A violet portal opens above a grassy rise, spilling Diamond Oren. into cool morning air. Beyond the slope, pale towers and red banners mark the kingdom he has come to see.
Diamond Oren.
The kingdom gate is close enough to study, but the sentries are watching the road.
He draws his hidden power inward and reshapes the signs of his nature. The shadow around him thins, his presence settles, and he takes on an ordinary traveler’s appearance.
At the gate, two human guards stand beneath a stone arch in blue-and-bronze tabards, spears upright. One is broad and middle-aged with a gray beard; the other is a lean young woman with a scar across her chin.
Kingdom Gate Guards
Halt there. State your business before entering the kingdom.
The guards keep their weapons lowered but ready. Behind them, the open gate reveals a crowded market street, while the portal fades soundlessly behind Diamond Oren.
✓ Quest Accepted
Get past the kingdom gate guards
“I explained that I am just a traveler trying to go through who. Who some places? Because I do not know this kingdom home that I am at, I asked one of the guards. What is this kingdom? Exactly.”
SUCCESS (Good Persuasion, rolled +1)
Diamond Oren.
I am only a traveler, passing through. I do not know this kingdom yet. What is it called?
As Diamond Oren. speaks, his restrained aura bends the morning light softly around him, lending his plain traveler’s manner an understated allure. The guards’ suspicion eases.
Kingdom Gate Guards
You stand before the Kingdom of Aurel, traveler. Its capital lies beyond this market road, under the crown’s protection.
The broad guard lowers his spear fully, while the scar-chinned guard glances toward the busy street and then back to Diamond Oren.
Kingdom Gate Guards
If Aurel is your destination, you may enter. Keep to the public streets, and cause no trouble within the walls.
The open arch now offers an unobstructed passage into Aurel’s market. Vendors call from painted stalls, and red banners stir above the crowded avenue.
Behind him, the last trace of the violet portal has vanished, leaving only cool grass, pale towers, and the road into the kingdom.
“I go in and to see the the the whole place, hoping to spot something good, you know?”
SUCCESS (Good Perception, rolled +2)
Diamond Oren. passes beneath the stone arch and enters Aurel’s market. His restrained aura bends the light around him, softening edges and drawing only welcoming glances as he studies the crowded avenue.
The market opens wide around a bronze fountain, its stalls bright with dyed cloth, carved charms, spiced fruit, and polished blades. Beyond the roofs, pale towers rise toward the royal quarter.
Diamond Oren.
The charm stall is genuine, but the swordsmith’s work is better than anything meant for display.
Near the fountain, a young woman soldier in training pauses beside a weapons stall, watching a merchant argue over a shield. Her posture is disciplined, and one hand rests near her practice sword.
Ettel
That shield is warped. If you sell it to a guard, someone will get hurt.
The merchant falls silent. The soldier notices Diamond Oren. among the passing crowd, then gives him a brief, assessing look before returning her attention to the stall.
Ettel
Ettel. Remember that name if you are looking for honest work in Aurel.
With the market mapped in his awareness, Diamond Oren. has found both a promising swordsmith and a forthright soldier, while the city’s public streets remain open before him.
Quest Complete
Get past the kingdom gate guards
Skill Upgrade: Persuasion Good→Great