Explanations

Scholar Klein lived near the edge of the village. He made a living as the village teacher, teaching the young children history, geography, basic biology and even chemistry and anatomy. His house doubled as a school and a library, and was located by the edge of the village.

Frigga easily located the house by following the quest markers. It was a bungalow, slightly bigger than the other houses in the village. A few meters away, a gently flowing stream naturally watered a garden of herbs and flowers. Walking up to the door, Frigga observed the calm and peaceful surroundings. There seemed to be no classes going on. Gently knocking three times, she patiently waited for the door to open.

"Good Afternoon." The Scholar greeted Frigga warmly. "Please come in." The scholar was an earnest looking middle aged man. Unlike the stern Henry, he was built much smaller, had a slightly pale face, dark circles under his warm blue eyes and messy, graying blond hair. He looked like someone who preferred to stay indoors, thought Frigga.

Frigga walked through the door into the scholar's home. She was greeted by several bookshelves crammed full of books. By the side were seats facing a small board hung unto the wall. A quaint kitchen was tucked deeper in the house while a study table filled with books and papers sat by the window, flanked on both sides with rustic wooden chairs.

"Please sit." The scholar motioned towards the study table. Frigga gingerly walked inside, before sitting in one of the wooden chairs.

"People often come here and ask me for advice", He smiled. "I'm quite used to it."

"Would you like some tea and bread?" The scholar offered a plate of fresh gingersnaps, before pouring himself steaming tea into a waiting teacup. "I find it helps me think."

Frigga declined the gingersnaps, before asking for tea. The scholar obligingly poured out a measure of tea into another teacup he produced.

"So what brings you here?" Finally, he asked.

"I want to know the basic knowledge required of an adventurer." Frigga answered honestly. The scholar looked at her in interest.

"The basic knowledge." The scholar frowned, "Tell me first, why do you want to become an adventurer?"

Frigga was taken aback by the question. A reason for becoming an adventurer? She only said it because that's what the quest instructed her to do. Going with her character, it could be something like finding out her origins, or maybe a more generic reason, say for fame or fortune. But, as a gamer, of course it's because it's a game! Who would want to not adventure in a game?

As the scholar raised his teacup to sip the warm tea, the clinking sound of the porcelain sitting on the glass table woke her up from her thoughts. She answered tentatively,

"It's because I want to explore the world."

The scholar calmly adjusted his glasses. He put on a pensive face before saying,

"When I was young, I also wanted to see the world."

"I went to University in Lorraine. I had many friends who later became adventurers." Continuing,

"Well I ended up apprenticing to a senior mage though, sorting out papers and buried in books. By then, I had given up on travelling the world. Eventually I just decided to settle back here in Prairie Town." He chuckled.

"Well, if you want to become an adventurer, there are many things you should know. It wouldn't be possible for me to tell you everything, I'm just a humble scholar. But, common knowledge should suffice. Let's see," The scholar paused, thinking. "Let's start first with what an adventurer actually is."

"Explorers, adventurers, mercenaries, whatever you call them, they're people who make a living by exploring and discovering the unknown and fighting against monsters. They're unlike the Army, whose main purpose is to protect the borders of the kingdom and keep the order within." He explained.

"If you think about it, there are too many monsters, the lands too vast, that the Kingdom doesn't really want to spend resources to try and clear all of it. And so over time, adventurers came to fill in this gap."

"Of course, the Kingdom will still organize expeditions and hunts to maintain the safety of the cities, but when you want to get something like a rare flower deep within monster infested territory, or a drop of wyvern blood high up in their nests, your best bet would be adventurers."

"If you want to become a real adventurer, you should at least join the Adventurer's Guild. There you can make important connections, join commissioned work and learn about various things."

"The Adventurer's Guild is not really a guild per se - it's more of a trading hub, a network. The Kingdom or interested individuals, can post commissions and ask for help. They exist hroughout the three kingdoms and five nations, and were founded hundreds of years ago. The details aren't important, you will find out more there. But mostly every service adventurers require can be found there."

He paused for another sip of tea. The scholar seemed to be thinking how to concisely convey the information she needed. Frigga was listening with rapt attention, nodding along. Looking at her, he started.

"Well, that's that and there's things like fighting and exploring old ruins. One thing adventurers also all need to know is this." Holding his hand up, he softly mumbled,

"Ignite"

A small flame lit up, just floating atop his palm. The smokeless flame burned without a fuel source, violating the laws of physics. Closing his hand, the flame disappeared without a trace.

"Magic," He said. "Every adventurer knows magic. Not necessarily on the level of mages, but at least a basic understanding of it." He pointed at her sword, resting beside the door. "Swords may harm monsters, but ultimately, the body has its limits. Without magic, a few men might be able to kill a an Orc with spears and a smart strategy, but with it, a skilled man can fend off even an entire company of Orcs."

"I learned quite a few tricks apprenticed to that old geezer. But they're paltry tricks compared to the real thing." He noted, "No one knows exactly what magic is but several theories have been put forth. Most are related to the Story of Origin."

"Are you familiar with the Story of Origin?" The scholar asked,

"No." She shook her head,

"I see," He said, taking a sip of tea before explaining.

"Different races may have different variations, but they mostly agree on a few key points. the knolwedge might prove useful to you so I'll recount it."

"It was said that the world was created from the body of the Mother Goddess. As she lay down and slumbered, her body became the world, the oceans, the islands and all the mountains. Her soul was said to have become the mana which nourished the world, allowing life to flourish."

"While asleep, she gave birth to the three Gods. The God of the Forge, Agni, the Goddess of the Forests, Astrid, and the Goddess of Magic, Hexe."

"Proud Agni was said to have been the first to work with fire. With fire, he fashioned the first humans from clay and breathed life unto them. Later, he was also said to have forged the first dwarves from iron. Thus, they are often referred to as the Men of Iron and humans, the Men of Clay. He is said to still live in his forge, hidden deep in the Iron Mountains, where his hammering is said to cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions."

"Beautiful Astrid was said to have planted the first seeds that later become forests. Lonely, she crafted the first elves from the branches of the world tree, Ygdrassil. The elves accompanied her and she took delight in their company. She is said to reside in the topmost branches of the world tree, listening to the going ons of the world through the rustling of the trees."

"Whimsical Hexe, was the first to use magic. On a whim, she formed the Fae from the early morning fog. She taught them how to harness the energies of the world and they became masters of magic. The other races soon learned to copy the secrets of the Fae, but it is said that only the Fae truly know how to cast magic and all the rest are cheap imitations. She is the most mysterious of the gods, and no one knows where she is said to be."

Eyeing her, he continued,

"The daemons are the only one unexplained by the Story of the Origin. There are many conflicting accounts, some say that the daemons were born directly from the remnant will of the Mother Goddess, while other sources say that the daemons are born of a fourth child, a hitherto unknown god that seeks to destroy the world."

"But I digress." The scholar said. "As I said, you don't need to be a mage. Mages and the clergy use relics and artifacts to channel mana into spells and sorceries. But mana can also be used to strengthen the body, allowing a human to crush rocks with his bare hands. It can be imbued in weapons to make them as hard as diamonds, or it can be activated with a seal or a totem or a ritual. Those who are peculiarly gifted can also call on the spirits of the world to do their bidding."

"If you want to truly be able to explore the world, then you need to learn more about magic. Otherwise, you would be easily injured or even killed by the mysterious and the unexplained." The scholar paused. He seemed to be thinking of something.

"Ah, I know! Wait here." The scholar stood up before going back inside his room, leaving Frigga alone. She thought about the explanations, finding that the Adventurer's Journal has been updated with the information the scholar had just said.

...How convenient, She mused. So that is how magic works in this game? She brought up her palm, pretended to concentrate hard and mumbled.

"Ignite!"

A second passed, A warm breeze fluttered through the open window, but not even a tiny spark appeared in her hand. Her cheeks reddened in embarassment as she pursed her lips together. She then turned and stared at the window,

...Orange? Is the sun setting already? She thought, taking a sip of the tea, puzzled.

--

"Ah, I apologise for the wait. I suggest you go to Lorraine first. It's the nearest city, and most cities in the Kingdom are connected by Transportation Circles anyway." The scholar said, sitting back down. He had retrieved a small stamp and a bottle of wax used for sealing letters. He then took out a pen and a piece of paper from the side of the table before starting to write,

"I have a friend who lives there, his name is Lambert." The scholar explained. "He is an expert in the study of magical phenomena. I'm going to write you a letter of introduction, give this to him. You can ask him for things you do not know. He is very helpful and knowledgeable, although he can be a bit, erm, eccentric."

As he wrote down the letter, he spoke, his brows furrowing.

"My old friends write to me every once in a while. We often speak about current events, and how the world is changing. But lately, the contents have been worrying. We are in the midst of upheavel. The old king died under mysterious circumstances, leaving his son and heir alone. A young king on the throne, and yet, bandits and monster attacks are on the rise. Even to the west, the Empire is beginning to change. The emperor has been rather strange with his actions." His voice now carried a hint of concern and seriousness.

"I can only say that for adventurers, it is a time of danger, but also of great profit. Be careful, and know your limits. Perhaps you can become a great warrior or a wise mage. Hone your skills, they will keep you safe."

"There is a lot more you need to learn." The scholar said in conclusion, "But experience is always the best teacher. Do not be quick to anger and fast to judge. Remember that you can always return here if you wish. The village will always welcome you."

"Here, take it." The scholar finished writing the letter. He melted the sealing wax, before pouring it over the lip and sealing the envelope shut with the stamp. After waiting for the wax to dry, he then handed it over to her.

"Lambert has his office in the Royal Academy, Archeology Wing. You should find him there." The scholar said.

Frigga received the letter, before thanking the scholar. She had already finished her tea while listening to the explanation. She planned to head out to Lorraine quickly and advance so that she could get a class. Fortunately tomorrow was Saturday so she could stay up late. The system popped out as expected.

"Quest: Tutorial Part 4 Completed!"

"Rewards Received: 1 Letter of Introduction, 500 EXP"

"Level up! You are now Level 5!"

"Stat points received!"

"Quest Received!"

"Quest: Lambert's Letter"

"Deliver Scholar Klein's letter to Lambert, you can find Lambert inside the Royal Academy, Archeology Wing.

Rewards: ???, 250 EXP"

"Special Quest Received!"

Frigga had not yet finished reading when a loud slam startled them both. The door had flown open and Tom had barged in, eyes bloodshot, sweat pouring down his body.

"Bandits! Bandits are attacking the village!" He shouted.

"They're burning the houses down!"

"Special Quest: Bandit Attack!"

"Bandits are attacking Prairie Town! Defend the village!

Rewards: ???, 100 EXP"

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