Ash and Errol wandered through Myrddin, a picturesque town where hobble-brick houses and thatched-roof cottages lined the cobblestone streets, and the very air seemed infused with enchantment.
The bustling streets were teeming with shops – apothecaries, blacksmiths, leatherworkers, and various other stores brimming with alluring enchanted curiosities. Nearby bakeries wafted the mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked goods, enticing both NPCs and fellow players who hurried about, lost in the enchantment of it all, despite the dire circumstances.
Errol's eyes widened in awe. "Where are we going?"
Ash contemplated for a moment before responding. "We need to pick up a quest. Hopefully, we'll snag an easy one, since you can only have one quest line active at a time at this level."
Errol furrowed his brow. "So, it could be tough?"
Ash nodded, his face revealing a subtle hint of uncertainty. "Yes, it’s possible. We'll require some luck, but we should have options."
Errol leaned in, his curiosity getting the best of him. "Just how tough are we talking?"
"Well, at level 1, 'tough' is relative. We’re not going to be facing off against giants or anything like that. But we can be given tasks or sent places that can be time-consuming or a bit dangerous. It’s the same in most MMORPGs, really.”
Errol took a moment to digest the information, his thoughtful expression not going unnoticed by Ash. It was reassuring how quickly he seemed to pick things up.
"Questing it is, then," Errol said, his determination showing. "So, where do we track these quests down?"
As if in response to Errol, the street ahead broadened, leading them toward a grand, imposing structure. It resembled the Greek Pantheon with its white marble, tall columns, and finely sculpted statues of gods and heroes. It was a striking contrast to the town's quaint charm.
"You can find quests anywhere really, and they can find you, but here in Myrddin, the local NPCs post them on the adventurer's board inside the Town Hall."
"How do you know all of this?" Errol asked, a note of curiosity in his voice. "I may not be well-versed in these blinking MORPGs or whatever you call them, but I do know that most details about Neuratar were kept pretty hush-hush. After the mix-up with the ear-chip, I found myself doing quite a bit of research on Neuratar, Cereludum, and its founders."
Errol's words carried a weight that made Ash's muscles tense, a sense of unease settling in as his gaze lingered. Maintaining anonymity was crucial. If the other players discovered who he was, any trust he’d manage to build would crumble. He needed subtlety in navigating this world alongside others, if he was to guide them and keep them out of harms way.
Logging in with his real username, "Ash," had been foolish. Most players would make the connection to the co-founder of Cereludum, the company that developed Neuratar. His company. Him. To avoid suspicion, he had to feign ignorance.
His in-game avatar differed from his real self; he'd glimpsed his reflection in a shop window. Taller, broader, with unblemished skin, few similarities remained, only really his shaggy black hair.
Errol awaited a response, his wild eyebrows raised. After careful consideration, Ash whispered, "Okay, I have a very good friend who works for Cereludum. He was a lead developer on Neuratar. He may have," Ash winked, "given me a few pointers on how to get off to a good start."
“Ah,” Errol replied, winking back, "I don't believe you..” he paused, his gaze thoughtful for a moment, before continuing, “but, strangely enough, I do trust you and I tend to have a good read on people. So, Ash, please, lead the way." With a gesture, Errol motioned for Ash to proceed toward the town hall.
Ash couldn't help but notice the unusual quality of Errol's eyes. They held an enigmatic shimmer, like a sparkling pool of secrets. As he observed, those eyes transformed Errol, shifting him from a bewildered old man into something altogether different, though Ash couldn't quite pinpoint what that was.
In response to Errol, Ash offered a restrained smile, as if it carried a silent acknowledgement.
Once more, his mind wandered, his focus adrift. He pondered why the game had thrust the pair of them together at launch. Did it possess a semblance of intentionality, even though logic dictated otherwise? He had witnessed the unsettling behaviour of Dave-The-Brave and sensed an undeniable strangeness afoot, likely linked to Gideon. Whether it was a deliberate or an anomaly remained uncertain.
“Well?” Errol said, “Let’s get going, you said it yourself, we have no time to waste.”
His words jolted Ash out of his contemplative reverie.
"Sorry, I'm just a bit overwhelmed, as you can imagine," he replied, the words carrying a measure of truth. "It's a lot to absorb, being here for the time being. Let's carry on."
Approaching the stone steps of Myrddin's town hall, they found the enormous intricate wooden doors firmly closed. Confusion clouded Ash's expression as he placed his hand on the door. "It should be open," he remarked.
"It isn't," Errol chimed in unhelpfully.
They lingered in front of the door, Errol turning to Ash with expectant eyes. Ash, however, found himself at a loss. He inspected the door and its surroundings, noticing a small sign that read, 'Closed until next week - best of luck - Dave-The-Brave.' He muttered under his breath, "For fucks sake."
Errol managed a wry smile. "Seems like today just isn't our day, huh?" His tone carried a hint of humour. A 'glass half full' type of person. Ash, on the other hand, often felt like there had never been a glass to begin with. Not many people started with nothing in the real world, but he was one of them. At least whoever his mother had been had the decency to leave him at a hospital before disappearing. It was the first and last act of kindness he'd experienced for quite sometime after that.
He sighed, his annoyance evident. "I... I just hate not being in control. I had a plan, and it's falling apart right in front of me." In that moment, he reaffirmed something that had crossed his mind during the restless hours of the night, as he sat in his chair, watching the countdown to Neuratar's launch. You can get a migraine in Neuratar.
A voice, sweet as honey, came from behind them. "Excuse me, gentlemen. I don't suppose you can help me?"
Ash turned to find a noblewoman standing there, her attire elegant, with a regal bearing that hinted at high social standing. She had auburn hair cascading in gentle waves and wore a rich emerald gown adorned with intricate embroidery. He noticed her neck was bare and a cold shiver ran down his spine. He felt like Dave-The-Brave had frozen and muted him all over again.
Errol inquired, "Hello there. I suppose we can, would you consider it a quest?"
Ash blurted out, "No!" But it was too late; a window appeared before them, displaying 'Quest-Line: The Lost Necklace.'
He knew this quest chain would lead to immediate danger, the kind he would have liked to steer clear of until he had a handle on things. He'd rather be running simple errands like 'delivering supplies to the baker' or ‘assist the baker in baking a cake,' or even ‘courier a letter to someone.' Easy experience, easy rewards. But, this quest was not like those trivial errands.
What was she doing here, anyway? He thought. She had no business being here.
The noblewoman appeared taken aback by his outburst, her hand instinctively moving to where her necklace should have hung. Errol, on the other hand, remained unfazed.
Errol offered an apology to the noblewoman, who responded with, "You can interpret it however you wish, so long as you help me."
He read the quest aloud, his tone carrying a mix of excitement and uncertainty.
"In the bustling town of Myrddin, a distraught noble approaches you. Lady Isolde has lost her precious family heirloom, a magical necklace. She believes it's been taken by mischievous forest sprites. They've been stealing valuables from the townspeople for weeks. Venture into the forest and deal with these pesky creatures, but be wary of their tricks. Return with proof of their defeat for your reward. This is a noob-hard quest.”
Errol glanced at Ash and quipped, "Noob-hard?"
"Well, I can't say for sure," Ash replied, trying to make it seem uncertain. "I'd assume it's a beginner-level quest, but it's probably one of the more tricky, perilous ones." In truth, he was absolutely certain of its meaning.
Errol nodded at Ash and then directed his attention to Lady Isolde. He inquired, "Do you have any inkling of where in the forest these sprites might be, Lady Isolde?"
Lady Isolde's voice carried a touch of vulnerability as she admitted, "I don't, really. What I do know is that they tend to appear at night, near the river that runs through the town. One of the wizards from the library claimed to have seen them paddling a boat, but he was also thoroughly intoxicated at the time. So, I'm not entirely sure how reliable that observation is. Still, it does make sense; there are always guards stationed at the north and south entrances. If they were to approach by boat under the cover of darkness, slipping in and out unnoticed would be rather easy."
Errol glanced at his companion, silently seeking approval, and received a subtle nod in return.
Lady Isolde expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you both so much. I can't bear to lose my grandmother's necklace. I promise a generous reward, or rather, my husband, Lord Isolde, will."
"May I inquire, Lady Isolde, what brought you out of your estate to the Town Hall? A lady of your stature shouldn't be wandering the streets of Myrddin, surely." Ash asked. She shouldn’t be here.
Lady Isolde hesitated for a moment, appearing deep in thought. "Well," she finally began, "I thought instead of waiting for an adventurer to chance upon us, I'd be more proactive and seek one out myself." She gestured towards Errol and Ash with a playful flourish. "And look, I've found them!"
Once the NPC had finished speaking, Ash belatedly noticed that his jaw had involuntarily clenched, and his body had grown rigid.
Lady Isolde turned towards them, her eyes pleading. "So, you will actually help me?"
"We have no choice," Ash replied, his words tinged with resignation.
Errol scowled, "Can't we cancel the quest and get another one?"
"Nope," Ash said flatly, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Errol muttered under his breath, "Well, what a stupid blinking system."
"Yeah... well..." Ash was going to defend the system and offer justification but stopped himself.
In reality, the quest system, especially at lower levels, was designed to prevent players from cherry-picking easy tasks to breeze through the initial zones in Southern Neuratar. By locking them into quests, it forced players to think strategically and, hopefully, collaborate. At least, that was the intention behind it.
Errol clapped his hands together, offered a courteous bow to Lady Isolde, and declared, "Rest assured, Lady Isolde, we shall find your necklace.” He then turned to Ash, and after a fraught pause, he said, "I suppose we’re going to the forest after all."
"I guess we are," Ash conceded. "We need to get some supplies. Come with me."
They left the steps of the town hall, and Ash caught Lady Isolde's smouldering gaze. Slightly taken aback by his curtness, he offered her an apologetic nod and stated, "As my companion said, we'll find your necklace, Lady Isolde."
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Ash hurried away, Errol trailing behind.
Errol couldn't help but inquire, "You seem on edge. What's the matter? If it's a low-level quest, even if it's hard, we should be able to handle it, right? You seem pretty capable. How bad can it be?"
Ash sighed, the gravity of their situation hanging heavy in his words. "Errol, if it weren't life or death, we'd have a chance. But this quest, it's a one-shot deal. One misstep, and we're both dead."
Errol questioned further as they left the square and navigated Myrddin's narrow cobbled streets, "Why don't we just skip the quest for now, then? Come back to it later when we’re stronger? And where are we headed now?"
"We're going to an apothecary for supplies," Ash replied, his eyes scanning their surroundings. "As for skipping quests, here's the thing: I think quests will be vital for early levels. They will likely save us time and, ironically, prevent a lot of unneccesary danger. We just need to get this one out of the way first."
Ash was well aware of the time-saving benefits. In the early levels, the disparity in experience and rewards between completing quests and battling mobs was substantial, especially with the more challenging quests. It could spare them hours of tedious grinding for meagre gains. Ash had no intention of falling behind. To establish himself as a prominent player in the game, to influence others, he needed to aim for the highest levels, perhaps even crack the top 10 on the leaderboards.
It should have been a breeze, thanks to his deep understanding of the game—a significant advantage. However, it felt like the system was piling on the challenges, perhaps to level the playing field. It almost seemed like he was being singled out. A nagging thought crept in: Was Errol just dead weight meant to slow him down? Ash glanced back at the elderly man trudging behind him but pushed those unsettling doubts aside. He had faced adversity his entire life, and he wasn't about to sacrifice his humanity and kindness. Abandoning people wasn't in his nature. Not at 168 Muggeridge Street, and certainly not now.
"That does make sense," Errol agreed as they made a sharp turn into an alley, where the buildings seemed to lean over them. Emerging onto another busy cobbled street, Ash snapped back to the present.
"What does?" Ash inquired, realizing his mind had drifted.
Errol laughed. "You're always lost in thought, aren't you, lad? Getting supplies, it's a smart move considering we're heading into the forest."
"Yes, sorry, Errol," Ash said with a wry chuckle, pretending to scan their surroundings as if searching for something. Errol, straightforward as ever, asked, "What are you looking for?"
"An apothecary," Ash said, playing along. "Can you spot it?"
"It's right in front of us," Errol replied flatly.
"Ah, excellent find! Thanks, Errol!" Ash grinned. "A map would be handy, but we'll have to do without one for a while, I suppose."
"Right," Errol nodded, following Ash into the apothecary's store.
Inside, bubbling potions lined the shelves, their colourful concoctions dancing. The air was thick with exotic scents and the soft hum and crackle of enchantments.
"It's a bit like the perfume section of a department store, isn't it?" Errol chuckled, sidestepping a plume of steam that seemed to follow him from one of the vials on the counter.
Behind the counter, there was some rustling, and Errol and Ash leaned in, nearly on their toes, when an ugly green face popped up. "Ah! What the fuck!" Errol blurted, stepping backwards and scanning for something to defend himself with. He grabbed a large walking stick leaning near the entrance.
"'Scuse me?" the green-faced creature said, puzzled. "You ain't ever seen a goblin before?"
"Obviously not," Errol replied, looking to Ash for reassurance. Ash gestured for him to put the stick down, grinning. "Calm down, Errol. He's the apothecary."
"Must get that bell on the door fixed, sorry. I hope you haven't been waiting too long," the goblin said. "My name's Dingbat. How can I help?"
"Not at all, Dingbat," Ash said. "We'll take some health and mana potions, please."
"Aye, health potions are 10 gold each, mana potions are 25."
He weighed the price in his mind and decided to take a chance. Charisma, an invisible attribute, wasn't something he could see, but if it was high enough, it often allowed for haggling with vendors. While not the most critical attribute, it did come in handy.
"We'll give you 8 for the health and 20 for the mana, but we'll buy 5 health and 2 mana. How about that?" Ash proposed.
Dingbat laughed heartily. "Oooh, we've got ourselves a haggler here! Jog on, best of luck to ya. Try a baker or something."
Ash feigned a shrug and nodded politely. "Fine," he said, turning to walk away. "It's just that you won't be getting much business here when all the other players leave. And," he turned back to make eye contact with the goblin, whose dark eyes, bulbous nose, and pointy ears peeked over the counter, "I don't know if you've heard, but if the players die, they won't be coming back. That leaves you with a very small customer base. I mean, if you were to do us a favour now, maybe we would be inclined to become repeat customers, even spread the word..."
Dingbat's expression shifted from amusement to contemplation as he considered Ash's words.
"Hold on, hold on," Dingbat audibly muttered to himself behind the counter, his head ducked so low that only the tips of his ears were visible. "Fine!" he said, popping back up. "80 gold."
"Pleasure doing business with you," Ash replied, handing Dingbat 80 gold pieces in exchange for the potions that materialized in his inventory.
"You best keep your promise!" Dingbat warned as Ash and Errol turned to leave. Then he noticed something, pointing at Errol. "Hey! You'll have to be paying for that!" he exclaimed.
Errol, still clutching the walking stick in his hand, seemed surprised to realise he was still holding it.
Ash's eyes narrowed, reading the item’s description "Where did you get this?"
“What is it?” Errol asked
Dingbat's face became more visible as he stood on tiptoes. "It's a broken magic staff, that's what it is! May be broken, but it can still handle a spell or two every now and then!"
Errol inquired, "How much for it?"
Dingbat hesitated, then ducked behind the counter again, muttering to himself.
"Is it even yours to sell?" Ash demanded.
"What do you mean? It's my shop, innit? So it's mine to sell!" Dingbat retorted.
"Whose staff is it?" Errol pressed.
"It's mine, I just said that!"
Errol took a step closer to the counter, his staff tapping against the floor as he did. Ash noticed a tiny spark emitting from the staff's tip every other tap. "How about this, you let us take this broken staff off your hands, consider it a disposal of stolen goods, or we'll go and alert the authorities."
Dingbat hastily defended himself, "I didn't steal it! Some blinking drunk wizard left it here, he did!"
"Do you know him?" Ash inquired.
"Yeah, recognised him as one of the wizards from the Library," Dingbat explained with a disdainful tone. "They're a liability, the lot of 'em. By day, they're up there acting all bookish and pious, holier than thou. But then, some of 'em at least, they come to Myrddin and get rat arsed, causing absolute mayhem in the nights! Absolute liabilities, the lot of 'em! Anyway, his name is smudge, one-legged feller, he thought this was the Magic Shoppe. Couldn't tell him otherwise, he was legless—so to speak, and he left his broken staff here, told me to fix it and hopped home."
"Library?" Errol's eyes seemed to light up.
"Yeah, they got one outside the city walls, up on the hill, on the edge," Dingbat replied.
"The edge of what?" Errol inquired.
"The world, the edge of the World. As southerly as you can go."
"Right, then we'll return it to him, if that's okay?" Errol suggested.
Dingbat mumbled under his breath again, but before he could come up with a response, Ash opened the door and gestured for Errol to step outside. They stood there, facing each other.
"Well, that turned out alright," Ash remarked with a mix of relief and satisfaction. "A dash of bad luck, a splash of good luck, and voilà! See, that staff is actually pretty valuable when it's in fixed," he explained. "But we're in luck since it's broken. Normally, you'd have to reach level 14 to use it, but with it being broken, you can wield it from level one."
Errol scratched his head. "Why would I want to use a broken staff? Do I just whack things with it?"
Ash chuckled. "Not just that, though you can! It'll let you cast spells every other cast, though they'll pack a bit less punch than usual, which isn't ideal but better than nothing. Plus, it gives you a stat boost while equipped, so it'll amp up your power."
"Wow," Errol said, eyes widening. "That does sound lucky. Can I see how much it boosts my stats?"
Ash nodded. "Certainly. Just inspect it. So, look at it and think 'inspect.'"
Errol focused on the staff, and his eyes lit up as he read the information aloud. "Smudge's Whizzstick (Broken), Level 14 (Level 1), +2 Intelligence, +2 Magic Defense." He glanced at Ash, seeking reassurance. "Is that good? It sounds good, but I have no frame of reference..."
Ash grinned. "For a freebie, it's fantastic!" Errol's face lit up with a grateful smile, and they set off together. Ash led the way, and Errol happily followed along.
"Where now?" Errol inquired, his feet slapping and staff tapping on the cobbles.
"Magic Shoppe, Bakery, Blacksmith," Ash replied.
"What for?" Errol asked as they turned back through the alley, where the buildings seemed to lean toward them.
"Magic, bread, and a weapon for me. Can't have you being the only one armed!" Ash stated with a grin. But suddenly, he stopped abruptly, his expression shifting to one of seriousness, as if a crucial thought had just struck him.
Errol took a step back, visibly startled. "You alright?"
Ash's demeanor remained serious. "I'm curious, Errol. Can you open your console and type in this command: /basestats?"
Errol stared at Ash as if he'd grown an extra head.
"Okay, try this instead," Ash suggested. "Close your eyes and think 'menu' in your head, like you did with the staff, but with your eyes shut."
He closed his eyes, and after a second, gave a surprised, "Ooh."
"That's your menu," Ash explained. "Lots of things you can do in it, except log out, unfortunately. But I want you to go into settings, user settings, and at the bottom of the list, click 'console.' It will open a window with lots of text in it."
A moment passed, and after a few frustrated expressions, Errol said, "Right, I've got it. It looks like that boot window thing when you turn on a computer."
"That’s it. I want you to, in your internal voice, say /basestats and tell me the two numbers that come up, please."
"Okay," Errol closed his eyes and said, "0, 100." When he opened his eyes, it was now Ash's turn to stare at him as if he had grown two heads.
"What?" Errol asked.
"Do it again. /basestats."
“0, 100,” Errol said indignantly.
"That's unbelievable," Ash said, his eyes darting back and forth. "What is it you do, or presumably did, for a living, Errol? Who were you on the outside?"
"Bit of this, bit of that. What's going on? What do those numbers mean?" Errol asked, puzzled.
Ash shook his head, sizing up Errol. "Those are your base stats. When your class and subclass are being decided by the system, they're made up of a number of different attributes. Those two numbers are your base statistics, which are essentially the foundation for everything: your class, subclass, and attributes. They represent physical and magical power. Follow me?"
"Ah," Errol said, nodding slowly, his eyes studying the staff in his hand. "I'm 100% magic-based? Is that unusual?"
Ash contemplated his words. "I would expect that it's extremely unusual. Mine are 76, 23, which would probably be around average. I would expect," he emphasized the word, "that the game was designed to give you a bit of both, but enough of each to allow for some choice in your path. You," Ash chuckled, "you're a wizard, Errol. Simple as that. I expect," again emphasising the word, "that you'll be an extremely powerful one. An archmage."
"Right," Errol said, his brow furrowed in thought.
"I wonder," Ash said, "can you now type /top into your console? It will show you your main attribute, the rest of them are, more or less, invisible, but I suspect they can be worked out later on. Also, type /hp and /mana to see what your hit points and mana are—" he paused, "are you familiar with hit points and mana?"
Errol gave Ash a tight-lipped smile. "I am familiar," he said, closed his eyes, and after a pause, stated, "Intelligence 9, HP 2, Mana 48."
Ash felt the colour drain from his face, though he wasn't sure if that was possible in the game. "HP 2?" he asked again, gravely.
"That's what it says," Errol replied. "I'm going to assume that's bad."
"Wow," Ash said, placing his hands on his hips and pacing. "You're a glass cannon then, for the time being. We're going to have to find you some gear to boost your constitution and lift your HP from the dangerous territory it's in now. Although, I don't think we can afford anything like that at the moment. We both started with 100 gold, 80 of that is already gone, so we've got 120 left to spend. That won't be enough for enchanted gear."
"So it's really bad then?"
"The good news is you're going to be able to churn out spells without worrying much about draining your mana. Low-level spells use a relatively small amount of mana, and we also have mana potions in case of emergencies. But I'm afraid if you get sneezed on, you'll be dead. A giant rat can kill you with a scratch."
"I assume HP and Mana should be split fairly equally for most people, in line with their physical and magical base stats? However, because mine is so unusual, I'm stuck with low HP."
"Correct. The system couldn't make you 0 HP because, well... you would be dead. So you're as low as it can go, which appears to be 2."
"Ah," Errol mused, tapping his staff on the floor and watching sparks fly out with every other tap. "How do I know if I'm running low on HP or Mana? Do I have to close my eyes and access my console every time? That seems a bit risky..."
Ash reassured him, "No, you won't have to. Your interface will display your HP and Mana when you're in a battle or if they're running low due to debuffs or other factors. You'll see it when you need to. Look, no need to worry. We'll be fine. I'll act as a tank, which means I'll draw the attention of the mobs and absorb the damage. You just stay back and use your magic. But..." he sighed, "we might want to see if there are others with the same quest. Strength in numbers could be our best bet."
Errol nodded in agreement. "Okay, that sounds sensible. How do we find people, though?"
Ash replied, "We'll return to the Town Hall once we've got our supplies and see if Lady Isolde has spoken to anyone else. We'll hang around, and if no one shows up, we'll have to venture out and see what happens."
Errol looked up grinning. "Right you are... One final question, how do I use my magic?"
"We need to go and choose your first spell, and mine. I'm genuinely quite excited to see what yours might be. Follow me," Ash said and led Errol out of the alley back into the busy streets of Myrddin.