Chapter 29: Animal Handling

As they walked towards the temporary camp flanked by two green-clad soldiers, Ricky reflected for a moment on the goals of the players within the Green Hand Guild. Clearly, they wanted to defeat their rival city. But could the pair really be on board with spreading chaos and destruction? Or had Xarok exaggerated the ideology of the rival guild?

Julie and the others had appeared both reasonable and helpful when he had spoken to them in the real world. If it was true that their rival guild wanted to restore nature, then that was reasonable enough. It might depend on how that goal played out in practice, however. And if they were willing to use non-humans such as goblins and dragons to achieve that goal, well...

Ricky looked at edge the forest. He knew that woodlands had been cut down by the residents of Roker Bridge at some point – or at least that was written history in the simulation. But perhaps Julie and the others wanted to change that, and take a different path. Perhaps the desolate desert on the other side of the portal was on their list, too, or even the wastelands of Doomstar.

“Channia,” he said quietly. “If the Green Hand Guild want to restore the world to the forces of nature, would you support them in that?”

“Hmm,” she said quietly, frowning as she looked around. “The forest needs to be restored. But this army are Roker Bridge. That makes me distrust them. And I could never ally myself with warriors who use goblin slaves.”

“But restoring Portalis to nature is a good thing, right?”

“That would be good, Ricky. But I don’t think that endless war is going to achieve it.”

“Right.”

Ricky looked ahead, trying to make out the figure of Amora-Kush as they approached. Certainly it could be hard to know what the different players wanted, and how willing they would be to debate and compromise. Some seemed all too quick to kill their rivals rather than engage in debate. Spanch for example – why had the man not just told Ricky that he was a real player, and tried to strike some kind of bargain?

Soon Ricky and Channia were standing in a small gathering together with Amora-Kush and the other dragon rider, a warrior who had been introduced as Zurx.

*Quest 043 complete: Speak to the dragon riders. +10XP

Ricky quickly confirmed that Zurx was the avatar of Jeremy, the man who had led him to the deserted building in the refugee camp. Inside the Framework he was very tall, and his body was almost entirely clad in light ringmail, with gleaming iron rings stitched onto bleached white leather beneath.

*Quest 044 complete: Establish the identity of the dragon riders. +10XP

But although there was a general resemblance, Jeremy’s avatar was truly hideous and frightening. Ricky hadn’t previously seen anyone of the boneface species. He was very imposing, and while his face was not actually made out of bone, it had multiple bony ridges protruding from the cheeks, chin and forehead, each one like a rhino’s horn, but short, blunt and dirty-looking. Otherwise his skin was a pasty pale green color. Ricky recalled the Guide telling him that the drawback of the species’ foul appearance was balanced by their great endurance and phenomenal weapon skills.

A mighty warrior indeed.

Julie’s avatar was attired the same way as Zurx, and was even more impressive and imposing, and taller still than her real-world form. This made her three or four inches taller than Ricky, and she had very broad shoulders, even accounting for the armor. She wasn’t exactly attractive, but she was very striking and imposing to look at due to her height, as well as her lustrous light-blue hair and deep magenta skin. She had a wood-and-metal rod at her belt which looked to Ricky like a magical wand of some kind.

Around the pair, at least two dozen servants in grey garb were now scurrying around, some seeing to the dragons or serving food and drinks to the nearby warriors, but most setting up seating and preparing food for the dragon riders.

“So, you are launching an attack on the city,” he said, looking at Amora-Kush.

It wasn’t really a question.

Nearby, the two great dragons were grazing on bushes and long grass. Each wore an iron collar, connected to the chains which were in turn connected to the wagons. However, the beasts currently looked quite docile. They were powerful, though. While flightless, each one was twice the size of an elephant, and with their powerful legs, the looked like they could charge right through an opposing army while taking next to no damage.

“Ricky, you can call me Amora, though most here just call me ‘General’. And yes, the attack is already underway, as you can no doubt see, and will surely succeed.” She stepped closer, her eyes gleaming with fanatical zeal.

Ricky frowned. “Then why are you marching in with all of this...” He pointed.

“We are marching to secure the city once it falls, and to revel in our victory. The heart of the Rokerian army will gather half a mile from the city walls, ready for a march into the town itself.”

“It does seem a strange strategy, General,” said Channia. The elf was looking at Amora-Kush with narrowed eyes and pursed lips; Ricky just hoped that his companion could keep a lid on her species’ ancient enmity for the Rokerians.

But Julie just laughed, and called for food. As servants began to remove items from the various chests, the general looked back at the pair of new arrivals. “I do like this elven girl,” she said, stepping forward and patting Channia’s lithe upper arm. “Yes, of course, why would you understand our tactics? It will likely all be over soon, so there is no harm in telling you. We shall send in the slave armies first, and then the Rokerian army will march in to finish the job. There is no need to waste sacred Rokerian blood for the fiercest fighting.”

“Slave armies,” murmured Ricky, looking around.

Julie nodded. “It’s what makes the Rokerians the world’s premier force. There are only really three other nations in all of Portalis that can stand against us.”

“Soon to be just two,” commented Channia coolly.

“Yes – that part you understand entirely,” said Julie with a nod. She then turned back to Ricky. “And when we get inside the gates of the city, we can dispose of the locals and crush their buildings, ready for restoring the natural habitat. The dragons will be useful for that task.”

*Achievement: High-level briefing! You have gained an unusual level of insight into an army's strategy. +20XP

Ricky must have looked alarmed without meaning to, for Amora-Kush smiled, reaching up to put a hand on his cheek. “Remember, this is just a game, Ricky. I know how it feels, but massacring the citizens is no different from knocking over the queen in a game of chess. The defenders are digital tokens. Plus a few players of course, but they will reset in their various villages. Players do not natively spawn in cities.”

Ricky looked back towards the sprawling settlement of Roker Bridge. The place had reminded him more of a series of villages than a great military power. “Did you start here yourself?” he asked.

Amora nodded. “I was very lucky. To get to where I am now, it probably wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. My starter village was just outside Roker Bridge, but it is part of what they call their loyal homelands. Only people from those lands can become citizens or warriors for the town. So after I started, I really just had to stay close, working as hard as I could to take on quests and to complete them all successfully. I built up wealth and followers, and as soon as I could, I joined the Rokerian army and worked my way up through the ranks.”

“To the rank of general,” said Channia.

Amora nodded again.

“You were really single-minded, by the sounds of it,” Ricky added thoughtfully.

Julie nodded vigorously. “Yes. But really, I just ensured that I did not allow myself to get distracted. Now, time for some refreshments. Would you like one of these olives? They're absolutely delicious.”

As they had been speaking, several servants had been hovering close by, each now holding plates and bowls with fine-looking piles of food. Amora now took a red ceramic bowl from one of them, and held it out.

“I never say ‘no’ to food,” Ricky replied, taking it as the sweet musky scent of the olives rose up, and tipping a handful into his mouth.

Julie raised her eyebrows slightly.

“This war, though,” said Channia coolly, as Ricky munched the food. “Isn’t that a distraction?”

“Right,” said Ricky with his mouth full. “That’s not what we are here for, if you catch my drift.” As he spoke, he noticed another healing notification; he was gradually recovering from his showdown with the half-dragon, and the fine food was clearly helping:

*Healing report: You have gained 3 hit points (43 remain).

“On the contrary,” Amora replied. “This is the goal, or at least my goal. Control of the realm was always my one and only aim. And we have recently struck an alliance that should make total victory all but certain in the coming weeks. It’s all coming together.” She smiled, her eyes gleaming again.

“Wouldn't it make more sense to focus on questing for the keys, though?” said Ricky. “After you get through to New Baravia, what does it matter what happens to the Rokerians or any of the others here in Portalis?”

Amora shook her head. “If I was only interested in gaining success for myself, then yes. But there are a whole group of other players, contacts, all of whom are deserving. Yourself included. So we need to control the realm totally over the long term, and eliminate all threats. Wipe them out if necessary. That is the only way to be sure of success. That means gaining control of the most powerful army, and crushing all the others. Awesome, right?”

At this, Amora-Kush turned and reached down towards a small wooden chest which one of the servants had set on the ground nearby. She took something from it, and then turned back to Ricky. “That brings me to your role in all of this. To why I head-hunted you.”

He looked at the object; if anything it reminded him of a monkey wrench, but it was golden and had multiple mysterious attachments on the end. As Amora handed it over, he once again saw a notification appear, indicating a new item in his inventory:

***

New item

Item: Dragonrider’s ratchet

Class: tool (special)

Type: One-handed

Resilience: 213 of 230

Prerequisites: special

Description: one of a set of unique tools created by Mistique the Master. Shortly after their completion, the master craftsman was mutilated and thrown into a jail cell deep below Roker Bridge.

***

“Something... unfortunate happened to our last mechanic,” she added.

“So you brought me here to maintain the dragons’ harnesses?”

“Listen,” replied Amora-Kush in a lower voice, stepping forward again and putting one arm around Ricky’s shoulder; the weft of her ringmail rubbed unpleasantly against his hair as she did so. “You’re one of us, now, if you are willing. We will all make it to the promised land. You didn’t join another guild yet, did you?”

“No, definitely not.” Ricky lied smoothly, and almost too easily. There was no guilt – he was working for his team.

“Good,” replied Amora. “Then you will be initiated into the Green Hand Guild. Our leaders will gather in the ruins of Imperialis for a great celebration, and that will be the moment to do it. But for now, yes – I don’t deny that initially I was looking for someone with the right sort of knowledge. Without your skills to fix out little problem, the victory would be much less secure. But you will have your reward in exchange.”

“What exactly is the problem?”

Amora-Kush sniffed, looking over at the other dragon rider, Zurx, who was reclining on a seat that had been prepared by the many servants. Then she looked over in the direction of the dragons, one of which were now being hand fed by a stocky white-haired servant holding a sack, while the other beast lay down waiting. “Terrance,” she called out. “Show our new mechanic what needs to be done.”

*Achievement: Keeping your story straight! You have persuaded a fellow player to trust you without immediate negative consequences. +20XP

Ricky pondered on the word ‘immediate’ as he walked away from the general.

Soon, he and Channia had walked over to Terrance – and to the huge golden dragon. Channia and Ricky exchanged nervous glances as they approached, and both hesitated a few paces away, before Ricky stepped cautiously forward and patted the dragon’s flank. It remained fairly passive, though eagerly pushed its mouth forward for more of the treats from Terrance.

“Good to see you made it,” said the man gruffly. “Last mechanic met with a nasty fate when the saddle came off. Pitched over the edge of a cliff. Long drop it was.”

A quick check of the map had shown Ricky that the man was an NPC, and therefore potentially open to his persuasion, which was still magically enhanced.

“Are we safe enough, standing here?” asked Ricky.

“Oh, yes. This one’s greedy, but she’ll not bite you.” He muttered something to the dragon, then emitted a wheezing laugh as the animal nuzzled at the sack again.

Ricky looked back towards Amora-Kush; the General was now reclining beside Zurx and both dragon riders were having drinks poured for them by the various servants, and laughing among themselves.

“The General wants us to know how to ride the dragons,“ said Ricky, again lying with ease. “It’s important, she told us. So that we can test the safety of the harnesses.”

*Achievement: The wool is pulled! You have deceived an NPC in service of your aims despite considerable skepticism. +20XP

*Game mechanics alert: critical success. +35XP

*Game mechanics alert: your buff has been trebled as part of your critical success.

*Game mechanics alert: your charming appearance bonus (+2) has made the difference between success and failure.

“It's just like driving a wagon,” said the man, now smiling and blinking as he gazed at Ricky like a smitten youth. “Comfortable too, so I gather. Haven’t been given that honor myself.” Ricky noticed that Terrance was clad in grey, just like the other servants.

“Do we just need to sit in the saddle,” said Channia nervously, swiftly picking up on Ricky’s deception, or is there more to it than that?”

“Feed them first.” The man reached into the sack and handed both Ricky and Channia what looked like a pair of desiccated slices of horse meat.

“They seem to like grass just as well,” observed Ricky.

“Aye. But this stuff is what brings the magic. Talking o’ which...” He reached into a pouch at his belt, and pulled out two small black gems, each cube shaped and large enough that the pair filled the palm of Terrance's hand. He passed them over to Ricky. “These are needed to ride the beasts. Some mechanics have their own, so as they can test the saddle. Like I say, I haven’t been given the honor.”

Ricky took the pair of objects, turning them over in his hand.

***

New item

Item: cube of animal control (2)

Class: enchanted

Mana: 900

Resilience: 62 of 75

Prerequisites: intelligence exceeding that of the animal

Description: these rare magical cubes are carved from the purest obsidian, a process that takes a crafter many months. Each one is then enchanted by a master sorcerer.

***

Placed the mysterious gems inside his tunic, Ricky then scanned the dragon’s harness. He could see an area that was loose, and could indeed cause danger to a rider.

“Well, time to give it a go,” he said. “Let’s find a way to get the cubes attached again.”

“Don’t worry about those cubes,” said Channia. “These creatures are new to me, but I’m really good with animals. That magic is all about control, but I can manage without it.” As she spoke, she fed the treats she had been given to the dragon, then began to hum gently, stroking the beast’s enormous flank.

As Ricky stepped closer to the nearer dragon’s head and fed it the first of the treats that he was holding, he scanned the chain and harness. The harness itself was unconnected to the chain that tethered the beast, and he could see that it was intricately manufactured, and of similar design to the tool he had been given. It didn’t look like any technology that he had seen in the real world.

The closer dragon had an area that clearly looked too loose... and he wouldn’t be surprised if it pulled away from its chain before long.

He looked at Channia. “I had best get to work, my friend. It would be terrible if these mighty beasts were to break away and make for the forest, wouldn’t you say?”

Accumulated XP: 1925 (unspent: 425)