"Glouchester, here we are!"
The energetic party leader shouted as they crossed the gates and entered the town. It was a normal party of adventurers, balanced even. An impulsive but caring leader that took the frontline and the brunt of attacks, a rogue, a mage, an archer, and a nature magician as a healer. They didn't have a priest as the One God religion was a bother to deal with. Too much fanaticism.
The mage girl lowered her head and sniffled. "I wish Deborah was here with us."
The utterance was like a tier 5 frost spell. Deborah, the agility damage dealer, and spirit of the party was conspicuously missing.
"She was acting strangely for the last few months," The archer spoke in a hushed voice as if talking that out loud would bring heaven's wrath upon him. It even might, given the mood.
The druid elbowed him. "Yes, to shack in your sleeping bag, that's the most strange of all behaviors," She sarcastically teased and then looked at the other males of the party. "Most strange!" She doomsayed.
"Pat!" Her fellow spellcaster chided. "Please, don't bring that up again!"
The other two boys blushed, ashamed that they too broke the rule that kept the gender-mixed party together since its inception. No relationships.
"She was just doing what her nature demanded, Kat. I, too am available but the boys aren't interested in me," Pat the druid deadpanned. "But I told her to not attack that slime."
The rogue shuddered and was shoved forward by the leader. "Not in crazy," the dashing male whispered to his shy friend.
"Worse yet, the slime fled. Have you ever seen something that strange?" The archer asked.
"Please don't bring it up. We came all the way here across the sea to avoid remembering her," The mage begged.
"Okay, Kat, sorry," The archer apologized and they moved on, in silence this time.
They moved down the busy street and soon found themselves in their native environment. In all the Dungeon cities, the street where the gateway to the Dungeon proper and the Association building could be found was the busiest. Adventurers of all callings and types moved from shop to shop, in their endless search for the right trinket to let them descend one more floor. And it didn't disappoint. Although it wasn't crowded, the street was still busy.
This time, however, they went to the next street. And they found the really crowded street. An old building, made of stone with three aboveground pavements stood out from the ubiquitous wattle-and-daub construction. Adventurers lined up in front of that building, waiting for their turn to enter.
"Hey, Oliver!" Someone down the line waved. "Fancy seeing you here!"
"Damn, Harry!" Oliver, the leader of the party cursed. "How did you beat us here?"
Harry joined his hands and mimicked a flying bird. "I told you those origami one-use enchantments were worth it! Now go suck at the end of the line!" He dismissed Oliver.
Oliver gathered his party and took his spot at the end of the line. At least this line moved faster than the one for a slot to delve. The association was known for openly playing favorites and letting the parties with the least score rot in the waiting area. The fact that this line moved way faster was probably what kept these adventurers from rioting. Some of them were well capable of leveling a city block. After an hour, they were third to enter.
Harry and his party left the building, smiling and cheering. "I recommend you to just accept everything, to make the line move faster. And please, illiterate barbarians, ask for help from the receptionists!"
Some of these illiterate barbarians took offense but most people in the street glared back at them. They knew that the building would shut its doors if a fight broke outside.
They finally reached their turn. There was a booth carved in the stone wall, where a well-endowed lady greeted the newcomers.
"Welcome to the Quest Hall!" She gave them a sultry and warm smile. "Please, go in one at a time, and read the slate. If you are illiterate, you can ask for assistance to read the document. Do take your time reading and decide on your own. I know people down the line want you to hurry up but this is important," She delivered a well-rehearsed and articulate speech.
"You go first, Oliver. Good luck," The rogue pushed his leader toward the nondescript wooden door.
Oliver looked at it, the door had a handle but no lock. He pulled it open and saw a coil to keep it shut. He entered and allowed the door to close. He was in a small room, twice as long and as wide as a toilet but without the sanitary facilities. The small stone corridor contained only a magical light source, a sliding panel probably leading to where the receptionist was, another door to his side, and a slab of stone with words engraved.
> WELCOME TO THE QUEST HALL.
>
> Untold opportunities await you. Gainful employment, adventure, rare loot and missions where the client won't screw you up, and the opportunity to be part of an exclusive community. However, we at the Quest Hall value our privacy above all else. Therefore, we require you to keep our terms and conditions secret. The writings on this slate are not them. This is just a non-disclosure agreement.
>
> You are still free to reject our terms and conditions after getting to know them. All we ask at this point is that you keep their contents a secret.
>
> If you agree to keep secrecy at all costs regarding our terms and conditions, please put your manipulating appendage [1] on the relief to your right and say "I agree to the non-disclosure". If you wish, the exact terms of the non-disclosure are explained below. Please take your time to read them.
Oliver was about to read further but someone knocked on the door leading outside. He was about to answer when the panel opened. The lady smiled at him. Oliver noticed that the booth window leading outside was closed and the sounds of conversation did not reach them even though his party should be a couple meters away.
"Please take your time, read everything and only agree if you really want to. I hope you join us."
She blew him a kiss and the young man blushed, feeling his body react to the sensual woman immediately. With his heart beating fast, he read the rest of the slate.
> 1. You agree to not disclose the contents of our terms and conditions. You will not write them down, speak them out loud. Should you try to write it, your hand will freeze. Should you try to speak, you won't make a sound. Should you try to use sign language or any non-verbal means of communication to convey the information of our terms and conditions, you will fail.
>
> 2. If you succumb to mind magic or any other means of prying the information from your mind or spirit or soul, you will immediately forget the information sought. Should this happen to you, you'll need to retake the agreements. Your membership to the Quest Hall will be voided.
>
> 3. Aside from momentary limb paralysis, momentary lack of speech or means of communication, or in extreme cases, forgetfulness, there won't be any other penalty for breaking our rule of secrecy. Once you cease the attempt to disclose the information, you will regain your faculties without any other hindrance.
>
> 4. This agreement lasts for all eternity, unless in case of absolute forgetfulness. Should you die, be reincarnated, reborn, transmigrated, or elevated to godhood, the terms remain.
>
>
>
> If you agree to these terms, please do as we required, above.
>
> [1]: By manipulating appendage we mean your dominant (or any) tentacle, wing, claw, hand, paw, tail, feet, tongue, invisible telekinetic force, animated ash limbs, or anything else you use to grasp, handle, and/or strike objects.
Oliver couldn't help but chuckle. "A bit theatrical, aren't we?" He asked out loud but the lady didn't show up. He squinted and read on the panel, "Knock to call the receptionist. This room is soundproof even to her."
Another angry knock on the door. Oliver put his hand on the hand-shaped and spoke. "I agree to the non-disclosure!" In a mocking tone. He felt a tingle, gained 1 Exp, and the door behind him latched as the door to his side swung open. Another corridor. Another panel, another slate, bigger this time. The only difference was a smaller slate before the bigger one. Oliver read it.
> WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU HERE.
>
> As a complimentary gift, please put your manipulating appendage on the notch and say "Yes, I agree to get a thousand Exp as a gift for agreeing to the NDA and promise to read the terms in its entirety before agreeing to them and to never forget these terms." To earn one thousand Exp points now.
>
> If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Oliver did a double-take. He hadn't heard anything like that but then again, he knew not even he would be able to talk about it to anyone else. His greed spoke louder than his caution and he eagerly put his hand on the slate and spoke the words as required.
> You earned 1,000 Exp.
To him, at level eighty-two, it was negligible but a thousand Exp was a thousand Exp. And for almost no effort. Oliver felt his heart rate raise at the excitement. He looked at the other slate and started to read it.
> QUEST HALL MEMBERSHIP TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
>
> 1. You agree to accept our ranking system based on points. Rankings are usually based on individual contribution except when a group quest is completed. All the members of the group earn the same amount of ranking points.
>
> 2. Our quest rewards are split evenly among the members of the group upon completion. We only rate completion or failure. Internal group dynamics are not our concern.
>
> 3. You agree to read the entire request before accepting it. Once accepted, a request is binding. You either complete it in the allotted time and earn the rewards or don't. There's no penalty for failure except for a loss of ranking points.
>
> 4. The quest hall uses both Exp and money as currency. Exp can be bought at the rate of 1 point of Exp for every ten copper coins, or sold at the rate of 1 copper coin for each point of Exp.
>
> 5. Upon completion, each member can decide how much currency and/or Exp they desire, using the conversion values above.
>
> 6. You agree to remain civil and courteous while inside the quest hall. Bullying or fighting of any kind is forbidden. Should you attempt to attack anyone, verbally, spiritually, mentally, magically, or physically, or damage anything on the premises, you will be physically and mentally paralyzed for no less than five minutes or as long as the Quest Hall staff requires to sort the issue.
>
> 7. The judgment of the Quest Hall staff can only be appealed to the owner of the Quest Hall. The word of the owner is absolute and there is no higher instance of appeal.
>
> 8. Should you attempt to steal, damage, or harass creatures or objects, either inside the premises or property of the Quest Hall, you agree to go comatose for 24 hours and pay a fine equal to 50 Exp times your Total Level.
>
> 9. Quests are handed out on a "first come, first served" basis. You agree to ignore quests of a rank above or below the ones you are eligible to accept. You agree to not argue about a quest that was taken by another member.
>
> 10. Should the Quest Hall be attacked, you agree to help evacuate, protect, or defend the premises and the people inside. Priority will be given to the safety of the Quest Hall assets and personnel. You are expected to assume a moderate risk while doing so.
>
> 11. The Non-Disclosure Agreement remains in effect. It covers all activities involving the Quest Hall regardless if it happens inside or outside. Should you accept a quest that involves gathering of external resources (i.e. herb gathering, monster part gathering, mineral prospecting, etc...) or extermination of creatures found outside the Quest Hall (i.e. Dungeon monsters, wild animals, etc...) you are allowed to disclose to any party that you are gathering materials for the Quest Hall and which kind of materials or creatures you are seeking.
>
> 12. You are forbidden to ask who the Quest Giver is or to conduct private investigations to find out. For all purposes, the Quest is issued and paid for by the Quest Hall.
>
> 13. You may create a quest and ask the Quest Hall to post your quest for the members. The details and payment of the Quest depend on the scope. In all cases, the values and figures given by the Quest Hall staff are non-negotiable.
>
> 14. You agree to pay a penalty equal to one-fifth of the Quest reward should you fail to complete it in time.
>
> 15. You have the right to stop being a member of the Quest Hall at any time. Upon involving this clause, you agree to forget everything about the Quest Hall. You also agree to return the Exp gained from your membership.
>
> 16. You are offered free insurance policy. We request you appoint a beneficiary. You agree to surrender a fourth of your total Exp upon your death. This Exp will be available for withdrawing at the Quest Hall by the beneficiary as either raw Exp or as currency at the rate of 1 copper per point of Exp. If the beneficiary is not a member of the Quest Hall, we guarantee we will do our best to find and bring them to receive the benefit. Membership in the Quest Hall is mandatory for the payout.
>
> 17. The Quest Hall reserves the right to alter these terms at any time. You will be prompted on your next visit to either agree or reject the changes. Should you reject the changes, you agree to exit the Quest Hall, cancel your membership and forget all dealings and events that occurred regarding the Quest Hall, including but not limited to the terms and Quests you accepted of browsing.
>
> 18. You agree to be truthful regarding the completion of a request. Any kind of deceit, scam, or treachery will result in immediate termination, expulsion from the quest hall, and a penalty equal to ten times your lifetime rewards. You agree to disclose any deceit, scam, or treachery used, as well any loopholes. This is known as the no-loophole clause. You agree to report faithfully and in an expedited way any loopholes found in these rules.
he wasn't very good in legalese but nothing in the terms seemed strange. He accepted, gained 1 Exp, and the door opened. He found himself in a room not unlike the Association's. A tavern on one side, booths with receptionists on the other. The first things that caught Oliver's eyes were the receptionists and barmaids. They all were extremely sexy and had the most varied styles of clothing, from almost see-through camisoles to ankle-length closed dresses. All of them moved with confidence and as he watched for a few minutes, he saw no signs of harassment. None of the tavern patrons slapped the butt of the barmaids even though they moved almost provocatively.
Oliver didn't notice he was staring at the barmaids. One of them even blew a kiss at him. Right when he was shoved forward by someone behind him.
"You just had enough eye candy for a lifetime, didn't you, Oliver?" Kat snickered behind him. "It was very odd to earn Exp just to agree to a contract."
Oliver turned around and grinned, "Can you believe? I can convert ten thousand Exp into fifty silvers. It would more than double my earnings for a day of delving."
"I don't like it, Oliver. It feels... sinister. This should not be possible!"
One of the barmaids was conspicuously close to them. She giggled. "You better believe. It is possible. Of course, we don't transform Exp into gold, that's silly. There are parties interested in Exp, there are parties interested in gold. We just join both. And no, I don't know how it is done."
Kat pouted and shooed the barmaid, that just smiled and fluttered her eyelids seductively. "And let me drop a little secret. Here in the Quest Hall, anything can be traded. Anything except slaves. Exp and gold are just the tips of the iceberg. Here, you can even acquire Skills," She leaned added in a low voice, giving Oliver a good view of her attributes. "You just have to ask. Ciao."
Oliver was confused on what he should ask. He came back to his senses when Kat kicked his shins. Then Pat the druid and Harry showed up from opposite directions at the same time. The druid through the "newbie door", and Harry from the bar, a flagon of ale in hand.
"Hehe, free Exp," Pat chortled. "Hey, guys. Did you also get it?"
They nodded. "Everyone gets it. Some even spend the Exp on money for their first drinks, like me," Harry cheered and took a huge swig from his flagon, ale dripping down the corners of his mouth. "And boy, the booze here is the best!"
Oliver didn't comment. The whole atmosphere was too titillating for the young man. "Man, why are they all so hot?" He mumbled.
Harry playfully slapped his back. "One rule, don't mess with the women. No, seriously. But all these barmaids and receptionists, it is pretty obvious what kind of life they led before. They are no strangers to love, so to speak."
Kat groaned.
After the whole party went through the gauntlet, Oliver clapped his hand. "Okay, everyone. Gather your wits and let's get us some quests. I want to delve today."
The quest board was exactly that. Pieces of paper were pinned to the soft cork, with a brief description of the Quest and its rewards. Oliver noticed they all had a mix of Exp and money as rewards. He was excited. Some of these quests were easy to complete and repeatable. He took some he could complete in the upper floors of the local Dungeon, monster parts for equipment crafting.
"Is everyone okay with completing these quests?" He asked after the slips of parchment went around. "Okay, let's get these through a receptionist."
They entered a line on the business side of the building. Soon they were before another well-endowed female behind the booth.
"Welcome to Quest Hall, I'm Jennifer and I'll be your receptionist. Is this your first time around?" Jennifer asked with a smile.
"Oh, no. I've had my first time a few years ago, Jennifer," Oliver flirted.
Jennifer chuckled. "First time in the Hall, I mean. I'm sure you have plenty of proficiency on other matters, handsome," She purred.
Oliver yelped and rubbed his ribs. "Ouch. Why did you elbow me, Kat?"
"Business first. You can try to date the receptionist later," The salty mage deadpanned.
"I'm sorry, I was just kidding. Please, gather around," Jennifer waved them to approach. "The Quest Hall aims at giving adventurers the best delving and exploration experience possible. We offer a safe environment, guarantees that your quests will pay the agreed amount, and much more! It is a pleasure to have you here with us," She was all smiles as she delivered the scripted speech. "Our aim is to go alongside the Association and not replace or overlap it. We do not offer Profession and Class changing facilities nor we sell grimoires, guides, or any other items available at the Association."
Oliver thought it was odd to deliver that disclaimer but he kept his mouth shut.
"We do offer several services and goods, all guaranteed to be of high quality. We have weapons and armor from our partner crafters, potions, rations, and other consumables. Please check our shop before departing. And on your return visits, you can use the main door. There's no need to queue on the "newbie corridor" anymore. Finally, you can designate one of the Quest Hall's staff to earn a bonus on your quests. Either your favorite receptionist or barmaid. I hope you nominate me, though," Jennifer finished with a brief bite on her lower lip and a seductive glance.
"Of course..." Oliver dithered and then took a step back in a supreme act of willpower. "Kat, you handle this. Please."
The mage sneered at Oliver than spoke to the receptionist. "We have some questions if you don't mind, Jennifer. Good, we heard we can buy Skills here? How is that possible?"
The receptionist's business smile was unfaltering. "How? I honestly don't know. You might be asking if it is true though, and that I can answer. Totally. They are expensive though. In fact, we sell almost everything and anything here," The beautiful woman leaned over the counter and wiggled a finger, "Even Stats and other things. We draw the line on the trade of sentients. We do not condone or allow slavery or compelled servitude of any kind."
Kat shook her head. "How? It is impossible! All of this is impossible!" She steadily rose her voice around, drawing a lot of attention to them.
Jennifer smiled empathetically. "I understand it is hard to believe, but it is true. We do not know the specifics and we wouldn't say if we did but there's one thing I can assure you. The Quest Hall is a place for everyone to grow. It is safe. For us girls, more even so," The receptionist's voice became bitter at the end as if she was remembering the pain of yore. Which she was. After a sigh, she continued. "And you are not being forced into anything. You are here because you want to. Nobody will attempt to push you or convince you of anything. These quests," She poked the slips of parchment with a finger, "Are exactly what's written. No more, no less. There's no catch."
There was a catch but it was at the second slate of rules. That was past them now.
"Can I browse the Skills for sale?" Kat asked, still skeptical. "And could I speak to management?"
"Yes, and no," Jennifer answered with her polite voice. "Management is unavailable right now. But here is our Skill catalog for ranks H through F. I'm afraid that to access higher levels, you'll need to improve your ranking."
The mage sighed. "Sign us up for these quests, we are going to queue for the Dungeon."
Jennifer smiled and nodded. "Right away. Have a wonderful Questing!" She clapped and sung the corporation's slogan.