New Race
[Please select a new race:
Undead
Gnome
Elf
Dwarf
Orc
Troll]
I didn't know what was going on, the last thing ai remembered was playing my favorite MMORPG, and being upset at the lack of freedom in video games. I suddenly received an email, that asked if I wanted to beta test a new game that was supposed to be fully immersive with the largest amount of freedom.
I signed up, and then suddenly my vision went black. I thought I had just gone to sleep, but now that I thought back to it, I think I died.
Now I was in complete darkness, with this weird screen before me, and nothing else. I would need to select my race. When I calmed myself down a bit, I began to think of my choice more carefully. I wasn't given any information on the races, so I guess that meant there weren't any innate advantages or disadvantages for any of the choices, which led me to believe that I truly did have 100% freedom of choice.
After coming to this conclusion, my choice was simple.
[Undead race has been selected.]
[Your subrace has been randomly assigned as Ghoul.]
[You will now be spawned into an Undead city.]
**** **** ****
When I came back to consciousness I noticed my surroundings were dark, and I was close inbetween two walls. I saw lights at the ends of the walls, and there were dumpsters all around me.
"I must be in some alley. I guess my spawn point was random."
[System has been activated.]
[Name: Maximilian
Level: 1 (0/100)
Race: Undead (Ghoul)
HP: 100/100
MP: 0/0
Stats:
Strength: 3
Constitution: 3
Agility: 1
Dexterity: 1
Intelligence: 1
Wisdom: 1
Luck: 1
Available AP: 30
Available SP: 0
Skills: None
Talents: Not Awakened (24 hours until awakening)]
I was able to customize my starting stats, which after a glance I knew what was most important.
Luck!
I immediately went to put in 30 points to my luck.
[Luck stat cannot exceed 10.]
"Damn! This is stingy, I knew there was no such thing as true freedom!"
As I lamented, I distributed the rest of my stats.
[Name: Maximilian
Level: 1 (0/100)
Race: Undead (Ghoul)
HP: 100/100
MP: 0/0
Stats:
Strength: 3
Constitution: 3
Agility: 15
Dexterity: 8
Intelligence: 1
Wisdom: 1
Luck: 10
Available AP: 0
Available SP: 0
Skills: None
Talents: Not Awakened (24 hours until awakening)]
I liked being fast. After I had made the changes, I immediately felt my body become incredibly light. I made my way out of the alley, and my stomach began to rumble.
"Where am I supposed to get some food.. Well, I guess, I should find out what Ghouls eat.
[Ghouls can consume all foods, they are omnivores. Ghouls can consume flesh to regenerate lost limbs and health.]
I guess that answers my question on what they eat. The system was able to answer some questions for me. I asked about Skills as well, hoping that it wouldn't be a skillbook kind of progression system.
[Skills are obtained through repeated movemenrs or certain requirements for acquisition.]
What about Talents?
[Talents are unique for every person, and often define a creature.]
Cool, why do I have to wait 24 hours to receive mine?
[Talents are Awakened when one reaches the age of 18.]
"OH cool, tomorrow is my birthday I guess."
My stomach growled louder this time.
"Damn, I really gotta get some food in me."
I began walking in one direction, trying to find some source of food. I eventually stumbled upon a marketplace, where I saw a lot of different types of foods. Some were prepared dishes, others were just selling limbs on sticks. There were many different races around. Skeletons, Zombies, Ghouls like me, and even Vampires. I was able to see the basic information of people around me, such as their race and subrace.
[Inspect skill has been learned.]
It was simply a skill that gave more detailed information. As it was only at level 1, I wasn't able to get a lot of information, only being able to see the names of things.
[Leg of a Human]
[Eyes of an Elf]
[Orc Testicles]
After the last one I began to lose my appetite, and started to drift away from the raw foods. I walked by a stall that was selling cooked kebabs, that all smelled amazing. They had put some sort of spice on it, and the aroma was tantalizing. I realized I didn't have any money, so I wouldn't be able to afford any food even if I wanted to.
As I thought that, however, the stall owner looked away to talk to what I assumed was his wife. As he looked away, I swiped two kebabs, and disappeared into the crowd.
[Steal skill has been learned.]
[Blend-In skill has been learned.]
I was only alive in this world for less than an hour and I was already resorting to petty theft... But I was so hungry!
As I ate the kebabs, I began to think of my next moves. Gaining skills had been very easy so far, so I was thinking of what I would do in this world. I didn't have a lot of information, so for now I would wander around and try to eavesdrop on some conversations.
When I gained my talent tomorrow, I might have a better idea of what I should do. I was walking around, asking different strangers random questions. Most people blew me off, however there were plenty who answered honestly.
I was in the Undercity, a city for the Undead. It was ruled by a ruling class of higher rank Undead, such as Vampires and Werewolves. There was an adventurers guild, that frequently were allowed travel outside of the city, and were paid to fulfill requests.
This was going to be my occupation of choice, so I asked where that would be located. A zombie told me the location, although it took him almost five minutes to tell me the Adventures Guild was the building we were standing in front of.
I thanked him, and went inside. When I went inside it looked very much like a stereotypical Adventurers Guild, and I made my way to what looked like a receptionist. It was a beautiful young woman who was very pale.
"What are the requirements to become an adventurer?" I asked.
"Honey, there are no requirements. You just have to register, which costs 5 silver. After that, you'll receive an Adventurer's License, and you can begin to accept requests. Everyone starts at F-Rank, and you must fulfill requests until you get enough done to take a test to advance to the next rank." the girl said.
I nodded, and went outside real quick.
[Pickpocket skill has been learned.]
[Pickpocket successful, you have stolen 12 silver.]
I registered as an Adventurer, and then went to find an inn to spend the night at. I found one, paid 3 silver to spend a week there, and went to my room to sleep.