Alexander Smith
"I have been spending more time studying and mastering runic script since making the decision to specialize in magic machineries production. Runic script is the foundation for creating magic equipment, arrays, talisman, scrolls and pretty much any form of enchanting that you can think of. I will try to modify some of the basic script and see how it turns out." Alex judge that it will be better to experiment with something that he has at least some competency than tempering with spells. His six sense is telling him that tempering with spell's structure is a bad idea especially when he has no idea what he is doing. Off course, not that things won't go awfully wrong when modifying runic script. He just rationalizes that since the experiment will be risky anyway, he might as well choose the option that will bring him long-term benefits.
"Now that my short-term goal is clear. What about the two of you?"
"Alex, what is your talent test result? My result shows that I have equal talent cultivating either my spiritual root or martial bone. The number of options is just mind-blowing. What pathway did you ended up choosing?" Henry asks.
"I have the same talent result as yours. Let's say I have been greedy for sect merits at the beginning and took on whatever task that is most lucrative provided it doesn't pose any risk of dying. So, I ended up cultivating both my spiritual root and immortal bone to support working on a wide range of task. Since I don't have much interest in combat, I just pick the pathway the NPC mentor recommends. For my spiritual root, it is the mage pathway. The pathway itself is pretty broad and flexible. I can work with almost all elements and pretty much learn any spells i want. The trade-off is I won't gain the extra boost from specializing. Take pyromancer as a comparison, my fire spells will never be as destructive nor my resistant towards fire be as high theirs. If you are interested in this pathway, you begin as an Initiate, progressing to Apprentice Mage, Mage, High Mage, Arch Mage, Mage Lord, Mage King and finally as a Mage Emperor." Alex answers. "For my immortal bone, I chose the nobility pathway. It is a pathway that balance combat, management and intrigue. The eight major realms are Squire, Knight, Baron, Count, Duke, Prince, King, Emperor. I will set aside the cultivation of my immortal bone for the time being. I believe you have also been briefed that each major cultivation realm are divided into four minor stages. Beginner, intermediate, proficient and peak stage. Since I cultivate two pathways, I am only at intermediate stage for both pathways. However, most of the players who only focus on a single cultivation pathway are already at the proficient stage and some of them are even just a few steps short reaching peak stage. It will be bad if my cultivation level lags too far behind them. So, I will have to drop my immortal bone cultivation for the time being and focus on my spiritual root. I think both of you should also start by cultivating your spiritual root first. This will greatly accelerate our effort to invent the first magic machinery if we work on it at the same time."
"Sorry bro, allow me to exercise my privilege of being the kid brother." Joshua interjects. "This is a game and what's the fun in it if you don't engage in combat? Just focusing on the commercial aspect of the game is boring. Don't you find it cool and gratifying if you can slay a dragon alone? I'm actually considering pathways that merge the cultivation of both the spiritual root and immortal bone at the same time."
"Did your NPC mentor warns you the disadvantage of such pathways?" Alex asks with concern.
"It's going to be expensive. So, my two brothers need to make sure the family's business take-off and subsidize me. In return, I will be the family's muscle. I'm considering either the Arcane Knight pathway or the Undead Sovereign pathway. Arcane Knight will be fun. The destructiveness of a mage combined with the durability of a knight. The pathway is so versatile that Arcane Knights are near invincible in a direct confrontation. But if our family needs an army, Undead Sovereign will be a much better choice. I can literally be a one-man army commanding legions of undead the higher my cultivation realm gets."
"Choose Undead Sovereign." Henry suggests. "An army of undead might be good for more than just combat. If my guess is right, we may have an alternative source of labours outside of hiring other players to work for us. As you have mentioned, you are our family's muscle. Alex, I will assist you with the research. The NPC mentor told me that we can get benefits similar to a patent right when submitting new invention. We can confirm that my guess is correct if we are able modify the runic script and obtain patent right from our invention. A complete game world means if something can't be done, it is not because the game studio has not released a new patch but it is because we have not figure out how to do it yet. So, when we set goals in the future, we don't have to limit imagination just because the game studio has not announced the game feature yet. I will probably choose the mage pathway too but no point rushing into it. Haste makes waste. I will decide after doing more research. Anything else to discuss? If not, let's disperse for now and catchup again tonight. We need to decide in advance where to meet up. It's a real hassle that the feature to send direct message to each other is missing."
"Another one of those burdensome realistic game setting." Alex answers. "We will have to use a communication medium to communicate over a distance but there is nothing as convenient as a mobile phone in this game. Most of the communication mediums out there now are single use and it's not cost effective enough to be freely used. All the players only use it in case of emergency. As communication medium that are lasting, it is not cost effective to be redeemed at this point in time. If there are any surplus sect merits, I rather spent it redeeming resources that helps to strengthen my game character. Anyway, back to Henry's question. There is this inn that I prefer to stay for the night on the north side of the town, Drunken Stag. Let's meet there at 8pm."
Joshua half jokingly said, "Too bad our resources is limited. I'm pretty sure we will make a killing if we manage to invent a magic mobile phone and patent it. One last question bro, I remember hearing you saying that you have three close beta slots for phase two. What's your plan for the last beta player slot you have on hand?"
"I'm planning to sell it. I heard some players are willing to pay fifty thousand dollars to anyone who is willing to sell theirs. I am quite close to a secondary school friend who is a trust fund baby. Money is nice but my intention is for him to owe me one. He will make a good ally. If he sees the game potentially like we do, he could easily invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into the game. And that's just his own money. It will be millions of dollars if his family comes into the picture."