Chapter 15: The Plan

By the time we returned to the inn it was late (or early, depending on how you look at it,) and the tavern was empty aside from Fizzle, the barkeep and Violet in her new candelabra form, purple blue flames burning at the tips of her candles. It seemed to me that as we entered the tavern area of the inn that the female figure that formed the candlestick shifted slightly to regard us, the blue purple flames certainly flickered despite the absence of a breeze, and if Fiona noticed she didn’t let on. I scowled at the menacing candlestick; jeez she was creepy. Fizzlewiz turned to regard us, a grave look on his expressive child-like face, looking a little irate, he beckoned for us to take a seat at the table closest to the barstool he was perched upon.

“Okay, so after I dealt with the guild thing, I did some digging on the forums,” he began talking in a low voice, pink eyes scanning the empty room as if making sure we were alone. “It seems that there’s a guild that encourage new members to start new characters and farm PVP talents and skills. Sometimes they send in some of the players who are good at manipulating the NPCs to keep an eye on them. In this case, I think it’s the goblin.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” I snorted at Fizzle. “Boyle, the guard that took over the bandit group hates ‘green skins.’” I informed him with a sour taste in my mouth, the term bothered me in a way that I hadn’t expected.

“Actually,” Fiona chimed in as we spoke, “goblins and humans have one of the better relationships in the game. It’s weird, but the goblins basically came with medicine and technology when humanity needed it most, and in return humanity sheltered them from their enemies. So, Fizzle’s theory is sound in that regard.” She explained.

After I nodded my understanding, Fizzle continued.

“Awright so, this guild has so far only recently gotten their claws into this start zone meaning their numbers are still currently small. Apparently, there’s a bunch of guilds out there that try to combat this stuff, but it’s still fairly common practice even when it’s not an organized bunch of simps.” Fizzle drawled, shooting more suspicious glances at the yet darkened corners of the bar. “So, all we really need to do is max out for this zone, the game won’t let us get any higher than ten.” He added to clarify for me when I looked flabbergasted at the level climb.

“Then we present the information we’ve gathered about the players being involved and directly influencing a member. We could take it to your friend Torsgulf.”

“Torsgulf is great and all but he’s still just one of your common guardsmen” I explained, thinking to who in the militia might be able to help. “Sergeant Miller, I suppose he seemed to be of high enough rank to demand or request the presence of a player, he was Level fifty and red skulled.”

“Ah, yeah.” Fizzle said snapping his fingers. “When this practice got out of hand a while back, farming the quality monster stones that could be attained more easily in start zones than any other area excluding the most dangerous zones and end-game content. Virtunet implemented a new AI on each server in each start zone, they would be somewhat aware of the true nature of the Chosen and will likely intercede so long as we can supply evidence that a player is meddling with NPCs.”

“Which we have.” Fiona informed us. “I was able to get photos of that Boyle NPC in the town looking important and during our fight with the players. I made sure to get what photos I could while I fought that elf cow. There’s actually some pretty good ones.”

“No wonder you died before me if you were faffing around taking pictures.” He tried to scold Fiona, who crossed her arms and glowered back. “How did you manage that in stasis?” Fizzle asked surprised. “You can’t just tell it to save the view while you’re comatose.”

Fiona opened her inventory and placed a black wooden box down on the table. Atop it was some sort of satellite dish with a bulb in the centre, I puzzled at it. She sighed and lowered a flap on the front of the box revealing a lens inside. I stared at the peculiar device for a moment before I realized what I was seeing. This was some sort of old-timey camera. Clearly the item was used in-game to take photos that could be presented to NPCs.

“All right. Blue, log off for a bit, get some food, stretch then get back online. We’re going to hit that dungeon hard, oh, and read those spell books before you go.” She told me. “Fizzle you gear up while he is offline and I’ll get some rest.”

She extracted a couple of small books bound in some sort of red leather and presented them to Fizzle. He took them from her with an affectionate smile, Turning each over in hand as he inspected them.

“Pyrokinesis and Flame Ring.” He read the spells aloud as I rose to leave.

“Thanks for the books Fiona I’ll get them read when I log back in. See you in a few.”

I trotted away leaving the two in a hushed discussion, my hearing caught the names of the players so I had to assume they were strategizing about the coming conflict. As I entered my bedroom, Baruu barged past me with a pleased lowing noise. I scowled at the hasty little creature. I still wasn’t used to her new appearance. But as I settled down to begin the log out process she snuggled in just as she had done on our first night together. I smiled, running a hand over her neck and back before closing my eyes and logging out.

I was feeling renewed when I logged back in a half hour later. Sunlight flooded into the simple room; dust motes danced in the shaft of light. Sitting up I realized that the familiar weight of my little monster was missing. I exploded out of bed, sending pillows and covers flying searching the small room for any sign of her. A displeased bleat caused me to freeze and look down. Baruu stared up at me with an expression somewhat like a scowl on the cervine features. She was lying in a pool of warm sunlight and appeared to be enjoying herself. She gave another annoyed rumbling low before settling back into the sun. With a shrug I sat on the floor next to her and idly stroked the little creature as I thought about the encounter with the human player Dannath. He had seemed remorseful or disappointed to be fighting a first-time player, he had even apologized. Maybe he wasn’t as big an asshole as we were making him and his companions out-to-be. Except maybe the goblin…

As I sat there, idly petting the sunbathing little deer creature I opened my inventory to scroll through. The two spell tomes were in there, the item names seemed to accuse me of slacking. I chuckled guiltily and pulled them out, deciding to fish a monster treat I had purchased somewhere along the way and tossed it to Baruu. She sniffed at it, then without moving terribly much extended a long tongue to inch the treat closer to her mouth. I left Baruu to her sunbathing after rolling another couple of treats towards her then turned my attention to the books. Both were bound in brown leather with faded lettering on their spines, a frayed ribbon bookmark stuck out like a tongue from each. I picked up the first and slimmest tome.

Sucking mud

Cast time 5 seconds

Mana cost: 70

A thirty-foot diameter circle in a path of earth is converted into sucking mud that slows or restrains players caught within the affected area.

If the designated area is already comprised of mud, or soaked earth the spell time is instead instant and the mana cost is reduced by fifty percent.

Duration: 60 seconds

Requirements: Earth magic level 8

I scrolled through my character menu to find my earth magic level. I hadn’t made much progress with magic I knew, my Gem Shot spell was not raising my skill level much at all. However, the skill level was sat at eleven due to my increasing use of the Stoneskin spell. I cracked open the first slim brown volume and learned the spell contained within, the text disintegrating as the magic was taken. Grinning I turned to the second of the two books gifted to me by Fiona. An item description popped open

Grasping earth

Cast time: instant

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Mana cost: 40

A stone fist attempts to grasp your target, rooting them in place for 12 seconds. Damaging the target shatters the stone hand and ends the affect.

Duration: 10 seconds

Requirements: earth magic level 6

I heaved a sigh and cracked open the musty book, it too disintegrated like other had and the spell appeared in my spell list. I committed them to memory so I could attempt to cast them when we travelled to the dungeon. The spells learned I poked the prone Baruu then rose to my feet. She eyed me for a moment before springing into the air, skipping as she went circling our room.

I found Fiona and Fizzle in the tavern area, occupying our usual table. I paused at the thought ‘our usual table’ then chuckled and began moving through the gathering patrons as the breakfast rush began. I had wondered how the two had managed to get the table but as I got closer and the newly arriving customers parted around me it became clear. The table was littered with various test tubes and other suspiciously scientific looking equipment. Wasn’t this supposed to be a fantasy game? Some of the customers were hovering around the table watching the pair work. Fizzle had a rune etched metal rod in hand and was waving it vaguely around three sets of dark metal rings. Fiona was at the other end of the table, the bulk of a ‘my-first-chemistry-set’ equipment was strewn around her with piled herbs, plants, flowers, mushrooms and gooey things. I wrinkled my squat nose at her as I took a seat at the table, neither looked up at me for a few more moments as they worked. Then presumably the things they were doing had finished their obligatory craft time.

“Sorry, I was making poisons.” Fiona beamed at me a she began clearing away the crafting resources and equipment into her waiting inventory window. “The elf woman used a few of them so I decided to make a bunch of antitoxins and then some poisons of my own.”

“And Fizzle?” I asked looking at the gnome. He was staring at the rings intently, his tongue poking out in concentration as he brandished the rune marked rod in the same series of vague gestures.

“He’s enchanting.” She explained. “You can see his mana steadily depleting as he enchants the rings. “

“Oh cool, any idea what he’s making?”

“Oh, I’ll tell you.” He replied as he set down his rod and picked up the first of the three dark metal rings. “This one here is fire resistance, as I can cast fire magic, I can create enchantments based on that school of magic. They’re only one percent resists but…” he shrugged sliding a ring to each of us. I picked it up and inspected it.

Pewter ring of fire resistance

Item quality: simple, crafted

Enchanter: Fizzlewiz

Increase fire resistance by 1%

“Thanks.” I slid the ring onto one of my free fingers. “Should we head off to the dungeon now?”

“Oh noes,” Fiona feigned whine in her voice. “Don’t tell me you’re more like Alber than I thought.”

“Nah,” I assured her “I’m far more sensible and normal looking.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He groused at me as we exited the inn.

We made our way north to the docks and then along the coast, up the ledaig. The sky was grey and overcast, the sea crashed against the shore a deep iron grey to compliment the sky above. The forest entrance to the manor house dungeon was just the same. We encountered packs of the same nature sprite monsters as we had the first time. We took the right-hand path this time, and as Fizzle had previously suggested it eventually met the exterior wall of the manor’s grounds, a rusted gate hung from its hinges, open and welcoming. I felt a shiver run through me and Baruu floated closer, lightning crackling across her pelt as she tensed up. The others seemed to have felt it to. Fiona had elected to bring Stampy out rather than Glitters. The creature had resurrected upon Fiona getting some sleep while I was offline, the poor thing was still in the process of reconstructing itself. The mammoth calf seemed to be incredibly pleased by its new surroundings, promptly smashing through the remains of the gate. We nervously readied our weapons and spells.

“Well.” Fizzle said watching the comparatively huge creature barrel through masonry and rusting metal work, knocking it aside as though it were nothing. “If you ever fudge a lock picking check that’s always an option.”

“He can’t help it.” Fiona groaned at him. “He has the ‘childlike enthusiasm’ trait.”

We hurried after the ecstatic behemoth as he rampaged around a small walled area trampling the withered remains of crops and wildflowers that had since grown in their stead. The inside comprised of a small garden with a hut. Upon inspection, all we found were the dusty remains of a bed it was decided this was the gardener’s hut. Yet the sense of unease rose, we all scanned the small section of the manor grounds. There didn’t seem to be much untoward. There were small pots and stone urns empty of soil but filled with the mouldering remains of years of autumnal leafage. Piles of gardening tools lay nearby partially obscured by the defiant, tall wild grasses. Bags of fertilizer had long since split from exposure, their contents spilling out and now mushrooms and grass was growing on the nutrient rich muck. My eyes fell on a scarecrow, something I had read about, or seen in shows but never actually seen up close. This was a particularly grim affair, with the sun-bleached ragged remains of clothing hung loosely over its frame. Strangely, the hair that poked out from under its burlap sack head looked fresh. I looked to the others; Fizzle was staring at the scarecrow as I was. Fiona however was with Stampy, attempting to stop the lumbering baby from trying to force its way through another gate this one intact and locked.

There was a flare of violet light, my eyes slid to Fizzle who was building an orange flame in his hand now as the flames atop Violet’s candles flared into an approximation of a leering face. The scarecrow in the corner was ablaze in the blue purple flames and for a moment I thought that Fizzle’s control over Violet had slipped until the burning effigy, lurched, and shambled towards us. I sighed as angry red lettering flared above the creature complete with the dolen sword icon that denoted a boss monster. Now I am aware I sounded cocky and for good reason, the creature’s name read as: Forgotten Scarecrow, Level six, a golden sword icon hung next to the text. This unfortunate monster was clearly meant to be an alternate first boss to Falstad the gatekeeper. I raised my axe not hesitating to advance on the creature, the heat of my friend’s fires while always hot, did not deal any damage to me and with the new ring the temperature wasn’t quite so unpleasant. I spent two Ki and lashed out at the shambling burning construct. An arm was severed, the axe head flaring for a moment as the burn damage took, it clattered to the ground and went still. I spared a glance at the poor wretch’s health bar. The red meter was steadily emptying as the balefire and orange flames ate away at its dry body. I got ready to spend another two Ki and deliver the finishing blow but a trumpeting gave me pause as Stampy barged past, eager footfalls shaking the ground. The rocky, mailed, gem-tusked calf bowled over the horror, crushing it under foot. I winced sympathetically having been under the mass of the happy baby mammoth myself. The brittle creature, already crumbling as the flames consumed it. The poor thing didn’t stand a chance. It only took one pass from Fiona’s rampaging and the creature broke apart into lights leaving a chest and a pile of fragments. We opened the chest receiving a nature spell tome that none of us had use for and a spell scroll. I had never seen a spell scroll before, so I examined it.

Spell scroll: Spin

Affinity: Psionic

On use this scroll will cast the psionic spell spin without paying the required mana cost or possessing the related affinity.

Spin

Cast time: instant

A vortex of weak psychic force surrounds the target causing them to spin in place.

Duration: 4 seconds.

I tossed the scroll to Fiona, she looked at me with a quirked eyebrow.

“Can you turn it into a book or learn the spell from the scroll?” I asked as she took the time to read the item description.

“No, scrolls are just one-use items unfortunately. It was a nice thought though.” Fiona smiled at me as she made to hand it back, Fizzle eyed it and nearly snatched it from our hands. We scowled at him as he read the item description.

“Mind if I take this?” He asked, when Fiona began to protest otherwise, he rose a hand to interrupt her. She paused, took a deep steadying breath, and glared at him. That’s third wheeling for you. I suppose you somehow end up in the middle of things. “Nah it’s not that I’m being greedy, that goblin had a real hard-on for out casting me with the fire magic, our build is probably similar but he’s likely invested more points in charisma to bamboozle one of the NPCs AI into breaking its routine. So, if like me, he has low Dex and strength, the Spin spell will make him vulnerable for a few seconds, it’ll give me the window I need to finish him then I can either turn on the elf woman, the monsters or the douche-bag that took down Blue.”

“I don’t think he’s a douche-bag.” I told them as we renewed out progress into the gardens of the dungeon. “He didn’t seem that into it when he found out I was a real noob.”

“Maybe not,” Fiona said gently, “but he is still taking part in it, he isn’t blameless. I’m sure afterward we’ll laugh about it with them one day. But for now, let’s get focused and get this grind done.”

The entire place had a different feel this time round. The gardens once creepy and pregnant with the promise of death were now bathed in warm light. The grim day outside of the dungeon forgotten about, dungeons being technically separate from it. The flowers both planted and wild filled the air with soft and calming fragrances that brought a vague sense of nostalgia, their bright colours bringing life to a previously grim place. But this was related, we soon discovered to roving bands of small rodent-like monsters with fluffy plant stems for tails. The manor house, atop a small rise looked more welcoming though it had a sad air about it like a pet waiting for its master to come home.

We did a few runs for the rest of the day; the monsters eventually became stronger every time we re-entered the dungeon. I found it so strange that we would leave a place that was clear of all monster life, living or otherwise. We would sit around in the cold sea breeze watching the fat grey waves break against the rocky coast then renter the dungeon. It was always repopulated by fresh monster spawns. The undead theme had faded slowly after we had released Alma on our first run. The scarecrow was the last of the bosses considered undead by whatever governed the magical nature of the place. The plant and an emerging animal theme became predominant on our final few runs. The bosses were replaced with monstrous constructs of vines or scuttling man-eating plants. It was night by the time we had finished our gruelling level grind. We had tried not to use potions but with each successive run Baruu’s mana slowly depleted, we were all exhausted in the end and it took longer than usual to return to our rooms at the inn.