15th, Winter, 517
A small wagon pulled along by a singular brown horse made it's way through the streets of Sunberth. The wagon was modified so that it could function as a mobile shop; windows on the sides swung open to make a storefront, the top was covered to protect it's goods from the elements, and the back was turned into a door for entry. Emblazoned on the side of the wagon in red lettering were the words, 'Mr. Mysterium's Interesting Elixirs'. The driver was a short and chubby man who's salt and pepper hair was slightly balding. A grey beard enveloped his round face and made him look slightly older than he was. Mr. Mysterium stood out in Sunberth. He was obviously rich, or at least more wealthy than the common folk, and he had no problem flaunting it a bit. The man wore nice clothes and had on plenty of trinkets and jewelry. No wonder he needed a mercenary at his side. He was practically a beacon, tempting everyone who laid eyes on him to try and relieve him of his possessions.
Rowan rode alongside the wagon atop his horse Dancer. She was especially feisty today, so Rowan kept his distance to prevent her from nipping at the other horse. The men traveled in relative silence, save for the sound of the bustling townspeople and the crunching of dead leaves underfoot. Rowan was usually respectful of his employers but he held no respect for Mr. Mysterium. The man was a conman, promising people their hopes and dreams and then scamming them out of their Mizas. As a mercenary, Rowan usually didn't oppose the prospect of a man making his fortune by any means necessary but Mr. Mysterium preyed on the naive and the weak. The two rode on without exchanging words until Mr. Mysterium decided to speak up. His voice had a sing-song tune that was a friendly facade. "Y'know, you should try my serum. It'll boost your vigor and endurance! And I'll even give you a discount". Rowan scoffed at the idea of wasting a few Mizas on a phial of liquid that would do him no good. "You can drop the act. And I've already told you I don't want to buy any of that bottled snake shyke". The chubby man immediately switched to a more normal mode of speaking. "And I've told you that's it's snake oil". Rowan rolled his eyes at the response. For him this was just another job, and he was eager to get it over with.
They traveled for a short time before reaching an open plaza. To Rowan's surprise, the wagon began to slow to a halt. Mr. Mysterium informed him that he needed an escort out of the city when he took this job so he had no idea why he was taking his sweet time. "What're you doing old man?" Rowan brought his own horse to a stop as he inquired about the man's motives. "There's Mizas to be made!" Rowan grumbled and dismounted his horse. "I thought you were in danger and needed to leave Sunberth as soon as possible". Before he could get a response, Mr. Mysterium disappeared into the back of the wagon. After a few moments, the side of the cart swung open to reveal a small counter covered in bottles that contained an odd brownish yellow liquid. Mr. Mysterium began to beckon to the passersby with a whimsical and inviting demeanor. "Gather around good people of Sunberth! I bring you a potion from faraway lands!" Rowan let out a sigh as a small crowd began to form. He instinctively kept his hand on his sword as he stood idly by, waiting for the old man to finish his routine.
