Chapter 1
“What is this? Is this what Camilla meant by fixing the situation?”
“Aaargh is there any manual or something that says what it is.”
In front of him stood a bed like machine that looked like it belonged in the future.
“My old age is acting up again... This isn't something that looks like it's from the future, it's from the present.”
Sometimes Henkel forgot that the technological advancements that had taken place the last 20 years.
He looked around for a manual but there was no such thing.
Maybe this was a new massage chair or something like that. Is it for helping me with my arthritis?
Many thoughts went through Henkel's head and finally he decided to call the only person that could help him with this sort of thing.
“I should call Christine”
I had gotten the number to ask for medical help or if I was feeling depressed and this might be something like that.
[Tuut...Tuut...Tuu-click!]
“Hello this is Nurse Christine speaking.”
“...Good day, it's Henkel. I was in today for an arthritis check-up.”
“Hey, no need to explain who you are, I recognise you by your voice no problem. So what can I do to help you? Are you having trouble walking?”
“Aah no, it's not really medically related you see. I have gotten a big package delivered and I don't know what it is.”
“Package? You dirty perv!”
“Waah, it's not lik-...”
“...-Just kidding! Show it to me through the holograph function.”
Cellphones were equipped with many new functions these years but I never really used them because I didn't use the phone much but I still knew how to operate them all, just in case I'm bored.
“Holograph is on. This is the thing I'm talking about. See?”
“This isn't this... Show me the logo on the helmet.”
“Logo? Hmm...is it this here?”
“AAAAHHH!! The double R's. No mistaking it, you got the new Virtual reality game Royal Road, the one I was telling you about earlier today.”
“This is a VR machine? What's the game about?”
“It's a medieval fantasy role-playing game with 99% realism, you've played video games before right? It's something like those MMORPG games but you get to experience everything with your own body, you can do and become anything you want with some restrictions.”
“Eehhh...So how do I play it?”
“I won't explain how you play the game just lay down and put the helmet on and start playing. Be sure you tell me in what town you start in so we can meet.”
“Ok I'll play after I've eaten. Thanks and bye.”
“...eat...can't...lieve...wants...first...even...haven't...played...”
Her voice was becoming harder to hear as the holograph function slowly shut down the conversation.
As Henkel was eating the food he had made he searched for some basic information about RR on the new “floating screens”. Screens that appeared in the air without any need for monitors or mouse, all you need is a pair of eyes and being able to point and click on the floating keyboard or speak.
Not much was being revealed online as it had only been out for a week but it was being talked about being the greatest invention since the internet.
Time is 13.00, it's cloudy outside so I might as well try it out.
He put on the helmet and a light flashed before his eyes.
“Retina scan complete!”
”Welcome to Royal Road! [trumpet fanfare]”
An introduction speech was being spoken in a woman's voice, it explained a couple things about the game and it's general purpose.
“You may create your own character now. Enter desired name:”
“Henkel.” Might as well go with my own name, might be easier for Camilla and Christine to find me.
“Choose your gender:”
“Male”
“Choose your race. The different races all have varied pros and cons in skills and appearance would you like a brief explanation on the races?”
“Yes.”
The voice explained the different races showing and how I would look like them without having modified my appearance. There are over 20 different playable races and even more still to be unlocked. Can I create more characters? Most popular race from the data gathered online was: human, for it's versatility and having no real cons; the elf, and all it's subclasses; dwarfs, who wouldn't like these bearded creatures; human-hybrids, they had the most subclasses and were not that much different from humans.
“This is hard...what do I choose...”
“Going human would be the best choice since I don't really know what class I want to play as and, and...”
“But hybrids are so interesting!! I've always wanted a tail like the saiyans or claws. I think it would be a crime against humanity if I went with animal ears, I'm too old for that.”
I asked what pros and cons the different hybrids had and from those the most balanced races were: the half-elf, with the penalty of reduced defence and health but with the potential for both magical and physical classes; monkey/ape-hybrids, that had increased strength and health but had a huge penalty for regenerative magic possessing the lowest mana regeneration. And humans who could be anything.
“Miss computer. Can you choose for me”
...No response.
“Can I get a dice maybe?”
“Certainly. Coins and dice have been made available for help with randomizing.”
Different dice appeared and I chose a six sided one.
1-2 for human, 3-4 for half-elf and 5-6 for monkey-hybrid.
[Rollrollroll...]
TWO...best of three!
[Rollrollroll...]
ONE...best of five!
[Rollrollroll...]
THREE, yes.
[Rollrollroll...]
FIVE, ok.
[Rollrollroll...]
THREE, all right!
[Rollrollroll...]
TWO...fiiiiine...
“I choose human!”
“Do you wish to alter your appearance?”
Altering my looks? Well why not. OK, less wrinkles and a bit of muscles since I lost some size ever since I got arthritis...HAIR! More colour on my hair and moustache. “DONE!”
“Choose a starting location. Right now only the central continent is available and the city of dwarfs, elfs and "
“Welcome to Royal Road.”
FLASH!!...A blinding light shone and after opening my eyes I was standing in the middle of a town square. Around me people began to appear from thin air looking just as surprised as I was. I kind of felt like the odd man out because what materialised every time were young boys in their teens to mid twenties, sometimes a woman was created but men outnumbered women 5:1 from what I saw.
It got louder. It started as murmurs but increased and I could clearly feel the vibrations in my ears, people greeted each other asking where they were from and what they wanted to do. Unfortunately no one seemed to be interested in me, can't blame them I am over 50 some 30 years older than the rest of them.
The first step I would take in this “reality”, it frightened me. I was scared that once I started moving I would feel the pain I had grown used to.
[step, step]
No pain.
“AMAZING!”
I screamed at the top of my lungs. I didn't even realise that people would start to look at me like a crazy person. But soon after there were other people yelling and like a wildfire the excitement spread and every person standing in the square started screaming and jumping.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Too much excitement...”
“So what do I do now? Hmm...”
Henkel started walking forward, without any real destination in mind just walking to feel young again. Jumping around, running and just flailing his arms around like a lunatic.
“Aaahh... It's been ages since I felt like this, being able to use my limbs without care.”
Henkel passed into a street full of children walking briskly with bags. It seemed they were heading to school or whatever it is that exists in this world. As Henkel had nothing better to do he followed them listening in on their happy conversations. He realised after a while that they were not going to a school per say but they were heading to a district with different apprenticeships. Divided into crafts, churches and soldiers. In the district there were shops and cafés and training buildings. Henkel went inside one of the cafés.
“Welcome. Oh a foreigner! We don't get many here, mostly apprentices and their teachers.”
“Yes, hello. Is it all right if I sit by the window, I just arrived here and don't have much money on me.”
“Hmm...well since there are no customers I'll allow it.”
Henkel sat by the window looking out the window just wasting some time. Sometimes children and teens passed by or sat down on the benches. At lunch time many children came out and had their lunches sitting on the benches and grass, others went into the cafés. The waiter told Henkel it was ok to stay and so he did, while listening to the children's chattering.
“I'm so tired, swinging swords all day sucks.”
“You tell me. I'm just swinging a hammer on a piece of wood in my spare time otherwise I keep the fires alive at the blacksmiths training hall.”
“All I do is run.”
“Man it's good to sit here and relax but it's so boring.”
“Yeah I don't want to go back home after practice either.”
“It sucks working at the farms or helping for free in the store.”
“We're kids and we want to have fun!”
“Yeah!”
“Aahh! The hour is over, let's go back.”
The children left the café as fast as they had arrived and it was quiet again. The waiter approached Henkel with a tray. On it there were two cups of some hot beverage and two plates of pastry.
“May I join you?”
“Please.”
“It always get quiet when the children leave after lunch, a perfect time for a snack and tea. For you.”
“Oh, thank you. You shouldn't have. Do you manage this place by yourself?”
“Yes, I take great pleasure in preparing a relaxing place for the children, all beverages are made by me but the pastries I get from a friend in a bakery.”
[sip, sip.]
“Oh this tastes incredible! What kind of tea is this?”
“This is a new blend I made from some leaves I acquired from a merchant that comes once a month here.”
“Do you mean it's expensive?”
“Expensive? If I would put a price tag on it then maybe a few silver per cup or so but this isn't business it's pleasure. You seem like a respectable man who would enjoy a cup, so I poured one.”
“Yes, thank you. I haven't enjoyed something like this in quite some time, I would love it if you could show me how you made it.”
“Ah, certainly. But let's enjoy ourselves a bit more, shall we?”
So they sat and enjoyed their tea and pastry, neither spoke anything. They just sat there enjoying themselves looking through the window. When the smell of tea and pastries had dissipated the waiter rose and left with the tray to the kitchen. At first Henkel just sat in his seat moving his legs restlessly. He rose and charged to the kitchen asking if he could be of help as he felt embarrassed receiving something without giving anything in return. He got a bucket of water and a rag then went to the front and started cleaning the tables and windows.
“You've been a great help and it's been pleasant having you hear. If you don't have anything planned I would love it if you helped me out, please consider it.”
Help out at the café
René has asked you to help out in the café with cleaning and other chores. The job will pay a daily wage, snacks included.
Difficulty level: -
Restriction: Being friendly with René
“Yes no problem.”
You have accepted the quest.
“I only ask if I can leave my responsibilities if it's not busy to look around the town. It is my first day and I haven't seen much of the town yet.”
“There is no problem, we aren't usually all the time, there are plenty of times I just sit around drinking a cup of newly blended tea. Speaking of tea, come and let me show you”
René taught Henkel how to weigh leaves and described the properties of them. Even the water temperature is important when brewing tea, different temperatures and time would give different flavours. A master and a novice will never make tea that taste the same. Henkel was then put in charge of brewing the most popular tea served after-hours. It was popular with the children because it had more caffeine than most blends keeping the kids awake after spending all day as apprentices.
You have learned the skill: Cooking, beginner level 1
The ability to brew leaves with water has been acquired.
Beverages will be more flavourful than others brewing without the ability.
“Amazing, I learned a skill by doing it. I wonder if there are other things I can learn in a similar way?”
“I see you have gotten the hang of brewing, good. It isn't a very easy skill to learn, most people won't ever bother with it. That is if they ever find out about it. I can also tell you that there are many different things you can learn in this world, it might be simple to learn but to master the skills you will have to spend a considerable amount of time and effort. Look at me 30 years old and I am just an intermediate bartender, 10 years I have worked behind the counter. I do not regret it but I want to highlight that it is hard.”
“When do you usually close shop?”
“After dinner service for the children I usually take a small break and open up again for the adults. I then start serving alcohol in the evening, my other services are of course also open. I won't have you working with alcohol though, not until I have thought you better at least.”
Henkel had thus spent his first day in RR and he left the café. It was late at night and he had a couple of hours until it opened again. This night he spent wandering around town mapping out the different locations close to the café, it was impossible to navigate through the whole city in one night though.
“A pleasant stroll for the end of a pleasant day.”