When everyone else in my group arrived at the gate they paid my toll and put in a good word for me to get me into the city. I pulled them along while heading to the adventurers guild. This guild was just like the last one. It seems to be the standard design. When we finally arrived we had to split up. They gave me the sheet with my quest and their signature of a completed quest. My quest was just to escort them here. Thiers was to deliver the plant. So we split ways. I wanted to stick with them, but they politely declined. They may not have wanted me to be a burden on them, but I wouldn’t get much experience being in their group anyway so our paths split there hoping to reunite someday.
To completed quest I walked up to a receptionist. “Hello there young one. Can I help you with something?” said an old lady at the receptionist desk.
“Yes I’m here to turn in my first quest,” I replied in excitement.
“Oh my, your first quest! Let's see what it is... An F-rank quest!, and a pretty tough one at that. Wait here I’ll get your reward.” The old lady left through a back door, and soon came back with a small burlap sack and a sheet of paper. “This is your reward 1 silver 75 copper. Its extra since your benefactor wrote in a tip, and this is your adventurer form. Just write down your name, species, age, and class. You’ll be able to pick up your card later today,” the lady said while handing me my rewards. I started filling out my form name: Odis species: Treant age: 30 class: none. “I see you don’t have a class. Well you won’t be able to be E-rank until you get a class, but you won't need one until then.” I thanked the lady and left the guild. With money in my hand I headed to the market.
The market is in the center of town and was hectic. Merchants everywhere at stalls calling out the prices of their goods. Some were selling armor and weapons, other potions, household appliances, but most importantly food. I still hadn't eaten anything since arriving at Hadron the city before Nigin. I found a fruit stall with some cheap fruit and spent 25 copper to buy a big bag of various fruit. I didn’t want to wait to eat any longer, but there was nowhere to sit. So I ran over to a fountain in the middle of the market. I stuck my legs into the water and took a big bite of fruit. The moment I took a bite I received a message from the goddess of nature.
Learned Song: Song of Moderation
I was pleased when I got the message, and happily ate all of my food while listening to a nearby bard. I was down to three fruit left, but I was already full. I didn’t think I would need the fruit anytime soon. So I ended up eating the extra fruit I bought. When I finished the fruit I got another message from the goddess.
Learned Song: Song of Hunger
Wow two new songs so quickly. I would have to figure out how I got them eventually, but first I had a question to ask. I walked up to the nearby bard, and dropped a copper coin in his hat.
“Thanks a billion kid,” said the old man bard without looking up, or even losing rhythm.
“Do you know anything about magic songs?” after I said that the bard stopped playing, and looked up to me.
“I’ve never heard of magic songs. Why do you ask?”
“I got a special blessing from the Goddess of Nature. It's based around songs so I thought you may know something.”
“I’m sorry kid. I don’t know about any magic songs, but I can help you out. If you want I can give you the Bard class, and point you to a nice instrument store.”
“What does the Bard class do?”
“It improves your music in various ways.”
“That would be a big help.” The bard placed his hand on my forehead and a small light covered my body.
New class: Novice Bard
New skill(passive): Fortissimo - Increased range of songs
New skill(passive): Espressione - Increases the effect your music has on people
Anyone can pass on a class if they have ranked it up enough. I started as a Novice so he must be an Adept Bard or Grand Bard. “Thank you very much Master!” This man was far more help than I had bargained for already.
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“Oh calm down. There aren't too many people nowadays interested in music so I’m glad just knowing there are youngsters who are. Now if you want to get some decent instruments then follow me I’ll show you my favorite shop in this city.”
********
The shop the Bard lead me to looked pretty run down from the outside, and when we stepped in that didn’t change too much. It just looked shabby. Instruments laying around without much care, old worn out shelves, and dust that seemed to be integral to the foundation of the building. I started to get worried. Was this the best shop or just the only one in town?
“Smith, what kind of half ass joint are you running. Not even greeting or customers! For shame.” the Bard said jokingly.
“If you want a greeting so badly then here’s one. Buy something or get out!” replied an old man, presumably Smith, sitting at the back of the shop.
“Well I just so happen to have someone looking for an instrument. Introduce yourself kid.”
“Hello, my name is Odis I’m looking for an instrument for adventuring,” I said nervously.
“What the F*ck! Why the H*ll would you need an instrument for adventuring?!” shouted smith.
“Odis has a special ability he can use music as a weapon. So give him something good. It may save his life.”
Smith grumbled a bit while staring at my instilments. “Let me see what you’ve got Odis.” I hand Smith my lute and flute, and he starts carefully appraising them. “This flute is made of living wood. This is pretty rare stuff. This flue should last you the rest of your life if you treat it right. As for the lute it’s sh*t. Now for the important question what instruments can you play?”
“I can’t actually play any instruments. My ability lets me play the songs I learned on instinct. As for what I can use anything is fine so long as I can play the song with it.”
Smith stared at me for a while before speaking. “You’re looking down on music. You don’t know it, but you are. Herold, teach him how to play that flute while I make his instrument. How much money have you got Odis.”
“I can pay you 1 silver!” Smith just stared at me wide eyed. He looked up at Herold the Bard before calming down.
“Ok I’ll have something ready for you tomorrow to pick up. Just wait until then.”
“Thank you very much Smith!”
**************
I spent the rest of the day in the center of the market next to the fountain playing these things called scales. It was embarrassing at first since there were so many people around and I was so bad, but Herold wouldn’t let me go somewhere more privet. He kept saying ‘it’s good to play for others even if it was cr*ppy’. I kept on practicing until sundown when Herold asked me a question. “Do you have anywhere to stray tonight?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Well you have two options in this town. First, you can spend the night at an inn. Second, if you have already registered as an adventurer then you can get a really cheap place to stay there,” Herold said while pointing to an inn and the adventurers guild. After Thanking him for all his help I left for the adventures guild.
***********
When I arrived it was as I expected it. That is as I expected it originally. The whole place was filled with tables with people drinking and eating. It was as if the whole place transformed in the blink of an eye. While looking around I noticed that most of the desks were now severing alcohol, but one was still handling quests and the old lady from earlier today was still there. When I came up to her she looked so glad to see me.
“Good to see you Odis! I was worried something happened to you when you didn’t show up at noon, but I’m sure you had your own agenda. Here’s your guild card note that its boarder is black you’re still G-rank. Until you take the rank up test you can only take G-rank quests or F-rank if you’re in a group,” the nice lady explained.
“Thanks a lot. Also I heard from a friend that I could get a cheap place to stay here tonight,” I asked naively hoping for a nice tree to sleep in.
“A cheap place to stay? We do have some rooms, but those are reserved for adventures on long journeys. Humm….Oh I know what they were talking about. If you’re an adventurer you can get pretty cheap food and drinks here. Some people stay the whole night so maybe they were talking about that.”
“I see... thanks for your help,” I said a little nervously. Looks like I’ll be spending the night here.