Date: Eighteenth of June, year 810 Post Seminal War (810 PSW)

Location: Carrion Road, twenty seven days to Chedal.

Job Arseoth turned his eyes to the child and tried to ameliorate the suspicion in his gaze. “Well your mother tried to do something not nice to me, which makes me wonder what she wants. It's more polite to ask first rather then Charming.”

The child pursed her lips, but the mother waved a hand.

“More polite, but less safe when meeting strangers.”

Job nodded, “true, and yet less helpful when one fails and wants a favor. So what do you forest spirits want?”

The child spoke up before her mother could intervene, “a scary man put a curse on my tree so mommy was trying to fine me a new one but there aren't any left in her terel.”

Job nodded, “dryads then? And you wanted me to find her a new tree then?”

The mother nodded, “yes, and there are only six days, as of sundown today, before her coming-of-age. She needs a home-tree before then. A healthy oak, at least a foot across at the height of your head, uncursed, and without another dryad bound to it.”

Job turned his gaze back to the mother and arched one eyebrow, “and what would you gift in exchange for this help? Had you but asked I may have offered my aid. Instead you tried to Charm me, so I am far less inclined to assist in your quest.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The mother sighed in resignation, “I have little use for coins, living as I do in the wild, so I will offer all that I have found within my terel: seven gold and fifteen copper.”

Job threw his head back and laughed, but didn't allow the dryads out of his line of sight.

“Even you, who has no use fro coin, has to know that that is not worth much to adventurers on the road who are weeks away from any place to spend it.”

“Mommy has a curved petrified wood stick with a bunch of fancy human carvings on it.”

Job's other eyebrow shot up, “that would be up to your mommy now wouldn't it? Does she want to trade it? And I'd need to see it first to know if it's worth anything to me.”

The mother sighed is resignation, “not common travelers it would seem.”

“Resisting your Charm spell and recognizing it for what it is not enough of a tell?”

“That is true human. Let me ask you first: if I trade you the bow my daughter mentioned, with you swear to find her a tree?”

Job frowned n thought, “I would need to examine the bow first, but if it is of value to me or my fellow adventurers, then I will accept it in trade and undertake the task of finding your daughter a suitable tree before she comes of age.”

The mother sighed, reached behind the tree, produced an unstrung recurve bow, and tossed it at Job's feet. He knelt down to look at the bow, but didn't pick it up.

The writing carved into the surface of the bow was an archaic form of the common trade tongue that, when translated, were then anchoring phrases for a set of enchantments. Parsing the auras revealed by Detect Magic, Job figured them to be a 'flexibility' enchantment to let the petrified wood act like normal wood instead of stone and a 'reinforcement' enchantment to keep the rings of wood form separating. The combined effects produced a laminated recurve bow that would throw an arrow with a surprising amount of force compared to the draw weight.

Job nodded in satisfaction, “This bow would be more then sufficient recompense for the quest you are offering. By what name should I address you and your child?”

“You may call me Cerusa, and my daughter is Clanea.”

“Very well Cerusa, I accept the task of finding you daughter Clanea a new home tree, suitable as previously specified, withing the next six days in exchange for this recurve bow.”