It was still wet and cold in Safe Haventown, but smaller bluish moon was staring to show to the west indicating a break in weather. Warm glow of a fire protruded from hut, which really was no more than crude shelter against night. There was a knock on the door followed with scared intake of breath and sound of fallen cutlery from within.
I am trader. I was trader. I have always been a trader. I first visited this word after nerf stick hit hard on healer line. So I never knew easy life, never been "uber". But I was after challenge and opportunity...mainly second granted but welcomed first too. What I had to know I picked from community and forums. Good ol' days.... when the PvP twinking questions were still in minority. As I progress tru land and abilities I was approached by a fellow claner inviting me to his guild. Guild seemed too militaristic, too Omni-like to suit my needs so I have turned this opportunity down. (It disbanded only to reemerge some time later. In between I learned current leader of that guild, and if still thinking the same about guild, he gained my respect both for his stand as his community work. ) I survived…
Lightning from dying storm illuminated tall broad figure in doorframe. "Oh my" said Mrs. Sabbatt "you gave me quite a start Mr. Gibs". "Only following your directions" replied atrox, his face assuming warm smile. He had secret, more selfish reason for arriving in a middle of night, but old woman's plea for not drawing attention was reason good enough. He closed the door against cold, hanged dripping coat on wall and seated himself at table, his back turned to fire. His behavior revealed that wasn't his first visit here.
Belonging to guild, helping it and get help when needed, to stride towards same goal or simply to have someone to hang around with. It's not bad idea... so after some time when approached from other clan I agreed to join. It was laid back, casual kind of one. Having president more for a figurehead as anything else. After some time we actually adopted 2-president concept.... switching positions at regular intervals. I can't claim I'd liked all members, but went along smoothly enough. Of course this bliss didn't last. But I survived…
"Do join me for dinner " invited old lady" its only stew but at least it's warm". It was more of a request than open option, but Edie had learned to read people. She had something more pressing on her mind. He knew her story and has been aware for her courtesy came first, no matter how low she has fallen. Beside she has asked same question before. They proceed tru dinner silently. Even if only stew, it wasn't much. Elroy didn't comment, only regretted he didn't find time to visit her earlier. After all he was her only supplier.
It started as most such things do. Some members, whom I consider friends and hope they do the same, were kicked from guild. At same time leader posted some stuff on forums, although not forbidden I regarded it unethical. I did wait couple of days, while getting kicked members story, before confronting president. It wasn't much of confrontation.... upon only mentioning whole affair he promptly kicked me. Guess he wasn't feeling to talkative at that moment. I did run again into him from time to time...and at that occasions maintained rather cold but civil small talk. Kicked members established new guild, which I joined too. Nerves were high strung and there was still some bickering going on what happened. And yet I survived…
While Delphine was busy clearing table Elroy lighted a cigar. Even if trade was at rock bottom at this moment there were some things he just couldn't live without. Some went for wieners; he was after easier obtainable items, or maybe harder, depending on your standpoint. He was uneasy about what will follow. As proud as he was about his skill with people he never learned what was she after. Would the truth, even if bad, be relief for her or would it devastate her? But if he didn't lied to his customers he sure wouldn't, will not, lie to her.
The new guild was short lived. There were lots of reasons.... some seemed strange at that moment but I learned shortly thereafter it was truth. President left the game announcing she's feed up with whole situation. I run into her few months ago (some time after SL went live). And must say I'm glad for her to find game enjoyable again. Guildless again *sigh*. I spend my days hunting PPPE. Can't say I had good luck but in time I earned enough to afford myself Dragon body (At that time soft was selling for 120-140 mill and DB went for about 300 mill). There wasn't much else for me to do since Notum wars came live and due to some strange coincidence I couldn't order it online even while living in Europe. I still survived…
Delphine was aware how those evenings usually went. Usually. She would pop the question and Elroy would tell her what he has learned. There would be some silence again and after some time passed he'd told her what's happening in 'civilization'. It was her choice to stay in this run down village. Even if she was puzzled at his generosity, she was grateful. Grateful for supplies, grateful for news but most of all grateful for his inquiry. She did scout land herself but never at such scale as he did. And she did try to repay for his kindness, running some minor errands and such. But she knew those errands couldn't really repay him. Actually she suspected he made them up to keep her asking too many questions. Like this last mission to Street east bank. Scouting port there for possibility to open smuggling line over sea. Hah. She never engaged into that sort of work but she realized that even tho sea wasn't patrolled that much sea faring was still riskier than flying overland. But it was on that last mission that she found something that it burned in her brain. Burned more that her usual question. She hadn't expected Mr. Gibs tonight but she carried item in her pocket at all times. Just to be sure.
After couple of months of looking for company who'd deliver expansion to my part of woods I gave in and drew 400km to neighbouring country to get it. With my luck NW came available as download 2 weeks later. Even with community and forum help I made some mistakes so I decided to start from fresh adopting same profession and similar name. Of course leveling was easier that time and learning from past mistakes I could do more...both for myself and any team I engage with. While running some of team missions with same team I gotten invited in yet another guild (I actually run wrangle tru whole of missions...being close to title cap and actually progressing faster with gimped ol' me and more damage on part of team members). I did team up with him on past occasions so I trusted him enough. But even so I approached newfound friends with care. This one wasn't that casual as one before but still not hardcore RP one. It was more dynamic.... with members ranging from level 200 to newcomers.... As time progressed I blended in. I teamed, gotten help and in turn help others. But there were changes mounting on horizon. I still survived…
She couldn't bear it anymore. She stumbled over her usual line. It was only formality for her this time, important but maybe not so pressing. "Did you...is there.... men dressed in black... did you find out anything?" All light drained from Elroy's face and only his eyes revealed that yet another time he had no luck getting any information on their whereabouts. He lowered his face but after some time realized there was something more this night. He still reminded silent but his brow wrinkled. "You remember that last mission you sent me out for?" she didn't expect conformation. Now when time came to discuss her finding she started to feel uneasy. "The cove is in ill repair, infested with wildlife, but still usable." He knew there was something following and remained silent. Mr. Gibbs wasn't much of a talker. He usually left to customers that task and sooner or later they all came out with what they were after and how much it was worth to them. "Currents are strong and all kind of items get awash on beach," she continued. After first time till she started talking she looked into his eyes. They revealed nothing but timeless patience. Tension within her mounted till peak. With nervous gesture she pulled small package out of her pocket, "Found this there" she said while putting it on table.
This time changes weren't that drastic...at least not for me. A new guild joined us. Not officially, we were connected with help of guildbots. Their average level was a bit lower than ours, so they were looking for someone to team up and ascent to. Formal agreement was they would join our guild when they reached certain level. And we were happy to get new meat (not literally.... I never eaten any baby...I swear). Even if they had a bit less members, they were lively enough to infest our chat. And in time they leveled enough to get admitted. We made some ceremony admitting new members more to welcome them than anything else. When more and more gotten in our guild we stop watching the level of newest members that closely till at some point last member said he/she (can't remember at this time) is tired to logging to empty guild. Once more a guild was laid to rest but reason was friendly merger this time. But this wasn't only change. One more was brewing...with much longer lasting and deep impacting consequences. I still survived…
Without another word Delphine turned and made herself busy with washing up. Elroy observed her for some time wondering what was so disturbing it shaded her grief for family lost. He too was looking, searching for a family. Being an atrox this of course wasn't his family. He felt for previous owners of his shop. He 'inherited' it after that fight for Athens. He didn't care that much for this war, being a trader it didn't matter much which side a hand belong to as long as it hold credits. That wasn't entirely true, after all he was a member of Circle. But even this will came to end shortly he was aware of it. Trading with the likes of himself had it's benefits and he was able to help a few more, not just Mrs.Sabbatt. But it had its downsides, especially lately. There were less and less traders around. Life has become harsh and profit scare. Even while still looking for that Omni family he was more and more sure they have packed up and move to some other planet. There were same problems for traders on both sides of conflict after all. He pulled package closer and unwrapped it.
As time progressed we lost some members.... mainly to other activity. It was sad to see new friends leaving but if they found more fun elsewhere what can one do? It was largest guild I was in till that time but after some time I'd realized that we can't be called self-sufficient. I welcomed the possibility to join a coalition when it arrived. It was based on offering help to guilds which had their base attacked. And there was plenty of teaming going on. We learned about each other, bonded and yet mainly left each guild to it's own affairs. Things didn't always worked out and when attacks on our bases increased there was less and less help. Upon one of such attack we lost base. All guilds in coalition suffered from similar occurrences but we mainly succeed to recapture those bases. We were not only one affected with membership lost, so when proposal to merge with 2 other guilds came it was no big surprise. I still survived…
If Delphine would turn at that time she'd seen a rare sight. A sign of surprise emitting from Elroy upon revealing manuscript torn from pass of time and forces of nature. He wasn't sure what he'd expected but this surely wasn't it. Old woman must have read it or else it wouldn't press that much upon her, he was sure. With no other clue from her he was forced to read it himself. Unlike popular belief he, like all atroxes, was well versed in art or writing. It was easy to fool people that after that looming bulk laid an intellect of a child. It always pays to appear stupider than one really is. Some of more aggressive members of his race took this to extremes, merely to psychologically confuse opponents. It came natural to atroxes, them being actors of quite some skill. He himself was playing a role. Unisex as he was he adopted 'male' sex, seeing that customers were less likely to cheat upon doing business with males. With a deep exhale of smoke he placed half smoked cigar carefully into ashtray and started reading.
Merger itself came with small ceremony and we adopted name of one of guilds for short while. Debate upon the name of new formation revealed new guild will be a bit more formal at times and RP than I was used to. But since this evolution did start some time ago I had little or no problems getting used to. Looking back I realize I forgot who came from which guild so I guess merger was complete and we perform good as a whole. Alliance still played large part of our activity. But as new guilds joined or were turned down some basic differences started to show. Alliance itself started to become less formal. And its members went slack on responsibility to it. And then, looking back on it, disaster struck. There was a change in bot connecting coalition. From auto inviting it went to command. We still log into it…but at larger and larger intervals. And then came SL. I still survived…
Delphine put a cup of steaming coffee in front of Elroy and seated herself with one opposite to him. He was so engulfed in reading he scarcely noticed so she left him to it. "I think I remember him ", he mumbled as he read on. Nothing special in appearance, but a particular customer. Large part of Elroy's trade came smuggled from offworlds. Easy to get that circulating. But from time to time he came upon an item from a time past. Or some strange object that has fallen out of sky (trucks not being option since most goods were transported with shuttles). He wasn't a pirate and those items really have fallen out of sky. That was before he learned of new frontier - Shadowlands. Even those days things fall from there, of course they consist mainly of explorers losing their footings or eager to spend their newly found riches. And that chap was a good customer. That being one who'd take those strange items off your hands for large sums of credits with only one question: Do you have more? Funny thing was that items itself were curiosity, memorability at best. Elroy sold him whole set of barrels and boxes from Jensen's early expedition. And he bought from other citizens too.
