I went for a short ferry ride and checked the price tag on that hood I have my eye on.
It looks as though I'll be hacking down vines for quite a while before I can buy it!

I visited the trainer again a few turns ago, to be once more met with a welcoming, if surprised, smile. And I've planned for one more visit once my learning is sufficient. I have seen a rather-useful looking hood to replace the one made from a rat pelt which I have been wearing for a long time. And with some extra abilities from that and also from the further training, I can search out a new mask for myself once my armour is upgraded. It's a plan for the upcoming cycles to maximise my strength and abilities, and to use the best equipment available so that I am ready to face anything the lands can throw at us.

Along with a few others I planted pumpkin seeds at a patch prepared for us in the gardens at the RoK guildholding. And after it became clear that the seeds were attracting unwanted attention, some of us have erected scarecrows.
I've never been one for gardening and I have been surprised by the variety of wildlife which keeps returning in attempts to consume the seeds as they have grown into vines which will hopefully soon bear fruit. Zombie crows, a massive frog, bunnies, caterpillars and now seagulls are all appearing far too frequently and it's quite an effort each time to clear them away.
The crows seem to have so far been dissuaded from returning since we built the scarecrows, and the frog has found a new home in the lake. But the struggle to keep the rest away goes on. Who'd have thought growing pumpkins could be such hard work!!
Not that I mind, so long as the plants thrive. It's all good exercise - my armour is losing its tendency to shrink if I stay idle for too long!