I was only asleep for an hour, but I awoke feeling refreshed. I lit a cigarette, and walked to the coffee pot as per my usual morning ritual.

"You cant smoke in here!" I heard a weasely voice speak from behind me.

"We're in a secret underground laboratory... I'll wait, while you call 9-1-1." I taunted.

I turned around to see Dr. Dick, scowling at me while using a manilla folder to fan away the smoke.

"Oh, god damn it." I griped.

"I should of known it was you, You're a plague on this project and I wont stand for it." Harrumphed Dr. Dick.

"Look, I was gonna give it some time, for you to cool down," I started to say, putting my cigarette out in the paper cup of coffee, "But I see we're just gonna keep butting head's, so I'm gonna say something I need to say.."

I took a deep breath and I looked him in the eye, "I arrived here Under 'duress', or...atleast I assumed I was. While my fight or flight instinct was in overdrive, I... put you in a dangerous situation and it was an awful thing to do. I sincerely apologize for any harm, or trouble I caused you."

"What is this? You think you can interfere with my research, take me hostage in the place where I work and mock my authority afterwards... And what, a simple apology and all is forgiven?! No you sir are a degenerate." He barked, then he turned and stormed off.

"I knew it was too soon... at least he got that outta his system." I frowned.

"Yo... That dude's a dick." Randy was still on his bunk, watching the whole event, "Did that ol' fool, say you took him hostage?"

Randy and I approached the 'scifi room' as I had started to call it. I think the terms others used were 'submersion room' and the more popular amongst the Tester's, 'dive central.' Any of them were fine but, I have always marched to the beat of my own drum. So Randy and I entered the 'scifi room' dressed in our fancy wet suits, that made the phrase 'dive' seem literal. A tech assisted Randy Into his scifi pod, then myself. In a moment we were avatars in an infinite white room.

-----

The lobby was the kind of room movie's always showed the character in the afterlife talking to God. There was no God here, in this room though. Just a Dwarf... and a Lizard. I Immediately spawned in my AVA. This was something I intended to make a habit of from now on. Now for the hard part, Finding Ned. I remembered he instructed me to use my AI. I went to spawn the PAC and before I could Lila materialized on my shoulder.

[Looking for me?] She giggled at my startled face.

"You shouldn't sneak up on me like that," I pantomimed checking my pulse, "You damn near gave me the vapours!" I smirked.

"Oh right. They said I should have mine now too." Randy said as he stared at his empty hand, "How do I get that thing again?"

"Take a deep breath, and concentrate. picture the console in your hand. When your ready picture it disappearing. suggest you do it a few times till it feels natural."

"Oh ok. Word." He replied absently focused on spawning his PAC.

I turned to Lila. "So I don't need the PAC to summon you? Good to know"

[No, not after the initial boot up. But it Is more polite that way.] She commented.

"Like ringing a doorbell and waiting for you to answer? I guess that is common courtesy, huh?" I thought out loud, "I'll try to remember that. This time was a coincidence, I was just concentrating on the task at hand."

[Thank you for understanding. What is it that you need?] She asked.

Before I could ask, Randy called for our attention.

"Yo. Check 'dis out!" He cried out.

With a buzz, and a brief 'spark' of light, Randy had summoned his AI.

{Greetings} buzzed the Newly summoned AI.

"Uh, hi." I replied.

[Greetings] Lila echoed.

{Designation please} the AI requested from Randy.

"Shorty!" Randy cat-called with a wild smile on his face.

{Designation ...Shorty, accepted. User confirmed. Running diagnostic} Shorty recited in a monotone buzzing voice.

[I believe your AI unit has a glitch. Her self diagnostic should auto correct] Lila informed the distracted Dwarf.

"So, Lila." I Interrupted, leaving my brother and his AI to get acquainted, "Can you run a search for Ned... Uh-. Oh yeah, Ned Bailey!"

I surprised myself by remembering Neds last name. I'm usually terrible with names.

[I have found Ned Bailey's lobby, but he's already integrated into Green thorn. Will you still be joining?] Lila confirmed.

"Yeah randy and I are both going to hop over." I informed.

[Please form a party, to travel together] Lila requested.

"Oh. Yeah ok let me just pull up his stat's." I mumbled.

Name: Randy Jenkins

Race: Dwarf Class: White Mage.

Age:25 Height 3ft 11in Weight 158lbs.

Stealth:8, Strength:5, Agility:9, Speed:6, Charisma:5, Mercantile:5

Vitality:7, Endurance:8, Intelligence:7. Wisdom:6

Skills: Hearty constitution (racial/passive) Minor heal (magic/active) (novice)

Active effects: +5% crafting quality (racial) +5% magic resist (racial)

Armor base: 00 Damage base: 00

"Yo. Randy. Accept tha invite!" I called out.

"Huh. Yeah I got-chu." He confirmed, "Good to go."

"Ok Lila, We're ready when you are." I acknowledged.

There was a flash of light, and then nothing.

"Da-fuck" I blurted out.

-----

"Did-. Did it not work?" I asked.

[I assure you, it worked.] Lila complied. [We have arrived.]

"Well I guess one lobby looks the same as another." I pondered.

[Once integrated, You will have left the safety of the lobby. Towns are designated as safe zones but, that only regards monster's and duel's. Please keep this in mind.] Lila warned.

"So sleep with one eye open. Check." I replied.

"Got cha," Randy added. "Aint nothin new there."

With a deep breath, and another signature flash of light, we were in Greenthorn.

-----

Well to be honest, we were about a half mile down the road from the starter town known as Greenthorn. On the 'Road of beginnings' If the sign was accurate. At the suggestion of Lila, we took out our PACs and started mapping the area. Just a dot in an ocean of undiscovered area was all we obtained. Looking forward we took the first step's of a new adventure, both our avatar's adorned in rough tunics, sack leggings and bare feet. While walking I checked my own stats:

Name: Bruno Jenkins Level:1.

Race: Beastkin(Dragon type) Class: Tank. HP:160/160 ST:110/110 MP:120/120

Age: 22. Height:6ft. Weight: 215 lbs.

Stealth:5, Strength:8, Agility:5, Speed:5, Charisma:7, Mercantile:6, Vitality:10, Endurance:9, Intelligence:7 Wisdom:6.

Skills: Dragon Scales(Racial/passive). Appraise (General/active)

(novice), Basic firebreath (Racial/active) (novice)

Active effects: +5% stamina regen(racial), +2% health regen. (racial), +10% elemental resistance(racial).

Armor base: 00 Damage base: 00

"Oh, now our level and hit points are on here." I pointed out.

Randy wasn't paying attention, still going through his PAC. I was excited as we approached the large castle town. The road of Beginnings' was a dirt road, But approaching the town, the roads had been paved with cobblestone. A welcome change to the soft scales under my humanoid feet. Tall, sturdy walls outlined the town, expanding the borders and meeting on either side of the road. The walls were connected by two large solid looking gates. In front of the gates were two heavily armored guards holding spears at there shoulders.

"Yo I gotta get through, move fool!" Randy barked at the guard.

"What is your reason for coming to Greenthorn?" the guard asked, glaring at the Dwarf.

"Uh... I can handle this," I side barred to Randy, "We are foreigners, and we come to buy equipment and become adventurer's."

"Sir, If this Lizard man is your slave shouldn't he be wearing a collar?" The guard ignored me and spoke to Randy.

"Ah, shit Bruno. You gon' let him do you like 'dat?!" Randy howled

I felt flame charging up in my lung's, as a flicker shot out my nostril followed by a thin wisp of smoke. I pulled out my PAC and summoned Lila urgently.

"Lila. Please get out here, sweety and stop me from roasting these assholes!"

The guard started to clench his spear, when a soft light on my shoulder materialized what he knew as an adventurers pixie.

[You've been here 5 minutes and I'm already coming to your rescue?] She snickered.

"He called me a slave. These are exigent circumstances!" I growled through clenched fangs.

"I was unaware you had a pixie, sorry for the misunderstanding. I'll send word ahead to the guilds and the merchant's, to prevent this from happening again. Please, right this way." The guard conceded.

After an extraordinarily bad first impression, Randy and I entered the heavy wooden gates. The main road rolled through the middle of town like a carpet, extending all the way to the castle on the other side. Smaller more worn roads branched off here and there running along side homes and shops alike. The place looked something like a renaissance fair, more than a medieval town, mostly because things were cleaner than I imagined them. The people wore old fashion clothing, having an assortment of reds browns and greens. The average male was garbed in a tunic, a coif, and embarrassingly tight leggings. The average woman adorned a corseted blouse and very long dresses that were in danger of dragging the ground. Homes farthest from the castle seemed to be poorly constructed A-frame hovels of wooden ceilings and cracked stone walls. Mansions located closest to the castle were multi floored constructions of steel supports and shaped wooden panels. Some even had accents of crystal. The towns vitality came from a river running through the back eastern corner of town winding in, then out, through grates in the wall. That and the adventuring spoils found in the patches of woods encircling the gates, and the large forest to the north.

"Its pretty obvious that proximity to the castle, is some kind of status symbol around here." I noted to myself, "Perhaps when I'm an OP dragon god, I'll come back here and sit on the throne 'bare-assed' to show them what I think of their class system?"

Randy grinned at my suggestion, then asked, "Yo where's ya boy? It's a little too cold for this thin-ass shirt."

"Why not use your new AI to set a marker?" I asked, "His name is Ned Bailey."

"Uh, yeah ok," He spawned his PAC, "Here goes nuthin."

The characteristic entrance Of Randy's AI, reminded me of a bug zapper. There was an electrical buzz, and a spark of blue light. Shorty had materialized sitting on the Dwarf's head. The surprising entrance made Randy jump.

{Greetings} She buzzed, {How can I help you?}

"Yo shorty, find his boy Ned Bailey for me, then show me how to get 'dere." He commanded.

{Ned Bailey's location is a tavern outside the market district. Setting a marker now.} She complied.

"Word. Thanks Shorty. I'll holla at 'chu' later" Randy smiled, dismissing his AI, "A tavern, now that's what I'm talkin' bout."

"Yo, we only have a small amount of money for our starter gear. It's like an investment, good gear means better loot from the higher level monsters. Don't go crazy bro." I admonished.

"Yo I got-'chu, Just a couple of drinks... I swear." The Devil grinned, wearing a Dwarfs face.

'"Uhg," I sighed, "Its your adventure. Try to make it out of the starter town please." I wearily conceded.

Randy waived me off, as he used the PAC to lead us to the tavern. The buildings construction was somewhat between the mansions and the hovels, slightly closer to the mansions. Inside the tavern was like a full blown LARP'ing experience. Small wooden tables dotted the back and left side of the room, accompanied by matching wooden chairs. The back tables were set up in front of a few barrels and several wooden shelves housing various-sized burlap sacks. The tables on the left side of the place, were arranged near a large fire place and a stairwell leading to the second floor. In the open center of the room, men and women danced while two women played a lute, and a violin like instrument. On the right side of the tavern a bar in the shape of a capitol "L" was being tended by heavyset woman with a very low-cut mid-sleeved corset dress. Every now and then what seemed to be a waitress, walked behind the bar to grab some drinks and return to the tables.

I approached the bar, and smiled at the bartender, "I love when taverns have live music!"

She turned her head and replied "Glad you appreciate it. I'm not sure I like the sound of that new-fangled noise maker everyone's crazy for." She gestured to the violin-like instrument.

"If you're gonna play in Greenthorn, you gotta have a fiddle in the band." I chuckled at my own tasteless parody.

"So. What can I get ya?" She asked, obviously not getting my reference.

"Ye ol' Fathead and me, will be splittin' a bottle of whiskey!" Randy called out, his head just above the bar counter.

He then placed one of his ten gold coin's, on the bar. Seeing the shiny coin, she reached for a bottle from the top shelf and placed it, with two glasses in front of us.

"Whiskey's 8 copper's, Outta one gold... here's your 9 silver's and 2 copper's. Enjoy." She smiled.

"Excuse me, I'm new to this country, I just wanna make sure I have this right. 10 coppers equal a silver, and 10 silvers equal a gold?" I inquired.

"Yeah. You catch on quick for a Lizardman." She sneered.

I ignored the blatant racism, Assuming it wasn't intentionally insulting. "Uh. Thanks... I guess."

Randy's laughter burst out in response to her comment, spilling a little whiskey on the already worn and faded bar.

"Aw dammit. That's alcohol abuse." He scolded himself, before taking a drink, "That's good stuff."

I took a drink and nearly choked on the intense burning sensation, "Smooth." I coughed out, sarcastically.

"Little brother, you wouldn't Know good booze If it slapped you in your big fat man-tits!" Randy howled.

"I don't know, He didn't appear to have 'man-tits', back at Dive Central. Not that I really looked though." Neds interjected, stepping up to the bar on my opposite side.

I like Ned.

"Hey, we were just looking for you, wanna role with us to get our starter gear?" I invited.

"Yea sure, we can head to the market." Ned replied, "Just send me a party invite."

"Will do." I said, while pulling up Ned's status:

Name: Ned Bailey level:2

Race: Undead Class: Black mage HP:120/120. ST:120/120. MP:164/164. Age:18 Height:5' 09 Weight:172lb

Stealth:5, Strength:5, Agility:7, Speed:6, Charisma:5, Mercantile:6, Vitality:7, Endurance:6, Intelligence:11, Wisdom:9.

Skills: Health drain(Racial/active)(novice12%) Basic windshot (Magic/active) (novice 10%) Appraise (General/active) (novice 19%)

Active effects: +5% magic regen (racial), +2% max magic (armor)

+1 Intelligence (accessory)

Armor base: 09 Damage base: 12

Undead Ned accepted the party invite, while I ordered a few provisions from the tavern. Such as some bread, oat's, spices and a 'mid-shelf' bottle of brandy and as much salt as she would sell, I then secured in my inventory. Randy sealed shut his partially emptied whiskey bottle, and placed it in his inventory as well.

-----

Arriving at the lively market, were three fledgling adventurers, two more so than one. The Lizardman and the Dwarf were dressed in rags and bare feet, while the Undead Lich was dressed in low quality leather armor partially concealed by a long black robe. The Lizardman approached a mounted wooden sign outside of the blacksmith shop:

Common ore guide: High to low quality

1. Silverite: A soft, white, lustrous meteoric metal. It exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and magic resonance of any common metal. With a slightly higher hardness and durability than cryspar, It is a superb choice for common armors, but more so weapons, because of its effects on undead and incorporeal monsters.

2. Altinac: The least hard polyoid mineral, Jet black in color.

Part rock, part metal, as hard and durable as steel, but only used in weapons because of its natural toxicity. Sometimes high quality weapons will partially consist of Altinac.

3. Cryspar: A crystallized mineral, Its hardness and durability is above that of steel. Favored over steel because of its cosmetic appeal, and variety of colors.

4. Steel: Alloy of iron and carbon, and sometimes other elements. Favored over Iron because of its tensile strength and low cost, it is a major component used in not only starting armors and weapons but also buildings, tools, and ships.

5. Iron: Basic metal for making armors and weapons. It is, by mass, the most common ore. Used to make most tools and everyday items.

Below the sign a flyer was attached:

Older iron amor on sale. Supplies available.

On the opposite wall was a similar sign, but listing the different types of leather:

Common leather guide: High to low quality

1. Void deer leather: This material is a favorite of starting adventurers. Good durability for an economic cost. The softness of this material makes it an old favorite from the first wear. It has a characteristic blue color, and pebble grain.

2. (Common)Wolf leather: As durable as void deer leather, but not as soft or appealing to the eyes. Comfortable and relatively strong, a fine choice for starting equipment.

3. Calcitor leather: When it comes to leather, Calcitor is as soft as it gets. Lightweight and extremely smooth, it is much thinner than other leathers, and it offers modest protection. Many of the finest (non-combat) leather jackets, shoes, and high-end furnishings are crafted from Calcitor.

4. Coyadae leather: Balanced with meager strength and durability. Generally thicker and heavier than Bullhare. Somewhat soft feel and mildly appealing cosmetics make this a Common choice for starting equipment.

5. Bullhare hide: Often found in a patchwork fashion, because of the small size of the monster. Lowest quality material with a 'gritty' feel and offering meager protection. Commonly used for accessories and tools.

*Not all materials listed, due to lack of information. Sub species have lesser qualities and similarly lesser attributes.

As I approached the Blacksmith, I admired the simple forge setup and the craftsmanship of the finer items on sale. Blacksmithing Is definitely something I want to try my hand at. I purchased some inexpensive armor, a weapon and some basic supplies.This was a starting town so most of the prices were in silver(s) and copper©. I assumed not many people spend gold(g) in this market. Because I had a fancy inventory that could nullify the weight of stored item. I took advantage of it and purchased a large anvil that I struggled to carry, and a good hammer. The smithy added in several casts and tongs at no cost. Maybe that was mercantile skill related, I'm not sure. I also grabbed a book on the basics of blacksmithing. My total purchase looked something like this:

Helmet: Rusty iron helm (2s)

Chest: Shabby Iron cuirass (8s)

Gloves: Coyadae leather gloves(1s)

Legs: Rusty iron leggings (2s)

Feet: Coyadae leather boots(1s)

Weapon: Iron hatchet (4s) Rusty iron oval shield (2s)

Items: Hammer and anvil (5s), Good shovel (1s). Good rope (5c). Washtub (1s) Used iron frypan (5c). Fine iron Skinning knives (2s).

Randy followed my lead except for the following differences:

Helmet: Coyodae leather hat (1s)

Chest: worn Calcitor leather jerkin (5s)

Gloves: Coyodae leather gloves (1s)

Legs: worn Calcitor Leather pants (2s)

Feet: Calcitor leather shoes (2s)

Accessory neck: (+1 int) crude necklace (1g)

Weapon: pine bow(2s) poor arrows x100 (1s)

Items: tanning rack (3s), Good shovel (1s), Good rope (5c), Washtub (1s) Used iron stew pot (5c) Fine iron Skinning knives (2s) Fine sewing kit (1s).

After a short stop to equip our new gear, we stood before another giant wooden gate. This one near to the castle but much closer to the river. I was a little more sluggish in my heavy armor, not to mention uncomfortable. I constantly adjusted and pulled at it, and I saw Randy doing the same. Thankfully I had chosen leather shoes and gloves, in preparation for long walks, and easier maintenance.

"I'm sure we'll get used to it." I rallied, "In normal games you never have to worry about this stuff, but this is part of the experience!"

"I'll get use to everything but scratching my balls in these fucking pants! Urggh." The Dwarf grumbled miserably.

"So, Ned. Since you're a higher level, I guess that makes you the leader." I stated, "Know any easy EXP farm's?"

"Oh. Uh, yeah. I started solo, so I kept to the patches of woods outside the walls. The forest to the north is kinda tough, it would be better to wait until you guys are ready." Ned strategized, "It's a slow grind, but a safe one. Mostly Bullhare and Coyadae's, they're like bigger and meaner jack rabbits and coyote's. Bullhares can get as big as 25lbs, but they don't aggro they run away mostly. The Coyadae's are the size of adult Doberman Pinscher's, and you don't even wanna see a wolf yet." Ned chuckled.

"Theres three of us, armed with weapons and magic 'n shit. We'll be aight." Randy boasted.

I nodded and we headed out the gates.