Far too fast and far too hard, the ball impacts the child in the chest, the wind is knocked out of him as the sound of ribs cracking is heard by all nearby. The adult orc grunts, commanding his entourage to move along with him. After the shock passes, the other children begin screaming. Parents emerge from their hovels, most covering their mouths in horror, one mother crying out in agony as she cradles her child’s lifeless body.
The scene changes to a riot outside of the Honorlord’s great fortress, orcs and beastmen shouting and gesturing at the honorguards in a line physically preventing them from moving inside. The pair of guards on a raised balcony split as the Honorlord makes his appearance, leering down at the gathered masses from above. The volume of the shouting rises once and again, as the Honorlord’s son, the child-killer, stands beside his father with contempt on his face. Without uttering a word, the Honorlord raises his hand.
Arrows rain down from the roof into the crowd, ending the lives of dozens of citizens before the survivors desperately run away screaming. The son’s smile fades as his father gives him a disapproving look, both move away from the ledge and back inside.
CROSSROADS ONLINE: REVOLUTION appears as the scene fades to black.
“Alright, now that I’ve seen the cutscene with my new rig, it’s time for me to go to bed.” Peter says in between yawns.
“Goodnight.” I tell him, still processing what I just saw. I know Peter has done this all before, but for me, especially as a parent, that cutscene shook me to my core. If I wasn't sufficiently motivated to end the Honorlord’s bloodline before, I am now.
“Try to craft a set of level 60 armor and grab a cloak, necklace, and a ring from the auction house. I didn’t realise you don’t have any. I thought you had just set them to non-visible.”
“Got it.” I say, leaving the inn.
Peter has logged out.
We used our hertstons after we finished rolling for loot from the final dungeon boss. I admire the ring I won, idly spinning it around my finger. The ivory band appears over my gloves, thankfully it doesn't have to be equipped manually. It appeared there when I thought about putting it on.
Minotaurus Horn Ring - Epic ring - Low strength - Requires level 60
Using the non-player-character auctioneer , I buy enough iron ore to create bone steel bars for a full set of level-appropriate armor, minus gloves and belt. It takes a lot more mental math than I'm comfortable with, but I determine that buying the base materials is cheaper than buying the refined bars, or the finished product. I also calculate how many units of ore I need, giving myself a headache.
I make my way to the smithy riding my new chariot. The trip is quiet, after days of being hounded by “Spankies”, I’m grateful for the peace. Once there, I start smelting and hammering away.
You’ve crafted Bone Steel Ingot.
You’ve crafted Bone Steel Ingot.
You’ve crafted Bone Steel Ingot.
Aggrevatingly, my blacksmithing level doesn’t move. I figure out why without much effort, I’m locked at level 60 until I go to my trainer and pay for the next ten levels. Gold gold gold, everything costs gold. The training is a pittance compared to the cost of materials, but still. I reserve my right to complain. Especially since this project has set me back by 10,000 gold, leaving me with just over 70,000.
You’ve crafted Bone Steel Ingot.
You’ve crafted Bone Steel Ingot.
You’ve crafted Bone Steel Ingot.
I scratch the side of my face. Hmm. I’m still not gaining any levels. I suppose that makes sense, I can craft a helm, shoulders, chest, bracers, gloves, belt, pants and boots. Each piece requires several bars, so if every bar gave me a level, I’d be almost level 70 blacksmithing before I craft a single piece of equipment. Luckily, I only have to craft six of the eight pieces, I don’t have enough bones for everything and I can’t buy them.
You’ve crafted Bone Steel Helm.
You’ve crafted Bone Steel Shoulders.
You’ve crafted Bone Steel Chest.
Alright, what the fuck? I dig into my blacksmithing window. Finally, I notice the new category of metal: Mithril. The only thing that will grant me levels is mithril bars and armor, but reading the description, I can’t equip any piece before 61, and only four pieces of the set. Ugh. I finish the rest of the armor pieces that I need, equipping the ones I know for sure are improvements on my stats. The only piece I question is my unique helm.
King Emperor’s Crown - Unique helm - Minimum intellect - Minimum armor - Requires level 40
Use: Summon People of the Labyrinth under your command - Short Duration - Extremely long cooldown
- People of the Labyrinth: Cyclops - Builds walls to slow your target.
- People of the Labyrinth: Minotaur - Uses horns, hooves, and fists to damage your target.
- People of the Labyrinth: Apprentice mage: Casts spells to weaken or empower your target.
I compare the stat and level requirement to my newly crafted helm.
Bone Steel Helm - Uncommon helm - Low Strength - Low armor - Requires level 60
By the metric Peter gave me, the new helm is superior. However, my crown is unique and has a use ability. Without detailed stats, I have no way of knowing with certainty what one is better. Come to think of it, I don’t even know if strength is my primary stat, or if I’ve just been assuming such. Helga is not online, and without Peter, I don’t know who to ask. I’m not risking the attention of general chat, so I’ll just have to live in ignorance until one of them logs in.
I equip the bone steel helm, Feeling stronger and dumber at the same time. Maybe that little intellect boost was the reason I could do math. I’ll have to hold onto it just in case.
Iwanttobelieve says: Got time to talk?
Earl says: Sure. The usual spot?
Iwanttobelieve says: Again, we don’t have to meet “in person”, but if you’d prefer…
Earl says: Yes. See you there.
I make my way from the smithy to the Halls of Honor, my trip is short on my mount. As I reach my destination, I’m horrified to find the corpses of the slaughtered rioters in front of the Honorlord’s keep. Honorguards stand at the ready, blocking the entry, and patrolling nearby. I avoid their attention and enter the halls nearby. They are almost completely vacant, other than Tim the Alchemist, who never seems to log out, and a Minotaur, seated at one of the long tables, a snack in one hand and a book in the other. We make eye contact, but before I can introduce myself, Iwanttobelieve waves me over to a private room.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Let’s get this done quickly so we can both get to bed. I’m sure it’s been a long day for you as well.” Iwanttobelieve says as I take my seat across from him.
I look at my time remaining instead of the server clock, the time of day having little bearing on me. 22 days, 18 hours. Plenty of time to accrue 500,000 gold, and yet, I’m terrified it won’t be.
“What did you want to talk about?” I ask.
“We want to capitalize on your fifteen minutes of fame, so my team has put together a plan for you to follow.” He tells me, taking out his tablet.
“Your team? I thought you were a journalist.” I mention, raising an eyebrow.
“You could say I wear a lot of hats.” He tells me humorlessly.
“Oh I know how that feels” I nod. Do I, though? My recollection of being employed in my past life is fuzzy at best. It feels like I do.
“You’re in an awkward level range.” He slides the tablet across the table to me. “We only have one other first expansion player under contract. Her name is Lovelymoose in-game. She’s a level sixty two reclaimer. It's not a popular class, so even at her level, she’s the paragon.”
I pick up the tablet, getting a look at her headshot.
“That’s the minotaur out in the hall.” I state the obvious, he definitely already knows that.
“Correct. We’re pairing you up for her stream today. She’s going foraging. Just follow her lead and you’ll do fine.” He reaches for the tablet, I hand it back to him.
“Ok I guess.” I signed a contract, so I’m obligated to do as he asks. I don’t have anything else going on I suppose, I’m waiting for Peter to continue the story quest anyways.
“Oh, and Earl?” He stops me as I’m walking out. “Don’t make any moves on her. She’s not that kind of streamer.”
“Neither am I.” I tell him, kind of insulted.
“Coulda fooled me.” he shrugs.
I just stare at him. That’s not fair and he knows it. I wasn’t given the option to not be “that kind of streamer”. I didn’t want to be a streamer in the first place. Is he trying to piss me off? Instead of arguing, I just leave. He’s not going to get a rise out of me with cheap shots. Lovelymoose is still in the same spot, turning the page of her book.
“Mind if I sit here?” I ask her, gesturing to the seat across from her.
“Go for it” she tells me without looking up from her book.
I sit, and watch her read. Despite her bovine features, she is undeniably attractive. The fur covering her face, and possibly her entire body, is light brown like heavily creamed coffee. Her small horns are a lighter brown, the color of dead grass. She has green, intelligent eyes that lazily scroll through the text on the page. I jump when they look up at me.
“Can I help you?” she asks, catching me staring.
I clear my throat awkwardly.
“My name is Earl, I was told to accompany you on your steam today.” I tell her.
“Yeah, I know.” She closes her book and lays in on the table. “Are you even a herbalist?”
“Uhh, no. I picked mining.” herbalism is another gathering profession, the one that collects plants.
“So you’re just going to watch me pick mushrooms.” she states.
“Sounds like it!” I chuckle, desperately trying to shift the mood of our first impression. It does not work.
We sit in awkward silence for what feels like an eternity.
“We’re going to the Gormer Forest. You know where that is.” She tells me, not asking. She stands up, placing her book and chips in her inventory.
I follow her out of the halls, and mount up. She rides a huge moose, thicker than a draft horse in every dimension, with massive antlers on its head that would block her view if she was any shorter. Naturally, as a minotaur, she is quite tall. Taller than me, in fact.
Lovelymoose. Level 62 Reclaimer
I get a good look at her armor as I follow her out of the city. It looks like simple robes and accessories that have been reclaimed by nature, moss and vines growing over most of the surface. I almost crash my chariot as a new window pops up, it looks identical to my character window, except she is standing in it, and her armor is in the equipment slots. Have I been able to inspect other people this whole time?
Reclaimed Robes of the Mad Mage - Epic chest - Low intellect - Low armor - Requires level 60
If I had to guess, those are from her class-specific quest she got for the dungeon I just completed. Although they don’t have a special ability like my shield. Maybe the behind-the-curtain stats are better.
At mounted speed, we make it to the forest in no time at all. As we cross the border from clearcut, she dismounts, and retrieves her book.
“Hello everyone. Today we’re foraging in the Gormer Woods. We’re looking for low-level mushrooms, called Chicken of the Woods. They’re called that because the flavor and texture is similar to chicken.” Lovelymoose announces, clearly having started streaming. “Also, Earl is here.” she adds, flatly.
I wave, thinking her viewers may be able to see me. If the feed is from her perspective, all they see right now is trees and her book. We walk through the forest, she occasionally stops to read her book or talk to her audience. I get bored pretty quickly, and start wandering off. As I round a tree, I spot a patch of bright orange mushrooms on the bark, shaped like hand fans.
“Hey, is this it?” I holler to her. She turns to me, eyebrow raised over her grayed recording eye.
“Yes it is.” she confirms when she arrives next to me. She carefully cuts the fungi from the bark, placing it in her inventory. “My viewers would like to know if you’ve done this before.”
“Nope, first time.” I tell her, and them.
She gives me a look I can’t make sense of. Is she impressed? Annoyed? Who knows. She stands up, and moves on to find more mushrooms. We both find a few more patches, she picks them and I watch the first few times, but continue the hunt after I play spotter every time after. We keep at it for quite a while.
“No.” She says to her viewers.
“What did they say?” I ask. She jumps, not realizing I was nearby.
“Nothing.” she says, walking away.
“Alrighty then.” I say, looking for more mushrooms. We manage to avoid any elves, or hostile creatures of any kind for a long time. When we do eventually encounter an elf, Lovelymoose puts her hand out to stop me from dealing with them.
“He can’t hurt us. There’s no reason to hurt him.” she says, casting a spell. Roots rise from the ground, wrapping the elf and restraining him fully. He shouts his violent intentions at us, but can’t move his arms to draw a weapon.
“It’s just an N.P.C. though?” I ask. She turns to face me, that same unreadable look on her face.
“This game and everything in it is alive in a way that we can’t understand.” she tells me.
“Is that something your class lore says?” I ask, having nothing else to go on.
“Yes.” she says, without elaborating.
“What is your class about?” I pry.
“Reclaimers are a mixed class between druids and elementalists. Druids have powers over nature, and elementalists have power over basic elements, like fire and water. I have both.” She informs me.
I retrieve my hammer, and spin it on my finger like a basketball before commanding it to fly from one hand to the other, around my back, and through my legs.
“Weaponmaster does what the name implies.” I say after putting on a show. “But I don’t see what nature and elemental magic have to do with reclaiming. Could you explain? Low intellect class, sorry.” I try to joke. She seems unimpressed.
“At the heart of the class is rejection and rage against industrialization. The world screams out in pain with every tree chopped down, and in fury at every castle built on the stumps. My druid-like abilities heal and encourage natural growth. My elemental abilities tear down what's caused nature to need healing in the first place.” She explains to me.
“Huh. That’s cool.” I say. “Like, magic eco-terroism.”
She rolls her eyes.
“That was a compliment!” I insist. She does not seem convinced. Damn it.
We keep at it for a while longer, before she abruptly stops walking.
“That’s it for today everyone. Thank you for tuning in, see you next time!” She ends the stream with the first hint of enthusiasm I've heard up until now. She turns to me. “That wasn’t as terrible as I expected. And my viewer count was the highest ever, so… I guess we can do this again.”
“Sounds good.” I say, matching her energy. I wouldn't call this trip fun, pre-se, but I've had worse.
“Ok.” she says. “See you later.” She uses her hertston and vanishes.
“God damn, that was awful.” I say to nobody.
“Why, because you didn’t put a baby in her in the first ten minutes?” a crackling voice asks me.
“Damn it.” I say under my breath.