Nate made only two stops as he moved quickly through the market. The first was in a large shop on the main thoroughfare that seemed to operate on a one-stop, Walmart style philosophy, selling a bit of everything. He spied simple food rations, clothing, dried herbs with purported medicinal properties, lengths of rope, playing cards, water skins, and a thousand other items for which he could only guess the use. The place was far too crowded, Travelers streaming in through the open doors to peruse the wares and make rapid purchases. Nate spotted several employees beyond the human woman running the main counter, most of them mixing in with the crowd and just keeping an eye on things. They had a tell, though. When he identified them, he couldn’t identify a single one of their classes or levels.

Nate made a single purchase before leaving, a small pack on a sling that he could wear over one shoulder. He didn’t have anything to put in it yet, not willing to trust his coins to something so easily accessed by others. But he was sure he would acquire other equipment over time, and he had no intention of shoving everything down the front of his vest forever. His eyebrows raised slightly when he heard the price, two full silvers, but he quickly paid out of the purse he had received with the rest of his starting equipment. As he left, he eyed up some of the other customers, their arms laden with goods. The small bag had cost him a good chunk of his starting money. Based on the amount he saw others buying, he assumed that many of them had wound up with much fuller purses than his own. He had yet to check the contents of the purse he had pulled from the orc. He wanted somewhere more private for that.

The second stop required him to leave the main street. The general store had not had what he needed, but a helpful food merchant had directed him around a corner to a smaller, less busy district. There he found a store that specialized in custom clothing. After a brief discussion with the gruff man who ran the place, he had the first items for his shoulder bag. A length of simple cloth of roughly the same color as his clothes and a satchel filled with a few sewing needles and a variety of threads. The store’s owner had initially appeared confused by Nate’s request, but had been happy enough to part with the materials. It had cost him another 20 copper. His purse, not particularly full to start with, was feeling depressingly light.

As he continued to wander, Nate took in the sights. The city was beautiful, the pure white stones used in all the construction giving everything a brilliant glow in in the light of a noon day sun. He had expected the place to feel rustic and medieval. Instead, it had an elegant charm that reminded him of Florence. There were even cafes and restaurants, many with patio seating, dotting the many pavilions, and some were already occupied by Travelers clad in a variety of leather and steel. Most of the buildings were only one or two stories, providing unobstructed views of the odd Obelisk in the city’s center on one side and the looming Cathedral on the other. The Cathedral was particularly breathtaking. The interior’s resemblance to a gothic Catholic structure was mirrored on the exterior, though with the addition of tall, fragile looking towers of various heights at odd intervals throughout.

As he strolled, Nate took the opportunity to study his fellow Travelers more closely. Released from the confines of the Cathedral, it was easier to focus on individuals. His initial assessment of the number of humans seemed accurate, perhaps a little more than half the total. The rest, though, were far more diverse than he had originally thought. While his eye had initially been drawn to the stereotypical, and therefore oddly familiar, fantasy creatures of earth lore, there were some true oddities mixed into the bunch. He saw several more orcs and elves, their race confirmed by his still unfamiliar ability to generate textboxes over other’s heads if he focused on them long enough. He looked for but did not find the little gnome again, or any others like it. But he did see a group of three creatures walking in a tight cluster that he could only describe as anthropomorphized fish. They had eyes like saucers, wide flat mouths, and their bodies were covered in iridescent green scales. They even had odd fin-like ridges running down the back of their heads. Yet they wore the same mix of armor and robes as everyone else, walked on two feet, and had two arms apiece, though they ended in protuberances that looked more like flippers than hands.

Nate was thinking how strange it was that these aliens, for that’s what they were, were so basically human in their appearance, when he saw something that made him stop dead. At first he thought that one of the monsters they had been warned about by the Guard Captain had somehow made its way into the city, and his heart instantly jumped to the base of his throat. Yet no one else seemed to give the creature a second thought. As he continued to stare, dumbfounded, text floated up above the creature.

{Giltter Class: Priest Level 1 Race: Oozoid}

The blobby…thing burbled and squelched its way down the street, a semi-transparent, eight-foot-tall mass of jelly that seemed to slide along the cobbled street. Nate watched the Ooze disappear around a corner. It took a few minutes before he was able to shake himself off and continue towards his target.

While most of the people in the street seemed to be moving toward the city center, Nate broke away and headed towards its eastern outskirts. The streets became quieter, with fewer stores giving way to what he assumed to be housing. After a few more minutes of walking, the streets became narrower, and while the buildings here were made of the same white stone, it didn’t seem to gleam as brightly as it had in the market. He saw few people as he walked, though the handful he did spot gave him bored glances as he passed.

It was another quarter of an hour before he arrived at his destination. Fortunately, the directions he had been given proved to be as good as those for the clothing shop. What he found was a complex of squat buildings surrounded by a rickety fence made up of wooden stakes. Many of the stakes leaned at odd angles, letting plenty of light through.

There was a gap in the fence where it met the road. Stretched across the road between fence posts was a wooden sign with faded, hand-painted letters.

TRAVELER’S RETREAT

“New batch arrived already?” came a surprisingly jovial voice. Nate had already spotted the orc before it stepped out from the edge of the fence line, a short and rather skinny specimen with sallow skin and a missing tusk. The orc’s leather armor was worn and tattered, and the plain sword at its hip had stains on the pommel. Nate had the impression this creature was very old.

{Name Unknown Class: Unknown Race: Orc}

“You’re the first to arrive here, in any case,” the old orc mumbled, apparently disappointed that he hadn’t succeeded in surprising Nate with his sudden appearance. “Heard you can stay here for free, eh?" The orc said, giving a wicked sneer that Nate supposed was intended to come off as a whimsical smile.

“Funded by the King’s benevolence, I’m told,” Nate said, giving a polite bow of his head. The orc cackled, then broke off in a wheezing series of coughs.

“King’s benevolence…that’s a good one,” the orc rasped, catching its breath. It squinted at him for a moment before continuing. “Well, come on, Nathan Sutton. Let old Tully show you where you can sleep tonight.”

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The orc turned and started shuffling away. As it did, Nate noticed that the text, still overing over the creature, had changed.

{Name Tully Class: Unknown Race: Orc}

The name displayed now that he knew it. The identify ability was proving to be almost useless. It worked fine on his fellow Travelers, but gave him nothing that he didn’t already know about any of the people he had seen so far in the town. Again, he assumed it was related to level disparity. Even for others at the same level, though, it was of limited value.

Nate trailed after Tully, passing through the gate and into the compound. The first thing he saw after passing the fence was a open, dusty field dotted with a few stone pillars and some mannequin-like dummies on metal poles dressed in tattered armor. One had a dented kitchen pot for a head. A bedraggled sign hung from the fence on the opposite side of the field, displaying the words “Training Yard.”

The first building they passed was long and built like a bunker, without a single window and only one door. It was made of the same white stone as everything else. But it was yellowed, almost as though the stone was sprouting mildew.

“That’s the mess hall. The food isn’t free, but it’s a lot cheaper than anything you’ll find in the city. Of course, you do get what you pay for,” Tully grunted as they passed, ending with another long, cackling wheeze at his own joke.

They passed a few more non-descript buildings before arriving at the first of three multi-story structure on the grounds. These, at least, had windows, though without any glass. Most had their wooden shutters closed.

Tully led him through a large wooden door. On the other side was a long, narrow hallways, with closed doors at regular intervals. The dark gloom was only partially relieved by small, glowing crystals set in to the wall. None glowed particularly brightly, and several flickered fitfully.

“Most folks are out in the market right now. Wanted to get a look at the newest Travelers. Still, best to keep quiet in the dorms. Some of the mages in particular like to study in their rooms. Friendly advice, I wouldn’t go making enemies of any mages. Or anyone else, for that matter. Best to avoid notice. At least until you get a few levels under your belt.” Sully gave Nate a wide grin, displaying several missing teeth, before he began shuffling down the hall. Nate followed close behind him.

At the end of the hall they turned a corner and ascended a flight of creaky stairs before emerging on a second, identical floor. There, Tully turned to the first door. He motioned Nate forward graciously. Nate opened the door.

Inside was a small, mostly empty room. There were two low-slung beds pushed against opposite walls, both with sagging mattresses. Next to each bed was a small desk and an equally mall dresser, making the two sides mirrors of each other. Set between the sets of furniture, mounted on the wall next to the shuttered window, was a cloudy round mirror. There was nothing else to see beyond the rough stone walls and creaking wooden floors.

“You have to provide your own bedding, of course. There’s a courtyard out back, shared by the three dorms, and the latrine is at the opposite side of that. Watch your step if you go out there at night. We have a seventh level Naturalist staying in one of the other buildings, and she likes to put her traps out there. I’ve tried to get her to stop. But she says she’s got to test them. Any questions?” Tully asked.

Nate stared around at his new home. He had been in dingier dives before. But not many.

“How long am I allowed to stay here?” Nate asked, trying not to let his disappointment with the King’s generosity show too obviously.

“As long as you want. I’ll add you to the register, and all we ask is that you let an administrator know if you decide to move out. That way we will know we have a spot open. Occasionally we have to kick someone out. Usually over issues with their roommate. But you seem like a good lad. I don’t think you’ll have any problems.” Tully grinned again. Nate suppressed a shudder at the sight.

He noted the mention of a roommate, though he had already guessed he wasn’t going to get the room to himself when he saw the two beds. It was something else Tully had said that truly captured Nate’s interest, though. He had said Nate needed to tell someone if he decided to move out. Not when he moved out. If. And there was the mention of the Naturalist. Nate still didn’t know what that was. But Tully had mentioned the woman was at level 7. Six full levels above Nate.

“How long do people usually stay here?” He asked, following the thought.

Tully’s wide smile dimmed a bit at the question, his face suddenly more guarded.

“Oh, it varies, it varies. Some aren’t here long at all. They find a Faction willing to take them on, or they decide to head out of the city. Adventuring. Others, well…once you get settled in and learn the lay of the land, you’ll see. Anything else?” Tully was still being polite, but he now had the air of a person eager to be somewhere else.

“I’m good for now. Thank you.” Nate said. Tully’s grin widened again.

“Of course, of course. Tully is always happy to help. Make yourself at home, and don’t forget about the celebration in the city center tonight. It’s not everyday we get a new batch of Travelers, and city Lord always pulls out all the stops for the party. Not to be missed, not to be missed.” Tully nodded his head enthusiastically a few times, his excitement clear. Then he left Nate alone, closing the door behind him.

Nate looked around the room again, feeling the excitement that had been bubbling through his belly as he walked through the city dying with each passing moment. Then he sighed, shaking it off. He stepped over to the bed farthest from the door, dropping his mostly empty bag onto it to claim it as his own.

He turned to the clouded mirror. He used his sleeve to wipe some of the grime from the milky glass. Then he looked at himself in his new attire for the first time.

In most ways, he looked the same as he ever had. He was shorter than most. He often claimed he was 5’8”, but that was only true if he was wearing shoes with a thick sole. He was also of slight build, with medium brown hair cut short, wide brown eyes, and a smooth face that could never support a beard. The combination made him look young, even younger than his true age of 23. The leather armor and dagger might have made someone else look a bit meaner. Maybe even fierce. On Nate, it gave off “squire to the mighty knight” vibes. He certainly wouldn’t be getting out of any sticky situations by relying on intimidation.

If someone had to describe him, they might say plain. Nondescript. Unassuming. The kind of person you could meet and then find yourself unable to describe a few minutes later. In short, the perfect appearance for someone who did the kind of work that Nate did.

Nate had held a lot of jobs in his life. He had started working when he was 15 and, when he had found himself out on his own at 16, he had jumped on any opportunity he could find to make a bit of extra money. He had bussed tables, swept floors in a cabinet making shop, delivered pizzas, taken tickets in a movie theater, and worked a dozen other odd jobs over the years, always just managing to keep his head above water.

All that changed when he was 20. Since then, life had taken him to places and situations he had never thought possible. Travel. Wealth. Adventure. It had all seemed too good to be true.

Which, of course, it was. His dream life had turned out to be a house of cards, and its collapse had left him on the run for months, watching every darkened doorway and alley with fear, wondering when his past would catch up with him. As Tully had said, you get what you pay for. Nate had been living on credit, never paying for anything. Now the bill had come due. It was far too high.

He still didn’t know what the hell was going on in this new world he had found himself in. A world of monsters and magic. A world, he was becoming more and more sure, he was not supposed to be in. He still didn’t know what exactly an “Affiliated World” was. But, whatever it meant, his home was clearly not one of these. Everyone else here seemed to have some inkling of what was happening. Nate was completely in the dark. That kind of ignorance was dangerous.

Yet his overriding feeling since he had woken up in that black room and found himself somewhere he had not expected to be was…relief. Relief that he was far from the problems that had plagued him back home. Relief that maybe, impossibly, he could get out of paying for his past. He didn’t yet know what Farandway was. Not really. But there was one thing he was sure of. It was a fresh start.

With another sigh, Nate dropped on to the bed and started rummaging through his bag, retrieving his sewing supplies. He didn’t know how long he would have the room to himself. He had work to do.