Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Interactive Story, Chapters 4-5
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Chapter 4:The chapter-specific screenshots have been added to our image gallery, as well.
The hammer-and-anvil sign creaks softly, swinging in the breeze as you stand at the entrance to the shop. You peer through the latticework windows, trying to catch a glimpse of what lies inside, but the amber glow of candlelight drowns out anything beyond. You grip the sturdy iron handle and give the door a hard pull. The solid wood creaks and warm air pours out, carrying with it scents of metal, smoke, wood, and fruit. The latter seems out of place until you step across the threshold and discover that this building is much larger than it looks from the outside -- it houses not one shop, but two.
Inside, a middle-aged woman in a colorful dress steps from behind a counter piled high with baskets of fresh produce. Her bronze-skinned face lights up in a smile as she introduces herself as Rikka and welcomes you to The Corner Shop. As you look around at the assortment of landscape paintings, brightly-dyed rugs, and bulging sacks of grain, Rikka rambles on about the local news and gossip. Noticing that you are barely listening to her, she sighs and launches into a practiced sales pitch, gesturing at rows of gleaming weapons and masterfully crafted armor lined up in the next room.
On the far side of the building, you see an aged and well-used blacksmith's forge. Another woman is there, bent over the forge and hammering a sheet of red-hot metal with quick, forceful strikes. Her hair is pulled back in a tight bun, and her toned muscles flex with every swing of her mallet. Rikka follows your gaze, and explains that the woman at the forge is Nettie, Gorhart's weaponsmith.
Rikka goes on to tell you that their shop has fallen on hard times. The Crystal War claiming more lives by the day, and so many in Gorhart fearful of traveling to Didenhil, the nearest town. To make matters worse, she laments, there has been a recent rash of crime in Gorhart that have kept the sorely understaffed guards busy. Some of Nettie's best weaponsmithing tools were just one of the many things to recently go missing, and trade between Didenhil has been treacherous and slow. Should you be interested in work, Rikka assures you that she, Nettie, and the Gorhart Guard would all be willing to make it worth your while. She waits anxiously for your response...
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Chapter 5:
A blade for hire can rarely afford the luxury of choice, especially in the middle of a war. But, as luck would have it, today is one of the few days that allow for that luxury. You clasp the guard's hand in yours and give it a strong shake, formally accepting her request.
You start by searching Gorhart for clues. Surely, the locals have seen or heard something. Unfortunately, after spending a few hours gathering details about the crimes, you're left with a growing headache and more questions than you started with. The locals have strong opinions about who is to blame for the rash of theft and murder -- neighbors, brigands, wolves, Boggarts, the Fae. One frazzled old woman even blames a chicken wandering aimlessly around the village square. No one can agree who, or what, is at the heart of the problem, though the name (Red Legion) has been whispered fearfully by some of Gorhart's citizens.
The only reliable lead that you could piece together suggests that the culprit is an organized group, camped somewhere close enough to make frequent raids. Despite that suspicion, no one has dared venture beyond Gorhart's boundaries to seek them out.
Due east is a ruin the locals call Agnur Farhal. Some say that it is inhabited by the spirits of the ancient Erathi and warn you to stay away, but your interest is piqued when one citizen makes a casual comment about how isolated the ruin is -- just the sort of place for someone who doesn't wish to be found. Spanning north and east of Gorhart are the thick forests of Odarath. The glades, riverbeds, and craggy foothills are home to all manner of dangerous creatures, and provide many opportunities for a group of brigands to hide.
The clues you were able to gather are sparse but you've managed to create a short list of places that sound promising. Where do you begin your search?
