Lycan

The girl's expression soured with a frown, one very unbecoming of her warm and modest design. Lycan raised a brow.

"I'm sorry to hear that, sir. Many of the new adventurers seemed troubled as of late. I do hope your day improves." Her tone was sincere, fluid, and natural.

"Uh..." replied Lycan, jaw agape as a few of the nearby onlookers cracked smiles or giggled to themselves.

"Is she really an NPC?" he thought. "I've heard of context sensitive dialogue chains... but..."

"Yeah, me too." Curiously, the teen boy approached the girl and jut his face close to hers. Immediately, she reeled back with arm held up defensively and a rosy hue upon her cheeks.

"C-can I help you?" she stammered.

"Wow," Lycan mumbled. "So real. So this is the Cardinal System that Game Informer talked about."

"E-excuse me?" she asked, increasingly uncomfortable. 

"Hello!" Lycan greeted with a wave of his hand. The girl he locked eyes with smiled and offered him a curt bow.

"Hello, sir!" she chimed back in a sweet, melodic voice. Her head tilted with a smile and a few rogue locks of her fuchsia hair danced across her cheeks. "How are you today?"

Lycan took a minute to take in the gravity of that question. Were SAO what he thought it was when he bought the game, his response would have been something along the lines of, 'Freaking Amazing!'. Instead, he went with:

"Considering I just involuntarily dropped out of school, forgot to pay rent for lord knows how long, and signed up as a full time game tester to a game on initial release and likely prone to bugs, I could be better!"

Considering she was an NPC, Lycan knew he probably should have kept it simple, but who better to vent frustrations to than someone with a set dialogue?

Where does one even begin after being told your consciousness has been sealed into a video where "Game Over" is meant in the most literal sense? Well, usually with a complete and utter breakdown. After that is out of the way, shake it off like Taylor Swift and get out into the world. If freedom means beating the game, then start playing.

Lycan, in his finite wisdom, decided to forego the instruction booklet clipped to the inside of the SAO game case and jump right in. How was he to know he was signing some sick blood pact with the game creators? Regardless, he was here and this was now. Lycan spent his time frequenting the marketplace. Here, NPCs, PCs, and Information Brokers flocked in droves. Of everything being bought and sold, nothing compared to information. Surprises in this game didn't just cause a pair of sweaty palms and a damp controller. No, they caused full fledged panic attacks and fights for your life.

Lycan wasn't ready for that. Not yet. Instead, he found himself doing what any veteran RPG gamer would do:

Lycan, much like many of the other players, didn't handle the news of this death game very well. He spent what he could recall as the first three days wandering around the city in shock. Originally, he wanted to skip the instructions, dash out into the field, and learn the game the hard way through sword, blood, and failure. Now, the idea of that last part paralyzed him. These first few days proved just how important that last one was. Players that fell in the field scattered into hundreds of sparkling shards. Others leapt off the map edge, lost to the clouds below. None of them ever came back.

Compared to the others, Lycan was one of the earlier group to accept fate as it was dictated and take a stance. This day's morning, he tightened his scabbard's strap across his chest, pulled his boots tight, and walked the streets of Starting City with purpose. He ventured to the market district, the heaviest populated area of the city, to begin looking for clues, tips, and idle gossip that may prove useful before hitting the field. While there, he noticed a surprising number of players already kitted out with new gear, rare weapons, and wore special guild sigils. Even some of the shops were already player ran and well stocked.

He expected people to pick themselves up, just not so quickly. Perhaps some of them were in the Beta or Alpha Group?

Lycan took a deep breath of the aromatic, virtual air and found himself an exposed piece of wall to prop himself against. He crossed his arms, hung his head, closed his eyes, and began to listen carefully to the chatter around him.

"First step to any problem is to gather information," he mentally reassured himself. "The more information, the better equipped I'll be taking on the unknown."

Luckily for him, most people passed him by without as much of a glance. Luckily for him, he was comfortable with this. Unfortunately, luck runs out.

The real world waits for no one.

Hollow Fragment had an update a while back that helped with the goofy translations in the games initial release. It made the game far more palatable.

If you want a great SAO game, get Lost Song. The mechanics and play for that game are far more fluid than Hollow Fragment.

Why thank you! Much appreciated! I've posted up my Journal and spent a few hours picking apart the tutorials. I have a good idea of how to get started, where I want to take this character, and what kind of build to work toward. I even have my sights on a potential Unique Skill that hasn't been posted or rumored about, but I'll hold off on the advanced things until I set some roots.

Based on my character's origins, I may end up going down an artificer profession or take up alchemy for the practicality and longevity of my SAO in-game lifespan. I, much like my character, am a little shy on the get go. So, I may plug my first two threads as an "SP" or Solo Party as you call it here.

I do look forward to posting and I'll be sure to stumble across the KoB shop in a thread. Let me know when you have the time and we can span out some posts in character. :)

Sweet baby piglets, your tutorials are in depth. Granted, I still have no idea what to do, but it covers a lot and has a ton of "If, and, then" terms. I have the basics down, I think? Sounds like the first few levels will be the most deadly to me. The dice roller with mitigation, additional damage, plus/minus is all so very confusing. I'll definitely need someone to baby me through it. I'm more of a kinetic learner than a dictated one.

Anyway, it's interesting enough for me to give it a shot. I have 5 SP to spend on something, but no idea what. From the read of it, that can only earn me one point in armor or weapon finesse. I'll hang onto them until I figure it out. When I decide to pick something and add it to my journal, do I need a staffer to re-approve it?

Lastly, once I am approved, I should start off in town and do a few things before hitting the field. That seems the smartest way to get some basic resources going. If I read my stats right, I have 4:HP, 1:Energy, and 1 Mitigation (1/4 of my HP). No Cor/Col (money).

When do I level up, or did I miss that tutorial?

Profile
Username: Lycan
Real name: Jax Pearson
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Height: 6' 2"

Appearance

Tall, slightly fit, thin, with white hair and amber eyes. Tends to favor blue, red, white, and black attire.
An Image for Reference: Original Image by Beanclam on DeviantArt.com

About: History/personality

Oh lords, what do I put here? I'm never really good with this type of thing... Anyway, my name is Lycan. Well, my name here at least. In the real world I go by Jax. I'm 18 years old and just last month I decided to move out of my parent's house. Nothing fancy really, just a little studio place next to the campus. Oh yeah! I go to college. North Yarhmen University, to be precise. Luckily, we're still on Summer Break here so I have plenty of time to play SAO. I can't wait until the day one release!

Oh, right, introductions. Anyway, I'm an A/B student majoring in graphic design with a minor in history. I hope to one day get a job working as a storyboard artist for one of the studios I like. I minor in history because I believe a lot of beauty and inspiration can come from the past. I'm particularly fond of old mythology. Especially Nordic mythology. I moved here by myself, really. I wasn't much of the outgoing type and after High School, most of my friends went their own ways. I was the only one with an interest in NYU. It's not a top college, nor does it specialize in art, but I loved the scenery and the climate there. My parents think I'm too young to pull it off, but I'm a crafty kid and a fast learner. Ramen will certainly be a staple food for a while!

So, aside from being a history nerd, artist, and gamer, I do like to get outdoors quite a bit. It's hard to find the time, but I like to hike, fish, and do some hunting with my dad. We liked to do bow-hunting since it took more sport and skill than the rifle. I don't like harming animals, but we do the sportsman thing and try to use as much of it as we can: jerky, steaks, mounts, jewelry, and some really neat antler carvings. My dad has a knack for it, but I really struggle with three dimensional art. I also like martial arts, but never really had the opportunity to take classes. I watched a ton of movies and tried to teach myself in the basement, but I'm probably doing more harm than good. My mom didn't want me to take official classes because I might get hurt. Ironically, I did end up breaking my arm in Junior High trying to break some boards in the basement. Yeah... In my defense, the movies make it look very convincing!

What else..? Oh yeah! I have two pets, a little blue lovebird named Lyssa and a bearded dragon named Basil (short for Basilisk). I can't have a dog or a cat in my new place, but my parents have a husky named Chance. I'm bummed I won't get to see him that often, but maybe next summer I can go back home for a visit!

Well, that's about all for an "About Me" I can think of. Looking forward to seeing everyone online!!!

Virtues:

Self Motivated: Lycan is very self driven. He had friends in school, but never relied on them for support. He finds himself a goal and pursues it relentlessly to completion. He looks for new ways to complete things and does whatever it takes. Even when the odds stack against him and the world keeps knocking him down, he'll pick him self up and find the silver lining to guide him.

Quick Learner: Lycan has a knack for analyzing a situation, breaking it down, understanding it, and overcoming it. He used to tinker with things at home to find out how they worked and put them back together again. This comes in handy with his usual studies, especially when picking up new techniques for his art. However, it also applies to how quickly he picks up on other mechanics to things like games, devices, or complex theories. This also means Lycan is a logical thinker, using guesswork and deduction to come to conclusions. Irrational thinking and illogical ideals are somewhat of a bane to him.

Open-Minded: Lycan is very open minded. In High School, he never really fit into any of the cliques and often hung out with several of them throughout the year. He looks at life and problems from multiple viewpoints and is very empathetic to others. He tries to understand viewpoints aside from his own and look for a common ground. He doesn't draw lines at race, age, religion, or politics and remains neutral in trivial conflicts that most would take arms over.

Flaws:

Socially Awkward: Lycan is a little unusual. He sometimes struggles with when to be friendly, funny, or distant. He's been known to trust people with terrible character to much regret, and also to have shied away from fantastic people for fear of disappointment. Ultimately, Lycan fears denial and often keeps his distance from others. For those in his inner circle, he is vibrant and energetic, a total opposite to how he would react to a stranger. Even with strangers, Lycan still tries to be as kind as possible, sometimes broadcasting an opening for those of ill will.

Naive: Lycan likes to believe that if given the option of good or evil, most people would choose good. Especially, in a dire situation like SAO. However, the world is a much more cruel place. His inexperience with the darker side of what life offers will soon be apparent to him. 

Loner: Because he is so self motivated and independent, Lycan doesn't seek the approval of large groups. In fact, he fears rejection of such groups and is often intimidated by them. Instead, he tends to keep to himself and the select few he relates to. While he may have several acquaintances, to say that he has a true friend would be a stretch of the term. If he can, he will work alone - no one to judge him, no one to deny him, no one to put his own life in the hands of.

Profession
Level 3 Professional Alchemist
72/ 80 EXP Needed for Level 4
4 Attempts Per Day
Shop:  [F1] Beast Bane Brews
Currency Spent:

 
Skills
0/23 Total SP Available

Non-combat:
»

Passive:
►One-Handed Straight Sword:
(23 SP Used)
Rank: 3/5
The effectiveness with which a player can use one-handed longsword-like swords. (Example: Arming sword, Longsword)

Combat:
»

Weapon skills:

►Rank 1: One-Handed Straight Sword Arts
Vertical - 1x1 - (1 Energy) - A simple sword art slashing vertically.
Rage Spike - 1x2 - AoE - (4 Energy) - A basic, weak skill that leaps at the enemy and follows with an upward strike.
Snake Bite - 2x1 - (2 Energy) - A pair of brisk angular slashes chained in succession.

►Rank 2: One-Handed Straight Sword Arts
Vertical Arc - 2x2 - (4 Energy) - A simple two-hit sword art that form a "V" pattern.
Horizontal Square – 4x1 - Stun - (7 Energy) - A mid-level sword art that traces the shape of a rhombus.
Vertical Square - 4x1 - AoE - (8 Energy) - A mid-level sword art that traces the shape of a square.

►Rank 3: One-Handed Straight Sword Arts
Vorpal Strike - 1x5 - (5 Energy) - A powerful thrusting sword art that doubles the length of the user's attack range.
Star Quint Prominence – 3x2 - (6 Energy) - A mid-level sword art that traces a vague star shape.


Inventory

Weapons: 

• Fenrir - Purchased @ The Blazing Typhoon <<EQUIPPED>>
  Spoiler

  Name: Fenrir
  Your Profession: Blacksmith
  Your Rank: 8
  ID: 68466
  Roll: 12
  Item Type: One Hand Straight Sword
  Tier: 1
  Quality: Perfect
  Enhancements: +2 Bleed, +1 Damage
  Description: A straight longsword forged of a blued steel and named after the mythological Norse beast. Ancient runes are carved along the flat of the blade, leading to an ornate guard in the shape of a wolf. In the recesses of the wolves' eyes on each side, are a pair of small gems. Each gem gives off a faint, harrowing glow.
  Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/1065-shop-f1the-blazing-typhoon-rank-9-master-blacksmith/?do=findComment&comment=489673

   

• Harbinger - Purchased @ The Gurando Foji <<BROKEN>>
  Spoiler

  Harbinger: 
  Creator: Owikawa
  Shop: Gurando Foji
  (One-Handed Straight Sword)
  (Rare)
  (Tier 1)
  (+2 Damage) 
  Description: (A sword forged from the soul of and <Alpha Dire Wolf>.  The blade is sharper than wolf fang ingrained into it.)

   

• Wolf's Bane - Recieved @ The Gurando Foji <<QUICK SLOT>>

  Spoiler

  Name: Wolf's Bane
  Profession: Blacksmith
  Rank: 8
  ID: 68630
  Roll: 12
  Item Type: One-Handed Dagger
  Tier: 1
  Quality: Perfect
  Enhancements: +2 Paralysis & +1 Damage
  Description: A curved dagger with the look of a Lycan's tooth. It's said to induce a paralyzed state if struck with.
  Post Link: Here

   

Armor: 

• The Alpha's Maw - Purchased @ Antediluvian Antiques <<EQUIPPED>>
  Spoiler

  Name: The Alpha's Maw
  Profession: Artisan
  Rank: 1
  ID: 50698
  Roll: 12
  Item Type: Lucky Charm [Tier 1]
  Quality: Perfect
  Enhancements: +2 Accuracy and +1 Evasion
  Description: Expertly bleached, sealed, lacquered, and polished set of Alpha Wolf Fangs strung together on a simple leather chord. At its center lies a simple silver medallion with the Mark of the Beast stamped into it.

   

• The Blood Wolves' Coat - Gifted by Ariel, The Crowned Lion <<EQUIPPED>>
  Spoiler

  Name: The Blood Wolves' Coat
  Profession: Tailor
  Rank: (8)Provisional Master
  ID: 48561
  Roll: 12 (11+1)
  Item Type: Leather Armor
  Tier: 1
  Quality: Perfect
  Enhancements: +9 Damage Mitigation, +2 EVA
  Description: A dark grey leather duster lined with a deep crimson fur of a beast of unknown origin. Assumed to be known as a 'Blood Wolf'. On the right arm's biceps area there is embroidered a small white crowned lion logo.

   

Additional Inventory:

•  Grips of the Twin Wolves <<QUICK SLOT>>

Items/Consumables:

• 10 Baker's Buns
• 14 Water Flasks
• 1 Beast Blood Elixir
  Spoiler

  Name: Beast Blood Elixir
  Job Level: Apprentice Alchemist - Lv. 3
  Item ID: 50718
  Item Type: Status Update Potion
  Tier: 1
  Quality: [Perfect]
  Enhancements: [+3 Damage]
  Description: A custom potion designed specifically for Lycan's personal use. The vial is plain, no frills and no nonsense. It is capped with a plain cork. The contents are a thick, red ichor with a bitter, coppery flavor. Upon consumption, a dark power stirs to the surface.

   

Roleplays
» [OP-F1] I Need to Level Up! [+1 SP, 100 col]
» [SP-F1] Riff-Raff, Street Rat [+1 SP, 400 col. +1 Material]
» [PP-F1] The Death Game [+1 SP, 200 col]
» [SP-F1] <<Earning a Living>> Breaking Bad [+2 SP, 400 col, +8 Material, +<Extra Skill> Alchemy]
» [PP-F1] Knight & Squire [+1 SP, 200 col]
» [SP-F2] <<EaL>> Bare Your Fangs, Boy - [+1 SP, 890 col, +23 Material]
» [PP-F1] Grenades & Horseshoes - In Progress
» [PP-F2] <<Long Live the Queen>> What's the Buzz? (Ariel) - In Progress
» [SP-F2] <<EaL>> Cookin' with Cap'n Cook - In Progress
» [SP-F2] <<Breaking the Unbreakable>> Like Splitting Wood... [+2 SP, 400 col, +<Extra Skill> Martial Arts, -1 Beast Blood Elixir (+3 DMG)]
» [OP-F11] Taft's Spring Festival [+1 SP, +1 Cherry Blossom Pin, +62 col]
» [PP-NK-F2] Why I'm Here «Let There Be Light» - In Progress
» [OP-F1] Scouting the Fields [No More Participants] [+2 SP, 80 Col]
» [PP-F1] 'Earning a Living: Alchemic Remedy' [+2 SP, 400 Col]
» [PP-F2]  <<RGQ-E>> Protect this sweet flower [+3 SP, 400 Col]
» [PP-F2] The Wilting Flower [+1 SP, 200 Col]

See Signature for current Col & Material totals. Deductions are noted in threads or shop notes above. 

Relationships

Lessa - Acquaintance
Drake - Acquaintance
Icarus - Acquaintance
Lancelot - Acquaintance
Calrex - Friend
Manta - Acquaintance
Kyr - Friend
Arc - Friend
Esther - Friend


Story Thus Far 

[First Edit]
So, I finally figured out how to access the journal from the menus in SAO. It's been about a week since we all found out we couldn't leave the game. The first few days were the most rough. I'd tell you I didn't cry, but I'd be lying. I was scared. I already felt dead. Some of the other players already are, either by suicide or trying to rush through the game to get back out. Me? Well, I think I've finally come to terms with it. I'm here and if this is really happening, I have to do something about it. I did practice some kendo when I lived back home... mom... dad... I should be fine, right? I've played action and RPGs before, so it shouldn't be too difficult. I don't know...

No, stop, enough of that! You're not dying here. Right! Alright, journal, you and me. We're doing this. I'm hitting the beginner's field today and playing it safe until I got the mechanics down! We got this. If I can make it through highschool and move out on my own, I can beat some silly game!

Wish me luck!

Hello, I'm a new guy. Well, more like an old guy who still likes to write stories, watch cartoons, and play video games after a hard day of being a branch manager for an industrial distribution company.

Anywho, hello, how do, and howdy. I have yet to dive into the rules or make a character sheet, but thought I'd break some ice with the vets around these parts. Might stick around, might not. The RNG aspect is a wee bit off-putting, but I'll leave my final call for after I read your rules & guides.

Advice, welcomes, and questions are much appreciated!