Greenfire: (Sky Realms Online Book 4): A LitRPG Series, page 14
He could see Terrance forcing his anger back down. The man took a deep breath, pen hovering over the paper.
“You said you had no interest in that,” he said through clenched teeth, realizing that Hall was now in control.
Hall shrugged. “I’ve decided it might be better to keep my options open for the future,” he replied. “It seems making maps could be a quick source of money.”
Maybe I am getting the hang of politics, Hall thought. He had given the threat; now it was time to provide the compromise.
“There are a lot of unexplored areas where my village is,” Hall said, and he could see the immediate rise in Terrance’s interest. “Some Adventurers even found a small dungeon in the mountains.” The hook was set and Terrance was caught. “As lord of the village I’m much too busy to do any exploration or mapping,” he stopped, leaving it hanging.
“I’ll waive the dues and fees if we can send a senior member to your village,” Terrance said. “They will have exclusive rights to map the area and sell those maps in the future.”
“Free to any citizen of Skara Brae,” Hall said, and Terrance nodded, making adjustments to the contract he was writing.
Hall had a brief twinge of worry. Was this the right move?
Skara Brae was going to have a hard time being self-supporting, he knew. At least if it kept growing. Short term, the barter system could work, and they could grow and hunt enough food for the small number of people they had. But that wasn’t enough. The town would have to grow. He had once thought of turning it into an Adventurers’ Guild or waystation. It seemed he had just made that decision.
Hall read the guild contract over multiple times. It seemed to have everything he had requested with no hidden loopholes in the language. There was no fine print like he was used to back in the real world. No special language or words used. A simple membership contract.
He signed on the line indicated, hoping it was the right decision.
You have joined the Guild of Exploration.
Membership level: Senior
The Guild of Exploration has many roles in the world of Hankarth. It counts all licensed Cartographers and Navigators within its ranks and as such is the only way to have treasure maps, land maps or navigational charts produced. Explorers from the Guild can also be hired to map cities, land or even dungeons. Explorers are oftentimes Adventurers themselves.
As a Senior member of the Guild, you will have access to all their maps and charts available in the guild halls across Hankarth. You will be able to register a claim, either in your name or a client’s, to any unclaimed islands found in the skies of Hankarth. You can hire out your services as a mapmaker or guide.
You have earned 500 reputation with the Guild of Exploration. You are now Known to the Guild of Exploration.
Opening up his Character Sheet, Hall saw that there was a new tab. Next to the Faction tab was one labeled Guild. Clicking on it didn’t reveal much more than the notification he had received. There was a listing that was fairly self-explanatory but no additional information.
Guild of Exploration
Guild Type: World
Guildmaster: Lord Westin
Guild headquarters: Spirehold
Local Chapter: Silverpeak Keep
Local Guildmaster: Terrance
Guild Level: Senior
Rank: Explorer 2nd Class
Two tabs were along the bottom, labeled CHARTER and CONTRACT. He gave each a brief glance. Were the Blacksmith and other profession Guilds of the world type? Or were they just local to their area? Most likely just local. Which led to the question of what Guilds were also classified as the world type? That seemed to indicate all the various halls were connected.
Hall dismissed the screen. Questions for another time.
The deed registration form for the island was simpler. He produced a physical copy of the island’s location, giving it to Terrance to record with the deed that would be filed in the guild’s records. He hesitated over the name. Hall had chosen Bow before, but it didn’t seem to fit. His old hometown. He now wanted something different.
The name came at from some distance part of his memory. It was vaguely familiar but he couldn’t remember from where.
Shamino.
Writing the name down, it felt right.
Quest Complete!
CLAIMING YOUR LAND
You have successfully registered your claim to the island of Shamino with the Guild of Exploration. The island will be known as your land to defend and control.
Register the uncharted island with the Guild of Exploration 1/1
Reward: +100 Experience; a new island
He had expected something magical to occur. The parchment to disappear or burn up. Something that signified the extent of the event. But there was nothing. Just his signature alongside Terrance’s.
“Congratulations, Lord Hall,” Terrance said with a slight bow as he rolled the parchment up. “You are now the proud owner of Shamino island.”
Hall nodded.
He quickly opened the Settlement Interface. There was a bit of text he barely remembered from when he had activated Skara Brae, something about the level of the settlements.
Skara Brae
Lord: Hall, Councilor
Status: Ruins 65%
Morale: Productive
Government: Town Council
Appointed Officials: Timmin, Administrator/Councilor
Brient, Sheriff/Councilor
Dinah, Councilor
Duncant, Councilor
Population: 24
Production: Carpentry Rank Two – 45%
Farming Rank Two – 15%
Ranching Rank One – 60%
Faction: Breakridge Irregulars
Allies:Gnomes of Valedale
Brownpaw of Fallen Green
Stonefire Clan of Axestorm Hall
Trade Partners: Stonefire Clan of Axestorm Hall
Battleforge Clan of Axestorm Hall
Enemies:Stonesky Trow
Nothing stood out in the first page of the Settlement Interface. He noticed some slight bumps in the production levels, which was to be expected. No one in the village would have been slacking off without him there. He mentally clicked on the name of the village and got a new screen, one that had what he was looking for.
Skara Brae
Settlement Rank II
Maximum Population:100
As a Rank II Settlement, Skara Brae has a maximum population of 100 permanent citizens. Some buildings will not be available to the Rank II Settlement. Rank II Settlements cannot grow without owing Fealty to a Rank IV or above Settlement.
Lords of Rank II Settlements cannot claim lordship over higher ranked Settlements without giving up direct ownership of the Rank II Settlement. They can retain control of the Rank II Settlement through the Fealty Bond. Lords of Rank II Settlements can have a maximum of two Rank I Settlements.
The last line was new. More defining in what he had been looking for. Hall had remembered the part about being able to have a Rank I Settlement, but that he could have two was new. He dismissed the screen, returning to the main Settlement Interface Screen. He hadn’t tried before, but the new line prompted him to mentally click on his name.
Hall
Settlements Under Control:
Rank II Settlement:Skara Brae
Rank I Settlement: N/A
Rank I Settlement:N/A
Lands Under Control:
Breakridge
Breakridge Meadow
Underridge
Shamino
Hall dismissed the screens. He wondered what exactly a Rank I Settlement was. He had thought of building a watchtower on the first peak in the Frost Tip range. There were two plateaus, one containing Meadow Grove and the other higher up. Perfect for a watchtower with a commanding view out over the skies to the west and south with some to the north. Would that classify as a Rank I Settlement, or would it be considered one of the buildings in Skara Brae?
Terrance walked over to one of the shelves, to a box Hall hadn’t noticed before. Small, only a couple of inches tall and a foot long, it wasn’t very deep. Just barely a couple of inches in depth. Overall, it was a little larger than the rolled-up parchment Terrance carried. Made of a dark red wood with gold brackets at the corners, no lock, and a tight-fitting lid. A blue painted guild symbol was in the middle of the length. Opening the box, Terrance laid the parchment inside. He closed it and tapped two green painted runes on either side of the guild symbol in the center.
There was a bright flash of light, barely leaking out where the lid met the box. The two runes flared bright green and faded just before and after the flash.
Terrance lifted the lid and the scroll was gone.
“Off to the central registry in Spirehold,” he explained, walking back to his seat. “What will you do with your new island?” he asked, taking his seat.
“I’m not sure,” Hall replied.
Terrance chuckled. “To be honest, I didn’t take you for much when you first appeared,” the man said. “But you are much shrewder than I thought. That island of yours is pretty centrally located between most of the major kingdoms. Great location to establish a neutral trading port with low taxes and customs fees. Yes, you are a smart one, Lord Hall,” Terrance continued. “That bit of land could end up making you a great deal of money.”
Terrance leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling, lost in thought.
“Just wonder why no one claimed it before. Lucky break for you,” he said, looking back at Hall.
Probably the neighboring roc-riding tribesmen, aggressive Ghilers and giant Monmodo had something to do with it, Hall thought, not responding to Terrance.
The local guildmaster stood up, reaching his hand out to Hall. “I am very much looking forward to seeing what you do in the future,” he said, clasping Hall’s hand.
“Me too,” Hall answered, which drew another chuckle from Terrance.
Chapter 14
The streets of Peakdock, randomly laid out, were busy and crowded. People bumped into each other, pushing and pulling, cursing and growling. But not around Hall. They gave him a wide berth. Most likely due to the dragonhawk perched on his shoulder.
Hall’s own manner might have helped. He was walking at a fast pace, determined. His look alone pushed people aside. All business. Get out of the way, it said.
Another night in Silverpeak Keep and Hall was ready to head back home. Just one more piece of business to attend to. He kept glancing around warily, studying everyone he passed. Especially those lurking in alleys. And there were a lot of them.
Peakdock was arranged haphazardly. Curving streets that had no rhyme or reason. A city of mostly one-story buildings that had just grown up as needed. Which gave plenty of places for people to lurk.
How many of them worked for the Door Knockers? The local thieves guild. Hall had helped them out with their turf war, so should be on good terms with the guild, but he didn’t trust Berim, the man he thought was the guildmaster. He wanted to be out of the city before Berim knew he was there.
He was also angry at himself.
He’d gotten all the way to the docks before asking the harbormaster where the nearest post office was. A question he should have asked as soon as he entered the city that was Peakdock since it turned out the post office was near the entrance to the city.
Finally finding it, he opened the door and stepped into the small office.
Much like the one in Grayhold, it consisted of a single counter and a door that led to the rooms beyond. Just enough space for a couple of people to stand on either side of the counter. A woman was on the other side, looking at him expectantly.
He remembered the man who had worked in Grayhold’s office. There had been a name and title floating above his head. There wasn’t now.
Skill Gain!
Identify Rank Two +.1
Jessica, Postmaster (white)
“Can I help you, sir?” Jessica asked with a thick Gael accent.
“I need to send a letter,” Hall replied, stepping up to the counter.
“Of course,” she replied, pulling a piece of parchment, a quill and ink from below the counter.
It didn’t take long for him to compose the message; he had been thinking of what to say the entire walk through the city.
Dyson,
I’m now able to take you up on your offer. We are looking to set up a post office in the village of Skara Brae. If you cannot contact us there, Captain Hart knows the location of the village.
Hall
He signed the message, folded it, and handed it to the postmaster. It disappeared underneath the counter.
“Three copper,” Jessica said.
Hall pulled the coins from his inventory pouch and handed them over.
QUEST COMPLETE!
You have sent a letter to Merchant Dyson, accepting his offer for work.
DYSON’S OFFER II
Contact Merchant Dyson 1/1
Reward: +100 Experience
Hall stared at the quest reward. That was pretty high experience for such a simple quest. The first part had only been twenty experience, and now it was one hundred? Hadn’t Seo mentioned something about the experience rewards changing? They had started high, dropped, and now were rising again?
If anyone would know, it would be Seo. The young Druid loved to track data. Just one more thing added to Hall’s list. It was a very long list.
The walk back to the docks was easier. People still gave Hall a wide berth, but now it was only because of Pike on his shoulder. He walked slower, more casually, still in somewhat of a hurry. He wanted to cast off and be on the way back to Skara Brae already, but they still had to wait for the last new citizen of the village to arrive.
Tunwell had been on board since yesterday morning. The smith had made his goodbyes and quickly befriended the Battleforge brothers. It might have been helped by the keg of ale he’d brought with him.
The Alchemist had arrived early in the morning before Hall and the Wardens. She had come on board with a lot of luggage, which had sent Gorid to grumbling. The Ridgerunner’s small hold was already near full with the supplies Hall had requested. It was hard for the ship’s captain to find room for the three crates and four sacks of ingredients, bottles and tools, let alone the crafting desk that the Alchemist had insisted on bringing.
“A requirement to perform the work,” she had said.
Scarlis was not what Hall had expected.
A Storvgarde, the woman was tall and powerfully built, looking a decade or two older than he was. Hall had expected someone smaller, dressed in robes or the clothing of a merchant. Scarlis wore leather armor, a hand axe clipped to her belt, a small shield over her back. Her bare arms bore white tattoos, a scar along her left cheek. She kept her long blond hair bound in a tight bun, her blue eyes daring anyone to say something.
He had wondered how he would protect the Alchemist when they journeyed into the mountains in search of herbs and other supplies. Now he wasn’t worried. Scarlis looked like the type that if he offered to aid her, she would use the axe on him.
She didn’t say much, just introduced herself and went below decks to make sure the Dwarves had packed her supplies to her satisfaction.
“Friendly that one is,” Gorid Stoneglare had muttered. “Between her and Tunwell’s stuff, we’re reaching the limits of what the Runner can hold.”
The ship’s captain was off talking with Gerdi Battleforge, discussing the upcoming trip back to Skara Brae. The Battleforge brothers and Herj Onyxshard were busy getting the ship ready. Jackoby and Roxhard had gone belowdecks, probably finishing off the keg with Tunwell. That left Hall alone, leaning against the railing and watching the hustle and bustle of Peakdock. Pike rested next to him, talons clutched around the railing, leaving soft marks in the wood. Which would cause Gorid or Gerdi, probably both, to growl and complain. At the moment Hall didn’t care.
He was comfortable just waiting, letting things slow down around him. The moments of quiet and calm were so few.
Ships were being loaded and unloaded. The great cranes lifted stacks of crates and barrels in their nets, shifting the loads over ships or over the docks. Porters moved wagons through the masses of people, horses stomping. People of all races shifted and churned against each other, heading in all directions.
A great mess of people.
One broke out from the crowd, heading toward the gangplank of the Ridgerunner. Hall stood up, watching. A tall man, with long black hair streaked with gray, tied and hanging down his back. A full beard, more gray than black, piercing dark eyes. He had a lanky build, moving with an easy grace. A sword was strapped to his waist, the hilt looking worn and serviceable. Hanging on the other side was a leather scroll case, a pouch across his chest, pack over his back. He was dressed in worn leathers: leggings, chest and arms. Hall couldn’t place his race. Too thin for Storvgarde. Too tall for Gael. Not dark enough for Arashi. His skin had a dusky tone. A grasslander from Siu Diat?
When he stopped in front of the gangplank and called out, the accent confirmed it.
“Ho, the ship,” he called out. “Is this the Ridgerunner?”
“It is,” Hall answered. “Are you the Cartographer?”
The man bowed. “I am he. I am called Bradberry.”
The name didn’t fit the look. He said he was called that, not that it was his name. There was a story there, Hall thought, moving toward the open section of the rail, motioning Bradberry to board.
