Chapter 2: Diamond Village
In the land of Orcs, Proteum Redwallow introduced himself as a shaman apprentice with the power to wield both illusion and healing magic. His declaration was met with enthusiastic applause from his companions, Blizz and Jack.
"Where do you wish to venture?" Proteum inquired, his eyes brimming with curiosity.
Blizz responded with an awkward laugh, "Hehe, let's embark on a random adventure!"
Jack, however, maintained a stoic poker face and offered a Thieves Sign greeting. "Thieves Sign Hi, nice to meet you."
Blizz, translating for Jack, added, "He said, 'Nice to meet you.'"
Proteum, showing his hospitality, offered, "Allow us to equip you in the next village."
As they journeyed forward, their path intersected with a band of Goblins, catching the attention of both Blizz and Proteum. Jack swiftly conveyed his inquiry to Blizz through Thieves Sign.
"Thieves Sign I forgot to mention, what magic can you cast?" Jack asked.
Blizz responded with, "Thieves Sign Just use the wind arrow."
With precision, Blizz unleashed a wind arrow upon the goblins. The attack struck one of the creatures, though it failed to render it unconscious.
"Thieves Sign I told you the wind arrow is not working," Jack pointed out.
Blizz, undaunted, readied his dual daggers with determination. "Very well. Here I go, baby. Let's rock and roll!" He charged forth, attempting to engage the goblins in close combat.
Proteum, quick to react, invoked a Fog Cloud to shroud their surroundings in obscurity. The goblins were left blind, relying solely on their sense of hearing to locate their assailants.
In the midst of the chaos, Jack pondered how to deal with the goblins and attempted to open an unknown scroll. To his astonishment, a large vine erupted from the scroll, piercing his palm with thorns, inflicting pain upon his left hand. Gradually, Jack felt a peculiar connection to the vine, enabling him to control it. With newfound power, he impaled one of the goblins.
Blizz, struggling in the fog, announced, "I can't hit them, but one is dead. I don't know why."
Proteum urged them, "Get out of the fog."
Blizz, heeding the advice, used Thieves Sign to cast Fireball, further diminishing the goblin threat. Two goblins emerged from the dissipating fog.
A Hobgoblin, sensing the tide turning against them, employed a twisting motion, conjuring a small hurricane that dispelled the fog. Seizing the opportunity, the remaining goblins launched a counterattack, and Blizz found himself stabbed.
"I forgot to focus," Blizz lamented.
Jack, utilizing his newfound vine powers, came to Blizz's aid, lifting him to safety.
Proteum intervened with a timely Fog Cloud to obscure their retreat, enabling the trio to escape towards a town known as Diamondpeak.
Arriving in Diamondpeak, they encountered a vigilant guard who inquired about their predicament.
"We were attacked by goblins," Proteum explained.
The guard promptly enlisted the assistance of commoners to transport them to the town. During the journey, Proteum couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Why is this town abundant in Diamond, Limestone, and Marbles?"
The commoners elucidated, "This town was crafted as a puzzle by a Minotaur last year. It plunged the populace into chaos, claiming lives through moving obstacles. The Minotaur has since secluded itself in the tower you see over there, known as the Minotaur Lair. It's now a tourist attraction, displaying the Minotaur's bones, drawing visitors from far and wide."
Their travels eventually led them to the Health Department, where Blizz received much-needed rest and care. During this respite, Blizz proposed, "Jack, would you like to go shopping?"
Jack responded with a thumbs-up, and the duo proceeded to acquire provisions while awaiting Blizz's recovery.
Meanwhile, in the distant Castle of Blackmire, a breathless guard rushed to deliver news to the king.
"Your Majesty, we failed the mission. My comrade perished, devoured by a monstrous entity," the guard reported.
Inside the castle, King Promeus was visibly perturbed. "Monster in illusion form..."
The guard continued his narration, "They are not deceased, Your Majesty, but rather incapacitated. The wind arrow we employed proved ineffective."
The king's agitation escalated, and he commanded, "Summon my nephew, Prince John Scarlett."
Back in Diamondpeak, Proteum took stock of their supplies. "Let's see... potion of healing, check... potion of invisibility, check... Mana potion, check... What about you, Jack?"
Jack gave a thumbs-up in response.
"Let's purchase some food for Blizz, and then we can return to the Health Department," Proteum suggested.
Inside the Health Department, Blizz inquired, "Jack, did you acquire new magic?"
Jack relayed his unusual experience, "I don't know. I simply opened the scroll, and the vines kept entering my hand, eventually reaching my mind. Now, I can control them at will."
The nurse gave them the green light to leave, but not without an additional query, "Do you intend to accept the goblin-hunting quest?"
Proteum was taken aback, "What quest?"
The nurse explained, "You must register first. The Diamond Village Guild, located to your left, handles registrations for a fee of 100 gold, as you are not yet recognized adventurers."
Proteum promptly paid the fee and expressed gratitude, "Here's 100 gold for your excellent service."
With their registration complete, they inquired about their remaining funds.
Proteum responded, "We have 80 gold pieces left. Fifteen for potions and five for those El creme pie lachio snacks, which I believe translates to 'crescent palace.'"
They proceeded to the guild house and found themselves surrounded by adventurers of diverse races. Proteum, adopting an orcish appearance through an antimagic spell, became the subject of amusement among some onlookers.
"An orc with a grimoire...," a random adventurer chuckled.
The Guild Registrar began the registration process. "Welcome to Diamond Guild. Meow for registration, 1 gold each. Meow."
They paid the requisite 3 gold, leaving them with 77.
Jack - Race: Human, Class: None
Blizz - Race: Halfling, Class: Mage Bandit
Proteum - Race: Orc, Class: Shaman Apprentice
The Guild Registrar provided an overview of the guild's quest hierarchy and progression methods, including Quest Gacha, Bulletin Quests, and PvP rankings.
Jack, fueled by a desire for adventure, opted for a Quest Gacha spin, which revealed their first task: "Hunt a Swift Fox."
The Guild Registrar offered two options, "You can either kill it for loot or keep it as a pet. If we see the body, we can confirm that the quest is complete."
Blizz, driven by a desire for vengeance, declared, "We'll accept this quest. Kill the hobgoblin. I want to take my revenge."
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