Logistics of Adventuring

The next two days are filled with time spent at the practice room in the morning. The afternoons are spent adventuring the nearby Forlorn Forest with their friends Tasha, Terrick, and Jeruelle. Althea is careful to use only her Light magic when in the presence of the others.

Today, they stop by the adventurer's guild to register as official adventurers. This allows them to take on quests and get paid. Being a guild member also gives protections from being price gouged as well as receiving support when an adventurer is in need. The guild also serves as banks so members can deposit coin in one guild location and retrieve it in another. This makes traveling safer since they aren't targeted for carrying too much coin while on the road. Guilds also have power orbs that are used to measure one's rank. Though the newer grant crystals already have this function. A cheerful lady with green hair greets the group. Her name is Alana Ridge, a capable adventurer in her own right. Since they are registering as a party, Alana asks them what their party name is. The five look at each other.

Terrick, "I can't believe we haven't even discussed this."

They sit in a nearby table and discuss for a while. Names like Fortitude, Glimmering Sun, and Lunar Light was considered.

After being mostly quiet, Tasha says the words: "Forlorn's Hope. I think it's appropriate. The Forlorn Forest took the lives of our parents, the people we love the most. But, they did not die in vain. They died to keep us alive. They are never truly gone because they gifted us with our lives and with that, hope. We carry within us their hope for the future."

Tasha was always the deep thinker of the group. Maybe because she was the oldest, or maybe because she was the most mature. She has always internalized the responsibilities of looking after everyone else.

It is to be said that the five of them have grown up in the orphanage of Kauven. They live together and view each other as siblings, well except Terrick and Jeruelle, who is more commonly called Ellie. They have always seemed to like each other. But they have not grown quite enough wisdom to admit their feelings yet. It started when they were around 4 on a field trip to see some Turtleseals.

Once the group unanimously agreed, they return to Alana to register their group name. As they were waiting for their individual ID cards to be magically forged by the machine, the guild master walks downstairs from his second-floor office. "I heard we have the new grants registering today!" jovially says a giant musclebound man. "Yes, they are!" Alana responds. "My! To meet the guild master on your first day!" she continues. He pats them on the back in congratulations but it seemed to hurt them more than put them in a celebratory mood.

Hunter Haze is an S rank adventurer, renowned throughout the world in his heyday as one of the best tanks in the business. He is almost 7 foot tall with muscles bulging without effort. He wears brown leather pants and a tight green shirt covered with light armor. His boots are clearly made of some unidentifiable hide. This could only mean one thing: it is a hide of something that gives a speed boost. No one wears hide boots otherwise. Though he is suppressing his strength and mana; it is almost difficult to be around him, like being in rarified air. He wishes them good luck and reminds them to go to the smithy to get weapons forged before adventuring.

The group goes to the smithy next. There, they meet the Earth element receptionist. The nerdy looking guy seems busy trying to reconcile some spreadsheets on his monitor. Castor Shale is the overworked receptionist. His boss had just retired. This meant Castor is working both his job and his former boss' job. "I'm sorry guys. Just give me a minute." He says apologetically. "No worries! Take your time." Althea responds. After 10 minutes or so, a beautiful woman with rich caramel complexion enters the smithy office. She seems to be permeating heat. She is quite literally hot! A nerve seems to be twitching on the side of her forehead. A second later, she slams her fist against the counter. "Why are you not taking the orders of these customers?!" She grabs Castor's collar and proceeds to shake and shout at him in her chibi form. Castor in chibi form seems to have lost consciousness and turned white, while his spirit is seen escaping from his body through his mouth. The lady turns to the shocked party and apologizes to them. "My name is Plasma Break. I am one of the smiths who work here. I have been looking forward to meeting you all in person. In fact, most of the new grants have already come and have been measured for armor and weapons. I will be personally taking your orders and forging your weapons as recompense for my receptionist's inadequacy."

*Castor can be seen silently crying in the corner. *

The group looks both confused and scared. They knew better than to say anything to piss off this scary lady. She takes their measurement for armor and discuss weapon options. Less than an hour later, they head home. With the advancements in technology, forging metal and imbuing it with magic resistance takes fractions of the time it used to in the olden days. Their orders will be ready in a mere two days. They will venture deeper into the forest then.