by Aaron Oster
Sam didn’t even bother examining the rations, just paying for 10 dried stews. He picked the cheapest rope he could find and moved on to the bags.
ITEMS FOUND!
Name: Good Leather Bag Durability: 55/55
Rarity: Uncommon Quality: Good Carry Capacity: 20 Slots Effect: Reduce the weight of items by 50%
Name: Sturdy Leather Bag Durability: 80/80
Rarity: Rare Quality: Sturdy Carry Capacity: 40 Slots Effect: Reduce the weight of items by 65%
Name: Sturdy Canvas Bag Durability: 95/95
Rarity: Rare Quality: Sturdy Carry Capacity: 45 Slots Effect: Reduce the weight of items by 65%
Name: Enhanced Canvas Bag Durability: 200/200
Rarity: Rare Quality: Enhanced Carry Capacity: 100 Slots Effect: Reduce the weight of items by 80%
All these bags sounded great to Sam, but now that he’d seen the bag of holding, that was what he really wanted. As casually as he could, Sam leaned in a bit and put on his best smile.
“You wouldn’t happen to have any other, more expensive bags? Perhaps one that doesn’t have a carry limit?”
“If you are referring to a Spatial Bag, then yes, I do happen to have one in stock.”
Sam felt his heart soar, but before he got too excited, the woman burst his bubble.
“But unless you’ve got about 100 electrum to burn, I would recommend you pick one of the bags I have displayed here.”
Holy shit, that’s a lot of money! Who knew Spatial bags were so expensive?
Trying to do the math hurt his head, but after a few moments, Sam translated that over into gold coins. If he wanted a Spatial Bag, he would need to shell out over 10,000 gold.
So with a loud sigh, Sam paid all his remaining gold, his current bag, and the weapons that he’d taken from the bandits, and bought the Enhanced Canvas Bag . Sam winced at the price, but told himself that he would get some money back when he sold the Legendary gear he’d gotten from beating the Bruce Lee of bunnies, and the Uncut Jade he had in his Spatial Wallet.
He took a few moments to empty his old bag and transfer all his items to the new one. Thanking the woman for her help, Sam left the supplies shop with his new bag slung across his back and his wallet nearly empty.
“So, where to next?” Sam asked, looking around the busy street.
“I would recommend going to the Armorer’s shop to sell your unneeded gear and buy some better equipment.”
“Alright, lead the way,” he said, agreeing wholeheartedly with the dog.
Setting off down the street, Sam continued his earlier questioning about the territories in Somerset.
“All this news about Kings and Emperors is surprising. Doesn’t the Overlord rule all of Somerset?”
“He does,” Gordon replied. “However, he simply does not have the time to run this entire world. And frankly, it is beneath someone of his exalted station to live among mere mortals.”
Sam resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
“So how exactly am I supposed to fight this Overlord if I can’t get to him?”
“You must have misunderstood me earlier. The Overlord can indeed be reached, though no sane person would dare to try. He lives in the thirteenth territory, which is the highest level area in all of Somerset.”
Oh no, here comes some ridiculous or horrible name, Sam thought, already bracing himself.
“And what is the territory called?”
“The Overlord lives at the heart of The Not So Scary Mountains and resides in his personal fortress, known as The Death Spire.
“What the actual fuck?” Sam exclaimed.
It was even worse than he’d been expecting.
“Who the hell would name the most dangerous place in all of Somerset The Not So Scary Mountains, then name their castle, The Death Spire ?”
All over the street, people turned to stare at his outburst, but Sam just ignored them, glaring daggers at Gordon.
“I do not know what your issue is with our illustrious Overlord’s naming sense, but I assure you that it is all as I say.”
Whyyyyy?
“Just forget I asked,” Sam said after a long moment.
He’d already told himself that he’d stop caring about all these horrible names, but here he was, getting all bent out of shape again. Who the hell cared what Overlord Quack named his cities and people? He’d be killing that motherfucker before long, and then getting the hell out of this place.
Now feeling a bit better about everything, Sam continued down the street with a bounce in his step. Entering the Armorer’s shop a few minutes later, Sam approached the counter, noting that it was set up in much the same way as the supplies store, with the addition of a few straw dummies displaying various types of armor.
A tall green man standing behind the counter gave him a suspicious look as he approached, and Sam got a distinct feeling that this wasn’t going to be a pleasant transaction.
“What do you want?” the man asked, practically glaring at him.
Instead of answering, Sam pulled all of Bun Ni’s gear from his bag and set them on the counter.
“How much will you give me for these?”
The man gave him a nasty look, then bent to examine the gear. As soon as he got a good look at it, his nasty expression vanished in an instant, replaced instead by a sharp-toothed smile.
“I must apologize for my earlier behavior. We get a lot of adventurers in here and they aren’t always the friendliest bunch. But now that I look at you, I don’t see a guild chain around your neck, so you’re alright in my book. Especially if you’re willing to sell me such amazing gear.”
“Chain?” Sam asked, as the green man lifted each piece of gear and examined it closely for damage of wear.
The man gave him an odd look and Sam decided that this was probably one of those things that was common knowledge. He gave Gordon a questioning look as the man went back to looking at the gear.
“All guild members wear a chain around their necks, denoting their ranking within the guild. Generally, the higher quality the chain is, the more dangerous the person wearing it, is likely to be.”
“And what exactly are the ranks?” Sam asked in a low voice.
“The same as the currency, with copper being the lowest and adamantite being the highest.”
Yet another trope, Sam thought with a sigh. He idly wondered how powerful an adamantite ranked adventurer would be as the man finished his examination of Bun Ni’s gear.
“Alright, it seems that you’ve got something really special here, especially seeing as you have a full set,” the man said, laying the hand wraps down on the table and giving Sam a shrewd look.
“So how much is it worth?” he asked, having absolutely no clue himself.
The green man let out a sigh and shook his head.
“If I’m being honest, I can’t afford to buy this gear from you. The best place would probably be the guild, but they’ll charge you a whole bunch of bullshit taxes and fees, then try to make you join up.”
Sam was shocked that the merchants in Somerset all seemed so honest. In any normal fantasy game or story, merchants were about as trustworthy as politicians were back on Earth.
“How much?” Sam asked again.
“At fair market price, each individual piece would go for 8 to 10 electrum each; but as a set, it’s probably worth around 75 to 80. The guild would probably give you around 40 if you were lucky.”
Holy shit! That’s a lot of money!
“I’m actually looking to buy some better gear, something suited for a Mage or caster. I’m also looking for a new magic weapon, so if you have anything like that, maybe we can do a trade and you can pay the difference?”
The man had a thoughtful expression on his face, then slowly nodded.
“Yes. I do believe that I might have what you’re looking for, and if you like the equipment I have, I might be able to buy this gear.”
Sam grinned as the man pulled a Spatial Bag from under the counter, and began r
emoving various pieces of cloth and leather. Then he began removing an assortment of staffs, wands and glass orbs. By the time he was done, the entire counter was taken up by pieces of gear and various weapons.
“Have a look and if there’s anything you like, we can make a deal.”
Sam nodded and began examining the different weapons and gear. At first, he was a little disappointed, but after a few minutes of browsing, his mood lifted. By the time he was done, he was practically beaming. Sliding the items he wanted to one side, Sam inspected them one more time before making his decision.
ITEMS FOUND!
Name: King Mage Robe Durability: 80/80
Rarity: Enchanted Quality: Sturdy Armor: +8
Effect: +3 Intelligence Name: King Mage Pants Durability: 65/65
Rarity: Enchanted Quality: Sturdy Armor: +6
Effect: +3 Wisdom Name: King Mage Belt Durability: 40/40
Rarity: Enchanted Quality: Sturdy Armor: +4
Effect: +3 Charisma Name: King Mage Boots Durability: 50/50
Rarity: Enchanted Quality: Sturdy Armor: +6
Effect: +3 Endurance You have found a full set of King Mage clothing.
Set Bonus: +15% Damage to all mana-based abilities Requirements: Level 10 Mage Name: Steelwood Mage Staff Durability: 120/120
Rarity: Epic Quality: Enhanced Damage: +15-20 (Ability), +6-9 (Blunt) Effect: +25% Chance to land a critical attack Requirements: Level 10 Mage
Closing his status, Sam pointed to the selected items.
He couldn’t use them just yet, but he would be level 10 before he knew it and then he’d be walking around in some awesome gear.
The man looked over his selected items and tallied up the full amount.
“All these items together will come out to 22 electrum, 8 platinum, and 4 gold. All I can afford to give you is 35 electrum, so I’m afraid that I’m still short,” the man said with a sigh.
“Would you happen to have anything for a dog?” Sam suddenly asked, motioning to Gordon.
“I do, but nothing that would come close to the gear I just gave you, and that was the most expensive Mage set I had.”
Sam tapped his lip for a moment as the man pulled a few small pieces of leather and then one long one from his bag, and set them on the counter. After doing a quick check, he saw that it offered a bonus to Endurance and had an armor rating of 10, but other than that, had no special properties.
“I know it’s a bit of a longshot, but would you happen to have any spell scrolls?”
He knew that the man was an armorer and that it was very unlikely, but he still had to try.
“Yes, actually. I happen to have 2 and these will more than make up the difference, should you choose to buy them.”
Sam nodded eagerly, as the man pulled two ancient looking scrolls from his bag and laid them gingerly on the counter.
ITEMS FOUND!
Name: Spell Scroll Durability: 4/10
Rarity: Enchanted Quality: Good Contents: Mana Explosion Spell Effect: Create an explosion of mana in an area around you Requirements: Level 15 Mage Name: Spell Scroll Durability: 3/15
Rarity: Epic Quality: Enhanced Contents: Over-Burn Spell Effect: Create a massive inferno in a targeted area Requirements: Unknown
Sam closed his screen and gave the man a confused look.
“I’m interested in the Mana Explosion scroll, but I can’t read the requirements for the Over-Burn spell.”
“I’ve had that damn scroll for over 5 years already. The Mana Explosion scroll is worth enough to cover the difference, but I’ll throw the other one in for free, just because I have no use for it.”
He wasn’t so sure about taking up a slot in his bag with another useless item, but decided that any Epic item was worth having. After all, maybe he’d find someone who could tell him what the item was.
“Alright, you’ve got a deal!” Sam said, shaking the man’s hand and piling all his new gear into his bag.
The man then handed him a small leather bag and when he opened it, saw a pile of glittering coins that were a pale, almost white, gold.
“There’s 33 electrum in that bag. Count it before you leave.”
Sam nodded, then pulled the heavy coins from the bag and began counting. When he confirmed that there were indeed 33 coins in there, he nodded to the man in thanks and walked towards the exit of his shop, stopping for only a moment to stick his hand down his pants and drop them in his Spatial Wallet.
Leaving the shop, Sam did a quick check of his clock and saw that it was already past noon. Deciding that he had no more time to waste, he asked Gordon to escort him to the guild headquarters so he could find a party to head into the nearby dungeon.
21
Sam looked up, shading his eyes against the afternoon sun, so he could read the sign painted in auspicious gold lettering above the door.
Adventurers Guild.
Bunch o’ pompous asshats is more like it, Sam thought as he entered the guild hall. Gordon followed closely behind, now dressed in the leather armor that Sam had procured for him. He seemed quite proud of it for some reason and would take every chance to pose heroically whenever anyone looked at him. This had earned him more than a few scratches behind the ears, and even a few treats.
As the door opened, a wall of sound slammed into Sam, so loud that he actually winced. A few people turned to look at him when he entered, but soon went back to their own business. Looking around, Sam noted that it was exactly what he’d been expecting of a guild hall. A massive bar took up nearly half the room, with scantily clad women running around and fetching the rowdy adventurers their drinks. Every time one of them would pass, they would receive some kind of groping from an adventurer, be they male or female.
There was also, as he’d expected, a fight going on. A short, gray-skinned man was currently pounding the face of a young looking boy wearing a copper chain. Sam noticed that the chain around the gray man’s neck was gold.
So bullying was a thing here; no surprise. Classic fantasy, Sam thought, completely ignoring the fight, and walking to the other side of the guild hall, where a massive board stood covered in various bits of paper. Next to the job board was a small desk, behind which an overworked looking gnome sat filling out paperwork.
Walking up to the gnome, Sam waited patiently for him to finish, but after nearly five minutes passed without the small man looking up, he finally lost his patience.
“Excuse me,” Sam said, trying to be polite.
“What the fuck do you want?!” the gnome practically exploded as Sam spoke up.
“Well, excuse me for asking asshole!” Sam answered back, feeling his own temper rising. “I was just looking for some help, but seeing as that’s too much for you, I’ll just leave!”
The gnome’s eyes dropped to Sam’s neck, where he noted the lack of a guild chain, and suddenly, his demeanor shifted.
“My apologies good sir. I’m just a bit overworked. What can I help you with?”
Like he’d fall for that bullshit after that lovely greeting.
“Nothing. I think I’m good,” Sam said, turning his back on the gnome and heading for the door.
“Hey! You can’t just leave!” the gnome called out, but Sam ignored him and kept walking.
“I said stop! Don’t you fucking ignore me you low-bit piece of trash!” the gnome screeched, his shrill voice cutting through the noise of the guild hall.
Sam stopped, fists clenched as the room went silent, and turned to face the red-faced gnome behind the desk.
“What did you just call me?” he asked, voice dangerously low.
Gordon was standing right next to him, his muzzle bunched up, and a low, rumbling growl sounded across the room.
Thanks for having my back, dog. You’re a real pal.
“You heard me! Nobody walks in here, then just leaves, that’s not the way it works! If you’re not a member of the guild, you sign up; it’s the law!”
“Is it really?” Sam asked Gordon under his breath.
“Really?” Sam asked, reaching into his bag and pulling his wand from inside. “And who, pray tell, is the one who made this supposed law?”
“The King! That’s who. Now get back here this instant, before I have my men haul you over here and have you forcefully sign the contract!”
Holy shit! This dude was going full evil villain on him.
“Yeah, I’m not a member of this kingdom, so you can go fuck yourself,” Sam said, now feeling his anger cooling.
This gnome was too much of a joke for him to take seriously, and looking around the room, he could see that most of the people in the guild were watching with looks of distaste.
Apparently, Mr. Personality wasn’t very popular.
“Fudge! Stork! Grab this man and drag him over here! He is not obeying the King’s laws, and must be made to!”
Sam actually began laughing when he heard those two names.
Gotta give you credit for those, Overlord, those names are so comically stupid, that only a couple of henchmen could have them!
Sure enough, a moment later, two hulking men separated themselves from the crowd and stomped over to him. It didn’t escape Sam’s notice that each wore a platinum chain around their necks, but when he used his Inspect skill, found that they were only level 4. All the others in the hall were eyeing these men with expressions ranging from annoyance to outright hatred.
Something was definitely off here. Normally Adventurer Guilds were supposed to be the good guys, but here they clearly were not. Or at least, the people in charge weren’t.
Sam took a step back, raising his wand in a threatening gesture, and Gordon stepped between him and the hulking brutes, growling and showing his teeth.
“I suggest that you get out of the way. Otherwise, I don’t think this will end well for you,” Sam said in a dangerous voice.
“Ha! You hear that Fudge. This little pipsqueak thinks he can scare us,” the man on the right said, guffawing stupidly.