“Look, ma’am, it’s one thing to go with adventurers and get paid again when I’m already being paid, and hefty pay at that, yeah?”

“Wait, we’re paying you?” Harriet leveled a glower at her father, the damnable Paladin. “Dad! Trio was already pulling wages!”

“And now he’s getting paid twice,” that paragon said gently, “which is perfectly fine because we can afford it and he’s going into danger that he shouldn’t have had to sign up for.”

“Don’t let these two distract you, please,” Cassandra said firmly. “Finish what you were saying.”

“Well, ma’am, I’m a skilled hireling, yeah? Worker for hire. A commoner, not an adventurer, you understand? Or… well, I was one. And the likes of that don’t get experience.”

Commoner

Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

Armor Class: 10

Hit Points: 4 (1d8)

Speed: 30 ft.

Stats: 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10

Senses: passive Perception 10

Languages: any one language (usually Common)

Challenge: 0 (10 XP)

Actions

Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage.

Description

Commoners include peasants, serfs, slaves, servants, pilgrims, merchants, artisans, and hermits.

“Was,” she murmured. “And what are you now, Trio? What did that seventy five experience get you, who were brought into this world to be the equivalent of a serf or slave, someone who wasn’t anything more than a faceless, tasteless joke with a pickaxe instead of a club?”

“Got a choice now, ma’am.” He straightened, face twisting in uncertainty. “Too many choices.”

“Well, if you’ve got too many, there’s an obvious first step. How can you narrow them down?”

“No hunger to worship you, begging your pardon.” Humor flickered in his eyes, and Harriet snickered audibly. “Nor to turn bandit. And I’d rather spend than hold in hopes of this happening again. So I’m supposing it’s adventurer or Guard.”

“You’re welcome to stick with us either way,” Jason said with a beaming smile. “You’ve been great.”

“Won’t for long, I’m thinking,” Trio said with a sigh. “Hoping you won’t be too disappointed, but I got no intention of dying with my boots on. Growing past my station’s enough as is—figure I’ll take what I’d never thought to ask, and live.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

With that, Trio closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. When he took it back in, it was in stronger lungs, in a body that had shifted as though having suddenly been refined to be more in every way—stronger, faster, tougher, better than ever before.

He shifted fluidly, feeling his chainmail falling around him, and tapped the butt of his spear on the stone. His pickaxe was slung across his back, now of heavier and better make, and his shield was strapped to his off-wrist.

“That,” he said with a wince, “felt fucked up.”

“I’ll bet,” murmured Cassandra. “But at least there’s no tribulation bullshit, and you’re not vomiting black gunk out of every pore. So it could be worse.”

“That’s a thing?”

“Not here.” Cassandra shrugged. “Anyway! Let’s move on.”

And move on they did. But, as it turned out, not very far.

Rolling Perception (Wisdom) | 1d20+6

Rolling Perception (Wisdom) | 1d20+1

Rolling Perception (Wisdom) | 1d20-1

“This tunnel isn’t right,” Harriet murmured. “Look at the way it curves. It’s… I don’t know why or how, but it’s not right.”

“You’re right, kiddo,” Jason said with a frown, keeping his voice low. “I don’t know either, but you’re right.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Cassandra’s voice was low despite that. “But I believe you, so let’s just…”

Rolling Stealth (Dexterity) | 1d20+2, Disadvantage

At that moment, Jason shifted to start walking forwards again, clearly intending to do so quietly. Alas for him, he hadn’t properly accounted for the combination of his shield and heavy armor, and his shield ground against the wall of the cave with a squeal.

“Oops?”

“Well, whatever is weird about that curve, we’re about to find—”

COMBAT INITIATED

Surprise Round Begins

Rolling 2 Entity Attacks (Shortbow) | 1d20+4

Shortbow deals 5 damage to Cassandra Claire | 1HP Remaining

Shortbow deals 7 damage to Guard Trio | 4HP Remaining

Without any particular fanfare, the twangs of two shortbows heralded an arrow apiece slamming into Cassandra and Trio. The four of them turned, and the reasons for the strangeness of the tunnel became instantly clear—as did the two goblins that had been placed around the curve as guards.

End of Round 1 (Surprise Round)

Rolling Initiative | 1d20+5, 1d20+2, 1d20-1

Rolling Initiative | 1d20+1

Rolling Initiative | 1d20+2

“Naw, fuck that.” Trio took one step, pivoting as he did so. His spear already in hand, he hurtled towards one of the two goblins, and his weapon, held in both hands, stabbed through the hole in the false wall where the cackling creature had shot him from.

Rolling Attack (Spear) | 1d20+3 | 1d8+1

8 Damage KILLS Goblin

The spear ripped through the goblin’s torso, and Trio twisted his wrists and his body at the same time, the spearhead turning as it tore sideways out of the goblin.

It dropped unceremoniously, extremely dead, and Harriet followed up the strike by loosing an arrow at the second goblin.

Rolling Attack (Shortbow) | 1d20+7 | 1d6+5

8 damage KILLS Goblin

With just as little ceremony, the arrow took the goblin through the heart, dropping it instantly.

ALL ENEMIES SLAIN

COMBAT ENDS

Panting, the party stood in place, feeling torn between celebration and stunned surprise.

“Ow,” Cassandra said eloquently, breaking the stillness of the moment, and then the fussing started.