Jace walked through the doors of the Gilded Swan, and memories flooded back to him. Less than a month ago, he had come here as a naïve noob, and Esther had charmed him in more ways than one. Now, he entered with more confidence, knowing exactly what to do and what to expect. Well, he didn’t know exactly what to expect. The brothel was under new ownership, a player’s ownership, and Jace had done enough research to know things happened differently now. No longer was this a private MIM where you could do what you wanted; instead, it was public, and if you violated the rules, you were taken outside into a PvP zone and hoped for mercy.
Level 16-18 guards stood around the room nonchalantly, blending in with potted plants, tantalizing sculptures, and serene landscape paintings. Unlike the half-orc guards from Ironfel, each of these was unique and probably twice as expensive to maintain. However, to protect a city, you needed scores of characters. To maintain security in the Gilded Swan, half a dozen would do.
Jace saw two mages, one male and one female, talking idly at the bar while nursing drinks. A dwarf and a stocky human sat in the corner, playing the realm’s version of chess, each with a battle axe hanging from their belts. On the balcony, a young man in a sleeveless vest and harem pants looked bored as he leaned against a pillar surveying the crowd below. A quiver dangled from his hip, and the tip of his longbow poked just over his left shoulder.
To anyone else, these characters looked like ordinary guests casually spending their time in the posh environment. To Jace, they were obviously guards. All the other characters in the room had their eyes on the scantily clad men and women moving through the tables, offering drinks, food, and the promise of more private liaisons in one of the many rooms along the back wall. The guards ignored the escorts, focusing instead on the patrons, carefully observing each interaction they had with the staff and each other. When Jace had fled this brother several weeks ago, it was during a massive melee that probably killed several characters and did untold damage to the building. Vithium, the new owner, had spent good money to make sure that never happened again.
Jace locked eyes with one specific security guard, a level 16 spellsword named Tristan Hamley. As far as Jace knew, of all the guards he spotted, Tristan was the only one in Vithium’s party. The others were probably mercenaries that spawned naturally within a high-level PvP city. Jace felt the spellsword was likely the most dangerous of the bunch. Standard classes like mage, fighter, and rogue were easier to counter. Hybrid classes like a spellsword, battlemage, or blade-dancer acted unpredictably. From his research, Jace knew Tristan was Thursa’s brother. The shaman hadn’t gotten around to asking Wallace how she and Vithium had split the brothers up. Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but Jace didn’t believe in those, especially not in this game.
Even at Level 16, the spellsword was someone Jace wanted to avoid. PvP was deactivated within the brothel, but NPCs could still attack you, and Jace didn’t want to deal with the dangerous character. Instead, he looked over to the last guard stationed in the room. Kai Morte stood as still as a statue, his sleek armor glistening in the sunshine streaming through the skylights. The rest of the guards were there to resolve any violent conflicts between patrons; Kai cared primarily for the safety and integrity of the women. At level 10, he wasn’t going to be much good in a fight, but as an inquisitor, his skills lay elsewhere. While the spellsword mostly ignored Jace, Kai didn’t take his eyes off him.
The shaman wore his illusion necklace and appeared to be an average human. However, flanking him were two beautiful and very different women. Draya wore her mage dress. While it had lost its curse that gave her unlimited mana, it retained its other attributes and remained one of the more valuable items in the game. Once Esther found out they were going back to her old stomping grounds, she insisted on giving her friend a makeover, and the conservative clothes the young woman usually wore under the dress were gone. She also displayed more jewelry and had her red locks down instead of pulled back. The black streak through her hair split along her part, so half hung on either side of her face, like thin parentheses.
Esther walked on Jace’s other side, wearing the same black dress that had been her standard attire while working here. Few of the original staff remained at the Gilded Swan, but those that did stopped for a moment to appreciate the women’s arrival. The rogue entered the dining hall as if she owned it, and for a moment, she did as conversation stopped and all eyes glued to her. She smiled in return, tossing her black hair away from her face and clinging tightly to Jace’s arm. The other patrons got the hint that she was taken and returned to their food and lascivious negotiations.
Jace’s group had visited the small temple next door first, and the priest had said Kai spent most of his time here now. The inquisitor had taken a keen interest in protecting the women. Jace hoped he wasn’t officially employed here or a full-party member of Vithium. Jace believed that would have required the monk to solve Kai’s quest. He didn’t know much about the player, but anyone capable of holding on to the Gilded Swan had his respect. He didn’t want to negotiate with the man but doubted his presence here would go unnoticed. He only hoped the owner lived in the Western Hemisphere and, thus, likely asleep.
Jace had left Psycho, Gromphy, and Snowy outside. The wolf wouldn’t be allowed in, and the Goblin would draw too much attention. Places in the realms existed for Goblins to have a good time, but the Gilded Swan wasn’t it. Psycho remained with them mainly for protection but also because Jace had to convince Kai that he wasn’t intending to assassinate the king, and having the game's best sniper with him wouldn’t lend credence to that claim.
As the hostess led the trio to their seats, Jace saw Kai walking toward them, already halfway across the room. The Swan had a strict rule that only one client was permitted in the room of an escort at a time, so most of their patrons were single players, primarily men. Ocassionly, a couple entered, wanting to swing a little, but when someone like Jace arrived with two women, each more eccentric than what the brothel had to offer, either he was here for another reason, or he wanted to break the rules.
A server dropped off three ales at the table as the paladin arrived. “Gentleman, ladies,” the inquisitor said in a thick Hispanic accent. “What brings you to the swan this afternoon? We don’t usually get such . . . distinguished guests.”
Jace knew he was nothing to look at. His disguise intentionally lacked weapons or magical items, mimicking a simple merchant or trader. Esther and Draya were another story. As they had walked through the streets of Portsmith, Draya had blushed so profoundly that her face almost matched her hair. She wasn’t used to showing this much skin, especially from the slit high up her leg. However, once she sat behind a tablecloth, she grew more confident and smiled warmly at the handsome knight.
Kai didn’t notice. His eyes stayed fixed on Esther. Jace expected this behavior from any warm-blooded male, but this look held more than just infatuation. The stone shaman could read a strong sense of de ja vu in the paladin’s eyes as if searching for a distant thought. Esther worked hard to maintain her composure. Atrax had awoken her memories, so she knew full well who Kai was, but Jace had told her not to rouse her friend until after they had solved his quest. They didn’t need the distraction.
“Please,” Jace said, interrupting the staring contest, “have a seat. We have come to talk with you, actually.”
Kai pulled his eyes away from Esther, didn’t sit down, and regarded the player carefully. He frowned. “One does not bring such beauty into a place like this merely to talk, senior. And those who come looking for me don’t make a public show of it.”
“I have no problem discussing matters here,” Jace said, not intimidated by the public setting. While a few other patrons kept looking over at them, most had an alluring escort at their table or were looking to engage one. Jace knew from experience a few of them had already told their operator to post somewhere on a forum that the famous Jace Thorne was sitting at a table in the Gilded Swan with Esther Xerxes. This would prompt dozens of discussions about why he was there. Did he plan to buy the place? Was Esther looking to return to her old job? Was this an initiation ritual for his young fireballing mage? The players around him would keep their ears open to see if they could answer any of these questions, but Jace didn’t expect them to interfere.
Along with his fame came a well-earned reputation. Everyone knew by now that you didn’t mess with Jace Thorne. He had publicly killed so many powerful characters and monsters that to do anything other than look at him was extreme foolishness.
“However,” Jace continued, “if you wish to retire to a more private room, I’m sure this facility has a few available.”
Kai winced, confirming something Jace had hopped. He didn’t actually work here. He couldn’t just commandeer one of the rooms. “Speak your mind, and I shall decide if I’m interested. I am not looking for more work.”
“No,” Jace said, “you are looking to stop an assassination.”
Kai moved suddenly, finally taking the fourth seat at the table and leaning over the circular surface. Jace felt a shimmer of magic surround them and guessed that a character who specialized in interrogations would have a spell to keep such discussions private. “How would you know this?” His voice came in a harsh whisper, low and deadly. “How could you know this unless you are involved? You’ve come only to find out what I know.”
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
This was the crucial junction in the module. Jace guessed this was where most of his predecessors went wrong. Like many modules, once they were tried, failed, and reset, the characters involved retained no knowledge of previous attempts. To Kai, this would be the first time anyone had ever come to him about the assassination. The trick was to convince Kai you knew what was going on while maintaining your innocence.
“I have come to help you,” Jace insisted. “We have come to help you,” he emphasized, gesturing at his two companions.
Kai looked briefly at their smiling, pretty faces and cooled slightly. “How could you come to help me unless you knew of my plight? And how could you know of that unless you were involved?”
Jace had to be careful. Not only did his Honest character take penalties for lying, but an inquisitor, even one at level 10, had multiple bonuses to detect them. Jace guessed that at any moment, the paladin could dispel his illusion necklace. However, the knight was more focused on verbal deception at the moment, and Jace didn’t want to give him a reason to look elsewhere.
“Your king’s name is Ahasuerus.,” Jace said. That got a reaction from the knight, and he pulled back slightly. Gandhi wasn’t consistent with the names she imported from the Bible. Sometimes they were direct, sometimes they were slightly altered, and other times they were reversed. Jace couldn’t guess what the king’s name might be in this module, so he went with the most obvious. Clearly, it was close enough, giving him confidence to continue.
“The queen is Vashti. I understand your king is not too pleased with his wife and might be looking to divorce her.” Kai sat straight up, his expression changing from suspicion to awe. “Perhaps you suspect she is involved with this plot, though your main source of information is from the eunuchs assigned to the king's harem. You overhead them talking.”
Kai leaned back in his chair, his mouth agape.
Jace smiled. “Let me guess, no one believed you.”
“They laughed at me,” Kai spat. “The king’s own guard – there for the sole purpose of protecting his majesty – laughed at me. The queen is involved. She is a foreign witch and has turned the king’s court against him. I fear any day, she will poison him. I must get word to King Azurous,” Kai said, pronouncing the king’s name with a Spanish accent, letting Jace know he had said it wrong, and it probably had a different spelling.
A thought struck Kai, and he suddenly leaned in again. “But I ask again, how do you know this? I have told no one. Can you see into my mind?”
“I employ one of the realm’s best crafters,” Jace said carefully. “He specializes in poisons and antidotes.”
“Ah,” Kai said. “The witch came to you for assistance.” Jace smiled, letting the inquisitor fill in the story so he didn’t have to lie. “And you turned her down?” Kai asked. “Surely she offered you a royal sum of gold. I can not pay you more.”
“Gold is not everything, my friend. Honor has its own value.”
Kai laughed. “Well spoken, senior. We seem to be of one mind, but alas, no closer to saving my king.”
“My crafter can make a potion to counter or prevent any poison,” Jace assured him.
“I’m sure he can, but unless he can launch it through the window in the king’s bed-chamber, I’m not sure how we can deliver it to him, much less convince him to drink it. Nothing passes his lips unless blessed by his trusted cupbearer. I fear Enrique is the only one in the castle intent on keeping the king alive.”
“And yourself,” Jace said.
Kai smiled. “Si senior, but I am not in the castle, am I? They might let me in the city gates, but I am banned from the courtyard. Unless I give them proof of my assassination claims, I am persona non grata.”
Jace smiled. That was why he brought all those other players to their deaths. He had accused them of the assassination in an attempt to win back his honor. Jace didn’t know what Kai’s alignments were, but his pride must be off the charts to allow him to kill innocent players like that. Still, they had all lied in an attempt to initiate his quest, so perhaps he felt justified. The actual Spanish Inquisitors had killed for less.
“The king is expanding his harem,” Jace said, more of a statement than a question.
Kai nodded. “Vashti offers him a cold bed, and he is looking for the next queen.”
“I offer two potential candidates,” Jace said, spreading his hands toward his female companions sitting on opposite sides of him.
“What?” Draya said, clearly not realizing Jace intended to offer her up to join a king’s harem. He had only told her to dress nice. Jace only half-offered her. He didn’t expect Draya to have to go through with it.
Kai laughed at her response. “Fear not, young lady. As lovely as you are, you are not the king’s type. But this one . . .” he turned to Esther. “She would win his heart in seconds.”
Esther smiled at the compliment and offered the knight her hand. “Esther Xerxes, at your service,” she said with a purr.
Kai winced at the name, but the feeling passed, and Jace let out a sigh. “My name is Kai Morte,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it. “A pleasure to meet you. Are you up for this challenge?”
Esther gave him a sly grin that would make a priest blush. “I believe I have some experience.”
“That she does,” a voice came from behind the seated knight. “Don’t you know, Kai? She used to work here.”
Jace looked up to see a man standing behind the inquisitor. He wore a simple tunic tied with a blue sash, leather boots, and gray pants. His white shaved head had a circular black ponytail hanging down his back. “Vithium, I presume,” Jace said, causing Kai to stand and turn around. Draya and Esther were well-coached and remained seated. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“Jace Thorne,” Vithium replied, keeping a distance of over a dozen feet. Tristan stood behind him, hands close to his weapons. “We haven’t met, but your reputation proceeds you.” He ignored Jace’s attempt to learn about his real-world time zone. “Poaching as usual?”
Esther started to reply, but Jace touched her arm. “I don’t believe I am taking anything that belongs to someone else. Nor do I ever. Claiming things others have failed to secure hardly counts. You might own the dock, but the water and the fish swimming below the surface are free for all.”
Vithium laughed. “It matters not,” he said. “Share and share alike. Isn’t that right, Esther?”
Jace turned to his rogue to see her lips pressed tightly together. Her eyes stayed on Kai, not wishing to look either player in the face. The inquisitor turned back and forth between the monk and shaman, confusion etched on his brow.
“And this is something you want?” Vithium asked the paladin.
Kai nodded. “He has been honest with me. I trust him.”
Vithium laughed loud and long. “Has he now? Before you sits a vampire, an orc, and a dragon. I would not spend time alone with any of them if my life depended on it.”
Kai grew cold, and Jace saw a light flash through his eyes. His human illusion did not vanish, but Jace knew the knight could see through it. After a few moments Kai only shrugged and turned back to Vithium. “He has not lied to me; you just did. I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but I will go with him.”
Vithium’s laughter died down as he looked at Jace’s smiling face. “You’ll get yourself killed anyway. I’m afraid our inquisitor’s quest is broken. Probably something you did when you unlocked . . .” his voice trailed off as Jace recognized the look of someone listening to their operator.
The monk’s eyes went from Esther to Kai and then back to Jace. “Mordecai and Esther,” he said softly. “Wow, don’t I feel stupid! But I guess we all do when compared to Jace Thorne.”
Jace shrugged. “I guess everyone expected the Spanish Inquisition,” he said.
{I’m going to tell Stephen you stole that,} Gracie said, though they both knew the CIA agents replayed all of their missions. They’d be watching live if they weren’t too busy getting warrants to shut down domestic terrorists.
Vithium laughed again, letting Jace know he was familiar with Monty Python. It narrowed his potential nationality a bit. “Yes, yes, we did.” He paused. “So you are just going to leave? It’s the middle of the day, not our busiest time. Sit back and relax. I can arrange for you to spend time with our most popular girl.”
“I believe I’ve already spent weeks with her,” Jace smirked. Vithium looked like he wanted to respond but only scowled.
Jace fished a few coins out of his inventory to lay on the table, covering the drinks. He hadn’t touched his, but Esther’s sat half full, and Draya had guzzled hers after she realized she had almost been sent into a harem.
“Are we free to go?” Jace asked, rising from the table. Everyone tensed. Now that Vithium knew the trick to Kai’s quest, he could try to take out Jace, let the inquisitor’s module initiation sequence reset, and then attempt the mission himself. If Jace had agreed to engage in Vithium’s offer of adult relaxation, that is precisely what the monk would have done.
Jace looked around the room. Every player had their eyes on this encounter, likely recording it. Several escorts tried to steal back their attention, fearing a potential lost transaction, but to no avail.
Without turning around, Jace assumed Vithium knew they were the center of attention. Many people would judge his actions if he chose to undercut Jace. He eventually smiled. “If you fail, I will be here to pick up the pieces,” he said. “And if there is anything you don’t want to keep,” he eyed the two women, lingering on Esther, “I’d appreciate the first right of refusal.”
Jace nodded, bowing slightly. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He turned to Kai. “Are you ready to go?” The knight nodded.
[Kai Morte has joined your party.]
Before further drama could arise, Jace led his crew out of the Gilded Swan. A dozen players milled around the entrance, suddenly trying to look as if they had all arrived at the same time coincidentally and not because they were insanely curious about what was going on inside. Jace ignored them, marching past quickly. The second alley down the street held Psycho, Gromphy, and Snowy, hidden by an invisibility potion the crafter had given them. They emerged when Jace beckoned toward them, and the seven powerful characters hurried toward the nearest travel node.
“That guy was a real jerk,” Esther said, hurrying to keep up with her leader. Though he looked human, Jace moved with the speed of a tall orc. “Did you see the way he looked at me?”
“That’s how everyone looks at you,” Draya said, finding it difficult to jog and remain modest in her tight-fitting dress.
“Yes, but he was even more . . .”
“Do you know him, Esther?” Jace interrupted.
“I mean, I know of him,” she replied, not looking up at her leader. “It’s not like I’m sleeping with him or anything.”
Jace sighed. He knew he would never get a straight answer and stopped trying. He could ask Kai to interrogate her, but it wasn’t worth the time now. Instead, he focused on avoiding traffic and finding a travel node. Two minutes later, they arrived.
“Kai,” he said, motioning to the wooden post. “Please lead us to your kingdom.”
The knight nodded, and the group vanished from the streets.