I almost got stopped entering the town again but the large boar on my back made them realize I was a hunter and just let me pass. Making my way to the guild building I enter it, I notice that at the window I was at before there is another masked person it doesn't look like like my ballistic mask or the simple version I crafted for Fox. It does look ornate though with flowing designs over it. I notice that there is a fox tail on the person poking out from under the thick fabric robe they wore. Minding my own business I move to the window for my rank, no doubt that person would be able to crush me easily if they are… whatever rank that is.

I drop the boar onto the counter and looking up its the big burly man from before who gives a big toothy smile at the giant boar and says "Well I see you are working hard already, the Killer boar job got upgraded to Dark Iron while you were gone so I will pay you that rate" Ahh so that wasn't an Iron ranked job it was Dark Iron. He passes five silver coins over saying "Here is the reward for killing it, and this is for the materials" He then passes a single gold coin over as a couple of workers carry away the boar.

I scoop up the coins and take a gamble placing two of the silver coins "Can I get smaller denominations for these ones" He wordlessly produces 20 copper coins Scooping those up as well I deposit them all into an empty pouch on my belt "I assume the gold is 10 silvers?" I ask for clarification.

The man grunts a bit "You really must be from the middle of nowhere; Yes It is 10 silvers for a gold there are higher but you wont see them very often only really used by big merchants and the nobles"

"Thanks for letting me know, any good places to find a room to stay at?" He smiles at that "I figured that'd come up soon with you yeah, there is a decent cheep place out down the street from here they wont ask about the mask." He loses his smile and says "Now get out so my receptionists can do their jobs, none of them want to work with you so I do" That explains why the receptionist always changes when you come to the window. I turn around and with a wave say bye to the man who I now know is some sort of leader in the guild.

The masked person is sitting at a table with a drink now they watch me as I leave I try to make no sign that I notice them watching me leave. Outside I can't help but feel like that person would try to follow me so I follow Fox as they dart into a nearby alleyway watching the foot traffic pass trying to spot the masked person but I don't see them at all. I watch for a bit until Fox lets out a surprised bark behind me. Turning around drawing my knife on instinct I see the person with the mask on their knees petting Fox, they don't seem to mind the petting from the stranger so I don't attack right away

Their hand gently petting them when they see that I had turn around at them prepared for them they speak and that is when I know that this person is a girl. "No need to be alarmed, I have been sent to return this one to the clan." She taps the mask on Fox's head "Did you make this knowing our traditions?" She asks you.

"No, I guess it would be my traditions that compelled me to make it. The mask is our identity it is more my real face at this point than what is under it." She frowns a bit at your words. "We don't really have a formal way to accept members just have to be a decent person, I thought the fox was decent enough and gave it one" She frowns more when you call it the fox "She is not just any fox you know. She is part of my clan she is just young and will grow up, when we go out we wear masks so people can't see our faces it is how it always has been"

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So Fox was a girl "Well I am sure Fox won't mind that I gave her a mask a little bit early" The woman seems to get a bit more angry at me now. "She is not a fox! She is a person that is a part of my clan" She starts getting ready to stand up and fight you. Holding your hands up you speak quickly "Woah, hold up a second I don't mean it like that I mean Fox is the name I gave her its written on the mask, like mine" I point to the short four letter word that has become my name. She pauses and thinks a bit before she asks "Well that is no way your real name, what are you from a cult or something? Abandoning your name and taking a new one?"

You can't help but laugh at that even here people think you are part of a cult, "Ha ha, Not really we called ourselves one at first as a joke but then people started calling us one when we stopped trying to be funny with it. We are really just friends who banded together in hard times and survived the masks became our faces no two is alike and each is unique." There was a pause in the conversation so you tap your mask letting the hard metal ring with each tap "It also makes for decent armor I was hoping to get Fox an upgrade, especially now that I know she will grow up to be like you that tiny wooden mask wouldn't hold up"

The woman scoops up Fox in her arms she says "Well we don't get names until we grow up I'll let the rest know what happened. Thanks for taking care of her, but she cannot stay with you." Well that seems fair enough "Well that is fine membership into The Cult is a casual thing really so she is free to use the name Fox whenever she wishes or not. Just come find me if she runs into trouble I wouldn't want the first member I ever recruited to die before I did"

With that said the woman vanishes with Fox into a puff of smoke that smells of berries. I leave alleyway and make my way to the inn that the man recommended crazy vanishing foxes are so far the most magical thing you've seen so far. I hope I can find a library maybe figure out just what magic is like in the world, or if it all subtle things like the tags from the guild or the Morphing Stick.

I guess this is why the guards weren't so bothered by the mask when I entered the city while a strange style it certainly wasn't unheard of for people to wear masks as tradition. I make my way into the inn that the man recommended I was met with a mostly empty tavern with another burly man behind a bar looking very similar to the one at the guild. When you mention that the man at the guild sent you he laughs similarly as the other guy "Aha! I see my brother is still sending customers my way to help me out. Rooms are 3 coppers a night meals a silver, we only serve dinner here." I order a meal and a room and take an empty table. A young girl with animal ears, looks to be a cat's ears of some type, deposits a plate of food and a fork in front of me, I can tell that she was hoping I would pay to spend time with her or she wanted to see what was under the mask.

I toss the girl two coppers at least she could get herself a room tonight if her situation is bad and wave her away. It is not like what is under my mask is sacred or anything it just felt much safer to be under the mask. I slip the mask off and place it on the table in front of me, the girl who delivered the food looks satisfied as I start to eat the meal that looks like a steak. One thing I did note was that the drinks were expensive so I drank from my canteen, there was a well outside I could refill so I wasn't worried about running out of water.

Once the meal was finished the mask was placed on my face again and I went upstairs to the room the inn keeper said was mine. The lock looked simple but definitely more than what I expected in medieval times. That didn't mean I trusted the lock wasn't going to leave my pack in this room without me in it.