I spent a few moments in the quiet darkness, then shook myself back to reality. I was still wounded and only a third of my mana had regenerated, but the thought of all the items Barska must have left behind cheered me up. It was looting-time.
Not bothering to stand, I reached up and swept Barska’s stuff off the altar towards me, letting them fall to the floor so I could take a look.
Book of the Damned
Description: Magical tome containing demon rituals. Covered in Elf skin.
Type: Book
Rank: Rare
Durability: 6/6
Effect: When used, the reader can contact and communicate with a demon of the Infernal Planes.
Type and strength of the demon contacted depends on the type of offering made during the ritual (offerings can be precious gems, magical items or captured souls).
The book was a valuable find indeed.
This explains how Barska was able to become so powerful. His powers had to have been the result of a deal with a powerful demon. Consorting with demons was a very uncertain and extremely dangerous endeavor. It never ended well in the long term.
Flask of Babau Acid
Description: extracted from the slime of a Babau demon. Extremely corrosive. Can be used as a thrown weapon.
Type: Acid
Rank: Rare
Effect: 100 durability damage or 200 health damage over 30 seconds.
There were three vials. Not bad.
Acids were useful, a good hit with one of the flasks would destroy most standard armor, removing the wearer’s protection. Or it could dissolve locks on doors or chests.
Earring of the Warlord [Monster race only]
Description: iron band set with an oval black onyx.
Type: Earring [ear slot]
Rank: Magical
Durability: 23/30
Effect: War Party Leader skill increase by 5, telepathically communicate party members.
The skill increase was nice, but the ability to direct troops in battle without having to shout my orders at them was a huge advantage. The earring had the Monster race only restriction, meaning normal players couldn’t equip it. But I could.
When I put it on, it shrank to fit my ear. I wondered if I could also send my thoughts to players who were in my party. Guess I would have to wait to find out.
Ring of Bound Soul [Monster race only]
Description: This hideous blood-stained ring is shaped like an open mouth full of sharp teeth.
Type: Ring [finger slot]
Rank: Rare
Durability: 3/10
Effect: While equipped, it reduces the wearer’s maximum HP by 10. If the wearer’s Health falls to zero, the ring prevents the wearer’s soul from leaving the body, postponing death from lost HP. The wearer’s health regenerates as normal, although the wearer will be immobile until the HPs are above zero.
Each activation reduces the ring’s durability by 1, and permanently removes 10 HP from the wearer.
No wonder Blood Wrath didn’t kill Barska outright.
I could have hacked at him until my arms fell off and still wouldn’t have killed him as long as he wore that ring. I was damn lucky my dagger had bypassed the ring’s protection. It must have been the Sacrifice ability, which ignored health, killing immobilized or helpless victims by consuming their souls instead.
The 10 HP reduction was a bitch, but I had 212 HP, so I could afford it. The ability to stave off death was a big selling point for me, especially after Tal’s email.
I slipped the ring onto my finger. The ring immediately shrank to fit my finger. The ring’s encircling teeth tore into the flesh of my finger and drank in the blood that poured out.
I winced, then took a steadying breath and ignored it. It was quite clear how the ring deprived the wearer of 10 HP.
Barska’s remaining items included a 200 HP healing potion, two large diamonds, and the Void Crystals from my fight with his minions.
My best guess was that the diamonds were worth around 1000 gold each. An accurate assessment required the Appraise skill, which goblins could not normally learn due to their negative Social attribute.
It was a disappointing haul considering Barska’s power, and the trials I had gone through to take him out.
I guess I can’t really complain, he was only wearing a loincloth, I tried to rationalize it to myself. There’s bound to be more loot in the camp!
But I couldn’t afford the time to go look for it. My health was nearly full, and my mana was at 60%.
Just a little bit longer, and I’m walking out of here. I’ll obliterate anyone that stands in my way. I thought savagely.
Feeling better, thanks to my little break, I stood and stretched. With my Mana Sight active again, the top of the newly consecrated Altar drew my attention.
Barska’s blood had splashed over the bowl-like top of the Altar. Lines of his blood oozed toward the center, flowing through barely-noticeable channels carved into the stone. The lines came together at the bottom of the bowl, shaping a familiar looking pattern. I leaned forward, tracing the design… It was a rune!
You gained knowledge of a new rune: ‘Tse’ (Trigger Rune)
Carved into the altar-top was a treasure more valuable than all the loot from Barska.
I noticed the rune because the mana-charged blood had ‘painted’ the pattern, making it visible to my Mana Sight. Only people who had the Runecraft skill could have recognized it as a rune, but even they would not have seen it without Mana Sight.
I wondered how many other secrets were hidden throughout the world, in plain sight, only visible under certain circumstances in conjunction with specific skills or knowledge.
I was almost giddy, I had gotten another rune! I had some thoughts about potential uses for the rune.
But first, I had to get back to Goblin’s Gorge. My mana was at 70%.
Just a little bit more to go.
“Master?” A waspish feminine voice called down the stairs, “You have been down there for a while. I would be happy to offer my assistance in bleeding the prisoner.”
Elenda, had come looking for her master.
Damn the bitch’s timing! I cursed.
I had to deal with her quickly before she sounded the alarm. I looked around, searching for a way to take her out fast.
I saw the solution glowing right in front of me.
“Master?”
The voice was closer now. She was about to enter the chamber. I pulled shadows around me as I moved to stand at the side of the entrance, then pressed against the wall and held my breath.
Elenda reached the bottom of the steps and stood in the entryway, surveying the chamber.
Just keep looking forward, I thought anxiously. Just a little closer.
My unvoiced wish was answered, she walked through the entrance into the chamber. “Master?”
Empowered by mana which coursed through my body, I jumped from my shadowed ambush point. I reached high and slapped the bloated glowing Manaleech on her neck directly over the mana nexus.
“AAAAARGHH” she screamed, spinning and wildly throwing me away from her. Then she immediately made a grab for the parasite lodged on the back of her neck.
Elenda’s fingers closed on the Manaleech and she tugged at it hard, trying to remove it.
Under normal circumstances, what she did was the correct choice of actions. But the leech on her neck was primed to blow, and full of mana. Mana it had accumulated by draining me for hours.
Just as she succeeded in ripping the leech free, our eyes met. I gave her a wide shit-eating grin and dove behind the stone table for cover. Comprehension dread flashed across her face just in time for the explosion to wipe them away permanently, the force of the blast shaking the walls.
Elenda was torn to shreds in the explosion. Bits of her flesh littered the floor, and stuck to the walls and ceiling. Nothing remained of the Adept or her items.
The big boss and the bitch boss are down. Time to go. I thought grimly.
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I wished I could have sacrificed Elenda on the altar like Barska. As a boss’ second in command, she probably would have netted a good sized Void Crystal, and a pile of Faith Points. But the risk and reward equation in my head told me I’d made the right decision, and my regret was short lived. Besides, I’d already raked in the jackpot, missing out on the door prize wasn’t the end of the world.
A piece of Elenda meat that was sticking to the wall, fell down with an audible squelch.
Now that their leaders were dead, the hobgoblin soldiers weren’t a serious threat. I turned to the entrance and steeled myself for another brawl. I conjured Drilling Arrows to hand, and readied my dagger; thus prepared, I made my way up the stairs one careful step at a time, Vic closely behind me.
As I climbed the steps I plainly ‘saw’ the exit ahead of me, but my senses weren’t detecting anything beyond it.
As I reached the top and stepped through the crumbling stone archway, my mana sense erupted outward, painting a vivid picture of my surroundings, including the two hulking Ogres standing post on either side of me.
The torture chamber wards had blocked my senses until I was outside the chamber.
I stifled a yelp, took a quick step back, and braced for the coming attack.
The enormous creatures looked down at me, then up at each other; and then at the same time knelt down and bowed their heads toward me.
“We Oh-bay Mas-Tar,” their guttural speech was barely intelligible
Extending my senses out past the Ogres, I ‘saw’ the mana of ten hobgoblins, all kneeling as well, genuflecting to me. They smelled of sweat and fear. Funny how I had never noticed such things before.
Well, this is interesting.
A single hobgoblin was standing among the ones kneeling. In my mana sight he looked like any other hobgoblin, except for radiant lines of green mana coiling up his arms. He started walking toward me slowly, his head bowed, his hands held out and empty.
I watched him approach warily, my dagger and Arrows ready. He stopped a few steps away, and drew his sword. I almost killed him then, but at the last instant decided to hold myself back.
Then the hobgoblin dropped to his knee, and laid his sword at my feet.
“My name is Borbarabsus, Dark Totem. By the traditions of our people, you proved stronger than our previous leaders, and so, you may now claim the position and this camp.”
You have defeated the leaders of the Raiders’ Camp
As a boss you may choose to take command of the settlement, or demolish it.
Demolish/Control?
I blinked in surprise. That was unexpected. When players destroyed monster towns they didn’t receive the option to take over.
It was a good thing I hadn’t taken Borbarabsus’s head off when he drew his sword. Lucky Bastard’s Dangersense ability to the rescue again.
I was tempted to demolish the camp and wash my hands of it. I was fairly certain that demolishing it would leave me with a wealth of construction resources I could use for my own settlement.
But on the other hand, destroying the settlement would leave the newly concentrated altar undefended. The altar extended Nihilator’s zone of influence and enabled area-dependent faith bonuses, it was too important to leave unguarded.
No, the camp would have to remain. The walls were a good start, but I would probably have to invest more resources in its defense. Besides, I liked the idea of having a strong force of hobgoblins and Ogres under my control.
You have taken control of a new settlement
Name: Raiders’ Camp
Type: War camp
Garrison: 7 hobgoblin warriors, 2 hobgoblins scouts, 1 hobgoblin lieutenant, 2 Ogre warriors
Buildings: Officer Tent, Altar, Wooden Defensive Wall, 3 Wooden Watch Towers, 6 Tents.
Available resources: Coal
Wow! I thought, conquering enemy camps is profitable.
I guess that was why monster clans warred with their neighbors. Taking over an established camp was a way to quickly boost their wealth and power.
I had barely finished reading the new message when new ones popped up.
Quest Completed: Hobgoblins in the Forest
You have eliminated the hobgoblin threat by killing their leaders.
Reward: Control over Raiders’ Camp and all its resources, XP: 1200
Quest Updated: Remove the Hobgoblin Menace
Return to Yeshlimashu to claim your reward
Borbarabsus looked up. Noticing my empty eye sockets he swallowed hard.
He was probably worried that I would vent my ire on him and his hobs, but he spoke his duty despite that.
“We are yours to command, Dark Totem.”
In reaction to his pledge, all around the camp, the shadows stirred. They flowed in from the walls, and from under the watchtowers, gathering around the kneeling hobgoblins and Ogres. Each figure became the center of a whirling darkness. It crept up their bodies, darkening their skin where it touched. There were cries of fear and surprise, but resistance was futile. The darkness dwindled as it seeped into their bodies.
Then it was over. The hobgoblins looked just like my clan goblins, now having dark, shadow patterned skin. But the Ogres, their hides were an unrelieved, solid midnight black.
They were now, all of them, Shadow Touched. Mine.
Through the transformation, Borbarabsus maintained eye contact...err... eye to empty-socket contact with me
I smirked at his apparent uneasiness and analyzed him.
Borbarabsus, Hobgoblin lieutenant. Level 8 (35%)
Abilities: P: 7, M: 1, S: 0
HP: 75, MP: 45
Skills: Swords: 12, Control Vines: 11, Squad Leader: 9
Traits: Goblinoid (+1P, -1S), Shadow-Touched
Resistances: Armor: 35
Background: As a youngling Borbarabsus trained to become the next clan’s Shaman. But, because of his distaste for studying and love of fighting he became a warrior and lieutenant instead. He retained some rudimentary magical knowledge; the ability to control plant vines, which he often keeps wrapped around his body to be used during combat, tripping and grappling his opponents.
There was more to Borbarabsus than immediately met the eye… err... empty-socket… whatever.
There was probably loot to find and buildings to inspect, but I was running out of time.
The system message confirming my control listed only two Ogre followers. I had to assume that the rest of the Ogres were not part of the leadership change, and were still following their orders to annihilate my settlement. I couldn’t tarry any longer.
“Borba...Barbsus...Bob, I have to go stop the Ogre force Barska sent before I killed him. You’re in charge until I return.”
Bob was still on his knee. “Chief, only Barska could have called off the attack, now that he’s gone…”
I paused for a moment.
“Then get everyone ready. We’re all going after them. One way or another, we’re going to stop them.” And I wasn’t planning on asking nicely.
Bob rose to his feet and nodded “yes, Dark Totem.”
***
Using Mana Infusion I could run faster than the hobgoblins, who soon fell behind as we raced across the open hilly ground toward the forest. The Ogres, made up for the difference in speed with their longer legs, and had no trouble keeping up with me, the ground trembled at their weight. But once we entered the forest the dense growths slowed the hulking Ogres considerably.
I couldn’t afford the delay, they were slowing us down too much. The Ogre squad had at least an hour head-start on us, and even if the forest had slowed them, it was going to be close.
“Bob, do the scouts know the way to my clan?”
“Yes, Dark Totem.”
“Good, assign one of them to lead our Ogres there. The rest of us will continue ahead.”
He did as I ordered, and we soon left the giants behind us with a scout to guide them.
Within a few minutes I realized the hobgoblins were a
lso slowing me down. Although they moved faster than the Ogres in the forest, they were still hampered by the dense vegetation. With my smaller stature I could run under many obstacles that confounded the hobs.
They were also going to get tired at some point, while I could continue indefinitely, my exertions bolstered by my mana.
“Bob, I’m going to run ahead. Keep heading toward the clan settlement. If you find any of the attacking Ogres, kill them on sight, your priority is to save my goblins.”
He frowned, but still nodded “Yes, Dark Totem.”
He was obedient, I’ll give him that.
The dark blue mana signatures of the trees and the lighter blue and green of bushes blurred together as I raced forward.
Now that I was alone, there was nothing to distract me from my thoughts and I was filled with anxiety for the safety of my clan. The few minutes I spent recuperating, could meant my clan’s demise.
Why hadn’t I made my way here as soon as I finished Elenda? I berated myself.
I steeled my resolve, leaning forward, and pumping my legs even harder, faster.
When Malkyr and I ran from Goblin’s Gorge to the Raiders’ Camp, it took us about six hours. I had five more hours filled with self-doubt and worry to keep me company.
Malkyr! .
“Vic! Send a message to Malkyr and Hoshisu! Tell them there’s an Ogre force headed their way, and they should tell all the workers to hide. Then take the warriors to the Valley entrance to stop the Ogres there, at the chokepoint.”
“Sure thing boss.”
I waited impatiently to hear their reply.
“Hmmm, Sorry boss, seems they are both out of the game at the moment.”
Game? What game is he talking about?
In any case, they were not available.
“Crap” there was no other way to warn my clan about the impending danger. I had to run faster.
As I ran, I thought about the events at the Raiders’ Camp.
By completing part of Vic’s quest, my reputation with him had improved enough for his attitude to be friendly towards me. Maybe now he’d be willing to be more forthcoming about a few things. If not, at least it would help pass the time.
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