The woman being led across the town green by Rhiley had a gray aura with dark red areas around all of her joints. She appeared to be in her seventies and walked with both a cane and with a great deal of assistance from the farm boy. “Greetings ma’am. How can I help you?” Joe asked.
“Just my rheumatism. Ain’t nothing to be done for it. I’m old and I know it.”
“You should let him try Missus Spooner,” Rhiley interjected. “He’s really good at it.”
“So you have been saying but old bones are old bones. They ain’t something ya heal.”
“Actually, I’m not so sure about that,” Joe said. “All those painful joints look like damage to me and damage is what my spells work on. Want to let me try? It won’t cost you anything if it doesn’t work. Honestly, it won’t cost you anything if it does either. It’s up to you if you want to pay. Today I am helping out anyone who wants it whether I get paid or not.”
“That is very nice of you, young man. Very well. Let’s see what you can do. I already walked all the way over here thanks to your insistent young helper here,” she replied, giving Rhiley a pat on the shoulder. She settled down on the log in front of him, leaning her cane against the seat. Joe inched his stool closer, before reaching out and casting his basic healing spell.
You have restored 13% of Madina Spooner’s total health. Her current health is at 68%.
Your skill [Assess Wounds] has increased to rank 3.
Joe had not noticed that his passive observations of the villagers had knocked off the first two easy levels of his [Assess Wounds] skill. Already he could see the gray aura around Madina start to gain a hint of blue. A smile perked up at the edges of her mouth.
You have restored 13% of Madina Spooner’s total health. Her current health is at 81%.
Your skill [Assess Wounds] has increased to rank 4.
You have restored 13% of Madina Spooner’s total health. Her current health is at 94%.
Your skill [Assess Wounds] has increased to rank 5.
Your skill [Healing Touch] has increased to rank 7.
You have restored 6% of Madina Spooner’s total health. Her current health is at 100%.
The woman in front of him seemed completely transformed. She sat up straight looking at Joe with bright eyes. There was no trembling or crookedness to her hands. Her aura glowed a healthy blue. Joe sensed Madina still had some lingering stiffness even though he had healed her to full health. It seemed that not all of the damage vanished under his spell immediately. The body had to finish dispelling the harm, and that took a bit more time.
“Well, I’ll be. I have not felt this good since before you were born, son. I can’t believe it,” she exclaimed, rising to her feet and drawing Joe up with her. Joe then found himself enveloped in a bony but fierce hug. “This is a gift, my boy. A beautiful one. You are truly blessed to be able to give it.” A look of realization crossed her features. “Come, walk me home, I have something for you.” She laid her hand over Joe’s arm and gave him a tug back in the direction she came from. When she first crossed the green to him, Madina was leaning heavily on Rhiley. Now her grip was light, just enough to steady her in case she tripped.
Rhiley trotted up next to Joe. “While you go do that, I’m going to head to Mister Tienker’s. He lives right over there,” the boy stated, pointing. “He’ll probably have me muck out his henhouse. He only has a couple birds but he hates doing it, so that is probably what he is going to have me do for Mom’s kettle. I’ll find you in an hour or so.”
“Ok. See you soon.”
Rhiley headed off in the direction he pointed, while Joe walked Madina back to her home. “You could make an awful lot of goodwill with your ministrations, young man. Just to give you a word of caution. You should make sure to get yerself square with Lord Amberwroth and maybe even the Eldauk clan. The Baron collects his due from any business that operates in Crowfield. Not actually charging folks was a very clever idea. He will have a hard time taxing gifts offered freely.”
“It wasn’t really a plan to dodge taxes. I have only been in Illuminaria for less than a day. Neither Rhiley nor I had any idea what to charge, so I decided to let people pay me what they thought was fair.”
“Well, then you were inadvertently clever. Amberwroth shouldn’t have much of a leg to lean on, but that don’t mean he won’t try. You keep building goodwill, but when he sends his thug Sir Groven, just you mind yer manners. They are a prickly pair.”
Reaching her front porch Madina continued advising Joe. “As for Gurda and her boys, they are good people but Gurda sure hates to see gold slip into anyone else’s pockets when she thinks she can get a cut of it. Ya might want to drop her an extra coin or two early on. You’ll find a few drops of honey now will save ya in the long run. Gurda has a long memory. If you plan on being in Crowfield for any length of time you’ll find out how being on her good side can pay off.
“Now sit yerself. I’ll grab ya slice of pie. I may need a minute to find what I wanted to give ya.”
****************************
After about twenty minutes of Madina rummaging around in cabinets and drawers, she finally exclaimed, “There ya are.” She lifted a very ordinary-looking gray stone out of the drawer. It appeared to be a typical beach stone, a smooth flat oval, about an inch and a half long and less than an inch tall. When she brought it closer, Joe could see that a spiral of tiny runes had been carved into the top of the rock.
“This be my Slow Stone. One of my nephews is crafty with earth magics and he made this for me one season when we had a terrible year with rats. Them varmints got into everything. I used to be a damn good throw in my younger days. How it works is ya concentrate on a target then toss the stone next to it while ye whisper the command word. The word is ‘Udaan’. I think it means slow in the language of stone and earth. If the stone lands within a few inches of the critter, the rock slows it way down. Moves as if they were swimming through molasses. Now the bigger the target the shorter it gets slowed for. For a rat, ye got all the time in the world ta trap it. I once held a dog in slow for a couple a minutes cause I hung the stone on its collar. Ye’d only get a few seconds fer a person and maybe a blink for something bigger.”
“How do you recharge it?”
“It be earth magic. Bury it for a couple of hours and it will fill its mana back up.”
“I can’t thank you enough. I never had a magic item before. This is pretty amazing.”
“It ain’t anything too grand, but I remember back when my hands didn’t shake I had a whole bunch of fun with it. As good for a prank as it was for a rat-catcher.”
“I’m looking forward to trying it out. Can I help you with the dishes?”
“No, no. You’ve given me a spring in my step and two good mitts again. I may give all my dishes a good scrubbing now that I feel like a young lass again. Go back and share that gift with the rest of the folk in town.”
Joe smiled and headed back to his stool. After a few more heals with the villagers who came by, Joe had a decent-sized pile of coins to go with the villagers’ gratitude. He could not remember a better day. He had gone from being the one everyone had to care for to being someone who could care for others. Each person he healed rewarded him with a smile at minimum; hugs were getting pretty common. Joe was not much of a hugger, but it was impossible to turn down the honestly grateful villager. After a while, he stopped minding.
He would have kept going but constantly working his newly minted mana pool had left him with a pinching headache. The more he used his spells, the more he strengthened whatever aspect of himself housed his mana. He did not get dizzy after a single casting anymore, but he had never depleted himself as much as he had with his impromptu clinic. He would have to make a habit of working his mana every day, just like exercising his body, if he wanted to not suffer each time he used spells. Even though he could heal normal damage on himself, spending more mana to heal his own mana-strained head would only make it worse.
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He counted the coins in his bowl. It came up to an amazing amount; just shy of thirty-six gold pieces, not including the three he had left over in his satchel. He had enough money now to pick up some basic gear. He could also get the [Assess Creature] crystal. Not having been born in this world, Joe did not have an ingrained knowledge of races, animals, or even monsters. Being able to know what kind of being he was dealing with could be the difference between surviving an encounter or not. Granted he would also have to gain some actual combat improvements as well. Armor, if he could afford it, should be first. Then he’d have to find some way to train with his staff.
On entering the General Store again he came face to face with a grim-faced giantess. “Back again Sir Healer. I see you took my advice and ran with it without me.”
“Sorry, Missus Eldauk. I was mostly interested in learning how my spells work. I was by no means trying to set up a conflicting business. Can I make it up to you? As I said, I am brand new to this world. You tell me what would you recommend, and if I can afford it, I will happily buy whatever you suggest.”
The giantess looked down at Joe causing him to swallow instinctively. He really hoped she would not hold a grudge for his end-running around her. After a long glower, she finally sighed and shook her shoulders, seemingly to put the matter behind her. Her next words were pleasantly spoken, lacking any hint of resentment. “Very well. Considering you seem to have not much more than the clothes on your back and that walking stick. You should buy a SAK.”
Joe picked up one of the burlap bags from a nearby pile. “Really? That’s it? I have enough to spend more, Madam.”
The giantess stifled a laugh behind her large hand. “No silly boy. Not a sack. A SAK. S, A, K. Standard Adventurer’s Kit. It comes with a backpack, belt pouch, bedroll, a cloth bucket, four candles, flint and steel, fifty feet of rope, a hooded lantern with three pints of oil, a hand axe, an actual cloth sack, a bar of soap, a ball of twine, a pair of torches, a waterskin, a whetstone and enough trail rations for seven days. All totaled the kit will cost you eighteen gold pieces.”
“Just to show my appreciation, let's make it twenty even if you throw in one of those blankets over there,” he said, pointing to a stack of woven material. The blankets only cost 2 silver quins, but Joe was hoping the shopkeep would accept the extra gold and a half as a peace offering. Besides, Joe knew he’d miss having a pillow or a bit more padding if he had to sleep outdoors.”
“Very well. Are there any other crystals you want?”
“Yes, please. I wanted to grab that [Assess Creature] crystal.”
He left the shop with fourteen gold pieces, three silver quin, and a handful of copper pennies. Hanging on his shoulders was a well-made pack containing almost thirty pounds of basic staples any traveler would need. The pack distributed the load fairly well but the weight would still take some time to get used to. He considered upping his Strength but held off for now. He was not sure if he would need that Attribute point for something else. He’d make that decision after he felt how heavy his armor would be. When he asked Gurda about mail, she told him he would want to see Rorrog Demhuld for metal armors or Elamaris Aelladon for cloth or leather armors.
Joe looped around the town green. The two buildings down from the general store looked to be a tavern and inn. The next building was a massive stable. Joe had to stop because the fenced yards contained far more than horses. He tried out his new skill and assessed a number of the amazing creatures he saw.
[Thunderhoof] These thick-hided mounts possess a devastating charge. They are slower than most mounts when walking but have exceptional endurance and superior carrying capacities.
Your skill [Assess Creatures] has increased to rank 1.
[ShadowCat] These large predatory cats have superior stealth and exceptional leaping abilities. They are one the most sought-after mounts for travel through jungles and other such dense terrain.
Your skill [Assess Creatures] has increased to rank 2.
[Hippogryph] These chimeric beasts have the head and winged features of a predatory bird, the forequarters of a mountain lion, and the rear end of a horse. They are intelligent and loyal, with average aerial maneuverability.
Your skill [Assess Creatures] has increased to rank 3.
Because of the variety of creatures, the stables looked more like a zoo than a livery. Domes enclosed the cats and flyers while a lagoon and channel to the river had been built for the hippocampi and other aquatic mounts. Almost an hour later Joe recalled his original plan and managed to pry himself away. As he continued around the circle he found himself entering the area where most of the crafters seemed to live; a bookbinder, jeweler, carpenter, and cobbler. He saw the two shops he was looking for across the street from each other. Signs out front depicted breastplates in both leather and steel. Somehow the buildings themselves gave the impression they were facing off against each other. The elegant elven establishment seemed to look down on the heavy dwarven construction, which in turn glowered back across the street. Joe wondered if this world would have the stereotypical animosity between the two classic fantasy races. As heavy armor was not an option for him, Joe skipped the dwarves and headed into Aelladon’s Atelier of Armor and Apparel.
The smell of leather and oil filled the air. The room was covered in leather vests, chest pieces, and bracers. Armor from full suits to individual pieces was on display. Pouches, bags, satchels, and packs hung on hooks throughout the store. An elf dressed in an impeccable ensemble of greens looked up from a ledger and then stood to greet Joe. “Welcome to Aelladon’s. Is there anything I can help you find?”
“I am looking for some light armor but I am working with a tight budget.”
“And how tight would that be,” the elf asked, seeming to glide more than walk up to the healer.
“I have less than fifteen gold,” Joe said wincing. In most games, the classic studded leather that he started most of his light-armor characters in, usually cost between twenty-five and fifty gold pieces. He had no idea what he could get for fourteen and change.
“Not to worry. There is quite a bit we can do with that amount. I have a number of leather suits that you could afford. I’m sure we can find one you will like. They will not be anything terribly special but I will guarantee their quality.” He led Joe to a section of fairly simple leather armor suits. Most of them consisted of a stiff leather chest piece and layered panels over the shoulders. Some had pants, others had heavy leather kilts. Aelladon helped Joe into and out of several pairs but Joe hated how restricted he felt in the armor.
“New armor is always stiff at first,” Aelladon stated watching Joe grimace as he tug and twisted in one suit after another. “I have many sets of used armor that I have bought off adventures over the years. I buy them off adventurers who wish to upgrade to something better or ones who have looted something they don’t need. The armor has already been broken in so they will be more comfortable for you. As a bonus, you may get more value for your coin, though I cannot ensure that the suit will last as long as one of those made here in this workshop.”
Towards the back of the shop, the elven craftsman had three racks of armor that were clearly more worn than those up front. Many had signs of repairs or mismatched replacement pieces. The first one Joe tried on felt better. Having been broken in already, Joe did not feel like he was being strapped into a stiff straight jacket.
“A number of these older suits have some small competency charms built into them. I have many new suits with those charms as well, but I’m afraid you would not have been able to afford them. With these used suits, I see no reason why we could not come to an agreement on the price. That one there offers a small resistance to poisons.”
“Well, that could be helpful. Do any of them have an enchantment to make them more comfortable? I have never worn armor before. Where I come from I have always worn soft loose clothing. The leather is making me feel a bit claustrophobic.”
“In leathers no. Many suits of heavy armor have that enchantment but I don’t recall ever seeing it in a suit of light armor.”
“It’s ok. This suit is better. I’m sure I’ll get used to it over time.”
“Wait, I think I may have just the thing to suit you,” the armorsmith exclaimed. He spun about and scanned the racks until he spotted his target. With a flourish that seemed inherent to be his natural grace, he pulled out a dark blue gambeson. It looked like a slightly puffy jacket made of suede. When he handed it over, Joe was surprised to find that it was cold to the touch. “A gambeson will feel far less restrictive. They are not as popular as leather because these forms of padded armor are notoriously hot to wear. What makes this piece special is, some clever crafter figured out a rather elegant solution to the problem. Sewn into the padding are dozens of tiny pockets that contain small frost dragon scales. “If you look inside you will see,” the elf stated as he slipped his long fingers into the fold of blue suede and withdrew a small pale scale about the size of a coin. “Not only do these keep the occupant from overheating, they themselves offer an additional degree of protection. I think at one point every one of those pockets had a scale but many have been either broken or lost over time. There is still enough to keep you cool in the coat but you may want to track down more scales if you want the full protection the suit was meant to provide. I think this will be an excellent way for you to get used to the feel of armor.”
Joe tried it on and it felt completely natural. It was like wearing a heavy jacket, one that kept him cool instead of warm. “I like it. Thank you. Is it too expensive?”
“Not at all. Gambesons are not very popular. Leather is less bulky and offers better protection. This coat, with its scale pockets, has close to the protection of a cured leather breastplate and armguards but leather is still better. I have not had anyone else look at that coat in over a year. You can have it for four gold pieces.”
“Really? Thank you.”
“No need, young man. Now, let’s go look at something for your legs. I would suggest looking for a pair of reinforced leather breeches to go with the gambeson. There are several on these racks you could have for three more gold.”
Joe found a pair he liked and then spent two more gold on a pair of decent boots. He walked out feeling more comfortable than he expected. The pants he found were well broken in and reinforced by hide everywhere but the joints. The boots were the only thing that needed some time to lose their stiffness. It might not be the best armor he could wear but he did not want to be miserable until he got used to wearing a protective suit.
Joe glanced into one of the tall mirrors as he was heading for the door. He stopped and looked again. He was surprised to admit that he looked pretty amazing in his new armor. Now that the boring starter clothes were covered by the deep blue coat and dark gray leggings, he felt less like an outsider and more like a brand-new character. Joe gave himself a nod and a smile before heading off to go find Rhiley.