What does it mean to become someone, is it simply just realizing who you already are? The knight had pondered that exact question for the longest time, ever since he was young. He traversed the dark forest, passing trees covered in dampened bark. He stepped over stones that had been overruled by dark green moss; Lute Village was only a mile away and he wanted to get there before sundown to trade in loot he got from hunting monsters so he'll have money for food and further supplies. He continued down the path before stopping and observing his surroundings. The path he was walking on diverged into three smaller paths, each varied in thickness. He reached behind him and grabbed a hold of a leather pack that he hooked to his side. Reaching inside he retrieved a map, opening it and pinpointing the exact location of Lute Village.
"If I'm right, I should be going that way." The young knight pointed to the right path, it's the most narrow path of the tree with trees and rock and vines covering big portions of the ground before him. He watched his step as traveled, being careful not to trip on a rock or vine and injure himself as paying for a healer is the last thing he'd want to do.
While walking he thought of all the things he wanted to do:
First, he wanted to trade in his monster innards for some gold, then he wanted to go to the blacksmith to get his weapon repaired. And after eating he wanted to buy some tools along the way. In his head he had calculated everything such as the cost and how long it would take to run his errands in around a minute or so. He was a very smart individual, he was able to understand semi-complex topics quite easily at a young age which not only helped him excel at academics but got him out of trouble more than he'd ever admit.
Lute Village was now just around the corner, he had been walking for at least 30 minutes which gave him time to examine the scenery. Many of the rocks were cracked and eroded from the excessive rain, having moss grow in the cracks. Roots emerged from the soil tangling with dark vines like an intricate knot. The dirt was moist and soft, almost squishing underneath his weight as he treaded onwards towards Lute Village.
Lute Village was a small town, it wasn't very lively but it had a stable community of around 250 people and you could probably meet everyone in around a day or two if you had to estimate. The villagers noticed a new visitor had arrived; they were most likely a wandering knight or something along the lines of an adventurer. The armor was the first indicator that he was special, as he had a full set of steel with pointy pointy knees and broad shoulders that protruded around two or three inches outwards, forming what looked like little horns. The torso piece had minimal rounded edges, and the helmet that obscured his face also had minimal rounded edges with a 'T' shape carved out for a visor with the helm being topped with a red feather, he had a torn maroon cape that flapped behind him with vigor whenever the wind started to get stronger. As he walked towards them they noticed his lean build, he wasn't jacked but he was certainly muscular almost like that of a young man or boy.
Full attention was on the stranger as he approached them and stopped one foot in front of the two villagers.
"Do you know where I could find a trader?" That was the first thing the young knight had said to them, no introduction or greeting. Was it urgent? Or did he just not know common respect? No matter, he'd probably be gone in a few hours anyway. "He's down that way," a burly man with slick back hair and stubble turned to point behind him, "it's the small house with the water pump in front of it, should be easy to find."
"Thank you." That's all the knight had to say as he headed towards the trader, maybe he's simply not a conversationalist. The knight treaded on the dirt road, passing stone houses and wood shacks and small brick structures. A well lay in the middle of the entire village, it was where the villagers went for a source of water. He unhooked the canteen that lay on the thick leather belt wrapped around his midsection, unscrewing the top and scooping some water to drink for later. Securing the cap and placing it on his utility belt, he made his way towards the blacksmith. It was a brick house with the bricks being made of a light grey stone, the roof had been covered in a layer of yellow straw and the perimeter of the house had bushes growing around it.
He knocked three times, and a light voice called out. "Come in." gently opening the oak door he's met with a frail man who looks to be around five-foot-six or so. His long dirty blonde hair is tied back into a ponytail and a small monocle with a gold rim lay on the wrinkles of his cheek. The old man rubs the bridge of his large hawk-like nose before straightening out his coat that was made of a white fabric. The old man walked over to his desk, his black loafers clacking against the floorboards that creaked under his weight. The knight followed suit, meeting him at the rickety desk. Behind the desk lay shelves that are stacked with jars of monster parts preserved in liquid, along with artifacts found in dungeons and caves and various potions and engraved stones that are probably used for magic rituals.
The trader's voice was frail as he spoke like he had a sore throat or lost his voice. "Are you here to trade?" He said, "or are you buying? I'd prefer if you could be quick with it too." The knight nodded in understanding as he unlatched the bag of monster parts and plopped it onto the desk. "I'm trading these." The trader uncinched the bag and pulled out the finger of a goblin, then the eye of a basilisk. He examined the parts carefully, making sure the appendages and organs are in perfect shape. "Looks good," he said, "I'll buy it for 1000 gold." 1000 was perfect for supplies and repairs in such a small town. In Altad, the capital, supplies would've cost around 2000 gold but in a village as small as Lute with as strong of a community, it'd be the cheaper option, so many adventurers do trades in small villages such as Lute. "I could pay you more," these words caught the Knight's attention, "if you do me a favor, that is."
"A favor?"
"Yes, a favor. I have a thorn in my side I need taken care of."
The trader rested his arms on the table as he spoke, "goblins have taken a souvenir of mine, a locket my sweet daughter gave to me."
He sighed, a solemn look lay in his eyes. "She succumbed to the plague last year, that's the only thing I have left. If you retrieve it for me, I'll give you a hefty reward." The knight looked down at the man, feeling pity for him.
"I'll do it."
The mood had instantly brightened, the clerk looked like he wanted to cry tears of joy. He rushed over to shake the young knight's hand. "Oh, thank you, good sir! I'll pay you handsomely I promise!" The knight turned to the door but was stopped before he could reach for the knob. "What's your name, young warrior? I'd like to know who has helped me through such a dire time." He turned to the trader and spoke, "don't have one," he said, "I don't see the use in such."
"Well surely you have a name," replied the old man, "everyone has a name." The knight stopped and stroked the chin of his helm, debating his options. "Call me Cilpen." Truthfully, that wasn't his name, he had made it up on the spot. He hated sharing his identity, he didn't think it was anyone's business. "Since I shared my name, I guess I should get the name of the one I'm saving, right?" The knight Cilpen leaned against the doorframe as he awaited a response. "Oh, you can call me Axel," the trader was enthusiastic he got a name out of the warrior, "Axel Quagmire is my full name."
With the newly acquired information, Cilpen set out to eradicate the goblins and retrieve the locket for Axel Quagmire.