Reincarnated as a random race, of course I got goblin.

Chapter 15 - The Trial Continues

Before us lays a small, walled village. "How strange, it's not on the map." Valena is checking her map, looking from it to the area around us to find our position on it. "Then this must be a new settlement?" Tersa suggests. "Must have built fast, then. This map is the most up to date." Valena informs.

"How recent?" Safyr asks. Valena checks the map for the date of revision. "The survey this map is based on is less than three months old." She answers. "Brave people, building this far out into the Wilds... Or they're the kind of people that would rather be left alone" Lentil remarks. 

"Do we visit them? Or is that not allowed during the trial?" Valena asks. Safyr thinks for a moment before turning to Lentil. "I say we should check it out. It's a new settlement and I'm sure the Guild, and the King for that matter, would like to know their reason for settling here." Lentil nods. "We'll make a stop here, continuing tomorrow." He decides.

Oh good, then I should be able to Evolve. We head down the hill we were standing on, towards the mystery village.

As we get close to the gate of the village, a man cries out "Hark! Who goes there!" From on top of the wall. "Hunters from the Guild" Lentil replies, shading his eyes as he tries to look at the guard. "We'd like to shelter here for the night, would that be okay?" Safyr asks. "Let me hear with the Chief, don't move!" 

The sound of what I guess is the guard climbing down a ladder is heard, before his footsteps fade towards the center of the village. "Here's hoping we get to come in." Tersa mumbles. "Oh I'm sure they'll let us in. We're from the Guild! We're the good guys!" Lentil states with confidence. After a few minutes, the gate opens. 

Behind the gate stands several robed persons, in the middle of them stands who I assume to be the Chief, dressed in a robe of slightly finer make. "Welcome to our humble village, Hunters" The Chief spreads his arms in a welcoming gesture. I notice that they're all looking at me, not the others. Even the Chief is intently fixing his gaze upon me, despite addressing the Hunters. 

I hide slightly behind Valena's legs for cover against the stares. This seemingly snaps them out of it, and they refocus on the others. "What can we do for you?" Asks the Chief. "Oh, we just stumbled upon this place in our expedition, and couldn't find it on any maps, so we were curious." Lentil answers. 

"Is that so? Well, we'll be happy to show you around our home. Come with me, please." The Chief beckons for us to follow him, as the other robed figures disperse into the village. "Let me introduce myself, my name is Leicher Fogbottom, and you are?" We introduce ourselves. Well, Valena introduces me, as Changelings aren't supposed to speak.

"Pardon if this is insensitive, but is she your-?" Leicher asks Valena. "No, she's not. I took her on as a foster, and well..." She shrugs. "Ah, I see... The reason I asked is that I study monsters. Where they come from more specifically." He explains. "Don't they come from eggs?" Safyr asks.

"All monsters do, but some, especially elementals and sprites, also perform spontaneous generation. If the area fulfills some criteria, they start appearing. Same with Dungeons, monsters within the dungeon are rarely found outside it, suggesting that they came from the Dungeon itself." Leicher explains as he guides us through the village. It's quite small, my map filled it out just by me entering the gate.

Arriving in front of the biggest building, he turns to us. "This is where I live. This is also where guests stay. If you don't have any questions, I have to tend to my duties." He bows and leaves as two villagers come over to us. "We'll be watching over you during your stay. Anything you need, just ask us." 

For some reason I feel like they are addressing me specifically. "I'd like to ask, why here?" Safyr asks the villagers. They look at each other before answering. "Why, we're followers of the great Leicher. He has the gift of prophecy, you see, so when he got a vision we followed it without delay." Oh so it's a cult. Ho boy.