Ujax Proper, Ujax Forest
If there's one thing that the film industry tends to get wrong, it's that predatory beasts like wolves don't typically announce their presence by baying and howling dramatically. After all, why alert their assuredly swift-legged prey to their imminent demise and create more work for the hunter? That's the mark of a sadistic spirit, and nature is nothing if not pragmatic over all else. But for thinking creatures, that deliberate silence can be a give away to those possessed of good instincts.
"Dire Wolf patrol incoming about a quarter-mile away," Reit Alno declares, hopping down from a tree after a few of Wolf Hunt's members expressed their doubts. It's early days for their mastery of Ujax Forest, but the potential that brought it about remains.
Speaking personally, that was also a sense I got, but one formed more by experience than by innate talent. Besides, I well expect that some few of the people in question had some experience of their own from either reality or other VR games. Not everyone in the Meteo City region is completely green, after all, it's just less popular for those who already have skills and experience compared to the allure of Taladi's Waystation and The Town of Forgiveness.
"Beta?" Mr Fathom asks for clarification, and Reit nods seriously, "Hrm. How many regulars?"
"I counted 14 total, Beta included."
I wince. Without a Beta, that many are manageable with little effort. With a Beta, it's like fighting half as many again, not including the Beta's status as an Elite Variant making it a tier above the fodder in terms of strength and tenacity.
"Do you have a plan in mind, Silver?" Mr Fathom looks to me, evaluating.
"Two options, kill the Beta immediately, or keep it busy while we work through the ordinary Dire Wolves," I shrug helplessly, "I don't think we have the ability to handle the Beta being on the board for very long, however, so I recommend the former."
"I see," Mr Fathom murmurs, "Not enough healers, I take it?"
"And an overabundance of damage dealers, yes," I agree, "It'd be good practice for Wolf Lord's Remains to leave the Beta alive 'til the end, but we don't have that luxury, nor is it the point of this excursion."
Party balance being the way it is, leaving the Beta alive would see us harried until barely a quarter of us remained. That isn't to say that bursting down the Beta will be easy either because it's still got a generous health pool, as befits an Elite, but the difficulty of the encounter will drop the moment it's corpse does.
It ought to be pointed out that even with a Beta, the standard tactics of a pack of predatory animals are predictable and one-note, but the danger in having a Beta is that the ability of each attached Dire Wolf to assess the situation and coordinate with it's packmates increases dramatically, as well as the mental processing speed for the same. A little like adding a few extra sticks of RAM.
"That being said, the Trappers should get to work," I conclude, "Every little bit will help."
"Agreed," Mr Fathom turns around and passes the orders on.
The terrain isn't particularly favourable to us, with an abundance of trees making it hard to effectively hold an angle and giving plenty of obstructions that the wolves can use to avoid being peppered with projectiles; additionally, we didn't have a great deal of time nor the ideal traps available. Even just one Basic Caltrop Field would do wonders to reduce the movement of the beasts, but alas, there is no Trapper mentor in Meteo City proper at the moment, since, annoyingly, he travels between settlements every week and he won't arrive for at least two more.
Point of fact, most Trapper NPCs in the Empire of Stone - and most of Firmament's nations, really - are directly in the employ of the military, tasked to defend important locations and counter enemy sabotage attempts. Hunting wild game is more traditionally done by the Ranger subtype of Scouts since their lethality is low and their tools often too expensive to waste on random animals and monsters. A bushel of arrows for maybe 30 Stone Coppers is cheaper than a Trap worth upwards of a Stone Silver.
Complete overkill, but I digress.
"In any case, you should get back in the middle of the formation, Mr Fathom," I instruct, drawing steel, "They're almost here."
By now, the patrol's been alerted to our presence by the scent on the breeze, and I can just about see the huge, imposing figure of the Beta in the distance, in spite of the low light and numerous tree trunks obstructing vision. If the average Ujax Dire Wolf is as about as big as a fully grown adult Firm, then a Beta is like a goddamn truck, close to six and a half feet tall and three feet in length with a jaw that could rip the door off a car and crush iron plating.
This one, specifically, I estimate to be a Level 12-13 Elite based on size, which is pretty high. From what I recall, they can get as strong as Level 14, and Aberrants (Rare semi-unique variants of ordinary Elites) can get to 15.
"Jupiter, throw your crowd control out after they trigger the Traps and start to recover, Windy, you're tanking the Beta, all damage dealers focus it down before the regular Pack can retaliate!" I call out instructions to the expedition, "Get ready! Contact in...12 seconds!"
The Trappers, a little breathless and flushed from having to run back, either pull out crossbows or filter their way into the centre of the formation. A tide of grey fur approaching quickly not long behind them.
"Trappers, now!" Mr Fathom shouts, a half-second faster than myself. The barrels they placed erupt at the perfect time to coat the Dire Wolves in grease, followed by the keening screech from a sonic mine, forcing even those that were able to avoid falling from the grease traps alone to stumble, slip and fall prone.
The only exception, as one might expect, is the Beta, which skids to a halt unsteadily, it's forelegs spreading jerkily. Likely confused, but unwilling to engage the host without it's subordinates to back it up. Unfortunately for it, neither Windy, already en route, nor me and the rest of the melee contingent, following a scant few seconds behind, are willing to let it relax.
Though the grease is obstructive to us as well, as we weren't exposed to the initial blast, the effect is far lower, and friendly fire isn't as big of a consideration pre-RotA. Adding a wrinkle to the increased control we're afforded. In fact, I know of a few people who used field effects like this to their advantage in a fight. One magic swordsman I encountered while running dungeons came up with the idea to turn an area into an impromptu ice rink for him to slip 'n' slide around his opponents - it's effectiveness was limited against certain kinds of opponents, but as gimmicks go it was still workable. Personally, I never saw the appeal of such things, as the more complicated the scheme the more things that can go wrong.
Bringing my sword to bear and lancing forward using Bull Rush with a buffed strike to stab at the Beta's neck, I put my preference for simplicity into practice, chunking the beast for 1201 damage in a single critical hit, my momentum carrying through and toppling it backwards, my sword sliding out as I fall to the ground, the other Fighters crowding into stab and hack at the dazed beast, gouts of blood squirting from it's wounded neck.
"Did a lot more than anticipated," I mutter under my breath, raising the blade again and swinging away like I'm splitting logs. Its vitality, however, proves to be substantial, however, and even under siege like this, it rapidly pulls itself back off the floor, snapping it's wheelbarrow sized jaws at Windy, the closest person to it's wounded and bleeding face, shaking off a few people atop it's flank in the process and forcing the scattered line back.
Unperturbed, Windy slides to the left and gives the extended lupine snout an almighty backhand with her shield. The Beta yelps, high-pitched and agonising, but recovers fast, going for another bite before she can resettle her stance and latching it's jaws around her torso. She grunts, but the new equipment appears to be holding firm even as it's teeth bite into the polished metal, probably not even dealing more than 100 damage with how much Resilience and Armour she has. The Vanguard is lifted from the ground, shaken and tossed away like a sack of potatoes. The regular Dire Wolves begin to recover at the same time, but Jupiter already has a Minor Mespem Sheen in flight at the densest group, and a second spell in progress.
"Speed it up, the adds are almost recovered!" I call out, thrusting the Lonnet's Blanechblett at the presumed location of the wolf's heart, fishing for a vital point to increase the chances of a critical strike. Which makes me the next viable target now that Windy is out of range and the wyvernblood girl is lacking any way of generating and maintaining aggro on the Elite as the highest threat to its life in the vicinity.
Seeing the Beta twist it's hindquarters around to give itself a better angle from which to bite me, I realise the threat quickly. The open maw of the monster presents an excellent opportunity for the brave, it's mouth far less tough than the pelt and muscle. Angling my sword just right, I wait until it's too late for the beast to reconsider it's mistake, and shove it through the roof of it's mouth, the bone plate resists, but with my overall strength and the Beta's own momentum, it strikes true, penetrating deep into it's brain.
Critical Hit!
-854 damage dealt.
Your party has slain the Dire Wolf Beta (Elite)!
Awarding 7800 Experience.
I don't have time to celebrate or retrieve the deeply embedded weapon, unfortunately, a large Dire Wolf lunges at me from behind, my only warning a rush of air flowing around me. Knowing it's futile to try and counter without my sword, I abandon it, immediately pushing away to the side with one leg and lifting the other to kick it mid-air, throwing it off course. Of course, even if my Strength is good for my Level, I'm not an unarmed specialist, so all it really accomplishes is mildly inconveniencing the large canine.
It pounces again, aiming to take down my legs. I can't dodge it very well at this distance, but it becomes an unnecessary concern, Interceptor-empowered Windy barreling into it with her shield at high speed and sending the creature flying away, reminiscent of my own engage method against the Beta.
"Got your back, boss!" Windy assures me with a gleeful voice, not wasting the opportunity she created, launching forward to take it on.
The other wolves are pressing the group hard, a few even breaking away to try and take down our backline combatants. Unfortunately, both Windy's Interceptor and my Bull Rush are on cooldown, so they'll have to fend for themselves until I can retrieve my sword and head back to assist.
With a heavy exhale, the tip of my sword scrapes across the blood-soaked forest floor, and I lean into it while I catch my breath. The main host is, thanks to my nearly-too-late intervention, intact. No deaths, thanks to Jade distracting a couple of Dire Wolves and Mr Fathom's somewhat reckless decision to try and wrestle away the third.
It's clear from those left contending with the bulk of the Dire Wolves that we're in need of a short break, however. Windy is, naturally, completely fine - but the Wolf Hunt melee are far worse off, even with the support of healers. Their equipment and combat standards simply aren't up to snuff, reminding me that the Wolf Hunt I'm familiar with is one that's a few weeks more matured.
Still, they took to the fight with an almost psychotic glee, finally able to vent their irrational hatred for the creatures at long last, so I don't think the beating they took really matters to them all that much. Mr Fathom in particular is giving off a dangerous vibe as he stares hollowly into the eyes of the dead Beta, his thoughts a mystery.
Nonetheless, the harvest from the fight is nothing to scoff at, granting a rough total of 50000 Experience in one go. It makes me dread the dividing line of Level 30, seeing this much progress from a single fight, whereupon the real grind begins, as the approximate value of a single average kill can't even equate to 1% of progress, heralding the prioritisation of Quests, Dungeons and large-scale grinding sessions over multiple weeks. Once a player hits Level 40 and can undergo a Racial evolution, that stops being an issue for a while, the last few Levels prior to that being indicative of the individual breaking through the limits of their physical and mental prime for their species. It's why most low-grade Officers in the Empire of Stone assigned to Internal Affairs (such as the woman whose name I can't quite recall at the Ullis Farmhouse) hover between 25-35, and the 'core combatants' for non-domestic problems are at least Level 40 themselves.
An Elite meanwhile would be somewhere around 80-110, and the highest Levelled NPC in the Empire I know to exist at this time is Level 171. Give or take.
Thinking about that Kleptomaniacal piece of human garbage, my face twists in disgust involuntarily, attracting the attention of Jupiter.
"Did you just, like, swallow a really juicy bug or something? 'cus it's either that or constipation and if it is that you should probably go behind a tree over there or something," The tactless Wizard rambles, "Don't worry, nobody'll pee-"
"Jupiter," I glare at him, shutting him up instantly.
"Sir, yes, sir, shutting up now, sir," He snaps a clumsy salute.
Rolling my eyes, I address Horizon and Grand, "How you two holding up?"
"We're good," Grand confirms, "Just wish I could've pitched in some more."
"Mm, got a few levels from that as well," Horizon mumbles, looking at her attributes window, from the distant look in her eyes, "And...done. All points spent."
"What're you going for?" Grand inquires politely.
"Agility and Perception to start with. Put some points into Dexterity next time," Horizon stretches, then bounces on her toes, "Don't really feel much different, but I think my sense of smell is a bit sharper. Hard to tell."
"Cool. Split mine between Wisdom and Imagination," Grand smiles, looking for all the world like she's the only thing that exists in it, "Having fun?"
"A little," Horizon shrugs, indifferent, then turns to face me, "I take it that this is about the norm for this game?"
"When it comes to level grinding, yeah, more or less," I nod in response, "Bus Passengers like yourself don't really need to do anything to get Experience, but the sooner you catch up, the more engaging it'll be for you and the easier it'll be on me and the others."
"That was a workout," Windy joins the conversation,"This armour's pretty nice, but I can't say I appreciated being made into a chewtoy all the same. How's everyone else?"
"Good," I tell her, standing up properly now that I've caught my breath, wiping the remaining blood off of my Lonnet's Blanechblett, "But we should get the Carcasses stored away and move on. Thank you for the assistance once again, by the way, before I forget."
"It's what I'm here for, boss," Windy brushes my gratitude off, "Kinda felt awkward when I saw a few wolves go to the backline right after I used Interceptor though."
"That was indeed unfortunate," I commiserate, "Hopefully it won't be an issue next time, and the extra Levels for those that got them should make it easier."
The Clearing, Ujax Forest
Thoroughly exhausted, the Expedition comes to a halt in The Clearing, a large grove slanting upwards open to the sky covered in tall grass, herbs and flowers. The most noteworthy features of The Clearing, however, has to be the almost artificial-looking entwining of several unusual trees at the top of a hillock, with a hollow space between them all.
Butterflies and other winged insects flit around the place, and the trilling of small birds combine with the breeze through the grass to provide a calming ambience.
"Made it," Reit sighs, flopping to the floor and leaving a man-shaped imprint in the grass, "Wake me up in an hour..."
The rest of the expedition more or less follow suit, dropping to the floor and taking out refreshments to replenish their stamina. While we didn't encounter any more patrols in The Periphery, when we crossed into the appropriately named Dire Straight, we were harried by another 7 of them almost back-to-back before we made it through here. On the bright side, most weren't as large and didn't have a Beta accompanying them, but three Betas is definitely an arduous task amidst all that.
It was also more than enough to push me through to Level 13, all told, and almost all of the people that were below Level 10 are now eligible to undertake The First Step, which will make the return trip far more bearable.
In theory.
In practice, however, even if we managed to pull through that ordeal by the skin of our teeth, there's been no miraculous growth in combat skill, and the Wolf Hunt members are still wearing the same eclectic mix of tat they were at the start. The improvement will, as such, be negligible.
"That's a curious landmark," Angelus notes, taking a seat next to me, and gesturing towards the hillock, "Any wisdom as to what it might be?"
I'm pretty sure I have an idea, but I feign ignorance, "Nope."
If I recall correctly, it's one of the possible locations that a rare World Boss can spawn. It goes without saying that even if it were to spawn right here and now, we wouldn't be able to even irritate it. We'd need a legion of over 200 well-geared and coordinated Level 40 pluses to consider challenging it.
I've fought it, if only once, a long time ago at one of the other possible spawn locations in the Kingdom of Ghoath. But I was still an amateur at the time, and so were the people I partied with, consisting mainly of opportunists that happened to be nearby wanting to claim it before a Guild or Hunting Party did. So we wiped, and it was dead by the time we got back.
Hell, I don't even remember what it's supposed to drop. I know it's reasonably important, but the details are foggy.
Peering out at it with a hand shadowing her eyes, Jade offers some speculation, "Kind of looks like there might be a platform in the middle of it. Boss arena maybe?"
Astute observation.
"Maybe," Angelus considers it, "Think it's worth checking out, Silver?"
"Another day, perhaps," I shake my head, "Whatever's over there, we're in no fit state to handle it."
Glancing at the tired, chatting expedition members, he tilts his head in concession, "I suppose so."
"Once everyone's rested and the First Steps are taken care of," I look to the sky and estimate the time, "We'll start heading back to the city. We could probably go out The Backwoods as our guide suggested, but I'd prefer to avoid going too far up Ujax Hill if possible, and it'll be more expedient that way."
"What's so bad about Ujax Hill?" Jade questions, trying her level best to keep her distaste in check.
"There's a group of bandits just on the other side of the hill that makes a living hunting animals and other hunters," I ignore the judging look she's giving me, "They shouldn't any higher levelled than anything else around here by much, but they're reasonably well equipped and they have an Elite leading them. There are a few Quests at the Pioneers' Alliance concerning them."
"I recall seeing a few notices about people going missing in the area," Angelus muses, "Before everything went to shit, obviously."
"Yeah. They're small-timers, but they cover their tracks well-enough that they've been able to feign innocence," I take a swig of water, "Not that anybody actually buys it, but prior to the Siege, Meteo City was pretty much a smuggler's paradise anyway, so they've been left to their own devices."
"Sounds like fun," Jade yawns, "Think it's worth checking out once Bird Satan is plucked and cooked?"
"Maybe," I consider it, "Once Arevas' matter is put to rest our next concern is preparing for Wolf Lord's Remains and looking over the applications to the Guild."
"Any good ones?" Angelus takes out a sawmill roll to eat.
"Besides the one from Generous Morning, most of the messages I got were people that apparently can't read, and don't meet the really basic criteria I laid out," I roll my eyes.
"In fairness, wanting people in Meteo City who've passed The First Step is a pretty tall order," Angelus points out, "Most people around here aren't really putting much effort into levelling."
"Granted," I concede the point, "But although the need is urgent, we can afford to wait a few days. I sold a dozen or so strategy guides already, so I expect to see some results by the end of tomorrow."
Though it was for only a handful of real-world currency, which is a lot less valuable to me than in-game currency in the short-term and long-long-term.
It'll pay my rent for the month.
People still can't read in 2100? Some things never change.