Chapter 197: Persis

Ori enjoys riding his Booner. He figures it is better than any virtual horse he has ever ridden. "WHAT!" Tyr has just shouted something to him, but Ori is busy understanding the joy of mounted combat. Twisting his agile Booner around the small contouring road.

Tyr touches his chin while talking. A signal that players use, to show each other they have to activate the system voice chat. "I said, how is feeling now that you are a lancer." 

"So much better! I can't tell how sweet this is and my Magic Bolter is great too." His level has almost risen from how much killing they are doing." Ori moves behind the road to make sure the rear is still clear.

"And Solame, how is she?" Ori points at the distance. She is on her umpteenth Mountain Goat, or stone wolf or Road Raider and Boulder bandits. It's all the same to her teeth. Plus, with his Magic Bolter, Ori can always interfere. 

"Deadly! Even my guy here doesn't have the same killer instincts." Ori riding forward. He is trying his best on the guarding job. The system gives him areas he must visit within certain time limits. He opted for it since the system will give a performance review. Ori can this review apply to others given by the Merchant Guild and players. He also knows this is calm before the storm.

He has seen the others on an adventure with Tyr and the robbery is in the top one hundred on the extrasolarnet. He doesn't think something that amazing will happen again, but Ori can't but hope to be caught up in something great. 

"Yeah, she is great. What about Leaper? What kind of psyche does he have?" Tyr is glad that Ori is taking to mount combat. Tyr pulls a lever, locking the axels of all three carriages. The next fifty down is a steep down and the articulation could make one carriage tip over the road. Being a rancher, his best skills will be on one of his pet's back. It takes longer to get the coordination down, but once he has it. He will never have to get off his pet. Plus Ori can raise his booner to rank-A.

Ori whistles. As a rancher, he has a subset of common skills. Salome is so smart he only had to tell her once and she got everything down. The bundle of bloody joy comes back with rare goat. She even figured out that some monsters are of particular value, and she is careful enough to not ruin the pelts of rarer monsters. She brings them or leaves on the road for leaper to give to Tyr. 

"Good girl!" Ori grabbing the rare pelt. She has gotten superb at bringing small pelts of rare quality. Which is the best since they have little space. It is a shame she can't skin them. "Leaper is has a vigilant psyche, so he is careful."

Tyr nods the journey has gone much smoother than he expects. All roads in Odyssey are chuck full of bandits. There will be a joke about how often bandits show up on the roads. "That's great for a first pet. Salome is ostentatious, which is great for me." 

"That's a tough one. She could get out of hand." Ori has seen a few Hell-Hunds used by a rancher with the same nature. It is very hard for him to do it. 

"I know, but she has to be. In order to overpower legendary monsters. She has the future of the guild in her. Speaking of the future, how is your ranch coming along." Tyr looks at Ori, who gets this innocent look of joy on his face as he is clearly imagining it. 

"Yeah, I found this place close to the beach with a small river running through it. I don't have any concrete plans for the ranch, yet I still have some stuff to figure out. Still, when talking about it to Calypso, she points out all the minor stuff. I don't even think about most of the time that can help my ranch. It is really cool talking to her, and she is just great."

Ori can see all seven buildings that constitute Persis village. The road is at least paved. It looks recently built, plus is a regiment of tents at the base of the mounting. They feature the symbols of the royal house. As a human, he has an identification card that he would have to use in Asrugo.

"Shit! I forgot about them?" Tyr knows the King is inside the Mountain. He should discover the path that leads to the Eastern empire and a great treasure. He wants that treasure. In his past life, he had the Sunstone. In that life, he was a cook who, by luck, was with the king on this expedition and the king gifted it to him not realising it was primal element stone.

"Who?" Ori looks at the mostly NPC army and can't see Tyr would know. Tyr thanks his lucky stars that he is only with Ori. If now of the others had come. They wouldn't be able to enter the cave as with cards. This is one trick they use to get around Universal law. Which forbids any kind of special identification methods for non-human. Asrugo created the human perseveration card to keep track of human lineage. Each citizen needs one to show they have roots in Asrugo. A lot of places informally use this card as a door opener without it. Working in Asrugo is very difficult.   

Putting on his best Merchant voice, even changing into lavish clothing." Shall we go meet our august king my goodman? I'm sure he will be glad to meet men of culture and proper breeding. Human supreme beings can create some of the most elaborate lineages with all kinds of fallen from the beta and alpha. This is a sure point in Asrugo as they are longer than the kings technically since Overwatch creates a complete record for legacy players. 

Tyr knows one player who is hiding in the king's retinue. A fellow cook and Ori have this look of befuddlement at the extreme change in Tyr, but he knows to play along. His current role is the silent and yet powerful, but also a devilishly handsome rancher. That is moonlighting as a bodyguard to raise money for his ranch and girlfriend.

Ori rides higher in his saddle looking as mean faced as he can. Chucking lethal eye daggers at the ladies and cut down any soldier with a glare. Who dare stop him and his charge. Plus, a couple of well-placed whistles sends Salome forward. She is masterful and knows exactly how to bring a man to his knees without even having touched him. 

This works to get them past the tent village, they have expanded the cave to over a kilometre wide. Inside there are other merchants, but none as fabulous as Tyr. He is wearing seven chains for each of the cheapest materials. His idea was to create this larger-than-life character so that the real him can slip by. 

A commander meets them at the precipice of where they need to go. Tyr parked and is letting his driver, who was in the first carriage, that has a special resting area. 

"Ah Goodman, this is my associate and champion. Of course, no need to ask. Our cards are right here." Tyr leathers the man in copper a common practice amongst people trying to curry favour. A sliver would be a bribe but a well placed three hundred copper is a gift, a well-considered gift. 

The cards are steel pressed, featuring the royal on the back and a magical rune on the other side that brings up a display of their family tree and a picture of the current cardholder. 

"A local with such well-documented history is always welcome. The Quarter Master will attend to you and broker any deals. I remind you that this is the same as being in the palace." The squad commander leads them to a building. It is sharp to the touch, a sign that the magician constructed it. Tyr makes to look around like any proper merchant would. 

The Quarter Master wears his medal proudly, a veteran of many battles. A man who does not take bribes or, a man who enjoys trifling fellows, a practical man. "Good day, my goodman. May I have the pleasure of your acquaintance?" He again hands over both his and Ori's cards. Two booners looking at them through a lit window. Tongue handing out. 

He eyes the two up and down, activating a magical detector that scans them. The magical formation hums as it floats up and down. "How do you wish to be of service today." He returns the cards. 

"The King needs only the best and I! My goodman carry only the best. I wish to bring your into the future and by extension the discerning man who allows my goods through...." Tyr begins his shill to the Quartermaster. With his increased charm and good intention of not wanting to meet the king just because he is player. He settles for the one area he knows he can make a difference and it will put him close to the King.