34

In a place where animal furs are processed to be made into clothes, the shopkeeper says you look fit enough to join a ‘private militia’, whatever that is. You rather fancied yourself hunting down the sort of wild beasts whose skins he uses to make all his furs, but he tells you all of that is done by the Hunting Guild. And he isn’t taking an apprentice.

You go into a woodworking shop where there is all sorts of mildly to highly artsy furniture, all handmade by mainly elves and a few human crossbreeds. A girl sizes you up as you explain your search for employ and she says ‘a fine young ape’ like you should do well by offering your services at an elven inn on the opposite side of town. Apparently they happen to be seeking the particular skills and ‘assets’ of a healthy, able-bodied human. You think this is a joke or a set up, as the girl snickers behind you when you thank her and walk away. The woodworking shop also isn’t taking apprentices.

You continue your quest doggedly for a long while, so the sun is almost directly above the Enchanted Watchtower by the time you begin to lose confidence. You’ve visited a dozen shops, chatted in a friendly way with at least half as many shopkeepers; no one so far has been interested in being your master, and very little of the advice you’ve been given either makes sense or appears useful.

You consider trying to find lodgings somehow. There must be someplace where you can offer to help with maintenance in exchange for a room. You take a final look around to see if there’s any store left that could be fruitful.

Across the road a female orc steps out of an arms dealer, and surveys the street around her. She crosses gazes with you and lingers. You look her up and down. Chiselled shoulders, small but bulging muscles all around, and the hint of firm breasts beneath the light leather armour, she looks a robust woman, though you assume her attributes are the average among her kind. When you look back at her face she’s still looking at you. At last she turns and walks back inside. Perhaps she runs the place.

As you lose sight of her you’re aware of a strange shift in your overall being. You long to enter after her, to see her again, talk to her, maybe even more. You know it isn’t rational, and you should probably avoid working on such a base impulse, but it’s almost too strong for you.

Roll two dice. If the total is equal or less to your current Prowess score, you are able to break away from the orc’s influence and get on your way. Turn to 438. If the total is higher than your Prowess score, you cave and go inside. Turn to 59.