It was a grim day in Redcrest. The streets were filled with humans, elves, half-elves and many other races and creatures. The travellers were travelling, the shopkeepers were selling their goods and the guards were standing at their posts. But everyone was avoiding one person.
This person was almost 7 feet tall and had scales all over his body and tail. All were avoiding him because they were afraid. "Damn those people, why is everyone afraid of a Dragonborn?" the scaled man muttered to himself.
Nobody wanted to talk to him, the guards were getting nervous just by seeing him and the shopkeepers refused to sell things to him.
Suddenly, someone in the crowd raised his voice. "Hey wait, aren't you Akvahl?" he asked. The Dragonborn heard this. "Yeah, what do you want?" he answered, "I don't have all day".
"I-ehm, I was ordered to take you to my master." the person stammered.
"Oh, do you? I almost saw you as a walking snack, but you are not very filling at all." Akvahl replied jokingly.
The servant didn't get the joke and insult and almost fainted from fear. Akvahl saw this and thought 'why is every man who doesn't see me as a monster dead, or fighting in a war somewhere far away?'
He sighed. "Fine, bring me to your master, I'm getting bored here".
Somewhere else in town, in a pub not far from the dragonborn, a paladin was taking a drink after a long journey.
"So, how was your journey?" asked the bartender.
"Not very good. I was robbed in my sleep, a few bandits wanted me dead and if that wasn't enough, I fell in an animal trap. Man, you should have heard these hunters laughing." the paladin answered.
The bartender couldn't help but chuckle. "You fell in an animal trap? Then you should be very clumsy."
"Oh shut up, it can happen to everyone" the paladin said, getting annoyed.
The paladin took a sip of his drink. "The one thing that really annoys me, is that I'm robbed, I'm almost broke"
"Well, if you are short on money, I can help you out. Praeven, one of the richest people in town, has asked help to retrieve some kind of ancient artefact. He offered a great sum of money to everyone that wants to help him out." the bartender said.
The paladin sighed. "I don't have a thing to do right now, so maybe I can help out. And I need the money too."
The bartender took a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. "Here is the address. But before you go, let me warn you: Don't laugh at his appearance or race."
"As long he isn't an orc, I don't care about appearances and races." the man in armour replied after finishing his drink.
"Then it is good he isn't an orc. But before you leave, can I ask your name?" the bartender asked.
"The name is Taman Stormwind, paladin in service of Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon" the paladin answered proudly while showing the symbol on his shield: the profile of a head of a dragon.
With that said, Taman took his leave and went to the home of Praeven.
Somewhere outside the village, a Drow was threatening a man.
"For the last time, where is the money that I was promised?" a Drow in black leather armour asked.
"I ain't gonna tell you, you can intimidate all you want, I ain't gonna tell you!" the Drow's victim answered.
Steel flashed, a slash through flesh and bone could be heard. Blood fell on the ground.
"YOU BASTARD, YOU'VE CUT OFF MY HAND!" the man cried out.
"Scream all you want, nobody's gonna hear it. Now, where is my money? I'm getting inpatient" the Drow asked, now a bit louder.
The man was frightened. "I-it lies in the save in my room in the local pub."
Another slash was heard, the other hand of the man fell on the ground.
"And now the truth? I told you I was getting impatient" the Drow asked again, raising his voice one more time.
"It is the truth, I swear!" the man tried to ignore the immense pain.
"Sorry, you didn't tell me the truth." the Drow showed a small coin purse and a letter.
"What is that?" The man gasped. "Those are mine!"
"Not anymore." A final slash was heard, the head of the man rolled of his body in the pool of blood. "Dead men don't need belongings."
After hiding the body beneath a pile of lumber wood, the Drow opened the man's letter to read it a last time.
"As instructed, you are to eliminate Arzen Windcatcher by any means necessary.
The Black Gang of Downport want him dead for thievery, murder and treachery.
We've already send you a small portion of your reward, you will get the rest after completing your mission. Failure is not an option."
Arzen chuckled, 'they have sent this guy to kill me?', he thought
He burned the letter and left the place with the coin purse. "Time to do a real job, not such a lame-ass thing where you don't even get paid." he said to himself.
"How was the hunt?" the shopkeeper asked to a half-elf.
"Not that good, it was worse than other years." the half-elf replied.
"The hunt may be worse than other years, but you've got yourself some nice pieces of fur" the shopkeeper said, "This is what I should've expected from Aelor."
Aelor the hunter simply replied, "Thanks."
"Not very talkative again, are you, Aelor? Well, we are used to that. So, do you need anything?"
"100 arrows and 15 bowstrings" Aelor answered shortly.
The shopkeeper placed 100 arrows and 15 bowstrings on his desk. "Is that all?"
Aelor nodded.
"Thanks for walking in, see you over a few months back." the shopkeeper said when Aelor left the shop.
Suddenly, the shopkeeper reminded something and ran outside. "AELOR, PLEASE WAIT!"
"What is it?" Aelor simply said.
"Praeven has asked for you. He wants you to guide a squad on a mission in the northern forest. You are from there, so you know it like the inside of your pocket." the shopkeeper said.
"Fine, I'll go to him." Aelor said and simply left, without saying anything else.
The Praeven Manor was the biggest building in the village. When Aelor arrived, he thought it should be crowded by people for participating in the mission.
'There is nobody here.' Aelor thought when he knocked on the door.
A little servant opened the door. "Ah Aelor, you are late, everyone is already here."
"What do you mean?" Aelor asked.
"Master Praeven selected 4 people to participate in his mission, including you. All these people stood out and are the best he could find." the servant replied.
The servant led Aelor to the sitting-room.
When Aelor entered the sitting-room, he saw his companions: a Dragonborn who was looking at a case full of old artefacts, a paladin who was looking at the Dragonborn, a Drow who was cleaning his daggers and a Halfling who was looking at a map.
All of them looked at Aelor when he walked in.
After a moment of silence, the Halfling raised his voice and spoke up, "Now that everyone is here, thank you for coming. My name is Praeven and I have summoned you here to retrieve an ancient artefact."
A/N
And indeed, so a story begins. I hope you liked the first chapter of my first fanfiction.
I hope I can update once a week, so stay tuned for the next chapter.
MistaaMustache, over and out