Chapter 2: Welcome to the Dark Framework

Ricky opened his eyes, and found himself in an unfamiliar small room with a bunk and a blanket. There was a single window, and the walls were made of what looked like bare rock with sporadic lines going across it. He could also make out a wooden door.

He tentatively sat, and then got up. Yes, he could move around! So this was the simulation? It felt very much like being in the real world.

He took a moment to examine his own body. His proportions were much the same as usual, but when he raised his hands and felt at his face, he noticed that his arms were pale, ethereal, as if he were a ghost.

Just then, his vision was filled by a translucent box:

***

Greetings from the Dark Framework – the world’s most immersive game! During your time in the Dark Framework you will take on new roles, and explore mysterious domains.

You have entered the level known as Dark Framework: Portalis. Now, it’s time to transform! The inbuilt guide will help you to create your character, and you can also ask questions at any point during your adventures.

Good luck!

(c) Cerberus Games.

***

At that moment, Ricky heard a female voice in his head. “Hi there! I am your guide. Here in the Dark Framework you can move in any direction, and collect items. Beware of threats, though – you will need to find weapons or other ways to defend yourself. If you are killed, you will lose some of your progress and all of your equipment, and will return to the area where you rested most recently. Do you understand?”

“I... I guess so, yeah,” Ricky replied.

“Great! Now it’s time to create your character,” she said.

“Character?” he replied. “What does that mean? Can’t I just start exploring this place... Portalis, or whatever it’s called?”

“At present, your body is just a placeholder, without any attributes or skills. You will make a character, a persona, to use as you explore and interact. Also, Ricky, you should get into the habit of speaking to me inside your mind, so that other people can’t hear your commands.”

All right. Thanks for that, Guide.

It felt strange to Ricky to speak to the guide just by thinking the words – but he could see that it might start to look even stranger if he was to wander around this game world speaking out loud when there was nobody standing there.

“First, you should pick a species. This is important, because it won’t just affect the way you look, but will also affect what you are good at, giving you certain advantages and drawbacks.”

I see. Well, what are the options?

“The most common choice is to be a human, much like the humans in the refugee camp that you are familiar with – not that I have ever been there.”

Did the Guide sound a little melancholy when she said this, Ricky wondered, or was he just imagining it?

“There are five other options: demonkind, elf, strugan, halfling, and boneface. Would you like to know more about their traits?”

Sure, responded Ricky. But keep it brief. I am pretty sure I don’t want to be an elf or anything like that.

“Very well, Ricky. A human has no penalties to its base starting scores, which I will explain to you shortly. Demonkind are quite common, and share many of the same characteristics, but have certain advantages when it comes to spell casting. They all bear a demonic appearance, though the details vary. Horns, for example.“

Right.

"An elf has a raised score in nimbleness and a reduced score in strength. And a strugan is smaller. It has increased speed and also a bonus to strength, though its endurance is reduced, and it receives fewer specialist skills.”

Okay...

“A halfling is a less common choice, and you won't meet many around here. They have an affinity for both combat and magic, but have reduced strength and speed, and tend to be drawn to chaos and danger. They look very much like humans but are smaller, with rough bark-like skin.”

And – a boneface?

“That is the rarest of all the species, Ricky. Boneface men and women have very high endurance, making them hard to kill, and they have an exceptional aptitude for weapon skills too. Not many players choose this species, however, due to its hideous appearance and the resulting reductions in charisma and charm skills. They are lower on speed, too.”

I don't like the sound of that at all. Guide, I’m sticking with human.

“All right, Ricky! Next, you need to allocate 20 points between four physical attributes: speed, nimbleness, strength and endurance,” said the Guide.

Okay...

Ricky thought for a moment. In his months as a refugee, the ability to walk for many long hours had been really important – more so than being able to run fast. He could now barely remember the hours on the road to reach the refugee camp, but he had endured the monotony and the suffering, and could see the value in being tough.

He also wanted to be strong enough to wield a weapon. In fact, being super-strong would surely be a great advantage in his quest.

I’ll take eight in strength, six in endurance, four in nimbleness and two in speed.

“Very well,” said the guide. “You now gain ten starting hit points plus your endurance score, so that means that you will have sixteen overall to start with. This level will reduce if you get hurt in any way, and you will see damage and healing notifications to keep you informed. Your hit points will also rise by five with each 500 experience points that you gain."

Ricky noticed that the voice had a very soft accent; it reminded him of some of his favorite teachers from his childhood. Back when schooling was still a thing.

“And now,” the Guide continued, “you can select up to five specialist skills or advantages.”

A set of options now appeared across Ricky’s vision, partially blocking his view of the room. He found it easy and intuitive to mentally click on these, and selected the following:

- Mighty strike: +4 to damage from melee weapons

- Improvised tools: you can use everyday items for a broader range of purposes without penalties

- Hiding: +2 to evading enemies or scouts

- Toughness: +2 to overall hit points, and +2 to death saving throws.

- Charming appearance: +2 to charisma and charm skills

Once he had done so, a further update appeared:

*Health update: Your level of permanent hit points has risen to 18 (18 remain).

“And finally,” said the guide, “you should choose your character’s sex and physical appearance. The charming appearance advantage that you have selected will affect the options available here.”

Again, there were a set of options that appeared in front of Ricky’s field of vision, including various facial appearances. Although they resembled him, all looked considerably better than he did in real life, he was fairly sure. He selected an avatar that was of above average height, average build, with dark hair, a beard, and light tan skin. The image looked early-thirties in terms of age, at a guess – slightly younger than he really was. He was also able to select a basic set of clothing, including a cream shirt, a belt, and a pair of loose dark grey pants with deep pockets.

He raised his hands in front of his face, and this time he saw two solid hands, hairier on the backs and arms than he was in real life. So – this was his character, rolled and ready to play. He was in a game, and a realistic one, too.

“Well done – your character creation is complete, Ricky.”

But wait... what am I – a warrior, a wizard, or what?

“None of those things, Ricky. You are, simply, an adventurer, as is everyone who enters the Dark Framework. Some may come to be known as sorcerers or other things. But it is all about the choices we make along the way.”

"Now, here is a summary of your basic attributes, Ricky, but all of these scores can still increase as you develop. When you gain 500 experience, you will be prompted to add one point to an attribute, alongside gaining the additional hit points that I mentioned. And your mana score – your magical power – begins at zero, but can increase in the same way. If you want to see these again, just say ‘attributes’, and I will display them.”

***

Endurance: 6

Mana: 0

Nimbleness: 4

Speed: 2

Strength: 8

Hit points: 18

***

Do I get some equipment?

“No,” replied the guide. “But when you find things in the game world, I will supply information on what the objects are, how they work, and sometimes even on their value. You can ask to see your inventory at any time.”

So he had nothing at all. That’s kinda bullshit, Ricky thought to himself, but okay. He could live with it.

Ricky nodded once to indicate that he had understood, and then stepped out of the door.

The area outside was a stairway, and Ricky found himself on a small landing. There were three doors around him, including the one that he had just exited. Everything else in the surroundings was made of more of the stone blocks, with large flagstones on the floor. Steps led both up and down, and so far there was no sign of anyone else around.

Ricky briefly glanced around, and then decided to descend the stairs. He wanted to see what was out there in this world, and it seemed highly unlikely to him that the key to New Baravia would be hidden within this starting building.

No.

He would need to explore.

Soon he had reached the ground level. It was an open area around four times as large as his starting room, and with only a single door, plus the stairwell at the back. The door was a larger double door, and Ricky felt fairly certain that it led to the outdoors.

Is there some way that I can check for danger, or figure out what might be waiting outside?

“Just listen,” replied the Guide, again speaking inside Ricky’s head. “You can use all of your normal senses in the game, just as you would use in them the real world. Your intellect and attention are exactly the same in-game as they would be outside, too.”

Fine.

Looking around, he stepped quickly across the floor. But he had only crossed half of it when there was a snapping sound, and a small object flew out from one wall, whizzed across the room and impacted into his lower leg.

“Argh!” yelled Ricky out loud, crouching down and feeling at the injury. He also noticed another notification, this time at the very base of his field of vision.

*Achievement: Traps fore! You have survived a trap. +10XP

*Damage report: You have lost 3 hit points (15 remain).

Ricky quickly realized that as this was a starting location, there were likely to be other basic challenges, designed to both test a new player’s mettle and to teach them how to use their new skills. Perhaps a part of him was soon going to miss the world of the refugee camp, and what it appeared to offer in terms of safety and predictability.

But on the other hand, there was a real opportunity here to change his life for the better... if he could just find a key.

Guide – these keys that I have heard about. Am I correct to think that if we find one, we can leave the work camp and enter the city?

“That’s the idea, Ricky.”

And they are rare, I suppose?

“That’s a reasonable assumption! I can’t tell you the exact number that exist, or where they are.”

Right. Of course.

Ricky proceeded more slowly now, pressing down on each flagstone with his tiptoes before putting his full weight upon it. But there were no further traps or attacks, and he progressed to the double door.

Again being more cautious, he crouched right down, looking at the mechanism of the door, peering at the handle and lock in case there was a booby-trap of some kind. The handles seemed to be clear, but he did hear a strange sound from outside. A growling. Was this some kind of monster? And if so, how would he get past it?

As he thought on this, Ricky saw another notification appear:

*Quest 001 (level 1): Evade the monster of Barrowdale Village.

What is this?

Again he was speaking inside his head.

The Guide replied again: “Quests direct you towards important milestones in the game, often based on priorities that you have set for yourself. Each gains you a number of XP equal to 10 times the level of the quest.”

XP? What does that mean?

“Yes – XP is short for experience points. They will accumulate as you do things here in Portalis, such as completing quests. You can then use the XP for upgrades, as I mentioned.”

So I should try to do a lot of quests?

“That is up to you, Ricky, though there is a limit to how many you can have active at any one time. And I should mention, you will also gain XP for killing foes, and for achievements.”

Achievements?

“That's when the game recognizes that you have done something important for the first time and have learned from it, like when you encountered that trap. They often involve engaging in skills and actions that are exceptional in some way. These are usually rewarded with ten XP, but more can be awarded for exceptional achievements.”

All right, then.

Ricky waited, listening at the door as the shambling, growling noise diminished. The creature must have had moved on, he thought. And what was it? Some kind of lion? Or something more monstrous, like a zombie or demon?

He half expected the guide’s voice to chime in with the answer, but this time there was silence. Perhaps she couldn’t give him information outside of the basic game mechanics. No heads up, no warning of glaring dangers that he was missing.

Around five minutes had now passed, and even straining to listen and holding his breath, Ricky could no longer hear a thing. The way ahead seemed to be clear.

He reached for the door handle, turned it, and took his first step outside.

It was daytime, but the street was deserted. The buildings were all tall, detached, and constructed either entirely of stone or a mixture of stone and wood. No concrete, and very little glass. It looked nothing like any town or city that he had been in before, and reminded a little of fairy tales that he had read in books as a kid. The street itself was paved with cobbles, but a thin layer of dirt or dung coated most of it. Ricky sniffed. Yes – this place smelled as bad as it looked. So this was Barrowdale Village?

The creature was gone, anyhow, and he was fairly sure that it had moved off to the left. Turning right, he began to walk. Presumably he'd need to find a place to sleep, and before that, a way of earning a few coins. Doing a bit of labor for a local farmer, perhaps.

Ricky continued along the narrow street and then turned around the corner, only to see a huge, two-headed beast rearing up in front of him.

“Oh, fuck,” he said out loud.

Accumulated XP: 10