"As a Visitor to the world, the Powers have decided to grant you the Visitors Package Boon to make your transition easier,” Guide said.

Joe watched as his stat sheet updated to show the words Visitor’s Package beside his Boons. It was only because he was paying such close attention that he felt the slightest of tingles brush over his body and concentrate at the base of his skull. It felt a bit like a full-body shiver, though so faint he may have missed it.

“Choose one piece of ornamental equipment that will serve as your starting storage. This item will be bound to you forever. You will neither be able to trade it away nor have it stolen, purchased, or transferred by any Visitors, Residents or Entities separate from yourself.”

"An inventory," Joe said, delighted. Part of him wondered what constituted ‘not separate from himself’. Would this new accessory be a part of him? Is that what it meant to be bound? Was it then like… an inert appendage? The potential of such a thing, especially in the medical field was overwhelming.

“A bound storage item does have much in common with what you visitors call an inventory,” Guide said, their words more revealing than (or perhaps exactly as revealing as) they appeared. It meant that there was such a thing as an inventory, and it was his solemn duty as both a scientist, and a gamer to obtain one. Purely for science, of course.

“Please select your storage accessory and your starting attire.” the guide said.

"Options?" Joe asked.

"Entirely customizable," the guide replied. “Requirements dictate your clothing must adhere to the standards of public decency in the starting zone. I will indicate if your choices are inappropriate.”

"What is the standard for the people in the world of New Veil?" Joe asked. “Can you put me in something reasonable for somebody of my age and station? Something I’d be expected to wear.”

“Starting equipment may not be enchanted or give stat boosts.”

That meant that the standard attire for Visitors included stat boosts or enchantments. That, or however he’d be incarnated into the game was as the type of person who would be expected to wear enchanted or boosting equipment… Perhaps it was common? Joe made to ask, but had his inquiry cut off by Guide.

"This information will be covered in the introduction," Guide said. Joe took a deep breath and let it go.

"What about where the storyline takes place? Please dress me in common attire for that."

“The average human male your age would wear something like this,” the guide said as a knee length tunic appeared with a long-sleeved stretchy undershirt beneath it. The undershirt had weight as he felt it settle over his body. Below the tunic were tough but breathable pants that were quite smooth in texture and appearance. Joe could see the shirt buttoned up the front, and a thick, patterned sash wrapped around his waist and over his shoulder.

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Joe wasn’t well versed in textiles, and even if he was, who’s to say the fabric was something he’d have been familiar with. Regardless, the outfit was comfortable enough, if a bit bland as each piece was a greyish-beige colour. He figured that this had more to do with asking for a non-specific ‘standard’ outfit than it had to do with the fashion sensibilities of the world he couldn’t wait to explore.

“Please add a jacket, or cloak? Something long, like a trench.” A thick, comfortable cloak was placed upon his shoulders. Joe watched himself, or the avatar that represented his body, turn this way then that, watching the way the fabric moved, and listening to the gentle swish of cloth against cloth. Watching himself move gave Joe the slightly incongruous feeling of being in two places at once. Like the feeling one gets when a sudden dip in the road makes a person like they've swallowed their own stomach. A small bout of vertigo hit him when he thought about it too hard.

Focusing back on the makeover-sim his introduction/tutorial? had become, Joe glanced at the bare feet poking out of the slightly bunched pant cuffs.

“Comfortable, padded, calf-length athletic socks, and boots that are good for heavy wear in all conditions,” Joe said.

Instead of responding, Guide simply materialized the shoes onto his feet.

"Make the pants dark blue. Match that with the jacket. Make the undershirt black, and the tunic light gray, and the boots dark brown." Joe watched as the changes were made, and then considered the final item. “Make the sash black.” The sash became black, its patterns now only visible when twisted in the light due to the sheen of the fabric, as the pattern was a glossier more iridescent black. Pleased, Joe felt himself sufficiently outfitted.

"And your accessory?" Guide asked. Joe thought about it. He wanted something discreet but easily accessible. He didn't know if the thing had to be in contact with him in order for the item to function, but he figured as much. Then he thought about video games and potential combat and frowned slightly. "It needed to be somewhere where it couldn’t easily be severed or lost. A necklace probably would be a bad idea, dangling about in a vital area would make a weak point an even bigger target. Armband or maybe his shoes? No, arms and legs could be lopped off and discarded. With dismemberment a distinct possibility, perhaps a piercing? No, it should be easily removable. A ring? Too obvious. Same with a bracelet. An anklet maybe? What about a tool, would something like a dagger count as an accessory? He asked; he was denied.

“Requirements dictate your item cannot be a weapon.” Said the guide. Joe wasn’t great at interpreting feelings at the best of times, but it turns out that having a psychic link with the person (or non-human entity) you’re conversing with helps take some of the guesswork out of it. Was that, sarcasm? Mirth?

Either way, his bond with the guide was evolving. His ability to project in general was advancing. Too bad he couldn’t see guide the guide. Would they appear humanoid? As a floating light? Some being for which Joe had no frame of reference? He’d like to match the face to the emotion.

Wait.

“Can I have a simple mask?” A simple mask appeared on his body, covering the entirety of his face. His eyes were in the style of a visor with what appeared to be a mesh obscuring the opening. Surprisingly, his vision didn’t change at all. Joe watched his head nod, then tilt this way and that. It was classy, he thought, simple, but effective.

Finally, kitted up, he was ready to head out into the world of New Veil Online.

Joe's fingers felt like they were already tingling with the possibilities. He flicked his eyes over to look at the time, which was floating next to the flashing recording light in his HUD. The new interface had been hovering unobtrusively in the corner of his vision. The novelty of it was exciting enough to prevent him from dismissing the menu. The time hadn’t changed at all. He didn’t know how that was possible, but he was excited to find the answers.

“Are you satisfied?” Guide asked.

“No,” Joe answered. “I am ready.” The world flipped as Joe’s perspective was shoved back into his body.

Then the world went blurred.