“Harriot,” the blacksmith said, “please stop climbing on Mr. Thuz.”

The young girl begrudgingly slid down from her perch on the lizardman’s back. Thuz insisted he was not bothered or offended.

On the other side of the outdoor work area, Eduardo and Harry smashed iron into small fragments, preparing it for the furnace. Harry was much younger than Eduardo, but seeing his father take on an apprentice sparked his own interest in learning the trade. The blacksmith had predicted such an outcome. Hans admired that masterful intersection of teaching and parenting.

“My master had a hammer mill and still made me learn to process the iron by hand,” the smith said. “It’s good for them too, but I’ve been talking to Galad about where would be good for our own water wheel. We’ll need a hammer mill soon, I suspect.”

“This initiative reminds me of Master Theneesa’s education program,” Thuz said.

Hans said that was one of his major inspirations, earning a knowing nod from Thuz while Izz inspected the tools the smith had for sale.

“Our village had a hammer mill,” Thuz said to the smith. “Your knowledge far surpasses mine, but I remember the design well. If it would be useful, I would gladly share the design with you.”

“That’s very kind of you, but we are a ways from construction, I wager. I’d expect you to have moved on by then.”

Thuz explained that he and Izz intended to stay in Gomi indefinitely. Any deadline the smith had for the project was entirely up to him.

The smith beamed. “I won’t turn down a helping hand.”

When Hans asked if he and the smith could speak in private, Thuz and Izz offered to mind the children for a few minutes. Hans and the smith stepped into the fletching shop where the fletcher–the smith’s wife–sat at a table. In front of her was a pile of harpy feathers, a sharp knife, and a magnifying glass mounted between her and the table. She greeted the Guild Master when he entered and thanked him for the fine feathers.

Hans invited her to listen as he described the Takarabune to the pair of tradespeople. He didn’t explain what the device was for other than to compare it to an astrolabe, which the fletcher had heard of where the smith hadn’t.

“I wouldn’t know where to start working with diamond,” the smith said. “Haven’t worked with exotic steels like that neither, but I’d take on the challenge. To be honest with you Mr. Hans, a mage with smithing experience might be better suited for the work. Those are small, very precise pieces you’re describing.”

“Put aside the humble act for a moment,” Hans said, “I promise not to tell anyone.”

The smith chuckled. “I wasn’t being humble about working with gems, but aye, I can do the rest. I know a fletcher who makes the most precise arrowheads this side of the kingdom.”

“I’d think about helping,” his wife added, jokingly.

“Thank you for humoring my questions,” Hans said.

“I hope getting the materials works out.”

The Guild Master nodded. “Me too, won’t be soon, though.”

When Hans returned to Izz and Thuz outside, he found Harriot demonstrating dance steps her mother had taught her. The lizardmen were quite impressed and encouraged her to share more. They clapped and marveled with every twirl and flourish. Before they departed, they promised to teach her a dance from their homeland. Harriot loved that idea.

“Much has changed in a short time,” Izz said as they began the walk to the Tribe farmlands. “At present, joy is difficult to find in the kingdom, yet it seems to blossom in Gomi.”

“Yes. The people seem hopeful,” Thuz added.

Hans agreed. “They’ve been through a lot, the kids especially. They don’t give up, though, and they are unbelievably loyal to each other.”

He told them the story of how Honronk taught himself to enchant tattoos in order to help the children, practicing on his own body over and over to get it right. Who could forget Gunther’s willingness to volunteer to be the first to receive the tattoo? Then there was Luther who wintered in Osare to help tusks who might arrive after the pass closed. He nearly died, but he said he believed his choice was still the right one. He had no regrets.

The list of Gomi residents Hans admired continued on, from Uncle Ed volunteering for delivery runs to Tandis managing the whole of the operations for a rapidly growing dungeon delving program.

“Your attempt to retire seems to have failed, Mr. Hans,” Thuz said when Hans finished.

Hans laughed. “It certainly has.”

“Will we meet your magery Apprentices on the Tribe lands?” Izz asked.

The Guild Master said they would not. Chisel’s party was on rotation to cull the dungeon, and Honronk lived in the dungeon full time, so neither were in town. Bel and Lee, who Hans also wanted the lizardmen to meet, were at the dungeon as well.

“We have not trained with Master Theneesa in some time. I’m looking forward to learning from one of her Spellswords,” Izz said.

“Thinking of picking up Spellsword techniques?”

Izz shook his head. “Sadly, no. I have much yet to study for my current path, but I am curious to learn how her methods have evolved.”

“I have the same curiosity about the two of you,” Hans said. “It’s been a few years since I’ve seen you in the field.”

“We would like for that to change, if we are permitted to go up the mountain with you,” Thuz said.

“Of course you are. If you’re open to it, I’d love for our adventurers to train with you. Chisel and Honronk need you for magery, especially. Think on what you’d want paid for each lesson, if you’re interested.”

“Mr. Hans,” Thuz said, sighing. “We do not desire your money.” Izz nodded that he agreed with Thuz.

“Adventurers shouldn’t work for free. I insist.”

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“Ask him,” Izz said to Thuz.

“Mr. Hans,” Thuz began, “wealth has never been our motivation. We became adventurers–”

Hans held up a hand. “Come on, guys. I remember. You want to return to your village.”

Thuz smiled. “Correct. Gomi has shown us that we were shortsighted in our goals. We could do far more than hunt monsters and train adventurers. Our children have few opportunities to learn and grow. We don’t need more fishermen, but that’s the only trade our elders can teach.”

“Master Theneesa’s Pre-Apprentice program led us to believe that education would foster more change than adventuring,” Izz said. “Gomi confirmed for us that learning nurtures hope.”

“I’ve missed our conversations, very much,” Hans said, finally. “What can I do?”

“Will you help us do for our home what you have done for Gomi?”

“I’m a small piece of this place, and I’ve not given as much as some. You would need their help as well,” Hans said. “I don’t think anyone would decline, but I’m not sure Gomi could be replicated.”

If they could somehow recreate the community Galad and Galinda’s parents built as well as the sense of needing to help one another to survive, they wouldn’t be able to reproduce one of the key galvanizing forces: the dungeon. Influencing the dungeon core gave Gomi access to nearly unlimited resources, which meant significant wealth. The town would be no less special if the dungeon never appeared, but it would look much different. Hans wanted to be candid about how much of what they saw was driven by the dungeon.

Without the dungeon, they wouldn’t have needed to train Apprentice adventurers, and they would never have the resources to support their new trade education program.

Without the dungeon, we never would have stopped the nightmares.

That thought sparked visions of an alternate future where the dreams spread to the rest of the tusks, forcing Galad and Galinda and every other tusk-touched to join the orcs in war. What a tragic ending that would have been. A tusk family moved to Gomi to escape humans only to have everything they built undone by orcs.

“Your point is fair,” Thuz said. “We do not have the same raw resources, but we do have funds.”

Hans knew the lizardmen to be frugal adventurers, rarely indulging in extravagant purchases or displays of their wealth. In fact, they still rented the same apartment from when they were Apprentices, a studio in one of the poorer corners of Hoseki whose only windows looked out upon a wall, close enough that Hans could touch the neighboring structure with barely a reach.

Thuz continued, “We have spent little of our earnings as adventurers. Miss Mazo has included room and board in our pay as well.”

“That’s pretty generous.”

Izz laughed. “She felt guilty booking expensive inns when we chose humbler accommodations. She insisted on the new arrangement so she could enjoy her money without shame.”

“I suspect she enjoyed your company more,” Hans said.

“That may be true, but Miss Mazo would never admit as such.”

The lizardmen were quite wealthy, stopping Hans mid-stride when they estimated their current bank balance for him. Frugal, it seemed, had been an understatement. Izz and Thuz had more so lived an unofficial vow of poverty, spending hardly any of their reward money for more than a decade. They said their parents, grandparents, and great grandparents had done the same, dedicating generations of savings to send Izz and Thuz to Hoseki for an education. In their minds, the gold they earned was never theirs to spend.

“I’ll do anything I can to help,” Hans said. “I hope you knew that before asking, but now you don’t have to guess.”

“Thank you, Mr. Hans,” they both replied.

“My knowledge ends at adventuring. If you really want to learn from Gomi, you need to talk to Galad, Galinda, and Charlie. And Olza too, actually. She sticks to the background, but she’s done a lot for the people here.”

The trio agreed to draft a complete plan while Izz and Thuz were in town. Barring a request from Miss Mazo or some other form of emergency, they would be in town for some time, perhaps for the winter as well.

“Are you sure?” Hans asked. When Izz and Thuz began to argue that their commitment was unshakable, Hans said, “No, no, no. I believe you can do it. I meant the winter. It gets a good bit colder than you’d like, if I’m remembering your preferences correctly.”

He had no doubt in the accuracy of his memories. He had listened to Izz and Thuz complain about the chill they felt in a warm summer night on many occasions. For any environment cooler than that, they complained frequently. Politely, yes, but still frequently.

“We are willing to endure a few inches of snow,” Thuz said.

“Feet.”

“Hmm?”

“A few feet of snow.”

The lizardmen looked to one another. “Do you jest?”

Hans chuckled and shook his head. “It was waist-high for most of the winter. My waist, I mean. I’ve heard a few stories about blizzards burying the town. If they wanted to go next door to visit, they had to dig a tunnel.”

“My resolve is unshaken,” Thuz said.

“Mine, however, is,” Izz said with a small smile, “yet I would do this for our home. I can endure one winter, but I wonder, who in this region would have the knowledge to make our boots?” The lizardman pointed to his wide, three-toed foot, similar in dimension to Hans’ chest. “I suspect we should start looking immediately if we wish to be prepared in time.”

The Guild Master said they could certainly find a leatherworker in Gomi.

New Quest: Help Izz and Thuz bring new opportunities to their home village.

***

“Petal, I’d like you to meet Mr. Izz and Mr. Thuz,” Buru said, speaking softly into his shirt pocket. “We will be training with them soon.”

Petal’s pink nose shot out of the pocket and sniffed. Her whiskers bent and curled every which way, like she had wrinkled them in their sleep. Carefully, she crawled up Buru’s chest and perched on his shoulder.

“She is afraid of meeting new people,” Buru said, “but she would like to meet you both properly. May she approach?”

The lizardmen said that was fine. Buru stepped up to Izz and extended his arm. Petal crawled down Buru, her hairless tail curled tight to her body and her tree-frog-like fingers spread wide to keep from falling. Izz held out an open palm.

Petal timidly stepped into Izz’s scaled hand. She looked up at him and shook.

“No need to fear, little one,” Izz said, leaning his head closer to Petal. “I won’t– Oh, my. Is this my doing?”

The opossum flopped to her side in Izz’s palm, curling into a loose ball. Her lips pulled back into a sort of snarl. Her tongue flopped out, and her eyes were wide. She didn’t move.

“My apologizes, Mr. Izz,” Buru said, gently retrieving the opossum. “She is brave in her own way but still very shy.”

Izz assured Buru he took no offense. He heard that opossums defended themselves that way but had not witnessed it in person.

On their way back to the guild hall, Thuz asked Hans, “You once believed Petal could be a source of great danger?”

“Shut up, Thuz.”

The lizardmen laughed.

***

Open Quests (Ordered from Old to New):

Progress from Gold-ranked to Diamond-ranked.

Mend the rift with Devon.

Using a pen name, complete the manuscript for "The Next Generation: A Teaching Methodology for Training Adventurers."

Expand the dungeon with resource-specific monsters for each of Gomi’s major trades.

Find a way for Gomi adventurers to benefit from their rightful ranks in the Adventurers’ Guild.

Secure a way to use surplus dungeon inventory for good.

Confirm Roland and Uncle Ed’s decision on the Osare tournament.

Finish transcribing the manual and decide on the next course of action.

Help Izz and Thuz bring new opportunities to their home village.