章 9: Chapter 9- Which one?
"Damn it! I forgot to ask Samuel about the reason those old sockets degraded so early!"
Abel cursed out lout when he recalled he hadn't asked Samuel what he wanted. He got preoccupied with their earlier discussion and completely forgot about the questions he had. He also wanted to get Samuel's opinion on how good the pod was. Although he had already purchased it and he had done his research prior, he wasn't well versed in advanced tech. He honestly didn't understand a majority of the technical reviews he'd read, he only cared about the summarized conclusion – was it good or not? He also wanted to know how long the sockets would last and where he could see this information from. While he knew these parts would have to be changed every year, he wasn't sure how to monitor their degradation.
"It's fine, I've got his number. He seemed like a nice guy so he shouldn't go so low as to charge me for this information" Abel muttered to himself, unaware that Frankie and Samuel had struck-up a friendship already or that this information wasn't difficult to find once he booted up the system.
He was currently sitting at his desk going through all the notes he had taken about Faeron, his old computer was at the side and a map of Faeron was opened up through the forums. He could've been browsing this information in his pod but his notes were hand written so he preferred to use his old computer instead. Besides, he still had to replace the water for the boar pelt getting soaked.
The world of Faeron was made up of 5 continents or "regions" more accurately. At least, this is what was currently released to the public but the marketing executives of Realm Quest, the mother company and creators of Faeron, hadn't kept it a secret that this was only what the public currently knew. In other words, it was the tip of the iceberg, a small visible fraction of a much greater whole.
Abel examined his notes and couldn't decide if he should stick to his original choice for a starting location or pick somewhere else. There were numerous kingdoms and several empires strewn about the five continents of Faeron.
The central continent Elyndor was steeped in a rich history marked by the remains of a once-powerful civilization that ruled the world. As to where this ancient civilization was now? No one knew. The varied geography included dense forests, soaring mountains and vast plains that shaped the distinct lifestyles of its inhabitants. High elves, wood elves, forest dwarves, humans and a myriad of other races coexisted across the lands within the many kingdoms. Each race contributed to Elyndor's overall prosperity through unique skills and resources. The forest dwarves, as their name implied, resided within the forests instead of the mountainous regions like their more traditional brethren. Excelling in craftsmanship and mining, they formed a close society with the wood elves to navigate the vast woodlands while the high elves remained aloof and detached from worldly affairs. The interconnected economy, facilitated by trade routes, fostered collaboration as well as the occasional conflict between the races, offering a dynamic backdrop for adventure.
The southern Aranthus continent, though the smallest, has a challenging landscape marked by towering sand dunes, rocky outcroppings and scorching temperatures, making it the harshest starting point for players with the highest difficulty in monster encounters. Many players who initially chose this unforgiving region often regret their decision and choose to restart with new accounts. Despite its harsh environment, Aranthus is home to many oasis's and hidden ancient tombs brimming with valuable treasures. Various human tribes, otherworldly sun elves, dark dwarves and various magical creatures call this challenging terrain home, adding an element of diversity to the encounters and experiences within this difficult but potentially rewarding region.
Valtoria, the mountainous western continent, features rugged landscapes with jagged peaks and deep valleys, providing a habitat for a range of resilient creatures. The Valtorian Dwarves, masters of weapon and armor crafting, inhabit the challenging terrains of these lands and built up a wealthy and powerful Dwarven Empire. The ancient gnome kingdom was more insular and not as welcoming to foreign races while the myriad human kingdoms often warred amongst themselves. The mountainous environment not only serves as a natural fortress for its dwellers but also offers abundant resources for skilled craftsmen that take advantage of the endless conflicts. The Valtorian Dwarves' renowned expertise in metallurgy and craftsmanship contributes to the continent's significance as a hub for forging exceptional weaponry and armor. The coexistence of dwarves, gnomes and humans among the many races in this formidable region creates a unique blend of cultures and skills.
'Should I pick Elyndor or Valtoria instead... hmmm but Elyndor is where a lot of people choose to start and Valtoria is their second choice, in fact the late-comers are flocking to Valtoria due to the conflicts while those looking to make money are eyeing the crafting professions just like me.' Abel thought about it further but couldn't come to a final decision. He wanted to have a crafting profession but he didn't want to remain as a non-combatant either, his gaze wandered down to his initial choice before looking at the second to last region and the last continent on the list.
The eastern Kaelia continent could be defined by its expansive, rolling hills and sweeping plains. It is also known as the horse continent due to being shaped like a legless horse and renowned for its vast grasslands that host wild herds of horses and various grazing wildlife. Kaelia is primarily inhabited by humans and offers a picturesque landscape where communities thrive amidst the bounty of the land. The lush hills and open plains create an ideal habitat for both settlements and nomadic lifestyles with the human population adapting to the environments of this sprawling continent. The connection between the people and the land is evident, making Kaelia a haven for those who appreciate the beauty and bounty of its natural terrain.
To the northwest of Kaelia was the Caelondia region, a vast area comprised of countless islands. Although taking up a greater region that even Elyndor, the actual land mass was just slightly greater than Aranthus. It was similar to the Emerald Isles except it was much larger in scale. Due to the many large and small islands, it housed a diverse landscape adorned with volcanic mountains, tropical rainforests and vibrant coral reefs that embrace the various and exotic marine life. The region is inhabited by the Beastkin tribes, known for their adept navigation and hunting skills. Alongside them reside the various human kingdoms and the sole aquatic elven empire. While the former are known as skilled merchants and traders, the latter are also famous for their mystical abilities in the water. In fact, within water, aquatic elves are known by a different name; the merfolk. Overall, the many races form a dynamic society that thrives on the treasures of the land and sea. The islands serve as a melting pot of cultures that are quite subdued in their conflicts due to the dominance of the aquatic elves.
Caelondia was Abel's first choice and even now he was reluctant to change his decision. He was a decent hunter in reality which gave him quite the advantage in comparison to the vast majority of humans on Earth. Not to mention he had ample experience growing up on an island. He was an adept swimmer, a skilled diver and he could navigate through wildernesses as assuredly as any city.
'But from what I understand, you don't necessarily have to have a certain profession to learn their skills, it would just be harder and you wouldn't have their respective passive skills to boost the active counterparts…' Abel thought back and forth, stuck in his own dilemma.
Since he already "knew" them in real life, he could "learn" the blacksmithing skills on his own in-game but he would be missing the respective passive skills that he would gain through a profession. For example, if he were to use a bow as a weapon, he would learn the bow proficiency skill but unless he became an archer or ranger, he wouldn't have the bow mastery passive skill that would make leveling up his proficiency faster. The passive skills would also increase the damage done by the weapon wielded, making it harder for non-professionals to dish out as much damage as those that specialize in them. The same applied to artisan and crafting skills, while they could be leveled-up, it would certainly be harder and take longer with the end result being slightly inferior to a professional.
'I have a feeling Aranthus has great opportunities too but… No, I shouldn't get an inflated ego! Just because I learned a few skills doesn't mean I'm impervious to failing. I should stick to my original plan and just learn the blacksmithing skills on my own. Besides, just because Valtoria is well known for its weapon and armor smiths doesn't mean the other regions don't have adequate professionals too.'
After mulling over the pro's and con's, clearing away his doubts and snuffing out his growing voice of arrogance due to the skills he gained, Abel finally made the decision.
'That's it, I'll stick to Caelondia then! Besides, a lot of people are making the silly assumption that this is a vacation spot. Hahahaha, how can such a large place not have a mystery or two! Let's just hope I can find them.' A smirk slowly etched itself onto Abel's face as he thought about the many posts he read about Caelondia in the past two weeks.
'There are probably others that have the same thoughts as me, but they would be stupid to correct people's mistaken assumptions about this place.' There were a lot of people that started on Caelondia because they wanted to have a perpetual vacation in the midst of exotic merfolk and beautiful cat-girls. That was fine, but to think that this was all Caelondia had to offer was grave mistake.
Abel finalized his plans and made some adjustments to his intended routine before getting up to change the water in the tub. He'd have a light lunch and take care of some quick chores before he prepared a hearty dinner, setting aside some for Melly and Frankie before finally going online!
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