Yeah, so I just met another player. But he’s turned out to be a lot more different than I expected. Now that I look at it, his large shirt, dark flexible trousers, and even the pointy cap he’s wearing on his head …all points towards a casual-trendy outfit style. He’s definitely going for “I’m a hip-hop character in a fantasy world”, he’s even rapping in a bit of ‘elf’ accent. It’s actually pretty impressive. I have no idea what type of customization options this game has besides just the surface level of what I’ve seen. But, if FeeNix is able to make himself look like the way he wants to look like, a rapper, then who knows what other items exist in the Overworld. There is probably a huge number of different types of items and objects that exist in this game that almost all Players don't know about. I'm excited to see what those items might be in the future.

MC: “So, is your name FeeNix?”

FeeNix: “No doubt-no doubt!”

MC: “I didn’t really understand your rap all that much. But are you trying to say that you came here to do a quest which Renes asked you to do?”

FeeNix: “Ey. Yeah. He gave me shout. And I was like, “yo can’t you see I wanna play something here?”, but he was jumpin and urgin me to slay ten things which appeared at his place. Ya shoulda seen his face!”

MC: “Yeah, sorry about that. I don’t think you’ll get any reward because I’ve already completed that quest, but maybe there are some other jobs still around here.”

FeeNix: “Awww shiz, then I’ma get out of this place. No worries ‘lil god man I met’, anyways I weren’t in any hurry.”

I really wanted to talk to another player just earlier. But now that I’m talking to one, I don’t even know what I want to say anymore. It’s actually a bit awkward, or it would’ve been, but at least this guy is in his groove. I guess I’ll just say “bye” to this rhyming guy and check with Renes before leaving this place as well.

MC: “Well alright, nice meeting you FeeNix. But I’m going to head out now to Susana.”

FeeNix: “Ey, Digs’n’Elf, I did say I’ma get out of this place, but don’t do me dirty! You aren’t gonna explain to me who this pussycat ace is? Is her name Susana?

MC: “Oh you’re talking about Eseli? Yeah, she’s just a Snowmel NPC, I think I’m doing a quest for her so she’s following me around.”

FeeNix: “Yo what gives, looks like Amulets got a miss and what I am hearin him say is that she’s his!”

MC: “I don’t really know if there is a follower/companion system in this game, so- “

FeeNix: “You are far over man. Let me share you my wisdom, there definitely is a follower system. What’s more is that they’re for sure rare!”

Is that really true? Then I must have gotten lucky if she’s a follower/companion, especially since Eseli can use magic. Now I think about it, it really shouldn’t be a surprise that there is that sort of mechanic. Out of all the other features this game has, AI companions are not so hard to implement.

MC: “I didn’t know, if that’s true than that’s cool that I got Eseli as a follower.”

FeeNix: “So you’re saying this pussycat ace’s name is Eseli, then what’s this Susana gal I’m hearing about that’s spitting out so much fame?”

MC: “What? Yeah, her name is Eseli, not Susana… Susana is a large town which I’m going to go to right now.”

FeeNix: “Right-right, let me recite. Could ya pretty-please invite me to cruise with you two, if you so choose? A big town like Susana sounds like it’s got a lotta booze’n’crews that I wanna reviews.”

He’s asking to travel with me. Do I want to be playing with him? It’s kind of hard for me to understand what he’s saying because of how he says everything. I am also pretty sure he forces his voice to sound very hip-hopy, so he’s a lil annoying. Crap! He’s influencing my speech…! I don’t think I was even trying to roleplay when I was talking to him, which I always try to do at least even a tiny bit when talking to anyone in this game. So that I can keep my Amulet Pond, the future wizard-sage, character going strong.

But I mean, I guess it wouldn’t be so bad to just go to Susana with him. I think at max it would take us 30 minutes to get there. By the sounds of it, according to Eseli and village elders, this town should be nearby. So, we’ll just split up after we get there.

I guess it beats (get it?) walking alone. This game is beautiful so it's nice to see everything while I travel. But the real world is also beautiful, yet I can barely stand walking long distances. It's not only tiring but boring. Even if I’m walking in a nice park or somewhere pretty. This reminds me of my experience at college, the hiking club invited me to go with them once. They said they were going to celebrate something (I forgot what), and that we would be going outside to eat. The eating outside part was indeed nice because the weather was nice. But everything else before it was a painful experience. Who really wants to climb a small mountain just to eat lunch? Especially during the summer! Anyways, that’s my personal reasoning to why I don’t enjoy traveling for long time in this game, even though I feel I should like it more. Since I’m not physically moving anywhere myself. And, unlike in the real world, there aren’t a lot of bugs or stupid little plants around. Also, I’m pretty sure most Players don't particularly enjoy travelling for a very long time in this game, just like me.

Anyways, I don’t want to seem rude by rejecting him, he did say “pretty please”. And if he wants to go to Susana then he’ll try to go there himself anyways, so we might as well travel there together.

MC: “Sure, let’s go now”

FeeNix: “Aight!”

Once again, before heading out from the village, I’ll check up with all the NPCs I’ve interacted so far. Renes tells me that he was very surprised to find out that the Marauders were already dealt with, and he greatly appreciated my help. As a result, he gave me 50 silver coins. I guess that’s a lot since it’s a reward given to me for saving the whole village from getting fully robbed. So that might mean the 100 silver coins I got from the Marauder Boss’s pouch must be a lot of money as well.

I then also asked about the 3 Marauders who are currently being held captive. The Elders and Renes agreed that Renes will contact the Monks again about the Marauders to trial them and decide what should be done to them. Again, I suggested that they’re punishments shouldn’t be very harsh, that shocked some of the villagers who heard it, but Renes and the elders agreed to that. They said they’ll let the monks know about my suggestion.

Okay, everything looks and sounds good. While I didn’t look for every single quest that is possibly available to do at this village, I don’t think that’s a good way to play the game. Since it doesn’t seem to be built for Players who want to complete everything there is to do. I think it’s actually impossible for anyone to complete even most of what there is to do in the game because a lot of these experiences are different, depending on time, place, and context of an event. I think only literally a real-world god or whatever would be able to do that.

I’m finally leaving the village. FeeNix suggested we go back around, following the road which enters into this village and instead follow it to Susana. But when I entered into a conversation with Eseli, she recommended that we should go via the smaller dirt path that is part of the village’s exit. Apparently, somewhere nearby to where she fell asleep, there is a larger road that leads straight into Susana town. So, I’ll follow Eseli’s advice. Since this route is likely to be a shorter way to the town because the dirt path from this village heads straight north, and the town is northwest from the village. Okay...we march!

Of course, while we’re traveling through this bit of woodland, FeeNix starts rapping again. Earlier he was just quietly beat boxing to himself.

FeeNix:

“Yo-yo-bro! Stay where you are in life,

And comply to a healthy way-style by any means,

with this stubbornness you’ll have seen the light

So please, ask Fortune to give you a smile,

Then you’ll surely have reached the long mile-

It’s true, believe in me and don’t misplace my trust!

Or your goal will turn to dust, replaced by a thrust of lust.

Ye-ye! Wicked! Shock and awe, I’ve locked these Bars, into divinity,

Ye-ye! Unpredicted! Call me cool, cause this mortal just spoke up brilliantly!”

It seems like he's usually full of himself.

You know, in these types of fantasy worlds and games, there usually is a party of three people traveling together to reach another settlement. They also are usually a synced up and balanced group of individuals that can cover for each other's weaknesses. Something like the combination of a healer, a warrior, and anyone that can deal a lot of damage. Or it could be two fighters and a mage. Maybe there is instead a rogue, caster, and a warrior.

But so far, we're a group made up of a “crazy” Dwelf, a sleepy lady-cat, and a tall rapping Elf.

And…I actually like it! This is weird but refreshing to see and experience. Even though, one of my traveling companions is not even a real person.

With the amount of interactivity this game has, even having an AI companion instead of another person doesn't feel like a limiting or lacking experience to me. I mean, FeeNix might as well be an AI character from my perspective. Every time he talks, he says things which are quickly delivered while still trying to freestyle-rhyme. This all just goes to show how Divine Mortality is a successfully immersive video game. I can still feel well connected to this world without being hindered by the limitations of the NPCs or the interruption of a not so lore-friendly Player who is constantly rapping.

*A while later*

Well, after walking this far I assume we’re halfway to Susana. Eseli is as quiet as ever. Not because she’s timid or very introverted, but simply because she has still been half awake the entire time ever since I’ve met her. Actually, she isn’t even half awake right now. She’s sleeping! And guess how she is still moving around? She isn't. Instead someone is pulling her. That’s right, it’s Amulet Pond (me) who is pulling her while I continue walking forward.

I guess this is actually better than most escort quests in other games. Where a player has to spend a unnecessarily long time waiting for an NPC to slowly walk (often under attack) to their desired destination. Except, this time, Eseli casted some type of spell which basically made her weigh light enough for my character to drag her behind me with one hand while we all continue smoothly traveling forward. I of course, don’t feel myself dragging her nor do I necessarily see it happening unless I turn my head around to look behind me. So, this doesn't bother me at all. Instead, it probably looks funny because FeeNix keeps looking at us and smirking.

And FeeNix has still been beat boxing the whole time. But for me, he’s been quietly making those sounds because I found out after tapping on his character, that I can turn down (or up) the amount of volume I receive from his microphone emission, thank you game!

Let’s see, well so far, I haven’t met any bandits on the road or any other NPCs. I don’t see any farmland anymore except a lot more trees. But it looks like in the distance this woodland might end soon, so this is probably just a small forest. Yet, I’ve noticed that this place is actually full of life, even though it's not so big realistically speaking. I’ve seen plenty of small critter characters run around the entire place, like squirrels and rabbits.

Whatever…this travel is getting boring. What can I do in the meanwhile? I guess I can try to look at my own character description and status screens/windows. Oh! Let’s see if any of my friends on my Friends List are online.

WiseMaster667 is offline now…

But May and Krafty are now online.

Ah! And Fate-Fan is online too!

I wonder what Fate-Fan is doing right now logged in as Fate. She said she didn’t want to try and roleplay as Fate when Players first log into the game in the character creation stage, like she did to me.

Anyways, I don’t want to message her. I’ve decided to try my best to first achieve something “Great” before messaging her again, sort of like a movie character who only wants to come back home after he’d accomplished what he sought to do. I do hope she’ll remember her promise to me.

Let’s see what place Krafty and May are at now…it says they’re at “Soule town”, wait, so they’re still at the starting town.

I’ll message them to see if I can call them using the in-game Friends List voice chat. This thing basically should allow me to talk directly to another person even if we aren’t next to each other, instant communication technology already exists in this Overworld! Well, sort of, it’s more like a player’s quality of life feature. I guess some people might still use other online communication applications, but this one seems pretty simple, effective, and easy to use.

I’ll write to each of them… “Can I call you up right now?”

…

…

*DING* (2x)

Woah both of them responded right away.

Let’s see what Krafty says… “Help me, save me from May!!!!!”

Huh?

Let’s see what May says… “Tell Krafty to stop being such a wuss!!!!”

Well, they did respond. It’s just they responded completely unrelated to the question I sent to them. I guess it’s alright to ring them up now…also it sounds like Krafty is in trouble…

Oh wait, I should probably tell FeeNix that I’ll be talking to other people.

MC: “Hey FeeNix, I’m going to be speaking to my friends in voice chat, so don’t mind the things I’ll be saying out loud right now”

*FeeNix pauses his beatboxing and body swaying*

FeeNix: “I getchya, chattin up in telecommunications? Ha, don’t worry about moi!”

*FeeNix resumes his beatboxing and body swaying*

Alright I’ll call Krafty and May up now…

*ping*-*ping*-*ping*

Krafty and May: “Amuleeet!”

And so, they’ve ensued to both continue to bicker against each other in our group voice chat for several minutes. While I still have no idea what they’re arguing about.