>>29442060
>Anything more you want to do with the bug before Melissa gets rid of it? (Write in)
Look at it more closely! Both with and without glasses (just in case)
>How do you like your coffee? (Write in.)
Not too strong, but no milk or anything.

>>29442060
>Anything more you want to do with the bug before Melissa gets rid of it? (Write in)
Nope.
>“How do you take your coffee?”
Orally. Otherwise, not particularly strong.
>>29442139
We already used the glasses.

>>29442060
>How do you like your coffee? (Write in.)
Blacker than hell. Tell her to make it strong.

>>29442139 >>29442268

Melissa asks for hers with milk and sugar, you ask for yours weak but without anything extra and Jess transfers three mugs to the table. She’s refilled her oversized mug up to the brim; it’s more of a soup bowl than a mug.

You peer closely at the bug. It seems, well, pretty bug-like to you, but you’re no expert. Looking at it through your glasses doesn’t help, but you take a photograph of it anyway. It might come in handy to convince facilities management that something needs to be done if they keep showing up. Melissa takes it upon herself to clean the rest of the bug up, gamely wiping up the mess with a paper towel and throwing it away.

“Gross,” she says, washing her hands and sitting back down at the table. She doesn’t actually look that bothered though; she is a nursing student after all.

The three of you take a few moments to appreciate your coffee. It’s actually pretty good and clearly this can’t be made from the usual instant coffee that you tolerate most of the time. Everyone you know settles for cheap brands; you’re students after all.

You mention this to Jess and she nods, “Of course I have my own supply. It’s organic, but more importantly it’s less shit.” She blows on her coffee and then takes a big gulp. You can see her eyes water from the heat. She is definitely a little strange, and Melissa’s expression suggests she thinks so too.

>Melissa is Emily’s friend. Ask her opinion on Mike.
>Ask Jess about her nightmares.
>Ask for theories about the bug infestation.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29442318
>Ask Jess about her nightmares.

>>29442268
>We already used the glasses.
Yeah, we already looked at it normally too. Inspections can never be too thorough!

>>29442318
>Ask Jess about her nightmares.
>Ask for theories about the bug infestation.
We don't need Melissa's thoughts we already know we hate him for reasons not entirely fair but mostly so.

>>29442318
>Ask Jess about her nightmares.

>>29442377 >>29442409 >>29442416


"What sort of nightmares do you have, anyway?" you ask. You've never had any that would drive you to try and give up on sleep entirely.

Jess sighs, "Really unimaginative ones. The sky splits open, the world ends, and huge monsters roam the streets. And I'm just hiding, and I know they're going to get me eventually, and that everyone I know is dead." You and Melissa stare in silence as she pauses to take another gulp of coffee.

"I mean, what can I do with that? It's like some bad movie. It's not the stuff of which the Great American Novels are made." She catches your expressions. "I'm doing creative writing," she explains.

At this point you hear a car pull up outside, and after much banging of car doors and laughing and shouting, a handful of fairly drunk girls enter the building. One of them sticks her head into the common room.

"Yoooooooo!" she sort of howls at you. The three of you stare back blankly. She rolls her eyes as her friend drags her off.

"Which reminds me," Jess says. "I can get you guys fake IDs if you want."

"I'll pass," Melissa says. "That doesn't really look like fun. The parties I like have tanks and healers." She says this with a self-deprecating little laugh.

>A fellow nerd! "What games have you played?"
>Pass on the ID, it seems a little too illegal for your taste.
>Accept Jess's offer.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29442543
>A fellow nerd! "What games have you played?"
WAIFU TARGET ACQUIRED

>>29442543
>A fellow nerd! "What games have you played?"
We've found another!

>>29442543
>A fellow nerd! "What games have you played?"
Gotta do it.

>>29442578
But mah Lily

>>29442704
Don't worry anon, maybe Melissa has shit taste. Or is too casual. The kind of player that never level-caps, even in the games where you can do it easily.

>>29442589
>>29442578
"What games have you played?" you ask. "I like games myself."

She doesn't seem to notice the awkward phrasing. "I kind of figured you would, with those glasses you have," she says. "I played a lot of Titan when I was in high school; my parents spent three years breaking up every night, it felt like. Getting away and having adventures with my friends kept me sane."

"Oh yeah, I played a bit of that."

"I met my first boyfriend there," she says. "Really good player, kind of cute, but snobby too. His way or the highway, and worse his strategies were always great, so, well anyway. It was so romantic until he got bored." She laughs. "Do you know the type?"

"...Maybe." You don't want to be reminded. "I stopped playing when Half Life 3 came out," you explain.

"I don't really like shooters," Melissa says. "I'm not fast enough."

>It is vitally important that they understand the great influence HL3 had on the entire shooting genre. Explain in detail.
>Tell Melissa about Quest for Arcadia.
>Try and include Jess in the conversation before she nods off again.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29442731
>Tell Melissa about Quest for Arcadia.
It's pretty rad.

>Half Life 3
NOT COOL, DUDE.

>>29442731
>>Tell Melissa about Quest for Arcadia.

>>29442731
>It is vitally important that they understand the great influence HL3 had on the entire shooting genre. Explain in detail.
Yes, a chance for awkwardness. But, let's wisen up a bit quickly.

>>29442731
>vitally important that they understand how HL3 revolutionalized the gaming industry

>>29442731
>Tell Melissa about Quest for Arcadia.
Then
>Try and include Jess in the conversation before she nods off again.

>>29442774
>>29442768
"I just started a new MMO today," you tell her. "It's called Quest for Arcadia. All the sensory inputs are amazing, you don't feel like you're in a game at all."

She's listening.

"There aren't any quests in the traditional sense, you just explore the place and look for Pieces of Arcadia, which you can use to open more places or upgrade your gear. The game doesn't hold your hand."

"Is there a monthly fee?" she asks.

"Nope. I guess they'll put in a shop later maybe. I haven't seen one yet anyway. I don't know if your glasses could run it. Hang on." You lower your glasses over your eyes and look up the game's website. The minimum system requirements are actually quite low.

You give Melissa the website, and soon she's browsing it too. "These screenshots are beautiful," she says. "I wonder what the game would look like on my glasses."

"How about you, Je-"

Clunk. Her head gently hits the table again. Melissa narrows her eyes and waits a few moments to make sure Jess really is asleep. "It's really stupid to deprive yourself of sleep like that," she says quietly. "If she's really worried she should see the counselor or health services, not just drink coffee until she passes out."

>Let her sleep where she is. Ask to have a look at Melissa's glasses.
>Try and get her to the couch at least so she can sleep there.
>Wake her up and prod her to her room.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29442979
>Try and get her to the couch at least so she can sleep there.

>>29442979
>Try and get her to the couch at least so she can sleep there.
2 people can probably move her there easily.
>Ask to have a look at Melissa's glasses.

>>29442979
>Let her sleep where she is. Ask to have a look at Melissa's glasses.
Let's make her our class.

>>29443016
Seconded.

>>29442979
>>Try and get her to the couch at least so she can sleep there.
>>29443063
Nah, let's just tell her what each class does.

>>29443063
>Let's make her our class.
Let's not.

>>29442979
Ask to see her glasses as we move Jess to the couch.

>>29443016
>>29443060
>>29443063
"Let's at least make her comfortable," you say. "If we wake her up to move her, she'll just start drinking coffee again."

"Good idea," Melissa says. You both walk around the table, and take one arm each. Jess barely moves; she's completely out of it. You lift her together and basically drag her to the couch. She's fairly slim and not very heavy, and Melissa knows how to handle a patient.

You lower her down and put one of the cushions under her head. She looks pale and exhausted, but at least she's sleeping peacefully.

Melissa grins and hunts around the common room for a piece of paper. She leaves a note with 'DO NOT DISTURB' resting on Jess's chest.

"There," she says quietly. You keep your voices down.

"Can I have a look at your glasses?" you ask. You can't access someone else's glasses directly, but you can connect them to yours as a secondary device.

Melissa looks a bit uncertain for a moment, "What for?"

"I want to look at the specs, see if you could run Quest for Arcadia."

"Oh, okay." She slides them off and hands them to you.

>As you work, tell her how you hacked the game to get an extra class.
>Explain the standard classes and nothing else.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29443283
Explain the standard classes only as we examine her glasses

Also, are the glasses an AR/peripheral, or are they actually what we're running Arcadia on?

>>29443283
>Explain the standard classes and nothing else.

>>29443283
>Explain the standard classes and nothing else.

>>29443283
>Explain the standard classes and nothing else.
No risk.

>>29443283
>>Explain the standard classes and nothing else.

>>29443331
>>29443330
>>29443322
The game is actually installed on your glasses.

You have permission, so you connect to Melissa's glasses. As you suspected, they're not really for gaming. They are however, fairly expensive, and are relatively powerful.

"There are well, three classes you can pick at creation," you explain. "They all seem sort of similar in a way; there aren't healers and tanks and stuff. Mostly you fight with weapons; you only get one ability to start off with. And if you die, you become a different class; meat. They don't get abilities or levels at all."

"That seems kind of harsh," Melissa says, frowning. "You die, you lose everything? Is the game hard? Have you died?"

"Yeah, it is. You can still keep playing, but the game's a bit different. I haven't died yet, but I did come close. Meat likes to PvP."

Melissa is looking less enthusiastic than before.

"I think you could run the game okay with these though," you say.

>Offer to overclock them.
>Tell her about the Liberated Soul class.
>Reassure her. The game's still fun, even if it's harsh.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29443526
>>Reassure her. The game's still fun, even if it's harsh.

Tell her about the different abilities.

>>29443526
>Reassure her. The game's still fun, even if it's harsh.
Well, we think. Not having been Meat yet. But no need to say that

>>29443526
>Reassure her. The game's still fun, even if it's harsh.
It's also pretty young. They might bring in ways to come back from meatification later.

>>29443526
Offer to superclock her glasses, and tell her that she only has to worry about becoming meat if she's not good, but try and pass it off as a joke since we're awkward as fuck.

Tell her that if she sticks to the starting areas until she gets the hang of it, she should be fine and you'll even hang out to protect her from Meat.

Realize suddenly that, if Meat's like a punishment class, that it's weird it was an option at the start screen.

>>29443619
Well it obviously wasn't SUPPOSED to be there.

>>29443569
>>29443576
>>29443613
>>29443619

"I could overclock these easy," you say.

"Um, I dunno. I'll think about it." She extends her hand and you give her back her glasses.

"The game's still fun, even if it's harsh. I went on an adventure with some meat earlier, even. You probably only have to worry about it if you suck." You smile to let her know that was a joke.

"Oh."

"The ability you get starting off is pretty powerful, too. It's saved my life a few times." Unfortunately, you realise that the place you started off in probably isn't the same place everyone else does; no one else was there, after all. This game doesn't seem to have starting areas so much as spawn points.

"I'll help you out if I can though."

"What class do you play?" she asks.

>Lie: Seer
>Lie: Prophet
>Lie: Avatar.
>Tell the truth.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29443776
Nnngh.
>Lie: Avatar.

>>29443776
>>Lie: Avatar.

Probably the most versatile class.

>>29443776
>Lie: Avatar.

>>29443776
>Lie: Avatar

>>29443820
>>29443853
>>29443875
"Avatar," you say. "I PRAY and I get a tentacle."

"Uhh." She raises an eyebrow.

"Instead of my arm," you explain. "It gives me a lot of extra reach."

"Well, it certainly sounds like something other than the standard MMO formula." She yawns. "Man it's late. I might give the game a try sometime though. It looks pretty and sounds unusual. Thanks for telling me about it."

"That's okay. I haven't see any advertising or anything for it. You wouldn't find out about it unless someone tells you." You're feeling pretty tired yourself.

"I'll see you around, Ashley. Goodnight." She rinses out her coffee cup and gives you a little wave.

"Ash. And goodnight."

Jess sleeps on.

You go back to your room to sleep. You feel pretty good though; you've made a friend, maybe two, although you're not really certain Jess was awake enough to even remember you when she wakes up.

You wake up at around ten thirty Sunday morning. Emily is sitting at her desk with her headphones in and her big, fat, nursing textbooks open on the bed beside her. Looks productive over there.

What are you going to do today?

>Emily's making you feel guilty. Study.
>Go for a run first. You've barely moved all weekend.
>Mess about on the internet for a while.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29444099
>Emily's making you feel guilty. Study.
Not, like, the whole day. But a few hours.

>>29444099
>>Emily's making you feel guilty. Study.

>>29444099
>Flirt with Emily. Suggest breakfast.

>>29444099
study a bit
maybe learn where we messed up unlocking meat

>>29444099
>Emily's making you feel guilty. Study.

>>29444127
>>29444134

You and Emily have gentlewoman's agreement; first thing in the morning, the other person doesn't exist. Until you've woken up properly, no social demands are to be made of you. So she doesn't even look up when you get up.

In the bathroom you peer at your burned face. It's still burned. You think it might start peeling in another day or two. Emily looks similarly. The events of yesterday seem entirely unreal; there were so many of them for a start, and Arcadia felt real enough that you feel like you've been traveling back and forth.

Emily's probably already had breakfast, so you eat yours alone. Outside, for the first time in a few days it doesn't look like it's about to rain and the sky is covered with a thin but unbroken layer of cloud, that makes it look almost white. There are no shadows.

You sit down at your desk and start studying. Time passes fairly uneventfully, and you're wondering if you should have some lunch when you get a message from someone you don't have on your friends list.

Smokeinthewind : Is this Ash? Are you okay?

>Yes and yes.
>Ignore the message.
>Track it.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29444518
ys and ys
track messgae

>>29444518
>>Track it.

>>29444518
>Yes and yes.
>Track it.
Dafuck is this?

>>29444518
>backtrace that shit

>>29444518
>Yes and Yes
Melissa?

>>29444555
>>29444583
>>29444615

"Yes and yes. Who is this?"

1d100 DC 70

Rolled 44

>>29444635
"U dun goofed."

Rolled 41

>>29444635

Rolled 15

>>29444635
backtrace the ip

Rolled 45

>>29444635
Let's find out!

>>29444657
>>29444664
>>29444666
>>29444681
dice gods are angry

>>29444666
>>29444657
>>29444664

It's someone using the same network as you. You find a matching IP in your building. It's someone in the dorm.

Smokeinthewind: It was just a dream. Im sorry. I dreamt you killed someoen and then you die.d

You: Jess?

Smokeinthewind: *sigh* Who else? Did that bug really happen? Is your face all burned?

>Yes and yes, again. I'm busy.
>Are you okay?
>Ignore her.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29444750
no? it's a roll under system, we succeeded.

>>29444756
>yes and yes

>>29444756
>Yes and yes, again.
>Are you okay?

>>29444756
>Yes and yes, again.
>Are you okay?
This chick has some weird shit happening with her.

Rolled 83

>>29444635
Track em down.

>>29444756
"Yes and yes. You all right?"

>>29444786
>>29444780

You: Yes and yes, again.

Smokeinthewind: Oh. Really.? I figured it was a dream too

You: Are you okay?

Smokeinthewind: You're not messing with me right? Some people do that you know. You seem okay though.

You see her typing something and then changing her mind, then typing again.

Smokeinthewind: What really happened to your face?

>Tell Emily what's going on and ask her opinion.
>"Science Experiment went wrong."
>Tell the truth.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29444875
>>Tell the truth.

>>29444875
>Tell Emily what's going on and ask her opinion.

>>29444875
Tell the truth. She seems like a space cadet anyway, so if she tells anybody, nobody will believe her.

>>29444875
>Tell Emily what's going on and ask her opinion.
>Tell the truth.
What's the difference between these (besides explicitly asking about her thoughts)?

>>29444875
>Tell the truth.

>>29444875
>"Science Experiment went wrong."
How was you're morning? Me and Melissa dropped you of on the couch last night. I can't be that healthy to pass out.

>>29444935
You're talking to Jess, not Emily. Emily already knows the truth; she was there.

>>29444901
>>29444931
>>29444951

You: We went out to confront Emily's bf but it wasn't him. Something looked like a person but it burned our faces and the bat.

You: We ran away and haven't seen it since.

You wait for a response. And wait. And wait.

You: Hello? Jess?

Smokeinthewind: i was there. i was in the smoking area further back. that bit was real??

>What did you see exactly?
>Deep breaths, we're all okay.
>Tell Emily what's going on.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29445051
>What did you see exactly?

>>29445051
Yeah, unfortunately. I don't know what's going on, but I think it's related to the blood-bank bugs too.

>>29445051
>What did you see exactly?
We aren't going crazy right?

>>29445051
>Go talk to her in person already
Might as well, at this point.

>>29445090>>29445193


You: What did you see exactly?

Smokeinthewind: I saw you and Emily, and someone under one of the windows. i wasn't payingattention until you yelled something and the air felt warm and you and Em were running and I saw the end of your bat light up.

Smokeinthewind: the other guy just stood there i think. or maybe walked slowly.

Smokeinthewind: since he scared you off i decided to hide and hid behind a bench and then he was gone.

Smokeinthewind: and I picked up yor bat. it was all burnt and stuff. i thought that bit was a dream tho

>Tell her not to tell anyone else.
>Tell her you'll be right there.
>Tell Emily what's going on.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29445243
>Tell her not to tell anyone else.
Then
>Play Arcadia.

>>29445243
>Tell Emily what's going on.

>>29445243
>don't tell anyone else

>>29445243
>Tell her you'll be right there.

>>29445243
Invite her by to discuss it with yourself and Emily in more detail. Ask her what kind of shit she's been seeing, besides.

Ask if she plays Arcadia.

>>29445243
>>Play Arcadia.

>>29445243
>Tell her not to tell anyone else.
>Tell her you'll be right there.
Let's keep this between us for now. Mind if I come over?

>>29445267
>>29445282

You: Don't tell anyone else.

Smokeinthewind: LIke anyone here would believe me.

You: Do you want to talk with us about it?

Smokeinthewind: I'm going for a smoke.

You: Hang on, before you go, do you play Quest for Arcadia?

Smokeinthewind: Thta game you were talking about? Na I don't play computer games. my computer's a piece of shit.

>Tell Emily.
>Head out to the smoking area to meet Jess.
>Worry about this later.
>Write in.
>Play Arcadia.

>>29445445
>>Play Arcadia.

>>29445445
>Play Arcadia.

>>29445445
>P-P-Play Arcadia

>>29445445
>Tell Emily.

>>29445445
>Head out to the smoking area to meet Jess.
>Tell Emily

>>29445445
Tell Emily.

>>29445445
>>Play Arcadia.

>>29445503
>>29445487
>>29445461
>>29445663
You slide the glasses down over your eyes, and the momentary sensation of vertigo tugs at you.

You nearly fall over. A party seems to have started without you, and you quickly step out of someone's way.

It's a clear, beautiful day. You can see flocks of those tiny white birds circling in the dazzling sky, and you are standing on a strip of green bordered by the edge, and the city. Around you about a hundred people have gathered, and there is a festive air.

The bridge is almost complete. You see a couple of players standing near the end, occasionally PRAYing it forward, and then sitting down to wait for the cooldown while the slaves work tirelessly. Small clumps of people stand around bags of equipment, talking and laughing. Enterprising NPCs have opened stalls selling refreshments and simple adventuring gear. There's even a band, all NPCs, to which a handful of players are dancing.

You realise you can't always tell meat from other classes. Players with the gleaming items and collared animals, or those talking into their mirrors are obviously not meat, but with the others, who can tell? Right now, you could pass as meat.

You're holding a large bag of coins.

You can't see Shrike or Trish in the crowd, but you do see Mason, Lily's acquaintance, standing halfway along the bridge, arms folded, watching both the sky and the nearby city gates fairly closely. You recall Lily asked you to get him to find out what the fragments of mirror might represent among meat. On the other hand, it doesn't look like he's going anywhere.

>Talk to Mason.
>Hang out in the crowd.
>Head back to the city and look for a forge.
>Head back to the city and look for Shrike and Trish.
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29445743
>Talk to Mason.

>>29445743
>get around to asking mason about mirror fragments and meat

>>29445743
>>Talk to Mason.
Might as well hear about the fragments.

>>29445743
>Talk to Mason.

File: 1389495254117.jpg-(118 KB, 650x900, 1388212760880.jpg)

118 KB JPG

>>29445830
>>29445803
>>29445779
You make your way through the crowd to the bridge. You notice there are a handful of other people also just watching rather than having fun. Everyone else seems excited to see what will be on the other side once the bridge is completely.

Mason recognizes you and watches you approach. He's pretty tall; you barely come up to his collarbone, and he's spent a bit more time on his face than Shrike did.

"Hello," he says unfolding his arms and extending his hand. "You're Lily's friend, aren't you?"

"Liandra," you say, shaking his hand politely. "Lily asked me to ask you something. After the fight last night."

He raises his eyebrows. "Fight?"

You explain what happened as best you know it, and he listens intently with a worried expression. When you're done he nods.

"Well, that explains the lack of interest in this bridge today. I noticed the Thunderlands had moved on, but no bridge here is permanent, so I thought little of it."

"Lily wants you to find out what the fragments of mirror mean," you say. "She says you can put out feelers."

He smiles, "Yes, I can do that. And I will. How could such a thing happen?" He takes out his mirror grim-faced again. "I can't tell who's offline and who's been killed. Thank you for telling me. This sort of thing would not happen in this city, but for it to happen anywhere-"

>Why wouldn't it happen here?
>Do you have any ideas who might be behind it?
>Goodbye.
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29446099
>Why wouldn't it happen here?
Interesting...

>>29446099
>Why wouldn't it happen here?
Well now, I think we're getting somewhere?

>>29446099
>>Why wouldn't it happen here?

And then we should find a smith.

>>29446099
>Why wouldn't it happen here?

>>29446204
>>29446193
>>29446149
"Why wouldn't it happen here?" you ask.

Mason looks you in the eye, "I wouldn't let it." Before you can ask for elaboration he continues, "Look how this game sets us up. One side has numbers, the other has power. We are given no rules other than those we make for ourselves. There is no reason why we cannot respect each other and work together. I have nothing against PvP, but all yields, not just from one class to another, should be accepted."

He shrugs, "I'm not alone in this. Players and meat alike agree with me, and we keep an eye on this city and enforce fair play. The Thunderlands is an odd case; very few meat would manage to make it up there safely, so there were no neutral meat in the city to fight against this invasion." He frowns. "It was well-targeted. The lightning bridge would be a bottleneck. I do want to know who is behind this, very much."

"But here, Lily is right, something this big could not be hidden from me and my friends. Speaking of which, I'd like to add you to contacts. I saw Trish and Shrike earlier; they spoke highly of you."

>Add him to contacts.
>Decline.
>Ask where to go to get weapons forged.
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29446513
>Add him to contacts.

>>29446513
Add the vill- I mean, trai- I mean, Mason.

>>29446513
>>Add him to contacts.
>>Ask where to go to get weapons forged.

>>29446513
>Add him to contacts.
Seems like a good person to know.

>>29446513
>Ask where to go to get weapons forged.

>>29446569
>>29446551
>>29446558

You smile for his mirror, and he nods politely into yours.

"Where can I get weapons forged anyway?"

"Ah, markets are where you can trade weapons, but to forge weapons from raw materials you need to go straight through the city gates and when you see the markets turn left. There's a whole bunch of NPC shops, just find one that's not busy, hand over your money and your materials and they'll make one for you."

"Thanks."

"Anytime. I'll keep you in the loop with regards to this mirror thing. It worries me. Contact me if you need help in the city."

"Okay," you smile. "Cool." He seems nice. As you take your leave he beckons over someone else.

Next order of business is clearly to go shopping. It's kind of awkward hauling around all these coins as well, so you head into the city.

>Markets first.
>Forges first.
>Look for Trish and Shrike.
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29446789
>>Forges first.
Gotta get sick armor and weapons.

>>29446789
>Forges first.
UPGRADES UPGRADES UPGRADES

>>29446789
>>Forges first.

How large are the pieces of metal we have?

>>29446838
If we have enough, we should get a gladius.

>>29446789
If we use the shards of green metal to make a bow, does it grant bonuses or do we need to make arrows?

>>29446838
>>29446828
>>29446810
The city is alive and bustling in the morning sunshine, and everyone seems excited by the completion of the gate. You glance at the markets before you turn off towards the forges, and they look pretty busy.

The forges are a row of buildings each with a sail on top, but rather than grinding grain, the windmills pump the bellows of large smelters built into the sides. There are players here too, some of them selling raw materials and finished weapons, all for prices far out of your reach for now.

You select a forge and walk in. Inside an elderly female NPC peers at you over some half-moon spectacles. She's dressed in a blacksmith's apron and smock.

"Hello dear, what can I do for you today?" she asks.

"I have verdant steel," you say. "What can you make with it?" You show her the shards and she picks one up delicately.

"Oh, very nice. Well, there are several things."

>Verdant Steel Dagger.
>Verdant Edged Shortsword.
>Verdant Edged Waraxe.
>Verdant Steel Spear.
>Twelve Verdant Tipped Arrows.
>Another time.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29447011
>>Verdant Steel Spear.

Ask about armor.

>>29447011
Spear. Let's maintain our distance fighting.

Alternately: Log out and see if we can hack our inventory to increase the amount we have.

>>29447011
>Verdant Edged Shortsword.

>>29447011
>Verdant Steel Spear.

>>29447011
>Verdant Edged Shortsword.
Unless we can guarantee being able to retrieve the arrows, no way in hell should we ever get them.

>>29447011
Shortsword.

>>29447011
>Verdant Steel Spear.

Closest thing to a staff.

>>29447011
>>Verdant Edged
>>Verdant Steel

What's the difference?

>>29447011
Shortsword for sure

>>29447011
>Verdant Edged Shortsword.
Need a good melee weapon.

>>29447225
Edged has it as an edge only
Steel is made completely of the stuff

>>29447011
shortsword, very useful, so adaptable

>>29447225
Dagger and spear are just small enough to make entirely out of the shiny green crap.
>>29447262
Much utility, wow.

>>29447262
If that's the case,

>>29447011
>>Verdant Steel Spear.
Is the better option.

>>29447225

"What's the difference between Verdant Edged and Verdant Steel?" you ask.

"Well, you don't have enough Verdant Steel to make up a whole sword, so I'll use ordinary steel to make up the difference. The end result will be just as sharp as if it were pure, but won't have quite the extra damage pure Verdant would have against the unliving."

>Shortsword.
>Spear.
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29447307
uh no, the whole spear isn't steel, just the head, the rest is wood

>>29447298
u mad I explained the difference first

>>29447327
Shortsword

>>29447327
>>Spear.
Spear then. No diluted stuff for us.

>>29447327
Shortsword.

>>29447327
Shortsword. We gladius now.

>>29447327
[x] Spear
Yeah that's a useful bonus.

>>29447327
Spear.

We need range.

>>29447351
>uh no, the whole spear isn't steel, just the head, the rest is wood

What? Where in my post did I even imply I thought that?

Anyway, I still think a spear is a better weapon. Longer range, better bonuses against undead is a plus.

>>29447327
>Spear.

>>29447397
Like the range we get from the bow and arrow?

>>29447327
shortsword
range ain't shit when enemies are inside it
spear will forever be the inferior 1v1 weapon

>>29447453
But our arrows aren't made of verdant steel. If we want a shortsword we should go find more verdant steel and make a pure one.

>>29447453
Yes. Because melee spears use ammo...

Pain in my ass...

>>29447459
Dis nigga gets it.

>>29447327
anyone suggesting spear doesn't know how fucking unweildy that shit is when an opponent is more or less than 5-7 feet away. That is literally the only time it's useful.

Go shortsword.

>>29447600
Now, a halberd on the other hand...

>>29447327
>Screw both those options
>Give me a glaive.

>>29447659
It could be arranged. Would that be more likely to give a consensus?

>Spear.
>Shortsword.
>Glaive.

>>29447699
I think spear is the better option because in the hands of a skilled user it's more than just "Put the stabby end in their flesh bits." You can use it to force opponents to keep out of range of their own melee weapons. Glaive or shortsword means they can get close enough to grapple, wound us, etc - much closer than anyone should be comfortable letting anyone else get.

>>29447699
I think we've spent a bit too long on this already.

But yeah, Glaives are cool too.

>>29447699
Sure, let's go with a glaive.

>>29447737
Glaives are basically a shortsword and a spear combined.

>>29447787
Oh. I'm okay with that, then. Something with a meatier chopping end is always a good idea.

>>29447766
>>29447752
>>29447787
(I'll take it.)

"The Verdant Steel Glaive, please," you tell her. You have enough shards to make a pure Verdant head for it.

"A hundred and eighty coins then," she says. She points to a strange device with a funnel in the top sitting on the bench. "Just pour it in there and the change will come out the end."

You upend your bag of coins over the funnel and the blacksmith turns a little handle on the side. It makes grinding sounds and spits out a handful of coins and five red stones. You scoop one up and your inventory tells you you have ten coins. That makes life a little easier. Your money now fits in your belt again.

You have 56 coins worth of currency.

The NPC takes your shards, shouts for her assistant and thirty seconds of heaving bellows and clanging of metal and steam later, she hands you your new weapon.

It is a Verdant Steel Glaive. You test the edge of its head. It's razor sharp, pure greenish metal. The shaft is similar to that of your Sturdy Walking Staff. When you take it outside, the head gleams in the sun.

>To the markets.
>Look for Trish and Shrike.
>Contact Lily.
>Back to the bridge.
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29447699
[x] Glaive
Third time's the charm!

>>29447737
A glaive is a polearm. Like a spear, but slashing as well. It's much more effective at preventing enemies from getting closer. And in a pinch, you can choke up on the pole part and use it as a shortsword.

>>29447857
>>Look for Trish and Shrike.
>>Contact Lily.

Let's take a party to that underworld place we found last time. Also, should we look for armor?

>>29447857
>go test out your new weapon/grind

>>29447899
This. We need to get some protection.

>>29447857
>To the markets.
Armour up.

>>29447857
Find some armor for less than fifty six gold. Even if it's cheap.

>>29447967
>>29447952
>>29447899
Since Trish and Shrike are meat, you can't contact them with your mirror, but they might be hanging around the cafe they said to leave messages at. It's near the markets and you start heading back that way.

Lily is available and you attempt to contact her. Almost immediately her face appears on your mirror. You can see the sky behind her and the wind ruffling her hair; it looks like she's flying on her square of earth.

"Hello," she says. She smiles at you, but seems a bit down.

"Hi. I talked to Mason for you. He says he'll start looking for information."

"Good. If anyone knows what's going on among the meat, it's him. How are you, anyway?"

"I just got myself a new weapon, look." You tilt the mirror so she can see the glaive on your back.

"Oh, Verdant. Very nice. You've been busy. Look, I'm heading your way, how about I meet hm, by the fountain in the markets?"

"Okay." You have a little bit of time to kill before she gets there.

>Shrike and Trish's cafe.
>Look for better armour.
>Look for other gear.
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29448162
"Hey, why so glum? You look like you have something on your mind."

>>29448162
>Look for better armour.
A useful enchantment would probably be better than all-out protectiveness.

>>29448162
>Look for better armour.
Any armor really.

>>29448177
"Hey, why so glum? You look like you have something on your mind." You ask, before Lily signs off. You stand still to talk to her, concentrating on blocking out the noise around you.

"A lot of players died last night. No one I was really close friends with, but people I knew at least. And even those I didn't- all that work, all that time, just gone; they're back to square one and they'll never leave." You see her slump as she sighs.

"At least I know Mason will feel as bad about it as I do. We don't agree on a bunch of other stuff, but this, this'll make him mad. I don't really know what else I can do right now. I don't even know where the Thunderlands have gone. Anyway, I'll talk more in person. I'll see you soon, okay?"

The mirror goes blank.

You decide to wander the stalls for a while, looking for something that might serve as better armour than what you have. You can see Charles the Bold is at his stall, touting for business, and you keep your distance; he doesn't sell armour anyway. Most of the clothing stalls have little booths for people to try on gear in privacy. It's sort of charming.

You browse. There's the standard array of plate, half-plate, chainmail, and leather armours, but a full set of even the cheapest costs over a hundred coins. Obviously everything for sale is mundane; Pieces of Arcadia would be required to make them magical.

Of the things you can afford, you find a leather jerkin for 45 coins, a chainmail shirt for 50, and some steel-capped boots for 25.

>Try them on.
>Save your money for now.
>Look at other things.
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29448425
Try the boots. Other stuff's kinda pointless at this price level.

>>29448425
Get the shoes. We're a woman, after all.

>>29448425
>chainmail shirt

Voting for this.

>>29448514
>>29448571
>not chainmail bikini
No I'm not being serious.

>>29448487
>>29448514
>>29448571
You take everything into a booth with you and try it all on. There's no cost just to look, after all. The walls of the booth are just cloth, hanging from the top of the tent, and it's a little unnerving to strip off, even though, logically its just a game, not really your body, or anyone's. Nevertheless you work as fast as possible. You kind of hate clothes shopping in real life as well.

You now see why they went to all this effort though; the chainmail shirt sits heavily on your shoulders and chest. You could probably get used to it in time, but you feel it will slow you down a little, even in this low gravity. It's also ugly as hell, at least while the rest of your outfit remains cloth.

The jerkin's better; it's heavier than your tunic, but not too bad. You realise that while Mason wears some sort of bone armour, Lily wears a dress that can't offer much protection at all.

The boots fit, and feel nice and solid. The are Rugged Steel-Capped Boots.

>Buy boots for 25 coins.
>Buy chainmail for 50.
>Buy leather for 45.
>Leave it for now and go and wait for Lily by the fountain.
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29448741
>Buy boots for 25 coins.
KICK ASS

Rolled 31

>>29448741
Attempt to flirt.

"I am cute. I am adorable, and you want to give me a discount."

Show pixel-boob.

>>29448741
jerkin

>>29448741
>>Buy boots for 25 coins.

Good for kicking people I guess. Better than nothing.

>>29448741
Boots. Weapon and armor all in one.

File: 1389502135963.jpg-(1.38 MB, 1648x2362, 1387485811815.jpg)

1.38 MB JPG

>>29448785
>>29448840
>>29448796
The stall is run by an NPC, and you don't think they're susceptible to player flattery. You do however, get a discount from selling your old boots when you buy the new ones. There doesn't seem to be any point in keeping them.

In the end, they only cost you 22 coins.

This has taken up a bit of time, so you head back towards the fountain in the middle of the marketplace, and sure enough you see Lily waiting for you. Her square of earth is floating nearby and she's standing on the ground watching the fish.

"Hey, Lily!" She looks up when you call and she waves as you jog over.

"Hello Liandra. Let's find somewhere shady to sit shall we? I've been in the sun all morning."

>Tell her about the Underground.
>Ask what she knows about Mason.
>Ask for more details on what happened at the Thunderlands.
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29449020
>Tell her about the Underground.
Make sure to mention what Shrike and Trish know about us.

>>29449020
>>Ask for more details on what happened at the Thunderlands.
Then,
>>Tell her about the Underground.
Also ask if she recommends any players that could accompany you.

>>29449020
>Ask about Thunderlands

>>29449020
>Tell her about the Underground.
Then
>Ask for more details on what happened at the Thunderlands.
Catch up on this stuff.

>>29449020
Catch up and tell her about our adventures.

>>29449080
>>29449065
>>29449060
>>29449073

You and Lily sit at one of the cafes that line the marketplace, under the cloth awning that casts shade over the wrought iron tables and chairs. Lily orders tea and a plate of fruit from the NPC.

Lily sighs and relaxes a little, "It's good to be back here. I don't need to be on my guard as much. Everyone's feeling a bit jumpy right now. What have you been up to?"

"I sort of mostly accidentally use a Piece of Arcadia to open a secret doorway to the Underground. I met up with these guys who said they knew where the city slave was." You tell her the whole story, and while you do so the waiter serves you sweet spicy tea in a glass teapot with matching cups and a plate of fruit, most of which you don't recognise - they all seem a bit larger than you'd expect in the real world, and you note slices of crabbyapple among them.

"Well," Lily says when you finish. "I suppose not all meat are bad. I saw the party outside when you arrived too; the bridge is almost finished."

"What happened at the Thunderlands?" you ask.

Lily picks at something that looks like a cross between a pomegranate and a lime. "I got contacted by a friend; he said there was someone killing player in the Thunderlands, like a handful of meat at most. I don't like PvP, but I'm one of the few people who could get there pretty quickly, so I went to help."

"And when I got there I didn't go via the lightning bridge, because I could fly. So I missed what was happening. Basically, meat had set up barricades at both ends, and they were swarming up the bridge."

1/2

>>29449284
"They held the bridge, and then sent out smaller parties just to hunt people down. One of those was going after my friend, so he and I put them down. By then we knew the whole city was under attack."

"It was sheer force of numbers, really. There had to be at least a hundred, or more. I went down to start picking them off while they were climbing the bridge. They were vulnerable there, but like I said, not many people can fly so I didn't get a lot backup. Most of the fighting happened in the city. I wasn't there for much of it."

"Eventually they stopped coming, we held a quick council of war, and decided to bust the bridge. There would be players stuck up there, but the Thunderlands will drift somewhere and a new bridge will form eventually. We decided it was the safest thing to do."

"It was all a bit of a shambles really. I'm glad it's over. For now at least."

"I'm sorry I couldn't help."

"Pft," she smiles. "You're like, brand new. I'm glad you weren't there. You could have died."

>What are you going to do now?
>Do you think a trip to the Underground will take your mind off it?
>Who is Mason anyway?
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29449480
"Think a trip to the underground would ease your mind? Oh, also: I have a spare Piece. What can I do with it?"

>>29449480
>>Do you think a trip to the Underground will take your mind off it?

>>29449480
>Who is Mason anyway?

>>29449480
this
>>29449519

>>29449480
>Who is Mason anyway?

I've been following this quest since the beginning.. and it has to be one of my top 5. That's not saying a lot, since I haven't been around for a lot of threads, but I'm REALLY enjoying it.

Thank you, OP.

>>29449652
He's put more thought into it than a lot of QM's, I think.

My Top 5:
Neckbeard Quest
Quest for Arcadia Quest
Bosozoku Quest
Necro Quest
Hero Quest

>>29449717
Im liking this quest because I have no idea where its going to go, it's great.

>>29449717
>>29449796
Agreed. There's crazy adventure going on in game. And the 'real' world is surreal and freaky. I am liking everything that is going on in this quest right now.

>>29449796
I love the quest, but I think it's going to be a .hack//SIGN or SAO kind of thing.

>>29449595
>>29449613
"Who is Mason anyway? Is he like, in charge?"

"Only by force of will. I've seen him fight; he's very, very good, but he'll accept a yield from anyone, meat included. He basically tries to talk people around to playing nice. He's big on building bridges too, which I disagree with but, that's fine."

"He wants players and meat to get along. I don't really know why, I figure it's probably to do with something in real life. Cause he is dedicated." She tilts her head and smiles slyly. "So do you like him?"

"I've only met him once."

"Good answer."

>>29449519
>>29449525
"Think a trip to the underground would ease your mind? Oh, also, I have a spare Piece. What can I do with it?"

Lily laughs. "There's no such thing as a spare Piece. You can use it to enchant stuff. Not just gear. I enchanted a clod of earth. Collars are popular too, if you can get it around an animal's neck before it dies, it's yours. The more you put into it, better it gets. My artifact was really slow at first, and not very maneuverable."

"Or hang on to it. Sometimes, a secret passage can save your neck. Try holding onto it and wandering around the city sometime; you'll find heaps. Just don't open them accidentally and waste it."

She sighs, "As for the Underground. It might be fun, but we're going to need more people. My best ability won't work down there."

>Hang on, what are the higher level Prophet abilities anyway?
>Shrike and Trish promised they'd come along. Do you have friends who'd want to go too?
>Leave the Underground for now, let's go exploring somewhere safer.
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

(Aww shucks guys. Thanks.)

>>29449865
>Hang on, what are the higher level Prophet abilities anyway?
We have level ups anyways...

>>29449865
>Works on collars

...is Lily wearing a choker or necklace, by chance?

>>29449849
>>Hang on, what are the higher level Prophet abilities anyway?

We need to see if saving up is worth it.

>>29449865
>Hang on, what are the higher level Prophet abilities anyway?

>>29449865
If we can enchant anything we should enchant our glaive to fly like a magic broomstick.

>>29449865
"Can I use a Piece on myself?"

>>29449865
"Could I enchant a key to work like a Piece without having to waste one every time I wanted to open a passage or door?"

>>29449717

It's detailed, well written, gives us a lot of options, combines popular/interesting suggestions and write-ins, and goes above and beyond, I think. There's no real lack in quality, and it continues to be innovative/interesting and just.. fun. I want it to be a constant thing, a book or tv series or something - and I rarely get excited/really into something.

My top five are limited to mostly new things, since I haven't been around to see the completion of a lot of quests.

I was around when RubyQuest was going, and it will probably remain one of my favorites for a long time. I really enjoyed Dragon Quest from a while back, though I dropped out after 6? sessions because I was busy IRL.

The others are some ongoing ones. Necro and the Merchant/Recettear quest seems interesting.

>>29449849

It's definitely in the same vein, but it offers its own creative juices enough to be of interest. I'm seeing the in-game world being leaked into the real one, where the meat are trying to get out with the shards of the mirror.. and are finding a way.

>>29450016
>Implying the virtual world isn't the real one, and the "real world" isn't the simulation.

>>29450082
Or they're both equally real

>>29449914
Doesn't look like it. She's not wearing any jewelery at all; all her Pieces must have gone into her staff and artifact.

>>29449969
"Can I use a Piece on myself?"

Lily raises an eyebrow, "I don't think so. I've used a whole bunch in my time, but they've never done anything to me."

>>29449991
"Could I enchant a key to work like a Piece without having to waste one every time I wanted to open a passage or door?"

"You could try. My guess is you'd end up with a key that could open mundane but locked doors."
>>29449927
>>29449921
>>29449909

"What are the higher level Prophet abilities anyway?"

"Well, I don't know the last one, but." She starts ticking them off her fingers. "Preach; which you know about, is just a little stun. Testify is a bit like Foresight, only it's more like time stands still a little while. I don't use it much, because it only affects me, not my artifact. Breath is great, it'll be even better for you if you have the spirit; it removes all the cooldowns on your abilities for a little while. So if you've got the spirit for you, you can spam the next ability; Blasphemy."

She smiles slowly, "You could take down a city gate with it if you had enough spirit. It's the best. But only works outdoors or under one roof at most. It's so much fun."

"The last one is Voice of God, and I dunno what it does exactly. Very few people get to the final rank abilities cause they cost a lot of exp points."

>What about the other class abilities?
>You're not going to tell me what Blasphemy does exactly?
>I gotta level. Suggestions?
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29450191
>You're not going to tell me what Blasphemy does exactly?

>What about the other class abilities?

>>29450191
Try using a piece on ourselves.

Then ask for leveling advice.

>>29450191
>>What about the other class abilities?

>>29450191
>What about the other class abilities?
>>29450235
I think we should use it on our bow, see if we can get any arrows it fires to return if they don't hit an enemy, or something.

>>29450281
>Me two threads ago
"Don't use it on the bow you dumbass! It's too valuable to waste!"
>This thread.
"Maybe we should use it on the bow."

I know you're probably not one of the same guys, but this is an exercise in frustration.

>>29450329
I meant
>Me two threads ago
>Up to our ass in lizards
>Suggest using it on the bow

>>29450353
Using it in combat could not have possibly ended well.

>>29450235
You take out the piece of pottery and hold it against your forehead for a few moments. Lily sips her tea with an interested and amused expression, but nothing else happens.

>>29450240
"What about the other class abilities?"

Lily shrugs, "To be honest, I'm not the best person to ask. I don't like PvP. Someone like Mason could probably tell you though. He's fought enough people in his time."

"These abilities sound great, what's the best way to level, assuming I can't get an expedition together?"

"Well, waking up slaves is good but they're sometimes a lot of effort. Basically, just pick a direction and start walking. Even head down into the chasms; you're less likely to be bothered by other players there too. Find some friends and go hunting." She points at your glaive, "Not just for Pieces, but you can get raw materials too, as you found out."

>If I get a group together, can I count on you to go the Underground?
>Let's just head somewhere ourselves then.
>What do you want to do now?
>Write in.
>Quit Arcadia.

>>29450437
>>If I get a group together, can I count on you to go the Underground?

We used a piece of arcadia, might as well go down there.

>>29450437
>What do you want to do now?

>>29450437
"I don't know why I haven't asked this before, but... what is Arcadia?"

>>29450437
>>If I get a group together, can I count on you to go the Underground?

Did we tell her of the monster that came out of it?

>>29450486
"I don't know why I haven't asked this before, but... what is Arcadia?"

Lily looks at you for a few seconds and laughs. "One visit to a cafe and you're already wondering. Don't turn into one of these market-side philosophers, please, it would be a waste."

"Huh?"

"Oh, some people take the game as a metaphor or something. Probably because they find the actual gameplay too hard or confusing. Generally, people think Arcadia is a place, somewhere on the map, that you can get to. You know what it's like when you see a Piece of Arcadia? Imagine a whole place like that; it would be paradise. It would be," she sighs dreamily, "Indescribable. Like coming home. It's the solution to which the rest of the game is the puzzle. It's the Quest -for- Arcadia, not quest -in- Arcadia."

"And nobody has an idea where it is?"

"Nobody's even found the edge of the map. You play and you start to get a feel for the world. Everyone's got their own theory as to where Arcadia might be. Well, those of us who actively look for it anyway."
>>29450469
>>29450615

"If I get a group together, can I count on you to go to the Underground?"

"Well, it is quite an opportunity. I'm a bit worried about that thing that attacked you though. You're going to need good players. But, sure, I've always been a bit curious about the Underground. I can't imagine Arcadia's there, but who knows?"

>>29450470
"What do you want to do now?"

"I'm going to go and see if there's anything I can do to help Mason. And help you level up, I guess. With these meat around, I'd feel happier if you were a bit higher level. Especially given, you know." She tilts her head.

You know what she means. Your class is a very endangered species.

~~~
Six hours is a record for me. That's all for now folks. Next thread Monday evening EST, and I'll be around for a little while to answer questions if you have any.

Thanks for playing.

>>29450788
Thanks for running OP.

>>29450788
Arcadia isn't actually a place, is it? It's a state of mind.

>>29450788
Thanks for the game, man. This stuff's fantastic.

>>29450846
I'm sure that's what some washed-up ex-players grouching in the bars of the cities would tell you.

>>29450954
Hypothetically: Maybe we're wasting our pieces. Maybe we're supposed to use them to re-create Arcadia.

>>29451013
Well, the next time you have more than one you can always try combining them.

>>29451061
All right.

So I have to ask: What gave you the idea for this?

>>29451114
When I was a kid I remember mucking around outside (lived on a farm) and I found a beautiful piece of blue tile in some dirt, and it looked so out of place, like it belonged somewhere different. That's part of it.

I felt like playing an MMO a few weeks ago, but I knew I'd get bored eventually, and wanted to capture that feeling through writing since no game actually measured up.

And then I just got inspired and couldn't -not- run it. All the other pieces started falling into place although I have to say, you guys make me write a LOT on the fly. You never pick the options I expect.

>>29451257
yeah, every QM feels like that

your quest is awesome though

>>29451257
That's part of DM'ing: Expect the unexpected. Still, it's not the origin story I was expecting.

Seems like an interesting sort of setting, though. Ever thought about doing a series of YA books on it?

>>29451257
Thank you. I'm having a blast, even if I feel like I'm walking a tightrope in high wind. I hope it continues to be entertaining.

>>29451340
I'm running this as a quest because I don't want to write it as a book. I've actually written several (no, none of them published. Someday.) But I feel the whole setting would be a bit forced if it weren't for players making their own way through, and putting things together by themselves.

>>29451405
Depends on the tack, honestly. I've never written anything I finished (I have ADHD on a scale that can only be understood via scientific notation), but I don't think it would be too hard to pull off.

Kind of like Pan's Labyrinth, but with video games instead of faeries.

>>29451467
It's doable, but one thing I'm not short on is ideas. I've got a draft to edit, and a fairly substantial idea to write next. Running a quest means I get to share the idea now, rather than only potentially and in two years time.

>>29451616
Fair enough, I suppose. I've been toying around with getting back into writing, but at my age I don't think I've got the odds of success in my favor.

What's your approach, if you don't mind sharing?

>>29451679
You're never too old. Plenty of writers only started writing once they retired. As for success, no one ever has the odds of that in their favour.

My approach is currently to look a the deadline for a literary prize and try and make it. I write fast and terribly, and then go back and edit. I don't write every day, because that's soul killing; I write for a day or two, then slack off for a day or two, then go back to writing.

I get depressed if I don't write, which probably makes it easier to get motivated. Sometimes I have word count targets, sometimes I have 'time spent writing' targets. Nothing works for too long; I keep changing my techniques.

It's a skill, even the sheer act of ploughing through and writing a novel is a skill, aside from writing quality.

>>29451811
I like your approach.

If it's not too personal, you mentioned literary prizes. Could you elaborate?

>>29451842
I'm Australian and under 35 so currently the Vogel Awards are my motivation. There are also state writing awards. Basically, I don't expect to win, I just work better with a deadline and I feel accomplished just having something to send in.

Oh yeah, praise is incredibly motivating. I hated the draft I wrote last year, never wanted to see it again, wrote a couple threads for you guys and now I'm stuck into chapter two sorting. shit. out. So don't necessarily jump into that novel if you're feeling discouraged, get some non-tangible rewards and feedback for your writing first.

I confess I started out more than a decade ago writing fanfiction for Morrowind. It was terrible. But the people who loved it motivated me to do better.

>>29451987
>Morrowind

I bought that on Steam sale a couple weeks back and haven't touched in since I got killed fifteen times by the same bandit right off the starting area. Honestly, I like TES lore and all, but that game's just frustrating as hell.

I've never really done fanfiction. I got my start re-writing a friend's pieces so the language was less stilted and incomprehensible. I'm more of a technical writer, though not terribly good at it.

As far as state awards, I'm in the US so I have to say I don't know what the Vogel Awards are. Granted, I've never looked into literary prizes at all.

>>29452049
Morrowind is a deeply flawed game. Mods make it bearable. But I also found it very inspiring; I think the most flawed works tend to inspire me more, because I can see unexplored potential. Also it was my first rpg.

Write what you like writing. Writing what doesn't speak to you is probably a waste of time unless someone is actually paying you for it.

The Vogel is an Australia-wide contest for an unpublished manuscript. First (and only) prize is a publishing contract. There are probably a lot more smaller and genre-specific contests out there though. Dunno much about what the US is like.

People also recommend starting with short stories and submitting them to magazines. I hate both reading and writing short stories, so it's no use to me, but I pass it on.

Rolled 11

>>29452210
I appreciate the advice.

So far as your writing, what do you like? I'm not going to try and pigeonhole you by asking about genre.

>>29452277
My writing doesn't really fit easily into genre categories (which can't help getting published) but the latest draft was the first one I'd ever written that didn't have some elements of fantasy or sci fi in it.

Most of my ideas tend to have a political core though. I dunno why. Even Quest for Arcadia's got that class system happening with the players vs meat. I like exploring the way people react to politics in their own lives - how they cope or fail to cope with the systems around them.

>>29452392
Speaking of, if you don't mind answering a Quest-related question:

I get the Marxist angle here, with class struggle between "Have" and "Have Not," but you said Meat can regain their lost status. Is that a legend, or is there basis in fact for this in-universe?

>>29452488
Honestly, I don't know. I run games in which everything starts out in a state of uncertainty, and the actions of the players help me define the world. I have almost no notes for this, just a handful of characters, a handful of set pieces (that you love to avoid) and a big overarching This Is What It's About; and everything fits in as I go to a) make sense b) make a good story.

Something like that's comparatively minor, at least, as long as Ash manages not to die in-game. If it starts gaining importance, I'd give it more thought.

>>29452640
Fair enough answer, and thanks for your candor.

>>29452760
I just hope I didn't say too much...

>>29452795
I don't think so, personally. No plot elements, just the lack of them which allows you flexibility to fill in as it becomes relevant.