The Trapped Mind Project (Emerilia Book 1)

by Michael Chatfield

  Dave sighed and continued to walk around, smiling and greeting others.

  New Passive Skill: Blend

  Others might run around like chickens with their head cut off. You blend in with your surroundings.

  Level: Novice level 1

  Effect: 5% chance to increase sneak in populated areas.

  He’d never heard of a skill like Blend, but he remembered the videos he’d seen on the game. There were two types of skills: The presets that came in the form of commands that a Player could use to do certain actions. Then there were the evolving skills; they weren’t made based on some linear tree like older games.

  He opened up his interface discreetly as he found somewhere to lean against a wall. He went onto Emerilia’s forums. Already a skill tree was growing; there was a crazy amount of information.

  People had been doing all kinds of actions and they had found new skills. Some debated whether they had actually created them as the AI had reacted to their input. Others wondered how many different skills there could be. No one had an answer for that. More turned up every few minutes.

  It seemed that Jukal Enterprises hadn’t been lying when they said that everyone’s experiences would be different. Everyone was getting different skills, and skills were not just ranked by someone using their abilities. Someone who shot a bow in real life and then showed that they could do it in-game would level the skill faster than someone who was just shooting mobs with a bow with preset commands.

  The game was as fluid and rigid as people wanted it to be.

  Dave went past the major skill trees like two-handed melee, sneak, armor proficiency, or archery—getting to the crafting. There was little to nothing on it. Sure, people had found out about smithing and such, though otherwise they’d gone off for search of quests, baddies, and EXP.

  Dave would have done that as a younger man, but now, gaming was a catharsis. He just wanted some time to make something again.

  There’s plenty time to do quests and grinding later. You can’t resist all those massive raids, or the feeling of defeating a boss no one has defeated before! He grinned and waved the interface away.

  He wandered the marketplace. He got to a woman who was selling farming equipment and other utensils.

  “Hi. How much for the small toolkit, pickaxe, saw, axe, hammer, simple blade, and a few dozen of the nails?” Dave asked.

  “Fifty coppers,” she replied.

  Something made him take another look at her.

  Dave had been in enough deals to know when someone was trying to pull one over on him. He sighed, taking on a pained expression.

  “All I can do is thirty.” He opened his menu with a thought but did not focus on it as he looked at his starting ten gold.

  A hundred coppers made one silver. Ten silver coins were worth a gold coin.

  “Forty.” She crossed her arms.

  “Thirty-five,” Dave said.

  She looked him over before a smile cracked her face and she held out a hand. “Done.”

  “Good to do business with you.” He smiled as she grabbed the various tools.

  New Passive Skill: Trading

  Who knew? Those meetings weren’t for nothing. Whether you’re selling asteroids or buying a trowel, it’s always better to get it cheaper. At higher levels, you could sell air to a cloud.

  Level: Novice level 1

  Effect: Prices reduced 2%, profits increased 2%

  Dave snorted at the status. “Wish it was that easy in real life. Snarky little AI commentator, I wonder how they found out about who I am.”

  He dismissed his wandering thoughts, looking to his next notification.

  Passive Skill: Perception

  Level: Novice level 2

  Effect: 7% chance to find hidden details.

  Dave wiped his brow and dismissed the screens. The prompts were cocky and messing with him, but he found them entertaining. Better than the droll reports and boredom he dealt with every day.

  Interesting, two skills can be associated with one another. Wonder if they could stack.

  “I’ve been thinking of looking for a place to call my own, interested in building. Know anyone doing anything like that?” Dave asked.

  “Sure, plenty people are trying to start new settlements. Say that there’s going to be more travelers running around.” She looked at the other Players, shaking her head at how they ran around as fast as possible and toppling people in their wake.

  “Understandable,” Dave said.

  “If you’re going far, might be an idea to go talk to Siven. She makes clothes and boots. Also has some of those dimensional bags if you’ve got the gold for it.” The woman trader looked apprehensive.

  “Where is she?” Dave asked.

  “Up the main street two blocks, take a right. Siven the Seamstress. Tell her Brenna sent you.”

  Quest: Shopping Spree

  In Emerilia, you need somewhere to keep all of that loot. Get a bag of holding and maybe some new kicks to get started.

  Meet with Siven

  Rewards: EXP

  Do you accept?

  Y/N

  Dave accepted and took the goods wrapped in cloth around the axe. He thought of the coppers and reached into his coin pouch; he pulled them out and handed them to Brenna. He gave her an extra copper with a smile. “Thanks for the help, Brenna.”

  “No worries.” The coppers disappeared as she smiled. “If you want more information on new settlements and interesting areas, talk to Darryl at the bookstore. He’s got a collection of maps from the traveling guild. He’s up the main street four blocks, seven blocks to the right, near the rich sector,” Brenna said.

  “Thanks!” Dave said, resting the axe and his items on his shoulder.

  Pickaxe

  Good for breaking rocks

  Quality: D

  Damage: 3 (piercing)

  Durability: 140/140

  Saw

  Good for cutting down felled timber into smaller sections

  Quality: D

  Damage: 1 (Slash)

  Durability: 70/70

  Dave dismissed the other side of his screen listing the new items.

  Axe

  Hammer

  Simple Blade

  Iron Nails

  He took off at a light jog, making sure to not hit people as he ran. He dodged through traffic here and there, humming a tune as people went about their lives.

  New Passive Skill: Dodge

  Whether you’re dodging through people, or out of the way of a blade, your body reacts before you have time to think about it.

  Level: Novice level 1

  Effect: 5% chance to evade objects.

  He looked around Emerilia. It was beautiful. The rendition was amazing. It was another reason Dave was interested in moving to Japan: no mandatory kick-off times. Though you did have to wear a health monitor. Tons of people, who were dying or fed up with the world, went to Japan.

  Three days in-game was only a day out of game. Dave didn’t know how they did it but somehow they’d compressed time inside the game.

  Why have just a year left before you die, when you could have three?

  Dave found Siven’s Seamstress and walked into the store. There were various clothes in racks. They seemed obscure and silly, though there were some sheaths in cabinets. Dave looked at them closely.

  Sheath of Sharpness

  Add +1 to overall damage when blade is pulled from sheath. Lasts for five strikes, fits short sword.

  Sheath of Durability

  As the sun rises, so will the durability of your blade. +1 to blade’s durability when paired. For blades quality of B or lower; will not add durability if blade is at full durability.

  If he got a really high-level blade and sheath, then the sheath could repair it between fights. That could be really useful.

  Dave looked over the sheaths and information about them on the forums. Similar sheaths could be made out of multiple materials, the higher quality the materials the longer
it would last and the stronger the enchantments would be.

  Something to think about in the future.

  “Find anything you like?” A smiling, plump gnome walked over.

  “Hi, Brenna sent me. Said that you might have something to carry this lot easier.” Dave shook his cloth satchel.

  “That we can do. Where you headed to?” Siven went behind the counter Dave was looking at.

  “Not sure yet. Looking for a new place to settle down. Get away from the beaten path, maybe help build something.” Dave shrugged.

  Siven looked at Dave’s feet and winced. “Might I suggest that you get some new boots? Those won’t stay together all that well.” She stared at them.

  “What have you got?” Dave asked. He’d felt the road beneath his feet as he walked. If they’ve added blisters, that is too much realism! He had a sneaking suspicion they had.

  Siven pulled out four sets of shoes. None of them had any special stats but Dave tried them out, going with the most padded one that he could tie tight.

  “A good choice.” Siven smiled.

  Simple Boots

  Comfortable shoes for long walks.

  She pulled out a bag of holding. It would reduce anything in it, to forty percent of its original weight.

  “I’ve been sending any of the travelers on quests all morning to do my errands. Makes life much easier!” She laughed.

  Dave smiled, ready for the prompt.

  “Lucky for us that we’re just normal people and not those bunch of idiots.” She smiled.

  “Yeah.” Dave smiled back.

  “It’ll be one silver and ninety-six coppers,” Siven said.

  “All of it?” Dave asked.

  “Yup,” Siven said.

  That was way better than he’d been hoping for a bag of holding. He could do a jig!

  “Thanks!”

  A new prompt asked him if he accepted the sale.

  He did, the weight of money in his pocket becoming lighter.

  “Pleasure doing business with you,” she smiled, looking to another customer that had entered her shop.

  Dave took the boots and put them on. They were much more comfortable than his old ones. He put his satchel into the open mouth of the bag of holding and put it on his back.

  Bag of holding

  Reduces materials inside to 40% of original weight. Ability to Auto-sort.

  Do you want to Soul Bind with this item? (Once soul bound no one can steal this from you even if you are dead)

  Y/N

  Sauweeeet! Yes, yes, yes, yes!

  “Could you give me directions to Darryl, who owns the bookstore?” Dave asked.

  “Sure. Go up Edoa Road, to Ferick and go right. He’s on the left side of the street, with a book for a sign,” she said.

  Quest: Shopping Spree

  In Emerilia, it’s good to know where you’re going and where you’ve been. Go to Darryl’s Bookstore to get a map.

  Reward: 1,500 XP

  “Thanks.” Dave headed out the door and for Darryl’s. The weight of his pack was negligible. With it, he could get some more things for his travels.

  Most people had to go do something for the creator in order to get their bags.

  Maybe I’ll need food? Might as well check it out.

  He jogged on for Darryl’s. He looked around as he went. He felt drawn towards some stores; he took a closer look at them and made a mental note to check them out as he saw tools he might need later.

  Passive Skill: Perception

  Level: Novice level 3

  Effect: 9% chance to find hidden details.

  His Stamina wasn’t all that impressive, but it was good enough to get him to Darryl’s without coughing up a lung.

  An older-looking human, with spectacles on the end of his nose, sat behind a desk. He looked up as Dave walked in.

  The place was filled with books all over the walls. Shelves bowed with their weight.

  “Can I help you?” Darryl asked.

  “Brenna sent me. Said that you might help me with a map?” Dave asked.

  “Caves, trolls, dungeons, and loot, huh?” Darryl looked tired.

  “I was looking more for settlements, looking for a place to settle down away from this all,” Dave said.

  “Ah, a man after my own heart.” Darryl tapped his lips in thought. “Well, I might have two things for you then.” He moved around the store, pulling out a book and then a scroll.

  “This Map of the Traveler scroll is imbued with magical currents. Once you look at it, a map will appear in your vision; you can manipulate the map with thought. When you look at other maps, they can be added to the one that you see. With a thought, they can disappear. Now this, sir dwarf, is a rare gem. The Book of Surveyor. It will allow you to look at a map and possibly see more than you hoped. Possibly a vein of material, or well of magic. This skill is more potent the higher the level you achieve, how updated the map is, or if you are looking at an area. Simply looking around an area from an unobscured vantage point might add new symbols to your map,” Darryl said.

  So books can give skills as well as magical spells. Coolio! I need that friggin’ book.

  “It costs three gold pieces; the map five silver,” Darryl said before Dave could open his mouth.

  Well, that cuts into the reserves some!

  “Together that is three gold and three silver.” Darryl’s fingers traced over the cover of the Surveyor’s book.

  Dave scratched his head in thought, weighing the pros and cons.

  Darryl let out a laugh. “Oh, I’m sorry, lad—should have seen your face! Don’t worry, we’ll do normal price—one gold coin. Those travelers deserve the fleecing they get for the damage they cause. Sorry about that.” Darryl was still smiling. “Couldn’t resist.”

  “No worries.” Dave smiled. The NPCs charge people more if they think they’re a Player? So, what the hell do they think I am?

  “Here you are.” Darryl put the items on the table. Dave dropped a gold coin into the man’s hand. It disappeared into his robes.

  Darryl pushed over the two items. Dave opened the Book of Surveyor first. The first page was normal; then pages just seemed to rush by as his mind filled with knowledge. Finally, the book stopped; the rear of the book slammed shut and turned into ash that floated upward and disappeared into nothing.

  New Active Skill: Surveyor

  You are a creature of the land; you look upon it and its secrets become facts to you. Sometimes.

  Level: Novice level 1

  Effect: 5% chance to see surrounding landmarks.

  Range: 530 m

  Cost: 5 Stamina/second.

  “Nice.” Dave grinned, and opened the Map of the Traveler.

  Map of the Traveler

  Do you want to access the Map of the Traveler? Imbuing its magical circuits to your body for all of eternity?

  Y/N

  “Come to Daddy,” Dave said, pressing the ‘yes’ at the same time. Light glowed as the scroll opened all the way. It blinded him for a few seconds. When his sight returned, he saw a map in the top right corner of his sight.

  He moved the image around with a thought and noticed that the map on the scroll moved as well.

  “That’s neat,” Dave said, able to move the larger map with mental commands. He noticed something, as though something wasn’t quite wrong, yet not quite right. He zoomed in on it. The sense got stronger as he reached an area in what looked like the middle of nowhere. It looked like some kind of structure.

  Quest: What Lies Below

  You’ve found something of interest on your map. It might just be an odd hill or something more.

  Reward: ???

  Will you investigate?

  Y/N

  Maybe later. Might as well have it active in the quests. Dave tucked the map away into his bag, accepting the quest anyway.

  “I wish you luck on your travels. I wish I was able to get away from all theseplayers, but my books keep me here,” Darryl said.

 
“Well, if you get bored of it sometime, come around. Though I’ll have to find some place to settle down first!” Dave said.

  “I wish you luck.” Darryl grinned and shook Dave’s hand.

  Dave headed out of the store.

  Quest: Shopping Spree

  Quest complete

  Reward received: 1,500 XP

  Level 2

  You have reached level 2; you have 5 stat points to use.

  Active Skill: Surveyor

  Level: Novice level 2

  Effect: 7% chance to see surrounding landmarks.

  Range: 560 m

  Cost: 5 Stamina/second.

  Not bad, Dave, my son. He was hungry and it was about time he was off and looking for a place to settle down. That hill-looking whatever seemed interesting.

  He wandered to the markets again, getting a ton of food and water. After some thought, he also got a bow and sleeping gear. He wanted to live peacefully but sometimes you had to defend that, and maybe he could sustain himself with pelts. Sleeping gear would allow him to save anywhere.

  Simple Bow

  It’s not elegant but it will do the job.

  Quality: C

  Damage: 10

  Durability: 50/50

  Satisfied, Dave started jogging out of the city he’d found out was called Omal. Once he was clear of the crowds, he upped his speed, running as fast as he could.

  New Active Skill: Sprint

  While you look like you actively fear running, it seems that when needs must, you can still run.