Chapter 4: Stranger in a Strange Land
Nearing the shaded gate to the town, Gareth paused a moment along the side of the road. Leaning against a tree, he rested. He had hurried along the road, abandoning caution for speed. It was already mid-morning now and he didn't want to waste too much time. Noticing a hollow stump near the tree he was leaning on, Gareth looked in curiously. Vaguely, he wondered if any rabid, demon-possessed chipmunks lived inside. All he saw was something dully shiny. Frowning, he leaned closer and reached his hand into the stump to scoop out its contents. Clearing away the bits of dirt and mold, he saw that they were coins, five crowns to be exact. They'd obviously been long forgotten. Half-smiling to himself, Gareth silently thanked the Powers from Within and Without as he pocketed the coins. Once again, the Universe was looking out for him.
He took it as a good sign as he stood up straight and proceeded towards the town. Along the right side of the road there was a thriving pumpkin patch and some harvested corn that was bundled together. A scarecrow stood solitary guard over the town's produce. If it was harvest time already, then winter would soon be encroaching on this valley, Gareth surmised, as he passed through the town's open gate.
Upon entering the town, Gareth was immediately confronted by a large boulder covered with brightly-colored, beautiful flowers. The perfume of the flowers was pleasant and made Gareth smile. They reminded him of Erana's Peace back in Spielburg. Atop the rock, he saw a staff that appeared to have been driven into the stone. Sunlight poured down through the trees just inside the gate and highlighted the soft, almost-glowing wood of the staff. Gareth's magical senses pricked at the sight. Looking around cautiously, he discreetly cast his Detect Magic spell. The staff flashed with magical power. This was clearly an artifact of great power. Why was it left simply sitting at the town entrance? Was it placed there as some memorial to honor someone?
Gareth decided not to disturb the staff for now. He didn't want to offend the townsfolk who would undoubtedly be angered if he started touching things he wasn't allowed to. Instead, Gareth took a moment to pick some of the lovely flowers. Katrina might like these, he thought. Sure, they weren't fancy jewels, but it was the thought that counted. At least that was Gareth's opinion.
Taking the left road, Gareth proceeded further into the town. Coming along a row of buildings he noticed a bearded man leaning out of the window of what Gareth presumed was the man's home. As Gareth walked towards the large man, the man noticed him and stared at him initially in complete shock. Regaining his senses, the man folded his arms in an authoritative pose over his large belly and shouted, "You!"
Gareth stopped in his tracks when the man shouted at him angrily. Had he done something wrong? He was just walking. He was reasonably sure that walking wasn't against the law.
"How did you get here?" the man barked through a thick accent. "Why are you here?" The man glared at Gareth and before Gareth could open his mouth to reply, the man stated, "Few strangers come to Mordavia." The suspicion was plain in the man's voice and manner. He didn't need his empathic abilities to tell that the man was suspicious of him. "I am the Burgomeister. It is my job to know everyone and everything that goes on here," he stated in tone that brokered no argument.
Ah, Gareth thought, the town sheriff. Best watch my p's and q's. He finished walking up to the Burgomeister, so the man could get a good look at him. The Burgomeister appeared to take note of Gareth's sword and armor, sizing Gareth up in case he needed to throw Gareth out of town. Gareth opted to be polite and patient as Rakeesh had taught him. He kept his hand from straying towards his sword. He didn't want to set the man off. Smiling pleasantly, Gareth greeted the man, "Good morning to you sir."
The Burgomeister didn't seem impressed or pleased. Instead the man just continued to glare at Gareth suspiciously. Gareth silently hoped that not everyone in town was as hostile as the Burgomeister, but then, Katrina did warn him that they'd be this way. Gareth determined that he'd just have to earn their trust. So, leaving out the part that he was working for Katrina, Gareth told the Burgomeister how he had come to help this land and that he had arrived via a teleportation spell.
The Burgomeister snorted, "Do you expect me to believe such a story? You wear no robes and carry no staff, so I doubt you could conjure enough magic to fill a thimble, let alone cast a spell to teleport yourself here. Tell me no more lies," the Burgomeister's voice was incredulous as he glared at Gareth.
Gareth resisted sighing in frustration. Instead, he maintained his pleasant demeanor. "May I know your name, Burgomeister?" he asked in as relaxed a tone as he could manage.
Still glaring, the man replied flatly, "My name is Dmitri Ivanov."
"Can you tell me anything about Mordavia?" Gareth inquired, maintaining his calm demeanor in the face of the Dmitri's hostility.
"Mordavia is a valley surrounded by mountains. There used to be a road which led from here, but heavy rains have created a swamp at the base of the mountains south of here. No wagons can get in or out, nor can any person," Dmitri paused as his eyes narrowed, "except perhaps you," he said with emphasis.
Gareth let that last bit slide and continued his questioning, "What can you tell me of your fine town?"
Dmitri's glare did not lessen in the least. "This is the town of Mordavia. There is an inn and a shop down the street where you can spend the night, get some supplies, and be on your way," he stated with finality. "The sooner you leave, the better for all. There are many dangers in Mordavia, and we certainly do not need a stranger to stir up new troubles."
If Dmitri is the town welcoming committee, I'm amazed that anyone would come to visit this town, Gareth thought sarcastically. He could see that it would take a lot more than just good manners to win Dmitri over. Suspicion seemed to roll off the man in waves. Despite this, Gareth soldiered on and asked his next question, "An inn, you say? Is it a fine establishment?"
"The Hotel Mordavia has rooms and food. It is a safe place to spend the night," Dmitri replied, putting emphasis on the word safe. Apparently, Gareth would have to rent a room at the inn if he wanted to stay in town overnight.
"And the shop, does it carry any supplies that would interest an adventurer?" Gareth asked.
"The shop does not carry much," Dmitri stated curtly. "We have been cut off from supplies for a while. Still, you may at least restock your food rations before you continue with your travels."
Well, I suppose that's something, Gareth concluded. At least I won't starve to death; I'll just get mauled by rabid bunnies instead. "You mentioned that there are many dangers here?"
"There are many strange and dangerous creatures that live in Mordavia. Trust nothing. The gates of this town are closed at sunset," Dmitri said in a way that gave Gareth the impression that there would be no exceptions to that rule. After his encounter with the rabbit earlier in the day, Gareth couldn't blame Dmitri for being cautious and locking out what lurked in the forest at night. "Do not let yourself get caught outside at dark, for few can survive a Mordavian night," his tone dropped to a loud whisper, "Or remain sane enough to speak of it."
Great, there are probably things out there that make that rabbit look like… well, a normal rabbit, Gareth thought. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he asked, "What sort of troubles were you referring to?"
The Burgomeister actually managed to turn even more hostile, leaning out of his window and gripping the sill with his large hands. "Just leave Mordavia quickly. No good comes from outsiders, and we do not want you here," he spat out.
Gareth nodded, "Thank you for your time, Burgomeister."
"Just stay out of trouble, if you have any brains," Dmitri replied curtly. The man's eyes didn't leave Gareth as he continued down the street to the inn. Gareth sighed as he came up to the inn's door. He could still feel Dmitri's eyes on him. "I can see why tourism is such a flourishing industry here," he muttered acerbically under his breath as he rolled his eyes and opened the inn's door.
Walking into the inn, Gareth looked around. It was a small but nicely-furnished country inn. Stairs led up to the guest bedrooms. The floor was covered with sawdust and peanut shells. A barrel contained the few shells that managed to land in it. Gareth wrinkled his nose at the pungent smell of garlic that hung in the air. Apparently, the folks here really liked garlic.
The innkeeper, a tall, graying man with a generous paunch, thick beard and somewhat unkempt hair, stared at Gareth with a mixed expression of fear and astonishment. It took several seconds before the man spoke. "This is the Hotel Mordavia. Rooms here are 15 kopeks for room and board. Pay for one week in advance," he stated quickly, and then took a nervous puff on his pipe to apparently steel his nerves. "If you choose to stay here, then your room will be the first room at the top of the stairs. When you want food in the morning or evening just sit down over there by the door," he indicated with a wave of his pipe.
Gareth nodded. The price seemed reasonable for a week's stay. Pulling out his money pouch, he quickly counted out the fee and paid the innkeeper for the room and board. "Thank you for your payment," the innkeeper stated guardedly. While the man seemed to like the income, Gareth got the impression that the man wasn't terribly pleased to have a stranger staying at his inn. Gareth didn't think that he looked that frightening, but apparently how he looked didn't matter. He was an outsider, so he'd simply have to do his best to be nothing short of a model guest.
Given that it was still mid-morning, Gareth decided to test the inn's food, so he took the seat that the innkeeper had indicated. The innkeeper rang a bell and a few moments later a large modestly dressed woman brought out a tray with food and laid it in front of Gareth. Then she quickly returned to the kitchen.
The breakfast was plain but nourishing. It had more than a bit of garlic added for spice. The ham tasted like it had been fried in garlic. He finished it quickly and tried not to think too much about what he was eating. Standing up he headed back over to the innkeeper to speak with the man. Perhaps if he introduced himself and chatted for a bit, he could lay to rest the man's fears.
"Excuse me," Gareth said to get the innkeeper's attention. The man turned and stared at Gareth in astonishment, sort of the way you'd stare at someone if they suddenly grew a second head. The three men at the back of the room were also starting at Gareth, their conversation now stopped "We were not properly introduced when I first came in. My name is Gareth. I'm an adventurer by trade and a hero in some parts."
The innkeeper looked doubtful and replied, "You say that you are a hero. We will judge you here by your actions, rather than your words." The man was just as suspicious of him as the Burgomeister had been, with a healthy amount of fear thrown in as well.
"Well I have come here to help this land if given the chance," Gareth stated. "I was brought to this valley by a teleportation spell-"
By the alarmed expression on the innkeeper's face, Gareth could tell that he had just said the wrong thing. "Magic is a very dangerous thing," he said as he made a quick warding sign with his hand. "We do not trust those who use or are used by magic. Make certain you do not give us any more cause for alarm," the innkeeper admonished.
Gareth could have kicked himself for making such a simple mistake. He had been warned, but he'd slipped up and now would have to probably face an even steeper uphill battle to gain the trust of these people. The damage had already been done and he would just have to try and calm their fears. Everyone was staring at him not just with that mixed hint of fear and suspicion, but now a degree of hostility as well. Switching subjects, Gareth quickly asked, "What can you tell me about your establishment?"
The innkeeper moved on to answering Gareth's question, but Gareth could tell that the man wouldn't easily let go of the notion that Gareth could start raining down magical fire at any moment if left unwatched. "The Hotel Mordavia has been in my family for generations. It is the only place to be when darkness falls at night. Everything else is closed, and even we lock the doors. You must knock if you wish to come in."
"And your name?" Gareth asked as casually as he could manage.
After a moment's hesitation, he replied, "My name is Yuri Markarov. My wife's name is Bella. We are the owners of this inn."
"And which room did you say was mine?" Gareth asked.
"If you climb the stairs, your room is the first door on the right. The doors of the inn close before nightfall, so make sure you are always back before sunset," Yuri stressed again. "Also make certain you are back in town before dusk. The gates of the town will close solidly to keep out any dangers." The man's voice quavered slightly at the mention of the gates, clearly implying that Gareth would not want to be on the other side of them after dusk.
"I've heard that the forest can be dangerous at night," Gareth stated.
Again, Yuri nodded, "There are many ill things that roam this valley by night. Make certain that you never have to meet them. Never venture into the forest by night."
Gareth figured he'd get similar warnings about the forest from everyone else in town. "What can you tell me about the Burgomeister?" Gareth decided to ask.
"The Burgomeister is the mayor of the town. You will be wise to listen to what he says, and stay out of trouble," Yuri said seriously with a more sober look on his face.
Gareth decided to ask a more probing question, this time related to his mission, "I heard tell that there is an old monastery in town?"
Yuri nodded slowly and dropped his voice to a loud whisper, "The monastery is to the north of here. It has been abandoned for many, many years, but it has a bad reputation. No one in town will go near it, and if you have any sense, neither will you." Again, he made the sign to ward off evil. His warning was mixed with fear and suspicion for the place.
Deciding not to push any further for answers, Gareth instead bid the man farewell and thanked him for his time. Then he headed over to the three men seated towards the back of the inn. Greeting them, he introduced himself and learned their names. Two were farmers and one was apparently an elephant herder. Gareth wasn't sure if he actual bought that line, but, not wanting to be rude, he went along with it. He didn't learn much from the men, only that there was a cemetery east of town and that they were closed-mouthed and suspicious of him.
Gareth decided to head up to his room to check it out before exploring the rest of the town. The smell of garlic was just as powerful in his room as it was in the inn. Cloves of garlic were strung across the ceiling of the room and Gareth wondered for a moment if he had stumbled into a storeroom of some sort. However, the large bed, chest and other furniture quickly dispelled that notion. Why do they hang garlic in the guest rooms? he wondered. Is it some sort of odd custom?
Reaching up, Gareth took a few cloves and placed them into his pack. He figured they might come in handy later, like if he found himself starving to death. Hopefully, he'd never be that desperate. He checked the chest and found that it was empty. Apparently it was there for him to store excess equipment in. He tested the bed and found that it was soft and comfortable. Deciding that the room would meet his needs, he got up and left the inn.
Heading for the store next door, he noticed that the Burgomeister was no longer at his window. At least he didn't have to deal with the man glaring at him again, which was a relief. Entering the store, Gareth found it to be a cheery and well-lit place, thanks to the warm fire burning in the large hearth. One of the first things he noticed was the cats. There were a lot of them and they were all over. Then he noticed the shopkeeper, sitting on her rocking chair as she busily knit something. She appeared to be a very, well, sturdy-looking woman. Her dark hair was tucked under a shawl and her face was dominated by her large mouth and nose.
"So you're the stranger in town," she remarked. "I've heard all about you already!"
Gareth raised a questioning brow. Word apparently gets around fast in this town. Perhaps the Burgomeister had already told the woman about him. Somehow, he didn't think that Dmitri had painted him in the best light. Well, he'd have to just dispel any rumors she had heard. With a nod of his head, Gareth said, "Hello my good woman, it is a pleasure to meet you."
"Polite, aren't you? Well, 'manners are as manners do,' as my husband used to say," she replied. "We'll see." While there was a hint of suspicion from the woman, Gareth could sense that it was overridden by her curiosity. Perhaps she'd prove to be friendlier to him if he used the right approach with her.
"My name is Gareth Grey, ma'am," he said by way of introduction. "May I ask your name?"
"Well, you can call me Olga," the woman replied. "Mrs. Stovich is too formal, after all. We don't welcome strangers here, they bring nothing but trouble. All the same, it's good to see a new face again." She did seem to be more welcoming than the other people he had met. At least she didn't appear to be outright hostile towards him.
Her last name seemed familiar, like he had heard it somewhere else, but rather than dwell on that, he decided to start asking the woman questions. After all, if it was important, he'd eventually put the right pieces together. He asked about the goods she sold and he learned that she really didn't have much that he could use. Brooms and pans weren't high on his list of essential adventuring equipment. He did decide to purchase some of her sandwiches to supplement his rations and the oil that she offered. His sword and armor could certainly use it. He also purchased some of the candy and the shopping bag to place his items in before putting them in his pack. He figured that Katrina's daughter might be fond of candy if he was allowed to meet her.
"My husband and I have run this shop for many years. My husband has passed on now, but I keep it just the way he liked it. 'A well-run shop is a busy shop,' he always used to say," she said as Gareth was making his purchases. "Not very busy anymore what with the swamp, but I try to keep it going the best I can."
Olga seemed pleased that Gareth had made several purchases, so he decided to capitalize on her good mood. "I was wondering Olga, do you know of any rumors around town?" he asked.
The woman practically beamed. "What would you like to know about? I know almost everything that happens in town. I could tell you all sorts of things! Everything from Yuri's wife, to the castle, to the monastery, why I even know about the werewolves!" she exclaimed.
Wonderful, I've found the town gossip, Gareth thought. She'll talk my ear off if I'm not specific. "What can you tell me about the innkeeper's wife?" he asked quickly, before Olga could start chattering about things he probably had no business knowing.
"Oh, Bella's a good woman. She's the one who really runs the inn. Her husband just gives orders," she said with a huff. Apparently, her opinion of the innkeeper wasn't very high. "Someday she'll give Yuri a piece of her mind, and good for her. The things she puts up with!" After pausing for a breath, she continued, "She was a pretty woman not long ago. Wasn't called Bella for nothing. Losing her only child really aged her. What a tragedy," she said as she dabbed the corners of her eyes with her shawl. Then she returned to her knitting.
Gareth opted to change the subject since taking about Bella had saddened Olga. "Can you tell me about the castle?" he inquired.
Olga shook her head and said, "The castle north of town was abandoned for many years. Then some strangers moved in four years ago. No one knows what goes on there now, but it won't be for the good, I'll tell you." Gareth could feel Olga's intense suspicion for the people in the castle. So, he decided that it would probably be a good thing to not mention that he had come from there. At least not yet.
Moving on, Gareth decided to ask after the werewolves that Olga had mentioned. However, the woman simply went off on a tirade about how gypsies were werewolves and that they'd eat Gareth at a moment's notice. He did learn that there was a gypsy camp near the town, however.
"What can you tell me about the monastery?" he asked, before Olga could continue her tirade.
Olga's eyes widened and her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "That's a bad place and you'd better have nothing to do with it. It's dangerous and should have been torn down long ago. Many a stranger never came back after asking questions about it, so don't let your curiosity be the death of you."
"Thank you, Olga. You've been very helpful," Gareth said with a friendly smile.
"You be careful," she said worriedly. "We don't need you going around stirring up trouble, after all. If you do find something interesting, you'll let me know, of course, won't you?"
Gareth chuckled, "Yes, ma'am."
As he left the store, Olga called out, "Goodbye, or as my dear departed Boris used to say, 'May the winds blow at your back."
Outside the shop, something clicked in Gareth's mind. Stovich… Boris.… Gareth's eyes widened. Olga is the gatekeeper's wife? Why did she think Boris was dead? Gareth determined that he should probably ask a few discreet questions before he went around dropping surprises like that on people. Besides, he wanted to make sure he was actually right before he went and upset anyone's apple cart. He and the gatekeeper were certainly going to have an interesting conversation the next time he visited the castle.
Gareth headed north along the town street. Passing under an archway to reach the northern part of town, he heard the distinct sound of a chisel chipping away at a stone block. Near a rather run-down building at the end of the street, he noticed a man was carving gravestones. However, his attention quickly moved from the stonecarver to the ominous gothic building in the center of the street. There was definitely something not right about the structure.
Gareth's Paladin sense alerted him to what he could already tell. The building was dangerous. He had a distinct feeling of danger and hunger from the doorway. Well, I think I've found the monastery dedicated to the Dark One, he thought with a little trepidation. The building definitely gave him the creeps. He could sense the coldness about it and it seemed to draw in the light around it, like it didn't appreciate the sun's rays illuminating the decorative reliefs craved into its stone. Gareth was not looking forward to having to enter the building.
Nervously, he took a few steps closer to the building to better study the carving above the door. He stretched out with his senses, trying to get a better idea at what posed the danger he was sensing. There was a large bas relief of a strange creature that looked like it was clutching the wall above the door. It looked like an octopus with only six tentacles. He had a creepy feeling as if it was looking right back at him. A door guardian? he wondered. It would make sense. No self-respecting, evil cult would let just anyone into their monastery. He'd have to figure out a way to safely enter the building, either by getting past the guardian at the door or chancing climbing up to one of the broken windows. Perhaps if he had his kit, he'd have a chance at picking the lock before the guardian could attack him, but that option probably wouldn't work. Not that it'd work anyway since he'd lost his kit.
Turning from the building, he decided to go speak to the man at the end of the street. Perhaps he would know more. As Gareth got closer, he noticed that the man was hunchbacked. He waved in greeting, "Hello."
The headstone carver looked up and stared at Gareth for a moment, and then he went back to his work, chipping vigorous at the block of stone.
"My name is Gareth," he tried again, attempting to draw the hunchback into conversation.
The little man looked up again and brushed dirty red hair out of his face so he could see Gareth better. He grunted. "Me Igor," he replied simply. Then he started pounding on the chisel again.
"What was this building?" Gareth asked, waving at the run-down building at the end of the street.
"Building was Adventurers' Guild," Igor said as he continued pounding the chisel. He paused to shrug and look up at Gareth. "No adventurers, no guild."
"I see. And what do you do around here, Igor?" Gareth asked.
Igor shrugged again and said, "This day job. Also work graveyard shift. Ha, ha! Little graveyard humor there."
Gareth raised a questioning brow. This land was certainly filled with some odd folk. He chuckled a little at the little man's odd joke. "So I take it you're the local gravedigger?"
Igor nodded enthusiastically. "Igor dig graves in cemetery. Igor put dead person in grave. Igor cover dead person with dirt. Igor put headstone on grave." Igor scratched his armpit absent-mindedly and continued, "Plenty job security around here. Business is piling up. Ha, ha! Little graveyard humor there."
Apparently odd doesn't quite cover Igor's rather… quirky sense of humor, Gareth thought while trying to chuckle politely at Igor's joke. "Heard any good rumors?" he inquired.
Igor snorted and proclaimed, "Igor not hear rumors. Igor not know stranger in town. Igor not know doctor make strange things in lab. Igor not know funny man in inn not funny. Igor not know many things. Igor not hear many things."
"Right," Gareth replied, drawing out the word somewhat sarcastically. "Anything you can tell me about the building over there?" he asked, indicating the monastery behind him.
Igor looked alarmed. "Bad building! No go there! Bad, bad, bad!" he little man exclaimed hopping from one foot to the other.
"Okay, okay," Gareth said holding up his hands as he tried to calm the little man. "I won't go near it right now." His promise seemed to calm the little man down somewhat. "I'll see you around," he said in farewell. Igor nodded and went back to carving the headstone.
Gareth headed over to the old Adventurer's Guild and tried the door. It was securely locked. Igor called out to him, "Burgomeister have key." Gareth nodded his thanks and he headed back towards the Burgomeister's home. Apparently he'd have to ask for the key. He just hoped the Burgomeister was in a more generous mood than he was when he first saw Gareth. Somehow, Gareth doubted that. He'd just have to grit his teeth and be as calm and polite as possible.
Upon entering the Burgomeister's house, Dmitri glared at him and grumpily stated, "Are you sightseeing, or casing my place?"
Gareth put on his best smile and ignored the slight. "Hello, Burgomeister. I apologize for the intrusion, but I don't think that you and I got off on the right foot and I'd like to correct that, if I may." The man continued to glare. "I'd like to tell you a bit about myself," Gareth said and then, before the man could object, Gareth told Dmitri about several of his adventures in Spielburg and Shapier.
Before he could tell Dmitri about Tarna, the man was shaking his large head and chuckling, "Never have I heard such wild stories before! I am supposed to believe that a prince of Shapeir stands before me? You do not look like anything other than a teller of tales to me."
Gareth felt a little offended by that. The truth meant a great deal to him and being called a liar was rather insulting. "And why do you say that, sir?" he asked between slightly clenched teeth.
The Burgomeister fixed Gareth with his suspicious stare. "To be honest, I do not trust you. What you say of yourself is unbelievable, and what you do around here seems likely to get you in trouble. If the pass was clear, I would ask you to leave Mordavia. As things are, I will be watching you closely."
Gareth met Dmitri's stare with a challenging look. "Fine, I shall simply have to prove who I am then. I'd like a key to the Adventurer's Guild."
The Burgomeister didn't seem very impressed. "The old Adventurer's Guild at the north end of town? It has been abandoned for many years, since we have not had many adventurers who could cross the swamp." He seemed to weigh his options for a moment, and then said, "Bah, seeing as you are supposed to be an adventurer, here, have a key to the Guild door. Perhaps you can find something of use there." Dmitri tossed a key at Gareth which he plucked out of the air easily.
Gareth took a calming breath. "Thank you," he replied courteously as he pocketed the key. "I was wondering if you could tell me more about Mordavia?"
Dmitri folded his arms across his chest guardedly and replied, "To the northwest of town is Castle Borgov. It used to be owned by the Borgov Boyars of Mordavia, but the last Borgov died years back, and no one came to take his place." He shrugged and continued, "Some strangers moved in some years back, but they have had nothing to do with the town, and we have had nothing to do with them." He waved his hand towards the town entrance,"As you probably noticed, the old road from town used to meet with the road from the castle and head south to the pass. The heavy rains not only created the swamp, but caused so much plant growth you can't see much of the road anymore."
He looked a little nervous as he continued, "The swamp is a dangerous and foul place. They say that all who ever were buried beneath the earth there now reach up to drag the living to their deaths. I have seen for myself that this is true. Stay far from the swamp if you value your safety."Shaking off his uneasiness, he said irritably, "There are other things in Mordavia to see and do, but I am not a tour guide here. Go off and see for yourself, but be careful. As I said before, the gates of the town are locked at night, so be sure to return before it gets dark. It's dangerous to be out after sunset."
"Can you tell me anything about the townspeople here?" Gareth asked, hoping to glean some more information before he wore out his welcome.
Dmitri's scowl deepened, "Everyone in Mordavia minds his own business and does not go looking for trouble. You obviously do not fit in well here."
And that's my cue to exit, Gareth thought ruefully. "Thanks again," he said and headed for the door.
Dmitri grunted behind him and Gareth could feel the man's eyes boring into his back as he left. "Stay out of trouble and other people's business and you and I will get along with one another. Otherwise, you will get me angry. I'm sure you don't want to make me angry, do you?" Dmitri jabbed as Gareth walked out.
Gareth stood on the street and felt a little drained. The Leopardmen had seemed more welcoming than the people of this town. He rubbed his eyes in a vain hope of making the headache go away that was building behind them. After a sigh, Gareth shook his head and walked back to the Adventurer's Guild. This place was going to try him, he felt. He began to feel that his paladin status would be put on trial in this land. If he was truly going to follow the path of the paladin which he had chosen, then his quest here would prove it.