"Hello, hi, welcome, what can the Adventurer's Guild do for you today?"

Parry didn't even have time for his eyes to adjust when a typhoon wearing braids and a smile blew him right in the door.

"My name is Alpin, I'm happy to help you with anything we can do, keep you safe, equip you, whatever you want or need!"

"Wh--"

"Are you already registered with the Guild? You must have a token, is it mouse? You're very young, it must be mouse, though it might be rabbit, but I'd guess mouse. What's your name? If you lost your token, I can look it up, except our registry is a little out of date."

"HOLD IT!"

Everyone froze, though "everyone" constituted Alpin and one town drunk. Parry hadn't meant to be so loud, but it was that or drown in the welcome.

"Alpin."

"Yes?"

"I'm Parry. Hello. No, I'm not registered. I'm not an adventurer."

Alpin shook 'no' violently. "The tavern isn't open, it's too early. I mean it's not really closed, it doesn't close, but there's no one to bring beer. Do you want to wait? You can wait if you want, it'll be a few hours. He's waiting, but he always waits. He's not an adventurer too. Either."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

If Alpin had been a dungeon floor, Parry would have been tapping with a long staff at every seam and brick, desperate to find whatever kept springing the traps.

"That's fine, I'm not here for a drink. I was hoping for some maps. Do you have maps?"

"Yes, we have maps! But we can only sell them to registered adventurers."

Count to ten, Parry, just count.

"Could I look at them?"

"Look at the maps? Oh no. No no I couldn't, we couldn't do that. Then how would we sell them to adventurers? I can't sell a used map."

...nine...ten...eleven...twelve...

"That's more than ten."

"You I don't need right now."

"Alpin," Parry tried again. "I think I would like to register as an adventurer, but I can't be sure, I don't know how good your maps are."

The smile brightened. "They're very good!"

"How can I know that? What if I join the Guild but the maps are awful? Everyone would be upset. You need sample maps for display."

"Sample maps?"

"Exactly. If they're good as you say, people will line up to join the Guild, if only for the right to buy such beautiful, quality maps."

"I'll have to ask the Guild Master."

Parry had never heard two more beautiful words in his many lives. "That's a good idea, Alpin. Can you get the Guild Master for us?"

"She's not here. She went to the guardhouse to talk about the new dungeon. She'll be back soon, though, I'm sure, do you want to wait? You can wait if you want."

"I think I'll explore the market and come back later. Make good use of the morning. See you later, Alpin." Without waiting, Parry turned on his heel and pushed back into the morning air.

"Why don't you ask about the 'new dungeon'? Sounds like opportunity."

"Do you think we'd survive the onslaught of Alpin's answer?"

"Point taken."