Day 7
We left the tavern and set off to the Temple of the Mother.
It was late in the day, and the sun was starting to set. The streets were darkening quickly. Lights were appearing in the windows of the homes we were passing. Pairs of men were walking down the streets, lighting the streetlights. We were walking past them as they worked.
The two men each carried a long pole. The first had a hook on the end, allowing him to open the glass box on top of the iron pillar. The second had a burning wick on his pole that he used to light the candle in the glass box. As we passed them, the streets had pools of yellow flame light along the roads.
Mandolin was quiet as we walked. She was not as chatty as she usually was. That was concerning me, making me wonder who I was going to meet. It was a short distance to the temple, so we arrived soon.
She took me around to a side entrance. It was not the one we originally left from a week ago. We entered the building in a section where few non-temple members were allowed.
We attracted some stares as we went through the back rooms and corridors. We stopped at a door, and Mandolin motioned to some chairs.
"Please sit there, while I tell the House Mother you are here." She slipped into the room and closed the door.
Sitting there, I noticed a few more odd looks sent my way by the Mothers and acolytes passing by on their duties. I felt like I was outside the principal's office at school, awaiting to be summoned in. I was sitting for less than a minute, but it felt a lot longer.
The door opened again, and Mandolin motioned me to enter the room. I got up and entered. Stepped in, looking at the woman behind the desk who was standing as he entered. She was in her early fifties and had the motherly, teacherly energy he remembered from his youth. What also stood out was that she was in charge here, and she knew it. It was not arrogant or threatening; it was simply a statement of fact.
"Thank you, Acolyte Mandolin. Please wait outside until we are finished." Her voice was strong and backed by experience.
"Of course, House Mother." Mandolin withdrew from the room, closing the door.
That left the two of us in the room. We looked each other over again as we sized each other up. The silence grew between us.
"I am House Mother Hendricks, and I welcome you to this world, Adventure Hector. Please sit." She indicated to a chair with her hand before her desk. She was dressed in the robes of her office, and they were very similar to a nun's habit, unlike those of nuns, which were black and white. Hers were two tones of grey with a black edging.
"Thank you, House Mother." I walked over to the chair and sat down. The chair was well-padded and very comfortable. She returned to her own chair and leaned back slightly. Still taking stock of me as I was of her.
"Your arrival here was a surprise. The last two times your kind arrived, they nearly always avoided my nation." She did not beat around the bush and got straight to the point. "I seek no insult, but I feel compelled to ask why now?"
I could see it from her point of view. The first two waves avoided the nation, and suddenly, a member of the third set up shop here. There were many ways you could take that, and most will default to "Oh my God(s), there's some danger now" state of mind. Again, I knew I had to balance the truth of why I came with what I'm planning to do in the future. I decided to throw a curveball to see how she handled it.
"We were allowed to choose where we went. I knew most would go to the more traditional nations that the first two groups went to. Learning about your world, I realise that your nation was closer to mine in terms of weather. I am no great fan of hot weather or snow, and considering that you had only been briefly visited by them, I realised that your nation was being neglected. We are here to help the people of your world, not the political or religious organisations. To rectify this, I chose to come here and work as quietly as I can."
I knew the whole thing about the weather was a lame reason, but it was one that I actually had taken into account. My little speech left her with a cocked eyebrow, and I suspected she was not completely believing me.
"You are telling me that you came here to help the people of Noreland, and because of the weather?" Her tone was neutral, and I wondered what was going on in her mind.
"Yes," I answered her.
The silence between us grew again, and I was growing uncomfortable. Her stare was unflinching, and she rarely blinked. I felt like a little boy again in front of a teacher being disciplined. I rallied myself and held firm.
The snort of laughter was a surprise. Once freed, she cannot help but lean back more, laughing, genuinely amused by my answer.
"The weather." She managed to get out as she continued to laugh. I wanted to join in and smiled, but I decided to wait her out. It also took her a minute to shake it off.
"That amusing pointer aside, what are your plans here in the city?" She now leaned forward, putting her elbows on the desk with her hands clasped before her.
"To continue doing what I have been doing. Taking up quests from the adventurer's Guild that benefit the most people." I was on firmer ground here, as this was the plan all along.
"Yes, I'm aware of your work throughout Low Town. You have been mostly battling the black rats that are plaguing our city." She nodded to herself as she spoke, her eyes slightly distant. "That is a fine and noble pursuit, but should you be concentrating on greater threats?"
"Now I seek no insult when I say, I do not seek to tell you how to run your temple. Please understand, I know what I'm doing and respect it."
Her brows furrowed at this. I could tell she was not used to being spoken back to in such a way. I knew it was a risk when I said it, but I needed her to understand the nature of our relationship. I had read about the manipulation the first two waves underwent, especially from religious organisations, many times. I did not want to be drawn into those games.
The silence came again until she broke it. "Very well. I take your point and will trust your decisions in this matter. But I would like to know more of your plans."
That was safer ground, and I could tell her something true. "The dangers are too great and varied for one man to handle alone. I understood this when I learned about your nation and its neglect. My plan is simple: deal with what I can when I can and help the people of Seahold by reducing the threats they face, even a little."
She nodded slightly as I spoke, understanding what I was saying. I sense that she was in a similar circumstance, running the city's largest orphanage in the poorest part of the city. There were too many needy people and too few resources to help them. She had to prioritise and help those she could. From the look on her face, I could tell that this took its toll on her.
"I understand that too well." That was all she said.
She closed her eyes, clearly thinking about something. I waited for her to speak again.
"From the great pains you take to remain hidden from the city's powers, I take it you do not wish your presence to be announced?"
"I do not. Eventually, I might be exposed, but I prefer to operate in the shadows right now. Let the population see me as a simple adventurer plying my trade within the city. If they discover my existence, my life becomes far more complicated, and my ability to help the poorest will be greatly compromised."
"I wish I could tell you were wrong." She said as she leaned back into her chair. I could see the frustration and sadness she briefly revealed before the mask slipped back into place. "From what you said, there is no great threat that is gathering against my city or nation?"
"As far as I'm aware, no. Many dangers are growing, but that is largely due to the neglect your nation has been suffering. Many amongst your population are trying to contain them, but…"
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"We are being steadily pushed back." I could hear the weariness in her voice as she spoke. I suspected she was one of the few who would realise what was happening and accept the truth of it. Too many were clinging to the few victories and ignoring the greater number of losses.
"Yes, you are. I cannot stop that, but I might give you the time you need to rally the population." This was one of the truths I had to accept when I came here, and I was under no illusions that I was going to be the great hero and save the nation. What I had to do was try to build up the population to become more effective in fighting the horrors out there.
"How do we do that?" She asked me, her gaze now sharp and pointed. I could see in her eyes the need to believe that they could win, and they were not just buying days, delaying the end.
"One day at a time. That is all I can do. Hopefully, my example will help inspire others to do the same. One man cannot do much, ten men can do more and a hundred…" I left the sentence unfinished. She had closed her eyes again and was nodding in understanding.
"And yet you might not succeed." She asked with her eyes closed.
"That is a strong possibility." I agreed.
"What then? You flee back to your world?" I noted a slight hint of bitterness in her voice.
"No, House Mother Hendricks. I am committed to my course until my death. There is no retreat for those who have joined me now."
That caused her eyes to snap open in surprise. She had not expected that answer and was still trying to make sense of its meaning.
"Why?" She asked, and I noted a hint of confusion.
"That is a long story, House Mother. Maybe one day I will tell you, but not today." I could have told her, but I didn't want to lay all my cards on the table straight away.
She didn't like that answer, but seemed to accept that it was the only one she was going to get, and I wasn't going to give her anything else yet. She was again looking at me with an intense stare. I was doing my best not to squirm.
"Very well, Hector. I will keep your existence in a quiet as my oath requires. But I must ask you to heed my requests for aid now and again." She spoke calmly and slowly.
"If I can help you, House Mother, I will, I promise you."
Dammit! I need to be careful what I say to people. She nodded after a second when her eyes went distant as she got the message.
"That is all I can ask of you." She stood up, and I did too, realising that this meeting was at an end. "I will have Acolyte Mandolin take you back to your tavern."
"There is no need, House Mother, I know the way."
She nodded and walked around the desk, guiding me out of the room and opening the door for me to leave. I exited the room, and the house mother instructed Mandolin to show me out and then return to duties. I walked away with the young acolyte, still feeling House Mother Hendricks' stare on my back.
Closing the door, House Mother Hendricks let out a deep sigh.
She walked back to her desk, sat down again, and was embraced by the familiar chair. Her mind was going through everything that had been spoken about in this room in that brief conversation. It had not gone the way she had planned, and thankfully, not the way she had feared.
It was clear that Adventurer Hector had his own plans and goals. While she did not know all of them were suspected, there was more, but his basic approach was something she could support. He was not chasing fame or fortune but seeking to help the people of the city, especially the poorest. She was no fool and knew that he could have instantly revealed himself; he would have been lauded by the nobles and showered with wealth.
The other temples were also on the lookout for any of his kind appearing. She had heard from others in the grand Temple of the Mother on one of the hills above the valley that they were hopeful that one of the crusaders would appear within their nation or even city. Their appearance was something I could not foresee or track, so the hope was alive. It was not a great hope, but it was still present.
I hope these days were a desperately needed commodity.
House Mother Hendricks had spoken the truth, and Hector had confirmed it; they were losing ground to the abominations. She had realised this when she was a young girl, still an acolyte herself. The High Mother upon the hill disliked her, for she had been touched by the Mother and given no less than three tasks in her life, which had been completed. The High Mother had never been communicated in such a way and had gained her position through political manoeuvring. Many had thought Hendricks would take the mantle when it had become available a few years ago, but she turned it down, choosing to remain with the orphanage. She knew it was here that she was doing her best work and stayed to see it through.
The years and the toll had been increasing. But now she had hope. The Mother had answered her prayers, and a Crusader had come. He was not what she expected or hoped for, but ironically, he may be what they needed. He wasn't here for glory or wealth but for the people.
She let that fragile flame called hope burn within her.
She had been tracking his movements since Acolyte Mandolin had revealed his presence. She had used Mandolin as the apparent means of attempting to track while trusting others to do the real work. This was to make him think that he was controlling what they knew about him. To a large extent, this was true. There was so much she did not know, but his actions over the last few days were much more apparent to her than even he realised.
He had only taken jobs from the Adventurer's Guild in Low Town. His actions were not significant, but they benefited the poorest of the city. She had heard rumours, however, that things were starting to reach a crisis point with several problems just beyond the walls and that he might be called upon as one of the few adventurers in this part of the city to help out.
No, he was the only adventurer in this part of the city. She was forced to accept that bitter truth as all the others had abandoned Low Town. Mentally, she understood why the wealthier contracts and jobs were located in the merchant section and beyond, but it was still a bitter pill to swallow.
His donations to the temple were also noted. Many of the staff here have spotted a heavily armed adventurer dropping off money into the donation box outside the building almost daily. From what she could tell, it was never a lot, but every coin they gained was a benefit to the children here.
She had eventually learned that he was selling the black rat bodies to the Sealochs, allowing them to strip the hides and sell them. The flesh, unlike that of the brown rat, cannot be eaten as it was diseased and was destroyed. The bones were ground down, and the dust was used in different processes. This, in turn, benefited the Sealochs financially and gave a source of tough fur hides for the poorest to use in reinforcing clothing or installation. Winter had passed, but if he continued in this course, it would be a great benefit to many when next winter arrived.
She had learned the exact amount that they had paid over the last few days, and from the tally, it seemed he had donated the whole amount to the temple and orphanage—an act of charity which he was not seeking to exploit or even tell anyone about.
She was going to have to remain silent about him, but she still needed to keep an eye on what he was doing. A small vindictive part of her made her smile, keeping the knowledge of the Crusader away from the High Mother. Not a very pious thing, she knew, but here in our office, between her and the Mother, she decided to indulge it just this once.
Okay, maybe more than once may the Mother forgive her.
I made it back to The Poor Man's Dream, and the night drinkers were here in full force. Things had got rowdy yet, but they were well on their way. No less than four bouncers were moving through the crowd, making sure that trouble was quickly contained.
The first few nights were an experience, as I spent most of that time upstairs in my room, listening to the events downstairs. I was getting used to it, but it was still a work in progress.
Mica, Isabel's daughter, was not present. First of all, it's getting late, and she should be getting ready to go to school tomorrow. Second, she was of mixed race, and I suspect that most locals would be okay with them, but some might not be. After a few drinks, they might feel emboldened to express their concerns.
I pushed through the crowd, heading towards the stairs, and got a few dirty looks from the patrons. A few looked like they might want to start some trouble, but a single glance at my tattoo stopped most. Others were stopped by their friends, who are less intoxicated, knowing that a fight with me would be nasty. The laws were quite specific; if I did not start trouble, the watch would always side with me as an adventurer. I provided an essential service to the city and the city fathers recognise that.
I eventually made my way through the crowd and went up the stairs. I locked the door to my room and stepped inside, closing it and then relocking it. I could still hear the din from downstairs, but it was much more muted now. Unfortunately, I had not lit the lantern before leaving, but the shutters were still open, which supplied me with some light.
Eventually, I got the lantern in the room lit and went over to the window, opening it to close the shutters. Once they were secured, I closed the window and began preparing for the next day. I will need to restock my water supply, as I had drained the canteens due to the illness I recently recovered from. My travel rations were fine, and all the other equipment was present.
I would need to pay the landlady for my next stay in this room. I had looked at the other places to stay in Low Town and had decided not to move yet. I could visit the merchant section, but the prices were significantly higher there. I had rebuilt some of the items I once held when it first arrived after registering with the Adventurer's Guild. But it was only a fraction of what I once had.
I was also going to need to repair my gear soon. I was going to have to tally my resources and budget, which I could do tonight, but I didn't feel like it. Instead, I opened up my character sheet, focusing only on the Skills section.
Skills
Weapons Skills
Pistols: 10%
Clubs: 19%
Crafting Skills
None
Magic Skills
None
General Skills
Identify: 10%
I had learned that my [Identify] skill would not go up unless I identified something I had not encountered before or a living creature. My gear was a known factor, so using [Identify] would reveal its stats but not improve the skill. Annoying, but that was life.
I have not used my Pinar 10mm, so my [Pistols] skill has not increased. The only one that had increased was [Clubs], as they had mostly been bashing black rats. Each time it increased, I felt more confident and practised in using my club.
I have not yet acquired any additional skills, either through my own actions or by purchasing them. I knew that I would gain others through my actions. Buying them was outside of my financial ability, and I suspected it would be for quite some time. Skill primers from the System or trainers were not cheap.
Checking on my gear one last time as I lay out, I prepared for bed and for the day that would come tomorrow.