Runeguard 050

“Dace, we don’t have time for this,” Everett complained. 

“Whatever this is,” Bayan muttered from behind him.

“I promise, it will all become clear shortly,” I said expansively as I led the way into the townhall.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Evelyn asked from beside me. 

“Time is already short for us to get everyone to the exit portal before the Final Dissolution begins,” Juyorah added from my other side. “We can’t afford to delay the convoy’s departure further.”

“We won’t,” I promised and placed my hand on the guildstone.

Alexis frowned as she saw what I touched. “I have a guild already,” she muttered.

I just grinned. “All of you come closer and touch the guildstone,” I said. “It will all go much quicker if we do this at once.”

The five guildmasters exchanged looks. “We all already have our own guilds,” Everett said.

“Trust me, please,” I said. “Place your hands on the guildstone.”

Grudgingly, they did as I asked.

“What—” Bayan began.

I held up my hand. “One moment please.” Focusing my thoughts, I willed the options I desired to the System.

Dace Tolman, you have offered the position of Provincial Governor to Evelyn Martins, guildmaster of the Weavers. Waiting for her acceptance.

Dace Tolman, you have offered the position of Provincial Guard Captain to Everett Longmire, guildmaster of the Wardens. Waiting for his acceptance.

Dace Tolman, you have offered the position of Provincial Treasurer to Alexis Womack, guildmaster of Chemists-at-Work. Waiting for her acceptance.

Dace Tolman, you have offered the position of Provincial Factor to Juyorah Kladis, guildmaster of the Silver Hammers. Waiting for his acceptance.

Dace Tolman, you have offered the position of Provincial Sheriff to Bayan Storm, guildmaster of the Paragons. Waiting for his acceptance.

Five pairs of eyes widened as my requests appeared through their own System interfaces. Then nearly as one they pinned me with startled gazes.

My smile widened. 

“Stop that idiotic grinning,” Evelyn snapped. “And explain this,” she said, waving her hands at a message I couldn’t see.

“I’ve created a faction,” I said.

“We can see that,” Bayan said. “Humanity Rising? A bit grandiose, don’t you think?”

I rolled my eyes. “No more grandiose than ‘The Paragons.” Before he could retort, I went on, “I know you’re all worried about what we will find in Sector 52 once we exit the Creche. By creating a faction, I believe I’ve given us a chance to not only survive but thrive.”

“How?” asked Everett.

“Well for one thing, factions can own land,” I said. “Including a town. For another we can tax players and enforce any laws we create.”

“That sounds like more trouble than it’s worth,” Alexis grumbled.

“What if I told you that once a faction clears a territory and claims it for its own, no hostiles can enter without the guard captain being notified?”

Everett’s eyes widened.

“I’m sure you all can see the benefit of this. It will make our territory safer for all our civilians to move about, and easier for our guards to patrol.”

Juyorah nodded. “I can see how that is advantageous,” he allowed, “but still, it doesn’t outweigh the headache of protecting the territory in the first place.”

“There’s more,” I promised. “Dungeons owned by the province cannot be farmed by anyone without the permission of its sheriff. Nor can resources be exploited without the say so of the province’s factor. Additionally, a province may purchase protections from the System to safeguard its assets. Nothing as complete as the protective barriers that surrounded this town, but still orders of magnitude better than nothing.”

They were sold now, I could tell.

Evelyn’s brows were still furrowed though. “But why are you appointing me as the faction’s governor?” she asked. “I don’t think I am best suited to the task.”

“You are,” I disagreed. “I’d even argue you are better qualified than anyone else. But more importantly, you have the respect of all the town’s players.” I gestured to the other guildmasters. “They will follow your lead where they may baulk at that of the others.”

I raised one eyebrow questioningly at the gathered company, and they all nodded their agreement.

I saw Evelyn’s spine straighten as her own confidence was buoyed by her peers’ unanimous consensus. Still, she hesitated. “What about you, Dace? You have earned no small measure of respect from the players, too. They will follow your lead, I am sure.”

I shook my head. “I’m no leader, Evelyn,” I said. “I know that better than anyone.” I chuckled. “I will probably drive everyone crazy and myself as well in the process.” I held the matron’s gaze. “Will you do it?”

She was silent for a moment, thinking. “Alright, I am in.”

I exhaled in relief. It was done. The others followed Evelyn’s lead and willed their own responses.

Evelyn Martins has accepted the position of Governor.

Everett Longmire has accepted the position of Guard Captain.

Alexis Womack has accepted the position of Treasurer.

Juyorah Kladis has accepted the position of Factor.

Bayan Storm has accepted the position of Sheriff.

I waited breathlessly once the five were done. I hadn’t told them about the new task, because I wasn’t certain if—

“I’ve got a new task,” Bayan said, his voice awed.

I glanced at the others and saw from their faces that they had received it too. I smiled. “Good, now we are done here.”

✵ ✵ ✵

The five guildmasters rejoined the convoy, all still a bit unbalanced as their priorities for the next few months shifted.

I wasn’t under any illusions, though. 

Once they got over their initial shock, other questions would start occurring to them, not the least of which was what the pecking order would be in the new faction, and what loyalty they owed to me as the faction’s founder.

I had deliberately glossed over those issues, not wanting to over complicate matters, but over the next few days, we would have to come to an understanding between ourselves. 

For now, though, I was pleased with the start we had made.

While the convoy began moving out of town, I dashed around town and finished my last-minute purchases.

You have bought a large backpack for 10 gold.

You have bought 7 medium System bank storage spaces for 4 gold each. You have 3 gold, and 3 silver remaining.

I bought the backpack on the advice of the Warden guildmaster, and I was pleased that I did, seeing as it would allow me to carry at least some of my inventory contents on my person while going through the gate.

Those items that I could, I stored in my bank storage slots.

You have stored the following items in the System bank:

12 x steel daggers.

27 x lesser mana potions

2 x lesser heal potions.

150 x sheets of paper.

1 x ink and pen.

1 x lesser wisp summoning scroll.

Unfortunately, I was not able to store any of my bigger weapons or armor in the bank as they were all considered ‘large items’ and storable only in large slots. Nonetheless with my knives in the bank, I had space on my belt for the throwing axes.

Overall, I was pleased with the gear I could carry on me, and with the items that would be available to me once I found a System bank on the other side of the exit portal.

With a contented expression, I jogged my way down to the cobbled highway and joined the tail end of the convoy.

✵ ✵ ✵

We reached the exit portal without mishap, and with still two hours to spare before the Final Dissolution occurred.

 All the guildmasters agreed that the Paragons should be the one to lead the way through the exit portal. Of all the players in the town—beside myself—they were the ones best suited to face off against any other unexpected threats encountered on the other side.

At my insistence, I would be the last to leave. It took nearly an hour for the entire convoy to work its way through, and shortly, I was the only one left.

I breathed in deeply, taking the time to savor the moment. After seven long trying days, I was finally leaving the Creche.

Yet as difficult as my time in the Creche had been at times, I was altogether stronger for it. And now, I felt I was ready to face the bigger challenge of Sector 52.

“Well,” I murmured to my two companions. “This is it. Wish us luck.”

So saying, I stepped through the portal.

You have failed the task: become a healer. No rewards or penalties earned.

Congratulations, you have fulfilled the task: exit the Creche, and 2 of its 3 objectives. As reward, you have gained 3 rebirth tokens (items stored in your bank). 

Exiting Creche 1050. Please standby...