A Trap for the Potentate (The Dark Herbalist Book #3) LitRPG series

by Michael Atamanov

  “Amra, do you want me to tell you the whole truth about what happened after the djinn was set free? After all, I could clearly see the undying from the Legion of Steel working me with their magic. I read exactly what spells they were using on me, and what effect they achieved. I understood it all perfectly, but did nothing to stop it. In fact, I wanted them to work.”

  “What?!” I froze, having forgotten about my plan to fly, and unable to hide my amazement. “But why, Taisha?”

  “It's just that yesterday, the world changed for me. I didn't even understand myself exactly how it happened but, at a certain point, I started seeing everything through the eyes of the undying. Hints everywhere, little bits of text, everything in my usual world was reflected with dry numbers. It must be so boring for your kind! There's no real friendship, only increasing relationship numbers. No risk, just crude calculation before a duel. Anyone you come across is just a set of statistics. Much became clear to me. Experience, classes, missions, skills, reputation... I had heard these terms many times in your conversations with your sister and friends, but only yesterday realized exactly what they meant.”

  Now that was news! Taisha had really become more and more undying in the usual sense of the word. She had even practically realized that the world around her was just a game. She only had a few more steps to go before she reached that conclusions herself. The NPC thief girl then continued her story:

  “At a certain point, I came to the sad conclusion that you were no better than the rest of the undying. That, to you, I was nothing more than some bot, whose opinion you’d increased by completing a few quests and artificially calling me to you. Realizing that was very hurtful! Then I decided that, if I was fated to be the companion of some undying, then let it truly be the strongest master! For example, someone like Till Quick_Fingers, leader of the strongest clan. That was precisely why I took the Leader's Shadow skill. Yes, I'll admit, I wanted to leave you. I was such a fool! How wonderful that you managed to keep me by your side! But now, after revealing my secret, I can go with a clean conscience to complete my mission. Personal quest: “Becoming his True Wife” with variable reward. See you in a few days. Expect to see me much stronger and with the Pelt of Fenrir!”

  I now had a lot of questions for Taisha, but the goblin beauty had already managed to unfurl the teleportation scroll and disappear in a flash of light. I picked up my fallen jaw. Look at that! Apparently, the words I'd said to my girlfriend had transformed into a personal quest for Taisha!

  * * *

  I just barely made it, driving VIXEN on so hard my winged snake could barely stay in the air. There was just one minute and a half before the sun would rise when I jumped off the Royal Forest Wyvern and ran to the entrance to the subterranean city. The dwarven guards looked me over carefully, but didn't stop me, and I entered Dotur-Khawe. Just in the nick of time! It was six o'clock in the morning, and the edge of the deadly sun had already appeared over the horizon.

  After quickly catching my breath, I started making a plan. At first, I had to pick up the package and get my new item fitted. Then, I’d find the Craftsman District and pick up some equipment appropriate to my level-43 Goblin Herbalist and replace the old stuff I'd bought back in the village of Tysh. Yes, I also should visit some subterranean Alchemists and Herbalists, given the chance, and exchange the huge amount of Bank of Thorin the Ninth notes for real silver and gold, which was no work at all in Dotur-Khawe.

  For one seven-sided silver coin, the first dwarven boy I came across led me to the Trade Guild, a whole underground floor with lots of separate rooms and corridors leading into the unknown darkness. Fortunately, I didn't have to look for long, and a polite dwarven trader told me where I could pick up the package. All I had to do was introduce myself, and a package of thick folded paper became my property.

  Wolf Claws

  My purchase was a set of raggedy gloves with long, sharp steel claws like daggers. In the item's characteristics, my eyes were immediately met with a bright red warning flashing alarmingly, saying the item was cursed so, once donned, it could never be removed (to be more accurate, there were ways to rid ones' self of cursed items, but they were all very complicated and expensive).

  There were no mentions of the item belonging to a set, though. And I really could get into a complicated situation by putting on the utterly unneeded, and also relatively weak cursed item. But, for some reason, I had no doubts that Valerianna’s intuition had not misled me.

  And I was not wrong!!! As soon as I put the gloves on, the item's characteristics changed:

  Fenrir's Front Paws (unique item)

  +50% melee damage, 17% of damage dealt goes toward healing self, Immunity to fear, Immunity to charms

  You have equipped three items from Fenrir’s Cursed Regalia

  Set bonus unlocked: all members of the Gray Pack will receive a bonus of +75 Strength, +75 Agility, +75 Constitution, +50% movement speed, +50% experience gain

  Mission completed: Fenrir's Legacy (1/4)

  Reward: 100000 Exp., +10 Animal Control, +50 Strength, +50 Agility, +50 Constitution, Gray Pack member limit raised to twelve

  Level forty-four!

  Level forty-five!

  You may now choose your first specialization in the Animal Control skill

  I'll admit, at first I was very glad... then I got afraid. Yes, yes, a true wave of panic swept over me. I was on the path to sharply increasing my character’s strength and there was no way back now. My Goblin Herbalist was gradually changing from the peaceable goofy plant gatherer my audience had grown accustomed to, into a terrifying bloodthirsty alpha of a fierce pack of predators. Yes, my big-eared Goblin's appearance was purposely inoffensive, but I couldn't hide the true strength of my character forever, and the truth might not be to everyone's liking.

  Amra already had plenty of ill-wishers in Boundless Realm due to the unique flying mount. But now, on the path to becoming the reincarnation of Fenrir, a true horror of Boundless Realm, I would certainly be gaining many more enemies. Beyond that fact, I would get many more enemies when my vampiric essence was revealed. And then in the future, if I did manage to gather the whole set of cursed wolf armor, my character would just be declared a criminal. No matter how I looked at it, that was a ghastly perspective.

  But I was not planning to get off my chosen path. Only forward! Only hardcore! The mission now was extremely clear: get stronger in as compressed a timeframe as possible, while my character still had the chance!

  New levels, new equipment, improved vampiric abilities. But the main thing was looking for the still unknown objects from Fenrir’s Cursed Regalia! The claws, fortunately, didn't have any level requirements, and could be put on without even eating a single Ifrit Heart. I was very much counting on eventually getting the other two objects (Fenrir's Pelt and Fenrir's Paws), and the two Ifrit Hearts I had would allow me to don those items even if my level wasn't high enough. All that remained a secret was the location of the last, sixth item in the set, and I was planning to search for it in the next few days.

  * * *

  I distributed my new stat points and now was frozen staring at the first perk to Animal Control skill. I could choose to increase attack strength, endurance, defense against physical or magical attacks, or to add one more pet. I wanted all of that but, most of all, I wanted another pet. After carefully reading the skill description and perk hint, though, I realized with deep disappointment that the additional pet would not join the Gray Pack, so would be much, much weaker than the other animals and fairly useless to me. Increasing attack or defense of the Gray Pack would give a much greater beneficial effect. In the end, I decided to increase attack strength.

  After closing the stat window for my Goblin Herbalist, I left the underground floor of the Trade Guild, planning to get new equipment. But before I managed to ask the way to the local armory masters, bootmakers and tailors, my attention was drawn by an emblem on the door of the neighboring shop: variously colored cones, a mortar and pestle for
powdering ingredients, bundles of herbs. The local alchemist?

  What could I say, I was planning to drop by an alchemist’s, so I immediately headed for the door.

  Pirona Zealous

  Level-65 Dwarf Alchemist

  The owner of the shop was a redheaded bearded lady, quite tall for a dwarf and so wide at the belt that she was almost spherical. The expression of dismay and fastidiousness she reflected when seeing goblin on her doorstep gave way to a polite smile as soon as she took a closer look at me.

  “Honored Guest of Dotur-Khawe. Alright then, what an important fellow visiting my shop! To what do I owe the honor, Mr. Amra?”

  I had received the status of an honored guest a few days earlier after completing a chain of Socialization quests in the dwarven city. Cool, it really did impact my relationship! I asked if Pirona Zealous had the rare alchemy ingredient Ifrit Heart.

  “No, sir. I've never had such a thing. But I do have lots of other items in stock. Elixirs and magic bombs, and a full array of body fragments of subterranean creatures from all of Dotur-Khawe! Tusks, hearts, brains, blood, poisonous glands... Everything an alchemist might need!”

  Of course, my interest was piqued by one part in particular: “full array... subterranean creatures... blood,” but I screwed up my green mug into a bored expression. With these traders, if you let them know an item has your interest, the price will instantly take off into the heavens! So, I approached from afar, first looking over some subterranean mushrooms in a glass case and even buying the cheapest ones for my Alchemy pursuits. After that, I filled out my empty bottle reserves, picked up a few crucibles and flask holders, magic ice for storing tissue samples and a porcelain mortar for powdering plants. And I actually bought two magical bombs: Frost Breath and Flame Rage. And only after that, as if by coincidence, did I agree to look over her collection.

  In the end, my preparations came to naught. No matter how I tried to veil my interest in blood samples, even purposely adding things I didn't need to water down the purchase, like teeth, glands and claws, Pirona Zealous guessed nevertheless. We were negotiating for every new vial at screeching tones, raising my Trading skill to twenty, twenty-one and then twenty-two. I acquired forty-three new blood samples for my vampiric collection, and left only two unbought, the rarest ones:

  Horror of the Depths Blood (alchemy ingredient)

  Balrog Blood (alchemy ingredient)

  The trader wanted fifteen thousand coins for each of the vials. I considered her price excessive, because that was about as much as all my previous purchases cost put together. The trader explained that, first off, the balrog was an extremely rare creature, which was to say nothing of the fact that killing such a powerful and dangerous fire beast was a serious undertaking. This particular monster had been found around three years earlier in the depths of the catacombs under the capital of the dwarves, and a large army of hundreds of undying had gathered to kill it. The trophy drop at that time was rich, and some of the loot was unloaded by the undying right here in Dotur-Khawe. Its fire-resistant pelt, tusks stronger than diamond, bones, blood and horns. But over the three years since then, all that had been bought and used by alchemists and craftsmen, and this vial of blood was all that remained. And now, the trader couldn't say when there might be more, or even if there ever would be.

  I opened the Boundless Realm bestiary and searched for information about the balrog. Yes, everything was just as Pirona Zealous said. It was an extremely rare and dangerous monster that inhabited the very depths of the subterranean. My eye caught on the part saying the first balrog kill was by a Human Wizard named Gandalf the Gray, and that he had done it solo. But there were no links to his profile, which led me to think he must have been permanently banned from Boundless Realm for cheating.

  The situation with the Horror of the Depths was approximately the same. The extremely rare and deadly dangerous monster was also invisible, so any trophies received from it were extremely rare. Everything added up. Trophies from such monsters should cost a lot. But at that, I understood perfectly that, in order to fully reveal the potential of my Goblin Vampire, these blood samples would be needed one day, and there was no guarantee I would ever find such a thing again, if I didn’t get these two rare vials now. But still, I was not morally prepared to pay fifteen thousand coins for each one.

  But Pirona Zealous balked, not wanting to lower the price no matter how I tried to convince her. Even the first specialization I took in the Trading skill, Honest Reputation, which was supposed to increase relationship with any NPC traders, didn't help one bit. To be more accurate, the prices for all the rest of the goods in the alchemy shop were lowered but, as for those two vials, she wouldn't budge. It seemed I was coming up against a programmed-in rule against lowering the price. Once upon a time, I had come up against the same in the village of Tysh, when Nyle Miser had not agreed to lower the price on the thief clothes for Taisha but, then, the trader's stubbornness was part of a quest.

  What if this was a similar obstacle? Sensing, that I was on the right track, I began to carefully sound it out, touching on various topics and carefully observing the lady's reaction. Offer to trade the vials I needed for equally valuable elixirs? Clearly not it. The promise to buy goods for an insignificant value, like armor and weapons, from Pirona Zealous's relatives? Also didn’t help. Although as for relatives, the lady still did express some interest. Something connected with relatives. So thus, by probing blindly, I eventually figured it out:

  “Amra, my children are grown up, I have six wonderful sons. But if only you knew how hard it is for young dwarven men to find a bride. After all, in our submontane folk, only one girl is born for every five boys, and competition for the heart of every subterranean beauty is just bonkers! Nevertheless, I managed to set up my eldest three sons. Another two are now vying for the heart of their chosen woman, currying favor and earning respect with their mastery. And just my youngest, little Tondik, still cannot find success in love. He's modest and easily embarrassed, and every girl he ever liked was capricious and finicky. They only want the richest, bravest, strongest and most vaunted. But where is a peaceable Cook to earn his glory and fame?! So then I thought... Amra, take him with you on your adventure! As a reward, take any of the two monster-blood vials you were offered. You'll get the second after my little Tondik comes home from the adventure intact and unharmed!”

  An unexpected turn of events! The shrewd trader had surprised me with an unusual suggestion. Before that, I had already told Pirona Zealous about my plan to travel up the river of death. But I was not expecting our conversation to take this turn. And also, I immediately noticed the flaws in Pirona's suggestion:

  “And what if your little son doesn't want to come back home? For example, if he takes to life on the road or meets the love of his life and decides to stay with her?”

  “Amra, knowing my homebody son, I'd never believe that my little Tondik would enjoy the restless life of a nomad. But if he does find love in far-off lands, what mother would talk her son out of marriage?! Right on the day my beloved son is married, I'll give you the second vial! But now, I'll fill your bag with healing elixirs and all kinds of plants to aid you on your journey. And I'll tell every alchemist I know about your kindness and concern for me. Well, goblin, what do you say? Shake on it?”

  I thought over the suggestion of the corpulent trader. I saw very serious downsides to the suggestion to drag a momma's boy who was totally unprepared for such a journey along with me. And also, constantly protecting someone else's son from danger and bringing him home in one piece sounded difficult. On the other hand, the reward I was promised was more than generous. I agreed, squeezing the bearded lady's calloused hand.

  Trading skill increased to level 23!

  Foreman skill increased to level 31!

  Mission completed: Recognition of the Alchemists' Guild (2/10)

  Experience received: 160 Exp.

  Alchemy skill increased to level 24

  Mission received: Marr
ying Off a Son

  Mission class: Rare, personal

  Description: lead Tondik Exuberant to the upper reaches of the Styx and bring him back to Dotur-Khawe

  Required: Tondik Exuberant must survive

  Reward: 40000 Exp., vial of Horror of the Depths blood

  Bonus condition: Make Tondik Exuberant a famous dwarven traveler and find him a wife

  Reward: 80000 Exp., +10 to the opinion of all Dwarves in Boundless Realm

  Pirona Zealous, clearly having planned this out, squeezed my hand strongly in her iron grip. I don't know what the lady was expecting, perhaps she just wanted to laugh at a little bat-eared Goblin, or to demonstrate her power, but I had to put the trader in her place.

  “Ow! That hurt! Let go, I was just joking!” the corpulent woman pulled her hand away and spent a long time blowing on her reddened palm.

  I then took the Balrog Blood vial from the shelf and placed it in my bag. After that, I said severely:

  “As for getting equipment for your son, that's up to you. Just consider this, woman. The lands around the river of death are dangerous and unwelcoming. If you want your beloved son to live, don't cheap out on good armor and weaponry. I'll come back to your shop at precisely eight PM. If Tondik isn't ready, I'll leave without him. And also... You probably have some good armorers around, right?”

  The corpulent trader gave a very fast nod, that looked funny on her body, as if a ball filled with water slightly shuddered, or a wave ran over the surface of a pond.

  “Well, I have no time to look for good craftsmen in your huge and confusing city. If you have any acquaintances that want to sell their goods, they can find me at eight PM in your shop. Tell them that I want a helmet, boots, leather armor, a cloak and a blowgun with a set of ammo. All of the best quality, with bonuses to Agility, Perception and Intelligence. As for skill improvements on the items, it'd be nice to have Stealth, Dodge, Acrobatics and Exotic Weapon. The success of the whole journey depends largely on whether the commander of the squadron can survive. So, I hope greatly that you understand that overcharging for my equipment would not be the wisest decision, if you want to see your youngest son return alive and well. I'll pay a fair price for expensive and quality items, but I will not allow anyone to shamelessly squeeze money out of me!”