Private Eastern Brisshal New meetings, ambitious ventures

[Cyrus Sylvester]

Cyrus stretched as he meandered into Honeyhome. He'd been playing for a few hours, and while the novelty factor of being in Terrasphere had made the various beginner-friendly fetch, gather, and deliver quests surprisingly diverting, they had been, ultimately, simple chores. If nothing else, it had made for a pleasant exercise, and – better yet – he now finally possessed some gold to his name.

Honestly, getting spawned in with regular clothing (that did not count as armour) and nothing else had been a bit of a sore point. Even with what little that he'd done, his trousers were stained with mud and grass, he had splotches of slime goo here and there, his shirt already had a small tear in it, and small forest debris clung to his braided hair.

Yeah, the realism definitely had its drawbacks. Hopefully, with time, he would either manage to reduce or get used to the discomforts.

Cyrus inhaled deeply, and reminded himself that he was here to have fun. So what if there were some inconveniences? They didn't detract from the overall experience of being in a fantasy world, being someone else – yet himself – and getting to push aside all real-life worries as he did something solely for pure enjoyment. No stress, no expectations. Just him, and whatever he wanted to do. The world at his fingertips.

He smiled as he passed a single guard patrolling the cobblestone streets, and waved a friendly greeting. There was not much security in this village, but there didn't need to be. NPCs, or Landers as they were termed here, were out and about in numbers, players mingling among them, and there was hardly any overt tension on the part of either. Sure, it was mostly due to the settings the devs decided on for this place, but the feeling of peace permeating Honeyhome was authentic.

A group of children was playing by the well, running around as they chased a ball, and they were not at all disturbed when he passed them to perch on its edge. He received a few curious looks as he stripped off his shirt, and begun washing both himself and his clothes, but no one reproached him for it. The ability to do something like this so freely…it was indescribable.

When Cyrus felt that he was in a presentable state, he headed to the general store. There truly were many people he passed by, but nonetheless, one particular person caught his attention. A blue haired player standing in front of his destination; a new one, if the lack of proper gear was anything to go by. "Hey, you getting your first shopping done too?" Cyrus asked, pointing at the adjacent building.

@Erick Styker

 

[Erick Stryker]

Continued from here.
​

The chill had yet to pass after Ash and Erick parted ways. Honeyhome presented as the generic forest town that you might find in a fantasy novel, with women and children at play without a care in the world as the men toiled the day away. If they noticed him, they did not react. There was something calm and carefree about the way they lived, something that would never be seen in the world outside. This was the distraction, the lie that the game told that made it so appealing.

It was a world that the player ached for, an alternative to the difficulties and tragedies of their everyday life. It offered something other than unfair, because the rules that were programmed into the false reality were strict, constant, and final.

Those were things that gave him pause when he reflected on the things that the Beastman had told him. If the world was fair, how would it allow someone to live three times before they could never escape? Or worse yet, would people look to die so that they never had to go back to the other world? It sparked so many horrible possibilities that his mind reeled.

A sweet, flavorful aroma wafted across his nostrils and Erick was ripped from his thoughts by the hunger that goaded him. It had the distinct scent of pastry, but something slightly different from anything he was used to. Before he had time to guess at what it might be, though, he heard someone speak.

"Hey, you getting your first shopping done too?"

Erick turned on his heel and tilted his head to regard the newcomer, yet another beastman from the look of him. The surprise had diminishing returns however, and other than a single incredulous blink, he gave no other outward sign. He did not seem to be the same type of Beastman as Ash had been, though he admittedly knew very little about the genetics, biology, or familial tendencies of Beastmen to make such an assessment.

"Oh, uh, yeah," he smiled as he habitually reached up to scratch at the back of his head. "Just got here not a half hour ago, I've been trying to figure out where things are, what I can use, and what I can afford," Erick answered honestly. "Sounds like you're new here too. I'm Erick." He offered his hand by way of greeting. "And you are?"

@Cyrus Sylvester

 

[Cyrus Sylvester]

Cyrus nodded at Erick's explanation. He was glad this was a player; he honestly sometimes couldn't tell if someone (something?) was an NPC or not. But Erick had had that fresh-faced look about him. Regardless of if it was an assumption, gut feeling, or a sense of familiarity on his part, Cyrus had been right. "Nice to meet'cha. I'm Cyrus," he took the offered hand, and shook it, grinning at the other man. "You're right that I'm new, but I've at least been here," he waved a hand around to indicate Honeyhome, "once before. I didn't have any cash back then, though," he shrugged.

"So, yeah, even if I'm a beginner, I could show you around some. The only place for adventuring gear is that one," he once again pointed at the general store nearby. "Not much change in pricing one way or another, but maybe we could get a discount…" Cyrus put a finger at his chin thoughtfully. "Say, I've been looking for someone to team up with anyhow. How about it? We get the prep done, go through some newbie areas together?"

Cyrus motioned for Erick to follow him, having completely missed the fact that his fellow player had had his eye on getting food more so than anything else. He bound for the store, not looking behind to se if Erick did go along with him or not. Once he entered the small shop, he became thoroughly absorbed with the items on displays. Various paraphernalia was displayed on shelves, or in racks, or behind locked display cases – the most expensive items were behind the counter or in a private storage to the back, however.

So, Cyrus first gathered a pile of smaller items; gloves, a belt, attachable pouches, wire, and the like. Keeping a mental tally of the price, he deposited the stuff on the counter. "Phe-ew!" he dusted off his hands. "Hey, shopkeeper," he addressed a freckled, brunette, twin-tailed human. "I'm gonna need a dagger or two, and some leather armor. Oooh, and something for magic. Small and unobtrusive for that one, if ya can, please."

Frankly, there was little to choose from, so Cyrus didn't sweat on the selection too much besides trying to get the best balance between 'functional' and 'cheap'. His pile of items grew, but before the woman could tally up the price, he held up a hand. "Hey, hey, if we get all our stuff together," he indicated Erick and whatever he'd gathered to buy with a thumb, "can we get 20% off?"

"U-um," the employee eyed the large selection. "Maybe 10%..." she fidgeted with her sleeves.

Sensing opportunity, Cyrus pounced. "Add two healing potions, and make it 15% - for a pair of new travelers more than willing to visit again!"

The shopkeeper agreed, and the transaction was finalized, with Cyrus and Erick splitting the cost as was appropriate. The beastfolk quickly stashed his purchase into the inventory, and equipped it all straight through the palm menu. He looked down at himself, and hummed in approval. Even if it was really basic shit, it was still an improvement on what he'd had before. He glanced at Erick to see if he'd done the same.

When the two finally exited the store, Cyrus said, "Weird choice that they didn't give the NP—uh, Landers, an inventory too, don't you think?" Though he chalked it up to the desire for increased realism, it was still minorly curious.

@Erick Styker

 

[Erick Stryker]

The other player spoke and moved quickly, which in some way Erick had to admire. He was so confident and sure of himself and what he wanted to do that anxiety did not hold him back from charging straight toward his goals. Or toward the things that would help him achieve his goals, as the case appeared to be. "Ah, I guess that makes you my senior when it comes to retail," Erick said with a laugh, "alright then, at least for this, I'm in your care."

When Cyrus spoke up about discounts, he tilted his head, and when the other man offered to team up, he blinked. "Yeah, sure, I guess that's okay," he started to say, but the Beastman was already miles ahead and he was along for the ride. Erick didn't even have time to consider bringing up the horrific information Ash had shared with him only minutes before, and that seemed like something he ought to at least speak up about. Even if it wasn't true, if there was talk going around about it, it was something that deserved to be looked into.

Drams and draughts of potion lined the walls, various viscosity apparent at a glance. Sealed scrolls on racks and heavy tomes neatly packed into bookshelves lined the walls. He pulled at one and a menu opened, where he read about adventuring tips and several nifty UI shortcuts that would be useful later, if he managed to remember any of them. He pressed the tome dutifully back into the shelf as he heard Cyrus start to haggle with the girl running the store.

Erick glanced in their direction to ascertain exactly what was going on. Was that sort of interaction possible in this world? Obviously it was, since she seemed to give in and offer ten percent when he asked for twenty. "Well that's useful to know," he said quietly as he continued to watch, just to be sure that the other man was not too rough with the twin-tailed girl.

He dropped a few of the potions and a scroll on the countertop along with Cyrus' take, and as they finalized the transaction, he dropped several coins in the girl's hand to cover his own items. "Thanks," he told her. He figured that keeping it short after a round or two with the other player would be a nice reprieve for the woman.

"Well, there could be several reasons for that, but the biggest is probably that they don't need it," Erick replied as he stored the items in his inventory. "Anything they need, they can make, or buy, or store. They have simple lives compared to ours. The vast majority of them don't do quests. Most of them never stray far from their homes."

The truth was, Erick wanted to differentiate himself from "Landers" as much as possible due to what he had heard. They couldn't be the same as Players. If they were...

Erick could feel his face losing warmth. "It's a little drafty here, don't you think?" he asked suddenly. "Which areas were you thinking to visit?"

@Cyrus Sylvester

 

[Cyrus Sylvester]

At Erick's speculation as to why Landers had no inventory, Cyrus gave him a skeptical look. "Lives," he repeated, frowning mildly. On the one hand, Erick might have meant that this in-universe explanation was a consideration on the devs' part. On the other, it sounded uncomfortably like he was assigning NPCs agency. "I don't know that I would call AI living," he commented. But what he meant was that he absolutely wouldn't consider them to be, because that was…well, it had to be an insane notion. Sure, it was VR, but it wasn't as if this was actual reality.

He blinked at the change of topic, and took in the other man, who did seem paler. "Just around Eastern Brisshal," he replied. "But maybe you should get a cloak, or something?"

This time, he would wait to see what Erick wanted, and would hang around if the other player did decide to get warmer clothing.

Afterwards, he'd take the lead once again. "There are one or two places around where they've got quest postings. Let's go see what's available?" Then, he added, "Oh, and if we're doing this together, we should actually party up." Fiddling with the palm menu, Cyrus sent Erick an invitation to do so through the system.

Once a formal party was established, as indicated by a display on the HUD, the two proceeded through town. Cyrus went at a stroll, casually looking around as they went. He knew where they were headed, but didn't know every single place or street given it was his second time there. "Hey, what's your playstyle like? I'm a sneaky type, rogue or assassin, if you will. With some magic. Basically a DPS, though I could maaaybe tank in a pinch?" The Beastfolk glanced at Erick.

The two continued discussing their masteries, skills, preferences, and team tactics. Eventually, they arrived at a, to Cyrus, familiar tavern. This time, the venue was half empty, and the one waiter he'd met last time was not on shift. On one of the far walls was a bulletin board. A small part of it was dedicated to notices about the inn's daily specialties and events, but the vast majority of it was overtaken by various requests made by the villagers. Some had been taken already, as shown by pins attached to nothing but scraps of paper where messages had been torn off by players.

There were still many remaining though, and new ones would be added daily. Cyrus inspected them, finger trailing from one paper to the next. "Slimes? No." He'd had enough of those jelly-bastards. "Boars? Hmm." A pass, as well. He didn't feel like hunting animals. "Sewers? Eh." That one was about getting rid of skeletons, and de-clogging areas where bones had accumulated. Too janitor-esque for his taste.

"Oh, goblins – that's a classic," Cyrus pointed to one particular quest.

It read:

Overabundance of goblins; groups spotted far outside Glenwood Outpost. Cull them.

Reward based on number and type killed. Proof of slaying required.

Small bonus for recovery of useful supplies.

-Tristan K., Ranger

Benefactor: Honeyhome's Ranger Association​

"What'd you say?" Cyrus asked after Erick's opinion.

@Erick Styker

 

[Erick Stryker]

What it meant to be alive was hardly one of the topics Erick wanted to broach that day, or any other day. There were times in the past several years that the person behind his avatar was not sure there were any meaning at all assigned to it, and recently up until the day he found Terrasphere... well...

Suffice to say, the blue haired boy was thankful the other guy was keen to move on from the topic when he shifted gears. "A cloak, huh?" he considered aloud. "I figure that there might come a time when that would come in handy, but a stray breeze here and there isn't enough to justify the expense." They both knew how difficult the economic system in this game was early on, which was evident in the way Cyrus had worked the shopkeep down to a more reasonable sales price. "I'll definitely be looking into some armor, though," he added. Erick was just unsure what kind of armor to invest in.

"A quest sounds like a good idea," he agreed as Cyrus sent him an invitation, and the system placed them together in a group. "I've done the group thing once, I actually really like how it allows me to keep an eye on my allies and make quick decisions." The commentary came slightly before the Beastman asked about his playstyle, which made him light up a bit.

"Actually, when I was looking through skills I focused more on support. My strengths are in boosting and protecting my teammates from harm," he explained, "I'm able to force enemies to focus on me in a pinch, but I'm more inclined to hang back and shield or heal, and deal supporting damage if an opening appears."

By the time they reached their destination, they had discussed at length their strengths, and while he was by no means a frontline combatant, Cyrus was the more fit between the two of them to play Vanguard. "Goblins?" Erick repeated thoughtfully. "I've heard goblins can be quite clever. Sounds like a bit of a challenge, but I'm up for it if you are."

@Cyrus Sylvester

 

[Cyrus Sylvester]

"Yeah, I've been looking for something more challenging than just gathering mats, ya know. Definitely up for it," Cyrus sent Erick a thumbs up. "We can always run away if things turn bad."

The two then had to get a map of Easter Brisshal. Not only that, there was little choice but to ask a guard for directions – or rather, to explain to them how to recognize some of the indicated landmarks and such.

"So, any advice for new Travelers going against goblins the first time?" Cyrus asked the guard idly.

"Don't underestimate them, or you'll die," came the immediate, no-nonsense reply.

"U-uh, right, wouldn't want that," Cyrus chuckled, slightly nervous. It was just a game, but with how realistic everything was, he wouldn't want that to happen, pain limiter or no. "Any specific advice though?"

The guard sighed. "Watch out for traps, ambushes, and being outnumbered. They're tricky fellas, and they've decent grasp of tactics. Be prepared, be observant, always have a way out. Good luck," the guard then waved them off.

Cyrus and Erick thus made their way out of Honeyhome, and into the forest. "Let's stick to the path till this intersection…I've not been to these parts of the forest yet, and to be honest, all these trees kinda look the same to me," the Beastfolk smiled wryly.

They walked, and the journey was fairly easygoing while on the thoroughfare. When it was time to veer off into the brushwood, Cyrus became noticeably more tense – or wary. He moved more slowly, carefully, sticking close to the shadows, keeping quiet as he looked this way or that.

Their caution paid off when they were the first to notice their enemy, a pair of goblins, rather than the other way around. Cyrus indicated that he'd move in with an easily understood hand motion, pointing at himself, then at the goblin. He sneaked behind one, and successfully performed a sneak attack, plunging a dagger deep into its neck.

The blood spray was startling, to be honest, but he had little time to think about it then – the other goblin obviously noticed its comrade getting done in. It screeched shrilly, and moved in to attack. Cyrus and the goblin exchanged a few blows, Erick possibly assisting from the back. However, the creature was quick to notice that it was at a disadvantage. It feinted, then threw dirt into Cyrus' eyes, and dashed away, hollering all the while. "Shit."

@Erick Styker

 

[Erick Stryker]

Erick followed fairly close, with enough distance so that if something happened to one of them, both of them need not fall victim to the same danger. They had established their line that way, so it made sense to implement it even when they were just marching toward a rough destination.

"...to be honest, all these trees kinda look the same to me,"

"Yeah, me too," he agreed. Admittedly, the blue haired boy wasn't focused too much on the trees. He could see them, but his attention was somewhere else. That was when it happened. A split second to react, and they burst from the bushes. Erick was woefully unused to the timing, so he failed to voice the alert before they attacked.

Frustrated with himself, the Temporal Mage made a silent note to practice more with his Farseeing Gaze.

What he failed to prevent, however, he did not fail to prepare for. He was the less armored of the two in terms of physical defense, but Erick came with other electives that could make up the deficit. As a support character, he was less invested in improving his own ability to deal damage and more skilled at making others do more- or as the case may be, take less.

"Got your back," Erick called out offhand as he speared two fingers into the aether and gripped the space around the muck slung toward @Cyrus Sylvester 's eyes. He lacked the skill to rewind the action entirely and bring the vulnerable goblin back to where his teammate could exact murderous reprisal, but preventing blindness would have to be a net victory for the moment.

He diverted the area around the mud, peeled it in twain, and separated it into two timelines. Causality around the two anomalies distorted, both timelines fell to paradox. One reality where it struck true, side by side with another where it missed entirely. The two scenes fizzled and popped, cracked, and shattered.

Sweat beaded on Erick's brow from exertion. So much energy for such little gain. Pathetic.

"Here!" he huffed. It was even more exhausting than rejection of the previous event, but Erick managed to grip the fleeing goblin in a thin envelope of suspended gravity. It floated upward, losing purchase on the dirt below and panicked as it swung wildly at nothing. "I'll hold it for you," he groaned hoarsely.

Okay, so Goblins are much trickier than the weaker enemies around Brisshal...