The next couple days are stressful. Not the hunt as the snarltails are easy enough. Rather each time the trees blow in the wind or something rustles on the ground he jumps. The squirrelraptors may only attack snarltails but there has to be a reason for the lack of birds. He no longer feels safe to leave Lily in a tree but where would be safe? The monsters came from the treetops but used roots from the ground.

Over those days Jason hunts three more snarltails. Not his target number for this trip but better safe than sorry. Once he has whatever the ork whipped up to keep Lily safe things should go smoother. Like the trip back. That empty plains where the only thing in it is boulders and boulder monsters makes getting back to town easier.

He has more tails to turn in for the quest but he doesn’t want to turning them in yet. “Only three to go and there is still enough silver left from the last seven. Though my money situation might change if the ork charges a lot. That or he has some ridiculous quest for me to complete. I can totally see a quest that ends up costing me more than if I paid in gold. Have to be careful about that as I need to be out of here to meet up with Rosha and her friend. Best-case scenario is he might just have me send him leather from any interesting monster I might kill in the future. Though first I need to get to that letter to Andrew.”

A quick trip through the town and Jason is once again at the Adventurers Guild. He heads directly to the letter station and settles down to write.

Hey Andrew,

Ran into a weird thing in the wasteland. Since you’re into researching the System and such it felt perfect for you to check out. I met a bunch of animal headed and pawed goblins. They seem to be civil enough though more primitive tribe as compared to the three eyed goblins tech but they aren’t monsters. At least that is what they would like me to tell you. The herbivore-based one's fit that bill well enough and the omnivores might slip in to. However the carnivore based ones where hiding something. Mostly certain they dipped into some less than sociable behavior. A trio of elders rule them. One from each of the groups though the carnivore elder did not hide his control over them all that well. Honestly, don’t remember it very well but I don’t trust them. You should be able to figure it out and maybe help with their request. Which reading back on what I have written I did not mention. They want help in reclassifying themselves as sentient's instead of monsters. Though the elders would settle for just not being wasteland monsters. Apparently they can’t leave there. Must suck as if I remember correctly there was literally a death zone right next to their area at the moment. Seems the wasteland kills off any monsters that get to cultured or some such. At least that is what they thought. Oh and besides that I had another question. Thinking about it, I could probably ask someone else or find it in a library but meh, you probably know more. Anyway, I noticed that around where I am the world energy is lower. Is there some reason for that? Does anyone actually know? It doesn’t really matter but it stuck out to me (and made it harder for me to cultivate out here).

Thanks and what not,

Jason

A little informal but Jason felt that Andrew would respond to it better. He seemed like a decent man who would be fine with everyone leaving him alone while he researched the System. Though with the letter sent he needed to get over to the ork’s leather shop. The ork had said it would take threeish days so whatever he made should be ready.

Jason makes his way through the afternoon traffic towards the shop. As he approaches it, the crowd dies away until he is alone on the street. The reason is easy enough to tell. A nasty odor permeates everything. While he is uncertain what it is Jason has a guess. From history class he remembers that processing leather is not a pleasant activity at this level of technology. Magic might help but sometimes the classic route helps. Specifically Jason knows that enchanting something is easier the less energy is already in it. If the ork wants to enchant whatever he made for Jason, then this might be the result. Smelly chemicals that stink up the street and a bigger bill for the product. He cringes at this thought. For his level Jason is rich but that doesn’t really say much. Wealth only counts in NeoRealm after you hit level 10.

The leather shop in front of him looks to be closed like when he left. Then again, with how some crafters are it might not have opened since. Though this brings up the question of how he is supposed to pick up his order. Jason walks up to the door and is about to knock on it. Before he can though the leather sheet that covers the door lifts up on its own. Behind it the shop is dark for a few moments. Jason can hear someone snoring then lights come on and it wakes the ork up. Because of course the ork is asleep at his worktable. Jason can only sigh at this. The ork probably did not sleep a wink after Jason left until he finished the project.

With a grunt the ork looks around in a panic. After he finds nothing is out of place he turns to the door and a light seems to glow in his eyes. He charges over to the door and slams it open then greets Jason, “Ah! Your here already! Come on in so I can show you what I whipped up. You should be thrilled with what I thought up.”