As the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm golden hue over the picturesque coastal town of Azure Harbor, one arrival wasn’t enjoying the night. Eddie plunged directly into a fountain in the middle of a small cul-de-sac surrounded by enormous mansions. Luckily, his gills opened up and he managed to avoid sputtering. But still, Eddie was not pleased. “God, what a fucking prick,” Eddie muttered. “Where the fuck am I?”
Before he could even open his status screen to figure out what being an Aquatic Goblin entailed, he heard “hey, you. The goblin. Get out of the fountain!!” A guard was running toward him and snapped, “how the hell did you even get here? This is a private neighborhood.”
“Ah, about that. I just got thrown down here. I would be happy to depart,” Eddie replied as he got out of the fountain.
“Woah. Level 0, are you a traveler?” The guard asked. “I’ve never seen anyone but a baby at level 0 before. I heard travelers would be coming to the lands but I thought they would be mostly in Triton’s Reach. Oh, I should probably mention, that’s the capital of Tritonia, this kingdom.”
“Yeah. I’m a traveler, I guess. I didn’t think I would fall into a fountain. I’m Eddie, by the way. Could you point me in the direction of the nearest inn?” Eddie was happy because it didn’t seem like he would be arrested and despite his odd arrival location, wherever he was seemed prosperous enough.
“Sure, sure. But I have to escort you to the edge of the neighborhood. Once you’re out, then take a left onto the main road and you should find most the inns there. New travelers get special discounts so you can stay in pretty much any single room, provided its not one of the luxury hotels.” The guard tossed Eddie a towel that had just appeared in his hands and waited for him to walk down the fountain steps.
“Thank you sir,” Eddie replied. Then he flicked a coin that he’d found in his pocket to the guard, he’d always thought it would be cool to do, but it would be too demeaning to do so in reality. The guard caught it and snorted before flicking it right back.
“You’re gonna need all the coins you can get. This is one of the most expensive towns in Tritonia. Even a gold coin like that spends like copper around here. You’d better be very careful with your funds. One piece of advice, most people around here would take this coin and tell you a thing.” The guard gestured toward a massive gate, indicating where they would need to leave. The gate was crafted from wrought iron and embellished with intricate scrollwork and decorative fleur de lis, exuding an air of elegance and sophistication.
As they walked under the gate, the guard motioned to it and said, “this is as understated as it gets. The rest of this island is known for two things: opulence and exclusivity. The richest people from this kingdom, and the surrounding kingdoms visit here. Only the kings and the most powerful can actually live here. You don’t know anything. You just got here. I’m not gonna teach you about classes or any of that – that shit’ll take way too long and isn’t my fucking job.”
“Here’s the long and short of the town. Money will buy anything here, and yeah, I mean literally anything. You got copper, silver, gold, platinum, and electrum. One hundred of copper makes up a silver, one hundred of silver makes up a gold, and et cetera et cetera. Above that, you got swaps for items, and gems for a more standard exchange.”
“And to be quite clear. You are screwed. A loaf of bread in a normal town, three coppers. Here, the cheapest bread is a multigrain sourdough with a thirty-year-old starter that’ll cost ya three gold. So, good luck. Have a good life.” The guard threw Eddie a peace sign and walked away.
Eddie stopped in shock. Not by the guard’s words, but by the sign for the Azure Harbor Casino. It was a spectacle of excess, extravagance, but above all, gaudiness. The type of gaudiness that only someone with more money than God and the taste of a 3-year-old with too much sugar would enjoy. At the center of the sign, a colossal golden roulette wheel spun endlessly, adorned with flashing lights and glittering jewels. Each segment of the wheel was emblazoned with symbols of wealth—diamonds, piles of gold coins, and… raspberries? Raspberries must be rare in this world.
Encircling the roulette wheel, neon lights in every color imaginable flickered and danced, spelling out the casino's name in bold, shimmering letters: Azure Harbor Casino. The letters themselves were encrusted with faux diamonds and gemstones. Beneath this visual cacophony, a series of cascading waterfalls tumbled down, their crystalline waters tinted with rainbow hues from hidden lights. The sound of the water added a surreal, almost soothing counterpoint to the otherwise chaotic visual scene.
Tropical plants and exotic flowers, clearly artificial but painstakingly crafted, surrounded the base of the waterfalls, adding an incongruous touch of nature to the over-the-top display. As if all this wasn't enough, the entire sign was bordered by a series of screens displaying images of jackpots being won, champagne being popped, and glamorous patrons celebrating their luck.
Eddie was stunned by the sign. He didn’t think that a magical, medieval world would support that level of opulence and wealth, but apparently magic could do more than he thought. Speaking of, what kind of magic was there in this game? He hadn’t even checked the stats that he had as an Aquatic Goblin. So he thought: Status.
Status
Name:
notadoctor
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Race:
Aquatic Goblin
Level:
0
Class:
N/A
Profession:
N/A
Health Points (HP):
90
Mana Points (MP):
100
Stamina:
90
Stats
Strength:
8
Dexterity:
11
Constitution:
9
Intelligence:
10
Wisdom:
9
Charisma
9
Free points:
5
Skills
N/A
Achievements
N/A
Racial Traits
Night Vision, Trickster’s Wit, Surprise Attack
Well, Harold certainly hadn’t mentioned any racial traits, but Eddie was pretty happy with his choice of the Aquatic Goblin. Lower strength but that’s to be expected with what was usually the weakest monster in any game. Of course, without seeing other people’s stats, he would have no real idea. Although, he was very curious about what exactly the racial traits entailed. So, he tried to focus on them in his mind and he saw:
NIGHT VISION
* Description: Their large, keen eyes are adapted to see in low-light conditions, common in the depths of the ocean.
* Effect: Aquatic Goblins can see in darkness up to 60 feet as if it were dim light, and in dim light as if it were bright light.
TRICKSTER’S WIT
* Description: Known for their intelligence and cunning, Aquatic Goblins can outsmart opponents and solve complex problems with ease.
* Effect: +2 bonus to Intelligence-based skill checks, particularly in situations requiring problem-solving or strategic thinking.
SURPRISE ATTACK
* Description: When attacking from a hidden position, Aquatic Goblins can deliver devastating blows.
* Effect: When attacking from stealth, gain an additional +2 to hit and +4 to damage, reflecting their cunning and opportunistic nature.
“Ay, get the fuck out of the way. Don’t just keep standing there like a moron. Never seen a fucking sign before. Jesus, what a moron.”
Eddie turned and saw someone strutting toward him, wearing what looked like a contemporary double breasted suit, if contemporary suits were made of gold with buttons of diamonds. There were three people flanking him, each wearing a black set of lamellar medieval armor. When Eddie tried to focus on them, he didn’t see a player tag, but he could see their levels, or at least where their levels were. The three guards only offered ??? but the asshole in the suit showed Level 7.
“Did you not hear me? I can repeat myself. Get the fuck out of the way. Or my friends here can move you out of the way if you prefer.”
Eddie felt a rush of irritation. He knew that this asshole was just a Level 7, and despite the obvious danger from the guards, he decided he wasn't going to let himself be pushed around. He’d dealt with his advisor, then Harold, and now this shit. Other than that one guard, everyone seemed incapable of being normal. Fuck that. Eddie was pissed, this was a game, and he knew there wouldn’t be any real consequences. Eddie added the five free points to his dexterity, bringing it to 16. Maybe not the smartest long term move, but it wasn't like he wanted to win the game. He compounded that reckless decision making by punching the asshole in the face.
The guards immediately surged toward him. The first, a towering figure with a great helm, drew his sword and advanced on Eddie. The other two flanked him, their expressions unreadable behind their visors. Eddie knew he was in trouble, but the satisfaction of knocking the arrogant fuck down was worth it.
Before the guards could reach him, Eddie ducked and weaved, narrowly avoiding their powerful first strikes. The people on the street watched in awe as the low-level goblin managed to avoid their blades if only for a few moments. Eddie knew that his first dodge was entirely luck and that any second they would attack again, ending his life.
"Alright, this might have been a bad idea," Eddie muttered to himself. Before the guards attacked again, Eddie spotted the gaudy sign of the Azure Harbor Casino glittering nearby. Thinking quickly, he bolted toward the casino, ducking under the velvet ropes and pushing through the ornate double doors.
As Eddie dove towards the casino, he could hear then man’s voice echoing behind him, "You don’t know who I am. You won't get away with this, you filthy goblin! I'll have your head for this insult!"
The sudden shift from the bustling street to the opulent interior of the casino was jarring. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, reflecting light off polished marble floors, and the sound of coins clinking and dice rolling filled the air.
Eddie could feel the guards close behind him as he skidded to a halt in front of a lavishly dressed man lounging on a plush chaise near the door. The man's eyes sparkled with amusement as he took in the scene.
"And what do we have here?" the man drawled, clearly entertained. When Eddie glanced above his head, all he saw was ????. The man wore a luxurious robe adorned with gold embroidery and had an aura of command.
"Please, help me!" Eddie blurted out, glancing over his shoulder as the guards closed in.
The man raised an eyebrow, then grinned wickedly. "Well, this is quite the spectacle. Very well, I’ll help you." He snapped his fingers, and immediately, the guards halted, looking uncertain.
The man stood up, his robe billowing around him. "Ladies and gentlemen," he announced to the gathered patrons, "we have a special event tonight! An auction for the fate of this most unexpected goblin who dared to strike a noble!"
“So… I guess you aren’t the doorman?” Eddie said, as the guards ushered him next to the man.
The casino crowd buzzed with excitement around them, after all, the barely sentient goblins would never interfere with the nobles. Even the dumbest of the sentient races would be afraid of guards – something even the least of the nobles would never be without. So, a goblin striking a noble was a major occasion, the type of story that was never told in polite society. But a casino isn’t polite society.
"Starting bid, 100 gold coins!" the man declared. “But let us adjourn until the evening auction. That seems the most appropriate time for our illustrious guest to leave our care.”