“I appreciate you stopping by to check Grix, but there aren’t any new Quests today. Just the ones from yesterday, last week, and this past year are still available.” I informed him with a firm gaze and even tone as I motioned back towards the board he had just sauntered away from. We both knew that was the case, and we both knew that he wasn’t here for a Quest.
“Or you’re keeping the good ones for the noobs again,” he drawled. “You know they aren’t going to make it out of Helmsword anytime soon so you might as well post them. Why you spend time on them when most end up recycled to professions I have no idea. You would be better off investing your Guide knowledge in the 5 plus crowd.”
I just continued my firm gaze. “You need anything else?”
“No. Though I do think I’ll stay as I see one of the fresh ones coming in now. This should be entertaining at least.” Grix chuckled to himself as he padded to the next row of equipment, leaving a clear view of the counter and the upcoming interaction while concealing him from anyone with a low perception score.
“Valen! I have returned, not at all victorious, but clean at least.” Shadark Ember stated as they ambled up to the double counter, deposited a clearly soiled pouch of questionable goods and presented me with a sheepish grin. I didn’t bother responding since they didn’t need ego stroking and got to work with the formalities.
Pulling the Quest Update Log from beneath the counter while ascending to the counter’s second tier to be eye level with the elf, I flipped to the Quest entry Shadark had accepted last week and started filling it in.
“Madison Clarden found?”
“Very found, may she rest in Eternal Salvation.”
“Hobgoblins evaded, persuaded or disrupted?”
“Uhmmm, let’s say, hmmm.” They looked at their wolf companion Night then back to the form field. “Terminally disrupted, let’s put that.” I could hear a snicker from the Leather Boots section of the store. It also looked like Shadark wanted to ask something, but the snicker or presence of someone that could snicker had dissuaded the attempt. I didn’t push and moved on.
“Area cleansed and ready for reseeding?”
“Yeah, no, not that. Forgot that part. Hmm, do I gotta go back? It’s super far.” They blinked slowly at me, attempting to portray something. Whatever that attempt was, they clearly hadn’t even started on Persuasion.
“Yes, the Quest requirements were clear. Let’s review again – bring it up on your Interface and tell me what it says.” I watched as Shadark’s eyes darted around until stilling into the classic visual stance of someone reading their Interface. They were getting better at the Interface since last week I assessed. They started mumbling the Quest text while I closed the Log and returned it to its place.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Level 1 Quest: Find Madison Clarden.
Madison Clarden is a Gnomish Geologist that went missing last week. They missed their scheduled ore deposit. There has also been new Hobgoblin activity near Helmsword and Madison’s daughter, Frandla, suspects that Madison has been Gnomenapped. Quest completion requirements: Find Madison; Evade the Hobgoblins to collect intelligence on their activities; Persuade the Hobgoblins to return Madison should they have her and move on from Helmsword; or Disrupt the Hobgoblin activities so that they report to the Sentient and are formally Bound to their new area. If the Hobgoblins move on from Helmsword cleanse the area for reseeding.
Reward: 1 Skill Point, 20 copper, 1 novice equipment
“Sooooo, two outta three – you keep the equipment I get the Skill point and copper?” Shadark posed, rubbing their stomach subconsciously.
“As you know, that is not how it works. The Quest is not complete until all the completion requirements are met. There is not a time limit. Complete the quest and then return to report completion. You cannot forfeit the Quest as you have completed one of the requirements and you cannot start a new Quest because you have an Open Quest. You can get more information on Quest Rules from your Interface. Moving on to your deposit.”
I ignored their face scrunching and mouth flapping while peeling apart the string from the bag they had deposited on the counter. After that little contact with the bag, I could tell it was time to take more than standard measures and pulled out my sorting tray from beneath the counter. A large square wooden tray that was both soil proof and very indestructible, I continued with dumping Shadark’s bag contents into it.
Sorting through the ash, lumps of burnt wood and random grasses I found two daggers, a broken wand, six arrows and some Lions Mane mushrooms. For a week’s outing it was a pitiful haul to attempt to deposit.
“I’ll give you 2 copper for each dagger, nothing for the wand, 3 copper for the arrows and 5 copper for each mushroom since those will sell to Mavrich the Alchemist for Intellect potions.” I waited for a heartbeat to see if they would attempt to Bargain and then moved to pull together the 27 copper for their deposit. I suspected they would be spending it shortly and didn’t bother to offer to credit it to their account.
“oh ok. Sure. Thanks.” They mumbled and watched forlornly as I moved the tray to the back counter and turned back to them. At least that look was clear.
“Is there anything else?” I asked.
“No, thanks though, Valen,” Shadark said as they stuffed their coppers into a pocket. There was something about the set of their stance that had me deliberating how to get them to spit out what else they wanted to know. It also wasn’t like the Shadark I knew to not just ask something since they couldn’t be bothered with social norms or a basic filter on their words. While I was their Guide, I wasn’t really one for prodding or encouraging codependency so it was an interesting position to find myself in with them.
At that moment Grix slinked up to the counter and engaged Shadark before they could leave or I could decide how to get them to spit it out.
“Well, hello there. And who are you?” Grix queried them.
“Oh hey a catkin! I’m Shad - they/them, this is Night - she/hers, who’re you?” Shadark blurted out and turned to face Grix while shifting to stand in front of their companion. I suspected from Night’s huff that they were communicating to their companion not to eat Grix, which was proven moments later by Grix’s response.