Dialog in this story has the speaker's initial in front of it, unless it is bleeding obvious who is talking. NPCs will have some name or descriptor, leaving initials to be used by the player characters.

A: Ashcroft - aspiring mage

J: Jorlund - as close to a dwarf as a human can get

M: Maledictive - the party healer

W: Werlkhan - main character, first person naration is from this perspective

Our motly band returns to the South end of town, running as all players do. Town is a safe zone so no need to worry about your stamina. Also, when you have a time limit on how long you can stay in the world you don't want to spend minutes walking the same streets over and over.

We arrive at the mage's house just as Ashcroft steps outside. Perfect timing.

W: "Are you ready to fling fires and burn baddies?"

A: "It was hard to choose. Mages get to pick two out of 12 skill trees, that is a lot of possible combinations."

M: "I wonder what the choices will be when you get access to the next class tier."

A & W: "Next tier?!"

M: "I am not a full priest, that is a title for second tier healers. I am just a Devout until then. Did your class grants not mention it?"

J: "Mine just said visit again."

A: "Once the skill choices came up I stopped listening. He's pretty busy in there."

W: "I didn't have a trainer."

M: "Then how did you pick your class?"

W: "This class picked me. I ran almost straight out of town, didn't even wait for the weapon trainer in the starting point. Then I roamed and killed until I reached level 5, all without returning to town. My class just appeared, said something about staying out in the wild in the description."

Maledictive turned to the side, opening the internet interface.

M: "I havent heard of that being possible. What is your class called?"

W: "You can read it on my site when I type it up tonight. Ad revenue is my bread and butter, so exclusive content is important."

J: "You can afford butter on that budget? I thought you were all ramen and frozen burritos."

A: "Naw, remember he had us over that one time? He gets the occasional frozen pizza. Strickly non-brand drinks though."

W: "And I will not be doing it again any time soon. I see how you appreciate me. Next time I get a promotional gift from a company, I'm keeping it secret."

M: "So, you guys know each other in real?"

J: "Don't worry. We've had a 4th in the group before, and none of us are good at being a healer. Just stay out of the way of my hammer and all will be well."

A: "I dont often toast Jorlund, but when I do it's extra crispy."

W: "So about this next tier?"

M: "If you stick with a class for 25 levels you get to see what the next level of classes is for that path of skills. Though, I was told I have to return to my class giver to get it."

W: "Oh. Well, maybe mine does it naturally. Or maybe I switch to something else before then."

M: "There is a subscript number on the class indicating how long you have had it."

I check my status, not having noticed it before.

Class Animalist 0.1

W: "I have a 0.1 that doesn't seem encouraging."

M: "You're level 8 already?"

W: "6. So maybe not all classes are the same? Just means I learn the next tidbit for my review faster. Ashcroft, tell us about your mage abilities as we go? I have plans for the monsters out the east gate."

A: "Jorlund, party?"

We start moving again. I dont know this guy Maledictive; he seems rather chill for such a venomous name. Since its us three to his one I am guessing he is not a backstabber. He's not a plant for a targeted PK because the game just started so no one is ready for that level of coordination. He doesnt seem like a company chaperone to guide my game experience for a good review, though maybe this company just got a skilled gamer to do it. I've torn a new one in companies before for using my registration information to do exactly that. Very rarely have I met a player who isnt trying to rob me or influence my real life opinions. That is why Jorlund and Ashcroft are such good friends, and I party with them as much as possible. They have played a dozen mmo's with me, never asked for paid advantages or kickbacks from my job. The few that I have gotten I have shared with them precisely because they do not ask, and they still stay trustworthy friends. Other party members come and go but these two are my steadfast companions, closer than brothers. If either needed a kidney I would be the first to volunteer. Maledictive will be treated fairly, but I am not holding much hope for the three amigos to be getting a d'Artagnan.

A: "When you become a mage you are presented with a choice of skill trees. The class bonus stats gained per level are half deteremined by what tree(s) you pick."

W: "The number of trees you can choose is optional too?"

A: "You can pick one tree, and then you can trade 2 vitality stat points for a second tree. They called that the blood price for power. There are 6 Elemental trees, 3 Arcane, and 3 that they called Tangible. Elementals were the expected. Arcane were summons and souls and enchanting. The tangibles were like high school; chemistry, botany and shop class."

W: "And what choice did you make?"

Ashcroft just looks at me and smiles, the troll. We reach the east gate, and I see that he is done with the free information, so I give my plan.

W: "There are lv 3 snakes and turles in the tall grass between here and the woods. The snakes have an ambush skill I want. Then we can go for the level 5 wolves in the woods. Just inside the woods I encountered 3 that looked like a small pack. Since the monsters on this side of town hit hard, I did not want to attempt them alone when I was only a level 5 myself. I think we should try a few packs, work out our combat rhythem, and then go for a dungeon. Questions?"

M: "You mentioned ad revenue before. Are you a DudeTube persona? Should I recognize your voice or something?"

A: "When there is mad hype for a production, and you want to know if the game is worth it, where do you go for the real details?"

M: "Khan of Games, just like everybody else."

J: "And now you get to see where the magic happens."

M: "Whoa. You mean you're a Khan Of Games reviewer?"

J: "Close, but wrong. Reviewers just get commission. I've submitted a few but the standards to get published and paid were too bothersome for me to keep it up."

M: "Then ..."

W: "Founder. Now pick up the pace, I have secrets to unlock."

Jorlund starts dragging one leg but picks up his tempo to pull ahead so we all see. "Yeesssh mashter." Wheezing heavily for effect, he just enters the grass when a snake ambushes him.

52 damage on Jorlund

J: "Ouch! For the love of, you will die!"

W: "I told you they hit hard."

Jorlund brings his new hammer down on the body of the snake, aiming for the center of mass because that is the last place on the snake to move. The muffled thump of the force passing through the snake into the ground meets our ears just as the combat log updates with the progress.

-31 from Jorlund

M: "My light shines to sooth those around me. Compassion."

Maledictive started glowing faintly, and a similar glow appeared from the ground underneath Jorlund and stuck with him as he moved about, fighting the snake. A similar glow appears underneath me, and one under Ashcroft too.

7 damage on Jorlund

-31 from Jorlund

21exp

Maledictive walks over behind him and puts a hand on his shoulder.

M: "Mend."

J: "Thanks."

W: "As I said, I want their ambush ability before we go after a pack of wolves."

A: "And I see what you meant by 'they hit hard'."

We form up, Jorlund taking the right so his shield does not block visibility and I take the left with sword and kris ready. Maledictive is in the middle, ready to Mend either of us should we be ambushed, and Ashcroft is trailing behind, staying in the areas we already cleared. That Compassion light is still coming off of Maledictive, and each of us is still underlit by it.

W: "What does that Compassion skill do?"

M: "It adds my health regen number on top of yours, so you all should be healing about twice as fast now. It's the first skill in the Auras tree."

W: "And Mend is clearly a healing spell, so I am guessing you have two trees just like a mage does?"

M: "Do I get commission for the details?"

W: "Only if they are not already on the forums. Did you get some skill trees Jorlund?"

J: "Nope. I got a passive skill called Memorable when I accepted the class, no trees and no choices other than if I would accept the class."

W: "At least you got the choice. Mine jumped out and chose me."

I almost missed the snake in front of me. The irony of talking about being jumped while hunting an ambush predator made me smirk. "I found one, and I am going to tame it." It hisses in recognition that it has been found, and then it brings its head higher to look more threatening. My rats squeak and charge forward into battle and I just have enough time to make eye contact with the snake. Stun Gaze. The snake drops its head to the ground as it momentarily loses control of its body, and the rats jump on it.

-5 from rat

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

-5 from rat

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

W: "Stupid snails!" When my pack started fighting, the snails all did the same thing they did when I found them. They used their Spirit Connection on the snake, and are now sharing damage. One of my moths descends to join in the fight, but I Spirit Connect with it just in time to keep it out of the way.

-5 from rat

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

5 damage on snail

Now all my snails, about 5 points in Wisdom, are half dead. I quickly Spirit Connect with the snake and both rats. If I could convince the snails this way than I should be able to convince the snake. It is very handy that this skill came from such a weak creature, so the cost is equally low. I command the rats off of the snake, and the still-stunned snake is unable to attack while the rats return to my heel. The snake's mind is groggy from the stun, but I have it's attention. With the snails sharing their assurances of my strength, we convince the snake that it does not want to fight me.

a Plains Snake (lv 3) joins you +0.8 Strength Pack Summary

12/12 creatures

+1.4 vitality

+3 charisma

+4.2 wisdom

+0.8 strength

The snails are going to be no good in these fights anyway. I start releasing them.

Kizuna Snail (lv 2)

pack member

Animalist bonus: +0.7 Wisdom

Release? Yes / No

Release.

A Kizuna Snail (lv 2) is released from your pack.

0.7 Wisdom removed

The injured snail immediately uses it's skill to connect to the 4 of us.

A: "Werlkhan, one of your snails is doing something. I have the sensation of hugging you while being scared, and I have to say I do not swing that way. Please make it stop?"

M: "This is disturbing."

I pull the snail off of my shoulder and put it on the ground.

W: "My pack is full, and I need to release a few monsters before I can tame enough snakes to get the ambush skill."

Jorlund turns around and brings his wooden mallet down on the poor snail seconds after I let it go. We all feel the sensation of that mallet coming down on our backs.

-17

17 damage received

17 damage on Ashcroft

17 damage on Jorlund

17 damage on Maledictive

17 damage on snake

5 exp

M: "What the heck?"

W: "You knew that was going to happen, why did you do it?"

Jorlund bends down and picks up the fuzy spiral shell left behind by the snail. "That mage NPC pays 20 coppers for this little shell, and that Compassion skill is still active so you all will heal back up in a jiffy. I couldnt just let money go free like that."

Ashcroft glares at Jorlund, raises his hand towards Jorlund and says "I told you the snails were not worth it." And then he speaks a word of power.