<31 August 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+> [Theo and Julia] Theo and Julia rose to find an excited Kreldar waiting for them. After they ate, he led them down to the basement and showed them where they had broken through into a tunnel.

"We think the tunnels shifted or the Overlook changed," Kreldar said excitedly.

As they walked down the tunnel, they were suddenly at the Deepwell. Theo looked around, and not much seemed to have changed. The tunnels seemed to have sloped off in different directions last time, but it still felt right. "Have you checked for any other changes?"

"In the tunnels, yes." Kreldar nodded. "Ordus said he was goin' to check the surface."

"But that doesn't make sense," Julia said, confused, "We would have noticed any surface changes."

"Oh, I don't think this was Primordial Flight," Ordus said, having come down through the earth. "You should come to the surface."

They all made their way to the surface and followed Ordus down the path that had once led to the spot on the cliff edge where they had eaten dinner. Now, about halfway there, a cliff of nearly twenty-five feet was present. Ordus led them further east, climbing a gradual slope that had not been there before. They were finally able to proceed around the obstacle that the cliff represented and made their way to the table, which was still there.

On the table was a note and a box. Julia picked up the note and read it out loud. "Lord and Lady Sorrin, I wanted to say thank you for your hospitality. So, after being requested to attend dinner with you both and Lord Oreburn, I decided to delay the area reshaping that would have taken place during Primordial Flight until I had seen what you were both like and what you had achieved so far. Part of this is to ensure that nothing was damaged and also to see if I could do anything to assist you along the way. My apologies to the Dwarves for putting them to sleep. Once again, thank you for the meal, and I look forward to what you may achieve. Thank you for your hospitality. "

Julia's eyes went wide as she read the final line. "Signed, Senior Planetary Architect for the System, Gus."

Theo simply started laughing. Everyone else just stared at him. He finally caught his breath. "What are we doing that is so crazy?"

Julia shrugged, "I don't know. I would also like to know why Oreburn just casually brought someone who can design planets to dinner?"

Julia glanced into the box and saw two maps: one of the surface and the other of the tunnel under the Overlook. "And he gave us maps."

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Kreldar cleared his throat. "I think that the two of ye' are greatly underestimatin' how fortunate ye' 'ave been."

"What do you mean?" Theo asked.

"I think that he is right," Ordus said, "while I understand that you feel that you are doing nothing special, you are by far the most reasonable people I have had the pleasure of meeting."

"Right," Kreldar nodded, "ye' know how many people would divulge that they 'ave an object like the Homestead Core? Probably not a single one."

"And the fact that you were willing to try and help me even during the attack of the horde. It speaks volumes about your kindness." Ordus said.

"I think that ye' both are good people, an' I think that ye' both are not as driven by power for the sake of power as a great many other people are." Kreldar nodded. "So havin' people who are in higher positions of power support ye' after realizin' that ye' aren't terrible is not really a surprise to me."

Theo and Julia thought about this. Theo finally nodded, "I can understand what you are saying. And I guess that makes a certain amount of sense."

"Should we be dealing with things differently?" Julia said, almost asking herself more than anything.

Ordus shrugged, "If anyone else were to try and follow in your footsteps, I would highly encourage them not to, but you have managed to somehow establish yourselves as paragons of hospitality, so if anything, I would lean into it."

"What if we literally lean into it?" Theo said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Julia asked.

"I mean, what if we establish our house and then basically create either an inn or a series of cabins that people could stay in." Theo said, "We could probably work something out with Laurel about people who want to stay somewhere."

"It's not a bad idea," Ordus said.

Julia nodded, "I could be into that; I think if anything, we do a combination of both..."

She trailed off, her face filled with thought; Theo raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking?"

"I just had a thought, what if..." Julia was cut off as a horn was blown. They all looked in the direction from which the sound came, and high in the sky, they saw something.

Theo stared at the object that was heading towards them and descending from much higher up. When it finally came into view, they saw a cross between a hot air balloon, a submarine, and a castle, all conjoined with steampunk pipes and glowing crystals. When it landed on the far northeast end of the Overlook, a door fell down and became something akin to a drawbridge, letting a man who looked much like Argo step off.

>Local Message: Universal Translation Active

The man bowed deeply. "Greetings and salutations. My name is Borgan. I am a trader for the Vel-Thurn Trade Family located on the Hesgeth Market World. The Vel-Thurn Trade Family has been contracted by the System to provide market access. I am tasked with meeting Users Theo Sorrin and Julia Sorrin. Please step forward."

Theo and Julia glanced at each other before stepping forward together. Theo spoke first. "Hello, Borgan, I am Theo Sorrin, and this is Julia Sorrin."

"Lord and Lady Sorrin, it is a pleasure to meet you both now, then; where shall we start?" Borgan said, waving a hand, and a fine crystal table and chairs appeared.

Julia looked mildly confused. "Start? Start what? You mentioned market access, but what markets are you referring to? Sorry, but you are going to need to give us a little more information."

"Of course," Borgan said, gesturing for them both to take their seats, "let me introduce you to the markets of the Hesgeth Market World and assure you that here you can buy anything your heart desires."

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