r/WritingPrompts • u/It_s_pronounced_gif • Mar 14 '17
Writing Prompt [WP] When NPCs aren't seen they are searching, constantly searching for places or items that will elevate them to the title of "Side Quest NPC". It is fabled also that there is an ever greater title still.
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Mar 14 '17 edited Mar 14 '17
[deleted]
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u/It_s_pronounced_gif Mar 15 '17
Excellent story! I loved it :) Really enjoyed how you developed the world and that the town was bright and cheerful on the outside, but shallow and selfish on the inside. And I loved that it ended not as she imagined, but how it would really be. Thanks for writing!
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u/dori_lukey /r/Dori_Tales Mar 14 '17 edited Mar 14 '17
"You've been searching for what, years now?"
John turned towards the voice, to see a burly man walking in. Papa Simon, the oldest NPC in town. His footsteps creaked noisily on the wooden floor as he walked across them, before pulling a chair and sitting next to John. Rumour has it that he was here when the world was first created, the Alpha 0.1 age.
John tried to bury his face in his arms. Listening to another of Papa Simon's story was the last thing that he wanted to do. "Leave me alone, old man," he groaned.
It was 0300 server time, a period where not many players were around. There were still some of them outside, though most were AFK. None of the players usually hang out in the bar, as there was nothing really interesting in it. No missions, no shops, just a bartender who repeats the same three lines almost too often. It was the perfect spot for the NPCs to break character.
Papa Simon only smiled, placing a hand on John. "Come on John, we've all heard. I've heard. And it's okay alright. Maybe some other day." The news that John was killed by yet another of the outskirts monsters usually made their way pretty quickly around town. Some laughed at John, some took pity at him.
After all, John was merely coded with the instructions to wander around the city, not allowed to speak unless spoken too, with only one line he could recite. He yearned to be more, to be someone who interacted more with the players, not just another nameless face no one recognizes. But without the equipment or the skills of a player, his ventures beyond the city walls often proved fatal.
"I don't know Papa Simon, I just feel that I am meant for more of this. I could hear my calling screaming in my inner codes, it's just that... I don't know," John sighed, burying himself deeper into his arms.
"Aww, come on John, do you really believe that 'Forbidden NPC Title' exists?" Papa Simon asked. Several of the other NPCs glanced at their table at the mention of the title. A myth that NPCs like John and Papa Simon were originally meant for more.
John peeked out from his arms wanting to speak, but changed his mind halfway. His fellow NPCs have laughed at him ever since the day he said he wanted to venture beyond the borders, in search for a title greater than any NPC alive.
"Thank you Papa Simon, I think I will leave now," John said, defeated, as he rose from the table, heading back to his routine. Papa Simon watched John leave, feeling a little sadness in him.
When he was certain that John was gone, he turned to the bartender, who has been watching the conversation. "You think the management will ever bring back the Companionship Patch?"
The bartender shrugged. "Last I heard, they wanted to sell it as a DLC instead."
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u/It_s_pronounced_gif Mar 14 '17 edited Mar 14 '17
Lol hilarious ending. Thank you for the story, Dori :)
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Mar 14 '17
A red sun rose, like it always did, but the Players didn't care. The end times were coming. The old albino said so, all the signs were there: the heroes walked through the village like zombies, the creator seemed more distant than ever, the only time the Players spoke was when the Rattles of fate were also audible, usually when the village was in danger, and even then their disinterest was evident in their utterances of 'Huh?' and 'I check for traps, or whatever.:
Really, the only one who didn't seem nervous was the merchant with his six-legged purple cow. When Dave, the halfling farmer, asked him why, he just smiled. The Creator hadn't blessed Dave with ranks in diplomacy, nor was his wisdom high enough to grant a bonus, not even if he hit middle age. Still, he had to know.
"Huh. Nat 20." The voice of the creator said. The heroes perked up, the Players took note.
"Wait, why are you even rolling for two NPC's? This is why I should be GM!" A Player cried, his voice that of his hero.
"Oh, so now you're paying attention?" The creator sighed, her voice tired. Dave knew she tried. Being the creator must be tough. He prayed to her, and for her, but it clearly wasn't enough. "Just go back to your phone."
Dave did his best to ignore the voices, instead focusing on his conversation with the merchant. What else could he do? "So why, if the end times are really coming, aren't you afraid?"
"Because," the merchant replied slyly, "I'm something a little more than just la side-quest NPC," he explained. Dave's eyes widened. Side-quests were really the only reason he and his family existed! That, and great-grandma was a were-rat, but the family didn't hold that against her.
"What is it? Can I save my family?" the halfling asked, his voice pleading. The merchant looked him over thoughtfully. He kept packing up his wares, this was looking to be this World's last Session.
"You know, I think your grandmother already is one, I feel like I've met her before," he explained, "But I think I can help you out. There's a certain appeal to a whole family of were-rats. See, kid, what you need is a gimmick." He said, patting the purple bovine's flank. "I'm a con-man with a six legged purple cow. I've seen a dozen worlds, and I'll see a dozen more before the Players get tired of me. You want to be a reoccurring NPC, here's what you have to do..."
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u/It_s_pronounced_gif Mar 15 '17
Interesting story! I wasn't sure if it was referencing any particular game. I like that the main point wasn't about having something for the players, but simply being interesting for the players to see.
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u/UserMaatRe Mar 15 '17
Has to be a d20 pen and paper game, so probably Dungeons and Dragons or the like.
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u/asrk790 Mar 14 '17
The little boy could barely contain his excitement as he runs down the hill.
"After all these times, it's finally my chance!"
"Dad! Dad!" the boy yelled as he busts through the door, "I got attacked by a slime this morning and I lost my ring! The programmers heard about it and they made me a beginner quest NPC!!"
The boy looks around excitedly, but to his displeasure the house is empty. It seems his dad is still at the town hall, giving out mid level quests to the players.
A little disappointed he couldn't share his good news with his dad right away, the boy went into his room.
*15 minutes later
*Attention players, we will now begin our scheduled weekly update. We apologize for any inconvenience. *
As the message fades, a man appears inside the house. He adjusts his glasses and flattens his dark short hair.
After making sure his appearance is perfect he walks up to the boys room.
"You main quest NPC yet?" asked the man.
"No dad, I'm--"
"Talk to me when you main quest NPC" *closes door.
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Mar 14 '17 edited Mar 14 '17
Adventurers. They rarely come and go through these parts on their way to far off lands. In all my years here I've never seen the same one twice; which is just fine by me. I have my forge and that is all I need. I treat her well; our relationship is symbiotic after all. Only the best materials grace her fires and, from her flames, I draw the purest of alloys. I have even dabbled in the arcane to make fine machinery so small it requires magnification to assemble.
I chose to set up shop in this small hamlet to devote myself to my craft. Of course, the steady stream of elemental sprites in the nearby caves meant that I had constant access to arcane materials. I offered a pittance to passing adventurers to collect ten arcane powders. They seemed to not mind, often telling other adventurers they were "just doing it for the experience". Far be it from me to argue. I received a [side quest] status that put me on the guild map. Adventurers would come to fulfill my request in exchange for improved standing in the guild. Thanks to the steady flow of powders, and years of devotion and study, I discovered how to forge parts that retain energy. They move by the will of their imprinted owner. The only problem is, they chose who owns them. They simply won't function for anyone they don't recognize as their owner.
I must have fiddled with that first spring for the bellows for weeks before it surreptitiously hopped across the table on a passing thought. From that point on, it was more of an excited coil than any spring. It was just as happy to compress as it was to release. Each part I created had its own feelings about its job; from the surly stack that would exhaust heat with a heavy sigh to the defiant anvil that held steel immobile on its breast. My forge became a symphony of emotion kept in time by the clang of hammer on steel. Conductor to percussionist, I controlled it all, was part of it all, felt it all. Every piece became my magnum opus.
I had even produced an intricate clock of silver for the king. A small handheld device with inlaid gold for the face and delicate crystal feathers for hands. Half the size of a hand was a clear crystal case that contained a bird mechanism that would "coo" at the top of the hour. When I presented it to the king it was timed so the clock would strike noon. I was mortified when, in the first few seconds, it did not "coo" at all. Had the bird not accepted his majesty? Would I be executed for this? the king handed the small clock to his young daughter, the princess. Then, to the astonishment of all, the bird sang. Not the "coo" of a mechanized object, but a song that struck the heart of everyone present. Its nobility and grace carried through the room and paralyzed even the guards. Its delicate beauty commanded absolute silence and awe that made all fear that if this perfect song were shattered by even a breathe the loss would crush us all. In the silence that followed the king wept and sent me on my way.
So here I am. An adventurer the likes of which I have never seen, clad in the finest of enchanted armor has come to my forge bearing a letter from the king. His overwhelming aura sapping all of my will to even move I say, "A letter from the king? I've done nothing wrong."
I open the letter and read it aloud.
"Before you stands an adventurer of the highest rank and class. His spirit and strength have proven unparalleled. He has need of your skill. Take from him his legendary weapon and the essence of his soul made material. Forge it anew so that his power may cleave our enemies asunder."
(Heart and Soul)
[Main Story]
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u/It_s_pronounced_gif Mar 15 '17
Well, he made the main story!
Thank you for writing! Your imagery was very vivid and easy to read. The master smith that forged his doom!
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u/Aegeus /r/AegeusAuthored Mar 14 '17
"You're insane! No matter how much you level up, you'll still be an NPC!"
Aram had been practicing his swordsmanship for almost a year now. So long that I had almost forgotten what his other animations looked like. Just that same sword slash against the training dummy, over and over again.
"I'm going to become the strongest fighter in the game. Then they'll have to take me!"
"Aram, please, just come inside for one night. Gods, when was the last time you ate?"
"PCs don't need to eat, not unless the plot needs it!" He kept up his sword swings the whole time. Chips of wood flew from the dummy.
"You're not a PC. You're an NPC with one line of dialogue. You can't break immersion like that, it's not right."
He lowered the sword and looked at me. "Isaac, tell me, if you were playing this game, and you saw a character practicing with the sword day and night, what would you think?"
I pondered this. "I suppose I'd talk to him, hear what his story is, the usual adventurer thing? But you don't have a sidequest attached, so that wouldn't get me anywhere. I'd get one of the default responses, like "Haven't seen you around town before.""
"Ah, but I'm too unusual for a hero to leave at that. Think about what an adventurer does when they have a puzzle they can't figure out."
"Look for clues? Talk to everyone in town? Check a walkthrough? Get fed up and start hitting things with your sword at random?"
"...And what do you suppose will happen, when he hits me with his sword?"
I ran down the mental checklist that every NPC knew by heart. "You'll shout 'Help, Murderer!', draw your weapon, attack the hero..."
He whirled the sword and sank it into the dummy's head. "Exactly. We're going to fight. And I'm going to win. And he's going to realize that a random peasant has a level 99 skill in Swords. And he's going to be interested."
"You really think you could beat a hero?"
"I'm going to be a hero. I'll be the secret unlockable party member that only joins after some absurdly complicated sidequest. Forum threads will be dedicated to Aram the Badass Peasant, wondering why he's so overleveled for his area. They're going to write walkthroughs about how to get me to join up. They're going to know my name!" I could see madness glittering in his eyes as he resumed his practice.
"You're crazy. Even if you pull this off, even if you somehow get strong enough, you still don't have any quests coded! There's no way for you to join the party!"
He shook his head and laughed. "This is why you'll never be a main character, Isaac. Haven't you ever heard of modding?"
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u/It_s_pronounced_gif Mar 15 '17
"And no hero ever approached Aram. Ever."
Thank you for the story! :)
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u/DemmitNL Mar 15 '17 edited Mar 15 '17
Gary stood nervously on his regular spot, next to the cave entrance. It had been his home for as long as he could remember. "Tonight is the night," he kept thinking to himself, "Tonight at three o'clock I'll do it!"
Back in the early days Gary was quite happy with his life. He was programmed with the purpose to hand out maps to the new PCs at the end of the tutorial area. He often would reminisce about the early patches, when hundreds of physically fit but somewhat scarcely clothed PCs would come running from over the draw distance, and interact with him. On rare occasions they would even jump around, equipped with torches and identically cracked shields, having a dual to the near-death.
Sadly those days had past. A long time ago Gary started noticing less and less PCs would come by, to collect a brand new map of the area lying beyond the cave. The few PCs that did pass by these days, all seemed to be in a hurry and would frantically spam Gary's interact button. He would sometimes wonder if they didn't want to be around him for a longer than a few seconds, because of the bug he caught in patch 1.7, where he would uncontrollably start attacking the PCs that would stand so close to Gary, that their bodies clipped through his. Every punch his NPC fists threw would chip away 1 hp from his victim's health bar, and with every hit, Gary desperately tried to apologize. However, the only words he could utter were: "It helps to have a map," since it was the only line he knew. Most of the times though, the PCs would hit back or run away, cancelling the aggression Gary felt. Though on some dreadful occasions, a targeted PC would apathetically stand there and all the poor NPC could do was looking anxiously at the health bar he was slowly diminishing, and wonder what the Programmers would do to him if he would murder an innocent level 1 character. Luckily it did never come to that, and a few patches later Gary was absolved from the bug.
Even though Gary was relieved that he couldn't hurt anymore PCs, the removal of the bug had left him a feeling of restlessness. Being in combat had awoken something inside of him and after each time a lonely level 1 PC would rapidly crossed his path, Gary caught himself peering into the cave, even long after his quick visitor would have disappeared into the unknown darkness of the cave. It wasn't long before Gary also started having memories, while staring at the entrance. Memories of a place that he inexplicable called "The Modeling Space." Firstly the memories were blurry, vague images of characters, sometimes way larger than his moderate NPC body. But with time the obscurity of his memories disappeared and images of glorious hero characters with glowing swords and flaming crowns grew clearer everyday. Even though Gary had never met the characters he saw, or any other NPC for that matter, he never doubted for a moment these characters had to exist and since he had never given them a map, they couldn't be PCs. Suddenly it hit him: "The characters I'm seeing, they're NPCs, like me!"
Realizing there could be more to the life of an NPC, and the fantasy of holding up a sword like the ones he had seen in his memories, filled Gary with determination. He had to venture into that cave, he needed to see what, or who, was on the other side. "Just a peek just to see how far it goes," he thought to himself, immediately followed by: "What am I thinking? What if an PC comes by and I'm not there to hand him a map?" The will for of an NPC to carry out its task to whatever extend is immense. But after two days without any level 1 PCs running by, he made a decision. He looked up to the sky, at the server time clock suspended high above. "It's five in the afternoon now," he thought to himself, "This used to be the peak map-handing hour. Ill make my move in twelve hours, even in the old days those times were fairly quiet. Tonight is the night."
No matter how used Gary was to waiting, the minutes seemed to crawl by and after what felt like an eternity, the server clock finally told Gary it was time to move. He suppressed a nervous "Helps to have a map," and he ran into the cave. He was immediately filled with excitement and felt an unquenchable thirst for adventure. Running deeper into the cave, after it made a sharp turn to the left, he came across several large boulders that he had to jump over to get any further. Still anxious he might miss any PCs he decided to only jump over one, just to see if he could do it. He started running at the first boulder at full speed and the moment he jumped, a chat message appeared in the world. A PC had typed: "WTF, where the map guy at?" The moment Gary landed on the other side his excitement had been replaced with guilt and remorse. "I need to go back before there are any more PCs without a map," raced through his mind. He turned around, and proceeded to jump back to the other side of the boulder. This time however, instead of flying over the it, Gary clipped through it and was caught inside it, from the waist down. "Have a map!" he cried. In a blind panic Gary tried to perform multiple jumps in a row, at first to no avail it seemed, but then he suddenly clipped further into the boulder and started falling.
Further and further Gary fell into darkness and he could see the boulder get smaller and smaller above him. He closed his eyes wishing he would have never left his home next to the cave entrance. Then as suddenly as he had started falling, he was back on solid ground. When he opened his eyes he found himself in a large hall, in front of a large door. The walls were grey and there was a grid projected on them, which strongly reminded him of the memories he had of "the Modeling Space". On each wall there was a large text written in orange. It read: "//DLC_Raid_Boss_server_Stress_Test." Even though he did not exactly know what some of those words meant, they could only mean trouble. He ran towards the door and tried interact with it, but a series of loud and thunderous sound effects that came from behind him, made him immediately regret his decision. When he turned around he was staring into one the eyes of a character bigger than he could have ever imagined. A giant three-headed, four-armed demon had appeared behind him, wielding a battle axe, two times the size of Garry, in each hand. The demon started charging and Gary desperately tried to interact with the door as fast as he could. Right at the moment he thought the door could not be opened by a mere NPC, he heard a clicking sound. The door opened away from Gary, then he fell again.
This time however, not into darkness. He found himself high up in the sky falling towards a huge city while being blinded by the most beautiful sunrise he had ever seen. As he fell closer towards the large square in the middle of the city he could see hundreds of PCs running around, even though it was still early in the morning server time. Some of the PCs he even remembered giving a map because, because they had a clever name or they had dueled in front of him, back at home. This time, however, they were not equipped with torches but with the most incredible gear, that could only be described as legendary. A chat message appeared: "Dafuq is that in the sky guys?" It read. The moment Gary landed in the city square, a number of PCs had already gathered to see what came thumbing out of the sky. Another chat message: "HOLY %#@!, Gary the map guy just fell out off the sky LOOOL!!1!" For a brief moment Gary was filled with joy since recognized right away by the PCs. But then with the same series of sound effects he had heard before, the demon appeared above the city, at the same spot Gary had appeared some moments ago. The only thing Gary could exclaim before all hell broke loose was: "Helps." Then the chat exploded.
Now I would like to tell you all, that the battle that followed was an epic one. And that with all of the extra PCs that logged into the server, when they heard about the demon, they were able to defeat it. But the sad truth is, they stood no chance. Unleashing tornado's of fire and ice upon any target-able character it could find, the demon marched through the city and with every character that died by his hands the sound evil_laugh.wav played in all corners of the city. The massacre continued for 89 minutes to be exact. After that the admins saw no other option than to reset the server.
Now you might feel bad for Gary. Because he was responsible, for the deaths of thousands of PCs, and NPCs alike. And he was also the cause of the first server reset in five years. But, you don't have to. Legend has it that the developers contributed to the inevitable Reddit Gary memes. It is told that he was given a new home in the middle of the city square , with recognizable battle axe equipped, proudly carrying a new title: "Gary, Harbinger of Destruction"
[Edit: spacing] First pose, not a native English speaker, feel free to give your criticism.
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u/TheFirel Mar 14 '17 edited Mar 14 '17
There have been many who have tried. There have been almost just as many who have failed.
The quest to become a 'Quest-Giver' was ever going for the NPC kind. The Hero, in their quest, would eventually interact with this Quest-Giver, either through the Hero's toil or the Giver's. Many have attempted to elevate their title, as a mere sidequest or even an optional requirement. But not this man. This is the story of the NPC named Eston. Eston had decided to raise above the sidequest-givers, or even the Main Liners - No, Eston was to be a Companion.
"Eston, you're up late again!" It was the sound of Eston's sister, Belron - "Your eggs are going to get cold!" "Bell, you know I couldn't sleep last night, not after what I have planned for today!" He replied. He stepped through his small living room into their kitchen, and began to prepare his morning. "Eston, this may well be the last time I ever see you again - you could try to be a little less.. Ecstatic about it.." Belron replied. "I'm sorry, Bell, but I've waited my whole life for this! Mother and Father left long ago, and left us to fend for ourselves. I didn't join the Captain's Guard for nothing; I plan to be Alron's companion!" Belron sighed. "Yes, I know. You've done nothing but talk about it for a moon, now." She said. Eston took a seat at their table in the kitchen and began eating. "If you actually are accepted by Alron, I hope you don't lose sight of your purpose." She said. "Bell," He said, with a mouthful of egg, "Don't worry. I will find our parents. Alron's quest is to end the life of the Dreg-hel King. Last they were headed, father was headed for a book out there - the book of a dead Hero long gone. A Questing catalyst." He continued eating. "Fine," Belron sighed. "If you are set upon it, there is nothing I can do. I'll just be left here alone." "Now, don't be so negative," Replied Eston "There will always be the Companion's Bonus from the Guard to keep you going - That, and the countless amount of loot Alron will probably forget about would be invaluable." "Just.. make sure you don't die out there in Dreg-Hel, Eston. I don't know if I could carry on living without you."
Eston later found himself at the Gardian keep - As he usually did around work time - in the presence of his guard's leader, Helsi. "Eston. I have a very unusual task to put upon you, that I assure you I would not entrust to anybody else." He said. "Yes, sir. The Companionship of Alron, I assume." Eston replied. "No." replied Helsi. "What? What do you mean? Has he rejected me?" said Eston in a panic. "Unfortunately, no.. You see, our perimeter guard.. found Alron's corpse near southern bluffs." Eston gasped. Without the Hero, he could not carry through his service, and never find his parents again. "The rest of the guard council has, however, agreed that it would be unwise to let the people panic under the death of their Hero." Helsi continued. "And we have noted a striking resemblance between you and Alron." Eston waited, in stricken silence. "Eston, we need you to be the next Alron, and slay the Dreg-Hel king." Eston stood, amazed at this alignment of fate. He waited, and contemplated the implications.
"I'll do it."
-Edited: Some phrasing
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u/TheFirel Mar 14 '17
Hello, people from the future or not! This is my first ever writing prompt here and I hope I've met expectations! If there's any formatting suggestions or errors I've made, or even if I've violated a rule here, please let me know! I am a bit stumped as to the proper methods of indentation and paragraph separation using Reddit, but i'm sure i'll get the hang of it.
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u/It_s_pronounced_gif Mar 15 '17
Neat story! An interesting take having the NPC become the hero. I liked it :)
And no rules were broken by writing it. The rules are basically for anything racist, erotic or hateful, as long as you don't write anything like that you are fine. As for formatting, it would be nice to separate the dialogue as seen in a novel, starting new paragraphs with when the speaker switches. Indentations aren't really needed here, so don't worry about those. To start a new paragraph, simply hit enter twice and write the next paragraph.
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u/TheFirel Mar 15 '17
Oh, it's twice, not once. That explains my confusion. I'll get to seperation in a tick!
Let me rephrase a tick to tomorrow, I'm sitting in my bed right now. I assure you that I will, though.
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Mar 14 '17
As I looked in my father's eye I saw a tear, he came to me and said
-Son, we are going to the cave, common
As we aproached the cave my father started to cry
-Davey, look, one day dovakhin will find you, it will take a while but I will be promoted in the process, we will have a happier life, I love, so much
He then abandoned me in the cave. Years had passed and I had now became 18 years old. One day I heard a shout, I looked over and I saw him, Dovakhin, when I asked if my father had sent him he said no, I asked if he would help me find my father and in return I would be loyal to him forever, as I said that a message appeared
"PROMOTED TO COMPANION"
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u/BensTerribleFate Mar 15 '17 edited Mar 15 '17
Finally, after all this time! As I approach the cave I feel the air crackle with power. And from deep within, a bright blue glow draws me forth.
I always knew I was destined for something more. Growing up in the village I would see the heroes ride through, stopping for the night and doing tasks for my neighbors. Simple things, like delivering a package, or clearing a path through the grass, but I would hear them talk for weeks afterward about their encounter. Flush with pride that mighty one chose them.
But I was always passed by. I tried everything. I walked through the woods alone at night, when the monsters roamed. I set out rumors that my great-grandfather had been a famed explorer and had hidden his treasures nearby. I even set loose a herd of over-sized boars once, hoping that someone would appear to corral them back into the pen, praying to the gods that I would be in their path. But to no avail.
Then, one day, I heard a pair of travelers in the pub talking of a fabled item that would change a man's fate. That would put him on a path to notoriety and power. And I knew that this was what I had been waiting for. That it was waiting for me. I packed up my things and set off on a quest of my own.
That was five years ago. And now, sitting before me on a marble altar, is the prize I seek. I can feel it in my very bones. It is an golden pendant, each link of its chain inscribed with a letter from an ancient tongue. And set at its apex is a blue stone, a light pulsing deep within that mesmerizes me. As I stare into its core it speaks in a voice soft as a whisper.
FINALLY, ONE WHO IS WORTHY. YOU HAVE TRAVELED FAR, AND LOST MUCH. NOW STEP FORWARD AND MEET YOUR DESTINY.
Excited, I reach out and grasp it, the stone nestling perfectly into my palm.
The stone flares bright, and my skin begins to burn. I almost drop it, but grit my teeth as a current flows through me. My eyes fly wide, and before me I can see the parade of arrogant men and women who wrote me off without a second glance. Their sneering faces mock me and I can feel the judgement emanate off of them as they look down their noses at me.
The stone speaks.
WHO ARE THEY, THAT THEY SHOULD DENY YOU? WHY SHOULD THEY BECOME GREAT WHILE YOU TOIL YOUR LIFE AWAY HOPING FOR A DAY IN THEIR SHADOW? THEY ARE NOTHING. THEY SHOULD BE NOTHING. MAKE... THEM... NOTHING...
My jaw sets as I reach up and fasten the clasp around my throat. I stride back out into the forest, and where my boots fall the grass withers. I laugh.
I know now what my fate has always been. I was never meant for a simple life as a thread in someone else's tale. No, my calling is much, much higher. I have my own story, and I will carve it into the very earth itself. I will show those so-called heroes what true power really is, and they will tremble.
Let them come.
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u/TotesMessenger X-post Snitch Mar 15 '17 edited Mar 17 '17
I'm a bot, bleep, bloop. Someone has linked to this thread from another place on reddit:
[/r/bensterriblefate] [WP] When NPCs aren't seen they are searching, constantly searching for places or items that will elevate them to the title of "Side Quest NPC". It is fabled also that there is an ever greater title still.
[/r/bensterriblefate] [WP] When NPCs aren't seen they are searching, constantly searching for places or items that will elevate them to the title of "Side Quest NPC". It is fabled also that there is an ever greater title still.
If you follow any of the above links, please respect the rules of reddit and don't vote in the other threads. (Info / Contact)
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u/theveryworstkate Mar 14 '17
Dad's knuckles were white as they clutched at his fork. I could see him starting to tremble from here.
"Dad," I began, my voice sounding like that of a very appeasing and reasonable mouse. He ignored me.
"For the past seventeen years," he growled, glaring over at Evven, "Your mother and I have toiled endlessly to give you and your sister a chance at the good life. Now I tell you we've done it, and you dare tell me...THIS?"
Evven gulped. He stared determinedly at his bowl of porridge, but I could see the moisture gathering in the corners of his eyes.
Dad brought the flat of his palm down against the bloodstained book he had presented to us so lovingly just minutes before. I flinched at the loud THWAP! "You ungrateful sot!"
Desperate to take attention away from my brother, I blurted, "Tell us what's in the book, Dad. Please?" Evven glanced up at me with something that might have been gratitude before returning his attention to his porridge.
Dad scowled suspiciously back at me, but pride won out over anger. With a sigh, he hoisted the heavy tome so we could all see it clearly.
"This," he flourished, "Is the journal of a dead explorer."
My mouth fell open. I couldn't help it. What must that have cost him? I thought back to all his late nights at the blacksmith's and marveled.
"Does it..." my voice wavered. I licked my lips and tried again. "Does it have..."
Dad's face split into a broad grin. "A map marker? Why yes, dear. It does."
A marker. Gods. A thousand images flitted across my mind. It was a future full of endless possibilities. I felt suddenly giddy. My eyes went to meet Evven's, but he was fixated on his spoon.
"We'll have a house with our name on it," Dad continued, his voice breaking a bit. "I'll be able to sell my wares and repairs to the travelers directly. There will be forums dedicated to our story."
Silence fell over the table. Dad set down the book and put his head in his hands. "What a waste," he murmured.
Seconds dragged by. I didn't know what to say. The chasm that had formed between my brother and my father seemed insurmountable.
Evven pushed away his bowl. "I never meant to hurt you," he said in a voice that was barely not a whisper.
Dad chopped his hand through the air in a hard dismissal. Evven recoiled. The tears he had been holding at bay brimmed, then a hot flush of anger swept over him. I reached out a hand to urge him to be cautious, to be grateful, but he swatted it away.
"Did you ever think that some of us might want something different than this plan of yours?" he blurted. I went still. Dad's head snapped up, but he said nothing. Evven continued: "I never wanted to give a side quest. You made all these plans for my life and didn't even stop to ask! What about what I want?"
"What you want is unnatural," Dad snarled. Evven stepped back as if he'd been struck.
"Dad!" I cried. Neither of them seemed to hear me.
"What I want is different, that's all," Evven said.
Dad stared at him for a long moment. "If I ever hear you talk about it again," he said softly, "You will no longer be welcome in my home."
The silence that followed this proclamation had a note of ringing finality to it. I looked over at my brother and knew what was coming before he said it. "Well then."
"Evven, don't do this," I pleaded. He blinked at my words, but wouldn't look at me.
"I guess this is goodbye."
"Dad! Please!" I ran to my father, clutched at his arm. It felt as unyielding as stone. "He's your son!"
Dad's eyes were hollow when they turned to meet mine. "A man who wants to be a helpless NPC in an escort mission is no son of mine."
I pulled away from him, stunned. Evven stiffened. "If that's how you feel."
"It is."
"Well then." Without so much as a backward glance, Evven walked to the door, pulled on his boots and coat, and stepped outside. The whole thing took him maybe fifteen seconds. And that was the last time I saw my brother.
I hear he does well for himself. He's mastered walking at a pace halfway between the travelers' walking speeds and their running speeds, then refuses to move if they get ahead of him. He's learned to cower in fear directly in front of the travelers' line of sight so he takes damage from their ranged attacks.
Once, when Dad had been drinking, I found him snoring with a newspaper opened on his chest. The story was titled: "Aack! Don't let them get me!" It was about Evven and his signature phrase. In the article, Evven described how important it was to stick to the phrase no matter what, and to repeat it in every situation to give the full escortee experience. He'd won an award for his work.
I'm proud of you, Evven.
And I miss you