The Truth About Nothing
Before the infamous "Southern Ruckus", John Dale and his friends were in a dinner at 10 pm having just returned from bowling.
John's three friends were Michaela Giovanni, Jeremy Linken, and Sarah Merrygold. All three of them were hardcore gamers, but only Jeremy openly taked about games.
Something about John's attitude made it impossible for them to get really into talking about games. However, at this time, they found out John was playing Astera.
"Hey Jeremy, do you play Astera?"
All three of them froze at John's words, completely unbelieving.
"Uh.... yeah..... for about 4 months now."
"?!?!? Its been out that long? I only start about 2 weeks ago."
All three of them changed from frozen to "As expected of John" eyes while lightly smiling.
"Yeah... I got the game on release. Michaela and Sarah have also played a little bit. Where are you in the game John?"
"I'm in this city called Orangones."
"What country is that in?"
"I'm not sure, haven't asked anyone."
Jeremy almost started crying.
"You could just look it up online, you know?"
"I haven't really read much about the game. I just saw someone streaming it on Twitch and thought it looked cool."
Sarah chimed in at this point, to allow Jeremy time to breath.
"So... what level are you? What profession did you go with?
"I'm level 5 right now. I don't have a profession, but I do have a job as a Courier for Orangones."
Sarah let a single tear run down her face.
"Sarah? Are you okay."
"No, not really. But, uhm, why are you only level 5? You've been playing for at least one in game month right?"
"Well, I've only fought like four times in the game so, I'd say level 5 is pretty good."
Suddenly, all three of them looked serious.
"How did you manage that?"
Michaela interjected.
Well, I got this job from Mayor Jinroe and Blackfire to guard some claim flags. The waves were sorta hard. I think my first one was 2 level 5 golbins, though one of them ran away."
"....What the f^$*$*^k are claim flags?"
"Oh, right, you guys are adventurers. So basically, when a village chief asks some adventurers to clear out a cave, They send someone to guarda claim flag for 24 in game hours next to the cave entrance. After the adventurers clear the cave, the cave stops spawning monsters and the village can expand into that area."
"Wow.... I had no idea the game was that thorough."
Jeremy had recovered and his eyes shone with curiosity.
"Anything else exciting go on in the game for you John?"
"N-not really, I've just been delivering some letters between towns. What about you guys."
"Well...."
Jeremy began recounting epic tale after tale, spweeing masssive amounts of information. Sarah and Michaela interject with some interesting items they had come across.
"... but, really, one day I wish I could actually fight a dragon by myself. Maybe once people figure out how to break the limits..."
"Limits? What do you mean."
"Oh right, you're a complete n00b. So, for some reason, stats cap at 100."
"They..... cap???"
"It makes more sense if you look at the stat descrptions in game, but basically its the idea of physical limits. Like, the max stat a mortal humanoid can get is 100."
Michaela interjected then.
"But, they have started to find out some interesting stuff that suggests that you can unlock more stats after capping basic stats."
"? What do you mean by basic stats?"
"Well....."
Sarah started leaning forward.
"There are the starting basic stats: Strength, Vitality, Stamina, Dexterity, Wisdom, and Intellect. Then there are a lot of hidden basic stats like Endurance, Charm, Fame, and Faith."
"Oh. those."
"Right, so people think, because there are secret basic stats, there might be more advnaced stats you can unlock. I mean, nobody really knows, and anyone who does isn't sharing."
"So are people just calling them basic stats without proof?"
"Basically, yeah."
"Hmmm..."
John started thinking.Then said.
"This sounds suspicious. There have got to be different stat caps. Has anyone taken a giant race?"
".... you can choose to be a giant?"
Sarah, Jeremy, and Michaela were suprised.
"Yeah, when I went through my character creation, it mentioned giants."
Jeremy, the highest level of the "Three Gamers", frowned.
"I've never encountered anything like that. Though, to be honest, the only people who have encountered the stat cap are the people who rush and maxx one stat."
"Thats stupid, who does that? Balancing your stats is really important."
".....Why do you say that John?"
Sarah asked, not really believing John just said something a gamer would say.
"I mean, what good does hitting hard do if your really slow and have no health? Like, whats it called.... a glass cannon? In this kind of game, that stuff shouldn't work."
"Normally, you are correct. But in a 100+ player guild, things change."
.....
"...Oh....right...other people..."
"Hey, John, don't worry, I'll come find you in the game."
"Thanks Jeremy. Lets head back home before our parents freak out."
Ironically and unsuprisingly, John waas the only one of the four with a driver's liscense.
"John, make sure to look over your basic stats at least once."
Jeremy said before going into his home.
********
Mutai, after doing some light stretching, stood up.
"Show stats : Strength, Vitality, Stamina, Endurance, Sustenance, Dexterity, Finess, Wisdom, Intellect, Faith"
Strength(28)StatGoverns hitting things and moving things.STR/2 = Maximum Base Damage
STR*2 = Max Kg moveable
Vitality(12)StatYou have learned how to minimize how much energy your body uses. Wink wink, nudge nudge.VIT*10 = Maximum Health
Effects Reputation (LVL)
Stamina(21)StatGoverns the physical limits of the body and the ability to preform actions based on physical movementSTA*10 = Stamina Resource
Effects Reputation
Endurance(4)StatYou have some natural defences against taking dmg-0.1*(End) dmg taken from physical sources. You cannot put points into this stat, that would break the game XD
Sustenance(5)StatYou have learned how to minimize how much energy your body uses. Wink wink, nudge nudge.-0.1*(SUS) stamina cost from all sources.
Dexterity(29)StatGoverns body control and hand-eye coordinationDEX/150 * MAX DMG = MIN DMG
DEX/150 * MAX DEF = MIN DEF
Effects ability to preform acrobatic manuevers
Effects crafting
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Finess(1)StatOne of those flexable types.+0.1%*(FIN) Chance to land,tumble, and balance correctly after an acrobatic move.
Effects crafting
Wisdom(8)StatGoverns retained knowledge, ability to predict future behavior, decision making, natural harmony, and magical capacityWIS*10 = Maximum Mana Resource
WIS/150 * MAX M.DMG = MIN M.DMG
WIS/150 * MAX M.DEF = MIN M.DEF
Effects ability to gain reputation
Effects Faith stat
Effects ability to interact with nature
Effects enlightenments
Intellect(11)StatGoverns logical thought, perceptions, magical prowessINT/3 = Maximum Magic Damage(you better believe it rounds down)
Effects logical
Effects ability to discern "truths"
Faith(1)StatA believer, one of many.Effects divine boons
Effects relationship with chosen church
Effects insights gained from religion
....Mutai was not expecting the stats to work the way they did.
"I need to ask someone, an NPC, about this..... maybe the cult knows something...."
******
Midnight, the Abandoned House.
"Magdas be Praised!"
Mutai said the phrase along with a rather silly hand gesture.
The hidden staircase revealed itself and Mutai descended.
"So.... you finally started talking like an adventurer."
"Well, listen, my friend mentioned this and now that I looked at all my stats they seem very wierd and I was wondering if someone in the church knows whats going on."
"Sigh..... Listen, Mutai? I'll tell you some things, because you seem like the kind to someday get into big trouble. So listen, lets go to the main alterplace. Hey Gegoi, Meryth, Bogsi....Mutai wants to hear about Immortals! Meet me at the alter!"
Mutai, Jimmy, Gegori, Meryth, and Bogsi gathered around the altar. As per the usual wierdness of this group the chapel area didn't have pews, but a large elliptical flat table made with some sort of black stone that emitted mist. Aparently, the "Table of Darkness" was one of the few pieces of furniture the cult was allowed to keep after pawning off stuff for reparations.
"So, Mutai, the reason your here is before we can discuss anything about Immortals, I need to you to take a blood pact. Normally, we wouldn't do this.... but your an Adventurer and Id be really bad f Adventurers found out about this stuff earier then they should alright?"
"Alright, sounds good."
The Truth As We Know ItBlood PactRegarding the truth about the universeAny attempts to speak about "Immortals", "The Universe", "The Accord", or "Stages" will result in permanent death in Astera.
Blood pact signed, enforced.
"Alright.... so out of those four terms the window showed, which one do you want to start with?"
"uhhh..... Immortals?"
"Right, so Immortals refers to anyone abot Stage 6, since they will not die from natural causes. They are at the Stages where their lifespan is so long, that its pretty irrelivant to count. Or care."
"Stage 6? Yeah, what are Stages."
"Oh that reminds me what level are you?"
"I'm currently level 5."
"Right, don't use stat points after you hit level 10.Also, don't pick a profession"
"????What, why?"
"See, level 1 to 10 is considered "Stage 0" by everyone, because if you live a relativly normal life you don't go past 10. So, level 10 and higher is called Stage 1 and is when the Gods start evaluating you."
"Evaluating for what?"
"Your affinities, talents, other fun things. They do this until you reach Stage 2, which is when you max all your normal stats. Strength, Intellect, etc."
"So they judge you if you choose a profession or use stat points? Is it because only Adventurers have those or what?"
"Nope, everyone on the planet gets stat points. Its just that, they don't matter once you leave Astera, so the Gods view using stat distributions and professions as "failing the test" so to speak."
"Whats the test?"
"Stage 1, reaching your natural mortal limits. Since each race has the same mortal limit, the gods care more about the journey to get there than how fast you do so. Although, if you do it fast and are skill, that also gets you some bonuses."
"And they give you affinties? Like, elemental affinities."
"Its a lot more complicated than that, but yes. Keep in mind you can gain normal affinities during Stage 1, but only at Stage 2 can you get something like "Harem Affinity" or "Bacon Affinity". "
".....What?"
"Listen, the universe is weird alright *haha*, don't worry to much about that stuff until you get to Stage 2."
"Right. So about professions, how do those work?"
"They basically make you overpowered. Like, a Rank 1 Warrior specialized in swords gains +50%*Total Damage(which is base damage plus the sword dmg) to their Max Damage. And they have like +10% Attack Speed. Plus they get skill books."
"That... sounds awesome..."
"Yeah, those go away when you leave Astera."
"Oh. What about the Rank 1 thing?"
"Thats a distraction the DevLords put in. Lets people get even more broken professions when they meet certain requirements. Once again, only relavent on Astera. More-over, a profession makes it almost impossible to gain unrelated stats. Like, Rank 1 Warriors don't use mana, so they almost never naturally gain Wisdom or Intellect."
"Lol."
"The funniest part is, you know how death isn't permanent on Astera for a lot of people right? That also goes away off Astera. Every hundred years, you see someone fly off Astear, only to immediately return."
"I probably woud to. So, about the Universe. You keep talking about it like its completely different."
"Astera is one of the few "peaceful" worlds on this side, pretty much everywhere else is filled with people above Stage 3. Can you imagine walking peacefully down a street, when every person there is stronger than the current Dragon King on Astera?"
"That sounds really scary. Wait, this side?"
"I don't want to get too in depth. Basically, a long time ago, the unverise was split into two sides. One has magic, the other doesn't. One has direct interference by the "Gods" and the other doesn't. The other side, its rumored things are more peaceful. But those are rumors, Astera is one of the furthest words from The Accord so who knows."
"Whats The Accord?"
"Its this extra-dimensional space, created at the boundary of the two sides, where people from boths sides can go into to fight and get crazy."
"Alright....alright..... I think I got this. I still need to decompress it all."
Mutai at this point was mentally fatigued, mostly because Jimmy, Gegori, Meryth, and Bogsi were constantly switching off to talk to him and having their own second discussion about things.
"Glad we could enlighten you a bit."
"Yeah, thanks, I'm heading to sleep, see you guys around."
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Let me know about any weird mistakes.