It seemed like a bunch of player characters were in a rush to get to high level. It is understandable. There is excitement in leveling up and getting stronger. The process to achieve that was the problem. Given the choice, Isaiah would be happier just spending time with Light and friends over a warm cup of tea. Being able to take on anyone on the mud seemed like a good goal but at the same time it didn’t seem worth the effort.

There also was the old proverb that those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Openly denouncing and provoking the evil players will likely only lead to more player killing. What Goldeneyes was doing calling out Lusell would be a good example. Calling out that evil knight smearing her ‘good name’ and killing her could lead to some big reprisals from team evil. At least he imagined that is how escalation worked.

The obvious solution was just to not ever log back in. The news of what happened to Schatten and seeing Kaarell attempting to kill himself to protect her . . . it shook him in ways he couldn’t imagine. In real life Isaiah’s stomach filled with nausea for the rest of the day after the last gaming session. Mulling over the thought of quitting for good a couple days led to conflicting emotions. Avoiding the bad had merit, but unlike the previous MUDs he played before he felt like he actually made a connection with people here. The non-rp MUDs he had started with didn’t leave any impression for the player characters. They were not trying to establish a persona with their characters. Because of this, he couldn’t even remember the names of those that he interacted with. On the other hand, the thought of not ever seeing Light, Kaarell, and Schatten again saddened him. They were not real friends but his little elf Isaiah might be in character friends with them.

It was a couple days before Isaiah logged back in. The knee-jerk reaction was to just leave and not come back but after pondering it a bit even if the fun he was expecting to have wasn’t there he couldn’t just leave, not say goodbye and vanish forever.

After casting an invisibility on himself, Isaiah went to check the adventurers' board in shadow. There were a couple more posts from the back and forth Goldeneyes had with Lussell.

Lussell ignores challengers.

On this day the evil life of the antipaladin Lussell has come to an end. Loviatar’s knight has been brought low by the power of Tempus. Her head is mounted on a pike by the north’s gates of shadow as a reminder of what happens to villains.

-Goldeneyes.

(Goldeneyes… that elf is brutal he kills her and makes a big deal that will no doubt provoke all the other evils. Good on him for bringing that human to death though. She surely was up to no good. What kind of antipaladin wouldn’t be up to no good?)

The next few posts were from people who he didn’t know so he just skimmed over them until he saw one that was dated a couple days later.

Goldeneye

The terrorist elf now known as goldeneye suffered Loviatar’s judgement. He was captured by Knight Lusell’s noble band and brought to Lovitar’s temple where he faced the judgement of torture and removal of his right eye. The citizen’s of shadow sleep safe knowing that such a savage beast has suffered lawful judgment.

Lusell is a coward

Lusell should step off her high horse and stop writing. She dared to show her face before me again and when I attacked her she turned tail and ran away. She consorts with drow and what she doesn’t tell you is that their dark magic won her battle for her. She could never take me alone. Is there some kind of knightly guild to report her to so we can have her stripped of her knighthood due to lack of honor?

-Goldeneyes

Isaiah headed to the gate to check out if there actually was a mounted head on a pike there. Sure enough the description of the room had an extra line that said ‘A pike is sticking out of the ground with a helmeted female human head stuck to the blade’. Isaiah stook around for a while admiring the view when a familiar elf passed through.

Goldeneyes enters.

You poke Goldeneyes.

Goldeneyes raises an eyebrow

Goldeneyes begins casting a spell.

The air seems to shimmer.

Your invisibility is dispelled.

There is a blue mist as you appear into view.

Isaiah pouts.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Did you have to dispel my invisibility.”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “You could have been a drow looking to stab me.”

Isaiah sighs.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Fair enough but you know those components cost gold.”

Goldeneyes gives you 1000 gold.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “You didn’t have to do that.”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “You just complained about components costs.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Fine.”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “I needed some time to collect myself. After seeing Kaarell trying to kill himself because Zilath captured Scatten I wasn’t sure I wanted to come back to these lands.”

Goldeneyes nods.

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “Yes, I’ve heard the drow are on the move. They’ve even formed their own guild. It is called the Raiders of Night’s Croak or something like that.”

Goldeneyes spits and growls.

Schatten enters.

Isaiah waves to Schatten.

Goldeneyes nods.

Schatten says with a lilting voice: “Hello cousins.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Schatten, thank Lathander you are okay. What happened with you and Zilath?”

Schatten frowns.

Schatten says with a lilting voice: “I’d rather not talk about it. . .”

Goldeneyes glares at you.

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “And people tell me I’m insensitive.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Sorry.”

Schatten says with a lilting voice: “I forgive you Isaiah it is just something Kaarell and I want to put behind us. The important thing is that we are still together and some sick drow can’t separate us.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Anyway, congrats on getting Lusell Goldeneyes.”

Goldeneyes grunts.

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “Yes, I even tamed her war horse once. She and the horse she came in on turned tail and ran. The horse hit a trip wire and fell down. Lusell bravely ran away leaving the horse behind. I set him free in the wilds. Her horse seems happier not having such a harsh taskmaster kicking her in the ribs with metal boots.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “It is a pity things didn’t end there. How is your eye?”

Goldeneyes snorts.

Goldeneyes speak with a low voice: “She did the typical song and dance for villains of her kind. Her drow bound me up after stabbing me down. She said she’d keep it as a badge of honor to Loviatar for her victory. I’ll get my eye back though. We both know that she can’t take me alone. That tin can is a coward.”

Given that both Goldeneyes and Schatten had been captured by the forces of evil and been tortured Isaiah worried for his future self that might have a similar problem. Also, given that Schatten didn’t want to talk about what happened when she was captured he didn’t want to press for details. Who would want to recount the events of being tortured? Isaiah’s player wanted to know, but at the same time he didn’t want to know because he would be kidding himself if he thought knowing such things wouldn’t disturb him.

Time to change the subject.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: ”So what have you been up to other than hunting evil knights?”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: ”Mostly hunting monsters on Laerad.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Laerad?”

Schatten says with a lilting voice: “It is an Island, a bit more difficult than Deku.”

Goldeneyes nods.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Oh, I’ve been hunting on deku. I’ve killed a lot of drow there.”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice:”Great, the only good drow is a dead one.”

Schatten agrees with Goldeneyes.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise:”We should go together sometime, have you been there yet, Schatten?”

Schatten nods.

Schaten says with a lilting voice:”Yes, Kaarell and I go hunting there often. You just got to be careful around the docks.”

Goldeneyes agrees.

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “The docks are dangerous, I ran into Whisper there the other day. He set up caltrops to catch people getting off their boat.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise:”Whisper?”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice:”Nasty drow, he likes to brand people and say they are his property.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise:”That sounds terrible.”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice:”All Drow are terrible.”

Schatten says with a lilting voice:”Can you teleport Isaiah?”

Isaiah shakes his head in disagreement..

Schatten says with a lilting voice:”Well, if you can find or buy the scroll you can set a teleport spot away from the docks. That would be the safest. Kaarell and I normally just use Word of Power to go to Asgard and set out from there.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise:”Asgard?”

Schatten says with a lilting voice:”It is the town on Laerad. The layout is the dock on the west end, then east of that the wastelands, east of that the god plains, east of that is parnelli forest. Asgard is in the forest.”

Isaiah nods.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise:”It doesn’t sound too complicated.”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice:”Take it slow, the monsters there are a lot more dangerous than the ones you’ve gotten used to on Deku.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise:”Is there anywhere else I should consider checking out?”

Goldeneyes thinks carefully.

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice:”The cave in the southeast corner of Shadow Desert might be a good place for you to adventure too though some of the monsters in that place are a bit strong. It leads to a pirate cove too. If you own a boat then going straight south of Shadow dock leads to the cove as well.”

Isaiah sighs deeply.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise:”I don’t own a boat. They are so expensive and I tend to spend all my money on spell components. Maybe one day I’ll have enough spell components saved up in my cubby at the mage’s tower to focus more on wealth accumulation.”

Schatten says with a lilting voice: “Would you two like some tea? Perhaps we can go somewhere other than the side of the road where the dead gaze of an evil woman glares at us from beyond the grave.”

Goldeneyes chuckles.

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “Sure why not.”

Schatten invites you to follow her.

You are now following Schatten.

Schatten leaves south.

And so, Schatten led the two elves to the three coins in shadow. She bought three cups of tea from the waitress and handed them to Goldeneyes and Isaiah.

Schatten gives you tea.

Schatten gives Goldeneyes tea.

Schatten sips her tea.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “So Schatten any news about your wedding? Have you decided on a date yet?”

Schatten says with a lilting voice: “Not yet, Kaarell and I have commissioned wedding clothes from a tailor after we have those."

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “I haven’t seen any weddings in these lands. I wonder what it is like.”

Schatten say with a lilting voice:”Designa and Lydia are married. Tannis and Joy are to be married as well.”

Goldeneyes snorts.

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice:”Another one of those rangers who just sits around in the Rhapsody Inn drinking instead of protecting the wilds.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Who?”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “Tannis. He is plenty strong but not a good example of what a ranger should be.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Why is Tannis a bad ranger?”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “Rangers belong in the wild. If that half-elf wants to spend all his time singing and drinking, wouldn't he make a better bard?”

Schatten says with a lilting voice: “Tannis is nice, and his fiance Joy like her name says is a pleasure to be around. She is playful and cheerful. She’s the half-elven bard that you can’t help but feel happy to be around.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise:”Ah, so they are both half-elves?”

Schatten nods.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise:” What of Lydia and Designa?”

Schatten says with a lilting voice: “Kaarell and I have had tea with them quite a bit though mostly in Mielikki’s grove. Lydia is a human priestess of Mielikki and they have a lovely temple that is more like a glade in the woods than a church. Designa is a priest of Selune. He is a half-elf as well with a bit of a tragic upbringing. Most of the Selune followers consider him the high priest. Though like Light he doesn’t consider himself worthy of such a title.”

Isaiah nods.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise:”I don’t know if I have met with any of them except in passing. Selune is an ally to Lathander though this I know. The lights of the sun and moon both bring comfort to the land.”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice:”Yes, the cults of both Mask and Shar hate Selune’s followers. The Drow thrive in shadow and darkness. They attack those of opposed faiths without mercy.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Where are the temples of Selune and Mielikki?”

Schatten says with a lilting voice: “The temple of the moon goddess is on the dagger road. It is not far from Daggerdale and Tonovi. The forest goddess’s temple is east of Tharis, near the world tree.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “I’ve not spent much time in Tharis. I had a bad experience there in the past.”

Schatten says with a lilting voice:”You can just go around the outside of the walls to the east then south and bypass Tharis proper no need to go to the elven quarter and be attacked by state sponsored thugs.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “So this world tree is part of Mielikki’s temple?”

Goldeneyes shakes his head in disagreement.

Goldeneyes speaks in a low voice: “The world tree is the heart of all forests. They are connected together there. Only rangers can enter. It functions as their guild. Also, it is a safe place from Drow because rangers cannot be evil.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise:”Is it the same with all the guilds?”

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “I’m not sure about all of them. But generally only people of the correct class can enter. There are good and evil magi and the same with priests. This is not the same with rangers and paladins.”

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “Thanks Goldeneyes. I guess hiding in the mage’s tower is not a good idea if a drow is after me.”

Goldeneyes agrees.

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “Most of the male drow around are magi. Only female drow can be priests. Without magic they are blinded by the light of the sun.”

Isaiah nods.

Isaiah speaks elegantly with elven poise: “That is good to know. How do you fight them?”

Goldeneyes shows you an ornate longsword:

This sword is crafted from pure mithril. It is etched with ornate markings along the blade. The hilt of the blade is made from a dark wood with a pommel that has a large emerald at the end of it.

Goldeneyes speaks in a low voice: “I wield a pair of these blades of elven make.”

Schatten raises an eyebrow.

Schatten says with a lilting voice: “How did you get those?”

Goldeneyes looks serious.

Goldeneyes speaks with a low voice: “I know what you are thinking. And no, I did not kill the elven rangers. I came across the corpses of my cousins after they had lost a battle fighting the Tonovi soldiers on dagger road.”

Schatten nods seriously.

Schatten says with a lilting voice: “Good, I’ve seen people kill the Voadkyn rangers for their gear and also the elven rangers for their gear. It is evil to murder the protectors of the forest.”