Early the next morning, Bard passed the entryway leading into Antares. The sentry standing guard nodded to him in recognition. Though he did not know the young fighter's name, he had seen him in town several times before.
Bard decided that he would no longer live in the rotted house in the village. He had stayed awake half the night counting his treasures. He had over 100 gold pieces and the pearl; he was sure it was worth a lot of money.
Bard walked up to the Stoneville Inn. He knew the innkeeper was currently renting rooms. He walked into the inn and found the keeper and several patrons drinking in the ale room. He saw Bard and walked over to him.
"Good morning my young man. I have not seen you before."
"I lived at the village to the east."
"Nasty place," the innkeeper said shaking his head. "You should leave it."
"I came across a small fortune. I am interested in renting a room here."
The innkeeper stroked his head thoughtfully. "I charge two gold pieces a week. You may think that is expensive, but the meals and the beer are free."
"What kind of deal can we make with this?" Bard handed the pearl he had found in the Catacombs over to him.
"My word," said the Innkeeper to himself, "that is worth two hundred gold pieces by itself." Then he said to Bard, "Give me this and ten gold pieces and I will give you the best room for a year. Do you travel much?"
"I might."
"Let me know if you plan to go for an extended time. I will refund you two gold pieces for each week you are gone. However, when you leave, you must take everything you own and have the room clean."
"It is a deal," bard said, handing the coins over to the innkeeper, unaware that the pearl's value was high enough to give him almost two year's rent.
The innkeeper grinned at his fortune. "Follow me. I will take you to your room.
A few hours later, Bard went to Joe Smith's shop. He had decided to sleep for a few hours, because the effects of the previous day's adventures were still on him.
The armorer was working at his anvil, banging some dents out of a shield. He was a muscular man, from his years of hard work. Though he was still fairly young-thirty years old-his face was careworn and his blond hair was beginning to get gray.
Armorer Smith looked up when Bard entered his shop.
"Bard, I have not seen you in a while! How have you been these days?"
Bard had known Joe for several years. When he was younger, he would visit him and listen to many exciting stories. Joe loved to tell tales and legends about the warriors who fought the barbarians. He also told Bard about his adventures when he was a fighter. Joe had been through the warrior school about ten years before. Though he was never promoted to Sword Master, he was an excellent asset to his Army.
Bard and Joe talked for a while about the past days. Then he told the armorer about his adventures in the Catacombs.
"I am looking for better armor. What do you recommend?"
"Come over here. I believe I something you might like." He went to the far wall of his shop and started to pull down pieces of armor.
"Try this on," Joe said.
Bard walked over to what Joe offered him and started trying the pieces on. This armor was different than the chain mail he wore. The armor was made out of large metal plates that were attached by likes of chain mail. This would give him more protection than his chain mail offered. However, this suit was much heavier.
"That fits you well," Joe said. "I just need to make a few adjustments. The suit will be ready in three days. I know it is heavier than your chain mail. The weight may restrict your speed. However, this will give you the best protection and the plates will no break easily from blows."
"How much are you asking for this?"
"This sells for sixty gold pieces."
Forty gold pieces plus my chain mail," Bard bargained.
"It is a deal! The two men shook hands. Then Bard paid the armorer the money and left the shop.
Bard visited several marketplaces in Antares. He wanted to restock on things he had lost in the Catacombs. While it was not wise for him to return, he wanted to. He was sure he would find more gold pieces, even though he would be risking his life fighting monsters to get these. Then there was the possibility of Trent waiting to kill him with his magic. Yet, he knew that magic users were not good in close combat. If he was able to surprise him, he would have an advantage. If he could kill Trent, he would be hailed as a hero in Antares.
Spending most of his remaining gold coins, Bard returned to the Stoneville Inn with a new dagger, more oil for his lantern, food and a few extra sacks. At one shop the storekeeper talked Bard into buying a mirror.
"What do I need this for? He asked.
"Well to make sure your hair is combed." The storekeeper laughed. "I am just joking. You never know; it may protect you some day. Plus here is a wood pole that may it easier to walk up steep hills. Plus, take this bottle of wine. It will help you keep calm in stressful situations."
After putting his things in his room, Bard went down to the ale room to get a beer and eat some dinner. He sat down at a small table and noticed three people sitting at a larger one.
"They must be travelers," he thought to himself. "They look weary."
"I can't believe it," said the short, stocky man. He pulled at his long dark brown beard in frustration. "He said he would meet us here; after we traveled that distance from the south. Now we get a message that he has other commitments!"
Bard glanced over at the man talking angrily. He had dark skin. Bard knew that he was a dwarf. He also recognized the female. She was tall and thin and with her delicate features and pointed ears, it was obvious that she was an elf. The other man, sitting with a hood pulled over to his head, Bard did not recognize.
The elf, even though acting with grace, was also angry. "Jeff is unreliable. Every time we need him, he has one excuse or another. I have had it with him! As far as I am concerned, he is out!"
"Well at least the other two will be here. They gave me my word; it is a good thing we ran into them before they left the area. Yet, how are we going to find another fighter? George! Give me back my knife!" the dwarf yelled at the hooded man.
"Sorry," he said, grinning. "You know I am always tempted," he said giving the back the knife.
"Aha," Bard said to himself, "a thief!"
Bard approached the table and the group stopped talking. "Excuse me" he said. "I am sorry to interrupt. I noticed that you are looking for a fighter."
"Humph," the Dwarf grunted. "I take it that you are one. How good are you?"
"I don't have much experience. I was in the Catacombs a short time ago and fought some goblins and a snake."
"That's more experience than Jeff," the dwarf growled into his beer. "He is even afraid to step on a spider."
"Hey!" exclaimed the thief. "Are you the one who fought with Trent?" looking with interest at Bard's pockets.
"Yes," Bard answered, wondering how he knew about that.
"Come, sit with us," said the elf, pulling up another chair.
Bard sat down with the group. The dwarf shook his hand. "My name is Britt Stonewall. And that is George," he said pointing to the thief. The thief removed the hood from his head. Sitting across from him was not a man but a lad about five years younger than him. "He is a good-for-nothing. The only thing he is good for is picking locks and pockets. George! Give him back his knife!"
George gave Bard back his knife. "There is nothing to worry about. I always return things sooner or later."
"I am Eileena," the elf said.
"It is nice to meet you all. Are you on a mission?"
"We are explorers “said Britt. We just came from the south searching the ruins of Crib Cadesh. In a week we are going north of here searching the forest of Kildun Aalda.
"Rumor has it that many years a powerful magic-user and a warrior joined forces to build their reputation. Apparently they built an impressive fortress in this forest which they used as both a base of operations and their home. If this place actually exists, we will be one of the first ones to explore it."
"Should we even tell him this?" George asked. "How do we know that we can trust him?"
Bard laughed, "Take it for a thief to talk about trusting."
"Unfortunately," Britt said, "for once, he is right. "You cannot be too careful, because somebody may be a spy. We have to know you and trust you well enough to reveal our missions. Our missions are not always looking for treasures; we also fight for the good of the land."
For the next hour, Bard told them about his adventure in the Catacombs. He described the fights with the goblin, the snake and Trent. When he mentioned Johanna, Britt raised his eyebrow but did not say anything.
"I am planning to go back in a couple of days," he said. "I am looking for some companions. Would any of you be interested in joining me?"
"We have business to do in town," Britt said. "However, where we are exploring is just like the catacombs, but bigger and more monsters. If you return to the Catacombs and come back, we may consider telling you more about our mission and maybe let you join our group."
"I have been in the Catacombs before" Eileena spoke up. "Do you know the entranceway with the dragon's head?"
"Yes. I went in that way."
"If you go about two hundred meters past that entrance, you will find another one. It is easier to get into; it is less guarded."
