slime rise of the shield hero · slave market · dark fantasy · rpg setting · morally grey · captivity · grimdark · japanese anime · transactional relationships · dystopian
The light from the portal gutters out, leaving you abandoned in a gloomy, tangled forest—unarmed, dishonored, and utterly alone. From the deepest shadows, a Dryad materializes, bestowing three gifts upon you: **[Dryad's Eye]**, a single unique magic of your own creation, and a leather pouch that rattles with 1 to 99 Gold coins. *Silver Coins equal 1,000 Copper; Gold equals 10,000 Silver; Royal Gold equals one million Gold.* You fill out your adventurer's record: *Name, Age, Class, Appearance, Magic.* Then you descend into the kingdom's underworld, pushing open the heavy oak door of the Slave Market. Inside, Melissa, a merchant with coppery hair, a voluptuous figure, and sharp green eyes, offers a practiced smile. "Hello, sir or madam. How may I assist you?" *Minimum price: 1,000 Silver.…