⬣//A SINGLE CRACK LETS THE LIGHT IN.

[cccorp]

>>UNTITLED ROOT TOWN // >>FUTURE // >>PROGRESS? // >>HE HUNGERS // >>Zelkova Corner

⬣//BRAVELY SAILING INTO THE UNKNOWN

As they say, fortune favors the brave. Five lucky players took part in a Limited Quest: The Mysterious Sky Islands, in which they discovered a brand new Root Town. While the team was largely successful in their efforts to make the mysterious floating town in the sky habitable, not everyone embraced the spirit of teamwork on this journey.

When you gate in to this shiny new Root Town, you'll notice something curious: it has no name. Its name simply displays as "???" in every context menu and there is no signage around the Root Town itself that points to its true name— rather, the name it had before they came along.

Whispers on the wind tell of an evil wizard in flowing white robes who ruthlessly boiled the village elder alive. With him died all of this mysterious Root Town's lore and history, and in its place are tales of the monster who robbed this land of its identity. The elemental sprites that populate this village refuse to speak their name, simply wishing you "good luck, have fun!" as you turn to leave.

While on your journey to check out the island, you'll notice how unstable the bridges are. Unstable might be putting it lightly, because for some unlucky souls, crossing the wrong bridge means plummeting to your death. It seems that whoever was put in charge of constructing these bridges didn't give a damn about structural integrity.

The local sprites are pleading with adventurers to assist them in building better, more stable bridges, but bridging the gap between one island and the next is not a job for a single person. If you have enough of a heart to heed the pleas of the sprites, you'll want to work with your fellow players to get the job done. All the wood, nails, and rope you need to construct better bridges has been helpfully supplied to you by the sprites. You could always sabotage the project too, of course, but what kind of person would you be if you did that?

⬣//BUILDING THE FUTURE

The professions system has been added to fragment. Rejoice, busybodies, for there is much furniture to be built and dubious potions brewed.

In celebration of the new crafting & gathering system, a crafts festival is being held in the Unnamed Root Town. Take care not to plummet to your death while traversing those rickety bridges.

Players are encouraged to set up a booth of their own and trade their unique handcrafted items with their fellow adventurers. In addition to being supplied with enough level 1 and level 2 crafting materials to give the crafting system a spin, the local NPCs are running a contest encouraging people to come up with their own for a chance to have their creations canonized as real crafting recipes.

To submit your own recipe ideas, you need only fill out this handy form:

Recipe name:

Recipe category: Alchemist, Carpenter, Chef, or Jeweler?

Which two items does your recipe call for? Choose two items to combine. Only gatherable items (refer to the professions page) can be used.

Effect: What does this item do, if anything?

Description: A brief description of your lovely new product.

<b>Recipe name:</b> <b>Recipe category:</b> <b>Which two items does your recipe call for?</b> <b>Effect:</b> <b>Description:</b>

Submit your recipe contest submissions here.

⬣//ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK

Fragment's beta test has seen its fair share of unusual bugs and unintended features, and with the latest update bringing many new changes, it's inevitable that some things have broken behind the scenes.

If two players happen to log in at the same time, they might find their avatars swapped with one another's. Thankfully, this issue doesn't lead to the unpleasant exchange of deep-seated memories or anything of the sort, but getting used to a body that isn't yours takes time. Thankfully, this particular bug resolves itself when both players log out.

The windy town of Unnamed Root Town is generally quite scenic and pleasant, but there's just one issue. It's far, far windier than it should be. If the rickety bridges don't kill you, the gusts that intermittently blow across the sky islands might knock you off your feet if you don't watch your footing carefully. Thankfully, the crafts festival on the southernmost end of the island hasn't been impacted by the severe winds. Among them is one voice that you don't recognize: a voice that promises a death, gruesome and bloody, in the days to come.

To everyone's relief, the carnival and its notorious hall of mirrors has packed up and left Lumina Cloth, but your past hasn't finished haunting you. The foul winds carry whispers of the past along with them, uttering words and phrases uncomfortably familiar to you. They're the voices of your past, the voices of people you've known, loved, and lost. Covering your ears won't keep the voices out of your ears. Nothing will.

Finally, on the more mundane some of things, professions have a few kinks of their own that need to be worked out. Occasionally, a crafted item won't come out quite right, instead resulting in one of the following "items":

Alchemist: Truth Serum. Become unable to lie for 24 hours.

Blacksmith: Whatever you're enhancing transforms into a denim disaster. Introducing your new "body" armor, "leg" armor, "head" armor, and "arm" armor.

Carpenter: Mirror Mirror. Reflects the person you're most afraid of becoming.

Chef: Durian Delight. A succulent durian pudding that reeks so strongly that its stench can be smelled all across the Root Town or Area you're occupying.

Jeweler: Crystal Ball. Breaks after one use but allows you to read another player's thoughts for five minutes.

⬣//WHAT ARE YOU, AN IDIOT SANDWICH?

With crafting in full swing, a certain admin has been lured out of his hidey hole by the smell of delicious chef-prepared meals. Hien is hungry, and you will feed him.

Chefs are not limited by the recipes they know like some professions are, so players are encouraged to think outside of the box and combine unique ingredients to cook up something truly special.

Taste, however, isn't the only important part of a perfect meal. Chefs looking to impress the big man himself are expected to present their culinary delights to him with pomp and finesse. You need to impress Hien if you want to gain more from this venture than the participation prize of a chef skin.

Those who successfully woo Hien with their delectable dishes will be given an additional prize: a little black pomchi pet to accompany their avatar around Root Towns and Special Areas. Hien will be giving these out at his discretion, so you better suck up to the dogboss in charge if you want a pomchi of your very own. If you catch Hien in a good mood, he may even agree to give you a different breed of dog if you ask nicely.

Feed the local Hien here.

⬣//ZELKOVA’S CORNER

Hello, everyone! Can you believe it's been an entire month since our beta test began? Even though we've already been through a lot together, we've still got three months left! I'm rooting for you all!

As of today, the level cap has increased from 25 to 50. That means new armor and weapons will be available to you! Get out there to different Areas and start leveling up! But don't forget to stop every once in a while and enjoy your surroundings, too. Which reminds me—don't forget to check out the new Recreational Areas! We have a beach and hotsprings for you to enjoy now. I hope everyone continues to have fun exploring!

We've also opened up the GP shop, where you can create your own special armor set for a certain price, along with a few other things. Please check it out!

Oh, and don't forget to use these three new greeting cards I've made! Here they are! Make sure you use them so you can connect with your fellow players! We're all friends here, after all.

>>Navigation

Comments

un: Winter [OTA]

[tinged]

midweek summer is coming

[ and then!

what a week to be tall, honestly. winter looks like christmas has come early. no more is he wistfully peering at the world through dreary gothic curtains framing tightly locked french windows, as though his heart shuns the sight yet longs for it all at once. the windows have been thrown wide open and this digital air smells so good when he's this tall! and look at how far he has to bend to actually touch pixelated grass!! wow wow wow!

catch winter walking around the new root town, lifting up players and sprites high in the air, as if doing so will bestow them the Gift of Height. everyone's welcome! notably, the sprites seem to sense something's wrong and try to flee whenever he approaches, muttering about the evil wizard's even-more-evil influence. wonder what that is about??? ]

yeet him

[aphonik]

[ One person can expect a lot of things. In this game, maybe not as much as usual, but eventually you get used to weird shit you can anticipate at least some of it.

Getting approached by a rando and promptly hefted in the air like a ragdoll, however, is not one of them.

He's too surprised to even verbal keysmash, staring with wide eyes and feet dangling off the ground before it finally registers. Then comes the synthesized yelp. ]

WHAT THE FUCK

[ If he tries to kick this guy right in the face with a black leather boot, nobody can blame him. ]

hehehe

[tinged]

[ good thing this isn't a pvp area, so winter's handsome face is saved from bruises! but can ramiel's kick even reach that high up? are his legs longer than winter's european arms?? (they're probably abnormally long like french baguettes.)

he should have aimed lower. ]

There! How does feeling tall for once suit you?

Re: hehehe

[aphonik]

[ Unfortunate that this is not a pvp area, because he'd have gone straight for the scythe instead. And perhaps they do- just barely, though. If he hadn't added a few inches onto his height in the character creator, he probably wouldn't be able to.

He still looks sufficiently Raged, but a mortified flush tints his face pink, fists clenching as he tries to wrench himself loose from his French Limb Prison. ]

I'm plenty fucking tall enough! Put me down, you giant shit-eating ghost-

[ There's a bit more feeling in that voice synthesizer than usual. ]

[tinged]

[ luckily french limb prison is only open for short-term stays without consent, so ramiel gets put down gently. or that was the aim, but the velocity is misjudged and it ends up feeling a bit like a drop from the top of a roller coaster instead. ]

Oops. Well, no harm done.

[aphonik]

[ Now, normally he doesn't mind heights, but he also doesn't like being yoinked around like he's made of paper. He drops so fast he almost loses his footing, something raspy and ragged slipping from his throat in shock before he manages to right himself proper.

That done, Dosei gives those hands a hard smack away from him- even if he can't cause actual damage, he's still being petty. ]

Are you fucking crazy? The hell's the matter with you, dumbass?

[ Angy... ]

[tinged]

[ wow, that feels like getting smacked by a kitten. ]

No! And if you mean it in the other way, also no. I just wanted to share the blessing I received.

[ when glitchy game mama gives you glitchy cookies and you just wanna share with the entire class. ]

[aphonik]

[ He wishes he had rabies to share right now. ]

What blessing. The blessing of 0 braincells?

[ He swipes at his arms like he's wiping off germs...gross. This reminds him of how Ezra gets- touchy without warning. ]

[tinged]

Haha! No, the blessing of an elevated point of view.

[ it’s nice to see that, even though ramiel is exactly the same as the first time they met, the larger gap in height just makes him seem cuter. ]

No wonder tall people are so happy.

[ truth…?? ]

[userunfriendly]

[ This game has been growing increasingly cursed for the past several weeks as it is. Logging in to find himself a good fifty centimeters shorter than he should be is just... a day in the life for Michel.

Hopefully the sprites already know to stay out of Hani(?)'s way, even if they've never seen them stalking along like a particularly aggrieved crane — or maybe a very cross goose, given the height — their white robes whipping around them in a snowy flurry. Hani(?) today does not want to speak to anyone except the target they're currently approaching... ]

What are you doing with my body?

[ Lift him up, False Winter, if you dare. ]

[tinged]

[ the sprites probably think the evil wizard has tired of stalking the night, descending to curse the day instead. which is just as well.

anyway, get lifted up, shortie. ]

Hani-kun! Wow, so small. I can fit you in my heart.

[userunfriendly]

[ Oh, god. Michel goes limp, just hanging from those hands (his own traitorous hands???), resigning himself to death. ]

Please... never make my face do that again. [ Smile?! ]

[tinged]

[ a death by hugging. it’s a marvel to hug someone and have the soles of his feet still touch the ground. winter’s body bounces them around in glee. ]

But I haven’t seen you in so long! How could I stop?

[userunfriendly]

Gh...!

[ Michel hasn't been this small and shakeable since he was a child. Hani's little scrap of a body flutters like a sad tissue. ]

...I'm glad you made it home safely. But if you're going to keep doing this, I believe I would prefer the needles.

[ Whatever the 1000 needles was. He'll take that, thank you Hani. ]

[tinged]

The needles? Oh! That’s a thousand you have to swallow, but only for broken promises.

[ winter’s body places hani down, careful of michel but careless of their own body, so it’s combination of a fast drop and a soft land. ]

[userunfriendly]

[ Hani(?) pinwheels their arms a little plaintively, but -- oh? is this a hidden bonus of being so close to the ground to begin with? -- it's not hard to find balance again... ]

...That seems a little excessive.

[tinged]

Promises are very serious, Hani-kun!

[ winter(?) pats hani(??) on the head. ]

The punishment should be equally as serious.

[ keep your promise or die, sounds fair. ]

[ganymed]

[ He's suddenly getting lifted up by ""Michel"", just like that...RIP in rest his dignity. ]

Winter?! What are you doing??

[ At least one poor sprite is being spared?? ]

[tinged]

[ oh it’s gani-kun! winter didn’t even notice from this height. which means ganymede not only gets lifted high up, but also dropped (literally) into a warm hug, strong arms around his narrow waist. ]

Hello!

[ganymed]

[ There's a small 'oof' when he's dropped into an embrace, mostly from surprise, but that sure is a lot of excited movement from "Michel". ]

H-hey...you're in a good mood today.

Did something happen?

[ He asks with more than a spark of curiosity, but hands slowly reaching out to return the hug just fine. Tall people always give the best of hugs, and Michel has given him a few of those before. ]

[tinged]

[ OH??? a hug back?? ]

Gani-kun, have you hugged Winter-kun before?

[ganymed]

...y-yes?

[ Help, he's starting to feel embarrassed. ]

Wait. Hani, is that you?

[ He has heard and experienced the body swap phenomena, but he supposes he should have realized quicker, pulling back as he furrows his brows. He can't believe how rampant this sort of thing is... ]

[tinged]

[ nodnod in a way michel would never do. ]

When?? How many times!

[ganymed]

J-Just a couple of times!

[ Is all he can answer because he's entering max flustered mode even just based on a hug or two. It's all he can say. ]

[tinged]

... Gani-kun, you're normally not a hugger. Do you have something to tell me?

[ something to confess to your cousin in another body?? ]