EFate: An MMO Story

Laughing, the trio entered the militia barracks. The room was the fullest Eric had ever seen it. The unused benches and old tables were filled with people of all types. Elves, dwarves, men, halflings, old, short, fat, tall, all types of people had gathered at Alistair's call. Finding a table, Eric and the others sat down, anxiously awaiting the entrance of the grizzled militia captain.

Precisely one hour after the message had been sent, the door to the captain's quarters opened up, and Alistair stepped out. Surveying the gathered militia, he hmph'd softly, making his way to the speaker's dais at the front of the room. Dusting off the lectern, he coughed lightly, instantly causing silence to fall over the room.

"Thank you. Now then, as you all know, the Battle of Lichfrost, where merely two days ago, we fought against the vanguard of the goblin horde, resulted in our victory. However, while we won the battle, the war has only just begun."

Hearing Alistair's words, the militia shuffled uncomfortably. Several members that Eric recognized as native Novanalbans had especially grim looks upon their face which made them stand out in stark contrast from the players, whose eager faces betrayed their anticipation to receive a new quest.

"Many of the goblins fled south, rather than fleeing back to their strongholds back north. In addition, we have cause to believe that they have been sent reinforcements. These goblins now infest the northern reaches of our kingdom, emerging from the dens and caves they've occupied to indiscriminately attack merchants and travellers. As militia, it is our duty to defend the citizens of our kingdom who cannot defend themselves. This goblin scourge must be eradicated! We cannot allow the Ironfrost King to think that the citizens of Novanalba are the type to take these attacks lying down. Do you understand me?" Alistair asked sharply, his gaze piercing the gathered militia.

Letting out an affirmative roar, the militia acknowledged their captain's request, earning a rare smile from the aged captain. His lips quirking upwards slightly as he gazed at his loyal soldiers.

"Good. Now then, this operation will not be a single-day affair as the Battle of Lichfrost was. The goblin menace is spread across the Lunbrengur Region, and all the way down to the northernmost part of the Nothberum Region."

As he spoke, Alistair waved to the wall behind him. Watching carefully, Eric's eyes widened as he watched an enormous ball of light appear behind Alistair. Violet strands of mana wove together quickly, forming the outline of a strange form that Eric didn't quite recognize. Coming together, the strands of mana began to writhe, as the light began to solidify, its form became apparent. It was an enormous map.

Surrounded by water to the east, and parts of the south, an enormous landmass dominated the centre of the map. The shape of the landmass was similar to that of a vaguely diagonal line, with the southernmost tip slightly further to the east than the northermost tip. To the west, and parts of the south, the map was significantly less detailed, with clear borders separating the less detailed portion from the main landmass. As Eric took in the scene in front of him, Alistair called for attention. Ignoring the stunned looks worn by many of the militia, Alistair pointed to the map.

"The goblins have established dens along the most heavily trafficked roads in the Lunbrengur Region," using a dagger, Alistair pointed to several thick lines on the upper part of the map. As he did so, blinking red dots of various sizes appeared, glowing softly against the faint violet glow of the map. "The red dots symbolize known goblin positions. They are well equipped, and much stronger than the typical goblins in the region. Many of the existing goblin tribes have also been absorbed into the new dens. Those that were not absorbed have been mostly exterminated or driven south. I reiterate, these are not the goblins you are used to fighting. These goblins are strong, trained soldiers here on what appears to be a mission from the Ironfrost King himself. Underestimate them at your own peril," Alistair's eyes went hard at this, his gaze sweeping the room as he ensured that he had the attention of the gathered militia.

"Your mission is to root out the goblins. Destroy their strongholds, and force them away from our settlements. As to how you are to go about this, the high command has given us full authority. Like I said earlier, this is not going to be a one day expedition, but an operation that will last weeks. So, with that said, I am going to allow you to operate under your own discretion."

Pausing, Alistair assessed the reactions of the room before continuing. "Form groups and attack the goblins. You may attack on your own if you wish, but I would not recommend it. Even the smallest dens contain no less than twenty goblins," pointing to the map, Alistair rested the tip of his dagger against a barely visible dot. "The bigger the mark, the more powerful the goblin presence is. As such, I would recommend forming parties of at least five to ten people. For bigger dens, the militia captains will help you assemble groups large enough to attack. Now then, this map and others like it will be present in all militia barracks across Novanalba. Use them to select your targets, report to the local militia captain for your reward. Any questions?"

Raising his hand, a tall, dark-skinned elf near the front addressed Alistair.

"What are the rewards, Captain?"

"The same rewards as normal hunting. Only more of them. That means extra pay, equipment, and promotions based upon your contributions. Bonuses will also be given out to those who lead their own squads as well as those who raise exceptional merits. Does that satisfy your question?"

"Yes, Captain!"

"Are there any other questions?"

"Yes, what about the rewards? The ones for taking part in the Battle of Lichfrost?" a short halfling sitting near the front asked.

"The rewards for the Battle of Lichfrost are still being recquisitioned from the Novanalban High Command. We expect them to arrive within the week. Do not fear, you will all be notified when the rewards come in."

Seemingly satisfied by this answer, the halfling nodded. Seeing that the halfling's question had been answered, Alistair addressed the barracks once more.

"Are there any more questions?"

Silently, the militia stared back at their captain.

"Good. The operation will henceforth be known as Operation: Northhome. Plan your assaults, prepare your gear, and hone your skills. Show those monsters why Novanalba belongs to us! Militia, you are dismissed!"

Letting out an affirmative roar, the militia members waited for Alistair to get down from the dais before standing up themselves. Stretching his arms above his head, Eric was just about to open his mouth to speak when Alistair's voice echoed through the hall once more.

"Kystfyr, a word please," he said, his voice rising above the din as he motioned for Eric to follow him with a quick jerk of the head before entering his office.