The Heavy Swordsman

Chapter 1:

Stoneshire

It was to the sound of birds that Grinston woke up to, same as the day prior and the one before that. However, Grinston quickly pushed himself off his straw bed, shoving the tattered woolen shirt around his waist as he rushed out the door. He returned only a moment after to grab the leather sack of coins he had forgotten as well as a burlap sack that held the rest of his worldly possessions.

The walk from the inn to the town hall was not long, but to him it felt like an eternity. ‘Today, my life will change’, he told himself as he walked with all his speed. It was his eighteenth birthday, and he could finally realize the aspirations that had plagued him for so long; today, he could become an adventurer and finally make a name for himself. It didn't take long for him to approach the run-down building that this town centered around.

He couldn't help but curse himself mentally when he saw that the doors were locked shut. The sun had just barely come up, and it wasn’t likely that the guild officials were to be around soon. Grinston sighed and began to walk around the building as he waited. It was on his third lap that he happened upon a familiar face. “Master Flynn,” Grinston called respectfully.

The old man turned around to see him. Slowly, his eyes lit up. “Aye, a blessed morning to you, Grinston. What happened to bring you out at such an early hour?” he asked.

“I’m waiting for the adventurers guild to open.” Grinston replied, cheerfully. “It seems I could’ve well waited in the comforts of my bed, though.”

The old man’s eyes looked as though whatever had joyed them died in front of him. After the briefest moment of silence, he finally began to speak again. “Must you continue with this path, that you have decided?” he asked. “If it is better work that you seek, I can find you an apprenticeship perhaps.”

“That is not necessary, Master Flynn. It is not the thrill of labor that I seek.”

He sighed. “You and your cursed youth. Would you be so kind as to walk with me?” He said as he turned around without waiting for an answer. Despite Flynn's age, Grinston had to walk quickly to catch up. “Over the years, I have tried to guide you to become a good man, and I have succeeded. If you wish to learn the faith, I can teach you to say the prayers, and show you how to perform the rituals. If you want to serve our town as a clerk, I can find a place for you. However, this path that you are taking is one that I cannot aid you. Except for one small council I can share with you: as an adventurer, there may come a time when you will have to strike down another man who means harm to you. The gods will not fault you for this, but when the man has fallen, do not take his weapon as your own. A fallen opponent’s sword is a sacred object.” The old priest finally stopped walking and laid a hand on Grinston’s shoulder. “I know you have told me never to speak of him, but your father would be proud of the man you grew to be.” Master Flynn then turned once more. and went to perform his duties.

Grinston stayed where he was. The feeling of his aged friend’s hand still present on his shoulder. He had never known his parents as they had died in a war when he was a child. He had been told they were apparently good people. ‘Too good for this world, perhaps.’ Grinston thought solemnly. When he looked at the orange sky, Grinston saw that the sun had finally begun to peak above the horizon. ‘The guild would be opening soon’ he thought as he began to travel back to the ancient town hall.

The town hall was by far the largest structure in Stoneshire. Its frame was built by large oak trees that had been cut into forming large pillars. Then, stone was dragged from the same mountains that had given the town its name and were used to build the floors. The rest was added over the next centuries, piece by piece. When staring at the building, it was easy to see what parts were original and which were not. There was a legend that the dwarves had built the settlement, and humans merely won it in war centuries later. The truth was lost to time, though.

Upon arriving, Grinston shoved open the heavy metal doors. The adventurers guild was deep in the building next to the guard barracks. It wasn’t a far walk and when he opened the door to the guild, he was greeted by a half asleep guild manager. She could’ve been no older than twenty and had deep, sunken eyes. “Welcome to the Adventurer’s Guild.” she said with a slow drawl. “How may I assist you?” The lack of enthusiasm didn’t disturb Grinston, though.

“Today is the day I have grown to maturity, and I wish to become an adventurer.” Grinston replied proudly. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the guild manager roll her eyes.

“Very well,” she said, “in order to join, there is a fee of eight silver. ” Grinston poured the contents of his pouch and began to count them. ‘eight’, he thought. That’s half of my savings. He placed the eight coins into her hand and pocketed the rest. She inspected the coins and then handed him a bronze emblem. “This is your adventurer rank. Try not to lose it because it’s one of the most valuable objects we will give you.”

“How so?” Grinston asked.

“Hold the emblem out,” the lady commanded. When Grinston complied, she began to chant. The tiny symbol began to glow red and when she said his name, a message appeared.

Name: Grinston Race: Human Class: Unlocked at rank 5 Personality: Chivalrous Upstart Player Magic Tier: 1 Ascension: Locked at level 100 Level: 1 Strength Dexterity Intelligence Charisma Mana HP: 100 8 13 10 9 0 Skills Combat Sight Perks Unlocked at Level 15

‘Combat sight?’ he said to himself, in disbelief. He seemed to understand everything else but what was that? When he looked at the woman, he understood. Level 1 Civilian was written above her head.

She sighed as he was looking around in amazement. “The Stoneshire Guild is proud to have access to Player Magic,” she explained. “Many other combat related professions such as militaries and mercenary guilds also possess the same enchantments. To activate the emblem, simply hold it and say ‘Show Stats.’ I highly recommend not doing so while in a fight. Now sign this and you will officially be an adventurer.”

When he signed his name, he felt like a new man. “Alright, that’s everything,” the guild lady said. “Is there anything else you need?” She looked as though she was ready to go back to sleep, but was only refraining due to his presence.

“Just one more question,” Grinston promised, “where can I purchase some gear?”

“The town armory is on the upper level. Show the guards your adventurer pin and you can purchase gear there.”

Grinston gave his thanks and went to finally purchase a weapon. He had tried once, three years ago, but they had told him that he had to have permission from the town. Today, he had finally been granted that privilege and he was not sure what he wanted to buy. A sword was a weapon for heroes, but did he want one large enough to cut a man in half, or did he want one thin and slender? He figured the choice would become clear when he got there.

Just as the woman had said, when he showed the level 5 guards his emblem, they let him through into the armory. As he entered, he saw a man hunched over an anvil with a bald head and a thick beard. “Good morning, blacksmith. I’ve come to see your wares.”

The man did not look up. “They look something like that,” he said while gesturing at the surrounding room.

Grinston’s face showed his frustration. “Yes, but I have also come to purchase some,” he said. Then, Grinston looked at a slender sword that was tucked into a sheath. “How much for this one?”

The armorer glanced up for barely a second. “That sword will cost you 60 silver.”

“60?!” Grinston replied, shocked. “I’ve seen cheaper houses than that friend!”

The blacksmith finally stopped pounding his hammer and looked up. “Aye, you bastard, I bet you have. But the cost of iron has gone up in recent months. Had you had come here last summer, it would have only cost you half of that. Maybe next summer I will charge you its weight in gold.” He returned to his hammering.

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“Then please tell me, is there anything here that I could buy for eight silver?” Grinston asked, his hope quickly fading. The blacksmith looked around.

“I have a dagger set that I will give you for eight. There is also a wristguard that I’d be willing to sell for 7.”

Grinston was heartbroken. No worthwhile adventurer had walked into battle with just a pair of daggers. “Is there truly nothing else?”

The man began to say something but then stopped himself. He walked into the back of the room and a second later came holding two pieces of wood and iron. “There’s this old broken spear that just came in. I was going to use it for spare parts, but I’d be willing to fix it and give it to you for eight silver.” Grinston jumped at the chance to take it. “Well, alright then,” the blacksmith replied. “Come first thing tomorrow and I will have it ready.” Grinston paid the man his fee and bid him farewell, and left to see what else the day would bring.

The sun was high in the sky as Grinston marched around the field picking up berries. Although earlier that morning, he had become an adventurer, until he had a weapon, he had to continue to work the job he had always done. It was hours of back breaking work before he was finally able to go to the tavern to drink off the day's events. He had only a handful of copper coins from the day's earnings. Grinston did the mental math, it was three copper a night to stay in the inn, so he had only two copper for dinner and drinks. Chicken was three copper so he’d just buy one piece of bread for one copper, and a mug of ale for another. He would have no money by morning.

He was sitting at the table to eat his meager dinner when he spotted a group of adventurers barge through the door. Grinston saw as they went up to the tavern owner and laughed while handing him a few silver coins. They ordered a full bottle of wine, the contents of which Grinston had never tasted. He saw that the head adventurer was a handsome, young man. He wore an iron vest and his shield was engraved with some fanciful drawings. The sword he held in his right hand was made of steel and it was probably worth more than all of Grindstone possessions combined. He was level 10 which was the highest Grinston had ever seen. To his right, a colorful mage with purple hair wielded a wooden staff with a bright blue crystal at the center. Her robe was a light shade of red that matched her pretty eyes. Next to her was a behemoth of a man who stood a good two heads taller than Grinston. He was so tall that he had to crouch to keep his head from hitting the door, Grinston noted. His weapon was a great sword the size of the mage standing next to it. Its metal was rusted through, and not nearly as well maintained as the shieldman’s. Surprisingly, he held the lowest level of 7 in the party. Lastly, next to the party leader, there was a thin woman with a dagger who’s eyes looked hungry for trouble. The clothes she wore were plain and dark but not unfashionable. With a booming voice, the large adventurer began to laugh and pound the table with such force that the table nearly bent from the impact. Apparently, the rogue had a witty sense of humor to accompany her goth style.

As he finished his cheap bread and beer, Grinston felt a tinge of envy for the lives that those adventurers had. However, he assured himself that he will live a life like that even if it took him decades of hard work. Finally, he went to the inn to check out a room for the night. After handing over the last of the three copper he had to his name, he stumbled on to the straw bed. Sleep soon came crashing down on him.

As the sun replaced the moon in the sky, daylight crept into the inn to greet Grinston. He once again collected all his worldly possessions and walked out to face the coming day. The town armorer had promised him that his spear would be ready today, and this meant that Grinston was finally prepared to take his first adventuring contract. His mind began to wonder as he made his way to the town square. Adventurer contracts were handed out at the guild but were often heavily regulated by an adventurer’s rank. As a beginner, it was unlikely Grinston could qualify to get a lucrative contract at the moment.

But he was confident that he would be able to make a lot more through mercenary work than he could through working the land of one of the landed farmers. He had to stop his incessant thinking, though, because he finally walked into the blacksmith’s cluttered workshop.

Grinston looked around. Swords of every size and shape were laid out everywhere. A spiked mace was hung on the wall next to a battle ax that was as large as a small commoner. Shields that ranged from wooden to steel were also scattered throughout the room. Grinston heard the pounding of a hammer in the back of the room.

“Hello,” Grinston called. “I’m here to pick up my spear.” The hammering stopped and silence filled the room. Grinston watched as the man came out holding several large weapons bundled in his arms.

“It appears you have,” he said, as he shoved them onto a nearby table. He then walked into the back of the room and went under a bench for a few seconds. When he emerged, he was brandishing a six-foot tall spear that was two inches taller than Grinston. When the blacksmith tossed the slender weapon, Grinston tried to catch it, but it hit the ground with a thunk. Grinston thought he could hear the man mutter about adventurers as he bent down to pick it up. None of that mattered though, Grinston finally was about to start a new chapter in his life.

“Good morning,” Grinston told the guild manager, hoping to alleviate the stress he felt before receiving his first quest..

“Is it?” The sleep-deprived woman asked. “I see you brought a weapon this time. Would you like to hear the quests for this week?”

“Absolutely.” Grinston replied enthusiastically, as he tightened his grip on the spear as if to test if it were still there.

“Let’s see,” she said, as she looked through a bundle of papers. “Well, there is a request for a merchant requesting an adventurer to accompany his wagon on a trip to a nearby city named Trianth. It will pay one silver per day” One silver a day was twice what Grinston made normally, but Grinston wondered what else there was.

“Is that all?” he said.

“Let me finish,” she said, though surprisingly not sounding truly annoyed. “There is a goblin infestation about a day's march from here and that pays 5 silver, though it is recommended that a party of at least three level 5 adventurers undertake the mission. Lastly, we have one other job, though I doubt you want it.” Grinston was to say something when she quickly cut him off. “ A few weeks ago the town's sewage was backed up. We sent an adventurer in to find the source of the blockage. The blockage cleared but he never came back up. Investigate this and we will pay you three silver coins.”

Grinston thought for a moment, he never imagined that searching the sewers would be something he would be doing as an adventurer. He could play it safe and get the cushy job just being a paid bodyguard but he didn’t decide to become an adventurer to play it safe. “When can I head down to the sewers?” he asked.

“Right away,” she replied.

Three builders were gathered around him with a large rope to the side. They removed the metal block that was attached to one of the town roads and threw one of the ropes in. Grinston watched as it descended into the darkness. He fiddled with the torch that the guild manager had handed him when he signed the quest contract. All he had to do was find the man’s body, and bring it back for a proper burial. He grabbed the rope and gave it a strong tug. When it was clearly secure, he began to slide down as he wondered what the man would look like. When his feet finally hit the floor, he lit a torch, illuminating the stone wall of the sewers as well as the foul liquid at his side. The smell was wretched, of course, but not as bad as Grinston had thought it would be. There was fortunately also a place to walk that was not directly in the sewers; Grinston was grateful for that small mercy.

When Grinston walked away from the rope, one of the town’s builders called out to him. “Meet us in three hours!” Grinston gave them a thumbs up and began his search. The sewers were a labyrinth buried beneath the town. Multiple times Grinston realized that he had just been walking in circles and he wondered if the unfortunate man had just become impossibly lost. There was one easy thing to find though, rats. No matter where he went, he could see the outline of their tails or hear the scampering of their paws. After a while, Grinston began to get used to the sound. So much so that when Grinston stopped for a moment, he realized he couldn’t hear a single rat. He looked around. The smell had seemed to have also gotten even worse. Grinston continued deeper through the tunnels. He spotted something floating in the wretched water blocking part of the flow. He wasn’t sure what it was so he got closer, so close that part of his body was directly above the sewage. He used his spear to give a small push to the object and what he saw, he was sure he would never forget.

A body infested with squirming maggots was what remained of the man that Grinston had traveled down for. Grinston retracted his spear and began to ferociously wipe it down against the wall. After Grinston managed to calm himself, he inspected the body closer. It was utterly destroyed, but the corpse's head was clearly caved in. Grinston was wondering what could’ve done that. He began to search the area. He walked until he felt something under his boot. He looked down and used the torch to reveal a half-eaten rat next to his feet.

Grinston suddenly wanted to go back to his old life but he steeled his nerves and continued forward. Dead rats became more and more common the further he went, until they covered the floor in a state of decay. Underneath a pile of the deceased vermin, Grinston saw the unmistakable outline of a man’s face. For the first time ever, the text above the man was red instead of blue; he was level 2. Grinston froze as did the man. Then the monster-like man pushed his way out of his bed of filth and began to run at him with a rock in his mangled hand raised high. Grinston took his spear and stabbed blindly in the man’s direction. It struck the man in his right arm and he began screaming.

Words appeared in Grinston's vision: 30 damage dealt.

“What are you?!” Grinston demanded. The man began to snarl at him but whimpered when Grinston held the torch near him. Grinston had a million thoughts in his head, but he shoved them down to focus on the strange bearded man ahead of him. As quick as a snake, the man lunged at Grinston once more but was repelled by another poke with the spear.

40 damage dealt.

He was bleeding now, and his attacks became more frantic. He threw the rock at Grinston and rushed forward to bite him with his rotted teeth. The rock struck Grinston in the chest, dealing 15 damage and no doubt leaving a nasty bruise. Grinston readied himself to feel the man's teeth chomping down on his flesh but Grinston’s spear saved him from the fate. When Grinston finally opened his eyes again , he saw that the man was dead on his spear.

80 damage dealt. Congratulations, you have slayed level 2 Human Maniac!

Level up! Rank 2 reached!

Achievement unlocked: First Kill

First Kill - In combat, kill one sentient being intentionally.

Grinston pulled his spear out of the lunatic’s body and watched as the lifeless corpse fell to the ground. Grinston watched as rats began to climb down the walls of the cavern, undoubtedly smelling the fresh blood.

Grinston knew he had to act fast. He looked through the man’s remaining cloth and looked for any proof he could.

The words appeared again: Item acquired! Common Adventurer insignia!

His hands grazed something metal, and when he brought it close to his eyes, he realized it was a bronze medallion not too dissimilar to the one the guild manager had given him. With this evidence in hand, he rushed back to the exit, hoping to leave the hellhole that was the sewers of Stoneshire

Note: Most gold, silver, and copper coins were minted by the magical races of dwarves, gnomes, and elves. Human kingdoms traded crafted goods and slaves in exchange for the precious metals and used the coins as a universal currency.