[Recognized 20/100]
“Can you three just clarify with me, please, where you’re from and why you have all this money? It’s not every day I get offered gold and gemstones for horses,” said the stable owner kobold, her brow furrowed with suspicion.
Isabelle was furious with Tahsi. Wasn’t his speechcraft so much higher than hers? How had he managed to fuck this up so badly so fast? Maybe she could try to fix it.
[Speechcraft attempt: mislead]
“Look, I only have all the money and gems because I fought through a dungeon,” said Isabelle. “I don’t know what you thought when he told you we could give you gold and gemstones, but that’s the truth of it.”
[Speechcraft succeeded]
[Recognized 0/100]
Hah. Isabelle smirked inwardly. That would show Tahsi that Isabelle could talk them out of bad situations sometimes, too.
“Oh, I see,” said the stable owner. “Well, in that case, would you mind telling me what gemstones you can offer? It’ll need to be a pretty valuable selection if you’re only giving me two thousand five hundred gold with it as pay. I’m still looking for something near equivalent to five thousand five hundred gold.”
Isabelle would have to learn more about some of her gemstones. She didn’t want to offer too much to this kobold and miss out on making a good deal, or risk looking stupid in front of her party. Isabelle opened her inventory.
Inventory: Isabelle
Carrying capacity: 77/79
Item
Traits
Raw Garnet
n/a
Garnet x2
n/a
Amethyst x3
n/a
Sapphire
n/a
Copper (6)
n/a
Gold (2840)
n/a
First, Isabelle would consider that raw garnet. She focused on it and thought ‘Learn more.’
Item: Raw Garnet
Traits: n/a
Description: This beautiful, unrefined garnet is fairly common, and also fairly valuable. Given the right buyer, in its current state, you could sell this for between 450-700 gold. Were it refined, it could command between 850-1350 gold.
Note: Selling price will depend on how well you barter, which hinges on your speechcraft level as well as your cha, wis, and int.
Hmm. So this raw garnet probably wasn’t the best bet for Isabelle, but maybe some of those other garnets in her inventory were. She focused on them.
Item: Garnet
Traits: n/a
Description: This beautiful garnet is fairly common, and also fairly valuable. Given the right buyer, it could command between 850-1350 gold.
Note: Selling price will depend on how well you barter, which hinges on your speechcraft level as well as your cha, wis, and int.
Okay, Isabelle figured the two garnets along with her gold would be enough. Then again, she’d have to do a speechcraft barter attempt, and Isabelle remembered how badly Tahsi’s last attempt had gone. Maybe she ought to consider sweetening the deal a little. How valuable were those amethysts?
Item: Amethyst
Traits: n/a
Description: This beautiful amethyst is fairly rare, and also valuable. Given the right buyer, it could command between 2000-4500 gold.
Note: Selling price will depend on how well you barter, which hinges on your speechcraft level as well as your cha, wis, and int.
Woah. And Isabelle had three of them! Isabelle figured she’d offer two garnets and an amethyst, just to be nice.
[Speechcraft attempt: barter]
“I can offer you two garnets and an amethyst,” said Isabelle.
[Speechcraft had mixed results]
“I don’t really want any garnets,” said the stables owner kobold. “However, I love amethysts. Do you have any more?”
Isabelle had to think about this one. Her amethysts were so valuable, it didn’t really strike her as a super fair deal. Maybe she could offer up that sapphire she had in her inventory? Isabelle focused on it and thought ‘Learn more.’
Item: Sapphire
Traits: n/a
Description: This beautiful sapphire is fairly rare, and also valuable. Given the right buyer, it could command between 8400-10500 gold.
Note: Selling price will depend on how well you barter, which hinges on your speechcraft level as well as your cha, wis, and int.
Fuck that. This greedy kobold lady could have all Isabelle’s amethysts before she could touch this sapphire.
[Speechcraft attempt: barter]
“How about this,” said Isabelle. “I give you three amethysts for three horses. No gold.”
[Speechcraft had mixed results]
“Look, I love amethysts, but I’m not a gem seller. Let me see these amethysts of yours before I make a decision.”
That seemed fair enough.
[Amethyst x3 equipped]
Isabelle reached her open palm toward the stables owner, showing her the amethysts.
“Wow. Those are beautiful,” the kobold reached her hands towards the amethysts.
Isabelle pulled them away, closing her hand.
“Sorry,” said the stables owner. “How about I take those three amethysts, and you also give me three hundred gold? I just got it in my head that you were giving me some gold.”
Isabelle was irked by that suggestion. She didn’t feel that it was a good deal at all.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
[Speechcraft attempt: barter]
“Actually,” said Isabelle, “I don’t think that’ll work for me. Keep in mind, the value of these three amethysts is probably higher than the horses I’m trading them to you for. After all, the amthysts’ combined value in gold, even at the low end, is well above five thousand five hundred gold.”
[Speechcraft succeeded]
[Speechcraft increased to level 5]
[Achievement Unlocked: Successfully barter with someone]
[Achievement Unlocked: Buy a horse]
[Achievement Unlocked: Trade with gemstones]
“Okay,” said the stables owner. “That’s a fair deal. Give me a moment to saddle up your horses. Here are their titles.”
The stables owner handed Isabelle three documents and took the three amethysts.
[Amethyst x3 removed from inventory]
[Lugano Horse Title added to inventory]
[Stefano Horse Title added to inventory]
[Doug Horse Title added to inventory]
The kobold walked off, headed towards a nearby lean-to.
“Good going, Isabelle,” said Tahsi. “I’ve got to admit, I was worried we were going to get found out for a second there. You handled that situation brilliantly. Can I offer you some of my bread in celebration?”
“I’m good, thanks though,” said Isabelle.
Tahsi looked a little hurt, but not so hurt that he didn’t immediately take a big bite of bread.
Isabelle suddenly felt the warm breath of something huffing behind her. She turned around to see that Lugano the horse standing right behind her, chewing on what was apparently nothing and staring into space with large, dilated pupils. Even more startling, Isabelle noticed Stefano standing right next to Lugano with a similarly empty expression on his face. Doug the horse was also there, though he looked a little melancholy. Why were these horses standing so close to her, though? Isabelle found it off-putting.
[Clarification: You hold the title to these horses. As such, they are at your beck and call.]
That was kind of nice. It just was a little disturbing to Isabelle that the horses suddenly seemed attached at the hip to her.
[Clarification: You can command the horses with your thoughts. If you want them to back up, for example, focus on them and think ‘Back up.’]
Isabelle looked at the horses, focused on them, and thought, ‘Back up.’ In unison, the horses stepped backwards a few feet. That was weird, but also kind of cool.
“Alright,” said the stables owner kobold as she walked up with saddles in hand. “Let me just put these on your horses, and you three are good to go.”
Isabelle watched the kobold throw a saddle on top of each horse and strap it down.
“Alright, there you go,” said the kobold. “And always remember the golden rule of equine practice. Treat these horses well, and they’ll treat you the same. Also, if you’re ever in a town or city, be sure to check them in to a reputable stable with a seal of the BIES on their window. BIES stands for Beaubinte International Equine Society, and they developed international standards for horse stabling that will ensure wherever you stable your horse takes good care of them while you’re in town. Once again, this is an absolutely vital piece of information. Always look for a BIES certificate when choosing a stable for your horses. Thanks, and have a good night!”
Before anyone could say anything in response, the kobold turned around and walked off, merrily whistling a tune.
“Dibs on Stefano!” said Tahsi. He hopped on top of the black horse.
Isabelle climbed onto Lugano. She found his coat to be the most beautiful, and he was also the most muscular of the three horses.
“Gods, are you two saying I’m stuck with Doug?” said Sir Jingles as he climbed on top of the white horse.
Isabelle focused on the white horse.
[Stefano the Horse]
Isabelle looked at the black horse.
[Doug the Horse]
“Tahsi, you’re on Doug the Horse, not Stefano,” said Isabelle.
“Oh, whatever,” said Tahsi. He handed Doug a chunk of bread, which the horse happily chomped down on. “Me and Doug will get along just fine.”
Doug the Horse whinnied in agreeance.
They agreed to leave the stables and set out on the way to Wheatstar. Tahsi seemed convinced that, on horseback, their trek through the woodlands wouldn’t last more than half a day or so, as long as they headed to the northeast. As they approached a dense forested area, the sun peeked over the horizon. Tahsi seemed to grow a little uneasy.
“Everything okay, Tahsi?” Isabelle asked.
“Oh, I’m just getting a little sleepy, but I’ll be fine,” said Tahsi.
Kobolds were so weird. Still, Isabelle couldn’t help but be a little concerned that Tahsi might be at a disadvantage if anything went wrong during their journey.
“Tahsi, would it be better for you if we waited til tomorrow night?” Isabelle asked.
“No,” said Tahsi. “I’m concerned that we might be easy targets for a robbery if we try to stay in Westroad any longer, and the odds of encountering anything outwardly malicious in these woods has got to be a million to one. I’d just say don’t go around punching any wildlife, Isabelle, and we’ll be fine.”
Isabelle rolled her eyes at this tongue-in-cheek reference to one of her earlier mistakes. How could Tahsi blame her? She’d only just been reincarnated back then, and what’s more, her int had been terribly low!
“Wait, are you saying Isabelle punches wildlife?” asked Sir Jingles.
“No, I’m saying she did punch wildlife,” said Tahsi. “Jury’s still out on whether she’ll make that mistake again. It was the whole reason all those crabs attacked us, though, and along with that it’s what got us arrested, so hopefully she’s learned her lesson.”
How could Tahsi manage to not even sound like he was intentionally guilting her while he said all this? Isabelle would never understand him.
They headed single file down a winding woodland trail with Tahsi at front, Isabelle in the middle, and Sir Jingles at the back. Isabelle was kind of irritated that Tahsi was ahead of her, but she had to admit to herself that her jealousy of him was less relevant than the fact that Tahsi seemed to actually know where he was headed. As the sun continued to rise, the beauty of the scenery started to capture her eyes. Birds flew through the air, chirping with glee. They rode past a calming, babbling brook that soothed Isabelle’s weary mind. The flora of the forests was absolutely bizarre, and the more Isabelle looked at it, the more eager she got to inspect some of it.
“Hey, Tahsi, do you mind if we stop for a second?” asked Isabelle.
“Why?” asked Tahsi. “I don’t want us to take too long in the forest. It’ll be best to keep moving so that we can make it to Wheatstar by mid-afternoon.”
“I want to check some of these plants out,” said Isabelle. “I want to see if I can craft with them or something.”
Tahsi sighed. “I mean, you can craft with them, but that wasn’t really what I thought our goal was right now. Don’t you have a quest to complete?”
“Um, can I say something?” asked Sir Jingles.
“You just did,” said Tahsi.
“Don’t be an ass, Tahsi,” said Isabelle.
“I’m sorry, I’m just tired,” said Tahsi with a yawn. “Maybe I’ll be in a better mood if I have some bread.” Tahsi equipped a loaf of bread and chomped down.
“Yea, you do that,” said Sir Jingles. “I was just going to say that I’d be happy to stop and let Isabelle look at weeds and mushrooms and shit for a second. I’ve got a rather nasty urge to bathe myself, and it sounds like the perfect opportunity.”
In agreeance, everyone stopped their horses and dismounted.
[Identifying flora]
[…]
[Flora identified]
Butter Tongue
Type: Shrub
Traits: +1 hp
Description: A large, somewhat obnoxious plant that is often oozing with sticky liquid. Rubbing its wet leaves on wounds imparts healing abilities.
Found: All over Beaubinte
Rare: No
Okay, Isabelle had to take some of this stuff! Why hadn’t Tahsi seen the value in doing this?
[Forage ‘Butter Tongue’?]
Isabelle thought yes.
[5 Butter Tongue added to inventory]
Isabelle watched as the leaves of the shrub disappeared. How satisfying.
She decided to look at some more plants. Isabelle saw a strange orange moss growing on a nearby tree that called her attention. She focused on it.
[Identifying flora]
[…]
[Flora identified]
Toadblossom
Type: Moss
Traits: n/a
Description: A brightly colored moss. If ground up and processed properly with enough samples, it can be used as a sedative.
Found: Protectorate of Ozi
Rare: Fairly
Huh. So this moss was essentially only found in the nation that Isabelle was currently? And it could be used as a sedative? Tahsi was an idiot, stopping to look at these plants was a great idea.
[Forage ‘Toadblossom’?]
Isabelle thought yes.
[10 Toadblossom added to inventory]
Isabelle watched as all of the moss on the tree disappeared. She went over to a couple other trees.
[Forage ‘Toadblossom’?]
Isabelle thought yes.
[8 Toadblossom added to inventory]
Another tree.
[Forage ‘Toadblossom’?]
Isabelle thought yes.
[12 Toadblossom added to inventory]
“Hey, Isabelle, don’t overdo it on the foraging,” said Tahsi. “You don’t want to damage the local populations. Remember your history with nature and wildlife.”
Isabelle rolled her eyes. Why did Tahsi feel the need to boss her around so much?
Isabelle decided she’d look at at least one more plant. She deserved it. Isabelle decided to learn about a small fern with small purple berries sprouting all over it.
[Identifying flora]
[…]
[Flora identified]
Daggerbud
Type: Fern
Traits: +3 poison, +2 stun
Description: A soft fern that can grow rapidly and is somewhat invasive. Its berries are poisonous, and can be used for poisoning and stun crafting.
Found: Beaubinte, Southern Hemisphere
Rare: No
Another awesome find.
[Forage ‘Daggerbud Berries’?]
Isabelle thought yes.
[30 Daggerbud Berries added to inventory]
“Isabelle, are you about done yet?” Tahsi nagged. “I’ve already eaten a whole loaf of bread at this point and I don’t feel like burning another one right now.”
“Yes, Tahsi, I’m done,” said Isabelle. “You know, this stuff I’ve been foraging is going to be useful for us. It can do all sorts of things!”
“Do you know what wheat can do? And yeast?” Tahsi asked. Clearly, he was talking about bread again.
Isabelle sighed and mounted Lugano.
“Wait a second, guys,” said Sir Jingles. “Doesn’t anybody care about whether I’m done bathing or not?”
Nobody responded. Sir Jingles frowned and hopped on Stefano.
“You know—” Sir Jingles said, “—those amethysts of yours are really pretty, Isabelle.”
“What are you talking about, Sir Jingles?” Isabelle asked. “I gave those to the stables owner for these horses!”
“Isabelle, Isabelle, Isabelle.” Sir Jingles smirked and shook his head. He held the amethysts in his hand.
“You stole them back, Sir Jingles?!” Isabelle’s eyes went wide.
“Uh, duh,” said Sir Jingles. “These horses were a total ripoff, anyway. Lugano is way more buff than Stefano and Doug. It’s not fair. I want a buff horse, too.”
Stefano snorted in distemper.
“Sir Jingles, that’s bad,” said Isabelle.
“Not only is it bad,” said Tahsi. “But it’s illegal. Hell, she could’ve called the guards on us once she found out what you did! They could be looking for us right this instant!”
“Yea, well, nobody was paying attention to me, so I acted out. Just like now, when nobody cared about whether I was bathing myself, so then I told you I stole them so you’d care about me,” said Sir Jingles.
“That’s so selfish,” said Tahsi.
“Yea, that’s me,” said Sir Jingles with a smile.
With everyone but Sir Jingles displeased, including the horses, the party headed forward, deciding that they could argue later, after they’d been sure to put more distance between themselves and Westroad. The sun crept higher and higher into the sky, and the forest only seemed to get more and more dense. And yet, something seemed a little off in the air.
Isabelle felt like there was something coming. Something dangerous. But she wasn’t exactly sure what.
“Do you guys feel a little uncomfortable?” asked Isabelle.
“Oh, big time,” said Tahsi. “I’ve got mad thigh chaffing from this horse saddle. No offense, Doug, I know you can’t help it.”
Doug snorted.
“No, I think something bad is coming,” said Isabelle.
“Maybe you’ve got indigestion,” suggested Sir Jingles.
But Isabelle didn’t think it was indigestion.
On they walked, and there was no sign of anything amiss, other than a bit of extra force behind the wind. It felt a little colder. And a little stronger. And then, the system prompt appeared.
[Weather status: tornado incoming]
“Fuck!” said Isabelle.
The wind went from a bit colder and stronger to whipping through the air. Leaves spiraled as trees shook and branches swirled through the air.
“Everybody remain calm,” said Tahsi. “We’ll probably be fine. We just don’t want our horses to get spooked.”
Isabelle took deep breaths, doing her best to stay calm.
“If you’d like some bread to chew on in this trying time, just let me know,” Tahsi said to both of them.
Isabelle giggled. How could she be scared when Tahsi was being so silly?
An answer soon came. A gust of wind pulled through the air, cracking a tree beside Sir Jingles in half.
“AAAACK!” Sir Jingles screeched, puffing up like a pom pom. In response, Stefano whinnied and neighed nervously, bucking and flailing. This only made Sir Jingles scream louder.
Before Isabelle or Tahsi could react, Sir Jingles dug his claws into his horse’s back. Stefano barreled through the woods, disappearing into the distance.
[Weather status: tornado has passed]
[Achievement Unlocked: Keep your horse calm during a tornado]
[Notice: You’re ready to level up]
Isabelle and Tahsi sat on their horses in silence.
“Well fuck’s sake,” said Isabelle. At least she was ready to level up. She’d been wondering about that.
“So much for making it to Wheatstar by lunchtime,” said Tahsi with a frown.