Realmshifter Chronicles: The Heroes of Veridora

The Adventurers Guild

As we walked through the gate, the first thing that struck me was how much I stood out. When I had cast the spell to come here, I was wearing the plainest clothes I had – a simple black T-shirt, faded blue jeans, white ankle socks, and scuffed black shoes. As I looked around, I realized that the local attire was quite different. The people of this world were clad in rough woolen shirts and plain wool or leather pants, and their attire, while practical, was far from what I was accustomed to. It didn't take long to notice the curious glances I was receiving from passersby.

"I need to get my hands on some clothes as soon as possible," I mumbled to myself, realizing the urgency of blending in.

The city itself was a sight to behold. It had a charming blend of shops and vendors lining both sides of the bustling streets. On one hand, it resembled a vibrant marketplace with stalls selling colorful fruits and vegetables, while on the other, it featured quaint shops peddling everything from clothing to exquisite sculptures. It was a delightful fusion of a bazaar and a modern strip mall, a testament to the diversity of this world.

However, one thing was unmistakable – the olfactory landscape was quite different from what I was used to. The air carried an earthy, unwashed scent, a reminder that this world's societal norms differed significantly from my own. Hygiene seemed to be a rare luxury here, something I might consider addressing in the future. The idea of establishing a bathhouse or selling affordable soap crossed my mind. Making soap, according to one of the survival books provided by Metatron, was relatively straightforward. It required animal fat, potash, obtained from leaching wood ash, and some fragrant herbs like wild rosemary or lavender for a pleasant aroma. It was a potential business idea worth exploring in the future.

As we turned off the main street onto another, our destination loomed ahead – the Adventurer's Guild. It was a substantial three-story wooden structure proudly displaying a sign above the entrance featuring two crossed swords. Alvin gestured towards it as we continued our approach.

"That is the Adventurer's Guild of Valor at the end of this street," Alvin explained. "By registering there, you can take on jobs, earn money, and contribute to the community. To the left of the Adventurer’s Guild, you'll find the Mages Guild. They provide access to magical research from across the kingdom and accept submissions for groundbreaking magical discoveries. This might interest you, especially after your accidental spellcasting back at the goblin village."

The Mages Guild stood in stark contrast to the Adventurer's Guild. It was a magnificent structure, towering five stories high, entirely constructed from marble, adorned with majestic columns supporting its triangular roof. Elaborate carvings depicted mages casting spells, a testament to the magical arts held in high regard.

"On the right," Alvin continued, "you'll see the Merchants Guild. If you plan to sell goods or start a business, you'll need to register with them. They can also assist with finding housing or store locations."

"Eve is a member of the Mages Guild, naturally," Ellie chimed in, walking beside me. "Believe it or not, I'm part of the Merchants Guild. I occasionally come up with ideas for toys and stuffed animals that they purchase from me. It provides a bit of extra spending money and brings smiles to the children in the area. Seeing their joy is priceless."

We continued our journey for a few more minutes towards the three guilds. The Merchants Guild appeared quite inviting – a cozy two-story building made of a harmonious blend of wood and brick. Eventually, we arrived at the Adventurer's Guild's entrance and stepped inside. My outlandish attire had drawn more attention than I had hoped, given that everyone within sported armor, leather, or cloth attire. Many of them carried a diverse array of weapons – sheathed swords, daggers, staves, and wands, creating an impressive tableau of weaponry.

As we navigated through the crowd, Alvin, Ellie, and Eve exchanged greetings with familiar faces. A mysterious figure in the corner of the room, cloaked in black and wearing a mask that concealed their mouth and nose, gave a slight bow to Alvin before departing. We finally arrived at a lengthy counter positioned at the rear of the hall. A woman named Lilly, who appeared to be in charge, glanced up from her paperwork.

"Hello again, Lilly," Alvin greeted.

"Hello, Alvin. Did you manage to complete that job you accepted yesterday?" Lilly inquired, her eyes scanning the papers in her hands.

"Yeah, though it didn't go exactly as planned. It turned out to be an entire goblin village, and we got ourselves captured," Alvin explained as Ellie placed a bag filled with goblin ears on the counter. "We were nearly boiled in a cauldron when Jordan here appeared and saved us. He single-handedly took down several goblins, helped us defeat twenty-eight of them, two hobgoblins, and even a goblin chieftain. We've got the ears as proof."

Lilly's eyes widened briefly as she listened, her hand covering her mouth in shock before she examined the bag on the counter and turned her gaze towards me.

"I'm incredibly thankful you arrived when you did to save them," Lilly said after regaining her composure.

"So am I," I replied sincerely.

Lilly took a moment to collect herself before lowering her hand and addressing us. "Since you're here and safe, let's proceed with the report. Can you tell me the approximate location of this goblin village? We'll need to dispatch a cleanup crew to prevent any diseases from spreading due to the rotting bodies."

"It's a little over four hours south in the woods. I can lead a cleanup team there later if necessary," Alvin offered.

"No need for that, Alvin. You should return home and reassure your family that you're safe," Lilly advised. "Now, let's review the details. The original job posting was for killing five goblins in the woods, which would have paid five silver pieces. However, you managed to eliminate twenty-eight goblins, two hobgoblins, and a goblin chieftain. Earning one silver coin for each goblin, five silver coins for each hobgoblin, and twenty silver coins for the chieftain, in addition to clearing out the goblin village for a gold coin. This totals to two gold coins and eight silver pieces. Please present your guild cards."

Alvin, Eve, and Ellie retrieved small rectangular cards from their packs, each displaying their names, a point total out of one hundred, and a bold letter 'D' in the bottom right corner. Lilly took their cards, stamped them with an official-looking seal, and updated their point totals to one hundred, changing the 'D' to a 'C'.

I couldn't help but notice the shift in their ranks, and I inquired about it. "So, if I understand correctly, the point system determines your rank. The original job was worth twenty points, but the additional challenges raised your total to around fifty, thus upgrading you to 'C' rank, granting access to more challenging jobs. Is that right?"

Lilly nodded and clarified, "Yes, that's correct, the point system is a key aspect of ranking up. Each job has a designated point value, and exceeding the original job's requirements can boost your total. Advancing in rank allows access to more lucrative and challenging assignments."

I contemplated this new understanding of the guild system, intrigued by the prospect of working my way up the ranks. With newfound determination, I inquired further, "What would it take for me to register as an adventurer here?"

Lilly produced a registration form and explained, "All you need to do is complete this form and pass a simple test. Once registered, you'll begin at rank F and can accept F-rank jobs. If you join a party with higher-ranked members, you'll have the opportunity to tackle more challenging assignments."

I eagerly filled out the registration form, noting that my writing had transformed into unfamiliar characters as I transcribed it. It was as if the magic of this world had intertwined with my actions, turning my script into an elegant, alien language. I handed the completed form to Lilly, who reviewed it before gesturing for me to follow her.

With the money from their recent job in hand, Alvin, Ellie, Eve, and I trailed behind Lilly through a series of winding hallways, eventually descending a flight of stairs to the basement. Faint sounds of combat reached my ears, the rhythmic clashing of weapons and the grunts of combatants. We entered a vast rectangular room, adorned with a multitude of wooden weapons lining the walls, ranging from swords and daggers to staves and knives. Wooden training dummies were pushed against the walls, each fashioned differently, some wielding shields and swords, others dual-wielding, and some in a neutral T-pose with red circles marking the chest area.

In the center of the room, two men were engaged in a spirited sparring match. One brandished a wooden sword, while the other wielded a wooden dagger. As I took in the scene, the swordsman deftly disarmed his opponent, pointing the wooden blade at his neck in a victorious stance. The room buzzed with the energy of combat, and I couldn't help but be drawn to it, recognizing the immense potential for growth and adventure in this new world.