Decoding...
Decoding...
Chapter 1.50
Fully recovered, Erin actively runs The Wandering Inn with the help of Toren, who proves to be an excellent waiter and dishwasher. Olesm visits to share that he leveled up from solving Erin's chess puzzle, but the pleasant evening is shattered when Pawn arrives at the inn severely mutilated.
Fully recovered from her recent injuries, Erin Solstice is back in her element actively running The Wandering Inn. With business booming, she busies herself cooking massive meals to feed the growing number of adventurers frequenting her establishment. This crowd includes familiar faces from the Horns of Hammerad, such as Ceria, Gerial, and Calruz, as well as a newly introduced Silver-rank team called Kyrial's Vanguard, led by the adventurer Gregor.
To help manage the heavy workload, Erin's reassembled skeletal creation, Toren, has taken on a significant role. Toren proves to be a highly competent and tireless addition to the inn, efficiently working as a waiter and dishwasher to keep the patrons satisfied. Meanwhile, Ceria contributes to the inn's lively atmosphere by using her wand to cast Illumination, a complex Tier 2 spell that bathes the common room in widespread light.
Amidst the bustling evening, Olesm visits the inn bearing good news. The Drake reveals that he successfully leveled up twice after managing to solve the difficult chess puzzle Erin had previously set up, proving the strategic benefits of her challenges.
However, the cheerful atmosphere is abruptly shattered by a grim arrival. An unnamed Antinium Worker enters The Wandering Inn escorting Pawn. To the horror of those present, Pawn is severely mutilated; the Antinium is missing three of his arms, part of a leg, and one of his antennae, ending the chapter on a dark and shocking note.
Erin cooks massive meals to feed the influx of adventurers at the inn, including the newly introduced Kyrial's Vanguard.
Fully reassembled, Toren acts as a highly competent waiter and dishwasher, helping Erin manage the inn's patrons.
Small inn where Erin is present; currently occupied by her. Noted by the Watch as having been abandoned years ago but Erin is using it; the Drake and Klbkch enter here to investigate.
aka the inn, Abandoned hilltop inn +27
A young woman from Earth who stumbles into a fantasy world and takes refuge in an abandoned inn.
aka Erin, the traveller +64
The skeletal remains of a person that Erin discovered in an upstairs bedroom of the inn.
aka the skeleton, a pile of bones +18
Ceria uses her wand to cast the Tier 2 spell Illumination, providing widespread light for the inn.
Olesm reveals that he successfully solved Erin's chess puzzle, resulting in him leveling up twice.
Escorted by another Worker, Pawn arrives at the inn severely mutilated, missing three arms, part of a leg, and one antenna.
A half-Elf mage belonging to the Horns of Hammerad who offers Ryoka a taboo alternative for her leg.
aka Ceria, Springwalker +7
One of the [Mages] in the Horns of Hammerad.
aka the wispy-haired [Mage], the [Mage] Sostrom +5
The Minotaur captain of the Horns of Hammerad, who wields a massive battleaxe.
aka the Minotaur, Beriad of the House of Minos +16
A Human mage from Wistram Academy, specialized in Elementalist and Illusionary schools, who admits to necromancy.
aka the mage, Mister Mage +35
A burly, axe-wielding Silver-rank captain who refuses to enter the Ruins of Albez.
aka the axe-captain, Captain of the Silver-rank team +1
The aristocratic captain of the Silver Spears who seeks out Ryoka Griffin.
aka Yvlon, Captain of the Silver Spears +4
A Human whose past racist remarks are remembered by Erin.
aka Archer Captain, the archer-captain +3
A Silver-rank [Mage] captain who decides against exploring the Ruins of Albez.
aka Captain Menes, the mage captain +2
A polite, blue-scaled Drake who is the highest-leveled [Tactician] in Liscor. He is roped into playing a high-stakes chess game against Erin by his uncle, Lism.
aka The Olesm, the Drake +6
A tall female Gnoll shopkeeper in the market who runs the stall 'Krshia's Silverfang Goods'. She is direct and attempts to get Erin to shop at her stall.
aka Krshia, The Gnoll shopkeeper +13
An Antinium Senior Guardsman in the city’s watch; arrives at Erin’s door and greets her.
aka Senior Guardsman Klbkch, ant-man +31
A powerful and savage Goblin warrior who breaks into The Wandering Inn and attacks Erin, serving as the chapter's primary antagonist.
aka The Chieftain, the Goblin +11
The Human vice-captain of the Horns of Hammerad.
aka the vice-captain, vice-captain of the Horns of Hammerad +10
An Antinium Worker who exhibits Aberration-like behavior by creating rhythmic noises, but remains peaceful.
aka Worker, the clicking Worker +14
An unnamed Antinium Worker who escorts Pawn.
aka the Worker, the Antinium +9
A city adjacent to the Floodplains, culturally aligned with Drakes and not friendly to Humans.
aka City of Liscor, the city +8
A type of street in Liscor that hosts numerous market stalls where goods are sold.
A large, competent Silver-rank adventuring party led by Calruz.
aka The Horns, Silver-rank team +6
A species of large, sentient insectoid people; one arrives at Erin’s door with a companion.
aka giant insect, Ants +28
A sapient species possessing Elven traits.
aka Half-Elf, half-Elves
A massive, bull-like sapient species.
aka Minotaurs, the Minotaur
A sapient reptilian species dominant in regions south of Liscor, generally unfriendly to Humans.
aka lizards, giant lizards +3
A species of tall, bipedal hyena-like humanoids covered in fur.
aka hyena-people, dog-people +8
A species of which Erin Solstice is a member.
aka Humans, smooth skin +4
Undead creatures referenced as prior threats near the inn.
aka skeleton, undead skeletons +2
A branch of magic dealing with the dead, considered dangerous and illegal.
aka [Necromancer], [Necromancers] +4
A complex Tier 2 spell used to cast widespread light.
aka [Illumination]
A magical wand wielded by Ceria.
aka wand
“I wasn’t sure if you ate meat. I’ve got some bacon. Made from pork—I think, so there’s no beef.”
“I don’t know what kind of Minotaurs you’ve heard of. But I accept your mistake.”
“It’s not that fragile. Go ahead. And it’s not that expensive. Sort of expensive, but the real thing is far, uh, ‘cooler’.”
“I’m not sure what you’ve heard, but my people aren’t averse to eating meat. I quite enjoy pork, for instance, especially when it’s been properly cooked. Or when it’s not.”
“Probably. Calruz and the others will meet to discuss tonight, but we’ll need to interview other adventurers and see what’s been found. You’ve got at least four days by my count.”
“I’m not sure if she’s just absentminded or if she doesn’t realize how dangerous arming Goblins is. That acid can melt skin in seconds. But besides that, it’s odd to see her living so far out from the city.”
“They’re not too similar personality-wise, but…it’s just a hunch.”
“Wow. I thought you were, but you look a lot different than the pictures.”
“Besides, if you didn’t help out, I wouldn’t be able to make lunch! This way, you can eat and complain at the same time, Mr. Grumpy!”
“We agreed to come Calruz, but that doesn’t mean we put ourselves under your command. We’re all equals here, and we go in properly or we don’t go in at all.”
“Talk with the innkeeper, but we’ve occupied most of the second floor.”
“It was the work of days—no, nearly a week! In the end, I had to lock myself away, but I did it! And I leveled! Twice!”
“Tell you later! Wait until everything slows down and then we can play a game of chess, okay?”
“I didn’t think you would be so busy—I was hoping to play a game, but I wouldn’t want to take you away from your work. Where is that small Goblin or the Worker called Pawn?”
“My apologies. But it is a busy time, yes? So many customers, which is good. But not for you, yes? I can lend you a cart, but that is all.”
“It’s not that uncommon. Other nations use the undead, although I’ve never heard of one serving drinks. What do you think, Byres?”
“Miss Erin, I’m not sure what you might be thinking but—I’m not an Elf.”
“Their binding spells don’t last that long. Your average skeleton falls to pieces within a day or two of being animated, and even if the necromancer uses an indefinite binding, their spell fails the instant they take too much damage. And they’re surprisingly fragile!”
“Also, Innkeeper. My name is Calruz, and I lead the Horns of Hammerad. Any title is fine, but—‘Bull Guy’—I would prefer you not call me that.”
“I know, right? It’s from this fruit I found around here. Anyways, here. Breakfast is served!”
“Just a bit less than that, I believe.”
“Is it really okay if I touch it?”
“All the magic of the wand is channeled through the tip. That’s why it glows or reacts depending on the spell stored. It’s also why you should never break a wand because it will trigger the spell.”
“I once went to a Lord of the Rings chess tournament because I heard a national champion played there. People wouldn’t play me unless I could at least say ‘hello’.”
“True. But monsters don’t care about distance. And that skeleton doesn’t look that powerful.”
“She’s definitely strange. Goblins and a skeleton. But Pisces is probably to blame for the skeleton. Still—Goblins.”
“We’re here because we want to use this inn for planning and the innkeeper needs food. And because helping out is the polite thing to do.”
“Really? That’s not usual. Most come apart instantly if you do that. This one might be made to reassemble? Most mages don’t spend nearly that much mana on a lowly skeleton.”
“Is that all you think about? You’re like me when I was a kid!”
“I haven’t seen Rags and her crowd today. They must be doing Goblin-y things. But—the Workers probably won’t be coming for a while. There was an—incident with Pawn.”
“It set off my [Dangersense] when it pulled it out. Guess what was in it? Acid. I had a look in the kitchen. She’s got jars of Acid Flies—a local creature around here. Looks like she’s been harvesting them as a food source.”
“It was my fault. I forget how much non-mages don’t know.”
“Got it. I’ll tell the others when I see them. You still working on the spell…?”
“I’m really sorry about that. I didn’t expect you to touch the wand tip. Have you never seen one before?”
“I must protest! My creation is not meant for menial tasks. Moreover, I am an accredited [Mage] and deserve to be treated—”
“I think…I’d rather have somewhere to sit and plan than cause a fuss and have to squeeze into a corner of the inn. Let’s drop it.”
“I think this one’s different. It’s smart enough to take orders and serve drinks for one thing.”
“And of course, it’s up to the Wistram mage to do it. Is it a hard spell? Yes! Then let the half-Elf do it! Don’t get any of the other mages. Ceria’s got it covered!”
“I’m fine. Go away, Toren! Go get us something to drink.”
“Toren! How are we supposed to drink it like that? Don’t fill the cups all the way to the top, just almost!”
“I’m not an Elf. I’m a half-Elf. And besides which, you wouldn’t see—an Elf anywhere.”
“Well, I’m, uh, really sorry about the mix up. I just thought you looked so amazing and, um—are half-Elves like Elves? Or—or is there anything I should know?”
“Good service, food, and we’re not getting dirty looks every two seconds. We struck it lucky coming here.”
“In that case, she’s reckless or insane. Or—poor. Actually, She reminds me a bit of Ryoka.”
“Ale? Oh, right! Sure! Give me a, uh, barrel of that.”
“And you lot have this entire inn to yourself? We’ve barely standing room in our inn, and we’re sleeping three people to a room. Mind sharing?”
“True. And that’s odd too. It’s very intelligent—can it play chess, by any chance?”
“They’re part of Liscor! You hurt them, you make an enemy out of the city! They’re not here for a fight! These are the Worker-types.”
“Hm. These are adventurers staying at your inn, yes? Then buy ale or something to drink, yes?”
“It should be a keg for now. Transporting a barrel is hard, yes? And my Runner—he is overworked. He will not be able to transport your goods until tomorrow, even without a barrel to drive, yes?”
“Working on it. It’s complex. Give me two days and I’ll have it done. We probably have enough time for that, right?”
“Do you think she’d leave any of them alive? They were all dead. Honestly, you Humans—”
“We’re not ready to go in, Calruz. We need supplies. We thought we could get them here, but prices are high and supply is low. Besides that, we need to send some scouting teams in. And there are other adventurers to consider letting join—”
“Don’t worry about it. I made the same mistake earlier.”
“Easy. Don’t threaten it and it won’t attack.”
“Not too far. It was barely an hour’s walk even with us getting lost.”
“Maybe that’s all the protection she could afford.”
“Can’t you get it to me sooner? I’m out of food at the inn!”
“Toren? It has a—what’s a skeleton doing here? Did that [Necromancer] summon it?”
“Why are you here? I thought you couldn’t leave the city.”
“I was trying to say good morning in your language. Or maybe it’s just hello. Did I get it right…?”
“Good thing we didn’t get into it with those Goblins.”
“We know what’s in there. And the Ruins are less than an hour’s journey from the city! We don’t need supplies or scouts!”
“The king…the king is smart. He uses something. His head?”
“Did you see what one of them was armed with? A…a jar of something?”
“Skeletons. They think they’re as good as people.”
“Oh, no. I can deactivate the magic. I only activated it because, well—your skeleton surprised me.”
“No one has seen an Elf for thousands of years. Tens of thousands. They all died long ago. That bit you spoke—was a joke, right?”
“Oh, just call me Erin. Anyways, I’ve got more food, so just shout if you need some.”
“Well, we’re here a bit sooner than I thought, but shall we begin planning?”
“No, but it was necessary, and I appreciate it.”
“What? And you accepted it? But the undead—they’re so—dangerous! Besides, one skeleton isn’t worth all the food you’ve been feeding Pisces!”
“Um—I’m so sorry. I haven’t bathed or cleaned myself in a while. I was just so happy to have solved it I rushed over. But I did it at last! It was the greatest challenge I’ve had, and the rewards were—rewarding!”
“Oh, stop being squeamish. Drakes eat them, and so do the Antinium, I bet. Not that we’d see the ant-men here, but I can see how it would be useful.”
“Well. This looks…lovely. Thank you for making breakfast so early, Miss Solstice. And I’m late in saying it, but good morning.”
“I didn’t know what you people—I mean, what you could eat. If you need something special, I can get it. Anyways, we’ve got salad. Um…there are some tomato-like things I bought from the market, carrots…lots of soup. And, uh, I’ve got bread and cheese if you want to eat that.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Less—hairy. Sort of like a Human with a Minotaur’s head. And your horns are really cool.”
“Okay, make that ten sausages, and I need a bag of salt, too. Oh, and some cooking oil.”
“Sorry about that. He keeps doing that no matter how much I tell him not to.”
“Oh no. Is it a racial thing? I’m sorry! I didn’t want to use your people’s word. What should I say instead?”
“No—sorry. I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to touch them.”
“The King. It’s about the King. The king is smart. He—”
“Well, I get it. Bugs aren’t my favorite thing to eat either.”
“Well. So long as we’re here, monsters aren’t an issue. And this is a good inn.”
“What did you think I looked like, then?”
“You can’t be suggesting we keep our forces together. The time it would take—”
“Well, this one hasn’t fallen apart, and it’s been knocked to pieces once already.”
“Hey, good job. You’re not doing so bad.”
“Ooh, is that a wand?”
“I can eat meat, you know.”
“Right. If we want to keep using it, we’d better spread the word to the others. If they come in and start something—”
“It took a week, huh?”
“Is there anything else, Erin Solstice?”
“Touché. She’s got you there, Calruz.”
“Yes, Innkeeper Solstice. But there is an issue—”
“Yes it is. Would you like to see?”
“You told us, but I didn’t believe—”
“You’re most kind. And this looks delicious.”
“We’re not bulls. Or cattle.”
“Stay there! Wash the dishes!”
“And we’re not giving up our rooms!”
“This was not warrior’s work.”
“Exactly. And it’s not that heavy.”
“These are my guests! Guests!”
“[Illumination]. No—perhaps I’m doing it wrong?”
“Erin! I did it! I did it!”
“Isn’t it? Try the blue stuff.”
“Why are we doing this again?”
“Won’t that freeze your arm?”
“What do you mean, wait?”
“There are some Silver-rank adventurers in the city. Some good ones that I know. It wouldn’t hurt to have them with us, and as Cervial said, we need time. A day or two of delay won’t lose us any time. Myself, I’m more concerned about our formations. Ceria has said she can learn the [Illumination] spell in time, but even if we get that cast, how will we approach the actual exploration phase? I’m not too keen on splitting up our vanguard—”
“Oh. Wait! I know this one!”
“Good thing you caught me. I’d forgotten—”
“You’re not? Oh man. I just thought—”
“Hey, Pisces! Stop bothering my customers!”
“Oh, you did it! Congratulations!”
“I obey my Queen.”
“Um…Elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo? Is that right?”
“Really? That’s so weird.”
“I can eat beef.”
“Um. Do you like mazes?”
“You wash that.”
“I’m out of food!”
“Winter is coming.”
“I finally solved it!”
“That is so cool!”
“Whoa! Hey! Swords down!”
“In what way exactly?”
“But the bugs—”
“Toren! Stop that!”
“Ow. Ow. Ow!”
“Are you alright?”
“This is good!”
“Really? Why not?”
“Thank you for the meal, ah, Miss…”
“There’s a sk-skeleton!”
“Sit over there!”
“The Black Tide!”
“Hey, Mr. Bull Guy.”
“What are you, then?”
“Mm.”
“Hrgh.”
“A Minotaur.”
“Pisces.”
“Ceria.”
“Good food.”
“So you eat meat?”
“Hey! Hey! Hammer captain!”
“Yeah. That’s Toren.”
“What an odd innkeeper.”
“Elvish, right?”
“Wait, twice? What?”
“Whu?”
“Whu?”
“My language?”
“Good morning!”
“Food!”
“Erin. Erin!”
“Did what?”
“Olesm?”
“Antinium!”
“Pawn?”
“Don’t fight!”
“It’s sweet!”
“What—what was that?”
“Oh. Thank you!”
“What is it?”
“Still—”
“Oh no.”
“Ah! Cold!”
“Oh. Um—yes?”
“Okay then—”
“Hey there!”
“Um…”
“What? Tomorrow?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What happened?”
“Oh really?”
“Oh—thanks.”