"No, Steph, that's fine. I'll go speak with the lord," Ty replied, shaking his head. "We know you're smart and cool, but some of these villagers could be racist towards orcs or something. Besides, maybe he'll see my robes and ask me to magically repair a squeaky door or something, right? We'll be in gold before you know it."
Steph frowned, and rested one hand on the hilt of her blade. "Keep out of trouble, Ty. I'll keep an eye on the two idiots at the brothel, so they don't accidentally blow up a whore or something." She pat Ty on the shoulder, nearly sending him tumbling to the ground, and turned to follow Erica and Aaron to the brothel. Ty asked a few villagers for directions, and began making his way to the lord's castle.
It was well after dark when Ty finally stepped to the front door of the worn-down castle at the top of the hill. He waved his hands to the guards and proved he was without weapons, and was ushered inside.
The guards didn't take him to the lord- who was apparently busy eating or jerking off or something- but he was brought to the next-best thing. The lord's right-hand man was an old wizened steward with a great white beard, who closed a book as the young wizard entered.
"Ah, you must represent the...party of 'heroes' I've been told about, yes?" The steward studied Ty for a moment with a critical eye. "Still a wizard apprentice, mm? Well, you can try. We have three orders out for monster hunters, each for varying rewards. I'll lay them out for you." The steward shuffled through his books for a few moments, and produced a scroll. Ty leaned forward and read his three choices of bounties to hunt:
1. A small group of satyrs have been spotted wandering the forest, and they're rumored to have kidnapped a maiden girl. Reward: 300 gold pieces.
2. There have been rumors of a pegasus frolicking the fields. Capture it alive and return it. Reward: 1,000 gold pieces.
3. A vampire has taken up residence in an abandoned castle. Seasoned adventurers only. Reward: 20,000 gold pieces.
"'20,000 gold pieces' to hunt one vampire?" Ty questioned, blinking at the scroll. That was enough to buy a warship, a small castle, or about fifty million whores. "Why so much?"
"Dear child, I caution you against the third bounty," the steward warned. "Many adventurers have sought it. Not a single one has returned yet."