Adventure Bound: Star Seeker

As the trio and Raven sailed westward toward Grass Mark, Orvell turned to Raven and asked for more backstory on Behem. In response, Raven sprinkled some magic dust into the air, allowing it to shimmer as she began her tale.

"Behem was once a powerful wizard who believed in kindness and humanity," she began. "But over time, he traded those values for power, convinced that weakness would lead to nothing but stagnation. He started his reign of terror by promising small villages wealth and prosperity, gaining a following of devoted warriors willing to fight for him.

One day, Behem encountered a beautiful oracle who foretold that he would become unstoppable, but only if he consumed the pieces of a star—a detail she did not reveal. Enraged by her refusal to divulge more, Behem killed the oracle and stole her mind, allowing him to see glimpses of the future. From that moment, Behem knew what his destiny would be."

After sharing the story, Raven sat down, her expression grave. "I encountered Behem many times as a trader, but I never knew his true intentions. I sold him weapons, magical creatures, and even ancient artifacts. When I finally discovered his dark ambitions, I severed ties with him immediately. He did not take it lightly, and we've been at odds ever since. He tracks me wherever I go."

As their ship sailed closer to its destination, the sails billowing against the wind, Raven’s heart began to pound. "That’s him," she whispered, her voice barely audible as she ducked low, her eyes darting around for a hiding place. "Don’t mention my name or our true purpose," she urged the others.

An opposing ship drew alongside them, and a cloaked wizard stepped onto their deck. "So, where are you lovely people headed?" he inquired, his voice smooth and deceptively pleasant.

Orvell, always the diplomat, replied that they were simply visiting a city in the west. The wizard scrutinized each of them, his gaze lingering on Orvell. "Have we met before?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of menace.

Orvell’s heart skipped a beat as he realized who stood before him. "Behem Enmity," he muttered, barely audible. "I thought you were dead."

The wizard’s eyes narrowed. "You thought wrong, Orvell. And now, you will pay for what you did to my son." Just as Behem was about to unleash his dark magic, a sudden and urgent message arrived, distracting him. His expression softened as he read the parchment. "It seems I have a more pressing matter to attend to," he said, his tone tinged with disappointment.

"Perhaps we will meet again," Behem added before turning on his heel and disappearing into the mist. Raven and the others watched in disbelief as their enemy retreated.

A few hours later, they arrived on land, and Raven introduced them to the city of Ridge Runner, famous for its metalwork. The city’s towering buildings and bustling streets, filled with people from all over the world, were a sight to behold. For Orvell, Beatrice, and Minerva, this was a new and unfamiliar world—unlike anything they had ever seen on their side of the Grass Mark realm.

As they docked the ship, Raven turned to the trio and said, "Explore the city and keep an eye out for any signs or clues that might help us on our journey. Start with the Adventurer Gathering Hall."

As they made their way to the gathering hall, they noticed a commotion in the city market. Curious, Orvell took a closer look and saw a young teenager being apprehended for trying to apply for a quest with a fake adventurer badge. Orvell decided to intervene.

"Excuse me, what's going on here?" Orvell asked.

The guards explained that the young man didn’t qualify to be an adventurer and couldn’t possess a badge because he was an orphan. Orvell, himself an orphan who had earned his adventurer badge, argued that this was unfair. The guards informed him that the system had changed; more people were choosing to become adventurers rather than traders or farmers because of the many benefits—housing, food, clothing, and equipment.

Orvell knelt to the young man's level and asked for his name, but the boy spat in his face and replied, "I don’t need your pity." Orvell just smiled and wiped his face as the guards took the boy away.

The trio continued to the gathering hall and entered the bustling space filled with adventurers of all kinds: swordsmen, warriors, witches, wizards, paladins, and more. When they reached the front counter, they were greeted by a clerk.

"How can I help you fine adventurers?" the clerk asked.

Orvell explained their situation and inquired if there had been any word or information that might help them. The clerk seemed puzzled but mentioned a tinker adventurer who frequently traveled and farmed resources for trade. Orvell asked for the tinker's location, but the clerk refused, saying they couldn’t give out such information. However, she did mention that the last known location of the tinker was the city of Vestrix.

As the trio was about to leave, the clerk added, "But you can’t just go there without cause."

Confused, Orvell and the girls turned back and asked why. The clerk explained, "Vestrix is a city run by the Anemans. You’ll need to apply for a quest in that area to gain entry."

Orvell agreed to the terms and looked at the quest board, finding one nearby Vestrix. As he tried to apply for the quest alongside the girls, the clerk informed them that their current adventurer badges wouldn’t be valid on the west coast of Grass Mark—they would need a new badge for that region. To earn a west coast adventurer badge, they would either have to enter the adventurer challenges or pay a hefty fee of ten thousand gold coins.

The trio, having brought coins but not intending to spend them on new badges, faced a dilemma. Orvell, with no other option, took out his badge along with a coin pouch. The clerk’s eyes widened when she saw the badge.

"You're one of the first rank one hundred adventurers?" she asked, noticing the badge marked "1/100." Orvell was indeed one of the first adventurers to reach rank one hundred.

Apologizing profusely, the clerk overrode the system and handed them the quest sheet. When Orvell asked why, she explained, "There are only eight adventurers with a rank of one hundred. Seeing that you're the very first, I won’t make the mistake of denying such a request from a powerful adventurer like yourself."

Orvell was shocked to learn that only eight adventurers had ever reached rank one hundred which includes him.

After receiving the quest sheet to travel to Vestrix, the trio returned to Raven, who was gathering their belongings. She asked if they had found any leads, and Orvell explained that the clerk at the gathering hall had only given them a quest to Vestrix, instructing them to find a tinker adventurer. Raven was surprised, expecting someone in Ridge Runner to know more. Orvell reassured her, explaining that the clerk mentioned the tinker as someone who collects and sells artifacts to adventurers. Raven agreed and informed them that they wouldn't be taking the Wave Seeker to Vestrix, as they would need to travel on foot.

The group headed to a vendor, purchasing Berlax—creatures that could be ridden. Intrigued by the creatures, Orvell asked, "Raven, what are these?"

Raven replied, "They're fast, strong, and much better than horses. They can defend themselves. Don’t be fooled by their cute, fluffy appearance—when they stand on their hind legs, they're nearly seven feet tall."

Equipped with five Berlax—four to ride and one for extra items—the quartet set out toward the gates. As they traveled along the outskirts of Ridge Runner, Orvell asked Raven, “What is Vestrix like? And the clerk mentioned Animans—what are they?”

Raven smirked. “Animans are the kindest, friendliest creatures you’ll ever meet. They walk, talk, and live much like other races.”

Orvell, Beatrice, and Minerva were intrigued. Minerva added, “I’ve heard stories about them, but I didn’t know they truly existed.” She went on to describe their strength and agility.

As they continued their journey to Vestrix, Orvell turned to Raven again. “How long will it take?”

Raven responded, “About two days, if we stay focused and avoid any side quests.”

During the long ride, the group took a few rest stops and eventually decided to camp out in a grassy field. Orvell took the first watch while the others slept. Soon, Raven emerged from her tent, unable to sleep. She joined Orvell by the fire.

“Can’t sleep?” Orvell asked, puffing on his pipe.

Raven shook her head and sat by the fire. Orvell, curious, began asking her questions. “Who told you to find us?”

Raven replied, “While trading with some pirates, I overheard one of them talking about a knight capable of using magic. I couldn’t believe it at first, but they insisted it was true. When I asked the knight's name, no one knew. A few days later, during a deal with Behem, I heard him mention your name. He said you killed his son in a duel. I figured anyone brave enough to fight an Enmity must be incredibly strong. That’s how I learned about you.”

The quartet arrived in Hearthward, a town where miners and diggers sought work uncovering artifacts, stones, and gems to sell to traders and suppliers. The place was dry, the buildings made of stone, and the locals dressed lightly to cope with the oppressive heat.

The group made a stop at an inn, paying the innkeeper for three rooms. In their room, Orvell was undressing, his body worn from a long ride in the heat, made worse by wearing armor. Beatrice couldn't help but watch him, biting her lip as her eyes traveled up and down his body. Orvell caught her staring and teased, “Want a piece of me?”

Beatrice nodded and walked over, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as his hands settled on her hips. They shared a kiss, growing more intimate, but were interrupted when Raven burst through the door, shouting, "I didn’t see anything!" as she covered her eyes with one hand.

Orvell quickly threw his shirt back on, and Beatrice adjusted her trousers, both clearly embarrassed. “Can I uncover my eyes now?” Raven asked.

“Yes, it’s fine,” they both replied.

Raven uncovered her eyes, awkwardly apologizing. "Sorry for barging in without knocking. I need Orvell to come with me to the gathering hall."

As Orvell and Raven walked through the streets toward the gathering hall, she asked, “How long have you and Beatrice been together?”

“About eleven years,” Orvell responded, his tone warm.

On their way, they passed a crowd gathered around a fountain, listening to a man giving a speech.

“I have seen the Cave of Gems, the birthplace of the most powerful gems in all of Grass Mark!” the man shouted. “But one gem is missing, and we must find it before it falls into the wrong hands!”

Someone from the crowd called out, “What is it?”

“The GrimStone!” the preacher replied. “A stone that can absorb power and life from others and use it as its own.”

Orvell stepped forward and said, “I have the GrimStone. It’s within me, gifted by my father when I was a child.”

The preacher descended from his podium, awe in his eyes. “Then you, sir, are our savior, for we are doomed without you. Dia will come for us all.”

Orvell frowned, confused. He hadn’t heard of this "Dia." When the preacher tried to grab him, Orvell shrugged him off and quickly led Raven away.

At the gathering hall, they found the place unusually quiet, with very few adventurers present.

“Where is everyone?” Orvell asked the clerk behind the counter.

The clerk replied, “People are too scared to become adventurers since Dia was reborn.”

Orvell and Raven exchanged uneasy looks before asking, “Who is this Dia? And what’s happening?”

The clerk gave them a brief explanation:

“Dia was once a knight who ruled the Caverns of Gems, nestled deep within the Weh Mountains. He wasn’t the best ruler, but he wasn’t the worst either—until, one day, he began committing unspeakable atrocities. A powerful wizard, horrified by Dia’s actions, forged the GrimStone—an artifact capable of absorbing power, magic, and even life itself. Using this stone, the wizard drained Dia of his strength, his magic, and ultimately, his soul.”

The clerk then told Orvell and Raven where they could find Dia and the remnants of his cavern city, pointing towards the ominous Mt. Gemma. With this knowledge in hand, they returned to the inn to discuss the situation with Beatrice and Minerva.

Though their original mission was to recover the star piece before Behem, the state of the village weighed on them. Hearthward was nearly abandoned, its people desperate for help. Beatrice rose from her seat, resolved, shining in her eyes. "We have to save them. It may delay us, but we can’t leave them to fend for themselves.”

She continued, “While you two were at the gathering hall, Minerva and I explored the village. It’s beautiful in its own way, and we discovered rare artifacts—some with unique properties. Gems that can heal, create escape routes, or even enhance our weapons in battle. Hearthward is worth saving." The quartet then all agreed to try and save what was left of Hearthward.

The next morning, a loud commotion filled the market square. The quartet was preparing to head out toward Mt. Gemma but decided to investigate the disturbance. In the center of the chaos stood the preacher, shouting, “Dia is furious! He demands a sacrifice from among us!” His wild eyes scanned the crowd as he reached for people, but they all recoiled in fear. Suddenly, the preacher grabbed a young boy, threw him onto the back of a horse, and sped off.

Raven instinctively drew her magical flint pistol, her eyes narrowing as she aimed at the preacher’s back. Just as her finger hovered over the trigger, Orvell placed a hand on her arm. “Don’t. You might hit the boy.”

Reluctantly, Raven lowered the pistol, her jaw clenched. The quartet immediately pursued the preacher, following him into the shadowy maw of Mt. Gemma. Thunderous roars echoed from within the mountain, hinting at the dangers that awaited. The group hesitated briefly, knowing they were not fully prepared for the unknown threats inside, but the urgency of the situation pushed them forward.

Minerva cast a Will-o'-the-Wisp, summoning a glowing orb of light to guide their way through the darkened tunnels. As they ventured deeper into the mountain, they marveled at the gemstones embedded in the cave walls—radiant stones that glimmered with magical potential. Some were said to possess healing properties, while others could enhance weapons or armor.

The deeper they went, the more dangerous the creatures became. Goblins, cave trolls, and serpent-like wyverns prowled the tunnels, but the quartet fought their way through, still without finding the entrance to the fabled cavern city.

Just as they were beginning to lose hope, a faint, metallic tinkering sound echoed through the cave, like the strike of a hammer on an anvil. Cautiously, they followed the sound until they saw a dim light flickering ahead. As they drew closer, they spotted a figure hunched over a makeshift forge, working intently on a pile of gems and tools.

It was the tinker adventurer they had been searching for.

Startled, the tinker jumped to their feet and brandished a dagger. “Back off! These gems are mine!” they shouted, eyes wild with fear.

Orvell stepped forward, hands raised in a gesture of peace. “We don’t want your gems. We’re only here to find the cavern city,” he said calmly.

The tinker’s eyes narrowed as they scanned Orvell’s armor and weapons. Then, recognition dawned on their face. “Wait… you’re Orvell! The legendary magic swordsman!” they exclaimed, excitement replacing their earlier panic. “It’s an honor!”

The quartet exchanged confused glances, but Beatrice stepped forward. “Uh, thanks, but can you help us find the cavern city?”

The tinker grinned, removing their helmet to reveal a youthful face beneath. “Of course I can! But first, call me Marabel Howser.”