⬣//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

[dissimulative]

[ Death Bringer might not have crit, but it still sure feels like death either way, because Oria couldn't dodge it in time (10) and is absolutely pummeled to the ground. But it's because that he feels no pain that he immediately raises his gun to shoot at Mithrun, loading Triple Doom (11, 3, 13) right at his face. ]

[tablescraps]

( i lost some of my rolls from when i was going to reply earlier but i noted down which hit and not and so...

The claymore just completed in its arc, by all laws of gravity he can't get it up fast enough to use it as a shield again - the first and third shots hit, the second a tie (3 & 3) - it grazes him, but it grazes him deep. Oria may as well consider it a victory, though, because he only had one eye to begin with, and now his face is a whole bloody mess - who's to say he can even see proper right now? His bloodied face probably looks like a bit of a horror show - especially when, as the smoke clears, it's apparent he caught that second bullet with his teeth. Parried, but not without damage.

It feels a little familiar, getting shot in the head like this. )

... How familiar.

( Getting shot in the head like this. He says this as his blade comes up and he spits the bullet out, bringing it down to swipe at Oria with a Calamity (18), though the close range means it's hard for the sharp pointy bits to miss Oria even with apparent lack of clear vision, it does also mean that angling it to also knock the weapon out of Oria's hands is awkward (6). )

[dissimulative]

[ Since Oria was still on the ground, it feels like a death sentence with Calamity (8), even if it's the first skill in the Edge Punisher skill tree. They have high attack and Oria's defenses are paper thin and with that, his HP decreases to 15%, 5% higher than the supposed loss threshold. Just any skill would probably drop it down past the line. He still has his gun though (15) and without the pain sensor on, Oria doesn't hesitate to slide past Mithrun and get up, loading up several skills in the queue: starting with Thorn Shot, which will crit (13) and most likely hit (20) unless a miracle happens (god i wanna see nat20 vs nat20 so bad).

If that doesn't finish off Mithrun or leave him at 10%, he'll keep pelting him with bullets (normal attacks; steam gunner's deal low damage but there's a lot) in between skills, which next up that he loads quickly, would be another Thorn Shot, which won't crit (2), but will most likely hit again (19). It doesn't look like he'll be stopping any time either, because he has that look in his eyes that can be likened to a killswitch. ]

[tablescraps]

( noticing the redundancy in my previous tag and closing my eyes...

By the time he notices how the look in Oria's eyes sort of shifts, he's already got a shot in that Mithrun can't dodge while trying to push back and get some distance (16). It's a clean shot - a cinematic shot right through the chest - and it knocks him down to 12%, just enough leeway for Oria to keep at it.

The best tell Mithrun's's feeling the pain is the way his lips purse into a grimace, the taste of his own blood bitter on his tongue as it runs down his face. He swings in for an attack, but he takes another Thorn Shot point blank in the attempt (15), and that knocks him well below 10%. Another hit, skill or no, could probably finish him off easy.

But aggression is aggression, and Oria looks like he wants to kill. His blade comes down with another Death Bringer, but Oria's rapid shots and repeated Thorn Shots have done a number on him - his grip's shaky, and it doesn't seem likely to land true (5), but with a bite in the glint of the blade, it'll crit if it does manage (13).

Mithrun doesn't know what's set Oria off exactly - desperation, fight or fight, is what his instinct tells him - but he's not the type to settle things via conversation, and he's not keen on testing to see if Oria will wait out a conversation. Someone dies, and then they talk. That seems the reasonable way of things. )

[dissimulative]

[ Unfortunately for Mithrun, Oria dodges that easily (14) and uses Double Shot (17, 4) without a single word more from him, aimed so closely. The end of the barrel might as well have been resting on Mithrun's forehead. There's no fit of crazed laughter--Oria's aggression is quiet and quick. ]

[tablescraps]

( Oria gets him fair and square, and Mithrun doesn't really have any complaints. He stumbles black from the impact of the blow, his eye gone wide; his sword drops first with a thunderous clatter, and then his body, that much more quietly.

He'll be back at the Chaos Gate when it's time for him to respawn. )

[dissimulative]

[ After Oria calms down and his gaze refocuses, he goes over to the Chaos Gate so that he will meet Mithrun right after respawning. Oria is back to full HP by the time that happens and he looks apologetic. ]

Mithrun! Sorry, I got really into it...

[tablescraps]

You fought well.

( His tone is a verbal shrug. He doesn't care, gg. )

... Not so much at the end, though. ( Oria was more brutal, but lacked that same thought he had before. ) Did you panic?

[dissimulative]

I wouldn't say "panic", but...

[ His head was clear. There was nothing else to think about than getting out of this, alive.

... ]

I was... "in the zone"?

[tablescraps]

( He can see that. Like flow, for murder. )

... Does that normally happen when you're near death?

[dissimulative]

[ Is he going to talk about real deaths? No, not right now. This thread is so far back in the timeline that I don't think Oria realizes Mithrun is Morgan LMFAO ]

When I'm low on HP! I really like winning, so I gotta go all out!