Sunlight drifted lazily through the oiled parchment window, the small room seeming warm and inviting despite its drab appearance. Creaking floors and muffled voices told of the other patrons ambling about, preparing for the day ahead.

Calls from shopkeepers setting up drifted in from the street below, already plying their wares to the early crowds.

Hauling myself out of bed, bits of straw clung to the synthetic fabric of my hoodie.

Would three silver be enough for some new clothes? Hopefully I could get them for far less.

The owner of the inn barely acknowledged me as I dropped the heavy iron key on his counter.

Noise and unfamiliar scents hit me like a wall as I trudged down the steps of the adjoining tavern. A drunk half orc lay partly in the alley next to the building. Either having had a really great night, or a really terrible one. But now doubt he'd wake up missing his coin purse and any valuables he had when the night started.

Seeing a trio of the town's militia guards approaching, I quickly headed in the opposite direction. With no exact destination in mind, I wandered aimlessly in search of a tailor or similar shop. The strange angular glyphs on most of the signs were still incomprehensible, although some were accompanied by crude pictures even though sometimes their wares or services were obvious, the smell of baking bread, the rhythmic hammer blows of a blacksmith, sawing from a carpenter or furniture maker. All of this mingled with the noise of the crowd still beginning to clog the streets.

The multitude of dwarves, elves, orcs, humans, and the occasional reptilian looking humanoid that I passed proved this all wasn't some terribly bizarre fever dream. They spoke in a dizzying variety of languages, the sing-song tones of the elves carrying woven baskets of herbs and fruits. The raspy, hissing orders of the few lizard men directing their guards as they clutched solid heavy looking cases and eyed the crowd with suspicious unblinking eyes. The barking laughs of the orcs and loud boasts as they made their way towards the gate, no doubt off to face whatever the world had in store for them.

Finally spotting a shop with a crudely painted sign depicting a shirt along with a needle and thread I made my way over, intent on watching whatever customers came and went. Just trying to get some idea of the way of things.

After observing for some time, I went over to the open storefront. Cloth bundles in an array of slightly dull colors adorned the rough wooden tables. Passing by the obvious finer clothes, I eyed the more coarse looking items.

They would be rough but serviceable, and hopefully wouldn't break the bank. The shopkeeper, an elderly looking elven man, eyed me with a hint of suspicion. Looking me up and down, my clothing and apperance once again denoting me as an outsider.

How common were transported 'heros' anyway? I certianly didn't feel like an adventurer 'chosen' by the gods or anything, yet they had that whole processing center set up.

The elven talor tapped his foot in annoyance. Quickly and somewhat sheepishly, I pointed at an undyed shirt and asked. "How much?" Hoping the man would understand.

Responding with something incomprehensible, the man just looked at me.

The man tried again in a second, and then third language. Still I looked confused, not understanding any of what he said. The man then pointed at the shirt I now held and raised one finger with his other hand. Next reaching into a pouch on his belt, he withdrew a single copper coin and held up 3 fingers.

I smiled and nodded, fishing a single silver coin from my pocket and presented it to the elf. He smiled as well, and withdrew another six copper coins before placing them on the counter. Seven copper, plus the three for the shirt made the exchange rate ten to one between copper to silver I assumed. If I wasn't getting fleeced that is.

Pointing at first the copper coin, then the silver one I said their names slowly and clearly. Hoping the elf would understand what I meant.

He then pointed at the coins in turn and repeated the names slowly, trying to match my pronunciation. After a bit he in turn pointed at the coins.

"Coppar, ashtol. Silfer, senfar." He repeated the names several times, and I did my best to match the way he spoke, with an odd inflection on the end of each unfamiliar word.

This charade continued for a while longer, each of us pointing at various items and speaking the names in our respective languages.

"Shirt, tenso."

"Table, bekar."

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"Chair, elmar."

"Pants, kelmo."

"Cloak, tavo."

Following this exchange, I purchased a pair of rough brown pants, and a gray woolen cloak, the total coming to an additional six copper, and paying with one of my two remaining silver coins, I was left with ten copper and one silver.

Thanking the older man profusely, I bundled the clothing into my bag and began to make my way towards the eastern gate.

Threading through the crowd, and narrowly avoiding a group of perhaps 80 pikemen, mostly humans, With a few elves and half orcs sprinkled in for good measure. Marching in formation, the gleaming pikes were a stark contrast to the ratty condition of the rest of their equipment.

These men must be some of the Duke's new army, whoever the Duke was anyway.

I thought sullenly, wondering if the forty silver was worth it. By the looks of some of their faces, the food alone was.

How was I able to understand anyone yesterday? Probably some stupid magic bullshit or something.

Since it seems like I can't communicate with anyone I'm going to have to really focus on learning at least one of the languages here. And making some money too. With two silver left I'll have to try and find a cheaper place to sleep. Maybe outside the walls is safe? If it was I'd have to be well hidden, a lone adventurer would be easy prey for wild beasts and bandits.

Lost in thought, I drifted along with the crowd and soon found myself overlooking a patchwork of fields surrounding the town which sat with its stout stone walls atop a rise in the valley floor. Behind the city, mountains rose up until their peaks were shrouded in mist. Far ahead, the fields thinned out first to sparse stands of trees then a dense wall of foliage with no discernible habitation.

Maybe that's where the elves live? That would make sense. I tried to think of what I knew of the various fantasy worlds from stories and myths, I was always more of a hard sci fi fan so it wasn't much. Magic and dragons didn't really appeal to me as much as starships and galaxy spanning empires.

Oh shit are there dragons here? I thought, eyeing the sky with a hint of nervousness as though one of the flying scaled beasts were going to appear out of nowhere and begin roasting the walls and cramped labyrinthine streets of Ardalk to my back.

Everyone here seemed to be either on foot like I was, or mounted on horseback. No gryphons, giant chickens, or large lizards in sight.

Orcs and elves aside, this could have been a scene straight out of the middle ages. Farmers plowed their fields with hand tools or an ox drawn plow if they could afford it. Windmills turned lazily in the distance, probably powering mills or other crude manufacturing.

Trudging down the dirt road, I avoided the numerous mud puddles and piles of horse droppings. And passing a worn stone and timber bridge the crowd thinned as the road ahead split in two, the more southern track leading towards rolling hills that sloped down to the valley floor.

Soon the foot traffic slowed to a trickle, with only the occasional rider galloping past, the rolling hills were sparsely forested, with few trees to provide shade.

Cutting across the unfenced pasture land, I was almost totally alone. The odd shepard herded their flock of sheep in the distance but paid me no mind.

Finding a spot to rest on the slope of a hill, I ate absentmindedly from a hunk of bland bread and hard cheese. Nothing like the food I was used to back home, but it would keep me from starving at the very least. Seeing as I was alone, I changed into the newly bought clothing which was itchy and rough but at the same time made me stick out less from the average person in this world. After cutting a length of rope to use as a belt, I wrapped up the rest of my meager rations in the jacket I came here with. Hopefully the synthetic fabric would keep it dry should I get caught in a downpour.

It took a bit of fiddling to make it work, but I felt a bit safer with the hatchet tucked into my belt. Though not a proper weapon, it was better than nothing.

After a few hours walk and a late start to the day, it was already nearing evening, though sunset seemed hours off I knew it wouldn't be long. Hefting my pack once more I began to pick my way across the hills towards a small stand of trees in the distance, not seeing a single soul, the shepherds having since hearded their flocks to safer resting places for the night.

Having made it to the woods without incident, I judged I had an hour or so before nightfall. As silently as I could, I began to search the woods, trying to make sure there were no monsters or bandits lurking about.

Hatchet in hand now, I crept through the trees hoping to spot any danger before it spotted me. Coming around a dense group of oaks, I came almost face to face with a young elven woman who shouted just as I jumped back. Throwing the handful of thorny berries at me, she tore off through the brush towards the shouts of other voices, no doubt coming to see what the trouble was.

Jumping to my feet, I ran off in the opposite direction, fearing whoever saw me would think I was some sort of bandit or thief. Branches whipped my face and arms as I tore through the dense woodland, the sinking sun spurring me onwards.

Clouds shrouded the moon in the still darkening sky as I sprinted past the last of the trees. My legs burned, my pulse thundering in my ears as I took ever more ragged breaths, and with the last fading rays of the sun I broke out into the seemingly endless expanse of hills. Not even sure of the right direction, I just ran and ran until the shouts and racket following me faded into nothing and my legs gave out, sending me tumbling down the shallow slope of a hill.

Too exhausted to go any further, I huddled against a large rock and wrapped myself in the woolen cloak as best I could to stave off the coming chill.

The adreniline and terror wearing off left me exausted and shivering, my mind still not coming to terms with the reality of my situation.

"At least I'll save a silver coin this way." I said dully to the expanse of blackness before me. Trying to avoid falling asleep in this strange, dangerous situation, and losing completely before the clouds even broke and the moon cast its pale light over the world.

Sleeping fitfully as I did, I was completely unaware of the approaching figures as they crouched on the rise of the next hill, unafraid of whatever lay out there in the darkness.