[ENTERING FOREST GROVE - PALACE OF THE DEDICATED PRINCE]
Gloriamur would have to find another realm to pursue, he was done with Forest Grove, both literally and metaphorically.
He
respawned in the hidden creche beneath the statue built depicting him
in battle. The status displayed him swinging the true-mythril
Truth-revealer longsword, with Elven woven chainmail in silver and blue
highlights, with his pixie companion Quilisiel hovering overhead. The
pixie was suspended from the ceiling so that it rested where it usually
had during his later adventuring days. Even the steps leading up from
the hidden creche were plated in mythril.
Gloriamur
Dauntless, fourth of his name, the Dedicated Prince, bearer of the 5th
piece of the Ring of the Stars, Risen, having passed through death back
into life through the Elven door. Breaker of the gates of Armordin. He,
having been inside his own hidden creche, was shocked to see two others
there also.
Upon inspection, Gloriamur saw that the
first one's title read: Ialophos Steelheart, Ranger-Champion, keeper of
the 7th fragment of the Living Thunder diadem, envoy accompanying the
Dedicated Prince.
The second one's title card read: Odeimos ???, Unknown Guardsman, envoy accompanying the Dedicated Prince.
"What the heck?" said Ialophos. "Where am I?"
"The Dedicated Prince's secret creche," Gloriamur said.
"What realm is this," asked Odeimos. "And why #$#@@$, did I get realm kicked?"
"Come on, we are better off here than. in public," Gloriamur said, climbing the mythril lined steps to the Throne room.
"You have to tell us later, what's going on," Ialophos said.
"Don't know myself, I left this place when I joined the Invincible Heroes."
It was late in local realm time. Maybe 2 bells after midnight.
There were 3 people milling around the site of my statue. One of them was kneeling. For the love of Elves, this was ridiculous. People hadn't treated him like this when he was still in Forest Grove.
Something actually flashed between the statue and the kneeling one. She was High Elven in origin, but equipped in a style more similar to Gloriamur himself.
Forest Grove tended to be heavy on rangers, and heavy on druidic mage types. Gloriamur had been told many times that focusing on swords was foolish, but he went ahead anyway. Maybe it was slower going at first, but it was his personal style.
Aesrillosuir Gladeheart, Sergeant - Dauntless 3rd Heroic Command Unit, bearer of the third shard of the broken blade Onimthus,
The other two milling around were low level earth and storm druids, respectively.
"Just go with the flow," Gloriamur privately messaged Ialophos and Odeimos. "Follow behind me to my left and my right. No Ialo, you take the right."
Aesrillosuir was just standing up as Gloriamur approached.
He wasn't sure what he expected, but it wasn't for the Legionnaire to just start walking away. Perhaps she thought he was a npc mockery of the real Gloriamur. Or maybe she just saw him as someone coming to pester her for one reason or another.
Should he chase her, or merely proceed to his ready room. No chasing. he simply took his time, and existed the throne room.
Eerily, he passed others in the hall, and no one noticed or mentioned anything. He grinned, this was going to be fun. He actually took joy in not being noticed, because he knew they would wish they had noticed him later.
Finally he accessed his Forest Grove realm inventory, and retried his ready room key. This room was the nerve center where he had relaxed while reviewing the situation with his armies, and whether he needed or desired to personally go forth and do some sword fighting of his own.
The key turned after a longer delay than he remembered, and then the ready room was as it was before. His piece of the Ring of the stars displayed in an ornate jewel-case. His pixie friend in suspended animation, as she had requested before he left.
A collection of swords that were no longer combat-relevant but were sentimental to him. Two sets of armor, similarly. Ialophos and Odeimos were able to enter the ready room since they were in his party.
He sat down behind his desk made of true glass and the finest of lumber worked by glass and woodworking artisans in unison, it made a beautiful fusion of the two arts.
There was a few signs of electronics here, with his pad, which displayed notifications and messages, as well as detailed status information.
"Let me check my messages real quick," he said to the other two.
Messages
26,798 messages waiting.
Filter: Important Messages
7,220 messages waiting.
Filter: System Messages
1,780 messages waiting.
Skip that tab for now.
Dauntless Prince's Army
1st Heroic Command Unit
2nd Heroic Commnd Unit
3rd Heroic Command Unit
<--->
(skip)
<--->
50th Heroic Command Unit
1st Elven Infantry Division
2nd Elven Infantry Division
3rd Elven Infantry Division
1st Elven Cavalry Division
2nd Elven Cavalry Division
1st Elven Recon Division
1st Elven Rangers Division
2nd Elven Rangers Division
1st Druidic Division
2nd Druidic Division
At the very end, he had actually been able to form up a Heroic Command Unit, with other Heroes serving under his command. But now somehow he had 50 of these?
Personal Combat
Crickets. No challenges, no missions.
Action Menu
(Actions can be discovered by opening the relevant message and selecting Send to Ready Room).
Declare a Grand Melee Tournament of the Order of Dauntless Blades
Declare a Grand Demonstration Battle Royale between the Chromas of the Dauntless Kingdom
Declare a Grand Feast of the Dauntless King
Declare a new Holiday with its associated traditions
Announce a Successor
Announce an Engagement
Adopt someone into the Dauntless Prince's family.
And on and on they went. Perhaps, if he cared, he would pick the Grand Melee tournament.
"You've been here before Ialophos?" Gloriamur asked.
"Level 70, ranger-champion when I left. Never been to the Dauntless region. But wait, you're the Dauntless Prince? I thought that was a NPC? How come you have all this, all around you?"
"When I started in this realm, everyone was becoming knights and the counts and dukes. I mean not everyone, some people preferred to spend their time training their spirit friends and familiars. I guess a few more dropped out over time, but I wouldn't call me especially high up there.
"I'm fairly skilled in surviving in sticky situations, so the Dauntless name kinda stuck. There were fifty kingdoms with princes as leveled up as I was. Level 230."
"The Fifty Kingdoms of Glory?" Ialophos laughed, "I've been walking around with a guildess Mur, and he turns out to be that Gloriamur. There's so many copycats and lookalikes of you in Forest Grove. That's why everyone ignores you."
"OK, but why did we all end up here? I'm level 1 now. But I have this cool mystery aspect, like I'm some kind of long lost cousin of the Dauntless Prince."
Gloriamur laughed, "I would walk with you through the early levels here, but the phasing is--- a lot. Every story event phases. Let me get through these messages, and see if there is anything showing our Realmshift. Ialophos, I can summon some food or other fun things if you want, or you can go quest also."
"I'll go quest, and work my way towards the Dauntless area."
Soon two spheres of translocation took both of Gloriamur's companions away to their respective questing areas.
Elven cake was the best in Forest Grove. At the very bottom of his actions menu was a food menu. It was an NPC who served him the delicious cake, so he didn't have to worry about a hubbub from the Ready Room being open for the first time in over a year.
Time to go through those messages. First the System ones, and then the Important ones.
Subject: Dauntless Blades becomes Playable Order
Subject: Auction of 7th fragment of Moonsteel dagger expired
Subject: Dauntless army composition, week of Harvest 16th, 961
Subject: Dauntless Blades Order, summary of week of Harvest 16th, 961
....
On and on they went, from oldest to newest. He just read the subject line of most of them.
ooo==
Meanwhile, Ialophos had gone back to his last questing zone, and done what you usually do after long time away, which is pick up the pieces of what he had last done. Identify his abilities and their characteristics again. Identify what he had been doing before.
A few people took one look at him, and then a second look while walking by. The fact that his title said Envoy accompanying the Dauntless Prince, was no doubt the cause of it. How did he get such a title, they may have wondered.
Ialophos simple moved on. He had joined the realm some time after Gloriamur joined, and the opportunities for extraordinary achievement were much reduced by all the competition and popularity that realm began to have. He had done well to be ranger champion.
His task was to obtain another piece of the Wheel of Nature's balance in the tomb of lost revelers. The undead were numerous, and his ammo was depleted. He bought what he could, but the market had shifted since he'd left for another realm, before going to Guildlands.
Now he remembered. This was where he had been stuck. So many fails in a row meant his resources were depleted.
Titles often conferred benefits, especially those gained by controlling part of a broken artifact. It was the gimmick of Forest Grove that everyone had a piece of some broken ancient and powerful artifact. The question was what piece, and how powerful was the artifact it came from.
If even Gloriamur only had a piece of an artifact, than that aspect filled the entire realm. The ring of the stars made whole, would be ridiculously powerful. Celestial energies in a near infinite extent.
Ialophos' equipment was nothing special amongst his fellow 70th circlers. Not better, and not worse.
A ranger-champion was better and taking down individual strong foes from range, not so good at handling wave after wave of unending undead.
Being an envoy of the Dauntless seemed to give him the boost he needed, even when he ran out of ammo and had to use his bo staff. He risked his own quest to save a surrounded High Elven bladeswoman.
Though they each had to fulfill the quest seperately, they were able to help each other out when it got hairy. The piece of the Wheel was in the hands of an Undead Sorcerer who was once a reveler.
He danced in mockery of the once fun loving man. Ialophos first helped the blade-wielding to defeat him for her quest, and then she helped for his quest.
With the piece recovered, they were both able to go back to the local grove and entreat the winds to reveal more about where the remaining pieces were. There was one lost in an old battleground in the fight against the undead, and another in the cloudlands above the zone he was in.
Ialophos finally realized it was the same woman fighting alongside him as who had been at Gloriamur's palace. It was Aesrillosuir Gladeheart again.
They had decided to go to the Cloudlands.
"How did you get that title? I've never heard of a Dauntless envoy before. At least not one of us. Maybe there's an NPC envoy?" Aesrillosuir asked.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said.
"That crazy? System bug crazy?"
"Maybe," he admitted, "but not intentionally."
"You'll be banned. Hmm, now I wonder, should I stick around, and get banned with you, or not stick around and not figure out what is going on with that title? You're a ranger-champion, wielding a Bo-staff with 60k crit damage, criting, what, 22% chance? That's not normal with your pedestrian shard and gear. Forgive me, but it's gotta be that title."
"You might be right," he said. "So the true story is I just met Gloriamur a few weeks ago."
"Bullshit. You met a fake. He isn't around here anymore, except in the story sense. His Kingdom is still active, but the prince himself isn't there. I'm sorry, but I've been fooled by one to many cons to buy it. I'm selling your stock."
"He's not in Forest Grove anymore, at least he wasn't. I met him in Guildlands. He was a Recon soldier for a powerful Guild there, until their guild decided to kick him out. I was lost and way out of my element in Guildlands. It's a harsh world compared to here. No nice quests and storylines. Not unless you're part of a guild. He went by just Mur there. He helped me go back and optimize the starting zone and get every reward out of it, so I could take on the next zone. And we were helping another person in the Highlands there, when suddenly my view just was white, wispy smoky white. And all three of us were realmshift to Forest Grove. Into a hidden creche beneath the throne room.
"We saw you there, at his statue, but you looked right past us and left as we climbed up out of the creche."
"You were the creepers approaching me, with that fake Gloriamur costume? Creep! Tell me why I shouldn't report you right now."
Ialophos shrugged, "I'm not lying. Report me if you want, but I'm somehow part of Mur's group, even though I didn't know who he was."
She really did hit the report button, and filed one.
[REPORT ACTION: SHIFTING INVOLVED PARTIES TO THE AUTHORIZED REVIEWER]
The courtroom which Ialophos showed up in was lined in gold laced, the chairs removed except for the front row for the concerned parties' and the Judge's seat, of course.
"Ranger-Champion, Sergeant Gladeheart. I know of you Aesrillosuir, but I have not heard of you Ialophos. What cause do you have to report, Sergeant?"
"Falsely claiming closeness to the Dauntless Prince, and stalking. He followed me from the Palace shrine, all the way to the Tomb of the Last Revelers."
"Ahem, excuse me, Sergeant, it appears. Hmm, well this is odd. I've been preempted from my role," the Judge in black robes said.
"By who?" Aesrillosuir said plaintively.
"By the Dauntless Prince himself. With his coded identity locket. Thankfully that was established before he left. He never said where he was going, or whether he would come back."
The judge excused himself, shifting away, and Ialophos saw Gloriamur once more, in a new light. Wearing his formal attire, with his true-mithril blade attached to the sheath at his hip, the Prince in white seemed to be an entirely different person from Mur.
"My apologies, Sergeant, might you repeat the report given to Judge Eodasu?"
"Your highness, I apologize for bringing this before you, but I have been hounded by false claimants, and those who claim a false connection to your person. I believe that this Ranger-champion falsely claims to know you, and stalked me to your Palace room, and far across the realm into the Tomb of Revelers, for what scheme or concoction I know not."
Ialophos saw the slightly smile or smirk from the Prince, who turned to him.
"And your account of the events. Did you pursue the Sergeant in the Tomb of Revelers?"
'I was merely pursuing the pieces of the Wheel of Nature's balance. Following a task the local grove had asked me to pursue. Before that, I accompanied you from Guildland to your Palace, and then to your ready room. I followed you on your own instructions, to approach the Sergeant so you could introduce yourself."
"Is that true?" the Sergeant asked.
"It is not commonly known, but I left this realm for a mission of great importance in Guildlands. That mission failed due to treachery from the Guild I was in an alliance with. I tried to restore what was lost, and begin again the mission, but it will require far more of an effort this time. I intended to pursue this one alone after the Guild betrayed me, but Ialophos and another, Odeimos were also struggling due to the injustices of the Guild's control of those lands. I decided to help them have some kind of chance of moving forward.
"There was some kind of dimensional fault or activity, however, which I originally thought was the guild who kicked me continuing to also evict me, but now I doubt that. Odeimos has never even been to Forest Grove. An eviction would have sent him somewhere else. So the mystery remains.
"I must return to Guildlands, but perhaps with some backup this time. This case is dismissed on the basis of harmless confusion and lack of knowledge on both sides. I apologize also, as I did not realize my image was being desecration by such fakes and pretenders. I will establish an order of integrity to ensure thus does not continue after I return to guildlands."
"I can get my commander, and organize the 3rd heroic command unit," Aesrillosuir said. "If that's what you want me to do.
"Let's discuss this, in my ready room," Gloriamur said.
All three of them shifted into the room, Ialophos and Aesrillosuir into chairs ready, and Gloriamur behind his desk.
"The thing is, Guildlands is a ruthless place. Guild training groups routinely kill anyone getting in their way, even if they were just questing on their own. And questing on your own is nearly impossible outside of your rookie zone.
To establish a Guild, you need a Guild charter, and enough funds to provide good weapons to your members. Ideally a full arm of the guild for craftsmen. You need auctioneers to sell all the stuff looted by your guild members, and a currency issuance system to give them guild scrip in return. Healers or medics, recon soldiers, military rangers, front line soldiers and commanders.
The grace and maneuver systems demand impeccable skill to unleash the full might and flurry of your chosen combat style. Your statistics are not under your control but are instead modified, up or down, by the way you fight and the way you socialize, fraternize, et cetera.
This can only be a volunteer thing. And it has to stay small enough that we stay under the radar. If you are willing, I'll add you to the team, as a front-line soldier. We will need people willing to learn the crafting system, and several willing to learn grace and manuever.
Ialophos is our first ranger, and Odeimos is also a front-line soldier, leaning more towards guardsman.
ooo==
Gloriamur was exhausted when he finally found a System message that was cryptic enough to make sense. It was from Guildlands, from the Dwarven Highlands, from the Adjutant. Ialophos had gone to get some rest. Odeimos had not returned from questing yet.
"You may be confused. An Out of Bounds situation was detected when your diplomatic status in Forest Grove triggered a diplomatic subroutine. However, without any paperwork, you and your envoys couldn't be fully received here in Guildland. So you will sent back with instructions to reacquire diplomatic papers. Those instructions have been sent as another message. The Shift back will occur in 3 days. We hope that's enough time."
The other message was after: "Realm of the Forest Grove extends authorization of Ambassadorship and Amity for the following persons: Prince Gloriamur Dauntless, Ambassador to Guildlands (Highlands). Ranger-Champion Ialophos Steelheart, Envoy to Guildlands (Highlands), Forestwalker Odeimos Entwroten, Envoy to Guildlands (Highlands)."
Odeimos's title seemed to be wrong, but whatever.
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Guildless
[Mosage] (Invincible Heroes): I'm sorry, but the Hero Council has decided to revoke your Hero status. Unfortunately, that means, I have to unguild you.
[Gloriamur]: But you have veto power over the council! You are the Arch-hero Immortal, Mosage the Mighty Mountain! You can save me right?
[Mosage] (Invincible Heroes): You used to follow the Hero ways. You were on my path. Now...
YOU HAVE BEEN REMOVE FROM THE GUILD: Invincible Heroes
JOINING NPC GUILD (Human Townspeople 17)
<NPC GUILD CHAT SCROLL OMITTED PER YOUR FILTER RULES>
[Gloriamur]: <whispering Mosage>: Why do this? What guild will ever accept me after the Heroes banish me?
DETAILED CHARACTER REPORT
Name: Gloriamur
Level: 31 [Recon Soldier]
Role History: Rookie -> Trainee -> Recon Soldier Trainee -> Recon Soldier
Neighboring Roles: Military Ranger, Front-Line Soldier, Marine, Paratrooper
Attributes:
Resil: 16
Resolve: 15
Steadfastness: 20
Courage: 13
Charisma: 12
Camaraderie: 12
Charm: 7
Pluck: 17
Battle: 16 2/3
Strength: 19
Grace: 13
Maneuver: 18
Mind: 15
Wits: 21
Sense: 9
Wisdom: 15
Magic: 3 2/3
Aura: 4
Magical Control: 1
Magical Awareness: 6
Equipment:
Modern Weapon:
Rookie Submachine Gun
Heroic Weapon:
Mark 2 Broadsword
Accessories:
Rookie Rusty Chainmail
Currency:
1,512 Kronars
Vault Access:
1 tab
END DETAILED REPORT
<> * <> * <> * +~
Mur (or Gloriamur for long) trudged through the swampy zone that was home to level 10-15 teams of adventurers. The best weapon he had was a mark 2 broadsword, because he had been part of Invincible Heroes from the beginning, and never bothered to use non-Guild funded weapons. Those were all gone, so he used the last weapon he got before switching his compensation plan to Guild tokens.
The Guild took in all of the loot he collected, sold it on the public markets and provided him with Guild Reward Tokens, which were worthless in the event of not being part of the guild. It was a risky plan, but Guilds like Mur's old Invincible Heroes provided incredible benefits in the form of better equipment, and better storyline missions.
The whole guild combined in different roles and pieces to participate in War Story Missions. And specific units, like the 3rd Recon Platoon he had been a part of, participated in Unit Story Missions often 2 or 3 times a week.
And whenever he had time to spare, he would join in Targets of Opportunity, Story Mssions that would pop up and were size-flexible to include whomever was available.
For Invincible Heroes, the Front-Line fighters were the most desirable posting, and most prestigious, earned for service in other roles.
Mur had thought he was within a few months of earning a Mainline posting. He served in a still decent role, as Recon Soldier. There were Logistics roles, and Militant Ranger roles, as well as the traditional trainee, acolyte, etc roles for the lower levels.
Invincible Heroes used a light magic composition, instead emphasizing Modern guns and Medieval swords/hammers/axes in their army setups. They used medics, not healer mages. There were a variety of specialty tracks, for those who didn't or couldn't pursue a mainline fighter role, like Mur had been chasing.
The Lemon Law proved that because Mur had been kicked out a guild, any other guild would assume something was wrong with him.
The best thing Mur knew to do with the rest of his life, was rebuild his equipment, by hunting much lower enemies by himself, and gradually refine a solo style. He knew he would never be able to fight at level enemies, or get involved in story missions again.
NPC guilds were filled with people who didn't know how to work together, or didn't have the capacity to be a strong combatant or helpful auxilliary. What Guild would want to kick out a useful member?
He didn't intend to work with any of the members of this putative Human Townspoeple 17 guild.
There were other countries, where Soloing was possible and prosperous, but Mur loved his land, and the cooperation and camaraderie of his country, and even his Guild, though it no longer had him.
He killed another frognurt with his tier 2 broadsword. 22 frognurt corpses gives you one Swamp merit. 150 swamp merits gives you a roll on an equipment chart, which includes, possibly a decent Tier 3 weapon. His level helped him do better, but his SMG was worthless even against level 12 frognurts. The broadsword was good enough to handle them, but not much better.
Good Equipment was made by crafting specialists, acceptable equipment could be found a lot of grinding. There was a public market in loot and therefore a public market in acceptable equipment, but good crafters needed extensive time and resources, they therefore belonged to the guilds, rather than being market freelancers.
He had to chase the frognurts all over the Swamp zone, because he could easily deplete populations with his frognurt killing rate.
30 swamp merits and 11 more frognurt corpses in, and a Guild team confronted him.
"Clear the Area! The Awesome Mountees are conducting trainee operations in the area. Our Guild charter authorizes wiping any unguilded mooches from the area."
Mur had to leave for a few hours. He researched his map of zones by level while he waited for the Guild op to disperse.
The next day he ran into a level 10 unguilded (technically Elven Wilders 19). He was a magical ranger trainee. Mur knew because the unguilded told him.
With Rookie equipment, Ialophos was sure to die if he faced any of the swamp's mobs.
"I thought I'd check out what mobs there are to fight here. Elvenhome is full of boring fights. I can kill them all in two shots, or one mystic shot."
"You need guild equipment to make it here. Or you need to get all the upgrade grinds in Elvenhome before coming here, and then be very careful."
"Why do you think that, I mean, maybe it will be hard, but I'm level 10, ready for the zone, sergeant!"
"I'm not a sergeant. I'll tell you what, what level do you see me as?" Mur asked the Elf.
"??? way above me."
Mur fought another frognurt, using all of his hard-won grace, manuevering, strength and courage. He killed the frognurt quickly but didn't insta-kill.
"I guess you're level 21?" Ialophos said.
"You're off by 10. I'm level 31, but my gear is only Tier 2, instead of tier 5-6-7, like it was. I was kicked out of my guild, and now I'm hunting 18 levels down and not being as fast as a should. You'd be hunting 3 levels up, and with Rookie equipment."
"Oh. So I guess I need to sign up with a guild?"
Mur laughed. "Kid, how much do you know about this place?"
"Swamplands? I know it's the 1st zone after home for Elves, and Humans too I guess?"
"First zone for Elves and Lizardkin. I just came here because my calculations showed it was the least used by Guild training teams. But by here, I mean here."
"Oh, well I heard there was some big wars, and that sounded cool."
"Did you get Foreign Legion papers?" Mur said.
"Uh, what's that?"
"Someone from our land likes you enough to give you a commission to join their guild here, become part of their army. Often with a specialty role, sometimes, as with me, with a long-term goal authorization of front-line soldier."
"Oh..."
Mur felt sorry for the kid, completely unaware of the Guild-centric style of his homeland.
"Comeon, I'll show you how to milk the Elven king for all his rewards."
"Really?"
Characterization!
Camaraderie + 1 (13)
Pluck + 1 (18)
Mur left his swamp merits in limbo, and his frognurt corpses in item exile, the place where you put things you might never want to see again. Weird quest chains with their weird items, off to item exile.
The Elven homeland was quite picturesque, if you hadn't already grown jaded by years of over-exposure, like Mur had in his old country. Mur knew about the Elven homeland noob-quests and rewards from his time before he came to this country. He studied the Prima guide and all the supplemantal books and webpages before he got his Foreign Legion letter.
It was 6 months of dying from Elf overexposure. Being a human soldier was a refreshing contrast, once he had gotten here.
Sure, nominally, it was the sort of thing he would be caught dead doing before, but Mur kinda enjoyed teaching Ialophos the basics of squeezing out maximum rewards, while also teaching him grace and manuever. It wasn't neccesary against these rookie foes, but it did lead to interesting and epic death blow combos with the Bow + Spell style Ialo had.
The bow had to be a special rarer type of bow: a spell bow or magic bow, so that his magic locus could be the bow while also using it as a weapon to fire arrows.
The final Elven home challenge noob-quest was for a spell bow or compound bow depending on role choice. The noob-quest had phasing which meant Mur couldn't accompany Ialo for this one.
Ialo had to fight a boss which was quite tough by Rookie standards. He had to work his way through waves of mobs in the forest until he reached a temple at the peak of a forested hill area. Fighting through several different kinds of lieutenants, he reached the Dark Druid herself, and battled his way to victory.
Wtih all the minor awards, resources, and especially training in grace and manuever, Ialo defeated the whole challenge in 25 minutes, surprising even Mur.
Ialo got his spell bow, and a Tier 1 woodsman armor. He still would need a Tier one melee weapon soon enough, but the two of them together could begin to take on the Swamplands.
Realization!
Sense +1 (10)
Mur wrested with the chasm of boredom through all of this, but didn't show it. By comparison, the Swamplands actually required him to use his battle skills. With Ialo's bow and his melee prowess, they became 3 to 4 times more effective at clearing out frognurts.
Ialo had his first wipe when an especially large cluster of frognurts swarmed them, and Mur couldn't do anything to direct their attention. He wasn't especially good at front line combat, because he hadn't earned that role in Invincible Heroes yet.
A role change would require Mur to level up:
LEVEL 31 PROGRESS
[******* ] : 23.3%
A frognurt was about 0.01% of a level.
The wipe was just a temporary setback, but their clear rate was a bigger one. They had to move on to other stuff in the swamp, which meant Mur's first wipe in the zone, as he took on too many Big Buggers with his chintzy chainmail armor.
A wipe here, a wipe there, but their broader hunting pattern meant level 17 for Ialo, and a merit turn in.
Zone Merit rewards could be sold at the public market or traded to other players directly.
Mur waited as Ialo rolled on a Merit item reward. Tier 3 Massive Plate Armor. Usable only by Front-Line Soldier or Guardian roles. It was primarily a Guardian role as they had reductions to Massive Armor penalty.
So it was fortuitous to see a Lizardkin in Rookie tier Massive Plate Armor, being confused.
Mur had a conversation first.
"Are you part of a guild?"
"No. I wanted a Foreign Legion invite, but I never got one. I was going to look for a guild, but I figured I'd better get to level 10 and get out of the Newb-zone. Are you guys part of a guild?"
"We're guildless. Ialo didn't really know he needed a guild, and I got kicked out of mine."
"Oh, well I have to go find some guild recruiters. Is there some kind of channel for Guild recruiters?"
"Invite-only, supposedly. I've heard if you are a huge deal in your guild, and they can you, you can connect with some Guild Headhunters. I'm hearing its level 80 demis and up. And commanders."
"Oh, well I can't just go around and find a bunch of recruiters here?" the Lizardkin aka Odeimos, asked.
"Nope. Unless you have a foreign legion letter, you won't get in a guild as a low-level."
"Are you guys just teaming up, can I join your group, at least?"
"You've got to go through the gauntlet, just like Ialo did. In order to have the equipment you need, you'll have to complete all the extra challenge quests, you probably don't even have many of them discovered. Ialo was a ranger in a ranger friendly zone, you're a guardian-trainee in a zone more specced for berserker type equipment."
"How do we get him the right equipment?" Ialo asked.
"It's going to suck, but Odeimos, you need to run the whole Dwarf holdings intro zone with us, including the challenge quests," Mur said.
"Yuck, what if I just go fight some guys here?" Odeimos said.
Ialo responded first, "You'll die. I've wipes four times, with Mur's help. We have some Tier 3 Massive Plate, but you need to get to level 15 first. Mur's a level 31 recon. I'm a level 17 magic ranger".
"Hmm. I guess I can do that. How are you going to run it with me, if you're so high level?"
"The Dwarflands doesn't have any phasing, so we can run it together, and help out. Plus there is the epic Dark Dwarf incursion challenge, which can result in a Tier 2 Massive Armor right out of the rookie zone."
From the Swamplands, they had to pass through the Iron Mountain Pass, a level 15-20 zone, staying on the mountain road, and tag teaming the few mobs they did encounter. Mur had to use up the last of his coin on buying a few grenades to add to their punch against level 15 mobs.
From there it was on to the Highlands, the level 10-15 junction zone connecting to the Dwarflands, and Frostlands, which were the Giants starting zone.
As Highlands were a favored guild training zone, they stayed away from groups of guilders, skirting around the edges of the zone until they reached the threshold of the rookie zone, where guild powers could not be used, nor abused on the newbies therein.
The trek into the Rookie zone starting spot was quick, as the rookie zones were smaller than all the others.
The beginning of the noob-quest chain was a solid stone dinning room table in the Dwarfking's Palace. The Dwarfking's adjutant was sitting at the far end.
Odeimos sat down in the opposite chair.
"Well, I was to tell you you about the current sit'ation with them Dark Dwarves and the Trolls coming out of the Deep roads? But first, be seated. This'on will take a while."
Odeimos looked around for another chair.
"All of you, please sit, if'n you would."
Mur shrugged, he'd never played Dwarflands, but the Prima guide never mentioned this. He sat down next to Odeimos, and Iola followed, sitting next to them.
"We welcome you, travelers, to the Dwarven Highlands, home to the Highland Kingdom, ruled by our illustrious and wise Dwarfking. His axe blade is sharp, and his shield protects the Dwarven and free folk of these lands from all threats foreign and domestic."
This didn't match what Mur remembered of the guide. Maybe it had changed since release.
The adjutant twisted a mechanical lever, which spun a gear which released a projection of the Dwarflands zone.
"My stonesense finds something different in you three. An Ambassador from lands far perhaps?"
Mur blinked, and pondered whether something had broken in the dialogue.
"We are just guildless, milord Dwarf. Never been an ambassador, I don't think any of us has, though I just met Gloriamur and Odeimos today," Ialo said.
"Hmm," the adjutant npc pondered. Light flared over the three of them, smoke filled the room.
REALM PORTAL CHARGING. PREPARE YOURSELF.
He was being evicted! Mur realized with a groan. Since when did the Invincible Heroes have that much power. What had he done! He didn't even get an appeal.
All around him was only the white fog of a realm transfer.
50% CHARGED.
Where would he going back to?
75% CHARGED.
Forest Grove, of course.
90% CHARGED.
He had completed every solo accomplishment of Forest Grove, and even lead teams of pets, and full on combat in the best of the Elven graceful fighting style. He had spent time on the command aspects of the realm while he was waiting to get a Foreign Legion invite into Guildlands.
100% CHARGED
[LEAVING GUILDLANDS - HIGHLANDS]
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