Day 1
We stood outside the building, and I turned to Acolyte Mandolin.
"I believe this is where we say goodbye." I expected her to agree to leave me here now that her task is finished, but she surprised me again by shaking her head.
"No, Hector. I got a sneaking suspicion that you will not be able to find your way without me as a guide for at least the first day or two." She pointed out this fact to me. Thinking about it for a few moments, I realise that she was right. I would get hopelessly lost again until I learned the city's layout. I had been in the urban sprawls of London, Birmingham and other cities, but they were nothing like this. It was more like the images I've seen of cities in Asia.
"Very well. I will need to get registered. Are you coming in with me?"
"Yes, I've never seen the inside of this building before and am quite interested to see what it looks like." With that, we entered, and before us stood a wooden door engraved with a great deal of detail. I opened it and stepped in, followed by Mandolin. It seemed today was her adventure.
I took in the sight before me and was a bit underwhelmed by what I saw.
We were standing in a long rectangular room. On the left-hand side, a series of leather chairs and couches were arranged for people to sit on. On the right, several large corkboards were covered with notices. At the far end of the room, a woman sat at a large wooden desk with several unusual items scattered about on it. Behind her, there were two doors, both closed. In the far left-hand side, there was also a large silver cylinder. The floor was made of hardwood, with several carpets and rugs positioned across it.
I walked towards the woman who had sat up when we had entered. I had seen her put away the book she was reading as soon as she realised the door had opened and I had stepped in. I walked towards her with purpose, taking in the details of the room. I noticed everything was rather… Worn.
Everything here was solid and well-maintained, but was showing its age. The leather furniture was cracked. The rugs and carpets appear thinner than they should be. Even the decor on the walls seemed faded and old.
"Take a seat, this will take a few minutes," I said to Mandolin over my shoulder, and I heard her move over to the couches and take a seat.
"Good day, Sir. How can the Adventurer's Guild of Seahold help you this day?" The woman behind the desk was in her mid-20s and well-groomed—the typical receptionist with a large but practised smile that did not reach her eyes. She is addressing me in the reserved manner that locals use with strangers. It is so formal that it is almost mechanical in its style. I will need to echo it to blend in until those I need to interact with me accept my presence.
"Good day, Madam. I'm here to register as an adventurer." I tell her and note her reaction. The smile doesn't fade, but she blinks rapidly several times. I interpret that as surprise?
"You are? Oh, that is wonderful. Are you aware of all the requirements that you need to meet and the obligations that come with such an honoured position?" Her words sounded practised, but there was an undercurrent of something else.
"I am, Madam," I informed her. I make sure to use the more polite and formal language style of the land so as not to stand out.
"Excellent. Please place your hand upon the System scanner. Please do not remove it until instructed." She indicated an orb next to her on the desk. It was sitting on top of a large metal box that stood out from the room's decor. It was made from the same strange metal as the cylinder in the corner. The organ top was held in place by a metal wire mesh half-cage. The orb was clear and made of a smooth crystal.
Without hesitation, I place my right hand on it. As soon as my hand made contact with the orb, it became illuminated with a soft, white internal light. She handed me a card with writing on it.
"Please read this out loud and add your name when required." She instructed.
I looked at the card and began to read.
"I, Hector, do swear by the Gods and the System to stand against the horrors that are trying to consume the world and to honour the code of the adventurer and its guild."
Once I finished speaking, the orb suddenly changed colour from white to green. As soon as this happened, a sheet of paper was produced from the bottom of the silver box. It seemed that this metal box was some form of printer. The receptionist picked up the paper as soon as it was discharged and read over the things printed on it. She was no longer hiding the surprise on her face.
"Congratulations….Hector. You are now almost fully registered as an adventurer within the Guild. To complete your registration, please keep your hands on the orb. Be aware that this will not be pleasant and be prepared. When it is done, please step into the System shop for the final configuration of your new status."
I knew what was coming, but it still hurt like hell. The orb suddenly turned blue, and on the back of my right hand, a holographic tattoo was inked onto the skin by some unknown force. It was the same image that represented the Adventurer's Guild outside. A sword and spear crossed with a kite shield on top. This was my System identification tattoo that cannot be copied. It proved to any who saw it that I was a member of the Adventurers' Guild.
I was forced to grit my teeth as the tattoo etching process occurred on the back of my hand. In less than 30 seconds, it was done, but it felt like a very long 30 seconds.
"Congratulations again, please remove your hand. To complete your registry with the System, please access the shop." She indicated the metal cylinder.
The System Shop. The introduction of the System to Hylore had many obvious and subtle effects. One of the most notable was the introduction of the System Shop at select locations, where the cylinders were located. Made of an unknown material, they served as the direct link between the local population and the System. The shops allowed locals to access quest rewards and use the System currency to acquire unique materials and items. I walked up to the cylinder located in the adventurer's Guild and placed my hand upon a small rectangular section. It glowed slightly, and a previously unseen doorway slid open. The whole thing was the size of an old telephone box. I stepped in, and the door closed behind me.
Before me was another orb. I place my right hand upon it, and it becomes illuminated in a faint blue. The orb is sitting upon a column connected to the other side of the cylinder from which I entered.
The mechanical voice spoke in my mind, and the words appeared before me on a holographic screen.
"Yes," I spoke aloud.
A list of hundreds of skills appeared before me. I knew what I wanted to select, which prevented me from being overwhelmed.
"Weapon skills. Pistols." The list changed, showing the skill I had named. I selected it.
A tingling sensation passed through me, and I knew more about using and maintaining pistols. I took a moment before continuing.
"Weapon skills. Clubs." I named the second when it was shown; I selected it.
The tingle sensation returned, accompanied by new understandings.
"General skills. Identify." I named the final when it was shown; I selected it.
The tingling was far more intense, and new knowledge settled into my mind. I was going to have to experiment with that last skill later.
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There was a soft Ding, and the words before me disappeared. The column below the orb opened, revealing a leather bag and a small finger ring made of an unknown black material. I reached down and took them from the open space. Since they removed it, it was sealed once more, leaving no sign of its existence in the first place.
I slid the ring onto my right hand's middle finger.
"Yes," I said once again. I was never one for jewellery, but this was an important item that was supplied to the first and second waves automatically when they arrived. It was available to the local population, but it was quite expensive. I opened my character sheet and looked it over; now, there was nothing that was greyed out.
I closed the character sheet and willed the ring to open. It didn't succeed at first, and I made a couple more attempts over the next few seconds. Still, I eventually managed to get it to open before my eyes appeared, revealing five translucent boxes representing the space within the storage ring. This ring was bound to me, and only I could access it. It can only be removed from my body when I am dead. It provided an excellent means of transporting items that I did not want to be stolen. After a few more attempts, I managed to get the money I possessed into the ring, and it occupied a box. The box displayed a pile of coins in several stacks, with 300 silver coins at the bottom.
The second significant impact of the System's arrival was the introduction of its currency. For denominations, copper, silver, gold, and platinum existed. Within a few years, the local currencies collapsed as everyone began using the System coins, and the System's currency replaced the ones that once existed. So far, the locals have been unable to copy the coins. As it was the only currency that the System accepted, the people of this world adopted it.
It took a few more seconds of experimentation to make one of the coins appear in my hand. The coin was an inch in diameter. Its colour was silver, but it was covered in strange symbols that resembled the old QR codes once used. I examined the coin from both sides and found the designs on each side. I sent it back with the commands into my ring and then brought it back again. I repeated this several more times to ensure I understood how to access the ring.
The last thing I did was to re-access my character sheet and switch on my automatic mapping function. From now on, I could access a map anywhere I went. It will also highlight shops or services that I encounter, as well as unique locations. I could enhance it by acquiring physical maps and having the System integrate them. Quest markers will appear in areas I have already explored, allowing me to find places more quickly.
I turned around, and the entrance to the shop opened up once again, allowing me to step back into the Adventurer's Guild. The receptionist was looking at me expectantly, and I nodded to her.
"Good day, Madam. I shall return tomorrow once I am equipped to start work." I told her, and she nodded to me.
"Before you leave, adventurer, I must give you this." She handed out a small booklet, and I took it from her hand. The title read 'Adventurers' Rules and Commitments,' which completed the final part of my registration.
I thanked her and walked away. I walked back across the room, and Mandolin stood as I approached from the couches. I place the booklet into my storage ring.
"Are you done, Hector?" She asked. It seems she had been quite interested in the room and had been looking around quite a lot while I was busy.
"I am. Thank you, Mandolin." I told her. "It looks like I need to do a bit of exploring to find the merchants I need to equip myself, and then I will need lodgings to stay at."
"Oh, I can help you with that!" She exclaimed. "I know this area of the merchant section quite well, as my family was originally from this area. I am familiar with the locations of all the important merchants that supply adventurers. I will guide you."
"That's good to know. But I am concerned that they will miss you at the temple." Her offer was good and would save me a lot of time, but I was concerned that she wasn't eager to return to the temple.
"Fear not. Members of my order are expected to help those in need, and you, Hector, require a guide." She smiled at me when she spoke, but I caught the hint of something else behind the smile. There was something else happening here that I did not know was the source of her assistance. This may be slightly concerning, but at the moment, she was my best bet at finding everything I needed quickly.
"Then lead on. I will need access to weapons, armour and general equipment." I told her of my needs, and she nodded, looking thoughtful as she considered my requests.
"I know the exact place where there's an entire street that will cover every need you ever consider." She smiled again and turned to walk back into the street.
I followed her, but I was still concerned that she didn't want to go back to the temple straight away. She had completed her task by bringing me here, and so she should be happy to return. As an acolyte, she still had many duties to perform. I wondered why she wasn't returning to the temple to finish them. Would she not be punished?
We walked back out into the street, and the noise hit me, along with the smell again. She led me once more, but this time she walked alongside me and seemed quite happy to chat, asking me about my plans.
I kept my answers as vague as I could. But the whole time, I was telling the truth; I wanted to start adventuring by taking on small quests, but first, I needed to be fully equipped. I also needed to explore the city further and find accommodations to base myself in.
"What sort of lodgings are you looking for?" She asked.
"Nothing fancy. Just a place to stay and get some food. I will be on a tight budget for quite a few months or even years, I suspect." I wasn't aiming for anything fancy, like I told her, just a place to sleep and get some food that wouldn't be vermin-infested.
"I might know a place." She said thoughtfully as she nudged me down another street. "It's on the edge of Low Town. It's a boarding-house called the Poor Man's Dream."
"That's an odd name for a boarding-house."
"Well, it's a boarding-house and a tavern combined." She explained. "It's a nice place and priced well from what I'm told."
"Well, it wouldn't hurt to go and check it out once I bought my supplies." As I spoke, she nudged me down another road.
"Speaking of which, here we are."
I looked down a street. It was tighter and shorter than the other streets. It had fewer people walking the street, looking or interacting with shop fronts. There were several storefronts, and I looked at the signs above them, becoming quite excited. There were three in particular that caught my attention, and I knew I had to be calmer before I dealt with the merchants within.
The first shop I decided to concentrate on was an armour vendor. I walked in through the door, and the bell rang as we passed through into the shop. Mandolin was right behind me, and she closed the door.
"Coming, coming!" I heard someone calling from behind the counter at the back of the shop, deeper within the building. This gave me a few moments to take in my surroundings.
Several mannequins lined the sides of the shop. Each was dressed in different styles of armour. Gambesons, leather, chain mail, and even plate armour were on display. From armoured boots and gloves to full suits of armour, they were all represented here. There was a strong smell of leather and oil in the air. We walked towards the counter, and as we approached, a short man emerged from behind it, stepping out from a curtain that led deeper into the building.
"Customers! How may I…. Mandolin? What are you doing here?"
The man speaking to us was barely 5 feet 2 inches. He had a wild head of hair that was a mix of white and grey, reminding me of Einstein from the photographs I've seen of him. He didn't have a moustache or beard, but a pair of thick-rimmed glasses that made his eyes look bigger. He must be in his early 60s.
"Good day, Rodrick. This is Hector, a new adventurer within the city. I've been tasked to help him today." She smiled at the old man with a look of genuine happiness, but I caught the word "tasked". Before I could think any more about it, they turned their attention to me.
"A new adventurer! Oh my. How can this humble armour merchant help you today…Hector?" I notice the slight hesitation at the use of my name, but I continued anyway.
"Good day, Merchant Rodrick. Mandolin is quite correct. I'm new to the city and am looking for supplies." I stepped up a bit more towards the counter. "I'm looking for several pieces of specific armour and hope that you can supply them."
"Oh, then how can I help you?" He asked.
"I am looking for a gambeson for my upper body. A pair of reinforced padded trousers. Steel reinforced boots with shin guards. And finally, a pair of reinforced leather gauntlets with arm braces." I quickly listed all of the items I wanted, and I watched as he nodded at each request, looking me up and down. I could tell that he was measuring me up for a fitting.
"Hhmm." He rubbed his chin as he thought. "Sensible choices. I have most of what you're looking for. However, I will have to make a few alterations to one or two of the items. I will need to get your measurements." He walked around the counter and stood before me, holding a string with knots in it.
"Of course." I gave him permission with those words and got to work. He quickly took my measurements, muttering to himself as he noted all of the knots. He then showed me some examples of his work, and I chose the items I wanted from the examples he offered.
"I can see the tattoo on your hand, so that I can get to work. I will add the adventurous logo to the right breast of your gambeson. How will you pay for my services?" I nodded to his words, and it was now time to settle up.
"System silver. I will pay in advance." I was going to pay with the System's currencies straight off, but I knew that a certain level of barter and trade could be used to reduce the price of the armour I was buying. I had nothing to give up at the moment, or he wouldn't be interested in it, so I decided to pay for it straight away. One thing I have learned about this nation is that haggling is considered somewhat of a social taboo. Merchants offer you the price, but you can counteroffer with other items or materials to reduce it or partially pay for it. But an outright hack trying to haggle the price lower was considered insulting.
This was due to a unique circumstance that was observed worldwide. Due to large areas of the planet or nations being overrun or out of bounds due to eldritch corruption, industrialisation in the form of large factories was not as prolific here. Factories were churning out large quantities of certain materials in some areas, but here in Seahold, the city's nature prevented that.
The condensed nature of the city meant that there were only a handful of factories, and most items were produced by the shop owners themselves, as they were both merchants and Artisans. You are guaranteed a certain quality of work, but that means it was not as inexpensive or easily accessible as it would be if we were on Earth.
"Excellent." Rodrick beamed at my words. He walked behind the counter again and opened up a ledger before him. "That will be 135 silvers in total."
I placed my hand upon the counter and began to produce coins in groups of 10 from my storage ring. I pulled out the final five and left them on the counter. As I produced the coins, Rodrick took them from me and counted them.
"Bargained and done." He said. "It will take me about an hour to get everything done. Please come back then, and I will have everything for you."
We thanked him and left, returning to the street. Financially, I was significantly reduced, but I was happy with what I had bought.
I turned and went to the next shop.