The Labyrinth, page 37
part #2 of The Gods' Game Series
He turned to the grovelling shamans, ordering a watch to be placed on the vault doors and for all his remaining forces to be summoned. The tribes would remain camped here for however long it took. At some point the invaders would have to come back out. And then he would have them.
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Kyran and Aiken padded down the central aisle of the armoury, rows of golems five deep on either side of them. The vault’s entirety was filled with golems. It was only at the far end of the vault, where Adra and Gaesin were inquisitively poking around that the party found more conventional ‘treasure’. That side of the vault was lined with racks that brimmed with suits of enchanted armour and weapons: plate, chainmail, swords, knives, spears, hatchets, hammers, axes—they were all present in a variety of metals and sizes suitable for every type of humanoid. Everything was immaculately preserved, untouched by decay. Curiously though, there were no enchanted items. He inspected the armour and weapons carefully but sadly none were suitable for the party’s low levels. Only a few came close.
Found: Heir’s Mithril Scale Armour (full set).
Type: Light armour.
Weight: 6 kg.
Rank: Rare.
Special properties: Mithril: Armour class reduced from medium to light armour. Heir’s set: +8% commander skill.
Requirements: Level 20.
Armour: 32.
Condition: Excellent.
Description: Forged of legendary mithril, this silver scale armour set is lightweight enough to be classified as light armour, and does not in any way encumber the bearer’s movement.
Found: Elven Mageblade.
Type: Enchanted Weapon (Elven longsword).
Weight: 0.7 kg.
Rank: Rare.
Special properties: Elven: attacks are modified by dexterity, not strength. Mageblade: Allows touch-based spells to be channelled through it. Apprentice swordsman: +8% Longsword skill.
Requirements: Level 20. Elven race.
Damage: 35-40 slashing damage + magical damage from channelled spells.
Condition: Excellent.
Description: A light, willowy blade, the mageblade has been especially crafted for elven spellcasters. Forged of blood iron, a magically conductive metal, this sword’s melee damage is enhanced by magical damage when its wielder activates touch-based spells such as flaming hands.
Found: Apprentice Water Mage’s Wand.
Type: Enchanted Weapon (Wands).
Weight: 0.3 kg.
Rank: Rare.
Special properties: +8% water magic skill.
Requirements: Level 20.
Condition: Excellent.
Description: The apprentice water mage wand boosts the power of water spells cast by its wielder. Additionally, it reduces the essence cost of water magic spells by 0.9% x wands & staffs skill level.
Found: Apprentice Healer’s Wand.
Type: Enchanted Weapon (Wands).
Weight: 0.3 kg.
Rank: Rare.
Special properties: Can cast the healing glyph spell.
Requirements: Supportive magic (apprentice).
Enchantment strength: 40.
Charges: 1/1 (320 essence required per charge).
Condition: Excellent.
Description: The healer’s wand is attuned to supportive magic and infused within it is the spell design for the journeyman healing glyph spell. It reduces the essence cost of supportive magic spells by 0.9% x wands & staffs skill level.
Found: Rogue’s Adamantine knives x 2.
Type: Weapon (one-handed, short).
Weight: 0.3 kg.
Rank: Rare.
Special properties: +8% one-handed (short) skill.
Requirements: Level 20.
Damage: 25-35 slashing damage.
Condition: Excellent.
Description: A short bladed weapon made from adamantine, this knife is sharper than those crafted from lesser metals and inflicts more damage than normal.
Beyond the racks of arms were open crates of essence crystals and stacked shelves of chests. Leaving off his study of the arms, he moved over to inspect the chests.
Found: Adamantine Large Chest (locked).
Type: Enchanted Item.
Weight: 15 kg.
Rank: Masterful.
Special properties: Spell sealed (requires a magical key to open).
Condition: Indestructible.
Description: A large chest crafted from adamantine. Indestructible and magically locked, it may only be opened with the correct key.
Most of the chests were locked but three remained open. Curious, he inspected them. The first was a small chest filled with a fortune in gold coins, of great value but not of immediate use. The second contained books. He perused some of the titles.
Found: Enchanter’s Guide to Crafting.
Found: Golem Casting.
Found: History of the Durn Duruhl’s Enchanter’s Guild.
You have discovered secret knowledge of the Duruhl guild, and taken the first step in the quest: Restore the Enchanters.
The quest update and books, while intriguing, did not hold his consideration for long. Absently, he set aside the books, his attention caught by the third chest. Filling it were neat stacks of cylindrical objects. He withdrew one, struggling to contain his excitement.
The cylinders were made of darksteel and sized to fit the hole carved into the golems’ chests. Drawn on one face of the cylinder was the symbol of Durn Duruhl, which he recognised from the settlement guardian’s armour. Inspection revealed the cylinder to be a fully charged power core.
Found: Obsidian Golem Power Core.
Type: Enchanted Item.
Weight: 0.1 kg.
Rank: Uncommon.
Special properties: Can store essence indefinitely.
Charges: 100%.
Description: The power core of an obsidian golem.
“Adra, Gaesin, over here quickly!”
The two hurried over, Gaesin at a fast limp. Kyran held out the power core for their inspection. Both companions’ eyes gleamed as they digested the game information.
“Will it work?” asked Adra, full of hope.
“Only one way to find out,” said Kyran.
The companions rushed over to the nearest darksteel golem. “Everyone stand back and be ready. I am not sure what will happen when—if—we activate it. It might turn hostile. Be prepared.”
The companions nodded and Aiken hovered protectively next to Kyran. He patted the bear comfortingly. Reaching up, he slid the cylinder into the golem and stepped back expectantly. For all of two seconds nothing happened. Then the golem’s eyes began to glow.
An obsidian golem has been reactivated.
The golem’s eyes pulsed and then shone a brilliant blue, activating fully. Its head swung from side to side before coming to rest on Kyran. A mechanical voice rumbled in Kyran’s mind, “Golem D42 activated. Presence of the master key detected. Master, what are your orders?”
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There were one hundred and fifty darksteel power cores in the chest, enough to power half of the darksteel golems in the armoury. They used all of them.
When done the party stood back, admiring their ‘little’ army. The black golems with their radiant blue eyes were a fearsome sight. “Will they be enough?” whispered Adra.
“We will make certain of it. We don’t need to win, just break through to reach the gates.” He looked from the party to the vault doors. There were no sign of the kobolds getting through yet. “But first, we need rest and to let Gaesin’s leg heal. We’ll sally forth on the morrow.”
✽✽✽
That night the companions slept restlessly—except for Gaesin, as the healing salve placed him in a deep slumber. The next morning, Kyran decided not to delay further. He fully expected the kobolds to be waiting. And he had no desire to give their wily commander more time than necessary to prepare.
Of the treasure in the vault, the party each picked the items that they felt would be most suitable for them when they reached the rank of apprentice. Gaesin chose the ice and healing wands, Adra the adamantine knives, and Kyran the heir’s set of mithril armour and the blood iron sword. These, along with the gold coins, books, and all the essence crystals he could carry, he packed away in his inventory.
Inventory (New items)
Storage Capacity: 177/200 kg.
Money: 208 gold, 35 silver, 50 coppers.
General Items:
Enchanter’s Guide to Crafting (0.3 kg).
Golem Casting (0.4 kg).
History of the Durn Duruhl’s Enchanter’s Guild (0.3 kg).
Weapons:
Elven Mageblade (0.7 kg).
Apprentice Water Mage’s Wand (0.3 kg).
Apprentice Healer’s Wand (0.3 kg).
Rogue’s Adamantine knives x 2 (0.6 kg).
Crafting Items:
Essence crystals x 1000 (100 kg).
Armour:
Heir’s Mithril Scale Armour (full set) (6 kg).
He would have liked to carry away more of the enchanted weapons and arms, but the essence crystals were more important and the party could not unnecessarily weigh themselves down while they fled. It could mean their lives.
All set, Kyran added the golems to the battle group. Last night, he had experimented with commanding the golems. The golems had a range of pre-programmed orders to which they responded. These consisted of simple commands such as ‘attack’ and ‘retreat’. Beyond these, the golems had no self-will and attempting to order the golems individually in battle would spell disaster. He formed them into squads of ten, arranged into three platoons of fifty golems each, naming the entire company the Obsidian Legion.
Commander Interface (Kyran’s Battlegroup)
General:
Max size: 155.
Current size: 154.
Max range: 1.5 km.
Members:
Commander: Kyran
Player 1 (Emerald thread): Adra, vassal.
Player 2 (Cobalt thread): Gaesin, vassal.
Player 3 (Jade thread): Aiken, player-companion.
Company: Obsidian Legion.
Platoon 1: 5 squads of 10 Obsidian Golems, minions.
Platoon 2: 5 squads of 10 Obsidian Golems, minions.
Platoon 3: 5 squads of 10 Obsidian Golems, minions.
Active Effects:
None.
With the battlegroup formed, the party was ready. His vision sparkled with the group’s threads, one each for Adra, Gaesin, Aiken and fifteen for the golem squads. He wondered if he was not being overly ambitious by trying to micromanage the golems with squads instead of platoons. But at the thought, the fifteen threads merged into three. Ah. He could switch control between the macro and micro groups. Useful. For now, he left the threads on the platoon setting.
He stood up and faced the party. “Adra, Gaesin, whatever happens today, know that I am happy to have met you and damn proud of calling you my friends.” He ruffled Aiken’s fur. No words were needed between them.
For an interminable moment, Adra gazed silently at Kyran. He shifted uncomfortably. Had he said something wrong? Then with a heavy sigh, she went down on one knee and said formally, “It has been an honour to serve you, milord. I will follow wherever you lead.”
Adra has forsworn loyalty to Auriel and is no longer her follower. Hidden trait, daughter of the forest, removed.
The game message flashed simultaneously in both their minds. He glanced at Adra in surprise. She lowered her head and confessed, “My tribe has followed Auriel for centuries. At birth, I was consecrated to her and I have been her follower ever since, if only a minor and not particularly devout one. When I was made into a player, the game granted me the hidden trait.
“I wanted to tell you, but…” She bit her lip, then looked up at him fiercely. “I was uncertain where my true loyalty lay.”
Kyran closed his eyes, a multitude of emotions coursing through him. Anger, mistrust, betrayal and uncertainty. Had he been wrong to trust his vassals? But could he expect a lifetime of devotion to disappear in an instant? He opened his eyes and asked neutrally, “And now?”
“Now milord, I am certain. I am your faithful servant.”
Kyran stared hard at Adra’s bowed head, weighing her words. A moment later, he echoed her sigh and said simply, “Thank you Adra. I am honoured by your choice.”
With eyes made moist by emotion, Adra stepped back.
Gaesin had followed this exchange with wide-eyed wonder. As Adra moved away, he knelt before Kyran but kept shooting glances at the wolven. He had clearly been unaware of her conflicted loyalties.
When the youth didn’t immediately say anything, Kyran deadpan, asked, “What’s this? Do you have something to confess as well, Gaesin?”
Jerking his head around to look at Kyran, Gaesin flushed red, “What? No! I meant only to thank you and reaffirm my pledge,” he said hastily. He composed himself and added sincerely, “You have shown me the path of honour, Kyran and I too, will gladly follow your lead.”
Moved but made uncomfortable by their declarations, Kyran attempted to lighten the mood. “Get up please. None of that now. How many times have I said, ‘No more bowing and scraping’? You two just don’t listen, do you?
The two laughed, now used to his discomfort with deference.
“But,” he added more seriously, “thank you, both of you. I am honoured by your trust.” He bowed in return. “Now let’s go get this done.”
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Chapter 28
08 Octu 2603 AB
Scribing is so similar to enchanting that it is often mistaken for it. An important, yet subtle difference between the two is that inscribed objects utilise the user’s skill, not the maker’s (as is the case with enchantments). This means that the strength of an inscribed ability is determined by the caster’s skill, effectively scaling as the player levels. However, the value of this is lessened by the doubled casting time required for inscribed spells.
Another manner in which they differ, is that whereas enchanting infuses objects with essence, scribing does not. Instead it is powered by the user’s essence pool. – from Mechanics of the Game by legendary scholar Jostfyler Graldvir.
Ten rows of golems were lined up in front of the vault doors. Behind them was Gaesin and Adra with the last platoon, whose purpose was to protect the companions. Kyran and Aiken stood in front with the first row of golems. “Ready?” he asked. Receiving the party’s affirmation, he breathed in deeply, preparing himself for what was to come.
The doors slid silently back, revealing a group of kobold warriors in the midst of constructing fortifications, driving sharpened stakes into the ground. At the doors opening, they flung down the tools and grabbed their weapons.
Beyond the warriors was the chieftain, surrounded by a circle of shamans and his personal guard. The high shaman grinned triumphantly when he caught sight of Kyran. He turned to issue orders but stopped short when he caught sight of the golems. His mouth dropped open and his eyes widened.
His gaze drifted to Kyran who smiled back complacently and began casting ice wall across the workshop’s exit. Without hesitation, the chieftain turned and fled.
Kyran has cast ice wall (length: 40.8m, Wall HP: 408), 2 shamans frozen.
The ice wall rammed into place, trapping in many of the shamans, who milled about in confusion. The chieftain, with the quicker of his followers, scuttled out before the ice sealed off the workshop. Realising their predicament, the remaining shamans began furiously casting. To little avail, as Aiken burst out of a stone dive in their midst.
The golems advanced, each squad eerily in sync, as they brushed past the wooden stakes, leaving them shattered. Reaching the defensive line scraped together by the warriors, the golems ignored the weapons that clanged uselessly against their metal hides, and with their bare fists crashed down onto the outmatched kobolds, who despite their plate armour and shields, were ground mercilessly into death.
Sickened at the sight, Kyran turned back to the shamans, harrying them with mind shocks and fire darts while Aiken rampaged amongst them. In stunningly little time, the first skirmish of the battle was over and the kobolds’ force annihilated. Kyran sealed the vault doors and with the golems at his back, pursued the chieftain out.
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The golems burst through the ice wall, marching in lockstep up the ramp and out the building. Kyran took in the scene before them. The army in the square had tripled. All five thousand kobold warriors were gathered in it but even so it was little more than half-filled. Curiously, the kobolds had not redeployed around the enchanter’s guild; they remained assembled on the square’s far end. A tactical error on their chieftain’s part, one that he would exploit.
The high shaman, trailed by his surviving retinue, fled towards the waiting lines of kobold warriors that looked with bemusement at their bolting chieftain.
It was an opportunity Kyran dared not waste. The numbers arrayed against them were overwhelming but the party had the initiative, which he could drive home by killing the chieftain, throwing the enemy forces further into disarray. “Aiken,” he shouted, pointing out the escaping chieftain, “go bring me his head, brother!” The jade bear roared his savage agreement and dived off.
“Adra, Gaesin, get those shamans accompanying the chief. Kill as many as you can before they rejoin their forces.” Nodding sharply, the two moved to obey. Gaesin dropped an ice wall and slippery ice on the trailing shamans while Adra picked them off, carefully lining up each shot and invariably landing vital strikes on the unshielded shamans.
While the party harried the enemy, Kyran assembled two of the golem platoons into a line formation and the last one, his reserve force, into a square in the rear. The Obsidian Legion poured out of the guild and, unimpeded by the enemy, began to fall swiftly into position outside the guildhall.
