Dobrodoria - A Dwarf's Story

Prologue

What bad could you say about the small southern town of Dobrodoria? Probably nothing! Even if you were to do so, you would probably be considered a crazy by our society. The people of Dobrodoria have always been kind and warm-hearted, albeit poor. It's no wonder young adventurers consider this place the perfect starting point for their adventure. The people here are always willing to lend a hand to a man in need. Their generosity extends far beyond their financial capability, though. Most of the people in this small town are novice craftsmen and make a living selling low-level items to adventurers. There are, of course, some potion shops where you can buy potions and herbs, but not that many. When you are visiting this former village you always tend to feel at ease. Located in the southern part of the continent, but not too south, means it benefits from having all four seasons, while boasting some of the most breathtaking sights nature can show. There is a huge mountain just next to Dobrodoria and not surprisingly, it is the top destination for most adventurers. What a wonderful combination of calm village life and adventures this region provides. Let me tell you the story of one of its proud inhabitants – a man called Bornimor. It starts off like this...

"Hey, Borny! Wake up!" a loud voice echoed in the room.

"Give me a break, can I have 10 more minutes" said Bornimor in a sleepy voice.

"No time for that, it's almost lunch and the shop has never been this full. You gotta help me out!"

"Ok, honey, no worries, just give me 5 minutes to get ready, ok?"

"Just hurry up, please" said Bornimor's wife and gave him a kiss.

Bornimor and his wife Claudia own a small item shop in Dobrodoria. The business hasn't been so good recently, since large shops have started to open around town by one of the king's nephews who plans to create a whole chain of item shops. On top of that there have been strange incidents of animals going missing, thus the price of food rapidly increasing. Still, Borny has always been optimistic. He would stock up his shop with the most high quality goods he can find and would pray for the best. As for his appearance, Bornimor is a man around his 30-s, happily married for more than 10 years, red-haired, not the tallest guy you will see. Some of his friends even joke with him calling him a dwarf, his huge beard assisting to make the picture complete. To be honest the resemblance is uncanny...probably his great-grandfather was a dwarf, who knows. On the other hand, Claudia is taller and much thinner than him, her long dark hair covering her back, down to her waist, while a beautiful smile shines on her face, which she often covers with her hands, soft as silk. They certainly are a great team, since Borny is a bit on the sleepy side and Claudia is the person who would wake up early in the morning and start her daily routine in a productive way. Bornimor has always been a good and kind-hearted man and it's no wonder he was awarded by life with such a beautiful companion.

What about the kids? Well, they are gone...adventuring. Borny and Claudia had 2 boys and they both became adventurers and are now somewhere far away from their home town. This is a regular sight in Dobrodoria, since it is considered the perfect starting point for new adventurers. Therefore, a lot of the children of the townsfolks decide to become adventurers and begin their journeys.

Enough about that...let me tell you what happened in, what could probably be, the most peculiar week in Borny's life...

"WOW" Bornimor was astonished as he entered the shop.

The shop was full like never before. So many people searching for items, some even looking rather desperate.

"Claudia, what's going on, where did all these people come from?"

"Really, I have no clue. It just started out as a regular day and suddenly I saw a crowd of people coming from the other shop across the street. Nobody's bought anything yet...it's so weird!" said Claudia with a confused look on her face.