Tutorial

(For new players)
A knock at the door reveals a medium sized brown box. As you take it into your home, wonder and curiosity fills your mind, and you begin to ask aloud as to who had sent this package. With hesitant fingers, you strip the tape from the center, and gently open the flaps. Packing peanuts greet you, but your hands dive into the package, eagerly questing for the unknown. Your eyes grow wide, and a smile plays upon your lips; at last, you find your prize. A small, black box appears in your hand, and attached to it, a folded note with a smiley-faced sticker in its center.

As you carefully remove the sticker, you notice that a strange symbol is splayed in the top left corner. To the right of the symbol, the letters RNC can be seen. This reminds you of the international corporation which had released a new game system, which allows everyone to be anything they wish to be. Eagerly, but with more confidence, you open the black box, practically tearing into it. Inside is a pair of headphones with a thick band which arced between them. On one side, a short, thick antenna could be seen protruding from it. While on the other, a long chord, which has been tied into loops, is waiting to be hooked up with the nearest computer software.

Just as you are about to start up the game, you remember the note attached, and gently pick it up. Your eyes briefly scan over the letter, only pausing to read the congratulatory introduction into the V Game and the small warranty which lasts for about a year. The rest of the letter, you throw down, not wanting to read up on the history of how the V game began, and quickly attach it into your computer. A small light can be seen from within the band, and you hasten to put it over your eyes.

A blue sky opens to your eyes, and you can hear the ocean off into the distance. It is then that you realize that there are no controllers with which to move about, nor a microphone to speak into. As panic begins to set in, you hear a small voice, male; appear in your right ear. “Peace,” he says, “Peace. Be still. The product of which you have just received, is a perfected piece of equipment which allows you conscious mind to move, speak, and interact with other people.” A black robed figure appears in front of you, with only his mouth and hands visible to your eyes.

“You may experience a slight numbing behind your eyes, but you must not panic. This is only the device which is currently accessing your mind, and synchronizing with it.” Just as he speaks this, a small numbing pain appears behind your eyes for a few moments, but something strange begins to occur with your body. You cannot move. The robed figure nods slowly, resuming his speech, “Your body should be numb by now, but do not fret. This is only natural, as your mind is currently being transferred into the world known only as V Game.” The robed man vanishes, as does the ocean-side view.

Lights begin to pass you by, just as the opening theme of the V Game drifts into your ears. The lights begin to pick up even more speed, until they become a blur. Towards the end, you are enveloped in a blinding light, and you find yourself high above a strange land. Far below, you can see many players of all shapes, sizes, colors, etc, all battling monsters, each other, or performing various tasks. You pass the large stone-walled city made up of white marble called Tsar No'uul, the City of Pure Song. A large spire can be seen in the center of the city, and atop the spire is an empty thrown that overlooks the city below. This begins to excite you, and you are transported to a strange, open arena, where you will begin your tutorial of the V Game.

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As your vision clears, a rumbling noise begins to gather behind you. Turning, you spy an droid Jedi approaching you slowly. Its static-like voice drifts across the arena, giving you a sense of peace. “Greetings,” it says, “I am Nerano, and I am here to train you so that you may understand the V Game fully.

“You must open your mind, first off, and use your imagination to the fullest. This must be so in order for you to fully integrate yourself within society.” His right arm extends off to the side, and a small door appears before the both of you. “Inside are generic forms that you make take, and make as your own. Or,” he points at you, “you may imagine what you will, and take on that form.”

“Now that you have taken on a form, you are to call yourself by another name. To do so, you must speak it aloud, to inform the world that it is your name, and none may take it from you.” Nerano’s head slowly nods, “Good,” he rumbles, “Now then movement of the body.” The droid gently floats in front of you, “You must utilize your mind, and move your limbs with thought, not action. Your body is frozen, so think, and move.” The droid moves about you, gently prodding you, until you are able to move properly. “Very good,” it says, “Moving by thinking is the key to everything. This includes speaking. Try thinking of speaking what you wish to say.”

The droid nods silently, not at all surprised to hear your voice, nor the words of which you have spoken to it. “As you progress through the V Game, you will be able to speak, walk, and fight as though this form,” it waved a metallic hand at you, “were your actual body.” It slowly began to fade from your eyes, as did the arena about you, transporting you to the ocean once more.

The robed figure stood before you once more, his body seemed relax, as did his voice, “Rest now, and awaken from the V Game. Your natural body needs food and drink in order to survive. Without such, you will ultimately die.” A cybernetic arm appeared out of the robe, waving slowly at you, “Farewell. We will meet again.” The world about you fades to black, and you awaken to find yourself in the same room as before, wondering if it was all a dream.