. “They love elaborate hairstyles and anything new. A gnome will talk your ear off as soon as they learn you’re a Summoned, but they’re a good folk. They don’t understand when they’re being a nuisance, but greatly appreciate straightforwardness. If they ask you too many questions about home, just let them know it’s too much.”
Trevor nodded, but made a mental note to avoid gnomes until he was settled in and ready for it.
“And these dwarves here,” Klar continued, waving his hand again. “One's beard is all braided, while the other's is cut short but has little golden beads in it. They are both proud, but the braid is one that means something. The beads are meant for show because he is lacking in something.”
Trevor furrowed his brow. “What’s he lacking?”
“No clue,” Klar admitted. “But it’s short, see? Size and length is also important. Perhaps he had to cut it for some reason, but still wants to be proud.”
Taking a deep breath, the young man gave Klar an apologetic look and shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’m getting it.”
“Perhaps not. I am a poor teacher, I know this, and there is a lot to go over. It is okay,” Klar said, giving what Trevor imagined was an apologetic smile. Something in the distance caught the minotaur's attention, and he waved his massive hand. “And it looks like my time is up. Here is something that is universal, if the person you are talking to has horns, but they have nothing to adorn them, then do not mention them at all. Don’t stare, either. That goes for minotaurs and demons, the two most common of us who have horns.”
“Okay, that’s easy enough to remember,” Trevor said, though he was still feeling dread about having to learn Dwarven Beard Length Etiquette somewhere down the line.
Klar waved again, a little more insistently this time, before retrieving a small business card from a pouch around his belt. Trevor took it when offered, and found himself furrowing his brow again. It was written in a language he had never seen before made of scratching letters.
“Ask the Quest Master to translate,” Klar insisted.
“Please translate this?”
[[Klarkartar’s Magical Emporium
Come to the merchant’s district in the capital city of Eskretet for all your magical needs! You can’t miss it, just follow the horns!]]
“Come and find me if you’re ever in the capital, new friend Trevor,” Klar said before shaking his head. “My journey is almost over, but I am provided providence once more in meeting you today. I wish you well in all that you do, whether it is adventuring or something else entirely, I wish you well.”
“And you as well,” Trevor responded, putting the business card into his pocket. “I hope that every hardship brings you greater success. I think that’s the quote, anyway. I might just be very nervous and making things up.”
Klar laughed. “I understand your sentiment, friend, thank you. This is a minotaur sign of respect, but you do not have to perform it.” He put his hands palm against palm over his head and bowed deeply towards Trevor, keeping his eyes on the ground.
“Is it- would it be okay if I did?” Trevor asked quietly.
“Of course, we minotaurs are a welcoming bunch. It is an honor to meet a Summoned such as yourself.”
Nodding, Trevor hesitated for only a moment before returning the gesture. They stayed that way for a few seconds, and the young man only raised his head when Klar did. The minotaur beamed before turning to the crowd. “Yes, I’m coming! Don’t interrupt me when I’m making new friends!”
“Bye, Klar,” Trevor said. He watched as the minotaur walked away to the other side of the market to others of his kind. They butted heads before Klar pointed back at Trevor, who waved again, and disappeared into the city streets, leaving the young man to find his way alone.