Yara was fuming, with smoke rising from the corners of her mouth as she snarled. With the suddenly appearing wings and flames she was looking far more demonic than I had ever seen her. The lavender skinned priestess she was pinning against the wall was looking worse for wear so I took a chance and stepped up to her.

“Yara, there are more of them than us,” I whispered, pulling on her shoulder. She was resolute and barely budged. “Yara, calm down.”

Of course that exact phrasing had led me to trouble in the past, but it had its desired effect. Sort of. Yara dropped the priestess and spun around, pressing her forehead against mine, glaring harshly into my very soul. I simply stared right back at her, feeling the heat roll of her form. “I am calm.”

I heard the priestess whisper to the blue skinned man, and he ushered the clerics back into the classrooms. The students watched us with curious eyes, all the way till the doors were firmly shut.

The priestess righted her clothes and opened the doors behind her which lead to the centre of the church. “Could we move our discussion into here?”

Yara’s wings vanished, as did the fiery fist. She held her head high and marched into the main hall of the stone church. Lin and I followed after, and the cat girl gave me two thumbs up.

The main hall containing the shrine was a similar, but more fanciful version of ours back home. There was the same setup of wooden pews leading up to a flat stone altar containing a gold bowl and pitcher. Set behind it was an awe inspiring black stone mural set in the walls, painted to show a night sky with a floating island. The castle on the island was capped with gold, which had a flare behind it that made it twinkle in the hall providing a little bit more illumination. The windows flanking the altar were stained glass showing robed figures performing magic displays of entertainment, and one that seemed to be teaching disciples.

The grandeur however also showed the wear. The pews needed some repairs, and behind the altar was a small room with cracked shelves for storage. It looked like this place needed a little love and care.

The priestess sat on the edge of the stone altar and we sat on a pew to face her. Yara still had a dark glint in her gaze as she watched every movement the priestess made.

“What in the goddess’s name are you pulling here Sera?” Yara asked bluntly.

The priestess rubbed her brow and huffed. “Goddess save me. You scared the piss out of me Yara. How about you tell me why one of the black judicators is knocking on my out of the way church? You already got me in trouble once!”

Both demonesses hissed at each other, showing fangs, and looked like they were about to get into a brawl.

“Clearly you two know each other, but we don’t,” I said, catching their glares. “I’m Josh, this my companion Lin. We would also like to know why kids are running around almost getting crushed by murder rocks.”

Sera's stance changed to one of curiosity and a prompt appeared to swap information.

Sera Dawnbreaker, Half-Demon, Level 6 Radiant Arbiter

Some additional information came up, ‘Radiant Arbiter’ meant she was okay at healing spells, but better at divine types of magic involving dispelling curses, divination and compulsion for truth telling. She was a judge or lawyer it seemed.

Scholar Livy

The judicators are Ishaka’s magical enforcers, sidestepping the usual structure of her organization to investigate wrongful magic use and deal with the monsters often summoned as a result. Arbiters are her lawmakers, and follow a very strict hierarchy and legal code. They tend to make up the laws around magic use.

Arbiters and judicators don’t tend to see eye to eye as a result, and are often opposing when enacting Ishaka’s will. Expect the two of them to be at each other’s throats, student Josh.

Good luck being a peacekeeper!

Sera looked like she was about to explode from a headache and she cast a longful gaze at Yara. “You wouldn’t happen to have any euphoric sticks would you?”

Yara took out the gift box from Lin and I, and opened it showing she was already well into her supply of white sticks. “I expect some damn good answers, or bringing you up for another demotion is the least of your worries.”

Sera snapped her fingers and a transparent lavender glove appeared. The hand floated over and took a stick, bringing it to the priestess who chomped down on it. “Is this going to involve you berating me while tying me up in a stockade again?”

“Maybe,” Yara said. She bit into a white stick as well, and the two of them blew out clouds of bloody coloured smoke which fell to the floor, fighting for territory. “I have two witnesses who will attest to you being problematic.”

Lin held up a hand. “I plead Heinekia’s pact of peace.”

“Spare me.” Sera took a deep breath, and seemed to be weighing her options of trying to dive out one of the pretty stained glass windows. “Where do I begin with the tumbling house of cards here? We were cut off from the route to the blessing at the temple in Dastow out of nowhere, the town’s economy is running on fumes and the lords have pulled every stop to squeeze whatever coin they can out of us. Every expedition the river lords have made against the old valley lord's lands has ended in failure, and now some idiots have released a horde of undead, again, causing them to put a stop to all inland adventures. I have families two steps from lacking daily bread so we have done all we can to help them find work in our failing industries.”

In the corner of my eye I saw Lin’s ears fold back and she winced, as did I. The lavender demoness didn’t notice as she was getting quite adamant in her speech.

“Oh, and the guys running the canals out to sea have raised their prices again, causing mass strikes harming what little trade we have going on during the winter. So I’ve done all I can to pass out whatever magic items we had left, and use all our teachers to train new mages to hopefully get a job to do anything. Like using ice magic to cool cargo shipments for pocket change if they are lucky.” Sera huffed and devoured the rest of the white stick. “And now I have airheaded clerics of Talok trying to steal away followers.”

The bloody smoke rolled out between her teeth and condensed on the ground making a smoky, miniature version of herself crossing its arms and pouting. The image didn’t last long and all the smoke seemed to evaporate in the light coming from the windows.

Yara pinched the bridge of her nose. “Ishaka help me. How did things get so messy here? I’m still not happy with children being put in harm's way. What other jobs have you given them?”

“Nothing intense. Toromere and his little troupe are risk takers, but they have good talents already,” Sera said. “It was either that or the silver mines, and despite what a dwarf will tell you, children do not yearn to be in the mines. It’s terrible for their development.”

“Really Sera?” Yara asked, biting back a retort before balling up her fist.

I reached out to lightly touch Yara on the arm, moving it back before she launched herself towards Sera. I didn’t like the sound of what was happening here. I took the scroll from the orc out of my backpack and cautiously held it up. “Is that why we were approached with this?”

Sera looked at my ring, noticing it for the first time, and the scroll. “Oh goddess help me. Are you a blood relative of Gastov? I know he has one cousin that was a wizard.”

“No, he rose from the dead and tried to kill me. I won, and I guess I’m in charge of his lands? I’m not really sure how it works.” I said.

Insight : Success!

+1 XP gained.

A light in Sera’s eyes hinted at her mind working on something.

“He challenged you, giving you the right to claim it when he failed. Learn from his mistakes, and if one of the idiots running the houses here try to goad you into a fight, walk away,” Sera said. She shrugged at the scroll. “They are always trying to make deals for wealth. Take it at face value.”

“Gotcha, thanks for the advice,” I said.

Yara slouched in the pew and seemed to be batting at the thoughts in her head. “Goddess damn it, I hate this stuff. Fine, you're doing what you can. But so help me if one of those kids-”

“They will be fine,” Sera said sternly. “Besides, we used up most of the old stone pillars here. Once they get the last bunch near Swordhaven they will have to figure out what else to do. By then trade can reopen and we can go about our peace.”

The air was heavy as silence reigned supreme. Yara walked up to Sera and the two of them shook hands. Both of them seemed exhausted, and weary of one another. Too much bad history I presume.

“What have you been up to these days?” Sera asked. “Last I heard you got put under the command of that bitchy blue harlot that gets a little too handsy with clients, and were crushing low level warlocks.”

Lin covered her mouth with her hand as she tried to quiet down her laughter. She elbowed me and whispered. “That’s one way to describe her.”

“Yeah don’t remind me,” I whispered back.

Yara summoned the oath of binding ring onto her hand. “I got married and I run a small shrine all on my own.”

“Ha! Fate is a funny thing no? Now you're stuck with the same boring job as me, and stuck to the whims of another,” Sera said smugly.

Yara sat down and grinned. “Oh really? Well he's right here. He even gave me my own suite, with catering day at night at my beck and call, and he even designed these magical heating boxes just for me. On the coldest nights it feels like I’m relaxing on the beach back home.”

The wind was taken right out of Sera’s sails, and to hammer it home Yara pointed at the altar behind Sera. She tapped the air and focused on the shrine, and it started to glow gold under Sera. “Lucky you, just barely in range of one of Borros’s old shrines. I expect you to use this access to blessing to help the people.”

Sera was stunned. “You had access to Dastow’s temple this whole time, and you got your own room?”

I recalled the log for the quest, and the slew of requirements, including private lodging. Perhaps it was different for keepers wanting a shrine in their dungeon. Speaking of dungeons, we had been away from mine for a while now and I was starting to get worried. Yara had given her tools to help the people, and I needed to make the river route safe to open up some trade. Maybe it would help keep those kids out of harm's way too.

“Well it was nice to meet you and get to the bottom of this, but we should get going. Need to check on the river,” I said.

“Hold on, I’m not done doing my job yet,” Yara said. She pointed sternly at the woman’s heart. “If any of them die, I’ll personally smite your purple ass to Ishaka’s halls myself. Consider this your formal warning arbiter.”

Yara walked off, with Lin and I moving to follow. Sera stopped us and produced a battered leather tome from the storage shelves. I cautiously accepted it and checked the front pages. Dense scribbles were interjected with designs and magical symbology. The few bits I could make out were parts of new spells.

“A wizard left this here a while ago, and never came to claim it. You can have it,” Sera said. She pointed at one of the blocks of scribbles that had cleaner handwriting deciphering it. “I was about half done translating it. If you ever need help finishing it I’m more than happy to work for you. I don’t even need that big of my own room, I promise.”

Lin pulled me towards the door and waved. “Royal treasurer here. Not sure it’s in our budget as we are installing a new hot tub in Yara’s room. We will talk about it later!”

Before the lavender priestess could ask for more employment opportunities after hearing about hot tubs we left the church finding Yara outside trying to hide. She stepped around the side of the church and I heard her cheerfully laugh. Lin and I peered around the corner to find her leaning against the wall, smiling so much she was in tears.

“Yara…are you okay?” I asked hesitantly.

Yara rubbed below her eyes with her sleeves. “Sera is an old classmate of mine. She made me miserable for years, and when I had the chance to arrest her I wondered if the charges would ever stick. I might be petty, but I love that fate can be a bitch.”

I felt Lin stick something in my bag, and saw the magic book was out of my hands. I gave her an appreciative nod and held out a hand to help Yara back to her feet. “Next time warn us if you have an old rival and are about to start a fight.”

“Oh please, arbiters are pushovers. We could totally take them,” Yara said.

We left the church area and headed for the gates. Although yielding some positive results, this short hunting trip had turned into a far longer journey than I bargained for. Though I yearned to get back home there was one last thing I wanted to check on.

“Hey, do you think we can make a few more stops?” I asked. I checked the scroll with the broken wax seal. Looking over the offer once more. “There has to be offices for the other guys right? We should check who can give us the best deal.”

Lin cracked her knuckles. “Don’t worry, you got us for muscle if they try to strong arm you into a bad deal.”

“Where would they even be?” Yara asked.

I tried to ask a few passing dock workers where the offices were, and all I got was strange looks or dismissive comments. Seeing I wasn’t getting help on the street, and wanting a little more sweets I headed back to the candy shop and bakery with the friendly lady running the place.

I opened the door to find it deserted, the older women around the tables now gone. The shop was spotless, removing any hint of their existence. The shelves that held cupcakes and candies along the counter were vacant, their sweet smells a distant memory. If I didn’t know any better this place was abandoned.

“That’s a bit odd,” I said.

There was scuffling out back and dim light peaked around the closed door. I hopped over the counter, and Lin followed after. I walked slowly and crept up to the door, with a small pop up telling me I was attempting to sneak. I kept a hand on my sword and opened the door to find the woman from before packing away all her things into boxes. She had a block of wrapped toffee in hand and stood still.

Stealth Check : Failure!

She turned and clutched the block like she was about to hurl it with all her might. She saw it was me and left out a huff. “Dear, you gave me quite the fright. I knew my goods were in demand…”

“I’m so sorry,” I said, letting go of my weapon. “It’s just odd that the shop is suddenly vacant.”

“Ah, my sister is a night owl and uses my shop to sell meals to evening dock workers. The cost of rent is horrid here, so we do it to make ends meet,” she said. She brandished the toffee. “Are you here to buy?”

Before I could blink Lin produced a few coins and bought the block of toffee. Thankfully the owner seemed understanding, if slightly annoyed we were in the back kitchen room. I eyed the shiny counters, stoves and cupboards. Beside a flour coated apron was the tip jar, with only a few lonely coins inside, most of them from me.

“Hey, can you tell us where the offices are here?” I asked, holding the scroll, wax side up in hand.

“Septimus? He’s a bit of a hardass if I’m honest,” she replied. There was a hint of apprehension to her, and I pulled out a few coppers to add to her tip jar. “I suggest you speak to a young buck named Jarrin. He speaks for Lord Eldranth. Big guys with greatswords, you can’t miss them.”

She politely let us out with a few end of the day sweet buns and gave us directions. We wormed our way past narrow streets and fenced houses in the heart of Swordhaven. The homes were well made here, and small green houses with blooming flowers inside gave the stony area a healthy splash of colour. We turned down an opposing villa and found a circular courtyard with ten towers facing a centre iron spire.

The towers were fairly small, two stories tall, and had a handful of guards at the doors with one on top. Each one had a different coat of arms, different swords at their hip and banners on display. The towers were close enough the guards on top could easily talk to one another, and I watched one toss an ale bottle to another. A short, gated fence divided the men standing on the ground, and they regularly talked to each other.

“Look, each one has a different sword on their hip. Must be part of their uniforms,” Yara said, nudging me.

There were heavily armoured knights with longswords, lightly armoured men with bows and short curved blades, elegant gentlemen with feathered hats and long thin rapiers and hooded men wielding an exotic looking double bladed curved sword. Each one had a distinct blade and style. Unlike the earlier representatives these ones lacked flair, instead being purpose built for combat.

Scholar Livy

Servants of the river sword lords. The originals were martial masters of their respective weapon and their descendants keep up the tradition. If you ever want to specialize in a certain blade feel free to approach one, but be warned they will give you an entire history lesson to go with it and will demand you adhere to some oath. Of course most of them arm their men with all sorts of weapons, from spears to bows and such. The sword is just their back up, and icon if you will.

I spied the banner matching the scroll we had, and outside the doors stood a pair of half-orcs with halberds in hand, long coats and one handed arming blades on their hip. Since their intentions were already known, I tried to walk up to the men with longswords and they held up a hand, with one stepping up to the short fence.

“Sorry sir, we were told not to conduct business with you since you have correspondence with…them,” the guard said sternly. Under the brim of his helmet I could see him glare at the men with arming blades. “We must politely decline your business at this time.”

“Sure, sorry to bother you,” I said, cautiously backing away, out of striking reach.

He dipped his head, and returned to his post.

I shrugged at my companions and went around the circle, getting turned away by most, even the guys with katanas. When I pointed out we had them back on earth Yara gave me a stern frown and told me in a whisper they were called tachi, and that the warriors who wielded them took the respect of the weapon extremely seriously. The two veiled fox-kin with long glavies at their post regarded me coldly and we swiftly moved on.

A handful of locals were also in the small courtyard, and when the doors opened I saw the towers holding a small office with a receptionist. I headed up to a pair of large men wearing leather cloaks and dark green cloth armour with greatswords.

“We heard Septimus offered you a deal, do you wish to consider aiding a far better lord?” one of the guards asked.

“I’m looking for options that are available,” I said.

The guard on the top of the tower bellowed out a laugh. “You can work for a slug or a lord that respects fellow warriors. Even if he wields a valley lord’s bastard blade. Don’t worry, in time we can train you on a real man’s sword.” This statement earned him a few glares from the half-orcs and katana wielders.

It felt like the temperature in the courtyard had dropped by just a sliver.

Perception Check : Partial Success!

Lin whispered to Yara. “Do you think they are compensating? For the bravo of course.”

Whatever Yara said back made Lin howl with laughter. One of the guards opened the door for me to head inside. I entered the quaint office to find a young, tall, and slender man wearing glasses, clumsily fumbling behind a rustic desk. Stacks of booklets behind him were teetering on toppling, overgrown potted plants hogged to the windows plunging the room into dreary dim light and ink covered the floor.

“Terribly sorry sir, I’ll be with you in just a moment!” The young man adjusted his glasses and wrestled with the greatsword strapped to his side, knocking over the books while his head clipped the edge of a bookshelf. On his green quilted shirt was a brass name tag. He placed a massive book on the desk and sat down. “How can I help you?”

Coming out of the top of his head was a pair of deer antlers. I blinked a few times until hovering by his head was the word ‘elk-kin’. I took out the scroll from Septimus and set it down. “I was given a trade offer, and I was just wondering what all my options were.” I checked his name tag. “Jarrin.”

Jarrin nervously adjusted his glasses. “That bit of business. Yes Lord Septimus was quite pleased to say the mystery of the woodcamp was solved and he was taking steps to secure a trade deal with the man in question. Most of the others lost interest after you accepted his representative first, but Lord Eldranth still is. Just a moment sir.”

Lin and Yara held back by the door, and I did catch Lin calling him cute. Jarrin must have heard her because his cheeks burned in the dim light.

Jarrin calmly stood up, then panicked as he searched the fallen stacks of books. I felt a little bad for him, an unwieldy blade like that didn’t exactly fit a cramped office space. “So Jarrin, if I can ask, what’s with the little office towers?”

“Each township around the lake has one, a representation of the ten who saved the people and were given the right to rule. There are two lords in each city, so we don’t step on the other’s toes,” Jarrin said. He crawled around the floor, knocking into the bookshelf with his antlers. “Found it!”

He burst out of the mess with a small journal, and scroll wrapped together. He placed it on the desk and waited for me to open it. “Lord Septimus and Lord Eldranth rule Swordhaven together. If you were to side with Lord Eldranth you will find more willing allies at the other lakeside cities.”

The scroll was pretty much the same as my other offer. They didn’t have my town on the map, but where Lord Gastov’s town and tomb had been further up river. I opened the journal and found a massive list of prices for materials, goods, weapons and magical componentes. I eyed the pages with my companions hovering by my shoulders. The training costs were quite high for martial battle talents. I continued my search until I found that Lord Eldranth was willing to pay for enchanted weapons. Willing to pay a lot.

“The lord likes to make his intentions clear, if you are able to provide any of this for us we are happy to trade!” Jarrin said cheerfully.

“Jarrin was it?” Lin asked sweetly, sliding into the conversation. She hovered by my side, and placed a hand on my waist as she pulled me into a hug. “Can you be honest with us? Is this really the best Lord Eldranth can do? I’m Lord Hale’s treasurer and his financial well being is my well being.”

You and your ally have succeeded on a Persuasion check!

+3 XP to Lin

+3 XP to Josh

Jarrin gulped and tugged at his collar. With his attention diverted I felt Yara nudge me and sent me his character information.

Jarrin Eldranth IV, Elk-kin, Level 3 Squire

So he was related to the lord. Lin took a determined step closer, a sly grin on her face. Jarrin, who seemingly knew what was going to happen, took a small step back, bumping his heels into the table.

“I can probably confront the lord about a more favourable deal for you,” he said after weighing his options.

Lin took a step closer again. With nowhere to retreat further Jarrin started to lean back on the table. “Twenty percent,” Lin said with a sweet voice, looming over the poor man.

“T-twenty percent?! Ma’am I can’t…” Jarrin uttered in shock. The young man now seemed so much smaller than Lin, who was now half leaning over him, half lying on him. Jarrin grasped the edge of the table to hold his balance and not accidently trip over, keeping at least a sliver of respectable distance from Lin. I felt an odd feeling of deja vu from when she teased me like that.

Jarrin averted his gaze to his sides for a possible way out, but only found the massive book that took up a sizable portion of his desk, while his greatsword was pressed up against the wall on the other side, keeping him trapped. “I can promise five at most, we are in a trading crisis!”

Lin now too took a look at the massive book and motioned at something. Jarrin followed her lead and then mentioned. “My lord is looking for fire based enchanted armaments, food and additional ranged weapons. Mostly bolts and arrows for his archers.”

“Fifteen,” Lin said, her face now much too close for Jarrin’s comfort, but he stayed steadfast.

“Ten for those products,” Jarrin said.

Lin clasped her hands and smiled. “Thank you so much. After we make sure everything is safe we will choose the best trade partner!” Finally she retreated, freeing Jarrin from his odd yoga pose.

Jarrin blushed and nodded rapidly, still bedazzled from the confrontation. He eyed the mess of the room as we gave him our farewells and let ourselves out, leaving him to clean up.

The guards by the door must have heard us as they opened the fence and bowed as we walked by. Some of the guards who firmly turned us away before gave us a little nod.

At the moment if I had to choose it looked like Lord Eldranth was a slightly better option. At least I hadn’t seen him put the youth in harm's way. Just a big guy in a small office to endlessly topple over stacks of books that could be easily swayed.