The air was crisp and full of the scent of spring. Winter had retreated from the forest and many of the plants had started to bloom again. Alanna had been on her guard, in spite of the nice conditions of her long walk to Wildbrook, but found little reason to do so.
She had been walking for about half a day and so far had seen no monsters near the road. A patrol of elven horsemen in gleaming armor with long spears passed her, not sparing her a second look. Many cities employed patrols like these to keep the roads clear for traders and travelers, without whom many places would wither. Few people appreciate the value of trade until it stops happening.
Finally, she broke through the treeline to see the walls of Wildbrook in the distance. It was much smaller than Birchhaven, but also much more fortified. There was a slight slope to the road as she descended towards the city, allowing her to see over the perimeter wall, which stuck out about a mile from the city. Unlike Birchhaven, whose perimeter wall was a big construct of brick and cobblestone that extended around the entire city, Wildbrook's wall extended only about a mile out towards the north, circling towards the river from which the city took its name.
Alanna had read about this place some time ago. When the elves and humans warred about twenty years ago, it forced all the civilians out of the area between the Elven Queendom and the Human Federation. This area became a no-man's land, and after the war died down was left full of small fortresses and the dead, which naturally attracted monsters that hadn't left until this day.
Wildbrook was a fortress along this frontier, skirting its northern edge, and while it was once a military outpost it was now a bustling hub for adventurers from far and wide. Due to its proximity to no-man's land it was full of spell crafters and artisans looking for monster parts to ply their craft with, while nearby towns sent representatives to hire help whenever something nasty reared its ugly head. Particularly elves but also humans, dwarves and gnomes came here to prove themselves. If you wanted to get your start in the Elven Queendom as an adventurer, this was the place to be.
As she approached the gate, made of immense logs reinforced with steel, she saw a few elves talking to the guards and exchanging paperwork, their cart full of freshly-cut hardwood.
"We're expanding the walls again?" one guard asked the other.
"Not again, still. Captain Zindove wants the walls to be in peak condition and is looking to put a new patch of grassland behind the perimeter wall to the east. There's never enough wood to keep up with his plans," the other guard responded.
"Long as the money keeps flowing we'll keep 'em coming," the older elf signing off on the paperwork commented. The guard and loggers had a shared chuckle at that and allowed the cart through. The gate swung open ponderously and closed with a loud thud before Alanna reached it. The elven guard, wearing very similar armor to the riders she had encountered earlier, looked down at her without much in the way of a greeting.
"State your name and business," the guard asked, his tone somewhat disengaged. Clearly this was routine for them.
"Alanna, I'm here for the adventurer's guild."
The guard studied her for a moment, then motioned towards the top of the wall a signal to open the gate.
"Lotta new adventurers this season," the guard said. "You look new, so I'll give you the advice we give every newbie. Find a good group and keep your nose clean, alright? The Captain tolerates a lot because he wants everyone here to get along, but we won't hesitate to kick you out if you're caught stirring trouble."
"I'll be good, I just need to find work," Alanna replied nervously. The guard nodded and the gates swung open.
"Go on then. Once you get to the settlement the Adventurer's Guild is near the keep, to your right."
"Thanks," Alanna said, walking past the guard into the farmland that surrounded Wildbrook. It wasn't anywhere near as expansive as Birchhaven, stalks of wheat and potato plants swaying in the breeze, with plumes of smoke rising from chimneys up ahead. The atmosphere at the second gate was significantly more relaxed, the guards mainly being concerned tallying supplies and goods as they arrived and not checking lone travelers like herself.
Wildbrook was very unlike Birchhaven. Alanna saw a riot of different species moving to and fro, mainly groups of adventurers but also merchants, couriers and craftsmen going to and from their place of business. The most common races were humans and elves, but there were plenty of gnomes, dwarves and half-orcs, as well as numerous beastfolk and half-beastfolk. Birchhaven was predominantly populated with elves, with humans and half-orcs forming the majority of the rest of the population, and most of the non-elves were quite poor. Here the wealth gap was clearly formed between new adventurers and veterans, rather than their species, which Alanna found a welcome sight.
She quickly noticed everything seemed geared towards adventurers. Blacksmiths sold weapons, armor, ammunition or offered immediate repairs to gear.She even saw a stand selling potions, and one prominent store offered magical items for sale. Alanna considered getting some healing potions, but the price tags were in the triple-digits, far beyond what the small pouch of gold she had would be able to pay for. A lot of food stands offered jerky or hardtack, colorful signs indicating their food would last for weeks before spoiling or losing flavor, while others cooked and sold food on the spot to hungry adventurers. The smells made Alanna's mouth water, but she resolved to reach the Guild first before stopping to eat.
Finally, she reached the Adventurer's Guild. It was one of the larger structures in town, though not particularly ornate, save for the illustrated sign that read "Adventurer's Guild of Wildbrook." She pushed open the doors and was greeted with at least a dozen different groups of adventurers, drinking, eating, socializing, discussing battle plans for a coming quest or checking out the notice board. Outside the orphanage Alanna hadn't really had any experience with crowds this size, so she fought the feeling of being overwhelmed as she approached the half-elven lady at the front desk. She had her hair in a long braid and wore a very professional looking uniform. Her eyes were down, focussing on a roll of parchment as she moved her quill rapidly across it. She didn't notice Alanna approaching.
"Excuse me?" Alanna asked.
The women looked up with a start, only now realizing Alanna was there for her.
