Frank and Dante continued down the long street taking in the sights. What caught Dante's eye was two large three story buildings, of more modern appearances, standing right next to each other. On the right was, The Golem Menagerie, and on the left was, The Work Horse.
Each letter in the sign for the Golem menagerie appeared in varying different colors and patterns. While the Work Horse had a hammer moving back and forth striking a chisel that almost appeared to be carving the W of the sign.
Dante pointed it out to his father who readily agreed to go in, but stated, "If I don't like it I will walk out and let you do it." Dante simply nodded as he thought about a gold coin appearing in his hand, and so one did.
"You got the 1 small platinum bonus thing too?" His father asked as he also produced a coin.
"Yeah, I spent a bit earlier so I have 8 large gold and 5 small gold pieces now. We need to start making money sooner or later but for now let's have a good time." Dante replied.
Frank placed his hands upon Dante's shoulder's and stated, "I'm going to teach you some of the things they taught me in the Navy later anyway. But first let's see if we can't party like sailors."
Dante simply offered his father a warm smile and a laugh.
Out of curiosity he began inspecting the golden coin to see if it had what he needed. On one side appeared to be the face of Virgil, a golden, vaguely humanoid figure. On the opposite side there was an ornate symbol he could not decipher.
As he focused on it however he did feel faint traces of mana, which he assumed was what allowed the coins to divide like they had.
'It will work well enough.' Dante thought as he flipped the coin into the air. Catching it with little issue he found it to be heads. "Left it is, and if we don't like that one we'll try the right. Don't like that one either, we move on." He said to his father.
Frank replied, "Sounds like a plan." Dante stowed the coin away where it had come from.
Together they walked into the Work Horse.
The main room of what turned out to be a shop was not exactly what he had expected, aside from seemingly being empty of any other people. There were large and small dildos of every variety to the left side of the store. On the right side of the store were what Dante could only describe as, "Fleshlights!"
There was the sound of shifting from behind the counter.
A single glance told him this was the flesh monger that Veronica and Victor had talked about.
A tall four armed man with skin the color of midnight stood up from behind the counter. He looked like a more realistic Enderman from minecraft. He was bald with emerald green eye's much like his own, except instead white around his eyes it was gray.
He wore a large bloody apron and leathers that looked equal parts made for a butcher and a craftsman. Due to all the pockets and tools he saw on it.
He paused for only a few seconds after seeing them as if getting their measure. His voice was almost like several people speaking in unison. Like a small choir, with a slight accent he couldn't place. "Ah customers! Please come in, come in!" He said whilst motioning with his right top arm. Dante and his father approached the counter as the towering 8 foot figure of the, for lack of a proper term, Enderman, leaned over the counter. "What can I do for you two? You are father and son are you not?" He had begun to motion from Frank to Dante before resting his arm on the counter once more.
"Yes, that's right. You must be the owner of this place. I was directed around here by Veronica and Victor. They gave me your general description and told me this was a flesh monger’s shop. This isn’t what I was expecting…” Dante spoke only to be interrupted by three hands slamming onto the counter.
"Ah! To think you would be the one they told me about! Let me explain these things to you as you are new to the system. Here in this building, I sell what is behind you in addition to, how should I say, larger items. This building you see, it extends all the way onto the next street over. However, on that side, the name you would find is the Walking Corpse." Said the shop keeper.
"I'm leaving." Dante's father stated plainly, but was held back by Dante grasping his arm.
"Do you mean it's the place that buys the corpses of monsters that they told me about, the flesh monger shop?" Dante asked, trying to make a reason for his father to stay.
"The very same! Where do you think I get my inventory from?" Dante released his grip allowing his father to step back from the counter without saying a word.
As the shopkeeper's words ran through his mind. Then it hit him. "Flesh golems! That must mean that...OH my!" Dante exclaimed as he turned to look back at the very large variety of very realistic toys for sale.
“Alright, can you please explain that?" Dante asked as he pointed his thumb right to the Golem's Menagerie. It was then that he noticed the empty doorway connecting the two buildings.
The shopkeeper turned to his left, the right of the entrance of the store. "Ah you are interested in my other business?" That increased Dante's interest in this already interesting place.
"Yeah, so you own both, or all three? Do you own the building on the other side of the…Golem’s Menagerie?” Dante asked not having been to the other street yet.
“It is the same building behind either. My three shops, due to the need for lots of space I bought all four of the buildings here and renovated the two on the street next door to make them into one shop. The Walking Corpse. It lets me utilize more space for my work. If I were to show you the back you would see that I had combined them to form a much larger space.” Oscar said making a gesture for expansion with all four hands.
"Dante, please explain this all to me." His father asked him as he began to rub his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.
"This guy turns..." He paused for a moment as he walked over to a foot and a half tall, four inch wide, pair of reptilian phallus’, clearly labeled, “Dragon's Pride.”
‘Can you even imagine the commentary from the guys that had to harvest this?’ Dante thought before he continued.
"He takes the dicks and stuff off of monsters and magically makes them all shiny and new again. Then he puts them in these enchanted containers to keep them alive." Dante said as he motioned down toward the large metallic cylinder from which the phallus emerged.
"Ok...What's..." Dante's father and him watched as a tall figure walked by the empty doorframe. It was a female Equitaur? The same kind of horse minotaur he had seen earlier. Dante's father's mind swam with the possibilities as he realized just what this guy did for a living. He could not deny it to himself, he was impressed.
'Why am I even surprised a place like this exists?' Dante's father thought as he pressed his hand to his face.
Dante asked the shopkeeper, "I didn't catch your name." The Enderman used one of his upper arms to slap himself on the forehead.
"Oh where are my manners? You may call me..." His eyes went distant for a moment as he raised up one of his six fingered hands raising his index finger.
His emerald eyes returned to their previous appearance, "Oscar Hemsworth. This is not my actual name, as you could not even understand my true one. Though I suspect that Veronica and Victor already told you about that issue. So, is this acceptable?"
Dante raised an eyebrow and looked over to his father who shrugged, "It's fine Oscar. Hello I am Dante Stone and this is my father Frank Stone." Dante said and both he and his father extended their hands to shake the shopkeeper's. Dante using his right, his father, using his left.
Oscar crossed his upper arms and shook both of their hands. "Ah it is always good to meet new business associates. As a small gift for being kind to my children…” He paused for a moment leaning in. ”...Would you two like to see what happens in the back?"
Dante turned to his father, "So dad, do you want to know how this stuff gets made?" Dante paused for a moment awaiting an answer, but his father simply raised up his index finger and walked over to example the merchandise on the right side of the shop. Towards the items meant for more traditionally minded male clients.
(The right if you are coming in the doorway. I'm just going to call it left and right from now on.)
A question popped into Dante's mind, "Hey you said that this place runs back to the next street over, right?" Dante asked Oscar. "That is correct. Would you like the address for when you and your father return with the spoils of your adventure. I will give you good prices for anything that you bring in." Oscar said with a slight smile, his lips pulling back to reveal, white almost human-like teeth.
"Sure, can I get directions?" Dante wanted to have a good relationship with Oscar. "Do you not have the Map?" Oscar asked, his normally choir-like voice becoming somewhat jumbled, as if to portray his confusion.
"Do you mean a map on my Hud? Or do you mean a physical map? Either way, I don't." Oscar raised all four of his hands and nodded his head.
"Oh then this is a simple fix. All you have to do is open the system store and request a map. What you are looking for should be the first result." Oscar said, then returned his lower arms to their previous positions. While he rested the elbows of his upper arm on the counter.
Dante did as he was instructed. The top search result was what was described as, "Your video game map comes to life." Dante checked the price and found it to be a modest 20 small gold. With some reluctance he purchased the map.
Surprisingly a little coinage indication appeared in the upper right of his Hud showing a -2 large gold piece.
What proceeded was a small download bar appearing. It only lasted for a few seconds however. However part way through the download several notices appeared.
Thank you for your purchase of the System Minimap.
As an added bonus for your store purchase, you're granted the Uncommon active skill, "Cartography Lvl. 1".
You are granted the, common active, Cartography sub skill, "Drawing Lvl. 1"
Cartography Lvl. 1
This skill aids in the production of maps. Skill level increases draw range of User minimap. Accuracy and quality of generated Minimap increases with skill level. If you possess a map you may add that area to your minimap. However that area will be locked at the quality provided by the map, until such time as you examine a better map or examine the place in person for greater detail.
+2 Dex, Int, per level of the skill. +3 Per per level of the skill.
Drawing Lvl. 1
Increased aptitude for drawing per level of the skill. Slight increase to quality of drawings per level of the skill.
+1 Dex, Int, Per per skill level.
Warning! You have exceeded your Soul capacity!...
Please either add points to spirit or train in one or more skills that add points to spirit...
Minimap cannot be activated until this issue is rectified...
"...Shit." Dante said as he felt a tightness in his chest not quite pain but certainly uncomfortable.
"I know that look, you went over you Soul capacity didn't you? Take this as a lesson to keep an eye on your soul capacity. Certain skills or similar effects won't work properly or at all if you exceed you soul capacity." Oscar asked with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smirk.
With a mental command he pulled up the necessary part of his status.
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
Soul Capacity 34.45/32 points
"...Yeah, alright, you...you have a good point. Thanks, ju...just give me a second." He said as he pulled up his status and placed his 5 available stat points into spirit.
With each point he felt something inside himself grow, and a feeling he could only describe as a touch of peace. The tightness in his chest abated and he breathed deep reviling in the feeling.
He was beginning to notice that each stat gave him a certain feeling when it increased. The download bar resumed its quick pace.
When the download was completed he was greeted by a minimap that hung in his field of vision.
The map appeared in a small black box, which slowly began to fill itself in. He was then greeted by the ping of a system notice that opened up before him.
The map however was not like the text that he had read from the system. Instead it seemed to hang in the air up and to his right, away from him by 2 feet, within arms reach.
"By your reaction I can assume you have received the map?" Oscar asked his voice once more like a choir's singing. "Yes, it's not what I had expected though. It's actually a bit better." Dante stated, partially thinking aloud.
Oscar simply smiled for a moment before Dante asked another question.
"By the way is there some kind of upper limit to the amount of stats a certain rarity of skill will give? I've noticed my common skills never seem to give me more than 3 or 4 stats per skill level, and my rarer skills seem to give a fair bit more." Dante asked, the thought just having run across his mind.
Silence reigned for several second as Oscar tilted his head in mild confusion.
"That wasn't close to what I expected you to ask. BUT you are correct. The upper limit for a common skill is 5 points, Uncommon is 10, rare is 25, Very rare is 50, and Legendary is 100. There are outliers but this is the general rule to the max a skill will give you at those rarities."
*Chuckles*
"I can see you have other questions, I will do my best to answer but some of these questions you should ask your guide." He said his lips curling up in a grin.
“Why doesn’t the map come with the interface to begin with?” Dante asked, confused.
“Ah, the reasons for such things are fairly simple so I will explain. It is about cost. Not monetary cost mind you, but mana cost. More specifically, the mana cost to upkeep the systems that provide that function.” Oscar said whilst rolling his right wrists and looking up and to the left, recalling the information.
“So, it’s the system cutting mana costs where it can. But wait, it didn't tell me anything about cutting down my regen.” he said, only eliciting an even wider smile from Oscar who made a flicking up motion with one hand that he took to mean, ‘Check your status.’
And so he did.
Mp/m 29.1 Negative mod -30 Mp/m
“Fuck! I've lost half my mana regeneration!? Do I at least get experience for the mana it’s siphoning off me?”
“Sadly not Dante.” Oscar replied a wryly grin on his face.
“Double Fuck!” Dante exclaimed, raising his arm and shacking them in frustration.
Oscar cracked up and began laughing. Before he began banging two of his hands lightly on the counter. Even so they heard the sound of splintering wood as the counter began to buckle under the strikes from Oscar’s fists.
``Note to self: He is very strong!’ Dante thought as the anger of a moment ago fled before that sight.
He felt his father grasping his shoulder and slowly pulling him away before Oscar regained his composure.
“Ah forgive me. I have not had a good laugh like that in a while. Do you have any more questions?” Oscar asked with an innocent smile on his face.
“Are there any other options in the System behind pay-walls?” Dante asked, trying not to get mad about the sudden and large drop in his mana regen. Oscar simply spread out his arms, palms to the sky and spoke.
“How much time do you have?” Oscar asked solemnly whilst raising two hands.
“...Not enough apparently.” Dante said, putting a hand on his chin and rubbing it.
Oscar reached across the counter, holding out his hand for Dante to take. Dante hesitated for a moment before deciding to trust Oscar. Dante once more grasped the man's large hand.
Shop, "The Work Horse", has been added to your minimap!
Shop, "The Golem Menagerie", has been added to your minimap!
Shop, "The Walking Corpse", has been added to your minimap!
Being "Oscar" has granted you a portion of his own Cartography knowledge.
Thus your Cartography skill has become level 6 to reflect your newly obtained (Detailed) knowledge.
Shop keep, "Oscar", has granted you his knowledge of his shops!
Trust from, "Oscar", has increased!
You have leveled up!
You are [Rank 1] Lvl. 9...
The world swirled as Dante felt his mind expand ever so slightly. It felt as if a small door in the back of his mind had opened up for a brief moment, and what he saw before him was the result. He watched as all at once where the minimap had been vague drawings it was suddenly like a satellite overview.
'Holy shit!' Dante thought. His expression became one of disbelief. Oscar smiled wide and laughed a hearty laugh, what he assumed was a laugh anyway. His laugh sounded much more like a church's organ being played.
"You seem shocked. So I shall enlighten you upon what has just transpired. I have granted you my own knowledge of my shops. Thus you can now see these locations on your map and will find it much easier to return to any of my businesses here." Oscar said with a bright smile.
Dante spoke to Oscar stating, "I...I...appreciate you giving us the advice and teaching me... I would hope to remain in your good graces in our future dealings. My mom is out browsing and we are going to be drowning in her purchases in none too long." Dante said with an expression of genuine worry, which elicited another cacophony of laughter from Oscar.
"Many who I have met have said the same thing. Some things never change." Oscar said as he wiped some translucent green tears of joy from the corners of both his eyes.
Dante's father finally rejoined Dante and Oscar at the counter and addressed his son, "Ok I have come to my decision. I am ok with this place." He paused for a moment, turning to Oscar, "You seem like a very nice man, and it helps that you speak..." Then Frank's eyes went distant for a moment as if he were recalling something. Dante moved to shake his father only for Oscar to motion for him to wait.
A moment later Frank's eyes returned to normal and he said, "You don't speak English, do you? It's the system translating... Hey I got a point in Wisdom for thinking of that one."
Oscar's warm smile became a sad one, "I am sorry good sir. You are correct." Everyone was silent for a moment, before Oscar's joyous smile returned.
"However, this is not a bad thing. Though the system's translations are not always perfect. As we come to understand each other, the system learns to better translate. Thus by a simple conversation we help others we will never meet, even long after we are gone." Dante and his father smiled, their enhanced mental capabilities helping them to understand.
Oscar clapped his two sets of arms in unison and the door behind the counter to his left opened up. From the door walked what appeared to be Oscar's identical sibling. "Watch the front, I am going to show these two around." Oscar stated, "Sure thing." Not Oscar stated, his voice was identical as well as his appearance, except he was wearing what looked like a blacksmith's attire. Oscar began walking toward a closed doorway to his right.
Dante and his father accompanied Oscar through the door into a large back room that seemed more like a warehouse workshop. Dante asked Oscar, "Was that your twin back there?" Oscar stopped for a moment then turned to face Dante and his father. "No, that was a magical facsimile of myself." A blue box appeared before Oscar who read it for a moment, "The system tells me that you know of similar magics. Is this true?"
Dante immediately understood as he knew of a spell from D&D that did something very similar. Dante's face became one of realization, a fact not lost upon his father who still did not understand. "Yeah I know something similar."
Dante's father asked, "Hey Dante you seem to understand, can you explain it to me?"
Dante turned to his left to face his dad, "Sure, it means that through magic he copied himself. Mind and body, maybe even the soul but I don't know about that. More than likely to help with all the...work." Dante paused for a moment and finished his sentence as he turned and saw no less than six other copies of Oscar working upon various tasks. From directing several individuals of varying races to using a large meat cleaver to chop up what appeared to be a horned rabbit.
Two copies of Oscar were working on what appeared to be a dead minotaur laying upon a large marble table.
"You are quite right. I can always use an extra hand around here. And thanks to magic, I have many. I may not be what you would call a One man business, but I am close." Oscar said with a smile as he held his thumb and index finger together, nearly touching.
"One can sell a monster's corpse outright but that only takes you so far. If you wish for greater rewards from you kills you would need to bring them to individuals such as myself. There they can be dismantled for their materials. This can be quite lucrative depending upon the creature in question...."He paused before continuing.
"...Oh yes I almost forgot." Oscar said as he held out an open palm and therein 3 scrolls appeared. "Go ahead and take them. Should you find and slay a most valuable creature, use one of these scrolls upon them. Then bring the corpse to me." Dante reached out and took the scrolls from Oscar.
The scrolls seemed to be made from some kind of animal skin, and smelled of inks and iron. "I suspect I know what these do, but please explain."
"Very well." Oscar said in an exaggerated voice of tiredness. "These scrolls when cast upon a corpse protect it from rotting for a time, about 10 days. Useful if you can't get to back to my shop right away with your trophies." Dante did not have much experience with such spells but he did remember one of his friends using such a spell in their curse of Strahd campaign. "Oh, they're Scrolls of Gentle Repose."
Oscar's face scrunched. Dante finally noticed something he had missed earlier, Oscar didn't have a nose. Instead he just had two slits that opened and closed periodically.
"I do not know this spell..." He paused for a moment as a blue box appeared in front of him and then vanished.
"Ah yes, I would appear to be a very similar spell." Oscar stated.
Dante glanced behind Oscar, he saw a door open and from the room stepped an Oscar clone. Behind that clone was another sitting at a desk with a stack of what appeared to be animal skin pages.
Dante looked back to Oscar, "You used to be an adventure I'm guessing?"
Oscar gave a bitter sweet smile. "That I was. However, I was forced into an early and permanent retirement when an archwizard working for...someone better forgotten. Anyway they decided to take my head off with a beam of black energy. I saw a black flash and then that was all I saw, Black. That is what happens to you when you die under the system without any respawns. Darkness greets you, and then the system." Oscar said, stirring Dante's and his father's curiosity.
"Can you elaborate on that please Oscar?" Oscar turned to them, his emerald eyes burning with inner fire.
"Why certainly, It would seem that you have yet to get see any of the churches as they would surely tell you this. So, I shall enlighten you about what happens upon death within the system. When one dies. Their essence, their mind, their soul, is either moved from this plane to an empty one. There you are greeted by the system itself. Or you respawn at a church or relevant facility." Dante suspected it was something far greater than Virgil.
"In the prior case you are judged. Few people who have been judged have ever returned." Oscar said with resignation.
That led to the obvious question from Dante, "Were you judged by the system?"
"Yes I was. He found me to have been faithful and dedicated to the betterment of my people. I was ready to go and be with those who had... gone before me. I could see them there before me, only a few steps away. In a land made of light, golden grass waving in a wind I could not feel..." Small translucent green tears rolled down Oscar's face once more.
Oscar used his upper set of hands to wipe away his tears, "However, the system wanted to make a deal with me. I would return to this plane for a time. That my work could help others and when the time expired and I was ready, he would send me on. That was 1000 years ago, even though my contract was only for 100. I got to meet so many new people moving from one of these zone's to another. When the contract expired, I chose to renew it, and I have done so every hundred years since."
He paused for a moment before finishing with, "It helps me that thanks to the system I dream of my family, who I lost so long ago." Oscar once more wiped the tears from his eyes. "I am so sorry, it seems I have gotten myself all worked up."
Dante and his father spoke in unison even without meaning to. "It's fine, Oscar."
Father and son looked to one another as Frank spoke.
"It's good to remember those we have lost."
Oscar smiled brightly, then motioned for them to follow him. "Come this way allow me to show you my pride and joy."
Oscar and his father followed Oscar though his workshop until they arrived at a large set of double shiny, sleek black, metal doors. They stood nearly to the ceiling 15 feet up and were no less than 10 feet in width. "Behind this door is a project I have been working on for a great many years. Very expensive, but it has finally begun to bear fruit. I have learned much from this."
The closer Dante grew towards that door the more he felt its presence.
Congratulations! Your skill, Mana Sense, has leveled up! Lvl. 3...
By the time Dante stood next to the door, he felt as if his body were vibrating. Much like one would do when they were very cold. His Mana Sense was up to level 6. Dante spoke up, "Where does that door lead?" A bit of worry made its way into his voice.
Oscar turned his head back to look at Dante, "Fear not my friend."
Oscar raised up his four arms and began to chant in a language that didn't translate. Mana poured out from his palms to form two great rings of intricate design. The door responded. A small light began to emanate from where the two door's would part.
Dante's mana sense level jumped to 10, as he was nearly overwhelmed. As the large sleek black, shiny metal door's continued to part, light could be seen. It was blinding at first, but as his eye's adjusted he saw something amazing.
There behind the door was a large field of tall grass. The doorway seemed to be on a hill, granting them a view into the distance. In said distance several villages could be seen. Oscar motioned for them to follow him though the doors that had stopped their opening. They had opened only so wide as to allow a single person through at a time. Oscar went on ahead.
By the time they had reached the door he had leveled up again!.
You have leveled up!...
You are [Rank 1] Lvl. 10...
After a moment, Dante and his father followed through the doorway.