Riccon figured QM had lost a lot of subscribers and were trying to lure them back, or at least keep the ones still playing, by softening the permadeath inclusion. It would certainly take more than a cheaper subscription for many players as they considered their time far more valuable than money.
There was also a steep, progressive XP penalty for player-cast resurrections. Each one cost the resurrected player 20% of their total experience points with a cumulative 10% penalty every time they were resurrected. The caster also received a 10% XP hit, but it was not cumulative.
He liked the idea. It meant there was still a powerful incentive not to die while not making the prospect of death terrifying to the point no one took any chances. He and Darvin had managed to level up quickly thanks to Riccon’s knowledge of the game and some help from GM2024. It would get harder after this since they would not get anymore admin help, but leveling was still fast until you reached the mid-twenties.
Riccon decided that after this they would focus on leveling Naughty up until she was able to learn the resurrection spell. It might even be the smart move to let her have the eternity stone so that if she died she could resurrect without the penalty or starting over. He dismissed the idea as soon as it popped into his head. He wanted his own life insurance policy, and there were other healers out there.
“What’s the plan, fearless leader,” Shank Williams asked with a role-playing purr.
Ugh. Riccon hated hardcore role players. “Same as usual. Darvin tanks; you, me, and Bonin will burn the boss. We let the NPCs deal with any adds, but if too many of them start dying too fast, you need to peel off and help them. The two most important elements of this fight are making sure Naughty doesn’t pull any aggro,” he leaned in and whispered, “and we’re the only ones who walk out of the tomb.”
The others smiled and Shank said, “That khan is a freaking moron if he thinks anyone is going to let an NPC get their hands on an eternity stone.”
Riccon cocked his head and raised his eyebrows. “That’s the problem with NPCs not knowing they’re NPCs. They get this stupid idea that they matter.”
Bonin slapped his hand axe against his palm. “NPC lives splatter.”
The group quieted as a lean but lithe and muscular man in a well-crafted breastplate over studded leather armor approached with a retinue of soldiers. Khan Eoselm looked more like a general than a ruler.
The armor and scimitar he wore was clearly more than mere ornamentation. He moved with an assured grace and confidence that came with a lifetime of military expertise. It was one reason why King Aelim had not moved to oust him from his position despite knowing of the man’s duplicitous and covetous nature.
“I trust your people are ready?” Eoselm asked.
Riccon gave the khan a small but deferential bow. “We are. We look forward to the challenge as well as the rewards.”
“The rewards are indeed great—for us all. I want only the stone. The rest is for your party as well as the payment I have promised,” Eoselm reminded him. “Just do not forget that our contract requires that I survive this battle. My people will not react well if I do not return before you do.”
Riccon made a quick count of the khan’s remaining soldiers and smiled. Their losses had not been trivial, and he was confident they could fight their way through them and escape with the stone, even if it were just he and Darvin as the sole survivors. They would probably gain two levels if they were the only two to split the XP.
“Of course, Khan Eoselm. We care for gold and adventure more than big, shiny baubles.”
“Yes, you adventurers are rather predictable in that regard. Let us get on with it. Others may have gotten word of my find, and I do not wish to remain here any longer.”
Eoselm might be an arrogant bastard, but he was no coward. He headed the procession with his soldiers between him and the adventurers as they entered the tomb. The air was stale and filled with the scent of blood, battle, and reptilian musk. Bloodstains marred every surface, but they were the only signs of battle beyond a few discarded bits of torn clothing, armor, and broken weapons. The tomb had reclaimed all but the most recent kills.
Dozens of huge, dead lizards and snakes littered the final passageway leading to a large set of doors at the end of the hallway. Bronze images and carvings adorned the portal, depicting a creature looking vaguely like a serpent woman surrounded by the same lizards and snakes killed in the corridors outside.
Interpreting the depictions, Riccon wished not for the first time they had a mage. Mages were great at crowd control and dealing with masses of lower level creatures with their powerful AoE spells. Unfortunately, pure mages were in short supply, as they tended to have rather short life expectancies due to their low health and defenses. Hybrid classes like his were becoming very popular because of it.
They should be fine. That was what the cannon fodder NPCs were for. They would keep the adds off of them while soaking up the extra damage. Riccon and his group moved up to stand with Eoselm. He gave them a nod, and Bonin shoved the doors open.
Torches and braziers cast flickering light across the enormous chamber filled with silks, furniture, tapestries, carpets, and all manner of ornamentations. Despite the number of small flames dotting the area, deep shadows clung to every corner, crevice, and alcove, hiding any number of untold dangers.
It did not take long for those dangers to announce themselves. A large, shadowy figure moved near the far wall when they reached the center of the chamber.
“More have come to feed my children,” the creature said in a sibilant, feminine voice.
Riccon raised his bow and began channeling arcane energy into the nocked arrow. “I hate to tell you this, but your children aren’t eating anything but dirt and steel.”
The Shahmaran chuckled. “I have more. There are always more. Come, children, come feast on these foolish mortals.”
Snakes as big around as firehoses and as long as cars dropped through holes in the ceiling and walls. Riccon loosed his arrow, and the Shahmaran howled when it pierced her scales and cast a bright light that lit up the far end of the chamber and dazzled her eyes.
“Khan, deal with the snakes!” Riccon ordered, taking control of the battle. “Everyone else on the boss. Naughty, don’t get bit.”
Two of the serpents falling from the ceiling landed directly atop a pair of soldiers and sank their envenomed fangs into exposed flesh or through their leather armor. Darvin charged ahead with his shield blazing with power and struck the Shahmaran with a taunting strike that forced her to focus on him.
Bonin rushed forward, narrowly avoiding the Shahmaran’s snake-headed tail, and hewed into her with his twin hand axes. Shank sidled around the room in search of a vulnerable spot upon which to unleash his surprise attack. One of the two soldiers died before Naughty could neutralize the poison pumped into him, but she managed to heal the other.
The battle was fierce and their foe outclassed them by a fair margin, but Riccon was experienced enough to know they were off to a good start. Barring any over-powered surprises from the boss, they should win this battle with no more losses than he had planned for.
When Nyx had gone back to her world, Jandar spent a few hours making a harness for his maul. After running a few ideas through his mind, he had settled on a simple cradle strapped to his back. The head rested in the cradle, and a quick release strap kept the handle secured near the back of his neck and prevented the hammer from falling out when he ran. It was similar to the short sheaths warriors had to use when they chose to strap swords to their backs.
“I count perhaps a dozen guards remaining,” Saefa said as he tried to see through the dusky gloom.
They had watched the Khan and adventurers head into the tomb minutes after a handful of soldiers and poorly armed conscripts emerged. There was still a half an hour before the sun could be considered set, but they did not have time to wait. They had to free Saefa’s people and ambush the adventurers before they slew the boss and took possession of
the eternity stone.
Jandar pointed to a low spot between the sand dunes and rocks with his hammer. “We should take that path to the camp. There is only one sentry, and Nyx should be able to silence him before he can raise an alarm.”
Nyx glared at him but nodded her head. He had not been any more forthcoming after she logged back in and was still annoyed with him. She put it to the back of her mind and focused on the mission.
“All right,” Saefa said. “Nyx, please proceed. We will follow once you have eliminated the sentry.”
Nyx wrapped herself in shadows and slunk through the narrow trough. Little more than a minute later, the sentry was dead. There had been no fight or struggle. One second he was perched upon a stand of rocks, the next he lay at their base with Nyx’s shadowy form looming over his corpse.
The three of them reached Nyx a moment later and they all continued toward the camp. Partway between the sentry post and the main camp, they found a pit half-filled with corpses. All bore gruesome wounds, and many were bloated, their flesh veiny and blackened by some horrible toxin or venom. Saefa cursed the khan under his breath and said a small prayer as they passed.
There would be a proper time to mourn the dead later. For now, he needed to focus on the living. The khan held his prisoners in a hastily built corral. There was nothing keeping the men, women, and children contained other than the guards and their own fear. Saefa had not expected to find children but it made sense. While useless in a fight, their presence helped keep the adults compliant.
Half the guards surrounded the paddock while the others were spread throughout the camp or standing sentry at its perimeter. None appeared terribly alert, and most kept their focus on the tomb’s entrance since it presented the greatest threat to them should the creatures inside decide to come out.
Jandar looked at the expanse between them and the soldiers guarding the prisoners. “There’s a lot of ground between us and them. Nyx, can you sneak us closer?”
Nyx bobbed her head. “Now that I’m initiate rank in dark channeling, I can extend the shadow cloak spell five feet out. That should give us all plenty of room to move as long as we stay close together. It’s far from perfect concealment, especially for those not trained in stealth, but with the setting sun it should get us within striking distance.”
“If it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll wait here a bit and make sure no one sneaks up on us,” Lexon said as the others pressed in close to Nyx.
Jandar wagged his head in disbelief. “You really are—”
“Truly brave to guard our rear all by meself,” Lexon interrupted. “It’s a dangerous but vital role I’m willing to play for the betterment of the group. Some might say putting meself in such peril is heroic even.”
Jandar gave him a flat stare. “No one would say that.”
“I just said it, so I’ve proven you wrong once again.”
Jandar shook his head and turned back to Nyx and Saefa. “Let’s go.
As the three of them prowled toward the guards nearest the pen, Jandar thought on Edison’s words about needing powerful friends. Seeing they were outnumbered once again, it was becoming clear the man had been right no matter how much he wanted to go it alone. The three of them, he did not count the bard as an asset, simply could not continue to beat the odds. Not forever, and the first time the odds beat them someone would die. Maybe even all of them.
It was a problem for another time. They had to work with what they had. He just hoped their luck continued to hold. Jandar felt energy seeping into him shortly before he saw the nearest guards begin to look tired and realized Nyx must be draining them of their stamina, and probably mana as well. He did not know exactly how her leeching spells worked, but he assumed the soldiers would have noticed and went on alert had she tried stealing their health.
As it was, they got within a few yards of the nearest guard before he noticed something amiss and perked up. The soldier opened his mouth to shout an alarm only to have a throwing knife sprout from his throat. Jandar rushed ahead with his two-handed war hammer in his hands. There was no time for finesse in this battle. Brutality was the name of the game when facing overwhelming odds.
The hammer’s head burst into flames and smashed into another guard’s chest as he ran at Jandar, still trying to draw his sword. The blade never cleared leather before the hammer staved in his ribs. The fire wreathing his hammer flared and scorched the stricken man’s flesh beneath his leather armor. Jandar let the flames finish him off as he rushed toward another guard.
Saefa sprinted past Jandar and slashed his scimitar at a pair of soldiers who put themselves between him and the prisoners. Shurikens flew out of the darkness, punching through leather armor and finding vulnerable flesh. While the damage was light, the poison coating their blades made up for their lack of killing power.
Even as half a dozen more men raced around the paddock to engage them, he felt the battle would be brief with few injuries on their part until shouts from behind them drew his attention. Another full shift of guards began pouring out of the tents. Some raced ahead with weapons in hand and wearing only the clothes they slept in while others hastily pulled on pieces of armor.
Jandar cursed, kicked the man he was fighting in the chest, and ran at the newest threat. “Stay with the prisoners! I’ll try to slow the reinforcements,” he yelled back to Saefa.
Mimicking a move he had seen Saefa use, Jandar swept his earth-infused maul out before him at a knot of soldiers. The mad rush and wild swing caught the three men by surprise and batted aside their attempts to block the attack. The heavy weapon crashed through all three soldiers and knocked them sideways.
You hit Caprian guard x3 with Half-Moon Cleave for 47, 43, and 40 damage. (34 base physical + 13 earth damage.)
Secondary effect triggered.
You knock down Caprian guard. Caprian guard is vulnerable.
Caprian guard resists knockdown. Caprian guard is unbalanced.
You knock down Caprian guard. Caprian guard is vulnerable.
Congratulations! You have learned the skill Half-Moon Cleave.
Half-Moon Cleave, tier 1: Strike up to three opponents within a 180-degree arc in the direction you are facing. Damage: Modified weapon damage -10% per target previously struck. Requires 2-hand weapon. Cost: 50 Stamina. Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Jandar moved in to deliver the killing blows, but more soldiers arrived and drove him back. He parried with his war hammer and caught several blows on his buckler, but more attacks were beginning to get through his defenses than he was able to counter.
Nyx appeared behind the group pressing him and delivered several punishing thrusts with her daggers, giving him a moment to recover. Her stamina and health leeching spells helped a great deal, but they were insufficient to outpace the damage they were taking. She would have to drop the stamina drain and begin stealing mana before her reserves ran dry.
Lexon watched the battle unfolding before him. It looked as though they would win without much effort until previously unseen soldiers began pouring out of the tents. His small party now faced nearly a score of soldiers, and they were losing the momentum. It would not be long before the enemy enveloped and overwhelmed them. With a resigned sigh, Lexon knew it was up to him to save them all once again. It was not fair for them to put him in this kind of situation. He was a bard, not a hero after all.
He struggled with the idea of how to help in a way that was meaningful enough to change the course of battle. What they needed was more people on their side, but the lizard riders had refused to overtly fight against the khan and his men.
His eyes settled on the dozens of prisoners huddling fearfully at the far side of the paddock. They were the only other option for allies, but it did not appear as if they had the courage to oppose their captors. Not without some encouragement anyway.
Lexon was a bard, and inspiring people was what he did, but the enemy lay between him and the prisoners. There was only one thing to do. He changed the tune he had be
en playing and whistled along with the upbeat melody as he walked straight through the chaos.
A soldier ran at him with his sword held high. Lexon fought back his terror, smiled, and nodded at him as he continued to whistle and play his harp. The guard stopped, lowered his weapon, and stared at him a moment before deciding the bard was no threat and turned his attention to the real enemy.
Several of the wakened guards watched Lexon as they dropped leather cuirasses over their chests and made ready to fight, but they ignored him and charged toward the battle. Lexon threaded his way past swinging swords and thrusting spears as if strolling through a park wary of stepping on the flowers.
He reached the paddock and threw open the flimsy gate that was more decoration than impediment. The entire enclosure would likely fall to a strong wind, but its purpose was not to act as a prison. Their fear was the true barrier holding them captive.
“All right, there you go,” Lexon said with a flourish. “If’n you want to be free, the only thing between you and it are those dirty bastards who stole you from your homes and families. Have at ‘em.”
The prisoners stayed huddled together in one corner and stared at him with terrified eyes.
“Bloody hell,” Lexon muttered as he picked up the tempo on his harp and sang a rousing battle song.
A man stood and began shuffling toward the gate. Two more got up and followed. By the time the first three men reached him, almost every adult who was not clutching a child had stood. The fear slowly melted from their eyes to make room for the anger at their captivity and the deaths of friends and family.
They began picking up dropped weapons or prying them from the grips of dead men. Others grabbed fence posts and ripped them from the ground to use as clubs. They descended on the guards in a fervent rush, hacking and beating them as they pushed past Jandar, Nyx, and Saefa.
Chaos Unchained- The Mad Smith Page 24
