You look from Gregor's still form to Rowan's weary face, then meet Torvin's complex gaze. You choose your words carefully, pitching your voice low and sincere, letting Oracle ensure the translation carries the intended empathy.
"Elder Rowan, Torvin," you begin, "I am truly sorry for your loss today. Elara..." you pause, finding the right words difficult even with Oracle's help, "...no community should suffer such a tragedy. My actions helped stop the beast, but they couldn't undo what was already done. I grieve with you for her."
You shift your weight slightly, acknowledging the unspoken tension Rowan hinted at. "I also understand that... my arrival, my methods... they are unusual. Perhaps unsettling." You meet Rowan's eyes directly. "If my continued presence here makes Oakhaven uncomfortable, especially during this time of grief, I understand completely. Please, speak plainly."
You gesture vaguely south, recalling Torvin's directions from last night. "My original path, before the ambush that left me stranded, was ultimately towards the capital, Silvercliff City, far to the south. That seems as good a destination as any now." You try to sound practical, goal-oriented. "My immediate needs are simple: to earn some coin for passage and supplies. Perhaps there's work I can do here today to repay the shelter and food you've given me? After that, I can take my leave tomorrow morning, if that would ease your minds."
You present it as a reasonable plan. You're offering to work for your keep for the day, acknowledging their potential discomfort, and stating a clear intention to leave, giving them an 'out' without forcing them to ask the village's savior to depart. It also frames your need for money and travel as a normal, understandable goal for someone in your claimed situation (survivor heading to a major city).
Rowan listens intently, his sharp eyes searching your face. Torvin looks slightly surprised, perhaps by your directness or your offer to leave so soon after proving your value.
Rowan exchanges a quick glance with Torvin, then looks back at you. (Relief? Offer to leave... simplifies things... avoids confrontation... Yet, danger remains... goblins... losing his protection... Dilemma. Need for coin... Capital... Understandable goals... Seems sincere...)
"Your directness is... appreciated, Keelan," Rowan says slowly, choosing his words with care. "And your sympathy for our loss feels genuine. It is unsettling, yes," he admits frankly, "to witness power like yours. Oakhaven is a quiet place. We value predictability, community. You are... an unknown element."
He sighs, rubbing his temples. "But gratitude is also a powerful force. You saved Gregor's life today, perhaps others yesterday. Turning you out now, especially after you offer to leave willingly... it does not sit well. Nor does the thought of facing whatever pushed those goblins, or potentially other beasts like that wolf, without your strength nearby."
He looks conflicted. "Leaving tomorrow... Silvercliff is a long and dangerous road, especially penniless. Perhaps..." He glances at Torvin again. "Perhaps there is a middle way. There is work. Dangerous work, fitting for your skills. Work that could earn you coin, and benefit Oakhaven greatly in the process."
Torvin speaks up, understanding Rowan's direction. "The Dire Wolf. Its carcass needs disposal, yes, but beasts like that often have thicker pelts, durable claws, sometimes even odd stones or undigested items in their stomachs that traders in Bridgetown might pay for. Rare components." He pauses. "And... the goblins. We found nine bodies. They carry little of value, but sometimes their Shamans or leaders have trinkets, odd totems, or weapons slightly better than rusty scrap." He means your dagger. "Bounties are sometimes paid for goblin ears in Bridgetown or larger settlements, as proof of pest removal."
Rowan nods. "If you were willing to undertake the task... salvaging what you can from the Dire Wolf before the pyre, perhaps retrieving proof from the goblin bodies... that is work few here have the stomach or skill for right now. It carries risk, dealing with the remains, returning to the kill site. But we would see it as fair trade. We can offer you some basic supplies for your journey – proper rations, perhaps replace those damaged clothes with simple local garb – and whatever coin the salvaged parts might fetch when we next send someone to Bridgetown, or a small immediate sum from village funds if necessary."
He leans forward slightly. "It would allow you to earn your way, provide a service to the village by dealing with the remains properly, and potentially equip yourself better for the road ahead. And..." he adds quietly, "it keeps your strength allied with Oakhaven, at least for another day or two while we assess the situation."
They are offering you a job, essentially. A gruesome one, but practical. Salvage monster parts for potential profit and supplies. It keeps you close, provides them continued protection, and gives you a concrete way to earn your keep and prepare for departure, delaying the final decision on whether your presence is welcome long-term.
Time: Early Afternoon (Approx 1:45 PM)
Date: 02/05/1042
Status:
- Offer Received: Tasked with salvaging useful parts from Dire Wolf / Goblins in exchange for supplies, potential future coin, and temporary lodging.
- Keelan's Intention: Expressed desire to leave for Silvercliff City, seeking coin. Offer provides a path for this.
- Gregor's Status: Stable but critical.
- Village Status: Grieving, preparing burial/disposal.
Inventory: Unchanged
You consider their offer. It's practical, serves multiple purposes, and aligns with your immediate need for resources and a way forward. Dealing with monster carcasses isn't pleasant, but you've already proven capable of dealing with their living counterparts.
"Alright, Elder Rowan, Torvin," you agree, nodding. "That seems a fair exchange. I accept the task. I'll salvage what I can from the Dire Wolf and the goblins. If it helps the village and earns me passage, I'm willing."
Rowan nods, a measure of relief softening his features. (Good. Buys us time. Provides service. Sensible lad, despite the... strangeness.) "Excellent. Torvin will provide you with what you need – a sturdy skinning knife, perhaps some sacks for the parts. Borin and his team are heading out now to prepare the pyre site and retrieve Elara. You can accompany them to the wolf's location."
Torvin nods. "Aye. Best get it done before dusk. Come with me, Keelan. I'll get you a proper knife."
You follow Torvin out of the Elder's house again. He leads you briefly to the communal stores, rummaging inside and emerging with a surprisingly well-made skinning knife – sharp steel blade, sturdy wooden handle – much better suited for the task than your rusty goblin dagger. He also hands you a couple of rough burlap sacks. "Use these. Be careful with the pelt if it looks intact, those fetch the best price. Claws too. Anything else... well, see what you find."
You join Borin and his small, grim-faced team near the South Gate. They carry shovels, axes, and wood for the pyre, along with a clean burial shroud. The mood is somber, spoken words few. Borin gives you a curt nod, his earlier awe now overlaid with the practicalities of the grim task ahead. He seems to accept your involvement as sanctioned by the Elder.
The trek back to the Dire Wolf den is heavy and silent. This time, the path feels less threatening, more tragic. When you arrive, the scene is unchanged – Elara's still form, the massive dead wolf, the bloodstains darkening on the rocks. While Borin and two men carefully and reverently wrap Elara's body in the shroud for the sad journey back, you and the other two men, under Torvin's occasional instruction (he stays mainly to oversee the retrieval of Elara), approach the Dire Wolf carcass.
'Oracle,' you think, 'Identify valuable components on the Dire Wolf.'
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
<< Analyzing Target: Dire Wolf (C-, Deceased). Identifying components with potential market value in regional settlements based on known trade data... >>
<< Components Identified:
- Pelt: Primary value. Large size, thick fur. Condition: Moderate (Spear wound, minor combat damage, bloodstains). Requires careful skinning. Estimated Value: Variable, potentially 30-50 Silver Coins if cleaned and treated.
- Claws (x18): Hard, durable. Used in crafts, alchemy, minor enchantments. Estimated Value: 1-2 Copper Coins each.
- Teeth (Canines x4, Incisors/Molars ~38): Similar uses to claws, slightly less value. Estimated Value: Approx. 1 Copper Coin per Canine, less for others.
- Heart (Potential): Rare alchemical ingredient 'Dire Heart'. Low probability of intact/suitable quality after internal trauma from spear. Visual inspection required. Value if suitable: High, potentially 1-2 Gold Coins.
- Stomach Contents (Potential): Rare chance of undigested valuable items (e.g., gems swallowed from previous prey, magically imbued items - extremely low probability). Requires dissection. >>
<< Recommendation: Prioritize Pelt, Claws, Teeth. Check Heart condition during gutting/skinning. Stomach dissection optional, low yield probability. >>
Armed with this knowledge, you set to work with the skinning knife Torvin provided. It's bloody, messy work, requiring strength and precision. You focus on preserving the pelt as best as possible, following Oracle's subtle guidance on incision lines that minimizes damage around the spear wound. The villagers assisting you keep their distance, mainly tasked with gathering wood and guarding, occasionally helping turn the heavy carcass. They watch you work with a mixture of morbid fascination and revulsion. Your methodical, efficient butchering of the massive predator likely does little to dispel their image of you as something other than ordinary.
You carefully extract the claws and teeth, placing them in one sack. Skinning the beast takes the most time and effort. The heart, as Oracle predicted, is badly damaged from the spear thrust, unusable. You decide against rummaging through the stomach contents – the potential reward seems too low for the unpleasantness involved right now. Finally, the large, heavy pelt is removed, rolled flesh-side out, and bundled as best you can.
By the time you're finished, Borin's team has already departed with Elara's body, leaving the pyre wood stacked nearby. The two villagers who remained with you quickly start building the pyre around the skinned wolf carcass. You leave them to it, gathering your sacks – one heavy with the rolled pelt, the other clinking with claws and teeth.
You make your way back to Oakhaven alone this time, arriving in the late afternoon. The village is subdued; preparations for Elara's burial are likely underway. You head straight for the communal stores where Torvin said to leave the salvaged goods. He meets you there, inspecting the haul with a critical eye.
"Good work," he grunts, seeing the relatively intact pelt and the sack of claws and teeth. "Better than expected, given the fight." He takes the sacks. "We'll clean and treat the pelt properly. As for payment..."
He disappears into the stores and returns with a bundle. "Elder Rowan authorized this. Some sturdy traveler's clothes – tunic, trousers, boots. Should fit well enough, better than... that." He eyes your filthy athletic gear. "And basic rations for three days. Dried meat, hard bread, some dried fruit." He then counts out a small handful of coins from a leather pouch. "Ten copper pieces. An advance. When these parts sell in Bridgetown, if they fetch a good price, there'll be more waiting for you, either here or sent word through traders if you've moved on."
It's not a fortune, but the clothes are essential, the rations useful, and the copper is your first actual currency in this world.
"Thank you, Torvin. And thank the Elder," you say, accepting the bundle and the coins. The worn leather tunic, tough woolen trousers, and sturdy leather boots look infinitely more appropriate for this world, though less comfortable than your modern gear.
You return to the Fletcher cabin as dusk begins to settle. You quickly change, bundling up your dirty modern clothes. The local attire is rougher on the skin, heavier, but feels... right, somehow. Less conspicuous. You examine your meager possessions: new clothes, some food, ten copper, a waterskin, a good knife (the skinning knife, which Torvin let you keep), your goblin dagger, the blanket, and your bum bag with its strange modern contents. It's not much, but it's a start.
As night falls, you sit on the cot, the silence of the cabin profound after the day's events. You eat some of your new rations, then, as planned, you focus inward. You replay the fight with the Dire Wolf, analyzing your movements, Oracle's intervention, the sheer efficiency of the kill.
<< Combat analysis logged. Experience points processed from C- Rank hostile neutralization. Proficiency gains allocated. >> Oracle confirms. << Accumulated XP threshold surpassed multiple times. Stat and skill point allocation complete. Host Rank Estimate: B+. >>
You feel the subtle reinforcement again, the deepening wellspring of competence. Stronger, faster, tougher. Your skill with the dagger, though unused in the final fight, feels sharper from the earlier goblin encounters and the mental consolidation. Stealth, too, feels more ingrained. The power grows, steadily, kill by kill, experience by experience.
You contemplate the day – the grief, the violence, the strange mixture of fear and respect from the villagers, Rowan's pragmatic offer. Leaving tomorrow still feels like a possibility, but Rowan's words about lingering threats and the usefulness of your skills echo. The ten copper coins won't get you far. Maybe staying another day, seeing if Gregor recovers, ensuring no immediate further threats emerge... it feels like the prudent, and perhaps honorable, thing to do. You drift off to sleep, the weight of the day heavy, but the path forward slightly clearer, though still paved with uncertainty and the undeniable presence of your godlike, unsettling power.
Time: Night
Date: 02/05/1042
Character: Keelan
Stats:
- Strength (STR): 23 (Increased from 22)
- Dexterity (DEX): 24 (Increased from 23)
- Intelligence (INT): 21 (Increased from 20)
- Constitution (CON): 23 (Increased from 22)
- (Current Rank Estimate: B+) (Rank improved due to stat increases)
Skills:
- Stealth: C+ (Improved from C)
- Dagger Combat: C+ (Improved from C)
- Spear Combat (Basic): E (Gained from Dire Wolf kill)
- Combat Initiative: E+ (Improved from E)
- Threat Assessment: E+ (Improved from E)
- Basic First Aid (Modern): E
- Survival (Untrained): E
- Skinning/Butchery (Basic): E (Gained from salvaging wolf)
Status:
- Health: Healthy
- Hunger: Satisfied
- Thirst: Hydrated
- Stamina: Resting (Full upon waking)
- Injuries: None
Inventory:
- Currency: 10 Copper Coins (New)
- Clothing: Simple Traveler's Tunic, Woolen Trousers, Leather Boots (New - Currently Wearing). Original modern clothes (Dirty, stored).
- Worn Accessories: Silver watch, Silver ring (sports club logo).
- Bum Bag: Smartphone (Approx 45% charge), Small foldable solar charger, Lighter, Small pocket knife, Basic modern medication (Painkillers x10 doses, Multivitamins x30 doses), Full sports water bottle.
- Weapons: Rusty Goblin Dagger (wrapped in rag, stored), Good Skinning Knife (New).
- Other: Wool Blanket, Leather Waterskin (Full), Rations (3 days - New, minus one small meal).
- Salvaged Goods (Given to Torvin): Dire Wolf Pelt, Claws, Teeth.