The Terrarian is that creepy kid at school who's in all the special classes lmao.

Armour: Platinum

Weapon: Platinum Bow(Fire Arrows), Arkhalis

Acc(11): Band of Regeneration, Radar, Hermes Boots, Round Shield, Aglet

Health: 395/400

"Tch..."

With a disdainful flourish the Traveling Merchant pulled out his tattered map and frowned as he compared the landscape to the drawn images. Up ahead should be the last large settlement before the corrupted lands. The notes indicated, 'A large town situated on a land bridge, which despite it's secluded location enjoys the riches of its coastlines.' and after travelling all day, it was the place the gentleman Merchant had intended to spend the night before heading down the southern coast. Yet as he looked across the horizon, all he could see was seething red.

How upsetting. This map must be outdated. The Traveling Merchant would surely give The Capital's chief mapmaker a piece of his mind for this egregious blunder. He'd likely even bring up the issue with the Merchant's Guild. The Traveling Merchant had paid top coin for this, good money! And what was he getting in return? Well… The sun was already low in the sky, and instead of spending his evening cutting deals, drinking, and telling stories, he'd be engaging with a much more monstrous crowd.

The gentleman huffed as he stowed away the faulty map. He watched with disgust as crimson tendrils began worming their way towards him, and quickly turned and headed back the way he came. The sky was already growing dim with the rapidly approaching twilight, and the air had gone cold. Soon, this peaceful land would be crawling with all manner of undead.

Disgraceful...

What a predicament. These borderlands had no shortage of slain men, and as a result the nighttime parade was particularly well populated. If The Traveling Merchant was lucky, he'd find some abandoned shelter in which he could take refuge for the night (for surely all polite civilization had long evacuated. The stench of the Crimson was awful). If he was unlucky… then, he'd spend a sleepless night perched in a tree, shivering in the cold and kicking at the walking corpses who'd be clambering over each other to pull at his ankles.

I suppose I'd better begin searching...

With a sigh, the Traveling Merchant adjusted his feathered cap, pulled his silken coat tightly about himself. He adjusted his cargo pack - set his eyes ahead, and headed into the forest.

How curious…

Curious indeed, and lucky as well. Just when the Travelling Merchant was about to consign himself to a cold, terrifying night in a tree, he'd stumbled upon what appeared to be a large, rather well built house.

Situated in a large clearing, it rose up to the treeline like an imposing gray bricked monolith. A two storied structure which - although it boasted masterful craftsmanship - looked as if it had been put together by someone who had never seen a proper, functional building. That wasn't, of course, to suggest it was unpleasant to look at. It was simply so rigidly geometrical that the Travelling Merchant was immediately reminded of simplistic children's toys.

Perhaps it's… some strange type of art form…

What more, the house was occupied - and certainly by it's builder. The Travelling Merchant felt himself instinctively hesitate as he laid eyes on the young man. The youth was bowed over in the corner of a large red bricked patio, carefully adjusting his anvil to be exactly in line with the rest of his workstations. He was wearing a full suit of… (platinum? No, impossible, that'd be far too heavy… it must be tin… ) armour, but had removed his helm to accomplish the task at hand. Any other traveller would've walked up that patio without the slightest worry, but The Travelling Merchant's instincts had been honed razor sharp by years of journeying. The house owner was exerting an odd aura, as if he were something foreign and threatening. This man… was he human? If not, was he dangerous?

The sun is setting...

Behind him, distant shuffling disturbed the deep forest silence; the noise prickling his ears as the beginnings of panic set in. The undergrowth had began to rumble altogether as the sun's suppressing rays faded into twilight. The undead were creaking back to life, and soon - they would overrun this land. There was little time for deliberation. His choice was between an unarmed house owner and the gristly zombie horde. It was a no-brainer… The Travelling Merchant shook his head and called out as he approached.

"Hello there, Young man - how do you do?"

The Travelling Merchant puffed up his chest as he strode into the torch-lit clearing, his voice carrying in the silence. As he got closer, that discomforting itch in the back of his brain grew ever more severe. It wasn't screaming danger- persay, but it made him extremely nervous. He felt like he was approaching some tremendous, unknown entity - yet his eyes told him he was merely interacting with a fellow man. Just in case, the traveling merchant placed his hand on his holstered pistol, ready to draw in the event this man-like creature displayed aggression.

"...!"

The house owner startled when he heard the greeting, then slowly stood upright. The moment he turned to face the The Travelling Merchant, that discomforting feeling increased a hundredfold. The gentleman froze in his tracks as he observed the house owner's visage.

What are you…

He looked very much like a man. His face was young, somewhere between boyish and handsome - but his features were so utterly pedestrian that one would forget his appearance the moment they looked away. Had he been manufactured to blend into the human crowd? It certainly seemed that way. Yet, although he lacked striking features, his minute movements reveled his alien nature. A normal civilian might be tricked, but certainly not any competent explorer - and especially explorers who have dealt with pseudo-human enemies in the past.

A nymph?... But male, perhaps?

"Who."

It could speak?! What in the world?! It uttered a relatively deep voice that strove to mimic humanity, yet, it certainly wasn't normal human speech. The tone was completely flat, with no modulation whatsoever. In any normal situation, the Travelling Merchant would have turned tail and fled, but his current predicament was dire. The zombies would tear him to pieces without a moments hesitation… but this almost-man had yet to show blatant hostility. Perhaps there was some reason in this creature.

Perhaps if its trying to blend in, I'd better entertain it.

The house owner walked to the edge of the patio and stared, unblinking, at him as it waited for his response. The creature's movements were far too smooth and choreographed to be natural, and it moved about with a certain air of weightlessness. Its expression was likewise dead, as if entirely incapable of showing emotion. The eyes were jaded, glazed and seemed to be fixed on something in the far distance.

The Travelling Merchant gulped and clutched his pistol. Something within him said if he fought this monster, he would certainly be torn to shreds. He must navigate his way peacefully, with a wary heart, he introduced himself.

"Young sir, I'm simply a Traveller looking for a place to spend the night. I had happened upon your homestead by chance. Would you be so kind to shelter me until morning?"

"..."

The homeowner stared at him silently, as if processing the sentence The Travelling Merchant had just uttered. After an uncomfortably long pause, he shook his head and once again opened his mouth.

"Are you useful."

The Travelling Merchant blinked, attempting to discern exactly what the creature was asking. Clearly, it wasn't going to allow the Merchant to stay if he proved himself 'useless'... But what did that mean? He'd find out soon enough. The rustling in the forest was growing more frantic, and The Travelling Merchant answered quickly. Danger was closing quickly upon him.

"Of course I'm useful. I'm a Travelling Merchant. I sell rare and valuable wares from the far corners of this land. I deal in information as well. I just ask that you allow me to shelt-"

"Show me."

The gentleman hesitated. Did the creature wish to see his wares? Perhaps it was merely collecting trinkets and curiousities, and would allow him to stay so long as he offered him something shiny enough. The Merchant quickly turned and rummaged in his cargo pack, searching for something that wasn't too expensive. After all, he still needed to make a profit after he left this place.

Winter cloak? Hm… it's just five gold. Fine.

With a flourish, he pulled out a heavy woven cloak with a furred collar. It was made of hardy stuff. Double layered, wool within, waxed hemp without and coloured a deep royal blue. The gentleman hoped it would prove an impressive article of vanity, and to his great relief the man-like creature certainly thought so. Utterly entranced, it stepped off the patio and received the gift from The Travelling Merchant.

It's attention entirely shifted, it didn't pay him even a glance as he hastened toward the geometric house and disappeared within.

Travelling merchant straight up thinks T's an alien lol. He'll chat with a (depressed) guide next chapter, and just be like - bro, what the heckity are you living with? Guide: lol just punch him in the face a few times and he'll warm up to you. Tell me about vulture headed mage and I'll pay u in (100% hacked) diamonds $$.

Also, btw - Terrarian straight up doesn't eat or sleep (he has yet to discover the well fed buff)

Say hi if you're reading!