If the end of the world was tomorrow, what would any of us do?
I guess the world would want an answer very soon.
It was Wednesday, day three into my PTO. The year was ending, and he didn't have many plans. All his friends were either traveling home for the holidays or escaping the city for a break, but me?
Day three, and the routine remained the same: wake up, eat, exercise, then shower.
What filled the rest of the day was either reading, writing, or playing games—very introverted ways to spend his time, but it didn't really bother me.
All I wanted was peace and a chance to rest after a year that felt way too long. The simple truth was that deep down, he never wanted this for himself, acting as a gear in the corporate machine just to afford a relatively simple life.
He opened the fridge, grabbed a carton of juice, poured a glass, and returned to his room.
Glancing at his watch—a simple digital piece he'd worn for years—he noted the late hour before settling in.
The chair welcomed him back from the last time he'd sat in it, straining his eyes as he scrolled needlessly through the NuTube site, hunting for his next source of background noise for the coming forty minutes.
He moved the cursor over one of the many video game launchers, and several windows popped up, flashing ads for different games.
And so my entire afternoon vanished, playing until he got tired enough to take a break. Heading outside for some fresh air, he realized it was already night.
When a small notification appeared in the corner of the screen.
"Download Complete. Ready to Launch. Lucid Dreams Online"
And just like that, the routine was broken because all that had occupied me for the last few days was a placeholder for this moment. To finally return to this game world, after almost an entire year since I was allowed to participate in the Beta Test.
With the fluidity of many hours spent showering my eyes with blue light, I closed all tabs, and started up my SB-Headset, the opaque visor booted up, clouded by a rainbow stream for a moment as it checked the connection before moving over to my bed. Resting easy and loosening my body, until the darkness instantly filled my mind.
The biggest VR release of the year, Lucid Dreams Online is the first DT-MMORPG created by the studio, EE: Endeavor Electronics.
While access to the beta was only available to just shy of 400 players, the Devs reassured the rest of the excited players that they would not be privy to insider information when they do end up playing.
The main draw of the game was a combination of player agency and meaningful decision-making. Whatever you did would have an impact either large or small on the world you occupy with the other players, creating near limitless possibilities.
"Welcome to Lucid Dreams Online" The title followed an excitable score, opening into a panning shot of vast plains rising to meet the majesty of a grand city in the horizon.
Like I was standing on a platform zooming through the skies until a pale light consumed me and released me above the skyline.
Now standing on the cream coloured clouds, in front of me was a golden mirror that hummed with a strange vibration. Approaching the mirror, the option appeared as a prompt in front of the mirror,
"Customize your Traveller"
After reading the prompt, three more options appeared.
[Proceed to Customization] [Load Custom Data] [Proceed with Random Preset]
I focused on the second option, where the mirror began to bubble and warp until its surface turned reflective. Showing me what I looked like.
'That's going to save me an hour.' Knowing that I wouldn't have to recreate my character, I focused on the option and the game offered a prompt for the name I wanted to assign.
'No point in getting creative now, if it works, then I'll keep it'. Into the blank space I entered 'Winnroad'
After managing to register my character, I was bathed by a stream of violet and green light before I felt my eyes shut and I awoke with the first sight greeting my avatar's eyes being the light of the sun shining above a vermilion sky.
No matter how many times I came to this place, the sight, the smell and the feeling of grass between my fingers and the cool wind across my face, Ulgree always felt incredible.
I hadn't been in the game in over three months, but getting through the calibration process wasn't too hard, though I was never a fan of the Emergency Stimulus Test.
Still, I'm sure some masochist out there sure does.
I took a look around, hoping to spot someone or something familiar but it seemed like no one had spawned nearby. Even though twenty of us had a 12-hour lead thanks to the Devs, I was kind of surprised no one was nearby.
Past the meadows and grasslands, beyond what looked like plough fields and gravel roads laid a wall in the horizon.
I thought that they might have made some changes but the Devs seemed to have polished it up instead.
Taluria is an incredibly old kingdom found at the centre of the continent of Ulgree.
The nation stands atop a monumental island made of three arcs surrounding a cloud-topped caldera that holds the Morningdew Lake.
Taluria has for its entirety been ruled by a council of rulers, each taking an arc for their domain.
The Talurian Triarchy was founded upon what was previously a stage set for the vassals of the gods to battle in their name.
In a time far older than our own, the battle raged with no true decisive victory. Soon even the attention of the gods was drawn elsewhere but their vassals remained. Continuing their duties at the cost of everyone around them, it was only due to the skillful manipulation of an unnamed wizard that the vassals found a new challenge for themselves.
To see which of their patrons were as adept at construction, as they were at destruction. And so the Triarchy was born, to the request of the vassals. As such, each of the Arcs of Taluria is partial to one of the three gods that the vassals heralded.
Millennium and his patrons, the Dawnlings. Daria and their patrons, the Duskborn. Diana and her patrons, the Nightfallen.
The Arcs of Taluria also hold a secret about them as well. The presence of bound chromatic dragons that were trapped within a prison deep beneath the sea, was done by the vassals as a measure to deter any of their fellow rulers from attempting to destroy the other's domain.
All manner of peoples who find themselves calling this place home are pledged to one of them, as the various Arcs provide benefits for their patrons and worshippers.
The uninitiated still have a place in the kingdom serving all manner of desires and jobs for like any other nation, Taluria is still a nation of mortals.
I knew that I had no time to waste, opting to check everything else as I made my way, I called on a passing cart to carry me over to the nearest town.
Asking for 12 bronze pieces meant a huge chunk of starting funds was gone with him but trying to pass the terrain on foot would have meant perishing from starvation or thirst before having travelled a 1/10th of the way there.
Still considering how little investment went into my luck stat, I can't blame anyone for being swindled.
Hopping into the back, the stranger clicked to his steed, waking the Achromanyx into action and spurring its cry before the cart took off moving with incredible speed as the stranger warned me to stay seated.
Taking the opportunity to figure out how far my first objective was I sat alongside the crates of produce and crops that were tied down. I focused on the borders of the HUD, a menu appeared with my stats:
Race: ??. Class: Sword-Wielder Level: 0 HP: 100 MP: 70 Blessing:? Vitality: 13 Strength: 16 Agility: 21 Endurance: 16 Intelligence: 13 Dexterity: 21 Wisdom: 13 Luck: 0
"Maybe zero is a bit too low for luck? Well, it was either that or sacrifice points for strength" At that moment I really wished I hadn't been forced to start over.
I knew that having a character worth two years of playtime would have been unfair but I couldn't help but be annoyed as I bounced around the cart.
"Are you an adventurer mister?" The stranger asked me but I groaned in disagreement when we arrived at the gates with soldiers surrounding the cart, I was asked to leave the cart and meet them.
While some of them searched the kart I was asked to identify myself.
After taking some time proofing my ID by opening my Status Window, I was given a stamp and guided towards the Twin Moon Clocktower.
Thanking the kart driver for the trip and petting the panting beast before heading on my way, I received a prompt:
"Your relationship with this character has improved"
'Anything could happen' was the unofficial motto of the game, guess some interactions have triggers I hadn't discovered yet.
I wondered if an old party mate's flirting with the NPCs was why he managed to progress so fast the last time.
I tried to ignore the thought of his smug face while I made my way to the Clocktower.
Walking through the phantasmal doors that appeared solid at a glance, I was approached by a Lycan attendant.
She asked about my business with their offices and I told her I was looking to become an Adventurer.
In the past, I struggled for a week before I turned to look in the tutorials and finally found a clue about how to do some of the most basic things.
In Lucid Dreams, the Devs didn't hold your hand, they merely gave you the tools, it was up to you to create the narrative that you wanted. Thankfully tutorials were provided to give players the knowledge to use said tools.
The thought brought a tiny tear to my eye as I remembered all those sleepless nights playing in the Research and Development Lab, with most of that time spent running around the starting town aimlessly.
She eventually moved me to a room on the second floor and told me to wait a moment, before returning with a partner in tow.
The size difference between the Lycan sexes is always a sight to see.
Standing by the door and trying his best to seem nonchalant, he kept his gaze on me as I signed my name on the register.
"Well then, you are officially a member of the Adventurers Federation of Taluria. The Federation is spread across all of Ulgree so you'll be able to take jobs and cash them in for profit no matter where you are"
"Complete enough Jobs or Grand Quests and your rank among the Adventurers will grow, allowing you access to even greater Quests with better rewards"
"When you are ready, you can head out and complete your membership quest. It's a prerequisite for all new recruits"
"Doing so gives you access to the Transport Key allowing you instant travel between Federation locations you have visited"
She finished her work before packing up and leaving with the guard behind her. A prompt appeared in my HUD as I left the room.
"You now have access to Adventurers Guildhall and your Membership Quest:
"Provide assistance to any citizen of Taluria"
Looking at the clock running down from the three days I had to finish the quest, had me moving through the city with little hesitation.
Three days may sound like a lot due to the time difference between the real world in the in-game one, but the sheer size of the continent and the amount of depth put into it could leave you spending all that time with nothing ever happening.
As a Level 0, and not even having an Adventurer Rank meant that trying to offer my support to the locals was completely ignored.
Rushing through the streets, I tried looking for anyone in need but the bustling city heard none of my pleas.
It was around this time that an announcement for the Global release of Lucid Dreams went off.
Allowing new players to jump in, wouldn't be long before the streets were filled with eager players too.
The thought of this caused me to panic, driving some mild desperation to hurry and finish this mundane quest. I was even pushing to donate some of my coin to a beggar that sat beside me in my exhaustion.
Taking a moment to catch my breath, I realised that I was once again near the gates of the city.
The guards warned me not to cause any trouble and I obliged as my eye caught the sight of the same stranger now unloading his cart alongside some others with a blonde woman in the driver seat.
Wishing the beggar luck, I went to see the stranger.
"Well if Anheii isn't a small world. You aren't planning on beating an old man over your coin now are you?"
"Not at all, I just came to say hello."
The old man smiled, ignoring the talk of money owed as he asked me what brought me to the city. I mentioned my Quest and he offered my work on his side.
"My boys could use some help on the farm, gods know the missus has been warning me to stop putting so much fieldwork on my little or it'll scare away any men" the old man joked as the guards handed over the payment for all the rations that they delivered.
"So you up for some back-breaking labour kid, nothing as fancy as Adventuring but it's honest work, with honest pay"
Offering to pay me for the work I completed, I can't say I was against the idea though it wasn't what I had expected for my first Quest back.
Though at the behest of the young girl that berated her father for swindling a stranger, I found myself more willing to take it.
"Ignore my father, he's a sharp man, but always ends up being a thorn in people's side. I'm Lucy and they're my cousins, Dutch and Bo"
"It's a pleasure" Shaking their hands as they passed him on the way to the carriage.
"It's fine, he's helping me finish a Quest, so getting paid is just a bonus."
"...hmmm" Her pale blue eyes stared at him down as though she was expecting something.
"Eh…"
"What's your name, I can't keep calling you a stranger?"
"Winnroad, but you can call me Winn"