“Yes, but what does that have to do with this? I was told I would be an anonymous source.” David said his hand poised over his mouse to kill the call.
Ashley noticed his movement and waved her hand, “You will be. I just want to make sure I’m talking to the right person.” She smiled and waited to see if David would kill the call.
Sitting back slightly David nodded, “Okay then, please continue.”
Ashley glanced at a tablet on her desk before looking back up, “What background can you give me on the current event in Last Horizon?”
“The townsfolk of Stoutbank suddenly got a player lord in their area of influence. The player put the highest tax rate he could on the town. As such, the residents had the choice of eventually going broke or leaving. They chose to leave and a group of people helped them consider their options. The people of Stoutbank decided to pack everything up and move to friendlier climes.”
Ashley tilted her head slightly, “Oh come on David, tell me more. Our early reports say that your group and the group known as Vengeance exchanged words before they attacked the caravan. Since then Vengeance tried again to attack the caravan and was again pushed back with no loss to the NPCs.”
Frowning, David checked his phone but didn't see any messages, “Interesting. I haven't been logged in since the first fight.”
“Why?” Ashley leaned forward sensing something.
“You want me to give you possibly useful tactical information that our enemies can use?” David said with a raised eyebrow.
Blinking, Ashley sat back silently for a moment, “Oh I see. So you have a plan?”
Chuckling David smiled, “Roughly. I will answer the question though. My guild, known as the Bananas, will be with the caravan all the way. We are doing this by splitting our normal group of eight into two groups of four.”
Pursing her lips, Ashley nodded, “Giving you a way to help influence things even when you personally can't be there.”
“Yes, we have been a group of friends for close on twenty years in most cases or more than that in others. We know we can count on the other team, you might mention that we would be more than happy to see others during the night shift.”
“Will you be recruiting players into the Bananas as Vengeance has been?”
David paused and shook his head, “No. We might take in a player here or there but we aren't going to mass invite people like they are. We are an old group of friends and have lived past our drama already so we don't want to add any in needlessly.”
Ashley giggled, “Got it. What would the requirements be like though?”
“I decline that question for now, Ashley. While I am the head of the guild, I do not run a dictatorship.”
“Right. Your two group tangled in the past at the Carnival Last Horizon put on. Do you think this power play by Vengeance is a direct result of that?” Ashley asked, her eyes eager for anything she could get.
“No, not because of that. We had run ins with the leader of Vengeance and his right hand on the first day of beta. Their number two, Talia, was added after she tangled with a member of ours after that. The Carnival was a continuation by them from those previous encounters. We personally don't care one way or the other about them. They can go live peacefully which we would welcome. Sadly, I don't think they will do anything but try and grief us.” David shrugged and shook his head, “People are people wherever you go, after all.”
“What caused the previous issues then?”
David shook his head, “Decline at this time. I am not in the habit of slandering people even if what I say is the bald truth.”
Ashley perked up even more, “There’s a story there, I can tell. Is there anything else you would like to add to our conversation?”
“I don't like the media,” David deadpanned.
Ashley blinked then laughed, “Ouch. Right, I can understand. We dig and dig after all. May we contact you later if need be for further comment?”
“Hmm, I will be a bit busy for a bit. Factor in sleep and I won't have a lot of time. I’ll leave an email address with you, and no it isn't the one connected to my account in game. I will check it periodically but may not get back to you.”
“That is fine, David,” Ashley said and made sure she had the email address before she broke the call. “Good luck with your event, David.” were her last words before the call ended.
“It's not my event,” David muttered.
“It is our event now, hun,” Miriam said hugging him. “Now let's get some rest in.” She took his hand and they retired to the bedroom and curled up. Sleep took some time to claim them but they got in a few hours before the alarm Miriam set woke them up.
After showers and some food David checked GNN. The news was all about the event going on with snippets of David's interview added now. The big word was that Developer Paval Romonov would be doing a live interview tomorrow.
David got Miriam caught up on the developments as the duo relaxed for the hour they had before having to log back into the game.
Questions
Dumadin stretched out his body with a sigh, reveling in the lack of pain as he waited for the others. Tabitha glanced back and smiled at him, “Welcome back, Hero. I take it the others will be here shortly?”
“Yes,” was all he got out before Kittish appeared, followed shortly by Terets and Amythyst. “It appears we are all here now, any idea where my other friends are?”
“Outside of the wagon,” Felton called out in a clear voice.
The quartet pardoned themselves from Tabitha's company and exited the wagon to find the other four Bananas. “So what’s been going on?” Dumadin asked his friends.
“A total of four attacks from Vengeance so far, if you count the first one you were here for. They have been trying to target the NPCs, we lost one. Not a crafter, but someone from Stoutbank regardless.” Felton said, shaking his head, “On top of that, both sides have been growing to a degree. Vengeance might well have a hundred players by now. The ones helping us have grown to almost two hundred. What did GNN want?”
Kittish laughed, “They interviewed our not so fearless leader.”
Rolling his eyes, Dumadin shrugged, “They wanted a scoop on the events. I only gave them info if it came from an anonymous source. I have a feeling this is going to snowball more and am trying to delay it.”
Garthur laughed, “Well have fun. They’re talking about making camp soon. So you get the night watch and camp duty. We mostly ride the wagons or walk along for a bit. Vengeance will probably try en mass at least once tonight.”
Nodding, Terets agreed, “Tonight will more than likely be scouting runs and probes with maybe a big attack if they think we’re low on helpers. It depends on if they’ve split into separate groups. Considering someone told them half of the Bananas would always be with the NPCs, I’m going to guess they will.”
“It might get hairy if they have anyone who can think, but with Executioner as the head Tweedle I’m not so sure. Thanks for holding down the fort, so to speak, enjoy your off time and see you in twelve hours.” Dumadin said as the group gave their fare wells and the others climbed into Bjorn’s wagon and logged out.
“Going to circulate and see how everyone is doing,” Terets said, taking Amythyst’s hand and dropping back towards the bulk of the caravan.
“Hun, go check with Camelia, Kristof might still be with her. Let me know if everything is okay please. I’m going to talk to Bjorn about camping.” Dumadin said before giving his lover a kiss and watching her walk towards the other wagons following them.
“Welcome back, Hero,” Bjorn greeted him as Dumadin walked alongside the wagon. “This has been quite the adventure so far for most of the others. It was sad we lost Moika to the stealther who snuck into the caravan. It seems a few other adventurers have the ability to see those who try to hide, so I have tasked them to help the guards under Dado.”
“Good call, I am sorry to hear about the loss though. We will do our best to stop any more fro
m falling.” Dumadin said, bowing his head. “I’ve heard we have had a number of other adventurers join the caravan as protectors.”
Chuckling, Bjorn nodded, “Oh yes, doubled the number of people who have helped us so far. I wonder if I can get you to sign a document for us, though?”
Dumadin shrugged, “More than likely. What do you need signed?”
“It is a form for the bank stating that you, as the leader of the Bananas, are willing to help us defray the costs of this endeavor.” Bjorn said and held out a document along with a pen, “Just need you to sign the line.”
Taking the form Dumadin gave it a scan before signing it. “It just says we will help you defray the costs with some coin from the guild fund. I don’t mind signing that, but I don’t think it will do much good right now.”
Bjorn took the signed document back and put it into his bank pouch. “Oh it will help, I am sure of it.”
A bright flash happened next to Dumadin causing him to blink. He turned his head to say hello to Jazzy only to find Larry there floating along beside the wagon. “Oh Larry, did you need something?”
Larry glared at Dumadin and opened his mouth to speak before stopping and nodding to Bjorn. “I require this one for a moment or two Bjorn, are you done with him for now?”
Bjorn tapped his lip with a finger for a second, “Almost messenger.” Bjorn looked backwards and smiled as Kittish, Terets and Amythyst all came sprinting forward. “Yes, I would say I am done with him now.”
Larry looked at the other three and sighed, “Thank you. I shall return them momentarily.” A bright flash again left Bjorn driving the wagon with the four friends and Larry gone.
Larry sighed and sank into his seat across from the four friends, “Why are you doing this to me?”
Looking perplexed for a second Amythyst spoke up, “We don’t understand.”
Larry paused as the waitresses in his private dev area dropped off pizza and beer. He thanked them with a gentle smile which they returned before he turned back to the friends. “This whole mass exodus from Stoutbank. That is going to leave a starting area bare of people to help the new players. It is also causing a major stir in all the gaming circles. Paval is going to be doing an interview with GNN tomorrow and I need info so he doesn’t look completely fucking clueless. So what did you all do that this is happening?”
Kittish raised a brow and her lips thinned in anger, “You lash out at us like it’s our fault, Larry. It is your design that did this, not us. You set the maximum tax base so high the people of Stoutbank had no choice but to leave.”
Larry paused and frowned as he poured himself a mug of beer and grabbed a slice of pizza. “Okay, I’m sorry for my attack on you. Tell me more of this reasoning please. I need to brief Paval in a few hours and he is pissed, thinks this is going to ruin the appeal to the game.”
Terets laughed, “He’s a moron then. This event is major gaming news, after all. Everyone seems to be showing up to get a piece of the action. The number of players involved in the first day have already doubled and I would expect way more than that by the time it finishes.”
Larry chewed his food and made a continue motion with his hand. Dumadin picked up speaking as Terets had just taken a bite of pizza. “This proves without a doubt that your game is the best at evolving to changing circumstances without a patch. The people of Last Horizon took it upon themselves to leave a bad situation. You can easily supply the numbers to GNN so they can break it down for the public. Vengeance did this to themselves after, all by setting the tax rate too high. I would say you should consider making it possible to change the tax rate every quarter by the way, not once a year.”
Larry frowned, “Not sure we really want to let those numbers out right now.”
“Then just have it mentioned that Vengeance set the taxes at their highest rate or close to it. GNN already wants to link it as a rivalry between the Bananas and Vengeance, I have tried to delay that. As you guys have access to the recordings of the game though, you could easily let some of that footage slip out. In fact, if you show the first fight as the caravan left town I’m sure even more people will want in on this thing.” Dumadin paused and politely requested soda for him and his friends as none of them were big on beer.
Larry chuckled, “Well, that would make it seem more like an event. Footage would help make it seem like the thing to be doing as well. Why did Vengeance take this action, though?”
Kittish sighed and looked at Dumadin who nodded as he had his mouth full, “This is going to be a long story.”
A bright flash stopped her as Jazzy appeared with her arms crossed and foot tapping. “Larry you are causing an issue, Vengeance is attacking the caravan.” The group jumped to their feet and Jazzy waved a hand at them, causing them to appear next to Bjorn’s wagon.
Bjorn cried out just barely avoiding an arrow fired at him. “Welcome back Heroes, we could really use your help.”
The group noticed a clump of Vengeance players charging at them and turned to face them head on. The fight was over with in under a minute with no deaths among the NPCs and only a few friendly players getting killed. The group of thirty attacking players all died, though.
“That was a probe to test our response time I would bet,” Terets said as Amythyst healed him up.
“I wonder if it was because we weren’t seen for a bit.”
“Makes sense to me,” Dumadin said nodding his thanks to Amythyst for the healing. “Those might have been people about to hit their twelve hours which means they had nothing to lose by the half hour lock out timer.”
“Oh, never thought of that, suicide attack as it were.” Amythyst frowned as she considered that option. A bright flash distracted her, muffled as it was by it coming from inside Bjorn’s covered wagon.
Jazzy spoke just loud enough to be heard by those next to the wagon, “Dumadin would you mind joining Larry and me to finish the conversation, please? We still need info to brief Paval and you are the best choice as you already spoke to GNN.”
Dumadin raised a brow and sighed, “How in the fuck did she know that? Fine, you three hold down the fort. I’ll be back.” He kissed Kittish goodbye and climbed into the wagon, a brief flash followed a second later.
“So you all commune with the messengers,” Bjorn chuckled. “That one was not the large man from before. In fact she sounded very familiar,” Bjorn stopped speaking and his eyes crinkled in thought.
“The messengers?” Terets asked but figuring he knew the answer.
“Yes the winged ones that speak for the gods. They were the ones to tell us of the coming of adventurers some time ago.” Bjorn replied, his brow furrowed in thought.
“Oh. In that case yes, we have talked with them before. One of them more often than the others in fact.” Amythyst said with a smile.
Bjorn shook his head as if casting off a strange thought, “Interesting indeed.”
Dumadin found himself back in the pizza parlor across from Larry and Jazzy. He picked up a mug of soda and took a drink before setting it down. “What do you want to know exactly?”
Larry leaned forward, “Kittish was about to explain why Vengeance seems so dead set on their course of action.”
Dumadin scratched at his ear for a second then sighed, “Fine, but it is a long story. In fact it started on the first day of beta. During the first hour to be more precise.” He launched into the group’s interactions with Vengeance from day one. By the time he finished an hour had passed and the food was gone along with most of the beverages. “That brings us to now.”
Jazzy smiled at him, “I thank you for helping my sister out and for giving her hope and friends again. Now Larry, what are we going to do?”
Larry rubbed his nose and sighed, “We will need to talk with Paval about his worries again, but I think we might want to roll back NPC perma-death.”
“Yeah we really need to look at that again. There was no solid proof that the bugs in beta were because the AIs were getting old.” Jazzy said t
hen looked over at Dumadin, “Right, I think we’re done, thanks again for your help.”
Standing and stretching Larry nodded, “Yeah that helps me brief Paval, thanks for your help. Have a good rest of the night and event,” Larry snapped his fingers and a bright light surrounded Dumadin.
“Freedom at last,” Dumadin muttered before climbing out of the non-moving wagon and looking around. A wagon circle minus all the horses sat off the side of the road. As he walked into the middle where a few fires were burning he was stopped by the other three who all looked at him expectantly. “Oh, bet you want the scoop, huh?”
Kittish smacked his shoulder, “Spill it.”
“Fine, I gave them a run down of what caused the issue with Vengeance.” Dumadin said and waved at a few other players who had waved at them.
Last Horizon: Live Page 14