(Y7, February 6th-7th)
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Hilltop Samms had not changed much in the months since Vantegaard and Birkathane had been there. If anything else, there was a more extensive sprawl of tents surrounding the original town.
There were a few ones that stood out. Huge ones, more of a military-sized tent than a personal one. Getting closer, Vantegaard also noted some carpentry scaffolds on the hillside, suggesting actual construction was going on. It looked like the hunting boom was still happening, and the town was still growing fast.
“It’s a circus,” Vastragal commented.
“It was that busy when we came through.”
He was feeling conflicted. Hilltop was where they had finally made it out of the wilderness. It was also where the Inquisition, Karseerteal, and his acolytes and hirelings had come after them, forcing them to run. The Cartographer’s second-in-command, sensitive to his mood, stayed silent.
They climbed the pathway across the hillside toward the town's central core. People were going around on their errands and did not even seem to notice the expedition.
It was long ago, but Vantegaard recognized the Obvious Tankard they’d fled from. Palacio went in with Vormacinus while the rest of the expedition relaxed in the small plaza in which the inn building opened.
They didn’t have to wait long before the two returned with bad news.
“The inn is full. Everything’s full of visitors.”
“Oh?” someone said.
“It looks like there is an auction of Skill Stones that has been organized. People from all over the sector have come out, as it advertises unique Skill Stones, with skills never found before. It starts tomorrow,” Palacio explained.
“Camping again, then?”
“And we might have to wait a bit. The innkeeper knows some people have arrived for the raid, but he has no idea where they are or how many. We’ll have to find them,” he said.
“And I hope they are here. We’ll have a Recess once everyone is there, then we’ll leave,” Vormacinus said, scowling. “Unless some have decided they wanted a Recess before.”
He might have expected groans, but cheers rose, deepening the scowl.
“I think people are happy we might have time for that auction. Although the ‘skills never found’ might be overblown,” Vastragal noted.
Vantegaard laughed, drawing an odd look from his boss.
“I am betting I know those ‘unknown’ Skill Stones. We sold them back when we passed here months ago. Over three gold total.”
She whistled.
“I knew you sold stuff from the reports. Armangest was convinced those were ‘payment’ for your actions.”
He sighed.
“Don’t fret. I can manage him. He’ll soften further once Build Maps goes online.”
“You decided on a name?”
“We do have a marketing department. Three people, two who don’t even want to step on Northworld, but still.”
Palacio raised his voice at that moment, interrupting them.
“Okay, we should have room on the south slopes. Let’s not disperse. Follow me.”
Master Knickknacks was still open and looked extremely busy when Vantegaard and Birkathane entered, triggering the chime above the door. Half a dozen people were there, browsing the store, and they recognized one of the expedition’s members. The woman would probably not find anything interesting for someone her level, but you never knew.
He spotted Heishoudang, the store owner, busy with a customer and no less than two helpers showing weapons and other things.
“It hasn’t changed,” Birkathane noted.
“A bit more busy.”
She looked at the clothes rack. It was very homogenous in looks, which made her sure it was all locally produced items. If the skin trade was still booming, there were going to be almost industrially produced items. The description tags all but confirmed it.
Luteus Jacket: lvl25/20res: +1 for,8% fire resist
Luteus Jacket: lvl25/19res: +1 for,7% fire resist
Luteus Vest: lvl35/22res: +1 for,+1 dex,8% fire resist
Luteus Tunic: lvl40/17res: +2 for,+1 dex,11% fire resist
“May I help you?”
“We were just looking. Is Heishoudang the one organizing the auction?”
The store assistant automatically reached into his pouch and pulled out a small 4-page brochure, which he immediately handed to Vantegaard.
“Auction lasts the whole day. You’re just in time; it is tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” he said.
The assistant retreated and headed toward another potential customer.
“Looks like he’s used to it,” she noted.
Vantegaard looked at the folder.
“That’s our Stones, all right. Break the World and the rest… hmm, there are also other Stones I don’t remember.”
They finally left the store. Heishoudang still looked horribly busy, and the leaflet answered Vantegaard’s biggest questions anyway.
“That’s a pretty big one. Looks like there are more than forty Stones, all tier 3 and above. No wonder they call it the Auction of the Year for the sector. I wonder… ah, there it is.”
“What?” Birkathane asked.
“Two additional co-hosts. Combine Trades, and someone called Milliusjon from Delta Gate.”
“Western part of the zone?”
“Back when no one had found a path between the two halves of today’s Gamma, I presume. Looks like he has interes…”
Vantegaard stopped.
“I need to find Vastragal. Stat.”
“What?” Birkathane asked, but her boyfriend had already turned and was heading toward the tent area.
The large tents they’d spotted yesterday were, as Vantegaard had guessed, the location for the Auction. A proud sign made sure to advertise the fact.
Hilltop Samms
Auction of the Year
Sponsored by Hunter Plus Inc.
It looked like Hunter Plus was still in business. He remembered the first hint of town they’d seen last year as they arrived.
Despite coming early, the tent area was already crowded, and the seats, imported plastic ones from Earth, were already all occupied. Vantegaard spotted a few of the raid members before he found Vastragal seated at the end of a row and made his way to her.
“You were right to notify me,” she whispered before sighing.
“I asked our local Agent, and you know what? He was going to upload a copy of the leaflet on his next Recess. We’ve invested into a Com Globe for the town, given its strategic position for future routes between Gamma and Alpha, and instead of using it to update on significant news, he was still going to wait for the Internet.”
“So, after the Auction,” Vantegaard smirked.
“Well, the Guild is about information, not buying out Stones. But still. I can’t believe it. Good thing we were there.”
“Now, here’s the part everyone was waiting for!” the auctioneer claimed.
The man was the representative of the Combine Trades. The Combine was sitting at the intersection of the Cotton Road interests and the data gathering of the Cartographers – they maintained a price index for most of the goods of Northworld, for themselves, but also for the various shopkeepers across the planet. They still published a four-way index, one for commonplace items for each Sector and one for rarer items across all three. Skill Stones, which they apparently sold as well, were part of the latter.
Even with known trade routes now, not everyone could attend from distant areas, but there would be a few agents with discretionary funds and instructions.
“We have nine, count them, nine Skill Stones with completely unknown Skills on them. This is the largest Auction of unknown Skill Stones since year 4 in Alpha, back when new Skills were still discovered monthly. I know, you are all waiting for Break the World. But fear not; while we wait for its turn, we have plenty of other stones. Starting with… Shape of the Sword!”
The same giga-sized placard that all the other Stones had came up, but this time, rather than the interface Skill description, it had just an educated guess.
Shape of the Sword
Tier 2 Strength. A proper shaping, befitting the king of weapons.
Crafting Skill Specialization
(caveat emptor)
Starting bid: 2 Electrum
A hand immediately shot up.
“I have 2 Electrum here… 2 and 1 Silver, anyone???”
“He’s good,” Birkathane whispered.
“That’s probably a Combine specialist, I think,” Vantegaard whispered back. “Probably why Heishoudang doesn’t do it himself.”
“Leave it to the pros.”
“I’m also sad. I kept counting, and even if not all of our Stones are included, it’s already twice the price we sold them.”
“And we’re just getting to the nice things,” she whispered back.
Warbound
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Tier 1 Presence. One enemy is a fight. A hundred enemies is a war.
AOE Fighting Skill? / Modifier? / Scaling?
(caveat emptor)
Starting bid: 8 Electrum
“This one looks impressive, even with the little we have on it. Now, this is a Skill that has actually been reported west of here. A newly spawned woman in Gamma a few months ago informed her guild recruiter she had this from Setup. Alas, the woman has not been seen for nearly three months now and is presumed Exiled or lost, and the guild didn’t press for details. So… no one still knows. Do I have a gold?”
There were a few seconds before a hand finally rose, one of the raiders Vantegaard recognized.
“We have 8 Electrum. Do I have a lucky 9? You know it won’t stay at that price forever, so don’t hesitate!”
There were four Stones left when the one he’d warned Vastragal about came finally up.
Sense the Leylines
Tier 1 Intuition. The power of the earth courses within the land, and those attuned to it can find its course and reap its essence.
Geomantic Skill / Regeneration? / Cap?
(caveat emptor)
Starting bid: 2 Electrum
“This one can be a lot of things. My esteemed colleagues all tell me that the longer the quote, the more exotic it is. It’s not Meditation of Mysteries, and its one-word quote, but still. The sky is the limit. For those seeking admission to the Earthen Brethren in Beta Sector, it is worth its price in… maybe gold? For 2 Electrum a tier 1, it is a bargain! Do I have 2 already?”
“Why the low price?” Birkathane asked. “That’s around 400,000 krona. Maybe $38,000?”
“No one can guess what it is. It could be related to regeneration; it could be related to Power cap, as they guess; it could be a boost to skills based on leylines… or, well, just locating leylines. Just because it’s a tier 1 doesn’t mean it will be a game-changer. Just that it’s typically effortless to grow, and at least you’ll get lots of level points back over time.”
Two people were bidding so far, and the Stone had finally reached 5 Electrum, but the bidding was slowing down.
Finally, Vastragal raised her hand.
“6 Electrum to the new bidder!”
One of the first bidders turned his head to look in annoyance at the newcomer. Vastragal didn’t smirk, didn’t look back, she simply remained focused on the auctioneer. The man made a face and turned back, raising his hand.
“7 electrum, it looks like the bidding is not over. Do I have a full gold?”
Vastragal’s hand rose, and the audience’s whispers grew in volume.
“1 gold for a brand new Geomantic Skill. Do I have 9 electrum?”
Birkathane bent to whisper to Vantegaard again, “Everyone’s surprised.”
“How do I know? I’m not a Skill Stone specialist. But… gold is the realm of very powerful tier 1 Stones, like that Warbound one. We’re talking about the price of a small house here or on Earth. For a Stone that is completely unknown to get there…”
“They think someone must know, then.”
“Or guesses better than the others, maybe based on other Skills. Or worse, someone trying to pump the Stone. That’s how it works in the movies.”
The original bidder was hesitating, but he finally raised his hand.
“We have 9… 10 electrum again for the lady in the fourth row. Is anyone up for 11?”
Vantegaard could see the man’s shoulders slumping.
“Ten electrum once… twice…
“11 electrum at the gentleman at the back!”
Everyone turned and looked, and Vantegaard looked at the back of the tent… at Ramon Palacio, with his hand still raised.
What the… he thought.
Then he blinked as he realized why. He bent over to Vastragal, who looked stunned.
“Palacio knows.”
“What?”
“Back during the conference. He somehow had heard about locational interference. And he was checking me out. Since he knew already… I explained about Sense the Leylines.”
“Well, that’s not good,” Vastragal shot back.
“11 electrum twice…”
She raised her hand almost automatically, and the auctioneer went “1 gold and half to the lady…. Do… 13 electrum to the man in the back.”
The voices were now almost loud as people realized a severe bidding war was going on over an unknown Stone.
Vantegaard spotted a few people who, so far, had not bid, who were now obviously hesitating to throw in their hats, wondering what those two bidders knew that they did not. You did not bid nearly 2 golds on a whim. One person, maybe. Two? No way.
“Go to him. Tell him if he stands down, he’ll have full access to the database. All of ours, permanent access, forever,” Vastragal whispered through her teeth as she raised her hand again.
Vantegaard moved, pushing his way across the crowd. People who had noticed him talking with Vastragal looked oddly at him.
He reached Palacio as the auctioneer announced, looking slightly frazzled, “2 gold. I have two gold. Do I have two and a half…?” he almost hesitated.
“What are you doing?” Vantegaard half-hissed.
“As you said, you had nothing else to begin with. That Skill is a game changer… even if I hadn’t a geomantic Skill already, which at my level means I don’t even bother with leylines, it would be worth it.”
“Vastragal offers you full database access. All the cartographer data, including locational interference you want, free of charge, forever. Just… stop.”
Palacio frowned before smiling.
“I’ll hold you to that,” he finally said.
Vantegaard sagged and breathed, before turning back to Vastragal, nodding off.
“2 gold, 4 electrum to the lady on the fourth… twice… 2 gold…”
“3 gold,” a voice that Vantegaard recognized rose.
Instead of whispers, silence fell upon the tent as heads turned toward the wolf-headed figure that had just spoken up.
What the… Vantegaard thought once again.
There was no way Vormacinus knew what it was about. He had not given the slightest hint of knowing about locational interference or his Skill’s role in it.
He threw a quick look at Vastragal, who was positively scowling at him as if she expected him to keep spilling his guts to everyone. He turned back and started pushing through the crowd.
“What…” he started.
“I know something’s up when I see a Skill Stone reach the fourth highest price in all of history… and it’s one that no one knows about,” Vormacinus coldly told him.
He raised his hand at the last instant, and the announcer flatly announced, “4 gold to the adventurer in the back…” without bothering to heckle for an additional bid.
“I’d expect the Cartographer to know things, but it looks like Ramon knows too. And it is important enough to bid six figures on. So the question is…” he looked as Vastragal raised her hand again, looking darkly at the two of them “… can I afford not to have this Skill.”
“No, can you afford it?”
“Why not…”
“You’re going against the Cartographer Guild. Do you realize how deep their pockets are?”
“The World Wreckers have a deep war chest, and I can…”
“They have one bigger than yours. They won’t stop.”
Or maybe they will. I don’t know how far she can go.
“All you’re doing is burning up goodwill,” Vantegaard insisted.
“For a detailed look at leylines? Really?”
“I do have the Skill, and I know exactly why it’s that big for after the raid,” he said and stopped there.
Vormacinus looked up, and they saw the whole tent looking at them. The auctioneer then abruptly remembered and intoned, “4 gold and a half to the lady… three times.”
Vormacinus’s hand twitched briefly, but then he stayed it.
“AND FOUR GOLD FOUR ELECTRUM TO THE FINAL BIDDER!” the auctioneer yelled before sagging as he realized the sum. As it was his guild that had provided that Stone, it was heading, if not to him, at least to his guild, and he’d probably get a cut.
“I want to know everything. Before we leave for the Pyramid,” Vormacinus coldly said.
Vastragal was standing up and heading toward the side of the tent as the auctioneer called for a break before the last three Stones.
They moved into the adjacent and slightly smaller tent, where Vantegaard found Heishoudang, who managed the auction conclusion.
“That’s… quite unexpected,” he said.
“Believe me, I did not expect to have to pay as much,” Vastragal said curtly, throwing a look at Vantegaard.
The local main storekeeper looked at him, frowning.
“Do I know you? I think… Oh, yes, I remember. You’re from that team that sold all those Stones last year.”
“That’s me, yes.”
“Didn’t you have problems with the Cartographers?”
“That’s been resolved since.”
“Good to know, good to know. So… Mistress, you have purchased one Skill Stone for Sense the Leylines, at four gold, four electrum.”
“That I did, although I don’t have the coins with me.”
“Ah… all purchases must be finalized…”
“I am going to call the office, get the coinage delivered via Express FedEx to our local agent’s Recess location, and get him to do a fetch and deliver.”
“Your agent?”
“I’m from the Cartographer Guild. And we’re lucky that Hilltop Samms has a high-ranking enough agent in place, aren’t we?”
“Carmelli works for you?”
Heishoudang’s eyes jumped back and forth between Vantegaard and Vastragal, obviously confused.
“I expect to have the actual coins by tomorrow morning. May I check the Stone?”
Heishoudang briefly hesitated. He then pulled out a safety box and opened it, displaying the rounded marble slab of a Skill Stone. Vastragal placed her finger on top, briefly, before withdrawing it.
“Vantegaard? Can you confirm?”
He placed his fingers on the stone nestled in its felt support and checked the descriptor.
Sense The Leylines
Tier 1 Intuition. The power of the earth courses within the land, and those attuned to it can find its course and reap its essence.
Cost: ×
Acquire skill
“That’s the correct Skill; I can’t get it. It checks out.”
Heishoudang snapped the box closed.
“I will, of course, keep the Stone until delivery.”
“I suggest taking extra precautions,” she said.
“I… of course. If you are willing to pay four and a half gold, people are going to assume it’s worth that much.”
“Believe me, if this gets stolen before tomorrow, the Cartographers will be very, very, veeerrry angry.”
“The bank has reinforced its measures. After…” he looked at Vantegaard, “… this gentleman demonstrated the ability to go through walls last year, they’ve added new measures.”
Vastragal snorted in mirth.
Heishoudang perked slightly.
“I think they’re resuming the auction. Are you going to…”
“No, our business here is over. Mainly over. See you tomorrow at the bank?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
There was a figure waiting for them as they exited the tent. Vormacinus, with his wolf’s head, was standing there, looking impassive.
“So?”
“So what? You cost me two… fucking… gold coins,” Vastragal said.
“Your man said he knew exactly what it is about. The Cartographers do not spend coin needlessly…”
Vantegaard could see Vastragal biting a reply.
“… so I want to know exactly what it is about. I had assumed the Leylines had something important to deal with the Pyramid. But Vantegaard said he has the Skill already, so that’s funny business. I do not want any funny business I don’t know about going on.”
“That’s funny business indeed,” another voice injected.
They turned and found Ramon Palacio, who had left the main auction tent, standing there.
“And you were trying to snatch it from the Cartographers,” Vormacinus said.
“I thought the Delvers could use that. But the Cartographers made us an offer that’s a lot better.”
Vormacinus turned back to the two Cartographers.
“So?”
“There is no leyline under the Pyramid, by the way,” Vantegaard thought he needed to specify.
“But they’re important.”
“In a way, but that’s completely unrelated to the Pyramid. They provide access to geomantic Skills.”
“You mean extra power.”
“I mean extra Skills. If you are a geomancer and run the lottery while on the right leylines, you will gain a guaranteed geomantic Skill instead of a random one.”
Vormacinus blinked. Then blinked again.
“What the??? This Skill allows you to do that?”
“No. This Skill allows me to see in advance what it will be. It works for everyone. Each configuration of leyline provides different, specific Skills.”
“The Earthen Keep,” Vormacinus instantly realized.
“I managed to outdrink an Earthen Brethren,” Palacio laughed. “They didn’t know it was a general thing, and not specifically their Keep’s courtyard, at least until this man pulled out the curtain for them.”
“Except for the intersection of Worldlines, and probably the intersection of all four leyline types, everything else can be obtained elsewhere. At least until we figure out the locations of the other World leylines intersections, then even that.”
“The Cartographers have a very good hypothesis about those, by the way. But those intersections should be out of the explored territory for now,” Vastragal added.
“Anyway, that’s why they’ve just raised their recruitment criteria. They know that, once this becomes known, people will have an easy time getting some Skills. Even if those Skills eat into their ‘internal training’.”
“People assumed they had a secret dungeon under the Keep with a reliable source of geomantic Skill Stones. But if that’s leylines, why do you need that Skill Stone? Sure, you need to explore a bit…”
“It works for other Skills, as long as they are on a leyline.”
“What do you mean, other Skills.”
“There are various places where you can reliably obtain certain Skills, not just geomantic ones. We’ve confirmed multiple lines of Skills, like druidic ones…” Vantegaard said, then eyeing Vormacinus’s weapon, added, “including hammer skills.”
“WHAT THE???”
A few people coming in and out of the tent turned their heads at the outburst before ignoring the five people.
“The Sense the Leylines make it so that I can see which Skills are available at each such location. That is why it is so important for us. You don’t need to run extensive Skill lotteries to test spurious coincidences. You just go there and check.”
“If you already have access to…”
“I’m low-level, and there is only one of me. That’s why the Cartographers want an additional Skill user.”
Vantegaard had not been immediately privy to the officer-level thinking about his Skill, but that was the obvious reason. However, the investment was now a – tiny little – bit higher, thanks to the World Wrecker’s rash actions. But Vastragal nodded.
“We do have a few mid-thousander full Cartographers. And yes, some of the locations are in relatively high-rank areas.”
Vormacinus went deep in thought.
“Is the Pyramid…”
“As I said, there are no leylines, so I can’t tell. I will probably do a test myself. But once the Cartographers open up their databases… making a build will be less of getting lucky with the lottery, and more of knowing where to go for which Skills.”
“And you’ll make a fortune.”
“And we’ll sell the best, actionable information there is,” Vastragal concluded.
“There are way too many people who know about this,” Vastragal said as the three of them walked back toward the town center.
“Druid communities do suspect shenanigans going on,” Birkathane said. “Right now, the main hypothesis running around druidic websites is still full of shit, but the instant this becomes known…”
“The idea is that the Cartographer should provide the most useful information. We know people are going to try to get something on their own, and that’s acceptable. As long as people want to get ahead, they’re going to be willing to pay for an easy way.”
“What’s the saying? Three people can keep a secret…”
“If one of them isn’t getting outdrank by the second Gater ever to walk Northworld.”
“Shouldn’t we open the service?” Vantegaard asked.
“Do we have enough?”
“We’re supposed to recess today. I can check if some of the Affiliates have reported back on some rumors I’m chasing. And I need to really investigate the Necromancy track.”
“What about Necromancy?”
“That’s some of the rumors I was looking at during last Recess. I think… it might be about creatures, not places per se. It looks like you might get Skills directly from creatures with necromantic-oriented Skills. Lesser Elites and above. Everyone still thinks it’s because you’re exercising your necro aspects, and the lottery randomness skews toward what you recently used or fought against the most, but…”
“But?”
“I got a location I know, and veterans I met there confirmed some Lesser Elites roam around with a Skill. I couldn’t have checked back then, even if I had the idea already, because it’s Cold Grasp, and Quandocor has that Skill already. But we have a high veteran Agent with necromancy in the area – he’s even in the guild of the people we’ve met who run that dungeon regularly – and he doesn’t have it.”
“Is he?”
“No, but I promised him payment in exchange for the validation. He got a full protocol of tests, with the justification that we’re investigating how the lottery is running. Which is technically correct.”
“The best kind of correct,” Birkathane injected.
“And if this pans out, we do have a significant database of locations with known necromantic Lesser Elite or stronger critters. I think we have enough for a starting build guide for multiple spell lines. We can expand later.”
“You didn’t tell Quan anything about that,” Birkathane noted.
“I wasn’t about to provide unfounded rumors before we Respawned. But yes, at least I might be able to give him some helpful stuff – on my own fund,” he added for Vastragal’s benefit.
Vastragal slapped him on the shoulder.
“Good work. And don’t worry. All of us on top use that free access to help some of our friends. I’ll probably send you an invite while on Recess so we can discuss with marketing.”
Vantegaard zipped the tent closed as they stood next to it.
“Ready?”
“Recess in three… two… one…” Birkathane intoned.