“Your name is …err …” After choosing a dozen names already, my brain was a bit addled. The only thing that came to mind was “Blemtoff. Your name is Blemtoff, and you’re … uh … always striving to be the best at … um … dual axe fighting.” I finished the short ceremony by granting him the Lucky Bastard skill.
Blemtoff blinked a few times, and his dull expression transformed into one full of wonder that morphed into determination.
I sighed with relief and called the hovering dagger back to my belt. I was spared from having to sacrifice him as well.
So far the survival rate was only about 60 percent. Two of the three Ogres and 12 of the 20 hobs had survived the rite. I had expected better results.
The first time I did this, only three of ten hobs died. Why did the success rate drop? I wondered. My own Lucky Bastard skill had improved since last time, so I should have had fewer casualties. I needed every strong arm I could get to fight for the clan’s survival. This didn’t make sense.
“Isn't it obvious?” Vic was once again in his purple goblin shape sitting on a small boulder and watching the show. “The hobgoblins you brought from the Raider’s Camp experienced life more fully. They fought by your side and bled for the clan. Their personalities were better prepared for the VI seeding process. These guys were just clean slates. All they ever experienced was the interior of the Breeder’s Den. Honestly, 60 percent survival is huge. Your Lucky Bastard skill rose by four points in the last hour alone.”
“I guess that explains it,” I said, wiping spattered blood from my brow.
Blemtoff stood and bowed. “May I report for duty, Dread Totem?”
I gestured dismissively. “Yeah, sure, join the others below.”
“Thank you, Dread Totem.” The hobgoblin went down the ladder muttering to himself, “Must obtain two axes …”
I took a few steps gingerly, and my legs wobbled. Though it was no doubt necessary, this had been a trying experience. I walked slowly to the edge of the shelf and looked down at my assembled forces below. The two Infernal Ogres towered over the dozen hobgoblins. I had more than doubled my fighting forces. And I was just getting started.
“Welcome to the GreenPiece Clan,” I began. “You are to be our protectors, our guardians, and the blade that strikes against our enemies. Serve me and the clan well, fight as long as there is a drop of blood in your veins, and I promise you right here, your death will not be a permanent one. Serve well, and you will always come back to fight another day. To the GreenPiece Clan!”
“To the GreenPiece Clan!” they all shouted in unison, raising their hands, the Ogres cheering a second behind the more intelligent hobs.
“Good. This is Bob, he is your superior officer.” I motioned at the hob lieutenant standing nearby. “Rhynorn is … just stay out of his way. Report to the barracks and claim your bunk. Tomorrow you will begin your training. Dismissed.”
“Yes, Dread Totem!” they answered together and dispersed, heading for the barracks.
I felt too mentally drained to use my magic to teleport down. Bob remained behind, waiting patiently while I descended the ladder.
“These look promising,” he said approvingly. “Each one unique in his own way.”
“I need you to oversee their training,” I said. “Get them into shape as quickly as possible. We’re going hunting in a few days. I want to see how they hold up in real combat.”
“Of course, Dread Totem.” Bob bowed his head. “I will make sure to impress upon our trainers the importance of rigorous training.” He paused, then said, “Actually, that is the only kind of training my people know. In hobgoblin society, you either learn fast or you die. There is no place for weaklings.”
I grinned tiredly. “That’s why your people are the clan’s blade while mine are the cogs in the machine that … uh … You fight, we build.”
The hob lieutenant stared at me stoically.
“Anyway,” I continued, “with these new troops, we should have enough soldiers to deploy regular patrols.” The recent murders of two of my workers showed me how vulnerable we were to an inside attack. “If they’re not sleeping or training, I want the soldiers patrolling the settlement around the clock.”
“Of course, I shall start sending two hob patrols immediately, Dread Totem.”
With a little luck, these measures would be enough of a deterrent for any other would-be goblin murderers.
I looked up. The skies were getting brighter by the minute. It would by daylight soon. And shortly after that … showtime.
I walked into my house, glad it was close by. Tempest was lying on the ground in front of the door, his eyes following me as I stepped inside. Tika still hadn’t returned from her daily hunt. She was a late sleeper and a late riser. I dropped to my furs and was out within seconds.
***
Someone nudged me gently, waking me up. I opened my eyes blearily. Tika.
Light shone through the cracks in the walls. The sun was still up. “Is it time?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.
My beautiful woman nodded. “Kaedric knocks, you not hear. He say tell you, it is time.”
I stood and stretched. “Will you please go help Kaedric? I want everyone in the clan to assemble below Totem’s Watch, the travelers too.”
She nodded and went to the door. “Can always hunt later.” She gave me a coy smile. “Maybe catch a nice juicy Totem.”
I chuckled and moved to my table. I had some time before everyone gathered at Totem’s Watch. Today was to mark a new era for the clan and its guests. I didn’t want to break the suspense. Timing was important.
I mentally went through the steps I had to accomplish, distractedly picking up a piece of fruit from a bowl on the table.
While I was munching, I decided to check my character sheet. It had been a long while since I last viewed it, mostly since I didn’t have to. I could instantly recall any piece of information I wanted. But I had a little time to kill and I sort of missed seeing everything laid out nicely in front of me.
Title: Dread Totem
Level: 26, (70%)
Race: Monster Race [Goblin]
Type: Boss II [Totem]
Religion: The Cult of Nihilator
Attributes:
Physical: 3
Mental: 30
Social: 1
Pools & Resistances:
Hit Points: 606
Mana: 1,231
Armor: 2
Mental Resistance: 60%
Skills:
Lucky Bastard: 31 (90%) Ⓑ
Analyze: 108 (30%)
Tracking: 12 (29%)
War Party Leader: 11 [16](10%)
Mana Infusion: 23 (50%) Ⓑ
Quest Giver: 17 (80%)
Runecraft: 24 (40%)
Barter: 12 (0%)
Governor: 8 (0%)
Spell Skills:
Dark Mana: 40 (50%) Ⓑ
Drilling Arrow: 24 (80%) Ⓑ
Mana Shield: 27 (0%)
Blood Wrath: 31 (0%)
Heal Followers: 11 (0%)
Mana Drain: 10 (92%) Ⓑ
Shadow Web: 20 (90%)
Shadow Hound: 20(0%)
Shadow Teleport: 10 (30%)
Dark Protection: 6 (0%)
Traits:
Goblinoid: (+1 Physical, -1 Social)
Quick Learner: +20%
Boss Boon II: (10 HP & 20 MP per level; Nihilator’s Sanction)
Soul Companion: Vic
Shadow-Touched
Mind Over Body: (-50% to pain, +50% Mental Resist)
Buffs:
Lyrical Song: (+10% Mental Resist, +5% Luck)
I inspected my stats closely. At only level 26, I had the HP equivalent of a level 50 fighter and the MP of a level 120 mage.
Simply put, I was a monster. I chuckled at the pun.
My skills and spells, however, were far weaker and more befitting my level. That’s the whole idea of being a boss, I mused. My fighting abilities were slightly improved while my survivability was vastly higher than
it would be otherwise.
After all, lower-tier bosses existed to provide a challenge to players. That meant they had to last long enough to make it interesting while not being inordinately strong for their level. Something I strived strongly to change.
Being a boss was a powerful boon, but not my only trump card. Thanks to the shrine back at the Ogre fort, I boosted my Dark Mana skill to its maximum for my level. It was the foundation of my real power and what separated me from other bosses. It was my ticket to salvation.
“Thanks, Vic.”
***
I stood on the edge of Totem’s Watch. The open field below me was well-lit by the midday sun and packed full with goblins, hobgoblins, Ogres, and over a dozen travelers. Not to mention at least 20 foblins. Over a hundred people in total. My little clan was growing rapidly.
There were signs of recent activity where I stood. Logs, metal, and glass were stacked in neat piles in the limited space. The previously uneven stone ground was flattened. Holes had been drilled for laying foundations. My Dark Temple’s construction was well on its way, but it was not fast enough.
Everyone was looking up at me expectantly.
A shiver ran down my spine when I saw some adventurers eyeing and measuring me with the steady, steely gaze of professionals. I needed them on my side.
I cleared my throat. “Welcome, GreenPiece members and guests,” I began, pausing to organize my thoughts. “This clan had a rough beginning. We survived a vicious raid and became refugees, looking for a place to rest our heads. We found safety in this valley but were continuously hunted.” I surveyed the faces below. “But together, we faced our enemies and prevailed, raising a prosperous and growing settlement.”
There were murmurs of assent and a few puzzled looks from the players who were oblivious to the clan’s history.
“Now we face a whole new, even graver, danger,” I continued, drawing their gazes back to me. ”The … travelers, have discovered our location. As we speak, they are preparing their assault on us.” An even louder murmur followed, and many of my clansmen wore worried expressions. “But we also have the means to protect ourselves now.” I gestured at the dozen new hobgoblins standing rigidly in tight formation and the two hulking Ogres beside them. “These recruits are the first of many more to come. But that is not all. We have faith on our side.”
A lone adventurer started laughing. “You sound so melodramatic and ominous, then you pull a televangelist act on us? Going to try to convince everyone to bow down and pray for salvation?”
“No,” I said coldly, but I wasn’t actually offended. This fool had just prepared the stage for me. I should thank him later. I checked his name: Sullivan Tucker.
“I’m talking about something real, Sullivan. In this world, faith is power. Our dark lord, Nihilator, watches over us all. Behold.”
I opened the Construction Interface and clicked the ‘rush’ option.
The piles of building materials shimmered in translucent blue, and the ghost of a large building appeared behind me. The resources began to vanish from their piles and reappear on the ghost’s shell, replacing translucent energy with brick, metal, and glass.
A moment was all it took for the Dark Temple to be completed. It stood tall, black, and menacing, casting an intimidating shadow on the assembled crowd below. It was a rectangular, high-walled structure. Its facade was lined with blackened stained-glass windows. A menacing gothic spire pierced its roof, ending in vicious metal spikes.
Everyone stared, wild-eyed at the imposing building.
The talkative adventurer recovered first. “Okay, so you can build churches really fast,” he said with a shrug. “That just proves my point. I’m not here to pray all day to some ethereal deity. Playing a cleric is boring.”
I couldn’t have planted a better supporter. Maybe he’d like an enchanted sword as a reward? I wondered idly.
I purposely turned my back to the crowd, facing the temple. From this vantage point, the sun was obstructed by the valley walls, sending long shadows over us, though it was still too sunny for my taste.
I raised my hands, threw back my head and bellowed, “Behold!”
Would you like to purchase the [Eternal Night] blessing for 1,000 FP? Yes/No
Showtime.
The lingering light around us seemed to dim slightly. Shadows throughout the valley started moving, flowing toward us, amassing like a tidal wave of darkness. I heard some of the newcomers gasp and cry out in alarm.
The area around us became darker as more shadows flowed in, towering over us, then gushed inside the temple, filling it to the brim.
The darkness continued flowing, condensing inside the temple, climbing toward the roof. Once it reached the top, the temple’s pointed spire began to glow. A sphere of darkness grew around the tip, swelling into immensity. Just as it seemed it would burst, a column of pure darkness shot straight up into the sky. It reached a height taller than the mountain around us. Tendrils of darkness flowed from the top of the dark column, spreading above us, creating a spherical web of shadows over the entire valley.
As I watched, more tendrils shot out, weaving themselves into a tight blanket that gradually blocked the last rays of light.
The bottom of the pillar disengaged from the temple’s spire and rose, fueling the dark canopy that solidified as it consumed the remainder of the darkness. Once it was over, the dark shroud remained hanging above us, throwing the entire valley into deep, eternal darkness.
Zone blessing [Eternal Night] activated
The zone of influence has become permanently shrouded in darkness, never again to be illuminated by the sun.
The blessing’s effects are highly concentrated around the Dark Temple. All effects are doubled at a 20-meter radius.
Shadow-Touched creatures in the zone receive:
+10% max HP & MP
MP & HP regen increased by 50%
+10% damage
Upkeep reduced by 50%
Non-combat skills +5% effectiveness
Unprotected enemies suffer:
-10% XP gain
-25% HP & MP regeneration
A chorus of cries erupted from below. My Shadow-Touched Darkvision allowed me to see clearly in the complete darkness, but our guests were denied that benefit. Even those with some sort of night vision couldn’t see more than several meters ahead in the complete darkness that shrouded the valley.
“Torches!” I commanded.
Several goblins carried torches and lit them. Kaedric had prepared them well.
While I let the other players adjust to the new change, I closed my eyes and breathed in the night’s air. The change was tangible. I didn’t have to use my eyes to see; I could feel it. I could sense the area around me like never before. It felt almost like an extension of my body. I raised a hand, and with hardly any effort, a great maelstrom of darkness started spinning, rising high above the crowd.
But that wasn’t the extent of what I felt. The darkness was altering the valley itself. Everywhere I looked, trees warped, becoming gnarled, shedding their leaves and growing sharp thorns. The valley’s forest had transformed into a nightmarish one. Brightly colored mushrooms popped into existence, growing on the ground between cracks of stone and on the gnarled trees.
A howl sounded from the cave. The crowd was standing in front of the entrance and everyone, my clan members included, gasped and backed away.
The glowing red eyes appeared first, then a black paw extended out, followed by another one. A gigantic shadow mastiff appeared, emerging from the cave and standing in plain view. A dozen more followed it, all growling menacingly at the apprehensive crowd.
A single torch lit up Sullivan Tucker’s face. I cast Shadow Teleport, appearing right in front of him. His already wide-eyed expression transformed to panic.
“This is the strength faith can bring us. This is how we will destroy our enemies.”
; I thought the poor guy was going to pee himself. But I had to keep up appearances.
“That’s enough, leave him be.” Another adventurer stepped forward. “You’ve proven your point.”
Now that guy was impressive. Black-skinned, tall, and powerfully built, he obviously had some Dark Elf blood in him. His long hair was black and blue with the upper half tied into a topknot, the rest left to fall to his shoulders. But that wasn’t what made him stand out the most. His scales did. Delicate, black flakes covered every patch of his exposed skin, like a dragon. When he opened his mouth to speak, I could clearly make out sharp fangs. He exuded an air of confidence and calmness. The hilts of two crude short swords protruded from his belt. He was only level 5, but I could sense the potential of raw power coming off him in waves. That merited closer inspection. Analyze.
Nero SantoDrago, Dark Elf [Half Dragon Template]
Level: 5
HP: 88, MP: 67
Attributes: P: 7, M: 2, S: 2
Skills: Dual Wield 7, Swords 7, Corrosive BreathⒷ 5
Traits: Half-Dragon (breath weapon; corrosive, +2P, +2M, +2S), Dragon Path, Darkvision
Description: The offspring of a decrepit ancient goddess … Condemned to roam the planes for eternity … Suffers endlessly to right injustice … and battles his dark heritage.
A half dragon? I frowned. How can it be? To my knowledge, all newcomers were limited to the goblinoid template. Somehow, this Nero guy managed to put his hands on a different one.
He’s even got a Prime badge already. I’ve got to remember to keep a watchful eye on him.
“What just happened?” an adventurer demanded. “I can barely see in this darkness.”
“Yeah, me too!” added another one.
I gave Nero a firm, unyielding look, then teleported back to the ledge above. “This clan, my clan, is unique. We are Shadow-Touched creatures, all of us. The darkness is our ally.”
Life Reset- EvP Page 37
