Meaddrinker972: It goes well. Life in the realms is treating me great since we last talked. You still up to your nefarious schemes?
Estelar: Of course, how else would an evil elf spend most of his time? Our guild master has me and my group doing this and that, furthering his goals. Whatever those are.
Meaddrinker972: He’s not telling you why you’re doing all that stuff?
Estelar: No, but he’s giving us a lot of coin, booze, and all the sex we want. So I guess that’s reason enough. What are you doing now?
Meaddrinker972: After I finished taking alchemy lessons, I bought some equipment and started practicing.
Estelar: Figure out how to make the philosopher's stone yet?
Meaddrinker972: No, instead of trying to figure out how to transmute dog turds into gold like everyone else, I focus on making potions.
Estelar: Like healing potions?
Meaddrinker972: Those, and other things. I’m getting pretty good at it. My alchemy skill is already up to 15 and I’m starting to make some cool stuff. I have this one potion that lets you breathe underwater and grow spikes in your body. Oh, and there’s this one that can make people get all confused. Three players tried to rob me the other day and I used my confusion potion to wreck their asses.
Estelar: Teach them to mess with a master alchemist.
Meaddrinker972: I’m thinking about opening up an alchemist shop here in Caspadel. I even have this catgirl helping me buy all of the ingredients that I need.
Paul remembered the catgirl he saved and asked if she looked like the person he spared.
Meaddrinker972: Yeah, that’s her! She’s really rambunctious and she’ll talk your ears off if you let her. But she’s really nice and she does her job well.
Estelar: Can you remember what her name is? For the life of me, I can’t remember.
Meaddrinker972: She never told me her name. She just told me that she’s a Super Cuddly Ninja Potion Ingredient Getter. She’s weird, but she does her job well.
Paul felt relief that the catgirl had found something after he helped her get away. It was nice to know the few heroic actions he took actually made some kind of difference.
Estelar: At least you’re having fun with the game.
Meaddrinker972: Not as much fun as you. If I was making tons of gold and getting laid every I’d never leave this game.
Estelar: It’s not as glamorous as it sounds.
Meaddrinker972: Why not? Sounds like heaven to me.
Paul explained some of the thought he’d been having of late during his missions for the Crimson Warriors.
Meaddrinker972: You’re bothered by that stuff?
Estelar: Yes, and I have no idea why.
Meaddrinker972: Me either. It’s just a game man, chill out.
Estelar: I know, but it still bothers me.
Meaddrinker972: That’s not hard to fix. Just quit the guild and strike out on your own. You’re a pretty kick ass warrior. I’m sure you could make it.
Estelar: I also have a pretty good spell.
Meaddrinker972: Really? Cool! Magic is insanely hard to come by. Even more reason you’ll make it.
Estelar: I don’t like the idea of just leaving my group. We’ve done a lot together. And
Paul’s fingers hovered above the keyboard. He wanted to keep typing but he held himself back. There was something he wanted, needed to say. But an internal force held him back.
Meaddrinker972: And?
And, there was a lot he had to say after that. A whole bunch that was tearing up his insides. It was an everlasting anguish that controlled his life and kept him where he was. It kept him away from people and chained to his desk sometimes. It kept him from telling off those mooching assholes who used him for notes and whatever else they needed without ever getting any kind of appreciation reciprocated. It kept him being what he was, and that was painful.
Meaddrinker972: And?
Again, that little question burned inside of him. Before that first “and” it didn’t seem like much. It was just a small something that he lived with. But now it was laid before him, in the raw. He got to see all of its ugliness. That was never fun.
He held his hands above the keyboard. A myriad of words tumbled through him but he couldn’t find the right ones. He didn’t want to say anything else, but he had to. There was no running from this anymore.
Estelar: And I’m nothing without them. I’ve never had what I have with them and this guild. I can have anything, everything. Booze, sex, friends, everything. I’m somebody.
Meaddrinker972: That’s not so great. Everybody is somebody.
Estelar: I’m sure as hell not. I don’t have a hot girlfriend, drive a nice car or even have friends. When I graduate I won’t have a big wall street job. I won’t have shit. I will have what I’m told to have. I will do what I’m told to do. I won’t have anything because I can’t get anything, not without bending over and letting those pricks copy my notes.
Meaddrinker972: Woah, that was a lot.
Estelar: Yeah, sorry.
Meaddrinker972: No! It’s fine. Why can’t you have those things? Why do you want them? What pricks?
Estelar: To be somebody. I can’t have them because I’m too god damned nervous to try. You should see me try to pick up a girl, it’s amusing. Those pricks are people in my college class I let copy my notes so I can talk to them.
Meaddrinker972: Somebodies suck at picking up chicks too, and dudes. Ugh, don’t get me started on that. Also, fuck them. Let them take their own notes.
Estelar: At least they have something to fall back on.
Meaddrinker972: Yeah, but do you want to do what it takes to get all that? Do you want to feel like crap all of the time because you screwed someone over to get that deal or worked 100 hours in a week to get a raise, or robbed that merchant caravan so you can have it?
Paul shifted uncomfortably in his seat and watched his hands type.
Estelar: I kind of thought so but, now I’m not really sure. Doesn’t sound so appealing when you put it that way.
Meaddrinker972: It’s not. My grandad was somebody. He threw himself out of a 32nd story window when a company he invested in went tits up. Not a great thing to hear on your sixth birthday.
Paul fell back in his chair. Everything hurt like he ran five marathons. His fingers were lead when he typed his response.
Estelar: I’m sorry.
Meaddrinker972: Don’t be, it was a long time ago.
Estelar: I’m just afraid if I don’t have everything, I’ll have nothing.
Meaddrinker972: There’s a little room in the middle, too.
Estelar: How do I get it though?
Meaddrinker972: You just get it. Push away what you don’t want and go after what you do. That’s kind of all there is to it, really.
“I think you need to find new friends,” he heard the catgirl say again. He looked up and saw his reflection in the window behind his holoscreen monitor. Maybe he should get new friends.
Estelar: I think you’re right. I need to get away from my guild. I’ll feel bad leaving the group I do missions with, though.
Meaddrinker972: I’m sure they can handle themselves fine, if they’re anything like you. Just strike out on your own and find another group. If you want, we can join up.
Estelar: You want to adventure?
Meaddrinker972: Not really, right now I want to keep messing around with my potions. But after I perfect my potioncraft, I’d be up for it. Maybe you can work on your magic and we’ll hit the road and work as mercenaries. I bet people would pay a pretty penny, er copper, for our skills.
Paul smiled to himself as he imagined himself adventuring with Fonwilsia. Him with his magic and her with what he assumed would be her powerful potions, they’d be an unstoppable team. Then after their adventures they could hang out and maybe explore their other interests in game.
His member grew when he imagined the female dwarf in leather. There were so many things he wanted to do to her.
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Estelar: I love that idea, but I don’t just want to leave my party hanging. We have this supposedly important mission coming up. Once we’re done with that, I think I’m gonna take my leave from the group.
Meaddrinker972: Sounds fair. I’m sure you’ll feel a lot better when you start doing things for yourself, rather than for a guild. When you leave them, come to Caspadel and we’ll meet up.
Estelar: Sounds like a plan. I look forward to seeing you again.
Meaddrinker972: Me too. Besides, I haven’t had a chance to thank you for sparing my ass earlier.
Estelar: You don’t have to do anything for me.
Meaddrinker972: I don’t have to do anything, but I think it would be fun if you made me do things. ;) Take care.
The blue screen blinked off Paul’s holoscreen and his member jumped.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Estelar logged into the game and opened the door to his room. It was as it was before Larkin gave his party members their little gift. He put on his armor and gathered the rest of his equipment. He also opened the drawers in one of his dresser and pulled out the letters of credit he’d been given for successful missions. Adding them together there was over 300 gold, a small fortune in the world of Unexplored. He placed these in his pack. If he was going to leave, he would need a little money to get on his feet.
There was a knock on his door as he was getting all of his items together. He answered it and he found Padwin there, fully decked out in his plate armor.
“Hey Estelar. The party just had a quick briefing with Larkin. It’s time to start our mission.”
The elf cocked an eyebrow. “You had a meeting without me?”
“You weren’t logged and it wasn’t a big meeting, so we just decided to just go ahead and do it. You didn’t miss anything, he just gave us a little info on the monster villages in the area where we’re going.”
“Seems important.”
Padwin shook his head. “We’ll fill you in on everything on the way there. Get your stuff together and meet us at the stable.”
Padwin walked away without another word. Estlear’s brow furrowed. It seemed strange that Larkin would have a meeting without him, and his friend had never really been so curt with him before. He shook his head and finished getting his things together. Whatever, this was his last mission with them, so he wasn’t going to read too much into it.
Estelar met his other party members at the stable. He smiled and cheerily greeted them. Only Tatarna made any effort to respond. Durga and Poppy seemed a bit uncomfortable. The elf tried to talk to them but they were a bit stand offish. Getting the hint, he saddled his horse and they all rode out.
On the ride to the area north of the Wilderwood, Padwin gave him a little information. They were going to speak to the chiefs of different monster clans, give them gifts, and ask if they would aid the Crimson Warriors in exchange for more gifts, just like Larkin instructed them to do in Estelar’s last meeting.
“What if the monster tribes throw us out on our asses, or more likely, attack us?” Estelar said.
“Then we run. Larkin told us not to fight back unless we’re cornered. When we’re done passing out gifts, he’ll give us further instructions.”
“Wonder why he’s being so nice to these monster tribes and what he wants to work with them for.”
Padwin shrugged and rode ahead, leading the group to the area Larkin referred to as “Monster Plain.”
The ride was quiet and pleasant. The weather was calm and sunny and the gently sloping hills gave the land a jubilant atmosphere that could raise even the grumpiest of spirits. To the south was the large tree line that marked the entrance to the Wilderwood.
The elf wondered what Larkin had planned for the monster tribes that agreed to ally with him. He was a pretty cunning person and always seemed to have some plan up his sleeve. There was no way he was doing this out of the goodness of his heart. Whatever it was, he had a bad feeling that it would end in a lot of bloodshed and misery. Estelar went along with it for now. At least he wasn’t tasked with killing anyone, yet.
Hours passed, and the green grasses turned brown, and soon to loose dirt. A howling wind blew dust particles across the elf’s face and obscured his vision.
In the distance, several humanoids of different monster races, kobolds, goblins, orcs, and a few others, could be seen scouting the area. They would stop and look their way before going back to their business. The further they rode in, the more frequent these patrols became. The groups of monsters came closer to their group, but would back away before any contact could be made.
After a few more minutes they saw a few huts in the distance. Padwin drew out a piece of parchment and pointed toward them. They pushed their mounts forward cautiously, slowly making their way to the huts. When they were a few hundred meters away from the perimeter of the village a group of orcs came out to intercept them.
Estelar’s party stopped and the orc in the lead, a large woman wielding a massive two handed cleaver spoke.
“What are you doing riding out in these lands? This is a dangerous place for your kind. Death awaits you if you go further.”
“Good afternoon,” Padwin said. “We are here on orders from our master, the great and majestic mage Larkin. We wish to speak to your tribe’s chief.”
The orc woman’s eyes went white then turned to normal.
“I will take you to the chief, but you are unlikely to leave alive.”
The orc woman led them to their village. There were many huts sprawling out several hundred meters. Many orcs wearing rags and animal pelts went along their daily business. Some wore thick hide armor sewn from wolf pelts and practiced sparring in the center of the village.
They came to a big hut where two large orcs stood guard. The orc woman spoke to them and they nodded. She went inside and came out a few minutes later.
“Our chief will see you,” she said.
The party entered the hut and found it decorated with more animal pelts. In the middle of the hut was a large pit, in which burned a warm fire. A tall orc with a wiry frame and thinning silver hair sat near it on a pile of furs. Two young orc females sat near him, cooing and making small talk with him.
Estelar noticed the large female orc’s face soured when she looked at the elder orc talking with the two young women. The large orc female cleared her throat.
“Husband, these are our guests.”
The balding male orc looked away from the women beside him and smiled, thrusting out his jaw so his tusks would be more prominent.
“Travellers, I welcome you to the great clan of Gurnash. I am Chief Gnarled Thumb. You boldly step among us. What foolishness has brought you to hostile lands such as these?”
Estelar was about to speak but Padwin threw up a hand and stepped forward and bowed.
“Great and mighty orc chief, terror of these lands, I have been sent by my master, the great wizard Larkin, whose lust for battle and prowess in combat is almost to the level of your own.”
The orc chief threw out his chest. “The clan Gurnash is a proud tribe of warriors and I boldly lead them into battle. Our enemies tremble at the sight of our warriors.”
The orc women sitting beside the chief giggled. The large orc woman rolled her eyes.
“Our leader has heard of your fierce prowess in battle and wishes to offer you a proposal.”
The orc chief squared his jaw, doing his best to look imposing. “What would the proposal be?”
“He wishes to give you a monthly tribute to your tribe, a sum of 100 gold, to join him in his conquest for greatness in his land.”
The orc chief’s eyes went white for a fraction of a second and then they bugged out. “A paltry sum. We can easily obtain that much gold in our raids and more.”
“Our master knows this,” Padwin says with another bow, “and wishes to inform you that there will be greater riches than those awaiting you.”
The orc chieftain stroked his frail chin. “How do we know you’re not
spouting wild pig dung?”
Padwin reached into a satchel and drew out an eight inch tall golden statue of an orc warrior with small emeralds set as eyes. The orc chief’s own eyes nearly bugged out again.
“Larkin has sent this to you as a gift as a sign of goodwill and an example of the riches we will obtain together.”
Padwin held out the statue and the orc chief snatched it from his grasp. The orc chief’s wife took a step forward.
“Husband. Do not be blinded by foolishness. We know nothing of these people.”
The orc chief looked into the statue’s eyes. The glint of the bright gold reflected off of his pupils.
“This is indeed a nice gift,” the orc chief said.
“Husband, put that statue down and listen. We know nothing of these people’s intentions. Put it down and we will discuss with them further.”
The orc woman’s words fell on deaf ears. The chieftain placed the statue beside him and slapped at the hand of one of the young orc women who reached out to touch it.
“I am pleased with your gift,” the orc chieftain said. “Because you have given me proper tribute, I will not kill you where you stand.”
The orc chieftain’s wife gripped her massive, two-handed cleaver and slammed it against the ground. Dust billowed in front of the area where it made contact.
“Husband, listen to me.” Each of the orc woman’s words were punctuated with a grunt. The orc chief turned a sour glance at her then looked back to Padwin.
“Send your first monthly tribute directly to me,” the orc chief said, “and we will discuss this matter further. Until then, leave this place, and don’t come back unless you have more gold.”
Padwin smiled and bowed once more. The orc chief’s wife huffed and stomped out of the hut. Estelar made a move to talk to the orc woman, sensing that this might cause trouble in whatever plans Larkin had, but Durga stepped in his way and scowled down at him.
****
The party left the village and made their way north to another. There they were met by a ferocious group of goblins. One of them, a small and bare chested female with a black mohawk, greeted them. She told them they were trespassing on land belonging to the Deathrunner Clan.
Unexplored - Rise of the Crimson Kingdom Page 14