26 The Replacements (1/2)
Mana potions are a very common item in games like Dungeons and Dragons, but here in the Fayne, you have a one in a hundred chance of finding one. That's how well guarded all sources of mana are by the clans that control them. Because of this, mana potions are ultra-rare items making them the perfect tool for recruiting the most promising soldiers for my unit.
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With the help of Zarz, we emptied our jar of mana into twenty-five small vials equivalent to a minor mana potion each. And with these mana potions in hand, the group made our way along the main cobbled street until we arrived at our intended destination.
The red-stone edifice of the five-story building before us styled in the city's standard dwarven design might not have been the biggest of the dwellings we'd seen in Broken Sellsword's Canyon but it was certainly a contender for the busiest and rowdiest.
A myriad of banners and flags representing dozens of companies and clans who did business here were planted on the grounds surrounding this portion of the canyon wall. Both fairies and humans were loitering about as well. Some looked undecided about entering the building while others joked around and pushed each other forward in eagerness.
”Well, we're here... if you're looking for fools to join you and your foolhardy band, this would be it,” Zarz raised a hand to the building facade. ”This here is the mercenary's hall of Soldier's Peak.”
”You realize that you joined us too, right?” Luca reminded him.
”I'm an active non-combatant,” Zarz reasoned.
”What makes you think Dean won't put you in danger either way?” Varda piped in.
”He'll likely be the first of the new recruits to die,”Edo agreed.
”W-w-what?!” Zarz sputtered.
”Alright, alright... stop scaring our recruit,” I patted Zarz on the back as I walked past him. ”He'll survive... probably.”
The others followed my lead and gave Zarz pats on the back as they passed him.
I glanced back and saw Zarz hesitating as he looked at our backs. ”Master Mildew... what did I get myself into?” Then he too followed us as we entered the square entrance of Soldier's Peak.
Soldier's Peak was exactly what I imagined it would be, a wide spacious interior with wooden floors and a high ceiling. There were wooden stairs in one corner that led to a second floor which was lost in the gloom. A white board, covering the length of the entire eastern wall, was nearly full with parchments ranging from announcements to different job recruitments. Wooden tables and a variety of benches, chairs, and divans were scattered near the entrance. Several booths and platforms like the ones you'd find in a job fair on Mudgard were set up in disordered rows on the other side of the tables all the way to the far wall. On the left side of the hall stood a long wooden counter that was half bar and half reception.
Much like a fair, the hall was full of people going about their business, from lounging in the comfy chairs to exploring the recruitment booths to looking over the announcements on the bulletin board. Rowdy males and females from every race clinked on bottles of alcohol, the universal language of camaraderie no matter what world you were in.
”Now, this is my kind of place,” Edo whistled.
”Go have a look around then,” I grinned while patting him on his arm which is about as high as I could go without jumping. ”Aura and I will register.”
While Edo, Luca, Varda, and Zarz went to tour the hall, Aura and I made our way to the reception to register our unit's intent to find recruits with the hall's help. I easily accomplished this with a form and five golden Leprechauns.
When we were done registering, a gnome receptionist led me and Aura to the only free space in the hall for recruiters. This was a spot close to the wall at the far end. The rest of the team joined us here and we began our preparations for the task ahead.
Varda used her dwarven talent to create two signboards for us. These were 'Join the unit that defeated Azuma in the Calmlands' and 'Special signing bonus for the first twenty-five recruits'.
”I feel like this will attract the wrong sort,” Luca commented.
I shook my head. ”Nope. I think it'll attract the right sort.”
”The crazies and the reckless?” Varda suggested. ”The kind of reprobates who'd follow your crazy plans?”
I nodded. ”Exactly... let's get started!”
The plan was simple, attract people with flashy signboards and speeches while wearing the new equipment we purchased from the Rings of Fortune Auction House. We easily cleared this requirement as both Aura and Varda were beauties who could gather a crowd together by a mere batting of eyelashes. Even with Aura's mask on, her honeyed voice as she called to passerby was enough to get them interested.
”Come one come all and join the heroes of the hilltop who defeated the unkillable Azuma!” Varda called. ”Meet Dean, the first human commander to end the rampage of the monster of the Magesong clan!”
”Fight alongside us, and win honor and glory for yourselves,” Aura added.
A crowd had encircled our booth, and when it had grown enough to cause a ruckus in the hall, Aura passed me the baton. It was now time for the speech I'd prepared.