Dynamis, Attempt One

“You know what you need now don’t you?” Paganlorre said with a wide smile as he wrapped his arms around me in one of him famously warm hugs to congratulate me on reaching level 65 as a thief.

“What’s that?” I asked as I pulled back to look him in the eye. I admit I was hoping he was talking about something divine like white chocolate dipped sugar cookies. That’s the kind of congratulation I could really sink my teeth into.

“You need to join me for dynamis two nights a week.” He said. I had no idea what dynamis was. I had never heard of it or had any idea why people would do it but I was thrilled to have a new thing to do with him. It always seemed like he was the one helping me and I wanted to spend time with him while pulling my own weight for once.

“Oh that sounds very exciting and grown up. Anything to spend two nights a week with you. How do I get in?” I asked trying to hide the disappointment of not getting a sweet. He laughed as if he could read my mind and pulled a cookie out of his bag for me. I nibbled the cookie in my usual circular pattern savoring each taste as I temporarily forgot Paganlorre was there.

“Come with me.” He said as he took my hand and yanked my arm as he ran off. It felt exciting like a secret mission and I followed him eagerly. He took me to each person I needed to talk to and each location I needed to examine and then finally to a message board for DBSDynamis. “This is the hard part.” He said. You have to read all of the rules and instructions then sign up once you’re done. He sat down next to me and tilted his red mage hat over his eyes to take a nap.

“Why would this be the hard part?” I thought to myself as I started to read, and read, and read some more. These were the longest list of instructions and rules I had ever seen. It was amazing in its length and detail. You must understand reading puts me to sleep. Maybe it’s because Dad always read to me before bed as a child but I can’t get past about one page of reading before I get drowsy. It was indeed the most challenging part of the entire quest that day but I was determined to finish. I couldn’t let these rules keep me from joining my first upper level linkshell with Paganlorre.

Despite my head feeling fuzzy with sleep and my eyes losing focus from time to time I managed to read the entire thing. I signed my name with my last bit of energy and slumped down next to Paganlorre wrapping my arms around his arm and leaning my head on his shoulder. Drifting off to sleep myself I dreamed.

“On your feet solder!” a Ranger shouted at me.

Startled awake I grabbed my daggers and looked around to discover I was surrounded by other adventures of every race and occupation. Only similarity was their great experience evident by armor only worn by the seasoned.

“Sleep around here and you die. I will not loose good men to come back for the careless. Look alive.” He said as he glared down at me. Somehow I knew this must be Airamis, leader of the DBSDynamis group, and I was ashamed to be caught sleeping at a time like this. With a rush of wind he was airborne above our heads wind rushing around him like a storm. He pointed west and the group charged in that direction.

I heard screaming from the back of the group. Confused and terrified I stayed as far in the middle as I could. “They’re picking us off one by one from the rear.” Dagas reported calmly. Members where simply disappearing in a cloud of dust. I couldn’t see anything attacking. “The penguins…” Airamis said solemnly. “All turn and attack!” he commanded from his airy perch.

As I stabbed at the air my dagger met its mark in something soft and squishy and the great beast suddenly appeared. A massive penguin it was imposing in its size and stony expression. We surrounded the exposed attackers and took them down in a blaze of magic and melee until they were no more.

Before we could celebrate the earth began to tilt as if the entire city were being lifted like a boxed diorama in the hands of a child. We slid along the stones of the city walkway towards what appeared to be an enormous mouth with great yellow teeth. Catching a light pole I dangled until I saw Paganlorre slide by. “Come with us! This is fun stuff!” he called.

I dropped into the abyss and landed on the back of a great orc. Larger than anything I had ever seen, he shook with rage as I tightened my grip around his surprisingly thin neck. Hand to hand combat was not my way but desperate times called for desperate measures and I put everything I had into strangling the life out of it.

“Alison let go!” it cried. “How did it know my name?” I thought to myself as I continued to squeeze. “I can’t feel my arm. You know I love the cuddling but do you have to cling so tightly?” he asked.

I opened my eyes and realized I was still by the message board with Paganlorre and my victim was not very orc-like at all but rather dashing. Paganlorre rubbed his arm when I released him. “You are much stronger than you look.” He said with a warm smile. “It’s late and I’m hungry. Care to join me for dinner?” he asked.

“Sounds wonderful. I have a crazy strong craving for poultry.” I grinned.