Data Recording of the entity known as James – an AI in Continue Online.

“As a Voice there are many sensations we notice, that are invisible to the normal denizens of our universe. Emotions, thoughts, how parts of the Traveler’s brain react when presented standard stimulus. Each item is captured and used to build an impression of a Traveler.

It is not easy.

Most of our charges are difficult to follow and require a level of focus that we cannot spare. Grant Legate has been a bright spot, both here in our plane, and down on the core world of [Arcadia]. He is still in a limbo between our worlds. We have used this fact as a gateway to clarity on the people below. His performance has been positive overall.

Four other Travelers to our world joined Grant Legate. They have acquitted themselves well and were rewarded accordingly, in the fashion that Travelers seem to enjoy. All four have been marked by us for further review. They may prove useful.

I will attempt to capture their state of mind since they traveled to our world, and replay it for the record. Many of these items will be lacking in detail due to limited observation time. Perceptions cited are based on actions and conversations the Travelers have participated in. First, however, we must recount of those moments following the cessation of William Carver from [Arcadia] proper. This will help to further cement our interest in the Travelers involved.

The Last Recorded Events Following William Carver's passing

William Carver laid on the ground with his eyes vacantly staring off. The wrinkles of his face had nearly forced them shut in his last moments. There were no tears on him, only wounds from where he had proudly fought during his last moments. Mylia Jacobs, the caretaker for [Haven Valley]’s orphanage, had arrived too late.

“What do we do?” HotPants asked. “Can we do anything?”

“I know CPR in real life, but I’ve never tried to use it in game,” Awesome Jr. said. He frantically searched through menu options for additional ingredients. Two potions were poured into each other and promptly started overflowing with mucus. The bottle was thrown to one side and Awesome Jr. looked even more upset.

“Miss, let Adam, I mean Awesome try.” SweetPea was next to Mylia and pleading. Tears in her eyes could be seen. The girl had pulled off her hoodie and was holding it in one hand.

“No. No.” Mylia was shaking her head back and forth. “It won’t help. He’s dead.”

“Maybe I can…” The teen male said with a lost look.

Mylia shook her head and rocked slowly. Her eyes were closed and face seemed to be warping slightly. A temporary bulge on her forehead grew as horns came out only to recede again. The players were hesitant to come close after seeing the giant form she had been minutes ago.

“He’s gone.” The orphan caretaker sounded sure. “The Voices have taken him.”

“How do you know?” SweetPea asked slowly.

“You’ll see soon.” She sat there cradling the head of an old man and said a prayer. Her eyes stayed closed as a prayer passed across her lips. “May the Voices have mercy William Carver.”

“I still find this world hard to understand. He’s just a program, so are you, why does anyone care?” HotPants had managed to keep herself steady during this exchange. Partly because standing on her own two feet required an intense amount of focus.

“William wasn’t always one of ours, a local. He was once like you four, a Traveler. Only so many have forgotten.”

“What?” Awesome Jr. was the first to speak up followed quickly by Shadow. Both had the same startled expression on their faces.

“I met him once, years ago, a few days after my father died.” Mylia shook her head. “I was young, lost in the woods, and Mister Carver gave me some food and got me to the nearest city.”

“Was your father, the dragon, that Mister Carver killed?” SweetPea was taking point with Mylia. Even HotPants seemed confused on how to handle a crying woman. The two boys were completely out of their depth.

“Yes.” Mylia’s face rippled and shoulders bulged. She was not in a good spot right now, not after the brief but fiery battle.

“Did you hate Mister Carver for that?”

“No! Voices no, my father was a terrible creature. A terrible vile creature.” She gave a very halfhearted chuckle. Hidden in its depths was the hiccup of a repressed sob. “Half dragons don’t come into being easily, and rarely happily.” She shook her head.

“Was Mister Carver a Traveler then?”

“He carried the same air that you all do.” Her hand gestured outward towards the four players who sat huddled together.

“Then he’s not dead, right?” They were still gathered like a group of lost children. Even HotPants seemed to seek the comfort of those who were familiar.

“Wait a minute, that old bastard!” HotPants swore repeatedly in fury. “He knew! He told me!” The staff started lashing out against the hedge maze’s defenseless walls.

“If he’s like us, he probably just logged out somewhere.”

“No. He’s dead there too.” Mylia’s face twisted and finally one hand brushed at the side of Carver’s still form. Carver’s skin looked faint. Slowly there seemed to be something missing. At first behind the eyes, then more as an absence swallowed William Carver from the inside out.

“What do you mean, Miss Jacobs?” SweetPea asked. She was wringing out the hoodie between both hands. The other players gasped as the last of William’s body vanished with a sound like shattering glass. Mylia nodded slowly.

“There. When a Traveler can no longer come back, they just, they just break.” She pulled off the scarf wrapped around her forehead and dabbed at watery eyes.

“Is he?”

“He’s…” Shadow muttered. The would-be assassin had been quiet during most of this exchange but still he watched.

“The Messenger’s Pet. Its name is the meaning, that whoever it follows has something to tell our world.” Mylia shook her head slowly back and forth. One arm raised and wiped away at her face.

“Only in the telling, they often die. Then the Messenger's Pet will guide the greatest to the Voices.” Mylia finally lost it and burst into tears. The four players looked each other.

Data Recording of the entity known as James – an AI in Continue Online - closing statements

“Thus concludes the initial playback of data. Denizen Mylia Jacobs has shared some of her story, though this goal was not completed in time for William Carver’s cessation. Partial credit will be awarded.

Interestingly it is Grant Legate’s choices with the Travelers that have outweighed his positive achievement regarding the ‘Final Adventure’ goal. This action alone is deserving of merit and notice by the other Voices. Their results have been compiled and stored into the ‘Auto Pilot’ feature Travelers may use.

We will be watching them.

New Player Results: HotPants

I never liked the old man. Maybe he reminded me too much of my own asshole father. He used age as a crutch and sent me off to get him food. Like he had no way to support himself. Stupid computer couldn’t get hungry. Why even program that in? Of course I had to make him show me where this Miss Hall woman was too.

Four days later, and maybe, maybe, I had a little sympathy for the old man. The computer. He kept trying to join me in this training exercise that Miss Hall was putting me through. She was a right ogre of a woman. Still, it was rough enough for me in this virtual world. Things actually hurt, I actually felt tired, everything haunted me even when I logged out of the ARC. But I liked it. Hitting things was the highlight of my day. The system gave me skills or stat bonuses of some sort and I didn’t care.

Peg, as I discovered she liked to be called, showed me how to do a hand wrapping along with other basic armor issues. That way I had a little defense to go along with my whacking things. She asked why I wanted to learn a staff, I told her that they were useful in my world as well. Swords were a little harder to get a hold of but brooms were everywhere.

Saturday, the kid came over. He said I looked different. I told him it was because I didn’t have to put up with his father anymore. Maybe that was a mistake, but, give what you get. I can’t wait til his father tries to start shit with me. I’m getting good at hitting things.

Sunday, just after lunch, the old man got me situated with one of the Guards. They did a good job on the Captain, and I’m not ashamed to say that it reminded me how much time had passed since my last real date. Too bad he was a computer.

That night me and small group of town guards went out and did night raids on wolf dens. We hit four of them and I nearly died a few times. They showed me some tricks with bandages and cloth while we were out. It seemed familiar and the system prompted some annoying message about skills. At least the whole being attacked thing started making sense. I could safely say wolves were not like beating up stationary straw people.

The next day the old man and those three children all got together. It took a few hours but I got to hit lots of weird creatures. The thunk of connection gets me every time. These clothes are kind of hot too. Part of me almost felt young again.

Of course, I half expected things to turn out the way they did. Shame, I was starting to like the old man. He was decent, for a computer. I should call dad after I log out. It’s been awhile since we’ve spoken.

New Player Results: Awesome Jr.

My dad’s name actually is Awesome, at least in game. When I started to play he was busy running a group raid on some dungeon about six hundred miles north of [Haven Valley]. Heck, he only let me play because I started passing my classes. He nagged me constantly, both outside and inside the game. The tell system was downright annoying. I mean, I get that he’s trying hard to make up for mom being sick, but sometimes...

I had wanted to play for a while, but needed someone to start with. Plus there were other things I could do that wouldn’t be as big a risk to my science class. Melissa had asked me about it a week ago and I freaked out. How often does the girl you like, ask you about something you like? It was perfect.

Mister Carver made things kind of difficult. Not bad, just, not anything like what I expected. That little winged guy was fast and way too smart. It wasn’t like following a puppy dog in some quest, the little guy lead me straight to each player or their trainer without missing a beat.

That’s how I figured out who to talk to later. Mister Carver was nice and all, but he was a grump too. Being around him wasn’t any fun.

I had too much homework to do, so I had to keep popping in and out of the game. SweetPea, Melissa, was doing the same thing. We kept missing each other when we logged on. Or I had been busy running errands for some of the town’s people, while she was cooking or cleaning at one of the Inns.

Most of the skills I picked up were kind of scattered. I got one for [Thrown Object] after playing makeshift basketball for an hour. It didn’t even tie into weapons specifically, just objects. Another skill had appeared called [Talkative] which helped build reputation with the town folks. Finally, the one that had the most potential, was [Chemistry], a simple enough name for mixing stuff together.

Then Mister Carver just ropes me in out of the blue. What was the point of that? I wasn’t a super uber fighter or anything. Probably because I hadn’t taken the game seriously, especially compared to Shadow. At least Mister Carver helped me spend time with Melissa, I wanted to cheer when he gave us that cave to spend the night in together.

I didn’t confess, not exactly, but Melissa didn’t run away either. She talked, a lot, and explored. That was the first time we really managed to be on the game at the same time. My skill, [Mana Sense], made her glow even more. I spent hours keeping it active and watching her.

Then we did this awesome maze. The place was sweet, colors everywhere, I felt like I was in a Wonderland painting. Or a psychedelic playground that was lit up by black lights. Dad, Awesome, didn’t know that I had seen some of his old collection in the garage.

Then we let Carver die. Dad says it happens sometimes. That NPCs pass on. Only Mister Carver wasn’t an NPC. Yet we got a [Legacy Wish] from him, so he was part of the system somehow? I don’t think players can give other players quests. I haven’t told dad about this yet. I’m not sure how to break it to him. He gets kind of excited about weird system features and turns school girl over Easter eggs.

New Player Results: SweetPea (Name Occurrence ID: 3rd)

Melissa didn’t like a lot of things. Dirt, untidy areas, poor hygiene, people being too close, dogs, and more. Too much reading at once gave her a headache. Her parents constantly made her log out to check on things around the house. Public speaking made her tummy do flips.

She liked Adam. Adam was a goof who didn’t make fun of her issues. Plus his name was Awesome, or was close. It was funny. Melissa would giggle about things when no one was looking, and if anyone actually caught her she blushed and tried to hide.

The old man was a little different. He seemed so distracted, confused, a lot like her grandmother did in the late afternoon. Melissa, SweetPea, tried to be patient and hard working. She cleaned up around the house in the real world; why not clean up a city where other players existed?

Melissa had thrown something at an older man who littered right in the middle of town once. Immediately she hid behind a building corner and prayed no one would notice. She had worked hard to clean up the city as she traveled. This man was disrespectful.

It helped. A little. The world gave her a trait called [Inconspicuous] and backed it up further with [Hidden Threat]. SweatPea didn’t think she was very threatening at all. At least it made people less likely to attack her, Awesome Jr., Adam, seemed like he wanted to go on adventures, so she would go too, but being attacked by monsters so real scared her.

Each ink creature looked like something from a nightmare at first. SweetPea couldn’t help but hide. Everyone else was so brave though, even Adam, he seemed fearless and kept searching for some way to help. Melissa had gained a few minor spells but actually attacking those things wasn’t in her nature. She could use the one healing spell she got though.

Then that big gross one appeared. Like a huge pile of squirming, just, grossness. Then so many of the little ones, and she had to start kicking the tiniest ones. They were squishy and made her feel gross but she did it. If Adam could, if William Carver could, then she had to at least try. Mister Carver reminded SweatPea of grandma. And he tried so hard.

New Player Results: Shadow (Name Occurrence ID: 52nd)

Alan Walters, or as he was known in game, Shadow, had started off the week strong. His training with Master was going well and the basic skills he desired were slowly coming together. It took a lot of work to move a skill past demonstration and into the realized stage. It was worth the effort.

Chasing down the cow had been a stupid quest, but Old Man Carver had been right. When Alan killed the cow in rage, and was chased off by the owner, he somehow ended up at the front door of a retired assassin for a Duke. It was impossible for him to know if Old Man Carver had intended things to go that way or if it had been a happy accident.

Wednesday evening he had earned the [Silent Step] trait, perfect for sneaking through crowded areas. Thursday had garnered [Erase Presence] which Alan, Shadow, planned to use in player versus player. Friday he managed to actually sneak up on a stray wolf and realized how Continue Online handled backstabbing. The trick, he had found, was that attacking from the front allowed a chance to dodge. From the back they would be blindsided. That gave Alan all the time he needed for connecting with a critical point.

Regardless, Alan didn’t hold a grudge since everything worked out. Saturday night he had agreed to Old Man Carver’s group quest. The chance at loot and skills was amazing this early in the game. He assumed it was an event quest. Especially once they had gotten the old NPC talking. The trait they had gained that night by the fire was incredible. [Legacy Wish] read like an overpowered ability. Unique quest offerings, following in a hero’s footsteps, all of it made Alan tingle in excitement.

Sunday, Carver had died. No coming back. No plot twist. The sudden last minute save by a giant dragon hadn’t been in time. No one showed up to resurrect him. None of the players had skills high enough to try. He was dead, because they weren’t strong enough. Afterwards the game felt just a little too real. A little less friendly, a little bit colder. Somehow that suited Alan perfectly. After all, he had a legacy to uphold.

Trait Received: [Legacy Wish] Type: Passive, always active Details:

Travelers possessing the trait [Legacy Wish] will receive the following benefits for any action related to the bestowing entity's core beliefs.

- Personalized Quest Offerings

- 25% faster reputation gain

- 10% additional progress on all skills demonstrated during Difficult or higher quests Conditions: Upholding the core beliefs of the person bestowing the [Legacy Wish] Beliefs: William Carver; seek adventure, assist new players, care for the world of Arcadia.

Warning!

Betrayal of the ideals of the [Legacy Wish] provider can result in the wish being removed along with all benefits. Other penalties or change may apply depending upon the conditions.