1?????????Soul Bound
1.1???????Finding her Feet
1.1.2?????An Immersive Experience
1.1.2.12??Quest rewards
A few minutes later she regained consciousness, surrounded by worried faces. She was on 20/100 hp, and felt sick and groggy.
“I. I am ok. No, please, I was just overcome. Let me sit for a few minutes, I will be fine.”
Fra Mattheus shook his head, sternly.
“You must look after yourself, young lady. You would have died, but for Cov’s grace in granting healing to you. Now eat some desert. These triangular pastries, I’m told you cooked them yourself?”
Drama over, the guests returned to their seats and started eating too. Soon they were talking up a storm, discussing the performances and the evening with enthusiasm. Laughter abounded, and toasts were raised to the good taste of Lady Sienna Landi and the long life of Lord Claudio Landi.
[Quest completed: “Ensure Lady Sienna is delighted with the feast”.]
[Level 6 acquired. You have 13 unspent stat points. You have 5 unspent skill points.]
[Level 7 acquired. You have 19 unspent stat points. You have 6 unspent skill points.]
[Level 8 acquired. You have 26 unspent stat points. You have 7 unspent skill points.]
[Level 9 acquired. You have 34 unspent stat points. You have 8 unspent skill points.]
The feeling of gaining so many levels at once was nearly orgasmically pleasant. Kafana flushed, glad she’d restricted which parts of her body Minion could stimulate. Looking around at the faces of other players, she wasn’t sure everyone else had been as wise. Was this why so many people spent nearly their entire lives in arlife? Were they addicted?
{Wheeeeeeeee} (that was Alderney.) {4 levels} (that was Wellington.) {Let’s take it home, there’s a bit more of the plan left to carry out. We’re not just going to win this, we’re going to win it with style.} (that was Tomsk.)
Lord Claudio stood up, and the steward behind him banged a gong for attention.
“My friends, I thank you for coming all the way out to my humble Villa, for this little soiree that my resplendent wife Sienna laid on to celebrate the safe return to port of our trading ship, The Abbondanza. I hope you have had a pleasant time tonight?”
There was much nodding and agreeing, and some slightly drunken cheers.
“Tonight is remarkable for another reason. Tonight, our whole world changed. Tonight, the deities have seen fit to bless us with something new; emissaries from beyond, questing spirits, sent here for purposes we can only guess at. Some were hesitant. Some were afraid. But fortune does not favour the timid. House Landi is one of the first to open its Sanctum and permit the summoning of these emissaries, because for good or ill, it is better to know now than later. To this end, many of my retainers have volunteered to place their very minds and bodies at risk, to provide these spirits with corporeal vessels, that they might walk among us.”
“And now we must judge them. Are they here for good or for ill? Stand forth, Adventurers! Come stand and be judged.”
A crowd of about 50 players, most still wearing the white shifts, filed into the room from where they’d been summoned. Tomsk’s 18 boar hunters could be recognised by the dirt on their clothing, and the weaponry they carried. Alderney’s performance ensemble were also recognisable, and Kafana spotted Mary-Lynn and a couple of others she’d seen running errands for Wellington. All in all, their party had managed to shanghai well over half the players arriving at this starting location.
“Adventurers, your words and deeds have been watched more closely than you realise. I am a generous man, but also a prudent one. I gave you great latitude, to see what you would do with it. Would you take advantage of it for your own ends? Or would you use it for the greater good, with respect for our traditions, our hospitality, our nation?”
“It was with this in mind that I asked my friend, the High Mage Camillo, to stay with me for a week, and use his spatial magic to keep an eye on those who thought themselves unobserved, and the contents of their ‘inventory storage boxes’.”
A couple of the assembled adventurers blushed.
“I charged my faithful steward, Brusco, with warning each and every one of you what would happen to you if you did not live up to the standards we expect of our citizens.”
He paused a moment, for effect.
“I am pleased to say that almost all of you passed. After I am done here, you should each visit him in the small hall, to learn your fate.”
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“But even among such company, there are four in particular who have been of note. Four questing spirits who have run themselves ragged making this feast a success. Each has been offered the opportunity to stuff their stashes with rare books, magic weapons, priceless jewels or the pick of our private storehouse. Each has no more than scraps and leftovers, that they have been authorised to take. Each has taken time out from advancing themselves to aid and teach others, with no return asked or thought of. Each has rare skills worthy of respect, and yet has given more than they have received. It is now time to rectify that.”
“Stand forwards Alderney Velocità. Stand forwards Tomsk Capitano. Stand forwards Wellington Fiducia. Stand forwards Kafana Sincero.”
They stood together, alone now in the centre of the tables, everybody watching them.
“So I name you and so I recognise you. Ask. What would you have of me?”
[Reward: Each party member may ask a boon of Lord Claudio]
Alderney stepped forwards first.
“We have a journey ahead of us, and those white shifts are chilly! I ask that we may keep those things that have been loaned to us.”
“Granted. In addition, Dante will supply your party with any additional travel items he deems reasonable.”
Tomsk stepped forwards next.
“We could not have made this feast the success it is without great help, from your good steward Brusco and his staff, but also from many other Adventurers. I am told that the way to the city is not just cold at night; it is also dangerous. Cov has sent these questing spirits to you for a reason. I ask that none who behave honourably be turned out without the means and training to protect themselves.”
“Granted. Henceforth all Adventurers starting at Villa Landi will have the opportunity to train, and all who complete their training will be gifted basic armour and weapons or magic knowledge suited to their skills. In addition, I gift each member of your party with one weapon or magic item from my House’s treasury, within limits that Brusco considers reasonable.”
Wellington then stepped forwards.
“Your fame as a generous man is amply justified, as all here have just witnessed. Yet what impressed me more is the wisdom and prudence you have displayed, and it is that I would ask for. I am at a loss. I hope, at some point in the future when I am secure and know my way around the city, to set up a trading concern of my own. But I do not know enough yet to decide wisely what boon I should ask for, to best aid me in that endeavour. Would you be willing to let me save it for a future occasion?”
“Granted. And, in addition, before you leave I will give you a letter of introduction to Marco, my factor in the city, with a recommendation of your talents and character, and an injunction to provide such advice and aid to you in your endeavour as he deems reasonable.”
Lastly, Kafana stepped forwards.
“You have already given more than any reasonable person could ask as reward for one day’s work. The scales are balanced. Let those three boons be enough. I ask nothing. Rather, I give my thanks, to you and your guests, for allowing me to sing to you, and I wish you all great joy.”
She stepped back.
Claudio looked put off his stride, a flummoxed expression on his face.
“Now I am the one at a loss. I have tested you and here I find myself the one being tested. Soft, I jest, I can see you are sincere. You are not playing with me, you really mean it. Men would kill or work five years to earn a boon from me, and you pass it up because you do not feel that you deserve it. You whose grace and heart would shame even that of Aegunda the Firehand, from the age of legends. I am one of the 10 wealthiest men in Torello, and yet my peers would rightly laugh me out of the city if I failed to give an appropriate reward to you personally for the profound experience and revelation you have brought us here tonight.”
She had an idea. “Then let me call you friend. Because between friends there are no debts. And I shall visit you and sing for you, or play for you if I can find a violin, any time you invite me.”
“Granted. Let all here witness as I do name Kafana Sincero a friend of House Landi, and a personal friend of Lord Claudio Landi. An insult to her is an insult to House Landi. An injury to her will be avenged by House Landi with blood and steel. Our house is her house. Our honour is her honour. Our word is hers to pledge, and we shall redeem it. So say I.”
*ding* [Your reputation with House Landi and its retainers has increased by 2500.]
[[GLOBAL ANNOUNCEMENT : “Kafana” is the first player in the world to reach “ally” status with a faction.]]
*ding* [Your global reputation has increased by 5. There is now a small chance that strangers will have heard of you.]
Claudio stepped forwards, drew her to him, and ritually kissed her three times on alternating cheeks. She said something back to him, but had no idea what. For the rest of the event she was in a haze.
<hr>
[Hello Nadine. Sorry to interrupt your game my Queen, but you asked me to remind you after 6 hours that you need to start cooking lunch.]
Minion’s voice was gentle in her head, as though her crown was afraid of startling her. It couldn’t be compassion. Must be just a standard precaution, programmed by Wellington, to avoid a known complication of velife immersion.
She stepped into a side room with Alderney, gave her a parting hug, and asked her to brief her corporeal vessel for her, then reluctantly flicked her eyes towards the portal and kept looking at it as it grew larger and larger.
*flip*
She was lying on her back in her bed, feeling a little stiff but otherwise relaxed. Sounds from customers below started faint then returned to normal volume as her crown gradually returned her external hearing and senses. She felt the sensor jewels lifting away from her neck and scalp, and the orglife portal (now back to being named “Soul Bound”) dissolved.
[Entering arlife.]
“Thank you, Minion.”
She removed the crown, her fingers slightly surprised not to encounter the elaborate jeweled hairdo the maids had shaped for her inside the game, and placed the crown back in its box underneath her bed.
Time to start the day.