Создатели Судьбы / The Creators of Destiny: Глава 21

Chapter 21

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 06:12

Work is good, of course, but there's something about leaving the dacha on a Monday afternoon. Friends had already left, the guard of the local dacha community had stopped by to check on me, and I was still getting ready, looking around, and stretching. The disastrous lack of coffee forced me to hit the road home. Sometimes small inconveniences are much more effective than big ones' troubles.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 06:13

On the way, I stopped at the store that had sold me the modules earlier, and spent a long time looking through bows and crossbows. The salesman, smelling a profit, tried hard to sell me a two-meter-long pole, a spear module, pointing out that it could be used both as a spear and as a two-handed sword or axe. I imagined myself swinging that thing around in my not-too-small, but still not huge apartment, so I decided against it and opted for a relatively small crossbow. Relatively, because there were some giants on sale, more suitable for mounting on castle walls. As the seller explained - for games like "The Glory of Rome" or the "Shield at the Gates" series, which were popular with HEMA fans. It was supposed to charge these monsters in pairs.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 12:49

The choice of the crossbow was not an accident. First, I couldn't figure out where to put the bow after using it. Secondly, I still remembered the experience of clearing a dungeon three times in one day, which made it clear that I should seriously consider minimizing my movements. The crossbow could be loaded, hung behind my back, and pulled out only for use. The bowstring was indeed tighter than that of the bow, but I could hold it with one hand.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 12:51

Secondly, when I got stuck in traffic at the crossing and went to the CoDs auction on my tablet, I found a very good secondhand crossbow for cheap, with 14/14 durability and, more importantly, the ability to enchant with magical essences. It was stupid to pass up the chance, so I bought it. Crossbows aren't good for fighting or getting hit, so durability is secondary, it'll only drop when I die, but the extra damage, or even better, slowing down your opponent's movements, will be very useful. I wish I could find a thief in my group with some poison, too... yeah. I'd have to find a group first.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 12:53

The third factor that affected the choice of throwing weapons was the reliance on strength rather than dexterity, as with the bow. Anyone who has shot a normal bow with a hundred-pound tension would laugh at this distribution, but the game developers decided that archers should be dexterous, not strong.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 12:54

After thinking about it, I stopped at the gun store, where the bored salesman, after half an hour of talk and comparisons (what a keen personality!) picked up my module belt and harness, and, to my surprise, quite professionally disassembled the advantages and disadvantages of weapons. Not enough work for him, he also happens to be a part-time arms smith at the CoDs.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 12:55

At home, with some hesitation, I put on all my "combat gear". Glove, bracelets, shield, sword in the scabbard (I decided that it would be necessary to try a more rigid attachment of the scabbard to the belt), helmet, and a harness that holds a crossbow behind my back. Now, with all this stuff, let's try to do something.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:00

"Comp, the launch of the Creators of Destiny!"

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:00

A barracks room. There were voices outside the windows, the clanking of weapons, the sound of blows on mannequins. My crossbow I'd bought was in the closet. Now that I had my own room, it would be the only place where I could carry and retrieve my purchases.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:01

"Import an external settings file."

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:01

The config that the young archer had given me along with the general ones came in handy. And it would have been a sin not to use it when I got the scheme worked out. Now I'm going to be a paladin archer. Paladin-archer-drawer... what else could I add to the mix? Witchcraft or demonology?

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:07

"Decided to get a throwing weapon? Isn't the good old sword working for you anymore?" The martial arts instructor greeted me with a skeptical look.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:08

"No, mentor. Sometimes it's better for the enemy to come to you already wounded. And not every enemy you let get to you. And you can't get to them all."

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:10

"I don't know. I've always fought with the sword, leaving the arrows to the archers. And it would be hard for you to learn how to use a crossbow seriously in combat."

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:30

The program politely hints that paladins have no shooting skills. Well, well.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:30

"Nevertheless, I'll give it a try. Do you mind if I test my marksmanship?"

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:31

"Of course not. Let the other guards take a look. Think about it. They'll laugh..." And with a smirk, the instructor turned to the approaching newcomer, clearly a player.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:31

Let them laugh. Just as long as it works.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:33

And it didn't. No, the crossbow itself was wonderful - the arrows appeared in the holder every time I clicked the lock, and then flew obediently in the direction of the target, more or less where I was aiming. It wouldn't work for accurate shooting, but it wouldn't be hard to put an arrow in your opponent's knee from ten paces, and thirty paces weren't much of a distance on a tall target. The problem was with the "take-out-shot-charged-put it back" cycle in the "charged-put it back" part. I had to disconnect the virt and hastily sew a hook to the harness to hold the two-kilogram module behind my back. A flick or two showed the unreliability of such a solution: if the loop of the belt were to slip from the hook, the module would slide under my armed arm. Plus it wasn't easy to charge the bowstring because of the straps tangling under my arms. All right, it's getting late tonight, I'm going to walk this way, and tomorrow morning I'll check the forums; if there's a solution, it should be there.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:38

Brother Storekeeper greeted me with a smile, to which I immediately responded with a bow and greeting.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:39

When I reached the reputation of fifty points, the temple treasury became available to me, and I hinted that I did not mind paying ten percent of what I sold, which earned me ten reputations and two extra boxes for goods. The temple treasury gave all the same as the Khramm's trading house, but in addition could provide credit, relatively small, for the purchase of equipment. A way for newcomers wishing to go out into the world with more than a training sword and armor fished out of the sewers. There are enough messengers and recurring household tasks in town to gain the necessary reputation and take credit of five, or even ten, if you choose the right tasks, gold.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 13:40

"Brother Paladin, I am pleased to report that all your scrolls are sold again. Three Blessings of the fourth rank and three Ice Arrows. The total amount is just over four gold pieces."

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:34

Temple merchants are not dwarves: scrolls did not increase in price but were sold for the price assigned by me. But they didn't charge for storage, either.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:37

"I'm surprised, Brother Storekeeper. I don't understand why people buy Ice Arrows. It's not cheap, but it doesn't do much good."

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:38

The monk shrugged his shoulders. This NPC had a surprisingly expressive face.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:44

"Who knows? Times are such that everyone is trying to increase their chances of winning. And an Ice Arrow of this level is an uncommon commodity in our parts. Maybe there's not much interest in it anytime soon ... we should think of another commodity."

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:45

A tutorial for beginners? Is it a prognosis of AI? Or a scripted phrase? How many times have I not been able to figure out what is what here? It's a good game, well thought out. They say that even in the absence of players are some processes, something changes, something appears. And something disappears.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:46

"So far I do not need coins. These three scrolls I would like to put up for sale."

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:47

When I marked three of my five remaining Blessing scrolls on the trade menu, I waited for the exchange menu to blink, then bowed and left.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:50

I kept turning my head on the way to Khramm House. The time in this city was synchronized with Central European time, so it was the middle of the day, and life was in full swing. I saluted the guards, bowed to the townsfolk, and bought a pie from a stall, barely able to keep from pulling back the visor of my helmet and trying to take a bite. I stared at the back of a big man about three meters tall, and wondered at the scaly tail that flashed under the hem of the dress of a townswoman who was gambling for a chicken. There was a lot to see in this town!

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:51

Again some thieving NPC tried to take my wallet, dodged a slap, and ran away, kicking the props of the fruit counter as he went. The vendor nonchalantly pulled out some rotten fruit from behind his back and aptly launched it at the fleeing kid, and then climbed under the counter and restored what appeared to be decorative support - the counter was suspended on chains.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:52

The market greeted me with the hum of a trading chat. Loyne wasn't there, so I bought a sharpening from another player. Judging by the invitation to come back tomorrow, he'd heard me and Loyne talking.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:53

I stopped at one of the two counters, decorated with a flag depicting tongues of flame.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:54

"What do you want?"

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:54

So rude. And it's a player, not an NPC.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:55

"Do they put guilty people on the trade?"

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:56

"What do you want? Don't block the counter."

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:56

With a shrug, I made my way to the second one.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:56

"Good afternoon, what can I do for you?"

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 15:57

But this is a local merchant who was hired.

Camrad_RIP 22.09.22 в 17:29

"Good trade to you, too. I'm on business, one of the guilders, a half-elf, said I could contact you about a map."

Camrad_RIP 23.09.22 в 05:07

The merchant leaned over the counter, examined my scabbard, and smiled happily:

Camrad_RIP 23.09.22 в 07:44

"Just a minute! I'll call the right person right away!"

Camrad_RIP 23.09.22 в 07:44

"Hey! Are you a paladin with a flower?" The vendor-player immediately responded. Apparently, the program linked with the closest member of the guild. "Come here."

Camrad_RIP 23.09.22 в 07:45

I thought for a moment about screw him but decided not to mess with him.

Camrad_RIP 24.09.22 в 15:47

"I'm ready to copy it."

Camrad_RIP 24.09.22 в 15:47

"Yeah. You're supposed to get the one gold. Come see me tomorrow, I'll be here."

Camrad_RIP 24.09.22 в 15:48

One gold for me, and how much in his pocket?

Camrad_RIP 24.09.22 в 15:48

"I'll take the merchandise." The merchant shrugged, and a list of goods popped up in front of me. "Here are these essences, six of them. And three vials."

Camrad_RIP 24.09.22 в 15:49