by C. M. Carney
The tall humanoid was there, hand cupped under Gryph’s chin. From the edge of his vision Gryph saw a sucker like mouth open and close hungrily on the creature’s hand.
“Do not stare too long into the waters of the Sea of Knowledge. Your mortal mind is too fragile to handle a direct interface. That is why I am here. I am called the Merchant, and I am an assessor and purveyor of knowledge.”
Gryph backed away from the creature, shivering at what might have been the lap of a tongue from the creature’s hand mouth. If Gryph’s reaction offended the Merchant, he did not show it. After a few seconds Gryph regained enough composure to continue.
“So, you sell Perk Points?”
“Among other things, but for now you only have access to that exchange.”
“How does it work?”
“You offer something of value and I determine what that value is. I deal with a wide variety of knowledge. One or more levels of a skill, Attribute Points, a rare item, even a treasured memory. All can have value.”
Buying and selling skills, Attributes and items made sense to Gryph, but what would anyone want with one of his memories. He looked for reassurance from the Merchant and got nothing of the kind.
“There are beings in the Realms who do not experience existence as mortals do. They desire these experiences and will pay handsomely for them.”
“Who are these clients?” Gryph asked, imagining the terrifying idea of a Lord of the Abyss sampling the emotional resonances of Finn Caldwell’s first kiss like it was some kind of special desert.
“My client list is confidential.”
“Of course it is,” Gryph said with a sigh. “Well I paid the price of entry, so I might as well take a look.”
“Very good sir,” the Merchant said and raised his right hand. Where his left bore a mouth, this one bore an unblinking eye. “If you’d be so kind as to stand still, I will assess the value of your current inventory.”
A shiver ran through Gryph.
“I assure you sir, it is harmless.”
After a moment, Gryph nodded and a beam of gray energy expanded from the eye and scanned up and down Gryph’s body. Gryph cringed as it began, but the beam took little more than a second to scan his body and, apart from feeling mildly violated, he was unharmed when it finished.
“Thank you, sir. Based upon my evaluations, this is the current exchange rate in Perk Points for your detectable resources.”
A virtual menu filled Gryph’s vision and his mouth dropped.
RESOURCE: Skills (Sold)
RATE
NOTES
Skill Levels: 1 - 10
2
Removes levels 1-10 of skill. Skill must be relearned. Any perks lost due to skill loss are refunded at the rate of Perk Points –1.
Skill Levels: 11 - 20
3
Removes levels 11-20 of skill. Loss of Tier Ability.
Skill Levels: 21 - 30
3
Removes levels 21-30 of skill.
Skill Levels: 31 - 40
4
Removes levels 31-40 of skill.
Skill Levels: 41 - 50
6
Removes levels 41-50 of skill. Loss of Tier Ability.
Skill Levels: 51 - 60
6
Removes levels 51-60 of skill.
Skill Levels: 61 - 70
7
Removes levels 61-70 of skill.
Skill Levels: 71 - 80
9
Removes levels 71-80 of skill. Loss of Tier Ability.
Skill Levels: 81 - 90
10
Removes levels 81-90 of skill. Loss of Tier Ability.
Skill Levels: 91 - 100
11
Removes levels 91-100 of skill. Loss of Tier Ability.
Skill Levels: 1 - 100
65
Removes levels 1-100 of skill. Loss of Tier Abilities.
RESOURCE: Skills (Purchases)
RATE (per Level)
NOTES
Skill Levels: 2 - 10
1
Adds one level of skill. User must already know the skill to purchase additional levels.
Skill levels acquired will possess a bit of the essence of the entirety from which it is sourced.
EXP: Two levels of a short blade skill sourced from an assassin may impart a more bloodthirsty form of combat upon the user. The more levels purchased from the same may increase the intensity of this essence.
Skill Levels: 11 - 20
2
Skill Levels: 21 - 30
3
Skill Levels: 31 - 40
4
Skill Levels: 41 - 50
5
Skill Levels: 51 - 60
6
Skill Levels: 61 - 70
7
Skill Levels: 71 - 80
8
Skill Levels: 81 - 90
9
Skill Levels: 91 - 100
10
Skill Levels: 1 - 100
90
RESOURCE: Experience
RATE
NOTES
Experience: 200,000 XP
1
Level(s) lost if experience dips below required experience for that level(s). User retains Attribute Points, Perk Points and Stat Increases acquired and will not gain new Attribute Points, Perk Points or Stat Increases when lost level(s) are regained. Beware: Loss of levels can result in loss of Specialty, Calling or other level dependent traits.
RESOURCE: Attributes
RATE
NOTES
Attribute Points: 10
1
Cannot drop any Attribute to 0. If an Attribute drops below 10 the user is considered disabled in that Attribute.
RESOURCE: Stats
RATE
NOTES
Stat Points: 50
1
Cannot drop any Stat to 0. Stats can be regained by levelling as normal. Stats dropped below 50 will incapacitate the user for a 24-hour period.
RESOURCE: Spells
RATE
NOTES
Spell(s): Common
0.2
Minimum Spells Exchanged: 5. Spells are lost and must be relearned.
Spell(s): Uncommon
0.5
Minimum Spells Exchanged: 2. Spells are lost and must be relearned.
Spell(s): Rare
1
Spells are lost and must be relearned.
Spell(s): Extremely Rare
3
Spells are lost and must be relearned.
Spell(s): Master
5
Spells are lost and must be relearned.
Spell(s): Grandmaster
7
Spells are lost and must be relearned.
Spell(s): Unique
15
Spells are lost and must be relearned.
RESOURCE: Perk Recycle
RATE
NOTES
Perk Recycle: 5
4
Previously purchased Perks can be recycled at a 5/4 exchange rate. Old perks are lost and must be repurchased to use.
RESOURCE: Divine Perk Points
RATE
NOTES
Divine Perk Point: 1
20
Must be in possession of a Godhead.
Perk Points: 25
1 Divine Perk Point
Must be in possession of a Godhead.
RESOURCE: Items
RATE
NOTES
Prime Godhead
200*
*The Prime Godhead is currently bonded to your soul and cannot be removed. The method for removing a bonded Prime Godhead was long ago lost to time if it ever existed at all.
The Black Fog
100
The Black Fog will be removed from your control and you will face the consequences of breaking a Binding Vow.
The Iron Crown
50
The Iron Crown will be removed from your control and you will face the consequen
ces of breaking a Binding Vow.
War Stave of the El’Edryn King
10
The War Stave of the El’Edryn King will be removed from your inventory and you will lose 5 Reputation Points.
RESOURCE: Information
RATE
NOTES
Aluran’s True Identity
10
You will forget that Aluran was once Morrigan.
Ferrancia’s True Identity
10
You will forget that Brynn is now Ferrancia.
RESOURCE: Memories
RATE
NOTES
Memories of Brynn.
40
You will forget everything about Brynn.
Memories of Mother.
30
You will forget everything about your Mother.
Memories of Father.
30
You will forget everything about your Father.
NOTE: Repeated and willful sale of your information or memories may warp user’s sense of right and wrong and could damage your soul.
“Holy shit,” Gryph said as the information pushed through his mind.
7
He could sell a whole slew of experience and items, but everything was something he needed. He had few skills he deemed unworthy enough to sell. He could also use Perk Points to buy levels of skills, but the price was astronomical, though he could envision a time when he purchased higher level skill levels, say to bump up and earn a Tier Ability.
Experience was hard earned, through pain and blood. Selling his Attribute Points could literally make him disabled. He imagined selling all his Dexterity points and visions of a man so clumsy that he would end up accidentally killing himself by stumbling off a cliff filled his mind. Selling his Stats also sounded ominous, a bit like donating organs you were still using.
He had a smattering of spells, including a few he didn’t have too much use for, but none were above Common rarity. Perk Recycle was intriguing, but he had never been a fan of bad exchange rates. The idea that he could buy and sell Divine Perk Points was also incredible, but the cost was insane.
The next three options were even more disturbing.
The initial prompt that drew him into the Market had hinted that he could sell items. He had hoped it would include those he didn't want or need, but the four listed were all of artifact level or higher and included his Prime Godhead.
“You’ll give me 200 Perk Points for my Godhead?” Gryph said stunned. He barely understood the divine artifact, but he knew it granted him limitless potential. He envisioned no circumstances where he’d ever part with it, even if removing it were possible. But two fricking hundred Perk Points was a staggering amount.
“Gladly, if you can discover a way to remove it. The last time someone attempted that feat it tore a schism in the fabric of reality and led to the Ruin. Try to do better than that.”
You are offered the quest Lay the Gods Low.
You have been offered an impossible task. Discover a method of removing a bonded Prime Godhead. This quest has an optional second part. If you succeed the Merchant will also buy your Prime Godhead.
Quest Giver: The Merchant - Difficulty: Impossibly Otherworldly - Reward: 500 Perk Points - XP: Unknown.
“500 Perk Points,” Gryph sputtered. The things he could achieve with that many was impossible to fathom. “Who in the Realms could afford to pay that price?”
“You misunderstand sir. That is the price I will pay you. The price others will pay me is higher. I am, after all, in the business of making a profit. But, to answer your query, there are beings in the Realms so ancient and powerful, that just laying your gaze upon them would drive you mad. To them such cost is a pittance.”
“Well that is reassuring,” Gryph grumbled. He returned his gaze to the menu. He could sell information or experiences, and while the payouts were staggering, the costs were diabolical. There was no way he could sell The Black Fog or the Iron Crown. Gryph had seen the level of destruction and evil the items working together could accomplish? But what if he sold only one?
Then you’d paint a target on your back so wide nothing in all the Realms would protect you, came a voice, the voice of the Colonel, a man who was both his father and his attempted murderer.
Behave father, or I’ll sell my memories of you to this creepy bastard. While the idea had some appeal, he knew he would never do it. For better or worse he was the man he was because of his father’s influence. You crazed, evil bastard. Even without the warning about selling his memories, Gryph knew they defined him, and if he sold them, he would be selling a bit of himself.
The Information tab intrigued him, not because he was willing to part with either bits of knowledge, as both were essential if he ever hoped to save Brynn, but because of the possibility of selling other privileged information. On Earth, corporate spies, insider traders and other information brokers made millions from that kind of information. Sure, it could be a slippery slope to immoral behavior, but he knew he’d keep a much keener eye on hidden secrets. Just who, or what, would pay for such information? He had no answers, but suspected he’d not like them if he did.
Truth be told he didn’t want to sell anything, but he also did not want to leave empty handed. Once again, he wished Lex had been there to guide him. The quirky banner AI may now be a short, grumpy priest of a dead god, but he still knew far more about the intricacies of the Game Mechanics than Gryph did.
“What would Lex do?” Gryph said aloud without realizing it.
“I do not know who Lex is, but I can offer you … say ten Perk Points for those memories.”
“Tempting,” Gryph said, and a small part of him considered it, but then grew suspicious. “Why would you want those memories?”
“Let’s just say, a client has expressed interest in this Lex.”
“And I don’t suppose you would tell me who this client is?”
“I’m afraid not. My client list is confidential.”
“You said that already,” Gryph said.
“Yet you asked again.”
“Fair enough,” Gryph said casting a suspicious glance at the Merchant. “But, I think I’ll keep my memories where they belong.”
“As is your prerogative, sir.”
Gryph turned away from the creepy Merchant and opened his Character Sheet. It was time to see what kind of deals he was willing to make.
Name: Gryph
Race: El’Edryn
Level: 17
Specialty: None
Calling: None
Deity: Gryph
Experience:
1,762,766
Next Level:
1,8000,000
Needed: