Franza Buys a Keychain from the Dark Pit

Franza was afraid of the dark.

When they had been falling to their death earlier, it hadn’t seemed like a pressing issue (since they were also afraid of falling and of death.) Even on the ladder it hadn’t seemed like the worst thing in the world, because they’d been close to the glowstone fragments and again, more concerned about their potential fall and death.

The instant that they were once more on solid ground, however, they knew that finding light was a higher priority than even socializing.

Luckily, they found the source of the distance torchlight just a short trot from where they had pulled themselves off the ladder. To their delight, it was a torch. Franza reached a paw to pull it from the large, white, marble building to which it was mounted, along with other torches.

No one will miss just this one, they reasoned to themselves. They felt instantly better with a source of light at their control.

“Now all I’ve got to do is find some food, and a way out.” They said to no one in particular. There was a set of stairs that ran up and around the fancy building. They assumed that was probably the way out, so they were two for three. Belthor had said not to wander off too far, so they could check the stairs when the whole group was there, but they didn’t see the harm in checking out the building.

There could be food in there.

There was a sign out front that Franza was having difficulty reading, since it was a big word spelled out in common letters, and not the Ruffsport glyphs that Franza was fluent in. They tried to sound it out anyway.

“May-you-see-lee-yum.”

That didn’t sound right, so they tried again.

“Mow-suh-liam.”

That also didn’t sound like a word, but Franza didn’t have the patience to keep trying past that point. They decided to just go in and see what was in there, sniffing out sustenance with their dog nose, if there was any to be found. They regretted the attempt immediately upon opening the large wooden doors.

The first whiff of the place was horrendous, and Franza recoiled instantly, coughing and stumbling back toward the steps.

If there’s food in there it went bad a long time ago.

So Franza went back to carry the torch to the party, feeling a little queasy and wishing that the smell would go away. It didn’t.

Consequently, the walk felt much longer on the way back.

The other two Resistance members, as well as Loan, were waiting for them when they returned.

“Let’s go,” Irolt said humorlessly.

“I found some stairs,” the dog told them, and they hoped for a pat on the back or some kind of indication that they’d done well. Not for the first time that day, they were disappointed.

Between the bad cave and the being woken to combat, Franza was not getting their average 10-12 hours of sleep every day, which was especially felt in their tired doggo bones on days that were this exhausting.

I wonder if Yvette would be proud of me.

She had been the most reserved dog in Ruffsport, and that had made her harder to read than anyone in town. Thinking about her was pleasant though, a good way for Franza to stay motivated, even as they grew weary.

“Where are you guys going? When we get out of here, I mean?” Loan asked.

“Bed,” Irolt answered gruffly.

“Probably to the inn,” Franza agreed. “What about you?”

“Well, my crew is probably still down there in the pit,” she reasoned. “So I might just move on.”

“Move on?”

“Somewhere else. Skip town.”

“We could use your help giving this gold back,” came the voice of a thoroughly exhausted half dwarf.

“That sounds like a lot of work,” she said, and Franza couldn’t help but agree.

The stairs were better than the ladder had been, but it was a long walk all the same. Franza’s depleted stamina was restored somewhat by their excitement as they saw the exit. It looked like they could finally see the stairs leveling off, the cave finally leading back out into the town.

The best part was that there was a shop.

It seemed to be built into the side of the exit tunnel, and was little more than a thin barred window with a man behind it, standing in a carve out filled with goods. It wasn’t much, but it looked so inviting to a sick dog who was hungrier than they had ever been in their entire life. Another thing that Franza was not accustomed to was missing so many meals.

Belthor also looked intrigued by the store, but Loan just kept walking.

“Wait!” Belthor called after her.

“Let her go,” Irolt said as he slumped against the wall of the tunnel opposite the small shop window. “It’s not worth it.”

I should probably get him a stamina potion, just so he can make it back to the inn.

Franza didn’t think they’d be strong enough to carry him if he passed out.

“Welcome to my food shop,” said the man from behind the window. It was hard to make out his features in the dark. “I offer all kinds of snacks and potions for the weary traveler who finds themselves in the pit.”

“We could use a stamina potion for my friend there,” Franza said.

“I have plenty of stamina potions for fine folks such as yourself.”

“How much?"

“How much do you have?”

Franza was about to answer, but Belthor clamped a hand over their mouth. Irolt was able to weigh in, even in his current condition. “Never answer that question.”

They didn’t quite understand until they remembered what had started this whole thing in the first place; getting scammed.

I have to be more careful with my money.

They swatted Belthor’s hand away and remembering how cute they were, they turned some doggo eyes on the vendor. “Do your prices vary? Is it like a percentage thing? I just want to buy a stamina potion for my friend.”

“How about a free sample?” Asked the man, obviously charmed.

“I would love that,” Franza said gratefully as the man slid a large bottle marked “Big Stamina” through the slot under the window.

Belthor watched the transaction warily, but even he was not suspicious enough to suggest that they turn down some free help when they so desperately needed it.

“If you like this,” said the man in an attempt to justify his spur of the moment generosity, “maybe you’ll buy some more of our fine potions.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Irolt declared as he held his hand out for the potion.

Franza was not about to deny him something he so sorely needed but they did call him out on his rudeness as they handed over the potion. “Don’t snap at me.”

“I’m so tired,” he said in lieu of an apology before downing all the liquid in the bottle.

The dog was so proud when they turned back to Belthor and saw that he wasn’t even attempting to steal something.

Or he’s already stolen something.

Either way, Franza was proud.

“Is there anything else I can interest you in?” Asked the shopkeep.

“I’d like some beef jerky, if you have it.” Franza said, praying to the God of Silence or the God of Jerky, or Any God That Would Listen, that he did. Their prayers were answered.

“Ten silver.”

They had initially hoped to practice some haggling, but when it came right down to it, they were too tired and too hungry. They paid the ten silver and lost themselves in the delicious taste of jerky while Belthor and the man went back and forth on potion prices for a while. They went and bought another few bags of jerky when the elf had his bag filled with potions.

“Three more bags please.”

“That will be thirty silver.”

“How about twenty?” Asked the dog, feeling like they might get a little bit of haggling in after all.

“How about twenty-five and a free keychain with a touristy slogan?”

“Deal!”

Franza didn’t have keys, but they liked the idea of getting a tourist item. Maybe they could impress Yvette with it when they got home, and if she liked it, maybe they could come back and get a matching one for her.

“What does the slogan say?” They asked as they took the keychain.

“I visited the dark pit.” Answered the man.

It looked like a smooth, all black keychain to Franza, but they shrugged and clipped it to their earring before putting the rest of the jerky in their bag. “Thanks!”

“Be sure to come again if you’re ever around.”

“Will do,” said the dog, although they weren’t sure that either of the other two would be up for the journey.

They glanced at Irolt who seemed to be doing a little better, standing to follow them back to town.

I don’t think he’s okay, though.

He didn’t even call them out for using stolen money to buy food and potions.