Author's Note: Alright I spent a bit of time today learning how to do tables. Because I feel that that's just the royal road way. Let me know if there are things you guys can think of anything to improve them let me know. Jeez how many times can I manage to write adventurer in this chapter...
EDIT: Thanks to ArchmageNaoki for pointing out my many mistakes. ;P I appreciate it.
Chapter 7: Adventurer Card
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Gale followed the party down the winding streets, dodging busy bodies all around. At the same time he could not stop looking at everything going on around him. Mages, wizards, shamans, sorcerers and other magical entities had shops selling magical goods, potions, and other items, and others were just going on about their business walking to whatever destination they had in mind.
He saw a man wearing a crown that had a fire that seemed to constantly hover just above the man's head, buying chickens from a portly woman in grey robe. He saw a knight clad in shiny plate armour haggling with a store owner over the price of a mace he was selling. He saw a woman with a long bow on her back walking around, except flying above her was a snake with wings.
No one batted an eye at these odd occurrences. Everyone seemed to accept that this was perfectly natural and no one paid it any mind.
"Hey Holly," Gale began to ask, "why are there so many interesting characters roaming about? I've never seen so many different types of people."
"Oh, that's because Austeria is an adventurer's city. Unlike other cities that merely have a guild hall in them, this city grew up around the guild hall. So a majority of the residents are made up of either active adventurers, retired adventures, or the families of adventurers. This city really caters to our needs and is a perfect place to have a base. Careful though. A house is not cheap." Holly explained.
"Do you not know anything Gale?" Ruby sneered.
"I mean, I thought I did. Obviously I have a lot to learn." Gale responded with a defeated tone in his voice.
"Don't worry about it buddy, we're already here at the guild." Will consoled him.
Looking up, Gale's eyes were filled with the sight of a gigantic square stone building. It was fairly non descriptive except for a few windows here and there, and a gigantic symbol of a sword inlaid on a shield. As he made his way to the bottom he saw a pair of large wooden doors opened up, with people coming and going.
Making their way inside, a lofty interior at least 40 feet high with a comfortable lobby greeted them. To the right through a door was a glimpse of a tavern filled with long tables and a bar, to his left was what appeared to be training grounds filled with dummies and wooden weapons, in front of Gale was a long counter. Behind the counter were an assortment of guild officials talking to adventures at booths.
The party proceeded to an open counter to the right, currently being manned by a pale woman with green hair. As they walked forward, Gale glanced to his right and saw a set of stairs just where the counter ended at the wall, occupied by a single guard. To the left was another smaller counter with the word's Adventurer's Store in big letters written above. A lone burly man sat behind the counter.
Curious, Gale was about to ask what the stairs lead to when the woman with green hair began to speak.
"Welcome back you guys! I'm guessing by the fact that you are all alive you completed the quest? Let's see what was it now..." The green-haired woman took Seth's adventure card and summoned a magical circle, "ah that's right, subjugating the goblin horde. Oooooh it was your guy's first A class quest. Mmhmm now lets see. Give me all your adventure cards."
The party, excluding Gale, all suddenly had their adventure cards in their hands and laid them in front of her.
"Ok let's just verify this and this...mmhmm....mmmhmm...Oh!...mmhmm...interesting...ok! You guys are all set, and meet the minimum requirements. Congratulations on becoming A class Adventurers!" The green-haired woman beamed.
Five magical circles a foot in circumference appeared, one for each card. The circles pulsated and then began spinning while shrinking rapidly. Each disappearing into a different card. The adventure cards began to glow. After a few seconds the glow faded. Before each card was red and now had become a copper color. The party all broke out into smiles congratulating each other. While Gale looked extremely confused.
'I have no idea what's going on.' Gale thought.
The green-haired woman began to speak again, "Ok! Now that you are all A class adventurers, you now have access to the second floor as well special perks and quests that the helpers upstairs will tell you about. Make sure you take advantage of everything the city and the guild now have to offer. Congratulations one more time, and have a great day!"
The party minus Gale began to walk towards the stairwell to the right. Presenting their new and improved guild cards they disappeared up the stairs.
"They didn't even say bye..." Gale mumbled.
"Ok! Now how may I help you, stranger?" The green-haired woman asked.
"Uh hi, yes, I'd like to register to become an adventurer." Gale spoke.
"Oh! Not a problem! 5 gold is the initiation fee, afterwards we will magically imprint an A.S card, or Guild Card to your soul." The green-haired woman spoke.
"I thought they were called an adventurer's card?"
"Oh, they're call many things, adventurer's card, guild card, A.S. card, status plate, job sheet, the list goes on, but it doesn't matter because they all mean the same thing. Now that'll be 5 gold." The green-haired woman smiled.
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"Oh ok, well what about-" Gale begins to ask.
"5 gold." The green-haired woman responds, her smile starting to fade.
"Yeah about that, I don't have that much on me right now," The woman begins to open her mouth, her eyebrows furrowing, "But I do have things I can sell to make it to 5 gold." Gale hurriedly spits out.
"Ok! The store is right over there to your left, or my right." The green-haired woman smiles, "But don't come back until you can pay, Ok?"
"Yes ma'am."
Gale turns away and speed walks to the store. Fishing out his 3 bags of loot on his belt. Approaching the counter he opens his mouth to speak to the burly man from before.
"Buying or selling?" The burly man barks out before Gale can speak.
"Uh, buy-selling. I mean selling. I'm selling stuff. Umm...the things in here. I'm selling these things, but not the bags. Well maybe 2 of the bags. But I need at least one." Gale stammers.
The burly eyes him, "Well put it on the counter."
Gale places all three bags on the counter. The burly man deftly opens them and spills their contents about. Quickly sorting through, the burly man makes 3 small piles.
"I'll pay 4 gold and 15 silver for this pile," he points to the one with the larger and shinier monster cores. "1 gold and 13 silver for this pile," he points to the pile with smaller, less shiny monster cores, "and 12 copper for this junk." He points to the pile with monster claws, bits of bone, and other general body parts of monsters.
"Ah yeah that's fine. Well maybe we can come to an agreement on the price, how about instead of 4 gold and -" Gale begins to talk.
"I don't haggle," the burly man barks, "you can take it or leave it, and get the hell out."
"Yes sir, pleasure doing business sir." Gale speaks.
"Sounds like a deal." The burly man speaks while scooping up the materials, "Listen kid, don't bother with that junk you tried to pawn earlier. The real money is in the monster cores. Cause even if you can make a necklace out of wolves teeth, it's the cores they use to enchant it to give the user strength. They don't serve much of a purpose beside aesthetics. What's your name kid?"
"Gale, sir. Thank you for your advice."
"No problem, now unless you kill a whole dragon, and drag its corpse here, or put it into an interspatial ring, monster body parts aren't worth a whole lot. You'd need a professional to skin and get the materials to make any decent equipment for ya and the quantity you need is too much for you right now. By the way, my name's Dave, and if you get any more things you need to sell I'm always here." Dave says while holding out a closed fist.
Opening his hand, and placing it underneath, Gale catches the gold and silver pieces.
"Thank you very much sir." Gale says before turning around and heading back to the green-haired woman.
Approaching the counter, Gale gingerly places 5 gold on the counter top.
"Ok! Now that you have paid the initiation fee. You're welcome to become an adventurer. Hold out your hand please. " The green-haired woman smiles while putting the gold away.
Gale holds out his left hand. The woman takes ahold of it with both her hands and then two magical circles appear. One directly above the back of her hand that she has on top of his, and the second right in front of his chest. The two circles begin to shine and rectangle appears at his chest level. The circle above his hand spins and shrinks, heading towards their two hands. Gale feels a slight tingle on the back of left hand.
At the same time the rectangle pulsates once, before the glow begins to fade. An ugly yellow card is floating in front of him.
"Ok! Please take your guild card and verify that the information is correct. If you need any assistance or have any questions don't hesitate to ask. By the way, my name is Alisha, and congratulations on becoming an F class adventurer."
Gale inspects his guild card, on the front are a few things, his name, adventurer rank, job class, level, as well as mastered, and available jobs. On the back are all the abilities he knows.
ADVENTURER CARDName: GaleAdventurer Rank: FCurrent Job: SwordsmanCurrent Level: 36Mastered JobsAvailable JobsNoneSwordsman: Lvl 36
ABILITIESActivePassiveSkillNonePerseveranceBeginner Swordmanship Lvl 5Unfortunate Hero
"Wait...what the.." Gale says in shock.