Getting ready to accept the terms and conditions, letting the other members of the group know what they were doing, Toni and Cain scrolled through the new conditions of service, after receiving Enoch and Rahab’s help. Once they had clicked accept, Enoch and Rahab accessed the changes and created a easy read list, highlighting the major changes to Forsaken, for Cain and the DreamBabes.
Gameplay
Player levels now reach a maximum of 100
Main and secondary skills have been changed.
A player can now have five main skills to level eight. For secondary skills a player can now have six skills to level eight
The scoring system stays the same
A new player can now choose between three different profile displays, existing players will keep their current displays.
Trading
There are now system run trading houses in each zone, allowing players to sell to the system rather than individual NPCs or other players.
Like all trading houses, there is a five percent tax of goods sold and a fifteen percent tax on goods purchased.
The tax is applied to all NPCs and players alike.
As each zone has its own currency and economy, players can not trade items between zones.
(Players caught trying to circumvent this rule will receive a suspension for a week for the first offence. For a second offence a player will receive a permanent suspension.)
Portals
Moving between zones is now possible through static game portals. A player can move free of cost but will have to perform a simple quest to gain access to the portal controller.
A player can only access zones open to them at the time and a player cannot jump from one zone to another, trying to avoid in zone penalties incurred from the system.
The system restricts players from using a portal to jump back and forth between the same zone. Travel can only occur one direction in any three-game day period (this is to stop cheating).
Using a portal to move between zones has now changed from instant travel to a four hours buffer, delay.
Portal item restrictions
The restrictions on carrying weapons from different game zones into another zone still stand, the only exemptions are:
basic clothing (none armoured or spelled).
small knives (non-spelled).
Gold coins and bars.
Items for quests that cover more than one game zone.
Additional Forsaken rules
After the incidents in the 2027 zone, there is a ban on all PvP clans.
(There is no problem with normal clans for questing).
PvP
Players caught undertaking PvP by the system EIs will have one chance to avoid serious punishment.
A player will face a week’s game time suspension for a first PvP offence.
A second PvP offence, the player will receive a permanent ban.
Adjustments and upgrades
There may be occasional tiny adjustments as the game progresses, but the system will cycle them in during normal zone maintenance.
All NPCs within settlements and cities have received a 300% points increase. Penalties for purposefully killing non-event NPCs will vary between, fines in game suspension to account termination.
Each member of Joseph and his DreamBabes clan, read the game play additions on their HUDs while they sat cuddling on the bed. Cain looked at each of his women, he liked what he saw, yet in his mind he pondered the morality of the situation. Not about the sex but the implications behind each of their actions, how easy it had all become, for each of them.
^C^ I love you Toni. I know that was a nice way to wake up, but it is you I love. I’m worried about how we have accepted the regularity all this sex has become. How easy it is for us to fool around, have orgasms. ^ Smiling to herself Toni replied,
^T^ You lumbering oaf, I love you too. Yes, having an orgasm when you wake up is nice. It doesn’t have to be me when I have four beautiful sisters willing to pleasure you and me. I know you love me, but you can love the others equally, I love you but I love them too. It is a game, don’t forget that. I know it feels real, but this is a game. For us women to have the freedom to make love and have an in-game orgasm is wonderful. Yes, it is easy and I enjoy feeling you inside me, should I refuse my sisters any less of a feeling? Or Lesley's tongue and fingers? ^
Mountain High
Cain did not read the whole document, but the highlighted work Enoch and Rahab provided for him and his women. He accepted the new conditions along with Toni and his other women. Freeing himself from the hugging, Cain slipped from the bed and headed to the shower bathroom. Taking a quick wash, Cain stood there, he'd realised for the first time he’d never washed or had a pee in any other VR game, unless part of a cut scene. Clean and dressed in his battle gear, he headed to the kitchen, grabbing a mug and filling it from the coffee jug he headed to the workshop and storage area.
:Now, how can I improve on the standard bow we found in the wooden storage chest, when we first arrived?: Cain took out the recurved bow, laying it on the workbench. A 3D screen, floated above the work surface at Cain’s chest height. An image of the recurve bow on the screen. Using his left hand while taking a sip from his mug of coffee, Cain used the old pinch technique to zoom in on the bow tip and how the coders fastened the bow string.
Using his fingers, Cain circled them causing a part of the bow, the recurve section to orientate through ninety degrees. Selecting the ruler option, Cain measured the thickness of the bow at the tip, finding the tip to be one and a half inches wide, flipping the bow the opposite tip measured one and five-eighths wide.
Dismissing the 3D screen, Cain hunted through two or three storage boxes, he had an idea to place narrow pullies at either tip of the bow. He hoped to increase the strength of pull, stability and accuracy of the weapon. Lesley was the first of his women to enter the workshop, asking Cain what he was searching for. Placing her cup of tea on the workbench, Lesley looked through the storage units on the opposite side to Cain.
"What you looking for honey bun," Toni said as she entered the workshop, a slice of toast in her left hand and mug of coffee in her right. Lesley jumped in telling her they were looking for a small wheel or wheels, around and an inch to an inch and a half diameter. Leaving Lesley and Cain to carry on their search.
:Is there anything we can do to help? I'm sure Cain can make something if it can't be found in the storage boxes. Maybe one of my sisters could whip something up?: Toni asked Rahab.
[You are in ancient Greece, why don’t you make a forge and smelt iron or bronze and make what you require. I’m sure Cain either knows how or Enoch and I can help direct your process,] Rahab said.
Toni returned to the workshop and spoke to Cain, telling him what Rahab said and offered to help him do the forging. To which Cain replied,
"I did not think about making the parts myself though it would probably be the best and simplest option. I wanted each of you to have enhanced bows and two short swords called a gladius." He told Toni and Lesley, "Everyone believed the gladius was a Roman sword, yet they only copied an earlier Greek version from around three hundred and eighty to three hundred and sixty BC."
Cain returned to the workbench and activated the 3D screen, looking for the drawing tools so he could draw a new bow made from cast parts. Leaving the recurve on the workbench, Cain’s hand drew the five parts that would make the new recurve for each of them.
He started with the handle, riser part, drawing it so the part provided the strength and stability the new bow needed. Placing the drawn part over the grip on the recurve bow allowed Cain to measure and draw the two limbs which would fasten to the handle. These drawn, he then sketched the two opposite cams, these would increase the draw weight in the initial pull, before reducing the draw weight once the pull had passed the halfway point. Closing the drawing tool Cain looked at his design and spun the image through three hundred and sixty degrees. Pleased with the design Cain closed the 3D screen a
nd then he sat down on the workbench. Lesley and Toni looked at Cain who shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, it was a strange but good experience for sure designing a new bow for each of us to use. Maybe the PET does not have enough resources to run the software and make the parts we need," Cain said. They all heard a loud ping, which cut him off talking, a section of the workbench slid open, a compound bow to Cain’s design floated out of the revealed section. Once the compound bow was clear of the workbench surface, the hole it appeared from closed making the workbench complete again.
Several sheets of a paper-like substance exited a narrow slot on the front of the workbench, near Toni. She scooped them up from the floor, looking at each in turn.
"These are blueprints and the steps needed for us to produce compound bows, in bulk. It informs you, us, how to make a forge, mine the correct ores and make a furnace using local resources," Toni said.
"First, we need to get down from the mountain," said Cain. To which Toni and Lesley agreed. Leaving the new bow on the workbench, they left the workshop, gathering the other women from sitting at the kitchen table they all exited their PET. Bethany led them through the tunnel and out to the patio area with the strange pillar. Cain walked over to the balustrade and looked down at the clouds.
"Although the views are magnificent, we need to leave here," said Cain, the DreamBabes agreed with him. They all joined in looking for any hidden way down from the mountain top, a method they all could use safely. Toni went over to the pillar and looked at the hieroglyphs and the Greek writing.
:Can you read the Hieroglyphs now Rahab? Is there a message here that will help us get down from the mountaintop,: Toni asked.
[Yes. When Bethany and Lesley first came back with the information regarding the pillar, Enoch and I devoured all the information on Ancient Greek and Ancient Egyptian languages. Looking now at the writing in front of you, I can tell you it is not a copy of an ancient pillar, but a construct made for Forsaken, written by a coder.
[The game coder who created this patio and pillar has signed his name in English under the combined symbol of a feather in front of saw teeth, over which is a birthday cake followed by a woman sat down. The Egyptian for that symbol is Amen, in writing only four pixels thick the coder is, none other than Michael Cameron Durie, who placed the plaques in the 2027 zone. The message runs around the pillar, starting with the Lion symbol, there is only one lion on the pillar,] said Rahab.
:How do you know the message starts under the Lion? It could start from any location. When I find Vince, he will get more than a piece of my mind, Cain will have to wait his turn,: Toni said
[Michael ended his message saying look for the Lion. If you walk around the pillar, I will use your eyes and scan for the Lion and the message,] Rahab said. Toni walked around the pillar, keeping her eyes fixed on one point. [Done. The devious little bugger, I suggest when you find Vince ask him where Michael is too. All I can say is I’m pleased Cain is strong. The way down from up here is for you to activate the transport pillar, the one with the message. You need everybody to look for a pair of footprints on the floor near the walls in the patio area. Cain will hold three of you on his shoulders, keeping his feet in the footprints.
[There is a switch disguised as a rock, when moved down the pillar will become active and again work. You will have five minutes to wait once the rock has been moved then you can use the transport pillar. Either you or Cain needs to select a destination from the pillar's interface, and teleport to that location. Make sure you are all touching, we want no one left behind,] Rahab finished.
Toni messaged Cain and her sisters and told them what Rahab had said. With the new information they went back through the tunnel and into their PET. They collected what they thought would be useful from the PETs resources before exiting one and a half hours later.
Knowing how the workbench operated, Cain designed and built two gladii for each of them and replicated the recurve bow five more times. As he waited for the gladii to be made he realised they would need arrows for their bows. So he activated the 3D design screen and designed two types of arrow, a simple round point and a broad-head where the arrowhead laid horizontally.
Ready to exit the PET each of them carried visible weapons, long knives, two gladii, Doru spears, Aspis shields and recurve bows with a quiver of thirty mixed arrows. Armed and ready for what their new destination could throw at them they stepped outside into the bright sunshine and waited for Cain to collapse their PET.
Thinking about what Sophie said, Toni agreed and messaged the group, she noticed Cain nodding at her. On Sophie's suggestion they named their PET, Bounty. The DreamBabes stood and watched Cain pack Bounty away in the inventory, once Bounty had collapsed and neatly folded itself, becoming a package again.
[Enoch, why have they named the Patented Expando Tent, Bounty?] Enoch laughed then told Rahab from his readings of humans they are apt to name inanimate objects, to make them a living part of their family, of their story. To them once they have a name, they are an extension of their family and they can be talked of with great tenderness. Stupid but true, that is humans for you.
Toni looked at the arrows in her quiver and said,
"Why are there two different arrow heads? Can't we manage with one type or is there a reason for both types?"
"The round point is for shooting at animals, or anything you want to pull the arrow out off without damaging the skin. The broad-head’s head is horizontal for shooting at humans. If the head was vertical it would not go through a person's ribs, where horizontally it slides deep inside. Also the broad-head will rip apart the flesh when it is removed."
Chapter 11
Temple Of Cybele
"Remember, we need to find what looks like a pair of foot-prints near the edge of the patio area, against one of the cliff faces," Toni said.
"Was there anything else Rahab said to help us find the footprints?" Cain asked. Toni told Cain word for word what Rahab had told her.
"Ladies, the footprints will be around half a yard apart, less than the width of any of our shoulders," Cain said. Cain told Toni, "Assume I have three of you on my shoulders I will have to widen my stance to make a stable platform. You ladies need to choose which ones will stand on me, and which one will stand on her sisters."
"I think I found them," said an excited Daphne, "Look, here, these don't these look like they are them?" she said, pointing to two areas they each could only describe as feet. The feet were set into the geometric pattern of the patio floor. Someone placed the feet close to the edge of the patio as Cain stood on them, there was only a hand span between his body and the cliff face.
Cain leant back and looked up the cliff face, trying to see where a movable rock could be, to help direct his soon to be climbers. Not seeing anything resembling Toni's description, he shrugged his shoulders and waited for the DreamBabes who would climb all over him.
Toni, Sophie and Bethany opted themselves to find the rock and would climb on Cain. Toni and Sophie would be the base standing on Cain's shoulders, Bethany would stand on theirs. Sophie gave Toni a long kiss, then with Bethany's help climbed up Cain's back and stood on his shoulders, her feet at either side of Cain's head.
Next, Toni kissed Cain then gave Bethany a long kiss too, before Bethany helped her climb up Cain's back. Toni followed Sophie and stood on the other side of Cain's shoulders. They had a stable base as they could get, with Cain bending his head forward, resting on the cliff face. Toni and Sophie each had their feet set, one foot placed on Cain's elbow joint, allowing Cain to use that hand to hold them around the top of their calves, their other foot nearly standing on Cain
's neck.
With their arm nearest each other, they took a firm hold of the others' battle harness. They both placed their free hand on the cliff face, waiting for Bethany to climb up Cain, then them to stand on their shoulders.
Lesley, then Daphne, gave Bethany hugs and long kisses before they helped her climb up over Cain's back. Standing on Cain's shoulders, Bethany climbed up Toni and Sophie, she was conscious of pushing her feet too hard against her sisters; although she had taken her boots off. She used their clothing and battle harnesses, for hand and footholds as she climbed.
With her sisters wearing their battle harnesses, Bethany found the climb relatively easy, if she did not look down. Bethany failed to mention when she said she could help, she had a fear of heights. She was soon standing on the shoulders of her sisters, her eyes fixed on the rock face. Taking a calming breath, Bethany's hands pulled on each rock within reach, nothing moved; not even the rock which looked like a handle. She pulled, pushed even tried turning rocks, but none moved a fraction let alone an inch.
Accidentally looking down at the ground Bethany took a calming breath, once calm she tried again, this time she closed her eyes. Thinking she heard a voice telling her to sit on her sister's shoulders, Bethany said,
"Natasha, Dr Emily, I'm going to sit on your shoulders as I think that will help me find what we are looking for. Please don't let me fall I should have said I'm sort of scared of heights." Toni first then Sophie and all the others laughed at Bethany's confession. They encouraged her as she moved to sit on Toni's and Sophie's shoulders, she used the rock face as a support, as she lowered herself to their shoulders.
Forsaken 337 BC Page 13