Harbinger sat next to a large table in the command tent with the military captains from each of the four clans that he now controlled. Azgar, of the Griffon Talons clan, stood nearly as tall as he did and was barrel-chested; he had proven very skilled with the axe that he wore. The captain of the Dark Storm Horde was an older man named Urguk, who had the build of a professional wrestler. Tredbak from Black Skar and Vultag from Red Ear rounded out the table.
“Are there any solid targets for a raid tonight?” Harb asked the men, his voice steady and expectant. He had been participating in the nightly raids with a clear purpose: to gain experience. Conflict was the quickest path to leveling up, so he always sought out the raid with the highest chance of combat.
“We found another small Gnoll camp to the east,” Tredbak reported, “and what looked to be Kobold tracks to the north.”
These would be low-level encounters, offering a near-guaranteed victory for the large force that would be sent but yielding little in the way of experience for him. “I’m looking for something spicy,” he said, waving a hand dismissively at Tredbak. “What else ya got?”
Tredbak scratched his ear and looked at the other captains. After a moment, Urguk spoke. “There is little of interest that remains in the area,” he said in a low voice. “Our camp has grown large and has frightened off all of our normal quarry.”
It was true. The four clans that Harb had united were bivouacked on the plains, nestled against the mountain range. Their camp now sprawled for miles, and given the general nature of Orcs, even the unintelligent groups had sought greener pastures. “There must be something we can do,” Harb said, more to himself than to anyone present.
“We could go to Relly,” Urguk said reluctantly.
“I don’t remember seeing Relly on any of the maps,” Harb replied.
Urguk hesitated, his arm muscles flexing, and Harb noticed him pinching his thumb and forefinger together. The man seemed nervous. “Not a place, sir; Relly is a Seer.”
“A Seer?” Harb asked. “Are you suggesting we ask her where to find something to fight?”
Urguk hesitated again, his expression as if he had eaten something sour. “Yes, although... never mind.”
Harb didn’t recall Urguk acting strangely around Kargara, his old clan chief, so it wasn’t a general discomfort with spellcasters. Perhaps Shamans were different from Seers in Urguk’s eyes. Seers likely utilized divination magic, which might involve certain superstitions. Since the old captain seemed reluctant to offer more information, Harb extended his arm. “Well, lead the way.”
Urguk shifted his eyes nervously but eventually nodded and turned to leave the tent.
As they walked through the sprawling camp, Harb was pleased with the progress that he’d made. Having a strong start was key to performing at the top of any game. Having resources was essential for progression, so he always focused on his economy. In an online RPG, he would level his main character to tackle more difficult content, netting him better loot. If crafting was lucrative, he would work on his crafting skills or create an alt to specialize in crafting. In city-builder games, he focused on his units or one specific unit to invest his resources in so he could handle advanced combat more efficiently and earn better rewards.
Some games had a gathering mechanism requiring either the character or specific units or armies to collect resources from nodes that spawned across the map. This necessitated improving his skills in gathering, which involved both hero or unit skills and the technology built into the game. As the leader of four Orc clans, his economic goals were already being met; now, he needed to focus on growing more powerful.
They arrived at a tent that was set apart from the rest. The lightning bolt insignia of the Dark Storm clan was emblazoned over the opening flaps of the tent in the same place as the dozens of similar tents that they had passed to get here. “Relly,” Urguk said, making no attempt to raise his voice. Nothing happened for almost a minute, but the old captain only stood there stoically. Harb resisted the urge to summon the Seer more loudly. Finally, one flap opened to reveal an Orc wearing a long, dark cloak. While two long braids of hair spilled out of the front of the hood, the Orc was definitely male—he even had a chin beard. A medallion hung around his neck, and he wore bracers on his forearms with thin metal chains wrapping around them. He had no other visible adornments. “Relly, can we come in?”
Relly cocked his head questioningly, then turned to look at Harb, reacting as if he had just noticed him. “Welcome, chief,” he said in a low, even voice. “I’ve been expecting you.” With that, he turned and retreated back into his tent.
Urguk waited a moment before turning to Harb, motioning for him to enter the tent. “Aren’t you coming too?” Harb asked him.
“I will remain here,” the old veteran said. “To make sure that you are not disturbed,” he added quickly. He placed a hand on Harb’s arm and drew closer before saying “That one is an odd bird; it’s best to humor him.”
Harb nodded and entered the tent.
The Seer sat cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by candles and small figurines. Before him was a large bowl made of an indeterminate material. He motioned for Harb to sit across from him. Harb was considerably larger than Relly and had to move several of the scattered objects to make space before he was able to sit across from the man. When he was finally seated, he noticed that the bowl was filled with a dark blue liquid. Above the surface of the liquid, just below the rim of the bowl, was a crystalized formation of something metallic—possibly aluminum or silver—that was about a half-inch thick. Below the surface were large formations of what must have been the same metal stretching out towards the center, and at the bottom of the bowl was just an intermingled pile of the same stuff.
There was a long silence as the two men stared at each other. Relly finally broke the silence by speaking in a sing-song voice. “There is no need to be so meek. Why not ask me what you seek?”
Harb didn’t feel as if he were being meek. He had exhibited caution, as he didn’t want to cause offense. This man intimidated Urguk, so it seemed wise to let him take the lead. Harb asked his question. “I want to find some tougher monsters to fight. Can you help me?”
“I am able to find all manner of things,” he said, spreading his arms out widely. “‘Tougher monsters’ is rather broad. I will need more information if I am to do a proper search.”
Harb thought about what might be the best thing to search for. He wanted something that would test him as well as award a larger amount of experience than the rabble that he’d been killing recently. He would still bring backup, but he wanted to do the bulk of the fighting himself. “I’m looking for something large and strong that will provide a difficult challenge to me and possibly a few other Orcs in a fight.”
Relly picked up a figurine of a bird and held it to his ear, as if listening to it speak. He then turned it to face him, nodded, and set it down. After a long, contemplative pause, he finally spoke. “Unite only to divide and destroy... Why are you here?”
Harb pondered the question, recognizing it as a reference to his efforts in uniting the Orc clans. He thought about just ordering Relly to focus on finding him a monster to kill, but decided to play along for the time being. “The Orcs have long been kept away from the populated parts of the world. The Dwarves refuse them trade, the Humans are wary and keep them away from their lands, and the Elves openly hunt any that they find. I am uniting the clans to get them to work as one group. Their lives will be better for it.”
Relly snapped his head to look at another of the figurines; this one resembled a big cat, like a lion or tiger, but had the proportions of a much thicker beast. He made an elaborate show of carefully picking it up and bringing it to his ear. His eyes became glassy as if newly stricken with cataracts, and when he spoke, it was in a different voice—a low baritone or bass. “So ‘of the people, for the people, and by the people’ then? Odd for a despot.”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Harb felt a sudden chill creep over him. “What the hell? Who am I talking to?” He recognized the phrase; it was from one of the founding fathers, perhaps from the Declaration of Independence? Regardless, it belonged to his world, and this was the first time anyone had acknowledged anything from there. “Are you one of the game masters? I’d like to speak with someone who can answer a few questions for me.”
“You are a stranger—a traveler. You are lost. You…” He cocked his head. “You seek to bind.”
Harb wasn’t sure what all of this raving was, but it was pretty close to the truth of things. He decided that he didn’t like it. “Either answer my questions or get on with finding me a monster to kill.”
Relly began to laugh. His laughter morphed into something unsettling, accompanied by a shift in his eyes. Setting down the statuette, he muttered incomprehensible words, then waved his hand over the bowl. The liquid within began to glow, starting as a faint spark at the bottom and gradually brightening until it cast an eerie light on Relly’s face, resembling someone sitting near a computer screen or television. He dipped a finger into the bowl and barely broke the surface of the liquid before quickly bringing it back out.
Harb felt pressure in the air around him as Relly’s action caused the area to pulse with energy.
The surface of the liquid rippled, and after a moment, an image began to form. In the scene, a hulking creature lumbered on a rocky path along the side of a mountain pass. The POV was similar to a drone taking aerial footage of the creature’s movements. Harb could see the Orc camp at the mountain’s base. This must be a view of the neighboring mountain. He could tell that the creature was large by the way it moved, but he could not tell how large due to the limited size of the bowl’s surface. The thing was grotesque and had a huge hump on its shoulder that made it look like a hunchback.
Relly maintained the spell, and just as Harb was about to tell him to stop, the creature broke into a run. It shielded its neck and chest as arrows pierced its forearm. More arrows rained down upon the creature as it charged, and a fire spell ignited the cloth wraps serving as its clothing when it blasted the arm. A cloaked figure and a larger, green-skinned creature wielding a sword stepped up to attack. Both fighters appeared small next to the hulking creature. The cloaked man adeptly evaded the creature’s attacks and fought back when he had an opening. Arrows continued to find their mark in the creature’s chest as it did its best to flatten the cloaked man with its enormous fists. The green-skinned creature lunged at one of the hulk’s legs, only to be backhanded. He was nearly thrown off the cliff’s edge.
More arrived, and the hulk began to swing his arm back and forth, sending another one flying away. It fought and chased them until a man pointed his sword at it and blasted it with some sort of magical energy, causing it to grab its head in apparent anguish and leaving it vulnerable to attacks and spells. The one with the special sword turned into a black mist and rematerialized on the creature’s shoulder. They fought next to the mountainside, and things looked bad for the group until a small woman stepped up and spat out a blue cloud. The hulk reeled in pain, and the others were able to take advantage. It required another breath attack, but eventually they were able to take the creature down.
“Can you move the view around, or is it stuck to the monster?”
“That would require another casting,” Relly said hoarsely.
Harb looked at Relly and saw that he was straining from the effort of maintaining the spell. Not wanting to overtax the man, Harb signaled for him to stop. The image faded, and Relly let out a weary sigh. He wanted to ask the man to cast another spell focusing on one of the group members that had attacked the monster, but Relly didn’t look to be in any condition to do much of anything. Harb mentally targeted Relly to view his status bars. While Relly still had a serviceable amount of mana, his energy bar was nearly depleted.
The group had been composed of two casters, three melee fighters, and one hybrid. This was a good makeup for a party of adventurers, and Harb didn’t find that aspect of the encounter unusual. What he did find strange was the racial makeup of the group. Three appeared to have been Human, although he hadn’t gotten a good look at the man in the hooded cloak. The male caster was certainly from one of the smaller races and was likely either a Halfling or a Gnome, but Dwarf was also a possibility. The other caster could’ve been a small Human, but Harb had caught a glimpse of her ears and thought it probable that she was some sort of Elf. Then there was the large lizardman, who must have been north of seven feet tall. This was a group that would’ve easily occurred in a role-playing game where players would choose the best race to min-max their characters. This strategy would inevitably cause a group to be made up of races that would never naturally be traveling together. “Is it normal for so many races to work together in a small group like that?” he asked the Seer, who had finally regained his breath.
Relly looked as if he were about to speak when he turned and picked up another of the small statuettes, this one in the shape of a winged woman, and placed it next to his ear. His eyes changed both color and size this time, and his face scrunched up as if in contemplation. He nodded. “These fly outside the norms,” he said in a high soprano voice that was distinctly female. “You ask and ask and ask, and it sounds your secret. Take heed: When the rent comes due, everything crumbles.”
Harb wondered at the different personas displayed by the Seer. The claim that he was contacting spirits was facilitated by the little magical statues, but each just might be a different aspect of his personality. It could also be just an elaborate act. Still, the responses indicated knowledge about his situation. He decided on a direct approach. “What is my secret?” he asked.
“You are different in mind. You are different in body. You are different in spirit.”
Harb wasn’t sure if this referred to the fact that he was a Dire Orc or to his status as an outsider in this world. It could be both, but either one was concerning. The earlier voice had mentioned his world, so at least that seemed to be true. “How do you know this?” he demanded.
“From your sleeping mind, of course. There is much we do not understand, but one thing is certain: you do not belong here. You are a traveler.” Relly set the figure down, and his face shifted back to normal. “The spirits are very active today,” he said in his usual voice. “They are curious about you.”
He’s picking up stuff from my subconscious thoughts? Harb thought, and he checked his nullification shield to verify that it was still active; it was. “Relly, can you read my mind?” he asked in nearly a growl.
If the Seer was intimidated by the dangerous tone of the question, he didn’t show it. “I can and I can’t,” he replied.
Harb wanted to throttle the man but restrained himself, clenching his toes until the urge subsided. “Can you explain? How can it be both?”
The Goblin spread his hands and grinned. “Ezella has the power to listen to the minds of others, and thus, so can I when we are fused.”
Harb pointed to the statue of the winged woman and asked, “Is that Ezella?”
Relly picked up the statue again. “This is not Ezella,” he said, waving it in front of him. “This is merely an effigy of her. I use it to facilitate the bond.”
“Does that mean that you can bond or fuse with her without using the doll?”
Relly bristled at the term and answered in an annoyed tone. “I can fuse with most of these spirits without using their effigy, but not for long. Also, I risk being dominated.” He motioned to the surrounding statues. “These are all relatively safe for me, since I have consulted them on many occasions, but a spirit unfamiliar to me would be a problem without the aid of a vessel.”
“Is this something that you could teach me to do?” Harb asked hopefully.
Relly frowned. “You don’t appear to be a caster. This uses spirit magic. If you have that skill, I probably can teach you. Without it, you might want to start with something smaller. If you have no magical skills at all, learning this would require powerful magic.”
“Would a spell book work to teach me the spell?” Harb asked, though he already knew the answer.
Relly squeaked out a laugh. “Why not ask for the moon? A spell book can teach you a spell, but only if you already have the spirit magic skill. A skill book can teach you that, but both books are expensive and rare.”
“Can’t the books be combined into one tome?”
Relly sighed, adopting the tone of someone explaining something to a very small, very dim child. “No, they can’t. They are similar but serve different purposes, like a spoon and a fork. You can’t combine them into one tool that does both.”
Harb couldn’t help but smile at that analogy. Relly was either lying or didn’t know about sporks. His response seemed natural, and Harb saw no reason for him to hide the information. “If I can make something that functions both as a spoon and a fork, can you make me the book?”
“Do you have mana crystals and spirit embers?”
“If I can get them for you, can you make it?”
“Still no. I have never made a book and am unaware of the process of making one.” Relly looked at the winged woman statue and reached for it.
“No!” Harb commanded. The Goblin’s arm froze, and he turned to look at Harb. “No more spirits for now,” he continued. “I want you to use your magic to find out where we can get your ingredients, or better yet, find me an actual spell book if you can. In fact, I’m interested in any spell book or skill book.”
“The books are very rare, and even if I can actually locate one, the cost to buy one...”
“I’m not planning to purchase it,” Harb interrupted.
“Yes, of course not, but anything that valuable will be fiercely protected.”
“Just point me towards one, and I’ll sack the city if I have to.”