A steady river flows down into an unusually tranquil large lake, called the Divine Lake. The river originates from the great High Peak Mountains, the glaciers slowly melt over time and all the water eventually unites, combining itself into one force. It then carves its way through an ancient alpine valley which is where the Mountain Folks reside. But below the mountainous valley, the river suddenly drops down to the rolling warm-green foothills. Parts of it are distinctly covered in artificial forests. The forests were not created by the wild, but instead they were grown by the inhabitants of a continuously inhabited ancient city called Alima. Who, like the many other residents of the Orchard Hills, live in their semi-isolated realms where command over a hill, a farmland, and most importantly orchards grant them wealth, prestige, and legitimacy.

Between the Divine Lake and the High Peak mountains, proudly sits Alima. A city that can stretch its history beyond written text. It is here, now after almost a month since when the Divine Spirits descended unto the Overworld, where a Queen and her advisors meet with 3 Lesser Gods and one interesting Goddess that shouldn’t have appeared at the Queen’s courtyard but has unexpectedly attended anyways.

There are two male figures and two female figures standing in the middle of the courtyard. Four corner fountains gently trickle water which gradually leaves the fountain’s pool and nourishes the plants of the courtyard’s garden.

A tall draconic man looks around nervously at his 2 other peers. He wears a simple fur coat which covers his barely humanoid body. His name is Pannan, the Lesser God of elevation and small comforts. While it is not official, he possibly represents bad luck. Whether he is able to bring bad luck to others or just for himself is unknown. All he knows for now is that he drew the shortest stick of everyone else.

Fate-fan: “So, ‘Pannan’, how do you like being the ruler of Coldpass?”

Pannan: “I’ve already said…I’m not the leader of Coldpass!!!”

Fate-fan: “Then what are you? They worship you y’know!”

Pannan: “I am Lesser God, A.K.A I roleplay a god for the players…or that’s what I’m supposed to be doing. Instead, I’m roleplaying a god for NPCs…particularly, y’know, the evil kind!”

Kina: “My my my, still complaining are we Panny-pan-pan?”

At an immediate glance, the lady who appeared looked no different than a Himenian or Lumenian. But at a careful and closer look, the woman emitted an aura that no mere mortal, no matter how beautiful or strong or intelligent they are, could replicate. An aura that was not necessarily magical, but of a divine nature. Kina, the Goddess of Warmth, Affection was what she was now at the moment. But her formal primary name is Kinanawod, which made her also the Goddess of Determined Fury. Almost always she wears proper armor. In the lore, and it turns out in reality of the game, many adore her as she is one of the most affectionable Lesser Goddesses.

Pannan: “I’d get mad at you Kina because you’ve let your popularity get into your head. But somehow you carry enough charisma to even sway me. And yeah, I am still complaining. How come you get to have so many Players actually like you, while I literally don’t have any Players liking me nor probably ever interacting with me! Zero!”

Fate-fan: “Who knows…fate works in mysterious ways!”

Kina: “How on topic!”

Pannan: “Whatever, so are we all here? Where is Atenri?”

Kina: “It appears he’s the one leading the Queen here.”

Fate-fan: “Isn’t this actually, like, really cool?! You guys get what I mean?”

Pannan and Kina: “Yup it sure is…”

Fate-fan: “Why do you guys sound so sad?!”

Kina: “Well. Unlike you Fate, this is actually our primary job. But I would be dishonest to say that I’m not having fun either. It is tough interacting with so many Players, but there is good stuff and bad stuff along with it. So far, it has been really fun! But also, really tiring…”

Pannan: “Yeah, I mean I would also like to interact with Players but when I do it’s mostly just administration instead of playing with them. And now I think about it I’m glad I’m not in Kina’s position because I can’t imagine dealing with hundreds of Players and multiple guilds.

Fate-fan: “Hehe…so are you guys saying…Yoouurr jeaalouuss of me???!”

Pannan: “You are a higher God afterall…”

Kina: “I admit, yes I am, just a little bit!”

Fate-fan: “Not having any major projects to work on and playing the game both as a Player and as someone with overpowered literally god-like powers is indeed fun! Hahahahaahaha”

Atenri: “Just make sure you don’t abuse your powers and break the rules!”

Fate-Fan, Kina, and Pannan: “Hey Atenri!”

Kina: “Looks like you’ve brought the majesty alongside you.”

Fate-fan: “Okay guys, get in character! Especially you Pannan, remember what you’re supposed to do.”

Pannan: “You weren’t even suppoised to be here, so you don’t need to tell me that!”

Passing under a fancy archway covered in vegetation, a group of NPCs and a Lesser God enter the courtyard.

The Lesser God appears to look like Kina. As someone who is doesn’t immediately signal a divine image like how Fate’s or Pannan’s character model’s give off. However, this human-like God sends off a more majestic rather than divine presence. Atenri, the God of Free Air Travel, is dressed a long trouser and coat dress made out of fur akin to Pannan’s clothes, but it is also mixed with feathers and other materials. While Atenri isn’t covered in armor as much as Kina is, he wears a sharp acute pointed iron helmet that is decorated on the top. His face is barely noticeable as the helmet envelopes his head like a hawk’s head.

As Atenri walks forward to join Fate-fan and Kina, Pannan steps to the other side of the room. It is as if they’re ready for a theatrical act. Pannan is on one side of the courtyard, the three other Gods in the center, and on the other side of the courtyard which is closest to the archway there are a group of high-class feudal servants who are standing behind a fabulously dressed lady. Covered in head to toe, various clothing’s, ornaments, and other miscellaneous items are worn by another tall lady. About the same height as Kina, which means her servants are fairly the shortest people in the courtyard. She is the Queen of Orchard Hills. Somewhat of a matriarchy compared to the many other societies which neighbor this realm. A long line of a semi-hereditary group of families which have often appointed the best female candidate to rule the unique kingdom in the southwest. Tucked away in area that is oddly one of the safest in this grand region of the Overworld. Above is the Divine Lake which provides a natural large watery barrier against the expanse of wild land known as the Hinterlands. And to the south and east are the great High Peak Mountains which cover the kingdom from the outside world. This place is truly a realm of its own, self sufficient and ever warry of its neighbors. But, also never afraid to poke into unorthodox directions which may or may not yield profit.

This meeting, orchestrated by the Lesser Gods, has a specific purpose in continuing to help keep the ever-quiet power of Orchard Hills ripe. And Queen Clara of Clan Daleslietka has decided to attend the unofficial meeting to fulfill her role as a monarch who is continuously searching to empower her estates, kingdom, and to keep the nobles within happy. Queen Clara does not actually know the true reasons or intentions for this meeting as for her the Lesser Gods are arbitrary deities with great power on the mortal plain who rarely interact directly with society.

The truth is that this whole meeting is merely for the Lesser Gods to help the Overworld stay a dynamic and continuously changing realm. The Lesser Gods achieve this by manually inputting their powers on the world, whether it is causing decay on the environment or raising a magical dungeon from the earth and fill it with riches. For them it’s their real job which happens to require them to interact directly with the world, and in order to do all that, they also have to actually play the game for the player base to flourish.

However, the Lesser Gods (the moderators) are bound to many rules, and one of those rules is to respect NPCs worthy of respecting. A question which the creators and moderators of this game have, is how much power do NPCs have? They certainly are still NPCs who do not possess advanced learning like in many science fiction scenarios. But the AI in the Overworld is powerful and full of content of its own. So, this meeting also serves as a test to see how one of the most important NPCs in the Overworld, the Queen of Orchard Hills, acts. Will she be able to equally participate in the meeting, will she even have any power of her own that is not merely a paper script that could be easily torn by the actions of human controlled Lesser Gods. It shall now be seen, but there is one thing that is known by both the Lesser Gods and Queen Clara. That this meeting will be dominated by powerful aliens in the palace’s courtyard. But Fate-fan, Pannan, Kina, and Atenri understand to not only respect the Queen but also not to underestimate her, at least in the lore. However fabulously colorful Queen Clara’s clothes are, it should not blind her adversaries that she carries the spirit, intelligence, and mind of all her past predecessors on her shoulders. The burden on monarchs in Orchard Hills is great because the expectations are high so their abilities as leaders and decision-makers must be high as well. A single great mistake can throw the balance of Orchard Hills, which has been cultivating for centuries, straight into chaos. It is evident in the history of Orchard Hills since the region is secretly intensive underneath, no matter how stable society here can be.

Now Queen Clara has calmly entered her very own courtyard with clear understanding of her ignorance to what the Lesser Gods are thinking. But she knows, it must be about that. Her new national operation to secure control over Coldpass and farther into the former boundaries of the Lunar Empire.