Chương 4: The First Check

The wagon was stacked with hay, manned by a father-son pair, and led by an aging chestnut horse. <Character Sheet> Name: MALLET of COPPER HILL Race: Human Age: 58 Class: Tamer, Level 3 Vessel: Cup of Modesty <Character Sheet> Name: MATTOCK of COPPER HILL Race: Human Age: 21 Class: Porter, Level 2 Vessel: Cup of Quietude Finally, something familiar for Jordan to latch onto. In the world of Vesselia, everyone was a spellcaster, even those who cast spells purely for occupational or domestic reasons.

In this father-son's case, their Vessels were nothing more than lidded teacups securely fastened to their waists. The naming conventions were a little different here, but Jordan knew these to be the low-quality, low- capacity Vessels most common among NPCs. At most, they could hold about 300 cc of mana, which didn't leave much room for [Hoarding]. Dexterity DC 5: success Nezha:"Their Vessel Capacities might be paltry compared to yours, but they at least get to use the mana they've stored up."

Nezha the God of Dexterity wasn't wrong about that. Even now, the cup at Mallet's waist glowed with a familiar rosy iridescence, as he leaned over in his seat and cast [Speak with Animals].

"Whoa there, whoa there. That's a good girl." The old man bolstered his effort with a gentle smile and a loving pat. The chestnut horse (called, appropriately enough, Chestnut) let out a half-hearted whinny before settling down entirely. More out of guilt than anything, Jordan lowered his phone and switched off the flashlight. He then squinted into the growing darkness to get a better look at the NPCs.

Loose cross-collared tunic over baggy trousers rolled up to the knees, all tied together with a cloth sash at the waist. Both men wore their hair in a topknot, again tied with cloth. Jordan's mouth hung open slightly as recognition dawned. This is the classic depiction of farmers from imperial China. These guys wouldn't be out of place in one of those period dramas Mom is addicted to. Just what have I gotten myself into? Intelligence DC 8: success Fuxi:"Quit your gawking.

You're embarrassing yourself and, by extension, us. We are in Goldcrest-Dynasty Stormvast, in the 59th year of the Radiant Vigor Era. These peasants' attire is a perfectly appropriate reflection of the current time and place. If anything, you're the one who looks like you just dropped in from another universe."

"That's because I have."

"What's that, young feller? Did you say something?" Jordan glared at the old man in annoyance. An unfair reaction and he knew it, but this conversational juggling act was about to make him go mad. That was when he caught onto yet another odd feature of life inside Vesselia.

"Hang on. How are you all speaking English?" Father and son exchanged looks—Mallet's frankly baffled, Mattock's obviously surly." Engl —what now?" Mallet said with a patient smile.

"We're just simple folk, traveler. Neither my son nor I know any speech other than the one on everyone's tongue." Intelligence DC 12: success Fuxi:"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt. Ever since unification under the First Emperor of Wreathworn, all Stormvasters have communicated in the Common Speech.

Granted, the language has seen many iterations over the centuries, and there are still some backwater dialects that give even us gods trouble, but this fellow here is perfectly standard in both accent and syntax. Do keep up… if you can." Jordan resisted the urge to sigh in frustration. You try to keep up when you've just dropped in from another universe. Despite his inward grumblings, he'd slowly begun to make heads and tails of the situation.

It's a strange accent I can't quite place, but everyone here—gods and farmers both—speaks what I would call English. Feels awfully convenient, but maybe it's only natural. I mean, English is the default language of Vesselia the game… By now, Jordan felt wide awake. The initial shock of the encounter had worn off, allowing him to adopt his usual demeanor when it came to dealing with strangers—especially strangers in Vesselia. Namely, he put his guard all the way up.

"Okay," he said, "sorry for the confusion; I didn't mean anything by it. Um, nice meeting you and all, but don't let me keep you. I'm sure you've got places to be." Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Another exchange of looks—Mallet's now tinged with concern, Mattock positively rolling his eyes.

"Are you sure you don't need our help?" The older man turned to the traveler.

"It's a long way out from the nearest inn, and doesn't look to me like you've got any camping supplies. Besides which, that Vessel of yours seems in need of a lift." There it was. The ulterior motive behind the friendly veneer. It was always the same with these people. In real life, in Vesselia the game, and certainly in Vesselia the real life version.

"No, I'm sure." Jordan folded his arms.

"It's my Vessel, so I'll take care of it myself. Please leave me, so I can get on with—" Dexterity DC 14: failure Nezha:"Are you quite mad? Or did you actually master the wind while we weren't looking?" Charisma DC 14: failure N üwa: "I take it back. This one is a bore … and a chore to boot. Oh, please let him die here so we can move onto a more interesting prospect. You know, I could talk myself into that Porter over there with the brooding eyes."

Wisdom DC 12: success Shennong:"Young one, might I suggest you think about this more carefully? You're not exactly spoiled for options here, and besides, these two look plenty trustworthy to me. Real salt of the earth stuff." Constitution DC 18: failure Xihe:"Why break when you've yet to even bend? Is your resolve really so brittle as chalk?" Well, it seemed Xihe the God of Constitution was the only one on Jordan's side.

And yet, at least in this round of discussions, their argument sounded perhaps the most deranged. Maybe just as deranged as Jordan and his trust-no-one policy…

"Traveler?" Mallet reached out again, perhaps in a last-ditch attempt to make this strange young man see sense.

"I really think you oughta reconsider, but I of course respect your wishes. If you're really sure you don't need our help, then Mattock and I will be off." In truth, Jordan wasn't sure at all. Even now, his fundamental misanthropy fought his basic survival instincts for primacy. It seemed to be losing, which was why the system saw fit to formalize the choice. Mallet, Mattock, and Chestnut of Copper Hill have offered to help carry your Vessel. Will you … 1) Accept. This clearly isn't a one-bearer job.

2) [Constitution DC 30 (Nearly impossible)] Stick to your guns and refuse. Real men don't ask directions, and they certainly don't ask to be hard-carried by strangers. [Favorable: CON modifier (+4).] [Adverse: You're really tired (-2). You feel bad about spooking the horse (Disadvantage).] His first active ability check, and it was a doozy of a roll. The only way for Jordan to win would be with a nat 20.

And rolling with [Disadvantage] (taking the lower of two rolls) meant he'd have to hit it twice in a row, which translated to a 0. 25% chance of success. At this point, it was pure stubbornness that drove his next move. He didn't escape his dead-end life on Earth just to be peer-pressured by some gods and a couple of farmers. This was meant to be a fresh start —in which Jordan Yu took charge of his own life and manifested all of his latent potential. As such, he had only one real option.

2) Stick to your guns and refuse. Constitution DC 30 Rolls (Disadvantage): 2, 18 Final: 4 Result: failure"I…" Jordan began, then lost the plot immediately.

"I don't need to… you're not… I can look after myself, Dad! So just… get off my back, will you?" He realized as soon as it happened. If only he could cast [Dig Hole] and jump into it forever! Across from him, father and son reacted very differently. Mattock the junior leaned back in the wagon seat as if to get as far away as possible from the raving stranger. Mallet the senior, on the other hand, hopped off the wagon without hesitation.

He trotted over to Jordan, back slightly hunched, wearing a genial smile all the while. Up close, Jordan could see the cracks and wrinkles on Mallet's face. The face spoke to a life of hard labor under the sun, a life quite literally a world apart from an Earthling's suburban upbringing. The old man reached out with a callused hand. Jordan flinched momentarily, but let the hand fall and grip his shoulder.

"Let us help, son," Mallet spoke quietly.

"I insist." That was it. No moralizing or rationalizing. Just a simple yet firm gesture of compassion, and it was exactly what Jordan needed in the moment. He nodded, exhausted—both physically and mentally—and beyond caring how his flip-flop might reflect on his character. And now, to lift a 500-pound cauldron out of a ditch and onto a wagon. Back in the 'real world', occupational safety would've perhaps dictated the use of a hydraulic hoist.

Here in Vesselia, however, the task was performed single-handedly by a Lv. 2 Porter. Mattock cast [Bull's Strength] on himself, then lifted the cauldron all by his lonesome. Red in the face with effort, he wobbled slightly as he stood upright. Jordan hastened to grab one corner of the cauldron, but judging by the lack of resistance, he contributed nothing to the endeavor. As the cauldron made it onto the wagon, Jordan took a moment to do some quick maths.

[Bull's Strength] is a channeling spell, costing at least 30 cc per second. Mattock must've spent half his VR just to help my sorry ass.

"Thanks man," he mumbled at the younger man, more embarrassed than ever.

"Uh, as soon as I've got some VR of my own, I'll make it up to you and your dad. With interest." Mattock didn't answer, merely glowering at Jordan before climbing back onto the wagon. Even Mallet took on a visibly stern expression as he spoke for the both of them.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that, traveler. Things in Copper Hill haven't been easy of late, but we haven't fallen so low as to forget our Aperturian principles. Now, hop on and make yourself comfortable among the haystacks." For a moment, Jordan was taken aback by the pushback. Aper—what now? Is that something specific to this world's culture? But then he recalled the all-too-familiar image of his aunts and uncles bending over backwards to host visitors from across the sea.

And he thought he understood, just a little bit. Jordan climbed on. Another gentle command to Chestnut, and the wagon got rolling again, now something like 650 lbs heavier. Father and son seemed content to travel in silence, which gave their guest plenty of time to be alone with his thoughts. Well, perhaps 'alone' wasn't the right word. Wisdom DC 10: success Shennong:"You're not entirely wrong, you know. The world can often be a cruel, lonely place for you mortals.

All the more reason, methinks, to lean on the kindness of strangers whenever you find it." Constitution DC 16: failure Xihe:"As trampled grass rights itself toward the sun, so too must the human spirit steel itself against hardship. Take heed, earthborn, lest you show the same weakness twice." Jordan sighed inwardly. Whatever wonders and mishaps lay in his future, the gods were at least right about one thing. Namely that he had a long road ahead of him.