Adventurer’s Guild Rules – Loot Rule #16: When a living being is killed, its equipped or in-use belongings become loot. They are not restored in the event of resurrection. If death occurs naturally, all items are returned to inventory and stored in case of resurrection.

* The Adventurer’s Guild Guidebook

Waking with a start, Nash had the distinct impression he had slept cuddled up with someone. Feeling the bed next to him, he swore he could feel a slight depression and some residual warmth where a second body had lain. Nash narrowed his eyes. He hastily rose, recalled his equipment, and looked around the room. He even checked under the bed.

There was no one was in the room besides him... and Tamsyn, but she was far too small to be the mystery cuddler. Besides, she was curled up on a plush chair in the corner of the room, fast asleep. With no other ideas, Nash chaulked it up to a vivid dream and him rolling around in his sleep.

Nash decided to let Tamsyn sleep. Yesterday was rough on her too. He shuddered to think of what may have happened if he hadn’t received and used that phoenix feather. He knew he’d be dead, but for her... what horrors might have occured. That dark thought reminded him of what he had said to the patrons the night before. Nash felt it was time to walk the town and see if anyone hadn’t gotten word about the new law. He wouldn’t suffer slavery. Not when he had the strength to do something about it.

After leaving the room and grabbing a bite to eat from the bar, Nash headed out into the light of a new day. The few patrons remaining nursed their hang-over tonics and paid him no mind. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Nash made his way downtown until he found the Sheriff’s office. Figuring it was his now, he walked inside to get a feel for the place.

“Can I help you?” asked a very large grey-skinned man in a gravelly voice.

The two men eyed each other for a moment, each sizing the other up. The man’s eyes opened wide when he spotted the Sheriff’s badge pinned to Nash’s chest plate. Nash smiled at the man.

“Stone golem, huh?” said Nash. “You must be my deputy. My name’s Nash and I’m the new Sheriff since late last night. It’s a pleasure.”

“Now, wait a minute,” said the man. “What happened to Rondo?”

“I assume that’s the name of the man who stole all of my stuff and left me for dead on the road,” answered Nash. “Well, Rondo’s got an appointment with the gravedigger today. I paid for his stay myself.”

“Well,” shrugged the man. “I guess that does make you the new Sheriff. Nice to meet you, Nash. I’m Brick.”

“Brick?” asked Nash, narrowing his eyes while looking at the sentient stone golem. “And do you like that name?”

“Not really,” shrugged the man. “But that’s what everyone called me.”

“Okay,” said Nash. “What would you like to be called?”

“Well... my name’s Tobey,” said the man. “So, that would be nice.”

“Alright then,” smiled Nash, holding out his hand to the man. “It’s nice to meet you, Tobey.”

Tobey’s eyes lit up and he shook Nash’s hand. “Thanks, Nash. You know, you seem a lot nicer than Rondo. I’m glad to be your deputy.”

“Good to hear, Tobey. Good to hear,” said Nash while walking around to get a feel for the place. “I should let you know, I outlawed slavery in this town last night. Do you have any thoughts on that?”

“About time,” replied Tobey. “We didn’t have slavery in my old world, not for over five hundred years. Honestly, it makes me sick.”

“Me too,” replied Nash. “My homeworld had slavery here and there, but it was almost universally condemned and illegal, at least for the last hundred years or so.”

“Rondo was from here,” said Tobey. “So this was what he knew.”

“And the mayor?” queried Nash.

The stone golem’s face turned ashen and his eyes grew wide. “Oh no, he won’t like this one bit. He and Rondo were in cahoots over several shady schemes, including the slave trade in this town.”

“Oh great,” replied Nash, rubbing his chin. “Now, I suppose I’m going to have to deal with him too, huh?”

“Um, yeah,” replied Tobey, nodding towards the door. “And I’m thinking sooner rather than later.”

Nash turned and looked towards the main door just as it burst open. In walked a tall, lanky man wearing a grey and white suit. He sneered when he spotted Nash, two burly half-orges flanking the man. They both looked well-equipped for battle and had their weapons half-drawn. Nash stood up.

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“You must be the mayor,” said Nash. giving his best smile. “We were just discussing you.”

“I don’t care,” replied the mayor with a snarl. “Rondo and I had an arrangement. I’m sure we’re both busy men, so I’ll make this quick. First, no one changes the laws without my say-so... slavery stays. And second, you’ll be taking over Rondo’s side of our arrangement, understood?”

“I understand,” said Nash, nodding slowly.

The mayor smiled. Tobey raised his eyebrows at Nash’s apparent acquiescence. The two menacing brutes dropped their weapons back into their sheaths.

“Good,” replied the mayor dismissively. “I’ll have my assistant stop by to go over the particulars.”

The mayor turned away and walked back out the door, the two half-ogres falling into line behind him. Nash noticed that they both wore slave shackles, just visible beneath their heavy armor.

“Hey,” Nash called out.

The mayor and his slave henchmen all turned. Nash waited at the top step of the Sheriff’s Office. The two half-ogres looked from Nash to the mayor. The mayor merely frowned.

“I said I understood,” said Nash, staring down at the mayor. “Not that I agreed.”

The mayor’s frown deepened. “Too bad… kill him,” replied the man, nodding to his underlings.

Nash waited until they were almost upon him before charging straight for the mayor. The instant Nash arrived before the shocked mayor, he brought both axes down on the man’s neck. The mayor’s head hit the ground and bounced twice before the man realized that he was dead. Nash was shocked at how quickly the mayor died but managed to spin on his heel to face two half-ogres before they could try anything. Nash wanted to give them a chance.

“Do you want your freedom?” he asked.

The two brutes hesitated for only a moment before nodding in unison.

“Good,” said Nash. “What are your names?”

“Fenis and Taft,” answered one of the men.

“Okay,” said Nash. “Stand down and I’ll free you right now.”

Both half-ogres backed off and lowered their weapons, though they remained tense. Slaves weren’t used to being given their freedom for any reason in this world. With combat ended, Nash received several new notifications while adding the loot to his inventory.

Quest Complete: End legalized slavery in Gravenport

Reward: 25,000 bonus experience

Key to the City – Trinket

Achievement Unlocked: City Politics

New Title Unlocked: Mayor of Gravenport

Lost item – Sheriff’s Badge – Ornament

Gem of Enslavement - &2351z – Trinket

Gem of Enslavement - &2352a - Trinket

Top-coat of Protection – Chest – Light Armor

Iron Marks – 1379

Nash immediately equipped the two gems. The moment they were equipped, Nash spoke the words to release Fenis and then Taft. The two half-ogres shackled shattered into magical dust before floating away into nothing. Both men looked up at Nash with wide eyes.

Quest Complete: Free at least two slaves in Gravenport

Reward: 50,000 bonus experience

Congratulations: You’ve Leveled Up! Dark Paladin - Level 22

Nash didn’t know what to think of these quests. He had never picked any of them up from any quest giver. They seemed like they may have a common theme and also lined up with his morality. He decided not to question it, especially since the experience payout was so lucrative that he had already gained another level. Besides, he had two confused half-ogres to deal with.

“You’re free,” said Nash. “What will you do now?”

Both half-ogres just shrugged.

“Uh, boss,” cut in Tobey, having just exited the Sheriff’s Office.

Nash looked up at the stone golem who was pointing nervously at the shiny new Sheriff’s badge attached to his leather breastplate. It suddenly became obvious what had just happened. When he had slain the previous mayor to become the new mayor, he couldn’t be the Sheriff too, so that duty had fallen to the next in line, his deputy. But now, the new Sheriff didn’t have any deputies.

“Have you ever thought of a career in law enforcement?” asked Nash, looking to the two newly freedmen.

Fenis and Taft just looked at each other and shrugged.

“Not really,” said Fenis. “But we’re willing to give it a try.”

“Well,” said Tobey. “Consider yourselves deputized.”

The moment the words left Tobey’s mouth, bronze Deputy stars appeared on each of the half-ogre’s armored chests. They were grinning from ear to ear. Nash wasn’t surprised. They had just gone from being slaves to being free and gainfully employed.

“Congratulations,” said Nash, shaking each of the half-ogres hands. “I’m sure you’ll do well.”

Nash nodded to Tobey and headed back towards the Seductive Succubus. He figured he’d check on Tamsyn before deciding what to do next. Hopefully, the nixie would have some good advice for him. They could discuss their plans over lunch.

Tamsyn picked at her salamander egg omelet dejectedly. She was upset that Nash had left her alone in the room again. It was the second time that week and it seemed to really bother the nixie. He apologized and then told her about his morning. That didn’t make her feel any better. Nash ate his shredded cockatrice fajitas while trying to find the words to cheer the nixie up.

“Tamsyn, I wonder if you can help me out with something,” said Nash.

The nixie looked up quickly but kept her face neutral. She just gazed at him, waiting for him to continue.

“I just became…heh, the uh… mayor of this town,” he said, raising an eyebrow and giving her a half-frown to let her know what he thought of the whole thing. “It wasn’t my idea. Now, I still have to complete the monthly dungeon quotas to keep from being kicked out of the guild. So, what should be my… no, our next step?”

“So, we’re a team now?” asked Tamsyn.

“Only if you want,” answered Nash.

“Okay,” said Tamsyn, smiling like a schoolgirl. “In that case, I think we need to recruit a new dungeon team.”

“Okay… makes sense,” said Nash, rubbing his chin at the great idea. “We’ll have to help them gear and level up. It’s common knowledge that very few summons come in as Dark faction.”

“True,” said Tamsyn, smiling wickedly. “And that’s exactly why your old dungeon group won’t see it coming when we pass them up.”

That thought made Nash smile. Whoever became more powerful would have the other party at their mercy. Nash was going to make sure it was their party that prevailed. Especially now that he was Dark faction. There were no rules or guidelines that prevented one side from attacking the other at any point in time. This world was set up as faction versus faction, though there were numerous exceptions to that rule.