Chapter 4

Even after getting the grime out of my hair and dirt from my skin, a commoner would still take me for a beggar given the poor excuse for clothes I still had. Fortunately, there is a sign located near the tavern that advertises a clothing store off the main road northward from Westtown Grove. My third destination.

It has only been about ten minutes since I left the inside of the tavern, but a quick look inside the open door revealed a missing Ivory Falls.

Likely to be off bothering someone else.

Usually, I would physically separate myself from such an annoying conversation. There are always more important tasks to be completed than entertaining a pointless offer. That being said, getting familiar with the city of Pacifica - and more generally the nation of Spaelor - takes priority. Sticking out any more than necessary is an easy way to get more attention. As I have no information about the Church of Athar, taking a stroll into the unknown organization would be incredibly naive, especially because they wanted to hunt me down.

Therefore, staying low is the best plan for now. And staying low means acting like a weary but polite adventurer.

“Oh, hello! Welcome, welcome!” The shopkeeper greets his new guest with a surprising amount of morning vigor. As I step inside the clothing store, the scents of leather polish, spun rolls of wool, and crisp sheets of linen greet me with similar enthusiasm. A few colorful rugs decorate an otherwise plain floor lined neatly with half-stocked shelves.

“Nice to meet you, sir.”

“And you as well, miss! My first customer of the day, how may I help you? Ah- Actually, before you speak. Let me guess, you need a new change of clothes! Why else would you be here, of course? Silly me. Are you looking for something quick and easy or something more fine-tailored to your tastes and preferences? Ah- Of course, I can work with whatever budget you have!” The shopkeeper stops rambling as he waits for my answer.

“Hmm… I would like two outfits made for me and something I can purchase right now to get out of these rags. A new pair of boots as well. Would fifteen gold suffice for everything?”

“Oh, yes! Of course! Please, take a seat,” as the overly-friendly human gestures in front of him. “Let’s talk about what you’d like and I can get started immediately! Oh, pardon my manners! My name is Bren, my store’s name is Clothes by Bren, but I’m sure you saw that coming in.” He takes out a notebook and pen with his scrawny but seemingly agile hands as I sit down.

The next thirty minutes were spent hashing out the details of what I wanted to disguise myself with. On one hand, Bren did not ask any questions as to why the specifics were as described. Unfortunately, however, the entire process could have been cut in half if the shopkeeper did not explain the minutiae of everything in his store and his tailoring process. At his conclusion, I pay an extra few gold to expedite the fulfillment of the two custom sets of clothes.

“Oh, that won’t really be necessary. It’s not like I have too much of a backlog nowadays, you know?”

I raise my eyebrow.

“Yeah, I had a small queue of orders a few weeks ago in preparation for the celebrations earlier this week, but that’s… all done now…”

He has somehow shut up.

“Gods, I wish this war would be over. Back then, this business,” Bren waves at his wares, “was about art! I enjoyed making my clients look great for a fancy dinner or a beautiful wedding, or be comfortable during their work or out doing adventurers’ quests… Now, it’s mostly just boring uniforms for the, well, very brave soldiers out there. It’s an important job, and I’m glad to help however I can. But, wouldn’t it just be better if they just stopped fighting? Everyone would be happier, I’m sure. And I can get back to making art!”

I nod. “Yes, me too.”

“… Oh, I’m terribly sorry. Give me a few minutes to gather the set that you wanted right now.”

A few minutes later, the tailor comes back. “Here you go. There’s a small room over there by the left if you’d like.”

“Please and thank you.”

I head over to the room and lock the door behind me. A modest changing room without signs of intrusion. I doff my old tunic and don my new attire. Basic dark blue collared shirt, tucked into dark brown trousers, tucked into new leather boots, accompanied by fingerless leather gloves, and a modest hooded khaki cape. Everything fits well enough for a temporary solution, if a bit short. In any case, the mirror reveals a simple traveler…

I tie up my hip-length steel-gray hair into a loose bundle. A small grin crawls onto my face as I contemplate the sharp figure.

My old clothes get placed into the small bag my new clothes were in; that, in turn, gets stuffed into my satchel. As I leave the room, I give my thanks to Bren and head out the main door before he can put in more than one compliment. He has taken much of my attention already.

I quickly ask a friendly-looking passerby for directions to the “center of the city”, to which I am asked whether I want “The Bazaar” or the “Balegil Gardens”. He explains that the former is home to the largest block of vendors in the city, while the latter home to locations such as the town hall and an adventurer’s guild.

“Balegil Gardens, where is that?”

“You’re really new to the city, huh? Over there, to the west up on top of that big hill over there. Can’t miss it.”

I give my thanks and then set off to the west with Solus accompanying me near her highest point.

The path to get to my destination was a bit longer than expected. While the distance itself from Westtown Grove to Balegil Gardens is not very far - certainly, a quick flight would make short work of it - the trip took about thirty minutes on foot. The physical trip was no issue for me, but an inconspicuous walk was much slower than air travel. There is one main route into the district, located in the north. The hill itself is maybe 100 feet above sea level, forcing the path to not only be a bit steep but also wind back and forth a few times.

The entrance to the Gardens is marked by a tall stone archway at the end of the entry route. Fortunately, there are many signs that guide newcomers of the city towards the areas of interest. I make my way over to the Adventurer’s Guild.

Pacifica is clearly a city with much wealth and resources. Both the buildings and people of the city are fairly well-adorned, from my observations. However, Balegil Gardens is noticeably more striking. The separation of the district is not only physical from being located on a hill, but also material. Construction of the homes are built to a higher standard with polished stone and rich lumber, the commuting roads are nicely paved with stone, the street lamps are intricately designed, and a colorful palette of goods mark open businesses. In contrast to the somewhat hushed groups of the people below, the voices of residents and visitors of the Gardens join together in a busy hubbub.

However, the road from the entrance proved short, quickly opening up after a few turns to what seems to be the main attraction. A sign proudly introduces the ornate building:
“White Iron Palace: Est. Year 1627 of Our Savior”

Many of the previous directional signs point towards this “Palace”, so it appears that everything is housed within. Paved stone turned into marble stairs that lead to the entrance: a pair of open doors that tower above not only myself but also the buildings I had walked past. The majority of traffic heads inward through a quick and orderly queue. A few yards in front of me, a human mother and father try to calm their child, who seems to be oddly excited about visiting this place.

Making my way through the doors and into the Palace, my senses are overwhelmed by a new but cold scent of stone and marble that replaces the salty air from the outside. Green stained glass windows that stretch along the tall marble walls and up to the ceiling allow ample light inside. Around me are armored guards standing silently at the ready if they see any unwanted visitors, while the hallway echoes with the clacking of shoes and conversation.

Signage continues to be good. They suggest there is at least: the city hall, a church to some sort of Umberlee, a medical ward, many master artisans, an orphanage, a jailhouse, and the Adventurer’s Guild.

As I make my way over to the Guild, the number of indistinct people begins to drop. Crowds of families, merchants, and tradespeople are replaced by groups of adventurers from every lineage, every size, and every kind. Businesses operating in this section of the Palace seem to be catering towards them as well.

Most importantly, nobody appears to pay me any mind.

A few minutes later, I arrive at an entrance flanked by, yet again, another pair of opened doors. Only this time, they were made of dark stained wood. I continue forward-

“Oops, sorry madam,” a satyr coming from within bumps my left arm.

Madam? How old…

My train of thought is suddenly interrupted by a fairy popping up on my right side. “Welcome to the Pacifica Adventurer’s Guild!” she squeals. “How can I help you?”

“Yes, yes. I’m looking for some work,” I answer, a bit annoyed.

“Of course! Right this way please!”

This Guild sticks out from the rest of the White Iron Palace both in location and appearance. The entire Guild room stretches out far but not very wide, like a peninsula. Wood and stone make up most of the interior, providing a more cozy feeling compared to the almost sterile hallway I came out from. Various tapestries of emblems and crests adorn the walls, while the floors are populated with tables and seats. Chatter fills the room from the various adventurers discussing the division of work and bragging about their latest conquests.

“Here is the job board! Take a look at what has been posted and come over to one of the kind helpers over here when you find something!” The fairy takes her leave to greet the next individual.

I gaze over the medley of fliers tacked onto the board. Hmm… Most of these are unsurprisingly related to the war effort…

“Hey miss, you lookin’ for a job?” Suddenly to my right, a voice tries to get my attention.

“Why else would I be here?”

Shifting my attention, I see a tiefling with a stupid grin on his face before me.

“You’re a funny one, yeah? Well, me and my buddies have some boring work lined up, gotta get some rich guy’s stuff back. We could use someone like you to… liven it up a bit, whaddaya say?”

“Sorry, not interested.”

“Ah, come on-”

“No.”

“... Hmph. Fine, girlie. See you around then.”

“No you will not,” I say under my breath.

After a few minutes undisturbed, my perusal yields what I’m looking for: a request from the Church of Athar, who sent out multiple parties to find me. I unpin the flier and take a few paces from the right of the board to a receptionist.

“Hello! Sorry about the men over there, they don’t mean any harm but don’t pay them much attention.”

“Was not planning on it, thank you.”

“Have you found what you are looking for?” the human asks.

“It depends. Here.” I hand over the flier. “Is everything set up and ready to go, or do I have to meet the client?” I ask, referring to the Church.

“Not at all! As you can see here,” she points at a stamp, “there is already a small adventuring party that has taken this quest, but needs some extra help. Is that okay with you?”

“Depends on who is in the party, but probably yes.”

“Great! My apologies, but I don’t recognize you. Are you new here, miss?”

“Yes, I just arrived in the city.”

“Welcome to the city of Pacifica then!”

The receptionist asks me to fill out a form and provides me a small token with a unique number on it, identifying myself in the Adventurer’s Guild. She says that I can meet the party the next morning in this Guild hall and that we can go from there. I thank her and ask for some recommendations.

After receiving them, I take my leave.

“We look forward to seeing you soon, Grayce!”

I return a nod and head back towards the center of the Palace. On the way, I make a quick stop by a leatherworker to pick up a new satchel to replace my old one, with a request to modify the strap so that I can quickly tighten it against myself. A half hour later, the new satchel, still smelling vaguely bovine, adorns my side. I make my way over to the center of the Palace, where signs direct me to many metalsmiths. A modest one - for the area, at least - receives a few coins from me in exchange for a boring but well crafted longsword, which goes on my left hip.

With nothing else to do in the Palace, I head back outside and eventually down the hill that casts a shadow over the western part of the city. It seems to be about 3 o’clock in the afternoon now. A leisurely stroll northwest from the Balegil Gardens leads to what the guild receptionist claims to be the largest library in Pacifica.

Aptly named “Pacifica Library”, a humble log building stands behind simple signage. Two stories tall, but more lean than stout. Inside, a dwarven librarian greets me and asks if I need any help, to which I ask for literature about monsters in the wild.

“You’ll find them on the shelves on this side of the library,” he gestures. “That’s a popular section for smart adventurers like yourself. It’s always very useful to learn about any potential threats before heading on a quest. Let me know if I can help, but I won’t bother you otherwise. Take your time.”

The interior of this library is simple but well adorned with books, scrolls, tablets, and many other literature spread across a half-dozen bookshelves that stretch far back. A slightly musty smell of old paper fills the cool air. Most of the noise that can be heard inside comes from the exterior crowds, but there are a few people reading on the chairs near the entrance.

I, however, spent the remainder of the afternoon and evening searching for any information about the gelatinous enemy I had faced a few days prior. Title after title, page after page, paragraph after paragraph. Stories about common goblins, descriptions of powerful dragons, warnings regarding wild fey, legends of fearsome sea monsters. Eventually, Luna’s moonlight trickles in, sharpening my concentration until-

There.

I finally arrive at a small old book about oozes and other amorphous creatures. The cover flies open as I read through the contents.

And read.

And read…

Nothing. Damn, it’s all fantastical stories and tall tales. What a waste of time.

As the book returns to its place on the shelf, I look back towards the front. The librarian had changed sometime in the past few hours and the crackle of lanterns filled the silence. I spend a few more minutes looking through the remainder of the texts I picked out.

No success. Hmph.

I make sure no traces of my short stay remain and head towards the door.

“Did you find what you were looking for, dear?” This time, an elderly dwarf is at the desk.

“Yes I did, thank you madam.” A blatant lie.

“Glad to hear. Have a good evening and stay safe out there.”

I nod and step into the refreshing night breeze.