|
|
|
|
|
Home > Library
> Stories
|
| |
A Tale of Five Deaths
by Xan al-Yaj (2/17/00) |
| It is almost noon. I have to
be to work at 2:30. I've got time. I boot up the computer, it is painfully
slow, and log on to my server. I start THE GAME, and enter Harvestgain.
I am Xan al-Yaj, a 16th lvl mage. My patron, and friend, Mizu-No is
on. So is Gryff (another good friend). We exchange greetings and they
tell me that Air Gryff is departing for Teth. I am in Moyoi and ask
if I can tag along. They tell me to come along, and I look forward
to a great hunt. I love wrecking creatures with these two (or at least
watching). Quickly, I equip my magic items and hop into the portal
after the others. I am in the Dires. This, being my second time here,
requires a pause (whilst I change my shorts). I'm not worried. Mizu-No
and Gryff are very good at keeping me out of trouble. We set off in
the opposite direction of the fort, wanting to do a quick hunt, because
we are pressed for time. A copper golem does nicely as a warm up.
Mizu-No and Gryff annihilated it. I bounced a couple of spells off
of its back, but did no real damage (moral victory for me). Then we
find four or five Tumeroks standing down the slope a bit, at least
two warriors and one scout (I don't remember exactly). Mizu-No tags
a warrior, and I light the scout up. Complete chaos ensues. I finish
the scout with a shock wave, and then I get smacked from behind. Drudge
Lurkers had spawned where the golem had been (DOH)! I exchange a couple
of shots with the Drudge, and decide that fleeing would be my best
course of action. So, I do. I get half way up the hill and my computer
locks up. The sound of the Drudges rage repeating over and over from
my speakers. Damn. It takes about five minutes to reboot and log back
onto THE GAME. I slide down the purple tunnel and appear next to the
life stone. I am on Moyoi beach. "Where are you Xan?" says Mizu. "At
the lifestone on Moyoi beach. Minus plate leggings and an AL 122 helm."
"How the hell did you get there?" I explain what had happened, and
Mizu and Gryff search for my corpse. I go to the smith and buy Yoroi
leggings. I still had my old helm, having recently purchased the other.
"We can't find your corpse Hank." complained Gryff. "Where'd you die?"
"Don't worry about it. I didn't lose anything of real value. I've
locked up at the cross roads leading to Moyoi and Lin before. When
I logged back on, I was on the Nanto side of Lin. My corpse could
be anywhere." 5% vitae penalty. Fifteen minutes or so. No problem.
I'll hunt the beach, I say to myself. So I do, working my way to the
mountain side mage tower. I kill six of the level 14 shreth (can't
remember the name of them) on the way to the tower. I restock, and
head for the beach. I hunt up north more than anywhere else in the
game. The shores of Eastham (away from the crowds) are a favorite
area of mine, for working off vitae penalties. This is what I am thinking
as I head for the beach. You may all stop laughing now. I see a quick
flash of orange on the radar, and stop. It is a Sandstone Golem. In
my haste I saw a lvl 14 Limestone golem, and tee'd it up with acid.
The level 17 sandstone golem took an insignificant amount of damage
walked up the short rise, and pounded me. Ouch! Then his friend, who
had gone unnoticed during the exchange, walked up and finished the
drubbing. Hello lifestone. A quick inventory showed me a devastating
loss. My Armor self III tunic was lost. With the tunic went a spare
wand and one of my bracelets. Damn the luck. It takes me five minutes
to get to the area where I believe my body is at. Tapping the [ and
] keys as I go over a small hill, I don't notice the ash grommies
until I am right between them. The melee was fast, furious, and completely
one sided. Surfs up dude! I ride the purple wave. Hello lifestone.
My vitae penalty is around 12% now. How did that happen!? This is
turning out to be a very bad day. I am forced to do something I hate
to do. "HELP!!!" Gryff materializes next to the life stone. Mizu-No
has sent the artillery. "Thanks." Gryff takes his shortcut to the
tower. We head straight over the mountains towards the tower. Gryff
stops and says "Limestone golem, want him?" "You bet!" and I ID it
to make sure. I hammer the limestone golem with an acid III and he
starts to lumber towards me. Another slams into his chest and I side
step out of the path of one of the golem's spells. The golem resisted
my shock wave III. He is almost on me. Fizzle. Whack!!! That hurt.
I didn't have my armor self III. To late to run, I am already casting
again. Fizzle. Hello lifestone. Sigh. "Be there in a sec Gryff." "Sorry
Xan, I lagged." "Not your fault. I forgot about the missing armor
self III item, and fizzled twice because of the penalty. I should
have known better." We make it to the top of the cliff, before disaster
would strike again. A level 20 something zefir picks up Gryff. Unexpectedly,
Gryff lags and I run right through them. The zefir, nonchalantly,
crushes me with a level IV whirling blade. Hello lifestone. My spirit
was officially crushed now, and it was everything I could do to not
log off. Gryff appears shortly after. Even a 27th level mage will
die to a Zefir when surprised. Vengeance had already been dealt when
I caught up to Gryff. I recovered my things and nursed my 21% penalty
to the area of my other corpses. As it turned out, I had misjudged
by one hill. I recovered everything without further incident and Gryff
gave me an AL 136 helm to replace my loss. I also noticed, while checking
my stats, that I now had 12 credits.... Life magic here I come!!
|
|
this page last updated 7/22/00
|
| |
this site maintained by Khali
The material on this site is the property of the authors. Reproduction of this
material without the consent of the authors is prohibited. |
Restored from the Internet Archive's copy, captured February 25, 2001. Preserved by AC Darktide History.