《Delvers》Chapter 16 - Answers
Advertisement
4 Questions. I would be a waste to ask about that, wouldn't it? Yes. Yes, it would be. Come on. Focus. It's time for answers. What tot ask first? Actually, I know what I want to know. The Warlock took a calming breath and focussed back on the androgenous figure that lay in a couch formed from cloud stuff. My life got very weird, very fast. Time to adapt.
"What's with the titles and names?"
The Diviner looked at her and laughed. "Good question to start with I suppose. I can be rather strange from an outside perspective." They sat up straight seemingly taking it more seriously. The cloud-like structure they sat on moved with them, forming a chair instead of the couch. They began speaking in a voice that made her remember one of her older professors, maybe this person was older than they looked.
"The titles and names come from the international nature of the community. Initially, some of us tried to introduce ourselves but it seemed that the translation magic in place has a counterbalance, as we could not understand each other. I suppose it can also be seen as a privacy measure; you should be more careful with your identity. We are after all far more powerful than average. Anyway, it comes down to the fact that the titles are the only thing that seems to translate properly. You could wear a name badge if you really wanted, but I wouldn't. Whatever magic is at work here might take offense."
Something about that seemed wrong to The Warlock. It almost sounded like some kind of AI was behind this magic. The Diviner spoke as if the magic that allowed for translation and the delving process was alive. She supposed that with the tablets, an AI might not be so farfetched. It also brought up a second question, so she went and asked it.
Advertisement
"How do those tablets work? Also, please don't say magic."
The Diviner sighed. "Well. That is a bummer. I can honestly say that I have no idea. They seem to interact with our biology though. High level physical delvers are superhuman in ability. Even us spellcasters are significantly faster and stronger at high levels."
That was something to consider. If what they said could be believed, she fell into the category of spellcaster. That alone could give her more information when speaking with others here. It also seemed that the levels not only increased her magical power, but also physically changed her. She really had to do a deep dive in the tablet and figure out if there was some kind of measurement or data she could look at. That was all for later though, for now she had two more questions to ask.
She had more than 2 questions though. She wanted to know more about this whole street, this delver community, the cash in her bank account and many more things. Deciding to prioritize, she discarded the questions about money. She probably wasn't the only one thinking about that and someone else in the community might know and they might not be weird about answering questions. That did bring something else to the forefront. The community. She was a part of it now and she had no idea how everything worked. She had to get some basic answers so she wouldn't be scammed by the first one with bad intentions. But what to ask? This person seemed to be the rules for all intends and purposes. Hell, The Rogue had listened to them, and she seemed to be the anti-authority type.
"Do I need to pay protection money or something?"
"Oh honey, no. It seems that I have made a wrong impression. While almost all listen to me in The Street, it is not out of fear. I am The Diviner; I have answers about the future and those answers come at the cost of favors."
Advertisement
Well, that is terrifying. How many favors must they own by now? Better stay on their good side. The Warlock had worked with plenty annoying bosses in her more mundane life, and it never paid to piss them off without a safety net. One question left. She had to think about this one. She could ask about the future or something similar. If they told her the stock market a day in advance, she could make a lot of money. Though that was a risk, maybe it would be impolite or show greed. Never a good idea to show that kind of weakness. Also, they might not even value money here.
Actually, that gave her an idea. From her name she could assume there was only one Warlock and while she couldn't do anything unique yet. It could be that eventually some of her powers could be extremely useful to others. If she was going to work here and delve more into dungeons it might be a good idea to network. It could also prove a good revenue stream for currency within and outside The Street. Yes, this could work. The added benefit of quitting her job didn't escape her notice either. Not that working in the service industry would be much better. With a sigh she asked her final question.
"How would I go about the process of opening a shop here?"
Advertisement
Lament of the Fallen
What happens when the great war is over and the 'good' side has won? What happens to the last surviving members of the fallen 'evil' side of the conflict? This is the tale of one of those survivors. Will she try to seek revenge? Will she try to hide her origin and ancestry and live in peace? Or will the universe have something else in mind?
8 230Many Minded
Synopsis: Issa Pyxis, Spacer orphan and illegal heretic, graduated from living on the streets to running with a gang years ago, but now it looks like that’s all going to change. Her inheritance, more specifically who—or what—she is, is catching up with her, and on a planet with the Emperor’s inquisitors slinking around in every shadow, nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted. What will she do? A cyberpunk story about identity, loneliness, covert infiltration, evil dystopias, and much more! Features: - Cyborgs and cyberpunk galore - This is indented to be somewhat “rational” and “hard” Sci-Fi story - Original Fiction however parts of my worldbuilding are inspired by other Sci-Fi stories (duh) Rationale: The future is cool, AIs are kickass, and questions about consciousness are simultaneously existential and yet unanswered. To me, this story is a vehicle for exploring these topics, and also, I wanted to write a story where the protagonist was unafraid of themselves and where their self is more like a git-repo than a meat computer. Disclaimer: This story primarily takes place in what we’d describe as a “cyberpunk dystopia” with some extra technocracy, autocracy, and religious fervor thrown into the mix, so there will be some “grittiness” in this story. Caveat emptor. Also, [insert your favorite boilerplate “views expressed” disclaimer here]. I shouldn’t need to say this, but the main character and other characters in my story can be wrong on occasion (gasp!) and the way they view the world isn’t always objective truth (if such a thing even exists) nor do their views and opinions necessarily reflect the views of me, the author. Cover art by me! [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]
8 83Arcadia's Ignoble Knight
Arcadia's Knight Academy is the premier school for young men hoping to become a Sorceress's Knight. Only nobles, people with power and prestige, are allowed within these hallowed grounds-which explains why Caspian Ignis del Sol is hated by everyone. He's not a noble, or of even slightly noble lineage. He's a peasant. Caspian must bravely face politics, sorceresses, assassins, and numerous other dangers if he wants to become a Sorceress's Knight. Whether or not he succeeds, and even if he does succeed, what happens to him will forever change the course of destiny for those living in this world of swords and sorcery. Note: This manuscript is unedited. If you would like the fully-edited, fully-illustrated version, volumes 1 and 2 are available in the links below. The Sorceress of Ashtown Part 1AmazonBarnes and NobleBooks-a-MillionKoboItunes The Sorceress of Ashtown Part 2AmazonBarnes and NobleBooks-a-MillionKoboItunes
8 265The Wandering Swordsman
Many legends have appeared since the beginning of Royal Road. Among those there's one about the Wandering Swordsman. He's known by many names; the hero of the artists, slayer of dragons, Casanova of Rhodium... He who killed Demons and Angels alike only to protect a lady, faced a god and returned with his life and sanity intact. You may have heard of him...
8 191// Dreamnotfound Animatic \
It says it all in the title. The animations/animatics do not belong to me DISCONTINUED Disclaimer :I'm really bad at updating
8 181ODDITY ⇆ DOCTOR WHO
In which the stars give two sorrowful children each other.[ONGOING, UNDERGOING EDITTING][7/30/19][RANKED #1 IN TENTH DOCTOR][9/24/19][RANKED #1 IN DOCTOR WHO] [DOCTOR WHO] [TENTH DOCTOR x oc] [SEASON 3 - SEASON 4]
8 179