⬣//A WHOLE NEW YOU.

[cccorp]

>>Premise // >>Introduction // >>Party // >>Zelkova Corner

⬣//CONGRATULATIONS! YOU WON! 🙂

On a day like any other, you're checking your email when one in particular catches your eye. We invite you to Fragment, the subject line reads, and the sender is a name everyone is familiar with: CyberConnect Corporation.

It doesn't matter whether you signed up for Fragment's closed beta months ago or simply found the mysterious email sitting in your inbox. The fact remains that you are one of the select few chosen to participate, and in a word gone fully digital, you can't afford to turn down such an opportunity.

Those who accepted the invitation were given much more than a free pass to beta test the latest and greatest MMO. Upon confirming their participation, employees of C.C. Corp arrive at their homes and outfit them with top-of-the-line internet — a must to play such an advanced game — a brand new PC, and a state-of-the-art VR headset created by C.C. Corp themselves specifically for this beta test. You may call it excessive. They call it necessary.

Welcome to The World's first event! Your plotting post is here.

⬣//YOUR ADVENTURE BEGINS SIMPLY.

When the morning of July 29th rolls around, you're finally able to access Fragment and create your character. By default, your avatar resembles your real world appearance, but naturally you're able to fully customize your look from head to toe. Want green skin? You got it. What about twintails that stretch down to the floor? You won't have to worry about those clipping through your armor in a game as advanced as Fragment. The sky is truly the limit!

Once you've settled on your avatar's appearance and class, you log into your home Root Rown: Mac Anu, a city forever at twilight with a series of canals snaking through it. It's done up in a series of flowing banners and balloons, glitter and confetti carried along by a gentle breeze you can feel along your cheeks.

Players are given some time to wander around the Root Town and acquaint themselves with the feeling of being fully immersed in a digital fantasy world, but after some time, a soft, playful voice echoes all across the Root Town.

"Hi, everyone! It's time to begin! Meet me at the Chaos Gate!"

When everyone gathers for the meeting, they're greeted by the cheerful face and pitchy voice of an enthusiastic young boy. Unlike you, a level 1 newbie without a single GP to your name, targeting the boy reveals a few things: his name is Zelkova and he's level 100. Huh. Is he cheating? Maybe he's someone important?

In either case, you'll have your answer when Zelkova begins to speak, sweeping his arms out wide to greet all the new beta testers.

"Welcome! I'm Zelkova. I'll be your point of contact during Fragment's closed beta! Before we start celebrating, let me give you guys your armor and equipment. You can't fight monsters without that stuff, huh?"

With a wave of his arms, a table pops into existence before Zelkova. Sprawled out on the table is an immaculate collection of... shabby level one weapons and equipment. Yikes. What, did you think you'd be fabulous from the jump? That's not how MMOs work!

Zelkova encourages everyone to step up and grab the set (or sets, if you're an Adept Rogue) to outfit themselves.

YOUR NEW ARMOR AWAITS.

Blade Brandier: Rusted Blade Leather Cap Ugly Cuirass Deft Gloves Worn Boots

Twin Blade: Railroad Spikes Leather Cap Ugly Cuirass Deft Gloves Worn Boots

Wavemaster: Splintering Rod Tacky Hat Light Robe Light Gloves Old Shoes

Macabre Dancer: Paper Fans Tacky Hat Light Robe Light Gloves Old Shoes

Edge Punisher: Yaoi Oar Helmet Worn Armor Frayed Gloves Squeaky Boots

Flick Reaper: Farmer's Sickle Leather Cap Ugly Cuirass Deft Gloves Worn Boots

Harvest Cleric: Magical Girl Stick Tacky Hat Light Robe Light Gloves Old Shoes

Lord Partizan: Stop Sign Helmet Worn Armor Frayed Gloves Squeaky Boots

Shadow Warlock: Travel Pamphlet Tacky Hat Light Robe Light Gloves Old Shoes

Steam Gunner: Water Gun Leather Cap Ugly Cuirass Deft Gloves Worn Boots

Tribal Grappler: Fishticuffs Leather Cap Ugly Cuirass Deft Gloves Worn Boots

It's... not very impressive, sure, but beginner sets in MMOs never are. Better get dungeon crawling if you want to step up your glamor game.

"Well, that's all the boring stuff for now! This is an exciting opportunity for us all, so why don't we start the beta with a proper party?"

⬣//PARTY LIKE IT'S Y2K.

What better way to celebrate your acceptance into Fragment's prestigious beta program than a blowout party? Every inch of Mac Anu is decked out for the occasion, and once everyone has picked up their armor, Zelkova's armory disappears to reveal a vast banquet table piled high with food, drink, and party favors.

There's cuisine from every corner of the world just waiting to be devoured, and what's more, you'll taste the food like you're really eating it! Zero calories never tasted better. The drinks work much the same way, and there's even alcohol that will get you drunk in no time flat. Take it easy on the cocktails!

Still, maybe you're not feeling adequately dressed for the occasion. Never fear! There are a set of armor skins to pick from. Feeling a bit peckish? Dress up as a vegetable. If veggies aren't your style, how about this sleek little number? Those are just a few of the silly party costumes available for the occasion, and when it's time to depart, Zelkova will graciously allow you to keep your favorite skin to wear whenever you please.

Finally, don't forget to pick up some party favors! There's a foam weapon that, when equipped, takes the form of your class' weapon of choice... but what does it do, exactly? Well, hit another avatar with it and find out for yourself. There are also an array of paint ball guns, nerf guns, and water guns for use in Root Towns. Pick up one of each! Be the annoying friend no one wants to invite on a dungeon run.

Before you leave, Zelkova hands you a Greeting Card that can be emailed to anyone on your friend list. "Try sending it to one of the new friends you made today! I promise they'll love it! Oh... but be careful not to accidentally send it to someone too."

⬣//ZELKOVA'S QUESTION CORNER

⬣ Zelkova, this level one armor sucks! I want better stuff!

"Don't worry, new player! Better equipment is a button press away! Well... after you earn it. Why don't you give Area Exploration a try?"

⬣ I'm a social butterfly ready to spread my wings and take flight on the winds of friendship! Can I start a guild?

"Heehee... About that! This is a beta, you know? We're still getting stuff ready! Maybe if you wait patiently, you'll be able to form and join guilds in... a week from now. While you're waiting, make some friends! You'll need guild members!"

⬣ I hate walking! My feet hurt! I want something that will do all the hard work of moving around for me!

"What? Your feet hurt...? Turn off the pain sensors in your feet! As for alternative travel methods... well, there are "those"... Oh, that's a great idea! Give me some time and I'll see about finding some Grunties for all of us!"

⬣ How can I communicate with other players? I want to stay in the loop!

"Great question! That's what the official forums are for! You can ask for help, search for parties, share interesting discoveries you've made and just about anything else on your mind! Give it a try, but be careful: the head admin is kind of a grump... but you didn't hear that from me, hehe!"

"That's all for this week's edition of Zelkova's Question Corner! If have questions you'd like to ask me, send me an email any time!"

>>Navigation

Comments

[legendofthelion]

... Okay. [She's standing on 1HP so it's a real act of faith, but she opens her menu back up again with the intention of unequipping them.

Of course, things never go as they want.]

[trashtier]

He won't get a new quiche if he hits you again.

[That is a threat, Barrett!!!! In actuality he just wants to move this along so his brother can be free of this glitch nonsense.

Anyway, he's watching carefully as Dehya goes through her inventory... What horrors await us, though?]

[dissimulative]

[ So all this time, Oriade has been AFK and having been in third person perspective so that he doesn't get sick from all the spinning out of bounds limit his small frog body is getting at. Not to mention Matoba is AFK and he's currently his wielder.

Being AFK has its drawbacks, like not paying attention to anything around you. This ever spinning 4 cm tall desert rain frog in Matoba's hand lets out a couple shots at seemingly random direction. Hope Levi can try dodging... into Dehya's direction and accidentally equip her from panic. If this isn't going to work, I'm bringing Hien who will forcefully jam players into a katamari ball. ]

[trashtier]

Wha--?!

[Levi sure didn't see surprise frog shots coming! He ends up stumbling forward to avoid them and trips...right into Dehya.

>equip!]

Ah...

[Well, now this task rests on his shoulders. Time to fumble through the menus!]

S-Sorry! Sorry, sorry, I'm working on it...!!!

[legendofthelion]

[Dehya snorts at Levi's toothless, seemingly friendly threat, and being in her menu means she doesn't realize where random shooting sounds are coming from and pauses to ascertain that she is not about to get ganked while holding on for dear life.

And then she's up in the air and her menu is gone.] What-hey!

[sicklysweet]

[WOTS ALL THIS THEN]

...

[It's hard not to notice the disaster currently happening, what with how ridiculous the player-weapon-katamari is getting. It looks... so, so stupid, and everyone is yelling and clipping out of bounds.

He's just... He's just going to keep a safe distance (lmao) as he watches this.]

What on earth have you done, Leviathan?

[imagine if he said his name with all the numbers and letters, that would be funny. also who else is even in this ratking of players... squints...]

[trashtier]

[Levi's still in the menus, but that doesn't prevent him from hearing Owen's voice. Ugh, just what he needs...]

I haven't done anything! They were like this when I got here, I swear!!

[Anyway, do you ever just completely miss-click in the menus and do something unintended?

This is the story of how Levi accidentally closed out of his menus and swung the katamari of player avatars right at Owen in his confused state of panic.]

[sicklysweet]

You sound awfully gui-

[You know what class Owen is? Macabre Dancer. You know what sucks about Macabre Dancers? They're basically made of tissue paper. Even if Owen is level 25, the fact of the matter is the multipliers alone and horrible luck with rolls means he takes that katamari to the chin...

And dies. Someone better equip his dead body or something.]

[trashtier]

[He stares at Owen's corpse in mild horror and embarrassment.]

...Oops...

[UH.

WHOOPS.

Can he just unequip this fucking disaster weapon, grab Barrett and leave--

>equip!

Welcome to the katamari ball, Owen!]

What--! I didn't even--!!

[dissimulative]

[ OOOOOoooOOooOoOoOOOooo LEVIA EQUIPPED A CORPSE I'M TELLING THE ADMIN-- ]

[trashtier]

[legendofthelion]

[VR WAS A MISTAKE SHE DOESN'T WANT TO SEE A BODY THIS CLOSE.] Really. Really?!

[tablescraps]

( So corpses can be equipped... Useful data. Thanks, Levi. An approving ka-bawk for you. )

[insinning]

[Between the headhen!Mithrun and the corpse, why is the corpse not disappearing like Mr. Pink's??!?!??!!


BSOD continues]

[worldbent]

[Matoba could have told Mithrun that......... but he didn't.]

[tablescraps]

( thanks for being as helpful as ever matohomie )

[regressive]

[ What a beautiful day to log in, spawn in Lumina Cloth and enjoy what the beta has to offer.

The problem is that what the beta has to offer is a biblically accurate katamari. That’s enough Internet for today, where is the log out button—

Too bad that there’s no escape or logging out for Yoo Joonghyuk as he becomes one with the katamari right where he was standing. Who needs HP anyway? Clearly Joonghyuk doesn’t as his drops to 1 after getting hit right after spawning. ]

[selfconcept]

[ After Punisher has been absorbed into the katamari of character weaponry, Hien finally decides to show himself into Lumina Cloth with his dark attire that likens him to a grim reaper. He's quiet when he goes behind Levi and picks him up by the foot. Congratulations on being the 10th person inside the unholy merging of characters into a weapon! He looks over at the "weapon" curiously, before lifting it up, giving it a test swing, and going into the Chaos Gate for a dungeon. Any and all protests will be ignored.

Let's go, everybody. ]

[insinning]

[INTENSE SILENT SCREAMING INTENSIFIES]

[gluttoning]

[BUT HIS QUICHE]

[worldbent]

Oya, there you are.......

[Didn't Hien say something about leaving an impression, last time? Consider Matoba impressed upon.]

[trashtier]

Gah--!

[Levi shrieks when he's suddenly picked up and squashed against Owen's corpse. He looks around frantically, until--]

Oh, thank god the admin's he--aaaugh!!

[FUCKING NEVERMIND.]

[legendofthelion]

Hey. Hey! Heeey!

[Furious protests, ignored.]

[tablescraps]

( intrigued cluck cluck cluck )

[worldbent]

[Laughing his ass off from far within the katamari!!]

[See you in hell, you stupid fruit!!!]