⬣//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

[insinning]

[Hey. But he'll settle against Oria's side anyway. He touches his own hair, thinking]

I can already pull mine back into a small ponytail.

[ The small stubby one]

It'll definitely be weird if I let it get any longer.

[dissimulative]

It's just a patch of awkwardness to go through, but if you make it, your hair will be like this.

[ Oria lifts a bunch of Sinclair's hair and lets it fall over Sinclair's face. Heh. ]

[insinning]

[ Pfbhhht. Sinclair tries to smooth his hair back, huffing very softly]

Just so you can keep messing with it like this?

[dissimulative]

Yup! I'll like you no matter what your hair is like, even when you're bald, but I miiight tease you. Just a bit.

[ Just a little bit. ]

[insinning]

[Pffft. Oria gets a very gentle elbow for that]

I'm grateful if it's "just a bit." [He'll lean against Oria a little more. His head hurts, and he's cold, but this feels good] I'll like you when you go bald too. And I wont tease you for it.

[dissimulative]

Wow... I think I might have a crisis if I ever go bald.

[ He actually likes his hair?? Damn. He'd be mortified, but Oria laughs anyway and tries to bring Sinclair closer by putting his hand on his side and pushing him towards himself. ]

[insinning]

Think about how many hair products you'd have to throw away...

[Sinclair moves into Oria's side with a tiny noise of surprise, but he presses up closer, turning to drape his arms around Oria's shoulders. He reaches up to play with the ends of it]

Though, I do like your hair the way it is now too...

[dissimulative]

You better! I didn't change anything from real life things, and I put sooo much care into it! The products should be glad that they're getting used to the fullest! Always!

[ But his smile relaxes a bit from the grin as he looks over at Sinclair. ]

Hey, Emil... what do you think about your life now?

[insinning]

[At least someone makes good use of it - Sinclair will stick to his shampoo and conditioner routine. Easier. And cheaper.

Sinclair looks thoughtful, turning over Oria's words over in his head]

What do you mean...? As in my job or in general...?

[What does he think? Hmmm]

[dissimulative]

In general that's combined with everything–your free time, job, how content you feel nowadays...

[ Though it's probably not a good idea to ask when a friend of theirs just died, but. ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair frowns a little in thought, resting his head against Oria's neck to shield his face from the sun]

Despite everything...I'm. Happier than I have been in a long time. It's scary.

[Happiness is scary when he knows how easily it can be snatched away]

There are still things that frustrate me, make me angry beyond words can describe--[If he lets his mind dwell on certain places for too long, he knows he'll go somewhere dark that would be hard to pull him out of]...but it's not lonely anymore. Does that make sense?

[dissimulative]

Yeah, I feel very similar. I didn't really mind feeling lonely in this sense [ His most vexing problem ] but now that I finally told someone... it doesn't feel so bad.

So, I understand. It makes sense. Life can't constantly stay up.

[insinning]

[He glances up for a moment and then gently pushes Oria down so they're both sprawled together on the grassy meadow. Better. Oria can be a more comfortable pillow then. He reaches over to pluck a stray flower thoughtfully]

Yeah...if anything, I feel like I can manage some things better now.

[dissimulative]

[ Oof. Well, the dirt and the meadow aren't too hard, so this is fine. Oria tries to adjust both of them so that they lay parallel to each other. He also plucks a stray flower and holds it next to Sinclair's. ]

I'm glad to hear that.

[ He hopes that Sinclair will one day, be able to manage it on his own. Fly, little egg. ]

To me, that would be the best thing to happen with you.

[insinning]

[Sinclair lets Oria adjust them as needed, twirling the flower around, until the petals meld into a swirl of colours]

Yeah? [He smiles and...tucks the flower against Oria's hair, just behind his ear. There. That suits him]

[dissimulative]

Yeah.

[ Oria doesn't really have any sentimental feelings about flowers, but he grins. ]

How's it look? I think it would be cuter on you though.

[insinning]

[He'll accept that. He knows now, there are people who want the best for him. His mistakes don't need to define him forever, and he can keep moving forward while carrying his past with him]

I think blue is more your colour than mine. It matches your eyes.

[dissimulative]

[ Let Sinclair be happy without as much anxiety!!! ]

My eyes, huh? I got them from my dad. We supposedly have the same hair color too.

[ Though Sinclair would know that Oria's father has sand-beige color hair. ]

Anyway, I think a sunflower would suit you the best.

[insinning]

[ONE DAY. He can at least learn to have some days without anxiety!! Maybe he'll manage an entire week!!

Hmm...just peering at Oria's hair a little more closely.]

Really? Both of you?

[Then he has to imagine the sunflower in his hair--weird, honestly]

--and why a sunflower?

[dissimulative]

Yup!

[ No doubts. Perhaps Sinclair's expectations will be shattered when he realizes that his current boyfriend's hair matches his type (black hair), but it isn't as natural (dyed black hair). ]

Because it looks like you're always looking for your sun.

[insinning]

[Some things will be Forgiven. Even if it's weird to think...maybe his type is more flexible than he realises, who knows

Sinclair pauses a little bit in his contemplation of Oria's hair - but he swears he remembers Oria's father having beige hair - does that mean--]

Me...? [ That's...embarrassing. Except he already said he thought Oria shone brighter than anyone else, so maybe not]

[dissimulative]

Yeah.

[ He pokes Sinclair's forehead. ]

You. Don't see anyone else around here.

[insinning]

[Sinclair huffs, and decides to add another flower to Oria's hair. There]

Mmm...and what do you think my sun is then?

[dissimulative]

[ Boy... Oria lets him do that though. Sinclair is so cute. ]

Don't ask questions for things you already know the answer to.

[insinning]

[He grins a little, bumping his forehead against Oria's.]

Oh, I know. I just wanted to check you knew.