The void. The complete absence of anything of substance is what I awake to. No feeling, no seeing, just pure existence. My internal clock is saying only seconds have passed but with the absence of anything it is hard to tell if I am experiencing seconds or hours. All I know is nothing was here until there was. A small pinprick of light in the distance, slowly growing in size until the light encompasses my vision, wave after wave of something crashes into me as the fidelity of the light increases allowing me to see clearly for the first time in who knows how long.
Massive.
The only word I think appropriate to use to describe the planet now residing in my vision. Three large land masses catch my eye as the planet rotates along its invisible axis. The continents themselves seem to be veiled in a fog of grey, mostly masking their geography except for the tips of a mountain range poking through in the western continent. I was so caught up in the view that I didn’t realize there was someone beside me until I heard a short cough coming from my left.
“Sorry to disturb you but I am here to answer any questions before you start the game.” Her voice was almost ethereal, being light and melodic. Turning I am faced with an actual angel. Large white wings were tucked behind her as her golden halo was silently bobbing above her head. Sitting in a bright pink plush chair behind a mahogany desk both of which were just casually floating in space. She gestures to the space in front of her and another bright pink fluffy chair slowly materializes into existence.
“Please, take a seat” She calmly speaks to me. Her halo seems to bob more when she speaks. I manage to sit down while still being captivated by the world below.
“So that’s the world huh” my voice was full of wonder.
"Yes, as you can see it is currently divided into three continents. The northernmost is what we like to refer to as the Monster Zone as in it is mostly inhabited by monsters of old, great behemoths of legend dwell within their respective zones, guarding grandiose treasures waiting to be retrieved. The western continent belongs to the Admeri Republic, the forefront in democracy but broken into their respective factions. With their abundant resources fighting back the demon horde should be no problem," Snorting in disdain, "If only those stupid aristocrats would stop bickering with each other then their war would be easily won. The Eastern continent is a different story, however." She pauses as if to reminisce about past experiences.
“Due to the continent only being discovered in recent years, there isn’t enough of a foothold of civilization yet in order to effectively combat the demons who are invading.”
“Speaking of that, how are they invading? Do they sort of just poof into existence out of nowhere?” I ask, curious on how this games spawning mechanic for the big bad works.
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“Unfortunately I cannot give you any specifics as to the actual gameplay else that spoils the fun!”
“Alright fair enough, in that case, do we have character sheets or something?” There wasn’t exactly a menu or anything.
“Of course, just think ‘Character’ and the screen should pop up. You can also just think ‘Menu’ and select the ‘Character’ tab from there. Keep in mind that certain features in the game will be unlocked as time goes on or special actions are performed. ”
‘Character’
Strength: 1
(+) 20
Agility: 1
(+) 20
Endurance: 1
(+) 20
Intelligence: 18
(+) 190
Willpower: 15
(+) 160
Charisma: 3
(+) 40
Luck: 20
Skills*
[Expand]
(Note that an * denotes that it is being compressed for convenience)
Looking at it now it kind of makes sense. The devs did say that our physical bodies would reflect what we have here at the start of the game. I only wish my physical stats didn't have to be so low.
"Oh dear, give me one moment." The angel closes her eyes while dragging her hands through the air as if she is selecting things on the screen. After a few minutes her eyes open up again.
"I am so sorry for Mr.Remus, I didn't know of your, um, condition until now. Though after reading through your file I must say I am impressed you have managed for this long." My mood sours as the immersion is broken by mentioning my condition.
"Save the pity party, I get that too much in the real world. Will this be an issue in-game?" The angel looks as if she wants to answer but instead closes her eyes again. Once again, after a few minutes she opens her eyes and addresses me, albeit this time with a cheerful smile in place.
"I have been given permission to tell you about certain game mechanics. A stat of ten is the average human stat, likewise, it represents the average human capability of that stat. Now of course adding more has diminishing returns after a while but while increasing the stat grants you more of the desired effect the opposite can also be said."
"So if the average human can squat about 125 pounds with a stat of ten, then a stat of one allows me to lift a tenth of that? Am I destined to always be a cripple?" I couldn't help but let my frustration show in my voice.
"Fortunately for you Mr.Remus it will not be. For one of the so-called 'Game Moderators' has decided they will personally attend to your issue," A box wrapped in a silky white cloth appears on the angel's desk. "These gifts are from the moderator himself, think of it as our way of apologizing for your troubles and he hopes that you will quote 'Unlock your true potential'."
Tentatively, I reach towards the box.
