The Marriage is Off
The Lllama Convoy
I logged in at Vesper bank. This is where I usually can be found. It is also where the guild B_D is to be found as well. And there they were. Zydar of B_D and Ishra, who displays no guild membership. Zydar I never really steal from. I think he is new, so I give him a break. Ishra I don't know. So I steal from her. And what do I steal? A rune named 'Castle'.
The rune takes me to the courtyard of a castle on Dagger Island. I rush in and find a big score: boxes and boxes of goods, very few of which are secure or even locked down. There is even a set of daemon bone armor, lying on the ground ready to be taken. I play it cautious, stealthing through the castle rather than running. And my caution pays off. Ishra shows up a minute or so later, but remains unaware of my presence. I grab a ton of items, but am wary of gating out. I'll have to grab just what I can carry. And so I am selective.
I head to the back of the castle and find a reagent box. Thousands upon thousands of reagents. This is going to be a great score. Just as I am helping myself to whatever I can carry, Bregan Daerthe shows up. Unlike Ishra, she can tell something is amiss. I am revealed and banned. But not before I walk away with the daemon bone armor, about 1000 reagents, a ship key (now a ship on display at chumbucket's Legally Obtained Goods), several runebooks and many, many magic weapons. I let loose my victory cry: I R NEW GLD PLS. Bregan Daerthe comes out front to confront me only to hear my recall spell. It is quite the score for only having been online for ten or twenty minutes.
Back in Vesper, I realize I have not only the loot, but that I still have the rune to the courtyard. Perhaps I will be able to go back tomorrow for more loot. A good plan, I think. I go back to work at the bank, asking kindly players for assistance: I am new. Could you spare some gold? I just started here yesterday, and a player killer took my gold! Please! I notice that quite a few BD members are coming to the bank. And not only coming to the bank, but coming repeatedly and for only a few seconds at a time. They are putting things in or taking things from their bank box. As if they were moving. I suddenly realize I don't have much time to act.
I attempt to return to the castle, but the location is blocked. Fortunately, one of the runebooks I stole had an alternate rune. I use it but find that it is not inside the courtyard, but rather at the door of a keep that is next to the castle. Ah, a new building to sneak into at least. Perhaps I'll be able to pull a two'fer.
But something odd happens. Ashen Shugar walks by, followed by a convoy of pack llamas. I follow the convoy inside the keep. However, security has been increased at BD headquarters. I am quickly revealed and banned. One llama had strayed from the convoy, and it could still be found outside. I check its pack--eight thousand nightshade. I had guessed it. They (including Calista!) are evacuating the castle with these llamas. I attack the llama in hopes of drawing it away before they notice, but too late. Ashen Shugar appears and attacks me. I flee, as I am but a bard and no match for a tamer with a nightmare (not to mention a llama convoy).
What to do? The llamas and the goods they carry are vulnerable, but I cannot take down the tamer. And others are sure to appear to help defend the convoy. I sent out a call for assistance over IRC: Easy loot! Ask me how! I get a few responses: Fwerp and Biscophan are the first to hear the call of duty. Later, some of my guildmates show up: Jexl, Rosarms. I explain the plan. I give them runes to the path of the llama convoy. When I call them in, they gate over and attack it. One flamestrike per llama should suffice, I am told.
A brilliant plan, if I say so myself. Alas, it had taken too long to gather my band of fellow bards. The llama convoys have ceased. There is to be no attack, no robbery, no pile of llama carcasses. It was all for nothing. I stealth around to see if I can devise a new plan, when I notice something odd. Bregan Daerthe attacking random animals and running away. I think little of it. I mention it to the party, and they suggest it might have something to do with raising taming. Sounds reasonable.
I stealth to where the castle WAS. It is gone. Suddenly, it all becomes very clear to me. They are moving the animals out of the way. They have redeeded the castle and intend to replace it in the area. I frantically stealth around the area, when I see Ashen Shugar. He keeps casting invisibility, reappearing ten or twenty seconds later and casting invisibility again. He must have the deed.
I stealth over. It is difficult to get in his bag, given that he is usually invisible. He suddenly appears, steps a few paces and doesn't go invisible again. This is it. This is my chance. I look in his bag and there are two deeds. TWO!? I have to act fast. I click one. It is a dartboard deed. I click the other: A Castle Deed. There it is. This is really it.
"What will you attempt to steal?"
I return to Vesper bank, triumphant. I have stolen a castle deed.
Postscript
I, hereby, announce a contest. I cannot use a castle. I really don't even have use for the gold I could sell it for. So what to do? Leave your suggestion here. It can be either a use for the castle itself, or for the gold I can sell it for at the NPCs. The best suggestion will receive 20,000 gold. (No, I'm not giving away the deed as the prize!) The contest is open until we have a winner.
