Recipe for Vigil Boost Potion:
Four Firetongue Claw petals
1 tblespoon Khalo Dust
Grounded Goon Nuts
10 Elderberries
Use a pestle to mix all ingredients in a mortar bowl into a fine paste and add four liters of boiled water. Leave to stand for ten minutes before bottling.
Cedric led him over to a work table where the necessary alchemical equipment was laid out and went to fetch the necessary ingredients to make the potion. John looked down at the pestle and picked it up. An option screen promptly popped up.
Access Alchemy Screen?
Yes
No
Unsure what to do next, John waited for Brother Cedric to return with the ingredients. When he came back, he placed each one out on the table. “Select Yes and the Alchemy Screen will come up. Then tap each ingredient twice to add it to the Crafting Menu,” the old man instructed.
John did as he was instructed and was greeted with the Crafting Menu. He touched each of the ingredients and they were added to the Menu.
Firetongue Claw Petal x 4
+
1 tblespoon Khalo Dust
+
Grounded Goon Nuts
+
Elder Berry X 10
CRAFT
Alchemy Skill 0%
“Now, mix them together the way the recipe instructs,” Cedric said. “I’ll boil up some water. When you’ve followed the instructions and made the potion, select Craft to see if you were successful.”
“Okay,” said John and he set about his work. When he added the boiling water Cedric supplied, he pressed the Craft button. He received the following message.
Crafting Failed!
John frowned in disappointment. Cedric let out a deep chuckle. “Did you think it would be that easy? Crafting potions takes a lot of practice, but the more you do it the higher your Alchemy Skill increases. It’s a slow but rewarding process. Want to try it again? With beginner’s luck, you never know…”
“Yes,” said John, “if you don’t mind me wasting your ingredients.”
“You’re not wasting ingredients, you’re willing to learn. I like that,” replied Cedric.
He brought some fresh ingredients and John tried again with the same result.
Crafting Failed!
Another couple of frustrating tries yielded the same result, but his Alchemy Skill did increase by half a percent. After one more failed attempt, John gave it up as a bad job. Brother Cedric patted him on the shoulder.
“Don’t take it to heart John. The more you practice, the better you get at it.”
“I’ll bear that in mind,” said John, unsure whether he should take the time to become proficient in Alchemy when he had other people who could craft the potions for him. “I better get going. Thanks again.”
He rolled up the scroll again, put it in a side pocket in his backpack and attached the money purse to his belt.
“If and when you return, I’ll have some more potions for you to sell on,” Brother Cedric said, “along with a list of ingredients I’d like you to obtain.”
“Got it,” John said. “I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
“What do you plan to do now?”
“I’m going back to Steamgrad,” John replied. “I think I’ll set up my headquarters there and get my business up and running.”
“Fair enough,” said Cedric. “Hopefully, it’ll all go well for you. Just give the Knights of the Noble Griffin a wide berth if you know what’s good for you.”
“Don’t worry,” replied John. “I plan to keep my activities as discreet as possible.”
“Just be careful,” Brother Cedric replied. “This game is full of surprises.”
John smile wryly. “So is my life.”
Chapter 08
Leaving the chapel and Brother Cedric behind, John decided to take his advice and head toward the Crow Gate. It was descending into early evening and the city was still pretty quiet as he made his way across to the western quarter. Two bored and surly-looking NPC guards were on duty when he got there and they blocked his path until he presented his faction gate pass allowing him to leave the city. When he offered them two potions of Vigil Boost, however, they became his best buddies and all talk of gate passes were forgotten, especially as they were getting them for free in exchange for allowing him to leave the city.
He promised that he could lay his hands on more potions and would happily supply them if he could gain easy entrance to the city, and the guards promised to put the word around to the rest of the garrison that he was to be allowed in without a pass. John thanked them and went on his way.
It was now becoming night in the game world, and John was tempted to log out and get some sleep. He wanted to get to Steamgrad before he did that, though. He planned to return to the Black Powder Boys’ hideout and leave his Save Marker there to serve as a focal point. Apart from Lao’s shop and the Tong tea house in Bastion, that seemed the only secure place to leave it to regain access to Enlightened territory. So, he made the long trek across the Eternal Battlefields to get back to the ramshackle city.
Navigating a path around the city walls, he avoided the festival that was still going on at Heaven’s Shield’s main gates. He retraced his steps to the battlefield and found the clockwork town had been downed and was in flames. The conflagration could be seen for miles around and was a blazing beacon in the darkness. A number of Holy Seal and Seven Paths players were stood around, watching the fire, and John spotted streams of Enlightened players moving away in the direction of their territory. Using the cover of the night, he attached himself to one of the streams of Enlightened players and got himself a spot on one of the open topped wagons that was traveling along with the defeated army.
“Man, how could we have lost!” griped the player sat next to him to his two friends. “We had the superior technology and we were armed to the teeth. The Seven Paths were on the run back there.”
“It’s those dragons, man,” one of his companions said, shaking his head. “They’re just too powerful. We have nothing in our faction that can really match them. I was in a guild battle last week with a Seven Paths mercenary company and they called up a Sapphire Dragon. It was only a youngling and about the size of a mechanical horse, but it turned the battle in minutes. We were completely wiped out. Seven Path dragons are just too tough. It’s not fair.”
“Yeah, that’s bullshit!” said a third player. “The Enlightened Lightning Spires can total a dragon just like that. The reason we lost was that the town’s Spires take too long to recharge after they’re fired. They shouldn’t have hit the one dragon and left the other two out of range. If the Town Militia had timed it right, they could have taken down all three at once.”
“Don’t blame us!” said another player dressed in a dark blue uniform, who was sitting up near the front of the wagon. “We had to hit them as fast as we can!”
“I’m not blaming,” the player who had complained about the Spires replied, putting his hands up in a supplicating gesture. “I’m just stating a fact. The Spires are our most superior weapons but they are too damn slow on the recharge. We need some kind of modification to even the playing field.”
“No shit, Sherlock,” sneered the uniformed player. “Talk to me when you’ve designed something better, but I won’t hold my breath.”
“We need a smaller weapon that’s as powerful as a Lightning Spire,” said the player who had started the conversation. “Or maybe some kind of harpoon gun or, even better, something handheld.”
“Geez, you’re as big a dreamer as your buddy there,” said the uniformed player. “We got to make the best of what we got, and we’ve got some pretty decent hardware compared to the other two factions. Quit being whiny bitches!”
The players carried on bickering, but John zoned out. A weapon that could effectively defeat Seven Paths dragons and recharge qui
ckly would make him quite a lot of money, he reasoned.
“John!” a female voice called up from below the wagon. “John! Over here!”
John looked down and saw Kate and Mark amongst the group of players ambling behind the wagon. She flashed him a disarming grin and outstretched her arm. “Don’t just sit there looking pretty. Give us a hand up.”
A ripple of laughter went through the surrounding players and John felt a surge of embarrassment. He got to his feet and reached down to help her up. Her lithe body brushed against his for just a moment when she climbed up and then she was settled down in a space next to him.
“I’ve been thinking about you,” Kate informed him as John assisted Mark up onto the wagon.
“You have?” John asked cautiously as he sat down next to her.
“Of course, how could I not think about a gorgeous hunk like you?” Kate replied slyly. “You’re the hottest guy in EWO right now.”
“Stop being a tease, Kate,” Mark said warningly. “You’re embarrassing him.”
“It’s okay,” John said, giving them both a neutral smile. “I get it all the time.”
“Don’t get too bigheaded,” Kate replied. “This is the first time I’ve logged on this week.”
John laughed heartily, the fatigue he was experiencing slaking away. “I’ll remember to stay humble.”
“Were you at the battle?” Mark asked. “We didn’t see you.”
“I saw what was going on, but I didn’t get involved,” John said. “I had business elsewhere.”
Kate nodded and in a lower voice—so nobody else on the wagon could hear—said, “How was your trip to Bastion?”
John looked at Mark. “Don’t worry,” said Kate’s friend, “she filled me in about your situation.”
John nodded, not exactly happy that she had shared that intel with him. “It was very productive,” he said carefully.
“You’re quite a way from Seven Paths territory, have you been in Holy Seal’s lands?” Kate asked.
“I went to Heaven’s Shield,” John replied. “That was quite productive as well. I’m heading back to Steamgrad now. I want to set up a base of operations and go from there.” He realized he had told her more than he intended to, and then remembered her charisma buff. “By the way, I need to thank you for giving me that Ring of Mild Charm. I think it’s helped with my negotiations a little.”
“It was my pleasure,” Kate said. “You need all the help you can get at the moment.”
“That reminds me, is there a modification system in this game?”
“What do you mean by modification?”
“Can you modify existing equipment or create your own?” John clarified, thinking about the Lightning Spires. “You know, make weapons more powerful or efficient.”
“Well, regular patches update some of the gear and provide new stuff from time to time, but we don’t get much. There is an extensive equipment list for each faction already, and you can enhance a few bits of specified gear through enchantments and mechanical upgrades so the Admins don’t bother much producing new ones.”
“So players can’t create completely brand new gear or modify stuff extensively?” John asked.
Kate thought about this for a moment and then shook her head. “Not really. The game doesn’t allow outside modders to create their own stuff or scenarios, and I don’t think any of the existing faction classes give you the ability to really do any of that stuff to a high level. You just have to make the best of what is on offer. If you can get hold of the schematics for something, you have to go to an NPC with the right specialized knowledge to make it for you.”
“I see,” said John.
“Why the interest?” asked Mark.
“I was just thinking,” John said. “It’d be a useful skill to have, that’s all.”
“Lucrative too,” Kate replied. “If you figure out a way to do it, let me know. I wouldn’t mind some new stuff.”
“I’ll bear that in mind.”
They continued on their way and Kate and Mark picked over the bones of the recent battle with the other Enlightened players while John stayed silent. Once they got into Enlightened territory, the lights of Steamgrad came into view. The players surged in and hit the saloons to drown their sorrows. Kate and Mark invited John to join them, but he politely declined. He said his goodbyes, and made his way back to the shantytown where the Black Powder Boys were stationed.
Rattlesnake Jim was pleased to see him, and even though John hadn’t brought back any more exotic foodstuffs from the Seven Paths territory, Jim’s eyes lit up when John showed him the Silver Blaze rifle.
“That’s a fine shooter,” the outlaw said, running his hands along the weapon. “You did well to find it.”
“It’s yours for a hundred gold,” John said.
Jim frowned. “One hundred? That’s a bit steep. I’ll give you fifty.”
“Seventy five,” John replied without missing a beat. “Final offer. Take it or leave it.”
Rattlesnake Jim brought himself up to his full height. “You seem pretty full of yourself. Maybe my boys and me will have to teach you a little lesson.”
Three of Rattlesnake Jim’s men, who were listening to the exchange, moved closer, their hands on the hilt of their pistols. Before they could draw, John quickly called up the Void Storage menu.
*Items may be placed in Void Storage at no cost.
*Items placed in Void Storage are still in Void Storage after death.
*Retrieving items from Void Storage requires a Blood Sacrifice of 10% of player’s health at time of retrieval.
Move All Items!
Select Items To Move!
Ignore Warning and Cancel!
Before anyone could stop him, John slipped the rifle into Void Storage and closed the menu again. He raised his hands and smiled. “Okay boys, you can blast away. When I respawn, I’ll just come back and head into the nearest saloon. I’m sure there will be plenty of people around who’ll buy the rifle for the price I’m offering.”
Rattlesnake Jim nodded his head. “Okay, you made your point. I’ll pay the price you want. Boys step back.”
The gang stood down and John called up the Void Storage again. “Money first,” he said, “and then you’ll get the rifle.”
Rattlesnake Jim opened a money pouch and counted out the gold. He passed the money over to John, and John retrieved the rifle from Void Storage. “You know, you’re going to have to trust me more. I’m going to make us all very rich, but you’ve got to play fair.”
“I get it,” the outlaw said as he pawed at the rifle. “This is a beautiful piece.”
“You can have the gun belt and bullets for an extra twenty five,” John said. “No negotiation.”
Rattlesnake Jim pursed his lips but didn’t argue. He counted out the necessary gold and John gave him the belt and the bullets. Transactions done, John moved on to another topic. “I’m looking for a place to sell my goods and use as a workshop,” he said. “I want to settle here in Steamgrad. Do you know of any place that might suit?”
The NPC scratched at his unshaved chin and spat on the floor as he mulled it over. “There’s Old Sharkey’s carpentry shop. It’s been left empty for a few months now since he kicked the bucket. It’s owned by his son now, but he’ll sell it to you for the right price.”
“Where is it?” John asked.
“Just a few streets away, it’s tucked out of the way so you won’t attract any unwanted attention.”
“Sounds like it might suit,” John replied. “Where can I find Sharkey’s son?”
“At this time of night, he’ll be boozed up and whoring over at Fancy Dan’s Cathouse,” Rattlesnake Jim said. “I’ll take you over there and we can grab a drink.”
They walked out into the night and headed south. Fancy Dan’s Cathouse was as tawdry as John expected, with red walls and wall to wall dancing girls along with lecherous NPCs and rowdy pla
yers. They found Sharkey’s son buried head first in the huge breasts of the manageress, and John had to buy him several drinks before he would be willing to talk any kind of business. Getting the NPC outside and sobered up sufficiently to walk in a straight line, John finally persuaded Sharkey’s son to show him the workshop.
The carpentry shop was a rundown two story building made of timber that had been left derelict since Old Sharkey had passed away. It wasn’t worth the five hundred gold Sharkey junior wanted for it, but it had a large spacious work room that suited John’s needs—along with a large cellar and rooms above that could provide him suitable living quarters, and a safe place to stow the Save Marker so he could come straight back here after he’d been out salvaging. He tried to get fifty gold knocked off the asking price, but Sharkey Junior wouldn’t budge so John relented, willing to pay the money because he saw the huge potential of the place.
Once he owned the place, he said goodnight to Rattlesnake Jim and placed the Save Marker upstairs in what passed for a bedroom which contained a wash basin and a moldy old mattress. John saved his progress and stood by the dust covered window looking out at Steamgrad. Dawn was beginning to break on the horizon, and in his mind plans were taking shape.
Sitting down on the bed, he accessed the game menu and found the EWO forums. As he hoped, there was a market place. After calling up the virtual keyboard, setting up an account and calling himself simply ‘Merchant’, he logged in.
As an experiment, he put up a post saying he had found the Jian sword and he was looking to sell it back to its owner. He was going to log out and check in a few hours if anyone had responded, but he received a message almost straight away:
NighTblaade448: Hey! That’s mine!
John smiled to himself. He waited ten minutes or so and then responded:
Merchant of Death Page 15