The first thing Colt did when he returned to Valheim was head over to the Temple. He felt uneasy with his DP not being full, so this was the first thing that he had to take care of. When he reached the street where the Temple was situated, he noticed a crowd gathered in a line to enter.
There were only around twenty players, but it was still more than he had seen earlier around the city. He joined the rear of the line quietly and tried to keep a low profile. However, there were three groups standing across the road eyeing those waiting to enter the Temple.
From time to time, one player from each group would shout out a recruitment notice. Each group was trying to form a party. One group was recruiting people to hunt wolves. The competition for those mobs had drastically increased since people had left the city. With PK's happening all over the place, it was better to be in a large group now.
The second group wanted to go further and explore the mountains where Colt had just come from. So he already knew that they would not find much unless they went further afield. Of course, there could have been something worth hunting up there that he simply had not come across.
The third group remained silent about what they were up to. However, they required level 3 players. Colt observed the group as he attempted to listen in on their conversation. 'Are all five of them level 3?' Colt frowned as he realised the gap between himself and others was not large at all.
Of course, that would make sense if these guys had killed other players for their Divinity. But how many did they have to kill to reach this level? Colt even wondered if it was a scam. It was common in some games where a group would hire one outsider, and then kill them when they were out of sight of other players for their valuables.
Colt sighed as she shifted forward. The line was dwindling, as most players had completed their tasks. As Colt entered the Temple, he felt as though a few pairs of eyes were staring at his back. He pretended not to notice as he headed for one of the empty pedestals and a statue of himself appeared on it.
[Connecting with Prayers in the Mortal Realm. You currently have 18 stored prayers. Please adjust how many you would like to absorb.]
[HP = 0/4]
[DP = 0/3]
Colt groaned as he spent 7 prayers on fully recovering. However, the interface gave him a pleasant surprise next.
[20 Gold coins are stored in your shrines. Do you wish to accept them?]
Naturally, Colt agreed and felt somewhat happier to see his wealth inflate to 30 Gold. However, there were no quests stored in his shrine so he exited the interface and left the Temple. Once he was outside, he slowly made his way to Jarxos' store. Now and then, he would pause as though he were interested in the building next to him.
This was so that he could watch for anyone tailing him, as they would most likely stop as well. Nothing seemed out of place as he reached the shop, and even the street was empty, which made him feel better. Colt quickly slipped inside before anyone could spot him to discover Jarxos' apparition standing behind the counter, waiting for him.
"You've finally returned! Good!" Jarxos grinned broadly as he stared at Colt.
"Here's what you asked for." Colt frowned as he headed to the counter and started the trade.
"Excellent! Though, I thought there would be more than this." Jarxos' eyes were bulging out of his head as he studied the items.
"It's all that I could get from the tomb. There were others with me, but I don't know what they received. They might drop by to sell a few things later on." Colt shrugged, as if it were no big deal.
"I see." Jarxos had a glint in his eyes as he stared at Colt, but he did not press any further on the matter. "Here's your reward then."
The Tomb of Allevia quest highlighted itself as being completed and Colt received five new stat points. This would go a long way towards reaching level 4, but he would wait until he finished his business with Jarxos before allocating them.
"Since you went to great lengths to get these items for me, I think it's only appropriate if you choose one for yourself." Jarxos nodded his head with a slight smirk as he placed three items on the counter. "Choose whichever one you like."
Colt rubbed his hands together as he cast a critical eye over them. The first item was a fresh pair of boots. 'Hm, does that mean if I equip them, then the rest of me will be naked? My current boots are part of a set. It's not like I can separate them.' Colt frowned as he wondered about the viability of this choice.
Of course, he could always store them until he had enough clothing. But that could take a while. It was better if he aimed for more immediate effects. The second item was a ring with no special effects attached. However, it seemed to have some value. Colt guessed that this was a choice for those who wanted to make extra money.
And finally, there was a brand new axe. It came with a +2 to Authority and it would base even its attack damage off of that stat instead of Strength. The handle had golden runes running along its shaft, but apart from that, it looked quite ordinary. Colt did not even hesitate to choose the axe. Compared to the other two items, it was clearly a better fit for him right now.
[You have received Common Divine Skardian Axe]
[Common Divine Skardian Axe]
[+2 Authority]
[Description: An axe forged by Divinity. An excellent weapon for a new God who relies on their Authority even in melee battles.]