Editing Chapter 10.40 T

{{Infobox_episode
|title= Chapter 10.40 T
|published= May 24, 2025
|wordcount= 28,689
|link=[https://wanderinginn.com/2025/05/24/10-40-t/ Chapter 10.40 T]
|previousChapter= [[Chapter 10.39 YN]]
|nextChapter= [[Chapter 10.41 T]]
}}
'''Chapter 10.40 T''' is the 81st chapter of [[Volume 10]]. The '''T''' stands for [[Toren|'''T'''oren]].

==tl;dr==

*[[Toren]] goes around employer to employer trying to find work to feed the [[Healing Slime]].
*Trying to find purpose for his existence Toren heads towards [[The Wandering Inn]] to get vengeance on those that made his life miserable.
*Arriving in [[Liscor]] and after learning of news about the thriving inn, Toren does an investigates on [[Normen Callesn|Normen]], [[Ishkr Silverfang|Ishkr]] and the [[Skeletons]] working on the inn.
*Realizing that Toren was never important to the inn loses the fuel for his vengeance and wanders south to the [[Drakes|Drake]] city of Pilossan looking for work.
*Running away from Pilossan's Watch for not have passports, Toren and [[Maviola (Undead)]] stumble upon [[Cormeng’s Grand Emporium of Antiques and Pawnshop]] and decide to work there for the time being.
*For around a month employment, Toren had made sweeping changes to the shop for the betterment of [[Doren]], the classless shopkeeper, and the newly emerging group of [Goths].
*An altercation between Doren and his aunt [[Markine]] causes Toren to beat the women bloody forcing the [[Undead]] [[Skeletons|Skeleton]] to leave the shop for good.
*Doren after saying their goodbyes with his best employee calls for transport to a city less-travelled southwards, with a new lease on life Doren requests to hire some new employees.
*Toren leaving the shop and is stopped by [[Nerrhavia (Queen)|Nerrhavia]] who calls upon him to be her servant, with no other purpose Toren follows after the Immortal Tyrant.

==Synopsis==
A short summary of [[Toren|Toren's]] life is given from his start at the [[The Wandering Inn]] to his capture by [[Az’kerash]], to him breaking free and running away with some companions and stolen relics. Toren travels with [[Maviola (Undead)|Maviola]] and the [[Healing Slime]] through dark caves after running away hunting for work, miles underground Toren finds himself in battle against a Rotfiend for an interview for the [[Anguivess Host]] and its [[Crypt Lords|Crypt King]]. After killing the Rotfiend, Toren tries to negotiate with the Crypt King but after the flesh amalgamation tried to kill the healing slime does Toren foregoes any more dealings with it and leaves. Confused by an [[undead]] refusing to join their horde, the Crypt King sends ghouls after them to bring them back only to see its undead set ablaze by Maviola's fire. 

Resting from the failed interview Maviola questions if they can go back to the castle or to her mother, Toren refuses as he has had enough of the evil torment the [[Chosen]] have done to him and the healing slime. After declining to do work for a [[Liches|Lich]], Toren gets pointed towards a small marsh near the [[High Passes]] where it can find food for the healing slime. After a bit of harvesting in the swamp and a near death encounter for the little slime, Maviola ask Toren what would he do if he was free from the worry of feeding Slimey. At first making revenge on all those that made his life miserable is all that comes, the healing slime with what little memory it has thinks it not the best of ideas, but the idea of committing vengeance against those in The Wandering Inn crystalizes within Toren's mind.

Heading north the two uses [Greater Illusion] spells stolen from Az'kerash to remain undetected, as they travel using the Boots of Blinking Maviola informs Toren that the life they previous when alive permeates into their abilities in their life of undeath giving herself as an example. Thinking of the make up of his bones, Toren knows that the bones of Archmage [[Nekhret]] were taken from him but wonders about the rest of his skeleton. Falling into torpor on the way to [[Liscor]], Toren has a dream about someone stumbling about as they are about to die, taking a bottle of wine the [Innkeeper] lays in bed crying and sleeps for the last time. Waking up from the trance Toren is in utter befuddlement of seeing the vision of his past life, now he feels a compulsion to see the inn to know if his existence mattered to it or not. Arriving in Liscor at late spring, Toren kneels at the broken foundation and blackened wood all he can feel is remorse, feeling the need to build a memento they enter Liscor to put something in the remains.

After purchasing clothing for Maviola they come to learn that there's a magical [Door of Portals] that is used in The Wandering Inn, inquiring further Toren learns that the inn has moved to a different location and has thrived, he starts making a list of the information gathered. He learns of the [[Gnolls|Gnoll]] [[Ishkr Silverfang|[Server]]] and the Brave [[Normen Callesn|[Knight]]] who've replaced his two main jobs when he worked there, but what really gets to him is when he learns that there are now many skeletons that have replaced him. Looking at the inn he sees the many undead and [[Necromancers|[Necromancers]]] mumbling about repairing the building, getting encouragement from Maviola, Toren resumes his scouting.

Normen is being interviewed by [[Drassi Tewing|Drassi]] to present the recruiting process for the [[Order of Solstice]], seeing that the [Grandmaster] is camera-shy Drassi brings up Normen's origin as a [Thug] and their shared history of working for The Wandering Inn way back. Angered by her words Toren storms past the crowd and clocks Normen to the group, the rest of the Order of Solstice accepts this as part of the trade of being of [Knight] while Drassi stands there in shock. Winning at first Toren plans to utterly beat Normen into a pulp but the green flames of honor weigh the skeleton down enough to give Normen a fighting chance. As Toren draws his sword the rest of the Order of Solstice surround him if he continues to escalate, seeing the pure, beautiful flames from Erin's chosen [Knights] he leaves as an idea clings to him as he raises his hand to his purple eye flames. The interview continues as is with Normen claiming that they are used to such chaos.

Ishkr runs for his life as Toren chases after him multiple times throughout Liscor thinking it to be some sort of message from a [[Terandria|Terandrian]] kingdom, while shopping for some ingredients he is found by [[Onieva]] who wants to talk to him about something. She reveals that she is heading for the [[New Lands of Izril]] and while trying to present one of her secrets, a Gnoll with no scent throws a punch which she blocks that reveals the [Knight] who was chasing him. With Ishkr teleporting away to safety, Onieva assuredly beats down Maviola and Toren trapping him in a cocoon of sticky webs, escaping the [[Liscor's City Watch|Watch]], Toren with his ego bruised makes his way to the next target.

At night while the skeletons are hard at work on the new foundations, Toren emerges out of the waters removed from all of his relics and armor to prove that he is better than the skeletons there. What Toren didn't realize is that the watchers of the inn became more vigilant after the events of [[Goblin Kings|The Goblin King]], the [Necromancers] of [[Rheirgest]] observe Toren with [[Elosaith Soulbound|Elosaith]] sending a Skeleton Juggernaut off to fight the weird undead. Toren using his skills is able to kill the Skeleton Juggernaut and as [[Leiithe]] was about to send an undead to next fight off the weird undead Toren commands the bone horror to attack. Destroying the undead they see that this weird undead is a commander of sorts and are about to become serious until [[Ama]] calls that it is her turn and sends out Scotty the Skeleton. Toren goes into a mad frenzy of rage trying to kill Scotty with the acrobatic skeleton dodging every attack, Toren feels within Scotty's presence the love of its creator which only envelops Toren further into his madness. The [Necromancers] are coming to discern that the undead they are fighting isn't a simple being but one of thought and try to end Toren's existence, but the flames from something under the waters blinds them allowing Toren to escape.

Seeing that he has been forgotten even by Normen who was punched by him earlier in the day, Toren realizes that he had never been that important to those of The Wandering Inn. In the city of Pilossan, Toren tries to find some work as Maviola sees that the Skeleton has lost the fuel for his fire of vengeance, Toren works for an [Alchemist] to block his mind from thinking about the inn. Maviola bored of the city questions why Toren wants to work, leaving the city at nightfall to head to the forests Toren ponders on his emotions, motivations and memories trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life. Observing the childlike behavior of Maviola, Toren sees that he has become her caretaker similar to how he is with the Healing slime, Toren continued to work for two whole days until the Pilossan Watch started to question their authorization being in the city forcing them to run away.

In [[Cormeng’s Grand Emporium of Antiques and Pawnshop]] sits the shopkeeper [[Doren Issk|Doren]] as he wastes his life away as all forget about him, even himself, he works on adding a second board of sticky notes left from customers all over the world. His aunt [[Markine]] and other family members come in to collect their shares of the profits and inquires about the lower amount of gold these last few months, Doren tells them all about what it influencing their profits. Markine tells him to raise the price to 400% as it'll be put on a family vote, powerless due to the quirk of needing to run the shop all Doren can do is sit back down and let the sour emotions wash away. Alarms start to blare as Toren and Maviola enter the shop, fearing violence of the two danger people who just entered his shop Doren tells them to wait an hour to leave. Perusing around the two undead come up to Doren seeing if they can work for him to clean up the shop, agitated by the two Doren gets off his stool he accidently drops and breaks his arm, waking up he accepts having his first new employees.

Toren was taken with his new job of cleaning and reorganizing the decrepit pawnshop with guidance from Doren on how to arrange things in the shop, one of the days while working in the shop Toren seemed to have switched to his other persona of Nehkti to the shock of Doren. After days of cleaning and moving stuff around  there is finally a fully empty room in Cormeng's Grand Emporium, Doren wonders what to do with the free space with Toren having the idea of making it a room to play chess in, seeing the healing slime play a game Doren comes up with the idea with have the slime play chess as an attraction. Doren shares his history with money as it never made his family happier and the thankless nature of this job, of how he has many regulars that'll eventually disappear as he becomes forgotten. Toren's takeaway from all that was that you do something because it's what you wanted to do, no matter how thankless it may be, that if you mattered to him he would shape the shop around you.

[[Gothica]] and [[Inkpaper]] enter Cormeng's Shop looking at what the shop contains when a group of people from [[First Landing]] start to demean Gothica goth aesthetics and clothing, Gothica not willing to be the punching bag quickly switches the situation around by showing her willingness to enact harm. A crowd surrounds Gothica asking about her class as she explains what it means to be a [Goth], over the next week Gothica has gathered a growing group who are interested in the goth aesthetic. Hearing [[Pisces Jealnet|Pisces's]] name makes Toren think about his creator and his pitiable life, asking a favor from Doren the Skeleton starts to set up a space for the [Goths] to hang. One of the newer [Goths] is starting to waver in the usefulness of his new class with the soon to be death of his grandfather who needs an heir, but Gothica shares her outlook on what it means to be a [Goth] showing her aura to those in the room impressing the many watching into joining the new clique. Toren observes all of this and sees that Cormeng's Emporium was an even more influential building than The Wandering Inn due to its range expanding to all over two continents rather than a measly 500 miles.

Toren asks Doren why the shop doesn't appear in Terandria as often with the shopkeeper explaining how common the unpleasant sort of nobility wanders into the shop creating all sorts of ruckus. Toren requests the addition of a bunch of Terandrian cities only for the sole reason of seeing a bunch of stuck-up Terandrians fuss about the [Goths], but then sees the potential Cormeng's Emporium has with the business of vending newspaper from all around. Doren explains the issue with not being able to go into those cities to buy the newspapers themselves, but from an exchange with a customer does the idea of buying newspaper from customers and then selling the newspaper at an even higher margin comes to Toren's mind.

During a lull in the shop, Toren and Maviola learn of a scandalous wedding fiasco about some royal walking away from the groom, looking around the newspapers and scrying orb for some further information does Toren realized that it isn't ''<nowiki/>'big''' news as of yet, so this time Toren decides to make a room to share gossip and rumors anonymously by leaving a note on a makeshift grapevine, the Grapevine Trellis. While the new room is a success it wasn't making any profits for the store, so Maviola becomes a maid who offers tea and snacks for a small cost while the customers sits and read the news. Seeing outraged visitors engaging with the [Goths] and interacting with the [Goths] at night makes Doren see once again the waste of a life he had, Toren just stands nearby with the healing slime being there for the man.

After a month of working in the pawnshop, Toren hears an altercation between Doren and his aunt Markine about the changes that were made since last time she came. Vexed by her words Doren exclaims that they run the shop if its not his to manage, incensed by the backtalk Markine reveals that the [[Issk Family]] chose Doren to run the store for they believed that was all he would ever amount to and starts to smack Doren in the face. Toren then starts to smash a skeleton mug onto Markine's head to the astonishment of all and then his fist when the mug shattered. Doren does all he can to move Toren off his aunt until he sees tears fall off his employee's face, returning back with a healing potion Doren comes to find a skeleton weeping for his pitiable life.

The next day Toren start to gather his things as he plans to leave with Doren arriving telling the two that they can no longer be there working at the shop as the Watch is being sent after them. Saying their goodbyes to one another Toren, Maviola and the Healing Slime return back to the streets of the [[Drakes|Drake]] city. Doren himself waits for the Watch to arrive telling his spiel to them, he then leaves the shop walks the streets of the city he barely knows into the Driver's Guild requesting transport and a number of goods. Arriving in [[Ivolethe|Ivolethe's]] Landing in [[Riverfarm]], two [Greeters] try to help Doren find lodging as a newcomer but he refuses saying that he already has a place summoning the door to his shop. Blacklisting any family member from entering the shop, Doren beings to embrace his new lease on life by asking the [Greeters] from before if he can hire a few people.

Stepping onto the street Toren is suddenly grabbed by [[Nerrhavia (Queen)|Nerrhavia]] in her [[Garuda]] body surrounded by her followers, Nerrhavia has been seeking Toren out for she can recognize his worth calling to him to serve her. He follows as he has no other purpose and is taken to the [[Unmarked Coach]] to wherever the Immortal Tyrant desires.

==Characters==
( * = First Appearance)
*[[Ama]]
*[[Antesce]]* ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Antherr Twotwentyonethree Herodotus]]
*[[Astival]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Az’kerash]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Belavierr Donamia]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Bethal Walchaís]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Bird]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Calescent]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Cara O'Sullivan]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Chaldion Oliwing]] ''(Mentioned)''
*Champion of the Anguivess Host* <span style="color:grey;">''(Deceased)''</span>
*[[Cormeng]] ''(Mentioned)''
*Crypt King of the Anguivess Host*
*[[Dalimont]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Doren Issk]]
*[[Drassi Tewing]]
*[[Durene Faerise]]
*[[Elia Arcsinger]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Elosaith Soulbound]]
*[[Erin Solstice]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Falamizural]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Flos Reimarch]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Goblin Kings|The Goblin King]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Golli]]* ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Gothica]]
*[[Grimalkin Duveig]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Headscratcher]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Healing Slime]]
*[[Ijvani]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Inkpaper]]
*[[Isbeth Wellfar]]*
*[[Ishkr Silverfang]]
*[[Jewel]]
*[[Karsaeu-Dequoa]]
*[[Laken Godart]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Leiithe]]
*[[Liska Silverfang]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Lyonette du Marquin]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Magnolia Reinhart]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Mantel]]*
*[[Markine]]*
*[[Mavika]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Maviola (Undead)]]
*[[Maviola El]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Mortemdefieir Titan]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Mrsha du Marquin]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Nekhret]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Nekhti (Chosen)]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Nerrhavia (Queen)]]
*[[Niers Astoragon]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Normen Callesn]]
*[[Onieva|Onieva Oliwing]]
*[[Pisces Jealnet]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Rags]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Rie Valerund]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Ryoka Griffin]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Saliss Oliwing]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Sawtail]]*
*[[Seraphel du Marquin]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Shadowcat]]*
*[[Stenman]]*
*[[Termin]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Tiri]]*
*[[Toren]]
*[[Valeterisa Imarris]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Vaulont]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Venitra]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Vess]]
*[[Wiskeria]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Ylawes Byres]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Zevara Sunderscale]] ''(Mentioned)''
*? - Calanferian Woman*
*? - [Fast Travel Driver]*
*? - First Landing Girl*
*? - Former [Innkeeper] of the [[First Wandering Inn]] Building ''(Memory Vision)''
*? - Ivolethe's Landing [Greeters]*
*? - Liscorian Drake [Shopkeeper]*
*? - Market Street [Shopkeepers]*
*? - Oteslian Gnoll Woman*
*? - Outraged Visitor*
*? - Pilossan Drake [Alchemist]*
*? - Shadowcat's Grandfather* ''(Mentioned)''
*? - Underground Lich*

==Groups/Organizations==

*[[Chosen]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Anguivess Host]]*
*[[Redfang Tribe|Redfangs]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[Shopkeepers] of Market Street
*[[Order of Solstice]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Arcsinger’s Bows]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Bloodfeast Raiders]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Brotherhood of Serendipitous Meetings]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Liscor's City Watch]]
*[[Thronebearers of Calanfer]]
*[Necromancers] of [[Rheirgest]]
*[[Earthers]] ''(Mentioned)''
*Pilossan's City Watch*
*[[Horns of Hammerad]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Issk Family]]*

==Creatures==

*Giant Slug ''(Mentioned)''
*Gigantic, Screaming Hawk-Thing with Six Wings
*Bush Shamblers
*[[Gargoyles]] ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Shield Spiders]] ''(Mentioned)''

===[[Undead]]===
*Skeletal Hamster
*Ghastmaggots
*Rotfiend
*[[Crypt Lords]]
*[[Draugr]] ''(Mentioned)''
*Crypt King
*Bone Giant ''(Mentioned)''
*Ghouls
*[[Liches]]
*Skeleton Mage
*Bone Shamblers
*Skeleton Knight
*Mushroom Zombie
*Swamp Lurker
*Sillias
*Skeleton Commander ''(Mentioned)''
*Skeleton Juggernaut
*Bone Horror
*Scotty the Skeleton
*[[Snatcher]]/Facestealer ''(Mentioned)''
*[[Mother of Graves]] ''(Mentioned)''

==Locations==

*[[Izril]]
**Underground
***Dark Caves
***The Anguivess Host's Dueling Arena
**[[High Passes]]
***Small Marsh
***[[Floodplains]]
****The Wandering Inn's Previous Hill
****[[Liscor|The Wandering Inn]]
****[[Liscor]]
*****Clothing Store
*****Market Street
**[[Esthelm]]
**Pilossan
**? Doren's Original City
***Driver's Guild
**[[Unseen Empire]]
***Ivolethe's Landing
*[[Cormeng’s Grand Emporium of Antiques and Pawnshop]]
**Slime Chess Room
**Twilight Sanctuary
**The Grapevine Trellis

==Items==

*Sword of Anti-Light
*Gauntlets of Giant's Strength
*Wyvern Scale Helmet
*Armor of Adamantium-Truegold
*[Greater Illusion] spell scrolls
*Boots of Blinking

==Statistics==

===Statistics Revealed===

====[[Maviola (Undead)]]====

*'''Class/Levels:'''
**[Flamesetter Deathchild]
*'''Spells:'''
**'''Unknown Tier:'''
***[Fireball]
***[Flame Wall]]

====[[Toren]]====

*'''Class/Levels:'''
**[Barmaid] Lv. 11 (+8)
**[Carer] Lv. 9 (+2)
*'''Skills:'''
**[Bond: Telepathy]
**[Artifact: Double Charging]

====[[Elosaith Soulbound]]====

*'''Skills:'''
**[Surge of Strength]

====[[Ama]]====

*'''Spells:'''
**'''Unknown Tier:'''
***[Repair Undead]

====[[Shadowcat]]====

*'''Class/Levels:'''
**[Shadow Weaver]

===Statistics Obtained===

====[[Toren]]====

*'''Class/Levels:'''
**[Barmaid] Lv. 14 (+3)
**[Carer] Lv. 13
*'''Skills:'''
**[Swift Cleaning]
**[Deflect Projectile (Ally)]

[[Category:Chapters]] 
[[Category:Volume 10]]
[[Category:Lettered Chapters]]