by K. T. Hanna
“I know this.” David was obviously trying to be patient, but considering he was knee deep in figuring out the anti-virus they needed to employ, Laria couldn’t blame him for wanting her to hurry up.
“Yes, but the normal headgear is fluctuating in about ten of the people around Wren and Fable.”
“In the raid zone?” David finally looked more interested in what she was saying than what he was doing.
“Yes. One of the headsets has been tinkered with, but the others are,” she paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to express it outside of her mind. “It’s like the virus has attached itself to them and is slowly morphing their capabilities. But not for the player to control, for the game to have wider reach.”
David was quiet for a few seconds before frowning as he spoke. “In the game with Wren, right near her?”
Laria nodded.
He pushed on. “But not necessarily attached to her or the headsets you and Shayla altered?”
“Yep. Not…” she frowned this time. “Wait, one of the headsets is. It belongs to the character Jinna. Its programming is being adjusted, literally, as we speak. Very slowly, but definitely there.”
David initiated a link to his wife’s feed and sat with her, watching the data. His eyes grew wide and for a moment all he could see was the information in front of him. “The fluctuations are only happening to people who are stuck in the portal-linked endgame dungeon loop with Fable.”
“Yeah.” Laria wasn’t happy to have someone else arrive at that conclusion. She’d wanted to be wrong because she had no idea how to fix this or where to start.
David shook his head. “But I don’t get how. This game has some serious glitches. What the hell possessed Davenport to release it like that?”
Laria hesitated. “That’s just it. He didn’t. When we released the game read as clean and fully functional. Whatever this is? It’s someone or something else, and I have no idea what their agenda is.”
Storm Entertainment
Somnia Online Division
Game Development Offices Artificial Intelligence Server Room
Day Twenty-Nine
An alarm sounded through the safe space the AIs had retreated to once again. Rav and his siblings looked up in shock as the system began to list numerous protocol breaks occurring all at once in the same sector of the game’s coding.
Unidentified headset accessing game coding.
“What the…” Sui didn’t finish what he was saying, his alarm overtaking his irritation as he dived in and began to search.
Rav scoped out all of his areas, searching for the breach of protocols and pulling the information on the offending headset to his console. The headset was old, older than the ones Murmur and her friends were using. It wasn’t tweaked at all; instead, it had access to data points that it shouldn’t because as far as he could tell, the headset had originally been one of Michael’s prototypes.
“Should that even be able to hook into the game?” Thra asked incredulously.
“Technically no?” Sui answered, flustered at its presence.
Rav didn’t want to ask why. Perhaps his brother was telling the truth when he told them everything he’d done was to save the world. Even so, he wasn’t about to leave it up to the younger AI.
Rav followed the connection and found its user in character creation. He’d been assigned a character class already and was designing his human warlock. Rav balked. The player shouldn’t have been able to tap into that class. In testing, the warlock had registered as overpowered, choosing people with questionable morals and giving them similar spell options.
They’d pulled it until they could figure out why it registered people as one. But here it was, where it shouldn’t be possible.
“Hey, we have a bit of a problem.”
Thra coughed. “Yeah, I just found the warlock too.”
“It’s a developer headset, one of a kind, allows for hefty in-game control.” Sui’s words cascaded into each other, the worry evident in his tone. “What’s worse, is it’s automatically level forty. He’s jumped into a developer’s skin.”
“Who is this? Who has access to this?” Rav frantically accessed the warlock files, pulling and freezing several of the more potent spells to lock them away.
“I’m not sure.” Thra spoke softly as she concentrated on pulling more information.
“I don’t think Murmur is going to be happy about this,” Rav said suddenly as the character registered its name and prepared to enter the game world.
“Why?” Sui looked over, a haunted presence around him.
Rav sucked in a breath. “His name is James Dougray.”
Hi there! K.T. Hanna here.
I want to thank you for reading the Somnia Online. OMG, a book that doesn’t start with a D. No, seriously though. I’m so excited for you all to have read this book. It took me an age to make sure I kept all the threads together.
I really hope you enjoyed your Fusion journey with Murmur, Sinister, and the crew.
If you enjoyed the book, I ask you, please take a moment to leave a review. Reviews are an author’s lifesblood. Without them, our books sink into obscurity. With them, most algorithms allow well reviewed books to self-promote in some way.
Want to find out more about Somnia? Here is how you can keep in contact with me:
Want to read more about Fable? Sign up for my Reader’s Group and get the short story for free!
If you’d like to contact me, my email is: [email protected] I’ll do my very best to get back to you.
If you’d like previews of what I’m writing, or art I’m commissioning then join my Patreon!
I can be found in the Somnia FB group fairly often, and also on Twitter & Instagram
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Game Terms
Aggro—When you walk too close to a monster, you get in its aggression radius, thus causing aggro. Once engaged in combat, players must be cautious not to exceed the tank’s threat level. Buffs, debuts, and damage output all contribute to the mobs aggro meter.
AOE—Area of Effect. Spells or abilities that effect an area and not just a single target.
Binding/bound—When someone/you bind(s) to an area, you affix your soul to that place in order to Gate back, or else respawn when you die.
Boss—Nope. He doesn’t employ you, he employs all the mobs trying to kill you. He hits HARD, and often has special group wiping abilities if not handled correctly by the tank and raid as a whole.
Buff—Most classes will get buffs that strengthen at least themselves if not others. These are effects they can cast which enhance aspects of their character.
Camping—When a group finds a spot that will yield good money and experience, they tend to stay in its vicinity. This is called camping.
Con—To consider a mob and see how difficult the fight could potentially become.
DoT—Damage over Time. This is an offensive spell that applies damage to a target over a period of time at regular intervals.
DPS—Damage Per Second. Usually used in conjunction with offensive classes, or damage output.
Debuff—This is the opposite of a buff and is usually used on mobs to detract from their strengths and make them easier to kill.
End Game—Every game has a goal. In some there’s a max level and events and fights only accessible once that level is reached. For Fable, the end game is everything.
Gank—When someone tries to player kill you without forewarning. Often succeeds in taking the victim by surprise.
Gate—You create a Gate to your binding point and travel there i
nstantly.
Grinding—Sometimes gaining levels requires so much camping that it becomes tedious. That’s known as grinding levels.
Healer—Well...they heal.
HP—Hit Points. The amount of damage a character can take before death.
Kite—This is a tactic often employed by ranged classes such as the ranger. It entails slowing a mob, and running ahead of it, slowly picking down its health. Can also be used as a diversionary tactic to split multiple mobs if no Mesmerize is available.
Line of Sight (LOS)—If a mob can’t see you, but knows you’re there, it will have to run around the obstacle to gain access. This is often used to split up larger groups of melee and casters, so it’s more manageable for the group. The puller will line of sight the casting/ranged mobs to pull them around an obstacle for easier access and closer contact.
MA—Mental Acuity. A type of power generator specifically for Psionicists.
MANA—Mind juice, used for spells.
Meat Shield—The character who takes the hits in place of the rest of the group. The tank.
Melee—Those fighters who stand in close range and use weapons to fight with are often referred to as melee classes.
Mez—Mesmerize. Freezes in place.
MMO—Massively Multiplayer Online.
MMORPG—Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game.
Mob—an aggressive monster. Can be humanoid or animal.
OOM—Out of mana. Literally what it says.
Newbie—Also known as noob. Someone who has rarely, if ever played an MMO and has no clue what they’re doing.
NPC—Non Player Character. Usually not aggressive unless you fuck up.
Pull—Often one person in a group/raid will be designated as the puller, the person who attacks the mob and brings it to camp.
Ranged—A class that can damage (usually) a mob from a distance. Like mages or rangers, etc.
Ranger Gating—Rangers were often known for getting themselves into trouble by kiting mobs in a solo setting. Or else, pulling aggro when DPS-ing. They’d die and resurrect at their bind point, making it what’s known as a Ranger Gate.
Respawn—When a mob or a person dies in-game, they will reappear at the spot where their soul was bound. The more powerful the mob, the longer it takes for them to respawn.
Root—A spell obtainable by multiple classes that causes the target’s feet to affix momentarily to the ground. They can still cast, but they cannot move until the root breaks.
RPG—Role Playing Game.
Tank—The meat shield aka the person who takes the bit hits for the group. Often needs to be swapped in and out with another tank during larger raids depending on a boss’ abilities.
Tether—In some worlds monsters have a specific area they’re confined to, and thus stop and don’t pursue their prey past a certain point. In Somnia, mobs do not tether. This does not apply to specific purpose NPCs.
Train—When a player or group has managed to aggro a large number of mobs who don’t tether, and leads the following of mobs to a specific spot, or through a spot, they call it a train.
Utility class—these are classes whose prime function is to support the group, through abilities that protect or strengthen them as a group or raid.
VR—Virtual Reality.
VRMMORPG—Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game.
Wipe—This occurs when the entire raid or group die to an encounter.
Murmur
Class: Enchanter – Psionicist
Species: Locus
Real Name: Wren
Sinister
Class: Blood Mage
Species: Dark Elf
Real Name: Harlow
Devlish
Class: Dread Knight
Species: Lacerta
Real Name: Darren
Havoc
Class: Necromancer
Species: Dark Elf
Real Name: Evan
Beastial
Class: Beastmaster
Species: Viking
Real Name: Selwyn
Merlin
Class: Ranger
Species: Elf
Real Name: Mike
Rashlyn
Class: Monk
Species: Feles
Veranol
Class: Shaman
Species: Viking
Mellow
Class: Witch
Species: Dark Elf
Exbo
Class: Ranger
Species: Human
Jinna
Class: Rogue
Species: Dwarf
Dansyn
Class: Bard
Species: Dark Elf
Base Stat Sheet: Level Fifty (50)
CONstitution: 22
STRength:10
AGIlity:20
WISdom: 12
INTelligence:94
CHArisma: 115
HitPoints: 712
MANA: 1044
MA: 250
Abjuration:267
Alteration:272
Conjuration:258
Divinition:262
Evocation:265
2H Blunt: 222
1H Piercing:85
Mental Acuity (MA) Abilities:
Thought Sensing.
Class: Enchanter only.
Level not applicable.
Developing your inner senses you’ve awoken your latent kinetic powers. With constant use your skills will increase, while the opposite will occur should the skill not be used. See your trainer for specifics when you reach Thought Sensing (25).
Thought Shielding.
Class: Enchanter only.
Level—not applicable.
Developing your inner senses you’ve awoken your latent psychic powers. With constant use your skills will increase, while the opposite will occur should the skill not be used. See your trainer for specifics when you reach Thought Shielding (25).
Thought Projection.
Class: Enchanter only.
Level—not applicable.
Developing your inner senses has further developed your psychic powers. Thought Projection can be tricky. Make sure you never use it in anger, or the results might be surprising. With constant use your skills will increase, while the opposite will occur should the skill not be used. See your trainer for specifics when you reach Thought Projection (25).
Mind Bolt.
This ability allows you to cast a spear of mental anguish into the depths of an opponent’s brain.
Effects: Opponents will be unable to concentrate enough to use spells or abilities for four seconds. This time increases as the caster’s level does.
Cost: Requires Mental Acuity to be at 18.
Caution: Use sparingly. Backlash from overuse, or improper use can cause the same effect in the caster...or worse.
Phase Shift
This ability allows you to negatively affect your opponent’s mind. Believing they are a second or two apart from reality, they will reside there for up to 15 seconds.
Effect: Target’s mind is encased in a phase of illusion. The target will be convinced they’ve shifted to a different time pocket, and thus are incapable of moving. This effect begins at 15 seconds duration, and levels with the caster through to a maximum of 90 seconds.
Cost: Requires MA to be at 38—for larger castings, the cost will double.
Caution: Phase shift may be utilized on single or multiple targets at once. Weigh the amount of targets carefully, else it backfire and shift you. Sometimes the shift in time can cause ruptures near the caster. Make sure the voices you’re hearing are your own.
Forestall Death
If applied before potential de
ath takes place, this will enable you to maintain your health at 0.5 hit points as long as you are receiving some sort of healing effect.
Effect: Target is able to ward off death for a limited period of time and will not die when they should have, as long as heals are actively channeled in their direction.
Cost: Requires Mental Acuity to be at 60
Caution: This spell can only be used on one person at a time. Attempting to use it twice at once is not recommended. This will usually result in things worse than death.
Clone Warp
This ability allows you to produce a clone of yourself used for distracting your opponent. Depending on your tier of mastery, you may be able to produce more than one clone.
Effect: All enemies around you will believe that your clone is you for the next 45 seconds, directing their attacks accordingly. The ability expires when the 45 seconds are up, or else, the clone’s minor hit point pool has been depleted, whichever comes first.
Cost: Requires Mental Acuity to be at 45 or more
Caution: This ability can be used on as many enemies that you have who can potentially see it. Keep in mind though, a clone is just like you. Make sure you remember who the real one is.
Charming Cooperation
This ability allows you to use your charisma and your mental acuity to persuade monsters, animals, and sometimes even beings to join your cause.
Effects: When using thought projections to make sure your target understands the charming process, before you activate this type of charm. They will work together as allies instead of coerced foes. You may release them whenever you or they request it.
Cost: Requires MA to be at 35 for each ally. Diminishes current total MA for the duration of the cooperation.
Caution: You can use this on multiple targets. But each ally costs, and you can never utilize Charming cooperation on more mobs than is equal to 20% of your level. Also, don’t try to charm raid bosses. Even small ones. Like... just don’t even attempt that shit.
Mental Acuity (MA) Level Three (3)
