[Omniscient Point of View, Fifnthday, 21 Fifthmonth 726 KE]
The Windgarden brothers, Asiel and Orian were in the administration building with Mayor Barrie Silverstone and Site Foreman Ator Robins. Ator had been acting in that position for several weeks, but this morning, they made it official. On the grounds were five carpenters and builders. Two were finishing off the first student apartment building, and three were working on the barracks for the duchy’s guard. The latter had its walls up, and they were focused on building a gable roof.
At one point Asiel and Orian suddenly looked at each other with a visible degree of surprise in their eyes. Orian got up, walked to the door, and opened it. A moment later a hawk flew in and landed on the table. “Enchanted desktop?” it asked. “It feels of godly quality, but I am not familiar with ‘Skawa, except for the term ‘Skawa’s Playground’.”
Orian responded, “It is the name Scamp has been using for well over a thousand years, Aunt. It is very good to see you.” Ronkel was not actually their aunt, but both it and ‘Uncle’ are common terms of respect used by Skolturi when referring to elders. Ronkel had not masked her identity in hawk form, and Barrie saw:
Ronkel – female hawk (female Skolturi Wraith), mature, 1 stone
Level 50 [Ki Prestidigitator], Shapeshifter: S
Master Thief, [Learned Skills], 15,624 defeated
Since her presence seemed to be welcomed by Orian and Asiel, Barrie chose not to worry excessively about the ‘Master Thief’ label. So far as he knew, he had never before been in the presence of an S-ranked shapeshifter. But then, how could one know if they chose not to reveal it? It was curious that she was classified as ‘mature’ while the two other wraiths were ‘adult’. He decided it must refer to the age they were when they became wraiths.
Ronkiel hopped and flapped down to the floor, and transformed herself to her actual form, Her elegant body and hair acquired the typical wraith-like translucence, and she wore a simple burgundy-colored dress with no shoes. She walked to both her fellow Skolturi, and they gave each other tight, extended hugs. Neither Barrie nor Ator chose to interrupt this greeting. Barrie had analyzed her again and noticed the ‘hawk’ description was gone; she was simply declared to be a ‘female Skolturi Wraith’. Unsurprisingly her mass remained at 1 stone, which really stands for anything less than 21 pounds-mass. Whatever quiddity there was to wraithic ectoplasm, it was not very much.
After that initial greeting was over, Arial made formal introductions to everyone in the room. Both Covargh requested she use their first names. He informed them that Ronkel had been living on the Continent of Humans and Covargh since before the Kingdom Era.
“I have a loner streak,” she explained. “I come by it honestly, however. I came to Heere as an unborn awakened, living previously for probably 5000 years as a sapient tree. We referred to ourselves as ‘Ents’ and were perfectly content to enjoy the sun and rain and other elements in lone contemplation for hundreds of years at a time. Given the chance to become something else, I chose elf, a species I admired very much. My interface allowed me to choose from several kinds of elves, and I elected for it to choose. The Skolturi were a type of which I was unaware, and I am very glad I allowed my interface to choose.”
Ator asked her, “What classes did you choose as a Skolturi?”
“I was a Ranger and a Druid. Ents did not have classes or interfaces per se, but I knew most of the sapient species did. So given an expansive choice, I chose two which were familiar to me as a creature of the forest. I lived well over 300 years as a Skolturi.”
“Upon wraith-hood, I chose to be identified by my original Ent name. And I rebelled a little at the concept of having so little substance. As a shapeshifter, I could gain some control over that aspect of my being. I felt being a Ki Prestidigitator would give me further options in how people perceived me. It is also, as I am sure you see, an almost perfect pair of classes for a master thief, although that was not my original goal.”
The Mayor asked, “Should the people of Cottages be concerned at having a master thief in the vicinity?”
“I understand, Mayor, why you would ask. But I have been a member of the Thieves Guild for over 500 years, under various aliases, and I strictly abide by their precepts. No one in the area who is not abusing their fellows need worry about my presence. I had been acting as Second Chair to the Thieves Guild in Capital City, Second Duchy, for over a dozen years. A few evenings ago, War appeared to me. He suggested it might behoove me to visit the village of Cottages in the Fifth Duchy, and to expect an extended stay.”
Admittedly, I internally groused at the concept of being told what might ‘behoove’ me. On the other hand, War is a friend, and if he thought I should come here, I was willing. And I must admit, I stand here more behooved than I have been in over a thousand years. I had no idea I would meet other Skolturi here. It has been a very long time, longer than even a loner should bear.”
“The age of restoration is upon us, Dear Aunt,” Orian declared. “This school is established by gods, and will bring together in one place, all the species of Heere.”
At that, Ronkel needed to sit. So much lost. She whispered, “Can it really come back?”
“‘Behoove’, War, really? You could have commanded in the most obtrusive, domineering way possible, and I would find myself here gladly, most grateful for your interference in my life.”
Suddenly, in sequence, there were three flashes above the center of the table, blue, then yellow, then red. Red shone for just a moment longer than the others. Immediately after red went out, a clawing and scratching could be heard from the center of the table. One cloth hand broke through, then another, and a third, all beginning to pull a body up through the clearly unbroken tabletop. Once Skawa, in his plush-toy Trichyan form was fully standing atop the table, he said, “It is about time someone acknowledged the extreme quality of this table’s finish. You know I had to melt myself to make it like this?”
Ator was shocked and amazed. This is the first time he had been in the physical presence of a god. Level 50 Skolturi were awe-inspiring enough, yet here was even more. He had been the one to apply the initial finish to the table top, expecting to apply two more coats on consecutive days. It was immediately obvious that second day that the table required no more attention.
“Yes, Ator, you did a very good job, and I am sure your finished work would have been amazing. This, however, is a very special place, and I added a beyond-mortal touch.”
“Thank you, most high Sir,” Ator managed.
Skawa rolled his glass-bead eyes. “Relax, Ator. The main difference between you and I is that I have been around much longer – much longer than even Ronkel when he was yet a seed. I come to this place as a friend.”
“Speaking of, I like what you-all are doing with this place. We all do.”
Facing the newcomer, Skawa told him, “Ronkel, War has recruited you to give you the opportunity to ply your trade. A Thieves Guild here, along with a branch of the Thieves Guild Bank, will do much to constructively assist the village of Cottages to evolve into a town worth living in. It is a special place, and we do not want the many newcomers to spoil that.”
Barrie had conflicting feelings. He knew that a strong Thieves Guild might avoid the establishment of competing criminal gangs, but in his heart he would actually prefer neither. And he had to speak up about the other point, “Skawa, Ronkel, you should know that the village has already made arrangements for representatives of the Chartered Bank of the Fifth Duchy to visit and possibly establish a branch here.”
“Excellent foresight, Mayor,” Ronkel declared. “The Thieves Bank and the Chartered Banks have long worked together. We actually complement each other. Yes, we compete, too, but different types of people gravitate to each bank. And more often than not, Chartered Banks depend on the Thieves Guild courier system to transfer funds between branches. We depend on them to maintain liquidity in our reserves, and they likewise depend on us.”
Puzzled, Ator asked, “You are saying the Thieves Bank is honest and dependable? Forgive me, but that sounds like a contradiction.”
“And Sir, it is,” answered Rankel. “The best type of contradiction – one that works in spite of itself. Who would be better at defending their resources than a Thieves Guild? Who would be more polite and forgiving than people whose very lives are adversity? The Thieves Guild Bank is well respected and recognized in all the duchies of the Kingdom. We are fully cooperative with the government and the laws”
Barrie clarified, “So, Ronkel, do you intend to establish in Cottages branches of both the Thieves Guild and the Thieves Guild Bank?”
“Yes, but I had not planned to do so until encouraged by War and Skawa. Blame them.” Skawa smiled at the Mayor.
Ronkel continued, “Asiel, as an administrator of the school, I bring news of a prospective student. I traveled with her and her family for almost a day. They began their journey in Cycles, First Duchy. In my opinion she would make an outstanding and helpful student.”
“Are you referring to Niscus Sholut?” Asiel asked. Somewhat surprised, Ronkel acknowledged that he was. “I received an application two days ago, filled out by her father. Attached was a recommendation from the headmistress of an already established adventuring school. I am already predisposed to admit her, but we will need to speak to her first.”
“I am so pleased to hear that. Are you also aware that her father is a groundsman? I don’t know if this facility has such a person already available, but if not I suspect you would find him to be a valuable asset.”
Ator replied, “We do not yet have a groundsman. We put out the word to surrounding villages two weeks ago, but there has been no response. I would very much like to speak with him.”
“His name is Merz Sholut. They continued into town as I flew off to here. Skawa, what would you think of a large, circular area rug placed beneath the table, complementing your table top? Belenay Sholut is a Clothsmith and Carpetmaker, and I can attest to the high quality of her wares. She could enchant it with wear resistance and a night glow, which would keep your table top visible on the darkest of nights. I am sure she would be willing to accept a custom commission.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“I will go visit them now,” declared Skawa, and he vanished.
“Now,” Ronkel wondered, “can I ask the really important question? Why do you have two slightly oversized stone statues of chairs sitting near and facing the table?”
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Some time prior, the family stopped their wagon at the gate, where a guard enquired as to who they were and their business in Cottages. At least, he was positioned as a guard but wearing a loincloth and vest. “I am Merz Sholut, here with my wife Belenay and daughter Niscus. We would like to reestablish ourselves in Cottages from the City of Cycles in the First Duchy. Niscus is very interested in becoming a student at the adventuring school.”
“Second one from Cycles,” thought the guard. “I wonder if they know Onre? No, Cycles is a big city, and it would be too much of a coincidence. Plus he only lived there until age 6.”
“Welcome. I am Ralf Rallee. The Mayor is currently outside of town on business, but I am sure he will be happy to meet you. He should be back within an hour or so. Until then, if you would like a hot meal, may I recommend you take lunch at Karzsin’s Inn? You may park your wagon inside and to the side of the gate. I can have the guard feed and water your horses in the meantime, at no charge. Consider it a welcoming gift. Just your horses, though. As I am sure you appreciate, the Karzins need to make a living.”
“We accept your hospitality, Guardsman Rallee,” stated Belenay. “We have been living on camp food for over a week. A prepared meal sounds wonderful. By the way, I do not believe it is any cause for concern, but a shapeshifter accompanied us for the last day in the form of an orphan boy. As we approached the campus, he politely thanked us, transformed into a hawk, and flew to it.”
“With the two Skolturi Wraiths living there, there is no cause for concern. Thank you for informing me, however.” On confirmation that there were Skolturi here, Niscus’ smile beamed.
Merz parked their wagon inside the gate as the guardsman had directed. He also provided them directions to the Inn, and they walked there. They had a wonderful hot meal, with each getting a baked snipe, squash, and bread. Even though she didn’t really like beer, Niscus had a mug along with her parents. She also asked for a glass of water to actually handle her thirst.
As they were getting ready to leave, a teen Human male walked into the inn. They paid no attention to him until he asked, “Hello, are you the -.” At that point, his words could not overtake the locked surprise on his face. As they turned to face him, similar shocked expressions fell on all three of their faces.
After a few seconds, he finally managed a whisper. “Niscus? Merz? Belenay?!”
Their reply was louder, and simultaneous, “Onre!” He rushed to them and hugged Niscus first, then Belenay, and finally Merz. “What are you doing here, boy?” the father asked. “We thought you were at the First Duchy’s adventuring school. I visited there before we came here, and the headmistress said you were off campus. She had me fill out an application to the school here for Niscus, however. Were you here then?”
“Yes, and Master Sendrin knew it! She probably didn’t tell you because of my past problems with The Grease. The fewer people in the First Duchy who know I am here, the better.”
“We have had our own problems recently with The Grease,” Niscus informed. “That is one of the reasons we left, and we had to sneak out of the city.”
“Did it have to do with, you know, my parents?” Onre asked with worry.
“No,” Niscus responded. “It started with a racist busybody bitch who felt ‘half-breeds’ should not be entitled to have a shop in the main merchant section of the city. Somehow, she eventually got The Grease involved in her crusade to ‘clean up’ Cycles. I wanted to come to the school here anyway, and we decided to move as a family instead of putting up with that crap.”
“Half-breeds?” asked Onre with curiosity and some shame.
“Mom is one sixteenth Covargh. She never hid it, but no one asked.” Onre wondered if that would have bothered him if he had known. He had to admit it would have colored his opinion of Belenay, and even Niscus. He told himself he would have been friends with them anyway, but part of him was unsure if that were true.
“How awful and stupid I was.”
“Well, I am very glad you all made it here safely. I have already been accepted as a student to the new school. There are a few of us; we call ourselves the ‘gang’. For the past couple weeks we lived together in a cottage we called the ‘fort’. We expect to be moving to a new student apartment on campus this evening. Anyway, the Mayor sent me here to bring you to him at the town center.” After a moment’s pause wondering if he should say it, he did, with a grin. “He is also sort of my brother.”
“How do you mean?” asked Merz.
“His wife’s mother, Rhonda, adopted me,” he proclaimed proudly. “She is the town alchemist, and that is why you see me as an alchemist’s assistant. Well, we got another alchemist a few days ago, and she and Rhonda work together from Mom’s shop.”
Niscus commented, “I also see that you leveled, Onre. Congratulations.! It must have been very recently.”
“I guess ‘yesterday’ is pretty recent,” remarked Onre with a smile.
Merz remarked, “‘Ki Prestidigitator’ and ‘Ki Healer’. I am not really familiar with either class, but I know your father was a, I guess, regular Prestidigitator.”
“The Ki turns it into more of an adventuring class, not just one for entertainment. Think of me as a kind of rogue, but I use ki instead of mana. Hey, I guess we might be holding up the Mayor. Let’s head over there, okay?”
As they walked, Niscus informed Onre that she was a Level 14 Forcemaster and Empath. Onre was now a year her junior, barely leveled. “Do you think I am too advanced to be accepted?” she asked him.
“No, not at all. The school is accepting students between 13 and 19, so agewise you are sort of in the middle. This is going to sound bad, but I don’t mean it that way. Your level of 14 seems a little low for someone who is 16 years old. But I promise you, it won’t matter to the school administrators, one of whom you are about to meet. Well the Mayor is a temporary co-administrator. They expect to have a permanent one by the time the school opens early Ninethmonth.”
“Yes, you are right. It would probably be two or three levels higher if I had joined the Adventuring Guild. But Mom needed help in the shop, and I liked working there. I practiced as much as I could, though.”
They had reached a doorway at the village center. Onre knocked, and a voice told them to come in.
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[Forrest Rhode’s Point of View, Eighthday, 24 Fifthmonth 726 KE]
“That’s new”, I thought, spawning in the Windgarden’s basement at 4. There was an area rug at the foot of the stairwell, with a slight glow. It reminded me of night lights on Earth. I wouldn’t need my Dark Sight to navigate upstairs, but I activated it and Boost Armor anyway. And,if you don’t use it, you won’t rank it, so:
Area Rug – cotton and wool, high quality, no wear. Enchantments:
* Wear resistance
* Self cleaning
* Night glow
I didn’t really need any of those explained, and I appreciated that the Skolduri had placed it for me. I walked upstairs, and neither Asiel nor Orian were there. Instead, there was a small boy:
Ronkel – male Hybrid Covargh, age 7
Level 0 Orphan
“Uh, hello pup Are Asiel or Orian here? I am Forrest Rhodes, a friend of theirs.”
Be careful. Something is not right. His data is too bland, artificial. As if a shapeshifter could not be bothered to build a solid persona.
“No, I believe they are at the administration building. They said you would be here at 4, and I should meet you. You certainly seem strange enough. May I touch you?”
“Is that how you approach all strangers? It might not be the best idea to ask to touch someone on first meeting them. I am willing to shake your hand, though.”
“Not all strangers, just the ones I might like.” He held out his hand, and I took it. He had a surprisingly tight grip for such a small hand, curving his fingers around the far side of my palm, but we released the handshake after just a moment.
“I believe you are one of the very strangest. You are ancient and new at the same time. How can that be?”
He might be a Skolturi Wraith.
I told him, “When Asiel and Orian discussed it, they decided that what they felt was ‘endlessness’.”
“Yes, that is it. How are you endless?”
“I would feel better about explaining it to your true form. I don’t have sufficient experience with shapeshifters to really understand what is going on.”
With a surprised, puzzled smile, he asked me, “How did you know? No one recognizes me as a shapeshifter except gods. You are not a god.”
My Interface told me your data was ‘bland, artificial’ and commented that you could not be bothered to build a solid persona. That’s a quote; I would not know. Your analyze report looked normal to me. He mentioned the possibility of you being a shapeshifter, and when you said I was both new and ancient, that is what the Windgardens told me when we first met. My conclusion was that you are a Skolturi Wraith shapeshifter.”
“Indeed, I must have gotten lazy in recent centuries. I used to take delight in designing the perfect persona, not just the data, but every hair, every pore. But as a 50-S, it did not seem to matter any more. Thank you for the wake-up call, Forrest Rhodes.”
As I was telling him to call me ‘Forrest’, he began transforming – to she, a very elegant Skolturi woman. “And you may call me Ronkel. That part of my persona was true.”
If you expect to be on friendly terms with Ronkel, you can assure her that only the interfaces of unborn awakeneds could have realized there was something off, and they would not have said anything.
“Thank you. I’ll probably tell her in a minute.”
I analyzed her again and saw she was not just a Shapeshifter, but a Ki Prestidigitator as well. And a master thief?!
I wonder if she has met Onre?
“Now will you answer? In what way are you ‘endless’, Forrest?”
“Thank you for revealing your true self. You may know that the school is to have very valuable assets, and you being a master thief makes me feel uncomfortable. Would it be alright if we went to Asiel and Orian, and if I see that they accept you, I will tell you everything.”
“You unborn awakeneds can be so distrustful.” She takes a moment to smile. “Wait, I am an unborn awakened also, which sort of proves the point. No problem. They are very likely expecting us.”
As we walked, she explained her previous lives, both as an Ent and as a living Skolturi. I told her I had been a Human on a world with no magic, but a high degree of technology. I also passed on to her what Interface had explained to me.
“Yet your interface told you. Very curious.”
Both of my Skolturi friends were in the administration building, and they had indeed been expecting us. I asked them, “I am ready to reveal to Ronkel my true nature, but I had misgivings about her profession. Can I trust her?”
“You are wise to ask, young Forrest Rhodes,” Asiel stated. “Yes, you can trust her. She has already been accepted to staff here, and the village will be using her credentials to establish both a Thieves Guild and a branch of the Thieves Guild Bank.”
“I didn’t even know there was a Thieves Guild Bank. Does that make any sense?”
It would seem to make sense to them, and it sounds as if your father accepts it also.
“Okay, then. Endless me. Yes it is accurate. I am immortal, but I am only on my first reincarnation. I can die, but when I do I will remember former lives. You, Ronkel, are probably the closest person I have met to someone like me. For all practical purposes, you are on your third life. Well, ignoring the fact that you are dead. Anyway, I won’t have just three lives. I will keep having them, one after another. And any given life can last eons. I will stop aging when I turn 27. Oh, did they tell you why I would appear at 4 in the morning?”
“Yes. All I knew was that you were a Covargh Hybrid that only exists in the real world for one day out of seven. Happy today!”
“Thank you. My other secret, but less of one, is that my Interface is fully sapient. That is how he had the awareness and will to let me know of your bland and artificial persona.”
Orian looked shocked. “You didn’t really tell Aunt Ronkel that, did you?”
She answered, “Yes he did, and rightly so. I have been a 50-S so long, I stopped caring about the fine details. I needed the cold water splashed on my face, and it took an immortal to do that. Imagine my surprise at someone realizing I was a shapeshifter.”
There was a pause in the conversation, so I asked what I had been wondering, “Have you met a Human boy named Onre?”
“Yes, he has become my apprentice. He continues to take singing and self-defense lessons from Master Brune Thorm as well. And he is getting guidance in his healing skills from Harron Ronvaldt. The boy shows great promise, as does everyone in your gang.”