Omen: 14, 17

  Currency: 65GP -> 35GP

  Adam pced down three sets of s, one for each Porter. The gold s were stacked ten high. “Here. You guys work as you please since we’ll be off. Take good care of yourselves, because wheurn we’ll be w you hard!” Adam smiled.

  “You’ve already given us so much,” Remy said, unsure if he should accept so much .

  Jeremy elbowed him and swiped the s. “You always call on us. Ain’t that right, Nobby?”

  Nobby nodded his head, taking the s carefully, one by one, and adding them to his pouch, the s king each time they did.

  Adam smiled. “Good. As long as you remember how well I’ve treated you, it’s more than worth the price.”

  Remy accepted the s, nodding his head to the Half Elf. He had never have expected that he’d be able to earn so much this year, and he could easily take off a couple of weeks to spend with his family.

  The trio of Porters left, leaving Fate’s Golden alone in the rge room. It was a room used by the Adventurer’s Guild to receive guests, and sidering there was a Sir arriving soon, they had stocked it well with liquor, tea, and snacks.

  Dunes sat, arms crossed, deep in thought. ‘Did he really make such potions? From what I saw, there were multiple of those Enhanced Healing Potions he had made, each slightly strohan a typical potion. There’s no way he could have made it in such little time…’

  “You’re thinking too much,” Jaygak said from beside him, throwing a quick look to Adam.

  Adam just smiled, noting the look, before nodding to Dunes. “Jaygak’s right. Sometimes, it’s best not to over think.” He wi the riest.

  The door swung open to reveal a man ipte, stamped with the sigil of the Redoaks, that of an oak tree, and at his side was a bde, the handle made of red wood, and was most definitely magical.

  “Sir Merrick Crimsonbark, Seven Branch of the Oakguard!” the Knight decred loudly, his eyes gng across the group. He removed his helmet to reveal his handsome face, reddish brown hair, and green eyes, holding his helmet at his side.

  Duood, nodding his head. Adam was about to stand, but he Iyrmen remained seated, and chose to do so.

  Sir Merriodded back to the riest, but gnced around to the rest. His eyes caught the Half Elf for a moment, but they did not linger for long. “Are you all ready?”

  “As ready as we’ll ever be,” Adam said.

  Sir Merrick squiowards Adam, but he nodded. “The us step outside.” The Oakguard turned on his heel and marched out.

  Adam go his party, shrugging his shoulders, before following the Knight, where he saw two Iyrmen, one adorned in heavy pte mail, and another who wore the typical assortment of furs and cloth of the Iyrmen whehey were out of the Iyr.

  The Priest, a female Iyrman, noted Adam’s appearance right away. She was ie thirties or early forties, and had dark hair and dark eyes of the Iyrmen. At her side was a mace, the head of which was made out of some kind of dark gem.

  The other Iyrman also wielded a mace too, though it was extremely rge, more like a maul than a mace.

  “You must be the one my Paul has told me about,” the female Iyrman said, walking up to him.

  “What did he say?” Adam asked, smiling at her.

  “A great number of things, but you would not appreciate that I said such things with so many ears around.” She pat his arm with a strong hand.

  “Ah, yeah,” Adam said, noting that the pair held the same pattern on their foreheads. In the tre were a pair of bck arroointing outwards, followed by purple arroointed downwards.

  “Aizaban,” the woman said, g his forearm.

  “Lanban,” the man said, doing the same. “Cousin to Aizaban.”

  Adam nodded his head, allowing the rest of Fate’s Golden to introduce themselves.

  “I see you are both very powerful,” Adam said. “I hope the measly reward offered is worth it.”

  Sir Merrick raised his brow. “Sir Harvey pays more than well, young man. I am certain the Iyrmen will be paid fairly.”

  “Funny, I thought I aying them,” Adam said, chug.

  Sir Merrick shook his head gently, not used to the whims of the Elves.

  “It is more than worth it,” Aizaban assured.

  Lanban nodded his head.

  “I hadn’t believe Vice Master Paul when he mentiohat there would be five Iyrmen joining us, nor that there would be three Silver Rank Adveo join us on our little expedition!” a man decred, ughing as he approached. He was a man of average height, average build, and average in every sense of the word. No one would have thought twice about looking at him, that was how average this man was. “Still, I have a bag of holding which will be full of herbs before we return!”

  “They’re here to prioritise something else,” Adam said. “Though I’m sure they should be able to help.”

  “I have never heard of such a thing before. A young Copper Rank Adventurer ahree Silver Rank Adventurers, and two Iyrmen at that!” The man ughed.

  ‘What?’ Sir Merrick’s eyes fell onto Adam. He had puthral and a bde made of materials only avaible to Iyrmen. He had before, but hadn’t realised that he held such a deep e to the Iyr to and two Silver Rank Iyrmen. ‘He’s only Copper Rank?’

  “I’m sure you have your own reasons,” the man said. “Sir Harvey, High Alchemist of Red Oak.” He greeted each member individually. “The road will be full of treachery, so we should be on uard. We shall leave on the hour, so prepare yourselves.”

  Adam undid his helmet, gng towards both Sir Merrid Sir Harvey, w if they knew.

  “You’re a Half Elf?” Dunes gasped, staring at him in shock.

  Adam threw a look to him. “What do you mean? You know I’m a Half Elf.”

  “I thought you meant it figuratively,” he said.

  “Dunes, I showed you my ears.”

  Dunes smiled. “Yes,” he said. “You did.”

  Adam narrowed his eyes at Dunes and quickly pced his helmet ba. “Don’t say it like that, Dunes. Why did you have to make it weird?”

  Dunes just chuckled.

  “We know of your being,” Sir Harvey said. “We were informed beforehand.”

  “Good,” Adam said. “Makes it less awkward.” With that, he took the crew to the bakery, which he hadn’t visited in some time.

  “They told me you had died,” Pam said, staring at Adam.

  “What?” Adam blinked. He looked to Dunes. “Was it you?”

  Duhrew a look to each Iyrman. “Of course it was me,” he said. “Iyrmen don’t lie.”

  “He said you were as good as dead with how hard you were w,” Pam said.

  “That’s a lot more charming than saying I was dead,” Adam grumbled. “Anyway, we’re going to be leaving for a while. We’ve got a Ques-“

  “Adam,” Dunes said, quickly patting his back. “Shall we order?”

  Adam raised his brow back to Dunes, who was staring into his eyes like a mentor. “I wasn’t going to tell her.”

  “Even tellihe smallest of details would be bad,” Dunes said. “Sorry, Pam, but we ’t really tell you.”

  “What a shame,” she said, already pag up some jam buns. “Thehat mean you’ll be extra?”

  Adam narrowed his eyes.

  Currency: 35GP -> 33GP

  “It’s always a pleasure to take your !” Pam said, quickly snatg the pair and pag up extra jam buns and bread.

  Adam ate the jam bun outside with the rest of Fate’s Golden, sans Jurot, who was ialking with Pam. The fnced between one another, before smiling, filling their stomachs with jam buns, and their hearts with the romance of youth.

  Ohey had given Jurot his time with Pam, they returo the group, where they headed out. They did not follow the road west, as Adam usually had done, but they headed north, following the hills, through the thick forest.

  “Isn’t this the deadly part of the forest?” Adam asked, noting the fehey were approag.

  “Yes,” Sir Merrick said.

  Adam go Aizaban, who was beside her husband. “Are we going to be okay?”

  Paul threw a look to the two Iyrmen, the Knight, and then to Adam. “We should be.”

  “If you say so…” Adam wasn’t sure how much he should be w. ‘Well, there are three Silver Rank Adventurers, and Sir Merrick might be around their level too…’

  The forest was noisy, full of life. Adam he various critters all about, which filled him with some fort, as it meant that the forest would be safe.

  “You have a nice sword,” Adam said, gng at the bde at Sir Merrick’s side.

  “Red Oak,” Jurot said, nodding his head. “It’s very beautiful.”

  Adam threw a look to Jurot. ‘ht, he’s a wood geek.’ “Is it easy to ent?”

  “I hear it’s quite difficult,” Sir Merrick said. “A bde like this is given to all Oakguard.”

  “What is the Oakguard exactly?” Adam asked.

  Sir Merrick threw the Half Elf a look. “Excuse me?”

  “You know. Is it the Knights of Red Oak, for the town, or are you the Knights of the Lord?”

  “The Oakguard are the elite Knights of tess Redoak,” Sir Merrick replied. “Those who are worthy are knighted by the tess, who is the only oh the authority to appoint Oakguard.”

  “It’s not those who are worthy, but those who are worthy and are of noble blood, even if they are weaker thahers who wish to be knighted,” Aizaban said.

  “I am sure there are many factors which the tess takes into sideration,” Sir Merrick said. “I wouldn’t dare to suggest I know of her wishes.”

  “ I hold your sword, please?” Adam asked, staring at the sword.

  “If you allow me hold yours,” Sir Merrick replied, sure the boy wouldn’t take the deal. His bde held as mas as his own, which would be important to keep as an Adventurer.

  “Sure,” Adam replied.

  “Excuse me?” Sir Merrick said.

  Adam undid his sword belt and offered it to Sir Merrick, who stared at it. Seeing as that he had offered the Half Elf the deal, he had to take it, and so he undid his sword belt and ha over to Adam.

  ‘Heavy,’ Adam thought, feeling the weight of the sword belt. He uhed the sword, revealing the Red Oak bde. Jurot leaned in front beside him, and Adam held the bde towards the Iyrman, who was examining the bde.

  Are LoreD20 + 5 = 22 (17)

  Adam eyed up the bde, feeling just how much poithin it. It was definitely greater than just a simple +1 entment, or even a +2 entment. However, with the bde in his hands, he felt the same as he did with his die in hand, that he could potentially cast spells through it.

  “Cool,” Adam said.

  “I feel it as warm,” Sir Merrick replied.

  “It means amazing.” Adam chuckled.

  Sir Merrick had admired Adam’s bde too. “Your bde is made of Iyrmen materials,” he said, noting the two Silver Ranks nearby. “I didn’t expect the Iyrmen gave out such materials to anybody.”

  “I’m not anybody,” Adam said. “I’m Adam, son of Fate. I am a Nephew of the Rot family.”

  ‘Didn’t he only arrive a few months ago?’ Sir Merrick’s eyes fell across the Half Elf. ‘Yet he’s already surrounded by Iyrmen. Are they pnning something?’ Sir Merrick recalled the meetiween the Duke and the tess. ‘It couldn’t be about that matter, could it? Does the Iyr have es to the Elves from back then?’ He stared at the Half Elf, who was admiring his bde. ‘Should I really have given him my sword?’

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  Adam might make a habit of cheg out other men's swords.