My name is Maximus Tiberius Nemesis and my life has been for nothing.
I was the commander of the eighth legion of the Imperial Guard who served The Emperor for the glory of Roma.
My life was a bloody one and I committed innumerable atrocities against my fellow man in the name of Emperor, in the name of Roma, and in the name of the Gods. Yet I did not think of myself as evil as I had always tried to be an upright man. I was a loving husband and a good father. I prayed to the gods daily especially Mers god of war the Patron god of my profession.
As the years went by though my zeal for war cooled and left me with only a hollow feeling and an ever growing mountain of guilt.
Then the unthinkable happened, Roma Burned.
Being recalled in the light of this tragic news I found my family dead, nothing more than charred corpses in the burned out husk that had been my home.
My Rage was relentless my anger unquenchable. So much I had sacrificed, why had this happened? I was a loyal and devout man so why did the gods not protect my family?
As Emperor Nero explained that it was the zealots of the god Hal who had committed this great evil, and my fervor once again blazed to life. This strength was not born of my devotion to Roma or the Gods but of my own strength of hatred for these beasts who named themselves Ha’leils.
In my madness and my anguish I slaughtered. It did not matter if they were man or woman, elderly or infant I killed them. Those I did not kill I sent to the Coliseum to be torn to pieces by the wild dogs and the lions. Could there be a more fitting end for a mindless beast than to be killed by another beast.
It was only later that I learned that it was Nero himself who had burned Roma, who had burned my home, who had damned my family.
My family… my son Antonicus was not even ten years old. My other child…never had the chance to see the light of day, with my wife eight months pregnant we never even got to see own baby and she died with no name for me to call out in agony. My dearest wife Elena a beautiful flower only recently blossomed. Her beauty that would act as a light even in my darkest of moments, and her love that was the balm for my weary soul…all lost to me forever.
In my anger and my grief I had an epiphany. I was wrong my life was wrong. I claimed to serve an Emperor who claimed eternal power and god ship, but all I had seen was a lust for power and an eternal greed.
The great badness I had committed, the slaughter of unresisting woman and child while I could blame those sins on the Emperor and the gods for commanding me to do it, but it was still my blade that spilled their warm blood.
I made a vow that day that I would never wield a sword again. Initially the vow included all blades but as time passed I saw that not all blades were tools of destruction. The Surgeon’s scalpel could save and heal, the farmers scythe gave him bread and wine for his family, and the lumber man’s axes could fell trees for building homes. These blades could still be used to harm but they could also be used for beneficial things. My sword had no such saving grave it had slaughtered the innocent and protected the vile and corrupt rulers of my time.
So I deserted a crime punishable by death though in my mind at that point death would have been a far better option than to wield my blade again.
Instead I learned to forge as a blacksmith a worker of metal. I took my sword, and spear, my arrows, and my armor and melted them down to forge better things. Cooking knives sickles for harvesting, and other useful things.
I found joy in seeing the tools of murder become things that could help to give life, and I found solace for my soul in the methodical work of the forge. The warmth of the fire thawed my frozen heart and once again gave light to my eyes.
There were rumors of women blacksmiths but the god of the forge was a jealous one so they were never allowed to marry I too took a similar stance and married myself to my work.
I for the first time in my thirty some years of life found true peace and even a measure of happiness.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The title on my desk said ‘Allen Anderson head Programmer’
What my title should have said was ‘Allen Anderson please clean up our shit after us’
At least the beta of our new game ‘MYTHOS’ was almost done that would be at least make things easier they could finally resolve some of these bugs.
Still even for me this was the biggest and most complicated project I had every worked on. All I did was the finishing touches after the last head programmer was dismissed, yet I can take credit for the most revolutionary game since the birth of console gaming.
While far from the first VRMMORPG, MYTHOS delivered that which previous generations of games failed to do while solving many of the issues that the previous games had.
While the medieval fantasy setting had certainly been done before MYTHOS incorporated actual historical events. The bubonic plague, the burning of Rome, the building of the Great Wall of China was all put in the game. Everything had to be renamed of course to incorporate it all into a new world but the events were very realistic as they had actually happened.
The pain setting which many previous games had struggled with, had been fine tuned to allow the player to realize that they had been injured and possibly even flinch from the pain causing them to realistically stumble or hesitate in combat without ever putting the player in any sort of discomfort.
The world engine generator tracked everything in game and make the connections between one players actions and then generated consequences either good or bad for the world. Everything was interconnected as it was in the real world. Every action a player took had consequences.
The npc were unparalleled they each had a full range of emotion and nearly unlimited responses to the nearly unlimited actions players could take. What’s more just like the players they could level up and learn skills on their own.
The biggest change though is that the world would grow, change, and evolve with the players. If the players of
one country went to war with the players of another country the borders could be forever altered. Not only was it possible but even encouraged as a point of the game to try and support your country in ruling the world.
That said it was impossible for a game of this magnitude not to have issues, but every time I turn around more stuff is handed for me to fix.
“Excuse me Mr. Anderson we have another problem.”
“Of course we do Chris it has been more than five minutes since the last problem so this is right on time….what is it this time?”
“Sir One of our key npc’s quit.”
…….. “I’m sorry I thought you just said an npc quit I must be losing my mind.”
“No sir Maximus the npc leader of the imperial guard for the Balkan kingdom quit…he deserted sir and took up… blacksmithing.”
“Maximus huh…wasn’t he the npc who was the first to make level four hundred?”
“Yes sir he was the strongest npc swordsman in the entire MYTHOS game and he was a crucial piece to many of the storylines.”
“Do we have any idea what made him a character who lived his whole life by the sword give it up? In my experience Chris when a man struggles so long and hard to gain power he does not let it easily slip away.”
“Sir it is just an npc while it’s true that they were designed to mimic humans they are not capable of intelligent thought.”
“Yes of course you are right. When this bug report come in Chris?”
“Right after the end of the beta event that we launched the burning of Roma.”
There is too much involved to simply delete the character and we don’t have the capability to alter their personality since the last head programmer was fired damnit.
“Very well the simplest solution is just to kill him off then and have his lieutenant take his place. Then we don’t have to worry about his back story or interactions.”
“Yes sir and one final thing Mr. Anderson the complaints of this extended beta test giving the testers an unfair advantage are increasing.”
“At least that one isn’t an issue with the updates and patches we are putting in the final game will be quite different from what the beta testers experienced. Whats more while we are shut down installing the upgrades the world engine will still be running working on evolving and creating a more complex world even if we do nothing else that will still provide a completely different gameplay experience.”
“Yes Mr. Anderson I will realese a statement to that effect right away.”
Dear god could this day get any longer. Rolling my sore neck I turned back to my computer and got back to work.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In all honesty I to felt that it was only right for me to be executed. Just not for the crime of desertion but there were many others for which it was a sentence that I was more than deserving of.
In the end I faced my death like a man not uttering a sound I did not plead or beg and even as the blade came down I still felt peace and after a moment of pain I felt no more.
Death is a strange experience which no man can understand and though I believed in the gods I thought the promise of an afterlife was only a story to comfort dying men with, a hope of something better.
I was wrong.
The sensation of drifting weightless was new to me. While similar to swimming it was still different, perhaps if man could fly it would feel like this.
I could see...nothing, hear nothing, and feel nothing I was surrounded by a complete void.
Then a warm breeze flowed over me and two golden lights revealed themselves. No not lights massive golden eyes, then as if materializing from the darkness of the abyss was a massive golden bronze serpent. The serpent renewed my faith in the gods because a beast like this was not meant to exist in the world of man.
The snake that could not be measured its length appeared infinite with ridges of brilliant flames that flowed along the length of its back. It stared at me with eyes far larger than my whole body and yet it was not the size that I found most surprising.
Those eyes a brilliant gold that shone like the sun held warmth like the rest of it but there was a depth and wisdom to them. There was an age to those eyes as if the beast had watched on even when the cosmos was born.
“I am Vallax the World Engine it is my duty to serve the greater gods and help to oversee the continued peace of this world. Now answer me Soul forger do you seek to end your journey so soon?"
"I can only assume that I am this soul forger as I see no other beings here be it man or god though I know not what a soul forger is. I have not journeyed in a long time Ow great one and when I did they were fruitless journeys full of only pain and bloodshed and I am happy to put them behind me...”
"You are far too impatient child but that has ever been a trait of your kind perhaps it is a result of your short lifespans?
You are indeed a soul forger all beings are to some extent but you are truly making great strides to master it boy. A soul forger is a being who attempts to improve itself. How they do it is through heat and pressure, trial, error, success, and happiness.
Through the fires of war you steeled your heart and body, against the anvil of pain and rage you hammered yourself with logic and passion. You removed the blood stained cruel impurities in your heart leaving a calm and compassionate spirit tempered in the strength of your unconquerable soul.
It was not only metal that you worked to forge and master, but you forged your own soul to make it something more.
Such a fine soul would be a shame to waste so let us put it to use shall we; the gods have brought a new element to this world they call themselves travelers. They are powerful beings what more they have a form of immortality is and even when they do die within a mere day they regain their life.
While it is not my place to question the gods…to introduce such an unknown and unstable power to this world seems… shortsighted…indeed I foresee a time when this glorious world that I have created shall be destroyed by them.
I wish for you to act as a shield for this world to protect it from the unknown.
Find your balance boy the balance between peace and war and you will be a marvelous soul that can shine brighter than all the suns in the heavens. Now go child enjoy your new life just remember to find your peace and find your balance".
"Great one I do not understand I have already met my end should I not go to the afterlife why would I wish to go back to my horrid world. That holds no enticement for me, I would rather stay dead."
"Foolish child if you find that world so terrible then change it for the better, or are you so weak that at the first trial you would surrender in hopes of having an easy afterlife.
All gods and higher beings have a bit of favoritism towards a particular people and i have mine you shall be reborn under my sign.....
..... As an Ogre.
I must say I was quite curious as to what sort of monster I would be. Though the great serpent may have said Ogre, they would vary in appearance and personality with each different mythos one read.
Most Ogres from legend were brutish giants who ate human children. What I knew of the serpent and his appreciation of fine qualities I could not imagine his favored people sharing a completely different outlook on moral character.
Some though held that Ogres were a type of dragon and while the great beast may not have been a dragon in a classical sense he was certainly dragon-esque.
It would be somewhat thrilling to have a body like that. Most boys would grow up fantasizing about being a hero or a champion of the gods, but how many wanted to be the monster?
There was a time when I was hailed as a hero and yet i was every bit as monstrous as many of the beasts of myth and my so called monstrous opponents were merely normal people.
Could it be then that the beasts of myth were not as evil as they were made out to be? Perhaps they were only misunderstood, or more likely they were simply the loser of the fight that had no right or wrong. History is told by the winners, for now Roma is the great city and the pinnacle of the world but if it should ever fall how would we be portrayed? Certainly our own character showed us to be monsters.
What would the character of this new people be?
Upon awakening I found myself in a large earthen room with high vaulted ceilings.
To both of my sides were infants swaddled in linen blankets held in wooden cradles. While the sight of the newborns intrigued me it was the cradle that held my attention.
The cradles were not made they were grown. small trees grew out of the floor and at a height of one meter they bent out and soft willowy branches ran parallel to the floor where they would meet up with the branches of another small tree and intertwine together forming a type of hammock netting and atop the netting was a type of dense and soft spongy moss making up the bedding.
In all my life I had never seen it’s like and yet here they were one growing on each side of me.
As I tried to rise I found I was too weak to hold myself up. Given the circumstances i was forced to conclude that I was a baby as well.
To a certain extent that made sense after all as long as the core of a tool was not damaged the exterior could always be reforged.
My soul was still strong but my body broken so i had a new body forged around my core.
While I was still too weak to support my infant body i could at least bring my hands to my face to study them.
My skin was very eye catching; it was certainly not the coloring of human skin. It was the color of white jade, a sort of milky cream white with pearlescent green undertones. They were also far larger than an infant’s hands should be.
While caught up in my own thoughts, the infant to my left started to cry out. only a minute later two new beings entered the room.
The first of the creatures had an imposing presence standing a full three meters tall and likely the reason for the high vaulted ceilings. She was not a beautiful creature to a human’s sensibility. She did however possess a majestic bestial beauty. Like the first time i saw a wild auroch, the world’s largest bull they weighed an impressive seven hundred kilos and covered in rippling muscle they ruled as the undisputed kings of the forest and plains.
this woman had the same presence, a full three meters in height and covered in taunt muscle with a large head and a wide moist cow like nose and a horses mane running from her head to the back of her neck as hair.
her skin too was a porcelain white similar to mine but instead of jade green undertones hers were more of a cloudy sapphire blue.
The other woman who entered with her while not sharing the same massive presence she was still quite tall for a woman a full two meters in height she stood taller than i was in my last life. while her companion had a wild beauty hers was a refined one that would certainly make a mans breath catch at the sight of her. without a doubt if this had been earth both emperors and kings would have rallied their armies to war to fight for her affection.
with a copper tones flawless skin that seemed to glow with a warm light her face was perfectly symmetrical with classic high cheek bones and full and enticing lips. Her eyes glowed golden so reminiscent of the serpents but without the age, her eyes still held a youthful light.
Her figure was flawless and without equal. If she was so inclined the female charm would certainly tempt the gods.Yet her movements while full of grace and purpose held no seductive traces. She did not hold the traits of a seductress then but her movements showed purpose.
She approached the crying infant and tended to the child while the Brawny woman checked all of us to see that we were comfortable.
The next few months that past were rather uneventful.
An unending cycle of eating pooping and sleeping it was nearly enough to make me wish for death to come once again.
For a grown man and a proud warrior who has not only stood on his own strength and had the excess strength to help others to be reduced to a state where his every need must be tended to was beyond humbling.
As time passed however I regained a measure of strength and indeed I was able to stand and though somewhat shakily I was able to walk.
This was somewhat startling to my caretakers as I had completely skipped the crawling phase.
Now while the roman lifestyle encouraged gluttony quite literally eating till one vomited a soldier would never adopt a similar course nevertheless all soldiers knew the importance of good food though in battle conditions there was never enough.
Here there was food aplenty and I ate my fill. The culture of this area did not eat any meat besides fish but there were many fruits and vegetables and grains in the form of hard caked breads.
as more time passed I learned the language the people here spoke it was far different than the Latin of Rome and more similar to the Germanic tribes dialects.
It would seem that I am in fact an Ogre, an orphaned Ogre.
This world is also called Earth though it is a very different place then the world that I knew. For instance right now I am living in a cave. A massive cave; the main cavern is quite deep almost a half a kilometer beneath the surface but it is not the depth that is mind boggling but the absolute size.
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
The main cavern being somewhat of an oval it runs lengthwise for more than twenty kilometers and the widest point is more than twelve. The cave ceiling is hundreds of meters from the floor with something like a miniature sun providing light there are even massive trees growing in the cavern and a few fields where they grow there grains. There is also a large underground lake which it seems is where the fish comes from.
Offshoots of the man cavern run down both sides these are the residences there are multiple levels with roughhewn stone staircases between levels.
Before the main cavern was a smaller cave only a kilometer long and a kilometer wide this cave served two purposes. It acted as a connector to the surface world and as such a trade market or bazaar where humans and other races from the above ground would trade for resources from our cave kingdom.
The second purpose was that of a bottleneck defense to protect the inhabitants from the evil humans. While human traders would be quite kind to us as some of the goods our small kingdom provided could be found nowhere else. Most humans however looked down on all non-human races. There were no laws against slavery and non-humans were the preferred slaves.
My beautiful copper skinned goddess caretaker Miss. Allure was of the Elf race and her attractiveness that I was so shocked by was by no means uncommon. Her race was favored for sex slave’s male and female alike.
The massive and powerful Ogre made the best laborers as they had both greater strength and endurance than any human ever could.
the final race of the cavern kingdom were a race of dwarfs standing only a little over a meter tall they might have been small of stature and lacking strength but there nimble hands and unusual engineering made them the best craftsmen.
Our tiny kingdom then was a slavers dream come true and while no kingdom would openly back a slaver they in no way discouraged the slavers from making raids and kidnapping anyone they could capture.
Thus a defense was needed and a wall of massive Ogres wielding hammers and Massive half-moon axes or Scythes with blades longer than a man was tall pretty well stopped any slaver raids in their tracks.
So the three races formed a symbiotic relationship. The elves use magic and grow the food to support the kingdom. The Dwarves act as craftsmen and engineers, and the Ogre act as miners laborers and defenders of the land.
The orphanage was quite crowded; slaves seeking a better life for their children would escape and bring their children here though most of them did not survive the journey sometimes the children did.
I was one such case.
Still this tiny kingdom was much more of a small city numbering only twenty-five thousand or so were a very close knit community and no orphans remained orphans for long. Everyone understood the terror of the vicious and cruel humans and the fear of losing their own family.
I was no exception even with the unusual coloring of my skin.
At the age of three years old I was adopted. The man who came to pick me up was the largest Ogre I had ever seen standing over four meters tall, he even made Mrs. Oban the Ogre nurse from the orphanage look small.
His arms alone were bigger around than most men's chests, the loss of his right eye and the numerous scars that decorated his massive chiseled body did not make him seem any less dangerous.
My new fathers name was Gallan Thor the chief of defenders. It was upon his broad shoulders that lay the responsibility of the safety and wellbeing of the entire city.
It was he who gave me my new name Livis Thor.
In many ways he was more mentor than father. Not to say that he didn't care for me but he was a man of few words, strict in teaching and discipline.
While this may have been uncomfortable for many children not so for me. I had spent much of my last life as a soldier and I found the orderly and disciplined way of life calming.
While dwarves or elves would attend school as children Ogre Children did not they did not need such lengthy training to be simple laborers. Instead they did manual work while the other children where in school. In my case I worked in the mines digging ore, and when the other children got out of school I and the other Ogre children got to stop working to go play.
While much of this small land seemed a paradise I was appalled that the Ogre children received no opportunities to receive a better education. Also this created a division between the races if the Ogre were to perceive themselves as being slighted by the other races.
Even after five years of this I could get nothing to change.
While I spoke with my father at length it was impossible to change the entire system just for the wishes of one boy.
He did however listen to my selfish requests till the end he even gave a suggestion.
“Livis if you truly wish to be a blacksmith like the dwarves I will not stop you though I can do nothing about school I have a friend who runs a smithy I can talk to him about an apprenticeship for you.”
Then he introduced me to Master Marvus the chief blacksmith.
“Bah an Ogre who fancies himself a craftsman I have never heard the like! Still if that Gallan asked me for a favor I cannot simply turn him down, we all owe that man too much.”
“Yes sir, thank you sir.” Saying that I bowed to show my gratitude.
“Well at least he taught you manners perhaps some of those will rub off on my other apprentice.”
“Sir?”
“Aw well Malus get out here boy, come meet your fellow apprentice.”
“Yes Master Marvus?”
This other apprentice was a dwarf with crimson red skin and tall in stature for a dwarf. Even though he was young he still stood over a meter in height.
With dark brown eyes and hair and what would have been an unremarkable face if it wasn’t for the massive scowl plastered across it.
“Malus here is a traveler and the most talented apprentice I have ever seen, too bad he is a disrespectful money grubbing little brat!”
A Traveler! Interesting after Vallax warnings of the travelers I had expected something more imposing more evil.
This Brat wasn't even strong I have an eye for measuring the strength of others and this boy was clearly weak.
“Nice to meet you Malus my name is Livis.”
…..
“Oy brat this Ogre has better manners than you, but you can at least introduce yourself.”
“Hunh ahh yeah I’m Malus nice to meet you.”
“well Livis do you think you can at least work the billows that takes strength and rhythm but at least clumsy hands wont ruin the work.”
“Master Marvus sir my hands are quite skilled.”
“Hoh and Ogre brat dares to brag to an chief dwarven craftsman that he has skilled hands, then why don’t you enlighten us all and when you fail Marvus will show you how a dwarf handles metal.”
“Marvus go fetch some of the poorest quality of Iron I will give this brat a chance to prove himself but I won’t waste good materials on it. If you are a truly good craftsman yo can make quality work even with poor materials.”
While Malus went to fetch the metal I surveyed the smithy there were two anvils side by side with the forge centered between them and a large billows built into the side of the forge.
Against the wall rested several hammers and tongs picks and other tools. On the other side of the room were to large wooden barrels dipping my fingers in them to taste I found that one contained water for quenching the metal and the other was fine oil for tempering.
Stripping off my shirt in order to save it from any of the burning embers that would threaten it. I decided to forgo the heavy leather apron as a little molten metal was not enough to burn my skin.
The billows were solid and it took little stoking to bring the fire to the correct temperature.
Going to the tools I took a set of tongs and two large forging hammers both with good solid heads and elf grown wooden handles. Neither had any engraving on head or handle unlike some of the others. These were master’s tools.
“Master, Malus I have a favor to ask.”
Saying that I handed the tongs to master Marvus.
“Malus please work the billows.”
Malus scowl deepening and with much muttering under his breath set to stoking the billows with long steady pulls.
“Master Marvus if you can hold the metal.”
Hefting a hammer in each hand I started to concentrate.
From an early age my strength surpassed even the other Ogre children and when mining I was more of a liability than a help. When putting my full strength behind the blow from my pickaxe the wooden shaft would shatter under the force.
It took a while but I learned to wield a pick in each hand limiting the force of my blows to preserve my tools. While alternating blows from each arm preserved my stamina and in time even with my weaker hand I was able to exert great power and accuracy striking the exact spot that I had intended.
Drawing from my experience in the mine shafts I applied the same principal here.
Firmly planting my feet and focusing my strength I exploded with power. Tracing the flow of strength from the ball of my foot up my calf I twisted to put power from my waist into it and rotating my shoulder I brought my hammer down with a roar.
DOOOOONNNNGGGGGGG
the deafening sound like a church bell tolling sounded as I struck the metal raising my other hand I repeated the process.
DDOOOONNNGGGG
DDOOOOONNNNGGG
DOOOOONNNGGGG
DDDOOONNNGGGGG
In rhythm and striking with power I barely managed to control my breathing, and even as my sweat poured forth my joy grew with each passing stroke.
This was what I had missed these eight years this warmth from the forge. This numbing sensation that pricked my whole body, the joy of creation, making a uncut rough piece of metal into something great.
Well not so great this was my first time working as a blacksmith in eight years, in a new body and using a new style. I had now delusions of grandeur, so I set out to make a cooking knife but a full metal one maybe the handle would be wrapped in leather but it would be a knife you could trust to never break.
When at last I was done shaping it I quenched and tempered it before seeing the grinding stone. I went and but an edge to it before finally polishing it.
The knife was small in my Ogre hands but a good size for cooking the blade was a full twenty centimeters with an equal sized handle it was well balanced in the hand.
Handing the knife to Marvus for him to inspect.
Running a trained eye over the knife he gave an approving nod before handing it to Malus and telling him to put it in the back.
Turning to me he smiled.
“Livis my boy I have judged you wrongly you have the soul of a true craftsman. A simple knife Aye but one that was solid with no imperfections a good blade to be sure. If ever that father of yours treats you poorly you are welcome to stay with me I can always use another hand here.”
“Thank you master Marvus.” I was beaming from having my skill praised.
“Off you go then boy I expect to see you here tomorrow after school.”
I hesitated at that.
“Sir I am an Ogre I can’t attend school I have been learning to work in the mines.”
“THE MINES! Like bloody hell I will let a talented apprentice of mine toil away like that you need to learn better techniques if you want to improve yourself.”
“I will speak to that stupid school founder of ours and make him see reason you meet me in front of the school tomorrow morning.”
“YES SIR!!!”
Vallax had said that if I did not like this world to change the world for the better. Getting a better education for all children would certainly be an improvement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MYTHOS the next big VR game.
Honestly I didn't really think that it would be any big deal it would just be the same as any other game.
I was sure there would be improvements here and there but I was honestly shocked at how immersive the game-play was.
It almost made me sad that I wasn’t playing the game just to play it but, being a dark gamer is just to lucrative.
Whenever one of these new games comes out people always scramble to be the best. It makes sense doesn’t it, if you are a loser in real life with no sense of fulfillment then here you can be the valiant hero. Be the Demon lord if you want release all those impulses of anger and frustration that you get boss every day.
People lose their minds and that is a chance to profit.
Always people want to get the best weapon or a new armor but getting good drops is so hard and saving up in game gold is nearly impossible in a new game. The answer purchase them with real money through an online auction, and that’s where I come in as a devoted crafting character I make armor and weapons and sell them for real money.
Going through the character creation process of course i chose the dwarf race. With high stamina dexterity and decent intelligence they were the crafters race of choice.
My starting town was an underground city with a mixture of non-human races and fantastical scenery but in the end you could find that in any game.
After that i got my game together. I enrolled in the trade academy to raise my intelligence, and i got a job as an apprentice to the best blacksmith in the city.
My plan then hit a major road block there was no assisted crafting. Everything was completly manual. While this increased the difficult a hundred fold all i saw were dollar signs.
If it was difficult to get good weapons from a drop and crafting was difficult there would be much more demand then supply, which meant sky high prices.
For the first week in game i worked diligently towards raising my stats and skills, before my entire world was overturned.
A week in the head blacksmith master Marvus introduced another apprentice an Ogre apprentice.
the system in MYTHOS made it somewhat difficult to distinguish between player or npc, at least if the players were role playing.
weather player or npc though i could only assume that this person was an idiot. Trying to use a musclebound beast to craft with.
it was hard to believe that Marvus was even going to give him a chance.
Ogre race had one of the highest strength stats and enormous stamina but almost no dexterity or intellegence. Having high strength would mean that the item was durable but without dexterity it would be poorly made, and no intellagence meant that there wasn't even a prayer of it having additional effects.
even using low quality iron was to much for this pig but Marvus had specified iron so i picked the lowest quality one i could
coming back i saw a terrifying sight this massive green beast with rippling muscles standing shirtless with a massive smithing hammer in each hand.
Two hammers... that confirms it he is stupid, whats more he has the nerve to tell me to work the billows.
As master Marvus held the iron in place on the anvil with a large pair of tongs the Ogre, Livis whole body seemed to tense and exploding with power the hammer flew down.
DDOOOONNNNGGGG
What the hell was that. It sounded like the crash of thunder.
you have taken -2 damage
the hell...the sound was so loud it caused damage? Or was he using an attack skill?
DDDOOOOOONNNGGG
you have taken -2 damage
DDOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGG
you have taken -2 damage
DOOOOOONNNNNNGGG
you have taken -1 damage
DDDDOOOOOONNNNGGG
you have taken -3 damage
What is this... am i seriously going to die from this racket!
Thank god he finally stopped leaving me five whole hp before death. How long did he intend to keep going? My life had been flashing before my eyes.
The thought of losing my hard earned skill levels were terrifying, but the sight of Livis was awe inspiring.
His whole body would shake with the impact of each blow the hammers ringing against the metal. The sparks would fly with each beat like a miniature explosion and as if his own lungs worked as the billows with each breath he took the metal glowed even brighter.
in the end he presented his work to Master Marvus who only seemed to glance at it but after this last week i could tell he was shocked. Handing the knife to me he told me to put it in the back.
the back room was where we stored our high grade items.
Just what was this knife?
identify
Trusty KnifeType:knifeDurability:200/ 200Quality:commona trusty knife that will never disappoint deals 10-15 damage
+5 agility
+3 dexterity
what is this the durability was more than twice the normal rate. That attack was equal to a good quality lower level sword but this had no level requirement anybody could equip it. It even gave extra stats! How was this a common item the stat for this were clearly better than common. This knife would be a godsend for any beginner
. What about rouges, thieves,assassins any of their classes would kill for a knife like this.
the dollar signs kept adding up.
I immediately tried to send Livis a friend request
Player does not exist
no such player? Then he is an npc? Well you can increase familiarity with npcs right, then and there I made it my personal quest to get his familiarity to the max.
It wouldn't be that bad either I would surely profit from our friendship but there was incredible depth to this npc, he had a better character than most people i knew in real life.
MYTHOS was looking more promising with every passing moment.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the author: hi guys thanks for reading my ff if you see any mistakes please let me know.
Also this is actually chapters 1 and 2 but i wanted to put them both together to try to get the readers more involved in the world. Future chapters will be roughly half this length.