by Galen Wolf
Bernard mutters, “Go for the altar. Smash it.”
I stop. “I can’t leave you to face these...”
“Just go. I’ll be okay.”
For the first time I see Bernard pull out a sword. It’s sheathed in fire and I see acid bubbling along the blood channel in the centre of the blade.
“Come and get me,” he yells at the Fangs. Then to me. “Go. Now. You’ve got to do this.”
I turn and run to the altar. Luc is barely holding up against the vampire, even with the full healing power of Adele focused on him.
I go up to the obsidian altar. The evil coming out of it makes me feel sick. How do I smash this?
I shrug, and hammer the pommel of my sword on it. The pommel scrapes and slides off. Nothing. The sound of fighting is deafening. I don’t want to look round, but it sounds like my team is getting the worst of it.
I look around. There is a line of canopic jars by the chapel wall, just by my left — the kind you see in Egyptian tombs for when mummies are prepared. They each have the head of a pagan god on them. They look heavy.
Still not looking behind me I sheath my sword and grab the jar with the head of Anubis. It’s massively heavy. It takes all my strength to turn and move over to the obsidian altar. I lift it and bring it down with a smash.
The altar cracks, but is not broken. I’m going to have to lift it again.
I look around. I can’t help myself. Bernard is dead. Adele is dead and Luc can’t last long.
I lift the jar as high as I can and bring it down again on the altar. This time it cracks almost in half. One more should break it.
Arrows thud into me.
I don’t know the names hitting me apart from Gearhart. I guess they’re members of the Fangs of Koth.
I have to smash the altar. I raise the jug up. One more hit and I’m dead. I bring it down and the altar breaks.
My bodily form dissolves and I hear a great wind. So this is what it’s like to die.
8
To Be a Squire
I appear in Alston Town Square. I’m by the milestone and I’m on my own.
I hit accept and I shimmer back to life. Blodeuwedd the owl reappears.
I grunt. “Hello. What are you doing here?”
She preens. “I come back when you’re alone sometimes. Just to see you’re doing okay.”
She seems a bit lonely.
“Why don’t you stay when I’m with a group.”
She shrugs, as if owls can shrug, but that’s the impression I get. “They can look after you then. Advisors usually vanish once you’re in a group.”
“But you came back.”
“Just to keep you company.”
I’m still grouped with Adele and Luc and Bernard on my HUD, but not Gearhart. I send a group message: You all ok?
Luc: Gratz. You did it. You destroyed the unholy altar.
Me: How do you know?
Adele: We got the xp silly.
Bernard: The boy done good.
I blush even though there’s no one there.
Bernard: Is the evil influence removed from Alston?
I look around and see there is no longer any dark shimmer over the village. When I peer east beyond the village boundary, many miles over the moorland I can see the black curtain has retreated. It must be past Carrionburg now and I guess by smashing the altar we took away their sphere of control. I guess if they’d managed to destroy St Ninian’s chapel they would have got full control over Alston instead of it being just contested.
Me: What now?
I know what I want to do. I want to set up a mine. I just don’t know if it’ll be safe. What’s to stop the Evil One sending more minions this way and smashing up my mine as soon as I claim it?
Luc: We need to get back to St Bors de Ganis. He’ll make us into squires.
Me: Didn’t you get made a squire already?
Luc: No, I never smashed an unholy altar before.
Me: Really?
Bernard: Gorrow had good advice.
That made me laugh.
Me: So back to Camelot?
Luc: As soon as you can. We’ll wait for you in Croglin.
I look around worried that Alston will just get retaken, but I guess they’ll have to build another evil altar in Carrionburg and then use that to take over the adjacent territory before coming to Alston. That seems to be how it works.
Some of St Ninian’s monks are coming out of the chapel and wandering around the village.
“We’re so pleased the evil influence has been removed. We can see the sky clearly again!”
I’m pleased they’re pleased. I have no fast transport, no horse even and even if I had, I don’t have the skills to ride it. I set off walking across the moor to Croglin.
On the way I pass a group of adventurers coming up. At first I’m wary in case they’re evil, but I see they’re on our side. The group consists of two warriors, a nun, a priest a wizard and a rogue. They ask me about Alston.
“We heard it was contested so we’re coming to smash up some bad guys.” They laugh.
I say, “You want to head to Carrionburg now. It’s some miles east.”
“So the dark has been pushed back?” The nun asked.
I nod.
“When? That must be recent.”
I wink. “Pretty recent.” Then I let them go on their way.
The rest of my party are waiting for me in Croglin. As soon as they’re in sight, Blodeuwedd says, “See you again, I hope,” and flaps off.
My party travels together back to Camelot. Nothing much happens but it’s great to see the mighty sandstone walls of the city again.
Luc says, “We’re going to the tower of Sir Bors.” It’s lucky he knows the way, because I don’t. He seems really pleased with me and keeps up the small talk, all smiles. I figure it’s because I finally helped him destroy the unholy altar. Even though we all died we succeeded in the quest and that means he can become a squire.
I wonder what happens to the others. Adele says, “I’m going to see my Mother Superior. She’ll promote me from novice to a sister, I hope.”
Bernard said, “I’ll go from Neophyte to Zelator.”
The two of them branch off to go down to the headquarters of their particular profession and I follow Luc to Sir Bors’s tower.
Sir Bors de Ganis sits there on his wooden seat with his squires behind him holding his banner and shield. There are a few other players in there, all in their own instances. Sir Bors smiles when he sees Luc and I.
“So, you were successful! Well done.” He even applauds. “Though this is but your first step on the road to becoming a Knight of the Round Table. Which of you would like to step up first.?
I indicate Luc. He’s been here longest. He steps forward and bends one knee. Sir Bors takes out his sword and places it on both shoulders, laying the blade flat on one then moving over to the next. He says, “Arise, Squire Luc, squire of the Round Table.”
Luc arises and thanks Sir Bors. I can see he’s preoccupied with something, visibly checking his HUD.
Then it’s my turn. I k
neel before Sir Bors and he dubs me Squire of the Round Table. It feels good. I notice a message on my HUD.
I see my swordplay is boosted and my total armour rating which is now 38.5. I guess archery would be boosted too if I had that skill.
Sir Bors says, “Now, you must apprentice yourself to a true knight so you can learn the ways of chivalry.”
Outside, Luc shakes my hand. “I’m going to apprentice myself to Sir Duncan of Dunragit, he already made me an offer. Have you got anyone in mind?”
I shrug. “I didn’t know this was how it worked. I’m sure I’ll find someone.”
Luc smiles. “I’m sure you will. Listen it’s been great questing with you and I hope we can do it again soon. Once we’re knights we can ride forth together to do battle against the Evil One.”
I grimace. “I need to get a horse first, and learn to ride it.”
He smiles again. “You will, Gorrow. You’ve got a lot of potential. Anyway, see you around.” With that he walks to where he tethered his horse outside Sir Bors’s tower and mounts up. Then he’s gone.
Blodeuwedd reappears. “Hiya.”
“Hey. What’s up?”
“Nothing much. What are your plans?”
I actually have plans. I want to go and buy some more armour and weapon moulds so I make my way over to Camelot Square where the vendors are and I find the Smith Vendor. I haggle with him.
“I want better moulds.”
“5 x moulds, or 10 x moulds?”
I guess the number is how many times they can be used before they break. “What’s the price difference.” He quotes me a price and I say it’s too much. I definitely can’t afford the 10 x moulds. We come close to agreeing.
“I want a 5 x sword mould, a 5 x helmet, greaves, gauntlets, plate and shield moulds.”
“Okay, that’ll be 60 groats.”
“What about 50?”
“55.” I look at Blodeuwedd who says, “That’s reasonable.” The deal is done. We spit on our palms and shake on the deal.
Even better. I take the gear and put it in my inventory. I go round the market and buy some other provisions — a rope, some flint and steel and a box of dry wood shaving for kindling. All in all that’s another 4 groats and 1 penny, with my haggling discount. Then we’re done.
“What now?” Blodeuwedd asks.
I think I’ve maybe chosen the wrong profession. Maybe I should have been a miner? I definitely want to establish myself in the game with a reliable way of making money. I’ve sneaked a look at the manual about hiring miners and all of that and the basics of trade and I think I can make a go of it. Especially now I’ve seen where there are unclaimed mines up near Alston. It’ll be dangerous, but it could pay off. But the real reason I want to be a miner is because I want to make the gear to be a knight. And, I want to have the money to build myself a knightly tower and defend King Arthur’s borders, and be a defender against the evil tide.
“Alston Moor.”
“Really? You’ve just been there.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
It takes us most of the day to climb the escarpment up to Alston Moor. I’m pleased to see rebuilding going on at the village and there are detachments of royal NPC soldiers beginning to garrison the town, taking up residence in the old Manor House. This now is the frontier, but I’m going east.
With Blodeuwedd on my shoulder I travel across the moorland of heather and sedge until I find the entrance to abandoned mine I found earlier. I still have the tools I bought, the pick and shovel I got when I did the Quest of the Copper Ore. I have no candles. Damn. But near the entrance I find candles still in their sconces on the walls only partly burned. I use my spark from the flint and steel to light those.
The beginning of the mine is well worked but as I go down further I see gleams in the walls. Using my mining skills I can identify copper, tin and nickel. Nickel is the strongest for armour and weapons, but I also plan to sell ore. I see traces of cobalt and sulphur also.
Blodeuwedd has been quiet. I don’t think she likes being underground. I don’t mind it, the quiet is calming. I’m aware that marauding goblinoids could come and find me, but I didn’t see any sign when I was walking on the moor. They’ll most likely be preoccupied in defending Carrionburg from teams of adventurers. If we push them back further, then this mine becomes an even safer bet.
It takes me two whole real life days of mining and it’s a grind. I just set myself up against a wall where there’s ore and hit the auto command and I dig it out. The ore falls in neat lumps at my feet. I’ve found a storehouse area, previously looted so there’s nothing left there of any value. There’s some wooden boxes I can break down into firewood. There was a forge but it’s broken and I don’t have the skills to repair it. Something for later. I also find more candles.
I keep the different ores in different piles.
20 Copper
12 Tin
6 Nickel
3 Cobalt
1 Sulphur
That’s two days work. Slow going, but I guess if I improve my mining skill I will be able to dig it out faster. I consider investing more into mining right away, after all I have 100 skill points to spend, but I decide to wait.
I put all the ores into my inventory and find I am burdened. This reduces my walking speed by 50% so the walk back to Alston is painfully slow. Still, I don’t get attacked.
They’ve made great strides in rebuilding the village. Soldiers patrol the boundary but they let me past with a polite now. After all, I’m a squire nblodow. The forge there has reopened and the blacksmith NPC is standing there.
“Good day,” he says.
“Hi. Do you buy ore?”
He nods. “Of course.”
“How much for this lot then?”
I sell all 20 copper at 2 groats each +10% from Haggling. I sell all Tin at 4 groats each but I keep the nickel. For that I get 97 groats, which he gives me in shillings. A shilling is three groats so I now have 18 shillings.
“Can I use your forge?”
He points to the back of the blacksmith’s shop. “There’s one there for players.”
I don’t know how this will work. I’ve read that you can upgrade things, so I start with my plate armour. I smelt the nickel and use one of the plate x 5 moulds to make Nickel Plate (30), but I’m not finished. I add in my sulphur and that gives 5% Fire Resistance. Pleased with that, I add in the Cobalt and get 5% cold resistance. This creates Nickel Plate (30) 5% FR, 5% CR.
Not bad. I’m smiling all over my face.
I then make Nickel Greaves (30) 5% CR. I hope the percentages will stack, if they don’t it’s pointless being able to add them to different pieces of armour. Add to that Nickel Helmet (30) 5% CR. Nickel Gauntlets (30), because I’m out of Cobalt.
Total armour rating now 130 + 10% Squire Bonus = 143, as compared with 35 this morning. I am feeling like a proper tank!
I then try to upgrade my sword. I am terrified I will take off St Ninian’s blessing, though as I’ve done him a favour he might well give it to my new sword. But the sword upgrades!
Nickel Longsword (30) C50. I have one lump of nickel left. I can’t make a nickel shield. I think you can make steel ones though. I decide to sell my remaining lump of nickel to the blacksmith for 3 shillings (including Haggle).
With the money figuratively jingling in my pocket I wander round Alston to see what else’s set up. I see a horse dealer. He wants 50 shillings for a stallion. There’s a mule for 20 so I decide to blow 20 of my 23 shillings and buy a mule. It will make transporting the ore much easier.
It strikes me that I should learn to ride. For 30 skill points I get
<+5% Mounted Attack>
I get
on my Mule. I decide to call him Henry. Blodeuwedd is still on my shoulder. “Stupid name for a horse,” she says.
“And you think Blodeuwedd is good for a owl?”
“Of course.”
“Let’s go back to the mine.”
The ride back is much faster on Henry’s back. Henry even seems to enjoy it. He says so. It seems mules can talk.
9
A Sales Trip
Blodeuwedd the owl and Henry the mule are having an argument about which is best - owls or mules. I ignore them. I have more important things to think about — like how to make more money.
I’m back at the Silver Drift Mine, as I’m calling it now. What it was called before, I don’t know, but it’s mine now and I can call it what I like.
Copper ore is 2 groats a lump. Tin is 4, but I know in this mine that there are probably higher level minerals so I decide to commit my remaining 70 skill points to mining.
And with my new skills I get to mining. I spend game days down the mine digging and realise I need more candles. Blodeuwedd just hops about and says, “I’m bored.”
Henry the Mule spends his time outside the mine entrance, keeping an eye out for enemies but when he comes back he always says, “I’m hungry.”
I wipe the sweat and grime from my forehead. “What do you mean you’re hungry? There’s miles of grass out there.”
“Poor quality moorland grass, where I can find it among the bog weeds and rushes. I want lush lowland grass, or maybe hay. Or oats.”
I rest on my pick. I need a breather anyway. “Those sound like they cost.”
He nods and snorts. “You’re good for it.”
“What do you mean?”
He points his nose over to the piles of ore which I have sorted into different kinds. They gleam dully in the candlelight.
Blodeuwedd butts in. “He’s right.” They don’t normally agree about anything so this is a bad sign.
Henry says, “We want to go down the mountain to Camelot where we can get good food.”
