Fantasy Thriller Drama The Meaning of Hero

The Meaning of Hero



((You have no idea what you are in for…exhilaration and terror all wrapped together as one in the chaotic embrace of panicked adrenaline coursing through your veins…soon, oh so very soon…))

Congratulations! You are in time! Only 25,000 copies of the new and amazing Hermes System as well as the accompanying Full Dive VRMMO game, Odyssey of Fantasy have been made and distributed so far, with only 125 copies given to each country in the world.

You are officially one of those 125.

Take a moment to bask in the triumph of the event and take in the envious stares of those around who only wished they could be you. Wonder at the other players lucky enough to get the system and game as well elsewhere. No matter! You will be seeing them soon enough when you get home, prepare yourself, and enter for the very first time in the war torn and intrigue filled fantasy backdrop of the ever tantalizing and magnificent…



Korr Avana!

Finally, at long last, you can take your time and escape the harsh realities of this world.

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Game Overview

The date is July 15th, 2047. This story is about a person here on Earth having their own reasons to become one of the lucky 25,000 people to come into possession of the brand new Hermes System: a Full Dive Virtual Reality helmet, gloves, and suit. Along with it comes its only game currently, a Full Dive Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game known as Odyssey of Fantasy.

It is a fantasy game where one can partake in many adventures in any play style one chooses. It’s a world away from the world. A home away from home. Come be that you that you always wanted to be. Come be that you that you’ve kept hidden but finally feel free to unleash. Come be the you that you never knew.

And while this may be an RPG about playing in a VR MMORPG, trust me, it is about so much more than you realize. This is a story where you will learn who you really are. It is a story that will elevate you to your greatest self…or break you entirely. Do not be fooled by all the technical trappings, my friends, because make no mistake. Here? Here you will learn:

The Meaning of Hero.

Yet there are limited slots in this tale. I require 12 Brave Souls! Are you one of them?​

If you’re curious, even the slightest bit…come. Come take a stroll with me into the wilds of Korr Avana and discover for yourself.

Who you really are.

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For more info about the world and the system, visit: Odyssey of Fantasy
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​

Masquerade System​

In this game, The Meaning of Hero, every player in the RPG must play in an alternative account (sock) rather than their normal one, named after their approved character. It mimics playing in any form of MMO by the character being an extension and face of the player. It also adds the fun feature of not knowing the person behind the ‘mask’ and wanting to discover who it is. Hence the ‘Masquerade System.’

And who can resist the temptation of wanting to delve behind the mask while keeping your own?

Everyone is “safe” for the first 100 posts. After this has been reached, the Masquerade kicks off at full throttle. Every week all players get to make a single guess to the GM, myself, about a single character. Who do they think the player behind them is? Any potential moderators playing in the game are still fully welcome, how the system works in that case will be discussed in private.​

Incorrect guesses do not net anything and nothing happens.

Correct guesses net the Guesser 5 Skill Points. For every three correct guesses, the Guesser receives an additional bonus reward In Game (Legendary Weapon, Armor, Item, etc.).​

A player whose identity has been guessed correctly nets a penalty however. The Guessed loses 20-25% of their finances, 3 Skill Points (in specifically chosen skills no less), or a miscellaneous penalty up to the GM’s choosing…which one of those is chosen by the Guesser.

A revolutionary RPG System that you will find nowhere else. Now, ladies and gentlemen…..​

​

Mask up.​

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The Character Sheet

Picture: [For the player, if used]

Name of the Player:
Gender:
Age:
Birthdate:
Hair Color:
Eye Color:
Nationality:
Occupation:

Picture: [For the character, if used]

Name of Character:
Race:
Gender:
Hair Color:
Eye Color:
Height & Build:
Other Physical Characteristics:
Class:

Bio: [Of the player naturally]​

The Rules

1) Obey the TOS. Always.
2) PM All Sheets For Approval!
3) A word to the wise…keep your mask on as long as you can…
4) No God-Modding! Otherwise a rather permanent glitch may befall you.
5) Any questions, ideas, or suggestions are always welcome. My PM inbox is open to all. I will do my best to be as accommodating as possible.
6) General OOC chatter should be kept to a minimum, it is reserved for the OOC Thread in the RPR as usual.
7) Please notify me if you are expecting any upcoming breaks or vacation, just as a general courtesy. It will keep things running more smoothly and I’ll respect you greatly for it!
8) The most important rule of them all. Have. FUN! (It’s why we’re here. )

And remember. There are only 12 available slots, so don't blink or they'll be gone...​

 

Approved

Name of the Player: Mike O'Reilly
Gender: Male
Age: 40
Birthdate: January 30th
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Height: 6'1
Nationality: American
Occupation: COO of WWP



Bio: Mike O'Reilly is the son of Vince O'Reilly the owner of WWP aka the World Wrestling Phenomena. However lately the company while still the juggernaut of the industry; is seeing a downturn in profits and in viewership. To make matters worse a new wrestling company called APW or All Professional wrestling is making waves, positioning itself as a legit rival to WWP. Vince ordered his son to go into the Hermes FDVR System and play Odyssey of Fantasy in order to find inspiration for new wrestling storylines so they can;

1. Revive the company
2. Beat APW and put them out of business.

Name of the Character: Meek Longears
Gender: Male
Race: Keldbi
Age: 30
Hair Color: Used to be orange but dyed it red
Eye Color: Blue
Occupation: Thief/ Assassin
Height & Build: 4'2
Class: Rogue
Picture: [For the character, if used]


Roleplay Bio (Not required):

Messa Meeks, I grw up in the slums of the republc of Atra Zarryn after I was orphaned. Messa watched as me entire family were slaughtered and killed due to raceism. From that day Messa learned to look out for me. Messa steal and kill, doing odd jobs here and there for whoever pays most. Me still looks up to Menkuth Akusaa.

Besides stealing and killing, messa good at Treasure hunting as me family ran a pawn shap.

 

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Name of the Player: Ryu Hyun
Gender: Female
Age: 19
Birthdate: February 19th 2028
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Nationality: South Korean
Occupation: Student

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Name of Character: Pax Vikkin
Race: Xskiva
Gender: Male
Hair Color: N/A
Eye Color: White
Height & Build: 6' 5"
Other Physical Characteristics: Long antennae that can detect movement. Wings that curl up in the back when not in use and can extend out. Two large arms that can split in two (For a total of four arms).
Class: Monk

Bio: Ryu Hyun had always been fascinated by insects from a young age. She would go through long walks through nature with her father, studying and collecting all kinds of different insects, their grand collection building up over the years.

A bright and talkative girl her fascination with insects and biology continued into adulthood, currently, she now attends Seoul National University where she is studying Biological Sciences in the hope of researching new insect species in the future.

When she heard about the upcoming game, Odyssey of Fantasy, she was intrigued by the possibilities, she, like much of her generation, is an avid gamer. This intrigue deepened into a passion when she learned about the Xskiva race that would exist within the game. Desperately she signed up for one Hermes systems and was ecstatic when she was awarded one.

 

The APPROVED[\B] Character Sheet

Picture: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d5/3c/b1/d53cb1eeab05d870caf1a92b574ce565.jpg

Name of the Player: Randal Smith ‘Randy’
Gender: Male
Age: 42
Birthdate: 4/1/2004
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Nationality: USA
Occupation: Delivery Driver

Picture: https://img.wattpad.com/cover/105468030-208-k768805.jpg

Name of Character: Achelous
Race: Siren
Gender: Male
Hair Color: Silver
Eye Color: Silver
Height & Build: 6'10"
Other Physical Characteristics: Buff with pale scales and skin.
Class: Monk

Bio: Keep your head down, do your job as asked of you, keep your job. It was a steady mantra in his life.

At one point in his early years he had wanted to be a firefighter, but first week of volunteering and he got a bit more than he bargained for. After that, well in this economy having a job when you don't have an rich family was something he could not take for granted.

Especially considering he had to use one of those external voice boxes. Not many people wanted to hire someone that sounded like a bad computer voice buzzing at them. Which is probably why he chose a job where he rarely has to talk.

When the new gaming system came out he applied on a whim, never expecting to win. He had applied to Publisher's Clearing House and so many raffles that never amounted to anything. So it was a pleasant surprise when he was notified that he had won one of the rare test systems for the hottest new game system on the market.

 

OOC: An important enough character to merit me actually placing a CS down for him myself.

The Character Sheet

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Name of the Player: Bin Hyun-Sang
Gender: Male
Age: 60
Birthdate: August 7, 1987
Hair Color: White
Eye Color: Brown
Nationality: South Korean
Occupation: Creator and Administrator of Odyssey of Fantasy and the Hermes System

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Name of Character: Tyson Atarak
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Gold (a little reward not allowed to other human characters that he gave himself)
Height & Build: 6’2” and Athletic
Other Physical Characteristics: None Notable
Class: Paladin

Bio: After many years of hardship and brilliance that helped him survive it all, Bin Hyun-Sang soon found himself in great position to work on the ever-developing technology of virtual reality and create his dream world. With some prior education learned in his younger years, mostly self-taught, he went on to eventually join the prestigious Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and mastered various classes to pursue his dream and make it a reality.

Software Industry Foundations, Software Engineering and Design, Data Structures and System Design, Software Development Fundamentals, Cloud Computing and Hardware Engineering, IT Fundamentals for Business, Mobile and Software Application Development, various DevOps and Programming Language Courses…and more. Paired with his vast imagination and ravenous hunger for that ‘other place’ he felt he personally needed to build, he became an unstoppable dynamo in the field of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality.

With only limited input from a few other, carefully chosen individuals, Hyun-Sang essentially created the entirety of the Hermes System and its accompanying game, Odyssey of Fantasy, by himself from the ground up. His work gained international attention and various accolades, but none of them could distract him from his ultimate goal.

And now. Finally. His dream has become reality.

Holding the Hermes helmet in his hands, he can only imagine what it will feel like to finally dive in alongside others and not worry about further creation, but only…that immersion he has long sought.

It was time to find out.

 

Approved by GM

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Name of the Player: Lily Shepard

Gender: female

Age: 23

Birthdate: 8th of July

Hair Color: red

Eye Color: brown

Nationality: Canadian

Occupation: student



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Name of Character: Zarithea Netherward

Race: Istiel

Gender: Female

Hair Color: black astral

Eye Color: glowing starlight

Height & Build: 5 foot 11 inches

Other Physical Characteristics: starry appearance with cloak

Class: necromancer



Bio: Lily was born in Seattle, Washington, as a single child. Her family moved to Vancouver, Cananda at the age of four and set up roots in their new home. Her parents opened up a small pastry and coffee shop as small business owners and when she was old enough, she often lended help, usually to wash dishes or serve the pastries.


It was while she was in school when she found her enjoyment for gaming and art. Transferring into a whole new country and trying to fit in was hard, but drawing and painting allowed herself to express her feelings and playing games that let her escape the struggles she encountered raised her self-esteem. She also was able to find a community with like-minded artist and gamers that truly helped her open up and finally enjoy this new life she was living in.



Lily is taking art history courses at the university of British Columbia and working on her art in between helping with her parents in their shop. She lives with a roommate in Vancouver, Canada, and her dog, Leo. In the free time, she enjoys gaming and is lucky to get her hands on the new full dive game.

 

GM Approved

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Name of the Player: Samantha ‘Sam’ Whitman
Gender: Female
Age: 21
Birthdate: 14 July 2026
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Green
Nationality: British
Occupation: Aspiring Actor/Part-time server in a cafe



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Name of Character: Roderick Clifton
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Hair Color: Gray
Eye Color: Blue
Height & Build: 5’10”
Other Physical Characteristics: A gray beard
Class: Healer

Bio: Sam has always been a bit eccentric, preferring to pursue her passion for comic books and video games rather than conform to the stereotypical behaviours expected of her generation. Some call it a rebellious streak, but Sam sees it as a means to express herself.

She is also a creative soul, which led to a natural love of the arts - most notably, the theatre. One day, she hopes to appear on the silver screen and demonstrate her abilities to the rest of the world. In the meantime, she attends the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in downtown London.

Perhaps the biggest surprise in recent months occurred a few days ago. Her aunt - through means she will not explain - managed to acquire the latest in gaming technology and presented the new system to Sam as a gift for her birthday. She views this as an opportunity. As an MMORPG, Odyssey of Fantasy will allow her to step into another person’s shoes, escape to a new world, and hone her skills as an actor - to embody her true self.

 

GM Approved

The Character Sheet

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Name of the Player: Jule Smiray
Gender: Female
Age: 28
Birthdate: 4 Aug 2018
Hair Color: White with streaks of the original blond
Eye Color: Blue-green
Nationality: Canadian, EU citizen as well
Occupation: Retired, former soldier

Bio: Jule grew up in the outskirts of Vancouver, where many of her friends considered her a tomboy. So it was little surprise that she joined the military when she turned 18. What was a surprise was that she had worked so hard in her chosen vocation that she was one of the first chosen for the new Mobile Armor branch of the service.

She fought in a variety of conflicts over the next nine years, rising in the ranks. Over the years the constant grind of the conflicts as well as a variety of injuries, losing her right leg below the knee, almost losing her left eye, and mental trauma added up. By the time that she was retired by the service due to her injuries, visible and invisible, she was a shell of the woman that she’d been. When she retired she was still based overseas and chose to stay in Europe. A village had grown up around the major base of the Alliance outside Mol, Belgium and she found only these other broken veterans understood her.

When the game came out she took a chance, an opportunity to live in a world without having to truly face or deal with others herself. What made her nervous and slightly scared to take part was getting back into a suit like her former armor. She decided she had to take the chance and applied to join. To her surprise, she was one of the first chosen and now she had to go through with the leap of faith she’d taken.

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Name of Character: Vaarra Cudol
Race: Istiel
Gender: Female
Hair Color: Black Vaporous Wisps
Eye Color: Medium Blue like blue hypergiants
Height & Build: 5’10”, hard to tell with her skin tone but athletic build
Other Physical Characteristics: Mutations associated with her creation
Class: Assassin

Bio: When Jule created Vaarra she did not realize that the algorithm that controlled the game had access to files that it shouldn’t otherwise have and used that data to assist in making the characters for the players. She didn’t find out until the system provided a bio for Vaarra that such was possible but once it had she decided she had to go forward with it.

Vaarra, it turned out, was a rare mutation among Istiel kind. Most openly displayed the starscape of their form and their blazing star eyes but she could not. Her mutation made her have to cover herself to the point the only way most people would tend to recognize what she was were her eyes that shone through the mask she wore. She’d originally chosen a class other than Assassin but with the mutation she felt it was the best choice for her. What the mutation meant was that, without any thought or choice on her part, any being she touched began to mutate into another Istiel.

And now, if it wasn’t bad enough that Jule’s PTSD made her stay away from any person she didn’t trust, which was everyone but some of her fellow veterans, Vaarra’s mutation caused her to have to shun any physical contact unless absolutely necessary.

 

GM Approved​

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Name of the Player: Jae Dong Kim, “Jay”, J.K.
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Birthdate: 2/02/2025
Hair Color: black
Eye Color: Brown
Nationality: Korean-American
Occupation: Gamer/Manga Artist/ Stunt Actor

Picture: ,

Name of Character: Shao Kang
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Hair Color: Gray
Eye Color: Glowing
Height & Build: 5’9”, Athletic
Other Physical Characteristics: Glowing Dragon Tattoo
Class: Warrior Monk

Bio: As a gamer, Jay is known in the FGC (Fighting Game Community ) as N00bKill3R13, having won his first local FGC Tournament at age 12. Jay is currently ranked in the top 100 players in the world. He’s also been consistent with his manga series, ‘Kang of the Mountain’, for the last 3 years, though he started it at age 15. Jay is often competitive and obsessive, not just in the FGC, but also in the dojo where he trains and always pushes himself to succeed.

As someone who likes to keep busy, Jay has done numerous stunt for several popular online streaming K-dramas that have exciting fight sequences. Unfortunately, Jay is currently recovering from a back injury he sustained while paragliding in Hawaii as he did research for an upcoming episode for his manga. Not wanting to be bored in bed, Jay used all his connections and tournament money in hopes of getting early access to the new FD VRMMORPG, or at least by launch.

The VR experience that is Odyssey of Fantasy, was created and developed by a fellow Korean and he wants to show his support to one of his RL Gaming heroes on the Dev side. Besides, staying in bed doing nothing all day really sucks.

 

GM Approved


Name of the Player: Kenny Oliver
Gender: Female
Age: 24
Birthdate: December 21
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Nationality: New Zealand
Occupation: Professional Gamer/Student

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Name of Character: Minzim Malaza
Race: Illithid
Gender: Male
Hair Color: None
Eye Color: Black
Height & Build: 7'2 & Skeletal Frame
Other Physical Characteristics: Tattoos covering his body
Class: Druid

Bio: Kenny Oliver is a semi-pro gamer. She consistently maintains viewers in the thousands of her daily stream and struggles through school in her downtime. Through crowd funding and some luck, Kenny managed to gain access to the Hermes System and admission into Odyssey of Fantasy. She expects this to be her big break in her video game streaming career.

 

GM APPROVED
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Name of the Player: Joe
Gender: Male
Age: 42
Birthdate: November 3rd
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Green
Nationality: American
Occupation: Professional E-Sports Gamer

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Name of Character: Yorr Muarhmah
Race: Orkra
Gender: Male
Hair Color: Gray
Eye Color: Black
Height & Build: 6'8" and built like a beast
Other Physical Characteristics: A scar across his left eye
Class: Berserker - Warrior

Bio: Joe, who has kept his last name secret from everyone except his closest buddies, is a professional e-sports gamer with tons of street cred when it comes to MMORPGs. Donning the gamer tag GetGood42069, Joe has won countless tournaments in his life and managed to garner a radical reputation in the e-sports world. When Joe heard about Hermes System, he knew he had to get his hands on one of these dope VR suits. Now, after preparing his body in various ways, he is ready to enter the enticing world of Korr Avana as Yorr Muarhmah...

 

OOC v1: Let me dispense with the suspense on this one, ladies and gentlemen. This is @Darth_Elu. Sorry, no points this one! I mainly created a sock myself for this character, partially out of whimsy. Partially because I wanted to feel like I was truly participating in the Masquerade myself. Now enjoy a touch of mystery to this character and the charm of its truth at the end of this post.

The Character Sheet

Picture: Searching...Searching....Error: Appearance Unknown...

Name of the Player: [Classified]
Gender: [Classifed]
Age: [Classified]
Birthdate: [Classified]
Hair Color: [Classified]
Eye Color: [Classified]
Nationality: [Classified]
Occupation: [Classified]

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Name of Character: Twylla Mirtheart
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Hair Color: Purple
Eye Color: Blue
Height & Build: 3'9"
Other Physical Characteristics: None Notable
Class: Possible Apprentice

Bio: Within Korr Avana in Odyssey of Fantasy, she is an seemingly ordinary six year old looking girl in the Sovereign Union of Yerkoskei. Who exactly is her player and what is her story? Ah, that is but one of many great mysterious tales to weave in this virtual world...a mystery to untangle whose truth is so grand...it could shake the very foundations of virtual and reality...

Or maybe that's just dramatic hyperbole. Who's to say?

*****
OOC v2: Alright, everyone. I am proud to announce that this girl...Twylla is my daughter's character. Being only six years old, she will not be taking part in any of the writing nor reading, but I will be relaying everything going on for her character in RL so she can keep up. Anything one says or does will be relayed to her (with any violence or such being "pink-washed" for her sake and so you can all keep RPing without feeling like you need to 'tone down' around Twylla ).

I really wanted a nice ongoing story for her to take part in with me and I found this to be an excellent opportunity, furthermore she was extremely excited by the idea. Please, it would mean a lot to see her (if rather indirectly) interact with the RPF Community I also love and respect so much. But just be warned, anything Twylla does or says is what she's told to me. I'm only writing it out.

And well, you know...six year olds. Be prepared!

 

GM Approved!

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Name of the Player: Sofie Althaus
Gender: Female
Age: 30
Birthdate: February 28th
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Hazel
Nationality: German
Occupation: Town Hall Administrator


(Plus a white wrap top)

Name of Character: Eshe
Race: Anub-ket
Gender: Female
Hair/fur Color: Black
Eye Color: Purple
Height & Build: 7’6” tall, "Swimmers" build
Other Physical Characteristics: Canine features. White lightweight skirt and wrap top, bronze decorative adornments
Class: Mystic

Bio:

Sofie graduated university with a degree in Computer Sciences, but the competition for jobs in her field after graduation was immense and she often found herself missing out on roles she was desperate to work in. In order to remain financially stable, She took a job at her local town hall as an administrator, with a view of only being in this job a short time as she continued to pursue her dream career, but alas, she is still in this job 7 years later, being told her skills are now apparently "out of date" and no longer able to apply to graduate programs due to her age. She continues to work hard to serve the people of her town, happy to at least have a job and financial stability.

Outside of her office and her work she still has great passion for computers, video games and technology. She has an online blog in which she creates video essays/reviews on video games and their hardware, from Retro (One of her most prized possessions is a near mint in box Super Nintendo Entertainment System from 1992) to the modern day. She uses games as a way to decompress, relax, and allow her imagination to run free, as well as as a way to escape the humdrum of her daily life, at least for a few hours a day

When news of the release of the Hermes System and Odyssey of Fantasy became public, she didn't hesitate to sign up for one, looking forward to experiencing this new cutting edge gaming system. She couldn't quite believe it when a courier knocked on her door with the Hermes System, and she is very much looking forward to jumping into Odyssey of Fantasy for both fun, and for research for fresh content for her Blog.

 

Approved!



Name of the Player: Araarsa Negasu
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Birthdate: September 9, 2012
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Nationality: Kenyan
Occupation: Businessman



Name of Character: Alusan Zaruul
Race: Zeltron
Gender: Male
Hair Color: Black with hints of purple
Eye Color: Pink
Height & Build: 5’11”
Other Physical Characteristics: None worth mentioning
Class: Gunner

Bio: Araarsa is your typical businessman and head of marketing for Nairobi Designs, a company that was all about creative architectural designs. Efficient, determined, and always looking to better his department. Outside of that Araarsa is as carefree as you can be, wanting nothing more than to forget his hectic business centered life.

Hearing about Odyssey of Fantasy he entered into a sweepstakes not expecting anything. Surprised at his good fortune, he looks forward to having a place away from all the hustle and bustle that is his life.

 

Name of the Player: Ryo Sakuma
Gender: Male
Age: 46
Birthdate: August 30
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Nationality: American
Occupation: Teacher/Writer

Picture:



Name of Character: Bear
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Hair Color: None
Eye Color: Black
Height & Build: 6’5
Other Physical Characteristics: Body tattoo
Class: Warrior

Bio: Ryo put his name down for this game for one reason; to connect with his estranged son. After the divorce, he has very few ways to connect with Teddy, but the boy only interacts with him online if he needs more money. Ryo tries to use that as leverage, but he always caves and just accepts the abuse from his twenty-five year old son. But his son didn’t win the contest, and Ryo did, so now he’s playing without that reason... and wonders what he’ll find instead.

 

OOC: The curtains rise for our grand adventure! Please feel free to control any NPCs here as you see fit and end your post with your character beginning to login to Hermes for the first time. As always, ask any questions in the ‘Ball of the Masquerade’ or PM me.



Let Me Paint You A Picture
~July 15, 2047….July 14th, 2047 for North America~

Corporate greed and utter lack of morals has continued to descend to levels thought impossible. Think I’m joking? The United States Senate actually debated on a law a couple years ago that would allow families in financial distress to sell their children to companies, something the morally bankrupt institutions lobbied heavily for.

It only failed by a 53-47 vote.

In the United Kingdom, the same thing was debated on about seven months later and narrowly lost within the House of Commons 41-59.

For whomever is listening, let that sink in for a moment.

Adolescents all the way up to those in their forties have been flocking to video games at an increasingly alarming rate. While fun, the trends have reached an unhealthy level globally, not just in certain areas. It is projected now that from the ages of 13 to 48, the average individual spends 42% of their time on gaming. A drastically plummeting percentage has interest in social entanglements. This was spurred on by the Coronavirus Pandemic of the early 2020s.

Unemployment, as a global average, was at 9.12% An almost full 4% increase from just twenty-seven years ago.

Countries and nations across the world that have suffered great injustices and terrible afflictions only seem to continue doing so. The more affluent superpowers barely pay any lip service to aiding them anymore.

The climate crisis has raged with the world finally coming to focus on that one issue at last…but it seems none of the leading people currently have any idea what to do about it. Many have despaired that humanity has finally waited too long and the point of no return has been crossed.

The media tries not to talk it about much.

Sports and Acting industries continue as popular as they ever are, but from the reports that social media and elusive reporters like to still leak out at every possibility…are far more cutthroat than ever before. Cheating in sports is at an all time high. The mainstream news state it is at an all time low.

I’ll let you decide who is lying.

E-Sports is now completely at the same level as any popular team or individual sport all over the world, by the way. Winning local GC (Gaming Community) tournaments is a sure way to start getting noticed. But like the rest of the sports…it’s a rough road for those souls who have no idea what lies ahead.

University attendance seems to be dipping noticeably now as well. Nothing too bad yet, but the signs are worrisome. It’s a common occurrence for students to attempt to become online streaming personalities to help their stress and fund their tuitions. Yeah, that’s only become even more common. Most fail at it miserably and are left with stress so great, they flame out way before they should.

Divorce rates also seem to be in constant flux, though not trending in the right direction, because of all of the ever-present stress in the world. Experts predict marriages will start dipping into a steady decline if things keep going the way they are.

The ever expected and fantasized World War 3? Thankfully hasn’t happened yet. But trust me, that doesn’t stop humanity from finding smaller wars to make up for it. Conflicts are raging out of control at sporadic moments in all corners of the globe. The various new Mobile Armor branches of national militaries was only adding to the intensity of combat rather than pacifying them. A big war is never far out of the realm of possibility at this stage.

Civil unrest has reached unprecedented levels in the UK, the USA, even Canada. You don’t even want to see what Greece is like. Let’s not even talk about the Middle East. Yeah, that hasn’t exactly resolved either.

And poor Mexico. …Wait. What Mexico? That was cut up into three new nations after all of the cartel fighting finally spiraled into true civil war that essentially destroyed the country. All three now sit on thrones of ash if you ask the majority of the world’s population. The northernmost part of what once was proud Mexico is considering ceding itself to the United States out of desperation. The American Congress is split on what to do about it.

Oh yeah. There was that catastrophic nuclear incident in India too.

Mars and Moon colonization efforts? Do me a favor, let us not go there. You really don’t want to know.

Have I made myself clear yet? Is this enough for you? ARE YOU READY TO SCREAM AND RUN AWAY YET!?

Exactly. It’s no wonder everyone tries to get away however they can these days. And now---

Enter the Hermes System and Odyssey of Fantasy….

The ultimate escape.

***********
~WWP Headquarters, United States~

The building was immaculate. Pristine. Professional. It evinced the very aura of superiority at all costs. It was literally the architectural equivalent of its owner, Vince O’Reilly. And within it was a certain office. It held the owner’s son and current Chief Operating Officer, Mike O’Reilly.

APW (All Professional Wrestling) was on the rise, its star ever brightening, and in so doing making WWP’s profits and his father’s mood ever darkening. He had been tasked with getting his hands on one of the few Hermes FDVR system’s being circulated in the U.S. and its game Odyssey of Fantasy, to find inspiration for their wrestlers to be able to compete evenly.

It was grasping at straws admittedly. But at this point, they needed any potential ideas to win as possible and this was something only the COO could be trusted with.

Mike himself was currently going over the quarterly projections for what felt like the umpteenth time when there came a knock on his office door.

“Mr. O’Reilly,” stated his secretary Josie, “I’ve received word that your shipment has arrived.”

The system. The game. It was no surprise that WWP managed to find a way to get their hands on one, but now it was actually delivered. It was time.

Josie went on, “Your father said for you to take the rest of the day off and head home immediately when it came, I believe?”

And so he had.

Tag: Mike @Meek_LongEars

________________________
~Seoul, South Korea~

She had been standing outside her dormitory of the Seoul National University, enjoying the nice warm day that was blessing them all, when Ryu had noticed him. The delivery man with the large package in his arms, glancing around with a confused expression over his face.

It was slightly comical in a way, the level of befuddlement on display there.

As he moved through the light crowd nearby, turned around in a full circle about three times and then allowing his shoulders to slump in a very visible sign of defeat, he turned his head and noticed her. Before she could say or do anything, it looked like he made up his mind.

He was going to ask the first person he saw for help. She was the help.

“Excuse me, miss,” he stated with exasperation but trying (and failing) to hide it, “Could you help me find a particular dorm room?”

Upon her stated assent, he glanced down at the name and full address, then looked up and gave it. The address that rolled off his tongue…

Was her own.

“T-This is yours?” exclaimed the worker with great relief coming over him, “Great! Well, then let me just follow you back to your place and I’ll set it at the door for you. Don’t want you carrying it too much!”

The gentlemanly approach with a touch of consideration for a young girl who might not want a strange man entering her residence. A rare good person then.

There was a pause as he glanced at the box again, a glint of awe in his eyes now. She would already know why.

“And congratulations…”

A whole new world was waiting for her in that box. It was already screaming for her to open it up, get ready, and leave this planet behind.

Tag: Ryu @Pax Vikkin

________________________
~Smith Household, United States~

It was always nice to do a simple job, get it done, and progress with one’s day. It was especially nice when said job actually brought a smile to people’s faces when they received something highly anticipated and valued. Didn’t even need to say anything, Randal could just enjoy the radiance on their faces when he brought whatever item(s) they had been waiting for.

To be on the flip side of that was always interesting. Especially when it was from a big raffle that he never expected to really win. The box containing the Hermes System and the game, Odyssey of Fantasy, was just being delivered to him at his doorstep by a coworker of his to top it off.

Randal had seen him pull up in the truck nearby.

The labeling on the box, plus the return address, revealed what was inside for those who gave it any thought. His coworker, a portly and amiable fellow by the name of Gregory, clearly did.

“Ya really cashed in some karma or somethin’ didn’t ya, Randy?” the man in his older thirties joked as he handed it over.

With a point of a finger at it, he added, “Make sure to save me a turn some time, huh?”

Time. Something he had, given that even though it was a Monday, he had decided to take some vacation time given the recent winnings and projected delivery date. It was right when it was supposed to be.

Time to enjoy it.

Tag: Randal @Achelous

________________________
~Busan, South Korea~

Time. So much of it had gone into the very thing held in his hands. So much of it had passed him by as he feverishly set himself toward its creation. So much of it had been filled with pain, tribulation, endless deadlines, and midnight tears.

The salt of those tears were still tasted, the pangs of the past still harbored within his heart. But Bin Hyun-Sang, infamous creator of Hermes and OoF was finally at the summit of all of it.

Sixty years. Sixty long, long years in the making had led to this grand moment. More than he had originally expected, though he was foolish to have once thought it would have taken less. Ah, the naïveté of youth.

But no more. In his hands he held the world.

The world he had sculpted out of nothing but dreams and desires. Out of hope and despair. Sometimes with nothing more than a candle to light his workspace and a small bowl of rice to fill his stomach as he lived from tight paycheck to paycheck…checks he mostly used to fund his dream. Now a dream shared by 25,000 others.

This dream of fantasy and the odyssey it was about to begin.

Let the Auspices toll their coming for nothing would ever be the same again.

Tag: Hyun-Sang @Darth_Elu

________________________
~Vancouver, Canada~

The bells of the nearby community square were ringing the time for the whole area to hear. With the answering bark of her dog, Leo, she knew it was time to get moving. With a signal and a little bit of insistence, the canine would gladly return to its owner and walk with Lily home.

It was about this time that supposedly that she was to get the new FDVR system, the Hermes and its game Odyssey of Fantasy, delivered to her place. Oops! She had lost track of the time! At least her roommate, Anastasia, was still there to pick it up for her.

Strolling on her way there with her four-legged companion, Lily would likely note some similarities in the nearby park she passed with the famous painting A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. Albeit with more modern clothing on the subjects’ clothing, naturally.

Art. It was the core of who she was and it would be an amazing thing to compare the beauty and art of the real world with this supposed ‘full dive’ VR one. A world that was purported to be as real as real? No way it was true, but if somehow….

What a surreal experience to have. In its own way, an achievement in art in one form, was it not? One could argue that virtual reality was real time interaction with a world sized painting. Or however you chose to phrase it.

Anastasia was one of the few out there not really interested, but she knew she’d be waiting eagerly to hear the gossip and review of Lily’s future experiences!

As she neared home, it wasn’t long before her roommate was sticking her head out of a window and waving in her direction. Yep.

It was waiting for her.

Tag: Lily @Zarithea Netherward

________________________
~London, United Kingdom~

It was waiting for her.

That chance! That opportunity on the great stage of West End Theatre and even the silver screens of perhaps as far away as Hollywood itself! The spotlight shining down upon her, the cameras rolling, everyone’s attention on her.

But Sam Whitman was no longer herself. She was another in another place during another era. Her name may be the one in lights, but when audiences came to see her, they would forget it all only to know the character she so embodied…

Pausing her re-enactment of a small self-made script for practice in front of the mirror at her home, Sam would wonder again for the millionth time how long it was going to take to even get close to such a daydream. She was still determined of course, but still. The café server gig was getting a little stale.

With a sigh, the short-haired blonde would gaze upon herself for a moment to think her silent thoughts then turn away to look back at her nearby bed. On it lay her most recent birthday present from her Aunt. There was something fascinatingly mysterious about that woman.

Odyssey of Fantasy and the whole Hermes System. Only one of 125 distributed in the UK and 25,000 in the entire world. How did she manage to get her hands on it? Whatever the truth, she had done it and let her know yesterday with a flourish and a grin that would make any actress proud.

Just about a half hour ago, she had received it but had not yet opened it because she had wanted to finish her daily acting practice. Had to keep her skills up after all!

But now it was starting to pull at her. Curiosity was getting the better of her and if it was truly such the first ‘Full Dive’ VR game as stated, with a world that felt as real as Earth…that was surely the greatest acting practice of all, right?

There, she could finally…

Tag: Samantha @Roderick Clifton

________________________
~Mol, Belgium~

Forget.

More than anything, that was what Jule craved. All the fighting, all the horror, all of the overwhelming expectation. Sometimes even the happy faces of the ones who heralded her and veterans like her, who praised her and sang of their heroics in all the objectively pointless bloodshed going on across the world.

Too much. It was all just too much. She needed an escape and upon hearing of the Hermes System and its game, Odyssey of Fantasy, she couldn’t help but ponder that this might be just that. The idea of the suit was frightening, even if it was nothing like the Mobile Armor from her combat days. There was not even a need to move, just put it, the gloves, and the helmet on…then find a place to lay or sit down. The mind would be doing all the work, the clothing was all just a way to send feel the stimulus of the virtual environment.

Rather ingenious, whoever figured out how to do it.

But still, it was similar enough. But the chance to just forget it all and immerse in something. No. Someone else, was overpowering. When she learned she had actually managed to be one of the people chosen to receive it…

The mix of emotions was hard to describe. It was a tumultuous cascade effect of one to another.

The doorbell went off just then and that mix of emotions was back. She knew exactly what was at the door.

And it wanted to be put on.

Tag: Jule @Vaarra Cudol

________________________
~Incheon, South Korea~

Off! Could someone take those horrible socks off! They were really itching his feet and bending down to do it himself right now, while possible, would hurt far more than he wanted to experience right now.

Jae Dong was suffering one little bit of humiliation after another lately, or at least that was how it felt. First was the injury in Hawaii, then was the subsequent and logical early ending of said Hawaii stay, followed by a terrible hospital stay…Then being transferred back to South Korea only to stay at another hospital (out of precaution) for a while, then (you seeing a pattern here?) forcibly sent to stay back at his parents place in Incheon to finish recovering. Of all places!

So they could baby him. Granted, he was in no position to argue that, but still! Now to top it all off, were these horribly itchy socks he was wearing that his mother had put on him. They had even woken him up from one of the rare pleasant naps he had had recently. UGH! And they were ugly too!

It was best to not even mention what the online E-Sports tabloids were likely saying about his injuries and speculation whether he’d “ever come back the same,” etc. etc. Seriously. There was even talk about pulling of sponsorships for his tournament gaming endeavors and even for his manga! And that wasn’t even related to his success in the FGC!

To say that N00bKill3R13 was feeling like the ultimate n00b right now may be understating it. A lot.

“Jae Dong…”

And there was sweet ol’ Mom coming up the steps to his room, right on cue. This day officially sucked. Just like the last…however many it had been now. At least she could take the socks off.

When she entered the room in that quiet manner of hers, the woman gave her usual sad smile, but it was not her expression nor the thought of the socks being removed that caught his attention. It was what was in her hands.

“This just came for you. Like we discussed before, we’ll put it on when you are ready, but we have to be really careful, okay?”

Hermes FDVR System. Odyssey of Fantasy. There just might be some hope for this day after all.

Tag: Jae Dong @Shao Kang

________________________
~Oliver Apartment, New Zealand~

Hope. It was that thing that a struggling 24 year old student and semi-pro gamer clung to like a climber to their mountain. The grades, the gaming success, the maintaining of constant viewers, the paychecks to pay for it all…

Kenny would blink her eyes as a stray thought occurred to her. Food. She hadn’t eaten yet. With a flick of her eyes toward the computer screen, where she had just been setting up for her daily stream time, she noted the time on the upper right hand corner of the screen.

She only had five minutes until showtime and if she was going to keep people coming back, being punctual was very much a thing for a live streamer in this day and age. Well, she would have to decide what to do real quick on that score. Whether racing to grab something some small for now, allowing herself to be a bit late for something more substantial, or forgoing food for just a little longer. Just an hour stream today. Surely one hour wouldn’t hurt. Something to consider.

Though this stream was going to be a big one. She had gotten a lot of activity when she had revealed that she was one of the few people who had managed to get their hands on the Hermes System and its game, Odyssey of Fantasy. Seemed pretty sweet. Best thing of all, of all the “Kiwis” who did, she was only one of 7 who were streaming like this to showcase it.

More views in the bag. There was that word in the back of her mind again. Hope.

While she couldn’t show what she would actually see to her viewers, she’d have to figure out if she could do that later on, Kenny could definitely speak aloud what she saw in real time. Should be pretty exciting! She knew she’d be watching if she wasn’t the one having the awesome time playing.

The suit was on and ready, she just needed to put on the gloves and helmet, but that was reserved for stream time. Nothing like a good build up.

But first. That pesky food problem.

Tag: Kenny @Minzim Malaza

________________________
~The Ultimate Gamer Cave, Somewhere in the United States~

Food? Check. Drinks? Check. Priceless gamer memorabilia? Check. Official GetGood42069 banner? Still in place. Check. Area to relax in once within the very first Full Dive VR world ever? Check. Suit, gloves, and helmet of the Hermes System? Check. Odyssey of Fantasy prepared for whenever he was? Check.

There was a little ritual to these things for types like him. Joe knew this well. It was second nature to him by now, as normal as breathing. A disruption to any of this Pre-Gaming checklist for a sweet pro gamer of his caliber, world renown (check it, baby), would be as startling as the sun coming up at night. Especially for a first time play for a game of this history-making level. It just doesn’t happen. He was in his zone now.

And don’t get it twisted. Joe was most definitely in his zone. This Korr Avana world had no idea what it was in for. He was the best ever gamer the world had ever seen (ignore the critics, they’re losers), had a ton more in tank, and he even had his own security detail outside his place to make sure he was undisturbed.

Don’t ask.

He had already researched everything that was supplied ahead of time to be fully prepared for when he ‘dived.’ The big question for Joe now, before he even put on the helmet was the biggest one of all. One of identity.

What would his character be this time around? What kind of class build would he aim for? Whatever he chose was going to become iconic (no doubt), so it was good to think these things through carefully.

All jokes of vanity aside, his research (and partly whim) showed that an Orkra Warrior build seemed like a fun one to delve into. He could switch it up later if he didn’t like it, play with the other options. The berserker spec had caught his eye too. Only one way to know for sure.

It was time to Get Good.

Tag: Joe @Yorr Muarhmah

________________________
~Error…Error, Classified Location~

A good day. Sunshine streaming down through the trees. Laughter and outstretched hands. Twirling and twirling as foot was placed past foot in spinning revelry.

Clapping hands and a nearby singsong voice. The melody of the chirping birds carrying over all.

The smell of cooking food wafting through the air and setting mouths a-drooling. Blueberry pie? Yes, that was definitely blueberry pie!

Dreams of morsels. More laughter.

Fun.

Nothing could ever go wrong in this valley of happiness.

Tag: [Classified] @Twylla Mirtheart

________________________
~Althaus Home, Germany~

Thirty years old. Town hall administrator. Degree of Computer Sciences amounting to a road to nowhere. “Out of date” and “out of touch.” Deadend keeping her from progressing further.

This was how it often felt for Sofie. But with all the stresses and disappointments, for all the setbacks and frustrations, she still had her safety net. Her passion and joy.

The world of online blogging! Furthermore, she got to talk about all things tech. Especially her deep love of gaming and the history of consoles. One glance at the SNES that was still nice and neatly kept safe in its usual spot and you could tell she was a gamer at heart.

Art History was a thing. Why was Gaming History not a course taught at universities by now? The advances brought forth from it were just as innovative and progressive. Idle thought, but it was true. Just look at the prize that had just arrived from the courier about ten minutes ago. The suit was laid on the table, the gloves and helmet set atop it gently. Odyssey of Fantasy was already ready to go. It was all there.

Sofie just had to fire up her blog and write a quick ecstatic “guess what!” entry before hopping into this new fabled land waiting for her. The first ever Full Dive VRMMORPG and she got to be among the first 25,000 people to be in it? It was like she was the one making history!

Maybe, just maybe, she had finally found something that could proudly take up a place right next to the legendary SNES.

Just what things would she discover in this whispered about ‘Korr Avana’ that she could later detail for her readers?

Tag: Sofie @Eshe

________________________
~Nairobi, Kenya~

Standing outside the tall building of Nairobi Designs, he was a fine specimen of humanity. Clean, proud, stylish, visibly successful with a clear path upwards into the stratosphere of corporate, and in fine health. Add in the box tucked under his arm that held his newly won prize that he had made sure was delivered to his work rather than home, seeing as he was most likely to be encountered there, and you had a man who seemed to have it all figured out.

Finishing up his last —planned— business call of the day, and pocketing his cell phone; Araarsa would feel the metaphorical weight of his profession slough off of him. Another busy day done. Lots of lucrative advertising deals, especially for numerous commercial spots on television and online, were handled expertly. And now he could head home, eat a very late (or early depending on how you looked at it) meal, then get some sleep.

Leaving work around 2 am was nothing for him, it just came with the profession. When you were the Head of Marketing for a big business like his? You best come with the right mindset or you weren’t going to make it. Drive was everything.

As he moved toward his car, Araarsa likely looked to the box in his arms again. This was something new however. And even at this hour, rather exciting he had to admit. Maybe after getting a bite to eat, he’d just get set up and sneak a quick peek before bed?

The side of him that still yearned for simple fun and freedom, his inner child who refused to give up its enthusiasm as his mother liked to say, was still very awake evidently.

First to get home and then maybe…

Tag: Araarsa @Alusan Zaruul

________________________
~Sakuma Home, United States~

Maybe this was a chance for something new?

The time tick-tocked away quietly on the clock on the wall nearby. There was only a slight ambience from the television in the next room that had been put on low volume not long ago. Otherwise it was fairly still and quiet throughout his home. The food on the table within a few inches of him was cold and nearly untouched, the beads of condensation running down the currently forgotten can of his chosen drink next to it, the smoke curling up coyly through the air from the cigarette that hung limply in his hand.

Ryo was leaning back in his chair, one hand on said table, the other held almost peculiarly frozen in mid air with that cigarette just lightly wafting forgotten as he stared at the device on the other end of this table. The whole point had been Teddy. Always, always Teddy.

Tick tock.

But now that he learned that only he managed to procure one of these Hermes things and its game, The Odyssey of Fantasia or whatever, what was the point now? Something new? All the commercials and taglines, and the outside of its box proclaimed it was the ultimate escape from the world and all its troubles. A fulfillment of wishes.

A true fantasy.

Did Ryo even remember what that was like anymore? Finally setting the cigarette down into his favored ashtray, he leaned forward and clasped his hands together while staring ever more intently at the thing.

Maybe it was time to try something new. Perhaps he could rediscover what it was like to just play.

Thoughts to swirl in the air alongside the smoke, as silently as ghosts. As serious as anything he had ever considered before, unbeknownst to him.

Was it time for an odyssey?

Tag: Ryo @Bear Korr Avana

 

OOC: Guess I'll go first?
***
Jae Dong Kim
~Incheon, South Korea~

Jay stared at the box his mother was carrying. He’d hardly heard a word she said.

“Jae Dong…” She’d said, or was still saying. It was hard to tell at the moment.

All he could do was stare at the logo and read the words on the box. Hermes FDR System. Odyssey of Fantasy. It was a dream come true. No, seriously.

The itchy socks felt less itchy for now. He wasn’t feeling as guilty for missing Kenny Oliver’s livestream, what with time zones being a thing. He wasn’t as pissed at the Stunt Director of ‘Two Kingdoms at War: A Zombie Apocalypse’ dropping him from the active roster because of his injuries. He needed 4-6 weeks of recovery, according to the doctors, despite feeling a lot better. At least he could move now, if a bit slow.

“This just came for you. Like we discussed before, we’ll put it on when you are ready, but we have to be really careful, okay?”

“Hmmm?” Jay blinked, realizing his mom had been talking all along.

“Ma, I’m ready now.” Jae Dong said, protesting the very idea he would have to wait.

“….been waiting for this, like forever.” Jay, made a pouting face as he swung himself around slowly. He was too excited and wanted a closer look at the box, which his mom placed on a nearby desk.

“Please, speak in complete sentences dear, and you know how your father feels about needless exaggerations.”

“Yeah, yeah...” Jay rolled his eyes as he shook his head lightly. He loved his parents very much, but having gone to boarding school in England and America had had some liberating effects on him.

“Ma, could you…..could you please get these socks off?” Jae Dong almost pleaded as he pointed at offending garments. Where did they ever get these fuzzy neon yellow things? He wondered. It wasn’t like his feet were cold either. Mom probably just assumed his feet would be cold since they weren’t under the covers, but he was just taking an unscheduled nap. The air conditioner wasn’t even up that high. How did she get in anyway? Wasn’t the door locked? He really needed to get back to his own place in Chicago.

Jay tried not to make a face as his mom removed his socks. He felt a bit flushed with embarrassment at being this helpless at his age, though he did his best to keep it from showing on his face.

“There.”

Thanks mom.” Jae Dong beamed at his mother with a big smile, which she responded to with a smile on her own. “What is it dear?” She said after a pause, and they both chuckled. She knew when he smiled at her like that, he wanted something from her.

Jae Dong slowly descended from the bed and moved towards the box, his mother watched him carefully, bit did don’t prevent him.

“Sorry to ask, but could you help me with the suit? I think I’m going to need your help.”

Someone wasn't going to make things easy. Mom canted her head and made a questioning face.

“Please….?” Jae Dong nearly begged, not believing that he'd have to go so far as to make puppy eyes at his mother. He hadn’t done that in a million years. Still, he was going to need more ammunition than that, if he wished for results.

“Only specially selected people all over the world got the box today, and this system, it will change the world, ma. No, seriously. Not only that, but the Hermes System was created by the one and only supra genius Bin Hyun Sang! Google him! No, seriously !”

As expected, she seemed unconvinced. Of course, she was unconvinced. She wasn’t a gamer. But she was a mother.

“Pleeeaaassssee?”

Jay had been unpacking the whole time, placing the system on the table and the suit on the bed. His excitement was all too palpable. How was he supposed to contain the thrill of that moment. This was gaming history!

“Very well, dear. I will help you?”

“Eomma, saranghae….”

Jae Dong turned red as he went in for a quick hug which his mom did not refuse. “I love you too, dear.” She said right back, accepting his words and offered affection as welcome payment in exchange for her assistance. It was nice to have Jae Dong back at home, even if for just a month or two. If only he would find a real job.

“Ok, ok…” Jay slowly separated and smiled, having ‘emotionally bribed’ his mom for help. Oh, the things he had to do for this game. Thanks Hawaii, he thought ruefully, but just for the briefest moment. He wasn't going to let his injury ruin the moment.

Jae Dong stood, looking from the Full Dive suit, then to his mom, and finally at his PJ’s. He turned red again.


“Could you….uhm……turn around. Please?”

Ok, now this was way awkward.

“You’re my son...”

“Ma, no, seriously….OMG!”

Mom chuckled and slowly turned. Gotta make this quick before I die of embarrassment.

Well, sadly, the first attempt did not go as planned, nor did the second, but the third finally paid off. Getting his arms into the suit was the tricky part, so they had to find the best way to make that happen. Thankfully, Jay did not die of embarrassment as he he'd expected, but perhaps felt that he should have.

In the last month, his ex-girlfriend back in the U.S., a couple of nurses at the hospital and and now his mom, had seen him in his ‘underoos’. That track record needed to change, and fast. But the worst was over.

To his surprise, the VR suit fit like a body glove.It was kind of amazing actually. The sensation was ‘out of this world’, to be honest. If he could, he would have jumped for joy!

Stay focused.

“Thanks Ma!” Jay waved at his mom enthusiastically as she was finally exiting his room. He was quite grateful for her help, all things considered. He couldn’t have gotten this far without her.

“I’ll check in on you soon, dear. Please, enjoy then tell me all about it later.”

“I will.” Jay promised, choosing not to focus on the fact that he was still being asked to report on his experiences, even at this age. He was no longer a pre-teen, why couldn’t they see that. Guess they couldn’t help it. Parents will be parents.

Turning around as soon as the door closed, Jay found himself grinning as he picked up the Hermes FDVR Helmet and held it in his hands.

Suddenly the awesomeness of what he was about to do hit him. Once he put on the helmet and initiated the system, nothing would ever be the same. Everything he had ever known would possibly pale in comparison, or maybe he was over-estimating what the Hermes FDVR could do. Well, there was only one way to find out.

Jay let out a deep exhale and took in a sharp breath.

“Thank you Hyung Sang.”

The absolute thrill of the moment returned as he slowly donned the helmet. What would the welcome screen look like, what name would he give his character, what class would he be? What race? What would the starter area look like? Would he create or join a clan? So many questions….it was beyond thrilling.

And so, Jay slipped on the helmet over his head, and even before he could think it, he was already pressing ‘PLAY’.

A brand new world was about to begin.

“Watch out gamers!”


Tag: @Darth_Elu

 

Ryu Hyun

Hyun's eyes grew wide in excitement as she realized what the box was. She gave a little yelp of excitement jumping up and down with a burst of energy as she grabbed the box from the man.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she found herself saying, each thank you squeezed together to form a singular long word.

She burst back into her dorm room, neat and organized with a touch of mess to suggest she wasn't completely straight-laced. Without hesitation or second thought she dived into her box. The university was not in session, given that it was summer and all, so she would have plenty of time to lose herself in the world of Korr Avana.

A broad smile made its way firmly onto her face as she began to go through the contents looking through the various aspects of the Hermes system her thanks going out to the creator, whose first name she half shared.

It would not be long before she had the suit on, tighter than she expected but oh well, time to get to the gameplay. She remembered from the promotional material about all the different races and how desperately she wanted to play an Xskiva. She had been engrossed in the lore of the game too, taking in as much of the details as she could.

She wondered if she wanted to play a big strong insect, or no maybe a little dainty female Xskiva with wings, almost like a little insect fairy. Na, the idea of monk style Xskiva appealed to her too much. Maybe for a second playthrough, she would go with the other one.

TAG: @Darth_Elu

 

Mike O'Reilly

Mike looked Josie up and down, examining and undressing her with his eyes. The COO had always harbored a thing for his secretary. Josie was always there for him, willing to keep the darkest of Mike's secrets.

Understood Josie, and by the way, your dress, it's beautiful, it really compliments your eyes and smile.

Josie's mouth went agape for a second as she stared at Mike and blinked a few times.

Oh, thank you, sir. You've never complimented me like that before, not since I helped you with that load last week. What brought this on?

Nothing brought it on Josie, you're always there to help me in times of need and I really do appreciate that.

Mike stood up from his desk and looked Josie in the eyes as he approached her. Meanwhile, Josie slowly backed herself into a wall, her heart racing, her skin flustered.

Y-you really mean that s-sir? I always assumed we were nothing more beyond- you know--- us.

Mike once again closed the distance, this time he was a mere few inches from her. Josie's breath now grew rapidly, her skin sending shivers up her spine with every step Mike took towards her.

Why would you think that Josie, you're important to me, you are the single most important person in my life.

Mike placed his hand on the small of Josie's back. Josie jolted at this and after a few seconds passed by of the pair staring into each other's eyes, she giggled and melted into Mike's arm, clinging to his chest. Josie could be here for an eternity, she's never felt this way about anyone before. The pair had known each other for two decades and yet they never officially got together. Josie knew why, it was something out of Mike's control as he was nothing more than a puppet to his father. Josie could only imagine the pain and torment Mike must be feeling inside, having his life decided for him.

"Micheal, I.....I"

Josie struggled, her mouth trembled as she smelled Mike's cologne. It was very soothing, a scent of a true gentleman, it made her feel safe in this cold cruel world. Right then and there Jose knew that this is where she wanted to be forever.

"I love you, Mikey, I'll always be there for you no matter what. You complete me like no man ever has, you fill me with so much joy."

Mike smirked at Josie, " Do you mean that literally or metaphorically?"

Josie also smirked at this and looked Mike in the eyes as if he was now a piece of meat, "Why don't you kiss me and find out?"

"Close your eyes, Josie."

Josie followed Mike's orders and closed her eyes, her heart pounding, her skin tingling. This was it Mike was finally accepting his feeling for her!

"Good Girl~"

Mike cocked his head back............








and headbutted Josie directly on the bridge of her nose!!


Disoriented Josie grabbed the bridge of her nose but before she could say anything Mike kicked her in the gut grabbed her head and............................................



Stone-cold stunner, stone-cold stunner out of nowhere!!

Josie flipped all around the room, the momentum of the stunner was too much for her to handle. Once Josie's body stopped bouncing a referee suddenly came into the room and counted.

1.........

2.........

3........

Ding-Ding-Ding!!!!


Mike looked down at his fallen secretary and said the most awesome line ever,


"Micheal 3:16 says I just whooped your a**!"

With that Mike's theme song started playing as he crab-walked his way out of work. Normally this would be considered assault but thank god for the fact that employers had recently been allowed to get away with more against their employees due to new laws and WWP being very corrupt as they pay off anyone who'd try to get them in trouble for such actions.

Anyway, Mike drove to his condo and booted up the console, and started creating his character, he saw the Keldbi and read their bio, vowing to become the best Keldbi of all time!! Even surpassing the former overlord!!


MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

@Darth_Elu

 

IC Jule Smiray
Mol, Belgium

The doorbell rang, Jule knew what was coming today, knew what it had to be at the door. But her instincts still made her hesitate. One gloved hand slid under the pillow she’d been resting her head on, on the couch, settling on the hilt of the combat knife that was always close to hand. Even so near, or especially so near, the largest base in the country, this country had strict weapons laws, her knife would already get her in trouble, the unlicensed needle railgun hidden in a compartment behind the living room radiator would have her jailed in a heartbeat.

Her other hand lifted a tablet from the coffee table next to her, one finger touching the icon for the video doorbell app. When the camera lit, it displayed the distinctive purple and black outfit of a Fed/Ex driver, a handcart with a long, not too wide, or deep package on it.

”Can I help you?” she asked, curiosity and dismissal both in her tone.

“Mademoiselle, ahhh, Miss Smiray?” the young Wallonian driver asked, his French accent slipping in, always nervous delivering in this area.

”I am Jule Smiray” she said as she turned her hips, slowly standing, the long, razor sharp knife in an underhand grasp as she moved silently toward the door, the tablet showing her the man looking around as her neighbor’s doors opened and heads peeked out.

“Delivery for you Miss. I need your signature for this package.” the nervousness in his voice was growing as more attention was focused on him.

”Leave the dolly and the package by the door and step back four paces.”

He stood it up then moved back as she’d directed. The electronic pad in his hand shook slightly, the veterans that lived here were known to be unstable which was why those who took this route were paid extra for doing so.

The door cracked open and a lock of white hair was the first thing he saw, followed by an elfin face, piercing seafoam colored eyes sweeping over him before turning to the package. There was the sound of items being set on a table by the door before the woman stepped out of the house.

Jule approached the package, her hands tracing over the hardshell case, trembling as they moved. It was thinner than she thought. The case was 1.8m tall, 40cm deep to account for the helmet, and 60cm wide. The package label appeared authentic, so she turned to the driver, ”What do you need so I can sign for it?” her voice trembling almost as much as her fingers had.

“Your identity chip.” the driver said, stepping forward a pace then stopping and dropping back a couple steps, scanner held out in a shaking hand as Jule dropped into a combat stance, her artificial left leg whining as it moved.

Jule shook her head, this man wasn’t a threat, far from it, but instinct was hard to put to the side. There were chuckles coming from the still open doors to either side which made her blush. She straightened and held out her right hand, palm up.

The driver stepped up again, watching her closely, directing the scanner to the inside of her wrist. It lit, beeping, as her identity was confirmed, “Do you want me to wheel it in?” he asked haltingly.

Jule stepped back into her house, swiftly opening the drawer of the little table by the door and sweeping the knife into it before shutting it, ”Please.” she replied then stepped out of the way as he dropped the box inside then almost ran back to his truck, the dolly bouncing behind him. The engine of his truck revved and the tires squealed as he put the pedal down, breathing out a sigh of relief as he left this neighborhood of ‘le fou’, the insane.

Glancing out of her door, at her still curious neighbors, ”I’ll let you know how it is, if it’s worth it.” she told her nearest neighbor, a German who’d been in one of the last regular armor units as they were transitioned out of service while the Mobile Suits had come online.

Shutting her door, the electronic and thick bolt locks sliding into place and activating, she sighed, glad to be alone once more. Well...alone except for a full body suit once more. She stumped to the kitchen, her left leg dragging slightly, she reminded herself she needed to see the base doctor again to have it recalibrated but that was for later.

Taking a wine glass from where it hung from its stem above the island, she opened the wine fridge, taking out an already open Gato Negro Riesling, filling her glass halfway before walking back into the living room. Placing her glass on a coaster on the coffee table she retrieved the tablet and her knife, setting both on the table by the glass. Picking up the glass again, she too a sip, breathing in the perfume of the wine as she stared at the case.

The wine swirled and shook in the glass as time passed, the square of light coming from her front window sliding across the ground. She’d taken a chance to take part in this MMORPG and now it was time. But...it meant she had to put on a suit again. The glass almost cracked as she slammed it down on the coaster, memories welling inside her.

She could see squad as it was attacked, the less well equipped opponents having found ways to attack the Mobile Suits that the military hadn’t managed to counter yet. Her artificial shin rebounded from the coffee table as her leg shot out in memory of the insurgent who had stabbed a blade through the knee joint and almost completely cut her leg off, a moan escaping her lips.

As tears flowed and she tried to regroup she almost grabbed the case and threw it out onto the lawn. The only thing that stopped her was that she knew she had to take the chance and this was probably the safest way to interact with people, when they didn’t know her or that it was her, at all. Finally she set down the almost empty glass again, lifting the knife from the table.

Running the blade along the seam, she cut the customs tape that had been placed there. Finally she placed the same wrist the driver had scanned against the lockplate. It clicked and the seam hissed as it read her chip and accepted that she was the intended recipient. Curling her fingers around the seam she lifted, the lid falling back.

She couldn’t look at it yet, stalled by retreating to the kitchen for another glass of the Reisling before returning to the living room and the open crate. Her trembling fingers ran over the slick black suit nestled in the foam inside. There were small electronics attached here and there; she supposed they were the various synaptic feedback that would allow her body to feel what her character was doing. But, what made her truly tremble was that the suit was almost a duplicate for the undersuit one would wear before donning their Mobile Armor.

Leaning back against the cushions of the couch she sipped the wine again, trying to find the courage to pull the suit out of the box. Finally she did so, the fabric a not so subtle reminder of her days in the military. Which gave her pause. Opening the suit she checked the interior connections. They were standard but a cramp reminded her of another need. Pulling out the manual she flipped through it to find what she was looking for.

“Official recommendation per regulations is sessions of no longer than four hours for one’s health.”

She read the line several times, blowing out a breath in relief, it would be awkward, especially right now, if the immersion time was too long.

Downing the last of the wine in one gulp she steeled herself to put it on. Pressing a button on her tablet, the outer shutters dropped over her windows and the lights came up inside. Undressing, the scars of her injuries were more obvious, welts crisscrossing her body, the metal and gears of her lower left leg, a pair of fingers that had the same sheen. She shivered, even in the warmth of the room as she pulled the suit on.

The fabric felt smooth as she pulled it on, slick against her skin and scars. When she reached her waist she grimaced, the fiddly bits were never fun to set up so she hurried through them as much as she could without hurting herself. Grunting as she finished and the suit melded to her, she reached behind, using the long cord to zip the back until she felt the click as it closed at her neck.

Finally, there was just the helmet. She reached into the box, taking the black, except for the electronics, featureless helmet out. As she lifted it toward her head the scent, so familiar but different made her toss the helmet onto the far corner of the couch. ”No...no...no, I can’t, smells just like…” she muttered.

The coffee table scraped over the floor as she stood suddenly, the slipper portion of the suit unsatisfyingly making no noise as she stomped back into the kitchen, taking the entire bottle of wine and tossing the cork in the sink for now. Holding it by the neck of the bottle she stomped back into the living room. Standing in front of the couch, staring down at the helmet, she downed a deep drink of the wine. The last of the sunlight faded from on the shutters, the now empty wine bottle rolled on the floor as Jule sat back down on the couch. She’d promised herself, she had to do this, to try to find a way to keep going, to try to take part in life again.

Sighing, more than a little tipsy, she picked up the helmet once more. She’d put her hair up in a messy bun earlier as she had contemplated whether she could do this or not and she pulled the helmet over it, then jammed it down on her head. The cool darkness was broken only by a click and then the sound of the electronics coming to life as they connected to the suit.

This was it, she was about to begin the game, to take part for the first time and it terrified her, she had no idea how she was going to be her character, how she would play, if she could even interact with others, even in a game.

And then a bright white flash burst before her eyes as the first note of the game's theme song began…

TAG: @Darth_Elu

 

IC: Sofie Althaus
~Althaus Home, Germany~

The subway carriage had been crowded at that time of day, as workers, school kids and any other category of commuter made their journeys home. The train carriage smelt faintly of cheese, sweat and the cloying scent of hairspray, that particular scent being provided by a group of screechy schoolgirls who thought this was the opportune time to play hairdresser.

Sofie Althaus took a long sip of the bottle of diet cola that she cradled in her hands. She wasn't really one for soda, having being constantly advised that it "Rots your insides" but she had started to flag about three-quarters of the way through her shift at work, and was hoping the caffeine would give her a much needed kick up the backside.

Work had been... Tedious. A morning of Document review, followed by minute taking, compiling an expenses report and then being called upon to sort out the jammiest of paper jams ever seen in an office printer. A lukewarm lunch of leftover lasagne in a Tupperware box, Then having to take the fourth phone call in a week from little old Frau Baumgarten, who was complaining about her neighbours tree supposedly encroaching onto her property, and threatening to go to the press should the town hall fail to heed her complaint. The cherry on top the stale cake was her being "mansplained" to by a colleague after she put forward a suggestion on improvements to the functionality of the town halls web portal...

It was the same pretty much every day, trapped in the dead-end. Road to nowhere. Maybe should could find the road to somewhere, but something was stopping her. Fear perhaps. Fear of further rejection. Fear of the unknown. Yes her job was dead-end. But dead-end was also safe, constant, Familiar.

But despite her day, there was something waiting at home that meant she had willed the day to move faster.

The train made an announcement, and started to slow as it entered the next station. Sofie picked up the back-back that was at her feet, put the half-drunk bottle inside and stood, making her way towards the carriage doors. disembarking from the train, into the open air of the platform, she breathed in the cool early evening air, glad to be free of both the train and her responsibilities, at least until tomorrow. A 10 minute walk down a tree lined street brought her to the front door of her apartment block.

She entered her apartment and closed the door, hanging up her bag and removing her shoes. The apartment was quiet, only the hum of a refrigerator in her small kitchenette greeted her. It also felt a little chilly, having not been occupied all day. Her Hazel eyes fell immediately onto the items that were laid out carefully upon her small dining table. The suit. The gloves. The helmet. The courier had arrived early this morning, and she had only enough time to unbox the contents before having to leave for work. The system had been set up ready to go. She still couldn't believe she had been so lucky to be one of the first to own the Brand new Hermes Gaming System. Another technological marvel which would most likely make its mark on gaming history.

Throughout the years there had always been a piece of technology that stood out above all others. She found the world of tech fascinating, and this love of tech also caused a deep love of gaming and the history of consoles. She glanced at a unit across from her, which had various pieces of tech and gaming memorabilia upon it. Her gaze fell onto one of her most prized pieces. A SNES from all the way back in 1992! Still nice and neatly kept safe in its usual spot.

She wanted nothing more than to throw the suit on right now, but she refrained for the moment, and instead, picked up her laptop from the coffee table and logged onto her blog. Her fingers dancing across the keys as she composed a new entry, an experienced touch typer.

---

July 15, 2047
“Guess What!”

Hey guys!

First off, as always, thank you for your continued support for my blog, I really is very much appreciated! It looks like a lot of you enjoyed my last video essay on video game Peripherals: If there are any topics you would like me to cover in future blog entries please let me know, leave me a message below, as well as any comments, suggestions for improvements etc. I'd love to hear from you!

I actually have some massive news. I have been extremely lucky to become one of the first recipients of the brand new Hermes System! Yes, the brain child of the legendary innovator Bin Hyun-Sang, I cannot tell you how much hype there is for this new system. Currently the release is limited to 125 units in Germany, and 125 units in other selected countries. How crazy is that! I believe the system will be rolled out on general release some time in the future, but details have yet to be fully confirmed.

Forget your Occulus rifts, and your Playstation VR's, this looks like its going to revolutionize gaming and I feel so so excited to jump in and experience it for the first time. It only has one title at release, and that is Odyssey of Fantasy. I love MMORPGS so this is right up my alley, and they say this is as immersive as they come, which is really exciting!

Be sure to check in in a few days, I'll have a new video up giving you an overview of the system itself, the suit and associated accessories, my first impressions and I really hope to be able to capture some footage to share with you all (Might need to rejig my capture software first though! So please be patient on that front )

Exciting times ahead, for sure

Yours

Sofie

---

With a press of a button, Sofie uploaded her blog post, a small smile crossing her lips as she closed the laptop and stood. One last thing. She moved her coffee table to one side, Clearing some more space for her to stand. Satisfied, she approached the table and picked up the suit and gloves, regarding them for a brief moment before disappearing into her bedroom to change.

The suit looked like it would be tight and difficult to put on, but the fabric glided easily. Some sort of space age material? She mused as she continued to dress. She looked at herself in the mirror, and did a few cursory stretches to see how the material would react. There was no tightness or awkward pulling or gathering. She flexed her fingers in the gloves, again, no issues. "Very cool" she thought as she pulled her hair into a high ponytail.

Exiting back into the living area, she picked up the helmet. She was nervous. Why was she nervous? She pushed the nerves away and put on the helmet.

She pressed the play button

Here we go!

TAG: @Darth_Elu

 

IC: Randal
~Smith Household, United States~

It was a blessing to have work these days, a simple job, and clear goals. Most days that was - don't drop the box labeled fragile! Heh. Most days though, I have to admit it was more about just surviving. On the lucky delivery someone would smile and be grateful for what I were bringing them, only a lot of days I never get to see that. As the culture of deliveries are 'unless it needs a signature - knock once or ring bell. Set item down immediately and return to vehicle. Go to next stop. Repeat.'

There were just normally too many packages in a day and nobody really wants to be sitting in a vehicle for extra time when you are a salaried position, or another way I can say it is pay was locked in with the only hope for extra money being is if I am singled out for highest number of deliveries or least number of incidents in a quarter. Still, I do rather enjoy when I know someone is getting something special and taking a little extra of my time just to be able to see someone glad to see me. It's kind of an intoxicating feeling when someone is happy to see you, even if it is just when I deliver something they really really want. Fragile packages you know.

Now, sipping my tea and staring out the window I have to admit, today I am rather anxious to see my coworker. Seeing the company truck pull up I watched with a stupid grin upon my face as he got out and went around to back. Today was the projected delivery date, I had nothing else due today and I was lucky enough that it was spot on this time. I was still in a bit of disbelief that I had won that big raffle. Part of me was sure I had taken time off of work for nothing but a mental health stay-cation from the world. But to see him pull out the box?!? This was real and I could feel the joy bubbling up inside me like it hasn't since I know when! The box containing the Hermes System and the game, Odyssey of Fantasy, was just being delivered to me at my doorstep.

The labeling on the box, plus the return address, revealed what was inside for those who gave it any thought. My coworker Gregory, jolly fellow that could fill in for Santa with not too much help, clearly did.

“Ya really cashed in some karma or somethin’ didn’t ya, Randy?” the man in his older thirties joked as he handed it over.

I smiled and shrugged at him, in my rush I had left my throat back, or electrolarynx, on the counter. It was the little tube device that I could up to my throat and it read my attempts to talk to emit an electronic voice. I never did save enough to upgrade to the fancier ones out there these days, I just always had something else that needed paid for instead. With a point of a finger at it, he added, “Make sure to save me a turn some time, huh?”

Shrugging with a skepital grin I raised an eyebrow at him and shrugged, it was the most playful way I could say maybe. After all he had taken time off of work to be able to loose himself in this game, to be able to finally have what I had lost so long ago.

Closing the door I set it down in the living room, it was shabby but I had made sure there were no fire hazards and everything was squared away. Pulling out my knife I set to work opening the box carefully, making sure every angle was gently opened along the seams so as not to risk damaging what was inside.

I have to admit I would be hard pressed to put everything back into the box it had come in. Helmet, gloves, and bodysuit to my size. It was a lot! I mean I had something like forty seven games on my cell and this thing only played one at this point! I had to laugh at myself as I checked the system over, it seemed like was already fully charged and didn't require a charge cycle before first use. Having researched the daylights out of this thing when I found I had won meant I already knew who or rather what I was going to play as. Being an ugly mute as far as my eyes saw, the chance to have a voice that wasn't some rental and to actually look good without my scars on my face? I couldn't turn that down, and perhaps I am greedy for what I don't have but I wanted to have the best voice possible and to actually be handsome for once.

Siren all the way! Making sure the window was covered so no one could see me I set about getting into the suit, gloves, and helmet.

I can't believe this is actually happening! Even if it only meets a tenth of what it says, it would still be an escape from my life come true!

Tag: @Darth_Elu

 

Bin Hyun-Sang IC:
~Busan, South Korea~

The helmet and gloves were set on top of his coffee table in the living room, but the Hermes suit was already on. Today, of all days, it was the only thing he desired to wear. And as such, upon waking up to this most anticipated of days, he chose to dress himself into it immediately.

He had no plans on going out, so it would not get dirty. Hyun-Sang planned for a nice, calm morning until it was approximately delivery time for all of the world. Being an early riser…at least for this occasion, the Korean man had time to spare.

And so he sat on his balcony overlooking the city of Busan sprawling out in front of him.



His brown eyes took in the sight without a sound, the light breeze playing with his hair, now white with age. So much lost for so much more gained. It was, without a doubt, a regret he would not harbor. For what he had birthed, he would do it all again for if given the chance.

Hyun-Sang’s body was naturally a part of Earth and this world had its joys to be had, but his heart…It had always been with Korr Avana. Since the moment of its inception as a child, a mere make believe fantasy land to escape to within the sanctuary of his mind. It was a land, while imaginary, that had saved him time and time again growing up. There was nothing else for it but to return the favor. To him it was not just make believe.

It was a make believe that became a dream. A dream that became a goal. A goal that became an obsession. And at last—

An obsession turned virtual reality.

Everything was set, all was in place, no more preparations required. A calm hand, blessedly without the shakes of age that had been starting to faintly set in, brought his cup of blended sweet-pea and hyacinth tea to his lips.

A bird flew by without a care and he sipped silently, his eyes not closing to miss one second of the life around him. The light sounds of the city and birds. The explosions of color from the trees and flowers in view. The smell of the sea always so close at hand here. The oxymoronic mix of cacophony and symphony that was a human city.

This was how he spent his time before, with a quiet clink of the cup being set on the table, the creator of Hermes and Odyssey of Fantasy rose.

And then, with a just as silent turn toward the open door, he made his purposeful way toward the living room to make history.

And with this simple act…



A single tear rolled down his cheek.

Tag: No One

 

OOC: For certain reasons, Twylla posts and updates shall be kept strangely vague for now. Won't be this way for long, but for now. Just what is going on with this one currently? Who's to say...

IC as [Classified]

The laughter continued while the morning wore on. She smiled and danced more, more than anyone else!

The pie, it smelled so good. But not ready, not yet. A joke floating spryly through the air, a giggle lifted in response.

Outstretched hands and now bubbles joined the festivity. Another voice still holding its song, its owner spinning her merrily about.

Best. Day. Ever!

Tag: @Darth_Elu

 

IC: Lily Shepard
Vancouver, Canada

The red haired girl walked through the community square while keeping Leo close on his leash. She focused her brown eyes towards the ground as she carried on, feeling the weight of the day grow heavy on her shoulders. She wearily thought back on the day, barely taking notice of the clock striking an hour and Leo barking away along with it.

“At this rate, we’ll be forced to close within a few months….”

Lily stepped away from a customer in her parents’ shop to fulfill a refill request when she overheard her mother from the back room. She hesitated and lingered for a breath by the door, feeling surprised at the hushed conversation. It was true, they had not seen as many people visit in the last couple of weeks, Lily was sure it was no trouble. They would pick up business again.

“We might have to let Amanda go.” Her father suggested with a pained tone.

Lily quietly removed the teapot from its warmer so as to not alert her parents she was in earshot. If they were discussing letting someone go, things were dire.

A slight tug on the leash brought Lily back to her walk with Leo and she was reminded of what was awaiting her arrival back home. The state of the world, and now with her own parents’ futures at risk, she felt even more eager to dive into a new world to forget her troubles for a little while.

Lily picked up her pace and upon arriving, Anastasia popped her head out of the window of their apartment, waving to get her attention. She nodded up at her roommate, trying to not look too excited as she let herself in, unhooking Leo from the leash.

“Did you find a long way home?” Anastasia asked before gesturing at the unopened box resting on the dining table.

Lily greeted Anastasia and walked to the table, looking over the package. “Amanda was running late, so I covered until she got in.” The red haired girl didn’t feel like getting into the details, not yet. She needed time to process and find a way to help her struggling parents.

Anastasia watched her. “I thought you were excited for this?”

“Oh, I am. I guess I’m just tired.” She lifted the box and walked to her room. “Thanks for signing it for me.”

It didn’t take long for Lily to have the entire system out of the box and already in the process of setting everything up. She looked down at it and smiled, anticipation building as it was finally time to test it out. She scratched Leo on the head before taking the suit and putting it on as the provided instructions said. She slid on the helmet and with that, it now felt real to her.

It was time, she thought, and powered it up, hitting the play button.

Tag: @Darth_Elu