Most VR developers didn't put much effort into their start screens. Usually it was a still image with the game's title across it in a fancy but legible font with the START prompt somewhere below it. Most players wanted into the game as fast as possible and doing anything more extravagant was seen as a waste of time and money.

The developers of the Tattered Realms didn’t care though. They went the extra unnecessary mile and crafted a beautiful and detailed lobby for their players to wait in while they made last minute preparations or waited for friends to log on.

When Meg joined the lobby she took on the avatar of a shimmering white ball of spirit energy, surrounded by a wealth of plants and shrubs and flowers. Trees with gold and pink leaves cast shade over the well trimmed grass, their gnarled roots dug deep into the earth beneath her. Bunts and thrushes sang, somewhere a pheasant crowed, and a steady breeze brought the soft sound of windchimes to her.

She drifted through the garden, passing through everything in her path and floated out over a vast lake. The surface of the clear blue water was calm and in the depths beneath it she saw the dark outline of an old friend and almost started the game. Instead she retreated from the water and drifted until she found a shady spot beneath a Gingko tree and shifted her focus over to her audience.

Meg took a deep breath and willed her nerves to be quiet. “Hello everyone!” She said. Chat erupted with a tidal wave of responses that she only half glanced at. “I know we’re all excited for the new game but we have to get some house cleaning done first.”

Meg spent the next twenty minutes going over each one of her stream’s rules as well as their zero tolerance for racism and misogyny and all the other forms of hate speech her bot had catalogued over the years. It was a lot like story time at her school except her first grade students listened better and none of her students called her a fascist for asking them not to be assholes to their fellow viewers.

In the end she got through it with the help of BitWilly and the other mods and then moved on to her last piece of business. She had thought long and hard about how to explain her future plans to the audience. But nothing had really felt right. There wasn’t any choice though. Now was the time to make a statement. There was no turning back.

“I know a lot of you are used to me soloing dungeons and generally stomping ass left and right but today is going to be different,” She said. “It may upset you and you may decide to stop watching. That’s okay. But this time around I want to take my time with the game and really enjoy it. I won’t be minmaxing or planning my build. I’m just going to play and I hope that you’ll find my content enjoyable and stick around.”

She paused for a minute but the numbers seemed to stay steady and most of the things she saw in chat were in support of her. A small fragment of her anxiety split down the middle and she took what felt like her first real breath of the day. The apocalypse wasn’t going to happen just yet and that knowledge tore through her like a typhoon and left her exhausted with relief.

“Okay everyone,” Meg said. “Let’s play the game!"

She turned back around and shot towards the sound of chimes, whipping through the branches and leaves of the trees as she returned to the lake. She reached out with her mind and felt the tendrils of connection touch her then with a thought she started the game.

The title card in the sky faded and the great shadow beneath the water swirled and rose towards the surface. Gentle ripples spread across the surface and churned into thick foaming waves that washed up over the shoreline as the great dragon exploded out of the lake, spraying her with cool water.

His long lean body slithered through the sky and she remembered the bloody fight against the Serpent at the end of the Chaos Age. But the Grand Elder before her looked nothing like the horrid snake who sought to consume the world. His jade and ruby scales dripped with water and glistened in the sunlight. His majestic golden mustaches flapped in the breeze and as he flew around her he winked at her and laughed.

The sound joined the chimes and cut through her being to the center of her heart. She closed her eyes and held onto that carefree sound for as long as it would reverberate in her ears and when she opened them again the Grand Elder dove back into the lake. He emerged a short moment later to tower over her with a grandfatherly smile on his narrow face. He dipped his head in respect and she moved out of the way of his large jewel studded antlers and laughed.

“Greetings LadyStarBurstBlade,” He said. “It has been too long.”

Meg knew that it was only a program reading her account information but there was more to it than that for her. This was her first npc. Her first guide to the wonderful world of VR gaming. The Grand Elder had been there for every log in, every death and resurrection, and in the last moments of her battle with the serpent he had bestowed her with his divine blessing and helped her and her fellow knights to turn the tide in their favor. Looking up into his coal black eyes was like looking at her father as he worked at his desk, toiling over whatever novel had his focus at the moment.

In his presence everything was going to be okay.

“Too long,” Meg said. She tried to bow but in her current form could only manage a bounce. “You look even better than the last time I saw you.”

A hearty laugh rumbled up from his throat and the Grand Elder rested his head on his hands. “I am an old man and my scales are fading,” He said. “But your spirit shines brighter than ever before.”

“Your scales do not fade but grow more beautiful with every year,” Meg said.

“You flatter this old man,” The Grand Elder said. “But you did not come here to talk of the past. That is for the old ones, not for one as young as you. Shall we find you a shell?”

“Yes, please.”

The Grand Elder laughed again and reached out with one hand and lifted her into his palm. “Close your eyes young one,” He said. “And we shall see who you are meant to be.”

Meg closed her eyes, giddy with excitement, and when she opened them she and the Elder were looking down at the surface of the lake but there was no reflection. Instead she saw the images of several different races just beneath the water.

"Here we have the tall and powerful half giants known as the Bolshoy, with their broad shoulders and primitive features and their bonuses to all things physical." The Grand Elder said. "The Bolshoy hail from the cold mountainous edge of the realm's Eastern border and prefer to stay among their own kind, only leaving their mountains for a great quest or to sell their finely crafted metals."

After fourteen years of playing a Bolshoy it was tempting to choose them again but she kept looking at her options. "What's next?" She said.

"The small folk known as the Nebolshoy are part human and part ape; they grow to be three feet tall with prehensile tails and are masters of the martial arts. These curious folk have no homeland and are often afflicted by wanderlust and accused of mischief making"

Meg took a moment to study their bonuses. The Nebolshoy got a boost to stealth and charisma and they started at a higher level in hand to hand than the other races. But she didn't want to copy Dorian even if he had left his Nebolshoy in the past.

"I don't think that's right for me," She said.

"How about something new to the Realms?" The Grand Elder said. "The Chanchu are humanoid Toads who grow about as big as the Bolshoy but are thicker and rounder. They live to the south of the realms in a dangerous land called Bueng Boraphet. They come to the realms looking for work as mercenaries, bodyguards and chefs."

It had never been mentioned in the previous game but she recognized the name Bueng Boraphet from her father's stories about growing up in Thailand. If she remembered correctly it was the name of Thailand's largest swamp. She made a mental note about it and moved on to their stats.

The Chanchu received bonuses towards heavy weapons, a decent boost to their hand to hand combat and started with more health and endurance than even the Bolshoy.

Although Meg liked the connection to her father she didn't want to play a race meant for combat and she knew pursuing a different build with one would take more effort than she was willing to commit. They moved on.

"Standing in the shadow of the Chanchu are the humans. Short and thin they range from a dark tan color to pale ivory and are the current masters of the realms." The Grand Elder said. "With their ability to adapt to most things they are a great shell for those just starting out or looking to do a little of everything."

"Too plain," Meg said. "pass."

"How about the Zhanglao?" He said. "They were some of the first mortals to walk the land. They are tall and slim and gorgeous with long pointed ears that droop under their weight. They wear a bored expression on their face but if you look into their eyes you will see pain and longing, the eyes of those destined to outlive the mortals around them."

There were plenty of good reasons to play as a Zhanglao, from their impressive bonuses and a natural gift for the art of sorcery to their unmatched starting bow skill.

But the Zhanglao were the game's version of elves and ever since her mother had read her The Fellowship of the Ring she had not much cared for elves. Far too often they remained on the sidelines watching as the kingdoms around them suffered only to be roused to action at the last possible second. And she didn't want to copy Dorian so she moved on yet again.

"Here we have more newcomers to the realms. The Huangye are tall and thickly muscled with skin that ranges from bright yellow to pale purple. Their hair is thick and coarse and often dyed in a variety of gaudy colors. Though their faces resemble pigs they are brutal warriors of cunning and passion who value tradition and family above all else. Recently they abandoned their homeland far to the north after an insufferable winter and now seek to rebuild what they lost in more habitable surroundings."

They were another combat oriented race and as cool as their snouts were she passed them by.

"Ah The Loong, my favorite! The stocky scale bound dragon men hail from the sprawling desert and are a favorite for PVP and high tier spell casters.” He said. “They glisten in the light of the Huangwu Desert in vibrant reds, blues, greens and several colors in between. The Loong are almost as old as the Zhanglao and have gained a reputation for patience and strategy but do not confuse this for weakness. Armored in scales with razor sharp claws and a powerful tail they can hold their own in any melee and have access to a deadly breath attack. By the way, do I need a mint?”

Meg stared at the Loong in front of her and absentmindedly shook her head. “No your breath is fine,” She said.

The Loong were intriguing. She hadn't spent much time in the desert during the Chaos Age and the game's trailer had promised an exciting overhaul of the area. It was almost enough to make up her mind but whatever she chose she would be stuck with and she wanted to get it right.

Meg moved back through her options. Torn between a dozen different instincts. Chat was raging with their own opinions, none of which she could keep up with. A lot of people wanted Zhanglao or Bolshoy. She only saw one person mention humans before the comment was lost in a tidal wave of people begging for a sexy Chanchu.

She scrolled one way then the other way. Every race had something interesting about them and something off putting as well. She just couldn't decide.

"Grand Elder," she said. "what shell do you think I should inhabit?"

The Grand Elder pressed his thin yellow lips together and made a deep rumbling hmmm sound. "So many choices, so many pluses and minuses. It is difficult to choose. First we shall look at the past!"

Before her eyes the water trembled and the race selection screen faded and filled with images of her Heavenly Knight battling old foes. "A long journey was walked in the heaviest of armor and you proved yourself worthy enough to ride upon the back of my children."

A prompt appeared after his speech with the words DO YOU WANT TO IMPORT YOUR PREVIOUS CHARACTER?

Meg frowned and dismissed it and to her surprise The Grand Elder continued. "When the past holds no answers we must search your heart in the present. What is it you wish for my child? Adventure, mystery, the roaring glory of battle? Or perhaps you crave something off the beaten path, far from the groping hands of destiny?"

"Yes that's it," Meg said. "I want to have fun and I don't want to worry about quests or saving the world!"

The Grand Elder grinned and said "Now our choices narrow."

The water changed again and this time a single Nebolshoy stood next to a Loong. The Grand Eldar squinted at the image then dipped a single silver claw into the water and pulled them up to the surface.

"The small folk are known to wander far and wide for nothing more than a glimpse over the next hill. And my descendants are patient and stubborn and Destiny avoids them for it. Two fine choices though I will admit I am partial to all dragon kin."

Meg floated over to them, circling each one slowly. The Nebolshoy was short and narrow with dark fur along its arms and legs and a long fuzzy tail poking out of the back of its loincloth. The Loong was short and broad with ruby red scales stretched tight over its draconian muscles and a thick tail protruding from the small of its back.

"Can I see them in my gender?" Meg asked.

The Grand Elder tapped each one with his claw and they changed before her eyes. The Nebolshoy was a little smaller now, her hips wider and her breasts covered in a modest layer of cloth. The Loong though was a foot taller than the male and her horns jutted out in the shape of a V like coral. She did wonder why a dragon would have breasts but it didn't bother her for long. It was par for the course in fantasy games. At least she wasn't an hourglass sex pot right off the bat.

"Can I see her in green?" Meg said.

Another tap of the Grand Elder's claw changed the Loong woman again. But Green didn't fit and then an image struck her from the far reaches of her childhood. A pale blue dragon drawn by her dad's favorite artist Akira Toriyama.

"Blue please, and a white belly!" She said.

The Grand Elder chuckled and tapped the Loong again. He had to tap it twice more before he got the blue pale enough to her liking. "It is a wonderful shell," The Grand Elder said. "I am honored that you would consider a form so close in resemblance to my own."

Meg smiled and floated around her soon to be body. She was five foot nine with broad shoulders and bands of thick muscle beneath her sky blue scales. Her silver claws were as sharp as any sword and her stomach was a series of segmented ivory plates hard enough to stop a spear point. Horns jutted out of her skull like two foot long coral knives and at the end of her tail short spikes turned the appendage into a club before joining the ridges that ran up her back like a stegosaurus.

"If it pleases you my child I will begin the union," The Grand Elder said.

"Let's do it!" Meg said.

"Take a deep breath and relax," The Grand Elder said.

She did as he commanded and The Grand Elder touched his claw against her spirit then touched her shell. "Life and death are but a cycle and by my divine will the cycle begins anew."

Slowly she felt herself pulled toward the Loong and she surrendered to the feeling and slipped into her new shell.

"You look magnificent!" The Grand Elder said, clapping his hands.

Meg looked down at her new hands and flexed her fingers. She did the same with her toes, tapping her gorgeous silver claws on the ground. Then she looked over her shoulder at her tail and swung it through the air.

"You did a great job Grand Elder," Meg said. "as usual."

The Grand Elder chuckled and lowered his head down to her level. "I had some very talented help," he said. "now we must choose the path you will walk in this bold new body of yours."

"That's easy," Meg said, admiring her claws. "I'm going to be a merchant."

The Grand Elder's lips pulled back in a wide grin full of razor sharp teeth and he said "A noble pursuit young one. But a dangerous one for where there is coin there is greed and jealousy and those who would take instead of create."

"I can handle it," Meg said.

"Very well," he said. "If this is how you wish to proceed then close your eyes and when you next wake you will begin your journey."

Meg smiled and walked closer to the Grand Elders and placed her hand on his long thin snout. "It was good to see you again, old friend," she said. "I look forward to meeting you again when I am worthy of your divinity."

"The path is long and winding, take your time and contemplate the bounty of this land, and let your heart guide you when the world seems broken and in disarray. Farewell my child."

Meg closed her eyes and felt the Grand Elder's claw settle between her horns and then her journey began.