The core walked out of his dungeon, entering a world shrouded in shadows. It was midnight and all around the entrance to the dungeon was a field stretching as far as the eye could see. Of course since it was night that distance was reduced, but it was still a rather large field that it had entered.

Well, time to see what the native population is, and whether or not this is free real estate. Ha, free Real Estate, native population, always a great joke.

Chuckling at his joke the core walked in the direction of a path he saw leading out of the field and into a nearby grove of trees. It walked for what seemed like hours before encountering more signs of civilization besides the occasional field. What it saw stretching before him was a large walled city with figures moving inside and on the walls. The rising sun signaling that it was morning illuminated the true scope of the city, easily able to hold hundreds of thousands of beings. The sunlight glinting off the figures on the walls also showed that the thousands of beings included likely thousands of soldiers as well.

Well, the continent is definitely occupied with a large population. Now as to what sort of people it is I will have to find out. As to what to do with this city, I’ll have to figure it out once I have successfully infiltrated it.

Now it is important to note that up to this point the core’s avatar that it had summoned was a featureless blob of basically clay. Most races would have called it a crudely made golem and brushed it off as a wizards first attempt. The core knew that it had to find a better form before it entered the city and so It moved to the side of the path and into the bushes where it laid in wait for a traveler to arrive. It didn't have long to wait as soon a figure came walking down the road leading a horse burdened with many bags.

Well, it looks like the main species, or at least one of them, in this region is humans.

Knowing that humans were active in this region made the cores next decision easier. The core had only to make minor modifications to its avatar to change it from a golem to a human. The core began with its body, shaping it to a familiar pattern in its memories, the golem slimmed down, developed lean muscles and grew slightly taller. Its face, previously featureless, developed what some would call roguish features and hair began sprouting as the skin changed from a wet clay gray to a pale complexion, tanned by exposure to a harsh desert light. A small glow erupted around it as clothing formed on it, a requirement to maintain a semblance of modesty as the avatar changed from an It to a definite He. The transformation finished, leaving a rogue looking man decked out in adventurer’s clothing hiding in some bushes by a path.

Achievement Received

Imitation is the best kind of flattery

Change your avatars shape to a sentient race, and use a person important to your body as a model

Achievements? Well, I’ll have to look into that in the future. As for right now I have to come up with a backstory and a name.

The cores introspection and decision of a suitable cover was interrupted by a hail from the pathway. The farmer, for what other sort of person would be leading a horse loaded with seed, had noticed light coming out off the bushes off the path, and was wondering what it was.

Well, this is a good time as any to reveal myself.

The core stepped out off the bushes and waved hello at the farmer as he approached.

“What the Deja be you doing in those there bushes?”

Well, either he’s a hillbilly, or English is slightly different here than it is----

**ERROR --- MEMORY NOT AVAILABLE**

“I was relieving myself good sir, I have traveled long and hard to reach this city”

“What was that darn flash I saw, it darn near burned my eyes out, if you’ve been practicing magic outside of the city wall I’ll have to report you to the magistrate”

Ban on magic? They don’t practice magic outside the walls? Why?

“I come from a land far across the mountains, what is this ban you speak off”

“The ban that keeps us here people alive, on this here side of the darn mountains if you use that magic stuff, the damned gods in their damned heaven’s might strike you down unless you're behind them magistraight magic walls of thares”

“Well. good sir farmer, I have not used magic besides the flash of my signalling stones that I require to communicate with my superiors back in my land, now sir, I must take my leave”

“Well, I guess that’s okay, you want this here bottle of moonshine? It's my last batch and no-one in tha city wanted ta bay any. You look like ya need a pickmeup aftar yar trip.”

Moonshine? They make moonshine here, and its legal? Better accept his offer before he gets suspicous.

“Well, I suppose I cannot refuse a good offer, I’m afraid I cannot pay you with my current money, but after I exchange it I will pay you full for this generous gift. May I inquire as to your name good sir farmer?

“My name’s Farmer Boyle Johanneson, people usually call me Farmer Jo.”

“My name is….. James Faraday, a traveling adventurer, now I must beg my leave”

The core, who must now be known as James, walked down the road towards the city. He didn’t see the gaping expression that he left Farmer Jo with as he walked away. After all, the only adventures in the land were little more than city guards and this man exuded competence and power. James did not know this, his knowledge of the land only a overview, and as he smoothly talked his way past the guards at the gate he did not know that he was the herald of a new age, and possibly not for the betterment of man.