Gladiators of Warsong

by Thomas K. Carpenter

  You have gained experience: 500 XP

  You have gained conquest points: 2 CP

  The surprise at receiving conquest points was only furthered when Andar did not fall over dead, but collapsed to his knees. She noted that the message said "defeated" rather than "killed" like the Wild Boar and that the experience was much lower than in the Warped Forest.

  Quest Offered: Join a clan (1,000 XP) [Y/N]

  When she accepted it, she received a secondary pop-up.

  Quest Chain I: Defeat 5 different challengers (+1,000 XP)

  When she checked her character sheet, she saw that the quest already listed her having 1 of 5.

  "Different challengers. I guess I can't farm you to gain access to a clan." Alex moved to the side, tilting her head at Andar. "You can get up now. I won."

  But Andar didn't acknowledge her as he stayed in his kneeling pose. She put her sandal on him and pushed, but he stayed upright.

  "I guess joining a clan is a priority," said Alex.

  She waited until she healed to full before continuing, mentally reviewing her brief battle with Andar for areas she could improve. The head-to-head fight had been far too close for her comfort. In other games, dueling had little appeal, since she spent most of her time on impossible challenges, so she was not acquainted with the best techniques.

  By the time she left in search of a second challenger, she'd gamed up a few ideas that she planned on unleashing during the next duel.

  It didn't take her long to find another fight. It seemed the hills were alive with challengers.

  Jules of the Jubilant Flame, Challenger: Pyro, Level 18

  The key to killing casters in any game was to never let them release a spell. Alex closed the distance between them as soon as the grass circle formed, snapping the tail of the whip around Jules' neck before she could ignite Alex with her flames. The crimson-robed mage was defeated without uttering a single arcane word.

  You have gained a skill point: +1 One-handed Whip

  Alex also gained experience and conquest points like she had with Andar. The quick kill allowed her to move on to find three other challengers. None of them presented as much difficulty as Andar.

  Quest Completed: Defeat 5 different challengers

  You have gained experience: 1,000 XP

  Quest Chain II: Offer your services to the battleleader of a clan (+5,000 XP / Clan membership)

  Alex had a good idea the trails of smoke were from the various clans that lived on the Plains of Warsong. She was beginning to get an idea of what the zone was about and couldn't understand Bucket and Martina's warning last year that it was a meat grinder. So far it looked like a straight-up clan battle game.

  She crossed the short hills, pushing through the grass, which batted against her chest as the wind blew, creating amber-green waves. Alex passed half a dozen more challengers, but none of them attempted to confront her. It appeared once she had completed the quest, they ignored her as if she didn't exist.

  At the next rise, Alex had a good view of the five settlements within easy walking distance. Each one looked similar, with a longhouse, a couple of smaller huts, and two dozen tents. Each clan displayed a flag, fluttering in the heavy breeze.

  From Alex's spot she spied their banners: a bear standing on a cliff, two fish against a river, a jaguar in a tree, an owl perched on a tower, and a coiled snake ready to bite. As with most games, the sigil on the banner probably suggested the style of the clans' fighters.

  "Plains of Warsong," Alex mused aloud.

  Dueling challengers and joining clans suggested a PvP style battle rather than grinding XP or dungeon crawling. She had a heavy suspicion that her immediate goal would be to take ownership of a clan. After that, it wasn't clear what direction the game would take her, but picking that clan would be important to her long-term goals.

  "Bears suggest strength and endurance, the double fish are agility, but so is the jaguar, which might also be charisma. The owl is intelligence and the snake is agility and maybe cunning." Alex tapped on her chin. "Or they could just be random animals on a banner and have nothing to do with the clan."

  But Alex wasn't about to let an opportunity slip past her to gain an advantage. To become the head of a clan, she'd likely have to defeat the other members in ritual combat. Unfortunately, the Arcane Mastermind class wasn't adept at dueling, which meant she didn't want to go against combatants that were skilled in agility or cunning skills. Nor did she want to mess with magic, which meant the owl was out.

  At first glance, picking the bear clan seemed suicidal. Big burly fighters would be difficult to take down in a direct fight, but if she were going to leverage her cunning, she needed dumb opponents.

  "Bear it is," she said, strolling towards that camp.

  When she approached, two heavyset warriors, one male and one female, with broad shoulders and thick jaws barred her way with long spears.

  Saxon the Great, Bravebear Clan: Veteran, Level 22

  Andreque the Bold, Bravebear Cl*an: Veteran, Level 22

  The annoying * error was back, but Alex ignored it as the two guards said, "Clan members only."

  "I wanna join the Bravebears," she said.

  Their foreheads hunched with suspicion as they gave her a once-over. Alex guessed they couldn't make heads or tails of her class, since she was wearing nothing more than cloth breeches and the medieval version of a sports bra and she carried a black leather whip. She felt like Indiana Jones at an afternoon pool party.

  The woman, Andreque, grunted and jerked her head to follow, while Saxon stayed at the edge of the camp grounds. She led Alex through the tents, passing warriors crowded around small fires. Dirt-smeared children ran between the tents, carrying wooden swords, while a couple of huts contained craftsman working at benches. At one point, Alex heard a haunting song from a woman deep in the camp, but it was drowned out by the nearby hammering of steel on an anvil.

  Alex stepped next to the warrior, admiring the definition in her upper arms.

  "You look like you could win a few bodybuilding contests with that physique. Slap on a glittery two-piece swimsuit and a nice spray tan and you'd be the grand champion," said Alex.

  "Huh?" asked Andreque, who looked at her like she'd been speaking in a foreign language.

  "How's life in Bravebear?" asked Alex, keeping a cheery tone.

  Without turning her head, Andreque said, "It is fine."

  "Fine, like my clan leader is a murderous bastard and I have to watch my tongue, or fine like, yeah, whatever, we do what we want when we want and kill some randos from time to time?" asked Alex.

  "I do not understand your question," said Andreque, whose forehead looked like it could double as a shelf it was sticking so far out.

  Alex sighed. It appeared that the regular NPCs, unlike Ethel Stormfeathers the Third, had no working knowledge of the outside world or its lingo. The woman warrior looked relieved when they reached the longhouse. Andreque gestured towards the hide curtains over the doorway.

  "Go in there, present yourself to the battleleader. If you have met the requirements, then you can...join the clan," said Andreque, rolling her eyes.

  "Thanks, Andreque," said Alex. "Before you go, would you tell me if you've seen this box before?"

  She held up the mysterious box she'd looted from the Wild Boar. Andreque quickly shook her head.

  After the clan guard left, Alex pushed through the hide curtains, squinting from the dim light and smoke. A firepit sat in the center, orange coals smoldering beneath trays of mouthwatering meat. Her stomach grumbled in response, but she ignored it as she saw the occupied wooden throne on the far side.

  The room was filled with about two dozen warriors, sitting around eating and drinking from mugs, but these looked higher level than the ones outside. She did a quick scan, catching a few names.

  Atticus Laine, Bravebear Clan: Elite, Level 23

  Sophia Lionheart, Bravebear Clan: Elite, Level 23

  As she moved towards the front,
all eyes fell upon her. Sitting in the throne at the far end of the room was an enormous man that would have towered over her even kneeling. He had arms as big as tree trunks and a jaw that could double as an anvil. The horn of ale in his massive hand looked like it was made for a child, but she noted it was the same size as the others.

  Tormane the Tower, Bravebear Clan: Battleleader, Level 26

  Her guts did a side flip when she thought about fighting Tormane. Alex almost turned and left the longhouse in search of a different clan, but decided that her previous logic had been correct and she had to stay the course.

  "Girl, why have you entered my longhouse?" said Tormane.

  Alex wasn't usually much for role-playing, but being the center of attention in a room full of stuck-up NPCs that had judged her as soon as she pushed through the hide door released a bubble of mischievous hubris.

  "It's not girl, Tormane the Tower. The name is Alexandria the Destroyer, taunter of clouds, slayer of the warped, and protector of shrews. I've come to take your clan from you," she said.

  She was met with silence for the grand total of three long heartbeats before the room erupted in laughter. Alex smirked at their amusement. Not only was it a grand entrance, in her eyes, but she knew it guaranteed that they would underestimate her.

  Tormane leaned back in his wooden throne, his gravelly voice like the rumbling of thunder.

  "You'll take nothing before you take my clan," said Tormane.

  "So you're saying I'll take your clan? After, of course, I take nothing, which seems pretty simple to me," said Alex, giving him a sweet smile.

  Tormane's eyes bugged out as he leaned forward. He slammed his fist against the armrest of the throne, snapping it in half.

  "You dare challenge me?" he asked.

  "Well, yes, that's the point," said Alex. "I killed the required challengers and have presented myself to you, the battleleader. May I join?"

  A host of muttering rose behind her as the assembled warriors implored Tormane not to accept her into the clan, but he was bound by the rules of the game.

  Quest Completed: Offer your services to the battleleader of a clan

  You have gained experience: 5,000 XP

  Quest Chain III: Do you join Bravebear clan? [Y/N]

  Joining a clan will keep the player from earning experience in another zone until the end of the year.

  Alex hesitated when she saw the implications of joining. If she hit yes, there'd be no earning experience in another zone if events got too difficult.

  Knowing that the other zones would be similarly problematic, Alex accepted the clan membership.

  "Welcome to Bravebear clan," said Tormane.

  You have gained experience: 1,000 XP

  Quest: Claim Bravebear clan by becoming battleleader (20,000 XP)

  Prerequisites: Elite Rank & 50 Conquest Points

  Quest Chain I: Defeat 5 Novices or above (Earn: Novice Rank)

  Everyone starts at the bottom, whelpling.

  Alex noted the quests didn't come with a [Y/N] accept clause, which meant they were part of the main quest lines that she couldn't avoid, which was fine with her. She was happy to have a little more structure than the Warped Forest. Her first year in the game had been lonely. It was good to interact with NPCs again, even if they were a bit thickheaded.

  She checked her character sheet to see if her stats had changed.

  Character: Alexandria Duke

  Clan: Bravebear

  Status: Unranked

  Level: 20

  Busy with the pop-ups, she didn't realize everyone was staring at her until she looked up into Tormane's glowering face.

  "Beat it, fresh meat. Only elites and above in the longhouse," he said.

  Alex gave him a two-fingered salute. "Duly noted. Don't worry, I'll be back."

  Before she left the longhouse, a good-looking warrior in tight-fitting boiled leather put a hand on her shoulder. He had a nice shoulder-length hockey mullet and the arrogant swagger of someone who'd never considered they could be wrong.

  "Tonight, when the sun goes down, the clan fights in the circle," said Atticus Laine. "Since it is your first night, you must fight."

  "Let me guess, the first rule is that we don't talk about it," said Alex.

  His face wrinkled. "Why would we do that? It's a battle circle. We fight every night."

  "Never mind, Prince Charming," she said, pushing through the hide covering.

  As she stepped outside the longhouse, she heard him mutter with confusion, "But my name is Atticus."

  Chapter Five

  Outside the longhouse, Alex inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of cooking fires. She took a slow stroll around the camp, looking for a tent to claim as her own. As she neared the groups near the longhouse, the warriors gave her the stink eye. When she noted that their rank was Veteran, she kept going, looking for the unranked, where she would fit in.

  At the back of the camp on a sloped rise, which would be the worst spot to sleep, she found a group of misfit warriors that looked like they'd gotten lost leaving a soup kitchen. Wary gazes watched her approach.

  "Heyas everyone, I'm Alex," she said.

  Barely anyone made eye contact, except for a slight girl with milk-pale skin who was poking the fire with a dagger. She had short messy dark hair and a keen gaze, unlike the cretins near the longhouse. There was an androgynous quality to her, though Alex supposed it could have been the ratty leather tunic that smoothed away her figure.

  "I'm Nayiri," she said, her black eyes sparkling with mirth. "The big oaf on the far side is Mancalf; the world's worst mage, Blaze Frostmane, is right next to you; that's Sorrow with the fist full of mutton and a heart full of poison."

  "Nice to meet you all," said Alex, settling into a spot between Nayiri and Blaze. "So when does the battle circle happen?"

  In a low voice as if he were narrating a horror movie, Sorrow said, "Between the time the last bead of sun has disappeared behind the horizon and before the eyes of our ancestors shine down upon us from the heavens. In that time, and that time only, will our blood be spilled upon the dirt of the battle circle in the ritual of nightly combat."

  The rest of the camp rolled their eyes at Sorrow, who had wavy black hair that looked perpetually wet and a gray pallor to his skin as if he were permanently ill. He held himself as if he lacked all the normal bones that went into a body.

  "So you fight each night," said Alex, hoping to spur more conversation.

  The enormous Mancalf, who looked like he would have been more comfortable in a sumo match, hung his head. "More like slaughtered each night."

  "Slaughtered?" asked Alex.

  The others nodded.

  Blaze, who looked like a traditional mage in a pale blue set of robes with arcane tattoos along his arms, added, "We're practice for the novices, or when the elites want a warm-up before we go against another clan. If I had a gold piece for every time I've taken a spear to the gut, I'd be a rich man."

  "If you had a single piece of gold, Blaze, you'd be a rich man," said Nayiri, tossing her dagger between her hands.

  "So you never win?" asked Alex.

  "We'd have a rank if we did," said Nayiri.

  "Then why did you join the Bravebear Clan?"

  Nayiri snorted. "Join? Let me guess, you chose this shithole?"

  "Yeah, I chose it," said Alex.

  The others turned their gazes away as if they'd found out she'd been stealing bread from the poorhouse.

  "How did you come to the Bravebear then?" she asked.

  Nayiri, who had shifted her body away, stared back at Alex. "We were claimed from the challengers, which is about the only thing good about being sword fodder—we get a tent to sleep in."

  "Does it really count as a tent if it lets the rain in?" asked Blaze.

  "Not to mention those flying bloodsuckers," said Mancalf, adding a body shudder for effect.

  The description piqued Alex's interest. "Flying bloodsuckers?"

  Nayiri lifted
one shoulder. "They haven't been around in a while, but last year, you'd wake up in the middle of the night and find something furry attached to you, sucking your blood, but you couldn't do anything because they paralyzed you. And then, when they were full, they'd fly off."

  "Sorry," muttered Alex.

  "What?" asked Nayiri, but Alex shook her off.

  "We tried ambushing them, but it doesn't matter since nothing dies here in the Plains of Warsong," said Blaze.

  The last point provoked an uncomfortable realization for Alex. She wouldn't be able to farm her way to level 40 on experience since nothing died, and the gains in experience were significantly lower than normal.

  Is that why this zone is so difficult? She had a good idea the conquest points would be important in progressing, but she still didn't know how.

  "Have any of you traveled to the other parts of this zone, or is it all the same?" she asked.

  Nayiri glanced uncomfortably towards the others before answering, "At the center is Warsong City, where the best of the best battle in the Arena of the Gods. Not that we'll ever get to see it, but every year there's a tournament to crown the Champion of Warsong."

  Quest Offered: Become Champion of Warsong (Reward: Level 40)

  Quest Chain I: Earn 50,000 conquest points to qualify for the Champions Competition (+75,000 XP)

  A shiver passed down Alex's spine. She put a hand to her mouth as she reeled with the implications of the task before her. She wouldn't be able to grind her way to the target level like she had in the Warped Forest, or exploit the terrain as she had in the end. This zone would require fight after fight in a small space with little room for tactics or error.

  "Merlin's hairy balls," she muttered, realizing how difficult the task was going to be.

  The number of CPs required to qualify suggested she wasn't going to be able to earn them one battle at a time. She was only receiving 2 CPs per fight, which would take her decades to achieve.