Chapter Twelve
Role-Playing
The best full black iron armour was too heavy for the Otters to wear, but after setting aside the jule sums for Lam and Jeda, Ogre made sure to buy them for future use, as the otters leveled up. Ogre kept most of the metal in his inventory as it was spacious enough to hold over twenty times the sum the otters could, combined. As they tried on different pieces, of pig iron and black iron, Ogre turned his sights to a full suite of the plate.
(E) Black Iron Helm [Pierce + Slash]
Pro: 12,000
Req: Vit+End 500/Level 30
Wt: 200
(E) Black Iron Pauldrons [Pierce + Slash]
Pro: 24,000
Req: Vit+End 2000/Level 100
Wt: 400
(E) Black Iron Gorget/bevor+ Cuirass + Backplate + Tassets/Fauld [Pierce + Slash]
Pro: 48,000
Req: Vit+End 4000/Level 200
Wt: 800
(E) Black Iron Cannons [Pierce + Slash]
Pro: 9000
Req: Vit+End 750/ Level 40
Wt: 150
(E) Black Iron Greaves [Pierce + Slash]
Pro: 9000
Req: Vit+End 750/ Level 40
Wt: 150
(E) Black Iron Sabatons [Pierce + Slash]
Pro: 9000
Req: Vit+End 750/Level 40
Wt: 150
(E) Black Iron Cuisses [Pierce + Slash]
Pro: 24,000
Req: Vit+End 1000/ Level 50
Wt: 400
(E) Black Iron Class Arming Doublet + Chainmail [Blunt]
Pro: 36,000
Req: Vit+End 750/Level 40
Wt: 600
The burden on his equipment load was 2850, nearly four times that of the pig iron that was shredded by the Gremlin’s cleaver. However, with 99% protection against specific damage types it could negate 1,710,000 Damage with no penalty. And with Cataphract’s Discipline he moved with relative ease in it. Ogre asked them if they acquired the heavy armour skill, and only Orda seemed to know anything about it.
“I acquired it in the Tutorial Tower Levels, but it took weeks for me to get it even at Level 0. I had to eat and sleep in full armour, so it’s no great wonder that I have yet to acquire it once more. Having the mobility debuffs and fatigue accumulation out on the Road of Beginnings would have made me easy meat for the monsters that attacked us near constantly.”
Ogre pondered this, “You will need this skill in order to better fulfill your role in our party, right? We will acquire stamina elixir, when we go on our first quest, so you needn’t worry too much. For now wear it constantly. You too Aida. You don’t have a shield to mitigate damage and you won’t have the agility and speed of Xendaranan or Vedana to dodge attacks with that greatsword.”
It was 60 silver jules per pound of black iron armour so it left them with 83 gold, some silver, and copper. When Ogre explained this to them, Xendaranan spoke up, quickly. “You should not set aside extra shares for the fox and Jeda, Captain Ogre, they took their portions the same as us, out on the Road. You would be giving them a double portion if you do.”
The others agreed and the dog pondered. They are right…I did not think about that…still I would feel better, knowing that they were not here to get the benefit from my Silvertongue skill in selling the Monster Gems. Orda looked Ogre in the eye, “For one reason or another, they are not here with us, Captain. They have their shares, it would not be fair to the rest of us, who stayed, if you give them the benefit that should only belong to those within the party.”
Ogre reluctantly acquiesced. The dog knew that he could get more jules if he sold the other eight High Goblin Gems, but they were still some of the best reservoirs of wisdom that they had. One never knew when such a source for power would come in paw. New black iron weapons, cost a fraction of what the heavier plate cost. By selling the arms from the fallen otters, and even some of the S-class pig iron weapons they came away 2 silver jules richer. After the smithy, Ogre led the group back to the reception desk, where Lambana waited.
“There you are, Guild Receptionist Bahbrah, told me that you would be back here, almost fully educated on the mores and procedures here at the Adventurer’s guild, after your…shopping.” Said the Sheep, Her curls were more languid than Bahbrah’s, and her uniform though clean and neat, was somehow less so than the former guide. “She told me that she left out party roles? Ah yes, judging by your faces she did. Let’s start at base, alright? A party is short for Raiding Party, or a group of beasts that get together to do a quest, raid a dungeon, carry out an edict, or bounty or request. A party usually have dedicated roles for each beast to fulfill. The Guild requires at least three of these roles to be filled in order for a quest to be undertook, though there are upwards of nine. Of the required three; there is the healer, the damage dealer, and the leader. After a series of case studies, it has been shown that a party with a dedicated healer, has a sixty percent survival rate. A dedicated damage dealer increase the success rate of a quest by a significant amount. And a leader increases both survival and success by an additional twenty percent. So, would you point out the beasts who will occupy positions required and name them?”
Ogre nodded, after looking at the otters. “We do not have a dedicated healer…but I am the leader, Aida, Xendaranan, and Vedana the damage dealers. Perhaps…Orda?”-
-“Tanking, is a very good dedicated position to have, fourth only to the positions I named.” Said Lambana, interrupting, “May I look at your stats…Adventurer Orda? And Inept Ogre? However, his stats does seem to better balanced towards that position, whereas your stats if I may be so candid are so ridiculous that you could occupy nearly any dedicated role, job, or vocation, needed.”
The dog considered this. “Can you explain what job, class, and vocation means as shown on the Status Archaia? We were allowed to pick Classes in the Tower, but what I picked is not indicated on my Status.”
“Yes, of course.” Said Lambana, “All three can represent different things, when spoken of in terms of the Status Archaia or in general. Class is the most complex one, as it can stand in as a middling form of how you fight: whether it is as a high art user, healer, warrior, soldier, archer, or guard, or your profession. In the Status Archaia Vocation has the most control on where your status points organically fall as you level up, Class has that middling effect, and job has the least, though it is still discernable. Though it is typically foolish to do so, too often you can change any three, at anytime by going to a specific Class Chapter to change Class, or a Guild Master-at-Arms for vocation. For job you can just start doing that specific job that you want to do. Class has also been used as a synonym for Heroic Rank, and Heroic Type. When speaking about Class, context clues are particularly important, so as to not become confused. Yes…I almost forgot, Vocation may impart a onetime set of status points to specific stats, when a beast initially chooses their vocation.”
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“So if you have multiple vocations, classes, and jobs on your Status Archaia do you get the status points associated with the additional ones, not just the first ones listed?” Ogre asked.
“That is not possible. You only have one vocation, one class, and one job at one time.” Explained the Guild Receptionist. “Additional vocations, classes, and jobs would result in outrageous multiplication to stats well beyond the universal twenty percent increases, or ten points per stat, per level.”
“Understood.” Said Ogre, a little too quickly. So they cannot see my full status. “I think that I should at least try to see If I can be a healer or cleric. Though, it would be best if we all could try for it.”
“It is not usually done,” Lambana said, “For one, most beasts who are new adventurers don’t have the jules to be in multiple Heroic Types or Class Chapters, and secondly members of the chapters are jealous of their companions time, and affiliations, and would not suffer that time to be divided among other chapters for a single beast. Oh, and lastly most beasts don’t have the stats for more than Type, at least not initially. However, you four are high level for newcomers, so irregularities are bound to occur. Still, I do not recommend it.”
“We have not decided just yet, Guild Receptionist.” Said the dog, “Can you lead the way, to the Healer and Cleric Chapters…Also please point out Fighter and Warrior Chapters if we pass them.”
Lambana hid her sigh behind a polite cough, but Ogre could see that she was irritated that he would consider bucking the traditional way the Adventurer Guild operated. “The chapters for fighters, warriors, riders, archers, gunslingers, rogues and other adventurers who use mundane means to battle are located opposite the wings of the healers, clerics, high arts users, minstrels, and tacticians, beyond the initial ring of shops within the Guild that open out to Adventurer’s Monolith Square. We are going to the wing behind the communal baths. Both healers and Clerics are arms of the Micro-Macro Cosmic church. The Clerics have a Microcosmic Cathedral here at the guild.”
The healer chapter was one of the first, dedicated chambers in the building’s second set of wings. The hall holding the various chapters was much the same as the one that led into the vast bathing rooms. It was three stories tall, with doors large enough to admit the armoursmith in the forge with room to spare; surrounded by walls of white rosewood and crystal light fixtures that went down it’s length, casting light that mimicked the rays of the sun. A flat faced being robed in scarlet, clasping a golden shepard’s crook in one hand, and a pearl white heart in the other stood in bas relief on the door. The chamber was sprawling and held smaller rooms within. They all adjoined the great room filled with holy scrolls and codices on towering bookshelves or massive blue-steel bound books chained with quicksilver links to floors of stone like glittering painted glass. Dozens of beasts in pale robes populated the great room, and more passed through the smaller rooms deeper within.
A mink in a cowled robe the color of ripe barley spoke to them. Ogre learned that most healers shied away from doing any kind of slaying, though it was not expressively forbidden by the Godlion. She explained that the mindset necessary for miraculous healing was easily damaged at lower levels when one killed, and this resulted in reduced capacity for healing. The limitation made the heroic type off limits for Ogre to use, and too limiting for the otters to even consider.
The cleric chapter was across the hall from the elemental one, making the dog think of Jeda. For a moment Ogre considered how he could make amends with him. Ogre pushed the otter out of his thoughts and focused on the interior of the cleric space. The great room was half the size of the healer chapter’s great room, though the towering ceiling of white rosewood was the same. The floor was plain undressed gray stone, the benches, and tables mostly the same, save for white marble topped exceptions at the back of the room where a kind of nave holding an alabaster pedestal stood. The walls were lined with richly woven tapestries of bright color, showing battles, armoured beasts with golden light shining from eyes and paws, and sacred-looking, fantastic creatures. The despite the smaller size, scores more beasts in various allotments and types of armour, and bludgeons on backs or at waists walked throughout the chamber. Behind the nave stood an open door that rose as high as the chamber’s ceiling. It led out into a stone walkway that flowed to a stone structure that stood like a tower of gleaming white, in the afternoon.
Lambana lead them to the gothic cathedral, all white stone, blue tile, and pointed arches of blue steel past the pedestal, beyond the tall door, and down the stone walk. The cathedral was so ornate it was hard for Ogre to not try soak in the details within the structure, the tall stain crystal windows with overlaid tracery balanced the smooth stretches of plain white stone wall. The ceiling was a maze-like webbing of flying buttresses and ribbed vaults that Ogre looked at so long that he found Lambana and another beast with a translucent gold breastplate staring at him. Lambana’s eyes were so intent on the dog, he understood that she must have spoken to him.
“I’m sorry, I did not catch that.” Ogre said,
“I said, that High Priest Yordara can help you become a cleric, if the Godlion chooses you.” Said Lambana, “When you all are finished just come back to reception and your paperwork should be all in order by then. You, Ogre will be Leader and Cleric, the otter Orda Tank, Vendana, Xendaranan, and Aida all damage dealers. You will need to train with a Master-at-Arms for at least one week before you will be allowed to do quests that align with your level 60 party members. More training will be needed for higher rank quests until you are given appropriate rank for the quests you want to complete. Double per rank is usually how it works. Oh and the High Priest here can count as the necessary training. Be courteous new adventurers and I’ll see you all soon.”
“Wait…what about elixir, and bandages and antidotes?” Asked Ogre, as she turned away.
Lambana waved a forehoof, “We have essential quest preparation items at Reception, and you can also acquire them at the general store.”
Ogre nodded in parting and turned back to the High Priest. “Can you tell me what your class does? How do clerics heal? What other abilities are associated with this class?”
The Otter studiously ignored his questions and peered at the dog as if wondering what he could possibly offer his chapter. Ogre frowned at that look. He is a part of the same heroic type that has Borhelm as a member. That beast was treacherous can I trust this Yordara? Ogre glanced at the members of his party. I am fond of otters. And we do need the ability to heal beyond the use of elixir. Do I really have a choice?
“You’re a Dreameater, yes? From the tower?” Said Yordara, “Your strength is impressive, as is your durability. Are you aware that if you continue to let your durability rise you will attain Ton-rank resilience without the required soulweight? It will be very useful for one of your type.”
“I…I humbly ask your forbearance, as I ask again, I need answers to my questions.” Said Ogre, “If I was rude, I apologize, but I need these answers in order to do quests in the Adventurer’s Guild.”
“So much bother…so much hurry.”
The dog blinked, the voice sounded kindly, warm. Did I hear that before? His tone was clipped initially, right? I do not think I imagined that.
“Only the Godlion chooses who will be his warriors. Many are called but If you are chosen, you are chosen by the Lion in the Sky.” The High Priest Explained. “Beyond that, I will not suffer you to be so limited as you are. Here…take this as a gift.”
Ogre felt a wash of power surge through him, making his fur stand on end and every muscle in his body tighten. The dog closed his eyes feeling a weight, he had never felt within them settle in his skull. When he opened them again, he saw that a fog wreathed the room for the barest fraction of a second before it vanished when he blinked. The otters that were standing near enough to look in his face gasped.
“Your eyes, Captain!” Orda shouted, “They…flashed like lightning…or”-
-“like sunlight.” Interrupted the High Priest, he held up a paw to forestall Ogre’s question. “I did not do this to you. Appraisal is a common skill that spontaneously comes to every adventurer between levels one and five. I did not give you a special version of it. You are…a Dreameater. Common things become not so common within you.”
Ogre tried not to get irritated with the High Priest, but the strange gazes of the otters, just like when he slaughtered the Gremlin unnerved him, and anger was like a familiar old scent to him. I cannot be what they think I am. By the Dog in the Sky, they have seen me fail them and mess up multiple times!
The dog tried to ignore their eyes and instead focused his gaze on the otter.
“You’re blinding.” Said Ogre, the words spilling unbidden from his muzzle. “There is so much strength coming from you, you’re stronger than Borhelm! Stronger than anybeast that I have seen.”
The otter jerked back, looking hard at Ogre, before peering at the otters about him, then the interior of the Cathedral itself. Other beasts, clerics in full armour and cowled dun-brown capes, made their way in and out of the space. Some threw curious or irritated glares at the new party, but said nothing when they realized who, Yordara in this case, was entertaining them. The High Priest’s nose twitched irritably as he spoke, “You don’t need to blurt out every secret you find, just because it’s unexpected! Be silent about the ability of others unless it is necessary. It is foolish to be so quick to share knowledge that you should not have!”
Ogre’s brow lowered, but his voice was even and respectful when he spoke. “I…apologize. It was not my intention to unearth any secrets you wanted to remain hidden. I just want to become a cleric so that my party can do quests. Will you help us?”
Yordara sighed, irritation bleeding out from the set of his shoulders. “As I said the Godlion chooses his warriors. Kneel at the Altar within the apse…it’s at the back of the cathedral, at the end of the nave…the central area within the building.”
The High Priest first met them at the entrance to the cathedral, so the party had to walk twenty paces down the nave and through the transept, passing beasts clad in pale wheat robes warming up their voices with musical scales. The altar was a massive construction of pure rosewood, like a scarlet ruby carved with the darker red lines of tree rings. It smelled strongly of flowers with a delicate but pleasant scent. Ogre breathed in deep and knelt, full black iron suit protesting with iron on iron as he slipped to one knee. The otters watched him then followed suit, dropping to one knee and bowing before the altar and the massive skeins of stained glass behind and above it. The answer to the unspoken question came with a clap of thunder and a flash of golden light. The violence of it made very beast, including Ogre and his party, stand and be still.