Chercreek, Rosendun.
12th Mazem, 1092.
Denizens of Chercreek gathered around the blacksmith's shop, fighting for space in line.
"What's going on?"
"You don't know? This new group came into town last night, and their leader's unbelievable with a hammer. Says he'll only be here for a day, so everyone's putting up their weapons to be improved. Best get your ass moving or be left wanting."
The clamor was attested to the daeben plying his trade for a small pittance. The owner of the smithery, Garv, was content to let the boy work his magic as he had been promised a whopping sixty percent of all profits.
Not a bad deal at all, considering the number of customers pouring in.
Kashi looked up from his work to Garv. "You have my gratitude for granting me this favor."
"Haha, no way," Garv playfully refuted. "Hell, I feel I'm leaving you hard done. While you still have a ways to go in pure smithery, your innovative designs and ability to enchant your works rank you above me. It's quite rare that I have so many customers in a week, let alone a month."
"Not at all. Your equipment is the only reason I can produce such good works. I would pay a fortune to have a forge as good as this."
"Hahaha! Of course," Garv guffawed. "Everything from the stones to the fire-stones is rare after all!"
The daeben returned to his work, keeping his voice level as he asked, "Rare? But these don't look any different from regular stones."
"Well, of course. A Stone's still a stone regardless of where you get it."
"I imagine it must have been difficult obtaining such rare items."
Garv rubbed his rough beard, a smile curling up his face. "Yeah, it wasn't easy. I had to travel to Nux Xon. We were twice lucky just to make it there and back."
"Nux Xon? Isn't that in Merriheim?"
Garv raised a brow. "You know of it?"
"Only hearsay. I plan on traveling to Drakase in the coming weeks."
A shadow crossed the blacksmith's face. The room suddenly chilled despite the blazing heat from the forge. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," warned Garv. "Crossing into Merriheim has worsened over the years. Over the past five years, none have attempted entrance and returned alive."
Kashi's hammer hung over the sword. "But, a passage remains, I presume?"
Garv hesitated.
"I will go, with, or without your guidance."
"Argh, youth these days. Fine, do you have a map?" Garv conceded.
Kashi placed the hammer on the floor and retrieved a map from his inventory. "This is the most expensive map I could find in Kerta. Said to be accurate up to six months ago."
Garv took the map and spread it on a work table. "Then it is as good as useless outside Rosendun. Still," he pointed to the Rosendun's northeast borders. "The borders are accurate enough. The areas surrounding both borders is laden with very high-level monsters. By the Adventurers' Guild Monster Ranks, they should be in the range of 103 to 140... and most travel in packs. If you want to have a chance, you have to take Suvron's Pass. North of there is Suvron's Desert."
Kashi frowned at the land referred to as Suveon's desert. "Isn't that area too small to be considered a desert?"
"True. But it's only the first of many defenses the dwarfs set up to prevent entrance to Merriheim. Rumors speak of artificial suns that make the heat absolutely murderous. It may be small, but even if you somehow manage to survive the heat, and thwart the local wildlife, you'll be easy pickings for the dwarfs."
"That is odd. I took the dwarfs to be weak sorcerers."
"Oh, they are," confirmed Marv. "But rumors claim they recently allied themselves with an unsavory group adept at magic."
"Oh?" Kashi's eyes twinkled with interest. The gamer in him could smell a hidden quest or secret. "This group have a name?"
"Not sure. There's all sorts of names flying around, but most claim they worship some god called 'The Destroyer.'"
Kashi raised a brow in disbelief. "The Destroyer?"
Garv snorted. "Exactly. If you're going to believe in some fake god, at least try not to give him the most cliched name."
It wasn't what the daeben meant, but Kashi made no moves to correct the smith. "...Yeah, sure." He returned his attention to the map and then muttered, "So, say I take Suvron's Pass and make it out of Suvron's Desert..."
"Then you're right inside Merriheim. Enclosed between Merriheim's 'claws' is the island 'Drakase.' Some say it's the birthplace of dragons."
"More like graveyard," muttered Kashi.
"What's that?"
"Nothing." Kashi tapped on the table and then asked, "That reminds me. What of the dragons? I haven't laid eyes upon any of their kin."
Garv laughed. "You and every other bloke in the world. Dragons have been extinct ever since the Calamity."
"That is sad. I heard they were a magnificent race."
"Magnificent does not even begin to des-"
"Sorry to interrupt," called a young apprentice. "There's a Chesh who claims to have an appointment with the daeben."
Garv turned to Kashi, who nodded. "Let him through."
The apprentice walked away, soon returning with a golden-furred Chesh(cat-man). He was dressed in a sprite, expensive clothing which, while utterly useless on the battlefield, raised residents' perceptions of him.
Kashi walked over to the guest and stretched out his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Pleasure's all mine," replied the Chesh, smirking with confidence. "Name's Miote," he said, taking the daeben's hand in his. "You know me as Usman Taki, though."
"The merchant." Kashi gave the merchant a once-over and then cracked a half-smile. "Good. We can finally get started."
"Get started with?"
Kashi took out a set of keys and handed them to Miote. "I have a room set up for you. I'll meet you at the bar at nightfall."
Miote accepted the keys and then looked at Kashi with intrigued eyes. 'That's odd... He has life.' "Very well then, I'll see you when the sun sleeps." He flashed a smile, then bowed out.
Garv scratched his chin. "A golden Chesh. Now I've seen everything."
Kashi chuckled lightly as he returned to his work while conversing with the smith.
Later that night...
As always, Chercreek's local bar was alight with fun, laughter, and games. Kashi's party had become favorites in their two-day stay, between the siblings' songs, Hektor's brawls, and Kira's... well, just being Kira made her the most popular among the group from the first second.
Miote blended with the bar quite seamlessly despite original reservations borne from his apparent wealth. He smiled at the 'gentlemen' seated around the table with him. He held a set of cards, most of the coins on his side of the table. He glanced at his competition, then pushed all his coins to the center of the table. "All in."
Miote's competition, a grizzled wisben hesitated, trying to read the Chesh, but his default grin was all he revealed. "Shi-shit! All in!"
"All right then." Miote chuckled and then said with a relaxed smile, "We reveal our cards in three, two, one."
Bang!
"Cheat!" The wisben punched and then lunged across the table when he saw Miote's cards.
Miote backed away, hands in the air. "Woah now. Don't blame your losses on me. I'm just the better..." The chesch smiled and then sent a furtive glance down south. "...Man."
The wisben turned red with rage and charged at Miote, arm drawn back for a punch. Pa! Unfortunately, the blow never connected because someone grabbed his arm.
"What do you think you're doing to a member of my party?" Kashi asked.
The wisben recognized Kashi. He sneered and then sent a warning to the 'blacksmith apprentice,' "Let go, you useless smith, or I'll cut you a new one."
"Is that so?" Kashi's grip on the elf's hand tightened.
The wisben clutched his arm and then cried out in pain as he fell to his knees, "I give! I give!"
"Leave," Kashi ordered as he released his grip. The wisben complied, screaming curses as he fled the bar.
When things had settled down, Miote waved to Kashi, "Thanks for the help. I ain't much of a fighter."
Kashi turned to him. "Be less obvious next time you cheat."
Miote's smile disappeared for a second, then widened to a toothed grin. "I'm impressed. It's only cheating if you're caught, though."
Kashi sighed as he took a seat at the table.
"Fancy a game?"
"I don't gamble," Kashi refused.
"Not with something as boring as card games, right?"
"You're good," he admitted.
Within a few minutes, the rest of the party joined them at the table, eager to hear what the next part of their plan was.
Kashi pulled out his map and spread it on the table. He tapped the region he wanted, and it 'zoomed' in placing focus on that region. "We're here," he said, pointing at the map. "We want to get here." He pointed north at a crescent formation. "Rumors claim the majority of the dwarfs settled in Rossgrock, but there are still pockets at Merriheim."
"The dwarfs?" Miote asked. "What could you possibly want with them?"
"They are brilliant craftsmen, best at their trade across the continent. According to an acquaintance of mine, they were instrumental in the daebens' meteoric rise to power."
"And? You doing a quest or something?"
"No. I'm going to conquer them."
Miote nearly spat out his drink as he struggled to hold in his laughter. The unperturbed look in Kashi's eyes gave him pause. "W-wait, you're serious? Y-you, a songstress, two fighters, and a wolf want to conquer an entire clan of people who hate your guts?"
"That is the plan."
The chesch laughed nervously. "You must be joking. How exactly do I fit into your madness?"
"I need you for two reasons. First and foremost: your unique ability to read people. Second: your class as a merchant will come in handy when we get there."
"How so?"
"Rosendun is an all-round country. We are rich in metal and stone raw materials, but we're not perfect. We don't have an abundance of high-quality wood, for example, and our gemstone mines are a joke. Merriheim on the other hand, while lacking most materials, is abundantly rich in exotic gemstones."
Kashi paused and then said, "I need plenty of magic equipment to complete my ultimate goal, most of which need gemstones to serve as mana conduits. If I know this, then, I guarantee countless warlords on the continent have thought the say. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Merriheim has the potential to be one of the wealthiest countries on the minerals alone. But according to reports, the really fertile mines are owned by the dwarfs, and bargaining is impossible with them. Only people with a ridiculous level of Fame, Charisma, Charm, or Persuasion can convince them."
Kashi looked at Miote with an expectant gaze, "If you're half as smart as I think you are, you improved on that skill. That'll be a huge boost when trading with the silver-tongued dwarfs."
Miote was left speechless. "...Wow, that's some research. You're right. I did raise my Persuasion skill. It's currently on the intermediate level."
Kashi nodded. "That's perfect for now. The dwarfs in Merriheim are not as high-leveled as their brethren in Rossgrok. That should be high enough to deal with them."
"So, how exactly do we get there?" Lunette asked.
"Sorry, I got sidetracked," Kashi apologized. He explained the route agreed upon with Garv to his party, highlighting the dangers and such.
"No one's ever made it, eh? Hektor piped in. "Sounds like a fun place."
"I'm not sure 'fun' is the word I'd use," Lunette said.
"More importantly, how long will this journey take?" An impatient Hektor questioned.
"Four days to cross Suvron's Pass; three to cross Suvron's desert. The rest of the map isn't accurate enough on how to get to the closest dwarven town," Kashi clarified.
"Do only dwarfs live there?" asked Miote. He needed to know the players so he could prepare an adequate playing field. "You haven't mentioned any other race."
"Of course not. A few others are living there too," answered Kashi. "But the harsh environment forced many out. The dwarfs themselves live underground to escape the scorching heat."
"Which basically means they live next to the mines," Miote mumbled. "Effective."
"I see your point, but it's also why they dislike outsiders. Careless miners can destroy far more than an ordinary mine because of their greed."
"True," he agreed. "So, when do we leave?"
Kashi stood up. "Now."
"Somehow, I expected you to say that." Kira stood up and then looked at Miote, whose wide eyes stared at the daeben in shock.
In the end, he could only muster a barely audible, "...eh?"
???
Elsewhere, two adventurers left messy trails of blood behind them as they exited a cave. Walking side-by-side, the blood-soaked duo was a terrifying sight to behold.
"That was a huge disappointment," Syèl muttered as the blood lifted off both Shoko and him. It floated in the air, then was absorbed by his right arm. "I thought this place was supposed to have some high-level monsters."
Shoko holstered her sword. "You're the one who's broken. You took out five Ogres with a single strike."
Syèl raised a brow. "You call me broken? You're the one who released a blood fountain from the most wanted gang."
Shoko shrugged. "I am not to blame for their weakness." She checked her quest log. "We're done here. With this, we've cleared out the Most Wanted list."
Syèl sighed. "Damn. Well, at least this country boasts terrible monsters closer to the north."
"So, we're still going?"
"Yeah, there's nothing left to challenge us in Monoch anyway. Besides, don't you want to see what a dragon looks like?"
"You heard the guide. The dragons have been extinct for centuries."
Syèl waved her words away. "That's bull. There's no way something as big as dragons just go extinct like that. Besides, what developer in his right mind would put dragons in a game but never use them?"
Shoko sighed. "All right then. Let's make our way to Drakase."
"You won't regret it," Syèl promised. "Still though, this country is freaking hot!" He complained, wiping off sweat from his face.
"It is Merriheim, after all..."
Second Under,
Merriheim.
Heavy clouds hung over the underground city, Second Under. Like most other subterranean cities, a large cavern was connected by several stone bridges. The majority of the houses were carved into stone, with stores built on broad walkways. The greatest deception of the city, however, was the illusion that the city was on the outside. In actuality, several hallways constructed inside the walls, connected houses on the 'inside,' and thus hid the real city. There were also several tunnels exiting the city from which the dwarfs could go hunting or travel across Merriheim. Very rarely did they venture above-ground.
The dwarfs trudged to their posts, eyes fixed to the ground. The avoided eye contact with the strange men and women in black garbs. Each one had strange tattoos running along their forearms, with cold, lifeless eyes that watched the dwarfs' every movement.
Loud laughter burst out of a tunnel, bringing smiles to the citizens' faces. There was no need to look to see who owned the voice. That impatient, loud, obnoxious laughter was an iconic one, a laugh that brought a sense of pride and belief to the broken town.
Zeing Ashqoj (Zain Ash-koi) exited the tunnel, a giant anemole slung over his shoulders. Contrary to popular belief, dwarfs weren't that short. In fact, most were just a few inches below average height. The one thing they had in common with their stories was their ridiculous beards. Zeing was no different. His massive beard was tied in locks, which bounced as he walked. "Tonight we dine like kings! Gwagwagwagwa!"
"Hurrah!" the dwarfs cheered upon seeing their favorite delicacy.
They rushed the hero who held them back, laughing joyously.
Zeing stopped in front of a house and dropped the anemole. His long-time friend Gihxakqakh Umdodh stepped out of her home, grinning from ear-to-ear. "Well, Zeing, you've caught another impressive beast." she praised as she slapped him on the back, knocking the air out of him. "What would this town be without you?"
"They still have you! Gwagwgaw-"
"Zeing Ashqoj!" a sharp voice interrupted.
The dwarf turned around, eyes on fire. "Who calls my name so rudely?"
"Watch your mouth, peasant!" a guard shouted. "You speak to Lord Froy."
The man referred to as Lord Froy surprisingly wasn't a dwarf, but a human. Dressed in a white robe, he was the spiritual leader of the country. "Zeing Ashqoj, you have been found guilty of heresy. What say you?"
Zeing yawned. "Is this why you've disturbed my good day? Shoo, shoo, I don't have time for this."
"You will accord me with respect!"
Zeing frowned. "Respect? Did you say respect?" His voice darkened, his anger growing every second. "Say that one more time, and watch me rip out your virgin tongue."
"You just threatened an official of the Chaos Order," shouted Lord Froy. "Your punishment is five days in the hole. Men, take him!"
The soldiers grabbed Zeing's shoulders, but he lazily shrugged them off. Whoosh! This lazy action, however, sent both soldiers flying. "Don't even think about it," he warned.
Lord Froy glared at the brute, but he knew force wasn't the way to usurp the annoying thorn. Gritting his teeth, he turned around to head for the 'inner city.' "Soon, Zeing. I swear on Razznik, you'll lick my boots."
Zeing snorted, and then spat on the ground. "Why don't you ask your blessed Razznik to redeem your face. It's horrifying."
Froy clenched his fist but left nonetheless. He instinctively knew this was not a fight he could win. Once he was far enough, he muttered under his breath, "Keep laughing worm. When 'Chaos' arrives, you'll wish you never insulted me..."