Getting Started

It takes us longer to leave the Forest of Whispers than what it took us to get to my farm. I still haven't been able to purchase a map to replace the one I've lost, so I take the ferry, the easiest route to Starford. I can see the Orgus river from afar; the water is alive with the luminescent turquoise algae that grows on the riverbed.

The oceans and rivers are Lamia territory, and the ferry operators aren't too glad to see me. Of the four playable races in Amoria, the Lamia are the most hostile towards Sorgins like me.

According to the lore, it's been like this since the dawn of time. Most likely, they can't even remember why they don't like each other, and they just perpetuate the dislike because that's how it's always been. They haven't fought any wars ever since the game started, but the animosity between them is always palpable through the thinly veiled taunts the NPCS throw at the Sorgin players.

"If it isn't a little lost Sorgin?" says a gorgeous, fleshy lamia with blue and purple legs. The scales on her legs scales glisten even with the low light of the torches lighting her boat.

"I'm not lost. I want passage to Starford," I say, handing her a silver coin after I dismount from Eugene. All I had to do to get the coin was stick my hand in the bag. When I took it out, the thick metallic disk was already there.

"That won't do, honey. It's gone up. Three silvers now," she says, leaning on the pole she uses to push the ferry away from the pier. "And one for your plumed friend there."

"What? Why has it gone up?"

"Too many of you using the system now. Had to build more ships and hire more handlers," says the Lamia. For the first time, I notice that unless I make myself target an NPC, I can't see their names anymore. I think about inspecting her and her information pops up in a semitransparent interface towards the right side of my vision.

Wandalla, lvl 101 Lamia

"Fine," I say, sticking my hand into my bag. I hand her the four silvers and I step onto the ferry.

The floorboards creak as I walk over them, making some of the passengers who line up the sides of the boat stare at me. There are some players: a Tapirean, two Sorgin, a human and a Lamia. I take a seat far away from everyone.

No one has a mount out, which must mean there's some way to get them to return to the inventory. But I haven't found out how to do that yet and I don't want to ask anyone, so Eugene stays out. Some people give him curious looks, but the rest of them ignore him.

The ferry starts moving after a few minutes, bouncing with the current. I'm no seafarer, but the movement doesn't make me dizzy. The sorgin who's dressed in mail armor doesn't seem too comfortable. Perhaps he has only recently started using a Neural X too.

We pass a few villages as we move downriver. They are empty save for a few guards patrolling the cobblestoned streets. As we get closer to Starford, the villages become larger, with finer buildings and walls separating its borders. Soon, the city lights illuminate the horizon. When the thick cream-colored walls of Starford come into view, I stand up without noticing what I'm doing.

The tall townhouses surrounding the palace stretch up for tens of meters towards the sky. They hadn't looked so big when I saw them from a computer. Most of their wide gothic windows are open, with gauze curtains swaying with the breeze.

As I keep staring at the buildings, the floorboard's creaks tell me everyone is getting down. Before I lower my gaze, someone nudges my shoulder.

"Time to go Sorgin, unless you want to return. That'd be three silvers again. Pay up or get off," says Wandalla, all in one go.

"You don't have to be so rude," I say. I pause for a second, realizing I'm scolding an NPC. This person is not even real. She's made up of pixels and was programmed to act this way. I take a deep breath, concentrating on staying calm and not blowing up because of her provocation.

I turn to leave, and this time, she shoves me towards the pier.

"Don't push me," I say, wishing a wave rolls her off the ferry.

Before I can stop it, my hands move as if caressing an invisible circle, and the river's water flows onto the ferry. It engulfs Wandalla, who shouts all sorts of improprieties at me before the water drowns her voice. Then the water throws her over.

"There she is, go get her!" yells someone from the piers.

It's the city guard. If you attack an NPC within the city limits, you're automatically flagged as an enemy and all the NPCS see you as hostile for a few minutes. All you can do is keep killing them until you can leave the city and wait until the debuff wears off.

Or they can kill you, too.