[ WP ] You 've always dreamed of being a legendary adventurer , gaining riches and fame . There 's only one problem ... You 're an NPC .

I have a reputation, i know it. I crave adventure, riches, and fame. I sit at my store day in and day out seeing adventurers come in with amazing stories to share as they restock their supplies. I started out with an ordinary shop but when word got out that I have been giving discounts to adventurers with amazing stories to tell I became a stop for every adventurer in the area. Through the years I have collected numerous trinkets and souvenirs given by wandering adventurers to go with their stories of vanquished dragons, fallen empires, and cursed cults. I have seen wizards who can twist and shape reality to their whim, skilled fighters able to cut through a tree 4 feet thick with a single swing of their great axe, and archers so talented they can hit a bullseye 50 yards away 5 times in five seconds to name a few. 
 
 I talk to the regulars a lot, swap stories even though my biggest adventure is when my wagon broke a wheel on the way to the next town for goods, but they found humor in the struggle I had fixing that cart. It ’ s amazing how common occurrences for normal people are so foreign to an adventurer, but killing three zombies in a single swing is common enough they forget to even mention it. Some of the local adventure guild known as the Iron Hand has even offered to let me tag along on an adventure but i don ’ t want to be a burden. I know I am as average as it gets. My parents were the same way. As a joke they even named Norm. I can use a sword, but I would never best an adventurer. I can shoot an arrow true enough to take out a deer but I could do nothing against some of the monsters they come across. I can ’ t do any arcane magic at all. I practice but I never seem to improve but that didn ’ t matter when it happened. The day happened that no one expected, the adventurers came to me for help. 
 
 I was in my shop on a normal day putting away a new shipment of healing potions when the sky turned dark, the wind picked up, and a chill seemed to cling to every surface. I even saw some frost forming on the windows which is an awkward sight in August. In this town, on the outskirts of our empire we face unique threats all the time. It only took a few minutes to hear the bell for the Iron Hand signaling a meeting to send out a group to deal with whatever demon or cult is doing this time. I knew in a day or two everything would be back to normal. 
 
 I must have looked like I went into shock judging by the looks on their faces. Here I have three of the senior members of the Iron Hand in my store, asking me for help. They need me to defeat the menace to the north. They explain they had sent a group of 7 to deal with the issue and the three before me where all that was left. I couldn ’ t accept it. I knew everyone who died, Grecs was a powerful Sorcerer, Tales and songs have been written about his adventures. Lilys had power over nature and could will it to do her bidding. She was a savior to the entire town when we had a bad crop season and she helped us out with her abilities. Salvitore was the embodiment of power while in his full shining plate armor and shield with his longsword at the ready. I assumed him untouchable. And Lucian, the quiet one, the dangerous one, the assassin with such patience, precision, and ruthlessness you would never guess he was one of the nicest people I had ever met. Four legends all taken out by a single man. How is this even possible? That is where I came in. 
 
 They didn ’ t know what to call it as they have never come across it before. For now we are calling it “ negative energy ”. This mage they fought managed to defeat them all without moving from his throne. As guessed by Lockuri, a wizard who survived the encounter with the man, he has the ability to take all of your strengths and turn them into weaknesses. As he describes Salvitore was so enfeebled he was struggling to hold himself upright from the weight of his armor alone. Grecs was babbling incoherently while trying to cast a spell, after several tries he managed to gather enough magical force for something but it blew up in his face sending him flying into the wall 50 ft away, burn marks and acid licking at his clothes. Lucian was stumbling and falling like a drunkard kicked out of a tavern too late. The only reason three of them survived is Lilys last act of lucidity was using vines to pull them out of the throne room and over grow the doorway with thorns so they could not go back for any of them. 
 
 Their planning was simple… even if it was a little insulting. I had no strengths, I also had no weaknesses. I was as always entirely average in every possible way. I had nothing to use against me. The plan was simple, I would go to the throne room and attempt to fight the person hoping his powers had no affect on me. They could also not help me for fear of being used against each other or having their own powers reflect back on themselves. 
 
 It took only a day to make the trip to his home. The adventurers that escorted me kept saying things like “ his lair ”, “ his base ”, “ his crypt ” … honestly I was a little disappointed when I arrived. It was a conventional house out in the plains. A little bigger than average but nothing hinting at occult beings or evil intentions. My escorts left me at the edge of the property as they didn ’ t know the mages range of his powers and wanted to be safe as they let me continue on, I tightened my buckler shield, playing with the handle of my shortsword still resting in the scabbard at my side as I was wondering if I should double check the buckles on my simple hide and leather armor I had to borrow from the guild for this but before I made my decision I found it along the side of the house. A doorway of thorns and vines, or at least they were. Now they are dead and brittle even though this should have only been done two days before. One slash of my sword and they crumbled away enough for me to enter as I walked into the “ throne room ”. 

