The split began the moment the players stepped onto the island.
No, more accurately, it had begun when Almeida, the former Governor of Casarina Island, started screwing over the first batch of mercenary players.
After all, Rise of the Empire was an online PVE game. Players had a natural foundation for solidarity. Even when they fought among themselves, if an NPC tried to screw them over, they instinctively closed ranks against the outsider and killed the bastard first.
Through denunciations posted on the forums, players both on and off the island had long since learned what the Makon people there were like. So the other players did not mind the Varangian Warband leaving, nor did they harbor any resentment.
Just like that, the second batch of mercenary players split in two. The two hundred members of the Varangian Warband headed for the Mercenary Camp, while the others followed the Makon Alliance officers to Casarina Town.
The Varangian Warband had a clear objective in going to the Mercenary Camp: take over its defenses and protect the important Snake-Man story NPC.
Although they still did not understand what was going on, the unusual Snake-Man named Slakma, who even had human legs, was clearly an important NPC driving the main storyline.
The Varangian Warband's tasks were simple.
First, protect Slakma and prevent the Snake-Men from returning to seize or kill him.
Second, guard against the Makon Alliance. Keep them from learning about Slakma or taking him away, and wait for ships from the Kingdom of Bagnia to bring him back to the country.
Third, if those objectives proved impossible, chop Slakma into mincemeat and make sure he was thoroughly dead.
That was one of the main reasons the Varangian Warband had rushed to the Mercenary Camp immediately after disembarking and taking a short