Chapter 29: Gathering Your Party, Before Venturing Forth

Chapter 29: Gathering Your Party, Before Venturing Forth

Landar

It was Sixth day, or Saturday as I still accounted things in my head and I woke up refreshed despite the long and hard days of my first week at school. Getting into the groove of school work, while trying to prevent a bunch of people from starving and freezing to death in the middle of winter, was much more difficult than I had originally anticipated.

As I brushed my slowly growing shaggy hair, for lack of a proper comb, and washed my face preparing for the day, I took stock of what I had ahead of me.

And I found I really didnt know much. Class starts at ten. I looked at my clock in my HUD and found it was seven in the morning. The campus wasnt just quiet outside my open window. But felt . . . asleep. As if everyone, or at least most people were still sleeping in. And yet I had to wake up early to prep for class today. Fun.

The biggest hurdle I had ahead of me in preparing for Practical Field Applications, was getting together a list of potential team mates. Gragon could clearly take care of himself, so he was going to be included if I had anything to say about it. And when I had brought up the possibility to him the day as we finished sorting the refuse piles into junk to be burned, and actually usable materials, he had seemed not only open to it but excited about the idea.

So, Gragon for front line work. But hell also be helpful identifying things. I remembered back to my Earth days, when stories were usually filled with a hero foolishly picking up a cursed sword or item that would drain their power, about half way through the series. After the author had written themselves into a corner by giving the hero too much power too quickly.

I was determined that in my reincarnation story, that wasnt going to happen. Gragon, youre going to check everything for me.

Don't forget me boss, Sid interjected. I couldnt help but smile. The mind spirit had become an invaluable partner over this first week of school. Even if I still had my reservations about his . . . stability.

I won't buddy. But who can we ask to fill the other roles in our team?

What do you mean roles? I felt Sid rooting around in my memory for a moment. Oh! You mean we already have the tank, so now we need a Rogue, a DPS, and a Healer. Right?

Well, something like that. Yeah. And a magical artillery piece wouldnt go amiss either. Though I think I have a person in mind for that.

Yeah, hed be a good choice. Now, for DPS. . .

We threw around some ideas while I finished getting ready. By the end of it, we were still missing a DPS and a Rogue. Someone who could dish out tons of damage quickly, and someone who could help us with traps and puzzles and the like. But then again, Gragon fit that role at least partially.

I better get going, I thought as I left a short note to my newly trained staff, grabbed my ax and other gear I had been slowly replenishing over the last several weeks, and left.

***

I knocked on the front door of the small apartment behind the gray priesthood's wing of the new temple complex. The place was riddled with repeat hallways, dozens of courtyards, and confusing corridors. All of which were high quality and filled with art, statues, and small shrines to both the Father god and the Mother goddess of the kingdom.

I heard a young couple whisper angrily about whoever was at the blasted door this early on a sixth day. I winced. I knew what it was like to be enjoying a late start on a Saturday off, only to have someone show up and wake you and your very, very pregnant wife up.

Murder. Murder was, emotionally, the only proper response.

So I was surprised when Roland opened the door with a drowsy, but not-enraged smile. Hello? Oh, Landar. It's nice to see you. Come in.

Their apartment was well furnished, but it had a rather familiar layout. A single bedroom at the back had its door open, and Tabitha stood bleary eyed looking at me with all the disappointment of an extremely pregnant woman woken up hours before she had planned on it.

Heeeey, I said weakly, waving as Roland escorted me into the room. Tabitha waived weakly back, and raised her eyebrows. Sorry I came so early. It's uh . . . it's important. About school actually.

She sighed, Ill put on some tea. You two get the cups from the pantry.

It didnt take long but a light morning breakfast of cold bread slathered with butter, and simple herbal tea sat on the table as we all joined to devour it. I explained what I needed.

And you couldnt have told us this last week? Or last month? Tabitha asked, clearly annoyed.

Right. Well, this class was kind of a last minute addition. Tomas said itd be good for me and encouraged me to sign up.

Tabitha sighed. Of course he did. She sipped her tea and tried her best to avoid yelling at me. Or Roland. And I deeply appreciated the gesture.

So what do you think? Could you help me out?

Be your healer? Hmm. My skills are far less in the healing category then my lady wifes are. Or your mothers for that matter. But I can cast some basic healing and protection spells that might be useful. You said this would be every Sixth day? I nodded. It's up to you dear. Im willing to help your brother, but I would hate to be leaving you alone these last weeks before our baby comes.

Tosh blinked, and Rolands shoulders silently shook with laughter.

Of course that would be your response. Roland said through quiet laughter. Your sister said as much.

Gragon cleared his throat as he approached. Gentlemen, this is Gragon, the fourth member of our party. Hes a caravan guard from the Wood cutter clan, as well as a smith of some skill.

Heya, Gragon said as he hefted his two handed hammer down off his shoulder and leaned on it.

ITs a pleasure to meet your master dwarf. Tosh bowed and gave some kind of odd hand sign that made Gragon smirk.

You're a friend of the iron breakers up north are you boy?

Indeed I am, master dwarf. My family trades with the IronBreaker clans regularly for the flint and iron ore they dig out from our mountains to the far north.

Bunch of greedy sons of whores they are. My smile fell, and I was about to start laying into guy when he laughed. But theyre alright. Just sell their ore to us too, for an actual mark up. Thats something they picked up from you humans you know? A dwarf knows the value of things deep in his bones. But no, you lot taught the iron breakers about markets and supply and demand so now they charge us cost plus ten percent. Its highway robbery it is. . .

Master Dwarf, isnt it cheaper to buy iron at that price point, then it is to buy it based on your traditional standards? Tosh asked, clearly confused.

Yeah, theyre undercutting the price of metal in the entire eight kingdom network! he complained. Tosh and Gragon continued to discuss the Iron Ore issue for several more minutes, while Roland and I sized up some of the competition, when he explained something that shocked me.

Most of the students here seem to be around level 10 to 12. I said quietly just for the two of us.

Theyve had private tutors, or went to one of the finishing schools before they came here. Roland explained. Most wont make it past their first year here at the Academy though.

Really? Why?

Most of their parents cant afford to send them for longer. Either due to the cost of the education, or the fear that their children might be taken out by a rival once off their land.

Doesnt the ArchDuke prevent that kind of thing?

Oh yes, with a vengeance. Anyone caught harming a student for political purposes is instantly issued the death penalty. That shocked me too. I know, it seems a bit harsh right?

No. Seems a bit light. Kids man, no one should touch kids when it comes to politics. That's international relations and political stability 101. Otherwise you get an entire country of self destructive assholes trying to go after their rivals' progeny rather than dealing with actual issues and earning their place.

Roland smiled. Exactly. But unfortunately, outside of the academy grounds theres little the ArchDuke can do directly against high nobility. Particularly when theres only weak evidence, or the death happened during a legal war.

Legal war? I shook myself, I knew that in feudal societies local nobles warred with one another over petty things all the time. Little more than skirmishes most of the time. No . . . wait. If kids are safe here, then why do those who can afford it not send their kids here as long as they can?

Roland sighed sadly. Because an heir who is at school, is not of use to the family. It's not for their child's safety, but their own that they recall them so quickly. Though there are families that have sent entire generations to the school to protect them, bankrupting themselves in the process to preserve their children's lives from the petty games of lesser nobility. It happens more often than youd think actually. Being able to send your child to a school like the Silver Tower Academy for a full four year degree, requires peaceful relationships with your neighbors, extreme wealth, or extreme power. Even by noble standards.

Success begets more success then. The powerful get more powerful, and the struggling houses have to take dangerous risks like sending their children to school. The entire affair bothered me deeply. A basic education should be a universal requirement.

That is a bold statement. Roland said, with evident interest in the idea. Nobles would balk at the idea of sending their children away by mandate for so long.

Oh no, I'm not talking about nobility. Im talking about, everyone. Every single person in the kingdom should know how to read, write, and do basic sums. At a minimum. Maybe even do some basic magic if they have a talent for it.

Oh. Well that would certainly turn things upside down.

The nobility should be forced, every single one of them, to have a full degree from some form of upper education. If your decisions and policies can affect the lives of hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of people? YOu should at least know enough so that youre not a total moron. I thought about that statement for a moment, and decided to revise it. But an education isnt really enough though.

What do you mean? Roland was starting to look uncomfortable at my ramblings I could tell, but before I could continue on the merits of, well, merit, an elderly witch half my size riding a broom that looked like it had been made a few hundred years prior and had received no maintenance since, appeared hovering in the air above the class.

Welcome students! She cackled madly. To your first, REAL, class at this university!

I had a bad fealing about this.