Brent Roth - The Dragon's Wrath: A Virtual Dream (12 page)

The first jackpot was coincidence that required hard work and perseverance. The second jackpot was truly coincidence… without any real effort required.

Needless to say, I'm excited.

No, I'm thrilled.

Before I could get any more excited though, I was interrupted by the depressed girl now sitting on the bed, "Um, excuse me kind Sir but, I have a favor to ask of you… if you would hear me."

My mind was racing through all the previous dialogue we had had, and then it hit me: it must be related to the Earl.

Peering down at her from where I stood with arms folded and an eyebrow cocked up, I asked, "Yeah? Do go on…."

Chapter 16: A Crowded Cabin for Two

(Saturday, March 6th Game Day / Friday, January 22nd Real Day)

In conversing with the newly found Companion, I discovered that she had a rather peculiar circumstance. As she told it, "I was originally part of a traveling convent led by the Brother Saul along with a few hunters that would provide for us on our travel, which included my friend Selene.

"But roughly three weeks ago, upon nearing Andal we were suddenly attacked by bandits and we hurriedly fled towards the village.

"After running as fast as we could, Selene and I were rescued by the Earl's men and the bandits had dispersed into the forest. We were the only survivors… the Earl had offered us food and shelter for our suffering and promised to protect and avenge our fallen brothers.

"But it was all a lie! We were taken by their words and Selene had decided to go hunting in the forest to help with provisions, so we could be self-reliant.

"Not a day after she had left I noticed that some of the Earl's men looked similar to the bandits! And soon after that the Earl declared to me that he would make me his fourth wife!

"I couldn't believe my ears! He even said that despite my lack of good looks, he would provide for me as he was a benevolent man! My looks he says! The bastard!"              

Of course the first thing I took from this conversation was that she seemed more insulted by the Earl's comment on her "lack" of good looks than the fact that the Earl may have ordered the killing of the men from the convent. But it was wise to not really say anything in these types of situations, reaffirming her opinion or denying the other's isn't what she wants to hear, she just wants someone to listen.

But I'm curious, so I'll ask a question anyways to prove I'm at least listening.

I ask her, "You said you would be made the fourth wife? What of the first three?"

She puffed her cheeks as her shoulders rose and I could see the big explosion building, ah what did I just get myself into… "They're still alive! And they are hideous! The first wife is a grotesquely overweight slovenly pig that does nothing but stuff her cheeks like a chipmunk! The second wife is cross-eyed with pig-tails and rabbit teeth! The third… the third, I don't even know what she looks like but who cares!?"

Ah, well.

At first I thought… may haps the man simply has exceptionally high standards, but even so… the woman in front of me should please any man's pallet.

She stands a rough 5'9" with lovely fair skin with the slightest hint of a tan, a slender frame yet athletic nonetheless, long wavy dark brown hair that lies slightly past her shoulders, piercing tri-color eyes that melt your heart, a truly angelic face, and eh-hem, to top it off… more than ample assets… from all angles.

Yes, I've come to the conclusion that this Earl is in bad taste, simply bad taste.

Mhmm
.

Before I could let my mind wander any further I was interrupted by her, "
Ahem
, so, after hearing what he had in store for me and realizing that the 'bandits' were most likely his men, I decided to immediately escape.

"I knew Selene had headed in this general direction so I set off to find her before the Earl would notice I was gone. I figured she would have followed the river… but after traveling for three days I still haven't seen a trace of her."

Ah so that's how it is.

Time to interject!

"I haven't seen any hunters around these parts as of yesterday, but I just returned from the top of the mountain. It's possible she may have passed by and continued on. Do you think she may have returned to the village already?"

At this her eyes were wide in terror, "Oh Gods! I hope not! She could be punished or even worse for my refusal of the Earl! My liege, would you grant me one more favor and find Selene before the Earl does? You're the only one I can ask!"

Wait.

Wait.

Hold on a minute, who is she calling her liege?

"Um, my liege, you say?"

She steadfastly replies, "I owe you my life, for I would have most certainly perished if it were not for your kindness, as I have no way to repay you, all I can offer is my services. If you agree to find Selene, I will swear fealty to you and serve you until you see fit! Please, you must find Selene before the Earl does!"

After hearing this I start to scratch the side of my chin, seems my beard got itchy all of a sudden, now my cheeks itchy too
ai-yah-yah
.

A second later a system message appeared:

[Available Quest: Find Selene!]

[Do you wish to accept?]

[Yes / No]

I selected [Yes], whelp… looks like I'll have to get my exploring on.              

Although I have no reason to disbelieve everything I've been told, I'm a little reluctant to believe everything either.

Searching the forest in the winter for a hunter with a trail that's nearly a week cold is asking for the near impossible. Without any more information I think the best course of action would be to venture towards the Northern Triangle and gather some intelligence.

But first I have to do something about my new loyal companion… ah, that's right.

I haven't introduced myself.

Where are my manners, "You know, I forgot to introduce myself… my name is Roth Sigurd, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Extending a hand out I find she is quite receptive as she takes my hand and lightly bows, "The pleasure is all mine, and my name is Katherine, Priestess Katherine."

Chapter 17: The Earl and Selene

(Saturday, March 6th Game Day / Friday, January 22nd Real Day)

The village of Andal is roughly 60 miles away based off a vague memory if I follow the river, though since I hadn't charted it yet it was just a best guess.

The furthest of the Northern Triangle's villages was roughly ten miles west of my location, with the southern point of the Triangle being another ten miles out. From there, it would be a roughly thirty five mile journey to Andal… not the worst of journeys but certainly a waste of time if I don't find anything.

Leaving Katherine at the cabin with the majority of my supplies, I headed out on my journey. Roughly an hour later I ended up at the northern-most village and it was now mid-day.

Without any time to lose, I started asking the townsfolk if any of them had dealt with the Earl in Andal before and was informed there was one family that had previously lived under his rule, but out of discontent with the Earl's treatment the man moved his family north about four months ago.

A disgruntled ex-villager would be perfect for gathering information, things were going quite smoothly. With a plan to simply ask the man for some details and continue on my way, I headed out and asked the other village folk where I could find the family.

I was disappointed in very short order; it turned out the family had disappeared two months ago after a few men from the Earl visited, though all of their belongings were still in their house.

Sounds like the Earl has a hard time letting go, I guess this is why Katherine said I would be an enemy of the Earl if I helped her…
sigh
. I look to the sky and see that the sun is starting to set. It seems I have less than two hours before nightfall, I better hurry.

I make it to the outskirts of the southernmost Triangle Village just as the sun finally sets and make my way to the inn; as I was able to catch a few more rabbits and a fox while traveling, I traded them all for a few copper a piece and a place to stay for the night. This was the key to success in-game, never paying straight for services but trading for what was necessary and turning a profit if possible.

Bartering often proved much more valuable than straight trade.

The inn here was quite a bit larger than the other village and the population seemed to be at least double at over fifty people. Of course, those were NPC numbers as there was not a single player. But despite the lack of users, it wasn't a bad place to do trade.

Settling into my small bed inside the inn room, I decided to log out for a short break. Though one can travel at night, it's dangerous and easy to get lost out in the woods without markers but thanks to the speed of the game you'll only be in the dark for four hours before the sun rises again.

It wasn't too bad, these planned breaks. There were certain benefits to playing aggressively for a few hours then relaxing for a bit. I'm sure that was all a part of the developer's decisions.

The next journey was a thirty-five mile trek that would take me through a narrow path through opposing forests. There wasn't anything too special about it except for the fact that it would take at least three and a half hours to complete.

Could really use a mount right now… but I would just have to make due with an extended marathon.

Seeing as players were capable of running at incredible speeds if their Agility stat was high enough, late game travel wouldn't be a big deal. Especially if one coupled their high Agility with a high Endurance stat, a person could run for hours at incredible speeds.

Unfortunately my Agility wasn't much better than an average athlete so the fastest I could run at was a pace of about a mile in seven minutes. The upside was that I actually had relatively high Endurance so I could maintain that pace for a few hours… 8.6-MPH wasn't a half bad marathon pace.

After logging back in it was still dark out but my character had rested for two hours which was equivalent to a quarter-day in-game, so I was essentially well rested and good to go. I grabbed my gear and started my run south, with hopes of being able to find some hunting on the way.

I hadn't had breakfast in-game after all!

Roughly four grueling hours later I had finally arrived at Andal.

On the way I killed three foxes and seventeen rabbits, filling my small bag to the brim. But the biggest discovery was of a small bear sleeping in a tree! Unfortunately the bear looked to be well over level 50 and would pose a serious threat, too dangerous to hunt solo so I had to leave it be. At that time a thought crossed my mind, "Ah, maybe I should have brought Katherine with me…."

As I made my way into the village I was quickly greeted by a guard standing post at the northern entrance, the village was barricaded with wood and had four entrances respectively.

Walking through the village I made my way around the stalls, browsing for goods that might be useful. The village had at least two hundred people and a standing militia of around twenty. It was a small force but a deadly one this far north, if they mobilized against the smaller Triangle Villages… I'm afraid they wouldn't last very long.

There weren't any active players here either; the North really was a vacant wasteland.

It didn't take long for me to realize that the village people were of poor spirits compared to the lively warriors who were indulging themselves in ale in what was essentially mid-day.

Maybe if they had a recreation center where they could dance and sing they would be happier.

The Earl rewarded his warriors and kept them happy at the expense of the villagers, if my guess was right. And dissent and escape led to your eventual disappearance, evidenced by the family that had moved north.

They just couldn't catch a break either way, it seemed.

Not finding anything of use at the stalls, I made my way to the trading post to sell off my foxes and rabbits. I would have kept the fox pelts but there was no telling what might happen in the next few hours and the added weight on my back would be a detriment in battle.

As soon as I finished trading, the Earl strolled over with what must be Wife #2 for
she
certainly was peculiar looking… I made my greetings and bowed to the Earl, showing my respects.

After introducing myself the Earl claimed to have heard of me, "The First of the North," he says to me. It seems my title had already started to spread, this could help me leverage, lucky!

Now I just need to gather some information and hope Selene hasn't been captured or disposed of. As I was thinking that, the figure of a female hunter with medium length black hair had just walked through the eastern gate carrying five wolf pelts and a large bag of meat. That's my girl… and… she's early... "Son of a bitch," I muttered under my breath.

I quickly tried to think of a way to turn this situation to my favor, hoping the Earl wouldn't do anything drastic… too late, I could see the Earl's sinister smile already as he waved to a few men.

Before they could apprehend her or say anything I decide to try my luck, "My honorable Earl, who is that female hunter that comes our way? She has many pelts dangling from her arm, and such a large bag hanging from her shoulder. She must be a skilled hunter!"

The Earl was caught by surprise and simply replied, "She is indeed a formidable hunter, but not to the level of my men!" …of course, I figured he would boast as most nobility would.

I decided to push this route and ask the Earl, "Ah! My Earl, I saw a bear asleep in a tree just half a mile north of the village but thirty minutes ago, would you do me the honor to lend me this female hunter so I may challenge the bear?

"I am afraid that I alone am not capable of such a feat, but with a skilled hunter at my side I believe the bear shall be mine. Of course the spoils would belong to you my lord, as undoubtedly all the lands as far as I can see belong to you, and all that sets foot on your land in turn belongs to you as well."

I've baited the hook and tossed the line; now let us see if it sinks.

The Earl was visibly unhappy, but attempted to mask his displeasure and offered a counter proposal, "Ah but the poor woman, she has just returned from a long hunt, why not take one of my men instead and let the young miss enjoy a much deserved break. We can enjoy the bear together; in fact once you kill that bear we shall have a feast with all of the warriors!"

The words were true, no matter the character of the man speaking, she had just returned from a week-long expedition. But I couldn't lose this opportunity else she may end up dead and the quest a failure, not to mention the loss of trust from Katherine.

My new lovely pocket healer
cough
companion.

"Ah but I am so intrigued by this female hunter, I have never met a female that could hunt wolves alone, I implore you my lord, to lose this chance, no, I must have this chance to hunt the bear alongside a beautiful huntress! Mayhaps, would the Earl care to join as well?"

It was a longshot, but maybe.

Just maybe it would work.

The Earl quietly thought to himself with no care of hiding his emotions on the subject as his face writhed and wiggled like a worm. No a worm is too kind, he writhed and wiggled like a maggot. I wanted to step on his face until the boot came out the other end.

In the end, with all of the village folk looking on, he decided to save face and replied with a loud boisterous laugh, "Haha you have a way with words young adventurer! You remind me of my youth! But alas I am but an old humble lord and am no longer fit to hunt. If you insist on hunting with her so, I shall permit it on condition that you are escorted by five of my finest warriors. They are experienced in battle and will ensure your safety in case anything goes wrong!"

Perfect.

I was able to gather from the trade master that he only had control of twenty warriors, though I knew from my play-through during the Alpha testing that all of his guards were around level 60-80 except for his champion who was level 100.

So long as it was the lower level guards I might be able to pull this off.

I made my way towards Selene who had heard the last bit of our conversation and introduced myself.

"How do you do miss, my name is Roth Sigurd, the first adventurer of the North, and it would be to my utmost pleasure to extend an invitation to you to accompany me on a joyous hunt of a menacing bear, just north in the woods."

Phew that was pompously long-winded, but thankfully her disposition wasn't bad.

She paused for a moment then returned a greeting, slightly bowing her head and saying: "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Roth Sigurd, but as the Earl has noted I have just returned from a hunt and would prefer to settle my affairs and have a meal. I must also see to my friend, so if you would excuse my rudeness I would be grateful."

Sigh
, this girl.

Meanwhile the Earl let a devious smile creep up the side of his face.

Though I can't blame her for being reasonable, stop making me work so damn hard!

Katherine! Why couldn't you have some secret safe word or something!

"Ah but miss, uhm, miss…." I trailed off on purpose to let her continue on.

"Selene, Mister Roth."

"Ah Selene, quite a lovely name. Miss Selene, I simply must insist that you hunt with me, I'm sure your friend will be fine if she does not see you within the hour? Come, come, let us sell these pelts to the trade master and I have rabbit jerky for the road, we must hurry you see, the bear may wake and move at any moment!"

At this I look to the Earl and repeat myself once more, "Earl, this friend Selene speaks of, I'm sure she is not ill or anything? Surely Miss Selene can see her after, yes?"

To this the Earl's smile vanished for a moment but was soon back and wider than ever as he confidently stated, "Of course! The Miss is in the best of care in the presence of my other wives. Miss Selene, I must insist that you take our quirky adventurer here out to finish this most grand of hunts!"

Up to this point everything had gone smoothly, though I still had to be wary of this Earl potentially ordering his men to kill me as soon as we exit the village walls.

Looking at Selene and extending my arm, I confidently spoke out, "Ah then it is settled, come with me Miss Selene, we shall take these furs to the trade master and be on our way!"

I knew we likely wouldn't be coming back to this village anytime soon, so it would be best to get some money for these pelts… else they be lost. After settling the trade the now party of seven made their way out through the northern gate and into the forest.

The bear was only minutes away and the warriors didn't seem to care too much about me. I decided now was the time to inform Selene of the plan to escape.

Selene was walking ahead of the five men, so I shortened my gait to that of the warriors and leaned my head over with my hand covering my mouth, "She's a fine lady is she not? Watch and learn from the master gents, I'll show you how to win over a lady such as she."

As soon as I finished the men chuckled and let out grunts of approval and I thusly sped up my pace and slid in next to Selene. Putting my left arm around her shoulders I quickly whispered to her, "Your life is in danger, act normal."