Chapter 10: Fanatics

Iron Tear tribe was once a proud tribe of dwarves for making armor piercing fangs for some tribes. Now, I don't know whether the descendants still keep their families' heritage for making such quality fangs.

My true original tribe was Hell Fire. A tribe takes pride in making weapons.

My old friend was in Iron Tear.

This guy is using a weapon from the Iron Tear tribe. A shortened thunderstick.

I saw it once. Although their weapons aren't great at enduring multiple shots in a short time, their armor piercing fangs are just an instant death for who isn't careful enough.

I can feel the power. The wind dashed me, I can feel death is whispering to me.

Too bad, that was my old instinct while I was in those normal races.

I am a sandfolk.

I can't die from just mere assault like this.

- Well, damned. This thing isn't accurate enough. A trump card to change the odds is foiled.

- Who are you?

- Great shadow master, Slived Rehtennori

- What is that name? Another newbie thief or assassin dumb lord?

- Are you an idiot?

- Huh? An idiot shouldn't talk to you? Let's end this meaningless conversation and go home, genius. Maybe another intellectual should talk to you.

- Don't underestimate me.

He is quick with his feet and sword. It is kind of a ridiculous view that a cool-wannabe kid struggling against a merchant holding a dagger.

Thunk

I smack him with my staff. He is unconscious now.

I think I should get back and have a nice rest.

****

- A shovel for 100 Quinks? Are you ripping people off? It was twenty last week

- What can I say? I encountered too many highwaymen and those damned hooligans came out of nowhere.

- You should get a better creature.

- Goats are the only option here. Would you expect me to get a horse then ride as fast as I can and waste more money on supplies?

- I get your point. Don't you have escorters?

- I would sell you double the price for that shovel.

- Seriously, what a rip off. A vulture.

- That shovel, I got that from a dwarven village.

- Let's see if what you say is true then. Here 100 Quinks.

- Come again for another time.

I ripped off another customer. That shovel is very strong and durable.

Yet, I got it by trading some ores with my kin that I found while strolling around the cave in a nearby forest.

The ores were Jilkan and Saryn.

Jilkan is red, soft and easy to be bent. It is also hard to be eaten by salt water.

Suitable to make fish hook's cover or perhaps, kitchen tool. It is also worth noting that this red ore can be used for making merfolk's weapons as many other materials can't endure the long exposure of saltiness of the open water.

Saryn is purple, hard and very difficult to reshape. This ore is suitable to make shields or parts of body armor. I once saw a noble using a luxury safe made of this material. No one now knows what is the combination code for that safe anymore since well…

****

- Why did you bump me, non human?

- Hey lad, ar ye tryin' to pick a feight wif me?

- Let's settle this in a duel then.

- Agree

Oh boy. Another day, another fight.

I need to clean up my store.

Ding!

A customer?

There are three men in tanned hoods

- Hello, we need a dozen swords, a set of mining tools and two axes.

- What are those for?

- Just scouting for a new vein of mineral.

- How big is the scouting group that needs a dozen swords?

- About twenty

- Alright, I will check.

I remember one thing about mining as a dwarf, it takes about a group of 10 scouts a new vein of mineral. And as a human, I remember that a mining group only has about 15 men.

Only need like six men to be carriers and six men for guards and three for mining.

What are five men for?

A group of twenty men that needs swords, mining tools and axes is only a group of guerilla men for assissination.

In case of suspicion like this, I pick the hardest glass swords that look like real swords for them, cursed tools and normal two axes. This way, their assissination will fail. I am confident in my skill of faking weapons and tools. They will check for the hardness of swords by clanging against each other. I immediately harden the swords secretly. After they are done, I return the state of glass swords. Or perhaps, hollow glass swords that can't kill anyone.

The cursed tools seem normal but if you try to use them for anything, it will give you the bad luck or crippling feeling of your limbs.

- It is 1500 Quinks.

- Sounds fair.

They pay and carry the goods.

I need to know who they are.

The tattoo, it seems like they belong to some kind of group. Sword and knife tattoo. I need to ask someone at the tavern. Perhaps, I should pay a jester for rumors.

****

- Information? About something?

- Sword and knife tattoo? What is the group?

- A silver coin

- Here

I pay him the right price.

- A group called "Humanity Salvation". They usually try to capture or enslave other races. I often see them with slaves like trolls, orcs, saurians, sometimes dwarves and rarely a beautiful elf.

- How large is this group?

- Another silver please

- Here

- About a few dozens in this town alone. Be careful. They recently caught a hydra and chained somewhere in the nearest mountain, of this town.

- Here, a knife. You will need it for a performance.

- How generous, I will give you a discount for some infos next time.

- See you then.

I leave the dark alley.

I hope that jester will get his performance well done

Fanatics.

Thankfully, I made the right choice.

They will fail.

****

I put a post on the mercenary guild's board.

_

Quest: Escort me to scout a new mine.

Requirement:

- A group or an individual that is capable of killing earth salamanders

- No alcohol during quest

- No getting high during quest

- No snoring during sleep and quest.

Location: a new mine that I will guide in the forest nearby

Reward: 10 gold coins. Will discuss bonuses afterward.

Other notes: I will provide supplies for the whole party for few days. Bring more supplies if you need to.

_