Simon is unable to get any information from his detect magic spell. Graarl and Merry look inside and are astonihsed to see a Star Trek or Star Wars like scene. Fenric no longer looks like at elf but instead he looks like a normal 20 something nerd. He waves you inside. As you look around you see computer screens built into walls and keyboards and the most awesome and beautiful computer setup you have ever seen. Fenric waves you in and says"Come on in, this is my office. We need to talk." You also notice two other nerdy looking young men, one sitting at a terminal typing on a keyboard and the other is standing in front of a 3 dimensional looking set of pictures that is straight out of Minority Report. You have seen computer offices before and you have seen Star Wars and Star Trek. This setup is like the best of all of these worlds and then some where the equipment is state of the art. In fact state of the art doesn't explain it because you have never seen anything like it in the real world. The room is amazingly colorful and has all kinds of pictures on walls and a few college team logos here and there. WHAT IS GOING ON? Fenric leads you to a lounge that is both comfortable and beautiful. The views out the windows are amazing with water falls and lush forests. It is as if you are in the middle have a tropical forest but many stories up in a high rise looking out at a wonderous landscape. Fenric says "I'm guessing most of you wondering what is happening, why you are unable to go home, who are we and what is this place? I will try to explain everything."
I have a lot to post and I'll get to it as I can. In the mean time you are allowed to react in any way you feel appropriate.
As soon as Graarl starts to think about what Fenric and his friends look like he realizes that, although it is not a perfect likeness, Merry and the others from the group look like they do in real life. The transformation happens as they walk through the wall. Fenric looks from Graarl to Merry and, responding to Merry, says "I know you are thinking this could be part of the problem that is preventing you from returning to your bodies but I assure you we are not the problem. My real name is Gareth Hammer and I, like the lot of you, am stuck in virtual reality with no way to get back to my body. This environment you see here is where we work as programmers on Reality Entertainment for Khazad Dooom Productions. Once the neural interface, ICCOMPLETE, was perfected by Dynomaster Inc, the parent company of Khazad Dooom Productions, we found that it was easier to interact with the system from the inside. As you can imagine the advantages were many. Look around you. Our computer interfaces can be as large and complex as we can possibly make them and the cost is minimal. We are pioneering this as the development wave of the future for computer programmers of all types. Instead of expensive monitors and massive industrial offices, we are using the ICCOMPLETE neural interface to allow the developers, like us, to interact with the system in new and creative ways. Of course we still use these normal looking keyboards and screens because that is what we are used to in order to update and change our code. But as you can see," Fenric or Gareth points to the gentleman interacting with the three deminionsal objects, "there are many things we can do inside the neural interface that are either impossible in the outside world or very expensive. Once we have perfected the new capabilities we will have huge advantages on the competition and will have new products and interfaces we can sell to the outside world. The three of us are part of a team of eight young programmers that have been choosen to help advance this part of the technology from the inside. As young programmers we are not as indoctrinated in the normal routines of seasoned programmers and will more quickly see new and improved ways to accomplish what can only be dreamed of in the outside world." He pauses and looks at you with a more serious face. "Unfortunately, like you, we are now trapped inside the ICCOMPLETE interface by the hacker who has taken control of Khazad Dooom Productions RE computers. We know a few things, compared to you we know a lot, about what is going on and will try to fill you in. First come look at our current efforts to keep you alive." He motions you to screen that shows your bodies as you left them in the real world with what look like nurses checking on you. You see IVs that have been put in your arms and feeding tubes into your stomachs. "They have done the same to our bodies in London. We wish we could put you in contact with your families but we are not able to allow that just yet. You see the hacker, he seems to be going by the name of Black Dragon1, doesn't seem to know that we exist inside the game yet. He probably thinks we are just another set of players. If we put you in contact with your families it will become obvious that there is someone on the inside and we need to use our resources from the inside to try to regain control of the system if possible. If we determine that Black Dragon1 knows about us we will try to find a way to give you communication with your families but we are afraid he might shut down our systems or worse if he finds out about what we do. I'm sure you have thousands of questions and we can answer as many as we can in the time that we have. We can't keep you in here forever, however, because the AI for the game itself will expect you back out in the game after your rests and will continue to attack or otherwise interact with you even if you stay in here. Sorry for the difficulties but so it is. We should also let you know that the company has attempted to take a small group of gamers off the system without the missing transition codes to see if they can revive them and the results have not been good. All three of these individuals are still in comas and unable to interact with the world, the are attempting to reconnect them to the game so that can at least be aware and doing something. It is for this reason that we feel it is better to keep you in the game until we are able to regain control of the system and take you back into reality in normal ways. I'm sure you have thousands of questions and I will try to answer them as best I can. How are all of you doing?" Gareth stops now taking some deep breaths after the long speech and waits for your questions.
Well, I surprisingly feel better. I would always rather know everything about a problem, because I can at least understand what's going on. So if I'm getting what you're saying, the AI "outside" is outside of your control and will continue interacting with us regardless of what's going on. You can't grant us communication with the outside for fear of being discovered, and I'd wager you can't give us any help in the game for fear of the same thing.
Simon squats and sits on his haunches, obviously comforted somewhat. He stiffens at a thought, however:
If it comes down to a real emergency, we can still contact you for help, right? Knights in Trite Latin or whatever?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Player : Khazad Dooom Productions Character : Simon, lv1 Aasimar Bard
so what your saying is that i’m in a coma, for an indifinable amount of time, my family is unaware, i’ll be losing my job, and OH YEAH, i have to go back out to being a 3 foot tall weakling while your “game” tries to kill me!
Merry struggles to regain his composure, lets out a deep breath, and pinching the bridge of his nose, says
Gareth knew that chaos was close with all of the questions and he attempts to address what questions he can as they approach him. "So Simon, what is your real name again?, I wish everything were as simple as you put it. It is much more complex and we are trying to solve what we can as we move forward. To answer a few of your questions, yes the game AI will expect you to go back out and play. If you stay in here too long you will be attacked. We, the programmers, are in a special part of the game such that it believes we are doing our own quests and so it leaves us alone. You on the other hand are integrated into the 'Quintland' scenario and monsters from that scenario will attack you even if you are in here with us. However we are working to get you help if possible so that your chances of failing quests etc.. in the game are minimal. I'll explain that soon." Gareth turns to Merry, "So Merry, your name is John right?, we are doing everything we can at this point and plan to keep you alive and well until we can get you back in your bodies and with your families. Until then you should enjoy the game ..." He says this last sentence with a pathetic weak smile on his face and realizes quickly that it was not helpful. "Just remember, we are stuck here just like the rest of you. Try to work with us and we may be able to find a solution."
Nerithana has been silent and following up until this point. She was nervous about entering the solid wall, and then shocked to find her surroundings so altered. As she listens carefully to Gareth, her stomach is twisting in knots.
"I'm sorry - I just don't understand why someone would do this! I can only imagine that this ... Black Dragon... person has a motive, right? He must have left a message or contacted you in some way to tell you his purpose. Why else would he hold us hostage in this game? I can't help but feel like you're leaving out an important bit of information. What does he want in exchange for letting us out?"
The two other programmers stop what they are doing and walk over. Gareth introduces them. "So this is Blaine" motioning to a taller gangly young man with short black hair. "And this is Preston" pointing at a smiling sandy haired young man with an aloha shirt on. Blaine immediately starts talking as if he has been talking all along and is just continuing with something although it is his first words "We have several ideas that will give us the ability to learn some things about Black Dragon1. In order to make this work one of us will need to trade places with one of you. We are able to make this happen through manipulating the game configs which we still have access to. It will just look like we are moving people into different scenarios which happens a lot between games breaks anyway. We often have parties that break up during breaks with some wanting to stay and some wanting to go home etc.. we just update the configs and send them back into the game in different rotations. No big deal. Once we are back in the game I, I'm the one that will be going back into the game with you, will be able to search for clues that the programmers are leaving in the game that will help us decode the encryption that Black Dragon1 has placed over the game code. We can talk bits that we input from the programs and look at how the appear in the actual game and start breaking Black Dragon1's encryption. So any volunteers to stay here while I go back into the game with the others?" Both Tenzen and Kilseth jump up and follow over themselves saying "I'll stay, I let me stay!" It had gone unnoticed but ever since they had entered through the wall they had been completely captivated by the surroundings. Both of them are aspiring computer nerds in real life and the thought of being in this wonder world of computer gadgetry was to much to pass up. Blaine looks with disdain at both of the eager beavers "Well, I'm not sure we can accommodate both of you -" Preston interrupts with a happy thought "Wait Blaine, I've been looking at the possible configurations and as long as we go out with 5 players into the Quintland scenario the configurations will be fine. We can keep both of these future programmers here with us while you join the rest of the crew and help us from inside Quintland. This is perfect. And the AI is smart enough to rate your encounters accordingly. No problem at all." Gareth steps forward quickly "Then it is settled, Blaine will go out with the group into the campaign and Tenzen and Kilseth will stay here with us. Will that work for the rest of you?" You say Blaine roll his eyes and say, under his breath "Future programmers, ssshhh yeah..."
Gareth hearing Nerithana's concerns says "Black Dragon1 so far has not made any ransom demands. So far he has not said much in the way of what he wants. We are trying to make contact with him but we don't no where he is. He has taken control of thousands of anonymous logins and tracking which one actually points to him has not yet been possible. When we know more clearly we will let you know. As I have made clear, we the same as you, are stuck in this ICCOMPLETE interface with you. You know it as Reality Entertainment but we have always called it just ICCOMPLETE. In any case we will tell you everything we know when we know it."
We go out there and complete the mission. We'll gain XP and grow stronger. The stronger we get the harder it'll be for the AI or Black Dragon1 to kill us.
Not if the game's any good - any game worth its salt scales its difficulty with the successes and failures of its players. In fact, I might suggest letting some things fail if we can, so the AI decides to take it easier on us.
Simon sighs, and continues.
You're not wrong though. Going out and facing it's about all we can do.
Falling silent, Simon looks embarrassed for a moment.
Sorry! I was a little caught up in our predicament! My real name's Finnegan. I understand not remembering it, it's... not exactly a name you hear often.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Player : Khazad Dooom Productions Character : Simon, lv1 Aasimar Bard
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Congratulations! We just found an easter egg ;)
Simon is unable to get any information from his detect magic spell. Graarl and Merry look inside and are astonihsed to see a Star Trek or Star Wars like scene. Fenric no longer looks like at elf but instead he looks like a normal 20 something nerd. He waves you inside. As you look around you see computer screens built into walls and keyboards and the most awesome and beautiful computer setup you have ever seen. Fenric waves you in and says "Come on in, this is my office. We need to talk." You also notice two other nerdy looking young men, one sitting at a terminal typing on a keyboard and the other is standing in front of a 3 dimensional looking set of pictures that is straight out of Minority Report. You have seen computer offices before and you have seen Star Wars and Star Trek. This setup is like the best of all of these worlds and then some where the equipment is state of the art. In fact state of the art doesn't explain it because you have never seen anything like it in the real world. The room is amazingly colorful and has all kinds of pictures on walls and a few college team logos here and there. WHAT IS GOING ON? Fenric leads you to a lounge that is both comfortable and beautiful. The views out the windows are amazing with water falls and lush forests. It is as if you are in the middle have a tropical forest but many stories up in a high rise looking out at a wonderous landscape. Fenric says "I'm guessing most of you wondering what is happening, why you are unable to go home, who are we and what is this place? I will try to explain everything."
I have a lot to post and I'll get to it as I can. In the mean time you are allowed to react in any way you feel appropriate.
Lot's of stuff ...
Graarl will lean over to the group and whisper: I think these guys might be the hackers we were warned about...
He'll then sit/stand upright again and ask: How come you guys look normal? Do we get to look normal too in here?
merry attempts to unobtrusivly test if he can touch things here and maybe even pick up a loose object.
Sleight of hand: 23
How does this exist? who are you? what do you know about what has happened to us?
Merry 1st lv halfling rogue
”Neverwinter” Johnson 1st lv human rogue
As soon as Graarl starts to think about what Fenric and his friends look like he realizes that, although it is not a perfect likeness, Merry and the others from the group look like they do in real life. The transformation happens as they walk through the wall. Fenric looks from Graarl to Merry and, responding to Merry, says "I know you are thinking this could be part of the problem that is preventing you from returning to your bodies but I assure you we are not the problem. My real name is Gareth Hammer and I, like the lot of you, am stuck in virtual reality with no way to get back to my body. This environment you see here is where we work as programmers on Reality Entertainment for Khazad Dooom Productions. Once the neural interface, ICCOMPLETE, was perfected by Dynomaster Inc, the parent company of Khazad Dooom Productions, we found that it was easier to interact with the system from the inside. As you can imagine the advantages were many. Look around you. Our computer interfaces can be as large and complex as we can possibly make them and the cost is minimal. We are pioneering this as the development wave of the future for computer programmers of all types. Instead of expensive monitors and massive industrial offices, we are using the ICCOMPLETE neural interface to allow the developers, like us, to interact with the system in new and creative ways. Of course we still use these normal looking keyboards and screens because that is what we are used to in order to update and change our code. But as you can see," Fenric or Gareth points to the gentleman interacting with the three deminionsal objects, "there are many things we can do inside the neural interface that are either impossible in the outside world or very expensive. Once we have perfected the new capabilities we will have huge advantages on the competition and will have new products and interfaces we can sell to the outside world. The three of us are part of a team of eight young programmers that have been choosen to help advance this part of the technology from the inside. As young programmers we are not as indoctrinated in the normal routines of seasoned programmers and will more quickly see new and improved ways to accomplish what can only be dreamed of in the outside world." He pauses and looks at you with a more serious face. "Unfortunately, like you, we are now trapped inside the ICCOMPLETE interface by the hacker who has taken control of Khazad Dooom Productions RE computers. We know a few things, compared to you we know a lot, about what is going on and will try to fill you in. First come look at our current efforts to keep you alive." He motions you to screen that shows your bodies as you left them in the real world with what look like nurses checking on you. You see IVs that have been put in your arms and feeding tubes into your stomachs. "They have done the same to our bodies in London. We wish we could put you in contact with your families but we are not able to allow that just yet. You see the hacker, he seems to be going by the name of Black Dragon1, doesn't seem to know that we exist inside the game yet. He probably thinks we are just another set of players. If we put you in contact with your families it will become obvious that there is someone on the inside and we need to use our resources from the inside to try to regain control of the system if possible. If we determine that Black Dragon1 knows about us we will try to find a way to give you communication with your families but we are afraid he might shut down our systems or worse if he finds out about what we do. I'm sure you have thousands of questions and we can answer as many as we can in the time that we have. We can't keep you in here forever, however, because the AI for the game itself will expect you back out in the game after your rests and will continue to attack or otherwise interact with you even if you stay in here. Sorry for the difficulties but so it is. We should also let you know that the company has attempted to take a small group of gamers off the system without the missing transition codes to see if they can revive them and the results have not been good. All three of these individuals are still in comas and unable to interact with the world, the are attempting to reconnect them to the game so that can at least be aware and doing something. It is for this reason that we feel it is better to keep you in the game until we are able to regain control of the system and take you back into reality in normal ways. I'm sure you have thousands of questions and I will try to answer them as best I can. How are all of you doing?" Gareth stops now taking some deep breaths after the long speech and waits for your questions.
Lot's of stuff ...
Well, I surprisingly feel better. I would always rather know everything about a problem, because I can at least understand what's going on. So if I'm getting what you're saying, the AI "outside" is outside of your control and will continue interacting with us regardless of what's going on. You can't grant us communication with the outside for fear of being discovered, and I'd wager you can't give us any help in the game for fear of the same thing.
Simon squats and sits on his haunches, obviously comforted somewhat. He stiffens at a thought, however:
If it comes down to a real emergency, we can still contact you for help, right? Knights in Trite Latin or whatever?
Player : Khazad Dooom Productions
Character : Simon, lv1 Aasimar Bard
Oh gosh...
If anyone looks at Graarl confused or wondering what's wrong he'll say this:
I just realized I can rage and get advantage on strength checks...
(basically being oblivious to the whole situation XD)
so what your saying is that i’m in a coma, for an indifinable amount of time, my family is unaware, i’ll be losing my job, and OH YEAH, i have to go back out to being a 3 foot tall weakling while your “game” tries to kill me!
Merry struggles to regain his composure, lets out a deep breath, and pinching the bridge of his nose, says
So, is there anything you can do for us?
Merry 1st lv halfling rogue
”Neverwinter” Johnson 1st lv human rogue
Ha I get to be big and strong!
Gareth knew that chaos was close with all of the questions and he attempts to address what questions he can as they approach him. "So Simon, what is your real name again?, I wish everything were as simple as you put it. It is much more complex and we are trying to solve what we can as we move forward. To answer a few of your questions, yes the game AI will expect you to go back out and play. If you stay in here too long you will be attacked. We, the programmers, are in a special part of the game such that it believes we are doing our own quests and so it leaves us alone. You on the other hand are integrated into the 'Quintland' scenario and monsters from that scenario will attack you even if you are in here with us. However we are working to get you help if possible so that your chances of failing quests etc.. in the game are minimal. I'll explain that soon." Gareth turns to Merry, "So Merry, your name is John right?, we are doing everything we can at this point and plan to keep you alive and well until we can get you back in your bodies and with your families. Until then you should enjoy the game ..." He says this last sentence with a pathetic weak smile on his face and realizes quickly that it was not helpful. "Just remember, we are stuck here just like the rest of you. Try to work with us and we may be able to find a solution."
Lot's of stuff ...
Can you lead us to where we need to go to next? I need to deliver this breast plate thing...
Nerithana has been silent and following up until this point. She was nervous about entering the solid wall, and then shocked to find her surroundings so altered. As she listens carefully to Gareth, her stomach is twisting in knots.
"I'm sorry - I just don't understand why someone would do this! I can only imagine that this ... Black Dragon... person has a motive, right? He must have left a message or contacted you in some way to tell you his purpose. Why else would he hold us hostage in this game? I can't help but feel like you're leaving out an important bit of information. What does he want in exchange for letting us out?"
The two other programmers stop what they are doing and walk over. Gareth introduces them. "So this is Blaine" motioning to a taller gangly young man with short black hair. "And this is Preston" pointing at a smiling sandy haired young man with an aloha shirt on. Blaine immediately starts talking as if he has been talking all along and is just continuing with something although it is his first words "We have several ideas that will give us the ability to learn some things about Black Dragon1. In order to make this work one of us will need to trade places with one of you. We are able to make this happen through manipulating the game configs which we still have access to. It will just look like we are moving people into different scenarios which happens a lot between games breaks anyway. We often have parties that break up during breaks with some wanting to stay and some wanting to go home etc.. we just update the configs and send them back into the game in different rotations. No big deal. Once we are back in the game I, I'm the one that will be going back into the game with you, will be able to search for clues that the programmers are leaving in the game that will help us decode the encryption that Black Dragon1 has placed over the game code. We can talk bits that we input from the programs and look at how the appear in the actual game and start breaking Black Dragon1's encryption. So any volunteers to stay here while I go back into the game with the others?" Both Tenzen and Kilseth jump up and follow over themselves saying "I'll stay, I let me stay!" It had gone unnoticed but ever since they had entered through the wall they had been completely captivated by the surroundings. Both of them are aspiring computer nerds in real life and the thought of being in this wonder world of computer gadgetry was to much to pass up. Blaine looks with disdain at both of the eager beavers "Well, I'm not sure we can accommodate both of you -" Preston interrupts with a happy thought "Wait Blaine, I've been looking at the possible configurations and as long as we go out with 5 players into the Quintland scenario the configurations will be fine. We can keep both of these future programmers here with us while you join the rest of the crew and help us from inside Quintland. This is perfect. And the AI is smart enough to rate your encounters accordingly. No problem at all." Gareth steps forward quickly "Then it is settled, Blaine will go out with the group into the campaign and Tenzen and Kilseth will stay here with us. Will that work for the rest of you?" You say Blaine roll his eyes and say, under his breath "Future programmers, ssshhh yeah..."
Lot's of stuff ...
Gareth hearing Nerithana's concerns says "Black Dragon1 so far has not made any ransom demands. So far he has not said much in the way of what he wants. We are trying to make contact with him but we don't no where he is. He has taken control of thousands of anonymous logins and tracking which one actually points to him has not yet been possible. When we know more clearly we will let you know. As I have made clear, we the same as you, are stuck in this ICCOMPLETE interface with you. You know it as Reality Entertainment but we have always called it just ICCOMPLETE. In any case we will tell you everything we know when we know it."
Lot's of stuff ...
I'm fine with that.
I guess we've been here long enough...
We should probably get moving unless we want the AI to send some monsters to attack us.
i’d rather be proactive in regaining our freedom from this infernal trap.
let’s be off, i’d rather face this head on then sit here and wait to die.
Merry 1st lv halfling rogue
”Neverwinter” Johnson 1st lv human rogue
Gareth looks quizzically at Merry (John) saying "How do propose to be 'proactive'?"
Lot's of stuff ...
Graarl speaks up before Merry can say anything.
We go out there and complete the mission. We'll gain XP and grow stronger. The stronger we get the harder it'll be for the AI or Black Dragon1 to kill us.
Not if the game's any good - any game worth its salt scales its difficulty with the successes and failures of its players. In fact, I might suggest letting some things fail if we can, so the AI decides to take it easier on us.
Simon sighs, and continues.
You're not wrong though. Going out and facing it's about all we can do.
Falling silent, Simon looks embarrassed for a moment.
Sorry! I was a little caught up in our predicament! My real name's Finnegan. I understand not remembering it, it's... not exactly a name you hear often.
Player : Khazad Dooom Productions
Character : Simon, lv1 Aasimar Bard