Environmental – 28%
Identify Enemy – 20%
Identify Person – 17%
Combat Dodge – 14%
Subterfuge – 26%
Stealth – 27%
Find Trap – 5%
Disarm Trap – 4%
Set Trap – 10%
Manipulation – 9%
Persuade – 11%
Barter – 11%
Survival – 23%
Tracking – 24%
Identify Creature (Beasts) – 8%
Skinning – 13%
Field Dress – 12%
Alchemy – 9%
Herbalism – 14%
I was quite satisfied with the proficiency I had gained in my new talents; although I hadn’t quite managed to reach the maximum limit of 20% that was possible through training, I was certainly close. Even so, I felt confident enough with each of my new skills that I wouldn’t hesitate to use any of them in combat.
As we passed through the city’s massive gates, I unconsciously reached up and tugged at my hood to ensure that it was securely covering my face. I realized that I was deep inside the territory of the Bloody Hearts, and any mistake could easily prove tragic—not only for myself but for my companions as well.
We had discussed the issue several times over the previous days. Each time I tried to convince my friends that if something went awry and we were confronted by the Bloody Hearts, they should abandon me and save themselves. As a Deathless, even if I were killed, I would return again, although I certainly didn’t look forward to the experience. Based on my increased sensory perceptions, it would most certainly be quite excruciating. But if any of my friends were killed, it was very likely they would not be coming back again.
We still had not procured any resurrection scrolls, and from what Venna had explained, we wouldn’t be getting any until after her position as Curate was confirmed. Such powerful items were rare and costly, and even securing them through her religious order would cost us a full Talon for each enchanted parchment. As it was, we would barely be able to afford them at that price, and we certainly couldn’t pay the premium that would apply if we tried to purchase them on the open market.
Despite my pleas, my companions were firm in their resolve to stand by my side no matter what might happen. I thought it was foolish, but I was also moved by their steadfast loyalty. I did manage to make them swear to not allow the Bloody Hearts to capture me alive. I much preferred a quick slit of the throat from one of my friends to the prolonged torture I suspected I would have to endure at the hands of those sick bastards. With those thoughts in mind, I did my best to blend into the crowds, and kept my face hidden deep in the folds of my hood.
I followed Stel as he led our group through the packed streets. As we wound our way through the city, we passed shops and storefronts for all manner of goods, residences both grandiose and dilapidated and every state in between. The city was a conglomeration of all manner of people—rich, poor, merchant, noble, crafters, and beggars alike. The various people were mostly segregated by social status, but occasionally shared the same streets as they each went about their respective business. Hasse was the first true city I had entered, and the diversity of its inhabitants was remarkable. Not only were its citizens comprised of many social and economic classes, but the presence of so many of this world’s non-human inhabitants was striking.
During the past few weeks, I had been in well over a dozen small towns scattered across Lorida. While there had been a few elves, dwarves, and occasionally even a half-orc like Georl sprinkled among the various citizens and travelers I had encountered, the populations had always been overwhelmingly dominated by humans.
But things were quite different in this city. Humans were still the clear majority in Hasse, as one would expect in the second-largest city of a human Kingdom, but compared to elsewhere, the number of non-humans was simply staggering
Before my eyes, an elven merchant hawked his wares alongside a dwarven crafter, while across the road, a young woman whose green-tinted skin hinted of orcish blood beckoned passersby into an inn. As we walked through the city, the constant sight of elves, dwarves, halflings, and a surprising number of people with varying levels of orcish heritage reminded me that I was no longer in a small, backwater town. Hasse was a much more cosmopolitan city, a major trading hub whose inhabitants were more a reflection of this world’s entire population rather than the human Kingdom in which it was located.
Time seemed to pass quickly as I took in the various sights of the city. With so many merchants, there was no telling what sort of useful goods I might be able to purchase while we were here. My eyes wandered over the shops and stalls loaded with all manner of merchandise. Then after walking some distance from the city gates, Stel finally brought us to the inn that was our destination.
The inn was called The Fat Burglar, and its well-maintained exterior was painted in an assortment of gaudy colors. Reds, blues, and greens clashed gaily with bright yellow and purple accents in what seemed to be a collection of random patches of color. I hesitated a moment at the doorstep, suddenly unsure if this was indeed our destination. I briefly wondered if Stel was playing a joke on me.
“I know,’ he said when he saw me pause on the stairs. “It’s better inside. I promise.”
I realized that Stel seemed to have an uncanny insight not only regarding me, but my thoughts and emotions as well. In addition to winning all those wagers with Khorim, he regularly seemed able to read my moods and offered words of encouragement and support when I needed them most. Although he seemed to use his insight only to help, at least as far as I knew, it was starting to feel a little weird. So, as I followed my friends into the strange inn, I resolved to confront him on the issue when the opportunity presented itself.
The common room of Fat Burglar was enormous—easily twice the size of most of the inns we had stayed at during our travels. The expansive bar area boasted enough chairs and stools for over two dozen, while the common room provided tables for many times that number. Fortunately, the décor on the inside was more restrained than the lurid colors splashed across the exterior. The light-colored plaster walls were trimmed with dark wood and tastefully decorated with an assortment of paintings, mounted trophies, and even a few shields emblazoned with heraldry.
I followed my companions inside as they selected a table and before we had taken our seats, a waitress was already there to tell us the food and drink options that were available that day. Once we had ordered and the waitress had left us, Stel explained his choice of accommodations.
“The Burglar is widely known not only for its fine food, and even finer drink,” he told me, as Khorim nodded in agreement. “But it also has a reputation for being most discreet regarding its guests. In light of the situation, I felt it was the best option for our stay in the city.”
“I see,” I replied in understanding. “I appreciate your consideration, Stel.”
Yet again, my friends had surprised me with their thoughtfulness and willingness to prioritize my interests. I knew part of it was pragmatic, as Venna had clearly explained how important I was to them. However, I also knew that their actions were based on a growing fondness we had for each other. I was truly a member of the group now and not simply a temporary associate. That knowledge came as a great comfort to me.
When our food was brought out, our conversation ground to a halt as we dug in heartily. The meal was excellent, and we finished quickly before we washed down the last of it with our drinks while Venna secured our rooms for the night.
We had entered the city just after noon, so Stel suggested that we deposit our excess gear in our rooms and then head over to the bazaar to sell the remainder of our loot from the ruins. After hearing so much about the famous bazaar from my friends, I jumped at the opportunity to see it for myself.
Everyone felt the same way, so we each went into our respective rooms to get ready. I immediately shed my backpack and placed it in the corner of the room, and after a
short debate, I threw my bow and quiver on top of it, figuring that they wouldn’t be much use in the close confines of the city. But I kept the rest of my weapons, since I was unwilling to shed any more of my protection while I was in the very center of Bloody Heart territory. Then I returned to the common room to wait for my companions.
My friends must have been just as anxious as I was, since I did not have long to wait before they joined me. We then headed out together, with Stel once again taking the lead.
Stel led us through the winding streets, expertly guiding us around the city’s crowded avenues. When we finally came to a stop, I found myself surrounded by innumerable shops, carts, and stalls, all brimming with an amazing variety of merchandise. Vendors and merchants selling all types and manner of goods were stretched out as far as the eye could see in a large, open plaza.
“Broda and I are going to sell the rest of our loot,” Stel announced, as he repositioned the tightly-packed satchel on his shoulder. “If the rest you would prefer to browse the shops, we can meet back here in an hour.”
With that, Broda and Stel broke off to seek a buyer for our goods while Venna, Khorim, and I each went our own way to peruse the various merchants’ wares.
The sheer variety of merchandise that was available for sale was incredible. Everything from the obvious adventuring supplies to more mundane items such as spices and raw stone and ore was for sale in the bazaar. If there was a use for it, chances are it was for sale somewhere among the many merchants. I passed a cart where an older man was displaying chittering creatures that looked remarkably like lemurs, and I noticed a stall selling an assortment of small, mostly bladed weapons and light armor. Although none were visible, I had the unmistakable impression that it might be the sort of shop where I could pick up some new traps. Once I wound my way through the crowded aisles of the bazaar, I looked over the items laid out in the merchant’s stall.
There was a wide variety of daggers and knives, the common theme for all of which seemed to be that they were designed to be easily concealed. The few pieces of armor on display also seemed to lend themselves to being worn while hidden underneath clothing. It was obvious that this vendor catered to a clientele that valued stealth above all. As I admired a small dagger, the merchant approached.
“Ahh, I see you have a fine eye for blades,” he said in opening. “Just be careful with that one. It’s quite sharp, as you can see.”
“It is a good blade,” I replied. The blade was indeed well-forged, although not quite the equal of the ones Georl had given me.
“However, at the moment I am more in the market for some... security,” I continued. “Traps and the like.”
“Of course,” the merchant smiled. “Let me show you what I have.”
He pulled out a drawer and laid it on the empty counter in front of me. Inside of it were an assortment of trip wires and more complex trap mechanisms. In addition to the arrow and dart-type traps I already had, there was also a mechanism that released a gas cloud and ones which triggered magical flames and even lightning. The gas cloud traps were each single-use only, but the magical ones could be reused if you could cast the required spell.
The traps were all quite intriguing but seemed impractical for my needs. The gas cloud trap could easily backfire on the user, at least in the situations where I envisioned employing it, and I had no way to recharge the magical ones. And as expensive as they were, I simply couldn’t justify purchasing them for a single use. I thanked him for his time and purchased a couple of extra tripwires I didn’t really need in appreciation of his courtesy.
I continued to browse through the bazaar, and while I was fascinated with the many different items for sale, I didn’t make any additional purchases. Although there were armor and weapons available that would have been an improvement over my own, what I was wearing had proven more than adequate for my needs, and I simply couldn’t justify the exorbitant price tag attached to the better equipment right now. I satisfied myself with simply examining the armor and weapons to get a better idea of what might be available when the time came, and I actually needed to improve my gear. With any luck, I could make at least some of my upgrades through battlefield pick-ups and loot. Otherwise, if the bazaar was any indication, the cost looked to be extraordinarily high.
I had barely made it halfway through the bazaar when it came time to reunite with my companions. I retraced my path through the maze of stalls and carts and wound my way back to the marker I had placed on my mini-map. When I arrived at our designated meeting place, I saw Venna already waiting for me there. She waved me over, and when I joined her, we leaned against a stone wall to wait for the rest of our friends. Khorim arrived just as I took my place standing next to Venna, with Broda, followed closely by Stel, joining us soon after.
“I don’t see you carrying any packs. Does that mean what I think it does?” Venna asked hopefully.
“Yes,” Stel replied in confirmation. “But let’s wait until we’re back at the inn before we discuss the particulars.”
Venna nodded her agreement, and we headed off back to the Fat Burglar with Stel once more leading the way.
As we left the bazaar, a young man carelessly running through the street bumped into me forcefully and knocked me back a step, nearly throwing me to the ground. Only the fact that I was able to reach out and grab onto a nearby stone wall prevented me from tumbling to the ground. But as I recovered from the collision, I realized in horror that the impact had thrown off my hood and exposed my face to the crowd. Although I pulled up my cowl almost instantly, the damage had already been done.
Standing right in front of me, a young street urchin stared at me with wide-eyed recognition as I replaced the hood over my head. His clear expression told me everything I needed to know. The rare combination of my dark hair and green eyes had marked me clearly for anyone who saw them, and his immediate recognition could mean only one thing: He knew of the Bloody Hearts’ bounty on me.
What he was going to do with that information became immediately apparent when he took off running. Stel had observed the events as they unfolded, and grabbed me by the arm and started running through the streets as fast as the crowds would permit. But as we ran, Khorim warned us that two of the urchin’s companions were already tailing us through the city.
We cut through alleys and side roads as Stel tried in vain to throw off our pursuers. Unfortunately, they knew the city far better than we did and seemed to always be a step or two ahead of us. He finally gave up on trying to lose them, and Stel opted instead to attempt to reach the relative safety of the Fat Burglar as quickly as possible. We dashed through the city and rounded a corner at full speed but failed to notice the suspicious emptiness of the street we had turned onto until it was too late.
When he finally recognized the situation, Stel came to a quick halt and tried to take us back the way we had come. But as he did, a loud crash echoed through the empty alleyway, and large wooden gates slammed closed, blocking the exits at each end of the narrow street. Once the gates crashed shut, trapping us, two doors opened, one at each end of the now sealed street, and a group of rough-looking men began to funnel out, hemming us in on either side.
Ten angry faces glared in our direction from one side, daring us to make a move, while on the other, six more took up position against us. We might have had a chance against either one of the groups alone but had no hope of defeating a coordinated attack from the two of them. Still, with grim determination, Stel, Broda, and Venna squared up against the larger group, while Khorim and I faced down the others.
As we braced for the inevitable attack, one of the men stepped forward out of the group of ten and shouted to us.
“Show me your face,” he demanded, with the words clearly directed at me. “If you’re not the one we’re looking for, we’ll let you go.”
“You’ll get nothing from us,” Stel replied before I could answer. “Leave us now, and we won’t kill you.”
The presumed leader merely laughed a
t Stel’s threats, and his cohorts joined him in his mockery.
“Very well then. Let me tell you what’s going to happen here,” the leader continued. “We’re going to kill every one of you. Except that bitch,” he said as he jabbed his dagger towards me. “That whore killed my cousin Nedd, and she’s going to pay dearly for that.”
He stared at me with an intense hatred as he resumed his threats.
“I’m going to make you wish you let Nedd have his way with you,” he threatened me. “Once I’m tired of you, I’m going to give you to all the boys here and let them have you for a while.”
A rough chorus of approval echoed from the gathered thugs, and a few even made crude gestures in my direction.
“You’re going to be the Bloody Hearts’ little plaything for a very long time before I finally kill you,” he continued taunting me. “You know what? Since the rest of you are standing in our way, you two,” he said, pointing at Venna and Broda, “are going to be joining her.”
The leader’s pronouncement brought forth a renewed chorus of howls and lewd gestures from the rest of the Bloody Hearts. But as they taunted us, I could feel the anger rising off Stel and Khorim at the threats that were made against their wives. I silently vowed that I would do everything in my power to ensure none of us were taken alive by these vile scum. But until that fateful moment, I was going to kill as many of the disgusting vermin as I possibly could. As I contemplated just how I was going to do that, I had a sudden inspiration and acted on it.
“Wait!” I cried out, appealing to the leader. “Just let me talk to them for a moment. I’ll try to convince them not to resist if you promise to let them go.”
As I spoke, I threw back my hood and bared my face to him.
“After all, it’s me you want, right?” I added.
When he saw me standing before him, the leader seemed to grow even angrier, but he nodded his agreement. While I was under no illusion that he would hold to his word, that was not my plan anyway.
I knelt down and gestured for my friends to gather around closely, as I pretended to try and persuade them to leave. I watched as comprehension played across their faces while my hand slowly drew a subtle pattern on the ground beneath us. As they followed my gestures, Stel nodded his understanding with a grim expression while Venna managed a tight smile in response.
Second Skin: Fractures Page 39