The Lusteneg looked inviting, so in everyone trouped and found themselves in a bar with wooden floors and red painted walls. In fact the room smelt of fresh paint. It was fairly quiet except for a few people. Nargeg went to the bar and the others sat at a table.

“Is it possible to get two rooms for fit five people?” enquired Nargeg. “Hmm” said the man at the bar who had a beard and greyish, black hair. “I do you’re in luck. That will be 6 Elk a night”. “We’re only staying one night” replied Nargeg sharply. He gave the money to the barman and went to the others. Back then, the money worked differently. In that part of the land, the landlord decided the currency. It was a dwarf, they’d use dwarfen money. If an elf, then elven money, etc.

Here the landlord was a dwarf, and dwarfen money worked like this; they named it after sacred dwarf animals, and this is the pricelist: Fox, Wren, Deer, Elk, Newt, Buzzard, Wolf and Moose. A fox is the lowest. Four fox is worth a wren. Three wrens are worth a Deer. Four deer is worth an Elk. Two Elks is enough for a Newt. Three Newts is a Buzzard. Two Buzzards are worth a Wolf and it takes five Wolves to make a Moose. So a Moose is worth eight thousand, six hundred and forty Foxes! In other parts, places just used bronze, silver, and gold, whatever the landlord, decided.

They made their ways down the corridor to their rooms. The rooms were large and had big bright windows. There were wooden wardrobes to store their supplies. Caracus dumped his backpack into the wardrobe and lay on his bed. He was tired and deserved a break. He soon fell into slumber.

Nargeg entered the room half an hour later,. When he saw Caracus, he turned and went into the other lad’s room.

Juimar and Mornaan were playing chess when he entered. Leeron was sharpening his axe (which Juimar had given him) by his bedside. “Hey” uttered Nargeg, “Caracus, the young man is sleeping in there. Why don’t we go weapon shopping?”

The streets were paved with people. Aerand had a lot of shops, and a lot of weapon and armoury shops. Juimar spent a while looking around. The only weapon he possessed was a knife.. He kept looking around, hoping, and then he spied it, exactly the thing he had been searching for in the corner of the shop.

Leeron made his way through the crowd. He went into a shop of a blacksmith. He saw a short, stout man working away. He noticed a sword on the table. But it wasn’t any normal sword. It had a spiral, gold holder and Chaton Valley silver, formed the blade. Beside it, there lay a Dwarfen , sacred leather- made sheath. Leeron knew what t it was. A Sogerland Sword!. He had to have it! “I will give you two Nent for that” Leeron declared.
“Well” the bald man scowled in a gruff voice, “Alright and I will give you the sheath for half a Deer, if you get my meaning!”
Leeron smiled and took out his worn, leather purse; he counted out the money, and took his buys out with him”. Leeron was delighted; he was like a child with a new toy! “Now” he murmured “where was that armour shop again?”

Nargeg stood out in the crowd. I think in describing him I may have, led you to believe, what is not actually correct. (Bear with me and I will try to explain!). People thought his type was a wizard: but in fact he was a sorcerer. Sorcerers are like wizards, but with a few subtle differences. A sorcerer does not need a staff, but a Glumar stick. Without it, he can use no bit of magic. Glumar sticks are only about half the size of a staff. They are made of wood and have two metal edges. But the sorcerers are selected by the wizard council. The council also insists that sorcerers are trained in using a club, a strong wooden club, but Nargeg lost his some years ago, unlike most wizards, sorcerers didn’t usually have beards, but Nargeg did. He wore a maroon robe, with a yellow belt. He didn’t wear tall hats which wizards wear either. (Hope this made it a little clearer for you?) Soon he came across a shop called the Sorcerer’s shop of Aerand, he opened the door and went in.

The first thing you would notice, if you happened into this store would be the smells, all the different smells mingling together. Just as you begin to recognise one smell, as distinct from another, a new one would merge in and muddle your nose and smelling instincts completely! Everything a sorcerer could want was in there – potions, robes, Glumar sticks, clubs pets, cauldrons and special dusts. Old books full of strange writings and spells, chants of time passed on through the generations. One new book seemed to be a shortened handy version of all the old, huge books. Nargeg looked around at all the Glumar sticks. Finally he fixed on a black, steel one. He curled his long, bony fingers around it, perfect he mused. He paid the Newt it was for it (it was quite pricy) and got a dozing potion for free with it. “Might come in handy somewhere along the line” Nargeg said happily to himself as he left the shop.

Mornaan wanted a helmet more than anything. Where he came from elves always had helmets. It was tradition. He lost his first helmet and the other one fell to battle. He knew he must have one. He also decided that he wanted a new pick-axe. He found a shop that had all the things he wanted. His new axe was beautiful: a fine wooden handle with gold at the bottom and superb shiny, curved blade. Then he remembered Caracus. “I know the perfect thing” he thought, and went off to a another shop.

Caracus woke at sunset. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. As he got up, all the others entered the room. Leeron was first to show his purchases.(they explained to Caracus that he had been sleeping, he understood and didn’t mind) Leeron had a blade that was carried by the great Sogerland army, far off in the south. He had a sheath and to top it off, a fine coat of chain mail. Juimar had some plate armour and a leather whip. Mornaan showed his battle helmet and a new pick-axe. Nargeg revealed his new, top of the range Glumar stick.

“Don’ worry” Mornaan smiled at this friend Caracus “I didn’t forget sleeping friends! These” he explained while showing Caracus a quiver full of arrows “are Lotlan arrows, deadly and straight. They are for you!”
“Thanks” yelped Caracus, and he hugged Mornaan tightly. “Let us go down to the bar” urged Juimar, and they all agreed it was a great idea and set off down the corridor.

Juimar bought them all a beer. They sipped it and talked about their homelands. Caracus had lived in the country, until his house had been attacked. Mornaan was from the great city of Leoc, near the river of Ludin. Juimar was from the north in heltin, a town in the Elkland Hills. Leeron hailed from, Albitar where the river of Ludin meet the Sacred elf Sea. And Nargeg was form Breld, the peninsula in the North West.

An hour later, all talked out, and tired out they staggered into their rooms. That night, they all slept soundly (partly due to the beer). Caracus awoke to fresh smell the next morning. A barmaid had some fresh porridge ready for him. Caracus ate it and it warmed him throughout. He got dressed, packed his items and hurried to the bar. The others were down there. “Come on” Nargeg suggested wisely, “we must make a start to the Harrols and meet again with Uthea. Then we must leave Aerand behind us and journey on. All our supplies are full”. So they left the Lusteneg and began the short walk to Uthea’s house.

Soon they arrived. Uthea was out in the garden, watching for them. She had a brand new spear and a bag full of supplies. She wore those same clothes as before. They all greeted her, delighted to see her again. Nargeg took her hand and looking, searchingly into her eyes he spoke: “Uthea, it looks like you have decided to come with us, am I right?”
Uthea smiled at Nargeg and then at all her companions and said:” My journey began many, many years ago and I need to complete this quest with you if that is alright with you all?” They all agreed and were relieved that Uthea had chosen to re join their group. She bade her goodbyes to her parents and set off with them, turning, only once to wave at her parents.

“Robinion here we come” announced Nargeg, as they set off towards the gates at the other end of the village of Aerand. They passed through the gates and into the land beyond on the road to the queen’s palace. The sun was cooling, and there were few clouds. They sloped up the path to some hills and down through a valley, as they cleared the valley, Aerand was out of sight.