The Runesmith

by Galen Wolf

  Jimmy burst out laughing. "That's sure a cute name, boss. I'm sure that you will be very happy together."

  "Well thank you very much Jimmy." I beamed. "I've always really liked you, you know." I reached in my inventory and pulled out a bunch of runes. "Here, take these for your trouble."

  #

  The next morning I logged into the tower where I had logged out the previous night. I was on the top floor and it was the most wonderful day. The swallows flitted past outside the windows. I threw open the mullioned glass to let the day in and I heard the rustling of the leaves from the treetops of Burnham forest just below the level of the tower. It brought joy to my heart. I yawned and stretched wide. I looked at the lump hammer and the anvil and I thought that I wouldn't do any forging today. Instead, I wanted to go out and about and see who I'd bump into. I felt in need of human, or nonhuman, company.

  Then I remembered Pussy Wussy. I ran through to my living room and there she was sitting in a pool of sunlight by the window. "Oh, my beautiful Pussy-Wussy!" I hugged her tight to my chest. "Do you want to come for a walk?"

  She looked at me with her big amber eyes and I didn't know what she was thinking, but on such a lovely day, everyone wants to go for a walk! I thought that next time I was in one of the big cities, like Vinab or Salonika… I frowned. Vinab had banned me for murdering their mayor. I scratched my head. I would have to make amends somehow. But in any case, I would buy Pussy Wussy the most wonderful jeweled collar and leash.

  I tripped down the stone steps of the tower with a light heart. Pussy-Wussy skipped down after me. I entered my store and thought how splendid the runes looked gleaming in the Light spell. I unlocked all the heavy bolts and ratchets on my store door and wondered why on earth I bothered to keep it so heavily protected? I could spare a few runes if anyone came looking for them.

  I stepped out of the cold stone tower and into the forest and stooped down to pick the spring flowers that bloomed there, red yellow, and blue. I brought them up to my nose and savored the wonderfully clean smell of the season. I stared around, delighted at the beauty I saw at every corner. Pussy Wussy frisked around my ankles.

  And then one of my gnome slaves came round the corner. He stopped dead when he saw me and appeared to be trying to back away as if he would run the first chance he got.

  "Hey now!" I called. "Where are you going?"

  The gnome looked at his feet. I could see him trembling as if he was frightened of me. This wouldn't do.

  "Nowhere, master. I wasn't going anywhere. Sorry. I'm sorry if I've displeased you master."

  I laughed out loud. "No, you haven't displeased me, you cheeky young fellow."

  I walked over to him and mussed his curly brown hair. "How've you been, Jack?"

  "Jordan, master. Begging your pardon master."

  I chuckled. "No need to be so deferential, Jordan. What's important is how you're doing on this fine day."

  He sighed. "We're getting over Shadrach's death. As a family, we're coping."

  "Shadrach?" I furrowed my brow.

  "You cut off his head the other day, when you were forging your sword."

  I frowned. I did remember doing that. That was pretty sad. Never mind, I didn't want to dwell on gloomy things. I changed the subject. "How long have you worked for me anyway, Jordan?"

  "I think you purchased me two years ago master and I've been digging your minerals from the Emerald Mountains ever since."

  "And a grand job you've done of it! And to think I only pay you beer!"

  The gnome muttered, "And even the beer's run out now."

  "What! The beer's run out? Well we can't have that. Not at all." I studied the gnome carefully. There were bags under his eyes and he looked very thin and his clothes were threadbare. I shook my head sadly, what on earth had I been thinking to treat these gnome slaves so badly? A pang of shame shot through me. "Listen, Jordan. Why don't you take the week off?"

  "Take the week off, master? Like you mean take the week off?"

  I chortled. "I thought you gnomes were supposed to be clever. Yes, take a week off."

  "You've never given us a week off before master. In fact you never given us any time off at all."

  "Well that was the old me, Jordan. Things are going to be a whole lot different around here from now on." I glanced at the beautiful sky and the fluffy white clouds. Rabbits were playing at the forest edges. What beautiful little bunnies they were. I looked back at the ill-looking gnome. "No, this is the new me, Jordan. And how are you off for money?

  "Money, master? I don't have any money."

  "Well you just wait here for a second." I waggled my finger at Pussy-Wussy. "And you stay with him, you naughty kitten."

  With that, I ran off to the tower. I went through the storeroom, unlocked the heavy door to my cellar, once again wondering why I had gone to such precautions when the world was so wonderful. I hurried down the steps into the ingots store and I looked at what I could give that cheeky little gnome. My eyes fell upon the stash of gold ingots that I had there. I picked one up, then I thought: no, dammit. That little guy deserves more than one gold ingot."

  I picked up two gold bars and with one in each hand, I scurried my way up the stone steps and out into the daylight again.

  Jordan the gnome was waiting there for me. He was still trembling. The thought occurred to me that perhaps he'd been so afraid of me that however much he wanted to, he hadn't dared to leave. That would not do at all.

  "Here." I thrust first one gold bar and then another into his waiting arms. The little fellow could hardly carry them.

  "Off you go then, Jordan.I'm sure you've got better things to do than talk to a grumpy old man like me."

  Just as he was turning to leave, I thought I heard him breathe a sigh of relief. That was a terrible indictment of the old me. That these little guys had been so terrified of me, their master. How terrible.

  He was just disappearing up the woodland path towards the hovels the gnomes lived in near the mines when I called after him, "So, you say the beer's run out?"

  He turned and nodded.

  "Well," I said. "I'll go and see Old Tom in Salonika about that. We'll get you beer, don't you worry."

  Jordan the gnome disappeared out of sight. I turned, still smiling, my heart warmed by the affection I felt for all my workers. I wished now I'd told Jordan to give them all the week off, but I could tell that when I came back with the beer.

  I strolled down the yellow brick Road that led from my tower, Pussy Wussy at my heels, until it joined the Icknield way. The Icknield way was a wide stone road paved in honey colored limestone. For the first time in a long time, I thought what a wonderfully beautiful place the World of the Greenwood was. I lifted my head, and I shouted to the sky, "Thank you developers! I regret all those tickets I put in and all the snarky comments I made when you came to sort out my problems. If I could, I would take it all back now."

  I ambled my way along the Icknield Way toward the Pirate City of Salonika. It was there just outside the city walls that Old Tom had his ramshackle brewery. I know his beer wasn't the best in the land but it was the cheapest, and that had been the motivation for the old me. I'd wanted to get everything cut-price, and I didn't mind if my workers got the worst quality ale as long as I saved a penny or two, but things would change now.

  I hadn't been walking over twenty minutes--I could have flown, but I wanted to enjoy the walk -- when I heard a kerfuffle ahead. I stopped and listened. It was the unmistakable sound of combat. What's all this then? I mused to myself. My hand instinctively went to my sword hilt, but then I told myself: just relax. Most problems can be solved by talking. Just a genial chat would, in nearly every case, diffuse even the most violent situation.

  I strolled on, hardly hurrying my pace, Pussy Wussy running behind me, until I came around the corner and I saw an old man being accosted by three dwarves. The dwarves looked to be a mother, father, and a son. They were attacking the old man who was beating them off with a stick.<
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  "Hey!" I yelled at the dwarves. "Surely you can sort all this out without recourse to violence!"

  The old man turned, and from under the brim of his floppy hat, I saw the straggly grey eyebrows and watery brown eyes of Old Tom. It seemed a group of dwarf NPCs had taken it on themselves to attack him.

  "Fancy meeting you here, Tom." I yelled. "I was just on my way to see you about the beer. The gnomes tell me they've run out."

  Because I had distracted Tom, he unfortunately got punched in the face by the father dwarf.

  Such bad manners appalled me. I turned and told Pussy Wussy to wait out of harm's way and I walked briskly over to where the dwarf stood, planning to give him a good talking to about the virtues of peace and reconciliation, when the son dwarf hurled a large rock at my head. It slammed into my temple and my HUD flashed up that I had suffered 10 hit points damage. I raised my hand to the wounded temple and felt the trickle of warm blood beneath my fingers. I turned to the young dwarf to admonish him. "Hey now, sonny Jim. That's no way to treat your elders."

  My attention was caught by old Tom striking the father dwarf with his shillelagh and knocking him to the ground. It was most odd the family of dwarf traders would suddenly attack a player character, but that's what must've happened. I looked at the trading cart with its two horses, piled with timber and copper ore. This must be Tom's cart.

  Just then a metalworking hammer wielded by the female dwarf struck me on the head and sent me careering forward. I suffered 20 HP damage. Even so, the violence could not dent my good humor that fine spring morning. I turned to the female dwarf and waggled my finger. "Hey now, Mrs. Dwarf. What on earth you think you're doing?"

  A glance to my left showed me that the male dwarf had produced a dagger from inside his brown tattered jacket and had stabbed Old Tom right in the guts.

  Tom went down like a sack of potatoes. Ignoring my own wounds, I rushed over to him. I had a healing potion in my inventory and I offered it to him as he lay wounded on the stony ground. I was astonished, and a little upset, when the male dwarf kicked the healing potion out of my hand sending it sailing through the air to smash against s rock.

  "Finish him! Kill the dwarf!" yelled Tom. "They won't stop until they've murdered us!"

  I looked around and frowned. I could see the hatred and anger on the three dwarves' faces. From their savage smiles, I think they thought that they'd got the better of us. This was now a life or death situation, and much as I hated violence, it seemed these renegade dwarfs would not be satisfied until they had murdered poor Tom. Poor Old Tom who had never as much as hurt a fly in his long game life.

  I pulled Dazzler from her sheath, and her runes glittered in the morning sun, muttering to themselves, seeking blood and souls. I was sorry about their attitude but I thought that if I hit the dwarves with the flat of the blade, they would run off and everything would be fine.

  Seeing me draw the sword, the three dwarves launched themselves at me in a furious attack. I had meant to strike the female dwarf with the flat of Dazzler's blade, but the evil Runesword had its own intentions and struck her with its sharp edge, causing her massive damage. The four elemental runes all triggered. The female dwarf staggered back in agony, her hands to her face, and collapsed and died.

  "Oops!" I said to Old Tom who lay groaning on the ground. "I forgot that Dazzler is evil by alignment. I'll be more careful in future."

  I turned just as the male dwarf stabbed me in the back. My armor absorbed much of the damage and his dagger snapped against my invisible chain-mail. However, he had done me a little harm as my HUD reported. Before I could do anything about it, Dazzler pulled my arm around and with a brief snicker-snack decapitated the unfortunate dwarf.

  I looked at my Runesword, blood running over the glowing runes and hissing as the runes' magical energy converted the blood to a brown mist. "Now, now, Dazzler. You shouldn't have done that, you naughty sword."

  I turned to old Tom and pulled out another healing potion, handing it to him. The old chap guzzled at it and soon was in glowing health again. "Stop that kid!" he pointed at the fleeing dwarf boy.

  The kid had almost got away. I shrugged. Old Tom must mean to take care of him now he was an orphan. He might give him an easy job in the brewery and over the years build him up as his successor. I imagined the life of success and prestige that awaited the young dwarf boy under Old Tom's care.

  My Boots of Flying launched me after the dwarf boy and I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck before he got too far down the Icknield way. Tears were streaming from his face and snot from his nose. He struggled terribly in my grip, but I was strong and held him, taking him under my arm for his own good. He kicked and flailed his legs and arms but I took him to Old Tom and placed him in front of the decrepit brewer.

  "Here you are Tom," I said. "Here's the little fellow. I hope you'll take good care of him."

  Tom eyed me warily. "Are you all right, Harald?"

  "Never better, Tom."

  "It's just that you seem to be acting rather out of character."

  I blushed and said, "I know I've been rather difficult over the years, and it must've been hard doing business with me..."

  "Too fucking true," Old Tom muttered.

  I raised my hand to accept the blame. "I'm really sorry Tom, but things will be different from now on. How much do I pay you for the beer?"

  "You pay me two gold pieces per keg."

  I scratched my head. "That seems a very low price. I'll give you five gold pieces per keg from now on."

  Tom shook his head. "There's definitely something wrong with you. But never look a gift horse in the mouth as they say." He spat on his dirty palm and held out his hand to shake on the deal.

  Without any hesitation, I grabbed his horny hand and squeezed. "And if I can do anything to make your life any better, Tom," I said, "you just let me know."

  Tom raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

  I pointed at the dwarf boy who was sniveling in Tom's grip. "And what do you plan to do with this lad? I suppose you'll be giving him a choice job in the brewery?"

  Tom looked puzzled for a second then his face cleared and he said, "Oh yes, he'll be my apprentice. Don't you worry about that."

  "By the way, I was coming to see you about the beer delivery. Can I get some more delivered this evening?"

  Tom sucked his teeth. "I don't think I can manage this evening," he said. "What about tomorrow morning?" He flinched slightly when he said that, and I remembered the old me had been prone to outbursts of murderous rage when anyone didn't meet my instant demands. I put my hand on his shoulder. I wasn't like that anymore.

  I chuckled and said, "Sure, Tom any time you like. My only concern is my poor gnome friends are getting thirsty."

  "Poor gnome friends?" Tom spat on the ground. "Whatever you say, Harald."

  I turned to go. "Take care of the lad. It's a pity about his parents. If you need any cash to help with his upbringing, just let me know."

  I walked back towards my tower, scooping up Pussy Wussy to tuck her under my arm then I chanced to look over my shoulder. I couldn't see the dwarf boy now. Tom must have realized the kid was tired and suggested he go lie down in the cart. I saw Tom had mounted the cart and taken the reins. He was turning round to take it back to Salonika. The cart did have the look of dwarf manufacture and I didn't remember Tom having such a cart but perhaps he'd bought one since I last saw him.

  I raised my hand to wave. Tom raised his in response and I saw it was dripping in blood. That was odd.

  As I walked back to my tower with Pussy Wussy, I tried to remember when I first met Tom years before when I started playing the Greenwood. At that time he'd been an Assassin. I think he'd actually specialized in extortion. How times change.

  #

  I logged off when I got back to my tower. I realized I had lots of things to do in the real world. I decided to go and see my old mom and take her some flowers. I hadn't seen her for months if the truth be known. I also want
ed to do a project for the neighborhood kids just to let them know how much I appreciated them. My probation officer was such a softie, I was sure she'd let me.

  The next day, I was late logging back into the Greenwood. When I appeared in my tower storeroom I immediately went over to pet my little kitten who basked in the morning sun spilling through the mullioned tower windows. I strolled downstairs and saw I'd left the doors unlocked to the vault. I clapped my hand to my mouth and giggled. Luckily I hadn't been robbed. I didn't want to be robbed because I'd devised a plan to distribute my wealth evenly amongst those player characters who were less fortunate than myself.