It was a pleasant sunny morning. A few light clouds carried by a mildly gusty wind. The capital city of Dumeril, crown of the Western Empire, with its one hundred and fifteen thousand residents, was going about its business. Straddling a network of small rivers passing between and around steep hills where those rivers joined a much larger one as it emptied into the ocean. Several granite hills had been leveled to make the foundation for the districts of the city. Atop the highest sat the Royal Keep of the Ropar family
Wagons ran along all the roads, in a constant stream of merchandise entering and leaving. Barges met the wagons and offloaded wood and ore from far up the river and returned with finished goods.
At the center of Lower Town district was an open-air market. A dais of white stone sat near the center of the market.
A rainbow swirl of light appeared on the dais, resolving into a Snow Elf female. Wearing a simple dark green shift, brown leather ankle high boots and leather bracer on her left arm. Low on her left hip sat a basket hilted straight sword, scabbard hanging from a wide leather belt.
Looking at her arms and legs, she spun, danced and capered around the dais. Running her hands through her white hair. Her large eyes the blue of a cloudless sky, as was typical of Elves she had neither pupils nor whites.
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Ah, what simple things I hadn’t even realized I missed until they were back. I took a full breath for the first time in almost two years, I could smell and taste a thousand odors on the air. I ran my fingers over myself almost continuously in wonder at the simple sensations. My first day without pain since the accident. I couldn’t hold back and began crying.
*Ginny? Is everything alright? The monitors are freaking out.*
*Jack? Sorry, it is almost too much to handle. I can breathe! It doesn’t hurt. I am so happy I am crying, I can feel the tears again!*
*So, everything is good? We’ll lose this channel when they pull the plug.*
*Good? No, it’s Great! I feel alive again, I know it is silly, but I haven’t felt alive since the accident.*
*Just wanted to be sure. Goodbye Ginny, they say that the world is always growing and changing, so you have a lot to look forward to.*
*More than out there. That’s for sure.*
The line went quiet. I wondered if I would feel anything when they turned off my life-support.
Smiling, all that was no longer my concern.
Time to get started. I gestured the UI call up, I could do it mentally but I was enjoying having arms again.
:: Titles – na
:: Name – Khita Ravensbane
:: Race – Elf (Snow)
:: Primary Class – Commoner L1
:: Secondary Class – na
:: Tertiary Class – na
:: HP – 45
:: Stamina - 72
:: Mana – 55
:: Piety – 0
:: Alignment – Neutral Good (, Chaos 0, Balance 0)
:::: Order – 0
:::: Chaos – 0
:::: Balance – 0
:: AC – 0
:: Evasion – 5%
:: Dodge – na
Stats – Points Available 3
:: STR – 9
:: CON – 9
:: AGI – 12
:: INT – 11
:: WIS – 9
:: CHA – 12
:: PER* – 9
:: Luck* – 2
Skills: (Unassigned – 1)
::Sword (1H) – 1
::Ranged (Bow) – 1
::Hand-to-Hand – 1
::Magic Arts – 1
:Very Happy [https://forum.royalroadl.com/images/smilies/biggrin.png]ivine Arts – 1
::Lore – 1
:::Elven History – 10
:::General History – 5
Professions: (0/4)
Recipes Known
none
Spells: (1:1:0:0)
::Call Ice – 1
::Alleviate – 1
Inventory:
:: Tattered Linen Shift (Dark Green) – AC0 10/10
:: Shoddy Leather Boots (Brown) – AC0 10/10
:: Shoddy Leather Belt – AC0 10/10
:: Crude Elm Short Bow (20m) – 10/10
:: Shoddy Leather Quiver (12/20) – 10/10
:: 12x Crude Elm Hunting Arrows (weak pierce)
:: Light Copper Sword (weak slash/pierce) – 100%
:: Copper Dagger (weak pierce) – 100%
Just enough gear and skills to give us a sampling of the world. The rest was left to us to become who and what we desired to.
“Die Noobs!” All too familiar pain of my flesh burning away seared through me. My vision went into a slow-motion spiral as I fell backward. I tried to scream but the flames scorched my lungs. It would have to be fire damn them! Around me, a dozen other simply dressed people fell as well.
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The Fireball hits you! You take 940 damage!
You have died!
“Heh, heh, good one Slay3r! How many more until you get your title?” came a voice from an unseen speaker.
“Another 362 until I get Slayer of the Innocent and…” The rest faded out as I respawned.
The Fireball hits you! You take 940 damage!
You have died!
About the twelfth death, the message changed a little.
The Fireball hits you! You take 893 damage!
You have unlocked Elemental Resistance (Fire)!
You have died!
I was getting royally pissed by the twentieth! My mind no longer entirely sane as I roared out my challenge to the Gods, no one else was listening.
The Fireball hits you! You take 836 damage!
Your Elemental Resistance (Fire) has increased! L2
You have died!
I was able to stagger off the platform the next time before the Fireball landed. Making it into the crowds. I looked at myself, all my gear was broken, my dress charred tatters that showed more skin than a bikini. The dagger, sword, bow, all that was just broken scraps.
I watched to see how they were doing it, in most games, towns were supposed to be safe zones from PvP. I watched the four town guard walk into the square and take up positions around the spawn platform. The shimmer started of an incoming spawn, the five-minute delay just right for the respawn timer. A player with a purple shackle of a criminal over his head ran through the crowd and the guards gave chase. As soon as the guards were out of sight, the figures appeared on the platform.
I watched the Mage’s gestures, a pillar of flame appeared. Then at a gesture, it rose off the ground and a second gesture shaped it into a ball. A second pillar appeared and what looked like water flowed into the center of the ball of flame. The next gesture made the flame go from yellow-orange to a blue white. The last gesture and the flame shot forward to land in the center of the platform and an expanding ring of flame incinerated everything in about a five-pace radius, leaving behind a scalding cloud of superheated steam. Most importantly, none of them got the PK tag. The guards came sauntering back from their chase, too slow to catch the criminal, too stupid to hurry back.
Slinking away I was in awe, I knew this world was PvP flagged, I just hadn’t realized that the penalties only applied if you were caught at it. The merchants were too far away to notice, the guards were too stupid and slow to catch the lure, so they were killing level zeros in the middle of town for some stupid title and the game allowed it. I was both impressed and horrified.
Wandering around the town, I sat on a bench in the park and tried to plan my next steps, keeping an eye out to be sure I wasn’t caught alone. A female NPC wandered by and looked disgusted at my charred clothing, tossed me two copper coins and wandered off.
“Thank you, Ma’am!”
The NPC paused and looked at me, “Polite for a beggar.”
“I’m not usually this poor off. Is there somewhere I could get a job?”
She looked, staring at me for a minute. “Madame Giralt is always looking for fresh flesh, and you look like you might clean up. Assuming you don’t want to work on your back, we are in need of a Gofer?”
You have been offered a Quest – Working for a Living
You must impress your potential boss to be hired for your new position. This House has access to many potential branches.
Difficulty – Moderate
Reward – Faction with House Giralt and associated Factions. Contacts. Living quarters. Steady wage.
Alt Reward – Join House Giralt as a working girl. High Faction with House Giralt and associated Factions. Numerous Contacts. Living quarters. Steady wage plus tips.
Failure – Loss of Faction with House Giralt and associated Factions.
Time Limit – Immediate
Damn, there was prostitution in the game? Well, it did have a 21+ age rating.
“Umm, yes! I would love to do that! The, uh, gofer part that is. Not the, umm, you know…”
She laughed at my discomfort.
“Well, little girl, we’ll see if you last a week.” Then she turned and walked away a few steps then turned back, “Well? Are you coming? Stay close now.”
I ran to catch up and then followed her. Most people were friendly and well mannered, but she was unfailingly pleasant to even the rude ones. I was on information overload following her. Listening to her chat with a dozen people, barter with merchants, glare at a cutpurse that got too close, all at the same time I was trying to take in the city and its thousand new sights.
As the sun was setting behind some buildings we arrived at a massive mansion. Stone wall and iron gate gave access to a wide walkway leading up to a veranda. Double doors with two hulking bruisers of guards that gave me a suspicious glare as I followed…
“Excuse me, Miss? I never got your name? I am Khita known as Ravensbane.”
“Assuming the Madame doesn’t toss you out with the trash, I am Miss Annabelle, Anna to my friends. We’ll see if you are a friend or not.”
Entering a larger sitting room I saw the house was clearly split in two, on the left as we entered all the paintings and statuary was of women posed erotically. While the right side, it was of men.
We went straight back into a dining area hidden behind a false wall. It could seat thirty or more easily. The kitchen was next and there we saw the first others, a heavy woman in a chef’s hat, four young women looking a lot like what must be their mother were chopping and stirring.
Turning into a corridor we came to an open doorway. Annabelle knocked on the doorframe.
“Gert? I have someone here to meet you. A possible new gofer.”
The older woman looked up and I could feel her presence like a crushing weight. I couldn’t bring my eyes up to meet hers. Steeling my will, I raised my eyes to her for all of a second and then had to look away.
“You look like something that should be taken out as trash, not taking out the trash.”
I hadn’t even noticed her move and now she held my chin. Turning my face up to hers, my eyes finally locked with hers. Her gaze bored into me like she was judging my soul.
“What do you want, girl?”
“A job so I can outfit myself and train to be an adventurer?”
“Was that a question, or are you certain that you wish that?”
“Umm, certain. I am certain.”
“Good, good. Okay, here are the rules, there are no second chances. Nothing illegal. When you are on the premises or on House business you will dress as a Lady, and act as a Lady at all times. You will bathe each morning and again each evening, and as often as needed in between. The House’s business is no one else’s, never gossip or tell tales outside these walls. You will have no or as little as possible contact with clients. Now, Anna, be a dear and lead little Khita over to the storeroom where the girls cast offs are kept. Pick out three outfits that won’t bring shame to the house, dress her as a House daughter. Now Khita, adventuring is thrilling and dangerous, but you now have obligations here. Should you choose to leave, simply let us know in advance to start looking for a replacement. The errands you run have priority, but the earlier in the day you finish your errands, the earlier you can head into the fields. Mondays are our slow day, so you will have Mondays entirely to yourself. Be back before midnight. Now go, I have things to do and so do you.”
We left her office and I was shuddering,
“Don’t worry, she affects everyone that way at first. Monsters and Adventurers of high enough level have simple Presence.”
“She was an adventurer?”
“No one really knows her story, but consider this. The Royal House claims the title of the first house, they command the respect of the Houses of the land. Yet, when the Royal family first arrived, they found this building and Madame waiting for them. When the Lich King attacked two centuries ago, resources were strained as the war dragged on. Madame was the one that loaned them the gold to hire mercenaries. When a third Prince sought to inherit what wasn’t his, it was Madame who exposed the plot to the then King. We have no armies, we don’t make laws, but this House holds power and secrets that command respect.”
Your Lore has increased!
You have gained, Lore of House Giralt!
I soon had three outfits I normally wouldn’t have been caught dead wearing. Basically, the same styles, just in different colors. A blue to match my eyes, a black to contrast my white skin and hair, and an affair of silvery lace. All three had frilly skirts trimmed in lace that reached mid-thigh, and corset tops that would leave me bulging over the top. The blue and black outfits had open toed boots and heels about three fingers high and lace stockings that tied with ribbons above my knees. The silver had open strappy sandals with heels half again higher they had straps that wound around my calf to just below my knee.
“Okay, this is your room,” it was a small simple chamber, decorated nicely but just a few steps away from the busy kitchen. “Take the Silver and follow me.” Heading away from the kitchen. At the end of the hall there were two doors, pointing to the one on the inside of the house, “The jacks, this one is House only. The others you may run into clients, be polite but firm. This other way is the bath. Strip here and throw out the charred things.”
It only took a second to remove the scraps. Turning I found Annabelle naked as well,
“Ah! Why did you strip as well?” I asked a bit sharply.
“Silly, the bathing here is communal. You’ll get used to it.”
We entered a gorgeous room. Four open showers just inside the door. Shelves holding a dozen pots of soft soap. Just beyond them was a huge steaming pool with several people already in it.
“Pull the handle to wet yourself, then choose a soap you like and scrub thoroughly, including your hair. Pull the handle again to rinse. Then we’ll move to the pool.”
The downpour of hot water felt great and I let it run almost a minute. Then looking at the pots, some had icons I recognized, some I had no idea. Choosing one at almost random that had an orange scent. It felt amazing to simply be washing myself again. As I pulled the handle to rinse a weakness overtook me and I dropped to my knees, my sight blurring.
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A brother cried too full of emotions to put a word to any of them. A Doctor stood by, her Hippocratic Oath seeming like a lie as keeping this poor girl alive was doing harm, but pulling the plug was harm as well. Four Lawyers stood around a hospital bed, looking with pity at the limbless torso.
One eye white with cataracts, the other buried in scar tissue. Nothing remained to show them this was the young rising star athlete, Woman’s Softball Pitcher, the sole survivor as a tanker truck of industrial waste had rammed their bus igniting an inferno that devoured all but one. Her parents riding with her to a local match. The tanker driver had been shown to be cited four times for being drunk on the job, a judge and jury had held no mercy. Two years of legal fights and sworn testimony had allowed them to place the neural tap so Virginia Harris could state her opinion. Then the challenges, and the challenges of the challenges, only a sympathetic judge hurrying the process after he listened to her scream through the neural tap.
One of the lawyers pulled out a simple short letter, the documents supporting the letter filled a room,
Pursuant to the legal order of Judge Javier Morello issued on July 11th, 2085. It is ordered that all artificial means of life support be terminated and no attempts made to revive the patient, one Virginia Marie Harris aged 20.
On this day, February 18th, 2086, this order is to be enforced immediately.
The Doctor moved slowly and carefully, the kidney filters stopped hissing, the external pacemaker stopped sending signals to a damaged heart, the artificial lung stopped forcing oxygen into lungs that could almost not absorb it. The monitors squealing as alarm after alarm sounded, each silenced by a stab of a control. Only the brain activity persisted, even by her own choice, she couldn’t stop fighting. Then even that faded away.
“Time of physical death…”
It was now in the hands of the courts as to whether or not the poor girl was truly dead.
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