Alex made several motions with his arms, and was engulfed in a burst of light. Startled, the group flinched away and shielded their eyes. When they looked again, Alex had been replaced by a large, muscular beast. At first they expressed confusion, but upon close inspection it became clear that the beast was Alex.
“This is the next race, known as Brutalli.” Alex turned around slowly so that the group could get a look at him. He was well over seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and arms that were slightly too long. His facial features were still recognizable, but broadened and blocky. His skin was a dark red. Bright orange and red fur lined his back as well as his arms, further enhancing his menacing appearance. His hair was the same mottled color - shaved into a short Mohawk.
Facing the group, Alex continued his description, “Brutalli are combat specialists. They thrive wearing heavy armor and carrying heavy weapons. Brutalli are endowed with immense strength, a decent amount of dexterity, and almost no intelligence. Their dexterity allows them amazing speed and flexibility for their size,” Alex did a back-flip to prove his point, landing on all fours with a dull thud, “but their low intelligence means they have almost no abilities with magic. They are also more susceptible to magical attacks than the other groups.”
“Magic?” Marie Gardner, the silver-haired heiress to a steel empire, had curiosity in her voice. “This is something I have to see.”
“Fine.”
In another flash of light, Alex had changed again. He became a stately figure, thin and angular but only about a head shorter than the Brutalli. His facial features were sharp and regal. He wore a burgundy robe that further enhanced his dignified appearance.
Alex looked down his nose at the group, “I am now an Electar, the mages - or wizards - of Verdia. Electar are blessed with high intelligence, which makes them masters of the art of magic. In Verdia, intelligence is really just a measure of a creature’s ability to manipulate and resist magic. They also have decent strength, being bigger than most humans. Electar have a weakness - extremely low dexterity. As an Electar you would be slow and ponderous compared to the other races.
“As a tradeoff, they are the only race that can cast the more complicated spells while wielding a weapon. Electar can even fire spells directly from their weapon, but they don’t have the dexterity to use blades. For instance, if I was to try to stab one of you right now, I would probably miss. That’s why you’ll see the majority of Electar carrying a staff or a hammer. When you’re an Electar, it feels like you’re moving through glue. You’ll find that out in a while.”
“How do you still look like yourself?” The man from India asked.
“If you’ve ever looked in a mirror, then you know what you look like. The system can use that memory to place your likeness in the world. Of course, we have options to create your own look, but surprisingly nearly everyone who has signed up so far has chosen to some version of themselves, only more attractive. Ninety percent of the population created a better looking-version of themselves. Everyone else - the remaining ten percent - are mostly clones of William Wallace, Legolas, and Harry Potter.”
“So how is magic explained in your world?” Marie asked.
“I’ll let Omni handle that one,” Alex replied.
“What we are referring to as magic,” Omni began, “is the manipulation of the natural world. It is an extra facet of the reality in Verdia. A magic-user can direct natural forces to inflict damage on enemies, enhance abilities, heal wounds- any number of uses. Possibilities are limited only by the inherent abilities of a character and the player’s imagination. Every living thing in Verdia has a set of what we would call extra senses. These senses, the use of which we call magic, can be fully explained within the physical world. The affinity for magic varies...”
“Actually,” Alex interrupted Omni before he got too complicated, “some animals and plants had to be removed from Verdia. They were so dependent on magic that they weren’t recognizable as life. Some of them didn’t even exist in a visible form. We didn’t want our customers being killed by invisible monsters all the time, so we yanked them.”
Marie nodded, “Very exciting, are you going to show us?”
“Of course,” Alex said. “Spellcasting in Verdia is done by hand and arm motions, and occasionally verbal commands. Simple spells may require only one motion and can be cast instantly, while more powerful spells take several steps and a longer time to take effect. As a mage gains experience, more complicated spells can be cast more quickly and accurately.”
Alex flicked his wrist and a spurt of flame shot from his hand. The tour group took a step back.
Alex laughed at their reaction, “That was your basic fire attack.”
“How do you know how to move your hands?”
“You set the spell yourself. You pick a pattern and the effects of the spell based on your abilities. I’ll do a more complicated one.” Alex held his arms out straight, and waved them several times. He looked up and saw the perplexed expressions on his audience’s faces, “Don’t laugh or you’ll mess me up.” He repeated the motions. Then, he vanished.
Everyone looked at Brook, who shrugged his shoulders, “I guess he’ll be back.”
“I already am.”
Confused faces in the group whirled to see that Alex had appeared behind them.
“That was a teleportation spell. It takes a long time to cast and has a range limited by your field of vision. It also drains your ability to cast spells. Limitations are placed on all spells in relation to your character’s skill level.”
Alex began spitting out fireballs with both hands. After several shots, the fire dimmed and the flames diminished. Finally, when Alex flicked his wrists he received a mere sputter of sparks.
“Do you see how it works? Over time I will become “fatigued” if I cast too many spells, or too strong of a spell. I can actually feel myself weakening with each spell cast. You will all try it later. But now let’s talk about the last race.”
After another bright flash, the change was underwhelming. Alex was short - maybe five feet tall. His face was more that of a puma or bobcat than a human, but somehow still recognizable. Alex’s body was covered in soft brown fur, underneath which lay taut, ropy muscles. The overall appearance was tense and feral. Alex blinked his huge, green eyes.
“I am an Agilus. This is Omni’s favorite race, because they are the most unique. Agilus are gifted with supreme dexterity and moderate intelligence. But you can tell by my size that they don’t hold up very long in a stand-up fight. Agilus make excellent thieves, hunters, trackers, and archers. They have a connection with the animals in Verdia, which grants them some amazing abilities and also keeps them from being attacked by most wild beasts.”
“I like the ears,” Brook said.
Alex playfully flicked his ears, which sat high on his head and made him look even more like a big cat. “Most people do. They’re about three times more sensitive than your ears are, and my eyesight is at least that many times sharper. It takes a while getting used to.”
Marie smiled, “I bet a lot of people choose to be an Agilus. I know I would.”
“Well,” Alex replied, “the Agilus is Verdia’s least popular race. Out of the hundred million or so people who have signed up...”
“Only one week after launch, I might add,” Brook cut in.
Alex continued, “…there are only about twelve million Agilus characters running around. But it’s good that way. At first glance the Agilus may appear weak, but the few who choose them will be rewarded in the long run.”
“How do you choose a race?” The Indian microchip mogul asked.
“You’re about to find out.”
…
“Human, I guess…” Ben stuttered, still guarding his eyes from the angry sun. He stood on shaky feet in green grass that tickled his shins.
“Are you certain?” the voice boomed. “There are many choices. Would you not rather be a powerful Brutalli, a noble Electar, or a cunning Agi
lus?”
“I want to be human. I don’t understand why I would be anything else.”
The voice was silent for a while as the introduction program completed an electronic version of massaging its temples. Finally, it asked, “Do you understand the differences among the races?”
“I’m a human.” Ben folded his arms.
“Very well, as you wish. I am going to depart, for I have to help others. Wait here and your guide will arrive in a short time,” A soft wind carried the voice away.
Ben sat down in the soft grass and picked a blue wildflower. Its petals amazed him; they were so bright and soft. A strong fragrance poured from the flower - foreign and intoxicating. His head swam from sensory overload. Everything around him was either too bright or too loud; there were too many things to deal with. Ben exhaled slowly and breathed in the amazing scenery before him.
A thrumming sound approached Ben from behind, and he whirled around in surprise. He gasped when he came face-to-face with a bright red bird. Ben knew right away that this was no normal bird. His education had stopped after Dalton had perfected the Pulsar and no longer needed him, but he had learned what a bird was.
He especially knew that birds had two wings - this one had four. Below two large upper wings, similar to those of a normal bird, was another pair of smaller wings. The larger wings extended straight, occasionally flapping slowly, while the tiny wings became a bright blur as they beat the air; this created the humming sound that had startled Ben. Shiny red feathers covered the bird, with brilliant blue lining its stomach. A red crest topped the bird’s fuzzy head. Spindly legs were tucked up against its tummy.
Ben blinked several times in amazement, “Um, hi.”
The bird darted closer, coming to an abrupt stop inches from Ben’s face and opening its short red beak, “Hi, I’m Zephyr.”
Ben, overwhelmed by everything, managed to reply, “I’m Ben.”
“I know,” the bird replied, flitting to a new position. “I’m your guide. I’m going to help you for a few days until you get the hang of things. I’ll help you pick a trade and show you the ropes. I’ll also protect you until you’re strong enough, and smart enough, to defend yourself.”
“Defend myself? From what?”
“Lots of things,” Zephyr allowed himself to drift as a breeze picked up, but rotated to face Ben, “wolves, dragons, lisks...”
“Lisks?”
“Big furry lizards - about eight feet at the shoulder - two tons. They run on all sixes and fight on their back fours - very, very scary.”
Ben’s eyes grew large, “How are you going to protect me from something that big?”
Zephyr trilled a musical laugh, “You leave that to me. I’ll also protect you from other people.”
“Are you a person?”
“No, sir,” Zephyr chirped, “I’m a program. Omni will be glad to know that you thought I was a person.”
“Who’s Omni?”
“He made Verdia. He made me too. Well, he’s not really a he. But you understand.”
Ben did not understand, but was unwilling admit that to a bird, “Will I meet Omni?”
“Probably not. But he’s watching you right now. He’s watching everything, making sure we all run smoothly. You know what a god is, right? He’s like the god of Verdia. Make sense?”
“Sure.” Not really.
“Let’s go into Verdia City so you can see what there is to do. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of questions there.”
“What’s Verdia City?”
“Wait until we get there.” The little bird flew circles around Ben, faster and faster. Ben tried to keep up but only made himself dizzy. A trail of wispy, static-filled energy followed the bird, engulfing Ben in a sparkling spiral. Then, everything went white.
…
“This, my friends, is Verdia City,” Alex spoke loudly over the crowd behind him. “Built by Omni’s hands, this is where everyone begins their journey through Verdia. We have new gamers pouring in at an enormous rate. We’ll go for a stroll through the city, then we’ll move on to the next step in your character building process. Sound good?”
The group nodded in agreement, and followed close behind Alex- marching down the center of a broad avenue.
Bright stones, covered in white enamel, sparkled in the sunlight. Smooth, shimmering buildings stabbed the sky. Every structure was a dull gold, reflecting the sky in bronze. Tall spires poked into the clouds, and many buildings sparkled with glass atriums.
Golden lanes boiled over with humans, Brutalli, Agilus, Electar, horses, and strange beasts of burden. Controlled chaos reigned as the few experienced players rubbed shoulders with the lost and confused beginners, affectionately known as “noobs.”
The Dragon’s Tears, a wide and tranquil river, cut the city in half as it snaked its way to the sea. Nearly a mile wide, the river was crossed by several huge bridges.
A colossal domed structure rose from a large island in the center of the river. Two bridges reached for the island - slender and golden. Another bridge ran across the island’s center, actually passing through the structure several hundred feet up. The dome’s smooth walls rose nearly one thousand feet, and four spires erupting from its center stretched even higher. A bright afternoon sun gleamed off the golden dome, making it difficult to gaze upon the building for too long.
The tour group had never seen anything so impressive. They squinted, but did not look away as Alex led them closer to the river. He turned down a road that would carry them to the central bridge.
Alex faced the group and walked backwards as they passed through the canyon of buildings, “Right now we’re approaching Verdia Central. This is where everyone goes immediately after being introduced to the game and selecting a race. Normally you would be teleported directly inside, but I wanted you guys to get a look at the city first. In this building, players will be exposed to the different classes available to them.
“Class determines the main focus a character will take - be it thieving, metalwork, botany, whatever. When a player selects a class, their character will be given special abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Aside from certain spells and abilities, these are minimal, and allow for a lot of leeway in what a player decides to do. However, if you wish to become the best at what you do, you will need to pick a class that is suitable.
“Verdia Central is also a player’s connection to Dalton Support. If anyone has complaints, suggestions, or needs help, this is where they go. On occasion, players will be granted the use of real world items for special reasons; they can obtain them here. Also inside is a library of all the information compiled on Verdia up to this point.
“One of the neat things about Verdia is that if you discover something, you get to name it. The library is already full of personal descriptions of flora and fauna, observations of weather patterns, star charts, all sorts of things that players have already put together to make their mark; and that’s only from the small number of beta testers.
“You may have heard of Limerick already. He’s a particularly avid explorer who has quite a reputation in the community. He’s named quite a few of the places and things in this world.”
Omni chimed in, “Verdia Central is the birthplace of all NPCs.” Even though he was always present, he had remained quiet for most of the tour. Omni’s interjection startled the group.
“That’s right,” Alex confirmed. “There will always be two NPCs for every player in Verdia, as well as some NPC cities scattered across the world and a multitude of “bad guy” NPCs. They begin their lives in this building, and are sent to auctions around the city. NPCs are unique of all the programs in Verdia. They are a close copy of Omni - as close as Omni can get. Unfortunately, Omni doesn’t know how to recreate an exact duplicate of any of his sovereign programs. If an NPC dies in Verdia - if it is deleted - it’s gone for good.”
Alex halted at a gate; this bridge was closed off to the general public. Two NPC guards, their scale armor glistening, moved to
block the group and lowered their halberds, “Special traffic only.”
“Olson.”
The halberds raised and the guards stepped back, “Good afternoon Dr. Olson. Have a nice stay.”
Quiet with awe, they climbed the gently arching bridge. A golden city skyline fell away as they crossed the river. Buildings sprawled for miles in every direction.
“What did Omni base his architecture on?” a man asked.
Alex shrugged his shoulders, “Beats me. He probably used his imagination. Some of the alloys he used aren’t possible in the real world. Aside from the faction cities, this is the only city in Verdia that isn’t designed and built by the people living there.”
“Factions?”
“That’s another thing you can decide when you reach Verdia Central. There are two factions to choose from. These are groups that you can join to help you get started and meet like-minded people. You’ve got the Explorers; these are people who are interested in discovering Verdia’s natural wonders and building communities, and you’ve got the Conquerors; people who are concerned with becoming powerful and influential in Verdia. Each faction has its own city near Verdia City - Explorers to the south and Conquerors to the north. The two factions weren’t intended to be mortal enemies, but it appears to be working out that way as they both compete for resources and land.”
Stout metal arches marked the bridge’s midpoint. Far below them, colorful boats glided by. Flocks of birds, as well as what the group realized were small dragons, flapped lazily under the bridge. The dragons bore the same four-winged configuration as the birds.
Alex led his group into the massive dome, which now dwarfed them. They disappeared through a tiny door, swallowed into the gigantic building.
…
Ben gasped. High above him, clouds of moisture drifted around the ceiling. Thousands of people milled around in this giant lobby, and perched on the shoulders of each of them was an animal guide- Zephyr was now riding shotgun on Ben’s shoulder.
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