Authors introduction
For some time now I have wanted to recap some of the stories that I was present for back in my early days. Beginning my days on Roanoke as a hermit, eventually becoming a small time merchant, and later becoming the walmart of the server, I was privy to all sorts of (at the time) sensitive information, and general knowledge of most of what was going on around me. While many of the more popular, large stories are more commonly known, I felt their was still a wide margin for a novelized version of some of the "lesser tales". And in true Icon style, these stories will be so out of chronological order that it will drive you crazy...
The Goods
First Time Jitters
She heard his footsteps behind her. "Someone took the bait" Icon said unemotionally over her shoulder. Jealousy was the first feeling she could muster, jealous of his ability to not think about these kind of things, to not fear the outcome, or, maybe he was terrified and had just learned to cover it up after so long. A sigh escaped him, and his demeanor changed for long enough to place a hand on her shoulder and ask "You sure? You dont have to get involved." "No" she replied, sliding off her canoe and setting it down in the cool sand. "No, I really do". He watched her pack her equipment into the canoe, ready to make a trip to God only knows where, to face God only knows what upon arrival. Under the surface Icon tensed up. Sabria had been his wife before arriving in the new land, and had been his business partner since, he thought briefly about how different all of his ventures in this country would have been without her, then shook the thought from his head and began to prepare his own canoe for the trip.
Less than a week before all of this, Icon had loaded a stolen mask into his load of items to take to town for sale. A gamble at best, he decided that either he would be wasting his time, and someone with a large well defended town would buy it, or he would luck out and get some hermit with 1 brazier and a stick fence. Icon was no stranger to this anymore, His last expansion to his already gigantic store had left a void in the amount of inventory he was able to keep in stock, a void that he quickly realized he could fill if he were to resort to murder and theft. The first time Icon had killed anyone was in revenge for the murder of his neighbor in R'lyeh. Surprisingly it was not difficult to fulfill the act, but the disposal of the body had caused him some complications. Eventually he would return the body to within a mile of where he had killed him, and brought it to rest on the banks of a small stream nearby. The second time was harder, this was not an attempt for vengeance, this was during a robbery gone wrong. "Killing the innocent" he once said "Only bothers you the first time".
Now, 3 miles north of the main city, these thoughts flickered on and off in his head, the way a candle acts near a drafty window. The sound of sand across leather as the canoes touched shore brought him out of his semi-daydream. Sabria had already began to pack her canoe up for foot travel. He couldn't help but be worried about bringing her into this life, would he be able to protect her? By now the top of a wall was becoming visible. Instinct told him that the lengthy trip from town was nearly over, and the sight of the fence, a freshly made split rail, gave hope that they could easily scale it and get inside. Icon went first and trotted off towards the gate. "HI!" Sabria looked up, now worried, the voice had come from past Icon, behind the fence, she hoped he could think up a solid lie, and fast. "Hey, hi" Icon responded, trying his best to not show emotion in his voice, "We're from a little up north, came out to explore some of the local region". Icon turned around quickly and motioned to Sabria to move back in the direction of the river they had come up. A few steps later they were relieved to see the land owner heading back inside his house. "we almost got our heads handed to us, didn't we" Sabria asked him, beginning to giggle from the built up adrenaline. There was no response, Icon stared at the ground intently, finally reaching down and picking up a slightly bloodied piece of cloth. "evidence of battery" he said, amazed at how lucky of a find this was. "And it's from here". A smile creeped up the corners of his mouth. "Com'mon" "I have an idea".
Silently, Icon kicked out a small hole in the corner of the fence, and began to work on the 1 brazier that the camp was resorting on for defense. After dispatching the brazier, the two crept to the front door. Icon brought his finger up to his lips, and slowly turned the front door handle, it effortlessly gave way without so much as a creak. With no warning, Icon unleashed a series of blows to the owner, who was enjoying a nap at the time. A large thud could be heard as his limp body slid off the bed and landed heavily on the wooden floor. "I'll do it if you don't want to" he said, grabbing her hand. The same eerie smile he had before was now starting to possess her as well, "Nah" she said, staring at the body on the floor. Reaching out for the sword hanging on Icons belt, she made eye contact with him. "You go watch the door, I'll be done here in a moment"
She heard his footsteps behind her. "Someone took the bait" Icon said unemotionally over her shoulder. Jealousy was the first feeling she could muster, jealous of his ability to not think about these kind of things, to not fear the outcome, or, maybe he was terrified and had just learned to cover it up after so long. A sigh escaped him, and his demeanor changed for long enough to place a hand on her shoulder and ask "You sure? You dont have to get involved." "No" she replied, sliding off her canoe and setting it down in the cool sand. "No, I really do". He watched her pack her equipment into the canoe, ready to make a trip to God only knows where, to face God only knows what upon arrival. Under the surface Icon tensed up. Sabria had been his wife before arriving in the new land, and had been his business partner since, he thought briefly about how different all of his ventures in this country would have been without her, then shook the thought from his head and began to prepare his own canoe for the trip.
Less than a week before all of this, Icon had loaded a stolen mask into his load of items to take to town for sale. A gamble at best, he decided that either he would be wasting his time, and someone with a large well defended town would buy it, or he would luck out and get some hermit with 1 brazier and a stick fence. Icon was no stranger to this anymore, His last expansion to his already gigantic store had left a void in the amount of inventory he was able to keep in stock, a void that he quickly realized he could fill if he were to resort to murder and theft. The first time Icon had killed anyone was in revenge for the murder of his neighbor in R'lyeh. Surprisingly it was not difficult to fulfill the act, but the disposal of the body had caused him some complications. Eventually he would return the body to within a mile of where he had killed him, and brought it to rest on the banks of a small stream nearby. The second time was harder, this was not an attempt for vengeance, this was during a robbery gone wrong. "Killing the innocent" he once said "Only bothers you the first time".
Now, 3 miles north of the main city, these thoughts flickered on and off in his head, the way a candle acts near a drafty window. The sound of sand across leather as the canoes touched shore brought him out of his semi-daydream. Sabria had already began to pack her canoe up for foot travel. He couldn't help but be worried about bringing her into this life, would he be able to protect her? By now the top of a wall was becoming visible. Instinct told him that the lengthy trip from town was nearly over, and the sight of the fence, a freshly made split rail, gave hope that they could easily scale it and get inside. Icon went first and trotted off towards the gate. "HI!" Sabria looked up, now worried, the voice had come from past Icon, behind the fence, she hoped he could think up a solid lie, and fast. "Hey, hi" Icon responded, trying his best to not show emotion in his voice, "We're from a little up north, came out to explore some of the local region". Icon turned around quickly and motioned to Sabria to move back in the direction of the river they had come up. A few steps later they were relieved to see the land owner heading back inside his house. "we almost got our heads handed to us, didn't we" Sabria asked him, beginning to giggle from the built up adrenaline. There was no response, Icon stared at the ground intently, finally reaching down and picking up a slightly bloodied piece of cloth. "evidence of battery" he said, amazed at how lucky of a find this was. "And it's from here". A smile creeped up the corners of his mouth. "Com'mon" "I have an idea".
Silently, Icon kicked out a small hole in the corner of the fence, and began to work on the 1 brazier that the camp was resorting on for defense. After dispatching the brazier, the two crept to the front door. Icon brought his finger up to his lips, and slowly turned the front door handle, it effortlessly gave way without so much as a creak. With no warning, Icon unleashed a series of blows to the owner, who was enjoying a nap at the time. A large thud could be heard as his limp body slid off the bed and landed heavily on the wooden floor. "I'll do it if you don't want to" he said, grabbing her hand. The same eerie smile he had before was now starting to possess her as well, "Nah" she said, staring at the body on the floor. Reaching out for the sword hanging on Icons belt, she made eye contact with him. "You go watch the door, I'll be done here in a moment"
Epilogue
About an hour or two after this whole fiasco, some guy comes to Boston, yep, guess who, guy Sab killed, he tracked her through evidence, and couldn't figure out how we killed him offline. And if your the guy we killed and your reading this... sorry bruh, sheer luck, and you left scents
possible future story ideas
the discovery of Mistmoore, at the time it was not known to exist, and was the last of the big vaults full of legacy humus before City of Dreams
Riverton, The most botched raid on Roanoke. not lying, it was raided 3 or 4 times, and damn near everyone that touched it got screwed in some way or another
Dulacc, the tired but true story of revenge, murder, a halberd (dev handout item at the time, only 1 was known to exist before this one) and the 45 minute beatdown of an afk titan by a 20 bile crime alt
Hydras house,
the tale of Hydra, the murder of his neighbor Elton for economic crimes against the server, and an epic battle of 2 10 humor alts that somehow ended in the destruction of every single object on the claim, houses and walls included.
Riverton, The most botched raid on Roanoke. not lying, it was raided 3 or 4 times, and damn near everyone that touched it got screwed in some way or another
Dulacc, the tired but true story of revenge, murder, a halberd (dev handout item at the time, only 1 was known to exist before this one) and the 45 minute beatdown of an afk titan by a 20 bile crime alt
Hydras house,
the tale of Hydra, the murder of his neighbor Elton for economic crimes against the server, and an epic battle of 2 10 humor alts that somehow ended in the destruction of every single object on the claim, houses and walls included.
For Tylan, your writing makes mine look like crap, and I really do wish you would write a book, I would totally read it (after I pirated the ebook version, because, hey, times is tough)
