Survival Quest (The Way of the Shaman: Book #1) (20 page)

I spent the next seven days levelling up my stats, using Rats and mining to increase my Strength to 7, Stamina to 11, Intellect to 9, Agility to 6 and Endurance to 7. In seven days I brought down 87 Rats, after I resumed patrolling other prisoners' sections, so I was only 86 points away from level 8 and 140 points away from Respect. If I was to translate that into Rats, I had 70 of them left to kill until I could leave the mine. Four days at the most.

The day barely dawned when all my plans were ruined by the shout of the overseer:

“Mahan, the boss wants to see you right away!"

The orc's place was surprisingly crowded. The owner of the office stood by the bookshelf and was leafing through a tome. The sight of the enormous six-foot-tall orc holding a small book in his hands was so unnatural that I struggled to suppress a smile. 'Why is he not at his usual place?' I wondered and looked in the direction where I usually saw the mine governor.

The huge and very comfortable chair wasn't just occupied, but also surrounded by a detachment of impressive-looking guards. And these guys are still alive? The boss must be getting old. The place behind the orc's table was occupied by a plump, short-armed man with a fat glossy face. It would have been easier to call him a toad - one that's been blown up to the size of a dwarf. I realized who graced us with his presence when I saw the Kameamia around this character's neck: the Regional Governor was visiting the mine.

The Game Developers always give the NPCs a behavior pattern and temperament that corresponded to their appearance. I wondered what the inspiration behind this NPC was: did his creator remember his mother in law at the wrong time or did he just have a weird sense of humor? Whatever the case may be, I had every reason to believe that the Regional Governor was a rare bastard and that it was dangerous to get involved with him. If what the boss recently told me about the chess set was true, I can probably guess on whose account this weird creature came here.

"So that's who made my Kameamia?" when I heard this Governor's voice, I once again silently swore at the developers. They sure knew how to troll. They decided to make a play of contrasts - this picturesque toad spoke in a high squeaky voice, smacking his spittle-filled lips at every word. I had to muster all my self-control to endure the start of this acquaintance and not break out in stupid laughter. I tried to concentrate on what he was saying instead.

"I decided to put all my business aside and come to have a look at the name behind my Kameamia. Come closer and accept my gratitude. I know how to value those who are capable of bringing joy to their Governor with truly Unique Items. Or even Legendary ones," he stretched out his hand with his palm facing upwards, fingers slightly bent.

I didn't get it: was he asking me for alms?

"I believe that such a master must grace my town with his presence. So, what do you say? Ready to move to my town? I can arrange this. All you have to do is say that you're the Great Jeweler who makes Legendary Items and give them to me. Well, don't just stand there! I'm waiting to see your handiwork," the Regional Governor jerked his hand impatiently, dispelling any remaining doubts. He thought that this was the cue for me to fall to my knees, kiss the floor to honor of my benefactor's arrival and immediately confess: 'I'm that Jeweler and here are the figurines, please take them'.

"I am waiting! Don't you want to get out of here? Be careful, I am very easily angered," squeaked this man-like ridiculousness.

So, it looked like this toad of a Governor decided that the prisoner who made his Kameamia is none other than that mysterious Jeweler. Damn, looks like I'm in a pickle. And it all makes sense - did he make the chain? Yes he did. A unique one? A unique one. Did he create a Legendary Item in the mine? Yes he did. So the chess pieces were mine for sure.

"Yes, I did recently make a few crafted items," I replied and saw the regional governor's eyes fire up. He almost jumped off the chair, wishing to quickly run to me and snatch, take and appropriate everything I had. The orc narrowed his eyes, piercing me with his gaze. What? You didn't expect this did you? Yes, that's what I'm like.

I dug around my bag and took out eight +2 rings that I've not yet sold to other prisoners and handed them to the Governor.

"That's all that I know how to make. They're only +2, since I'm not a very experienced Jeweler yet. After I do more learning and levelling up, I'd make some for +3 or even +4. Isn't this what you came for?"

The Governor gathered my rings and began to examine them. Gradually the happy glow on his face faded into a picture of disappointment. He stood there a moment, wrinkling his brow in disgust, and then threw my rings on the table and wiped his hands with a handkerchief.

"Cheap rubbish!" hissed the Governor. "Why did you give me trash that could be bought in any Jeweler's shop? I clearly told you that I need the Malachite Orc Warriors from the Karmadont Chess Set! Do you have them? Are you the one who made them?"

A-ha! We are no longer quite so sure that I'm that Great Jeweler. Very good. Time to move in for the kill. I barely opened my mouth to state my refusal, but the orc beat me to it.

"The limitations of the Pryke Copper Mine do not permit prisoners to reach level 13 in any of the professions. The message of the heralds stated that the Malachite Orc Warriors were created by a Great Jeweler. A level 12 Great Jeweler is..."

"But he made the Kameamia!" screamed the Governor, interrupting the orc. "Even if it's made from cheap materials, it's still magnificent! What else could he create if not the orc figurines?"

"The figurines were made from Malachite. No Malachite was ever brought into my mine," replied the orc.

"This is my mine! You hear, you ugly orc mug? Remember: this is my mine, not yours!" shrieked the Governor as he jumped on the chair.

"No Malachite has been brought into your mine. Ever." replied the orc, unperturbed.

"Then I want to get the item that he created," a calmer Governor now turned to the orc, ignoring me altogether. "Even if it's not the chess pieces, I will not allow him to own a Unique Item. Moreover, he should go pack his things - I'm taking him back to my castle. I have no intention of letting a Jeweler capable of making Unique and Legendary Items slip away from me."

"Prisoner Mahan cannot leave your mine at your behest," replied the orc, also completely ignoring my presence. "Neither I nor you may break the law. Neither I nor you may take a prisoner's possessions by force. That is also the law."

"I'm the law here!" screamed the Regional Governor, breaking off the orc and spraying spittle in all directions. "If Mahan didn't make the orc chess pieces, he must create all the rest! He must! Only I should possess such things, because with their aid I could open..." The Governor suddenly fell silent, glancing from side to side, got his breath back and went on. "I shall await this man in my castle! Today!"

"Prisoner Mahan cannot leave your mine at your behest," repeated the orc methodically. Yeah, this guy will make a decent parrot, come to think of it. He's so green and big - a typical Ara. He just lacks a tail, but attaching one is no problem.

The Regional Governor lost it. Big time. For about ten minutes he was screaming at our boss that an oaf like him could only work in a mine, preferably as a prisoner. The Governor didn't forget to favor me with some of his attention either, revealing to me a joyous piece of news: I was a slug and pathetic parody of a human being or not a human being at all, but a cross between a gnoll and some unknown vile creature. At last, having screamed his fill, the Regional Governor ordered for a transport portal to be opened and, saying that he won't forget what happened here in a hurry, left the mine. If that's the role this NPC is playing, I became curious about how things were going with this province’s economy. Or did the developers put a wise advisor next to each ruler like this?

Nothing unusual happened until the evening. Twenty Rats took me forty points closer to Respect, Sakas started to produce 12 ingots a day and, in general, I had no reason for giving the Regional Governor's visit any further thought. It was a really strange episode of my imprisonment, to be honest. He came, threatened, shouted and left. What's the point? In my thoughts I was already at the meeting of the release committee, but then I was summoned to the mine boss once again.

This time there was no-one else in the office besides the orc. I was even glad of this - he wouldn't summon me without a reason, so I'm probably in for a bonus of some kind.

To my surprise the boss started to speak to me in protocol-steeped intonations:

"According to the Emperor's decree, each mine in our province must provide at least one prisoner for mining Malachite at the restricted-access Dolma Mine. Provision requirements: random selection from prisoners of level 7 or above with at least level 9 in the mining skill. On my mine we have forty eight sentients like that and the selection process picked out the prisoner known to you as Sakas. According to point 6 paragraph 15 of the provision on prisoners in the Malabar Empire, I am questioning other candidates on whether they wish to take the place of the chosen candidate. Here is the situation. The Dolma mine contains Large Copper Veins, from which Malachite is mined. The task of the prisoner is to mine 20 pieces of Malachite in the course of two weeks. The mine contains aggressive Rats, so there is a chance that the prisoner might be sent for respawn and be stripped of all his stats. If this happens, he returns back to his mine. As in our mine, there are sections containing veins; no-one has access to these except for the prisoners, so the section would have no immediate guard protection. But if the prisoner, being attacked by a Rat, manages to run back to the main part of the mine, he will be helped by guards and healers."

The orc fell silent for a few moments, and then continued in his usual Akela voice:

"The level eight orc known to you as Sakas has ten levels in Mining and nine in Woodcarving. He put pretty much all his free stat points into Agility, so he doesn't have much of a chance against the Rats. I am asking you: do you want to take Sakas' place?"

"Why did this decree suddenly come out?" I asked the orc, baffled, as I thought over his words.

"The reason is simple: the crafted Malachite figurines. The Jeweler profession became very popular in Barliona in the past week. Practically one out of ten sentients is now aiming to become a Jeweler. The mines meet the demand for ores well enough, but they cannot do so where Precious Stones are concerned. Now everyone's rushing to buy up Lapis to make the Dwarf figurines, but you have to train yourself up before you're able to work that stone. You have to learn by making Copper Rings and working with Malachite and only then can you start making things with Lapis. It is possible to mine Malachite in our province, but only prisoners are able to do that, because Dolma is not one of the free mines. The Emperor ordered for one prisoner to be taken from each mine and sent to mine Malachite. Sakas is guaranteed to die in that mine, but you have a chance of surviving and completing the task. Now it's your time to choose: will you take Sakas's place?"

"What will happen if I complete the quest?" I asked the orc, although I've already made my decision.

"Nothing except for my Respect. My respect, not that of the Pryke Mine Guards. Everything else you already have," said the orc, in what seemed to be a quiet voice, but his words echoed through the office like thunder. So it means that if I accept the quest now, I'll not get anything except for the uncertain Respect of the orc?

Quest available: "Bloody Malachite".

Description: In the course of two weeks, while fighting off Rats, mine 20 pieces of Malachite from Large Copper Veins in the closed Dolma Mine. Attention! The Rats are aggressive! Chance of Malachite drop: 100%. Quest type: Rare. Reward: Respect of the Pryke Mine Guards, Respect of the Pryke Mine Governor. Penalty for failing the quest: resetting of all stat points.

"And what will happen if I accept the quest, but fail to complete it in time? Assuming the Rats don't get me first?" I decided to clarify a point of concern.

"If the prisoner fails to complete the quest within two weeks after its start, he is left for the Rats and all his skills are reset."

I couldn't help smiling. Resetting of all stat points. Is that what it's called now? If you fail the quest - you get eaten by Rats. If you get too carried away with mining ore - you get eaten by Rats. If you fail to run to the guards in time - you get eaten by Rats. What great prospects. Do I even need this?

"In that case I'll pass. I have no reason to risk everything that I've already achieved. I have too much to lose."

You have rejected the "Bloody Malachite" quest.

Your reputation with the Pryke Mine Guards has fallen by 300 points. You are 400 points away from the status of Respect.

The orc looked at me for a few moments, then said in a chilling voice, "This is your choice. You may go."

As I left the mine governor, I tried to convince myself that things didn't turn out all that bad. I could weather an extra month in the mine to avoid risking my Crafting skill. So that was the price of Crafting - a month of freedom. Otherwise I had no way of knowing if I'd be able to raise it to its current level again. A pity about Sakas - he could make some really good things. I'll have to look for a Smith again, and if Sakas gets 'lucky', a new deputy too.