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Year 142, Slate 24th, Morning, Namedtugged - Central District

I imagined that today would be the day that I set out like the countless others in search of fortune. The thought of leaving town to do that was rather daunting, no thanks to the many tales of our people of adventurers being disembowelled for being out after dark.

There was every opportunity to leave however. My parents had made their position known; that they would be perfectly okay with that. I found it rather odd, as I had only recently learned that most parents would not dare part with their children until they had matured and taken up some form of military service. I was not really either, having been placed in the Unions of Relieving as a child.

I wandered through the waking town. Goblins were setting up stands, humans were rolling into town with their carriages of grain and wheat, dwarves sharpened their tools of trade. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary. Just another reasonable day.

After making a crossing at a street, I made my way to the Unions of Relieving, disappointed at the lack of anything worth interesting myself over. It was just on the outskirts of town, but not past the farms that had grown about. It was significantly large, enough to host a party, or a few.

Today wasn't about parties though. I had been to one and enjoyed it, but not enough to want to live it again.

I found Kubuk in the library, as I expected. The dwarf had always been the sort to choose the ways of the scholar, and had taught me as such.

"You come at an early hour. What draws you near at such a time?" His silver eyes remained fixated on the book before him, knowing I was near.

"Master Debben."

He set the book down and looked up at me, features unchanged. "Come on, out with it. Why do you approach at such a time?"

"You know what? I don't know."

He sighed as he facepalmed. "If an individual is clueless at such a time..."

"It's not that sort," I replied quickly. "It's just that something's been bothering me for a while, and even with what you've taught me, it's something I haven't understood."

"Is that so..." Kubuk mumbled. "What is it that troubles you?"

"Sagus. I wish to embark on a journey, but I don't know how to go about it."

The dwarf sighed. "An adventure isn't to be had merely for the sake of adventuring, you know. There is plenty of insight within these walls, though I would be a fool to think that these alone would tell you of our world."

"Tell me, is there anything in Sagus that could provide me answers?"

Another pause, and I saw him pause purposely before answering, hesitant to provide me it. "Have you heard of Sahthetiquob Kashi Otir?"

"No, I haven't."

"It's a relic from the dawn of Bronze Colossus and Marsh, said to hold the secrets of life and death. It might provide you the answers you need, although many have sought it and failed."

"Where would I start though?"

"Darforo, to the west, or east if you travel by port. The elvenkind hold plenty of knowledge about our world, far exceeding this building. I would start there."

"Thank you, Master Debben."

"I may wish you all the best on your journey. I pray that you may return alive."

Year 142, Slate 25th, Dawn, Home

It was tiresome to pack and unpack my belongings all the time, but over the past few weeks, I had done just that.

This wasn't going to be that time though, as I pulled the leather backpack over my shoulders, which contained a single change of clothes, a few lumps of bread packaged up, and a pig-skin to hold my water. Not knowing much of where I would be, nor what would happen to me, I assumed that the dagger in my belt would be enough to fend off an attacker.

After looking around my small home for the last time, I headed out, and passed through Namedtugged for the last time. It was a moment frozen into my mind, villagers working and trading, chattering and going about a perfectly normal day. I was glad to have seen it.

I had not set foot outside of the town ever, the ever-constant warnings from the locals having been enough to deter my departure. It wasn't this time though as I passed through the outer regions of the town and headed south-east, towards the docks.

Business was to be as could be expected, with traders trying to push their goods with a mark up so high that most locals would consider them an embarrassment, but it was all for the far travelling adventurer who didn't know what they were getting themselves into.

The scent of fresh sea food as the fishmongerers pulled in their catch of the day was strong, but it wasn't anything I couldn't have coped with. I eventually found what I wanted, a ship set to depart to Darforo in a few hours.

Looking around, I caught the captain who was chattering it up in the bar. The dingo wore a ragged grey vest, with a baggy undershirt. How fitting of his image.

"...So anyway, I didn't think those beasts of the night would get us while we were out at sea, but boy Cousey hollers during the third night and it sounds like he's getting a lay for the first time!"

Everyone around him laughed, and I can't help as I smiled at the absurdity of the situation.

"We all rush out, and see that three of the darned things were trying to climb onto our boat! Another one was trying to get at Cousey, but he was just out of their reach."

The captain took a drink of what appeared to be some ale of some sort before continuing. "I pull my slugshooter out, BANG BANG BANG! They all go scared off back into the water whence they came. Not scary in the least." He seemed so collected and confident, I had to wonder if he was faking the whole story. Not that anyone else seemed to mind it.

"Of course, not much happened after that. Cousey was scared out of his mind, so he remained inside for the rest of our trip, and that you have it. Now go off and clean my ship. We're leaving soon."

What I could only presume to be the dingo captain's crew nodded and left, clearly knowing his orders. The rest, I guessed were other customers. I wandered up and took a seat by the captain.

"Sounds like you had quite a bit of a laugh there, eh?" The captain turned and gave me a toothy grin.

"Well, it's hard not to, hearing that."

"Only the stuck up serious ones don't laugh about the whole thing. You seem like a good enough guy, though this is the first time I've spotted someone like you. You need something?" he asked. I had expected to receive somewhat a cold tone, but the friendliness was a refreshing change to the indifference that most were known for.

"I'm travelling, and heard you were the captain on the ship which travels between here and Darforo."

"That so? Pardon me saying, but you don't seem very much like the adventurous type."

I chuckled. "Well, I am heading out for the first time. Would you be generous enough to allow me to travel on your ship?"

"Well, I certainly would like to, but..."

But? But what?

"The thing is, we're a strictly trading ship. We're not designed to hold passengers, plus we take on a little more beyond capacity so we earn a little more. So there's not much room."

"Are you sure that there won't be any more room?" The idea of walking across our land wasn't the most feasable option. That could take months, if not years, and though I knew that I had to expect something like this, it felt a bit more discouraging than simply taking a boat across to the other side.

"Sorry. You do seem like a good fellow, you do. But there just isn't any room." He didn't look directly at me, but he seemed genuinely sad. I had to suppose that the captain really didn't have much of a choice.

"Look, tell you what. We'll be gone for about two weeks, but I'll see if I can reserve some room for you the next shipment. Would you be alright with that?"

I nodded, relieved that at least some of the journey would not be so burdensome.

"Good. That all?"

"Yeah, yeah it is."

"Right, we'll be seeing you in a fortnight."

"Thank you very much." I stood up to leave, and the captain followed suit.

"In case you don't find me, just ask around the docks for Captain Hunt." He extended out to a handshake, and I took it. "Rorec Hurogasin. Interesting name for a captain."

"I know. It's a nickname. I'll tell you why later..."