"Of course I made it. Been here for about an hour already." She glanced around the plaza. "Though I've mostly been staring at how insane this place looks. Did you see the tavern district? There's a bard NPC actually playing music. Like, real compositions, not just looping tracks."
"The tech is unreal," Max agreed. "What level are you?"
"Five. Got a party together with some randoms, cleared the starter dungeon in the Crimson Wastes. You?"
"Four. Solo'd some mobs in the Fractured Abyss."
Velara raised an eyebrow. "Solo? What class did you go?"
Max hesitated. He had been intentionally vague about his class choice on Discord, wanting to test it thoroughly before sharing details. The Soulbinder class was too unique, too exploitable if the wrong information got out.
"Hybrid build," he said casually. "Little bit of everything. Still figuring it out."
"Mysterious." Velara didn't push, though her eyes narrowed slightly. "Well, whatever you're doing, it's working. Most people are still level 2 or 3. The starting zones are brutal."
They started walking through the plaza together, dodging other players and NPCs going about their business. Max noticed a surprising number of NPCs engaging in completely ordinary activities—a woman sweeping her doorstep, two children playing with a ball, an old man feeding pigeons. None of them had quest markers.
"Are those just... decoration?" Max wondered aloud.
"I don't think so," Velara said. "I talked to that baker over there earlier—no quest marker, no dialogue options, but she responded to questions. Told me about her family, how long she has lived here, complained about the weather. Full conversations."
Max whistled low. "The AI must be insane."
They passed a group of male players openly ogling a female NPC merchant. The woman—a blacksmith based on her appearance and the hammer at her belt—seemed completely unaware and continued examining a piece of metalwork.
"At least try to be subtle, guys," Velara called out as they passed. The players scattered, embarrassed.
"This is going to be a thing, isn't it?" Max said.
"Oh, it's already a thing. The forums are going nuts. Half the posts are people arguing about whether the NPC designs are empowering or objectifying." Velara shrugged. "Personally, I think the devs just made everyone attractive because it sells. Male NPCs look like romance novel covers too."
She wasn't wrong. Max spotted several male NPC guards who looked like they had stepped out of a fantasy photoshoot.
"Equal opportunity eye candy," Max said.
"Capitalism at its finest."
They reached a large fountain in the center of the plaza, where a massive quest board stood surrounded by players. Dozens of quests were available, ranging from simple fetch tasks to ominous-sounding dungeon raids.
[Quest Board – Veridian Gate]
AVAILABLE QUESTS:
[Rat Infestation] – Rank E – Clear sewers of dire rats
[Missing Shipment] – Rank D – Investigate bandit activity on trade routes
[The Corrupted Grove] – Rank C – Enter the Whispering Woods and cleanse corruption source [Dungeon: Tomb of the Fallen King] – Rank B – Party of 5 recommended, Level 8+
"Want to party up?" Velara asked. "I've got three others from the Discord. We're planning to hit that Corrupted Grove quest."
Max was tempted, but something made him hesitate. The Shadow Echo was still an unknown quantity. He needed to understand his class better before revealing it, even to friends.
"I'm going to solo a bit longer," he said. "Want to figure out my build before committing to party mechanics."
Velara studied him. "You're hiding something."
"Maybe."
"Fine. Keep your secrets." She grinned. "But when you inevitably discover some broken mechanic, you better share with the class."
"I'll put it in the Discord guide," Max promised.
A notification appeared in his vision:
[FRIEND REQUEST]
Velara has sent you a friend request. Accept?
Max accepted, and Velara's name appeared in his friend list, along with her location and status.
"Alright, I'm going to meet the others at the west gate," Velara said. "Try not to die doing your mysterious solo thing."
"Try not to wipe your party."
"Rude." She punched his shoulder and he actually felt the impact.
Max turned his attention back to the quest board, but something caught his eye. An NPC woman had approached the fountain, carrying a water jug. She was young, maybe mid-twenties in appearance, with auburn hair and freckles across her nose. Her simple dress marked her as a commoner—probably a servant or shopkeeper's assistant.
She bent to fill her jug from the fountain, and Max found himself noticing details he wouldn't have in any other game. The way her hair fell forward, the soft movement of her hips as she leaned down, how she adjusted her grip on the heavy jug. When she straightened, water glistened on her hands, and the gentle arch of her back made the motion feel almost lifelike.
Too real, Max thought. This is all way too real.
The woman turned, catching him looking. For a moment, their eyes met—hers were hazel, he noticed and she smiled slightly before walking away, the water jug balanced on her hip.
"Yo, Max!"
Another familiar voice. Max turned to see a player approaching—a massive Draconian warrior with crimson scales and a great sword strapped to his back.
The tag read: RaidKing47 – Level 4 – Berserker.
"King!" Max shook hands with him. "You went Draconian?"