by Domino Finn
"So you can respawn in Shorehome? Reestablish your power base?" I shook my head firmly. "That's not gonna happen. Otho's missing and Decimus won't activate without proof. We may not be able to get the angels to delete you, but give us time. We'll figure something out."
"You can't keep me here forever."
I worked my jaw. If Hadrian had only ever uttered one ultimate truth, it was that. Forever was a long time in the afterlife. The only guarantee of endless confinement would be escape. Eventually.
"The goblin horde isn't attacking," I remarked. "They don't have the numbers, and they don't want to die."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I know you sent them. That's what you do, isn't it? Get your hooks into people. Have them do all the dirty work while you slink around in the shadows." I leaned into the bound prisoner. "Tell me, how'd you manage to get to a saint? I mean, I understand paying off Larry on the outside, but once his cover was blown, you hacked an avatar and had it doing your bidding."
The corner of Hadrian's mouth crooked just enough to betray pride in the feat. "Are you asking me to incriminate myself? State that I breached the terms of service? How about instead I just send Decimus a personal invitation to my deletion?"
So the spymaster meant to keep his secrets. I hiked a shoulder. "Didn't hurt to try." I moved to the wall. The stone was cold and dry. "I had a chat with my contacts on the outside..."
"You place too much faith in the developers."
I caught the twinkle in his eye that confirmed it. It was a certainty for me now; I just couldn't prove it.
Hadrian was the Trojan. Somehow he'd amassed the power to influence game mechanics and characters around him. A hard man like Brugo shouldn't have been so easy to outplay. The kraken should've never surrendered to being so docile. Hadrian had controlled them somehow. NPCs, titans, even the saints—none had stood against him. Even now, in defeat, his confidence was supreme.
I moved to the door and stared him down. "I know it's you. The ghost in the machine. The threat to both Kablammy and Haven."
The prisoner didn't say anything. He just stared at an empty spot on the floor and grinned.
"I'm gonna find out how," I swore. "I'll scour the codebase and the history logs. I'll become intimately familiar with the corporate playing field, uncover all the actors with a stake in Kablammy's future. I'll comb the countryside for every enemy you have. And I'll raze Oakengard to the ground if I have to. One way or another, your schemes are gonna come crashing down hard. And when they do, if you happen to be at the center of all the debris, well..." I shrugged. "Don't say I didn't tell you so."
I shut the door behind me, leaving the spymaster to the solace of his shadows.
-Finn
QUEST OFFER: Find the Wayward Scrivener
DESCRIPTION: The mysterious scribbler of words is known to frequent his Oldtown sanctum on Facebook.
REWARD: Faction Membership in the Black Hats + 1 Free Brothel Voucher!
Character Sheets
Talon
Level
10
Class
Explorer
XP
90313
Kit
Scout
Next
113400
Strength
18
Strike
390
Agility
24
Dodge
450
Craft
6
Health
300 / 300
Essence
10
Spirit
255 / 255
Coin
Silver
417
Plates
2
Bars
4
Skills
1
Spear
3
Crossblock
3
Deadshot
3
Tornado Spin
1
Spinshield
1
Knife
1
Claw
1
- - Dragonrun - -
Awareness
Exploration
Tracking
Darkvision
Intuition
Survival
Navigation
Cartography
Traversal
Dash
Vault
Wall Run
Scale
Stealth
Sneak
Subdue
Reputation
Pagan
-600
Crusader
-200
Catechist
200
Wildkin
0
Brothers in Black
-999
Kyle
Level
10
Class
Explorer
XP
87572
Kit
Brewmaster
Next
113400
Strength
22
Strike
355
Agility
5
Dodge
185
Craft
20
Health
245 / 245
Essence
10
Spirit
217 / 217
Izzy
Level
10
Class
Mystic
XP
89719
Kit
Frost Mage
Next
113400
Strength
9
Strike
220
Agility
17
Dodge
300
Craft
6
Health
175 / 175
Essence
25
Spirit
440 / 440
Haven Live Feed
Lash marked herself safe during The Incident At Oldtown.
Glinda
Glad one of us made it!
Conan
Go Bravo Team!
Lash
It was a group effort. I'm proud to fight alongside you all. Even Crux.
Crux
It was exhilarating, I'll give you that.
Kyle
Good job with that bishop gauntlet! Speaking of which... you mind giving it back now?
Lash
I would but I'm too busy figuring out what to do with all this XP. Sorry, I shouldn't mention that around you guys.
Kyle
No worries. I rejoined the party and got XP too.
Conan
What!?! You can do that? Why didn't anybody re-invite us?
Glinda
Paging Lash.
Lash marked herself Away on Vacation.
Saint Peter
I'm elated to see everyone safe and sound. Truly. But if I may burden the Black Hats with a single request... Is it too much to ask that we go through the next week without threatening the sanctity of the simulation?
Talon
Sorry, Pete. That's up to Oakengard.
Kyle
We got a man and woman down.
Saint Peter
I just don't want to see Haven become a player battleground.
Lucifer
If I'm not mistaken, a saint was pivotal to the recent theatrics.
Saint Peter
Allegedly!
Saint Peter
...
Saint Peter
You guys really aren't gonna throw me a bone, are you?
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Dune
Risky click of the day.
Chadwick
If anyone has a moment, I'd appreciate a visit to my Kickstarter page to fund my legal proceedings.
Drummond
You realize you
're asking for money from people you've robbed.
Nooner
Ha! If yer so desperate you can sell me that pack animal business you stole.
Chadwick
I built that operation from the ground up!
Nooner
Scratch that. I'd rather wait till yer late on rent. I kin make a killing after yer holdings go into overexposure.
Drummond
I think you mean foreclosure.
Nooner
I meant what I said, banker boy!
Caduceus
I never thought I'd say this, but death lockdown isn't half bad. I finally get to kick my feet up.
Stigg
You've been doing a lot of that in the brothel lately.
Caduceus
Jealousy doesn't suit you, my Viking brother.
Domino Finn invites you to join his Facebook group.
Talon changed his relationship status to: Seeing someone.
Izzy
Okay, fine. I've made you sweat long enough.
Talon
Wanna sweat some more?
Errol Oates
Poll: Vote fer the subject o' the next pirate ditty.
- Talon, fearless leader o' the Black Hats, defeatin' the mighty kraken. [17%]
- Talon, fearless leader o' the Black Hats, finally consummatin' his relationship. [83%]
Trafford
Yes times a million. Move on to another flavor of the month.
Dune
What's this I'm hearing about for the very first time ever? JK Kyle told everyone.
Kyle
What can I say? This place is like high school.
Talon
*Sighs* This is my life now.
Gladius
Anyone happen to see a stray Fallen named Otho around? (Description: standard angel wings, solid black eyeballs, missing one arm.) Asking for a friend.
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Will this series BLOW YOUR MIND??? Does this author HAVE NO SHAME??? How many question marks WILL IT TAKE for YOU TO CLICK??????
Talon
Anyone else think these author ads are a little out of control?
Errol Oates
I posted the first verse o' the new song on me SoundCloud. I entitled it: The Dainty Little Girl an' the Purple Pixie.
Baz
HA HA. FUNNY BECAUSE YOOMANS SO PUNY LOOK LIKE GIRLS.
Jixa
No laughses at boss man, Baz! He can't helpses his small hands.
Talon
Okay, guys. I can take a joke as well as the next man, but— Hold up. Since when could NPCs and mobs post to the live feed?
Errol Oates
Beats me.
Baz
WHAT IS LIVE FEED? BAZ HUNGRY. GO EAT HORSE.
Artax
*Nickers*
Bandit
*Growls*
Kraken
BLABOOBLARRGHH!!!
Creature Wiki
Dirt Beetle
5 HP
25 XP
Weed Snake
6 HP
40 XP
Pack Rat
8 HP
40 XP
Swamp Toad
15 HP
60 XP
Wild Hog
19 HP
90 XP
Imp
30 HP
150 XP
Devil Badger
45 HP
175 XP
Kobold Handler
38 HP
200 XP
Kobold
45 HP
250 XP
Goblin
55 HP
300 XP
Wildkin
65 HP
310 XP
Walking Dead
50 HP
300 XP
Rogue
60 HP
300 XP
Gangster
60 HP
300 XP
Bandit
80 HP
325 XP
Cutthroat
100 HP
350 XP
Assassin
140 HP
500 XP
Blackwood Prisoner
85 HP
360 XP
Mother Pack Rat
85 HP
400 XP
Undine
100 HP
375 XP
Goblin Warlock
100 HP
400 XP
Goblin Captain
120 HP
600 XP
Goblin Assassin
200 HP
850 XP
Cannonball Crab
150 HP
700 XP
Sandworm
200 HP
750 XP
Boggart Witch
200 HP
1200 XP
Keeper
225 HP
600 XP
Great Sandworm
325 HP
1100 XP
Ogre
300 HP
1200 XP
Keeper Brute
375 HP
1400 XP
Troll
240 HP
1800 XP
Shadowguard
600 HP
4500 XP
Kraken
20k HP
25k XP
Orik
100k HP
100k XP
WIKI SEARCH: dragons_
[Nightwing]
Brave and terrifying dragon who gave his life to defeat Hadrian and the kraken.
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About the Author
I'm Domino Finn: game-developer-turned-fantasy-author, media rebel, and product of my generation. (Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?)
Afterlife Online will be back. Join my reader group to get the first word on sequels, cover reveals, and other DLC.
Help Trojan level up. Post an online review, mention it on reddit and social media, and help spread the word.
QUEST NOTIFICATION: Find the Wayward Scrivener
DESCRIPTION: The mysterious scribbler of words is known to frequent his Oldtown sanctum on Facebook.
REWARD: Faction Membership in the Black Hats + 1 Free Brothel Voucher!
Finally, don't forget to keep in touch. You can contact me, connect on social media, and see my complete book catalog at DominoFinn.com.
To learn more about LitRPG, talk to authors including myself, and just have an awesome time, please join the LitRPG Group.
There’s another Facebook group out there called the Gamelit Society. Come one, come all!
Contents
Copyright
Also by Domino Finn
Oldtown Map
Title
-- Cutscene --
1070 Tapper
1080 Modern Warfare
1090 White Knight Chronicles
1100 Town Life Stuff
1110 Ranger X
1120 Blood Money
1130 Log Jammers
1140 Sanctum
1150 Grim Fandango
1160 Portal
1170 Tri Force Heroes
1180 MIA: Missing in Action
1190 Rock of Ages
-- Cutscene --
1200 Hexen
1210 Kingdom Hearts
1220 Quest for Booty
1230 Midnight Club
-- Cutscene --
1240 Pirate Adventure
1250 Reel Fishing
1260 Let's Sing
1270 Age of Sail
1280 Sink or Swim
1290 Dark Wizard
1300 Diplomacy
1310 Among Thieves
1320 Sea of Thieves
-- Cutscene --
1330 Two Crude Dudes