I took a commemorative picture when we got closer to Seamyst, using my selfie stick to get me, the beach and the little town all together in one shot. I held up a peace sign with a kissy face and set it off with my mind.
Ker-chunk
Large dark wood ships sat docked at the edges of the marina with their sails rolled up. Gulls cried, following in the different fishing boats that pulled in and vanished beyond the wall surrounding the city. I snapped a far away picture of their swarm, my compendium updated.
[Floor 1 Animals- 8/25]
“So what’s the plan, captain?” Iagan asked.
I pulled out my Floor 1 Pamphlet and parsed it for information. Sure enough there was a segment on the back that had an underwater theme labeled [::Seabed Stroll::]. The address it listed was a tiny place called Clearwater Tours, out on the marina with the added note to ‘Look for the giant crab.’ I pointed it out to him.
“I need to do the [::Seabed Stroll::] to get more animals for the compendium. Plyne told me about this one and I think it could be a really great opportunity to fill out a bunch. I want to go shopping and I wanna eat. If we’re going to be here for a bit then we should secure a room or two, too.” I said as my stomach rumbled audibly with anticipation. “Also, I need you to be on the look out for any dogs that you see.”
“Why are you allergic?”
“No,” Thank noodles. I produced my ID and flipped around to the back pointing to the ‘Dogs Pet’ counter. “I gotta pet them all.”
Finally the sand gave way to hard dense orange sandstone which changed abruptly to gray flat stones the instant we stepped through the towering gate. The two guards didn’t seem too bothered at our approach and let us enter without complaint. All at once we were met with a sprawling seaside town that stretched the whole length of the crescent shaped bay. Buildings towered on gently sloping hills overlooking the water. A single row of shops separated us from the boardwalk to the docks, where the fishing boat swarmed by birds pulled in to offload their haul. Light poles lined the sides of the road where strings of bright flags hung strung between them casting colorful shadows onto the street.
Salt permeated the moisture that hung naturally in the air. The only saving grace was the shape of the bay the city situated itself around, which lent for a nice flow of wind to sweep across the town keeping the temperature naturally cool. The dark wood of the forests we had spent so much time traveling through made up the majority of the rooftops with the rest of the buildings being made of stone.
The buildings surrounding us had large store fronts with an open wall leading inside the establishment. Several shops were filled with carved driftwood for home accent pieces displayed proudly along the roadside. Butchers stations and fish markets sat closer to the edge of the water, thankfully keeping the smell out of the majority of the city.
The town bustled with life, people going about their daily lives as though nothing new had ever happened. Very few people were dressed in ostentatious clothes, so Iagan and I attracted a lot of looks with our rampantly ‘not-from-around-this-neck-of-the-woods’ fashion vibe. Maybe we’d push shopping a little further up the docket on our to do list.
The ocean followed me through every alleyway, it’s hulking blue form ever present as it lurked in the bay. I wasn’t lying when I’d told Iagan I wasn’t fond of rushing water, having had a bad brush with the ocean once as a kid when I got stuck in a riptide. Luckily I was saved and since then I’ve given it the respect and distance it demanded. It never left my mind that I’d need to confront it for the Seabed Stroll so I wanted to be prepared.
A large building stretched along the street twice the length of any of the rest of the structures nearby. The largest pair of shark jaws I’d ever seen hung from the pointed rafters, a plank of wood affixed between the teeth read: Sharkie’s Seaside Surf Shack.
Ker-chunk
My compendium identified the shark jaw shrinking and adding it to the extra information segment of the Shark compendium page. Something savory wafted through the double doors as another patron left the establishment. Like a moth to a flame I had to go inside and check it out, my stomach rumbling anxiously for the next meal. In through the doors was a long two story building, bustling with tables and wait staff busy bringing plates and steins of alcohol to the already seated patrons. Immediately at my right was a podium where a woman stood waiting to greet us.
“Welcome to Sharkie’s, table for how many?” She asked.
“Two.” I said breathlessly still staring around the room. Iagan tapped my shoulder and directed my attention toward the towering two story fish tank situated behind the bar. “By the tank please.”
“Follow me.” She said as she turned to guide us through the floor to our seats. I caught something between her hair, noticing that her ears tapered into a slight point. My eyes widened and I moved my sunglasses up on top of my forehead and sent my hat away into my fanny pack. We got seated in a small table for two directly next to the tank. A small sign left on the table asked that guests refrain from touching the glass.
“Here you go.” The woman said as she handed us our menus and started to walk off.
“Excuse me, do you allow people to take pictures of the tank?” I asked summoning my camera to my hand.
“No one’s ever asked to take a picture before so I’ll need to ask my boss.” She said as she left to go find out. I returned my attention to the simple paper menu where in fancy written print sat the entrees.
Fish Tacos
Shrimp Tacos
Fish and Shrimp Gumbo
Fish Fillet & Fries
Fried Oysters
Oysters on the Half Shell
Stuffed Crab
Crab Legs
I was surprised with the amount of variety to be had in this restaurant of a fantasy world.
“They’ve got three kinds of ale.” Iagan remarked raising a brow.
“Big spenders.” I chuckled, keeping my voice down. A man in a half apron approached our table carrying two goblets and a pitcher of chilled water. He set them down and wiped his hands across his apron and addressed us.
“Welcome to Sharkie’s Seaside Surf Shack, what can I fish up for you today?” The man asked pulling out a notepad and pencil from a pocket on his apron.
“I want the Seaside Grog and the stuffed crab.” Iagan said handing back his menu. The waiter wrote it down, tucking the menu under his armpit.
“And you Miss?”
“Fish Tacos and do you guys do frozen drinks?”
He nodded, thank noodles.
“Then I’ll have a daiquiri.” I handed my menu back over.
“Daring today I see.” Iagan remarked as the waiter left back towards the kitchens.
“It’s five o’clock somewhere.” I said looking at my watch which read 2:15 pm. I glanced back around toward the podium where the woman with pointed ears had stood, she wasn’t back yet. I sent a private message to Iagan.
MykaReviews whispered to [The Group]:
Iagan looked at me and then leaned out to look at the hostess stand but continued the conversation in our private chat.
Mr.BigwIggy whispered to [The Group]:
Iagan rapped on the nearby glass with his knuckle where hundreds of fish swam around in large shimmering schools. The skylight above the tank let in the bright afternoon sun which caught on their scales flashing like miniature camera flashes. A lone shark patrolled the perimeter in laps, making a round close to our seats as it skated the bottom of the tank. A bright almost neon reef decorated the center where dozens upon dozens of tiny just as colorful fish poked in and out around it. Lazy corals and anemones waved in the currents the fish left in their wakes. A green faced eel peeked out from it’s hole in the rock with it’s toothy grin whenever a fish would swim to close for comfort. A broken toy ship perched precariously along the top to mimic a shipwreck where a single pink tentacle curled over the top.
The waiter returned with our beverages and some crackers to munch as we waited. My compendium pinged with multiple notifications as I continued to stare in wonder. Octopus, Crab, Shrimp, Oysters, Eel, Shark, and Fish (Saltwater) would all be exactly what I’d need to knock out a big chunk of the animals I was looking for. I’d have to refrain from taking pictures until I got a definitive answer from the owner.
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
The hostess returned right at the same time the food did.
“The owner asks that you not take pictures in the establishment as the ecosystem in the tank is very delicate.” The hostess said. I nodded.
“Alright then, thanks for checking.” I said, keeping my mouth closed about her ears even though I desperately wanted to ask about them. I had no idea if it was rude to just go up and ask someone their race in Trick Tower so I decided to err on the side of caution and leave it at that.
The waiter dropped off my plate of three small open faced fish tacos down. Bright purple cabbage accented the crumbled white cheese and vibrant greens from the cilantro and lime garnishes on the side. The grilled fish chunks laid perfectly through the center drizzled with a creamy sauce.
The stuffed crab in front of Iagan looked harmless with all of it’s legs removed. It’s crisped shell housed the bread-y crab mixture that looked reminiscent of thanksgiving boxed stuffing. Melted butter slowly dripped over the edge of a small ramekin as it sat slightly off kilter on the edge of the plate, where the rice the crab shell was situated on absorbed it.
Iagan didn’t care for conversation and immediately started in on his crab, shell and all. I blinked in surprise as he crunched down through the carapace.
“Are you supposed to eat the shell?” I asked incredulously watching him. He nodded vehemently.
“Soft shell crab is amazing, have you ever tried it?” He asked between bites as he motioned with his fork. “Trade me a taco.”
I offered up one of the tacos and he cut out a piece of his shell and pushed it onto my plate. I took a bite and immediately I could taste seasonings, celery, onion, moist crab meat and bread crumbs, all mixed together with the perfect amount of extra crunch provided by the soft shell it came on. It was wonderful!
I was no stranger to seafood as I lived near enough to the coast to make a day trip out of visiting but seafood was not usually at the top of my list of places I would willingly pick to eat. Which of course is different if you’re touring a sea side town and the local cuisine consists solely on fish. But I digress.
Iagan stole a half wedge of lime from the corner of my plate and applied it generously to his taco. He wrapped it up and took a bite, a slight steam trailed away from the taco as he chewed, relishing the flavor.
“Oh yeah, that’s the stuff.” He nearly purred holding the taco a bit more carefully this go around. I took to mine now and spread lime and cilantro across it and savored the bright flavor mixture of fish and citrus. The tang of the cheese carried the sweet notes of the cabbage which tied back to the gentle flavor of the fish.
The second taco was gone before I’d realized it and I was left almost disappointed to be done. But is that not the mark of a good meal? I slurped the last bit of my daiquiri down to the dregs and leaned against the back of the chair. The alcohol was hitting my system, not enough to send me off my rocker but enough for a relaxed tipsy buzz. Iagan drained his stein as well, finishing the last of his plate and setting his fork down. The shark made another swift pass along the bottom of the tank swooping by like a rapidly moving shadow as the waiter approached our table again.
“Your total comes to 35 gold.” He said. Iagan and I played rock paper scissors to see who’d pay the extra. Iagan won so I ponied up, paying the man an extra three as a tip. The waiter wasted no time slipping the extra coin into the pocket on his half apron.
“Thanks for coming to Sharkie’s have a splashing day.” He thanked us and walked off. Iagan and I stayed seated for another moment more as I downed a glass of water to help offset the dehydration I was sure to feel later. We left Sharkie’s to the salty open air of Seamyst and Iagan took a deep breath in.
“Oh this feels nice.” He relaxed, stretching and tucking his hands behind his head as we walked. I was no stranger to humidity but even this felt oppressive.
“Not all of us packed our gills for this trip.” I grumbled, tasting more salt water than oxygen. “Let’s find an inn and get some directions to the Seabed Stroll.”
We didn’t have to look hard, a few buildings down from Sharkie’s was a multistory building peppered with balconies along the front facing out to the bay. Two topless mermaids with horns on their foreheads filled the wall as a colorfully painted mural showing them along the seafloor among the reefs. The carved driftwood plank that hung above the door read The Two Fin Inn.
Iagan gave the building a dedicated stare as we slipped in through the doors into an underwater themed lobby. Blue was everywhere along the walls and ceilings with colorful pillars painted to look like corals and rock formations. Water splashed and bubbled from the giant clam fountains recessed into the wall where someone was busy dunking their cup in for a drink. There weren’t couches or usual chairs but there was a conversation lounge off to the left side of the room next to a dark stone fireplace.
I was still [Party Leader] so I took point approaching the green seaweed themed desk where a woman with dark skin and an impossibly tight bun sat waiting for our approach.
“Welcome to Two Fin Inn, do you have a reservation?” She asked.
“Yeah a
The woman opened a ledger book and traced her finger down the page. “Ah yes, we have one room available.”
“One?” I blinked. “We’ll need two.”
The woman folded her hands politely over the ledger book with a shrug. “I am sorry, we only have the one room left available at the moment.”
I looked to Iagan who was busy not paying attention. I pulled up my Class Attributes page and sure as shit there it was in the flavor text:
“Okay, one room it is.” I accepted, closing my HUD and returning to the conversation. “Is there any chance you guys have a rollaway bed too?”
“A rollaway bed can be added for an extra 5 gold bringing your total up to 20 gold.” She said. No bees so I slapped my credit card down and paid for it. A trade window from Iagan for his half popped up as she handed me my card back. I accepted and the gold filed away into my inventory. The woman handed me a physical brass key, attached to which was a flat clam half shell with the number ‘9’ on it. “Nine is up the stairs and at the end of the hallway on your left.”
I took the key and headed deeper into the building, following the directions I found the door with no issue. The lock clunked as the key turned and the door swung into the room with a creak. A standard hotel style room there was a small table with a hurricane style glass lamp on it next to the large glass double doors that let out to one of the balconies facing the bay. A couch and a chest at the foot of the single lone bed, made up the rest of the furniture in the small room. The side door to the immediate left upon entering provided a space for a closet, opposite the basic bathroom which thankfully included plumbing and a working toilet but no shower.
“So the real question here is: who gets the rollaway?” Iagan asked plopping himself down onto the couch and sinking into it’s deep green cushions. Bees thrummed in my chest as a chance to haggle presented itself.
“I was thinking I could take it tonight and then you’d take it tomorrow and just keep that up.” I said offering to take the first hit that night. Iagan shrugged but didn’t fight me on it, flopping onto the bed apparently content with the arrangement.
I opened the double doors out onto the balcony where a wind greeted me, blustering into the room and sending the lightweight curtains bellowing inward. The bay greeted me with little obstruction as we were so close to the docks. It stretched out to the horizon line where the afternoon light cast the waves in a glistening diamond shine as they came crashing under the wooden docks of the marina. People bustled up and down the wooden docks with much more urgency than those who strode the street below did. The dock workers ferrying crates to and fro, loading them onto wagons tied to horses.
HORSES! I summoned my camera and took a picture, zooming in as much as I could. The flash didn’t effect it being so far away thank noodles, and I got another animal added to my compendium.
[Floor 1 Animals 9/25]
I breathed out in relief and a knock sounded from our room door. The front desk woman had dragged a spare mattress down the hallway and set it up in the room alongside the actual bed out of the walkway. It fit snugly as though that was precisely the only place it could fit in the whole room.
“Don’t hesitate to ask if you need something.” She said as she left, leaving us to the quiet lapping waves. I tested my mattress out, cushioned if a bit lumpy in places but still better than the floor. It would do. I closed my eyes for a moment as the weight of all the traveling pressed me deep into the mattress. The gentle lapping of ocean and light breeze that brought the taste of salt with it washed around my mind.
I opened them again and the roof of the room was painted in bright oranges mixed with violets. Oh no. I rubbed my eyes and checked my watch that read 6:48 pm. I groaned and sat up groggily. I’d passed out. I turned to find Iagan laying in bed comfortably out of his pauldrons with a pile of books beside him.
A pile of books that looked very familiar.
“Oh hey, you’re finally awake.” He said noticing my movement as he flipped a page. My [Insight] pinged, alerting me that he was feeling smug about something. I looked back at the books once more to find the familiar titles from Roqor’s tower that I’d already flipped through and gained my levels and knowledge from.
“You stole from me?” I asked arching a brow at his hypocrisy having gotten onto me only the day before about the same thing.
“Raised my [Slight of Hand] skill so thanks for that.”
To be honest I wasn’t mad since he hadn’t done anything with them but read them. Iagan payed me no mind, not bothering to fuss as I took the books back, dismissing them into my inventory. Only when I selected them they didn’t have a red mark around them as though I was stealing. I paused in confusion.
“Wait, these are in your inventory right now right? Like they’re registered to you?” I said picking up the Curried Flavors cook book which my HUD identified as belonging to Iagan.
“Yeah?” He said, flipping another page.
“It’s not saying I’m stealing them back.” I said dismissing the cook book to my inventory. “I’m allowed to take them.”
“Hmm, well it raised my skill when I did it.”
“Maybe it can only be while sleeping or unconscious since we’re in the same group and can naturally share amongst ourselves.” I reasoned, thinking back to my own skill that raised while Iagan had been sleeping. Most of the stuff in my inventory was just that: stuff; it’s only real value to me was to sell off later down the road for free coin. That wasn’t to say that I didn’t mind him stealing. So long as I got it back in the end then I wouldn’t be too mad and I had gotten it back.
“Maybe.” He stretched with a lazy yawn. I tried and failed to stifle a yawn as I got the last of the books sorted back into my inventory.
“Oh man I was exhausted.” I groaned sitting back down on my mattress on the ground. A whole afternoon gone now thanks to my impromptu nap. Which for it being a nap I didn’t feel any more tired after waking, I only slept for a few hours and there was still time to go out and wander through the town. My first successful nap that I didn’t feel extremely terrible about.
“Yeah, you shut your eyes and the next thing I know you’re snoring away like a chainsaw.” Iagan said imitating a loud growling snore.
“Shut up Iagan.”