Return to Ark - New Friends

Ark has been a lot of fun, but what makes the game really shine are the people.  Nothing but helpful and fun, the people featured in this piece are the best. 



"So what's next for HQ?" Blue asked as the group sat at the tables of the new rooftop lounge.

Rose took a long slow drink before answering, "I think I've done enough.  I still want that Dracolich."

"Ooooh!" Miki exclaimed.  "Me too!"  Her words were slurred as she had been drinking a bit longer than the rest after getting the beer keg hooked up to the irrigation system.  She had to test out the product, of course!  That's what she had told everyone when they all arrived for the first official Happy Hour.

Deer looked out toward the waterfall that obscured his living area.  "I'm starting to run out of room.  Those things take up a lot of space."

"You've been clearing out the space and now you want to fill it up again?" Argent asked while pouring himself another tankard of beer.  The large man was definitely in need of another haircut as the Mohawk and Biker 'Stache look was growing out to ridiculous proportions.

Rose laughed at the big man.  "That’s what we do."  Her hand rested on the triceratops skull sitting on the table next to her, her fingers idly brushing over the bony crest.  Miki grinned and nodded vigorously, sloshing her drink on the table.

Blue was lost in thought as he wrote in his notebook, most likely designing the next of his upcoming events.  He looked up distractedly, "We do what?"  Rose picked a berry out of the bowl on the table and threw it at the naked man's head.  He blinked as the ripe projectile splatted against his forehead and frowned as the red juice dripped down onto his notebook.

Bubbling laughter burst from Rose so Miki was the one who answered.  "We're going out to tame a dracolich, and you're coming with."  Blue simply nodded and went back to writing.

After recovering, Rose muttered into her beer.  "I just hope the draco doesn't have weird feet."  Everyone turned to look at her.  "I'm telling you!  That thing had feet on its feet!"

Miki laid a hand on her friend's shoulder and said softly, "Sure Rose.  We believe you, but maybe you've been working a little too hard?"  Argent was doing his best not to laugh, but he looked around in confusion as a shadow suddenly passed over all of them.  He looked up and his confused expression grew as saw a large shape filling the space above headquarters.  Noting the ragged leathery wings and emaciated scales with protruding bones, he realized what he was seeing.

"Rose, your chance at a Dracolich is here," he said with a distinct note of fear in his voice.  The beast let out a screech as it dropped into a dive straight down.   Argent scrambled to his feet and ran for the edge of the roof.  He looked over his shoulder as the four experienced tribe leaders drew weapons and began firing.  The red skeletal dragon swooped down the roof and Argent leaped over the railing, aiming for the water below.  Unfortunately, he fell short and hit the stone floor with a bone shattering crunch.

Weapons fire and loud echoing roars blasted through the massive cavern as Argent hobbled back into HQ, his vision blurry and red as the nanites rushed through his body to correct the damage caused by his fall.  Eating some meat to give the tiny machines more fuel to do their work, he managed to get to the crafting area.  Creatures of every size and color were screeching and roaring outside, some in rage and pain, many in fear.

After grabbing a wicked looking crossbow and some ammunition from one of the lockers, he rushed to the front door.  Outside was complete chaos as the menagerie of beasts rushed around in panic.  First, he grabbed the pink dodo, Bruce while it raced by.  A sudden blast of green glowing gas lit up the cavern above and he looked up to see a flash of flapping undead wings. 

Deer swooped by on one of his flying monsters, firing his weapon as his mount unleashed a blast of flame.  Rose, riding on the enormous World Eater, flew away from the combat to get the valuable mount clear of the fighting.  She leaped off the hideous bat-like creature and swooped down over the water with her wings extended.  Miki and Blue launched an endless stream of bolts into the dracolich from the rooftop while running and dodging frantically to avoid tooth, claw, and acidic clouds. 

Still running in and out of the HQ’s main doors, Argent grabbed one critter after another and brought them to safety.  Then came a blast from above as something broke.  He turned to look up as the broken remains of the beer keg and all of its contents came crashing down onto him.  The last thing that he knew before darkness claimed him was blunt force and foamy goodness.

When he finally came to, the others were already cleaning up and taking stock of all of the mounts and smaller tames.  Miki noticed Argent starting to rouse and walked over to crouch in front of him.  “You’re crazy, you know that?  Thanks for saving so many of my little friends, but why didn’t you just whistle to them?”  She ruffled his beer-soaked hair and pulled him back to his feet. 

“Well that was pretty stupid, huh?”  Argent looked around until he spotted a huge reddish dragon near the water’s edge.  Rose stood next to the beast, watching it carefully.  She turned to look up at Argent as he approached and he could see the huge grin behind the trike skull helmet.  “Found a new friend?”

Rose nodded and winced at the motion.  “Her name is Ashka.  Do you like it?”

Smiling back, he nodded and said quietly, “Yes, I do.”  After a quiet moment, he added “So, can we go for a ride?”