The shores of Dregmoor were bathed in a grey fog as the Boon approached. The white sand and overcast sky only added to the gloomy atmosphere. Once the ship had pulled into the creaky dock, Jordan looked carefully as he stepped off of the gangplank. Bryn opted for the safest approach, flying a few feet above the ground as Jordan walked next to him.
“You’re making a scene, you’re a diva” Jordan said, pointing up at Bryn.
“The wood they made this dock with existed at the beginning of time, it’s going to collapse any second, and I’ll laugh when you fall in the water” Bryn said, ignoring the stares of the demon dock workers around him. The port was bustling as the duo made their way off the dock, allowing Bryn to descend. Jordan looked down at his compass, following the instructions Luther had given the pair to take the trail to the west. Once locking onto the correct path, they began the 10 mile walk to the town of Dregmoor.
As the pair started down the road, Jordan looked carefully at his surroundings. Considering this would be their home for the next couple of months, he knew his biggest advantage as a ranger would be getting the feel for the environment. The wildlife of the area was unique, with the fighting from the capital causing unique changes to this day. Small drakes the size of crows flew through the air, snapping at the flies and mosquitos they were hunting. Looking to the side of the path, the dirt turned into wet grass, eventually going downhill into a small marsh.
The water was a thick brown color, and an array of claws, tails, and bulging eyes popped up from the murky liquid. The path itself was damp and borderline muddy, but preparing with the proper boots made walking manageable. Jordan looked over at Bryn, who was joining him on the ground.
“Now you decide to walk? You just wanted people to watch you fly, you’re a sick freak” Jordan said, dramatically backing away.
Bryn rolled his eyes as the pair continued down the path. “I don’t fly a lot so I’m a little out of shape, but I’m not afraid of falling into that stagnant, brown ocean by walking right now. Mark my words when we come back to that dock, it’ll be in pieces” Bryn said, slapping a mosquito on his head while he spoke. Jordan laughed as they continued on, and within the hour, a large metal gate became visible on the horizon. As the pair approached, they noticed it was open and continued through.
The entrance to Dregmoor made it feel like the war was still raging. Every house was made of wood, the walls covered with damp moss. The structure of each building looked like it was built on mud, which might have been the case, as the crooked angles made several of them appear to be on the brink of collapse. Jordan looked around at the residents of the town, most of them putting up their hoods and looking away, although a few had lingering glares that made Bryn nervous.
Neither Bryn or Jordan had ever met a demon before, though they did not look much different from other people they had met. The indication that someone is a demon is a right eye that is completely black, while the other is completely white. There is a wide variety of demons, such as dwarves, elves, and even Tengrathi, but they mostly keep to themselves on Morten due to historical conflicts between the 2 countries.
As Bryn looked around nervously, Jordan flicked him on the side of the head. Immediately breaking out of his panicked state, he angrily turned to Jordan.
“Stop twitching, you’re making me look less cool. I can’t handle that man, I need to make a good first impression or my self esteem’s gonna plummet” Jordan said as he gripped Bryn’s sleeve. “Don’t mess this up for me my self esteem’s absolutely crucial to the success of this and all our missions” Jordan said, dramatically shaking Bryn’s arm. Bryn shoved Jordan off of him, embarrassed at his companions behavior. As Jordan dramatically stumbled away, he smiled at Bryn’s now relaxed demeanor as the pair made their way to the Really Good Inn.
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Everwatch had a contract with the Really Good Inn chain, a mediocre series of Inns located across the world. The rooms were mostly clean, the amenities were sparse, and the continental breakfast was stale. However, all of these were free, and Jordan was already plotting what goodies he would stuff in the storage bag. As they approached the Inn, Bryn was relieved to see this building was in better shape than the others. It appeared to be made of stone, and the angles at which the building stood looked significantly more stable. It was the standout in a circle of buildings that surrounded a fountain the middle of the courtyard. The water poured from a statue of a strange fish with 4 mouths, and Jordan shuddered at the idea of meeting a beast like that in person.
Entering through the wooden doors, the pair heard a bell ring next to them. The lobby of the inn was simple, with a cheap coffee maker and a series of milk and sugar options on the table to their right. A cheap couch and glass table were in the middle of the lobby, and the walls had simple paintings of the landscape of Dregmoor. An elf woman stood at the front desk, wearing a simple navy blue blazer and a gold name tag with the name Regina. Jordan looked at her eyes with fear out of instinct, though he tried to compose himself. He would have to get used to a demon’s eyes, after all.
“Welcome in. How can I help you boys?” She said, her voice sweet and motherly. Upon closer inspection, Regina appeared to be a middle aged elf, roughly 300-500 years old. Her straight black hair rolled just past her shoulders, and her smile was sparkling. The barely noticeable wrinkles made her face appear soft and welcoming despite the intimidating beauty.
“We’re on a journey from the Everwatch Branch In Zepthal. Jordan Hamilton and Bryn…” Jordan paused for a moment before turning to Bryn. “Have I never asked what your last name is?” He asked, as Bryn looked at him with a look of bored annoyance.
“Bryn Glasshoof” he said to Regina, who began searching on her Viewing Stone. As she pulled up their information Jordan nudged Bryn with his elbow.
“Glasshoof?” He asked.
“My grandfather was a centaur” Bryn said, causing Jordan to look down at the floor as his confusion increased by the second. Regina turned away for a moment and grabbed 2 small keys hanging from the wall behind her. She placed them on the desk, along with a few documents and a pen.
“Alrighty boys, I found your reservation in the system. Everwatch has provided you each a room for the next 60 days” Jordan and Bryn looked at each other excitedly. They had feared since boarding the Boon they might be forced to share the same room yet again. “Continental breakfast is every morning from 2:30 am-3:55 am, and sheets are only cleaned upon request. Any questions?” She asked as the pair began signing the paperwork.
“Are those hours normal for breakfast here? Seemed kind of early” Jordan asked, the prospect of waking up at 2:30 daunting to him.
“Oh We get this question a lot from people from Myrkath, demons only sleep for 2 hours a night. It’s best to get down here right away, we have a permanent resident named Benny that houses as much bacon as possible right when we open.” Regina said, as she took the signed documents and pushed the keys toward the pair.
Bryn and Jordan went up their respective rooms, dropping off their luggage before immediately meeting in the lobby again as discussed. “How’s your room?” Bryn asked as Jordan came down the stairs.
“It’s small but it’ll do. I don’t need anything fancy for beauty sleep to work it’s magic” Jordan said as he gestured toward his face. Bryn stared blankly for a moment before retrieving his notebook from his pack.
“We should do a lap around town first” Bryn said as he flipped to a fresh page.
“Yeah, if the map’s correct and there are only 6 paths out of town, I can use Credit and get a lay of the land” Jordan said as he slung his bow on his back. The pair walked out the front door and began walking to the southeast path that was labeled on the map.
Before they went far, a blinding light flashed around them.
While Jordan attempted to regain his vision, he felt someone barrel into him. He landed hard on his back, his pained wheeze sounding like a broken squeaky toy. The vision returned to Bryn’s eyes, and he Jordan on the ground being attacked by a figure in a white robe. Bryn dove into the figure, tackling him off of Jordan. As he scrambled up and drew his bow on the assailant, Jordan heard a loud shout from across the courtyard.
“Vince stop throwing a tantrum, why am I paying Everwatch if you’re just gonna blind whoever they send!” The voice said, appearing to come from a demon half orc, who approached the squabbling trio with massive footsteps. Wearing full plate mail and carrying a mace, he approached quickly due to his large strides. Once he was within a couple feet, his overwhelming presence could be felt by all three of them, though the fanny pack was dampening the mood slightly.