Chapter 8

As Adam walked back toward the village with a big smile on his face, he began looking at his stats.

Name: Adam

Class: Herbalist (Level 3) 30/1000

Subclass:

Race: Human

Patron: Airmed

Titles: Master of a Legendary Class, Giant Slayer, Overkill

Current Status:

HP: 200/200 (2.7/min)

MP: 160/160 (3.0/min)

Stamina: 110/110 (3.8/min)

Abilities:

Herb Identification (Passive) – You can identify and analyze any plant or herb nearby.

Alchemy (Active) Level 2 – Craft a basic salve from herbs.

Skills:

Inspect (Active) Level 1

Taunt (Active) Level 1

Small Blades (Passive) Level 1

First Aid (Passive) Level 1

Attributes:

Strength: 7

Intelligence: 14

Dexterity: 11

Wisdom: 16

Vitality: 20

Attribute points: 0

He was wondering if the guild offered any information or training; after remembering how the guild leader ignored him, he thought it best to look for some books to buy when he was buying traveling gear later, maybe books for children. He had so much to figure out; from the innkeeper, at least he found 100 copper is 1 silver. 

Adam made it to the village "Back already?" one of the guards called out. "Found everything you needed?" "A few things, yeah. Just about to set up a small stall for the day." He continued into the village, passing the market square where people were already starting to set up for the day. Time had snuck up on him; the sun was already over the mountains, casting a warm glow over the wooden stalls and homes. Children ran past him and a memory came to his mind, Bitter medicines and not wanting to take any, he needed to get something to make his stuff sweet He looked around the market and found some candies for sale. Approaching the man running the shop, he speaks up when its his turn in line. "Excuse me, sir, do you have sugar for sale as well? Or anything to make something bitter become more sweet?" The man must have been in a good mood because he smiled and began explaining how he made his candy Blocking most of it out, the man showed him a plant and said that is where he gets the sweetness from.

Inspecting the plant, he smiled and bought 5 of them for 5 coppers. 

[SYSTEM MESSAGE]

Herb: Sweetleaf

Effect: Known for its delicate, naturally sweet flavor, Sweetleaf can be used to sweeten teas, syrups, and even medicinal concoctions. It can be used in cooking and baking as a natural sweetener that doesn't spike blood sugar levels.

Adam was excited to start, but as he walked away, he got another notification.

[SYSTEM MESSAGE]

Effect 3 Triggered 

Patron: Airmed

Effect 1: Gift of Healing—Airmed has granted you a deeper understanding of the ancient art of herbalism. This gift allows you to craft healing potions and remedies with greater efficiency and potency.

Effect 2: Guidance—Airmed will provide occasional guidance to aid you in your journey. However, her help will not always be direct; you must earn her favor through deeds and actions in the world.

Effect 3: Favorable AAlignment—You gain increased trust from the followers of Airmed, followers of the natural ways of healing, and anyone who works with herbs. This can grant you aid, information, and resources as you progress.

That explains why that man was so friendly at least. The road eventually led him to a small clearing near the edge of the village, where he'd decided to set up his stall for the day. He decided before to get some jars for his products, so he stopped by the general store and bought them, each costing him 2 coppers. He got 10 of them and hoped it would be enough. The place he picked for the stall was a simple arrangement—a wooden table and a few crates to hold his supplies He spread out a cloth over the table and set up his small stock of herbs in neat piles beside the jars. A few baskets contained dried plants he had gathered from previous days, ready to be mixed into potions if needed.

Before he could finish setting up, a few villagers had already begun to stop by. Most of them were curious at first, drawn by the sight of someone selling herbs. A woman with a small child in tow approached first.

"You're the herbalist?" she asked, looking over the table with interest. "Do you have anything for a cough? My son's been at it for a few days now, and I'm not sure what to do."

Adam shook his head. "I don't have anything right now, but if you come back in about 10 minutes or wait, I'll try to make something." The woman nodded, and they moved to the side to wait. Pulling out the mortar and pestle, he began mixing a few herbs he thought might help. After around 5 minutes of adding plants and grinding, he had a powder he thought might help inspect and got the response he got what he was hoping for.

[SYSTEM MESSAGE]

Crafting Attempt Complete: Cold Relief Tea (Basic)

Ingredients Used:

Twilight Moss

Moonshade Blossom

Basic Healing Herb

Sweetleaf

Crafting Result:

Item Created: Cold Relief Tea

Effect: When brewed, this tea helps alleviate symptoms of colds, such as reducing congestion, easing headaches, and soothing sore throats. The Sweetleaf gives the tea a light, pleasant sweetness, making it easier to drink. The combination of herbs provides relief for muscle aches and mild fever. Also provides 4 HP/min Regin. 

Duration: Relief lasts up to 6 hours.

Quality: Low

Stability: Moderate (Expires in 3 days)

Crafting Experience Gained: +15 XP

Calling the woman over "This should help," he said. "It's a blend of herbs that will soothe the throat and ease the cough. It's gentle enough for children Add it to boiling water, then let cool until it's safe for him to drink. Only add a pinch every 6 hours and if it's still there in a few days, come back and find me." She took the jar with a grateful smile, rummaging through her purse for coins. "Thank you. How much do I owe you?"

Adam hesitated. He didn't want to overcharge the villagers, especially since he was just starting out. "How about Six Copper?" he suggested. "It's a fair price for the amount. If you bring the jar back, I'll give you a copper back."

The woman agreed, handing him the copper, before hurrying off with the jar to tend to her son. As Adam stood there, a feeling of satisfaction settled in his chest. It wasn't much, but it was a start, 6 Coppers richer I began making more products and waiting for more customers.

As he worked, a man approached him—someone Adam hadn't seen before. He wore a long cloak, and his face was shadowed by the hood. He stopped at the table, eyeing the jars with a scrutinizing gaze.

"You sell these remedies to anyone?" the man asked, his voice low.

Adam paused, a bit taken aback. "Of course," he said, keeping his tone friendly but wary. "What are you looking for?"

The man glanced around, making sure no one else was paying attention. "I've got a bit of a problem," he murmured, leaning in closer. "A wound. Been bleeding for days, no matter what I do. Do you have anything for that?"

Adam's eyes narrowed slightly. "Show me," he said cautiously.

The man hesitated for a moment, then slowly pulled up his sleeve, revealing a deep gash on his arm. The wound was jagged; Adam could see the muscles underneath, and the blood had already stained the cloth he had wrapped around it. Adam examined it carefully, then reached for a jar of healing salve, a blend of herbs he had made specifically for deep cuts, and applied it to the wound.

"This should help," Adam said, applying a generous amount of salve to the wound. "But if this has been open for days, it might be infected." He didn't say much but pulled his sleeve down and offered Adam a small coin in exchange.

"Thanks," the man said, his voice suddenly cold. "I'll be back later." He turned quickly and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Adam with a strange feeling.

He spent the next few hours tending to his stall, offering remedies to anyone who passed by. Some villagers stopped by for simple salves, others for teas or powders. A few asked about his background, and Adam gave them the same basic answers he had shared before: that he was a low-level herbalist passing through. Only a few people ever asked what a herbalist was, and he answered the best he could. One guy compared me to an alchemist, but instead of monster parts like an alchemist used, Adam used wired plants. Hearing Alchemis he began paying attention Turns out adventurers bring monster parts back to the guild and the guild sells them to blacksmiths, alchemists, and any other traders. Everything from weapons to healing potions are made from monster parts; the stronger the monster, the better the products That's why everything was so expensive.

Adam decided it was late, so he started to pack up and call it a night. Checking his inventory for how much he made for the day, he was sitting at 181 copper coins—not bad for day one. Tomorrow people will spread how well his stuff worked and hopefully make him even busier.

He made his way back to the inn and ordered a nice dinner, enjoying the warmth from the fire and listening to the rowdy group of men who were enjoying their drinks. The innkeeper approached my table with my meal and drink. "You've been busy today, herbalist. How'd the stall go?" the innkeeper asked, giving him a quick nod. "Went well. I sold quite a bit—mostly salves and a few teas," Adam replied.

The innkeeper nodded, wished Adam a good evening, and went to help other customers. Adam sat at his table enjoying his food and drink before going up to his room and sleeping for the night.

Money wasn't the only thing he gained; with all the crafting he had done had earned him some nice XP.

Class: Herbalist (Level 3) 665/1000