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⬣//JUST AS A SEED TAKES ROOT.
A team of four courageous adventurers managed to unearth a secret Area unique from the others: the Hulle Granz Cathedral. Unlike other Areas, this one is lacking all the usual monsters, dungeons, and treasure. What might the purpose of this Area be, then...?
Well, if you’re feeling penitent or perhaps wish to hold a sermon of your own, head to Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground and knock yourself out. What? Too soon?
Anyway, be not afraid! The cathedral is perfectly safe. Following Ganymede’s little incident in the cathedral, a timely email has been sent out to beta testers regarding health and safety that reads as follows:
To our beta team,
Please exercise caution when playing video games for extended periods of time. Take breaks every thirty minutes and do not sit in the same position for more than two hours at a time. Remember to stay hydrated and play in a well-lit environment.
Failing to take care of your health while gaming can result in a litany of health complications, including but not limited to eye strain, muscle fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and involuntary loss of consciousness and motor functions.
We take the health and safety of our beta testers very seriously. If you have any concerns, please contact us at cccorp.ccmail.com.
Thank you for your continued efforts,
CyberConnect Corporation of Japan.
Guilds have been patched into the current version of Fragment and are now available for players to create their own and join others. While some guilds have opted to go the private route, others are in need of players to fill their ranks!
The admins have kindly supplied those recruiting for their shiny new guilds with a number of goodies to aid in their player gathering efforts:⬣ A bundle of personalized flyers proudly displaying their guild logo and a description of the guild’s @ home and available amenities.
⬣ Party poppers and streamers. Nothing screams “join my guild!” like a face full of glitter, confetti, and colorful strips of ribbon.
⬣ A megaphone that lets your voice echo far and wide, even across Root Towns and Areas, but with great potential for abuse comes restrictions! The megaphone can only be used five times before it breaks. Use it wisely!
⬣ A unique recipe for a cocktail, latte, tea, or other type of beverage that can be blended up and served in little sample cups to court potential members. These drinks are unique to their guilds and, when consumed, have a special effect that reflects the leader of that guild. Is your guild leader a pretty cheerful guy? Drinking their special brew will make you feel happy too!
Whatever effect your guild’s drink has is up to the leader’s discretion, but if you so desire, drop a comment under the questions top level and we’ll brew one up for you.
Additionally, you may host a guild open house and invite potential guildies into your @ home to let them take a look around! Guild @ homes are typically locked to guild members & their guests only, so use this as your opportunity to put your best foot forward and impress the world with everything your guild has to offer.
Also arriving with the newest update are mountable Grunties! Aren’t they cute? ...Well, they’re someone’s definition of cute.
While the ability to ride around town and in Areas at 2x speed is certainly alluring, you can’t just walk up to the Grunty Ranch located in each Root Town and take one out for a stroll. If you want a mount of your very own, you’ve got to commit! Becoming a proud Grunty owner means you must first become a proud Grunty parent, and to do that, you’ll need to raise your Grunty from infancy into adulthood.
Just what kind of adult might your Grunty become? That depends on how you raise them and what you feed them. Those strange "foods" popping up all over Areas might not taste good to you, but they sure do to Grunties!
For more information on how to acquire a baby Grunty of your very own and raise it into a proper — or not so proper — member of Grunty society, head on over to the Grunty Ranch.
Mac Anu, the City of Twilight known for its gentle ocean breezes, has been uncharacteristically warm lately. Very, very warm. Its usual orange skies have been swapped out for vivid blues, the sun dwelling high in the sky and threatening to burn everything in its wake.
It won’t take much wandering to feel the effects of heat exhaustion sink in, and even after you log out for the day, those symptoms seem to linger. Do Hien and Zelkova know what the hell is going on? Of course not. Unusual occurrences are slowly becoming the norm in Fragment, it seems, but the point of a beta test is to work out any kinks. Report it and move on.
Lumina Cloth is similarly affected by unusual weather phenomena, but it’s much more pleasant and hospitable than poor Mac Anu. The sun hangs just above the horizon, bathing the strip in early evening light. It’s much cooler here too, and what’s more, it appears that a carnival has rolled into town. What fun!
All the usual carnival fare is here: greasy fried foods, drinks served in foot long glasses, and a litany of carnival games that are totally not rigged. Entry is free and so are the prizes, but some of them take a bit of legwork to win.
⬣ Successfully PK another player to win the carnival exclusive Thursday The 12th™ skin. PK’d players will receive an appropriately spooky ghost skin of their own!
⬣ Step on up to the dunk tank and get dunked on to win a sexy swimsuit skin! Both the dunkers and the dunkees will win this skin, but only those who successfully dunk the player in the tank will be rewarded with the chance to show off some skin. The appearance this skin takes is dependent on the player wearing it, so have fun and get creative with it!
⬣ Take a trip through the hall of mirrors with a friend and do some reflecting! Stare too long into the mirrors and you might recall a memory that doesn’t belong to you, but to the person venturing through the hall of mirrors with you. Did that really happen? Surely it’s all in your head. Memories available for memshare are limited to the ones listed on your application.
Additional rewards include giant plush monsters that can be used to decorate guild @ homes and private rooms (limit one per player!) and a pet goldfish that, unfortunately, will die a hero’s tragic death within a week. Womp womp.
We’ve had a busy week! It seems like there was a glitch that allowed players to equip other players as weapons, which resulted in a ten player chain, wielded by none other than our hardworking head administrator, Hien! I’ll have a talk with him about not doing this kind of thing in the future, I promise!
That wasn’t all, though. An unknown entity reached out to the players participating in the ten-player chain and issued them a special title: Good Friends Stick Together. Fragment’s not supposed to have titles. Well, at least not in the beta. But you can go ahead and add it to your name if you want to anyway, and it shouldn’t cause any problems! We still can’t pinpoint who sent those messages and how they overrode the permissions to create those titles in the first place, but... Hmm. I don’t want to start any rumors, so I’ll keep looking into it.
There are those armor sets too, which I didn’t know had been handed out to those of you that reached level 25. Oria brought it to our attention, thankfully! There’s not a whole lot we can do about it now, but we know that some of them are pretty invasive. But knowing is half the battle, right?
Our friend Ganymede suffered an accident recently that had him lying unconscious in the hospital for about a day. He seems to be feeling better now, thankfully. Ḩ̵̲̼͆̃͐̆ò̸̧̰͕̥̈́͒̕͜p̷̫͙̯͇̾̄͜ę̸̹̒f̷̠̭͉̱̅͘ǘ̴͎̙̥̭̈́̈́l̵͇̙͍̳̜̇̓̒l̷̬̲̀̆̈̅̂ͅỳ̵̧̻̖ ̷̠̫̭̰̦̋͗h̴̰͕̑͗e̸̦̼͇̾͘ ̴̡̢̝̺̳̊̎̎̔p̴̳̠̼̜͔̂̅̐à̵͕̹̟ͅỹ̴̡̛͝s̶͉̕ ̴̢͕̬̑̆̕͝b̸̹̲͗͒̊͑͠ē̶̛͖͠ṯ̸̻̺́͒͐t̶̻͕͎̑ĕ̶̖̀͗͛͋r̷͙̗̙̲͙̓̚͝ ̷̻̠͉̈́̚a̷̡̙̳̽́̀̋̔ẗ̴̢̨̛̬̺t̴͖̳͝ē̷͇̆͆̍̚ͅn̵̪̜͉͊̉̔̄͐t̵͕̼͈̓͋̈́̕î̷̬o̸͇̐͋͑͌n̶̟̫̟̽̑͒͐͘ ̷̜̈́̈̀̂̎t̶͙̂͛ô̸̠̜ ̶̫͎̎h̶͖̳͛i̸̗͖̖̅̂͆̄͛s̸͔̈́̇̍ ̸̩̗̻̕s̵̬̼̳̲̞͝ù̸̞̺̣͙̾͒͛ŗ̴̻̟̻̭̂̈́r̶̡͈̲̣̣͋̊͗̕o̶̥̝̮̓ų̴̻̯̬̊̑̑͌̉ͅn̶̢̙̦͔͖̈̒͝d̷̰̼̤̥̃̿͒̌̎i̸̯͑̾͊̑͝n̵̦͐g̸̪̾͝͝s̷̛̝͙̣̹̍͛͝ ̸͔̲̠̩͗̓̀͘a̷̛̼̓̈́͊ṅ̵̥͆̎ḑ̶̨̯̱͍̇ ̷̛̗̮̀̆ḧ̴̼̪́͗͝i̵͓̬̤͂͐͒s̶̮̎̿̃ ̴̛͔̋͗̽h̷̝͑ͅē̴̱ȃ̵̝͎ͅļ̷͍̀͐͊̊̽ẗ̸̼̺̟̥̼́̄͛h̶̥̹̬̮̽̅ ̷̟̖̮͛́̿t̸̢̤̤̂͒͋̍o̶̼̟̓ ̵̥̳͙̖̆̈́ả̶̛̳̱͙̖̩̿̽͘v̴͈͉͖͊͘ỏ̶̤͚̅͑͝i̴̱͈̩̳̳̿̇̕͠ḏ̵͙̮͗͆ ̶̯̭̝̹̯͊s̸͍̰͔̔̀͋͋̐u̷̟̠͑̔̏̚c̵̨͖͉͇̀͆͘ͅh̴̨̓͌̄̈ ̶̧̱̻̼̏̃̃i̷̱͉͈̿̎̋͒͜͝n̴̢͓͍̂͝͠c̷̢̢̛̹͚̑̓̅ͅi̶͕̟̻̘̫̾͌d̶͉͉̏̇e̵͉̱̩̯̤͐̎̉̾n̸̡̠̈͜ţ̴̇͑̈́͘s̵̩̼͔̙̙̉͘ ̵̮̯̞̮̾̈́͋̔̈h̵̡̗͉͉͈̉̐̅̚ȁ̵͖͚̖̾p̸̰̬͖̩̀̈́̆̓p̶̢̛̼̈́͆̒͘ͅe̷̟̘̩̲̻̾̊n̵̨̩̜̟͆͘i̵̙͉̺̮͠ͅṋ̷̆ġ̶͙͚ ̴̩̋à̷̄̑̂͝ͅǧ̵͖̜͍͕̒̑͒a̷̧̛̞͐̃̈́͘i̷̯͉̬̯̽̍n̷̘̝͓̽̅̕!̵̩͑
no subject
[Tsk, tsk, poor Hien-kun. If he'd only expand his horizons and learn of just how far the fingers of those pesky politicians reach, he'd know there's far more out there to paying attention to the politics of the day than just being involved in it oneself.]
[...Although, can you really claim to be uninvolved when you rule a city? Touché, Matoba supposes.]
Oh, don't be like that. You're going to break my heart. [Said with as much feeling as a passing comment about the weather,] What is someone like you doing here? Really.
Is there something you're looking for?
no subject
No. I'm here to babysit the players so that you guys don't do anything too awful in this carnival.
[ Faith? 0.
Hien almost snorts when Matoba mentions "heart". Yeah. Good one. ]
I like being here, in Lumina Cloth.
[ That certainly tracks with how many times he's been seen around this area. ]
That's all.
no subject
[As Matoba jokingly reaches towards his inventory, he pauses, and his eye rolls to the side. A soft snort escapes him.]
...I'm not talking about this Root Town.
[His hands drop to the side again, knuckles clicking. He doesn't know for certain, but that "dv" that messaged them.... It could be a hacker. But it could also be something else. Something that could only be possible in a virtual world like this.]
[His eye slides back to Hien's.]
Are you the only admin, Hien-kun?
no subject
But then whatever tension there was is gone in his shoulders. His shoulders slump a little. It's as if he expected a worse question than that, but at least this is something he can answer easily-- ]
I'm the Head Administrator. Doesn't that already imply there are other administrators?
no subject
[He holds his eyes.]
That is to say.... I haven't exactly seen anyone else around, or introduced to us....... Please feel free to refresh my memory, however, if I happen to have forgotten someone important?
no subject
So he just shrugs. ]
There are other human administrators. I'm just someone assigned to this project.
[ He shoots Matoba a look as if to ask him, "happy now??". ]
no subject
Well, isn't that a relief! If it was just us and you, I'd think you really were suffering from overwork. I certainly hope we'll get to meet our other babysitters soon, too.
[As if. His hands clasp behind his back, though, rolling on his heels. He'll simply have to keep poking around, then. If that one from the messages is really paying attention. Hmm.]
[...Oh. Did you think answering that was enough for him to abandon you, Hien? Don't be silly. He gives an enthusiastic point towards the ring toss.]
Shall we play that one next?
no subject
[ But he would understand if it's just a rude to buy time for Hien to stick with him as he asks more questions. ]
If you hook all the rings in before I do, I'll let you ask any question and I'll answer if I can, barring any NDAs, other contracts, promises, et cetera, without the possibility of getting PKed on the spot.
[ Hopefully nothing too plotty that I'm unable to give, but. It is there. ]
no subject
[The whole carnival long, Matoba's been missing shots and tosses as he chats up his fellow players. Hien might be on to something, though: missing shots just gave him more time to interrogate them.]
[Is he sandbagging? Now that the circumstances are reversed, it's time to find out.]
And if you win? [He opens his gold wallet to buy in a play.] Shall I assume I'm as good as dead again?
no subject
[ Because Matoba probably enjoys it like someone else he knows. He's just tiredly closing his eyes on the inside. Don't look at him. He tosses some GP at the game vendor for both of their plays before Matoba can put one in for his. Look, he's treating him. ]
Stay silent for an entire 24 hours in the duration you're logged in. Logging out pauses the timer.
no subject
[Being gagged has its own appeal though..........]
Oh? [Matoba blinks, hand pausing as Hien tosses in his GP. Wow, what a gentleman...!] Alright. I'll even accept a bane that forces it, if you wish.
Shall we begin on three?
[And because Matoba is so interested, he'll even count properly without cheating!]
One
Two..
Three--
[The Matoba clan were once a clan of mercenary archers, back in feudal times- at least, that's what they say... It's right in their names, after all: 的場 "Target Range". And although they have a pretty different mercenary profession now, a certain talent has never quite escaped them.]
[Even with "one-eyed" Seiji here. He's still better with a bow, but alas! No bow class in this game. Really should have read his feedback notice about that back when the beta started. But don't worry, no one ever has to know... Except Hien, apparently- as he hooks all of his rings onto the pegs with a succession of measured tosses, the eyepatch suddenly not an object.]
[The little flashing lights over the game's booth flash with his modest win, rolling his wrist as he glances over Hien's side.]
..............Now then. I'm really going to have to think about this one.....
no subject
So he just crosses his arms, waiting for Matoba to think of one. Meanwhile, he eats another fried squid (where did it come from). ]
1/2
[Can you just generate fried squid?]
[But don't worry, he catches himself.]
no subject
[(He never said he wouldn't try to ask anything after this, but he's sure he won't be able to needle anything out, either... Too bad.)]
[His digging for information about this game, about all of the "coincidences" and "bugs" that have been mounting the last few weeks, slowly becoming too apparent for players to ignore: if Hien was really going to give an answer, it wasn't going to be from some pointblank question.]
[So that's pointless.]
[But what's really interesting, what Matoba thinks he discovered by poking the sleeping bear in the first place, is it probably isn't whatever Hien might know about the backdrop of this game. It's whatever his relationship is to it. His single-minded stubbornness towards whatever it is he's looking for while observing them, clinically, the little lab rats gathered here for testing.]
[It's not a bad thing, well-applied. Single-mindedness. In the right hands.]
[Eye drawing back up from the lights and flashy prizes, Matoba's smile betrays no particular amount of interest, like usual.]
By working here, on this project.... Are you trying to protect something, Hien-kun?
[Because it's those who have something to protect, some selfless purpose driving them- those are the ones that are truly dangerous. Useful. And maybe, reliable.]
no subject
Hien crosses his arms while tearing apart at another fried squid with his teeth in nonperforated lines. (those must be some very strong teeth). ]
Yes.
[ Despite all his teeth gnashing, he fesses up, because that's what he promised to do. ]
no subject
[Matoba smiles, a bright, annoying, simple smile that would seem so innocent on its face but on Matoba, it's all the greedy little self-satisfaction he's earned with his careful deliberation. A job well-done; that's what he's enjoying right now, and he doesn't press for more this time, however shocking that may be. He can wait. There will be time.]
[...]
[But as for the unimportant things, he's still going to try it,]
--Where are those coming from? [He finally gasps out, a finger raising in the squid's direction.]
no subject
... withdraws his hand with another fried squid on a stick. ]
Your ear.
[ /s ]
no subject
Oya, oya. How impressive.
[Well, it answers his question, at least. The power to generate snacks at will......]
[Truly, Hien is OP.]
[Hm.]
Can you generate any food? [Is it just the squid? This could be truly useful.]
no subject
Instead, a mountain of 200 mandarin oranges suddenly pour onto Matoba all at once. There isn't much time to prepare for it either. It's fine though, because they all only deal 1 dmg each. Not so bad.
Hien picks one up that rolls on the ground and slowly starts peeling at it. ]
no subject
[--h. Well, he supposes he should have seen this coming. Unfortunately, 200 mandarins @ 1 HP each is 200 HP, which as a Shadow Warlock, even at lv25, isn't a whole hell of a lot.]
[So Matoba dies.]
[At least he got his answer. Unfortunately for Hien, this is not a net negative. But he's free to vanish away with his oranges... for now.]