The town of Halverwick was a picturesque collection of homes, shops, taverns and warehouses nestled in the crook of a bay on the east coast of Varethis. It was a six-day ride from Troston - at least on the back of a cart pulled by a great ushound and with certain travel Skills - and seemed to have little going on besides a thriving trade in fish, a disproportionate amount of merchants and markets, and an unusually fancy Adventurer’s Guild.

  At least, compared to the ones Wei had visited on the way.

  Truth be told, the journey here had taken him closer to a week; he’d stopped at half a dozen places to deliver small packages and parcels from Xian’toth to the local [Merchants], [Guildmasters] and occasional adventurer themselves, and despite the locals cheerfully informing him of the excellent travelling conditions recently, he’d avoided riding out when it began to grow dark.

  That wasn’t to say he’d taken his first official delivery journey easy though! If anything he’d been in a rush to see his main cargo unloaded safe and sound, but if there was the opportunity on the way back, he’d promised himself that he’d take a few hours to explore the other towns and villages to see what they had to offer.

  After arriving at Halverwick however, it became apparent that speed wasn’t exactly a priority for this trip. Wei didn’t know how Xian’toth had forged a connection with this place, but everyone in the seaside town, all eight or nine hundred of them, seemed to have a personal relationship to the purple-skinned irathian.

  Sure it meant they’d been friendly to his new pupil - welcoming even - but having to stop and chat to every person on the street was exhausting after a while, especially when every conversation revolved around some variation of: ‘yes - Xian’toth is well’, and ‘of course - I’d be happy to give him your regards’; or ‘absolutely - what happened in the adventurers guild was rather shocking’, and ‘no, really, they’re sure it was an [Illusionist]’.

  Delivering the goods had taken even longer. Each time he knocked on a door he’d be invited into the house for refreshments, and politely declining was no use - if anything they took it as a challenge to their hospitality - and then there’d be a discussion of the weather, and the state of the roads, and if he going to be making regular trips out this way, and did he like the fishcakes?

  He kept up his smile though; it wasn’t really that much of a chore, and Halverwick was probably going to become a regular destination, both for trade and to satisfy Rohi’s love of seafood.

  Of course, all this had turned the overnight stay he’d been planning into a half-week event, and whilst Wei was grateful for the time to explore a new place and relax from the pace he’d been going since he found himself in this world, he couldn’t turn off the voice in the back of his mind whispering that every day he wasn’t earning was another day eating into his savings. And the hours his sister would be spending with the healer weren’t cheap.

  So, on the fifth day after arriving, as gulls wheeled overhead in the thermals that rose from the dark shingled roofs in the afternoon heat, Wei found himself breathing a sigh of relief and rubbing a belly that felt fit to burst as he headed back to the Adventurer’s Guild to report his imminent departure.

  —

  “I thought you might be looking to go.” The grey-haired [Trader] Drummond said with a wink as he lifted up the hatch of his guild-store counter and came out to refill his ever-present cup of tea. “I’ve had the lads load everything Xian wanted up by the cart, and we’ve arranged payment already so you’re all set. Can’t say we won’t be disappointed to see Rohi leave though. The kids roun’ here love him.”

  Wei glanced out the window to the yard in front of the Adventurer’s Guild where the great urshund was bounding along after a gaggle of laughing children, none of them more than ten years of age and none of them even the height of his shorter back legs. A few drops of water still shone on his back from where the bear-dog had leapt off a pier into the ocean earlier to catch a flatfish.

  “I am sure he will miss the attention.” Wei said with a wry smile. “His appetite for it seems to rival his thirst for beer.”

  “That it does! Must be expensive. Still, I’m sure most of us are jealous. Not often you see an urshund about - nor one so friendly. An’ that’s not even mentioning that cart of yours. Did you really design it yourself?”

  A heat came to Wei’s cheeks. Xian’toth had been spreading rumours again. He’d told the irathian he’d build his reputation legitimately - his own way. Still…

  “I had a hand in it, but most of it was done by a [Carpenter] in Troston. I can give you their details if you’re looki-”

  “No, no. I’m done with my travellin’ days. They were fun at the time but I’d sooner sit in a thick armchair and sleep in my own bed than park my behind on a driver’s bench and camp under the stars, even with all those snazzy features you got. Speaking of which - you’ll have a good night for it tonight. [Forecast] says clear and warm, with a steady breeze. There’s actually a good spot I used to use halfway to Averbry I’d recommend. Most of the lads and lasses still stop there rather than keep going through the night when they have a late start.”

  “I…”

  Wei’s breath caught for a moment in his throat.

  A night out there? In the wild? Alone?

  Well, perhaps not wild as such, there were a few hamlets on the way, but out from the shelter of a town’s walls…and he’d have Rohi…

  Rohi whuffed playfully as he herded the children away from a [Seafront Haulier] bringing in crates of cargo on the back of a giant crab more than eight feet tall.

  Might be a bit risky for both of us. No taverns to put us up. How far is Averbry again?

  He’d done the last leg of the journey in half a day. If he pushed Rohi a bit…and he’d gained a couple of levels here, which should have made his Skills better…

  If I load up the cart now I could be there by…midnight?

  That meant hours of travelling in the dark. He shuddered for a moment.

  I do have the goggles…but Rohi doesn’t. He could get hurt - twist a paw in the dark. It’s probably not safe…

  He realised he’d stopped mid-conversation, and Drummond cleared his throat.

  “Of course, I’m sure the kids would love to keep Rohi around for one more night, and there’s a carrack due in from Ishara late tonight; they’ll put some stuff out out for sale as soon as they arrive, or you could wait for the morning if you wanted to have a look at all its cargo before you head back to Troston. Could be a good trade waiting - if you’re not in a rush to set off tonight that is…”

  Wei suppressed a sigh of relief.

  “Well that seems like too good an opportunity to pass up… er, would you mind telling me about what sort of cargo comes from Ishara?”

  —

  Wei brought his cart to the docks just before midnight and began to load the barrels of a fruit that looked like orange bananas he’d just purchased onto the back; they weren’t native to Varethis but they were abundant in Ishara’s tropical climate. It’d make a tidy profit back in Troston and he thought his patron might like a taste of home… even if they were a little overripe and slightly bruised.

  [It’s Still Good].

  They’d last a while longer… if not, they could always be made into milkshakes or ice cream or some kind of pudding. He didn’t even need to consider [Creative Repurpose] for that.

  Wait, do they have milkshakes here? Note to self - check the vendors in Troston.

  The quayside was lit by dozens of floating lanterns, and as he took a break to catch his breath after loading the first barrel, Wei watched dozens of boats pulling up to the docks and setting out to sea again. One drew his eye as a couple of the Adventurer’s Guild staff he recognised stood to attention to greet the passengers that disembarked.

  They were obviously adventurers; Wei had seen enough of them by now to recognise the telltale signs that differentiated the dangerous-looking men and women from any sort of military types haphazard armour that was far more effective than it was uniform, half a hundred types of weapons on display, small clusters grouping together.

  Not only that, but they were the most diverse bunch he’d seen for a week, even in a port-village like this. A couple of lithe tabaxi stuck well away from the waters’ edge. Three humans and a dwarf staggered off the gangplank loudly asking after the nearest tavern. An elf exuding confidence strolled onto the docks and up into the night markets, closely followed by firbolg, like Naila, and a hulking bear of a man who had to be at least part goliath. A few more passed but the staff waited for the last to disembark - a beastkin with the head of an axolotl who chatted amicably to the sailors - beastkin? Or one of the lizardfolk?

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  He put the question from his mind and finished loading the cart.

  When he turned round he almost jumped out of his skin as he found two huge, completely dark eyes staring at him inches from his face.

  “Hello. You’re Wei. Xian’toth’s new protege.”

  Wei got his heartrate back under control and glanced away from the axoyotl-woman for a second to check on Rohi, suppressing any annoyance at the draught-animal-slash-guard-beast’s lack of warning as its bright pink tongue lolled out in the urshund equivalent of a grin.

  He took the clawed hand the woman offered.

  “Indeed I am. A pleasure to meet you, Miss…”

  “Nerissa Costana. [Guildmistress] of Halverwick.”

  He blushed.

  “I’m so sorry ma’am - I didn’t realise.”

  One dark and entirely brown eye winked and she released his hand.

  “It’s fine. Technically it’s [Guildmistress Emeritus] these days, but the place runs just fine when I go off to play. Just wanted to introduce myself. If you’re back here often you might see me around every now and then.”

  “I am sure we will, [Guildmistress] Costana. Rohi here loves the food.”

  “Nerissa is fine. Are you heading out tonight?”

  Wei couldn’t help but glance up to where the village nestled in the crook of the bay, even if the large, reassuring stone walls were invisible to him in the darkness.

  “Oh, not tonight. I’ve got to finish loading up here, then I’ll get a good nights’ sleep and head out in the morning.”

  “Let me give you a hand.”

  Before he could object, [Guildmistress] Costana had picked up a barrel in each arm and lifted them onto the bed of the cart as if they were empty.

  I really could use a strength Skill.

  Or just to hire [Loaders].

  He was about to reach for the last barrel when a pale, finned tail wrapped round it and deposited it next to the others.

  “Is that all of them?”

  “Y-yes. Thank you. If there’s anything I can do for you…would you like a ride up to the Guild?”

  Nerissa waved his offer down.

  “I’ve been on a boat all week. I'd like to feel the stones beneath my feet for a while. Don’t worry, I’ll keep up.” She gestured and he jumped up to the driver’s seat and flicked the reins to start Rohi padding along. “Although… are you eventually heading back to Troston?”

  “I will be ma’am yes. There’s a few stops on the way but that’s my final destination.”

  “In that case - I heard about the trouble there - with the [Illusionist] if what Tina and Erik were telling me is true…” She waited for him to nod in confirmation before she went on. “...and I’d like you to let Xian’toth know that if he still needs it, I can bring a couple of friends over to help. Will you tell him that?”

  “It would be my pleasure.”

  The next few minutes passed in idle chat; Halverwick wasn’t that large and the streets were quieter in the dark. The Adventures Guild was a little busier, with some of the adventurers that had got off the boat getting a late dinner, sighing in contentment whilst bemoaning the blandness of hardtack and other sea rations. Nerissa went round clapping shoulders and catching up with her staff but, despite the welcome, Wei made his excuses and, after putting his bound {Alarm} spell on the cart and securing a barrel of mead for Rohi - on the house thanks to a generous Nerissa - he turned in for the night.

  If I have to have fishcakes one more time this month…

  —

  It was a bright and clear morning when Wei left Halverwick, though a little later in the day than he'd intended, and he breathed easier in the light of day as Rohi padded along the open roads westwards.

  That wasn’t to say he didn’t keep an eye out. One hand clutched the Traveler’s Ward Pendant that hung from his neck whilst he scanned the treeline in the distance, and any large bushes or dips in the landscape.

  Despite a healthy paranoia, by mid-afternoon when he arrived in Averbry nothing more dangerous than some slime creature oozing along in a ditch as they stopped for lunch had interrupted their journey.

  It was still creepy though, and who knows how dangerous it could be.

  Averbry was less than half the size of Halverwick, but he’d picked up a couple of parcels to drop off and spent an hour browsing the market, unhitching Rohi from the cart to allow the great urshund to wander round and take in the sights and smells.

  A street vendor’s stall caught his eye and he dipped into his pocket to purchase two rabbit pies.

  There was a little bit of everything for sale, but after the variety and size of the shops in Halverwick nothing stood out.

  He sat on a bench beneath a colossal oak as Rohi wolfed down his pie in one bite and Wei took his time to savour the delicately braised meat. The urshund looked up at him with huge, pleading eyes. Well, more looked level at him.

  “You’re not getting anything else until dinner, boy. You’ve had enough over the past week...”

  …has he already grown a few inches?

  He ignored Rohi’s look of betrayal; the old woman who’d raised him had warned him of this sort of behaviour.

  Win an inch, want a foot.

  He led Rohi to the tavern he’d left the cart at, the great urshund mournfully dragging his feet the whole way.

  “Tell you what,” Wei said as he left the bear-dog out front, “if you can make it to Stonehaven before sundown, we’ll have a late dinner there, but I’ll buy you a cask of ale…”

  Rohi turned his nose up at the offer.

  “...and there may be a treat I picked out for you in Halverwick wrapped up in the cart.”

  Rohi burst into life and whuffed enthusiastically as his tail wagged hard enough to raise a miniature dustcloud.

  “Ok boy, easy!” Wei laughed as he rummaged in the back of the cart. “Let me deliver this and then we’ll be off.”

  The [Innkeeper] inside was already looking at him as he entered, leaving Rohi outside.

  To be fair, the hulking urshund had drawn everyone’s attention.

  She accepted the brown package that was as long as her arm and stowed it under the counter, holding out a couple of coins as payment. As he reached out to take them though, she held back for a second.

  “Did I hear you say you’re taking the Crowhaven road?”

  “That’s right ma’am. On the way back to Troston.”

  “And you do deliveries?”

  It was Wei’s turn to hesitate. Stopping too often would slow him and Rohi down a lot, and he wasn’t looking to be some sort of [Messenger], but if it was worthwhile..”

  The [Innkeeper] added another coin to the two in her hand.

  “It won’t be out of your way if you’re going past, and my sister-in-law apparently lays on a lovely home-grown spread for lunch…”

  “Of course ma’am. I’d be happy to.”

  It never hurt to cultivate a friendly reputation, and Wei pocketed the payment and the woman brought the parcel he’d just given her back out from under the counter with a faint blush.

  “I commissioned a late wedding present for the two of them; I probably should have just had it delivered there in the first place. Couldn’t go myself…”

  “I’ll get it to them before sundown tomorrow.” Wei slipped the parcel into Dorric’s old leather bag that still hung at his side. [Scavenger’s Satchel] stretching it inside to fit something that was far larger than it was. “Where do they live exactly?”

  He pulled a map out of the satchel and a minute later he had a fairly solid idea of where the farmstead was.

  Well before sundown I hope. If we can make it to her by lunch, then aim to stay in Stonecross overnight?

  That would leave him enough time to explore ‘The City of Golems' the day after, and maybe do a little more trading.

  Eschewing any further delays, he was back up on the cart and riding out of Averbry in a matter of minutes. Rohi set off at a steady lope, and each step the urshund took sped their passage up just that little bit further.

  ---

  Four hours later the overenthusiastic bear-dog and hurtling cart dug a six-inch rut in the road as Wei hauled on the reins. The cart slid smoothly along behind the urshund as they skidded to a stop barely three feet in front of a pair of guards.

  Rohi looked back at his master, mouth open in a happy grin as his tail wagged: they’d made it just before sundown.

  Under the less-than-amused watch of the guards, Wei paid the small fine for ‘damage to public access routes’ and led the great urshund into Crowhaven on foot.

  Appropriately named, ‘The Coachouse’ had room to store both Rohi and the cart for the night, and Wei made good on his agreement, leaving the dog to devour a whole chilled salmon and a cask of golden ale.

  Briefly he considered sleeping in the hammock under his wagon to save some coin - the inn wouldn’t charge any more than it had for stabling Rohi - but with the little extra he’d taken for the delivery tomorrow he decided a proper bed with a proper pillow was justifiable.

  “Just the one night young master?” The [Publican]’s hair was speckled grey and thinning on top, but his eyes were clear and focussed as he pulled half a dozen pints and greeted a group that came in with a warm familiarity whilst dealing with Wei’s request. “I saw you came with a full cart-”

  When did the old man have time to notice that?

  “-and if you’re lookin’ to trade for a few days I can offer a good rate.”

  “Just the one please.” Wei slid a coin over the counter. “This time at least. I’ve got a delivery to the Thornley farmstead tomorrow, and then I’ll be pushing on to Stonecross to see what all the fuss about golems is.”

  “Thornley’s place is it? He just got married. Brave man. Could do with a golem of his own - he’s not had much luck finding help for the fields since. But I’ll not speak ill of those in love. Here though, it’s not the end of the month is it?” He yelled over to a serving girl who was balancing eight trays on one hand without so much as a wobble. “Oi, Cynthia - what day is it?”

  “18th of Falmune, Pa.”

  The man turned back to Wei and scooted a pint glass full of dark beer down the bar to a waiting patron.

  “18th it is. No issues there then. And all the way to Stonecross in one day? Fast for a [Trader] such as yourself.”

  “I’m a [Wagon Driver] too.” Wei explained.

  “Good on you, lad. Always people looking for a lift ‘round here and willin’ to pay.”

  Wei opened his mouth, then stopped for a second as a question popped into his head and a nervous shiver ran down his spine.

  “About that. I’ve not passed a single person on the road today. Where is everyone? Are the roads safe?”

  The balding [Publican] chuckled.

  “City boy are ya?”

  Wei hesitated before giving a mental shrug and nodding.

  Compared to this…

  “Honestly, you lot need to get out more, though I s’pose you’ll be doin’ that if you’re a [Wagon Driver] and [Trader] too.” He sent another glass spinning along the bar to stop directly in front of another patron who picked it up and began drinking without even looking at it. The innkeeper swept a hand out to encompass not just the tavern, but the land around it. “This here’s farming country. Height of summer’s just about the busiest time of year. Most’re out in the fields all day and sleep in spare rooms or barns at night. Hay to make, sheep to shear, harvests to start. Few folks got the chance to travel until the work’s done. When the harvest’s done and ready to go, the roads’ll be teeming with wagons. Until then it’s quiet beyond the odd [Tinker] or wandering [Bard] or [Trader] such as yourself. Doubt you’ll see much good or bad for a month more at least; little reason for anyone to be using ‘em yet.”

  Wei breathed an inward sigh of relief. Quiet was… good.

  “Much obliged for the information, Sir. I’ll keep it in mind. Could I get whatever you recommend to eat, and a light beer?”

  “One lamb stew and light beer coming up young master.”

  Wei took a table in the corner and he’d barely sat down before a steaming bowl and frothy mug were placed in front of him by the serving girl who whirled away, a rag floating through the air behind her, polishing tabletops and wiping up spillages of its own volition.

  He was half tempted to go over and talk to some of the other patrons, but the [Publican]’s words had reminded him how little he knew of this land and its people and their lives, so for the next few hours, and over another excellent light beer and a sweet bun filled with a local honey, he just sat back and relaxed and took it all in.

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