Painting a picture

Drake slept in the burning village the flames keeping him warm as he laid in the town's center. He had taken anything he could find, rather his bag had taken it upon itself to do so.

[Greedy Gut: a bag that desires the world's riches ... To be noted it has a large appetite...]

Rising to his feet he filled his bladder with water before tying it to his waist.

"Don't suppose you gobbled up a map?" Drake asked the Greedy Gut causing the bag to swing playfully before spitting out the requested object.

Opening the tattered paper he found his location then searched for the nearest city, his intent was to find a guild and get registered as an adventurer.

'For the time being this will allow me to find work and grow my ability as well as my weapons...' planned Drake causing the Edges to rattle in excitement.

"Looks like Stroganoff is the closest major city, it's going to take me a bit to get there on foot... I'll have to pass through three smaller villages to get there but I may be able to find a carriage in one." Stated Drake to himself as he began trudging to his destination.

------ Stollen village ----

While Drake began his journey a certain fiery haired girl was spreading word, her fear driving her.

The lad had become a sort of Boogeyman to her, still so wrapped in her fear that she did exactly as told.

She spread the word of his acts as that of justice building an interest in his person along with an investigation into the village.

-------

Drake meanwhile attempted to sort through his acquired talents and skills. Unaware of the interesting times to come.

"This ability of mine is something different, it's as if I'm stealing their very essence. I've even managed to acquire swordsmanship and knowledge of how to fight with other weapons. However the magic I know only seems to focus in my left arm, it is odd... However I cannot complain, it is more than I had before but still I should look into this conqueror the goblin spoke of." Mused Drake to himself.

As he continued his journey the sun began to set, making a campfire for the night he ate a simple meal from his pilfered supplies and laid his head against the earth. It's cooling touch easing him into slumber.

------

Waking early he continued his journey until a group of bandits interrupted him.

"Interesting gear brat, a bit too fancy for a kid." Spoke the largest of the men.

"You have found your end." Was the lone statement as he spat toxic fumes at the group surprising them before Edge Fiend sliced through the leader.

His decisiveness was shown as he hacked at the others foregoing sword play until there was just a scrawny man with spider like fingers trembling his hunched back rising frantically with his breath.

"Wait spare me, I can be useful to you." Squealed the little blight of a man.

"Useful? You?" Stated Drake as he raised Edge Fiend.

"Please I can show you our camp, we have horses and wealth. The leader too his head will bring you a reward." Spoke the little hunch back causing Drake to hold himself.

"Very well.." reaching into the palm of his left arm and pulling out a shard.

Drake had been curious about this and with a test subject in front of him he decided to see the effects.

Grabbing the little hunch back he forced the shard into his hump causing him to writhe in pain. His spider like fingers growing longer the tips forming into sharp keys and picks, his legs growing a bit and his body shifting until he was a ghoul of a man with a vault dial forming across his hump.

[Vault Keeper: a wretched creature who's greed is only matched by his cruelty. He will take objects and store them in the hump of his back where he will dismantle certain items into sellable wares. The more wealth in his hump the stronger he grows, fingers made for picking locks he will use these same fingers to pick up novelties. His one eye is able to discern the value of items and their components bringing the habit of random collection.]

"Interesting." Stated Drake.

"Master.." spoke Vault Keeper his eye whizzing around as he stripped the corpses of everything including clothes before using his sharp key like fingers to saw off the leaders head.

With sickening spin he twisted the dial on his hump causing the sound of bones breaking to be heard when it clicked into place before the hump opened up with disgusting sound of flesh unsticking.

He then began to pile the goods into his hump where they entered without any sign of filling it.

The hump slammed shut and the dial spun wildly as the little wretch hobbled to Drake.

"Come, come master. I guide you." Spoke the little cretin hobbling excitedly as he seemed to skip crookedly.

Drake watched with intrigue as he followed the little blight to the camp where he was rather impressed by their stockpile.

"I'll gather master, keeper will hold." Spoke the ghoul excitedly heading for the food and edibles first.

"Focus on other things, Gut will hold the money and supplies." Ordered Drake causing Vault Keeper to look stung before spitting and glaring at the bag.

"Master, keeper is much better. The bag is cheap and greedy." Pleaded the ghoul.

Greedy Gut bristled and slithered down Drake's armor and growled at Keeper revealing teeth, it pursued the ghoul gnashing at him like Pac-Man.

"Enough!" Stated Drake his eyes glaring balefully at the comedic scene of keeper being bit on the butt screaming as Gut growled and shook like a dog trying to tear at the ghoul.

Gut released the ghoul and opened up to begin consuming the supplies and gold.

Keeper looked on sulking as he opened the vault on his hump and gathered other things that had been taken from merchants.

Looking around he saw some horses and wrangled one.

"Keeper... Gather the rest of the beasts. We will sell them in the next town." Commanded Drake causing the ghoul to laugh in delight.

"Yes, yes master nothing wasted." Nodded the little ghoul tying them to a rope and pulling them with power belying his stature.

With that the duo made their way to the small village of Wurst.

------- Wurst

It took two days to arrive the small village was the perfect place to sell the extra horses.

"Sell the animals except for mine, you may store the money." Stated Drake causing the ghoul's dial to spin excitedly.

"Yes master!" Crowed the ghoul in glee.

-----

While keeper did that Drake went to the tavern.

Stepping inside eyes quickly settled on him and his gear.

"Can we assist you?" Asked the server.

"Food and drink." Answered Drake simply as he took a seat.

He had noticed a few adventurers inside but paid them no mind as he ate.

"Is there anything else I can assist you with?" Asked the server as he finished.

"Do you have a bounty book or know where I can acquire one?" Asked Drake as he paid.

"No sir, you will have to go to a guild or bounty office. My apologies." Answered the server as Drake sighed.

"Very well." Standing he started making his way to the exit when a hand found it's way to his shoulder.

"Hey kid, what guild are you from?" Asked a skinny man with shifty eyes.

"I'm going to register." Answered Drake simply causing the man to grin before yelling and pulling back his other hand while Greedy Gut growled.

"You shouldn't let your hands wander." Chuckled Drake leaving the man to clutch his chewed hand.

Outside he met with keeper who looked proud of himself.

"Master I have gotten rid of horses." Smiled the ghoul.

"As you should. Now get in Gut, we're going to a larger village and I can't have you slowing me down." Stated Drake causing the ghoul to look frightened while Gut seemed to grin before opening up and swallowing the frightened wretch.

With that he mounted the horse and took his leave.