~-~-~-~-~-~

Cowboys and Wizards

S01E03 - Choices

~-~-~-~-~-~

I blinked at the overwhelming list and selected one that first caught my eye. Wizard. Who the hell doesn’t want to be a wizard, right?

A screen opened up, presenting information just like it was a Game App selection.

-=-=-

- Wizard -

A subset of the Mage class, Wizards specialise in arcane research and spell creation.

Learn the mystic arts and use mana to produce magical effects!

Advance in knowledge and control the forces of reality!

Includes 1 Starter gear set (leather boots, wool underwear, wizard robes, magic hat with 10 inventory slots, spell book, staff with 3 small mana stone slots)

Includes 6 Level 1 spells

Includes 3 Cantrips

Cost: 62 Gold

Memory: 190

Requirements: Mana Service Provider

In-App Purchases: 10 silver - 9999 gold per item.

-=-=-

The reviews were mostly positive but there weren’t many, just ten thousand or so. Maybe the cost was prohibitive? And WTF? In-App purchases? Seriously!? This is bullshit! I knew that it was a Pay-to-Win world, but this confirmation was just too damn much.

Jeezus. That’s expensive. What about other Mage classes?

-=-=-

- Warlock -

A subset of the Mage class, Warlocks specialise in dealing damage.

Learn the mystic arts and use mana to produce magical effects!

Advance in knowledge and control the forces of reality!

Includes 1 Starter gear set (leather boots, wool underwear, wizard robes, magic hat with 10 inventory slots, spell book, staff with 3 small mana stone slots)

Includes 6 Level 1 spells

Includes 3 Cantrips

Cost: 54 Gold

Memory: 150

Requirements: Mana Service Provider

In-App Purchases: 10 silver - 9999 gold per item.

-=-=-

I glanced through the other selections, Sorcerer, Necromancer, Alchemist, Politician. All of them were too damn expensive for me. All included the standard Pay-to-Win in app purchases. Fine. Whatever. I selected Prostitute since it looked like I was going to need to whore myself out for cash in this world.

-=-=-

- Prostitute -

Learn the seductive arts and how to please the patriarchy for fun and profit!

Advance in knowledge and learn new sub classes!

Includes 1 Starter gear set (hooker boots, silk underwear, short skirt, tight blouse, makeup kit, wash cloth, unlimited breath mints.)

Includes 6 professional skills

Cost: 8 Silver

Memory: 69

Requirements: None

In-App Purchases: 10 silver - 1 gold per item.

-=-=-

The reviews were utterly depressing.

Do I even need to make a choice right now? Can I learn skills and professions on my own? I have so many unanswered questions and no one to ask. Maybe I should head into the nearest town and get my head together before making any decisions. I scrolled through the selections indecisively.

-=-=-

- Cowboy -

A rare combination of the Labourer, Survivalist, and Gun slinger classes.

Learn how to rope cows and punch them with style!

Advance in knowledge and improve your skills!

Includes 1 Starter gear set (sturdy boots, cotton underwear and socks, leather belt, tough denim trousers, long sleeve cotton shirt, cowboy hat, bandanna, tough leather gloves)

Includes 1 Mongoose .44 caliber 6-shot revolver, gun belt, and leather holster

Includes 50 rounds .44 caliber unprimed ammunition

Includes Labourer I

Includes Survivalist I

Includes Gunslinger I

Includes 3 combat skills

Cost: 3 Gold

Memory: 88

Requirements: None

In-App Purchases: 1 silver - 9 gold per item.

-=-=-

Guns? Hells yeah, I can do guns! I wanna be a cowboy, baby.

I impulsively mashed the purchase button and a pop up screen asks if I want to access funds in the Leather pouch. Blah, blah, blah, PURCHASE!

[Leather pouch contents: 4 gold, 50 silver, 68 copper, 30 bronze]

Downloading: … 25…50…75…88… Mana: 112/600

Installing: …25…50…75…100… Inventory: 7/460

Aw hell, my inventory slots dropped from 640 to 460

I could feel something like a lead ball growing in my brain, a dull headache that expanded like a balloon and filled me with a thousand different experiences. I knew how to saddle and ride a horse, how to rope cows, how to diagnose and care for various domesticated animals, how to whittle, play a harmonica, chop wood, build a campfire, shoot a gun, throw a punch, pitch a tent, cook a stew, roll a cigarette with one hand, make cowboy coffee…

My mouth dropped open as knowledge flooded my brain. All this, a lifetime of experience as a cowboy, in just a few moments. My inventory slots dropped from 640 to 460 after installation and included 3 new items, Ammo box, Duffle bag, Gun box. I assumed the change of outfit was in the duffle bag and I concentrated on it for a moment, hesitant to change in the dirty room. A new window opened.

- Duffle bag contents: sturdy boots, cotton underwear and socks, leather belt, tough denim trousers, long sleeve cotton shirt, cowboy hat, neckerchief, tough leather gloves. Add to Gear? [Y/N]

Another convenient feature that allows me to view the contents of an inventory slot.

Mentally selecting [Y] I added the contents to my Gear, then opened up the Gear icon and picked [Cowboy 1] from the selection. A customisation menu opened allowing me to select the colours of my new gear. Black. Black and Silver. Hell’s yeah. I admired mini-me for a moment in his new duds, then activated them. A swirl of blue motes later and I’m wearing the gear of my new profession.

[Cowboy class selected]

Available combat skills: Quickdraw I, Aimed Shot I, Haymaker I

Labourer I upgraded to Labourer II

New skill: Second Wind I

Looks like my base Labourer skills were upgraded with the addition of Cowboy knowledge and I gained a new skill. Concentrating on it, I read the info.

[Second Wind I] (50mp)

Once per day, rest for 5 minutes to fully recover all physical attributes.

Removes minor wounds and replenishes stamina.

The mana cost seems expensive, but could be useful if I needed to hustle.

I popped the Gun box out of inventory and a polished wooden box appeared in my hands with the S&H logo branded into the wood. The smell of fine oil and leather tickled my nostrils when I opened it to reveal the gun, gun belt, and holster along with a small polishing kit, bottle of oil, and cloth.

Drawing the weapon I was stunned to discover the barrel was made out of solid wood. Out of freaking wood! I stared at it in disbelief, then read the Care and Use paper which was affixed to the inside of the box.

The S&H Mongoose is a double-action, six-shot spell pistol.

The barrel is 8 inches of Darkwood, engraved with silver channeling runes and produces a 1:16 twist.

The cylinder is made of iron and holds six .44 caliber brass shells.

The hammer is made of Orichalcum and stamps a rune on the brass shell, completing the spell which activates the alchemical powder inside and produces the magical effect.

The grip has channeling runes and three runestones embedded in it: Universal, Mana bullet, and Stone bullet.

White Universal runestone, which is used to fire specialised, or ‘primed’ bullets which can produce various types of spells.

Red Evocation runestone, which fires ‘unprimed’ bullets and produces a fist-sized slug of magical force with a range of 30 yards. It will ignore most armour and can damage most magical creatures.

Indigo Conjuration runestone, which fires ‘unprimed’ bullets and produces a .44 caliber stone slug.

It’s a frigging magic wand with a handle.

I pulled the ammo box of unprimed bullets from inventory and examined one. It wasn’t a bullet, it was a brass cylinder engraved with a fine spiderweb of runes that looked just like the ones under the mirror I broke back in my apartment. A tag popped up over the bullet.

[Archaic Erandai detected. Translate? Y/N]

Sure, why not.

Alphin, Baztis, Gemimt, Episim…

I guess just because I can read something doesn’t mean I can understand it.

I loaded 6 bullets in the cylinder, my fingers moving as if they had performed the action countless times. Another 24 went into the loops on my gun belt for quick access. I practised drawing a few times and the action felt smooth and natural, like I had spent years doing it. Quickdraw was a mental trigger. I thought about drawing fast and my arm reacted quick as a flash, drawing the gun and dinging my mana for 10 points each use. Totally stupid! Why would activating Quickdraw use mana!? Aimed shot was similar and allowed me to hyper focus on one spot that I was certain I could hit if I squeezed the trigger. M: 130/600

I could feel the mana stones against my palm and knew that if I concentrated on one it would produce the desired effect when I pulled the trigger.

I was feeling much more confident about my situation now. Thirty minutes ago I was depressed as fuck, passively waiting for the world to bend me over, and now I’m a cowboy, a spell slinger with a magic gun and in charge of my destiny. It was time to head out and grab the world by the balls.

I pulled on my gloves, strutted over to the burnt door in my new duds, and then cautiously opened it a crack to peek out.

I was on the second floor of a burned out building. To the west, the entire structure was gutted and open to the elements. I could see huge ponderosa pines off in the distance, painting the mountainous terrain green. The second floor balcony was little more than a burned husk, and would probably collapse under my weight if I tried to cross it. Jump? It was a 15 foot drop to a floor covered in burnt timbers. I could envision the tetanus growing on the rusty nails and waving at me.

I swapped back into my Labourer gear [Mana: 140/600]

Huh. I’ll have to investigate that later. It looks like every time I access my inventory or switch gear I’m charged mana too. Stupid pay-to-win world. Awfully convenient to get cleaned and changed in the blink of an eye though.

Grabbing ahold of the nearest support timber, I gripped it tight and shimmied down the groaning piece of architecture. Bits of charred wood crumbled away as I scooted down to the ground and a minute later I was safe in the tangle of fallen debris. I picked my way through it until I emerged under the summer sun. My clothing was covered in soot and streaked in a hundred shades of black, utterly ruined. Totally unsalvageable. I smirked and swapped back into my Cowboy gear. The Labourer outfit would be clean and fresh next time I needed it.

Pulling up the Map, I noticed that the Local Area had filled in with my exploration and been tagged. Ruined building. Ruined timber wall. Ruined stable. Weeds grew in abundance in the area, indicating that whatever had happened here occurred at least several seasons ago. Some of the buildings were in fair condition, like the stable and half of the building I had exited, indicating that someone had attempted to put the fires out. The Transit Map overlay lead me to the dirt trail that would eventually connect to Wendelton road. From there I could head towards Wendleton, find a place to stay and something to eat.

*Ding*

A small popup appeared at the bottom of my vision.

-=-

“A cowboy doesn’t walk! Get a Horse!

Riding beats walking any day, and with a Horse you can ride any time!

Every Horse comes with a Genuine Personality and makes a great companion!

Just 1 Gold, Limited time only! Some conditions apply.

Includes 1 Horse, saddle, saddle blanket, saddle bags, bridle, lariat, grooming kit.

Includes skill Horse Riding I

Bonus Gear! Spurs, chaps, basic camping gear.

*Horse is a [100mp] summonable mount and cannot be sold or transferred.”

-=-

Advertising. I’m in a world with pop-up advertising.

I watched the timer count down from 60 and squirmed with indecision.

Uggggh. Fine. Riding does beat walking, and what’s a cowboy without a horse? I mentally accepted the offer and watched my mana debt increase another 75 points while my storage dropped to 7/410. I literally had three apps installed and nearly half my slots were eaten up.

Now I have 3 gold, 50 silver, 68 copper, 30 bronze. And a Horse.

I went through the customisation options quickly, selecting a quarter horse, choosing a traditional skew-bald colouration. The request for a personal brand surprised me and I spent several minutes fashioning something suitable, a flying ~V~, then punched the finalisation button. Crap. I forgot to name it. I have a horse named Horse in my Inventory. With a mental flick, I summoned Horse.

- Enable PSY to bond with mount? [Y/N]

Hunch confirmed, it’s like psychic bluetooth. I mashed the Y.

The animal materialised in a shower of bright indigo sparks and looked around in judgement. It gave me some serious side-eye and stood patiently waiting for me to make the first move. Having knowledge of horses shoved into your brain is totally different than standing next to one. Horse was a solid presence, smelling of animal and attitude. I could feel strange horsey-thoughts in my mind through the bond.

I swung up into the saddle with practised ease and took a moment to master the strange mental disconnect. I’d never ridden a horse before. But I have thousands of hours of experience.

With a tug of the reins, Horse and I headed south to Wendleton road.

-= NOTES =-

[CAST]

Vincent J. Carter

Horse

[PLACES]

Fort Galos ruins

Wendleton road

[PEOPLE]

[OTHERS]

-=- PERSONAL -=-

[[ Next chappie Wed 09Dec20 ]]