A mischievous encounter

I am sitting alone in the bar having my 3rd strong drink trying to wash my the depression away from my failed attempt at the dungeon. When someone grasps my shoulder. I look to see who would do such a thing, thinking maybe one of my friends from child hood would as be here and recognized me but to my avail it was someone I didn't know. It was the bard from.The man was tall a days worth of stubble on his face and a look or curiosity on him.

“ uhh hello?” I ask slightly confused why I was approached

“ hello to you young man. You can call me Greg. I can see you seem a bit down and by yourself why don't you join me and my friends at our table and tell us about your troubles huh?”

Befuddled by my drinking the idea didn't sound so bad. A chance to vent to people I didn't know and whose opinions didn't really matter to me seemed like a good idea. “ Ok” I replied.

He lead me to his table gave me chair and I vented about my failed attempt the loss of my first summon, how it felt, and how I only was only able to kill a few bats in the first room. And only walked away with a few coins and the wand, but also gained a weapon skill. They men at the table seemed empathetic to my plight. Greg the man who brought me over said.

“ you know I think we could help each other out. We could get you further in to the dungeon and maybe even get you a few levels in that new skill of yours. How does that sound?”

“it sounds great would you be able to tomorrow.” I replied

a smile grew on Greg's face as he said “sure not a problem. How about you meet us outside this bar in the morning and we can go together.”

my excitement grew over this thought that these guys seemed to want to help me out. I wouldn't be alone next time I entered.

“ how would you like to hear a tale of one of my past runs in the dungeon.” greg said as he adopted the voice of bard telling a story.

In the morning I got up. My mind slight still fuzzy from drinking to much as Greg told me about his tales with his friends and their adventurers through danger. It reminded me that they were waiting for me and I didn't want to make a bad impression on my first adventurer party. I got dressed grabbed my gear and head down to the door. It was early enough the sun was just about about to crest over the horizon, and the shops were just setting up. I waited for what seemed like an hour I even left the area in front of the tavern and perused some of the shops looking at enchanted items that were crafted from jewelers, black smiths, tailors, even an alchemy shop not my family's though. The one shop that caught my eye was the one called Mystic Emporium. This was the kind of place one could find things for the weird and eccentric. I couldn't help but wonder in. The guy at the counter seemed like he was telling every one off I could hear him say things like “ this is a shop it has things on shelves you bring things from the shelves to the counter and pay for them. Next!” the shop owner seemed irritated so I thought id look around some of the equipment in this store seemed unusal and pointless like glass balls on ornate stands and random decorations, even bathrobes and dunce hats, I found this amusing, but as I looked around I started noticing some of the elaborate patterns of enchanting on some of the items scattered about the store none of them were active enchantments though. Eventually my eyes I saw something I wanted a book that seemed to stand out more then anything else. Looking at the book's price I knew I couldn't afford it and the thought came to me maybe I push far enough in to the dungeon I can.. and that was over ruled by my remberance of Greg and his friends waiting for me . I immediately ran out of the store and back to the tavern when I saw Greg a aproching the tavern and I waved at him. As I began running at full tilt to meet him.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“hey young man! be fore we head to the dungeon we need to have a little talk.” Greg said

“ok talking strategy seems like the right thing to do before we go in.” I said

“ right right.” he said while pulling me around the comer in to the ally where his friends were “ you see me and my friend cant legally enter this dungeon. One of our misadventures a few years ago put us on the kings no entry list so any dungeon owned by the king we cant enter, But I think we have a way around that. My friend Ozwald here can and so can you.”as he gestured to another young man who was wearing leather armor,and a rapier.” you see my friend Phil has offered to help him as well.” As he gestured the the man with cloaked hood over his head hiding most of his face leave only the tip of his stubbled chin and tip of his nose visible. “ we think we can help you both at the same time but you need to get Phil and I in to the dungeon first. And we have a plan for that.” as Greg's tone dropped to almost a whisper. “the plan is for Phil and I to ride in yours and Ozwald's shadows past the entry check but as we are sententious beings we need to have an agreement, that allows Phils skill to work for us to ride your shadows can you two do that for us so we can help you two?”

I glanced at Ozwald seeing a look of contemplation on his face as he spoke.” you know we could get in a lot of trouble if we get caught smuggling you two in. I could loose my placment in the adventures guild not to say put on the no entry list along your names. And I still dont know what you two would get from helping us.”

“ Ah you see thats where our young summoner friend comes in he can not only help me get into the dungeon but he can also help Phil and I get enchanted gear out of there without half of it being pillaged by the kings guards when we leave. Alas I have yet to ask him if he was willing to mark a special kind of monster for my friend phil and I. one we are likely to find in the dungeon if we can go far enough.”