Over the next 4 days, Koll sets up detection stones around each shrine he'll be spending time in.

In the Harrowing Tides Sanctuary, he sets up the kill quest to reward the players with uncommon boots.

In the Wild Tundra Sanctuary, he awards players with uncommon gloves.

In the Undergrowth Sanctuary, he awards players with uncommon pants.

In the Mystic Jungle Sanctuary, he awards players with uncommon helmets.

The helmet slot doesn't have to be visible to be equipped. So many players comfortably move around with their faces exposed without foregoing the armor slot.

As the players realize they can get an almost complete armor set for hunting hostile players across the sanctuaries, the battlefields grow increasingly violent.

On the forums, the Red Sect players are rabid in their devotion to the hero character Koll Luna. But, the bitterness and jealousy in the hearts of the other factions is palpable.

[The hell is this,] one player posts. [Why does an evil organization get armed to the teeth while the good factions get nothing? This is unbalanced as fuck.]

[Hah. Serves you right. The Crimson King comes for you.]

[Calm down, edgelord. You're still outnumbered 10 to 1. The Red Sect is dancing on the edge of the blade because of your precious hero unit.]

[Irrelevant. Any one of our soldiers is fit to take out 10 of yours.]

The flamewar continues before Koll's eyes.

The enemy player is right though. The Red Sect is the most hated faction on Ruun and many of those on other worlds hold similar sentiments.

Even with the armaments he's providing the players, they're fighting for their lives across the 5 sanctuaries.

Koll decides to break a taboo he's been holding back on for a long time.

The blood inscriptions.

The scrolls are a powerful tool second only in devastation to his demon blood inscriptions.

By selling the scrolls, he can bring his faction's combat potential up. But, it'll be like giving a rocket launcher to a 2-year-old.

They might just blow themselves up.

But, if the Red Sect is pushed out of the competition, Koll won't be able to escape.

He needs to at least maintain the balance until a path opens for him to walk away.

Koll resolves himself to the task and unloads thousands of beast blood scrolls onto his shop menu.

The players don't realize the change immediately. But, then one player sees the scrolls listed and spreads the word.

While not comparable with the demon blood inscriptions that can one-shot dungeon bosses, the beast blood scrolls have long been coveted. The dragonfly ink scrolls are a staple for any player with sufficient silver. But, the potency of the blood inscriptions is known to be powerful.

Gol D is among the first to hear the word.

"Finally, you've listened to reason," the giant says.

Koll looks at the man, "Shouldn't you be satisfied with that axe for killing your enemies? What's so appealing about using an engraver's magic? Don't you have any pride as a warrior?"

Gol D laughs, "I'm a warrior who knows a good thing when he sees it. And, these scrolls are just what I need.

"Say," the barbarian starts.

"No," Koll says flatly.

"But," he tries again.

"No."

Gol D laughs and shrugs his shoulders.

The demon blood inscriptions are far above his level. And, Koll is only willing to release so many taboos at any given time.

The thousands of scrolls he sells get sold out quicker than he had expected. Within a day, the beast blood scrolls are bought up by a few guilds who've amassed an exceptional amount of gold.

In a way, it may be better for the war effort to have the united guilds apply the military power of the scrolls. Still, Koll can't stand the lack of resources.

He still has beast blood in his inventory. But, he thinks of another resource to exploit.

[Quest Name: Immortal Blood]

[Description: Hunt the hostile Immortals and claim a vial of blood from their fallen corpse. Return with 10 vials of immortal blood and offer them to Koll Luna.]

[Rewards: 300,000 XP, 300 reputation with Koll Luna.]

With a new quest to incentivize the players, the battlefields grow intense once more. But, Koll doesn't care so long as he acquires the blood for his inscriptions.

In the days that follow, Koll continues passing out armor and crafts new, more potent, blood scrolls.

The alliance of hostile forces is fought to a standstill and Koll profits all the while.

In a chamber of the Red Sect temple, the Holy Daughter sits on her throne.

"My lady, acolyte Luna is moving between the sanctuaries every day. We have learned that he is equipping the Immortals with near full sets of armor."

The priest hesitates.

"It can... It can be said that the success of the campaign to this point has hinged on acolyte Luna's actions."

The Holy Daughter listens to the report.

It's all so irregular. Everything has been strange since the young acolyte awoke with a demon.

Most of her acolytes study and perform low-level tasks within the sect.

Acolyte Luna has been allowed to operate outside the structure applied to most acolytes. At first, because there was no reason to get involved. And now, because the sect depends on his relationship with the Immortals.

Were it not for her monitoring of him during both his waking and sleeping hours, she might suspect him of being one of the aberrant Immortals.

By all rights, she has no cause to be so apprehensive about him. Especially after her evolutionary advancement in the tomb of the king of corruption. She is decades ahead of him in cultivation.

But, it isn't his power that makes her breath catch. It is the near-universal knowledge of both his professions and the secrets of the world.

He's a wild card. And, his agenda is unreadable.

The current state of the wars for the sanctuaries is precarious. For whatever reason, all the other factions have allied against her sect.

And yet, the allied forces of all the main factions can barely contain the fury of her Immortals.

The situation is truly without parallel.

Caught in thought, the Holy Daughter leaves her priests standing in silence.

"Continue to monitor acolyte Luna."

Her words are simple. She is always at a loss for how to manage this acolyte.

The priests bow their heads and leave.

The days and weeks that follow see the sanctuaries drown in the blood of immortals, which serves both the Red Sect and Koll well.

When the blood scrolls are unleashed on the battlefield, the Allied forces have no defense. Their players face off against the superiorly armed and armored players using their numbers to their advantage.

But, great area of effect spells eviscerate the human wave tactics.

In the Everash Forest, wildfires spread in madness when fire effect scrolls touch the trees alongside the players.

Indeed, Everash Forest earns its name with its ever-burning fires.

Koll diligently arms and armors his faction players.

It is hard. But, the sanctuaries are gradually falling under the Red Sect's control.

The thing is. It was never meant for one faction to claim total victory.

The major sects were meant to gain a foothold in each sanctuary. And, then the map would be reset.

When the Red Sect claims victory they will effectively control all of the most powerful resource nodes on the planet.

Hundreds of thousands of NPCs will convert to the faith of the Red Sect and the other factions will face insurgencies within their kingdoms, republics, and dominions.

The players will be released from the starting zones and warfronts to forge new paths in a world falling to an evil God.

By all rights, Koll could have avoided this end. He could have withheld support at important junctures. Allowed the other factions to win 1 or 2 sanctuaries. But, a certain competitiveness won out over his common sense.

Perhaps he still thinks of himself as a player. Or perhaps he did exactly as an NPC of his faction should do.

Whatever rationalizing there is to be done, he can do it later.

Wu Lan approaches while looking bored. Her red and black dress make her look very much like a cultist of the Crimson God.

"Hey, Koll," she says blandly.

"Hey."

The woman brushes a strand of brown hair from her face and looks at Koll.

"What's next?" she asks.

Koll looks at her with an odd expression.

"I mean," she continues. "I'm kinda worn out by the faction wars. It's all more of the same. Fight, kill, die, fight again. I was hoping to do some questing or maybe even explore a city."

Koll shrugs, "Several cities will be available for the Immortals to travel to when the war ends."

Wu Lan perks up, "Then what city are you going to? I mean, I know you're not going to stay in the sect."

Koll had thought about it. The Red Sect might seek to keep control of him. But, based on experience, they don't seem to have any problem with him spreading his wings.

Still, Koll has had an ominous feeling ever since the war began.

Koll looks at Wu Lan for a moment.

"I think I'll go to the Trade Union."

The fairy does a double take hearing his words.

"The Trade Union? Why?"

Koll remembers that most of the players affiliated with the Trade Union would rather capture him than kill him. So if he goes to them of his own will, he's less likely to get murdered. Plus, certain services he needs can only be acquired there.

"They have something I need."

Wu Lan looks at him with a serious expression, "What?"

Koll smiles a half smile, "A way off Ruun."

Wu Lan's eyes widen before she claps her hands.

"It's decided," she says. "We're going to the Trade Union."

Koll sighs. At least he wouldn't be lonely.

"I'll go tell my friends."

With that, the young woman sprints away.

Something tells him that his secret ambition won't remain a secret for long.

Koll looks back to see Jake Snow watching him with a blank face.

"Do you want to come too?"

The boy readily nods.

"Well then," Koll says. "We need to get ready."

What is to follow will require a lot of gold. But, Koll has an army of players ready to pay him however much he needs.

Over the days that follow a rumor starts to circulate through the player forums.

The hero character of the Red Sect is plotting defection.

The rumor receives significant skepticism. But, the gossip persists.

The proposed faction to gain the hero character, the Trade Union, has many players expressing their desire for this theoretical defection. While the Arclight players bitterly dismiss the possibility.

For his part, Koll does nothing to fan the flames. But, Wu Lan isn't overly secretive about the plan.

The Red Sect players are uncertain how to feel. They fought a war for the sect and were armed by Koll. The idea that those they'd fought so violently against getting ahold of their hero character was a bitter pill.

But, many of the players are ready to follow Koll wherever he goes. So, some are packing their figurative bags.

Koll knows that the players will be free to explore the world at their discretion, unless they intrude on the wrong space.

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Some of the players have killed faction NPCs and gained a negative reputation with the faction. But, killing other players does nothing to influence their reputation.

And, even killing a few NPCs wouldn't send someone to Hated.

Koll allows the rumors to spread. So, he's complicit.

Gol D approaches Koll and asks him straight, "Are you switching to the Trade Union?"

Koll looks at the towering figure, "Not so much switching sides as going to the Trade Union."

The barbarian scratches his chin, "What's in the Trade Union that you would go there?"

Koll shrugs, "You'll see if you come along."

Gol D scowls, "What, am I a puppy to follow some boring NPC around?"

Koll shrugs again, "That does sound like a good definition for you."

Gol D looks at him with disdain, "Give me a few rare armor pieces and I'll think about it."

Koll laughs, "I'll think about it."

Gol D's eyebrow raises and he grunts before walking away.

Sometime later, Dancing Dagger bounds up to Koll's shop.

"Heyo, bossman."

Koll looks at the attractive blonde man, "Hey."

Dancing Dagger pulls out one of his rare daggers and begins balancing the tip on his finger.

"So, bossman, what's new?"

For some reason, he stressed the bossman nickname. It wasn't a term he had used previously.

"Just preparing for our victory."

Dancing Dagger nods, "It can be said that it's your victory."

Koll shrugs, "I'm just a humble war profiteer."

The blonde man looks at him with a dubious expression.

"I want in," the man playing with his dagger says.

"Okay," Koll doesn't play any games with the man and simply accepts his request.

Dancing Dagger flips his blade and catches it before walking off.

As one man disappears, another appears as if from the shadows.

Shadowmaster is looking a Koll from a distance, their eyes meeting.

Koll simply nods. The player nods in turn and immediately disappears.

A large number of players who had long farmed his reputation points come to him, expressing the same interest.

As the last days of the war come, the hostile factions are pushed out of the Sanctuaries and their armies of Immortal Braves disappear from the battlefield.

It is a total victory. All the resources and logistical assets of the sanctuaries fall into the hands of the chaotic evil Red Sect.

The Holy Daughter relishes this seemingly impossible victory. Already, across the continent, hundreds of thousands of civilians are converting to the faith of the Crimson God.

And, the rivers of blood spilled in the sanctuaries satiate the all-consuming hunger of her God, at least for a time.

"My lady, should we call upon the Immortals to return to the sect?"

The Holy Daughter nods. "We should hold a ceremony in honor of all they have achieved. We can release the teleportation array for their use afterward."

"By your will, my lady."

Unusually content, the Holy Daughter turns to the window where she can watch the Immortals gather. Her eyes catch on the space that is traditionally Koll's spot. The contentment she'd felt grows complicated.

The young acolyte is an enigma that she doesn't know if she can control. The scope of his abilities transcends logic. Whatever entity resides within him seems to have an agenda and intent grander than what she can envision.

With the call sent out, the Immortals, acolytes, and priests gather below the temple as a rabble. They show none of the discipline one would expect of an army that had decisively won a war on 5 fronts.

But, Immortals are an odd bunch no matter how one looks at them.

The Holy Daughter stands at the summit of the stairway looking down on her faction.

"Greetings," she begins. "Noble warriors of the Red Sect, you have done the impossible. You have secured all the sanctuaries for the eminence of our God.

"Ruun, our glorious world, has become our own. The other factions will continue to challenge us in the future. But, they have lost their teeth. For you have broken them.

"The Crimson God will spread its will to every corner. The people will convert to our faith. And, offer sacrifice as is due.

"Immortals, you have done well in your time here. The revelation of our time-lost kings' tombs has presented holy sites of pilgrimage.

"We will forever remember those who opened the path."

The Holy Daughter's eyes find the enigmatic acolyte Luna in the mass of people.

"Thank you all."

Coinciding with the Holy Daughter's final words, a quest notification pings for all the players.

[Quest Name: Spoils of War (Complete)]

[Description: Your service to the Red Sect has not gone unnoticed. The war is won, take your prize.]

[Rewards: 500,000 XP, +500 Reputation with the Red Sect, 1 uncommon weapon]

Excitement bubbles up to the surface. But, then several people sigh in dissatisfaction. Most of the players had long since acquired an uncommon weapon from Koll. And, most found their old weapons superior.

"At least it's good XP," someone says.

The rest agree and everyone begins to celebrate their victory over the allied factions. Some even bring out alcohol from the vendors and start celebrating.

Koll ignores the merrymaking and begins to climb the stairway.

Behind him follows a large number of players who had previously agreed to follow him to the Trade Union.

None bar their passage as they seek out the teleportation room. With the war concluded, several new destinations are accessible.

The moment Koll catches sight of the array, his blood runs cold. The beautiful woman in the red dress stands guard over the array.

"Acolyte Luna," the words are frosty on her lips. "I do not recall permitting the acolytes to use the teleportation array."

Koll swallows the lump in his throat and the players behind him shift uncomfortably.

The Holy Daughter walks closer to Koll.

"It's time we talked, acolyte."

Koll can't think of anything he wants to talk about with this exceedingly dangerous woman.

"Tell me, acolyte, where does your knowledge come from?"

The players behind him find themselves curious to hear his secrets too. Some are excited to witness this secret event.

Koll grits his teeth, "It's my... demon."

The Holy Daughter nods.

"That's the only answer that makes sense. But, I can't help but wonder what demon could have such omniscience as you have displayed.

"Is it truly a demon?"

Koll has a complicated expression on his face, "It... It might not be a demon."

She looks at him with a dangerous gaze, "What then, if not a demon, possesses you?"

Koll shakes under the evolutionary gap between them. And, he isn't alone in the suppression. The players are having difficulty staying on their feet.

"It's... It's an entity tied to fate."

Koll's words are labored.

"Fate?" The Holy Daughter echoes. "A God?"

There's a lethal note in her tone.

"N-No!" Koll exclaims. "Something... Something else."

The suppression abates slightly.

"So," she says evenly. "You would depart without permission because fate compels you?"

Koll knows how dangerous the wrong answer is in this situation.

"Yes," he blurts out.

A wave of aura pushes the players to their knees.

"Acolyte, it is a dangerous path you would walk."

The black-haired beauty moves to Koll's side and says, "It seems the initiation was a failure. Without a demon, you are no acolyte of the Red Sect. Leave and hope we never meet again."

With that, she walks through the mass of players, each of which is only too eager to be out of her way.

Koll's breathing is ragged. But, he recovers.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Koll looks at the players around him. They all have odd expressions on their faces. The interaction between the NPCs was something they never expected to see. And, the matter of Koll's omniscience becomes an issue that was not simply apparent to the players. But, also a matter of relevance for the preeminent faction boss of planet Ruun.

The players are even more certain that following Koll is the right decision.

Koll turns from the players and approaches the teleportation array.

Several options appear before Koll and he sifts through them. The closest location to the Trade Union territory is the port city of El Corino.

"Set your destination to El Corino," Koll informs the players.

With that said, Koll disappears from the Red Sect's temple.

Seated on her throne, the Holy Daughter is depressed.

For the past few months, she had been surprised and elated because of the actions of one man. The holy sites of pilgrimage being discovered, her evolutionary advancement, and the overwhelming victory in the faction wars.

Koll Luna had brought her so many gains. But, he never put the Red Sect in his eyes. He abandoned the sect. He abandoned her.

She wants to kill him.

She sighs in dissatisfaction.

"What was the destination of Koll Luna and his Immortals?"

A red priest steps forward and says respectfully, "El Corino, my lady."

"Hmm," the Holy Daughter hums. "I can only assume his destination is the Trade Union. What could his intention be?"

"My lady, you should not concern yourself with the apostate."

A dangerous light flashes across her eyes.

"Do not presume to understand what I should and should not concern myself with."

The priest quivers as he bows deeply and backs away from the Holy Daughter.

The black-haired beauty sighs despondently.

Is this what it feels like to be rejected?

The teleportation array flashes as Koll disappears from the temple and appears under a hot sun in a city square.

The scent of salt fills the wind and seagulls caw as they fly overhead.

Koll moves forward to make room for the players following behind him.

Soon, a little more than a hundred players join him in El Corino.

The city streets are clean and populated by a large number of NPCs buying and selling. Or, otherwise enjoying their day.

A hundred battle-hardened Immortals stands out and the gathering becomes the subject of much scrutiny. But, none of the locals look particularly concerned. Only curious.

Koll knows the city fairly well. It is a good quest hub with connections to other hunting grounds.

The players look at him expectantly.

"First," Koll says. "Let's go to the inn. I know you Immortals don't need to sleep. But, I do. We'll set the inn as our rally point and then you all can explore as much or as little as you like.

"There's a pub near the inn if that's your thing."

Hearing his words, the players smile excitedly. Of course, they want to explore. And, having an inn and a pub as a rally point is a great idea.

When they find their way to the inn a large number of the hundred-odd players immediately turn to the pub, ready to celebrate.

Others wander off while a few approach Koll wanting to hear about his plans.

Wu Lan, Dancing Dagger, Gol D, Shadowmaster, and several other players look to him in expectation.

"Get comfortable in El Corino," Koll says plainly. "I'll charter a ship for us in a few days. Till then, just explore and gather quests here."

Wu Lan looks at him with an expectant gaze.

"We want an explanation of what the Holy Daughter was talking about. What's this entity of fate you are possessed by?"

Koll looks up to the heavens as though asking for help.

When his eyes turn back to the players, he sees a number of them nodding expectantly.

"Don't you think I should keep some mysteries to myself?" he asks bitterly.

"No," comes out of the mouths of those gathered.

"Whatever," Koll shrugs off their expectant gazes. "Go do whatever you want. I'm exhausted and I haven't slept in a bed in a lifetime."

They try to get him to come back. But, Koll's already moving.

The inn isn't cheap. But, Koll's fairly rich. So, it is a small matter for him to reserve a handful of days in one of the rooms.

With little thought for anything, Koll falls into his bed and the fatigue falls away.

Upon waking up, Koll feels a wave of nostalgia. A haze hangs over his mind as he thinks he's back in his apartment in the real world. As though the past months were either dreams or nightmares he was just waking up from.

But, the longer he lingers in the bed, the more he remembers.

He lets out a deep breath, unsure of whether he's relieved or disappointed. He's in Cosmos, on planet Ruun, in El Corino, in the bed of an inn.

Unsure of the time, Koll sees that the sun hasn't quite reached its midday height.

He's been asleep for some time. And, the way his bones feel, he needed it.

Koll gets up and uses the facilities to freshen up.

When he's finished, Koll exits the inn and catches sight of a few players loitering outside the pub. They wave to him and he returns the gesture.

Koll moves down the street approaching the docks of this port city.

Rather than going from ship to ship seeking services, Koll approaches a building with an anchor painted on the sign over its door.

A receptionist sits at a counter and a few chairs fill the waiting room.

"Hello," the overly cheerful receptionist says. "What can I do for you today?"

Koll stands before the counter, "I need to book passage to the Trade Union for my people and me."

"Okay," the woman says. "How many people in total?"

"A little over a hundred."

The woman's face stiffens.

"That may be a little difficult. Very few of our affiliated boats can accommodate so many people in addition to the crew."

Koll nods, "I understand. But, some ships can ferry my people right?"

The woman nods, "There is of course a premium on such ships. It will cost you about 5 gold coins for every member of your party."

His heart aches for the loss. But, he isn't lacking gold.

For months now, Koll has been receiving materials from the players for free and then turning those materials into items he'd sell back to them. And, he will be able to make back all this gold when he gets to his destination.

"That's fine."

The woman nods, fills out a contract, and accepts his payment.

"The boat is the Nautical Prime. It's one of the most advanced ships in the water today. It departs in 3 days. We are not responsible for any members of your party who fail to report to the docks on time."

Koll nods and leaves with the contract.

3 days. He finally has a vacation. It's long overdue.

Koll returns to the inn as the sun reaches its highest point.

He decides to check on his people in the pub and walks over to the building. He can hear music coming from inside. As well as boisterous laughter.

Entering the building, Koll catches the strong scent of beer.

"Koll!" comes one excited voice after another.

Dozens of players are lounging in the bar enjoying their drinks.

It had to be said that Cosmos has a comprehensive alcohol simulator. Players can even turn off the hangover function.

Of course, the function is only available to users with a verified age of 21 years and above.

Koll is ushered into a chair at a wide table with quite a few players gathered. Other players stand nearby.

While Koll gets comfortable, one of the players brings over a large mug of cold beer.

Koll can't help but smile as he accepts the drink.

Never in his life have so many people genuinely appreciated his presence. And now, he has an entourage of more than a hundred people to share his time with.

"So," one of the players asks. "What's the plan?"

Koll takes a long draw from his mug of cold beer and feels a sense of contentment.

He looks up from his drink to see the expectant gazes of dozens of people.

Koll sets the beer down and says, "We have a boat. It leaves in 3 days. Until then, just relax or go search for people you can help. It's your call."

The gathered players smile at each other, "We need more beer."

The party that started the evening before continues with Koll's addition.

A few players come and go.

Gol D eventually makes an appearance and drinks his fellows under the table.

Koll realizes that he can't compete with the players' constitution and excuses himself.

Out on the street, Wu Lan is seemingly waiting for him.

"I didn't take you for a lush," she says softly.

"Ah," Koll chuckles. "There's a lot about me you don't know."

"Is that an admission to being a sloppy drunk?"

Koll shakes his head, "No. But, I do enjoy the experience."

Wu Lan looks at him indifferently, "So what's the plan? Surely, you didn't drag us all on this trip just to drink in a pub."

Koll shakes his head, "We'll be waiting 3 days before our boat is ready. Then, we'll sail to Lain in the island chain that is the heart of the Trade Union's territory. There we'll spend a period I have yet to determine. But, there are plenty of opportunities in the region. The inland forest has a dungeon that you Immortals will be interested in."

When Koll finishes, Wu Lan crosses her arms.

"Let me guess, you're the only person who knows about the dungeon."

Koll shrugs, "Maybe."

Wu Lan looks at him for a minute, "You should go get some rest. You're not an Immortal and alcohol's a poison."

Koll nods his understanding and walks to the inn with as much steadiness as he is capable of.

The following day, Koll finds Jake Snow outside the inn carving into the face of a null-element crystal.

"Hey, Jake."

The boy looks up from his work and sees his mentor.

"Good morning," the boy says simply.

Koll looks at the crystal in his hand.

"Not bad. Do you need a workstation?"

The boy shakes his head.

Koll doesn't force the issue.

Were there thousands of players milling about, Koll would be inclined to set up his shop. But, with the gathered Immortals, there's little profit to be made.

Instead, Koll seeks out the shops dealing in materials. El Corino is a treasure trove of items that hadn't been available in the Crimson Valley.

Items that amplified the energies of the channeler while enchanting items like silver horse shoes, mana stabilizing placement mats, and crafting gloves can be found.

Materials like soul shards, frozen orbs, and rare gems like malachite and ruby.

The advantage of having these resources is not lost on him. And, he will advance more rapidly for having them.

Koll spends the day hopping from one store to the next adding significantly to his limitless inventory.

When he finishes up his shopping, the day is growing long. He returns to the street where the pub is located and approaches.

A few of the players are talking to NPCs on the streets, seeking opportunities before night officially falls. The NPCs, for their part, seem enthusiastic about the opportunity to speak with the legendary Immortal Braves.

Dancing Dagger finishes talking with an NPC and notices Koll.

The man excuses himself and approaches Koll.

"2 more days and we go?" he asks to verify his information.

Koll nods, "Yep. Get whatever you need done tomorrow."

The blonde man nods before looking out upon the sea beyond the city.

"What's it gonna be like?"

Koll shrugs, "Coast land and inland forest. The Immortals of the Trade Union will be active in the region. Though I don't know how densely they'll populate Lain."

Dancing Dagger looks at him for a long moment before sighing.

"You want to get a drink?" Dancing Dagger asks.

Koll nods and the pair enter the establishment. Immediately upon entering the pub, a large number of voices raise a cheer.

"The fearless leader has returned."

"Huzzah."

Koll can tell the gathered Immortals are sloshed. But, that somehow added to their charm.

Koll is more reserved in his drinking this night. Tomorrow, he has to gather supplies for the hundred-odd-man expedition.

Potions in large quantities. It was a shame he's not an alchemist or he could keep the profits for himself. As was, he'd only sell the potions slightly above cost.

Resurrection tokens and panaceas. Rope and other utility items. And many more useful items

His Immortals will be equipped for any eventuality.

Koll thinks about his to-do list as the Immortals celebrate around him.

"Koll," a player calls out to him. Dragging him from his reverie. "What's the dungeon near Lain gonna be like?"

Koll looks over the rim of his glass, "It's a relic of a time before humanity populated the islands of the Trade Union. The dungeon itself is a time-lost elven stronghold."

"So we'll be fighting elves," the player asks.

Koll nods his head.

Excitement bubbles over the crowd. And, they begin looking at each other with expectation. Parties are already forming.

Koll minds his drink while the intimidating Gol D pulls up a chair and looks at Koll with a meaningful gaze.

"I think you can award us with rare equipment for running this dungeon for you."

Koll rolls his eyes, "What makes you think I need anything from the dungeon?"

Gol D laughs loudly, disturbing the gathered players for a moment.

"There's no way you don't have something planned."

Koll nods, "You're right."

His words capture the gathering's attention.

"In the elven stronghold is a rare type of water, [Moon-Blessed Water]. It's a valuable resource that I would like to procure."

Gol D's lip turns upward.

"You'll provide us with rare equipment in exchange for this water?"

Koll nods. His chances of creating a rare item have grown from a low of 2% to as high as 10%. The players will have plenty of chances to get armored with rare equipment. And, he has a sizeable stockpile of the items already.

Even with the Trade Union players gathering in Lain, he shouldn't exhaust his resources so easily.

Koll looks from the greedy barbarian to the expectant gathering and says, "But, that can wait. We have 1 more day of shore leave. The following day, gather in this area at dawn. Anyone absent can find their own way to the Trade Union.

Those gathered cheer in anticipation.

The local barflies look at the rowdy Immortals with odd expressions.

To the average NPC, Immortal Braves are a thing of legend. And, to suddenly find so many of them celebrating in your local pub, is an odd experience, to say the least.

After an evening of drinking, Koll excuses himself and walks out into the dark street.

He can feel the eyes on him. An alarm crosses his mind briefly before he recognizes the aura.

Shadowmaster watches him from the shadows. The taciturn player isn't hostile. And, he makes no effort to approach Koll. He simply hides away like the loner he is.

Koll put the man out of his mind. There might be uses for a man with such little presence. But, such things can wait.

Koll returns to the glorious comfort of bed and feels his consciousness fade away.