by Adam Horne
“You should say something,” she whispered in his ear.
He couldn’t tell if the mob was planning to cheer for them or rush the entrance. Several were talking amongst themselves, but at this distance he couldn’t make out much. Deciding it was better if he took the initiative, he raised his hands and stepped forward. The crowd grew quiet to hear what he had to say.
“For two days, Noblesse Oblige has controlled these mines, making it harder for everyone to complete their quests here. That ends now. The mines are open to everyone!”
Chapter 10
The crowd cheered. Most of the people dashed into the opening of the mine, but many of them walked over to Kelath’s group and shook their hands or slapped them good-naturedly on the shoulder. Most said thanks before descending into the darkness of the cave behind them.
“Good job,” said a female elf in heavy armor.
“Way to stand up to those Noblesse Oblige bastards!” said a male human wearing leather as he sauntered past them.
After a couple minutes, the mob dispersed. The majority chose to explore the mine, but a few stayed outside since the goblin camps were no longer overcrowded. Kelath checked the bodies of the two guards they’d killed. The cleric had several hundred copper, an amount he would have considered sizable if it had all come from the mobs in the area. Most likely the money came from players who tried to sneak past him to enter the cave. Kelath’s jaw dropped when he checked the body of the fighter.
“Look at how much money this one had!” He upended the coin purse and poured out a handful of silver pieces. When he shifted them around on his palm, he caught a hint of gold underneath. He pushed the coins aside to reveal a band of metal. “I think that’s a ring.”
He concentrated on the item to identify it.
Goblin Shaman’s Ring: Provides a +1 bonus to Intelligence.
Kelath held out the ring. “Elora, I think you’ll want this.”
“Hey, wait,” said Througar. “Why does she get the best loot?”
“She let me have a pair of gloves we found earlier. I told her she could have any wizard items we found, and this has a bonus to intelligence.”
“We didn’t all agree to that. Rings are selling for quite a bit on the auction house.”
Kelath scoffed. “Seriously? She just saved your life. Let her have it, and we can split all the coins I found.”
“Fine.” Despite giving in, Througar didn’t sound happy about losing the valuable treasure.
Elora examined the ring when Kelath handed it to her. “This is wonderful!”
She slipped the gold band over the little finger of her right hand then held it out to admire. She twirled around them, humming to herself as they split the coins into three separate piles. She pirouetted behind Througar then knelt down next to him.
“Thank you so much! If you like, I’ll stay and help you finish the quest for the goblin necklaces.”
Througar choked out, “Uh…yeah. That would be great.”
They each gathered up their stacks of coins when they finished sorting them then entered the mine. Througar took the lead, saying he would pull any goblins he saw. The tunnel sloped down in a wide circle with shafts branching off in several directions. They descended deeper because they figured most of the upper areas would be filled with people who had flooded in when they announced the mine was open.
They passed the bodies of several players, most of them wearing the tabard with a crown that marked them as members of Noblesse Oblige. The mob of people entering the mines must have killed every member of the guild as they descended. Kelath couldn’t blame them, considering how much trouble the guild had caused by keeping other players out. Their party only passed a few dead players, and these were mostly seen on the highest levels. Kelath assumed the mines had been relatively empty while the guild controlled them. Players had been fighting each other for a small number of spawn points above, while goblins overran the tunnels below. More than ever, Kelath hated Itrix and his ilk.
Eventually the ramp they were following ended at a large cavern several hundred feet below the entrance. Torches attached to the walls lit up several tunnels. Througar picked a corridor and proceeded down it, saying he couldn’t hear the sounds of fighting coming from that direction. A short way in, they found a pair of goblins standing guard at opposite sides of a large cavern and pulled them one by one. With four people in their party, fighting the mobs individually wasn’t a challenge at all.
After the first couple fights went smoothly, they started tackling three at a time. Througar rounded up their targets and drew them back to where the rest of the party waited. Kelath and Elora threw bombs, while Galahad kept an eye on their health bars and made sure they didn’t get injured too badly. They gathered the necklaces for Througar and Galahad so quickly, they spent more time climbing the ramp back to the surface than they did actually fighting goblins.
So many players were returning to the mining office to turn in their quest that a line had formed out the door. They took their place at the end of the queue and chatted while they waited to meet with the foreman.
“That didn’t take long,” said Througar.
“I can’t believe they kept people outside to stop them from finishing the quest,” said Kelath.
“It’s part of the game.” Elora took a step back at their incredulous looks. “What? It’s true. They weren’t breaking any rules.”
“That’s not the point,” said Througar.
“Yeah, they were purposefully making it harder for anyone other than their members to advance in their quest,” said Kelath. “They’re giving their members a head start so they’ll be the most powerful guild. If the number of people we saw signing up is any indication, they’re probably miles ahead of anyone else.”
Elora shrugged. “If you’re bothered so much, why not start your own guild?”
Kelath stared at her. Managing a guild took up a lot of time, time he wouldn’t have with all the work he needed to do gathering materials to make the potions he planned to sell. Before he could voice his disapproval, a female dwarf who stood behind them in line spoke.
“Hey, you’re the guy who defeated those jerks holding the mine,” she said. “I’d join your guild.”
“Yeah, me too,” said someone else.
Before long, there was a chorus of voices urging him to start his own guild and stand up to Noblesse Oblige. He waved his arms and motioned for them to quiet down.
“I don’t want to start a guild,” he said and the nearby players grumbled to each other. “I just want to play the game. I’m not looking to pick a fight.”
Elora watched him with a smug, knowing look.
“What?” he asked.
“You may not have a choice. Supposedly, Itrix holds a grudge and hates when people challenge him. He’ll likely come after you.”
Througar clapped Kelath on the shoulder. “If he starts anything, I’ve got your back.”
Elora laughed. “Against a guild with hundreds of people?”
“I would not stand idly by and watch you mistreated,” said Galahad. “If by my life or death I can protect you, I will.”
“That’s very touching, Galahad.” It was a noble sentiment, but Kelath thought he was taking this knight of the round table thing too far. “But I don’t need anyone’s life or death. I’ll be fine.”
Elora still had the knowing look on her face, so he turned away and acted interested in the line in front of them. They moved forward slowly as other players turned in their quests then left the building. After five minutes, they entered the office and approached the mine foreman.
“Well now, if it isn’t the group I’ve been hearing so much about. Word is you’re the reason the adventurers stopped attacking each other and finally started doing the job I hired them to do.”
“That wasn’t our intention,” said Kelath. “You see, my friend here was coming to meet us…”
Througar interrupted. “Kelath is too modest. Yes, we were the ones who
opened the mines.”
“If you’ll hand over the necklaces…” The foreman collected the quest items from each of them. “Here is your payment, and a little something extra for handling my labor problem.”
Quest Completed: Trouble in the Mines II
You received experience that was credited to your assigned skills and the following rewards:
10 silver
For completing a hidden bonus objective, you also received:
50 silver
Elora clapped her hands and moved to embrace the foreman but stopped short when he shook his head in disapproval.
“The mines will soon be back under our control and operational. For that I thank you.” The foreman summoned an assistant before continuing. “I have no more work for adventurers at the moment, but my cousin is a clerk at the mayor’s office in the city of Stockton. He’s always looking for resourceful people to handle tasks for him. Follow Beryl and she will give you each a letter of introduction.”
They thanked the foreman and waited by Beryl’s desk as she wrote out four notes and sealed them in envelopes. She handed one to each player then hurried them out the door to let the next adventurer come inside.
Quest Discovered: To Stockton
The foreman has provided you with letters of introduction. Travel to the mayor’s office in the city of Stockton and speak to a clerk.
Rewards: none.
“Did you know quests could have bonus objectives?” asked Kelath when they were all outside.
“I never discovered any during the beta,” said Througar. “Maybe it was an option that was turned off.”
“You should always pay attention to the things quest givers tell you,” said Elora.
“I’ll remember that from now on,” said Kelath.
Their conversation lapsed as they deposited their quest reward in their bags. They looked at each other, the silence growing uncomfortable as nobody seemed to know what to say.
Finally, Galahad spoke. “If the sirs and madam plan to continue on to Stockton, I will gladly accompany you.”
Elora shook her head. “Sorry, but I need to run.”
“Then I hope to meet you again, my lady.” Galahad held his hand out to shake hers.
Elora giggled as she grasped his hand and shook it. “You’re so cute, Gally! I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”
Kelath whispered, “Gally?” in Througar’s ear. He shrugged in reply. Elora waved at them before jogging down the path towards Millville. She went around a bend, and her portrait disappeared from the party list.
“Weird girl,” said Througar after she was gone.
“She seemed nice,” said Kelath. “Very energetic.”
Througar gave him a sly smile. “Uh, oh. Sounds like somebody has a crush…”
Kelath shook his head. “No I don’t! Can we just go to Stockton?”
“Lead the way, lover boy.”
Kelath scowled.
* * *
From the area around Millville, Kelath, Througar, and Galahad followed the road south. It was wide enough for two carts to pass each other, and as they grew closer to Stockton, their path changed from a muddy track to cobblestones. By the time they crested a large hill and saw the city for the first time, the road was nearly twenty feet wide and filled with travelers headed in both directions.
The city of Stockton occupied the ground inside a wide loop in the river that flowed down from the beginners’ area to the north. Gray stone walls rose up from the river and across the strip of grassy plain on the side that wasn’t covered by water. Three gates provided entrance into the city, one on the landward side and the other two connected to drawbridges that crossed the river. Docks stood on the far side of the river south of the city, and a number of river boats rocked in the water where they were moored. A keep rose in the center of the city, and the roofs of shops and houses spread out around it.
“That’s a huge city,” said Kelath, “at least compared to what we’ve seen so far. I bet you could fit ten Millvilles inside its walls.”
“It’s pretty big,” said Througar. “There is a market with an auction house, shops, and trainers. There are plenty of quests to complete also. I explored a bit during the beta.”
“’Tis a grand place,” said Galahad.
“Did you play in the beta too?” asked Kelath.
“I know not what this ‘beta’ you speak of is…I arrived in this land only a few days ago, but I feel as if I’ve been to this place before.”
Kelath leaned over and whispered in Througar’s ear. “Why does he keep talking like that?”
“He’s roleplaying,” said Througar, his voice lowered. “There are people who act in character the whole time they’re playing the game.”
“Doesn’t that get old?”
“I wouldn’t want to do it all the time, but some people really enjoy it. They don’t expect everyone to go along with it, unless you take part in an event. Then you’re not supposed to break character.”
Feeling it was rude to keep talking about Galahad while he was right there, Kelath said, “Perhaps you have been here before, Galahad. Tell us if you see anything you recognize.”
Galahad smiled and bowed his head graciously. “As you desire.”
They followed the flow of traffic heading down to the gate. They were on the landward side and didn’t have to cross a drawbridge to enter the city. Wooden guard houses stood on either side of the road in front of the gate with several men and women in uniform looking over the travelers who entered the city. Galahad saluted as they walked past and received a perfunctory nod from one of the soldiers. The road led straight into the heart of the city.
Kelath glanced around as they walked, letting his companions choose their path since they knew where to go. They passed shops and taverns with balconies that hung over the street. They continued on until the road widened into an open air market.
Througar came to a halt and said, “This is the market, and you’ll probably spend most of your time in town around here. I’ll show you where all the important buildings are first.”
“Sounds good,” said Kelath.
Througar led them to a two story stone building in the center of the market. “This is the auction house. If you talk to one of the auctioneers, you can access the interface to buy and sell. Do you want to try it out now?”
“I didn’t find anything I want to auction off fighting the goblins, and I probably can’t afford any decent equipment yet. I only have about a gold.”
“We’ll keep going then.” Througar led them around the square and pointed out various buildings of interest.
The most impressive was a guild hall that took up almost an entire block. He explained that any guild could rent a room inside the guild hall as their own personal headquarters. The rooms ranged in size from not much bigger than a closet to large enough to hold banquets. They could be rented for timeframes as short as a day or for months in advance. They were totally private, and only members of the guild or those given an invitation could enter.
“Of course,” said Througar, “most guilds want to save up enough gold to buy their own headquarters.”
“You can purchase the buildings here?” asked Kelath.
“If you can afford them. I think the cheapest ones are at least 500 gold.”
Kelath’s jaw dropped. “That’d be worth $500 if you transferred it out. Do people really pay that much?”
“Yeah. Any of those shops we passed that had painted signs could be owned by a player or guild. There wasn’t much point to crafting in the beta, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some players spend several hours a day in town buying ingredients and making items to sell to others.”
Kelath shook his head in disbelief. He’d never imagined the game could have such a complex economic system. As crazy as it seemed to spend that kind of money on virtual property, he wondered if it would be necessary to sell any goods he crafted.
“I don’t know that I’d want to spend all my time c
rafting,” said Kelath. “That would make the game no better than a job.”
Througar nodded. “I totally agree. I’d rather be out killing monsters.”
Througar showed them where the bank and moneychangers were on the far side of the guild hall. If they ever had enough money and wanted to convert it to real cash, this was the only place to do it. They could also deposit money in the bank so it couldn’t be taken by another player if they died. The rest of the area around the market was dedicated to shops, most of which were still empty. A number of NPCs had stalls set up in the open areas in the middle of the square.
“These shops only sell the most basic equipment and tools,” said Througar. “For better weapons or armor, you’ll have to find a player who can make it for you or get lucky and loot it from a mob. They have some basic crafting ingredients too. That’s everything here. Was there anything else you wanted to see?”
“I’d like to change to alchemist and try out my new class,” said Kelath.
“I also would like to visit the trainers,” said Galahad. “I felt the gods setting forth a new path for my life when I fought your tormentors. I should like to answer that calling.”
“Yeah, sure,” said Througar. “They’re this way.”
He led them to where the main street exited the square on the opposite side of their entry point. Behind the bank they’d seen earlier were a set of three buildings in a horseshoe shape with a large practice ground in the middle. There were wooden dummies and straw targets for weapons practice. Several men and women in steel armor gave instruction to small groups of adventurers.
“The trainers here teach fighter skills,” said Througar. “The clerics are probably in the building to the left, judging from the shrine in front of it. That shady guy leaning on the wall of the middle building practically screams, ‘rogue trainers inside.’”
Kelath laughed. “You’re probably right. I don’t know how long this will take, so feel free to check out other parts of the city. I’ll send you a tell.”