Life After the Apocalypse

Clara pondered Tabby's theory. "It's a fantastical idea, but entertaining nonetheless." With what she was taught her entire life, the odds of it being true would be slim, but the concept was intriguing.
She nodded at BradL33. "Exactly. A list of edible foods is just the start. We'll document more as we explore. Hopefully that'll help us put the pieces of the puzzle together and figure out the principle of this world. Also, since we're talking about levelling, didn't you mention some ruins just outside the city on our way here?"
As Tabby showed hesitation for the booze Guy had brought, Clara chimed in, "Ah, that reminds me, what time is it? We should probably meet up with Grace and Raquel. They went to the cathedral, right?"

>>>"Nobody new has appeared since yesterday? That's news." Tina said as she re-corked the bottle Guy had offered her. "So... we're it, huh? Guess if something like this ...whatever this is... were going to happen of course it would've been the day with the highest ever server population. That certainly figures."

>>>Guy looked a little crestfallen as he was reminded about the meeting coming up. "Agreed. Not a good look showing up there all 'in our cups'..." His expression rekindled as he realized he had something to add to the more serious conversation swirling amongst them. "Oh, while I was looking around I talked to some of the shopkeepers and other vendors. Most of the stuff still up for sale is mainly NPC sold items. People of the Land stuff, like this weird melon-thing. Most of the items and materials that were sold or crafted by us Players has dried up. Pulled off the market or all bought up... Not even trash tier gear is for sale."

>>>"I'm with Tabby Fatts on this. I think 'levelling' is something everyone needs to do in some way or other...but I don't know whether it'll be strictly by combat." the Druid offered. "I just don't think everyone is cut out for the kind of stuff you have to do fighting 'in person'. There are other ways to make money that doesn't involve punching rats but if what Guy says is true all over town, that's going to be rough to get started. Seems like everyone might be hoarding resources... Uncertainty causing panic and all. With so many new Players that's going to cause a lot of trouble starting pretty quickly. A starting character's funds would buy a couple of days with of food & shelter? After that, people are going to start getting desperate...if they're not already."

>>>Arga, Isbjorn and Piphany straggle in at the end of BradL33's musings. None of the three look as elated as Guy had been upon his return. Isbjorn turns to purchase a few melons from the girl's cart after noticing the others had already done so.

>>>"No hoodies but the only places that sold clothing items were the NPC shops and I'm not paying Gold for a 'maid marion' potato sack dress." she announced. "I almost want to pick up a Seamstress SubClass. That way I could make my own stuff."

>>>'How are doing on time?" Arga asked, clipping a bit into Piphany 's speech. "Hard to tell how time passes here without a cellphone or a watch. I was afraid we'd be gone too long and miss the meet up."

"Tabby and Clara just pointed out that we need to collect everyone that wants to go and head over the Guild Building." BradL33 turned to the rotund Catfolk, "Look, you guys should come along too." He looked at Max and Wheeler as well. We're all in the same spot, I'm not sure what to even say to these people and the more voices the better. Right? You guys helped us out in a bad spot and that's worth something. You're welcome to hang with us, put our heads together and help figure this all out. Maybe start making some lists and try the LaGranda dungeon? What do ya say?"

---

>>>"Am I okay?" she looked at Grace incredulously. "Of course I'm not okay.
I lost enough XP to get bumped down a level...almost two... because of you guys." The crowd did not react well to Serena's rebuttal. Playing the victim when she clearly started the conflict was a poor choice of defense. Held at a bit of distance by Mr. Boaty's bulky arm span, the crowd didn't have Grace & Raquel's up close look at the Archer. She was angry and probably embarrassed by the public spectacle but underneath that, there was something else.

>>>"Might maybe be wiser ta take up the hearty-to-hearty stuff in a less public-y settin'..." Boaty offered, keenly aware of the sudden appearance of the hulking Royal Guards materializing from alcoves in the Cathedral. The two PK-ers had definitely earned a fair share of sore feelings from the Player population and the Archer's possibly feigned callousness threatened to inflame things further.

Grace has a question. But she doesn’t ask it now since wants to persuade Serena, and the absolute worst way to persuade anyone is to embarrass them.

Grace believes that No PvP means it’s impossible to harm each other in the city. She doesn’t know this for a fact, but she believes she has to show some faith in order to reach Serena.

"I’m fine with talking in private. Is it possible to have an NPC guard keep all of our weapons while we talk amongst ourselves?

"Full disclosure: I picked Bard Style, but I mean… I think I already made my point that I don’t want to hurt real people. Or people of the land, even if NPCs might be just a program." She admits, "I cried when I saw Tron."

"Hey, you give me an idea of what's going on that isn't fantastical, and I'll listen." He adjusted his cap, scanning the slowly growing crowd. "Coma dream induced by horrendous food poisoning from sketchy pão com chouriço is still on the docket."

---

"We dunno that yet. They could come in weekly waves. Or people who logged in different days get dumped in different towns." Tabby gave an exaggerated shrug. "We've only been here a day, we have to acknowledge that we don't know jack shit."

---

He was tempted to indulge himself, even fishing in his pockets for a few coins to reimburse Guy for one of his bottles, when Bradl33 proffered his invitation.

His snout scrunched a little as he attempted to purse his lips, showing one of his fangs. He ... well, he certainly had a lot to say. But he looked down at himself... he certainly didn't look in peak condition to say it. He unconsciously pressed in on his belly, poking his tongue out, the dizziness and disorientation he had managed to push off returning, making him almost nauseous. He certainly didn't have stage fright. Public speaking was basically his job, after all. But the ragged robes were a far cry from his usual tailored blazer. And he was missing about three feet of stature.

He adjusted himself uncomfortably, wondering who'd heard his outburst earlier before the violence broke out.

"I mean... I guess I can tag along..." he glanced over between Max and Wheeler to gauge their reaction, then back at Clara and Tina to gauge theirs. All they'd seen him do was talk shit and wave his arms around, after all. Not much to bring to the table.

The huge dwarf listened to Bradlee, "I'll come along and see what the guild guys have to say. Can't hurt, not much else to do. I've already walked around this tree like 20 times yesterday."

He considered the points the other had made. "I'm sure lots of people are freaked... I was... am I guess... maybe just reaching acceptance. Is starvation even possible? Guild could just open up their bank and feed everyone for maybe a decade."

Max stood up, "As soon as the others come back we can head over I guess."

>>>
"Thanks for agreeing to come along." he seemed relieved that there'd at least be a couple of other people there and it wouldn't just be his group. Plus, how would that Malbraith guy know who was and who wasn't in his group... "Kinda feels like being dragged in front of an inquiry board or getting sent to the principal's office..." he sighed. "Anyway, let's head on over there. Don't wanna be late, I guess... 'supposed to be someone from SilverOath Brotherhood there to meet us.
I'll telechat Grace to meet us there." Not really knowing what to do with the uneaten parts of his melon, he just carried them along with him and fumbled with them as he accessed his UI and contacted Grace.

>>>""Well, you mates have fun with that. No way am I getting involved." Guy piped up stood his ground. "I got nuthin' to contribute to the conversation. If this was a shooter, I'd be your man but this is all you MMO guys. Plus, me and my man Isbjorn can look for someplace to stay for the night."

>>>"But I want to go..." Isbjorn returned his attention to the group as he heard his name.
>>>"My mate, Arga, then..." Guy shifted and dropped his plate mailed arm over the Sorcerer's shoulder.

>>>He let out an exasperated sigh, "Fine. Just telechat us when you're done with the meeting and we'll tell you guys where we end up." Arga wasn't sure which duty was going to be worse, sitting in some meeting or putting up with 'Mr. Outgoing' while they check out Inns and Taverns.

>>> Ignoring Guy abandoning them, the Enchanter instead moved closer to Tabby and Wheeler intent on furthering some of the things they'd both alluded to. "If no one else is coming in, and we really don't 100% know that's the case yet I guess, do you think that might mean that people outside the game might know something's happened and stopped people from logging in?"

>>> BradL33 wandered towards the big black Guild Building as he talked (presumably) to Grace. Guy and Arga stayed behind and watched them go before wandering into the milling crowd. Everyone else made their way towards the Guild Building perched above the riverbank.

---

"What do you care, anyway? " Serena shot back. "It's kill or be killed here. That's the way the game was made and we all hafta play it 24/7 now. Like it or not." she stood her ground but couldn't keep Mr. Boaty from dragging her along with him as he decided to just pick her up and head for the exit before she started a riot...in town this time.
>>>The sudden appearance of the telechat icon and it's accompanying mid-90s midi tone ringing sort of broke the moment as Serena was hauled bodily away. BradL33 was calling:

BradL33: "Not to interrupt your sightseeing at the Cathedral but we're headed over to the Guild Building for that meeting that SilverOath guy, Malbraith, mentioned. Are you guys going to meet us there?"

Tabby's generally morose and irate expression suddenly opened, his eyes unfocusing for a second as his brows arched. He took on an altogether haunted look.

"... How much sleep do you really want to lose?"

Grace’s knee-jerk reply would not have been diplomatic. It’s for the best Boaty literally carried Serena away.

She turns to the chat icon. "On our way."

She isn’t sure if Serena will blow off the meeting just to avoid her. But at this point, it doesn’t matter. The guild master is probably some triple-digit-level guy that the PK’ers don’t want to cross. And he seems reasonable.

Raquel puts a hand on Grace's shoulder to try to calm her down. "We'll have time to berate her some more later. Let's go to the guild meeting."

>>>Located on the actual riverbank, the Guild Building had a few large terraces that gave a great view of the river. This late in the day, with the sun low on the horizon, the light from the setting sun dyed the river a brilliant crimson-orange that matched the cloud-scudded sky. The cooling breeze from across the wide river carried the strong earthy scent of the muddy waters.
>>>Across the glittering expanse of the river sat a high walled fortress made of a severe gray stone. It had seen serious action at one point; the off-colored stone of repaired sections of the curtain walls a testament to a violent past. At the center of the castle, standing at it's presumed center, rose a giant metal arch glinting in the setting sun.
>>> BradL33 and his group met up with Grace, Raquel and Brophy on one of the large terraces overlooking the river. The terraces had become a bit of a 'hangout' and it looked like not a few Adventurers were 'camped out' in the area. Camped out in the same way the homeless 'camped out' in city parks...

---

>>>"You're the ones from the Dead Zone ambush this afternoon, right?" an armored woman came over towards everyone. Her Status Box marked her as *Lorissa, Guardian, Level 55, belonging to the SilverOath Brotherhood*. Malbraith's Guild.
>>>"Y'all made quite a stir out there." she remarked, her eyes flicking amongst the Party. "Let's get you up to the Boss. 'Kay?" She turned and walked backwards towards the Guild Building, like a tour guide keeping an eye on everyone, as she brought her hand up to her ear. "Yeah, they're here..." she was presumably telechatting to someone. "Bringin' em up now. Y'all ready or need a few minutes? No, okay..."
>>>"Everybody's ready for you guys." she announced in a rather business-like tone. "Might be a little weird if y'all haven't experienced it yet.
These doors take some getting used to if you haven't used one before..." She didn't elaborate much as she led the Party inside the Guild Building.
>>>The main floor was an ornate affair with very high ceilings and well appointed furniture that mimiced a high end hotel or office building lobby...if it were built in medieval times. A large service desk area dominated the space between a split Grand Staircase that rose to the floors above.



"That's the Bank, you guys." BradL33 piped up, indicating the busy service desk. "If it's busy, there's a couple of other desks just like it around the first floor. There's a Guild Office around here too."

>>>Lorissa led everyone up the grand staircase up to the second floor. Hallways spread in every direction with doors regularly spaced every few feet down each hallway. It looked like the hallway in some surreal hotel; the doors spaced too closely together to provide much room behind them.


>>>Stopping in front of one of the doors, Lorissa indicated one with a nod if her head. Room 158 was lettered on the door in medieval script. "This is it. Just grab the handle like you would a regular door." she cautioned oddly. What else would you do with a door handle??


>>> Touching the door handle was a bit like a shock of static electricity followed by a lurching sensation and the sudden appearance of a short hallway too wide to have been behind the door.

---

>>>"Hey. Glad you guys decided to come by." Malbraith stood out of the chair he'd been seated in. The short hallway led to a large 'conference room' with a fair few others already in attendance. The atmosphere of the room seemed a bit tense, despite Malbraith's warm welcome. "Grab a seat." he indicated the open seats at and around the big oak table. "We've got some food and drinks available, for all that's worth, in case you need them."
>>>Lorissa moved into the room and stood behind Malbraith as he and the others waited for the Party to settle themselves.

The scale of the structures as they approached the Guild Center were increasingly impressive, looking more like a coherent city rather than medieval spacecraft jutting up from lichen-crusted ruins of modern America. Tabby did not seem to enjoy the view, though. He seemed to make a conscious effort to avoid staring at Brophy, as the foreign party reconvened at the entrance. His lips were uncharacteristically tight, ane he took up the time on the walk awkwardly handling his oversized staff, still trying to work out how to collapse it down to its more convenient size.

He admitted, he hadn't set foot in the Guild Center since he had landed. Its paneled corridors and many doors evoked a sense of nostalgic melancholy, although the structure's interior seemed much more vast and labyrinthine than the stubby hub that had led to the various guild halls. He supposed every hall needed its own door now, there wasn't a way to just shortcut into an instance. Part of him had feared those crowded hallways, and maybe the possibility of seeing a familiar face through unfamiliar eyes.

He had almost expected the spatial contortion given the proximity of the doors, but seeing it unfold still widened his eyes, even as the sensation of opening the door and passing the threshold made his stomach lurch. He staggered a bit, putting his hand on the wall of the corridor, pausing as they filed into the conference room. As he caught his breath, he glanced around, trying to take inventory. He was well aware of the potential hazards of guild drama, and as he moved to one of the outlying seats, he got a read on the room, trying to feel out any simmering tension or hotspots to avoid. He did not fancy getting entangled in any preexisting politics - or being used as a pawn.

"In life, I never learned to fight, but I’ve decades of voice training. I’m not too proud to scream."

---

Once inside the Guild Hall…

"Thank you for your hospitality," and recalling Malbraith’s intervention, she adds, "and for the healing. You prevented several casualties."

She then faces the others and with a curtesy, she introduces herself, "Grace O’Bass," and points above her head, "like the… hovering text says. But it just seems like basic etiquette to introduce yourself when you meet someone."

What she’s implying is that attempted murder, even if you Come Back To Life, is at the very least a breach of etiquette.

Clara's eyes lit up as she stepped into the guild building. She knew the city was more luxurious than the rustic village of Belle, but this was still a sight to behold. Seeing this architecture firsthand was far more impressive than any screen could capture.

It was a little too late, but she just realised how clueless she was about the innerworking of this game's larger community and its hierarchy. She whispered to the more experienced players, "Can anyone give me a quick rundown on how guilds work over here? Is there a limit to how many guilds a city can have? And who decides who's in charge?"

Raquel gasps at the warping sensation as she enters the room, then chuckles to herself. "That was a hell of a thing," she says softly. As before, she lets Grace do most of the talking, reaching out for a bland piece of food to busy herself so that she doesn't have to engage in awkward small talk.

Max took in the sites of the guild hall, not having a guild on this server. Everything was so different as a person walking through the building. In game, he preferred 3rd person view, so the scope of the structures were lost from that perspective. While taking in the sites, Max tried to be careful not to knock anyone down. He still had a habit of thinking he was a normal sized guy and his super large form just did not fit in the spaces sometimes.

Max heard Calico question, "What? Guilds... usually just takes 5 or 10 players to sign a charter and a bunch of gold. Lots of small guilds around usually. Leader is the guy who started the guild, although some games have ranks - like military or something - so the head guy can have helpers. Some guilds are casual hang outs and some are dedicated to raiding the harder dungeons. I was in a raid guild on a different game, although most of the members were high school buddies."

Entering the room, Max looked at the chairs, which he was not sure his new form would even fit into. He decides to stand off to the side for now.

Tabby leaned over as they got situated, whispering to Calico to add to Max's insight. "If they start talking about 'd.k.p.,' just back away slowly, and don't break eye contact until you're at a safe distance."

"I'm pretty confident in that claim." he said, pointing at his subclass, "Detectives aren't a common subclass, but the benefits of information sharing mean we tend to form a little clique. Losing the discord hurt, but most of us knew at least someone else in the group, so we've been rebuilding the network. One of the first things we did was work out if slash-who was working, and making a list of who was in Mound City, which we periodically double-check for new entries. So far, all the abnormalities have been from people who were outside the city when the list was made, or were in the Guild House - and Guild Membership is something that's easy to check." Wheeler said, tucking his notes away again as the group started moving towards the Guild House.

"I suppose Mr. Fatts is right that we shouldn't get too married to any one theory." he admitted, bobbing his head to the side with a shrug, "But we don't really have the luxury of going full Descartes here. Pursuit of truth is important, but we need actionable intelligence right now. We can correct while in motion."

"Whatever, exactly, happened clearly had an impact on this world. Something major happened that brought a bunch of people into this world, and the travel gates are all fucky? It's reasonable to suppose that whatever happened left tell-tale signs on our side as well - and that world is much, much more interconnected." he added, "But, I don't think we can expect any help from there. The fact that we can't conceive of how this happened at all is just a sign that it didn't originate from our side. But, did it originate here? Or is there a third plane doing a thing?" he swayed his body to the other side with another languid shrug and a sigh "We need more data - and that's why your arrival stirred up such a mess. Information from outside the city is at a premium right now."

"Which is precisely why the Dead Zone can't be allowed to exist as it currently does."

>>>The conference room was oddly cozy feeling lit with the warm light of what appeared to be gas lamps. It gave the feeling of a Victorian explorers club more than an office given the ornate table of warm, honey colored wood and the overstuffed chairs. When Elder Tales was just a game, all of this was just background art and were nothing more than map decoration with collision physics. Now...now things like this were functional and interacted as the expected objects.

>>> "Eh. Yeah... Social graces aren't a real strong suit for most gamers." he grudgingly agreed, missing the point of Grace's introduction. Perhaps he misconstrued her intent or was perhaps already socially a bit on edge at hosting this impromptu conference. "Oh, let me introduce everyone on my side then may you guys can introduce yourselves.
Then maybe get down to why I asked you guys here..." Malbraith didn't seem nervous at speaking in front of people but was definitely a bit frazzled at something.
>>>"Guys, let's start from closest to the door and go 'round. Garnet, why don't you kick it off?" he nodded to a wizened looking elf sitting and arm's length away from the Party.

>>>Sitting up in his chair, the old Elf looked over the Party. "Garnet Willowwood. GuildMaster of EverBloom Guild. My, my...you're all mostly new players, eh?" He must've scanned your Statuses as you came in. He nodded over to the next attendant in the rotation.

>>>"Anson GoldHammer. Leader of the Amber Anvils Association, er... Triple A for short. Crafter's guild." the portly Dwarf looked ill at ease being put on the spot and seemed eager for the spotlight to move on as he quickly gestured to the next attendee.

>>>An affable Catfolk leaned against a side table, a pot-bellied lute in his paws,"I go by Purrzifal and I'm currently the chief member of the CrafTable guild." He picked a couple of notes on the buttery sounding lute, "Not sure what use a Chef's guild will be when most everything tastes like sawdust, though."

>>>Not one to let silence take hold, Amalee spoke up to fill the void. "Thanks for lead in on a down-note, Purrzifal... I'm Amalee leader of the Lightning Orchestra Guild. We're a support guild and kinda small but all voices are important to be heard. Right?" She sounded confident in herself but simultaneously trying, perhaps, to justify being here. She tapped what could be a wand on the wooden arm of her chair a few times and pointed it at the next person in line. Given Amalee 's Bard Class, maybe instead of a wand it was a conductor's baton?

>>>"Hm? Oh..." the grey skinned elf focused in on the Party, perhaps she'd been distracted listening to a telechat before Amalee brought her attention back to the matter at hand. "Yeah, yeah. I'm Pam but might as well get used to being called Kallissa Darkweb permanently from here on out, I guess. I run ShadowBannd, a combat guild."

>>>"Don't sell yourself short..." the big white furred Wolf-Fang in the chair across from her interjected. "ShadowBannd is an Assassin's Guild." His dark predator's eyes turned from Kallissa to yours, a hint of a smile in his muzzle, "I think you're all acquainted with some of her crew... You met them out in the Dead Zone." He clearly implicated Serena and her crew.
>>>As if to abruptly transition to a different conversation, he clapped his hands on his neatly pressed pants legs and introduced himself, "Jaxxon Ac3s..." spoken aloud, it sounded like Jacks & Aces. "GuildMaster of Dealer's Den. Part brokerage, part commodity traders. If there's something you want, we can get it...for a price...and everything has a price." The man had a way with theatrics and came off as somehow far more oily and dangerous than the leader of the Assassin's Guild beside him.

>>>"Guess that leaves me and Ophelia." the leather clad redhead sat up in her chair.
>>>The elegant Fox-Tail nodded to Elisa. "I run a 'social guild' and she runs an explorer's guild. We used to be the same guild but kind of split off from each other." There was definitely something underlying that story and the way they looked at each other telegraphed that much.

>>>"So, I'm Elisa and I run Wandering Star and she's Ophelia and runs Destiny's Light. I do Ruin Runs and she does...did...do (?) mostly roleplay events. Not sure how that's gonna work now that we're all stuck here." Elisa seemed as confused as to how to address the awkward nature of their new reality.
>>>"That's all of us that showed up, I guess..." she slouched back into her chair, eyes flicking back and forth between the Party and Ophelia.

>>>"Not done yet..." Malbraith tagged in behind Elisa. "I didn't get to meet everybody out in the Dead Zone... I'm Malbraith. I'm in charge of SilverOath Brotherhood. Combat and Raid guild." He cleared his throat and looked around, "Guess going last turned out okay since I was the one that called everyone together. We, the other Guildmasters that came that is..." and that seemed to be a sore point for Malbraith,"We're trying to put our heads together to come to grips with what happened and well...what we need to do about it. Whether there IS anything we can do about it." He shrugged, the familiar look of overwhelming helplessness familiar to most everyone now stuck in this new world felt passed over the big man's face. "Most of you guys came from outside. How is it out there?"

---

>>>Tina added to Max's aside to Calamity while the introductions went around the room. "No limit to the number of guilds in a city. Just whoever wants to hang out or work together. Some have thousands of members, some have maybe 5 members? 5 might be the minimum, I think..." she used for a moment to catch up on the introductions before continuing. "Guy and I are part of the TTV guild and it has, or had, like 4500 members worldwide, I think? It's for people who work making game videos and the people that pay to follow content creators on Twitch TV. It was mainly a career networking thing for us."

Grace replies, "Quite beautiful actually. We went to a town that was small and only populated by NPCs. We saved them from a monster attack! A creature called King Triffid! It was way above our level—and I never played a video game in my life, so whatever Level Math and such a gamer does, I… didn’t. I couldn’t.

"But it was glorious—like being a… superhero? Obviously the NPCs are…" She hesitates, already questioning her perspective on this new world. "Well, no, it isn’t obvious. I think the NPCs are programs, but they could be as real as any of us.

"But the point is, we were so much stronger than them and we used our power to protect them!"

Her eyes are on Kallissa and Jaxx0n as the bard continues her dance around the elephant in the room.