Создатели Судьбы / The Creators of Destiny: Глава 33

Chapter 33

Camrad_RIP 02.12.22 в 15:48

This is the first time I've been here since I came with the guards to "punish evil".

Camrad_RIP 02.12.22 в 15:53

It wasn't that I was afraid (it would be easier to forget about the game for two or three weeks, letting the mercenaries interested in revenge discard their contracts in the meantime), but there was nothing to do here. In the mines, I managed alone, and raising my faith to four, only for the final boss was not enough power. But to go alone into an unknown slave trading camp, where there might be ten or a hundred opponents... though no, there won't be a hundred, it's unlikely. But a dozen or two would be. I wish they were there. That's exactly how the quest to upgrade my status in the temple should look like - I'll kill, release, report, everyone is pleased, I change my title to "Warrior of the Temple", I get access to the city archives - and then the story goes on.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 07:05

The excitement of waiting to win messed with my head as vodka, and I was a little tipsy right now, but that shouldn't stop me from recruiting a group. I opened the local chat room, began to listen, and finally chose a few candidates among those who were looking for a group.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 07:07

Priest, level twenty-seven, looking for a group for the evening. An Elementalist, thirty-second, and a Warrior of the Snows, thirtieth, are looking for a tank and a healer to pump. Inviting everyone into the group, I explained the reason:

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 07:07

"So, guys here's the deal -- I got a whisper that there's a hidden camp in the vicinity of the mines. There might be some tasty stuff there, at least a hidden mission. Let's go to the mines and check it out. If not found - we pass the mines to the end, then as you like. Quest-item rolls all. After the passage, I'll go look for the camp again. All agree?"

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 07:09

Everyone agreed.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 07:09

I waited at the gate for the caravan drivers to pass, heading for the capital. This week I went either with a passing caravan or with a change of guards on patrol.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 07:46

"Does anybody have any speed spells?"

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 07:46

Collective shaking of heads. Too bad it'll take ten minutes to get there.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 07:47

In Creators, distances were great, and one could go in any direction. There were no impassable obstacles not foreseen by the landscape. Mountains could be bypassed, rivers could be swum or flown over, and beyond there was always more. The game zones were not artificially enclosed; on the contrary pleasant bonuses were waiting for explorers, like new dungeons, unclimbed trails, and fresh hunting grounds. Two years ago, Adar was a frontier town, and beyond was only Darkness and Evil: not always, though, with a capital letter, but there were. Now it's a week's journey with a caravan to the outpost.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 08:15

Why would developers need such an expanse? Nine games out of ten, even the last generation with supernets, complex Plot-AI, and other machinery to support game worlds - most have made do with well-defined, cozy worlds with large but finite zones. In "Creators" it was as if they were going to create and maintain an entire world in real-time. Why such a waste? Is it all for the profit of a huge but still finite number of players? Is there such potential for development that it is necessary to create a world "for growth"? From where?

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 08:26

With such thoughts, I did not notice how I ran the whole distance.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 08:30

"Arrived. There," I waved my hand, "are mines. The entrances to them, to be exact. I've looked all over here." I'd been over the surroundings the first time, looking for nooks and crannies suitable for an ambush. "So we'll have to look here and here. War and Heal go that way Mage and I will go this way. Keep your eyes peeled for clues."

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 08:46

The entrance to the dungeon was on a hillside a hundred meters high, with only shrubs and very sparse thin trees all around, apparently, the forest fire had passed here last year or the year before, and nothing taller could grow here yet. I went up to the top of the hill and looked around for a long time, but I saw nothing. It was a very vague way of saying "in those places." Now I was looking at the hilly surroundings. Somewhere, I could see the surviving trees somewhere, the bushes had grown unbelievably thick, and in some places, the ground was covered with fields of tall, human-sized grass.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 08:49

I can see why the temple quest was so simple: "Find a slave trader's camp" - you could search for a month here! And was there a quest? Maybe I was wrong?

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 08:50

I can see why the temple quest was so simple: "Find a slave trader's camp" - you could search for a month here! And was there a quest? Maybe I was wrong?

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 08:54

"Meeting at the entrance to the mines, there is nothing."

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 08:54

The command was received with relief. No one wanted to appear impolite by refusing to help, but the fruitless search was exhausting.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 09:03

By the way, all my companions showed the statuses, but no one demanded it of me. It is always like this - people are much less demanding of leaders. They are even willing to forgive their weakness, as long as they do such an unpleasant and difficult thing - to lead and take responsibility.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 09:04

"Who was in the mines?"

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 11:53

Silence. I see.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 14:16

Okay, I'll explain - the dungeon is for a thirtieth level group. The monsters are simple but thicker than on the Mist Field. Order: I and the warrior - in front; I start, the mage fits in after we and the war will hit. Heal - just heal. If anything - quickly run to me, and I'll save you. Just in case - I'm a paladin, I can heal or protect, but I have no remote attacks. Understand?

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 14:17

They agreed. So they won't do anything stupid right away. They'll start to relax by the middle of the tour.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 14:19

I pulled a crossbow from my back.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 14:20

"Isn't that a remote weapon?"

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 14:21

"No. War, those two golems over there, my right one. Let's go."

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 14:25

Shot. A clay golem with granite boulders instead of hands went toward me. The warrior raised his hand with his sword and showed the class skill of "snow warriors" - the sword turned white, and a few seconds later a piece of sparkling ice flew off it and hit the second golem. At the hundredth level, when the skill is up to the fifth or sixth rank, an entire blizzard will fly from the sword, freezing enemies and slowing their movements, but for now, only one or two pieces of ice inflict hurtful but weak wounds.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 14:26

I pulled my crossbow, slung it behind, and drew my sword. The golems aren't evil, just elements animated by magic, so "exorcism" wouldn't help.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 14:27

"Dash! Strike of Faith

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 14:28

"Ice Cloud! Sword of the North!"

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 14:29

The warrior and I each went at our own enemy. It wasn't good; it would have been better to concentrate all our attacks on one enemy, but now I had to see what my classmates were like.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:01

I moved sideways, distracting my opponent. Clearly, a multiclass mage. The elemental's "Elemental Thread" comes much later. The fire enveloped the golem, not maiming, not even restraining the thread stretched and stretched. I tried not to hit it with my sword. Finally, at some point, the mage cried out, raised his hand, and the flames, coiled into a thin band, burst free.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:14

It's beautiful. The golem, wrapped in fire, waved its stone fists in the air and disintegrated. Popular school, strong spells, but very long and require the mage to remain still. I can see why he goes with a warrior: it would be much less effective alone.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:15

I went behind the second golem, looking at the status of the group. The priest was saying a prayer, keeping the snowman alive, and the mage was weaving the Thread of Fire again. Okay, it is possible to go on. Nobody is distracted, nobody gets ahead, they treat in time, they hit in time. A normal group.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:17

I hit the golem under the knees, and the mage immediately broke the spell, letting the fire disperse through the clay body.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:17

"All right. That's the way we go from here. Heal, don't get distracted, you recover immediately after the battle, you heal only in battle, I pull up everyone afterward."

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:18

The priest nodded.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:18

"Mage, don't you have your air wing pumped up? Here it is mostly earth creatures fire doesn't affect them well."

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:19

"I've only been learning fire. We go in tandem, and fire amplifies on the frozen."

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:22

"I see. Do you have AoE? Packs of rats are the main nastiness here. About fifteen of them in a pack, and you can't even see them."

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:24

It turned out they had a tactic for dealing with this kind of trouble, too. I was relieved that I didn't have to hit every little creature in the head with a sword, as I had done the first time.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:24

After slaying about fifty monsters and passing the first mini-boss, everyone cheered up, convinced themselves that the group was sane, and got to talking. "Snowman" and "Elementalist" were friends, pumping characters with the promise of a guild. "Snow Warrior" took an archetype, and the mage, on the other hand, adjusted his multiclass to cover his buddy's flaws, and as a result, they complemented each other well. True, the tactics they chose made it harder to play solo, but they didn't think much about it, playing for fun from their jobs at night.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:30

The priest was silent at first, but then he joined in the discussion and told the story:

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:30

"At high levels, they always need healers. So I'm pumping a char for sale. From the fiftieth will go with groups for money, and on the hundredth will sell."

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:31

"How many rings have you saved up?"

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:31

"Why save it up? I'll sell it that way. What's the point of paying money for something you'll sell later?"

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:32

I froze, trying to make sense of such a trade.

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:32

"It'll take you six months, maybe more, to get to the hundredth. The ring doubles its price. Why not invest half a thousand to get a grand?"

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:33

"If I had the money, I wouldn't have pumped heal for sale."

Camrad_RIP 04.12.22 в 15:34