"Guarding Cotra from the Sliths. And the Nephilim. And the Nepharim. And bandits. Heck, from everybody."
"Dagnar."
You see one of the town's soldiers, ready for action at a moments notice.
0
stnd
25
It smirks. "I know something. There's this crystal cavern hidden nearby, with magical restorative powers. But someone vandalized it, and it awaits repair." It smirks again.
0
divulge
19
It smirks slightly. That is the only response you get.
It stares at you.
This is a statue of a bent old man. When you look at it closely, you see it is looking back at you.
0
stnd
19
"Yes. My very, very close friend. I don't know what the Empire's reason for sending you into Exile was, but you're getting pretty close to mine." For a moment her cheery mood breaks, and her eyes show a cold glint of fury.
0
friend
10
Nance smiles shyly. "She's my, umm... my friend." She puts heavy inflection on the word friend, then watches your reaction.
0
elspeth
10
"Normally, I trade off days with Elspeth. We own the weapon shop together. This is my day off."
She turns to you. "I'm Nance. Yes, it is short for Nancy. No, I don't like being called that." She laughs.
A young woman wanders around, preoccupied. She wear a bright green dress, and is in quite a good mood.
0
stnd
10
"I didn't look around em' much. Too many rats. But I bet there's an easy way into the fort!"
He looks you up and down. "Hope you're good, if you plan to take on that place. It's a fort, in a big cave. Well defended. But it'd be easy to sneak it to. There are narrow tunnels all over. I had an easy time slipping into them. You probably could too."
0
recon
9
"Look, son. I'm old, but I'm sly. I just came back from a recon mission at the Nephil fort to the north."
0
rest
9
"Watching the water. The sliths occasionally attack from the lake. It's dull, but I deserve a rest."
"Elmer."
An archer sits at the water's edge, looking out carefully. He's old and wrinkled, but his eyes seem sharp.
0
stnd
9
6
6
Konig the mage
14
purch
8
"Ah! You found me. If you want to purchase firestorm, let me know."
0
firestorm
8
"If you're interested, he lives somewhere around Fort Duvno. I think. Ask him about alchemy."
"Alchemy?" His dour face twists into a slight smile. "Ah. You must have been speaking with Jenny. What I was saying was that a man named Miles just found an interesting new recipe for strength potions. Not at all challenging."
0
alchemy
8
"A legendary, dangerous cave filled with powerful crystals. You hear of it from time to time. And if I knew of it, I wouldn't tell you."
0
cave
8
"I am here looking for the crystal cave. And I prefer to be alone at the moment."
"I am called Konig."
You see a man in flowing robes, a polished staff close at hand. He doesn't seem to appreciate the attention.
0
stnd
8
8
5
"Hmm. Someone I met, um, while working, told me that the mayor of one of the rebel cities owns it. She trapped it. It blasts anyone who tries to get it without saying 'Ankh'."
(You take note of this.)
2
circlet
7
"On what?"
0
information
7
He smiles humorlessly. "Ah, an old friend. And he sends you to me. I'm afraid I'm not working now. Keeping a low profile. Perhaps you are looking for information?"
0
scab
7
"Just passing through."
"My name? Just call me Asp."
A young, steely-eyed man sits well back in the corner. He's hard to make out in the shadows. He looks you up and down coldly.
0
stnd
7
6
4
11
purch
6
2
The ale is excellent and very strong. You enjoy it a lot, once you pick out the bits of mold floating on top.
"2 gold."
10
drink
6
35
33
"It costs 5 gold."
4
room
6
"I sell food and drink. Also, if you need a room for the night, we have one out back. Just say the word. On tap today is fine mold ale, only 3 gold a drink. A room is 5. And you can buy rations."
"I'm Elizabeth, owner of the Darklake Pub."
An aging, raven-haired woman tends bar. She wears gray home-spun, which must chafe awfully.
0
stnd
6
101
prisoner
5
He looks up from his work. "The Nephilim and Nepharim have a fort to the north. They've been giving us hell. Know anything about it?"
0
nephil
5
"What? Look, I'm very busy. Unless you have something important to say, please go away."
"Huh?" He looks up at you briefly. "Why did Paul let you in here? Go away."
A gray haired man hunches over a desk, muttering to himself. He wears impeccably clean silk robes.
0
stnd
5
"Normally he loves to see people. But, the nepharim to the north are holding some of our men prisoner. I'd only bother him if it's really, really important. He's only been thinking about the prisoners."
0
business
4
"Door on your left. Not much there, mostly records." He chuckles. "But who knows. There might be a magic scroll."
0
library
4
"I'm the secretary to his lordship Mayor Steele. If you have some business with him, you have to ask me. But he's pretty busy with this prisoner business. You'd have better luck in the library."
"I'm Paul."
A wiry, nervous man sits behind the desk. He has long, frazzled hair and an aggressive bald spot.
0
stnd
4
"We'll pay them back. Mark my words."
"Nephilim. And Nepharim. They're like Nephilim, but bigger, and sterile. Don't know much about it, but that they're nasty. Captured a bunch of our people last week." She sighs, then starts fingering a knife up her sleeve.
0
nephil
3
"Yes, it's been a two front war. But we're holding them off pretty well. Better than some."
"The Slithzerikai. That's what they're called. They all live to the west, and they've just started raiding and attacking. Like we didn't have enough trouble with the Nephilim."
She looks back at the wide variety of weapons on the walls.
0
lizards
3
13
sell
3
"Armor or weapons? Or do you want to sell something?"
0
purch
3
12
6
Elspeth's weapons
7
weapon
3
8
1
Elspeth's armor
5
armor
3
"I deal in armor and weapons, and if you have any supplies you don't need, you can sell them to me. What with the lizards around, business has been very, very good."
"I am Elspeth. Welcome to my humble shop." She grins in a reassuring, lamprey-like way.
You see a lethal looking woman in a leather baldric. Knives poke out from various places on her anatomy.
0
stnd
3
His eyes widen. "He's good to work for. Doesn't beat me, lets me sleep six hours a night! Plus..." His voice lowers to a whisper. "I hear he was a pirate!"
0
eduardo
2
"Just working on the boats. Spreading tar. Filling holes. Following Eduardo's orders."
"I'm Andrew. I'm apprenticed to Eduardo."
You see a teenager. He's busy eagerly working on the boats.
0
stnd
2
22
purchase
1
"The Empire catches a pirate..." He draws his thumb across his throat.
He sighs, and makes the "Arr" noise in a dispirited way. "You've been talking to Andrew. I'm not really a pirate. I got thrown into Exile for punching a captain. I just act like a pirate for fun. There're no real pirates down here."
0
pirate
1
"Arr. We used to sail the underground seas, fishing and exploring. Then the sliths started attacking. Since then, business has been slow."
0
danger
1
"I sell boats. Fine crafts, fit to sail the seas. Well, the lakes. I've got one ready to purchase. You look tough enough to brave the danger, matey! And a bargain, at 250 gold."
He makes a brief "Arr" noise. You aren't sure why. "Arr, matey I'm Eduardo. I'm the master boatsmith here."
He says "Arr" again.
You see a heavy man with a peg-leg. He wears an eyepatch, but you can't help but notices he occasionally lifts it and looks at something with both eyes.
0
stnd
1
She smiles apologetically. "I'm afraid I don't sell my secrets. However, there is a mage visiting who mentioned some having some skill in alchemy. He's been staying around the bar. You might ask him."
0
alchemy
0
14
12
Jenny's Alchemy
12
purchase
0
"For healing, for the curing of poison." She smiles down at her large stomach. "For the easing of pain. Let me know if you want to buy something."
0
potions
0
"I brew a wide variety of different potions. I am an alchemist by trade."
She smiles. "My name is Jenny. Welcome to my store."
There is a pregnant woman with long, blonde hair behind the counter.
0
stnd
0
"Hmm. Can't help you."
45
2
Metal letters embedded in the wall:
City hall
A wood sign reads:
Boatworks
A boat is painted on the sign, floating through a cavern.
