Gordon, or Gordo as he realized his name would be from this point in the game, followed the instructions he had received about staying in bed. It wasn’t hard to do, for the one time he attempted to stand up, his body acted like a drunk after a three day bender, it swayed uncontrollably and felt lethargic. Laying supine, he decided to spend the time exploring his character.

“Inventory” he requested, and a semi-transparent screen popped up in front of his vision. Unsurprisingly is was empty, except for the text at the top telling him that he didn’t possess a bag for carrying items. That was something he would have to sort out as soon as possible, for without a bag he wouldn’t be able to carry anything. He cursed the company that put him here, for normally any new player automatically received the cheapest bag possible to store stuff in, a ten slot small cloth bag that reduced carrying weight by 5 percent. Also without the bag, other starting equipment was unavailable to him, for they came pre-stored in the carrying bag. “Close.” He snapped in irritation and the screen went away.

His next command was “Profile.” And another screen partially obscured his vision, this one displaying the outline of a human body. In all the other games he had played, as well as what the manual had stated, this screen would normally show the character equipped with a starting weapon in one of the three weapon slots, and basic armor, a shirt and pants. His profile showed no equipped weapon at all, and was dressed in rags, with a protection value of zero. He examined the rags, and saw a further complication, the durability on these things was one. Again he cursed, for a strong rainstorm would destroy them within minutes, leaving his character naked and open for arrest for public nudity. He couldn’t afford that, for the crime attracted a fine of five coppers. “Close.” He again instructed.

After an hour of opening and closing all the windows he could remember, he had yet to find one that possessed anything other than a blank screen. Slumping back onto the straw, he gave up, for no doubt all the other options available to him would present the same emptiness, and gave way to the anger he was feeling. What the hell had he agreed to, and why the heel did he agree to this. He was in an almost impossible position, and couldn’t see a way out of it. He was, basically, stuffed, and he had to stay here for another year, most probably as a beggar trying to get the coins together to afford the food requirement his character needed. There was no way he could regain his crown as the number one player again.

The bloody admins hadn’t left him the slightest advantage at all, they had even changed the damn quest system, so that players couldn't just run around basically asking the NPCs to give them one, they were now situationally generated, meaning that they were almost impossible to find among the general mass of NPCs. He would need a massive stroke of luck to come across one of these, this early into the game, and he didn’t think that his luck factor had been avoided from the interference of the admins, he knew they would have nerfed that as well.

Shit, he thought, this is a whole new game, new rules and new mechanics, his previous gaming experience wouldn’t give him any advantage at all, in fact it was now a hindrance, as it allowed for assumptions in regard to game features that possibly no longer existed. He would need to develop a whole new method of playing this game, learning, like a baby, one step at a time. No on would even offer him a job, not looking like the derelict the admins had turned him into.

This realization depressed him even further, so he just gave up on further thoughts, curled up on the bed, pulled the very thin, threadbare blanket over his body, then went to sleep.

.....

The next morning he awoke at dawn, feeling in a slightly better mood than he had the night before, for he had remembered something, he could transfer real money into the game. Quickly he pulled up the transfer funds page and selected the link it displayed. Nothing happened, which shocked him, for he knew he definitely had a little money in his account. He tried the link again, and saw a very unwelcome message appear on the screen.

No funds currently available.

While he was angrily looking at this message, trying to work out why it was happening, he noticed a red. Blinking message symbol, and selected it. The message opened, replacing the already open page. It was from the administration team of the game.

Dear Gordo

You are now, no doubt, aware that you no longer have access any form of external funds to assist you. As per the contract agreed to, signed by yourself, you will not have access to your normal financial accounts while within the game. The account you are attempting to access is a new in game financial account set up prior to your entry into Dawnlands, where you can transfer in game currency into real dollars, and use these funds for any purchases you wish to make within the game. The money transferred into this account will remain accessible to you at all times, and at the end of your twelve month contract will be transferred into an account of your choosing, if successful in both tasks required of you. Please manage this money wisely, as you will find that there are things you may need to purchase to survive and succeed.

As an incentive for you, we will credit your character with five copper coins. These coins will be received by you, automatically, once you have obtained a coin purse to keep your money in…..

Also, you will need to keep any information regarding the tasks and agreement between Energetic Entertainment and yourself secret, for a breach of this secrecy could influence the beta test and attract severe in game penalties to your character.

All best, and good gaming

Andrea Messner

Tank Project Manager

Gordo waved the window away, again fuming at the conditions he had apparently agreed to, yet could not remember. He must have been a fool to accept such demanding restrictions, or tricked. His hands seemed to be tied at every turn, with no loopholes for a quick escape from his predicament. He hated feeling helpless like this.

Sitting up, he swung his bare feet out and examined them. They look pretty normal, he thought, if a little dirt stained. From what he had managed to find out about himself, mainly by touch, his character was a human, but until he could find a reflective surface in which to take a good look, he couldn’t be definitely sure. He knew he had curly hair, which proved to be blond when he had yanked one out and looked at it, and from the state of the parts of himself that he could see, he expected that the hair was in need of a good washing as well. He was a dirty, human beggar, surviving on handouts from others.

This brought back his depression, which didn’t improve when the priest arrived to take a look at him. He could see a look of disgust cross the priest's face as he approached Gordo, followed by a wrinkling of his nose when he arrived. I must smell pretty ripe, thought Gordo, another low blow put on him by the company. At this point he wouldn’t put it past the company to have also afflicted his character with something disfiguring, like facial warts, or a wonky eye, but couldn’t help but also feel some admiration for the quality of the realism he had experienced to date. Whatever system he was using, it sure had displayed the full spread of sense enhancement so far, as well as unbelievable graphics. This brought about thoughts in regard to how far they had gone down the path of reality. Will I need to go to the toilet, he mused, but decided they had left this out, because after a day, he still had no urge to take a leak.

As he lay there, letting the priest examine him, he penned a quick note of to the admin team, asking them that if characters ate and drank, did they need to go to the toilet at all. Feeling a little sarcastic towards them, he added as a joke whether characters could fart, as this would put them in some humorous situations, and sent it off.

The priest finished his examination of Gordo, then raised one hand above him and cast a general healing spell over him. It felt like little electric spiders had crawled across his body, causing his flesh to crawl a little, but afterwards he was surprised he felt quite energetic and full of life.

As he was about to thank the priest, he felt a sudden, uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach, and without any warning his bowels erupted with a huge burst of hot air, fouling the air with a vile smell and emitting a terrible, but familiar noise. The priest stepped back in alarm, then even further as the smell struck his nostrils, giving Gordo the darkest look that anyone had ever given him before. All Gordo could do was cover his eyes and shake his head. There was a minute ding, announcing a message had been sent to him.

The message was a reply to the one he had sent to the admins, who informed him that, no, at this time the toilet feature was not included in the game, but they thanked him for the suggestion in regarding a fart function. They felt this random occurrence would be a useful addition. They also hoped that he enjoyed the demonstration that they had allowed his character to perform. For this he received an award, but not one he would be pleased to display at all, it was the ‘First Fart in Dawnlands’ award. Mind you, it did come with some handy bonuses.

First Fart Award – Gained by being the first player in Dawnlands to perform this action

As the first person in Dawnlands to perform this action you have been granted a unique skill, the Disabling Gas ability. Your Disabling Gas ability can be trained up in levels

Requirements : Must consume boiled eggs to power this skill.

At Level 10, your gas has the ability to cause opponents to step away from you, allowing you the opportunity to strike at them once unopposed. Area of coverage circle ten foot in diameter (10% chance +1% per level after level 10)

At Level 20, your gas has the ability to cause opponents to flee. Area of coverage circle ten foot in diameter from you (5% chance + 0.5% per level after level 20)

At Level 50, your gas has the ability to cause opponents to become unconscious. Area of coverage circle ten foot in diameter (5% chance + 0.5% per level after level 50)

At Level 100, your gas has the ability to kill opponents. Area of coverage circle ten foot in diameter (1% chance + 0.5% per level after level 100)

At Level 150, you gain the ability to choose one target, up to 50 foot in distance from yourself, for your Disabling Gas attack. Player need not be in combat, and has choice of Disabling Gas mode. This attack type is untraceable.

Wow, Gordo thought upon reading the benefits, that can be extremely useful at higher levels. I just wonder at what type of twisted training methods are required for the skill. The requirements were also a bit annoying, for he hated eating eggs.

He looked up as he heard rapid, and firm, footsteps approaching him, only to see Sister Erethian heading his way, a ’we are not amused’ expression plastered on her face. Stopping in front of him, she crossed her arms on her chest, obscuring the symbol on the front. “Sir,” she said to him, formal to illustrate the point she was not happy with him at this time, it must have been the fart, “the priest informs me you are as well as you could be now, with the exception of a bath, which you definitely need. We are pleased to see you returned to health, but unfortunately we now need the bed you are occupying for another poor soul in need. When you are ready, please come and see me in our reception hall, and we will provide you with better clothes,” she paused here, giving his rags a scathing look, “than the ones you currently possess.” With that, she turned on one heel and strode out of the room.

Watching her leave Gordo was surprised at how one single fart, fair enough, it really was a bad one, could change her whole opinion in regard to him. Shrugging, he got up and followed her out, not even looking back for he knew he hadn’t left anything behind.

She was waiting for him as he entered the reception hall, next to her on a counter was a small pile of cloth, obviously the clothes she had mentioned. As if she had read his mind, she pointed at the cloth pile. ”These are for you, they are not much better than you currently own, but will provide you with a little more protection from the weather, as well as making you a little bit more presentable.” She pointed at a door set in the wall behind her. “You can change into them in this room, just leave those rags on the floor when you are finished and we will dispose of them for you. I have other patients I need to see at this time, so let me offer you good luck for your future. “ She gave Gordo a brief nod, turned and left.

Gordo picked up the clothes and opened the door she had indicated, it was a small room, somewhat like a cupboard, but it possessed enough room for him to be able to change into the clean, if well worn, shirt and pants she had provided him with. He dropped the filthy rags he had been wearing on the floor and left, leaving the door open.

Having a quick look at his profile, he saw the clothes improved his armor protection to one, the shirt having a remaining durability of five, while the pants durability was at six. Pleased with this stroke of luck, he strode towards the front door of the hospice, eager to gain his first look at this new world he will be living in.