Chapter 25 – Game On! (Patreon)

As a common desk slave, the opinion that 'using your head isn't real work' isn't unknown to me. Whoever believes that, should try a stab at attempting to recollect snippets from all conversations you've had within the past three weeks and figure out where the different nuggets of information fit in with a city-wide conspiracy. The puzzle had kept me up half the night, and I'd filled in half of Greck's book with scribbles and hints, but in the end, I cracked it. At least, so I believed - but I had a test or three to pass before I might get a chance to prove my theories.

My three basement neighbors were already up and wished me well. Arack gave me a hard hug, whispering, "Do us proud." and Muriel drawled "Send 'em to the pits, you hear?" Even Darek showed a hint of emotion, shaking my hand with a direct gaze. "You are ready for this, young bard." Their trust did wonders for my self-esteem. However, as I was corralled through the main entrance of the Court, I felt less confident. Along the way, I was able to shoot short glances at the surroundings - little had changed, except for the main arena which looked like they'd dragged in a huge load of bushes and trees. They left me to myself in a small tent in the middle of the arena along with the rest of the participants and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. There were no windows to the tent, leaving us unable to see what was going on or recognize a single, friendly face - and the noise of the throng was a constant, undulating murmur. At least, I wasn't the only one to feel out of my depth. There was a total of thirty contestants around me and most looked like they were peeing themselves. In the earlier tests, the kobolds had divided into groups, chatting and talking smack, but today it was everybody to himself. From the looks of it, the majority of the assembled kobolds were aiming to become craftsmen - the large tool belts and scrawny physiques gave it away. The rest came differently equipped - bows were the norm, but throwing weapons and a few close combat weapons could also be found. My violin got a good few looks but no sarcastic comments this time - it seemed my reputation had preceded me.

The wait seemed to last forever, until, at long last, a charismatic voice boomed over the Court. Within moments, I recognized my very favorite Liberator - and promptly started making up a song to deride him. His speech - well, it was everything one could expect. Sinners aiming for redemption, blah blah blah. Oh, and please follow my rules, good citizen, or you'll end up in the same situation as them - it's not going to be pretty. I could practically hear the smirk in his voice, that smug bastard. Oh, and he added a wonderful peptalk near the end about the craftsmen of Nerit toiling all year to make their traps as surprising and painful as possible.

That was all the warning we got. The tent flap was thrown back, and the first twelve among us were marshalled through the front before the flap came down again. Another short announcement was made, and we waited in tense silence - right up until the first scream. I'll never forget that wait - screams tearing through the air every so often, with the crowd screaming, howling and even frigging applauding. To my left, a hunter vomited noisily, and it was all I could do not to follow her example. Then the flap was opened again, and I was out the door. A moment later, I stood before the labyrinth. The tarp had been thrown back, showing that my own personal path was, in fact, only shoulder-high. I assumed this was so the audience was able to see every grisly thing that happened. Well, this day, I was going to ruin their fun. I took a couple of deep breaths, knelt and started summoning twine puppets.

Small Twine Puppet

This most basic of   automatons, made out of sticks and twine, is close to falling apart but might   serve for a distraction or two.

Damage: 10-20

Hitpoints: 10

Activation cost: 30   mana

Activation time: 30   seconds
  Duration: 3 minutes

I'll hand it to the people who constructed the maze - they'd done an impressive job at hiding their traps - and so many of them too! But whoever made the plan, hadn't counted on a trio of puppets pacing back and forth through the path at intervals to intentionally set off every damn thing there was to be found. Sure, they died easily - 1-2 traps each at the most - but there were more where they came from. In fact, I’d spent every one of my fifteen sets of material for automatons to make sure I didn’t run out halfway. As soon as a path was cleared, I followed at a glacial pace, making sure to check over every inch to see whether they'd missed anything. Today, my decent Spot skill and Perception really paid off. All told, the labyrinth was surprisingly uneventful for me and I soon emerged from the other side, relieved and victorious. The applause was liberally mixed with boos - the crowd couldn't decide whether what I'd done was particularly clever or just plain cheating. I cared not a whit - one down, two to go.

After finishing the round, the contestants were split into two groups - winners and losers. The losers had their wounds treated on site for the world to watch their failings and misery. As far as I was able to surmise, the number of deaths was low - the traps were more for effect and causing pain and debilitation than killing. Be that as it may, they were a sorry lot, the pain of defeat added onto poisoning, puncture wounds, acid and other forms of suffering and I did not envy them their lot in the near future. Oh. And of course the Liberator opted to have them march out of the Court in plain sight, mid-speech where he underlined the importance of proving your worth to society. That scaly bag of air really needed something applied to his backside, hard and repeatedly.

Eight craftsmen total had made it through in one piece and they spent a good while praising their efforts. The rest of us were led back to the tent and allowed a break. They had a healer tend to our wounds to make sure we were prepared for the next round. I closed my eyes and relaxed, making sure everything was as it should be. A tiny voice responded, and I smiled to myself. Among the remainder of people inside the tent, smiles were more rare. Seven kobolds remained - five were clearly hunters and the remaining two warriors. While all seven looked to be just as nervous as myself, the general feeling in the room was relief. It made sense too - especially for the hunters. Whatever else we were about to face, it'd be a test suited to test their skills - not some murderous passage they had to pass through with no knowledge or experience to back them up.

The next test proved to be a group challenge as well - and this time around, I was picked to go first, with two hunters and one of the warriors. The Liberator's speech was more practical this time. "We do not accept anybody as a Hunter. Therefore, today we will test the Anathema before us in all the skills we require for those who provide our sustenance. Agility. Perception. Tenacity. Quick thinking. All of this, and more will be tested shortly." He held up a hand, holding up an item the size of an orange. For all intents and purposes, it looked like a chunk of wood that had been splashed with red paint. "Twelve of these tokens are spread throughout the arena. You have been assigned a color each. The moment you find all your own tokens, you win." A predatory grin spread on his face. "In case this should appear easy to you, the best hunters of Nerit have been invited to teach you otherwise." 

He flung his arm wide, guiding our eyes to the arena before us. What had been an empty dirt floor a few days ago was now littered with tree trunks, leafy branches and underbrush - oh, and Talen and his friends, waiting to ruin my day. And they wanted me to find three tiny pieces of wood in that? A dull 'thwack' brought my attention downwards, to where a piece of wood came to rest right next to my boot. Green - awesome - pink would've been too easy.

"You have been assigned your colors. May Thracken guide your steps."

I cracked my neck. All right - so my backup was going to be thrown into play earlier than I'd like. For now, I was relieved I thought to ask him along. "Hey Atlas," I sent. "Look for these and show me where they are." From his place halfway up one of the stone pillars, Atlas responded with a sleepy sensation of acceptance. Had he been napping? Now? Incredulous, I focused on the present and activated my Cuirass of Sound - ranged combat was definitely going to be on the menu today. The other three kobolds were plotting forward cautiously, and I followed in their wake, scanning for any hint of movement. A split second later, a bunch of things happened in succession. First Atlas sent me two mental images of where my tokens lay. One was half hidden under a shrubbery just twenty meters from where I stood, while the other one was all the way across the arena. Then, all of a sudden, the images were cut off and my attention violently forced back into the present with a hint of pain. As my vision adjusted to the arena, I could see how the three kobolds had split, running in each their direction. The head of a hunter dove back behind the trunk where he'd been hiding. Clearly, he'd been wise enough to take a potshot at the one person daft enough to remain standing when he appeared - as the burning sensation along my arm could attest to. I could count myself lucky that my Cuirass of Sound had thrown the arrow off course - the damage this time was negligible. "Better not chat too much with Atlas." I decided, sprinting towards the nearest token while my eyes roamed around, scanning for movement. Nobody else attacked me right at the moment, and I stashed the token with a short glance to assure that it was really mine.

Darek had taught me a good number of things. Among these was a general and simplistic rule: 'Divide attackers into current and future threats. Waste no energy on the future threats, lest it be necessary.' 

With that in mind, I took the long way to the other side of the arena, creeping along the wall with Cuirass of Sound constantly activated. Mana reserves were great - so far. A brief glance showed me that the two hunters were taking the same approach along the left side of the enclosure and were currently engaged taking potshots at the occasional target. The warrior was ambling forward dead center, shield swiveling back and forth to protect him from all comers. A nasty limp revealed that he'd already taken damage. As for my own approach, it went smooth - smoother than I'd expected. Halfway along, I had to dodge a swift throwing spear that erupted from behind me - the dirty little critter had waited for me to move all the way past him before attacking. Still, he had made some noise getting up, and I reacted in time, allowing me to perform a graceful dodge. In response, I shot a Stun Blast, and the moment he hit the ground, I added insult to injury by casting Sleep on him. After assuring myself he stayed down, I inched my way on toward the next token, keeping all senses alert. 

I'd just passed the final pillar and could see the pile of rocks where the second token was supposed to be, when an alert blared through my mind - "Danger!" I threw myself to the side, tumbling end over end. Beside me, I heard a heavy thump and a scraping sound. Scrambling away, I managed to right myself and throw a Sonic Push straight at my assailant. The resulting seconds allowed me to regain my balance and reestablish my Cuirass of Sound which I'd lost in the process. The force of the blast caused Talen - because of course it was Talen - to be blown backwards. A few rapid steps and some assistance from his tail saved him from falling on his behind. He gracefully rose back up and sent a smirk at me so filled with hatred and despise I took a step back. "Heathen. So we meet again."

I looked at him in astonishment - the bloody lunatic had launched himself from one of the pillars! If he'd managed to hit me, he would've parted me in two. Forcing a smirk to my face, I snapped my fingers. "Wait, I know you. Don't tell me - it's something with T, right. Timid...Turnip...Teapot!"

He growled. "I don't know how you've been avoiding our patrols, but I've been looking forward to killing you for weeks now."

"Right back atcha, me dear Tofu. Want to cut the chatter and get started?"

Instead of answering, he accelerated, and I hefted my violin, preparing to throw a Stun Blast at him. Only - the little rascal didn't charge in, but opted to equip his bow and arrow and move to a safe distance and start firing. That was - not optimal. I tried to end the battle quickly and cast Charm Person - only to see him shrug it off and fire an arrow at me. Gah. Damn lizard. Even with Cuirass of Sound enabled, that one settled in my side with a painful ‘thwack’, removing a fifth of my health. The situation was looking ugly. If I charged him, he would just pull back out into the arena, where I'd be swarmed by the other hunters. However, if I stayed here, he'd slowly whittle away at my health - not to mention my mana, which was ticking below 50 per cent. "All right," I thought, "let's get dangerous." I ducked and weaved the best I'd learned with arrows whizzing to either side. Out of the blue, I changed directions, sprinting at top speed towards Talen. He rapidly turned to run away, but I threw a Sonic Push at his legs, causing him to stumble. It wasn't much, but it was enough for me to get within range and cast Stun Blast - and this time, it held. He dropped to the ground, and I instantly let a Stream of Songs pour from my hands, straight into his downed body. Finally, some luck. I watched in satisfaction as Talen's health trickled downwards. He was over half down, when he came to, spinning to his legs with lightning speed. Too fast. I had been forewarned, but I was still not fast enough to react in time. The Sonic Push I summoned to ward off the grenade that came sailing through the air towards me missed by inches. The next thing I knew was pain. Pain and disorientation, as I hit the ground rolling. My mind felt like it was tearing itself apart as I was forced to deal with the mental waves of panic and anguish from Atlas on top of the actual pain. Hellfire! My health blinked near zero and I sent Atlas repeated messages to stay calm. Eventually, the panic subsided and I regained control. Realizing at least a couple of seconds had passed since I hit the ground, I opted for a new tactic, and tried to let my body relax where I landed.

"Atlas - eyes!" I sent mentally. Right away, I saw the battlefield from an angle. My body lay face down in a tangled mess, twitching, while Talen slowly sauntered closer, bow trained on me the entire time. My mind was broiling, and it was all I could do not to move - one arrow might be enough to kill me at this point. My only hope lay in Talen's personality - he was the kind who liked to gloat. Rightly so - when he was 10 meters from me, he stopped and started talking. The effect was disconcerting - hearing him talk from one angle, while watching him from another - but at least he wasn't attacking. I stayed put.

"So, bard." He infused the word with enough scorn it was clear the designation was lower than dirt. "I forgot to tell you - but the rest of my crew couldn't make it today. They're out there in the city, waiting for you to be reborn. When you do? We're keeping you - and we're going to have so much fun." With the last word, his hand dropped into a bag on his belt, retrieving another grenade.

I burst into motion. Closing the connection to Atlas, I spun to my back, activated High Tide and forced a Sonic Push into being. Time hardly seemed to move as Talen's look went from triumphant over surprised to sheer horror, as his arm was suddenly forced inwards and upwards - along with the grenade. The resulting explosion blinded me for a while, but once it faded, the most brilliant thing happened. He stayed down. I may be damaged from too many scary movies and games, but there's always this jump scare where the lethally wounded villain gets back up for a last swing. Not today though. I counted my blessings, re-enabled my protective spell and rushed over to pick up the second token. After a brief moment of consideration, I hid behind the pile of rocks and sent. "Atlas. Token?" To my regret, the instant answer I received from Atlas came as the mental equivalent of a shrug. He couldn't find anything. My hope died as I took in the panoramic view of the arena that remained unexplored. They were busy dragging away one of my competitors who'd succumbed. He gave a loud cry of pain, so at least he didn't die, small relief though it may be. The second hunter had dropped all pretense at stealth and was sprinting at his target, one arm sporting two arrows. The last warrior...still trudged on, somehow. Plotting, slow, methodical. 

I considered my options. My health was low enough that a direct hit would take me out. Going out there to search every shrubbery would be folly - I wasn't chancing it before I'd found the third one. Better stay here while Atlas searched and...oh, for heaven's sake! I shook my head in frustration with myself. It hadn't been a coincidence for Talen to place himself right in front of one of the tokens. It would be just like him to have also taken good care of the third one. I took a deep breath - it looked like there wasn't anybody close enough to attack me right at the moment - and piggybacked with Atlas again to make use of his eyesight. 

First the general area...no, nothing to be seen – except for one hunter who was slowly crawling closer. Best hurry. The token had to be in a blind spot then. How about Talen - maybe he was hiding the damn thing himself. Mmmh - wow, that grenade really did a number on him. No token though. Holy hell! He was still alive? "Focus, Archie. That's for later." I thought. Just one place left to look - but it was almost too obvious. I guided Atlas to climb to the top of his pillar, so he could get a better look - and there it was. The final token was nesting comfortably on top of the final pillar where Talen had jumped from.

The return to my own head always left me somewhat dizzy, but I shook it off and sprang to my feet. Ten quick steps took me into range and a blind Sonic Push did the job for me, prodding the token off the pillar. My relief was tangible and I held all three tokens above my head in triumph! Right away, a trumpet blared, and an official-looking priest waved me towards the wall. Only then did I realize my error - I hadn't finished off Talen! I was torn between success and chagrin at my mistake. For sure, this meant that he'd be back at an inconvenient time, like an inquisitive mother during 'me-time.' For some reason, I didn't think the words "Excuse me, I just have to go kill one of your best hunters." would be well received, so I plodded off for some R&R instead.

Back in the tent, a pop-up revealed that my treatment of Talen been more thorough than I initially thought. 

[Improved standing with Serune: 

You have defeated and permanently disfigured the Neritian hunter Talen.
Reward:
Nurturing a mutual enmity into hate: 500 clergy points]

Yeah, I was definitely going to see him again at some point. What a nuisance. Still, those Clergy points had tipped me over the 1000 limit I’d seen earlier. Now I finally had the chance to level up and figure out how this worked.

[Congratulations. You gained a level as a follower of Serune. 

The enigmatic scholar. Seeker of knowledge. Chronicler of grievances. Mistress of Pathways. The name of Serune is well-known and not always portrayed in a flattering light. Her virtues and flaws are not clear to all. However, most will acknowledge that she walks two paths. One path marks the pursuit of knowledge. The other the bearing and glorious ending of grudges.

As Serune, you will be allowed to walk both paths. Choose wisely.

You are now level 2. You have one unallocated point.]

Yeah, that was helpful. I pressed ‘allocate.’ Right away, two choices rose up before me, one labeled ‘The Path of Knowledge’ and the other ‘The Path of Grudges.’ I took a look at the choices

[ Achievement: Studious Apprentice

You have spent the necessary, backbreaking tedious amount of time poring over texts and studying the ways and languages of the world. Hence, your proficiency has increased. 

Reward: All language increases or research performed through books is 25% faster.]

[Achievement: Sixth sense

Of course, it wasn’t your fault. But the facts remain that a number of people out there are out to get you. You have been forced to cultivate alternative measures to assure your safety. 

Reward: A subconscious alert warns you whenever someone with whom you hold a grudge draws near.]

I wanted to take the Studious Apprentice one. I really did. But I felt pretty confident I’d see either Othell or Talen again, and the second one might give me a fighting chance – or at least a chance to run away. Sixth Sense it was.

This time, the wait for the next round was considerably longer - and none of the kobolds who left the tent returned. As I was finally led back outside, the scenery had changed. All the rocks, plants, and other items obscuring the view over the arena had been carried away, leaving only the huge, open area before me. The noise from the crowd had grown to a constant presence and I could feel the wave of the sound beating in my chest. I'd never understand how people could get addicted to this. My heart was beating so fast it hurt, and the adrenaline tremors from the last test had just barely left me. The closest thing I'd ever come to a crowd chanting for my blood before had been my first and only experiment with free jazz. In front of me my adversary lumbered onwards towards me. He was a short and heavily built kobold, heavily armored, carrying a shield that almost covered him. A gruff voice escaped his closed helmet. "Fiddler. Palaver before our match?"

Warily, I moved closer to the kobold who knelt with a grunt. . "I was told to tell you the following, fiddler. 'You have friends in the right places.'"

Confused, I asked, "What does that....Does that mean what I think it means?

I could hear the laughter in his voice. "Means our battle won't be as difficult as you may have reckoned. Two things, though? Let's make this look good – and don’t kill me! Honor and Kin, fiddler."

"Honor and Kin." I managed, allowing him time to rise. 'Honor and Kin,' my mind repeated. That was what the Captain of the Guard had said as well - so she was behind this? I sure as hell wasn't going to squander the opportunity.

What followed wasn't a battle. It was a spectacle, an acrobatics performance, and an impromptu theater act, all rolled into one massive happening. My opponent was fast and durable both and even if he'd allow me to win, he obviously wasn't out to make it easy. When he hunkered down behind his massive shield, he shrugged off all my spells until he'd strike out with explosive force with his barbed spear.

As for me, I used every trick available to me - the flashier, the better. I pushed him off balance with Sonic Push, battered him with Sonic damage and kept him off balance with ridiculous combinations of acrobatic feats and spellcasting. A couple times, I failed some particularly challenging combinations (cartwheels was off the menu until I'd raised my agility) and I was left scrambling and kiting the warrior until I could succesfully stun him or push him away again. After several minutes of back and forth, we were both reduced to below half health, and I nodded at him, before launching into my finishing combo. First, I created a Sonic Push from right behind his shield to pull it towards me, leaving him wide open. This, I followed up with a Stun Blast, Sonic Wave and Sonic Missile in quick succession, leaving him at a third health. Then, when he came to, I cast Stream of Songs right above his recumbent form, waving it back and forth. I yelled at the top of my lungs, "Yield!" - and what do you know - he did. 

They had assembled a special stage for the awards ceremony. There were three crafters and two hunters who had succeeded, and they performed a touching ceremony where the Liberator gave them an official 'welcome back to society'-speech and let them reunite with family and friends. As for my own congratulation speech - it was wonderful and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the Liberator hated it. The moment he laid his eyes on me, his good manners evaporated. I could practically hear his teeth grinding from where I stood, and I smiled affably at every flowery phrase he forced out. Of course, in a way everything that'd happened in Nerit had been his own fault, so I wasn't going to refrain from rubbing his snout in it, just a little. When he was done, I stepped forward and addressed the crowd, pitching my voice as loud as possible. I probably wasn't supposed to, but hey.

"Where I come from, we have a tradition for acceptance speeches. Of course, the very first I must thank is the church of Thracken, and by extension, you, Liberator. All your guidance as well as your heartwarming support in this trying time was indescribable." The silence from the crowd was overwhelming – though I might've heard a single snicker or muffled laugh. "You absolutely must forward my thanks to Thracken himself, Liberator. Admitting that he was mistaken about my place in Nerit – that's huge! I'm guessing it'll take a while to incorporate the changes so bards and other casters are stable part of the warrior caste."

Apparently, that was enough heresy for the Liberator who started sputtering an angry reply, but I rambled on. "Of course, who I really should be thanking today are my fellow Anathema. The way you continue to strive towards a seemingly unobtainable goal even when life has dealt you a bad hand – it is an inspiration. I'm not saying this to make you feel better about where you are. That would be petty. No. What I am trying to say is this: This is the turning point. I will do what I can to help alleviate the unjust treatment you have been subjected to." Turning back to the Liberator, I beamed a huge smile at him. "So – there was supposed to be some kind of reward, right?"

Why would I risk acerbating the geezer even further? It was a calculated risk, really. Mostly, it was a matter of my current position. I'd likely never again be in a situation where I could address the entire city of Nerit at once – and I was betting on him not being allowed to overturn the result of the Honor Games. In addition to this, anything I could do to weaken the Church would work in my favor later on, trying to gain favor with the Chief. And he took it. He looked like he was just about to shiv me, but he took it. From his haste, it would appear that he just wanted to get rid of me, as he opened three separate boxes and lined them up before me. "Behold – the just rewards for your efforts." He lowered his voice and growled. "Just pick one and leave. Raise any more trouble, and I will not be held responsible for the behavior of my flock."

Ignoring his outburst, I checked the contents of the boxes. Heh – looked like the smug bastard finally got one over on me. The contents were a piece of chest armor, a helmet and a short bow, respectively. All, of course, kobold-sized. With a short glance at the stats, I shrugged and picked the helmet – if nothing else, it'd look awesome on a stand back in my tavern room.

[Item description: Helmet of the Chosen

This boiled leather helmet is artfully made, decorated with insignia from the Church of Thracken. The reinforced chin guard offers additional protection, while still allowing the wearer a full range of vision. A trace of clerical magic is infused into the material, increasing the protection and agility of the wearer.

+3 Agility

+1 Endurance

+3 Armor Class

Durability: 70/70] ]

The ceremony petered out right afterwards. The Liberator thanked everybody for coming, reminded all Anathema that they'd have their chance a year from now and before I knew it, I was escorted towards the exit. I was just opening my character sheet to see what had changed, when I spotted the mass of people converging on the exit to the Arena and myself. At first, I ignored them, until I noticed that they were clamoring to advance towards me . I looked around for possible exit routes,  but there were none to be found. The press of people was overwhelming. Within moments, the first wave of kobolds advanced upon me - to congratulate me. Once my nerves had calmed down, I relaxed a bit and started responding people instead of just repeating 'thank you' like a parrot over and over again. Seems that apart from me winning a rare advancement as a warrior, nobody had really claimed they'd stick out their necks on behalf of the Anathema before. I think I'd struck a nerve with them. Still, I meant what I said, which I repeated endlessly,  and I asked them all to show up for my concert in the evening where I'd make an announcement. Well, right now, it was just a vague idea rummaging around in the back of my head, but with a spare hour or two, I felt certain I'd be able to come up with an actual idea. After a couple of minutes, the crowd dissipated and I was able to slowly make my way towards the exit, where one familiar face was waiting for me. The Captain of the Guard was out of her armor and looked a lot less official - in fact, she was leaning against the wall, grinning like a teenager who’d just talked her way out of detention.

"Captain.” I bowed in respect. “I did not expect your presence – though maybe that was short-sighted of me. I believe a mutual friend says hi. Admittedly, I'm still baffled at meeting him like that."

She laughed. "Meeting friends is always a pleasant surprise. You'll have to thank the Chief though - he's the one who insisted that it would be a shame if you were to miss your audience. Unless of course you've changed your mind on that?"

"Oh. No, of course not. Very kind of you - please lead the way."

We crossed the square in silence, and I took the chance to check out what pop-ups I'd received. 

Skill-ups. Tons of them. Sleep, Sonic Push, Stream of Songs – hell pretty much every spell I owned had gained a skill point. Heh – even Perform had gained a skill point from the mock battle. And of course the quest had completed.

[You have completed "Let the Games Begin"

You have won the Honor Games of Nerit. You have been accepted into the Warrior caste of Nerit and the Fallen mark has been removed. The penalty to your reputation has been restored to the original base.

Reward:

Mark of Anathema removed. Reputation with the castes of Nerit restored to 1000 (Liked).

You have received 1000 experience points. Experience towards next level: 2345/4000.

Your reputation with all castes of Nerit has increased by +1000. (+20%) = 1200. New reputation: 2200 (Liked).

Your reputation with the warrior caste of Nerit has increased by an additional +500. (+20%) =600. New reputation: 2800 (Liked).

Helmet of the Chosen]

I closed the last pop-up with a satisfied smile. That really was a generous round. Turning towards the commander, I felt compelled to ask. "So, honest word. The warrior in there was good. He probably could have taken me right?" Her inscrutable smile was an answer in itself, so I added, "Why?"

"Best ask the Chief that - but I have a feeling he'll be disappointed if you can't figure it out for yourself."

The Chief's building - no clue what it was called - was the smaller of the trio in the center of town. The material was much the same as the Arena - carved huge granite blocks - but the layout was much simpler. It was a square building with one low, wide story, and one smaller second story with a balcony on all sides smack in the middle of the edifice. The Commander spared no time for introductions, marching me straight past guard checkpoints, through a number of hallways and up a wide set of stairs before pausing before a set of heavy wooden doors with her hand on the handle. "Any last-minute questions?" 

"Erm - any topics I should avoid?"

"Just don't say anything stupid. Chief abhors stupidity." And with that, she slammed the doors opened and marched in without waiting.

Following her meekly, I sent a prayer to Serune that I was right in my musings, or I'd soon look very stupid indeed.

The room inside was underwhelming for what I'd expected to be an old-fashioned throne room. In fact, there was more of a meeting room vibe over it. The walls held maps, paintings of kobolds and...were those troop arrangements? Most seemed practical in nature and much annotated. The only thing missing was a huge conference table. Instead they opted for the more kobold approach with a circular setting piled with pillows. My first look at the Chief didn't disappoint. He sat on his haunches, straight as a ramrod, with lively, sharp eyes that missed no detail. Where his conversation partner - a softer, more forgettable kobold, was more animated in his gestures, the Chief made do with the occasional nod or wave with his fingers.

We moved closer, and when they noticed us, the proud figure stood up. "Ah. Your charge has arrived, Chief. Honor and Kin." And with that, he marched out the room, leaving me to stare at the other chubby kobold in perplexion. Really?

A bubbling laughter escaped my lips. "Well done. Oh, well done indeed. Catch the bumbling newcomer unawares and watch him flounder. Is it all right if we start over?"

The corner of the Chief's mouth quirked up. "By all means – you do recover fast. Sit and let's talk. Tell me why you came here."

So I did. I related the entire story about Grant's Crossing needing to expand and their desire to enter into a deal with the people of Nerit to ensure that both peoples could prosper. Just to keep him interested, I rounded of my explanation with a question: "Oh, and you do know, that the Church means to take you out, right?" 

He perked up at that. "Everybody knows that the Church and I don't see eye to eye, but that....is not common knowledge. Who told you that?"

"I'll have to keep my cards close to the body on that one - I just wanted to be sure that you knew. Now, on top of a non-agression pact, you have two major issues that I believe we could help you with. There would be sense in an agreement that covered all of these aspects. First, I have a question of a somewhat touchy nature, however."

His half-guarded façade softened into a genuine smile. "More touchy than the topic of somebody being out to wring my neck? You are interesting company. Do go ahead and ask – I am not easily offended."

"Why are there so many Anathema?"

"That is a sizable question. It is also one I will not answer, unless you explain why you need to know."

"Boiled down to the essentials? I have been mulling over several different solutions to your problem. Without knowing why there are so many, I am unable to assess whether it would have to be a one-time solution or an ongoing process."

"Acceptable. Are you familiar with the martial past of my people?" I nodded, and he continued. "First and foremost, you will have to understand that the Anathema were a product of the war. It was an efficient deterrent and threat to keep the people productive. 'Stay in line, do as you are told, or else.' It was never meant for peace. However, the naming of Anathema is a central power of the the Church. Following the war, the Church has shown itself more than reluctant to let go of any powers. In addition to this, we have heard allegations that they might be abusing their powers to remove dissenters and troublemakers. It's a hard thing to prove, however. We can only keep the peace and work quietly to ensure that Nerit doesn't tear itself apart."

"And those who are deemed Anathema? What is your opinion about them?"

He grunted with distaste. "My professional opinion? It's a waste. We have a large number of people whose talents could be better used elsewhere. On top of that, we have to look out for them. In theory, it's every Fallen for himself. In practice, of course, it's everything but. Some bullies don't know their limits and need to be taught, for instance. As for ressources - again, in theory, they have to handle themselves. Except, even though your brother is named Anathema, you don't want to see him dwindle away, so you help him where you can. It's a horrible, moronic waste." He spat the words and sighed. "As for my personal opinion...well, we all have somebody we miss."

He rubbed his temples before looking straight at me. "In fact, introducing any kind of change to the status quo between the Church and Nerit at this point is close to impossible. That is, unless the subject happens to fall under something which is already decided upon."

The way he had said that... "Like how the handling of diplomatic matters falls under the purview of...you?"

His smile grew to predatory proportions. "Exactly."

"All right. So, for arguments sake: Even though Anathema clearly are the responsibility of the Church, let's say the two of us were to come up with an airtight agreement between Nerit and Grant's Crossing. Then, if a large number of Anathema were to follow this diplomat from Grant's Crossing...the Church would not be able to do anything about it?"

He nodded. "That's the gist of it."

Oh hell yeah. I'd worked for years, poring over texts written in the most obscure legalese on the lookout for the tiniest loopholes. This task was perfect for me. "Let's get to work on a draft. I need something to write on."

An hour later, I stretched, and my bones popped in complaint at the time spent bent over the cured skin. "There. That should do it. Add the same text in Kobold below and a paragraph mentioning which language takes precedence in case of disputes, and this should be arrowproof."

The Chief nodded pensively, reading the last couple of sentences to himself. He then walked to the door, "Please fetch the Captain." She arrived within minutes and he handed her the skin. "Tell me what you think." 

She read it twice, eyes threatening to pop out the first time. "Are you sure, Sir? This is...very clear cut. And - they'll be allowed to have people living here permanently? What about the orders?"

A twinge of anger was the first clear sign of annoyance I'd seen from him. "You and I both know there aren't coming any new orders. The war is over, and we need to move on, or we'll be responsible for the death of Nerit. I will not have that on my shoulders."

She took the reprimand gracefully, handing the scroll back with both hands. "In that case, I have no additions, Sir."

"Good. Please bring Yedeck and have him translate the text on the lower half of the skin and produce a perfect copy - one for safekeeping with us and one for Grant's Crossing." The rotund kobold stood, his dark scales at odds with his behavior, as he waited for the Captain to leave the room. Then he turned towards me and those piercing eyes bored into me. "I do believe you mentioned two topics where you could be of help?"

Playing the casual approach? Sure, I could do that too. "Yeah. I mean, this is probably a minor thing. I just wondered exactly when Nerit lost the connection with Thracken?"

His reaction was everything I'd hoped for. "How in the pits did you know about that? That's been kept a secret since - forever! Explain yourself."

I agreed amiably - told him about everything I'd been able to deduce by myself from the murals here and in the abandoned outpost. Eventually, I also told him about what my "old friend from Nerit" had overheard from the Liberator.

He shook his head in dismay. "That old goat - can't even keep a secret. Please tell me that you've kept this private." I assured him this was the case, and he sighed in relief. "I dislike keeping secrets to the public, but this is one of the rare places where I agree with the Church. If this becomes common knowledge, it'll be a devastating blow to morale."

"Nobody will hear it from my lips - I promise."

"Hmrf. As you may have already guessed, it happened on the night the Nerit fell. In fact, it was the sole reason for what happened. Thracken had moved among us for many years, preparing for the war and planting seeds. He had performed many wonders, but two stood above and beyond the rest. The first was of course the secret behind our war platforms - but the second was an even bigger secret - the fact that each Liberator was granted a scepter that allowed them to communicate with each other and ultimately with Thracken himself. What we did not know, however, was that these were somehow all connected - and when we lost one, we lost all of them. It's been so many years now - I wasn't even born when it happened - but the story was delivered to me by the former Chief. When the city fell, it was chaos, and the Chief and his guards struggled to recreate order. The Church, however, closed their doors and did not come out until the day after - and the Liberator's Scepter was never seen again."

I gaped, as the immensity of it became clear to me. I'd guessed at some of it, but the full weight of it hadn't sunk in. "So you have been cut from the remainder of your race as well as from Thracken? Gods." I rubbed my forehead. "What would you do if you managed to restore the contact?"

"Try to rejoin our people, most likely. The war has been devastating, but there must be others out there - we just don't know where. Otherwise, the mere knowledge that we're not alone will help."

"And the power balance?"

He grinned. "There is that. If I am the one to reestablish contact, my power struggles with the Church will likely be a thing of the past."

[You have been offered a quest. "We Want It All Back" 

In a bid to re-establish the connection to the rest of the kobold race and establish himself as the leading power of Nerit, the Chief has asked you to locate the Liberator's Scepter and return it to him.

Reward:

+2000 Reputation with the Chief of Nerit

10 Gold pieces

Accept/decline?]

I accepted the quest right away. Sure, I had no clue where I'd start, but it was an interesting quest. We spent a few minutes talking practicalities. With a final handshake and thank you, I was led to the door. I stood for a moment in the hallway outside, trembling with excitement. I'd made it. I'd actually made it. I pulled up the quest update, just to reassure myself.

[Quest updated: "Winning Hearts and Minds." 

You have arranged for a mutually beneficial peace pact between Nerit and Grant’s Crossing. Present the pact to the Council of Grant’s Crossing.

Reward: Unknown - depends on the degree of success.

+300 Universal Reputation.]

And then I realized I’d inadvertently completed another quest as well - and gained a double skill increase to barter on top. Good times. Good times.

[You have completed the quest: "Once Were Legion" 

You have figured out the truth behind the failed kobold invasion. The kobold race did try to rule the entirety of Aeion. However, with the disappearance of the scepters, the kobolds lost their main advantages – the flying fortresses and instant continent-wide communication –and their empire fell apart.

Reward:

+2 to Chronicler skill] 

In the evening, I spent a good while longer than usual playing in the Beggar's Court. I'd spent some good hours here and now that my stay was coming to an end, I didn't want it to. The audience felt it and the mood was more somber than usual. In the end, I sighed and unequipped my violin to address the crowd.

"First of all: Thank you. Thank you for bearing with me, laughing at my horrible jokes and antics and not throwing any stones after the first couple of days. You have probably guessed some of what's coming, but I aim to come up with one last surprise for you. At the risk of using an old trope, I have some good news and bad news. The bad news is that I will be leaving soon. Two days from now, I will be leaving for Grant's Crossing, and I doubt I shall return." The announcement raised a murmur throughout the crowd and a few choice expletives. I held up a hand. "The good news - or so I hope, at least - is that I need not travel alone. I have been allowed to bring a representative from Nerit, announcing the creation of a trade agreement and non-agression pact between our cities. Also," I paused for effect, letting my eyes roam over the assembled Anathema, "I have been granted permission to tell you that everybody who should follow me is allowed to do so - and we will find a place for you where you will be treated right." There was a brief moment of silence - and then chaos broke loose, with everybody talking and shouting among themselves. Needless to say, it was a while before I was able to leave the place. Everybody wanted answers and I had precious little concrete information to grant. Still, in the end, they calmed down. When I left the Square, most of them were still standing around, talking in groups or pairs.

[Congratulations. You have completed the quest: “Dirty Deeds”

You have sparked initiatives, which could have positive long-term effects for the Anathema of Nerit. 

- The door for spellcasters and Bards to join the ranks of the Warrior caste has been nudged open.

- You have cast ridicule on the Church on several occasions, weakening their hold on the populace.

- You have promised Grant’s Crossing as a safe haven to Anathema who are willing to leave Nerit.

Reward: 

Your reputation with the Anathema of Nerit has increased by +1000. (+20%) = 1200. New reputation: 4750 (Honored).]

I smiled at the pop-up – the fact that my actions might help them in the future was of no little relief to me. It did not come as that much of a surprise though – I had taken a couple of dumb chances to further the cause of the Fallen. The second pop-up, however, surprised the hell out of me.

[Congratulations. You have earned an Achievement: “A Champion Is Born”. 

You have gained the full confidence of a grouping and they look up to you as their Champion and protector. For better or worse, the Anathema of Nerit have seen the light in you and will often look to you for guidance or help. ]