Today's Sunday, which means my morning is the property of Mr Jackson. This goes double since I asked him to let me go yesterday, and I don't want to be ungrateful, even if I'm mourning the lost time. 4 hours of work is about 8-9 hours I'm not on Merrow after all, not even including the time spent sleeping.

Rather than be annoyed as I clean out the filthy espresso machine, it fills me with motivation to get a place of my own and a Private Capsule Licence. Higher-end VR Capsules on the present market will run me millions in euros, but they're also better ergonomically and they can support a body for several days at a time, though that's pushing it somewhat. Sleeping in VR is still less effective than an actual bed, and living in a VR world indefinitely is beyond the reach of modern science thirty years from now as well.

While I can certainly hold off on getting the really high-end models, a permanent place of residence and a VR capsule for my own use is non-negotiable. Thirty years or not, the clock is still ticking down to Astral Reckoning's demise and the more time I can get in-game the better chance I have of averting that fate.

"Bonjour, Alex. Nice morning," A heavily accented voice greets me from the other side of the counter.

"If by nice morning, Garth, you mean the weather's so cold the grass is now crispy, yes, it is," I remark dryly.

Garth is a guest lecturer at Sorbonne and a regular of Le Chevalier who shows up on weekends. He always gets the exact same order, too: Double shot mocha with cream and a slice of walnut loaf. It's the strangest things that stick in your head after thirty years.

"What can I get you?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"Double shot mocha with cream and walnut loaf, merci."

Called it.

"Coming right up," I set aside the washcloth and start reassembling the machine, calling what I've done good enough.

Operating an espresso machine as old as this one has it's quirks, but within minutes I have his order ready, "What news from the modern medicine course?"

Taking his order to one of the closer tables, Garth talks while he walks, "Big changes on the horizon for surgical training aids."

"Oh? How big?" I start making myself an americano.

"It's taken it's time getting to this point, but a few of the top medical schools announced a partnership with a Virtual Reality Ideaware company called Genius Minds. We've had a long line of computerised simulations in the past, but the project they're working on will be the first full-immersion simulation. They're using a large database of footage taken from cases around the world to simulate what it's like to participate in a real operation, only on 'live' patients rather than cadavers and small animals."

Taking a sip of coffee, I rifle through my memories but don't recall anything specific concerning it. The system he mentions does sound similar to something added in with the Alchemical Marvels Update in about a year to Astral Reckoning though, so I doubt it's a coincidence.

Interesting, but of little concern to me.

---

 

Stone Arsenal's Attic, Meteo City

Returning to my Vessel, I'm pleased to find that I've not been killed in my sleep or unceremoniously dumped out into the street by Henna for taking liberties with the definition of 'a single night'. I am however, still in desperate need of feeding and hydrating myself, so after peeling my body off the scratchy blanket and almost bashing my head into a wooden beam, I crawl down the ladder, then schlep downstairs into the shop.

From the sound of ringing steel, Henna is at work outside. Re-equipping my armour and The Failed Mage's Monocle, I head out to greet her.

Looking up from a half-finished iron helmet, Henna rests her hammer atop the flat of the anvil, "You're finally awake, I see."

I bow my head, "Sorry for the inconvenience. Is now a good time, or should I return after you close shop?"

Henna waves me off, "Like I said, I'm running a business, not a charity. Find something to do, and I'll be waiting for you outside The Golem after dark."

"Alright. That's the bar on...Shard Street, the next one over, right?"

"Yes. Now get gone, I'm working," She rolls her eyes and resumes hammering.

Taking the hint, I wander off to the open market area to get a rough idea of what the local players have been up to in my absence. Not expecting much, I stand not far from a small group of them after buying a small chicken pie and listen in on their conversation over breakfast.

"This is impossible, Hex, there's just too many of them," Complains the red-haired Silva male, "Maybe if we could lure them away from the pack one at a time, we could kite it around, but how are we supposed to kill more than a dozen level 9s working together?"

The black-haired Firm girl sounds exasperated in her response, "I know, but they wouldn't let us take the Quest if it was impossible. There's got to be something we're just not seeing!"

Yeah. That the Quest is beyond the capabilities of three clueless Newborn. Ujax Forest is levelling spot for larger groups Level 10 and higher.

I keep the urge to blurt out advice to myself, though. Problems like this are good at forcing naive players to expand their thinking. Expecting the game to be kind to you is a mentality best broken early. If they overcome it, they'll be stronger for it, and handing them the answer will just make them dependent on me rather than a worthwhile ally, which is what I'm looking for.

The party talks circles around themselves before resolving to give it one last try before they give up on it altogether in favour of something else. A good attitude to take, I suppose. Good luck random noobs, I'm sure the Dire Wolves appreciate your persistence.

Wandering around, the stories I hear follow much the same pattern. Stubborn noobs trying and failing to get anything done in Ujax Forest. Savvier parties are making plans to strike out on their own to some of the lesser settlements to the north and northeast, which should definitely be safer places to develop. One of the local dungeons, a Reminiscence under the joint management of The Empire of Stone and Pioneer's Alliance is off in that direction as well. It's a Level 5 Copper-tiered Combat dungeon with hourly resets, making it a good place to train your teamwork.

Nothing I particularly care about loot-wise, so props to whoever gets the first A rank.

Satisfied, I try to recall where my target for the day should be hanging around.

Meteo City's Fighter Mentor is a young Firm man called Gragg, missing his left arm from just above the elbow. The story goes that he was a knight in training when an ambush by a bandit gang plying their dark trade along the border to a rival noble house took him by surprise. Though he managed to escape with his life, his family refused to pay for his treatment, finding his 'cowardice' disgraceful.

Thus, he lives out here - far away from his family's influence, and he teaches the basics of combat to anyone who pays to get by.

Which, to put it another way, means you can pay him to have him teach you Fighter Skills, of which there aren't all that many if I'm honest.

With the exception of the Apprentice which is its own weird thing, the starter classes are an extremely generalised and basic concept of what you want to do. Thus, the Skills and Spells you can use are also basic and limited to match. In fact, I wouldn't even call them classes if the game didn't insist upon it, since it's not until The First Step that you actually become a person in the eyes of Astral Reckoning.

Having a Skill is a world of difference to not having one, and with the added danger to my life, prudence dictates I take a financial hit now rather than a lethal hit later. The problem is tracking Gragg down in the first place, since he likes to wander around the City - annoying on it's own, but with me being Hunted right now, I can't afford to bait too many encounters out in the search.

Grumbling, I figure it's best to ask around here first and hope I get lucky. One of the Fighter players around might have bumped into him already, or an NPC might be able to point me in the right direction like the ambulatory satnavs they are.

Approaching the group planning to head north first, I clear my throat, "Excuse me?"

Almost as one, they turn to face me, surprise and recognition plain to see, "Oh, Bronzeguy!"

Halting in front of them, my brain stutters, "Bronze...guy?"

This is new.

"Nobody knows your name and you showed up at the city gate in full bronze armour, sooo...Bronzeguy," the Panoplast Hedge Mage explains, looking a little guilty, "What is your name anyway? Sorry."

I sigh, "Silver, ironically." 

The Kon girl giggles, "Is it really? Wow."

"Setting that aside, I was wondering if you could answer a quick question for me," I get to the main point before this conversation devolves any further.

The Panoplast Hedge Mage speaks up first, "Sure, if we can."

"It's more of a question for you, really," I point at the thus-far silent Firm Fighters, "Have either of you seen Gragg recently? Assuming you know who that is."

The pair look at each other questioningly before the shorter one speaks up, "I think I saw him by City Hall about..ten minutes ago?"

Relieved, I smile and thank them, before heading off along the busy road to City Hall, eyes and ears peeled for any sign of my remarkably quiet pursuers. Hopefully, Gragg is still there. As much as he likes to wander, when he chooses a spot to loiter in he'll invariably stay there for the rest of the day.

---

 

Tridor Plaza, Meteo City

Spotting Gragg isn't difficult upon reaching the fountain plaza, as he's the only NPC in the area wearing a bright green jacket like a cape. The man looks like an edgy teenager, and his temperament isn't much better. At present, perhaps just as eyecatching is the rough wooden club he's currently beating a Panoplast man over the head with.

"When I say, 'Dodge the attack' I don't mean 'STAND THERE AND TAKE IT' you incompetent babe!" He roars.

Ah yes. This is bringing back memories. Looks like this poor Newborn is attempting the introductory Quest, aptly named 'Dodge!'. The objective is to dodge five extremely slow and telegraphed swings of Gragg's club, and he'll agree to teach you one Skill for free. Except, the Skill you get is entirely up to the whims of Gragg, so I don't think I'll bother.

Clearing my throat, I interrupt the Newborn's drubbing, "A moment of your time for a paying customer, sir?"

Gragg's attitude changes almost instantly at the mention of 'pay', and he relents his questionably legal teaching methods, "Certainly, certainly! What can Gragg, Martial Master Extrrraordinaire do for you, fine sir?"

"I'd like to learn Rush and Swift Strike, please."

Gragg gives me a happy smile, "That will be 21 Stone Silvers, please."

Paying the man, I receive a pair of crystals that are warm to the touch, formed from an unusual magical energy coalescing in his palm - a Tierless Spell called Skill Bestowal that only NPCs can use.

"Do you require an explanation of how to use Skill Gems?" Gragg asks, dollar signs practically visible in his eyes.

"That won't be necessary, I've kept you from your...teaching for long enough. Good day to the both of you."

Leaving Mentor and student behind, I try to find a spot a little out of the way of foot traffic, settling for taking a seat on the edge of the fountain. Learning a Skill from a Skill Gem requires a similar process to how attribute points are assigned, but is quick and painless to do.

After preparing my mind to receive the knowledge contained within, I take one of the Skill Gems in hand and focus my will upon it, "<Inherit Skill>."

 

 

And the next one, "<Inherit Skill>."

 

 

As I said, basic and limited, but used at key moments they can be my saving grace in a fight. Plus, Rush is just an all-around useful mobility tool when travelling long distances on foot. Perhaps more importantly, though, is that they can turn into more useful, specialised Skills, and still others require you to have already learned these at some point prior.

Now that that's out of the way, it's time to go get some more Blue Birch for today's Donation Crate. And hopefully, catch a cocky Scout while I'm at it.