The merchant introduces himself as Baldrick and informs me that Ironfield is only another 3 miles down the road, and it won't take us too long to get there. I introduce myself to him as Alric, and we are on our way.
The cart he is using is not the same as one a horse would pull. It is essentially an oversized wooden half crate with no top, sitting on top of a wooden axle with wooden wheels. Instead of a place to connect some kind of steed, there is a long wooden pole and two pieces of wood protruding out the front, forming a rectangle at chest height.
The merchant pushes down on the front bar, levelling the cart, and then walks along the road using his own foot power to drive it. To me, it basically looks like a cart where a person is the steed, but I can see how it would be far more economical than keeping a donkey or a mule.
He doesn't say a lot for the first 10 minutes, but he keeps glancing at my tattered rags. I totally understand his curiosity though, I am basically wearing alien clothing, and I can sense his unease.
He tells me to wait up and stops the cart, letting it lean backwards on its 2 wheels. He ducks under the bar he was using to push the cart, and walks around to the back. He leans over and stick his hands into the cart, and after a little rummaging, presents me with a little leather satchel.
It isn't a work of master craftsmanship or anything. The stitching is crude and visible, and the leather pieces that had been sewn together are of different sizes so the bag is very misshapen. The leather is undyed, but, the bag is definitely usable.
He hands it over to me with a grin. 'Mr Alric, as you saved me from that scum, I won't pry into your background too much, but; the state of your clothes right now is going to be a problem when we get to town.'
I was worried about this. In the small farming settlement I passed through, there wasn't much of an issue because they were basically minding their own business, but a town will be different.
I can totally imagine a situation where a guard would see me arrive looking like I do, and pull me to the side to start questioning me. I don't really want that, so I have been debating in my mind what to do about it.
'It's obvious that you only have the clothes on your back, so take this bag and some of the clothes I brought to sell in town. Consider them your payment for rescuing me. Also, take these.' He hands me the bag and then places two silver coins into my other hand.
Even though I initially planned to leave him to his fate, I am glad that I helped this fellow out. His generosity will certainly make things much easier. I put the 2 silver coins into the coin pouch I scavenged from that thief's corpse, and opened the flap to look inside the satchel.
Inside, I see various items of folded clothing, all of dark colours. I reach out and touch the fabric, recognising it as linen. Fantastic! My clothing situation is solved for the moment. I duck behind a tree, strip to my underwear, and put on a light shirt and dark trousers, then I put my belt back on and rejoin Baldrick.
The shirt and jeans I arrived in lie forgotten in a patch of grass near the tree as we continue our way down the road. Along the way, I ask the merchant various questions about the world around us, and find that we are in the county of Stoneholt.
Ironfield is a medium-sized town, and Baldrick goes there twice a week to trade the linen and Leather goods that his wife makes. He usually stays overnight and returns the next day when all of his wares are sold.
I ask him about the inn he stays at, and he tells me it is a very quiet place with good rates. If you pay a little extra, they will provide you with breakfast and dinner, but no lunch.
While we are conversing a little about the town and the inn and such, the town of Ironfield starts to become visible. It has a large stone wall blocking any view from outside, but an opening in the wall is clearly visible.
As we get closer, there are 2 armoured guards standing on either side of the gap in the wall. They are armed with spears, shields and some type of leather armour. Their gear is far better than anything I have on, but I can't help but feel disappointed they aren't in full plate.
I make sure that [Villager] is still my primary class. I can absolutely foresee a situation where I am forced to touch a crystal and prove my class isn't [Thief] or something of the sort.
They nod a greeting to Broderick, who hands something over to one of the guards, but the other holds out a hand, showing I am not permitted to enter.
'Who are you and why are you here?'
'My name is Alric and I have come to the city to find work. On the way here, I met Baldrick, and we travelled to town together.'
'Fair enough, there is plenty of work to be done in Ironfield. That will be 1 silver to enter.'
He held out his hand, waiting for his payment. While I fumbled with my coin pouch, my new merchant companion quickly placed a silver coin in the guard's hand, making some statement about how he couldn't let me pay.
As a frugal individual, I gladly accept his kindness, and we are permitted to enter the town.
'I need to make my way to the merchant's guild. The inn we talked about is just down the road to the right. There is a big sign that says 'The Rusted Flagon'. If you are there later tonight, I will buy you an ale in the tavern downstairs.
Depending on what you want to do, the adventurer's guild is in the opposite direction, about 5 minutes walking.'
And there it is! The next cliche in a long line of fantasy cliches, the adventurer's guild. At this point, I am just going to make assumptions about this world based on the various anime I have seen or manga I have read.
We each say our goodbyes, and while he makes his way further into town, I head in the direction of the inn he recommended.