Lore 107 - The Boy and the Scrolls
James Drik runs the local trading shop in town. Trading the produce and wares of the local farmers was his meat and potatoes (quite literally), but his true passion resided in the acquisition and trading of the exotic. Any item reigning from a land other than Morta truly fascinated him. He would inspect them for hours, wondering what the life of the previous owner must have been - what would have been important to them.
Conveniently located on the bank of the river running the outskirts of town, James's shop played host to many a traveling merchant where he could pick up all manner of items. Unique and absurd weapons, ancient ritual garments or even food preparation devices - if it caught his eye, he haggled for it. To James's additional benefit, Mount Morta was distant from any established civilization in any direction. Most merchants would be running low on food supplies at this point in their journey and with no where else to go, James could command the negotiation.
It was after a particularly successful haul, that a young boy entered James's shop. Similar to James, this boy obsessed over anything from outside the land of Morta. He often wondered what the lands beyond must have been like, often imagining himself setting out on grand adventures to these unknown lands.
He often gazed upon the shop's wares for hours, but a set of newly acquired scrolls caught his eye as no other had. Locked upon connection, he couldn't turn - couldn't look away. A trance overtook him as he flipped through the scrolls. Little inked-in characters demonstrated an absurd fighting style using nothing but their hands. Where one may think it rediculous to bring nothing but fists to a land of swords, this little boy thought it the most amazing concept.
He took the scrolls to the counter and rang the bell. James turned from his current affair to see the set of scrolls sitting upon his counter and behind it, only a tuft of hair. James leaned over the counter to see the boy in full. Smiling, the boy asked how much for the scrolls. When James gave him an answer the boy couldn't afford, his smile faded.
"Oh..."
"You know what. Why don't you just take them."
The boy froze, disbelief in his eyes. "Are... are you sure?"
"That I am. Just pay it back some day."
The boy's grin returned. He grabbed the scrolls and ran out the door, jumping into the air in excitement and nearly colliding with an unsuspecting villager.
James's wife walked in from the back of the shop. "Did I hear that right? Did you just give something away for free?!"
"No honey, I did not. That was Mark Bergson, the boy with a heart bent on protecting this mountain, but a soul yearning for adventure. No, I did not give anything away for free today, for one day, he will pay it back in full... and then some."
Gear up! Mark is preparing for battle atop Mount Morta!
-Jakobsen Beck Narrative Designer