by Eden Redd
“Difficult encounters are best explained through an example encounter. Let’s say you wanted to slay a dragon with a dagger. The encounter roll would be 80 to 101. If you don’t have enough bonuses to achieve over 80, you automatically fail. Lewd Saga takes into account every ability, terrain and situation. If you wanted to perform the same encounter but instead you had a magical sword of Dragon slaying, the tier would shift to Moderate and encounter rolls would be from 40 to 101. Are you still with me my sexy master?”
Nero was listening intently. As much as he liked the combat log numbers, there had to be a degree of influence without every single number running in the corner of his vision.
Wynn seemed to notice the overwhelmed look in Nero’s eyes, “I can activate a simple combat log if you’d like? It will detail damage alerts and spell effects.”
“Please do. I’ll adjust later if I need too,” Nero grinned.
The succubus rose up from the tree and sauntered over. Arms lifted up and curled around the troll’s neck as she gazed into his dark eyes.
“Which weapon do you wish to stick your enemies with?” Wynn batted her eyelashes.
A 2D screen shifted to beside the demon’s face. Nero eyed it for a moment as the warmth of the succubus crawled along his nerves. A scent rose up, painting the inside of his nose with flowery smells and burning thorns. It made it difficult to concentrate but he took a finger and scrolled the list until he tapped it to a stop. The same finger tapped at a weapon.
Wynn made an overtly surprised expression, followed by a coo as her hands glided down Nero’s body to the short sword on one hip and a dagger at the other.
“A traditional troll, I’m sure you know how to use it but just in case you don’t,” Wynn snickered as she put her mouth to Nero’s ear, “You take the point and stab it deep…..to the hilt,” she whispered and licked his ear.
Nero couldn’t deny the rush of blood draining down to his manhood, remaining silent as the succubus eyed him and bit her lip.
“Now let’s pick your kinks. You may choose up to six but you don’t have to fill up your list right now. You have the freedom to pick and choose as you go, depending on your tastes. Call on me anytime you wish so we can explore them together.”
The succubus’s eyes saddened, “To ensure a varied game experience in Lewd Saga, I may only please you once every twenty four hours. It is an unfair rule but needed to ensure you venture out and explore. I only ask that you make time for me, so we can try new things.”
Wynn broke their close embrace, turned and sauntered off. Lifting up clawed hands, smoke drifted through the trees and enveloped the area before it whisked away. Nero looked to a small tower among the trees that wasn’t there before.
“This is your tower,” Wynn turned with bright eyes. “You will customize it as you gain gold and building supplies. For now, it’s not much but it is your home. You will find a recall stone in your inventory so you may return anytime you wish. Be sure to anchor your save point so you can return to your adventures.”
Nero eyed the simple tower hidden among the trees. Everything the succubus was doing was not much of a surprise considering the amount of research he put into the game, but it still astounded him to see it unfold before him.
The player turned his attention to the kink list floating in the air. He took a quick glance at each one as they rolled by, pumping enthusiasm from his heart. A finger deftly tapped and scrolled until he found the five kinks he wanted to explore. The player left one slot open, just in case he wanted to try something on the fly.
Wynn moved to the main tower door and opened it while looking back, “Now, we have to make sure your equipment is in…working order.”
Nero eyed her and then glanced to his character stats in the corner of his eye.
Nero Synn
Shadowmancer Troll
Hit Points(HP)- 50/50
Armor- 5
Dark Mana Pool- 35/35
Strength- 9 (+0)
Intelligence- 11 (+0)
Wisdom- 12 (+1)
Dexterity- 12 (+1)
Stamina- 11 (+0)
Charisma- 15 (+2)
Abilities
Whisper to the Dead- 12
Soul Drink- 12
Troll Regeneration- 10 (Passive ability)
Skills
Sneak- 11
Spells
None
Everything seemed to be in line for a beginning character. The troll knew he would acquire skills and abilities as he travelled. Looking to the waiting succubus, he wanted to make sure everything was in working order since he would be spending a lot of time in the game.
Legs seemed to move of their own accord as he marched to Wynn’s wicked leer. Once he reached the door, the succubus launched onto him, wrapping her legs around his waist and pressing her plump lips to his. Nathan had nearly forgotten what the touch of another person felt like and it caused passion to rise.
No, not Nathan, he thought as the player fell deeper into his new character, taking all of his frustrations and siphoning down into his dark purpose. Memories floated on as flashes of heat overcame the troll and the succubus. Nero remembered from his other life, how fellow employees talked about Lewd Saga, letting it slip their character names, races and classes. Some even talked about a few of their kinky encounters. Nero’s other life was spent listening to people jabber on, filing away their character details for the time he could finally join the game. At first, he was excited to adventure with them, but as he grew to know them, he saw what awful people they were, backstabbing and treating each other like garbage while smiling and acting like friends to each other’s faces. That alone was enough to make him want to quit but his ex-boss was the worst offender. Nero knew the slime played the game but he managed to keep his Lewd Saga character secret. That was okay though, the shadowmancer would hunt down each of those who turned on him and extract their boss’s information before making their lives a living hell.
Nero stepped into the tower with the seductive succubus in his strong blue arms. Kicking the door behind him closed, bright shafts of sunlight lit up the stone tower and nearby trees. After some time, woodland creatures crawled out of their hiding spots into the still area, until screaming moans echoed out from the tower and faded into the woods causing all life to scurry back. After forty-five lust filled minutes, an alert popped up with a loud, inhuman groan.
Shadowmancer player ready! MEG equipment is fully functional. Welcome Nero, to Lewd Saga!
Three
The dirt path snaked deeper into the woods. A cloaked figure walked along, shadows covering half his face and deep eyes drinking in his surroundings. Nero’s senses were dialed to eleven and he readied himself for anything. Being a newbie, he knew it was only a matter of time before monsters and creatures would come for him. As much as he felt confident in battle, he knew there was a good chance he would be killed right off. Reading many stories online of player’s experiences in Lewd Saga; some ranged from joyfully simple to extremely difficult. The game tailored to each user, which meant it could be completely unpredictable.
Nero remembered reading how the MEG console and helmet monitored regions of the brain. It was in all the science news feeds, talking about how the technology was a miracle, and how it could even read levels of a players mind to simulate an incredible experience. Nero’s own paranoia betrayed him as he wondered if the game knew he was going to hunt down other players.
The cloaked troll stopped in his tracks and gazed upward. The sun was nearly setting and the last time he checked his map, he was still two days away from Journey Road, the main road that ran from east to west and north to south of the diamond shaped continent. Wynn warned him on the dangers of a troll along the main road but Nero ignored her. He knew he couldn’t stay in the safer areas if he was truly on a quest to fulfill his dark purpose. He had to keep moving and go where the action was.
The troll’s safer zones clustered to the south, just as the human kingdom safe zones were to the
east. Reaching into his pack, he pulled out a parchment and unfurled it. Eyes taking in the crude map, it gave some locations but not all. Kingdoms, towns and cities filled the eastern, southern and northern sections. Plenty of forests, ruins and unexplored areas dotted the land. To the west was the great unknown. Some players managed to explore a small percentage of it. That was the direction for adventure without the threat of war looming heavy on a player’s mind.
Nero sniffed, lifted his head and looked around. The player had joined the game after war reignited between the three ruling races. As it stood, the Middle Kingdoms were a bloodbath on a daily basis. The dragon lords to the north had remained silent and the trolls had pushed their way north again and again. The human kingdoms were barely keeping the trolls at bay but it was costing them dearly. Without the support of the dragon lords, the humans would be overrun in a matter of time.
Nero let out a small chuckle. He didn’t care for the war. He simply wanted to quest on his own, finding his way in this magnificent new world. Leaves fluttered in the small breeze and the sky began to darken. The air felt crisp and alive as he took in the digital brilliance. Thinking back to his paranoia, a smile crept into his blue cheeks and he let out a laugh.
“Don’t over think it. Just enjoy the ride until we are strong enough,” Nero whispered to himself.
The solace was comforting and the world vibrant, even at dusk. Shaking his head, he reminded himself that it was just a game and he should be having fun. There would be plenty of time to follow his internal quest. Now was the time to explore and discover fantastic mysteries.
Walking once again, the shadowmancer kept to a steady pace as he followed the winding path. The sun sunk lower in the sky and the forest grew darker. Shadows lengthened and the forest birds soon stopped their songs. Nero didn’t feel tired as he continued to walk but he knew he had to stop soon and set up camp. The night brought out many monsters and he needed to find a safe spot to rest.
The last rays of sunlight faded beyond the horizon. Nero turned his head from side to side, looking for a place to set up his tent when the sound of steel on steel rang out from the forest.
The troll bent his knees, hands touching his short sword and dagger. Senses dialed high, he listened as the symphony of combat played directly ahead of him. Activating his sneak ability, he moved forward along the path. As shouts and clash of steel echoed, the player moved into the brush. Taking his time, he stepped along, glancing at the forest floor, ensuring he didn’t step on any twigs or branches.
In the distance, the sounds of battle continued. Night fell across the lands and Nero felt better as he snuck along in the shadows. Small flashes of light appeared further in the darken woods. Nero continued his steady pace.
Entering PVP battle area!
“Shit,” Nero cursed as he continued on toward the sounds of battle.
The player tried to comfort himself by telling himself he was only going for a look. A nervous shiver ran down his spine as his heart thumped in his chest. He wasn’t ready for anything that might be happening before him. Staying to the shadows was his best option. If it looked bad, he could melt away and they would never know he was there. “Yea, that could work,” he tried to convince himself.
A scream pierced the evening, followed by another. Nero grimaced as he moved through the shadows, nearing the battle in progress. A clearing opened up and a fireball blasted through the air before exploding and showering the area in shards of fire. The shadowmancer moved to the clearing edge but stayed to the shadows. Dark eyes took in the battle raging before him.
Wounded players tried to crawl away as two sides locked in intense melee. Several archers let arrows loose while several knights were hammering at a small band of humanoids. Three cat women, a lizard man and a woman with fox ears and a tail fought against close to a dozen attackers. At their feet were several more cat people, crawling away or fighting from the floor.
The larger group was made of humans. Some were knights and paladins. Several elven archers let arrows fly while a mage called up another fireball and hurtled it overhead. The fireball streaked through the air and when it was over the group of humanoids, exploded and showered them in fiery debris. The fox woman pulled back and jumped toward a cat woman, knocking her to the ground as fire rained down on the rest of their companions. Screams pierced the night as the lizard man fell to one knee.
A laughing paladin rushed him, hammer swinging. The lizard man looked up just as the hammer came in fast, striking him across the face. The lizard man shattered into shards of light, splattering against the ground before fading from sight.
A knight rushed in and drove his sword into a cat woman who was trying to crawl away. She grunted as her leg was pinned to the ground. The archers stopped their volley and the knights and paladins rushed in to clean up.
“Don’t kill the females! One of them could be a concubine,” Shouted a knight rushing in.
The fox woman stayed on the ground, hugging a cat woman close. Nero watched as the battle had turned, looking like the humans were the victors. Part of him urged to turn back and let them figure it all out but another part kept him rooted to the spot, wanting to see if there was anything he could loot from the situation.
Another wounded cat woman screeched as several knights converged on her. Taking out a dagger from her belt, she slit her own neck while glaring at them. The knights growled as she fell back and shattered into shards of light. Two paladins moved to any wounded males and snuffed out their light with hammer blows to the head.
Nero stared, taking in the carnage as the losing side was extinguished one by one. Soon, only the fox woman, the cat woman she was holding and the other cat woman with the sword in her leg were all that was left. Weapons and gear littered the battlefield and two knights checked each piece, appraising them of their value.
A knight stepped over to the fox and cat woman as they held each other. Nero could see the look of defiance in the fox woman’s eyes until the knight stood before her. Eyes growing soft, she looked away while still clutching her fellow companion.
The knight was in full plate armor. His helmet was smooth as glass and only had two eyeholes. There were no other distinguishing marks or carvings. Looking to the rest of the group, none of them had any kind of markings either. No crests, colors or patches. Nero wondered if their generic look was strategic, so they couldn’t be discovered.
The knight sheathed his sword and looked down at the fox woman, “The battle is won.”
The fox woman remained silent. Even at a distance away, Nero could see her eyes staring off, trying to come up with a solution. Pointed furry ears on the top of her head twitched. Fur ran along the side of her cheeks and framed her human looking face. Fur covered the back of her hands and her full tail was curled close to her body. She wore a long white dress with slits up to the hip. The fabric puddled around her, showing her smooth legs with fur covering just the tops of her feet. Nero watched as her golden eyes looked to her companion and sadness passed between them.
The knight crossed his metal arms and tilted his head forward, “I’m willing to bet you’re a concubine. Spread your legs so we can find out.”
“We’re players you assholes!” spat the pinned cat woman to the ground.
Several knights and paladins clustered closer while the mage and elves hung back.
“We checked their gear, pretty standard, nothing special,” said a knight.
The big knight kept his head tilted, staring at the fox woman, “Well it’s not a complete loss. We all can have some fun.”
Nero looked to the paladins. He knew that they could sense anything associated with the sphere of darkness, but they didn’t even glance in his direction. The player assumed he was either not strong enough to even be a blip on their radar or there was too much distance between them.
The fox woman looked up, “We can have some fun, if you let these two go.”
The knight stood silently for a long moment, arms still crossed before s
peaking again, “You’re not in a position to make any demands. We will put you in a position to take all of our demands.”
The paladins looked to one another sheepishly before one spoke up, “Let’s go. I think the knights want to work out their aggressions.”
Three paladins turned and walked back to the mage and elves. Several other knights joined them, leaving three knights and their leader with the prisoners. The fox woman held her companion close. The other cat woman struggled with the sword impaled in her leg.
The leader unfurled his arms and an armored hand dropped to his belt. Fingers curled around a dagger hilt and he unsheathed it in one smooth move. The dagger was by his side as he knelt down and looked to the fox woman, eye to eye.
“Remove your clothes or this dagger will do more than end your session. Have you ever heard of a Soul Bleeder?”
The fox woman remained silent. The cat woman holding onto her shivered as the kneeling knight kept the dagger at his side. Nero leaned in a little more to listen.
The knight kept his gaze as he brought up the dagger and held it between them, “A Soul Bleeder weapon will lock you out of Lewd Saga for a few days. They come in various strengths and can be a little hard to find but my guild managed to acquire a few of them.”
The knight flipped the dagger in his hand before pressing it to the fox woman’s throat, “This one is not too powerful but it will lock you out for two days. If you play nice, we will simply kill you and you will resurrect in an hour. If you don’t play nice, well, see you around.”
Nero’s eyes narrowed from the shadows. He heard that soul bleeder weapons were introduced into the game to add some sport to PVP battles. It made death carry a greater weight.
“Then use it!” shouted the cat woman with the sword impaled in her leg.
“No, don’t!” the fox woman said as the knight stood up.
