QuestWright: Bk 1: Chapters 4-6

When you're done reading, if you have the time or inclination, let me know what you think so far. With Symphony, I spent a long time planning it out, and while I know where this is heading, I'm writing it more from the seat of my pants because I feel like I'll get a better natural flow from it. If there are things you don't like, or hate, or really enjoy, please let me know.

Chapter 4: Experience

Entering the Quest Registry felt like walking to the gallows.

While the ceiling was high, the lighting inside was dim and uneven, thick with the smells of old ink, sweat, and things he couldn’t put a name to. The noise level was a constant churn, with dozens of overlapping conversations happening simultaneously. Rather than allow himself to be overwhelmed, he fixed his eyes on the dark leather of Kara’s back, following in her wake as she navigated through the crowds.

A jostling from a small but sturdy man almost threw him off the Guild Trainer’s path, but with some quick movement, he managed to catch up as she called back to him, “The QuestWright station is over here in the left-hand corner. Be thankful for that, as it keeps you away from the thoroughfare.”

They turned a corner at a cluster of crowded tables, and Cass had the barest moment to believe that he’d skip seeing his sister, but as recent history has shown, he wasn’t that lucky.

“Hey loser.”

Cass turned, and there she was. Janine, leaning against a pillar, arms crossed with a big grin on her face like she’d won a prize. Her hair was pulled back into a severe ponytail, which only made the angles of her face sharper. It was her battle uniform. 

“Hi, Janine.” He said, trying for neutral.

She sidled over, her steps light despite the green and gold armor hugging her form, “I was so sure that you’d remain an Uncalled forever. Now look at you.” She grabbed him by the arms, then pulled him into a powerful bear hug. “I was so worried, idiot.”

“Huh?” Those were the only words Cass could get out through his shock. The last time they’d hugged was shortly after she’d received her calling, and that was years ago. It went on a little too long before they were interrupted.

“Janine Vale, please release my trainee,” Kara said with a voice like stone.

Cass was stunned again, but this time, by how fast Janine obeyed. It took a moment for his equilibrium to take back over as he looked up to see his sister standing ramrod straight.

“Of course, Kara.”

“Very good.” She looked past his sister, “Is the Fabulous Five all healthy and prepared for their mission?”

A small man seemed to step from the shadows, his movements precise and nearly soundless. With a pencil-thin mustache and eyes a little too small for his face, he looked like every shady merchant and scheming villain Cass had ever read about. 

But as he held up a piece of paper, he smiled. The transformation was startling, making him look less like a demon and more like a charming prince here to save the day.

“Naturally, Kara. I’ve already got the quest right here.” He turned his attention towards Cass, “Janine, is this the little brother you’re always telling us about?”

His sister gave a smile, the unfamiliar expression seeming strange on her face, “Yep. This is Cassio, but he goes by Cass. He’s the new QuestWright.”

“Is that right?” He gave Cass a second look, “Well, I’ll keep an eye out for your callsign. If you’ll excuse us, there’s a problem near the fields that needs taking care of.” Reaching a gloved hand out, Cass matched it, feeling a very firm grip from the other side. “Name's Carter, see you around, Cass.”

“Nice to meet you, Carter. Good luck in your mission, Janine.”

A big man drinking nearby laughed, “Hah, as if the Ironmonger needs luck.” A few people joined him, but Janine only gave him a small and soft wave before she and her party turned around and left.

“Now, let’s take a look at where you’ll be working from now on,” Kara said, drawing Cassio’s mind back to why they were there.

Kara led him deeper into the Registry and toward a quiet alcove in the far end of the building. As the noise of the thoroughfare faded away, the atmosphere changed. It was quieter, cooler, and far calmer.

Stepping toward an extra-wide desk paired with a patchy chair, she waved a hand, “This is the QuestWright Annex.” Pulling the chair back, the squeaks accompanying its movement were audible. “Go on, have a seat. See what that feels like.”

Cass didn’t see anything special about the desk or the threadbare seat, but he sat anyway. The chair shifted slightly under his weight.

Then, everything changed.

—QuestWright Annex Initializing—

New QuestWright recognized: Callsign CV

Welcome, Cassio Vale

Cass blinked.

The words didn’t appear on paper or a screen. They shimmered in the air before him, locked just above the desk’s surface in a pale, softly blue pulsing that was mostly transparent. Unsure if it was a projection or hallucination, he reached out. To his surprise, it was solid.

“The QuestWright Annex is a bridge between the Called and the System,” Kara said behind him. “You have limited access in your overlay because you’re only level one; that’ll change as you gain experience and build up your reputation.” 

Cass stared at the floating prompt.

> Awaiting Input

“What do I do?”

“Try talking to it. Eventually, you’ll gain a few upgrades that'll let you do much more, but this,” she tapped the desk, “this is just the beginning. Tell it, begin the tutorial.”

Cass cleared his throat. “Uh..begin tutorial?”

The text blinked once as the words changed.

> Tutorial Mode Unavailable

> Awaiting Directive from Local Assigned Authority: Tier 2 Guild Trainer: Kara Tullis

Kara sighed, as if she had seen this message a hundred times before. “Right, that’s on me.” Stepping closer, she tapped on a box at the top and pressed her thumb against it. The shimmer adjusted, and new lines appeared.

> Tier 2 Trainer Override Accepted

> Tutorial Functions Engaged

The shimmering changed into something more as the text disappeared. In its place was the same replica he’d seen this morning, only every detail was enhanced to a realistic level. Smoke rose from several chimneys in wavy blue lines, and the colored dots of the past made their reappearance. 

He reached out to touch one, but it slipped past his finger, unaffected.

The snap of a folder opening sounded out, “You’ve unlocked the Quest Ledger, haven’t you?” She moved closer to examine the interactive scene before them. “Why haven’t you activated it?”

“I thought it was passive?” 

“It is. But passive doesn’t mean automatic. Can you imagine if your sister ran around, absorbing the iron from every building she passed?” Kara gave a single, dry laugh. “Liora would be rubble within a week. Passive abilities run in the background, but they still require a trigger to start. Active abilities are ones that you can shape.”

Based on the level look she gave him, Cass didn’t say anything else and did as told. 

> QuestWright CV System Ledger connected…

> Advancing Tutorial

The Fiora construct flickered as a new panel came to life beside it. A line of filigreed text appeared near the top. Then, all at once, every colored dot moving across the construct fired matching threads to the panel.

QuestWright Simulation Training Map

[CV-0001-SIMMAP-LIA]

Each colored thread of light bound itself between the balls on the construct and a series of text on the Ledger. Cass leaned in and began to read as the lines updated as he watched.

Sim-CV-0001-D-LIA

Sim-CV-0001-A-LIA

Sim-CV-0001-M-LIA

Sim-CV-0002-D-LIA

“Go ahead,” Kara encouraged, “Select one.”

Cass reached out a hand and touched the first in the list. The corresponding ball of color in Liora brightened as all the others faded away, text appearing near the top of the city in green.

Quest ID: Sim-0001-D-LIA

Objective: Deliver 80KG of Iron from Sim01 Ironworks to Sim01 Smithy

Assigned Candidate: Sim001

Status: Active

Questor Reward: 

+5xp baseline

QuestWright reward: .5xp

“The way the ID system works is simple. The first two initials are your Callsign, the numbers in the middle are for numerical tracking, and the letter after tells you the quest type. Every quest type has a different baseline of experience gained for both the candidate and the QuestWright.”

“D for deliver,” Cass confirmed. When he tapped on an area of the screen that wasn’t the writing, it moved back to normal. “What’s LIA?”

“That’s the callsign for Liora, every region has a different one, so it lets you track incoming questers and where they’re coming from.”

So that’s how it works. Cass considered not just that, but also the long-term ramifications of the Calling. The quests I assign give them experience, but I also gain experience when they are completed. I don’t fight, but I’m still helping, and the system’s rewarding me all the same. 

That set him at ease a little. He’d never throw a fireball or swing a sword, but he’d still be useful to Liora. Extrapolating from the last lines of the quest, Cass came to a conclusion. That means, if I send out ten quests in a day, I’m making the same amount of experience as the people who are completing them.

Clicking on the next two brought up similar screens.

Quest ID: Sim-0001-A-LIA

Objective: Audit stock discrepancies between Sim01 Storehouse and Sim01 Armory

Assigned Candidate: Sim002

Status: Active

Questor Reward: 

+3 xp baseline

+5 xp for complexity

QuestWright reward: .8xp

Quest ID: Sim-0001-M-LIA

Objective: Bring the encoded message from Sim01 Guildhall to Sim01 Gatepost

Assigned Candidate: Sim003

Status: Active

Questor Reward: 

+5xp baseline

QuestWright reward: .5xp

The complexity level of something increases the experience gain.

“Quest complexity directly scales the xp value for both you and the Questor. It’s called a modifier.“ Kara said, unintentionally parroting back to him what his mind had just brought forth. “Quests that identify with an A are administrative, and quests with an M are for messages.”

“But there’s already a delivery ID? It’s the same thing, isn’t it?”

“That’s true,” Kara said, looking at him with a smile as Cass finally turned away from the map. “But communication is the lifeblood of civilization. Some years ago, a high-level QuestWright decided to separate the two types so the map would be less confusing. For instance, take a look at the coloring.” She waited for his eyes to track back to the map. “What do you think each means?”

Cass took a guess, “Green is for healthy, yellow is…sick?”  

“Hah, no. Green markers indicate singular assignments, a once-and-done kind that fall within simpler quests. Yellow identifies the cyclical kind that have become routine. Things like supply chains or sanitation. It’s-” She was interrupted by a red set of text splashing across the screen.

Warning: Numerous tasks remain uncompleted.

Incursions are rising near the-

With a quick movement, Kara clicked something, and the text went away before he could read the rest.

“What was that?” Cass asked. The message seemed ominous, like an emergency that needed addressing immediately.

“Don’t worry about it, you’re only level one.” The screen resumed its standard patchwork of greens and yellows as she said, “Go ahead and click on the marker near the Sim02 Inn.”

Only level one. He didn’t press the situation, but a bad feeling hit his stomach all the same. That warning was anything but subtle. Finding the slowly pulsing marker near the edge of the map, he clicked on it, and everything faded into the background again.

Quest ID: Sim-0034-D-LIA

Objective: Deliver dirty sheets from Sim02 Inn to Sim01 Washery.

Assigned Candidate: Sim034

Status: Active, Routine

Questor Reward: +5 XP 

QuestWright Reward: +.2 XP (routine modifier -50%)

Cass frowned. .2xp? He didn’t know how much he needed to get to the next level, but that felt like an insult. Wait a second, that’s not half?

“Looking at the experience modifier?” Kara said, and he could hear the smile in her voice. “You’re not the first new Calling who has stared at the experience line first.” She laughed at him over his shoulder while he tried not to grimace. “Before you ask, experience rounds down, not up. Routine quests are former singular assignments that were completed a set number of times. Do the quest enough, and it upgrades, becoming optionally acceptable to the Questor whenever they’d like.”

Cass added that information to the small amount he currently knew about quests. That means…if I design ten or twenty quests and they all upgrade to routine, it’ll passively earn me a lot of experience. The more routine quests that get upgraded, the faster the xp comes in. 

Kara stepped close. Close enough that he caught a minty fragrance about her, then tapped something on the screen. When she pressed her thumb against it, the ledger to the right expanded, while the map shrank in size.

“What you’re seeing here is a slightly out-of-date simulation, but still effective. The current Sovereign is trying to get all of the Annex’s updated, but it takes time, and we’re still a few months out.” With a flicker, new writing appeared.

>QuestWright Outlining Phase Initiated

>Advancing to the Final Step of the Basic QuestWright Tutorial

As the ledger populated a series of boxes, Cass asked, “What’s a Sovereign?”

“I like the curiosity,” Kara said as text flickered into being. “The Sovereign is the head QuestWright. They sit on the World Council, formed after the reshaping. They’re also the QuestWright who smartly decided to separate messages and deliveries. You’d think it’s a small change, but for a Calling that stares at a System map all day, it makes things much cleaner. Now, pay attention.”

Quest ID: Sim-CV-0001-LIA

Quest Outline: (Simulated – Tutorial Mode)

Type: (Select)

Objective: (Enter Objective)

Source Location: (Select or Speak)

Destination Location: (Select or Speak)

Assigned Candidate: (Auto-Generated)

Completion Condition: (Define)

Timeframe: (Optional)

Modifiers: (Calculated based on Parameters)

Reward: (Calculated Based on Final Outline)

That was a lot more than he’d expected. “Why are there more options?”

“Because there are more things you need to know. This is a tutorial, and the first of many that you’ll complete. If you think that’s a lot-” She changed the screen in front of him with a flick, as if she knew he’d ask that question.

Quest ID (GH-0917-SUP-LIA)
Quest Outline (Historical Archive – Rare Tier Sample)
Type (Support – Combat Adjacency)
Objective (Deliver 18 reinforced spears and 4 ration crates to Defensive Line 03)
Threat Environment (Confirmed presence of 8–12 small monsters and one large on the path)
Zone Designation (LIA-E – Perimeter Sector 3F)
Escort Requirement (Minimum team of four)
Route Complexity (Moderate – Two chokepoints, unstable bridge, partial cover)
Timeframe (Delivery window: 3 hours, 17 minutes)
Completion Condition (Delivery confirmed by Line 03 Commander; all supplies intact; personnel survival ≥80%)
Failure Risk (Zone destabilization likely; fallback condition projected; potential loss of defenders)

Assigned Candidate (Team Biscuit – 8 Members)

Modifiers
 • Urgency Modifier (+25%)
 • Threat Zone Modifier (+30%)
 • Route Complexity Modifier (+20%)
 • Timeliness Bonus (+0.2 XP per 30 minutes early, max +0.6 XP)
 • Stability Shift Bonus (+0.6 XP if fallback avoided and Line 03 maintained)

Reward – Questor(s) (+22–34 XP depending on threat management, timing, and survival)
Reward – QuestWright
 • Base: +4.0 XP
 • Zero Casualties Bonus: +0.0 XP (not earned)
 • Timeliness Bonus: +0.6 XP
 • Stability Bonus: +0.6 XP

Reputation Impact (Trust increased in both regional and system records)

Final Status (Completed – One escort injured, delivery on time)

Final Rewards
 • Questor(s) awarded +29 XP
 • QuestWright awarded +5.2 XP
 • Regional trust reaffirmed
 • System recognition acknowledged

Filed by: Archivist Nella Brant (LIA)
Date: 2 AR

Cass felt his eyes bulge. That was a real quest, not a simulation. Real people with real stakes. “This is…” was all he got out before Kara flicked it, and the quest disappeared.

“Now you see why the system slowly gets you used to everything. Deliveries and messages don’t seem like much, but for a Level 1, it’s a lot more difficult than you think it is.” The original outline reappeared. “Now, let’s figure this out. We only have today and tomorrow before your classes start.”

“Classes?”

“Of course.” She turned him in his chair so she could look him in the eyes, “Did you think we were just going to throw you at the Guild with a new Calling? We’re not like the Resswich Guildhall.” Pointing at the screen, she said, “You need to start by selecting the Quest type.”

Cass held up his hands, already accepting that he was no longer in control of his life, but he could still ask questions. “Wait, wait, wait. Who was the QuestWright that designed the one you just showed me?”

“Gerald Hollis, the Guildmaster. Now, focus up.” She spun him around, and time sped by as he slowly but surely learned how to manage the ledger and the map. One thought stuck around in his head as his world became filled with boxes and text.

Is the Guildmaster the one making all the quests?

Chapter 5: Progress

It turned out, Cass wasn’t half bad as a QuestWright. There was a rhythm to it that was almost meditative, and the longer he worked at it, the more he enjoyed it.

I could get used to this.

Sure, it was creating a simple delivery quest, and yes, it was a simulation, but as he grew accustomed to the options that appeared and clicked through each setting, it all started to fall into place. As he worked, Kara answered all of his questions.

“Deliveries are always non-living. If you tried to add a living being, like a dog, cat, or even a person, the option would change to an escort quest. You don’t have access to those yet.”

“Long-distance quests don’t return here. That’s the curse of being a low-level QuestWright: your contracts don’t auto-complete. Normal contracts are reabsorbed the moment they’re done.”

“I don’t know how long it took Guildmaster Hollis to get to his position; you’d have to ask him yourself.”

With a few additional selections, Cass finally felt like he had a working model.

Quest ID: Sim-CV-0001-LIA

Quest Outline: (Simulated – Tutorial Mode)

Type: Delivery

Objective: Deliver 10 kg of flour

Source Location: Sim01 Miller

Destination Location: Sim01 Bakery

Assigned Candidate: (Auto-Generated)

Completion Condition: 10 kg of flour in the residence of Sim01 Bakery

Timeframe: Delivery window: 2 Hours

Modifiers: None

Reward: (Calculated based on final Outline)

With the timeframe finally set, he felt it was done. It was clean, efficient, and should give the simulated candidate plenty of time.

“Complete.”

Tapping on an empty part of the screen, Kara asked, “Any particular reason you chose a bakery?”

Cass shrugged, “Just curious about how this all works.”

Kara paused, “Alright then, let’s see what we’ve got. Go ahead and select Outline in the Ledger.”

Seeing what she was talking about, Cass hit the button, then was caught off guard when a warning splashed across his screen.

Warning: Destination site Sim01 Bakery is currently undergoing reconstruction.

Redirection required.

Cass blinked twice, “Wait…what?”

“As expected for a QuestWright’s first outline. You didn’t check the destination and the source locations for any issues. Creating quests isn’t as simple as just inputting a few settings; you have to know everything around it. Who, what, when, where, and why. Without that, you’re just a basic functionary.”

Cass frowned. “So, what do I do?”

“As it’s a sim, there’s no harm, no foul. In the real world, you’d take a hit to your reputation as a QuestWright. The ID at the top isn’t just a notifier of what the quest is, but who assigned it. For this issue, though, you either need to find a new location that wants 10 kg of flour or find a new quest.” 

She stepped beside him, hands behind her back as she leaned against the side of the desk. “Most Civic quests come through the Petitioner Chamber, so issues like this don’t often crop up.”

“Then why would it need to be a quest? Couldn’t they just grab the flour and walk it over to the bakery? It doesn’t seem realistic for everyone to need to fulfill quests for every action.”

“And they don’t.” Kara said, giving him a level stare, “But after the reshaping, everyone needed one thing more than anything else: trust. Quests create a verified record, assign accountability, and let Liorans gain bonus experience through real, honest work. It’s how we rebuilt all of this.” She gestured around the room. “Most civic quests come from one of two places, enterprises like Companies and Trade Consortiums, or Liora itself through the system. And they all want the same things…results and proof. Quests give them both.”

Cass chewed on that as his mind ran through everything. “So, it’s about the people.”

Kara’s expression lightened perceptibly, “It always was. Good.” She gave a nod, “Proof. Record. Reward. Break any part of it, and the System will knock you down a peg. Go ahead and fix that up, there’s another Bakery near the south.”

Cass did as she instructed, and with slight trepidation, hit Outline again. The map took over the screen, pushing his ledger to the side, as a green marker appeared that hadn’t been there before. A thread shot out as everything connected, and a wavy, green path emerged from the Miller to the Bakery.

Quest ID: Sim-CV-0001-LIA

Objective: Deliver 10 kg of flour from Sim01 Miller to Sim03 Bakery.

Assigned Candidate: Sim099

Status: Active

Questor Reward: +5 XP 

QuestWright Reward: +.5 XP

Kara snorted, “Here it comes…”

“Here what com-” Cass’s vision was blocked as text appeared, not on the System Map, but on his overlay.

Basic QuestWright Tutorial Completed

Additional experience granted for simulated quest completion:

1xp

Experience Progression paths activating…

The text faded, and in its place, a black screen appeared with a single gray node at its center. Though he didn’t touch anything, when he focused on it, information appeared.

Calling: QuestWright: Cassio Vale

Level: 1

Experience Accrued: 1.0

Experience required for the next level: 99.0

Then, more nodes appeared around it. The first one to reach clarity had a slightly green hue, and it directly connected to the original, with more lines branching out from it.

What kind of heaven is this? Cass thought to himself.

When he first got the Calling, he thought it'd be a linear path, like Gary’s. His friend had told him that each step on the route of baking was a movement from one to the next. Kneading, timing, rolling. But this was…something else.

The information for the second node appeared as he had those thoughts.

Autonomy upgrade: 100xp

Allows the QuestWright to create quests and contracts from any location.

Following that, two nodes broke out from there, with two more beyond them, though they were slightly blurred. 

The Path of Inspection:

A line of development focused on refining how candidates are evaluated and assigned. 

Unlocks abilities that increase match precision and reduce inefficiency.

Cost to unlock: 200xp

The Path of Logistics:

A line of development focused on goods, resources, and civic management.

Unlocks tools that grant the QuestWright increased understanding of supplies and crafting methods. 

Cost to unlock: 200xp

The Path of Resolution:

Unlock one path to view…

Cost to unlock: 700xp

The Path of Expansion:

Unlock two paths to view…

Cost to unlock: 1000xp

Cass didn’t know it, but he was mumbling the writing as he read through. When Kara’s voice blared out of nowhere, he stumbled back, his screen automatically fading into the background.

“Each path opens new abilities and unlocks further combinatory ways of growing your Calling.

You know how they say there are no two snowflakes alike in the world? It works the same way with QuestWrights and many of the rarer Callings.”

Cass latched onto one word. “Combinatory? Wait, you’re saying if I unlock Logistics and Expansion, I’ll have a hybrid path?”

“Exactly. As a Guild Trainer, the system lets me view several paths you might take. Synergy begins to show when your choices start to overlap. So-” She stood up from her leaning position, “Any preference between the two?”

“I don’t know yet.” Cass said, placing his hands on his face, “This is a lot more than I thought it was. I figured I’d just be, you know, making quests and throwing them out willy-nilly. You get a quest, you get a quest. But after the issue with the SIM and now seeing this…I-I need to think” 

“That just might be wisdom showing through your age. Come on, we still have another stop to make.” Asking him to follow her, Kara started to walk back into the thoroughfare. 

Cass stood up, unsurprised to find that the System map and Ledger had disappeared. All that was left was the threadbare seat and wide desk, innocuous as anything else in the building. He quickly caught up, finding the Guild Trainer standing near several large, wooden boards, pieces of paper pinned to them. 

Stepping up to one with a blue border at the top, she gestured. “This is the Tier 1 Civic quest board. Any tasks that can be fulfilled by those brand new to their calling and up to level 10 will come here.”

She stepped over to a green-bordered one, “Trade and Crafting,” and another, this one in red, “Combat and Defense.”

Each board was filled with pinned papers, layered and crisscrossed across its breadth. As he looked at them, a man in a robe stepped toward the red board and pulled down a page. It glowed gold, he glowed the same, and then he walked away. Nobody even noticed the strangeness of it.

“That man just glowed.”

“What?” Kara glanced up, spotted the man, and gestured in his direction. “Yeah, that happens. When you pull down a quest, the system prompts you automatically. It does a quick scan to make sure you fit the role and level requirement; most of the Tier 1s do that.” 

Cass looked at the hundreds of pinned pages again, “And this is all made by Guildmaster Hollis? All…all of them?”

“Hrmm? Yep. These floors and the others.” She pulled a page she’d been looking at off the board. It glowed, but strangely, she didn’t. “Follow me.”

Stepping over, she approached a woman behind a standing desk in the standard Guild robe and placed the page down. “Chancey, why is this quest on the Tier 1 red board?” Though she spoke in an even tone, there was an undercurrent there that made Cass’s spine tingle.

The young woman grabbed the page and looked it over, seemingly not noticing. She spoke in a light and bubbly fashion, “Oh my goodness, I have no idea, Kara. Let me run this up to the second floor right away.”

Kara held up a hand to stop her, “You realize that if a low-level picked that up and set out to complete it, they’d assuredly have died. We haven’t had a single death in the last three months, do you know why that is?”

The bubbles seemed to pop as the young woman’s eyes grew wide, “No, Kara.”

“It’s because,” the words came across slowly, “Every. Single. Time. The quests arrive, they have to be placed on the correct board. Do you have your Quest Guide?”

Chancey held up a book thicker than Cass’s wrist as she seemed to wilt before them, “Right here.”

“Excellent. I want you to spend the next three evenings reviewing the Quest Guide over and over again. If I get back here and find another mismatched quest,” a pause. “I’m going to make you eat it.”

“Yes, Kara.” The young lady said, standing straight up from her slouched position, a green look to her face.

Kara waved at Cass, who tried to dip his head a little, not wanting the woman to feel even more embarrassed as he followed the Guild Trainer out of the building. 

As soon as they got outside, Kara rubbed her hands through her hair, “Ugh, I hate Clerks. It’s like the System picked the dumbest people for that Calling. Well, not all Clerks, just most of ‘em.” She spun around fast enough that Cass almost walked into her. “So, you’re not due to start your QuestWright duties until the day after tomorrow. Since you said you need some time to think, I’m going to let you go right now. I suggest you take care of your affairs with the extra day. Here, this is your schedule beginning Monday.”

She handed over a page that glowed the moment he touched it, writing appearing in real-time. Numb from the changes the day had brought, Cass didn’t even think there was anything special about the action. He looked up as Kara had already started to walk away.

He yelled back at her, “Physical conditioning at six a.m.!” 

“6.15,” She yelled back without turning, “You’re welcome!”

“But I’m a QuestWright,” He mumbled to the empty air, “I assign the quests.” He looked at the glimmering page in his hand, then at the woman’s quickly receding form, and came to a decision. 

“Lunch. Then panic,” he muttered, “then…studying.”

Chapter 6: Studying

After a hearty lunch occupied with flip-flopping thoughts on what it meant to be a QuestWright, Cass left right away, intent on making the most of his free time. 

The schedule Kara had given him didn’t allow for much variation in his forthcoming days. After physical conditioning, there was a short break for breakfast and a shower, then straight to classes. His first was going to be System Mechanics with Archivist Lyric Marell. In the margin notes, it said the class focused on system structure, overlay navigation, quests, permissions, and upgrades. 

And that was just the first class of the day after breakfast. There were seven more to follow, with the option to sign up for tutoring after dinner.

Asking a stranger for directions, Cass was pointed to the Entrance hall, which, funnily enough, was also the exit. As he approached, several groups of people walked past him in colorful clumps, several giving him grinning nods. As he was nodding to one group of people who looked no older than himself, a thick, heavy-set man in Guild brown popped out of a small booth set into the wall.

“Hello QuestWright Cassio, where are you off to?” His voice sounded like heavy breathing, but the light, glinting expression in his eyes gave the impression that a few jokes here and there could get him on your side quickly in an argument.

His father’s voice came back to him, “Always appeal to a fat man’s stomach.”

Cass smiled at him, turning on his charm for all it was worth, “Why, my good man, I’m off to see downtown Liora! The sights, the sounds, the delicacies! I could bring you back a few if you’d like?”

The man appeared to think about it for a moment. Reaching out a hand, Cass took it as he said, “The name’s Jim Harbow, I’m in charge of who goes in and out of here.”

“Cassio Vale, QuestWright.”

He chuckled, “I know, Kara threw your description to everyone in the Guild this morning so we could keep an eye out for you. You’ve got a problem, Cassio.”

“Call me Cass, what’s the problem?”

“You can’t exit the Guild in the robes, Cass.” He pointed at his outfit, “Only on official duties, and as you’re newly Called, I have serious doubts that you have anything official to do yet.”

“Ah!” Cass said with a smile, though inside he was a little mad at himself. It did say that in the orientation packet. “I’ll be right back.”

Jim grinned at him, “Yeah, see you soon.”

The trip to his room and back didn’t take long. He’d changed into standard about-town clothing and some comfortable shoes before he was back at Jim’s booth again. This time, the man didn’t step out.

“Do you approve?”

Jim twisted a hand back and forth. “You could do better.”

Cass took a step back, a hand on his heart, “I’m shocked, Gatekeeper Jim. I thought this was the height of fashion.” He took two steps forward, the man in the booth staying seated. “I’ll bring you back a snack as promised. Thanks for the heads up on the robe.”

“You’re welcome,” Jim called to his back, “Make sure the snacks are the kind that make you question your life’s choices.”

“Will do,” Cass waved over his shoulder, then he was back downtown, and the quiet of the guild was behind him.

Man, is it loud out here. 

It was one of those moments for Cass where the simple, calm atmosphere of where you’d just been was suddenly brought into clarity by comparison. Hundreds of people walked around the square, diving into smithies, carrying loads to the general stores, or just standing there like him, looking around.

It took a moment to remember why he was here. Trades. If I don’t know what they need, I won’t know how to do the delivery quests. Based on what he’d seen on the System Map, Cass knew that Smithies received deliveries all day long, so he headed that way.

Two larger buildings stood out. Both were close to the Guild’s Entrance Hall and had names splashed across the top in fancy lettering built from metal characters.

Martin Family Metalworks

The one next to it had small, artistic flowers set into every letter.

Liora Forgehall

The Premier Smithy in Liora

Not liking the feeling the latter invoked, Cass stepped inside the first. 

As soon as the threshold was crossed, a wall of heat struck him. Blinking quickly drying eyes, he found the smithy to be a scene of absolute chaos. People rushed between areas, in what he was sure was an organized manner, if you knew what to look for. A few tools were discarded left and right, yells and curses abounded, and a half-finished suit of armor stood on a man-shaped platform near the entrance.

Stepping close to a young girl with a wiry frame, he asked, “This is a smithy?”

“Of course not,” She said with a flip of her hair, “This is the Martin Family Metalworks, the best in Liora.”

“That’s right,” A burly man said, stopping for a moment with a hot bar of cherry-red metal in his hands, “Don’t let those bastards next door tell you different. A name does not make it a truth.” He slammed the metal down on an anvil, then picked up a hammer from the ground and began to strike it.

Clang!

“So-”

Clang!

“Um-”

Clang! Clang!

“You have to talk over the noise.” She stood up straight and leaned across the thick table in front of her. “Name’s Mera, what can I do for you?”

“I’m Cass, a QuestWright.” Cass said loudly over the din, “And I’m trying to get a sense of what everyone needs. Any issues that might be popping up?”

“What don’t we need?” She gave a crooked smile, then blinked. “Wait, what the heck is a  QuestWright?”

A bellowing sound from the back interrupted Cass’s explanation. “Did someone say QuestWright!” In a blink, a short, stocky man rushed up to the table. 

He was built like a cement block, all rough lines set in a rectangular shape. Wearing shorts and sandals along with a soot-stained shirt, he reached a thick, meaty hand across the table. “Call me Martin, are you a QuestWright?”

Cass reached out and felt his hand become engulfed, “Cass, and I am. I thought Martin was a last name.”

“It is. My name’s Martin Martin. So, what level are ya?”

“Dad!” Mera said, slapping his shoulder, “You can’t ask a person what level they are.”

“I kin if they have the ability to help me beat down that flowery bastard next door.”

“No you can’t!”

“Hello?” Cass said, hand-raised as if he were already in his classes. When they both turned, he grimaced and dropped the news. “I’ve just started. Level 1.”

“Ah, too bad.” Martin Martin gave his daughter a look, then glanced back at Cass, “When you can do a bit more, come and see me. We’ll set up a commissioning contract.”

“Thanks!” Cass called to his back, then looked at Mera again, “He’s a handful, isn’t he?”

Mera gave that crooked grin again, “You have no clue.” 

Someone yelled out that they needed help at the bellows, and Mera called back that she’d be right there, but not before she looked at Cass again. “You’re kind of cute, Cass. Don’t be a stranger.”

Cass gave her a smile, “I won’t.”

After she left, he followed suit. He glanced into the smithy next door, but with the single, dismissive glance they gave his clothing, he thought better of it. He didn’t want to be anywhere where people didn’t want him. As simple as that. 

This was a fact-finding mission. He needed to know what people needed and where, so he could figure out how to start designing his quests. Turning a corner and stepping out of the cul-de-sac that housed the Guildhall, he walked and enjoyed the freedom to explore the buildings he’d seen on the System map in real-time.

Tanneries are along this area.

Leatherworkers next door, that’s smart.

Hello, what is this?

Cass approached a large, open area where people of all different kinds of trades applied themselves. Near the front in prime real estate, he found a young man swinging a hammer against an anvil and a young woman molding damp leather along a curved frame. Each stood in what was clearly a demarcated work area, as several other young people worked different crafts down the line. It was less chaotic than the smithy, with every craftsman and woman plying their trade with concentrated expressions.

He watched the young man for a second, comparing what he was doing to what he’d seen at the Martin smithy when he seemed to notice.

Hammer raised pre-strike, he asked, “You good?”

“Yeah, just trying to get my bearings.” Cass looked around. “What do you call this place?”

“It’s the Commons,” The leatherworking woman said, “It’s where all the unaffiliated tradespeople go.”

“Tradesmen,” the man clarified, bringing his hammer down for emphasis.

“Don’t start that shit again.” She replied, pressing the leather harder into the curve with a glare, “Tradespeople is perfectly accurate.”

The man looked up, “See what you started?”

“I just got here?” Cass protested, “Look, I don’t want this to be awkward. Can I ask your names?”

 “Holt.” The young man said, as the woman responded in kind, “Rina.”

“Well, Holt and Rina, I’m a QuestWright, and I was just wondering what you both needed?”

“What’s a QuestWright?” Holt asked as he slammed his hammer down, “Is that like a Company thing? I don’t want to join a Company.”

“Dummy, it’s not a Company thing.” Rina replied, “I bet it has to do with one of the Consortiums. Are you from the Mercantile group?”

“No,” Cass shook his head, “I’m from the Guild. Tell me this, do you guys ever get any quests?’

“Just the ones from the System.” Holt replied, “A hundred hammerstrokes per day or I lose experience. Same as every other junior smith.”

“Mine’s like that, too.” Rina confirmed, “But unlike Smith’s, I have to worry about moisture content. His Iron’s already purified for him.” When Holt looked at her with a grimace, she gave him googly eyes with a puckered mouth.

“Weirdo.”

“No, you.” She replied before returning to her leather.

Cass let them work while his thoughts began to churn. So they only have standard, everyday System quests tied to their Callings. They probably don’t even know about quests or what their value brings. He looked around, finding dozens of people silently working on the Commons. All of these people are unaffiliated. I bet they could all use a quest or two to help them push up their levels.

Course set, he asked Rina a question, who seemed more sociable, “Hey, do you know everyone in the Commons?”

She paused her work with a look of annoyance. “Most of them, why?”

“Can you gather a list of their names, Callings, and what they need to improve themselves?”

“Why?” She reiterated, fully stepping away from her work, “What do you need that for?”

Cass noted that Holt had stopped his work to listen in, “I’m a part of the Liora Guildhall, but I’m low-level. I figure, since you’re all working here and not in one of the shops, you could use a leg-up. I thought we could help each other with a few mutually-beneficial deals.”

“Alright, hold up,” Holt said, stepping over. He was much more imposing up close, as his muscles seemed to strain against the apron he was wearing. “Who are you? Really?”

“I’m a QuestWright?”

“And that is…” Rina asked, continuing on Holt's line.

“I create quests?” Cass said, stepping back as they both immediately grew closer. Rina leaned forward, whispering so the others couldn’t hear. 

“Can you get us extra experience?”

“Yesss?” Cass said, drawing it out while matching her level of volume.

Holt took another step closer, until all of them were only inches away from each other, “You’re saying that you can create personal quests? Real ones? Not just the stuff the System hands out.”

“That’s the idea, yep,” Cass said, trying to step back before finding a wall behind him. I’m trapped. “Right now, I’m just trying to figure out what people need and how I can help.”

Both of them backed off as Rina gave a sharp laugh, “Ah, you’re not assigning anything yet.”

“I’m only Level 1.” Seeing them both start to go back to their stations, he made a leap of faith, “But I’ll get better. Look,” he paused, “I didn’t know this Calling existed until I got it yesterday. But now, as I look around and start to get a sense of things,” And that warning from earlier. “I see that I can do a lot to help.”

“We don’t need charity,” Holt replied, already swinging his hammer again, “If I said no to the Companies and the Consortium, I can say no to you too.”

“When you’re right, you’re right,” Rina said, face straining as she pushed against the leather.

I should’ve expected the pushback. Nobody likes a Level One. “That’s fair, and I don’t blame you. I’m not here to recruit or hand out favors. Let me explain something.” Both stopped in their work, eyes still averted, but at least they were listening. 

With these guys, honesty will get me further than candy; better go for broke.

“Look, I’m eighteen years old. Three times, I walked the Uncalled Way without even knowing it was named that. And three times, I walked away disappointed. Then, I got this Calling; QuestWright. He paused to collect his thoughts, then started again. “QuestWright can do some real good in the world. It’s different than anything I’d wanted, but now that I have it, I can see its real value.” Holt and Rina were both looking at him now. “It’s not charity.” He laughed, “I don’t have enough money to my name even to try to help that way, and I’m about to spend my last bit of money on a treat to make a gatekeeper like me. But if I can find the right way to match people with what they need, whether it's materials, tasks, or actions, then I’ll level up. And as I level up, so too do the people I’m helping. It’s not charity, and I’m not the Consortium. I’m just a guy trying to find his place in the world and help out a few people while I do it.”

Holt looked at Rina, who looked back at him. With a grunt, the man went back to hammering as Rina gave Cass a wink, “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you.” Cass replied with an immediate sense of relief, “I’ll try to get back here in a little over a week.”

“You do that.” She was already back at her leather.

Stepping back quietly, Cass left the Commons on a return trip to his quarters. Now that he had a plan of action for the future, he refused to neglect the past. With his free day tomorrow, it was time for him to go home for a moment and see what his friends and family think of his Calling.

Turning the corner on the route back, he headed to the general store. He needed a sweet treat to keep Jim on his side.