by Galen Wolf
But something in my brain burned. Whether it was personal anger that I was so weak, or a feeling that such sadism wasn't right, I don't know. But it's true: all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Now, it may seem that I'm taking it too far, seeing this level of good versus evil in a VR MMORPG, but in an MMO people behave just like they would if they could get away with it in real life. There was nothing much I could do in real life to play a part in the struggle of good versus evil, but I could in the Greenwood.
On the third day, I went back to the Virtual Reality rig. I considered starting some other game apart from the Greenwood, but I went back, logged in and appeared once again at the Temple of Time in Vinab where I'd bound.
3. New Friends
I lost a level from dying at the hands of the Shadowy Figure, so I was back to Level 3. I spent a full day grinding the same old quests when they came off cool-down, killing bandits, even doing a few solo dungeons in Vinab until I got my level back. Level 4 again. It's never quite the same thrill to regain a level you already had compared to getting a level for the first time. Even so, I was on the road. My path was now clear. I would be the agent of good in this wicked world. That meant I had to get so excellent, I could defeat that fuck in a fair fight, or an unfair one come to that. That meant leveling and getting top-notch gear. One way to that gear was to win the Easter Egg competition.
I had the Egg and the riddle, which I hadn't figured out though I spent hours going over it in my mind. I still needed to Level. That meant more questing. I went up into the Old Forest to grab Level 4-5 quests.
I found four batches of Kura on a stream that feeds the Great River just north of Vinab gate. That kept me happy for a while picking and preparing. I still couldn't afford a new Herb Pouch, so the herbs I picked would wither and die. I also found some Curly Waterweed for cold resistance, which I applied but it only lasted 1 minute per level.
I stepped into the Old Forest and listened again to the rustling leaves, the whisper of the wind and the sounds of the animals unseen in the undergrowth.
I stalked bandits. With my Bow of Flame, I was killing them with one or two shots and they ended their AI lives in a puff of fire. It was a slow grind.
As mentioned earlier, in instanced dungeons you only get XP when you complete the dungeon, but in wilderness areas, you get XP per mob. Occasionally they dropped copper or silver coins, small amounts because they were so low level, but it all mounted up. It maybe was a grind, but as I wandered round the Old Forest, I killed bandits, got coin, picked herbs and poisons that I could.
I stood by a mighty spreading oak and looked up to see the sun sparkling through the leaves way up. I remembered I could climb trees like this now and thought I would do so just to test my skill. I slung my bow on my back and went up, one foot after another, finding footholds in the knots on the trunk and hauling myself up with my arms. I got to a wide bough and stood on it admiring the butterflies that fluttered around. I could see birds flitting from branch to branch above my head. To my great delight, I saw there was a thick vine here too. This must be for the Swinging skill. I loved trying new skills, so grabbing it, and restraining the urge to yodel like Tarzan, I swung off into the green gloom of the forest canopy.
I landed neatly in another tree and saw another vine just in front of me. This was very cool - and a much faster way to get across the Greenwood than walking through the dense undergrowth. I took the vine and away. I landed on another thick oak branch and saw there was yet another vine. There must be a whole network of them, allowing you to swing from one side of the Greenwood to the other. I let the vine swing there and looked up. I was nowhere near the top of the tall tree and I wanted to go up further, to look out of the top of the canopy if I could, like Bilbo in the Hobbit.
Bow still on my back, up I went. The tree narrowed as I got further up but it was still plenty thick enough to support me. My head emerged from the leaves and I saw a vast ocean of treetops stretching as far as I could see. To the north were the snow-topped peaks of the Iron Mountains. I knew the village of Kanchenjunga was up that way where they have the fire festival, but I'd never visited. To the south, I couldn't see it but I knew was the Ocean of Bones and beyond it unknown and unvisited continents—at least to me. I breathed in the clean air and I was happy. For the first time in a while, I didn't think of my masked assailant who'd murdered and robbed my last character and my beloved Elfhair. I flushed in silent embarrassment. I'd avoided seeing her since I'd been unable to save her.
And there he was, back in my mind. My revenge was like an obsession eating me up and eating up my enjoyment of being in the Greenwood.
I stood on a branch, head out of the canopy enjoying the sunshine for a while, and then descended. I got down to the big bough where the swinging vine was. As I lowered myself, I stepped back in horror against the tree trunk.
A tall man, dressed head to foot in green with a black beard regarded me from deep green eyes. He had a bow slung over his back with beautifully feathered arrows. Twin daggers hung on his belt and all around his gear wisps of magic played. He was a high-level dude to be sure.
"Hey," he said.
I coughed. I was going to apologize for being in his tree, but he pulled down his facemask and with a smile, extended his hand. "I'm Ahn. Nice to see a new ranger."
"Oh, hi. I'm Barcud. Pleased to meet you."
"Level 4, huh?" He appraised me. He could see my hp and mana too I guessed. "Want to come slaying for some XP?"
I shrugged. "Won't I be power leveled?"
To stop players leveling too fast by hanging round with higher level friends who did all the work while the little ones just collected XP, The Greenwood had a system of losing 10% XP for each four levels the party leader was higher than you. So with me a Level 4 and him probably Level 20, I'd lose 40%.
He nodded. "Sure, but it'll still be worth your while, and you'll get to meet some of the rest of the Guild."
"The Rangers Guild?"
"Duh, yeah. What else?" He was still smiling. "You want to join, right?"
"Of course!" I beamed.
"We've been watching you."
"Sounds ominous."
He smiled. "We need to take care of the Forest. Though you don't have to join the Guild to be a ranger, we prefer it so we can guide you in your growth."
"Guide me?"
"Sure. There are tricks and tips to being a ranger that don't get posted anywhere. We keep them strictly to ourselves." He tapped his nose. "So, here goes." He clicked his fingers, and a message appeared on my HUD. "You have been invited to join the Rangers Guild by Ahn. Do you accept?"
"Yes," I blurted.
And that was it. A pretty green glow surrounded me that felt nice, and I noticed another icon appear on my HUD. The symbol of a bow with an oak leaf garland. I checked it and got a scroll of members of the Rangers Guild. The ones who were online were underlined and bolded showing their current location.
Ahn patted me on the back. I saw now that I could see his name above his head and underneath it said, Guildmaster.
"We're off to Goblin Town. You about ready?"
I nodded. "Sure. I've got nothing better to do."
"Okay," Ahn said. "We'll go on the same vine."
He handed it to me and I took it in two hands. With great agility, he jumped up and grabbed it above my head. Then with a loud Tarzan like yodel, he swung us through the Greenwood. We came to the end of the swing and he deftly jumped to another vine. I did my best to copy him, and just got it. We did that three more times until I had no clue where I was and then we landed on a wide wooden platform in the trees. I could see an intricate set of buildings like a tree house complex, woven of willow tied together with vines. It looked like the houses were alive and flowers grew from them. Squirrels and birds frolicked in their roofs of living foliage. When I looked closer, I saw NPC Ranger guards lurked, camouflaged in the branches and silver defense runes protected the buildings.
Ahn jerked his thumb. "
This is the Guildhouse. Access via keys, which you'll get once you're out of your probationary period."
"Probationary period?"
Ahn nodded. "A month. Just to make sure you haven't just joined the guild to infiltrate us and learn our secrets. We're at war you know."
Ahn told me something of the Guild as we stood there, apparently waiting for someone. The Rangers Guild was neutral, unaffiliated with any of the cities - not the good city of Vinab, nor the pirate city of Salonika or the evil city of Horrabia. Even so, various guilds were formally at war with the Rangers. "They'll kill you on sight. Be warned," Ahn said.
"So who are they?"
"The Thieves mainly - an evil guild based in Horrabia. In fact, most of the Horrabian guilds like the Sorcerers, Loremasters, Cavaliers, are at war with us simply because they're evil. We're at open war with those guilds. They have been known to attack our Guildhouse. We're always wary of attacks by the Thieves Guild. Bad thing is they usually strip you of your possessions before they kill you."
"I know. I lost my herb pouch that way."
"Oh? I didn't know you'd been around very long."
"Previous toon."
"You need a herb pouch?"
"Yeah, my herbs and poisons are just withering in my pockets."
"No worries. Wait here." Ahn strolled off and unlocked the Guildhouse Door. The defensive runes fizzed but did not activate. While he was gone, I took in where I was. I was on a broad landing platform. There were wicker chairs here and stools made of tree stumps set round a fire pit. It struck me it would be a cool place to sit and chill on a warm evening. Maybe with a beer, or a mead. I'd heard mead was the preferred drink of rangers.
Ahn came back and tossed a leather herb pouch at me. I caught it with my left hand. I couldn't believe it. That would have cost me 1000gp. "Wow, man. Thanks!" I grinned my head off.
"Don't mention it. You're one of us now and we look after our own. Need anything else?"
I was too shy to take advantage of his generosity. Besides, I liked to stand on my own two feet. "No, I'm good. But thanks."
We stood there a while longer.
"What we waiting for?" I asked.
"Her," he said, pointing as a stunningly beautiful female elf with long straight blonde hair landed lightly from her vine swing beside us.
"Hi boss," she said in her husky, musical voice, and then looked at me. "Who's the new guy?"
"This is Barcud, our newest recruit." He bowed. "Barcud, meet Ajora."
She regarded me with her sparkling blue eyes but said nothing.
I said, "Do all your names start with 'a'?"
"No," Ahn said. "It's just a coincidence."
Above Ajora's head was the title, Deputy Guildmaster. Above mine, when I squinted up, it said, Probationer.
Ajora pushed back her long hair and said, "Anyway, are we ready to kill something?"
#
Ajora stood close by looking sexy in her leathers. I turned to Ahn. "So we're going to Goblin Town?"
Ahn nodded.
"And how are we getting there?"
As if in answer to me but really not, Ajora put two fingers to her lips and whistled loudly. Seconds later, I heard the beating of wings. Ahn did the same, looking to the sky and whistling. More wings. Then I saw them—beautiful tawny golden eagles, huge, with savage beaks and curled talons, appeared out of the sun. They landed, furling wings, on the platform in the treetops that we stood on, and then sat, blinking their big amber eyes. Ajora stroked her eagle, and it made a soft mewing sound.
"When do we get them?"
Ahn said, "At Level 8 you get a wolf companion, then at Level 10 you get an eagle to fly on."
"Oh, wow!" I was overjoyed. Even more reason for me to burn through the levels.
"Hop on mine," Ahn said. I saw that Ajora had already mounted her eagle and sat astride it, fists buried in the feathers of its shoulders. The bird didn't seem to mind.
I climbed on behind Ahn.
"Up, up and away!" he cried, and the eagle ran towards the edge of the tree platform and jumped off, unfurling its huge wings and sending us soaring high.
I looked down at the sea of tree canopies that made up the Old Forest. It went on for miles in all directions, and then to the south I saw the gleaming gold and silver domes of my home city of Vinab, and further away the glittering of the Ocean of Bones.
The wind rushed past my face, making it hard to speak. Ahn sat in front of me. I tried to ask him where Goblin Town was - I'd never been there - but the wind snatched away my words. We seemed to be banking left. I saw the forest give way to scrub land over broken rocks and then mountains reared up to the west - sharp, snow topped pinnacles of rock sharp enough to burst balloons. They loomed closer as the eagles caught updrafts of air, circled up, and then dived, accelerating towards the Snowy Mountains.
Peering over Ahn's shoulder, I saw the dirty hovels clustering around mine entrances that was the first sign of Goblin Town. We descended. Ahn glanced over his shoulder and mouthed, "Get ready."
We landed and Ahn slid off the eagle, reaching up a hand to help me. I thought I didn't need it but I landed heavily and embarrassed on the muddy ground. He raised his eyebrows then smiled.
Then the eagle flapped up again. It was like some helicopter drop, with the helicopter taking off to do gunship duty above us. I saw Ajora had done the same and her eagle was also far overhead, a black shape against the blinding sun.
The goblins noticed our landing and a horde of NPCs rushed at us yelling war chants. They were armored with ugly looking shields and helmets with spikes on and dirty black breastplates. I took my Bow of Flame from my back and strung an arrow.
"Bow ok here?" I asked Ahn.
"For you, yes."
"Not for you?" I was puzzled. Then I saw the answer. Ahn threw back his head and roared. As I watched, his form shimmered and grew and he took on the aspect of a huge grizzly bear. Glancing at Ajora, her lithe leather clad form expanded into a massive polar bear. I'd forgotten: this was the Level 20 ranger ability. The bear form gave massive expansions to strength and constitution, increasing damage and hit points. Bears got increases in natural armor and the armor the player was wearing was added to the bear. They stacked because they were different armor types. Instead of weapons, bears used claws and teeth, causing slash damage. However, the 'treasure effects' of the weapons the players carried, poison, fire, electricity, strength sapping, etc, were added to the bear's natural weapons. I'd read it all on the Boards.
As I watched them wade into the oncoming tide of goblins, throwing them around like rats, biting and slashing in a sea of red, I wanted so much to be a Level 20 ranger. It would come. It would come—but for now, I would use my bow. I popped shots at the goblins killing the ones already wounded by Ahn and Ajora. Because I was being power leveled, I only got 40% of the XP, I would have got if I'd killed them myself. Even so, these NPC goblins were Level 10, and I was Level 4. I looked at my HUD and saw my XP bar juddering up. I would probably level from this trip.
I ran forward. They were leaving the drops to me. They probably had better stuff and didn't need the gold. I snatched up the gold coins greedily and watched it add to my store on the HUD. I could buy some good gear when I got back to town: healing potions, better armor, another herb pouch, protective runes for my stuff. The items the goblins were dropping weren't really for me. I was a light armor wearer though I could get away with some medium. Rangers needed to be light on their feet and the heavy armor these goblins wore wouldn't do for me. Even so, I grabbed some of it to sell. I also snatched at swords. It was mostly vendor trash. Then I came across a +1 Dagger of Poison. I was going to be dual wielding, eventually. I already had my Biter from the Kobold Dungeon. I checked out the poison. It was stat damaging and removed 1-6 strength on critical hits. Given that strength was what most enemies used for to hit and for damage that was a damn useful dagger. It was called The Weakener.
I grabbed more drops in my greed and then found I was going real
ly slow. I was nearly burdened. Only having 8 in Strength was a problem. I junked the heavier armor and looked up to see how Ahn and Ajora were doing. The grizzly and polar bear were at the mine entrance, a sea of dead goblins around them. Ahn was looking back. It seemed he had taken it to himself to look out for me—Ajora didn't seem to care so much.
I was right behind them when they entered the mine. They pushed forward through resisting Uruks who jabbed at them with halberds. The bears smashed them out of the way, snarling and snapping. At one point, Ahn grabbed a tall, broken toothed Uruk and squeezed him to death in a bear hug. Oh my, my Guildies were the baddest badass mofos and soon I'd be one of them.
Flickering torchlight lit the tunnels. I shot a big orc and hit but he snatched off the shaft of the arrow and snapped it before rushing at me. Luckily, Ajora smashed him down with her left paw and then casually bent down to bite his neck through. I got XP for the kill though.
The tunnel split. The bears went right, and I went after them. My XP bar was climbing. We were halfway down the Tunnel when I got the lovely blue glow to say I'd leveled.
LEVEL UP - YOU ARE NOW LEVEL 5 scrolled across my HUD. I felt a warm rush of pleasure as my hp increased to 75. I didn't have time to do that now but Flip in stealth looked good. "Conduct a flipping maneuver that takes you 10 feet away in a direction you choose. You become temporarily invisible for 1 second per level, then remain hidden when you land."
Also - "Net-Wielding - rangers are adepts with traps and nets. Throw a net at an enemy to entangle them. A successful reflex save negates. Enemies save every 3 seconds." I first had to get a net of course.
"Dual-wielding - Rangers are a whirling tempest of steel - you can now use a weapon in both main hand and off-hand with no attack penalties." I decided to try dual wielding. My new stat damager, The Weakener in my main hand and Biter in my off-hand. I was overjoyed at my new skills.
