I walked in through the gate, and got my first look at the mines district of Bastok.
To be honest, the only impressive thing about it was its size. The streets were quite dirty, and everything seemed to be the same uniform shade of beige stone. The smell was a bit oppressive, which is bound to happen when you pack so many people into a city, no matter how large.
"Where do we go first?" I inquired, looking expectantly.
"You have to register with the gate guard," Kuto-Lulu replied, motioning over to a blonde man standing near the gate with a large book close at hand.
"Why do I have to do that?" I asked, anxious to begin exploring the new city.
"All sorts of reasons," came the reply. "They need to assign you temporary housing, plus you can't apply for citizenship without being 'on the books', so to speak." He paused, then added, "And if a guard catches you, they can eject you from the city and fine you. Let's not do that."
I nodded with a quick sigh, and headed over to the short line in front of the gate guard.
"Are you going to wait here with me?" I asked, as the Taru made no move to join me.
"Why would I? I'm already registered," he replied with a giggle. "I'll tell you what, meet me over at the Bat's Lair Inn. It's just down this street," he said, waving northward with his hand, "and through the small arch. You can't miss it." He giggled again, and disappeared through the crowds toward the north.
I waited in line patiently for my turn to speak with the blonde man. Though there were only a handful of people in life in front of me, it still took quite a while before I finally stepped up.
"Welcome to Bastok," he said in a dull tone, looking me over carefully. "I'm Rashid, of the Iron Musketeers. How can I help you today?"
"I'm here to register," I said with a smile. "It's my first time in Bastok."
He nodded, pulling the large book closer. "Name?" he asked, not looking up from the paper.
"Aspen," I replied, trying to remain cheery.
"Where are you from, Aspen?"
"From the Konschtat Highlands." I wondered just how many times he had done this today.
"Reason for your visit?"
"Seeking a trade."
"Ahh, one of those." He gave a short laugh, jotting the information down. "My advice would be for you to check with one of the local guilds, or else get good at adventuring."
"Thank you," I said, slightly taken aback by the sudden show of humour in Rashid. "I'll have to do that."
"Don't mention it," he replied. "Now, are you here alone, or with family?"
"Alone," I said, wondering the significance.
'Single house,' he wrote on the paper, then asked, "Any skills of note?"
I hesitated a brief moment, then said, "None, really. Not bad with a staff, I guess."
He nodded, again jotting everything down. "Well, Aspen," he said, "we can give you a small living quarters to stay in at this time. I'll get this information processed, and if you come back in an hour, I can give you the key." He nodded, and added, "Was there anything else I could do for you today?"
I hesitated, then nodded and said, "I may be interested in signing up for military service. I've heard it's a decent living."
He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a hushed tone. "Do you want my advice?" Then without pausing for an answer, "Be an adventurer who takes on work for the military. Don't sign on. It's fine once you get a little rank under you, but for new recruits, it's a tough job." He shrugged, as if to say, 'take it or leave it.'
"Thanks," I said with a smile, slipping to the side. "I'll be back in an hour or so."
I began wandering northward, looking around at the buildings and people as I walked. I suppose it tattooed a giant 'Tourist!' sign on my forehead, but I didn't care.
As I rounded a corner, I caught sight of a milling crowd of people in front of a large building. As I drew a little closer, I saw they were all standing in front of a series of counters, all waving their arms and shouting at the people who, luckily, were behind sturdy-looking steel grates.
"What's this?" I asked an official looking man on the steps of this building.
"This is the auction house," he replied with a friendly smile. "Anyone can put their items up for public sale for a modest fee, and of course anyone is able to buy. We make it so no one has to sit at their own bazaar all day."
"A nice idea," I said, remembering the long days trying to sell our produce. "Certainly are a lot of people here," I added, looking around.
The man let out a short laugh, then said, "You should see the auction house in Jeuno easily twice the size, and that's just the main office."
I nodded, privately thinking that the man was just humouring me. "Sounds pretty immense." I looked over the crowds again, then asked, "Say, do you know where the Bat's Lair Inn would be? I'm supposed to be meeting someone there."
"Sure thing," he replied. "Just go around this corner here," he said, pointing west, "and then turn north. Take a right through the small arch, and it will be right there." He nodded, saying, "The bretzels there are legendary. Very good." He laughed, then added, "Make sure you come back and check out the auction house."
"I will," I replied, already walking around the massive construction.
I followed his directions, and soon arrived at the small archway. I swear, I could already smell the bretzels cooking. I passed through the archway and entered the door for the Bat's Lair Inn.
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