Suddenly Jamie was in a different stone room standing in a circle facing four other people. She was still unnaturally calm thanks to the block so she was not freaking out but her heart was definitely beating fast in excitement because none of the other four people were humans!
To her direct right was a young bearded man who was stocky and about a foot shorter than her, so about five feet tall. He had what appeared to be two old timey pistols, like you’d see a pirate have, at his belt along with a pointy sword. He was wearing leather clothes except for a metal helmet. There was also a couple of powder horns at his belt and a sack of what must be musket balls.
Jamie used Identify and saw his info: Duridit Shatterarm - Level 1 Dwarf Musketeer.
She hadn’t looked at the hunter options, but musketeer must have been one of the choices like how she had light, medium, and heavy warrior options.
Next to Duridit was a male elf. He had blonde hair, like her, and emerald green eyes. He was about her height and was wearing a heavy green robe. He had a staff about the same height as him, with a green gem embedded at the tip. Identify says his name was Orrias Zylyarus - Level 1 Elf Healer
Directly across from her was, well, Jamie was not entirely sure what she was at first glance so she used Identify on her and saw, Resys Truedust - Level 1 Gnome Rogue. She was only about four feet tall and looked mostly human except for her really long ears, in fact, they were longer than Orrias’ ears. She had shoulder length reddish brown hair and was slender. She was wearing dark grey leather armor and had two daggers that look like they’re meant for stabbing in sheaths on her hips. She wasn’t wearing a helmet.
To Jamie’s left was what had to be an orc? She had greyish skin and short tusks for her bottom canines. She was just slightly shorter than Jamie, say 5’10”, but was much heavier. Jamie was about 160 with a very athletic build, but the orc just made her look tiny. She had to be two hundred pounds of mostly muscle. She clearly still had breasts and looked womanly though. Just like someone who could have won a female bodybuilding contest. She had black eyebrows but had a very bald head. She was wearing grey leather armor as well, but when Jamie hit identify on her she saw the orc was a mage. Marzanna Voidcaster - Level 1 Mage. She also had a staff like the healer, but her staff had a black gem.
Jamie could feel that they had all used Identify on her as well. They’d seen that she was the tank of the group, but with her heavy gear, all they could tell was she had blue eyes and light skin.
The AI let them size each other up for a few minutes and then spoke.
Hello all. You all come from planets where System integration failed because the magical potential of your planet was too low. People are periodically taken from your planets in order to provide fresh stock for System planets. Two of you were aware that this occurs and the other three were completely unaware and may take some time to adjust.
You have been put together as a group because your classes are complementary and represent all five of the basic classes that make up a standard full adventuring group in the System. There will, of course, be many group sizes and compositions once you leave the Intro Dungeon and move to the surface of Talan, but this is the basic unit. You have been put together because besides being the correct group composition you also all come from planets where your race is the only Sentient race and it is expected that you will not have existing prejudices against each other's races.
It is the System standard for each of you to briefly introduce yourselves and your role in the group before I explain the Intro Dungeon that you will be entering. You all have Universal Translation and should be able to understand each other perfectly fine. We will begin with the group’s tank, Jamie Williams, and from there will go to the Healer, the Mage, Rogue, and finally our Hunter. Jamie, please begin. List your former planet, your role, and the skills that you currently possess.
“Uh should I just say where I’m from and what my class is and all of that?”
Yes, also list your Skills. You do not need to go in depth at this moment. You will have time to get to know each other better before you begin fighting.
“K. Then I’m from a planet called Earth, I’m a human, and as the AI said I will be the Warrior of this group and hopefully keep whatever we will be fighting off of the rest of you. I have Taunt and Shield Bash and Shield Wall that I can use as Skills.
“On my home planet I was a student and played a sport called softball. You hit a round ball with a bat, a round stick, then try to run around the three bases set up 90’ from each other and then back to the home plate in order to score a run. I’m not sure what else to add right now.”
Holy fuck, this all felt so goddamned surreal! The emotional block the AI mentioned was working so amazing though. On an emotional level, she just felt normal and right.
Thank you Jamie. Orrias, you are up next.
“Hello, My Name is Orrias Zylyarus, people call me Ori, and I am an Elf from the planet Alanora. On Alanora I was apprenticing as a doctor under my father. That’s why I chose the Healer class. With magic and potions it seems we don’t need actual doctors. I have three skills I’ve chosen so far: Area Heal, this one is a spell that hits about a 10’x10’ area right now but I am told it will grow as my Wisdom gets higher. It heals 10 hit points per second for 10 seconds right now but will also get stronger as I level up. I also have a general Heal spell that will heal 200 points of damage on 1 target. My last skill is for me and it is a Damage Shield. It will absorb 100 points of damage if I use 100 mana and can go up from there as I use more mana. I got my staff at class selection and it is supposed to help my healing spells be 10% more effective.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Thank you Orrias, Marzanna. You are up next. Marzanna’s elders are aware of the System and she has prepared for this since she was a child.
Hello, I am Marzanna Voidcaster, I am an Orc, and I chose a Mage class. I am from the planet Bagord and I have been training to go through the portal since I was five. We do have very low level magic on my planet and my mother and grandmother both use it to help my clan. I was chosen to go because I am the fourth daughter and was not needed. My skills are: Fear, this spell can cause enemies to cower in fear or even break and run if their wisdom is very low. Second is Arcane Bolt, this spell does magical damage. My third skill is a touch skill called Bleed, meaning that I have to touch someone either with my hand or the tip of a weapon, if I touch them they will begin taking bleed damage. Currently 5 points of damage per second for 10 seconds. The debuff does not stack right now.
Thank you Marzanna. I know you also plan to go for a Warlock class with your next evolution. This is the most common magical path for Orcs. Res you are next.
Hello, I am Resys Truedust, people often drop the last S or call me Res. I am a Gnome from the planet Airin and I worked in an oil field before this. I did not know about the System either. We definitely didn’t have any magic that I was aware of. I chose to be a rogue. I have three skills as well: Invisibility, which lets me actually go invisible to monsters as long as they don’t have a way to see through it. Sneak Attack, this makes it so my first surprise attack is a critical strike that does more damage. I also have Crippling Strike. I can use this with Sneak Attack too, but if I use it and it isn’t blocked or dodged, then it causes a severe wound that can even temporarily stop a caster from using a spell.
Thank you Res. The last member of your party is Duridit. He is the ranged attack member of the group. His people also know about the System and Duridit volunteered to join this round of seeding.
Hello, I am Duridit Shatterarm and I am a Level 1 Dwarf Musketeer. People usually just call me Duri. This is a class I could choose from the beginning because my people have worked with the System to enact it. I understand most dwarf feeder worlds can also choose it. I use my pistols and, if necessary, my rapier. I have trained with these weapons since I was a child and I already have Proficient level with both the pistols and the rapier. My skills are: Rapid Reload, it helps me reload each of my pistols in about 10 seconds instead of 30 seconds if I had to do everything separately. Deadly Aim, this skill costs 100 stamina per shot and can only be used every minute but makes it so my shot is pretty well guaranteed to hit. My third skill is called Quick Clear. It helps me mend and fix anything wrong with my firearms.
Thank you all. With your group composition, it will be important for Duri to make sure that he is careful and does not injure team members. You will have three people who are often in melee range of enemies.
An Intro Dungeon has been generated that the System feels will be challenging but that your group can complete if they work together. On Talan there are many different types of System generated instances that are called Dungeons. These Dungeons can come in a variety of forms and usually have level requirements to enter. They will have objectives that must be completed in order to receive System generated rewards. Some can be entered and left repeatedly and some only once. An Intro Dungeon can only be entered before you are level 25, will not allow you to go above level 25 while you are within, and you cannot leave until you have completed the primary objective.
I will now transport you into your Intro Dungeon and will then explain the objectives..
Jamie didn’t even have time to digest all of this new information before she once again felt her stomach lurch and she found herself somewhere new.
As she looked around, she saw her four teammates and she could see that they were standing on top of a two story castle looking tower. She saw her mini map activate and she could see that the tower was 100'x100’. There was a wall that went up to her chest with cutouts in it every 10’. Jamie was sure there was a name for the cutouts that Brandon no doubt knew, but to her she saw a wall with cutouts. There was a wooden wall with sharpened steaks that allowed for about 200’ of space all around the tower. The tower and walls were on a hill with no trees on it that rises above a forested area all around it. As she looked around, she could see nine other forts or castles or something spread out around them, with their castle in the middle. The other forts were about a mile and a half away from them on each side.
This was not what she expected when she heard they were going into a dungeon.
Hello everyone! You are now in your Intro Dungeon. I will explain the objectives and how you can complete the dungeon. It is currently 1800 hours on Day 0. At daylight, 0600 tomorrow morning, you will begin receiving waves of attacks by level 1 & 2 monsters. These waves of attacks will last for 20 hours. Once all attackers from this wave have been defeated, the first chest in the keep below us will open up and each of you will receive one magical tier 1 item and 1 magical tier 1 accessory.
You will have 10 hours of rest and at 0600 on day 2, you will begin receiving more waves of monsters. These monsters will be level 3 & 4. The waves of attacks will once again last for 20 hours. Once all attackers from this wave have been defeated, the second dungeon chest below will open up. You will each receive one magical Tier 2 item and 1 magical tier 1 accessory, along with some potions and rations for each member of the party still alive.
Once this wave is over, you will need to begin clearing out the nine other forts you can see spread out in the distance. The fort directly to your north should be the first fort that you attack. It will contain level 5 monsters. The fort to the right of it as you look from this tower will be the next and you should continue moving clockwise from there. Each tower will contain monsters of a slightly higher level, as well as a Fort Boss, until you face the final fort with level 25 monsters and the Dungeon Boss. Each Fort will contain a chest that will open up once you kill the Boss.
You will have 28 days to clear these 9 forts before all remaining monsters within the dungeon will rush your position at the beginning of day 31.
Once you complete the Intro Dungeon, you will be teleported to a central staging area where representatives from most of the factions on the planet will be present. These factions will have positions available for new recruits into their military forces. The positions will be limited and some factions will only take certain races so if you would like to remain with your current party members then make sure you complete your Intro Dungeon as quickly as possible to ensure there are spots available for all of you to join together, if you so wish.
Talan days last 30 hours, so you now have 18 hours to get to know each other and formulate battle plans. Best of luck!
Holy shit, this was so crazy! It was even crazier that she felt so calm and focused. She thought she was actually looking forward to this. Well, she’d better get to know her group.
