So much for the plan. Said plan being that last week or this week I and my friends (Zep and Astro) wourld reach level 40 in our game (high as it goes) and spend many of the following Friday nights adventuring with courage over the likes of Ithacus.
Sadly the best laid plans so often come undone. Last weekend was an example of both the wonders and dangers of life online in an MORPG. Friday night was (on)life as usual. One of the high level Champions of Good from the island had is squire hold an impromptu auction in the city of Karlston. IT was fun bidding and examining the items while roleplaying and enjoying the company of the other characters around me. When it was over the night was spent running around testing out the new equipment and pushing our previous limits in terms of explored lands.
Saturday night however did not go so well. The same squire was holding a second auction this time in a training hall. It was a fun time and well organized. The squires body gaurd laid out food and drink for everyone as we stood around biding and conversing. Then at the end of the auction the squire bolted out of the room and within moments a notorious dark wizard ran in. A well known evil mage named Morte. Now to this point the dark wizards and such of the island had been picking on the lesser characters. People who had no real means to protect themselves or escape the dangers. This time it became a hostage situation. Morte called out that he wanted several million gold pieces for the lot of the characters now trapped in the training hall. (Zep and I had left just after Morte arrived, Astro was not on this night.)
Being the only two good characters on the island we were obligated to come to the aid of these unfortunates. The first time we arrived on the scene I was able to talk Morte down while Zep assumed an imposing stance behind him. We healed and helped the lesser characters and got everyone out. Mear moments after this Morte had managed to take two more hostages in the Inn next door. This time we had had about enough. It was clear this was going to either go on all night or end very badly. Zep stood outside of the Inn in antisipation of the wizards next escape route while I went in with a young Paladin of great renown. Over the next several minutes I stood as in a western movie showdown with this wizards high level Blackgaurd bodygaurd trying to talk him down again. Trying to keep the matter from turning into a brawl and trying to roleplay my postition as best as possible according to my character. Eventually the two hostages were released and the five of us found ourselves standing outside the Inn staring at each other.
Then it got real ugly. Morte, known for turning people into statues without provocation, made two attempts to petrify Zep. As I started typing a final warning Zep made a lunge for Morte and hit him with his ten pound greatsword. The wizard took flight immediatly with the knowledge that he was out matched against Zep (Whose character is essesntially a dwarven tank.) Over the next few seconds the mage was beaten severly by Zep until the Blackgaurd came runnign to his masters call. At which point Zep had to turn from the mage and take on the fierce dark warrior or risk death. Sadly my role in this was minimal when the combat started as my character was built for the purpose of adventuring with a party not for player vs. player combat. In the end the mage escaped only a few hit points from death and swearing vengence. The Black gaurd was dealt with by Zep and I in a most harsh fashion and left lifeless on the soft grass of Karlston.
Now for the problem... The mage who swore vengence has many friends not to mention those he may hire to help him. Black gaurds and Assassins. At the moment we are in for an Epic Battle on Friday if not sooner. The three of us are likly to face off against roughly three mages and one resurected Blackguard. Even if we succeed in this fight, the odds of which are not great, we will always have to watch our backs against these enemies. We could recruit perhaps but those who are for hire are evil and cant be trusted while those who are good and would help us are much to young in levels to be of use.
All that story telling aside, I am frustrated that after working so hard to get to a point where our party is capable of having a good time we are now in danger of other players and of losing the levels we worked so hard for. (Each death takes you back a level and they are not easy to come by.) I realize it's a game and of little actual importance but it is the principal of the thing. This is not what I came to do. This is not what I worked for. And now because of other players I am forced into this prepetual disaster or I am forced to quit playing the game. *sigh*
No comments:
Post a Comment