[OOM] Izabora - Total Immersion Virtual Reality Program: Age of Ooze. Stromgard Rich District.

[stuck_mynock]

Atton's woken up by the sound of a drum banging.

"By order of the Grand Vizier!" Somebody yells from the street outside. "Any and all heroes willing and able to undertake a dangerous quest to fight the Infection should report to the Vizier immediately!"

Atton groans, sitting up.
"I can never figure out if it's the Infection or the Corruption."

Comments

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"We shared a room. Don't you think you would've noticed if I had?"

Headshake.

"She's an NPC, not a player - remember the one we spoke to in the Garden? And the blacksmith? They've all gone insane from hundreds of years of dealing with the players there. Seriously, when I bought the room she started telling me about her collection of knives."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Hope she's not contagious with this Infection thing."

[will_scarlett]

"Well ye do like knives an aye tis kind o'worryin'."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"I think they have the natural form of insanity, not a crazy file-corrupting thingymajig Infection."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Okay. Well tell us if you have any weird symptoms."

[will_scarlett]

"If this thing is like what we saw in the forest, should be easy 'nough to spot."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Just look out for flashing colours."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Oh, that kind of infection."

[will_scarlett]

"Aye, computer thing."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Atton falls silent as they head up to the palace. There's a slightly ferrety looking man outside.

"Oh, I say, are you here to answer the summons?"

[guppy_sandhu]

"Probably." Guppy says.

[will_scarlett]

"Aye, we are."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Oh, how absolutely divine, golly. Well, I'm the Grand Vizier - if you ever took part in the 'Usurper's Payback' quest, you'll know me. I turn into a giant seal and try to overthrow King Strom, quite diabolical don't you know, though that quest has been getting hardly any mileage since His Highness has started having his funny turns."

Handwave.

"So, anyway, this here Infection. There's an information terminal in a cave not too far from here which you should check out. Direct access to system maintenance, very efficient, assuming it hasn't broken down yet. I can give you a map."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Okay." Guppy says.

[will_scarlett]

"Oh aye, sounds quite useful."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"So, here's your map," handing a scroll to Atton. "And you all have an absolutely delightful time, won't you?"

[guppy_sandhu]

"We'll do our best." Guppy bows at the man.

[will_scarlett]

"Aye, 'opefully willna be too many monsters to fight."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Hopefully there'll be lots of monsters."

[guppy_sandhu]

"I'm gonna vote for moderation."

[will_scarlett]

"But ye can take 'em down with yer blackbeltin' skills, Guppy."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, Guppy. Don't you want that?"

[guppy_sandhu]

"When I visited the bar as a kid, I met a hero who said that 'With great power comes...' oh, wait, I forgot it, I'm sure it'll come to me. I'm good for whatever."

[will_scarlett]

"Anyway will be fun, 'dventures usually are."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, Guppy. It'll be an adventure. We're going on an adventure, Guppy."

Beat.

"Okay, let's go."