《Lost Lands Online》 00 - Prologue Prologue "Cmon James, don''t be such a killjoy. Why don''t you just give it a try?" Slowly shaking my head, I smile while taking a sip of my beer. "What is so great about this Lost Lands ¨C thing?" I ask. "You have been trying to convince me to buy it for-" I take a quick look at my clock "about half an hour." Suddenly Max stop talking, looking at me shocked. Slowly, he of them answers. "You don''t really watch the news, do you? The world is talking about it, man. It''s the first full immersion VRMMO with a major AI managing it, for gods sake!" "Ah, meaning?" comes my uncaring answer. He sighs. "Just give it a try. Knowing you, you''re just sitting around in your free time." "Well, I really didn''t have much to do in the last few weeks. So I guess, I''ll just give it a try?" is my answer as I down the rest of my beer in one go. Disappointed at my unenthusiastic attitude, Max just slowly heaves a sigh and also drains the rest of his beer in one go and stands up. "Well, I''ve gotta go now. See you tomorrow." "Yeah, ''till tomorrow." Taking a last look at the bar I also leave, slowly staggering back home, drunk. The next day, Saturday Waking up with a small hangover, I try to remember what I did after coming home yesterday.Due to me not being able to remember it, I frown and stand up, changing my clothes from "the wrong way round - pajama" to a shirt and a jeans and afterwards eat breakfast. A short while later, which I spend by sitting around and doing pretty much nothing, I finally admit how bored I am. But before I can do anything to change this, the doorbell rings, disrupting my train of thought. Slightly confused about who would come to my house at about 9:30, I open the door to find an exhausted deliveryman standing before my door with a fitting package on the ground next to him. A deliveryman? "Are you James Rockwell?" "Yes, that would be me." I distractedly mumble, still confused. "Good. I''ve got a delivery for you. Please sign here." After finishing the usual procedures and saying goodbye to the deliveryman, I drag the annoyingly heavy package past the door into the house and open it. Inside of it is some kind of helmet with the Lost Lands label on it and next to it, a ton of manuals. "Damn, you could open a library with that amount of books." Seems like I actually ordered it last night. That''s pretty surprising. "Oh well. Guess I really am going to give it a try." I''ll start with the first manual. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. A few hours later Well, that took quite a while. More than the "few dozen minutes" promised in the first manual. But I''ve successfully installed the so called "Immersion Gear" after a lot of almost-breakdowns. Satisfied about my fictory over the not really user-friendly, I put the Immersion Gear on my head and start it. I almost immediately feel some kind of pull on my neck and everything gradually fades to black. The moment nothing but black is visible, a blue box opens up before me.
Welcome to Lost Lands Online
After mentally aknowledging it, it disappears and another one opens.
In Lost Lands Online, you play as one of many explorers on a recently discovered continent, the Lost Land. On this continent, there are unexplored ruins, undiscovered races which can be unlocked, strange monsters and much more! In order to start your adventure on the Lost Land, please first select your race (doesn''t affect relationship with others or stats and can be changed later on in game).
Immediately after reading the box, a list with the classical fantasy races opens. Not really caring, I just select human.
You may now alter your appearance.
Ignoring this uselessly complicated step, I think about the name I want my character to have. How about Quaesitor? After all, I am looking for entertainment.
Name accepted. ID number is 74098. Character creation finished.
An the whole world brightens suddenly, making me close my eyes. 01 - Chapter 1 - Research doesnt seem to be popular Chapter 1 ¨C Research doesn''t seem to be popular With my eyes adjusting to the light, all my other senses appeared too. The fresh breeze making the suns heat bearable, the salty smell of the ocean, it''s gently rocking waves and the active chattering caused by most groups of human beings, and finally the vision of the lively harbor I''m standing in. All of it overwhelms me for a moment, but after calming down I notice a person further away, seemingly waving at me. After thinking about it for a short while, I decide to head over to the person. Maybe it''s the tutorial mentioned in the second handbook or something. While I make my way over to the person, dodging sailors and workers on the way, I start being able to make out the details of him. It''s a slim man with short, black hair and glasses, looking almost exactly like one would imagine a scholar, with his robe like clothes and the scroll he is writing on. And he, indeed, is waving at me, trying to get my attention. After dodging a last group of workers, I reach the man. Curious about what exactly he wants from me, I immediatly ask him. "So, how may I help you?" "That''s great, you''re willing to help. First things first. You''re Quaesitor, an explorer, right?"Leaving me no time to answer, he immediately continues. "Nice to meet you, I''m Louis. Before you start, you should take a look at the realism meter. In order to do that, please think or say menu, then options and then VR settings. There you should be able to see and adjust the realism meter." Slightly intimidated from his speech rate, I follow his advice. Menu, was it?
Character
Inventory
Community
Options
Ah, a classical menu. Reminds me of my youth. Options.
Communication
VR settings
Support
And VR settings. Right beneath the pain meter at an ouch of 25% is the realism meter. Ranging from "lifelike except menu" to an impressive "click to move", there is a great amount of choices. I think I''ll take the lifelike option. VR is for (virtual) reality after all. After looking around the options for a bit more, I close the menu. "Excellent." Louis immediatelay reacts. "Now, as I mentioned before, we''re low on manpower in almost anything. Just enter a building that seems interesting and say someone inside that you want to help." Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Grateful for the information and dizzy from the amount of words said in the short time, I immediately thank him. "Thank you very much for the information. I believe it would be a waste of time if I were to stay around any longer, so if you would excuse me." Not waiting for an answer I just turn around and swiftly create some distance. It''s good to be efficient, but to almost drown the person you''re talking with in words is impressive and scary. After a crossing a short distance, I enter a passage that connects this part of the harbour with the rest of the city. The passage leads to a wooden wall with a door in it and after opening the door, I can see the city square before me, and something catches my eye. Smiling to myself I make my way to the building, the library. Most likely the building I''m the most comfortable in. Excluding pubs. Due to it''s location being on the squares opposite side, I squeeze my way through the crowd of bargaining and weirdly behaving people (most likely players). Easily, considering that I normally go to work per overcrowded train daily. But after traversing the crowd and entering the supposed library I notice, that it''s most likely a place im not so familiar with. Because the library, which is pretty obvious after thinking about it, also seems to be something like a mage guild. I already arrived here though, so I''ll just give it a try. Making the seemingly smartest person my target, I dodge the not very observant people running around and, like I was told to, offer my help. "I was told this place is short on manpower, so I decided to help." Delighted, the extremely stereotypical wizard turns aroung. Exclaiming: "Splendid!", he grabs me, like he is trying to prevent me from running away. "Finally, someone who understands the importance of research! I highly suggest you start by increasing your knowledge by rerading these books!" Almost shouting at me, he drags me to about a dozen books. While research wasn''t quite what I was expecting or looking for, I guess it works out fine, too. "Of course." I answer, using my skill I''m most proud of. "I always was interested in research, so I took this almost godsent opportunity to fullify my dreams!" Acting like it was yout intention from the beginning. Crying, the wizard almost hugs me due to my answer. "I''m sure you will achieve your dreams." Research doesn''t seem to be popular.
First, thank you to everyone reading this! If there is anything you want to ask or tell me, write it in the comments. Also, I tried to improve the spacing. 02 - Chapter 2 - The Basics of Magic Chapter 2 ¨C The Basics of Magic Curious, I sit down in a nearby chair and pick up the first book, which seems to be some sort of dictionary for magic jargon. Putting it to my side for later use, I continue doing so with the next 3 books which are the respective continuing parts. Following my intuiton, which helped me avoid unnecessary work countless times, I chose to ignore the following 5 books. Another reason for me to do so was the title, "The history of magic and it''s great founder"- yeah, I really don''t care about that. The last three books are the real deal though. "The Basics of (experimental) Magic", "Rune Enzyclopedia" and "How to survive your superiors wrath". The last one is of course the most important, but I''ve got a lot of experience in that field, so I don''t need it (right now). Picking up "The Basics of (experimental) Magic", I start reading, curious about how magic is implemented in this game.
Basics of Magic The first thing to know about magic is the basic defenition. Per definition, magic is influencing nature per use of mana, while mana is, in fact, just another form of energy. So you basically influence the world through energy. But mana is not just any form of energy, and somehow is able to react to conciousness. Meaning that you can influence it with your thoughts AND actions. This leads to the most common, obvious and unorigional but efficient method of focusing the mind through chants, influencing the mana mentally, and directing it through actions.The combination can yield great results, altough they are almost always of the simplest nature, like a fireball (basically a moving ball of heat). Also, it is almost impossible to keep something active over a long time. And this is where it gets interesting. One of the common methods is using runes, ancient words conveying intentions, and not just meanings. And while runes alone can affect the world, the effect can be increased by grouping them into words and scentences, commonly called magic circles. Due to this runes are, most of the time, not used without a magic circle. One of the exceptions is enchanting. Due to most materials inability to withstand the energy of a magic circle over a long time, runes are often used when enchanting "inferior" materials, namely ones without any magical resistance. A rarely used kind of magic is the experimental magic used in research. To unreliable to be used in combat, but to complex to be ignored, many ignore this area of magic due to their desire for destruction and stupidity. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. In fact, almost every single magic object more complex than a small to mid sized standart magic circle is created with experimental magic. Experimental Magic The most basic equipment for an user of experimental magic consists of the engraver, the extractor, the infuser, the layering machine and an amulet of protection, due to the likely case of a mana explosion. The engraver is the tool mainly used in enchanting, due to its ability to engrave mana-reactive materials in another material. If you want an enchantment to work you should use a proper engraver and the right material (mind the elemental affinits!). The extractor is most often used in connection with the enfuser. The extractor can extract an objects essence while the infuser can infuse it into another object, which may refill magical energy or even grant the object in question a magical affinity. The layering machine can add another layer of runes/another magic circle on top of an already existing one. It is often considered an advancet tool due to the possible consequences of an inproper use. The beforementioned consequences most often are a mana explosion. In case any kind of mana gets influenced but the influence stops before the intended result was achieved or something interferes with the mana, you should expect the mana to explode. An alternative method for permanent spells, like enchantments, is the magical circuit. You draw lines by using mana-reactive inc, which guide the mana through them. In combination with mana cristals and focus orbs, one can create a staff, light,... the possibilities are almost endless.
The rest keeps gettion less interesting, listing off a few minor methods of magic and a lot of rambling about how experimental magic is the most important one. I guess it was written by the mage that dragged me here. Taking every book with me (except the history ones), I stand up and turn around, only too see the beforementioned mage in front of me. Grinning, he grabs me again. "I see we think alike! No need to concern yourself with history if you can improve the future!" After shouting his worrysome statement, he drags me to an almost empty area of the building. "This, my friend, is the research area! Just chose a room. There is no one here except us anyway..." Well, that certainly is depressing, considering this is supposed to be this towns main research area...
And there it is, my first info dump! Does anyone know how to make this spoiler thing? I''ll hide the jargon inside of it the next time.