“Well, the princess I was once engaged to still believes I buggered my Meewfolk protégé. We’re currently trying to re-establish diplomatic relations with Jeun, but who knows?” A tiny smile jerked the corner of Ignas’ lips. “Anyway, enough of that. It’s fortunate you arrived early: I have some things for you. Items, and advice. can you call Karalti to you?”
Items? Advice? “Sure. Give me a second. Karalti? Can you join us?”
The dragon uttered a short shrieking cry as I called her, but she turned around and flew straight for us. There was a great leathery rasp as Karalti folded her wings, dropped my broken pack to the ground, then fell the last few feet to the ground beside me. She was breathing hard, chest flexing like a bellows.
The griffin-like quazi pranced a couple of steps back, honking with fear. Ignas checked the reins, halting it before it spooked too bad. “Which would you like first?”
“Stuff first,” I said. “Otherwise I’ll be wondering what goodies you’re holding onto while you’re trying to teach me shit.”
“Honest, at least.” The Volod gave me a chipped, toothy smile and then tilted his head to concentrate on something I couldn’t see.
[Ignas Corvinus would like to trade.]
That was interesting. NPCs only seemed to open these trade windows in one of two instances - when they were giving me something immaterial, or when they were displaying an inventory. Curious, I accepted.
Ignas’s halo-like Corona whirled, and then another bunch of notifications appeared:
[You received a Raven Suit!]
[You received a Raven Helm!]
[You received Cossack Harness!]
[You received Fine Cloak!]
[You have received Royal Dragon Saddle!]
[You received Fine Saddlebags]
My eyes widened. Holy fuck. While Ignas watched indulgently, I navigated to my Inventory to check the new items.
Raven Suit
Mastercraft Armor
260 Armor
25% impact reduction (Torso); 15% Light, Fire and Air elemental damage reduction.
Body Slot
100% durability
Armor purpose-made for wearing while flying an aerial mount. Light, tough, and flexible, it bears the raven crest of House Corvinus.
Raven Helm
Magical Armor
50 Armor
25% impact reduction (Head), 5% Light, Fire and Air elemental damage reduction, 25% resistance to the Blindness & Deafened status effects. Enhanced flight display.
Head slot
100% durability
A Mercurion-crafted helm enchanted to allow you to see through the solid visor.
Cossack Harness
Masterwork Item
+25 lb to maximum carry weight
Belt Slot
100% durability
A four-point flight harness worn over armor. Used to attach yourself to the quick-release points on your saddle and prevent falls. It can also hold pouches and weapons.
Royal Dragon Saddle
Magical Armor (Dragon)
125 Armor
+10% flight speed, -5% stamina drain
Body slot
100% durability
Built for speed and comfort, this enchanted saddle boosts your mount’s flight speed and stamina by reducing drag.
Fine Saddlebags
Masterwork Item
100% Durability
Increases carrying capacity by 120lb.
Fine Cloak
Looks impressive and keeps you warm. It has pockets!
“Ignas... this is amazing.” I equipped the entire Raven Suit. It fit like a second skin: dark leather and steel armor that was decorative and functional at the same time, worked with silver crow skull buttons. It moved and breathed better than any motorcycle racing suit I’d ever worn.
The black steel helmet was something else. It was long, with a backswept crest of sharp metal feathers tipped in red. The aerodynamic visor was made of obsidian. The volcanic glass that crawled with traceries of red light that pulsed in a mirrored geometric pattern from top to bottom. Like other Mercurion-style gear, there were no eye holes, nose holes, or apparent way to see or breathe.
“That helmet can amplify your voice somewhat,” Ignas said. “Officers of the Royal Dragoons use helmets similar to this one.”
“You can really see through it?” Bewildered, I pulled it on and blinked a couple of times. From the inside, it was like I wasn’t wearing a helmet at all. Even better, it seemed to have some kind of synergy with my HUD. There was a new tab on my sidebar. When I swiped it in, the flight controls I normally only saw when Karalti and I were in the air appeared. Not only that, but there were more tools. A compass. An altimeter. Wind speed and direction. “Holy shitballs. Dude, this is seriously amazing gear. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” Ignas inclined his head. “We need to win this campaign, Hector.”
“Our chances just got better.” I reached back, and found a notch just big enough to pull my braids through. “This gear is badass.”
Just then, my HUD began to chime: the morning alarm I had set to wake up in time for the expedition. The gates across the parade ground opened, and soldiers began to pour in, marching in orderly ranks. Ignas straightened in his saddle.
“What about me?” Karalti leaned forward, shaking her wings out as she grawked like an overgrown chick begging for food. Her tantrum was already long forgotten – by her, at least. “You got some things for me?”
“Yup.” I equipped her new saddle. Her old one had served her well, but it was pretty basic: especially compared to this beast. The Royal Saddle was a huge step up in quality. Long, narrow, with a short swallowtail cantle that hugged, it could be bolted to the holes drilled in Karalti’s dorsal spines. It was sculpted to fit her shoulders, and came with extra handles and tie points. The black leather looked shiny, almost wet, but when I vaulted up onto her back, I found the reverse was true. It was rough to the touch, with enough friction to catch and stop my gloves when I pressed down and tried to slide it along.
“Sandsquid leather,” Ignas called out. “Helps to keep your seat. Just try not to touch it with your bare skin, or you will get a rash in places you will sorely regret.”
“It’s comfy!” Karalti stood up tall, shrugging, spreading, and rotating her wings as if to model how it did not interfere with the action of her shoulders. “I love it!”
I clapped her on the knee as she settled back down into her normal stance. “So, how about that advice?”
Ignas nodded, turning to face the troops as they fell into place. “Indeed. I foresee a day where you, Suri, and even Rin may have to command troops, and I feel it is important that the three of you understand how to do so. Do you want to learn?”
“Absolutely.” I reached up to adjust my new helmet.
[You have gained access to the Mass Combat System]
[You earned a new feat: Commander in Training]
Ignas motioned with a hand. “Take a look at your new menu, and I’ll walk you through the options.”
I did so, calling up the HUD. My eyes widened as the new menu unfolded. It was easily the most complex I’d seen in Archemi so far, made more confusing because the various circles, tables, and slots were blank. They were all labeled. The only field with any data was the Renown table, which listed my Renown in Ilia and Vlachia (Taltos Region}.
“Your Renown is the foundation of your ability to build your duchy, recruit heroes, and manage your army,” Ignas said. “Your effectiveness as a leader begins and ends with the quality of your character. Fame or infamy, it doesn’t really matter. You can lead through fear or through inspiration, or a mixture of both. Regardless of what idealists would like to claim, soldiers who fear their commander as their god are as reliable as those who worship them. The strength of the units you can effectively command depends on your Will, your level, and your Renown. Any fool can temporarily bolster a force or direct troops, but to lead, you must be worthy of following.�
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“You will note there are three pages to this system: Army, Heroes, and Logistics,” he continued. “The first menu is your Army information. If or when that menu is ever populated, you will be able to see all your units at a glance. If you select a unit, you can view strategic information. Look out over the formation, and you’ll see what I mean.”
The Volod gestured out over the Legion assembling in orderly rows on the Parade Ground: two thousand soldiers and specialists, give or take. I was able to identify twenty discrete units – unit was a complete company, containing the fighting troops and their support. Two thirds of the force were infantry: [Veteran Militia Pikemen], [Vlachian Royal Riflemen], and [Vlachian Royal Archers]. The remainder was made up of units flagged as ‘Elite Units’: [Knights of the Red Star], [Royal Elementalists], [Ravensblood Dragoons] and others. When I focused on one unit of Dragoons, I got the detailed information Ignas had been talking about:
2nd Ravensblood Dragoon Company (Thunderbolts)
Descended from the Dakhari mercenaries who helped the House of Corvinus conquer Eastern Vlachia, Ravensblood Dragoons are Quazi-mounted knights who fight with special hooked polearms - khara - and repeater pistols. They are brutally effective against armored and unarmored flying creatures, able to pull their khara through wings and gun down armored opponents. Their majestic presence on the battlefield is inspiring to infantry, fortifying them against Fear.
Unit Rank: 1
Faction: Myszno Defense Force
Health: 200
Morale: 100%
Speed: 90 (Fast)
Melee Attack: 40
Melee Defense: 32
Abilities: Anti-Infantry, Armored, Armor Piercing, Aerial Charge, Anti-Beast (Flying).
Buffs: Causes Fear in enemy units (-2% morale), boosts morale of allied ground units (+2% morale), +20% damage to Infantry and Beast units on successful charge
Vulnerabilities: Vulnerable to Anti-Air tactics.
“As you can see, the information for military units is simplified, compared to the information one would expect of individual people,” Ignas said. “That is necessary for planning armies and for tactical purposes. If you were in command of these troops, you would be able to see some more specific information. The commander can monitor injuries and deaths, keep an eye on ammunition, and order units to take certain positions in real time.”
“What’s Rank?” I asked.
“Rank is a measure of experience,” Ignas replied. “Rank 1 indicates a unit has not yet endured a battle. Successful battles increases rank, which confers bonuses to morale, health, attack and defense, so it is in your interest to safeguard the lives of your soldiers. Now, speaking of that – let us head over to the Heroes menu.”
I did so, and to my surprise, there were already a couple of entries there. Ignas was at the top of the list, and Ebisa just underneath it. There were a few other familiar faces, too. Kira and Owen, the healers from Lyrensgrove. Sergeant Blackwin, from the Eyrie. Rutha, though she was grayed out. Both Ebisa and Ignas had icons which, when I hovered over them, told me that they were ‘Unrecruitable (Ally)’.
“The Heroes menu tracks your relationships with prominent figures who inspire, train, and command units or armies.” Ignas motioned to himself with a wry smile. “Individuals are important in warfare, even if the brunt of the conflict rests on the rank and file. Heroes have unique combinations of abilities and talents, such as Ebisa’s talents as an assassin and strategist, or my gifts for diplomatic relations and espionage. Heroes fortify troops, improving morale and helping them fight on when they otherwise might give up. They can also lead companies or units into battle, conveying unique buffs on their allies or debuffs on their enemies.”
“Holy shit.” I scratched my head, but found only metal. Helmet. Right. “Hang on: let me look at one of these.”
I couldn’t recruit Ebisa, but I could still see her Hero profile in this menu:
Red Ebisa, the King’s Blade
A Mercurion bastard who is reviled by her own kind for her alien appearance, Ebisa is an unusually talented assassin – even by Mercurion standards. After the death of her ‘father’, the Master Artificer Kanzo, she has absorbed his knowledge and has become a master weaponeer in her own right, though her primary art is still that of the unseen killer. Like all assassins, she is suited to one-to-one and small-group combat, infiltration, and the destruction of enemy Heroes.
Unit Rank: S
Faction: Nightstalkers Syndicate
Health: 3788
Morale: 120%
Speed: 150 (Extraordinarily Fast)
Melee Attack: 554-638
Melee Defense: 195
Abilities: Duelist, Scout Leader, Armor-Piercing, Infiltrator, Chameleon, Damage Resistance (Magic), Inspiring Presence, Immune to Fear, Skirmish Leader, Poison Master.
The Buffs and Vulnerabilities lists were inaccessible to me, greyed out. “What does a speed of 150 translate to, in terms of DPS?”
“Good question. The average DPS rate is five seconds at eighty percent, and every percentage point after that reduces the attack interval. In mass combat scenarios, Ebisa is attacking around every three seconds. She can boost her speed in short bursts, which decreases that interval even further. You can see why I like her.”
I chuckled. “Maybe we should just send her to go kill the Demon.”
“If not for the horde of undead standing in the way, I would.” Ignas made a sound of amusement. “Recruiting heroes relies on two factors: having sufficient Renown to command their respect, and completing quest lines that allow you to form a relationship with them and bring them to your own faction. Once recruited, Heroes will be added to your Mass Combat menu, where you can improve their abilities and stats through training and point assignment. These abilities are separate from their individual menus, by the way – they apply only to mass combat situations in which you are their commander. You cannot normally add stats and abilities to people, unless they are bound to you as Karalti is.”
“Right.” Fascinated, I had a look at some of the other hero profiles. Most of them were blanked out, because I had no renown with their factions. “Are there skills I can take to buff and improve Army and Hero units?”
“Yes, if you choose to level the Leadership and Strategy skills. I strongly recommend you assign any free skill points to them. Now, on to Logistics.” Ignas gestured with a long hand toward Vulkan Keep. “Logistics covers your buildings, your means of production, and the quality of your equipment. Different structures are required to produce certain units. For example, if you wish to train Knights of the Red Star, you must have a Red Star Chapter House, which costs 15 Build Points and 1000 Gold. To support it, you require a Gunsmith, a Blacksmith, and a Hookwing Stables, plus a steady supply of steel, lacquer, and gunpowder. This makes the Knights rather expensive, but they some of the best hybrid cavalry in the world. You earn Build Points through quests, naturally. They can be offset with manpower, but that costs money. More hands means less Build Points are needed, but more gold is required to pay your laborers. The eternal question of time versus money.”
“Huh.” I didn’t have any information in that menu yet. “Alright – that’ll do me for now. I’m starting to get lost.”
“You will get used to it. I remember when my father trained me to use this very menu.” Ignas clapped me on the shoulder. “Once you reach Myszno and begin your localized quests, this information and these options will make more sense. But for now, we must turn our attention to the send-off. My officers approach, as does the Lady Suri.”
Sure enough, Suri was headed for us, coming up out of the tunnel and gate that Ignas and his posse had used the day before. She cut a striking figure on Cutthroat, dressed in her mismatched armor, her axes belted to her hips, her oversized sword strapped over her back. She’d bought spiked leather barding for the hookwing, who was as ugly and ill-tempered as ever. The hulking dinosaur snapped and snarled at anything in her path, her tail sweeping from side to side.
>
I grunted. “Mind if I ask a question, Your Grace?”
“Of course.”
“If you had one piece of advice for a would-be barbarian commander, what would it be?”
Ignas snorted. Then, he thought about it. “My Vizier tells me I am too generous with my advice, but he is not here to temper my excesses, is he? I would suggest you train your mind. I see you and Suri and Karalti running all over the castle, training and redeeming quests, but I’ve yet to find either of you with your heads buried in a book.”
“Oh.” My face got hot enough that I was glad I was wearing my new helmet. “Yeah, I’m kind of dumb.”
Karalti huffed. “Ugh, this again.”
“You are not, but you must learn that for yourself. Improvement is merely an issue of time and discipline.” Ignas twirled a hand, the Vlachian shrug. “Assuming Karhad isn’t burned to the ground, you will have access to the Karhad Archives and the library at Egbolt Castle after your victory. Gods willing, they are intact. We can assume the undead, unlike some human armies, do not need to burn books for fuel. The Archives reputedly hold some grand, ancient lore.”
“Yeah...” Chastened, I stroked the side of Karalti’s neck. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.”
Ignas nodded. “My father raised me to believe that discipline is the foundation of everything good in life, including love. Despite his treatment of me, I still believe that. It is why I stand here today, preparing to address these men, while my brother’s ashes swirl around on the bottom of the ocean. You, Karalti and Suri are strong, but as Lucien demonstrated yesterday, strength of mind is as important as strength of body when it comes to dealing with tyrants.”
Part 2: The Prezyemi Line
Chapter 11
Archemi Online Chronicles Boxset Page 88