Alexander smile back. “Hey, the boss wanted the box, you wanted the boss to come to you… marriage made in heaven, right there.” Everybody laughed at that.
Then Max, always one to focus on the loot, made a hurrying motion with one hand. “C’mon shortness, open it up!”
Brick stood with box in hand and moved over to sit on the sofa with Max. Setting the box on the table between them, he turned it to face Sasha. “You can open it missy. As me apology for smellin’ up the place.”
Sasha quickly leaned forward, taking away Alexander’s headrest and leaving him to fall to the side as she reached for the box, smiling at the tank. Just as she touched it, though, she hesitated. Her smile faded to a look of suspicion. “You think it’s trapped, don’t you!?”
The dwarf instantly raised his hands up in a placating gesture and did his best to look innocent. “O’ course not! I’d nay even considered it! Here, pass it back and I’ll open it meself if yer worried.” Sasha did exactly that, sliding the box back across the stone table, then leaning back away. She smirked at the dwarf when, after considering the box for a moment, he pulled on his plate gauntlets and donned his helm. He reached for the box, hesitated, then flipped his visor down before grabbing the lid and lifting it.
After a few seconds with no explosion or gas cloud, all four of them audibly released the breath they’d been holding. As the dwarf reached inside to remove the contents, Max confessed, “I was sorta hoping for an explosion. Or snakes. Or something. Kind of disappointing, really.”
Brick looked thoughtful as he withdrew his hand from the box. “Um. Did any of ye notice any doors or chests in tha’ cave after the boss lost ‘is head?” he asked as he laid 4 golden keys onto the table next to the box.
“Shit.” Alexander reached out and took one of the keys to examine. “No, but I wasn’t really looking. I was exhausted and just wanted to log.”
Sasha just shook her head, indicating she’d seen nothing. She too picked up a key. After a quick look, she grabbed Alexander’s key and put them together to see if they matched. They did.
“There were no doors,” Max stated, sounding sure of himself. He took another of the keys off the table. “I took a circuit of the room before I ported back. Figured the way the boss was splattered everywhere, I might find something cool. Didn’t see any chests, either.”
“Well, methinks we missed something.” Said the dwarf, reaching for the last key. The moment he lifted it from the table, a message appeared on each of the friends’ UIs.
Keys to The kingdom!
Item Level: Semi-Unique (1 of 4)
Stats: None
Binds on pickup. Cannot be dropped, stolen, or traded.
These keys are bound to each other as well as to their keymasters.
Sasha’s face scrunched up thoughtfully. “Huh. Well that creates more questions than answers. What do you think they open?”
“Well, the description says keys to a kingdom,” replied Max. “Maybe they earn us a rep increase? Like, we take them to the king and he makes us into Knights and grants us lands or something?”
“Or maybe they’re the start of raid!” Brick interjected. “These could be keys to the palace that let us sneak in at night, kill the king and take over!”
“I don’t think it’s a raid…” Alexander mused. “There are only 4 keys. Why have 4 unless each of us has to use one to get into… wherever? Which means only 4 of us can go. Too few for a raid. I think maybe Max’s idea makes more sense. You guys want to head up to the palace and see if the king’s interested in these?”
“Aye, good thinkin, lad,” the dwarf said as walked over to the hearth, removed the demon lord’s head and stuffed it into his bag. “I’ll just bring our friend here, in case the king needs proof of death!”
“YES!” Sasha pumped a fist in the air. “Let the king have that smelly old thing!” Brick just looked hurt. Max shrugged and headed for the door.
The group left their small guild house, turning north and headed for the palace. Stormforge was a moderately sized city, as far as the game world went. It was a port city situated on the shore of a protected bay. A dozen stone piers stretched from the harborside out into the bay, each long enough to dock five large merchant vessels. Between the bay and the Sea of Storms, a barrier of granite cliffs extended in a slow arc across the bay, leaving only about a two hundred-yard gap for ships to navigate into and out of the harbor. The granite ridge continued its arc northward up the shoreline in both directions, forming a complete circle roughly two miles wide. The land rose up at a gradual slope from the harbor toward the northern rim, where the palace itself was built right into the ridge. This gave the palace a commanding view of the city and the harbor, as well as the surrounding farmlands and forests.
The Greystone guild house was located in a quiet section of town roughly midway up the slope. The neighborhood consisted mainly of small one and two story residences, with several small shops scattered here and there. The nearest intersection they passed as they walked up the hill sported an alchemist’s shop on one corner, with a bakery next door. On the opposite corner was Gregor’s General Goods store, where adventurers could purchase an array of needed supplies, weapons, armor, potions, as well as sell any loot items they gathered. Across the street and filling the entire block was the Bloated Ogre Inn, with a large and often rowdy tavern on the ground floor, as well as a more sedate restaurant with a separate entrance. The three story building had about forty guest rooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors and a stable in the back. Above the tavern doorway hung a carved wooden sign depicting a comical overweight ogre with a mug of ale in one hand, and an oversize turkey leg in the other. The friends often relaxed at the Ogre after a hard day of adventuring. The ale wasn’t bad, and the food was excellent. The innkeeper’s wife was a master chef, who would often cook up the wolf, boar, rabbit, or raptor meat brought in by adventurers; turning them into delicious meals that gave buffs to stamina, health, or intelligence. After a full meal there, Alexander and his friends often felt as bloated as the ogre on the sign. Though they hadn’t actually eaten anything in the real world, the neuro-link in their VR gear was able to simulate satisfaction. This presented a small danger to players who played for long periods, as their real bodies needed nourishment. There was a safety setting that limited players to no more than twelve hours of continuous play time. It required at least an hour off-line before a player could log in again.
Pulling Brick back on track after he began to drift toward the tavern, the group turned to the east for about a block and reached the main thoroughfare than ran from the harbor straight up to the palace. Turning left and once again heading uphill, they walked for about ten minutes, passing a multitude of specialty shops, market stalls, temples, and offices. Taking Brick’s hand, Sasha pulled him along as he tried to wander toward every shop or stall that smelled of food. Passing one particular vendor that was waving succulent meat skewers at passersby, both Max and Alexander had to help restrain the drooling dwarf.
Finally reaching the outer wall of the palace compound, they approached the open gate. Two palace guards in well-used but polished plate armor stood on each side of the entry. A sergeant stood in the middle of the gateway questioning each person who sought entry. A short line of citizens and players had formed, waiting to gain permission to enter. The group joined the back of the line and waited patiently to speak with the sergeant. The line moved quickly, and after just a few minutes they reached the front.
“Sergeant Rockman, a pleasure as always.” Alexander bowed his head slightly as he approached.
“Ah, young Alex and friends. Here to see the captain about another quest?” the sergeant smiled and shook Alexander’s hand.
“Not exactly, sir. We’re here to seek an audience with the king regarding a demon lord we encountered in some caverns to the west.”
“I’ve told you before, son, don’t call me ‘sir’! I’m no fancy noble or officer; I work for a living. You just call me Sarge. Or Rock. As f
or the other, a demon lord? We ain’t had demons in this kingdom since I was a child. You must be mistaken.”
“No mistake, I’m afraid, Sarge. We came across some caverns maybe 10 miles to the west, just past the old ruins by the waterfall. We decided to explore, and found a dungeon full of demons!”
“Well, lad. As you know, the king does not often grant private audiences,” the sergeant said, still looking skeptical. “But right now, he’s in the main hall, hearing grievances from the local merchant’s guild. And I happen to know he’d appreciate an interruption!” The sergeant smiled and winked at Sasha. “Come with me, I’ll escort you to the hall, and ask if the king will see you.”
After calling over a corporal to take his place at the gate, the sergeant led the group across the outer courtyard, which contained the guard barracks, stables, and smithy, and through the inner bailey gate. To their left, Alexander could see the palace gardens, perfectly manicured lawns, stone pathways, and a pond with a fountain.
They followed the sergeant up a wide stairway to the main doors of the keep. These were massive fifteen foot tall doors of steel-bound iron oak nearly a foot thick. “Sturdy enough to keep out a mountain troll!” Brick observed approvingly as they passed by.
Once inside, they were led to small waiting area just outside the main hall. The sergeant motioned for them to stay, while he quickly ducked through the doors. Alexander could see him approach the king and whisper in his ear. The king smiled and nodded his head once. As the sergeant walked back toward the doors, the king held up a hand to interrupt the merchant who was speaking.
“I’m sorry, Master Bindletree, I must interrupt. An urgent issue has just come to my attention. Some adventurers are here with alarming news,” the king said. This caused Bindletree, the well-known and much disliked head of the banker’s association to stand with mouth agape for a moment before sitting down.
Alexander and the others were led toward the king, who was sitting on the edge of his throne, leaning forward with interest. The group stopped ten feet from the lowest stair to the dais and each took a knee, bowing to the king.
“Please rise, young Alexander and friends. And welcome! I’m always glad to see friends of the court and brave adventurers such as yourselves! Now, what is all this about demons in my kingdom!?”
At the word “demons”, all the merchants and nobles gathered in the room began to mutter and whisper amongst themselves. The main hall was a massive room, easily sixty yards long and half as wide, with 30 foot cathedral ceilings, and cultured marble floors. The acoustics of the room were specifically designed so that where the throne was located, the king could easily hear the magnified whispers of the courtiers.
“Silence, please! One mention of the word ‘demon’ and some of you cowards already speak of leaving the city? Have you no common sense? Let’s hear with this young man has to tell us!” King shifted his gaze back to Alexander. “Please, begin.”
Alexander bowed his head in respect, and began his tale. “Your majesty, my friends and I were in the western forest near the old ruins yesterday. We were gathering dire wolf pelts, intending to bring them here to collect the bounty placed upon them by your majesty.” Alexander motioned to Max, who withdrew a stack of nearly fifty dire wolf pelts. This caused some additional mutterings among the merchants, and the head of the Tanner’s Guild actually took an involuntary step forward. With a nod from the king, Max laid the pelts on the lowest step of the dais. Alexander continued “Sasha spotted some caverns nearby. We decided to explore them, thinking there might be a wolf den. Once inside, we found no dire wolves. However, Sasha did find some unusual herbs to use in her potions, and one that was unknown to her. We moved further into the caves, collecting herbs as we went. After a few turns, we discovered a dungeon entrance.”
At this, Sir Redmond, the captain of the Guard stepped forward. “Majesty, I know of these caverns. The entrance lies northwest of the ruins beyond Dire Falls. My wife is a druid and alchemist much like this lovely young lady,” the captain smiled at Sasha, who blushed slightly. “In years past I escorted my wife to these same caverns so that she could gather a rare herb called feather-root, that grows only in those caves and is used in strong healing potions and disease cures.” At this, Sasha smiled and removed a bundle of feather-root from her herb pouch to show the king. “Yes, that is it.” Confirmed the captain. “But in all the times we visited those caves, there was no dungeon!”
The king nodded to Sir Redmond, then shifted his gaze to Alexander. “What say you?”
“I am not sure what to say, Majesty. I believe we’re talking about the same caverns. The location is right, and the we did find the herbs, but there is most definitely a dungeon there. We entered through the gate, and found the caverns filled with demons. We fought our way down through 4 levels, eventually reaching a large cavern with a stone temple. We battled a Demon Lord named Sr’Vok and defeated him.” Alexander motioned to Brick, who removed the demon’s head and held it aloft as high as his four foot frame would allow. There were audible gasps from the courtiers, a few of the more delicate noble ladies and one foppishly dressed nobleman even fainted at the sight.
“I would add, Majesty, that we were notified upon the demon’s death that we were the first to complete that dungeon, and we were awarded some powerful gear. So maybe the demons just recently inhabited the caverns?”
The king and his Captain both looked with consternation upon the demon’s head, then exchanged a look between themselves. The captain approached the group, looking closely at the head, then examining the group of friends, saying, “show me the gear you received”. Alexander pointed to his chest, Sasha’s staff, Brick’s shield, and Max’s quiver. “All unique, epic items, Majesty. And this chest piece is Legendary!” The captain walked back up the steps of the dais, leaning down to whisper to the king, who gave a single nod. The captain called over a lieutenant and gave him quick orders. “Take 10 men, go straight to these caverns to investigate. The path should be clear, as these adventurers seem to have gone out of their way to eliminate every dire wolf in the forest! Return immediately and report!”
The room was silent, awaiting a reaction from the king. He looked thoughtful for several moments, then pointed a finger at Brick. “Please, put that away, sir dwarf. Its dripping on my nice clean floor.” Brick snorted and placed the head back in his inventory bag. “As for the rest, though my men will confirm, it seems there is little doubt that demons have once again invaded my realm. Captain, let it be known that we are recruiting for our army. I want an additional five thousand soldiers trained and ready to fight in three month’s time!”
The captain bowed his head to the king and motioned to one of the scribes stationed to the side of the room. “Have notices prepared immediately! I’ll send messengers to spread the word.”
“Master Bindletree, Master Smith, please approach,” the king beckoned the two merchants. “Master Bindletree, within the hour you will receive a note from the Treasury to provide funds for the purchase of armor, weapons, and supplies for the army. Those funds are to be available no later than tomorrow morning. Agreed?” The banker quickly bobbed his head in agreement. “Master Smith, as head of the blacksmiths and armorers’ association in the city, you and your people will provide the necessary weapons and armor, as well as arrange for the other needed supplies. You will do so at three quarters the normal market price. I know this leaves you with a smaller profit margin. But supplying 5,000 additional kits will still earn each of you a significant sum, and it will lessen the burden on the treasury. I need them all within 2 months’ time, with the first 600 delivered next week. Agreed?”
Master Smith’s eyes widened significantly, and he took a moment to consider the task, calculating the time and materials required to complete the order. “Majesty. We will of course do whatever it takes to support the realm in this time of crisis. Your price of three quarters of the market rate is fair. I’m not one to try and profit from war. And we can certainly arrange the
required clothing, tents, food, blankets and other supplies in that time. But the weapons and armor, Majesty, those may be an issue. I estimate we have maybe two hundred full kits of standard weapons and armor in stock in the various shops in town. And these are not of the standard for normal army supply, as they are meant mainly for beginning adventurers. But they would work well enough as training gear. Myself and the other smiths can forge maybe 300 full sets per week. As many as 350 if we bring in more apprentices. To meet your demands, we would need to purchase nearly half from other cities or kingdoms. We can maybe reduce that number if some portion of these new lads would be archers who could wear leather armor?”
The king shook his head, looking toward his Treasurer, who was suddenly sweating profusely. “From the look on Treasurer Knox’s face, Master Smith, I believe purchasing so many weapons and armor sets from others at full price, and paying to transport them here, would overtax our resources. And borrowing the necessary funds from Master Bindletree and his ilk, even at the reduced rate of interest I’m sure they would provide,” at this point the banker began to look very much like a cornered rat, “would still put undue stress on our economy, requiring us to raise taxes. Which I will not do.” Both the Treasurer and the banker breathed a sigh of relief. “Master Smith, work as fast as you can. We will have to make do with what we can forge here at home. Let us hope the demons give us time to prepare.”
The Greystone Chronicles: Book One: Io Online Page 5