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Tutorial Dungeon, Dungeon Space
2021-10-18 06:40 am Eastern Standard
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"Well, I guess that explains the whole dragonblooded thing," James replies. "Can I learn magic, too?" he asks his AI.
Nebula replied, directly to his mind 'It is possible to learn magic, if you multi-class when you level up. However, to level up you need to complete encounters and quests. Like the ones presented by this dungeon.'
"What quests does this dungeon offer?" he wonders.
'Well, this dungeon currently offers two quests, but they are effectively the same quest, and you will only be able to complete one of them.'
"Two quests? Why would there be two quests?"
'One of them is the quest generated by the basic system, which is provided by the Galactic Mutuality, and the other one is... an overlay quest, generated by the ARUI of the World Rebuild Initiative. If you had chosen to accept the ARUI before integrating me, you would only see the quest generated by the ARUI.'
"What are the differences between the two quests?" James inquires.
'Well, the ARUI quest states'
#Hostile creatures have taken over a space ship with a central computer that contains data needed by the WRI. Eliminate the hostiles and obtain the data for the following rewards: WRI Reputation +5, 100 Credits, 300 XP#
'And the Galactic Mutuality or GM quest states'
*Primitive squatters have taken shelter in a crashed spaceship. Obtain the data from the central computer of the space ship and return it to the Galactic Mutuality's Office of Data Retention for the following rewards: GM Reputation +1, GMODR Reputation +4, 150 Credits, 300 XP*
"Those rewards are similar, but the content of the quests... why would they be so different? What does the World Rebuild Institute gain by this, other than 50 credits... and reputation with the Galactic Mutuality... oh, since we turn the data over to them, they must turn the data over to the Galactic Mutuality and make some money and get reputation instead of me. That doesn't seem sinister at all!"
'Most human players from Earth, if not all of them, will only be aware of the quests from the Augmented Reality User Interface. They won't be able to tell the difference, and there is not currently a way for you to prove the differences in the quest content otherwise. '
"Couldn't we turn in the information to both the WRI and the Galactic Mutuality?"
'We can, but that will be a one time thing. If we fail, the WRI will just know that we failed. If we turn the data over to the GMODR, the WRI will probably think we failed and that some one from the Galactic Mutuality completed the quest. If we turn it over to both... they will probably smell a rat. The WRI provided us with a one-time-use device to extract the data. It will also purge the data from the ship's systems.'
"Where is that device? And how did the WRI expect me to eliminate the hostiles?" James asks, while he made air quotes around 'hostiles'.
'One of the many features of the System is a limited inventory that allows you to transfer material between the dungeon space and normal space. Items stored in your limited inventory can be transferred between the spaces. You also have a virtual equipment section, one for your normal space equipment, which is whatever you are wearing when you transfer over to dungeon space, and your dungeon space equipment, which is the equipment you have equipped in the dungeon space. If you say [Inventory], you can see the contents of your limited inventory. Currently, you have 4 slots, 3 of which are free. One has the WRI data device, as provided by the ARUI.'
James immediately said "[Inventory]", and confirmed that he did, indeed, now have an inventory, and that there are 4 slots. "What about Equipment? do I just say [Equipment] to see my equipment?" he asked, and then he saw his dungeon space equipment - a set of Second Skin light armor, a tactical semi-auto pistol with 9 bullets, a back pack and a personal comm unit.
"Is this Second Skin what I am wearing now?" he asks, looking down at himself. He was wearing some sort of flexible body stocking, which was colored a matte black. Everything else seemed to be in his back pack. "Can I wear some real clothes over this stocking?"
'Yes, you can. The Second Skin armor system is designed to be like your second skin, which means it should be able to be worn under most clothing. I don't recommend that you wear your clothes right now. If something happens and damages them, how would you explain that?'
"What do you mean, how would I explain my clothes would be damaged? What, does anything that happens to me here happen to me in real life?"
'Yes, all damage sustained and all effects experienced in dungeon space also will affect you in real life.'
"I... can die in this game?" James asked, shocked.
'Yes, that is possible.' Nebula replied.