Viridian Gate Online: Books 1 - 3 (Cataclysm, Crimson Alliance, The Jade Lord)

by James Hunter

  “I don’t want to put you through that, Jack. I know it probably doesn’t make much sense, but if it’s my time to go, I want to be alone. So, I’m going to head back to Harrowick, get a good, hot meal, and go to sleep. If I wake up”—she shrugged narrow shoulders—“then I guess I survived and I’ll PM you. If not … well, know that I wish the absolute best for you.”

  I wanted to hug her, to tell her not to worry, that things would be okay. They had to be okay. I couldn’t, though, because they might not be. She was right after all: one in six died. Statistically, there was a decent chance we would both be dead in another two days. So instead of offering her meaningless platitudes, I tucked the disk back into my inventory and asked her what I should do in the meantime.

  “You need to get a little rest,” she replied, “and then you need to acquire a class, Jack. As is, if you weren’t reasonably smart and passably good-looking, you’d be entirely useless to the party. So, while I do the legwork and turn up leads about what that trinket does, you find out what kind of character you’re going to be and start maximizing your stats. I have a feeling things will get really intense around here before long.”

  She smiled again, a small sweet thing, and turned to go. She faltered a step away, spun back, and pulled me into a tight hug. “I know we didn’t work out in college,” she whispered into my chest, “but if we both live through this, survive the next few days, maybe we can do things differently this time around.”

  She tilted her head up and drew me into a soft kiss, her lips warm against mine. “In case this is our final goodbye,” she murmured as she pulled away. She patted me on the cheek, wheeled around, and left.

  Otto, the taciturn warrior, offered us a grim nod before stalking off after her, leaving me alone with Cutter and the mercenary Warlock. A second later there was a flare of brilliant light—a portal—which fizzled and faded. Vanished.

  It was distinctly possible I’d never see her again.

  “Unless you plan on killing me,” the mercenary Warlock pitched in a second later, “I, too, shall depart. Time to spend a little of this hard-earned money.” He tapped a fat coin purse at his side, the clink of gold carrying in the air.

  “We’re not going to kill you,” I replied halfheartedly, still thinking about Abby. “You were good on your word, and we really couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks. I mean it.”

  The Warlock seemed to struggle with something for a moment, uncertainty playing out across his rough features. “You and your friends aren’t so bad, either,” he said, “for being hypocrites, obviously.” He faltered, fingers restlessly drumming on his coin purse. “Listen, if you ever need the hand of an experienced mercenary, you can find me at a tavern in East Harrowick—a place called the Drunken Donkey. Ask for Morgan, and you’ll find me. I don’t work out of the goodness of my heart, mind you, so make sure you bring gold.”

  <<<>>>

  Recruit Follower

  You can now recruit Morgan Sellsword as an in-game follower. You can find Morgan at the Drunken Donkey in East Harrowick, and hire him as a loyal companion for (5) gold a day.

  <<<>>>

  He didn’t linger long after that.

  “What about you?” I asked, turning to Cutter. “You gonna take off, too?”

  “Pffff.” He folded his arms across his chest. “You must be positively mental if you think I’m going anywhere. First you helped me break free from that hellhole of a prison, and now, after one mission, I’ve pocketed more gold than I’d normally see in ten years. You’re my lucky charm, Jack.” He shot me a wink. “You’ll literally have to beat me away with a stick if you want me gone. Otherwise, I’m gonna follow you around and scoop up the loot you leave in your wake until I can retire fat and happy on a mountain of gold, surrounded by beautiful women.”

  “How altruistic of you,” I noted, face deadpan.

  “You know, that’s what everyone is always telling me—‘Cutter,’ they say, ‘you are one of the shining jewels of humanity.’ True story.”

  “Yeah, I bet,” I replied with an eyeroll.

  He grinned. “So, where to now, lucky charm?”

  “I’ve got a quest to turn in,” I replied.

  TWENTY-TWO: Downtime

  Cutter and I threaded our way through the forest, backtracking along the path I’d taken earlier in the day, making light conversation as we went. I filled him in on the Cleanse the Taint quest details, then fell silent as he prattled on about beer and gambling, telling me all about how his father had taught him knucklebones before he was old enough to walk. Once more I was dumbstruck by the depth of Cutter’s character: his memories, his mannerisms, his humor. He seemed more alive, more real, than the majority of my real-world friends.

  I listened more than talked, constantly scanning the forest for any sign that the Corrupt Valdgeist I’d killed earlier had respawned. With the Greater Corrupt Valdgeist dead deep in the heart of the ruins behind us, however, the forest seemed to be free from the twisted taint. After twenty minutes of hard trekking, we broke into the clearing with the Hamadryad that’d offered me the temple clearing quest.

  “The hero of the hour,” the old tree boomed, mossy mustache fluttering as he spoke. “I had my doubts about you, boy. Even felt guilty sending a whelp such as you out to contend with an evil as powerful as that which dwelt in those accursed ruins, yet here you are. Returned a conqueror.” He smiled big and wide, revealing a mouthful of acorn teeth. A laugh followed, a hearty thing that sounded like a clap of distant thunder.

  “I can already feel the difference,” the tree continued. “The goodness in the land returns. The earth cries out in joy, the trees shiver in relief. Even the air tastes cleaner as it rushes through my leaves. A genuinely great day for the forest. A great day for me and my kind.” He laughed again, stirring up a chorus of happy birdsong all around us. “Now, I know you’re likely eager to get along. You mortals are always rushing about—sprinting from place to place—so quick to move on to what is next, to what is new. So, let me see you properly rewarded before you go.”

  I cast a glance at Cutter, letting him know to stay back, then edged closer to the towering tree. On the ground, directly in front of the Hamadryad, a green shoot sprouted from the ground, curling up and out, reaching and yearning for the fading sunlight; vibrant green leaves and barbed thorns bloomed along the stalk. I dropped to one knee, admiring the magical sight, watching raptly as a petite bulb blossomed into a rose so blue it was nearly black, its petals unfurling in triple speed time.

  Absolutely stunning.

  When the flower finally opened all the way, I saw the gleam of metal within: a silver cloak brooch in the shape of an intricately worked warhammer with a fat emerald the size of a dime at the center. The tree nodded at me, take it, take it. Tentatively, almost uncertainly, I reached out and plucked the brooch free—the little trophy came away with ease, but an unseen thorn bit into my finger. I hissed as a bead of blood welled at the tip of my digit then dripped, splat, onto the flower below. The plant trembled in pleasure, pulsing with an eerie light before promptly withering—decaying as fast as it’d been born. After a moment, nothing remained of the strange flower but a withered pile of mulch.

  <<<>>>

  Quest Alert: Cleanse the Taint

  You have vanquished the evil presence tainting the forest and earned the thanks of a powerful Hamadryad. In return, as your reward, you have received 10,000 EXP and the Blessing of the Forest, which instantly improves your relationship with forest-aligned factions from Neutral to Friendly. You have also been awarded 100 renown—in-world fame—for completing this quest. Greater renown elevates you within the ranks of Eldgard and can affect merchant prices when selling or buying.

  <<<>>>

  The tree sighed, content. “Thank you again, traveler,” he said. “We trees are a close-knit group, and I will spread the word of your help. Even the lesser tree-folk, those who cannot speak, will treat you as a friend.”

  The brooch, calle
d Blessing of the Forest, didn’t seem to have any stat bonuses besides improving my relationship with forest-aligned factions, but interestingly it was also a soulbound item, meaning I couldn’t drop it. Not even if I wanted to. I nodded my thanks as I pinned the metal brooch in place, then wished the tree a final goodbye and activated the scroll Abby had provided for our return.

  The portal dropped Cutter and me off in the alley outside the Broken Dagger. Guess that was my bind point—must’ve been some kind of automatic feature, since I certainly hadn’t set it there.

  It was full dark in Rowanheath, the moon was a ghostly sliver in the sky overhead, and a chilly breeze cut through the narrow alley, sending a shiver up my spine. At this point, all I wanted to do was sleep for the next few days straight, but first, I needed food. My belly felt like an empty hole and now that I wasn’t preoccupied with other things—like not being murdered—the shooting pangs of hunger were almost unbearable. Curious, I pulled up my character screen and accessed a menu that listed any current active effects. Aside from all the active buffs granted by my gear, I also had a small list of status debuffs:

  <<<>>>

  Current Debuffs

  Tired (Level 3): Skills improve 15% slower; Carry Capacity -25lbs; Attack Damage -10%; Spell Strength reduced by 25%

  Thirsty (Level 2): Health, Stamina, and Spirit Regeneration reduced by 25%

  Hungry (Level 3): Carry Capacity -50lbs; Health and Stamina Regeneration reduced by 30%; Stealth 25% more difficult

  Unwashed (Level 1): Goods and services cost 5% more; Merchant-craft skills reduced by (1) level

  <<<>>>

  I grumbled in mild annoyance. What kind of demented person would’ve thought to add in those types of features—to actually penalize characters that didn’t eat or sleep enough?

  Cutter pushed his way into the tavern; music, laughter, and the warmth from the roaring fireplace washed over us like a soothing balm. Cutter was apparently suffering the same negative debuffs as me, because he immediately sauntered over to the bar and ordered us food and a round of drinks, then promptly acquired us a table near the stage performer—tonight it was a fresh-faced bard wearing a puffy-sleeved jacket. The bard chanted a story, going on and on about some long-forgotten battle while a quartet of colorful balls twirled and spun through the air.

  I gratefully took my seat and remained quiet, lost in the bard’s performance, waiting for our food, which came a few minutes later. A hearty meat pie filled with tender lamb chunks and bits of roasted vegetables, all slathered in thick gravy. Sensing my subdued mood, Cutter kept quiet for a change, eating in peace, though occasionally chuckling at the performer or clapping his approval between heaping mouthfuls of stew. It only took me a handful of minutes to devour the food and down a few pints of the Broken Dagger mead, which wiped out the Thirsty and Hungry debuffs, leaving me in slightly better spirits.

  Still, I felt tired to the bone. Not to mention, depressed.

  So far, it’d been easy to forget about the relatively high mortality rate for people transitioning into V.G.O. permanently, but knowing Abby could be dead in a few hours was an uncomfortable and sobering thought.

  What I really needed right now was to be alone and to get a little sleep. So, with a few quick words, I excused myself from the table and headed up to my room.

  “Hey, Grim Jack,” Cutter called over the music as I made for the stairs. I turned back toward him, and was shocked to see something that might’ve been concern in his face. “Everything’s gonna be alright,” he said. “You’re gonna get through this, one way or the other. And tomorrow, I’ll head out with you, help you find a class that’ll fit you like a glove. Considering your disposition, I’m thinking servant girl might be a good place to start”—he flashed me a toothy, asshole grin—“but we can talk it over in the morning.”

  I nodded and smiled back, in spite of my disheartened mood. When you got past his rough edges, Cutter was okay. I caught a whiff of myself on the way up the stairs—a pungent mixture of sour sweat and dirt—but decided I could figure out how to bath in the morning. I’d done enough for one day.

  My room was empty, the bed freshly made, the pitcher filled with clear water, a clean length of towel lying beside the basin. I shut the door with a kick, beelined for the basin, and splashed my face, rubbing wet hands over my cheeks then down onto the back of my neck. It did nothing to the Unwashed debuff, but boy did it feel good. With that done, I headed over to the bed, shrugged out of my boots and armor, and stripped all the way down to a pair of woven undershorts. The only gear I left on was my pieces of jewelry. I flopped back onto the bed, letting the mattress pull me in as I sprawled, stretching my back with a groan.

  God, what an amazing bed. Whatever evils the Devs had done, this bed almost made up for all of them. Almost.

  Following my ritual from the night before, I decided to take a few minutes to look over my stats and notifications, even if to just clear things out. With another groan, I laced my hands behind my head and called out into the air, “Sophia, please bring up my user interface.”

  “Of course, Jack,” came the comforting voice of my digital assistant.

  The semitranslucent screen popped up in front of me. “Notifications,” I mumbled. The menu interface was promptly replaced by a long list of boxes:

  <<<>>>

  x7 Level Up!

  You have (100) undistributed stat points! Stat points can be allocated at any time.

  You have (17) unassigned proficiency points! Proficiency points can be allocated at any time.

  <<<>>>

  Skill: Stealth

  Skill Type/Level: Active / Level 9

  Cost: 15 Stamina

  Effect: Stealth 23% chance to hide from enemies.

  <<<>>>

  Skill: Backstab

  Skill Type/Level: Active / Level 5

  Cost: 20 Stamina

  Effect: A brutal backstab attack can be activated while an adventurer is in Stealth. 6x normal damage with a knife; 4x normal damage with all other weapons.

  Effect 2: 7% increased chance of critical hit while backstabbing.

  <<<>>>

  Skill: Blunt Weapons

  Skill Type/Level: Active / Level 8

  Cost: None

  Effect: Increases blunt weapon damage by 19%.

  <<<>>>

  Skill: Medium Armor

  Though medium armor doesn’t offer the same defensive benefits of heavy plate, it is far less bulky and heavy, granting the wearer decent protection while simultaneously offering a greater range of speed, dexterity, and maneuverability. Perfect for classes that rely on speed and brutal surprise, but also aren’t afraid to fight close in—at least for short periods of time.

  Skill Type/Level: Passive / Level 2

  Cost: None

  Effect: 10% increased base armor rating while wearing Medium Armor.

  <<<>>>

  I read over the various boxes, spending a few extra minutes on the “medium armor” section, then closed out of my notifications. As tired as I was, now that I finally had access to the game’s wiki again, I really wanted to look for information on my future class. “Sophia”—I stifled a yawn—“please search for any information on Dark Templars or Shadowmancers,” I muttered, both too lazy and too comfortable to switch over to it manually. The screen blinked and changed without a word of reply.

  A long list of forum topics populated, but it was the page entitled “Dark Templar Class Kits,” that immediately caught my eye. Bingo. I pulled up the screen and began scanning the information, courtesy of an Osmark Tech Admin by the handle of JACOBPAIGE:

  <<<>>>

  Lore

  The mysterious Dark Templars, also called the Maa-Tál in the Dokkalfar tongue, serve as the enforcers of the Shadow Pantheon—the native gods and goddesses of Eldgard. Like the Holy Templars of the Viridian Empire, the Dark Templars are often defenders of the downtrodden, fighting against injustice and upholding the traditions of Eldgard’s natives with both dark magic and co
ld steel. Unlike Viridian’s Templars, however, Dark Templars rely not on the power of holy light but on the sinister and pervasive strength of shadow.

  Game Play

  Dark Templars are a hybrid class available to Wodes, Dokkalfar (Murk Elves), and Accipiter. Essentially, any natural enemy of the Viridian Empire is eligible to receive this class. Unlike many other classes, players seeking the path of the Dark Templar must locate a Shadow Pantheon trainer and undergo an initiation ordeal to be accepted into the ranks. If they fail the ordeal, the class becomes permanently blocked.

  If selected, there are five class kit specializations—Shadow Knight, Plague Bringer, Umbra Shaman, Necromancer, and Shadowmancer—which allow Dark Templars to fulfill a variety of roles, depending on the chosen kit. Becoming a Dark Templar instantly grants the player a “dark” alignment, which is not the same things as an “evil” alignment; possessing a “dark” alignment does, however, instantly lower the player’s relationship with all Viridian-aligned factions to Unfriendly. In return, all Dark Templars receive a 10% damage bonus against “light”-aligned players and NPCs, making them valuable assets within the Eldgard Rebellion.

  <<<>>>

  Hmm, very interesting. Sort of like a Paladin class, then, but with a “dark” alignment. Next I pulled up the page on the Shadowmancer kit in particular, since that seemed to be the path I was headed for:

  <<<>>>

  Shadowmancer Kit Specialization

  Though all Dark Templars have a certain affinity for shadowmancy—the magical manipulation of void and shadow energies—Shadowmancers specialize and thrive in this arena. Like other Dark Templars, Shadowmancers can have powerful melee abilities, but unlike other Dark Templars, Shadowmancers cannot wear heavy plate armor, which can make this kit particularly tricky to play. Because of kit restrictions, Shadowmancers don’t make good tanks, relying instead on speed and stealth in physical combat; they also possess a wide variety of spells that can inflict medium to high single-target damage. Additionally, spells such as Umbra Bog, Plague Burst, and Night Cyclone offer Shadowmancers some formidable crowd control capabilities.