⬣//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]

[ He stays quiet for a moment as if trying to process what Mithrun(1) said, until he opens his mouth— ]

Are you a philosopher?

[tablescraps]

No; I'm a researcher. I did work in applied physics.

( Breaking those stereotypes that STEM majors aren't good at the humanities, clearly. )

I've been surrounded by a lot of desire and greed, is all.

( Unclear if he means in research specifically or just, like, in general. )

[dissimulative]

Oh, wow...

[ A researcher! Oria has heard of those! Never actually seen one though. But instead of treating Mithrun like some rare animal he's seeing for the first time, his expression softens a little, yet a bit more obvious with creating distance. ]

Yeah? Since it's part of what makes people so much, we're all surrounded by that, aren't we?

[tablescraps]

Some more than others, to excessive amounts.

What are you, in reality?

[dissimulative]

[ That question makes him freeze for a second. Sure, he hasn't been trying to hide it too much—his avatar matches him in realit and the username is a few letters away from his real name. Despite that... ]

Just someone who recently graduated high school.

[ This is what Mithrun meant, right? ]

[tablescraps]

( a babie... )

You're not going to college?

[dissimulative]

I will! I start in the spring. Gonna use my time before that to enjoy myself as much as I want.

[ He hopes Mithrun doesn't ask about potential majors... please... he's so done with school. ]

What about you? Did you go?

[tablescraps]

Yes. I have a PhD.

( Intelligence: Max
Wisdom: Like 2 )

But I've been out of school for awhile. I'm currently on break from work, so I also have time to play.

[dissimulative]

[ Damn. An entire PhD. That really tracks with being a researcher though. ]

How long is a while?

[ He's really curious about how old this guy is now... He can't be more than 35... right? Stupid distracting legs. Oriade isn't even a leg guy. Damn. ]

[tablescraps]

Almost a decade. I graduated young.

( Anime supergenius here, )

I largely did research for the government agencies, like NASA. My dissertation was on the teletransportation of physical matter. But I'd juggle projects I was tapped for and proposals granted funding for. Those ones I can't talk about.

( Super governmental NDAs and all. )

[dissimulative]

[ Oriade squints at Mithrun. He kinda hates how maybe his family could know him. A young graduate with the potential of having to do great things is certainly what his father would probably learn of. Even Oriade knows that he himself isn't some prodigy despite what everyone else thinks.

Really small world. ]

Wow, you're like a big shot.

[tablescraps]

Yeah, I let it get to my head for awhile. I used to be kind of annoyed by the pivot to VR, because some institutions approving research grants lost interest in the transportation of physical matter when a few lines of code could do it in the digital world.

The corporate outlook is that physical reality is out, and virtual reality is in. They're pretty excited about ( limp, lazy handfwip that gestures to their environment, ) all this.

[dissimulative]

They sure are...

[ Well. He doesn't want to be seen as familiar with that too much before he unintentionally gives himself away. ]

But are you interested in it now?

[tablescraps]

...

I have other priorities right now.

( The way he says that is kind of unnerving, like whatever his priorities right now are, they aren't, maybe, Safe. )

[tablescraps]

But you have the advantage of time. Whatever you're majoring in, you can always pivot if it looks like it's falling out of relevance.

Though... I think the physical world will always matter.

[dissimulative]

[ Yeah that sure is an Ominous feeling. What does it mean? He's about to say agree on the bit about the physical world always mattering, but then with a jerk of his head, he just... disappears.

It's fine, someone just yanked his headset. He'll log back in later, but a lot later. ]

[tablescraps]

( there he go........... )