The following day proceeds as Koll expected. His shopping is a success. Many useful items he couldn't hope to get back at the temple are now available to him.
The cost digs into his wallet. But, Koll can offset the costs when he begins selling the items to the players.
Mary Susan approaches him as he returns to the street where the players congregate.
"Koll," she calls out to him.
He looks to see her approaching.
"Hello, Mary."
She smiles and looks at him with expectation.
"Koll, I've been studying the class change manual you sold me. But, I've hit a bottleneck.
"If I use the enchanting class change manual, I'll wipe away all my progress in engraving.
"I was hoping that rather than the Rudimentary Laws of Engraving, you could work on something more advanced."
Koll thinks for a moment. If she wants a proper class advancement, she does indeed need a stronger base for her engraving.
"I'll work on something for you."
Her excited eyes are filled with gratitude.
Koll nods and walks away.
Before he can get close to the bar, Wu Lan appears before him with her arms crossed.
"Don't you think you've had enough to drink?" she asks disapprovingly.
Koll's eyebrow raises. He's hardly been the most thirsty drinker in their group.
"It's just a way to pass the time," he says plainly.
"Oh? Then you don't mind so long as the time passes you by?"
His brow knits in confusion.
"Come on," Wu Lan grabs his arm and pulls him down the street towards the sea.
Most of the seaside is populated by wooden docks. The gentle waves rocking against them.
"You know," Wu Lan says while they walk along a pier. "I've never been to a sea or ocean before. This is a first for me. Even though it's in a game."
Like most players, Wu Lan occasionally lets out the not-so-secret secret of reality. The NPCs never seem to understand anyway.
"This whole world," she continues. "I'm a little jealous."
Koll looks at her oddly.
"I'm jealous that you get to live here while I just visit."
Koll understands her meaning. For as traumatic as it is being trapped in the game, Koll feels free in ways he hadn't in the real world.
The work he does in Cosmos is a labor of love instead of the soul-crushing drudgery of making a living in the real world.
They walk for some time in silence before she speaks again.
"How do you know that there's a way off the planet in the Trade Union?"
Koll shrugs, "It's fated to be so."
Wu Lan looks at Koll for a moment before asking, "Am I speaking with Koll or whatever is inside him?"
The Holy Daughter's public revelation of his secret is still fresh in Wu Lan's mind.
"I'm just Koll," he says simply.
Her expression is inscrutable.
"I guess I can accept that."
Koll feels uncomfortable for a while as they walk from pier to pier.
After chatting for a while, Wu Lan excuses herself and logs out.
Tomorrow morning they'll gather and make their way to the ship. Knowing this, Koll makes his way to bed.
The dawn breaks upon El Corino and Koll easily awakens. The menu provides a convenient alarm clock function that he uses.
He bids farewell to the innkeeper and walks out into the street.
Quite a few players are already gathered. Excitement bubbles up from each player.
Koll approaches the gathering and takes out a chair. While the players stand, the NPC relaxes.
The players don't mind and talk among themselves.
Koll brings up the menu to check the forums.
His departure from the Red Sect is no secret to the players across Ruun. And, many of those who called for his death swap their stance. Hoping that he'll come to their territory.
The Trade Union players are particularly ecstatic. Koll's entourage was actively posting their progress on the Trade Union faction forums.
[We're departing from El Corino today. Let's let bygones be bygones. You'll like what our hero character has to offer]
[Agreed. The faction wars are done. And, while it is a bit perverse that the Red Sect gained preeminence on Ruun. There will be other opportunities to come. Looking forward to meeting Koll Luna.]
[+1]
[This is so unfair,] an Arclight player complains. [Our hero, Commander Hues, is useless. Not only did he not do anything during the faction wars, he didn't provide more than a handful of obscure and profitless quests. Why do you guys get Koll Luna?]
The question is frequently posted in the forums. Why is Koll leaving the Red Sect for the Trade Union?
Many propose reasons. Some of Koll's group are among the most avid theory crafters.
[He's coming to take over the commerce of the Trade Union. He's a well-known merchant among the Red Sect players.]
[I don't know, he's probably there to cultivate his relationship with the Trade Union players.]
[Maybe he's a global hero character,] a player proposes.
This final proposition seems to make sense to most people.
The hero units who'd popped up so far were tied to factions. If Koll's story carried out beyond his starting faction, he could advance the global story. He already had during the faction wars.
Hundreds of thousands of civilian NPCs had already converted to the Red Sect's faith. And, it is well recognized that Koll had paved the way for this far more than any other NPC.
Koll browses the forums for some time before looking around. The gathering has ballooned to more than a hundred players.
Doing a head count, Koll sees that only a few were missing.
He knows that the login schedule for some people doesn't always fit with in-game plans. But, Koll will leave with or without them.
Worst case scenario, the players will have to buy their own ferry to get to Lain. So there's no cause for concern.
Fortunately for the stragglers, they all make it on time.
"Alright," Koll says. "Let's go."
A cheer erupts from the players as they march off to the docks.
The ship they find waiting for them is more like a luxury cruise ship than some rinky dink waif of a ship. No wonder it cost him so much.
The players, for their part, are quite satisfied with their accommodations.
The staff of the ship shows them all to their quarters and gives them a brief tour of the facilities.
The ride will take several days. And, as a legitimate cruise ship, the amenities suit everyone's needs exceptionally well.
Much of the ship uses magitech. A synergy between magic and technology. The ship has a vaguely steam-punk vibe to it.
Meals in the dining area are available 24 hours a day and count as complementary.
The only thing the boat lacks compared to a cruise ship in the real world is a giant swimming pool. But, Koll figures they'll survive without.
Koll excuses himself from the players and finds his way to the dining room. The list of meals he can order is quite extensive.
After some time, Koll settles for a steak and baked potato with a side of greens.
As he waits, the players follow suit. Each seeks to explore the varied menu.
Jake Snow approaches Koll at his table.
"Teacher," the boy says. "Can I join you?"
Koll nods, "Sure."
The boy sits down and looks at the menu.
When the server returns with Koll's steak, Jake requests the macaroni and cheese.
Koll begins slicing into the steak and tasting it.
The experience reminds Koll of The Matrix and the scene where Cypher discusses knowing that the steak he's eating isn't real. And yet, the taste and texture are so real that it doesn't matter that it isn't real.
Koll chews his steak and looks over his plate at the boy.
"What do you think?" he asks.
Jake looks at him, confused. "About what?"
Koll thinks of asking what he thinks of Cosmos. But, knows better.
"What do you think of Ruun?"
The boy looks off thoughtfully, "It's cool."
Koll nods.
Jake's macaroni and cheese arrives. Koll can tell that the dish is artisan. Prepackaged food is a staple for many civilizations across Cosmos. But, Ruun doesn't have the technologies that the industrial worlds do.
Jake Snow takes a bite and expresses his satisfaction.
The pair eat peacefully before parting to attend to their own matters.
The other players are each occupied with their own business. And, Koll gets a moment to himself.
Somehow the silence of peace is boring.
Koll sighs and pulls out a blank tome.
Mary Susan has made a request and Koll is going to honor it.
He finds a table in the living space provided for him and sets to work.
His Rudimentary Laws were only meant to allow the players to gain a foundation in Engraving.
But, a foundation isn't enough for them to truly advance.
Koll sets about drawing middle-tier inscriptions and explaining the logic and process of the sigils.
It takes the day. Far longer than the Rudimentary Laws. But, he finishes the Intermediate Laws of Engraving Tome.
This will allow Mary Susan to advance her class when she masters its principles.
Koll stows the finished book and sleeps through the night.
In the days that follow, Koll gives Mary Susan her precious book. And, he hangs out with the Immortals. They are more tame on the boat than they were in the pub.
Gol D gets a moment with Koll during the trip and grills him on the landscape of the Lain countryside. The location of the dungeon, and several potential quest givers.
Koll eventually has to raise his hands and almost yell, "Enough."
Gol D takes the hint and decides to continue his interrogation at a later date.
Dancing Dagger doesn't have many questions about their destination. But, he makes a habit of checking in with Koll. If Koll didn't know better he might think the player views him as a friend.
Wu Lan is most curious about what will come after the Trade Union. Despite his confiding in her his desire to leave Ruun, he hasn't heard any gossip about his plan. Meaning Wu Lan had probably not spread his secret.
Still, she is very curious about the galaxy beyond. But, despite her inquiries, Koll isn't prepared to share the plan before getting off the rock.
Shadowmaster... Well, Shadowmaster doesn't have any questions. Though, Koll can occasionally feel the man's eyes observing him.
The hundred-odd other players each get a moment with him. Most just enjoy the vacation they'd been on since leaving the temple. Others are getting itchy for want of violence.
Koll promises the players will get a chance to fight as soon as they set up in the port city, Lain.
Before long, the land comes into sight and the passengers disembark into a wonder of a city.
The Trade Union is the most technologically inclined faction on Ruun. Their magitech works its way into almost every aspect of life in the region.
Koll stands in the harbor with his Immortals and says a few words.
"Now that we're in Lain, we won't be going anywhere soon. You should spread out and see if anyone needs your help. I'll find my accommodations. But, if you want to find me, you can look for me at the North gate. I'll have my store up and running soon."
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Koll looks at the excited players and says, "Good luck."
The gathering disburses with haste and Koll is left to wander the streets of Lain.
He needs to go to the business bureau to get a license to sell in Union territory.
Fortunately, all he needs is the license, expensive as it is. He doesn't need to pay the Union a tax on his sales. That would be a headache.
Koll knew the streets of the city and approaches a dignified building.
Upon entering, he sees several clerks helping NPCs with their business issues.
Koll simply gets in line and waits for it to be his turn.
"Business License?" the young woman behind the counter inquires. "We can do that for you. Just fill out this sheet and pay the 200 gold processing fee."
Koll feels his eyes bulge a little. It's even more expensive than he'd expected. But, with a sigh, he passes over the coin and fills out the sheet.
When the process is completed, Koll comes away with a bronze token that he can show to the guards if he ever needs to.
With the immediate issue concluded, Koll heads North.
Just inside the North gate of Lain, a marketplace bustles with activity.
The prime spots are claimed. But, Koll sees several spaces open for any who wish to sell their wares.
Koll spends the rest of the day looking at the prices for the various goods.
Fortunately, most of the items he'd bought in El Corino are regional specialties. So, he doesn't have too much overlap with the other merchants in wares.
Needless to say, none of the NPCs have special [Saint Stones], inscribed scrolls, or channeling crystals. Nor do they have a class trainer with a vast stock of engraving and enchanting materials.
Satisfied, Koll finds his way to a nearby inn.
"How long will you be staying with us?" the grandmotherly innkeeper asks.
"Several months at least."
The innkeeper looks at him pleasantly.
"We can offer you a discount if you pay for the month in advance."
Koll nods and pulls out a number of gold coins.
The elderly woman accepts the payment happily.
"Your room's upstairs. Number 16."
Koll nods and moves off to sleep for the night.
The following day, Koll leaves the inn and enters the marketplace.
It is still early and most of the vendors are opening shop.
Koll finds an obscure corner of the market and sets up his shop. He isn't worried about not getting business.
Most of his clients will be the Immortals and they will go out of their way to find him.
Koll's physical shop is largely aesthetic. All his items will be available for the players via the menu.
With everything else set, Koll labors on his enchanting profession.
He has yet to create anything above the rare grade. But, he has significantly boosted the chances of getting a rare item. The thing is, to make an epic, 1 grade higher than rare, he had a less than 1% chance of success.
Even making hundreds of augmented items, he can't bring the minuscule chance any higher.
The only thing he can think to do is invest his experience into his attributes.
Koll opens his menu.
[Name: Koll Luna]
[Primary Class: Enchanter]
[Secondary Class: Engraver]
[Evolutionary Rank: E]
[Strength: 10]
[Agility: 10]
[Stamina: 15]
[Mind: 22]
[Spirit: 18]
[Dexterity: 20]
[Mental Resistance: 8]
[Soul Resistance: 8]
[Potential points: 0]
[Sharpen: 10]
[Identify Weakness: 8]
[Steady Hand: 12]
[Mana Manipulation: 10]
[Essence Identifier: 8]
[Mystical Hands: 10]
[Evolution Meter: 2,750,000/10,000,000]
Koll invests most of his points into the 3 enchanting skills. It should boost his chances of creating an epic to at best 1%, which is better than it is now at least.
As Koll uses both his traditional and more recent items and materials, a player sees him in the crowd of NPCs.
The player draws close and looks at Koll's store.
"It's you!" the player exclaimes excitedly.
This isn't one of his players. It's a Trade Union Immortal.
"Hello, Koll," the young man says respectfully.
The man extends his hand. An act that surprises Koll.
Not wanting to disregard the player's good will he takes the hand and shakes it.
"Koll, I'm your biggest fan. Everything the Red Sect players said is true. I can tell just by looking at you and your inventory. When I heard you were coming to Lain, I knew I had to get here as soon as possible."
Koll observes the player for a moment. He had expected the Trade Union players to find him. But, he hadn't realized how excited they would be to find him.
"It's good to meet you," Koll says blandly.
The man looks from Koll to the shop menu.
"Are these the [Saint Stones]? I've heard so much about them and your scrolls. Wow."
The man might as well be in a candy store for all the precious items listed.
"I'm buying a few of these and these and..."
The man readily buys a variety of items. So many that Koll expects him to be bankrupted by the end of it. But, the player shows no discouragement. Instead, he seems revitalized with every purchase.
Koll observes silently as the young man does his business.
When he finishes, the player says, "I'm Winter Storm, by the way."
He looks hesitant for a moment before asking, "Koll, do you have any quests you need help with?"
During the trip, Koll had the time to create several quests that would apply to the region around Lain.
[Quest: Blood Scavenging]
[Description: Slay 10 monsters and gather their blood in vials. Return to Koll Luna with the blood.]
[Rewards: 100,000 XP, +10 Reputation with Koll Luna, 1 piece of uncommon equipment suited to the player.]
[Quest: Viper Venom]
[Description: Aquire the venom of 10 forest vipers. Return to Koll Luna with the venom.]
[Rewards: 100,000 XP, +10 Reputation with Koll Luna, 1 piece of uncommon equipment suited to the player.]
[Quest Name: Silver Dust]
[Description: Aquire 1 unit of silver. Return to Koll Luna with the silver.]
[Rewards: 100,000 XP, +10 Reputation with Koll Luna. 1 piece of uncommon equipment]
[Quest Name: Proof of Evlen Pride]
[Description: Hidden in the mighty forest North of Lain a stronghold lost to time hides. Find proof and return to Koll Luna with it.]
[Rewards: 250,000 XP, +25 Reputation with Koll Luna, 1 piece of rare equipment suited to the player]
Winter Storm reads through the quest prompts and becomes excited. Even Koll's basic quests offer equipment. And, the players of the other factions are only too aware of how powerful the Red Sect players are because of Koll's armaments.
And now, the Trade Union players get to monopolize this NPC resource.
Winter Storm quivers with his delight.
"I'll be back soon, Koll."
As the player leaves, Koll can't help but wonder if all the Trade Union players are going to act so bizarrely.
As the day progresses, the players he brought with him turn up searching for him. Most have difficulty finding him hidden in the corner. But, they know who they're looking for.
As the players pass the mass of NPC merchants to reach Koll, the NPCs start to cast Koll dirty looks.
But, Koll doesn't care. He may be an NPC like them. But, he has the soul of a player. The Immortals are his people.
As more and more players arrive to see him, the number of foreign players steadily grows. Fortunately, there is plenty of space for the players to stand between the vendors. Hundreds can fit comfortably in front of Koll's shop.
The hot ticket items are the blood-inscribed scrolls.
The players he'd brought with him know from personal experience how potent they were on the battlefield. So too do the Union players. They'd suffered from the devastating secret weapon in the faction wars.
Koll's blood ink stores are adequately supplied. But, he needs the local blood quest to stay ahead of the demand.
While the [Saint Stones] are of lower value, the Union players have never used them and are eager to experience the buff effects of the varied [Saint Stones].
Other players are interested in the engraving and enchanting manuals available in Koll's store.
The players who passed the beginner zone and participated in the faction wars aren't inclined to change their classes. But, other newer players that got to skip the war and move about freely are starting to find him. A few of these newbies take the plunge and buy a class change manual.
Not surprisingly, those who want to learn a new class are more inclined to take up enchanting.
It's all business to Koll.
Before the day is over, Winter Storm returns excitedly.
"I found it, Koll," he says.
Koll's brow knits.
"What?"
Winter Storm is breathing heavily, "I found the proof for the dungeon."
Koll can't help but be surprised. He'd only sent the player off to get it a few hours ago and he'd already found the dungeon key.
"Let me see it."
The player offers a wooden arrow with an engraving
[The flow of time ends in calamity.]
To the players, this would just seem like a crappy proverb. But, it tells Koll exactly where to find the dungeon.
"Good," Koll says. "Thank you Winter Storm."
He completes the man's quest.
Excitedly, Winter Storm looks at the rare item he'd received. It suits him well and he bubbles over with excitement.
"So," the man says expectantly. "I heard that if you find the proof you get to be the first to enter the dungeon. Is that true?"
Koll nods, "I'll let you know when we'll go in a few days."
Winter Storm nods his head emphatically.
"Also," he says. "I have a couple of the other quests finished."
Koll dishes out his rewards.
Very few players outside the Red Sect faction have uncommon and rare items. Almost everyone has common gear that possess almost no useful augments.
Now, the first of the Union players are getting geared up.
These new players are somehow even more fanatical than the Red Sect players.
The Union Immortals had spent this entire time starved for good quests and gear. Always watching Red Sect players gloat about their hero character.
The same can be said for every other faction on Ruun and worlds beyond.
The difference is that now the Union players get to whet their appetites on the hero character who has defected to their side.
In the days that follow, the number of players operating out of Lain grows from a couple hundred to a few thousand.
No one could have expected the humble port city would become the central hub of the Trade Union. And yet, here they are.
Jake Snow has found his way to his teacher's side and diligently practices engraving. His inscriptions are reaching a high level of quality.
Koll decides to draw up another intermediate engraving book to provide the boy with some more advanced principles to study.
When Gol D learns that the dungeon proof has already been found, he looks like he'd swallowed a bitter pill.
"Well, why haven't you opened the dungeon yet?" the barbarian complains.
Koll shrugs, "I need time to settle in."
Gol D looks at the gathering of Union players.
"Just ignore them. There will be time for them to do your quests later."
Koll sighs, "I guess."
Gol D looks at Koll with a reproachful glare, "I'm still mad at you for sharing the quest with a Union player before any of us."
With that said, Gol D stomps off.
Koll could only blame luck. Winter Storm seemed destined to find the proof as it only took a few hours.
But then, the elven stronghold wasn't nearly as much of a secret as the 4 tombs.
All Koll can do is move on.
The following day, Winter Storm approaches happily.
As the player accepts the reset quests, he sees a new one.
[Quest Name: To Hunt Elves (5)]
[Description: Travel into the heart of the mighty forest of Lain. Escort Koll Luna through the Elven Stronghold and complete your trial. The Elven Stronghold can be found behind the waterfall at the center of the forest.]
[Rewards: 500,000 XP, +500 Reputation with Koll Luna, 1 rare weapon suited to the player]
The player stares blankly at the quest for a second before accepting it.
"We can go do the dungeon now?" he asks for verification.
Koll nods, "We can if you have a team ready."
Winter Storm winces a little, "I... uh... don't."
Koll gives the man a pity filled look.
As if having been waiting for this moment, the giant, Gol D, walks out from behind a vendor.
The barbarian towers over Winter Storm with a friendly, if a little predatory, smile.
"Are you the one who found the proof for the dungeon?"
The young man gulps and nods.
"Good. Good. Are you looking for a party?"
The man slowly nods.
"I'd like to volunteer. Koll here can attest to my power."
Koll can't help but roll his eyes. But, he still nods.
"Gol D's very capable."
A satisfied smile crosses the giant's face.
"What do you say? I can even get other players to join us right away."
Winter Storm looks to Koll with searching eyes.
Koll shrugs.
The Union player thinks for a while before agreeing.
"Okay. Let me add you."
The party starts to form and Gol D immediately calls over 3 other members of his cohort.
Gol D looks to Koll and says, "Whenever you're ready."
Koll collects his shop and leads the party out the North gate.
The forest isn't too far. And, aside from a few elite monsters that cross their path, they don't face difficulty. With a party of 4 over geared players and one moderately equipped player, they face little that can slow them down.
The forest itself takes some effort to navigate. Even Koll, with his future knowledge, can't be certain, in the changing overgrowth, which path is best.
Ultimately, it takes the party several hours to reach the waterfall.
Koll doubts that any player has been here before them, there hasn't been a reason to traverse the maze before the proof was found.
Koll approaches the cliff face where an almost imperceptible path allows one person at a time to walk into the hidden chamber behind the waterfall.
The party follows and soon they see the beautiful statue of a female elf, a bow drawn. The only thing missing is the arrow.
Koll draws out the arrow retrieved by Winter Storm. He places the arrow into the space between the elf's fingers.
At once, the cave alights with the formation of a dungeon portal.
Gol D smiles, "Damn, you're reliable, Koll."
Koll shrugs and walks into the portal first.
On the other side, the party gathers.
They're still in the forest. But, unlike the forest outside, wooden structures rise high into the trees.
A wooden wall bars the party's entry to the areas beyond.
Gol D motions for his tank to take point. The 4 veterans move in a coordinated fashion, while Winter Storm tries to keep up.
As soon as they draw near the wall and its gate, an arrow is released on the guardian.
On the wall, several elven archers knock arrows and shoot at the party.
Gol D drops a [Saint Stone] with the effect of reducing the accuracy of ranged attacks on friendly players.
As they advance, Gol D sets more stones until the party reaches the locked gate.
The barbarian steps forward with his rare axe and begins chopping away at the wood.
A ranged player manages to thin out the numbers on the wall. While the tank taunts and the healer keeps everyone alive.
Koll watches the process and notes Winter Storm's uncertainty.
"Go attack the gate," Koll says to the man.
Winter Storm nods and uses his sword to attack the barrier. Of course, Gol D does the lion's share of the work.
Soon, the gate shatters and the party rushes forward.
They're met by armored elves carrying beautifully crafted swords.
The Guardian challenges the melee units and Gol D and Winter Storm target one elf after another.
By this point, the ranged damage dealer has dealt with the archers on the wall and the group begins to systematically slaughter the remaining elves.
Koll passively observes. Occasionally, he suffers an attack. But, the damage is inconsequential and the party readily comes to his aid.
The party breathes heavily as they gather up the loot from the corpses.
Gol D sends out a ready check and the party begins moving again.
As they proceed, they get to take in the unique architecture of the wood elves.
Their homes are elevated and connected by a vast array of rope bridges.
Sometimes, archers appear from within these treehouses.
The ranged damage dealer in their party is hard-pressed to keep up with the enemies that are out of range for the other members of the party.
It's a lesson in party composition for the players. The next time they come, they'll bring extra archers or mages.
Aside from the range issue, the elites that guard key points throughout the dungeon are ents. Giant, sentient trees.
Their bark is thick and nigh-invulnerable to melee attacks.
But, this party is filled with overgeared players. And, particularly Gol D's axe makes short work of the resistant trees.
Other barriers pop up from time to time. But, the party has figured out the most efficient ways to fight.
Winter Storm displays high adaptability to party play, assisting the tank and healer when they face challenges.
Finally, after about an hour of battle, the team meets the lieutenant. It's a male elf.
Upon seeing the party, the elf utters something in elvish. The look of arrogant disdain is apparent on the noble being's face.
Gol D signals for the guardian to proceed.
The fight is pretty straightforward. However, the lieutenant is a high-strength melee unit.
Despite its noble pride, the elf is slain and looted.
When the party passes the challenge an army of archers line up on the elevated bridges between them and a pond.
The ranged player sighs in discontent seeing the work ahead of him.
Koll feels his impatience and draws out a demon blood inscription spell labeled meteor.
5 scrolls are used and the idyllic forest has become a hellscape, each pack of archers crushed under a fiery rock. The trees that held them up, shattered and burned.
Even Gol D is shocked into silence seeing the display.
And, Winter Storm, who had limited knowledge of Koll's capabilities, feels his blood boil with excitement. This is what hero characters are capable of.
The party advances through the wreckage and approaches the pond.
The pristine water begins to bubble up into the form of a feminine water elemental.
A look of fury and hatred appears on the inhumanly beautiful elemental's face.
The players take up position and begin the fight.
Because of the elemental's fluid form, the physical damage dealers of the party attack to limited effect.
Koll wonders if he should intervene again. But, his concern is unmerited.
"Fire scrolls!" Gol D shouts.
The 3 players Gol D had brought pull out blood-inscribed scrolls and begin bombarding the elemental with fire damage.
Though not comparable with his demon blood scrolls, the ordinary blood scrolls are potent. And, when used by multiple players repeatedly, they can down any ordinary boss monster.
Winter Storm watches the light show and thinks to pull out a scroll he'd bought from Koll. But, the fight's already over.
Gol D raises his axe over his head in a victory pose. His fellows each smile in pleasure.
The treasure chest and return orb appear before them.
Koll steps up to the pond and finds 2 points where the water visibly swirls around. He takes out a pair of vials and collects the Moon Blessed Water.
Winter Storm watches curiously. While Gol D and his people merely observe the location of the items they will be farming in the future.
Koll skips completing their quests and uses the return stone.
Back in the city, Koll sees that there are still hours in the day and hurries off to his spot in the bazaar.
The players had noted his absence and appreciate his return.
It doesn't take long for Gol D and the rest to find him.
"Not bad," the barbarian says after equipping a pair of rare boots. The engravings and enchantments boost the durability, increase carrying capacity, allow the player to use the charge ability, have the soft foot ability, and have +3 strength.
Koll doubts he's made better for the equipment slot.
The others accept their rewards with warm looks on their faces.
Winter Storm bubbles over with happiness. He already received a rare sword for finding the proof and now he gets another rare item.
"Koll, you're awesome."
Koll waves his hand to dismiss the player.
"Go get me some more materials."
Winter Storm nods eagerly and runs off to fulfill his quest objectives.
With news of a new dungeon spreading, the city clears of a large chunk of its player base. Parties forming with the intent to get the rewards listed in the quest for moon-blessed water Koll distributed.
With the addition of the moon blessed water, Koll estimates that his chances of proccing an epic item might even be as high as 2%. It may not be much. But, if even 2 of every hundred items he creates are epic in quality, then he will have tools suited for the end of this base launch.
The vanilla game of Cosmos mostly involves questing, leveling up, and the occasional dungeon. When the players reached a certain threshold, they can challenge the raid tier instances. Forming large groups and invading these raid dungeons.
Koll intends to avoid this altogether. He's going to get off Ruun well before the second expansion launches. And, he'll take an army with him.
Koll minds his shop and opens the player forums.
[He's done it again,] a poster comments. [Koll Luna is giving dungeon quests again.]
[Le sigh,] another comment reads. [What's with this game? Only 1 NPC does anything.]
[He's the Trade Union's hero character now. We'll never give him up.]
[What are you babbling about? He abandoned the Red Sect at the height of its power. I even heard that he had a falling out with their faction boss. What makes you think he'll be loyal to the Union?]
[+1]
[Whatever the case, I'm on my way to the Trade Union.]
[+1]
[You Ruun planet players are weird,] a poster from one of the other beginner worlds comments.
[Shut up. You don't know what it's like to ally with a dozen other factions and get wrecked because of 1 dammed NPC. It's just not fair.]
Koll could spend hours sifting through the forums.
He has to set his ego aside. But, at the same time, his popularity brings him many advantages.
If the players choose to follow him instead of following the conventional path, he will have loyal customers and minions to do whatever he wants.
Koll sets useless thoughts aside and continues his work.