Chapter 15 — Prospective Options

[Pain Tolerance] has increased to 2.

“As I said, that is an expensive option,” Kesta reminded and shifted to circle her finger around rows of similar shapes in a few different places on the map. “Most who are staying longer term make arrangements with hostels as soon as possible to avoid the high costs and limited availability at the inns and brothels.”

“Hostels?”

“Yes, hostels are what we recommend for workers and families staying more than a tenday. They are living arrangements with accommodations that vary from something similar to shared family-housing to quite inexpensive barracks-like worker housing. This is one of the more affordable and recommended options.”

“More affordable?” The words caught Toren’s attention. There was something cheaper than barracks housing?

Kesta moved her finger to an area of the map marked off with dotted lines. “There is still space set aside to rent for the use of tents, but…”

“But?”

“I couldn’t recommend it,” Kesta advised with an earnestly serious expression that Toren couldn’t help finding adorable, reluctantly adding, “You’d be better off joining a stead in the jungle or risking a journey to one of the outposts—not that I recommend that either! It’s just, the kind of people that end up living in the tents… Pa says I shouldn’t speak ill of neighbors.”

There were some bad alley-warrens in Greenvale that even the orphans avoided if they could help it, places full of followers of corrupting Dark Gods, criminal professions, and desperate people kept in misery by evil [Officials] who profited off of the illegal activities that went on there.

With the types of people most likely to join or be sent to the colonies, Toren could easily imagine the sort of place Kesta was warning him of.

“If you enlisted and still have your bonus, you should have it held in the governor’s trust,” Kesta further cautioned after the silence had extended. “New arrivals are often targeted.”

The reason for the chucklers observing the new arrivals, no doubt. The only question was whether the guard captain was in on it. The guard in the room didn’t react one way or the other to what was being said, suggesting in Toren’s mind that it was most likely true enough and well known.

Toren refrained from shaking his head to avoid the motion spiking the pain he was enduring, instead signaling the denial with his good hand. “Unfortunately, that’s not something I have to worry about. My bonus is already being held in trust because of my debts.”

Kesta grimaced, her look of concern deepening. “That would limit your options. Most contracts are done by season or for specified tendays. How much can you afford? Per tenday?”

He had decent gear already and was only planning to purchase a helm and a replacement for his lost knife—assuming he could find a good weapon and armor smith or pre-made gear that wasn’t excessively overpriced. Which meant, even though what he had remaining was a fraction of the signing bonus he would likely never see, he had the silver to live luxuriously for a while if he wanted.

He couldn’t do that though. Besides being a poor use of the silver gained by selling off Yana, Avril, and Owen’s things, it would be short-sighted and would add to the risks he needed to take.

“How far will 1 rod get me? And are zoots edible?” If he could make up the difference on food, maybe he could spend more on housing?

Serious expression breaking, the girl stifled a laugh behind her hand at the zoot question. She quickly reschooled her face to something awkward and contrite. “I apologize. We don’t often get people who come right out and ask. But yes, not only are they an ever-present danger that hunt unwary children in the back alleys and tend to infest the settlement’s under-tunnels, but the meat, fat, and leather are usable. It’s not a lot but the butchers will often give 2 chits per kill.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Children… If these were small pack hunters that wasn’t a terrible price, but something else Kesta said caused Toren to raise an eyebrow. “Under-tunnels?”

He wasn’t an expert on sewer systems and such, but this was a coastal settlement with a high-water line clearly marked on the settlement’s trees. Wouldn’t tunnels under the settlement regularly flood? Or just stay flooded?

Kesta nodded. “Yes, the settlement site was chosen because of an existing Beach Burrower Ant colony. The original ants were killed off and specialized [Insect Tamers] raised tamed Beach Burrowers to maintain the colony’s seawater desalination membrane to provide a source of fresh water for the settlement’s wells and fountains.”

Ugh. Giant ant tunnels under the settlement… and local pack hunters using them to opportunistically feed.

The girl’s face turned concerned again. “Returning to your question regarding options for under 1 rod, unfortunately, even small and undesirable rooms in older hostels start at 2 rods per tenday. 5 tin leaves will get you a tent plot. Do you have an innkeeping profession or related skills? The governor had offered funding and a reward for the construction and management of new inns and hostels.”

“No, I can read and write, but most of my skills are hunting and foraging related.”

Kesta looked him over again, maybe trying to get a feel for his level. Coming to a decision, she unrolled one of the maps she had retrieved earlier and weighted it open. “There are two hunting lodges located in the jungle nearby. Lesler’s Lodge along the way to the outpost of Highrock View and Silent Hawk Lodge along the road to the settlement of Mistmire. They provide temporary lodging for members and travelers as well as a place to resupply and sell the results of one’s hunt.”

Toren carefully leaned forward with interest, watching Kesta trace the routes to each. Lesler’s Lodge looked like it hunted the area near the wyvern spire. Not much was mapped out past the outposts. The steadings were easy enough to recognize by the rectangular clearings marked with dotted lines. There were a surprising number, most clustered closer to the main settlement and along the established roads.

“How safe is the jungle near the settlement and the steads?”

“To say anything in the colonies is safe…” Kesta looked to the guard. “The governor’s guards would better be able to answer that.”

Otho looked up from his book and raised an eyebrow. “Asking me to do your work for you now, Kesta?”

The girl rolled her eyes. “Please, Otho.”

“Fine. Suppose I could do that much,” Otho sighed out in an exaggerated manner. “Except during monster waves and high-tide flooding, a skilled mid-Tier 1 with some protective gear could reasonably hunt solo near Farharbor as most of the stronger monsters have been pushed out or hunted by thrillseekers from the main continent. Poison and disease from both the animals and jungle itself is a hazard. Steads and lodges nearer the outposts are a different matter. Living and hunting out that far at less than Tier 2 should be considered suicidal.”

Why would so many risk that for only 50 credits—two and a half rods worth—per tenday? “Captain Ferdor mentioned a stipend for steaders. What is required to establish a stead?”

Kesta took a deep breath and began to recite as if it was something she said multiple times a day, “Claim stakes can be purchased for 1 rod per standard field measure of land to be claimed. Construction on a structure to reside in must begin within 3 tendays of making the claim. Claim stakes are keyed to the purchaser’s mana signature and are only usable by the purchaser.

“Existing steads can be purchased either through auction when not claimed by next-of-kin or direct sale, but new claim stakes will need to be purchased and put down. There are unclaimed steads available that would be less expensive than a hostel contract and would qualify you for the steading stipend. Keep in mind that to continue receiving the steading stipend, the land must be put to productive use: farming, livestock, mining, crafting, or as a location to provide services.

“Would you like to see the available properties?”

The girl’s expression was dubious and conflicted as she asked the question.

Did he? Wouldn’t the Governing Hall be closing for the day soon? Shouldn’t he focus more on finding a place to stay for the night, and worry about steadings another time after he had leveled some?

Heck, between the zoot infestation, wall duty, and maybe getting into some bar fights, he could probably level without leaving the settlement. Did he need to risk going outside the settlement before he was stronger?

No. This was the chance he earned! A chance paid for with his current injuries! A chance to fully own a property that could have valuable resources. If he had to spend a night in a tavern, it would hardly be the first time—or the last.

After his assent, Kesta retrieved a large tome with innumerable dyed strips of paper poking out between the pages. She paged through the locations marked by a red strip one at a time, reading off the information about each of the vacant steads.

When she read the fifth one, Toren blinked in surprise. “Tavi trees?”

The same as he and his companions went into debt for?

Was it fate?

Otho snorted. “Poor fools. Everyone knows Tavi trees attract drain worms.”