The login window opened after the game finished patching, filling up the screen of the laptop sitting on a stack of textbooks. The pointer moved to the account creation, a quick and easy process that took him no more than a couple of minutes. He logged in and was prompted to create a character.
He searched up the various different species on his phone, trying to decide what to pick. The guides were too many, so he opted for the wiki’s explanation of each.
He chose one, then its variant. The species he chose had no gender, which he found novel, but it also had great limits to how tall they could be and how much muscle and fat they aesthetically could have.
He looked out the window as he thought about what hair style and colour to choose. The moon rising above the skyscrapers was big and round tonight.
With a soft hum to the looping character creation music, he picked a strawberry blond hair colour for the medium-length hairstyle, then picked yellow eyes and pale skin. The wings were the yellow ones with white and orange highlights. With the yellow and red starter outfit, he felt like the character was looking a small star personified.
He picked up his phone and searched for lore accurate names. He didn’t play a lot of games, and less so MMOs, but, from what he could tell, this game had pretty amazing lore and he wanted to feel immersed in it, if he decided to keep at it. Maybe he wouldn’t. He didn’t know. He just wanted something to chill out to and forget about real life for a moment.
He typed in the name in the given name and surname fields based on the naming conventions he found in a forum post from nearly a decade ago.
Then he moved his pointer to press “Play”. A small window appeared.
Review the following information.
Name: Chu Ghilon
Species: Fae
Variant: Solar
Data Centre: Yggdrasil
Server: Ilmatar
Are you sure you want to complete the Character Creation?
The pointer moved to the checkmark and clicked.
Chu Ghilon cast another Sunburst on the low-level living mushroom. The fae then did a stab attack while the Shroomwas blinded. How a “shroom” was blinded, Chu Ghilon couldn’t explain, but it worked and as the Shroom shriveled up in the forests of Luntalgi, there was a stinger. Above the fae the text “Level Up!” appeared.
Finally level seven!
Chu Ghilon made a little loop in the air as a victory dance.
The map opened up on the screen as Chu Ghilon checked where the entrance to the Unknown Ruins dungeon was.
The fae moved from South Luntalgi to Central Luntalgi, and dropped by the tavern in Merteis for a quick heal. Then it was off to Northwest Luntalgi and Chu Ghilon immediately headed straight for the entrance that was hidden under a few large roots known on the map as Bear Adversary, for some strange reason.
The fae stopped outside the entrance, and soon was floating in the air idly.
He was nervous. People could be really mean to players and it would suck if his first dungeon was with someone who was a douchebag.
A large bearfolk character arrived at the entrance, then entered the dungeon. A few moments later, a deerfolk ran by, casting Shield on Chu Ghilon.
Chu Ghilon hurried to say, “Whank you!” in chat only to realise that was wrong and corrected the typo. The deerfolkcaster returned and placed a ten-minute experience buff on Chu Ghilon as well.
“No problem. First dungeon?”
“Yeah.”
“Have fun! I love this one.”
The deerfolk ran off immediately after that.
Chu Ghilon had no choice but to enter the dungeon to make the most out of that experience bonus and the protective buff.
Being rogue class, he had to wait for a few minutes before he was in a party; a healer, a tank and two DPSes.
One or more members of this party entered this dungeon for the first time.
Feni Kunas: Hi! I’m Feffie, your fox light tank for this run!
Feni Kunas: Who is the newbie?
Napfa Menka: Hey there! Healer! Not new!
Bubu Bububbu: not new
Feni Kunas: That leaves the fae!
Feni Kunas: @Chu Ghilon Welcome, welcome! No need to be shy. English OK?
Feni Kunas: @Chu Ghilon if English OK, new to game or new char?
Chu Ghilon: eng is ok. new to game.
Feni Kunas: @Chu Ghilon OK, OK! Don’t run ahead of me, and I’ll explain what to do before every boss fight, OK?
Chu Ghilon: ok
Feni Kunas: @Napfa Menka, hit us up with the buffs!
Napfa Menka, a deerfolk healer, cast two spells: Velkrinni’s Blessing and Velkrinni’s Embrace.
After this, the foxkin, deerfolk, fae and human went ahead to take on the first battle.
The Unknown Ruins had a lot of arachnids.
It wasn’t the most pleasant place to be, when a spider was half the human’s height. The foxkin character stood smaller than the human, while the deerfolk was taller, horns not included.
Chu Ghilon was the smallest, however. The fae used flying to move at speed and reaching at the same height as humans. When standing on the ground, the fae was shorter than the spiders attacking them.
Feni — or Feffie — was really sociable, somehow writing in the chat amidst tanking. Chu Ghilon had to focus on the skills so it was difficult to read anything. He didn’t even try replying.
As a level seven rogue solar fae, the most helpful skill was the species variant skill Sunburst. It didn’t cause damage but at least the spiders missed the fae more often then. An upside of being fae was that the developers had made it so that the small creature was hard to hit. It also meant that the fae had to get very close for any close-range battles.
Chu Ghilon was down to a couple of HP when two strong heals brought it back up to full.
Napfa Menka: Try not to die. Do you not have heal potions? @Chu Ghilon
Feni Kunas: Don’t be like that! The fa3 is trying their best!
Chu Ghilon: no?
Chu Ghilon: potions i mean
Chu Ghilon: what am i doing wrong?
Feni Kunas: Don’t worry about it! Nothing’s wrong! Lots of ppl have no potions entering their first dungeon.
Feni Kunas: I don’t know enough about fae to help, but keep the flash thing going. I’m the one failing to aggro the mob. Maybe do a series lf attacks an then fly tot he next mob.
Feni Kunas: Look out for the aoe. It’ll appear soon. spread out! Healer buff pls!
Feni Kunas: We’ll down this!
Feni Kunas: If not, this fox will turn red from embarrassment. Don’t make me turn red!
Chu Ghilon snorted. As he did, he accidentally cast Sunburst on the tank. The white fox was instantly stunned and unable to use skills or attack.
He didn’t know one could cast those sort of spells on one’s allies!
Feni Kunas: …
Bubu Bububbu: …
Napfa Menka: LMFAO. What a way to repay tabk’s kindness! Instant karma, tank!
Chu Ghilon: IM SRY I DIDNT MEAN TO DO THAT
Napfa Menka: Good thing you can’t cause damage on players outside of the PvP arena. Roflmao
Feni Kunas: HAHAHAHA JOKES ON YOU.
Feni Kunas: Good luck with the aggro Napfa.
Napfa Menka: oh **** me
Feni Kunas: Raise of hands: who hasn’t whiped on the easiest dubgeon ever?
As they all started the from the dungeon entrance again after the healer died and brought the tank with them, no one raised their hands.
Well, Chu Ghilon didn’t know if that was even a thing a fae could do, so naturally there was also that.
As they moved through the dungeon, Chu Ghilon had time to register more things and notice the architecture of the Unknown Ruins. It was all built with stone blocks and covered in spiderwebs, but there were also small details, like two birds seated atop pillars at the centre of the mini boss rooms.
Chu Ghilon: why the birds?
Chu Ghilon: they seem out of place
Feni Kunas: Idk. They’re just there.
Napfa Menka: Maybe an ancient hint to birdfolk? They came later in the game. Never thought about it.
Bubu Bububbu: they’re references to the ravens huginn and muninn. there’s a lot of norse myth references in the game.
Feni Kunas: Oh! Like the Yggrdasil dtaa center.
Bubu Bububbu: that too.
Bubu Bububbu: also its yggDRasil in case that wasnt a typo.
Feni Kunas: Oh! That’s cool. So what about the spiders. Any lore to explain those?
Chu Ghilon was curious about that now that it was brought up. What kind of spider lore had he heard of? Honestly not much. But there ought to be some somewhere and Norse myth seemed like a reasonable place to find it.
Bubu Bububbu: every fantasy game has spiders
Chu Ghilon: …
Chu Ghilon: makes sense
Feni Kunas: LMAO I should have known.
Feni Kunas: Do you have any Qs about the game mechanics before we try the mini boss again?
Chu Ghilon: i know nothing about my character. everything is a question
Feni Kunas: Well, try running between the spawns this time to minimize aggro from any specific ones.
Chu Ghilon: ok
Napfa Menka: and stun the human if you got to stun an ally next time.
Feni Kunas: Stop ribbing the poor fairy. Look how cute the newbie is. How can you have the heart to be mean?
Napfa Menka: Healer cynicism
Feni Kunas: Fair.
Before they entered the mini boss room, Napfa Menka cast the buffs on them once more. This time no one died and they could get through to move farther down.
The spiderwebs was exchanged to puddles on the floor and moss on the walls as they moved through the corridor, fighting Dungeon Shrooms.
These Chu Ghilon was already familiar with, even though the non-dungeon variety wasn’t as resilient. They were more sensitive to light though, and what was Sunburst is not literal sunlight? It gave him more time to process things.
Chu Ghilon: i actually have a question.
Feni Kunas: Yes!
Chu Ghilon: why does your name have [Before] after it? no one else does.
Napfa Menka: That’s a Guild tag
You have killed a Dungeon Shroom.
You received 26 exp.
Feni Kunas: Guilds are entirely optional and a lot of people choose not tl join one. It’s not necessary for any quests.
Feni Kunas: Those who join guilds usually seek community, train for the arena or have some sort of goal. Some are focused on getting through content quick it to max out gear.
You have been poisoned by a Dungeon Shroom.
Feni Kunas: The one I’m in is a mixed bag. It’s casual though. And we raid together. We’re one of the best known guilds on the server.
Napfa Menka: I’ve hear of it on Idunn too.
Napfa Menka relieved you of your ailment.
Bubu Bububbu: i havent on freya
Feni Kunas: which server are you on? @Chu Ghilon
Chu Ghilon: um…
Chu Ghilon: ilmatar
Feni Kunas: That’s great! That’s same as me! You should check it out! I’ll invite you. There will definitely be someone who can help you learn how to play your character the way you want.
Chu Ghilon: I can just find a guide.
Feni Kunas: Guides are for the weak.
Napfa Menka: For the weak. +1
Bubu Bububbu: +1
Napfa Menka: If you really want to use a guide, do that. But there are several and the developers actively use guides to change things to jobs because they hate their players.
You have killed a Dungeon Shroom.
You received 31 exp.
Feni Kunas: Not true! They just encourage people to play the way they want and discourage making guides that claim one has to play a certain way. They say that any combination is the correct one if you learn to play them the way you want.
You are about to enter the boss room. The room will close within 30 second of beginning battle. Make sure to prepare before entering.
Feni Kunas: You can think baout it. You can join and leave later too. No one’s going to judge you. Not everyone is a guild person.
Chu Ghilon thought about it. It was a bit overwhelming with all the guides. Perhaps a guild wouldn’t be such a bad idea…
The Ghost of the Arachnoshroom Priestess shrieked as Bubu Bububbu slashed it a final time. She fell to the ground. The ground shook as dust rose and water splashed. Victory music played and as the boss faded away, treasure chests appeared.
Chu Ghilon got enough experience to reach level nine after having killed all those spiders, shrooms and mini bosses earlier and now beating the final boss.
Bubu Bububbu: good run
Bubu Bububbu has left the dungeon.
Napfa Menka: Get potions before you play your next dungeon. It’s always good to have some in case the healer isn’t good.
Chu Ghilon: so you’re saying you’re no good?
Feni Kunas: Don’t go yet @Chu Ghilon
Napfa Menka: It also applies when you stun your tank for no reason.
Napfa Menta has left the dungeon.
Chu Ghilon: what?
Feni Kunas: Are you by the dungeon entrance?
Chu Ghilon: yeah
Feni Kunas: Wait there for me. I’ll be there in lile less than 10 min. I want to officially invite you to the guild.
Chu Ghilon: what?
Feni Kunas has left the dungeon.
Chu Ghilon: how do you officially invite someone??
But Feffie had already left by the time the message arrived in the chat.
Chu Ghilon could only leave as well.
Returning to Northwestern Luntalgi resulted in a notification appearing. It said that Chu Ghilon had unlocked the Dungeon Finder and could always use it to access dungeons that had been played once. Chu Ghilon had no plans on trying this dungeon a second time any time soon. Instead, it would be much more interesting to return to Merteis and do the next job quest after levelling up ten.
Chu Ghilon looked through the loot from the Unknown Ruins, to check what might be worth keeping and what could be sold to buy some better gear. The fae still wore mostly the starter gear. In part because it was nice to look at, but in part because there wasn’t much gear that wasn’t expensive for a new character, even at low quality.
The fae idly twirled in the air before descending onto the ground. Chu Ghilon changed out the shoes to a pair of boots from the Dungeon. There was a sword, but Chu Ghilon’s proficiency was only with knives so far, so without a 2 in sword proficiency it couldn’t be used. Vials of venom were ingredients, so perhaps they could be kept, but the shroommeat wasn’t worth much.
There was a ping and a white fox in glamoured gear with a lance was running toward the fae, tail moving back and forth.
[Private] Feni Kunas: I’m here! I’m here!
The name Feni Kunas [Before] soon appeared above the foxkin lancer’s head as Feffie approached. This was a very different look from what the foxkin had worn before. In the Unknown Ruins, the tank had used a sword and was probably a Fighter or maybe had the job Warrior. But this was clearly a high-level Lancer dressed in nearly pure white.
Once Feffie arrived, the foxkin jumped up and down and circled the fae until Chu Ghilon stopped being idle.
[Private] Feni Kunas: Accept the trade!
Feffie initiated trading and Chu Ghilon accepted. A ring and a knife was offered.
[Private] Chu Ghilon: what do i give in return? i don’t have lots of money
[Private] Feni Kunas: It is a gift of friendship given from one Wanderer to another. Please accept my goodwill, fellow Wanderer.
[Private] Chu Ghilon: …
[Private] Chu Ghilon: ok
Chu Ghilon accepted the gifts and looked at them. One was the Ring of Friendship. It gave +5 to every stat and was marked and ultra rare. The knife was a high-quality knife called Shard of Sacred Leaf that could be used from level eight. The name of it was coloured and marked as very rare. It would boost Chu Ghilon attack significantly and it added to speed.
Feni Kunas: Wanderer, the path is lonesome and the quests many. While solitude is not something one laments, becoming lonely can occur to every Wanderer who travels alone.
Feni Kunas: I extend to you an invitation for the days you feel alone and for the days you merely want company.
Feni Kunas: The guild I am honored to be part of is open to both those who have wandered far and wide, and those who only just took their first steps. We have the company of those who play alone and only ask for a friend in a dungeon, and we have those who raid every opportunity. All are welcome.
Feni Kunas: Chu Ghilon, BRB 4 Raid would officially like to offer you a seat among our varied fellowship and hope you give us the honor to join.
[Gituda Tuuk invites you to the guild BRB 4 Raid.]
Chu Ghilon was still reading the chat when the invite pup-up arrived.
[Private] Chu Ghilon: Who is Gituda Tuuk?
[Private] Feni Kunas: The Vice Captain of B4R. I asked him to invite you. It feels more formal anyway
[Private] Feni Kunas: Accept! You can leave any time. It’s super casual and everyone is super nice!
After considering it for a moment more, Chu Ghilon accepted the invite.
A new chat unlocked and Feffie encouraged the fae to say hello and make a brief introduction about being new to the game whenever Chu Ghilon was ready, but it was fine to just lurk for a while.
Chu Ghilon read the messages that popped up. Greetings, asking for material and ingredients, wanting a partner while hunting dragon scale mimics, and someone sharing that they finally didn’t burn the pasta in the pot.
It really was very casual. The chat was also nice and slow, and not like the server chat.
[Guild] Feni Kunas: So, I dungeoneering esrlier
[Guild] Gituda Tuuk: Any good drops today?
[Guild] Feni Kunas: My Warrior skills are still mediocre. I can do {Unknown Ruins}. I think I’ll run {Velkrinni’s Roots} with T later. We whiped like six times before the timer ran out.
[Guild] Feni Kunas: You want low-level gear? Be my guest. I’ll sell it for twice the market price. Just for you.
[Guild] Feni Kunas: Anyone knows when T will be online? It’s really later in my part of the world.
[Guild] Gituda Tuuk: Idk. Teenam was busy with work yesterday.
[Guild] Chu Ghilon: hi everyone
Suddenly, the activity exploded. Chu Ghilon was startled, wondering if everyone was that enthusiastic about a new member. However, they were all messages asking what was in the guild chest. Confused Chu Ghilon scrolled up to get some kind of context. That’s when he saw that at the same time as his greeting there was another message.
[Guild] Yeria Quur: Restocked.
That was all.
He wasn’t sure how to react. Maybe just a little bit bummed?
Chu Ghilon left the idling fox to finish levelling up.
A few minutes later, just as Chu Ghilon killed a giant rat, there was a ping from the Guild chat.
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Oh? A new member? Newbie too? Welcome, welcome x5 if no one already said it.
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: @Chu Ghilon These crazy ppl get a bit wild when there are new items in the guild chest even if they know what will be in there.
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: I think I saw some newbie gear in the chest. It’s there specifically for new member to take if they’re starting out with a low-level class.
[Guild] Gituda Tuuk: The newcomer hasn’t said hello yet. Don’t ping>
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: @Gituda Tuuk I don’t believe you. Also I don’t care. I ping whoever I want.
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Why don’t you take it? We’re all over level 15 or 20 on our first class, so it’s yours.
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: @Chu Ghilon
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Welcome x50. Take the gear and feel at home here, friend.
[Guild] Feni Kunas: T, I need help! Dungeon with me! You + me = yes? Roots! Now!
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Duo-run no DPS? Okay, I’m down!
Chu Ghilon read the messages by Teenam Mortana and ignored the others. Then he went to look for where he could find the guild chest and there was indeed a complete set of newbie armor and accessories, missing only one ring. It was all yellow and white with a bit of orange and red with the accessories.
He hesitated for a while. He didn’t know how to express himself. He eventually just said…
[Guild] Chu Ghilon: hi, i’m new @Teenam Mortana
Author’s Note
This hasn’t gone through any recent proofreading before posting because f my broken hand. This will be the case of all of the stories I share in the coming weeks to months.