The town was busy with folks doing any last-minute shopping before returning home for dinner. Places that catered toward adventurers, the exact type of shop I was looking for, tended to have either much longer hours, or were just open all the time. The dungeons didn’t close except on rare occasions, so there was a market for gear and supplies at all hours.
There was quite a lot of selection on offer, and I’d have to make time for a longer trip in the future. I had a stash of well over 1,000 gold, and it was high time that I spent some on new gear, consumables, and anything else that might give me an edge over Gary. After asking several adventurers, they all directed me to the larger vendors, who offered a wide array of just about everything.
While heading to one of the larger shops, I came across a small storefront that offered alchemy services. With nothing to lose, I headed inside and was a bit surprised at what I found. I was expecting tables and racks full of potions in glass vials, and a need to be very cautious so I didn’t knock things over. Instead, the shop was well organized with signs directing me to the different categories of potions.
The shop didn’t have the actual potions out, and the shopkeeper instead had created cards depicting what the potion looked like as well as a summary of its effects. If you wanted to buy something, you brought the corresponding card over to the counter and the workers would fill your order from the back. I moved to a small section where the resistance potions were advertised when another customer began to speak loudly as he tried to haggle with the store owner.
“These are double the cost compared to the ones at the mercantile. Nobody is going to come in here if you overcharge every adventurer that walks through your door. Give me a 50% discount on these or no sale!” a human in chainmail armor demanded. A young halfling woman wearing leather armor stood beside him nodding her agreement.
“I don’t have to do anything, this is my shop, and it runs by my rules. Be honest, adventurer, the reason you’re here isn’t for a deal, you’re here because you know my product is superior to the swill they offer at the larger shops. Mass produced potions using marginal ingredients are not something you want to stake your life on,” the gnomish shop owner countered.
“Bah, I’m wasting my time here, you can keep your overpriced crap,” the man said, throwing the potion cards he held at the gnome before storming out.
“Cheapskate, you’ll regret this when your guts are hanging outside your body and the potion you use doesn’t get the job done,” the gnome taunted as the two adventurers left. With an exasperated huff, he turned his attention to me.
“What do you want? I don’t give discounts here, so if you’re looking for a ‘deal’ head over to one of the other shops,” the gnome growled.
“Check your fire there, buddy. I’m not with them, I’m here to purchase something if you’re willing to sell me what I need,” I countered. The anger remained plastered on the gnome’s face, but he took a few deep breaths and got himself under control.
“Sorry, sir, but I’ve reached my limit with the cheapskate adventurers in this town. What can I help you with, adventurer, at least you’re polite enough. Mind you, the prices are all displayed clearly, and I’ll brook no discussion on reducing my prices,” the gnome warned.
“My name’s Rico, and while I admit that I am in the adventurer’s guild, I’m an adjunct professor at the academy, not a full-time adventurer. Running dungeons in between my other work is what I need the potions for,” I explained.
“Pleased to meet you Professor Rico. I’m Itzlebit, and I welcome you officially to my shop. Sorry you had to witness my earlier outburst,” the gnome replied.
He looked to have shaken off his anger and gave a genuine smile as he offered his hand for me to shake. As I shook his hand, I noted that Itzlebit was dressed in the traditional robes most people in town seemed to prefer. He was clothed in rugged coveralls and had sturdy gloves as well as a mask stashed in his belt. This was someone that knew the importance of protective gear, which was a good thing to see in his line of work.
“It’s just Rico, I’m only here for a semester, so we can dispense with the professor stuff. I’m heading into the Smoldering Vault tonight, and wanted to pick up some fire resistance potions,” I said.
“That’s not a problem, and a wise decision to prepare properly for a delve. Let me ask you a few questions before I recommend something. Is any of your gear fireproof or resistant already?” Itzlebit asked.
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“No, but I do have a moderate flame resistance,” I replied, remembering that fire resistance was something that I had picked up during my summoned being adventurers.
“Very good, in that case, I’d recommend a fire resistance salve. It’ll protect your gear as well as give an additional layer of protection for yourself. Even better, it’ll stack with your existing resistance, reducing the damage you’ll take even before your natural resistance kicks in,” Itzlebit said.
“How much am I looking at for each salve? Before you get worked up, I’m not trying to haggle, just making sure I’m within budget,” I explained as the gnome began to bristle at my mention of price.
“These are 80 silver each. Mind you, my work is better than most and each salve will offer protection for several hours. Now, if you take extensive damage, you may want to reapply, but you’ll get a lot more mileage out of this than the potions that the competition sells that only last for a short while,” Itzlebit said.
“No problem, I’ll take a half dozen, and look at anything else you have on offer,” I replied. Giddy at the prospect of a real customer, Itzlebit found me a selection of resistance potions and salves for most of the things I might encounter. By the time he was done, I had flame, frost, sonic, psionic, acid, necrotic, nature, earth, and wind resistance salves and potions stashed away for emergencies.
Since I was here, my healing potions were also due for an upgrade. The healing potion prices jumped up the more powerful the potion was, but I settled for ones that would give me a moderate, instant boost of healing, and then a heal over time component. It was the healing over time element that Itzlebit’s skill really shined with. It would last a full minute and heal nearly double what the initial burst provided.
Digging deeper, the gnome asked a bit about my class. When I told him about my minions, he gave me a few healing potions specifically formulated for minions. The minions could take them early, up to an hour before a fight began. Once taken, or in the case of the drone, splashed over his armored body, the potion would go dormant, and then activate once the minion took moderate damage.
The overall healing was modest, but was something that would happen automatically and not require them to stop whatever it was they were doing to fish out a potion. It only worked on mana constructs, and at a gold apiece, they were pricy, but I bought a handful of them to keep on hand for more dangerous fights.
By now, the scheduled time for my delve was approaching and I had to leave. Itzlebit offered to set aside some things he thought I might need, and I promised to visit him when I had more time to spend there. Now that I was properly prepared for my delve, I headed back on the road out of town to find the Smoldering Vault.
It was a shorter distance and in the opposite direction from the other dungeon I’d visited, and the trip there was a quick one. There was a similar guild outpost near the dungeon entrance, and after a quick check of the updated guidebook they provided, I headed inside. This time, they only offered me one minor healing potion in lieu of checking out any equipment.
The potion was significantly weaker than the ones I’d just purchased from Itzlebit, but it went into my pack anyway. Even weak potions would be a hot commodity back on Earth. Passing out whatever spare potions I came across would probably save some lives when I finally returned home.
Entering the dungeon, I made the same announcement that I’d made in the previous one. This time, the dungeon core either chose to, or was unable to communicate directly with me. Though larger in overall size, I wasn’t all that impressed with the Smoldering Vault.
Just like with the previous dungeon, a judicious application of firepower and minion skills tore through the minor elementals that made up the bulk of our foes I faced. The elementals were about human height, and had a craggy, rock-like exterior that was wreathed in flame. When attacked, the elementals would spew out a small burst of magma that would stick to whatever it hit.
Between the drone’s natural armor, and Elida’s ability to heal herself while fighting, they handled the threat well enough. For the most part, I didn’t even have to get involved. Really, the only annoying factor was a damage over time component to the dungeon due to the heat. The damage ramped up the closer to the end we got, but with my natural resistance and the fire resistance salve, it was only uncomfortably hot, not physically harmful to me in any way.
My drone was also pretty much immune to the heat, though I did have to cast Health Bloom once to keep Elida topped off without burning through one of her spell slots. When we reached the final boss, who was just a larger and more powerful version of the other elementals, the fight was anticlimactic. A full barrage of grenades from the drone, then a bit of melee and the battle was over.
Elida and the drone both had to engage the boss up close for a while, as the drone’s plasma beam was completely ineffective against a monster that was immune to heat-based attacks. A system prompt appeared as we cleared the last foe. I read it as I opened the reward chest that had just spawned. It looked like I had reached a new rank and taken the first step up in my new class.
You have successfully completed your first run in the Smoldering Vault. Additional experience has been awarded for this run, though future runs will be made with diminishing experience rewards.
You have been awarded 7 Experience.
Congratulations, you have reached Tier 3, Rank 1.
Your minions have become stronger.
Your Mind stat has increased by 1.
Your Presence stat has increased by 1.
You have unlocked a new class feature.
You have received the following dungeon rewards.
- Gold, 7.
- Trinket.
- Scroll.