It was Mid-afternoon when Hondo Chance finally wobbled, huffing and puffing, up to the Germanic village of Spielburg. He had been traveling for a couple weeks, and had only just arrived before the late mountain snow completely blocked the path. Even so, he had still had to climb over a few snow filled passes and mountain rock slides to reach his destination. To say the mountain snows blocked the pass was a bit of an understatement. The paths weren't blocked by the snow; the mountain was buried in the white stuff. Hondo heard the storm as he camped in the mouth of the valley the night before. As tired as he was, he was glad he hadn't been caught in the storm.
Hondo looked over the stone walls and large wooden gate of the town. He had very rarely left his home town and this was a completely new experience for him. Hondo was a freshly graduated alumni of the Famous Adventurers Correspondence School; along with almost every other youth in his hometown. Graduation at the school was a tedious process. Not only did the students have to pass through a number of trials in front of traveling school officials who came to the city just to judge the graduates, but the graduates also competed against each other to claim their first assignment. As soon as the graduation process was over there was a mad dash to the local adventurer's guild where the graduates would kick, bite, punch and shove each other as they fought over the posters nailed to the walls of the guild. The posters just waiting to grab a hero's attention.
Hondo was lucky he left that scene with just a bloody nose and no broken bones. He could still remember the poster he found. The old yellowed parchment proclaimed:
wanted
Hero
No Experience Necessary
Visit Beautiful Spielburg
Fight Monsters , Defeat
Brigands. Reward
And Title "Hero of Spielburg"
To The Successful Applicant.
The guild master explained the poster had been there for almost eight years. No one seemed inclined to touch it. He explained to Hondo that it was posted by someone by the name of Wolfgang Abenteuer on behalf of the Baron von Spielburg. As Hondo studied the poster closely, as if the words would somehow change, telling him what to do, he suddenly felt a presence behind him. It didn't take him long to realize his rival and arch nemesis, Devon Aidendale, stood behind him reading the poster.
"What's this?" Devon said mockingly, "little Hondo thinks he can battle witches and save princesses?" Hondo stood rigid, and turned slowly to face Devon, "get lost Devon. I found this poster first." Devon laughed at him, "Now now, you know that's not how it works." Before Hondo could react in one way or another, Devon punched him in the nose, ripped the poster off the wall, and ran out the door. Hondo decided right there he was not going to be pushed around by anyone. He was a hero, a graduate of the Famous Adventurer's School, and he was going to act like one. He decided he was going to save Spielburg before Devon had the chance.
Hondo's mind returned to the present as he realized a small lizard type creature had proceeded to chew on his boot. Hondo kicked it away and walked through the gates of the small town. He looked around, but could not see a single person except a man with a long moustache sitting in a chair and smoking a pipe, and a large purple humanoid playing with a yo-yo. Hondo realized he had seen pictures of goons in his study books, but never realized they were quite so big.
He wondered where everyone else could be. The barber shop sat next to the sheriff's office, but he could clearly see a 'Closed' sign hanging from the window. Hondo walked up the stone steps to the sheriff, who stopped smoking his pipe, and began to speak when the sheriff said in a scratchy voice, "So you must be the other hero we've heard so much about. You were lucky to get here before the late snow blocked the path eh, well don't just stare stupidly young man what's your name?" Hondo had to think for a second before he replied, "I am Hondo Chance from Gutenburg."
"Well make yourself at home I guess. If six different heroes in the last eight years couldn't help us I don't see why two at the same time should be able to now." Two at the same time? Of course, Devon already arrived, Hondo thought. He was behind. "The only inn open right now is the Hero Tail Inn," the sheriff continued, "I'm sure you'll be very comfortable there under the care of the Katta. If you need anything, I'm sure you can find it yourself. Information is best found when you explore. Just don't get into any trouble. Otto here is in charge of apprehending the town's criminals." The goon smiled stupidly as he played with his yo-yo.
Hondo thanked him and began to leave. He could see the sheriff wasn't going to be much help at all. As Hondo turned the corner from the closed barber shop he did hear the sheriff yell from behind him, "and be sure to not drink dragons' breath at the Tavern to the Northwest of town not even Otto can drink dragons' breath." "Thanks for nothing," Hondo said under his breath, and continued passed the barber shop.
As he came around the corner he noticed a lovely young centaur girl selling fruits and vegetables from a small, canopied, stall by the eastern wall. As he walked up she smiled and said in a cheerful voice, "Welcome to Spielburg! I am Hilde, daughter of Heinrich Pferdefdev the farmer just outside of town. Would you like to buy any fruits or vegetables?"
"It's nice to see someone friendly around," Hondo said smiling back. "Oh don't mind the sheriff," Hilde replied. "He comes across tough but he always means well. And Otto is just the sweetest thing!" "I'll have to take your word for it," Hondo said. He looked around at the stand, feeling the fruits to see how they were. Each were as ripe as the day they fell from the tree. The vegetables were a little less to look at. "Vegetable season is over," Hilde said as she noticed him eyeing the carrots, "these are really just for the cattle and workhorses now." Hondo chose the juiciest apple he could find, paid Hilde, and asked, "What can you tell me about this place?" "As you can see Spielburg is a very quiet town," Hilde replied, pawing the ground with one of her hooves. "It gets even more quiet after all the passes are blocked. A young filly gets lonely on these cold, winter, nights." She looked up expectantly at Hondo.
Walking down from Hilde's stand Hondo found a small, red brick, general store. He decided to go in and see what sort of supplies they offered. Upon entering he found a little man sitting at a desk reading a book. "Hello," Hondo said, walking up to the counter. The shop keeper jumped, startled, and put down the book. "Ah hello, hello! We don't usually have very many visitors, please excuse me."
Hondo scanned the walls of the shop. A sword and a shield hung high on the wall. Hondo was glad he bought a brand new sword and shield a week before coming to Spielburg. He wouldn't have to waste any money here. In a corner stood a mannequin wearing a brand new set of full chain mail armor. Hondo looked down at his tattered and worn leather armor. The armor had belonged to his father, and his father's father and on and on. Needless to say it was worn well passed its' prime. Perhaps Hondo would have to spend some gold anyway. "By golly, are you a hero too?" the shopkeeper asked as Hondo looked at his wears. "The second one this week! I've always wanted to be a hero and go to far off lands, kill the dragon, save the princess…"
Hondo watched the shopkeepers eyes glaze over as he realized the shopkeeper was off on his own adventure. "Uh, hey," Hondo said, waving his hand in front of the shopkeepers face. He snapped back to reality, "Oh, I'm sorry. We're not accustomed to having so many heroes here," the shopkeeper laughed heartily. "Are you friends with the other young hero?" "May be the wrong term," Hondo said now looking at the shelves full of food rations, flasks and daggers. Hondo looked up from the shelves at the shopkeeper, said, "Thank you, I'm sure I'll be back," and walked out the door.
As Hondo walked passed the sheriffs house he thought of the skills he learned from his many studies with the Famous Adventurers School. His true skill was obviously with the sword, but he had also been eager to learn everything else he could. Magic came slowly to him, but he was determined to learn. So far the only real spell he could perform was zapping his sword to electrify an opponent with one hint as well as being able to do menial things such as boil water or create dust funnels. He was a horrible sneaker, but with practice he had begun to learn the basics to picking a simple lock. Why a hero would ever need to pick a lock he never understood. Those parts of the books had always been filled with silly pictures and strange symbols Hondo didn't understand. Like someone had vandalized the book before he got it.
He passed the bakery noticing it, too, was closed even though it was broad day light. He thought it very odd so many business would just be closed in the middle of the day. He saw an alleyway bathed in shade between the butchers shop (which was also closed) and the local tavern. He thought it might be a good place to sit down and rest after he had been traveling all day. As he walked toward he noticed a bum sitting in the shadows holding a small wooden bowl. Hondo wasn't sure how he was going to sustain himself on his quest, let alone every poor soul he came across, and quickly changed his direction.
He came to the tavern and decided he should take the sheriff's advice of finding out information by exploring. He couldn't think of a better place to find information than at the local bar. He stepped inside and was immediately assaulted by the smell of rum, decay and other highly unpleasant things not fit to discuss. It took a while for his eyes to adjust, but when they did he understood why all the shops were closed. The barber, though you couldn't tell it was him then, was slumped over the bar, a spilt drink in his hand. The baker and butcher were sitting at a table smoking cigars and playing go fish. He began to notice other unsavory things too.
In the corner sat a goon, much bigger than Otto, and much fiercer looking. Hondo saw that he was sitting on a trap door of some kind. He moved his attention to the bar where he saw the bartender, a rough looking bald man with years of tattoos and a moustache that would make Harpo Marx proud. The only homely thing about him was a tattoo on his shoulder which read MAMA.
Looking down Hondo saw a small crumbled piece of paper by one of the stools. He picked it up and discovered it was a note: 'The new guy is giving boss the jiffeys better keep an eye on him B.' At first Hondo thought the 'new guy' being referred to was him. Then he realized Devon had been in town for a while. Sounded like he made some new 'friends' already. Finally he noticed the last and most dissatisfying thing of all. The source of the horrendous smell which had perforated his nostrils from the time he stepped through the door.
It was a cask on the wall in the shape of a dragon. From its mouth dripped some kind of putrid, green, liquid. That wasn't the worst part. When the liquid from the cask hit the floor, smoke rose up in the shape of a skull. Hondo now understood. It all became clear. This is what the sheriff had meant with his warning about Dragon's Breath.