"What language is that? Wait... why can I understand it?"
The five players turned around in unison. They saw a man dressed to kill—not in rags, but in gleaming armor, sporting a dragon-winged helm straight out of Daemon Targaryen's wardrobe, and a fine sword at his hip. Viserys stood with his hands behind his back, observing them.
"Holy crap. This must be the tutorial NPC," FaFo said, staring at the man's high-definition features. He thought back to the VR games he used to play and suddenly felt like those pixelated messes were an insult to his eyes.
"Dressed like a total peacock. I bet this is that 'Viserys III' guy from the intro cutscene. The 'Descendant of the Dragon' or whatever," Serious_Bush_Camper (Zhao Xiaotian) explained to the others.
"Who is King Viserys?" Step_Sis_Im_Stuck looked at Zhao Xiaotian with confusion.
"Bro, did you not watch the cinematic?" Beside him, Bun_Immortal nudged him with his shoulder.
"I skipped it. You guys actually watch cutscenes?" Step_Sis shrugged, looking completely unbothered.
Peacock? You're damn right I'm a peacock. I spent 100 Kingdom Coins on this skin, Viserys thought as he listened to their banter. He cleared his throat and began to speak slowly.
"I am the Blood of the Dragon, the One True King, the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men. Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm. I am your King, Viserys III."
Right out of the gate, Viserys hit them with the classic Game of Thrones title spam.
As soon as he finished, the five players started whispering among themselves.
"Did you guys catch any of that?" Mouse_Is_Duck rubbed his messy hair and asked the group.
"Seriously though, is this game too realistic? You can't skip NPC dialogue?" Step_Sis, ever the impatient gamer, just wanted to skip the lore and start causing chaos in this hyper-realistic sandbox.
"Yada yada, he's the King. Since this is the first full-dive game ever and we don't know the mechanics, we should probably just follow the NPC and do the tutorial quest," Serious_Bush_Camper said, leaning on his sword.
"Agreed. I tried to open the menu earlier by cutting my finger—you know, blood pact style—but nothing happened. No inventory, no stats. I bet we have to do a quest to unlock the UI," FaFo nodded in agreement.
"You cut your finger? Wait, how real is the pain setting?" Bun_Immortal asked, focusing on the weirdest possible detail.
Ahem!
Before FaFo could answer, Viserys—the NPC in their eyes—spoke up again:
"Warriors from another world! The Usurper, Robert Baratheon, has stolen my throne. The Lords of the Seven Kingdoms have forsaken their vows to the True Dragon King. They have betrayed their liege and their country!"
Viserys had rehearsed this speech before the players arrived, so it flowed smoothly.
"Now, your King—me, Viserys Targaryen—needs you. I need your aid to reclaim the Iron Throne that is rightfully mine, to restore the Targaryen Dynasty!"
Viserys paused for effect, looking at the five players who were staring back at him, waiting for the punchline.
"When that day comes, you, my loyal subjects, shall be rewarded. Perhaps you will don the white cloak and become a member of the Kingsguard, the greatest knights in the realm.
"Or perhaps you will be granted land and titles, establishing your own House, your name echoing through history alongside the glory of the Kingdom.
"You could become a Legion Commander, strategizing in your tent and leading thousands into battle.
"Become a Dragonrider soaring through the skies, an Alchemist blessed by the gods, or a Master Assassin walking in the shadows. Gather beneath the Dragon Banner, and on the day of the Restoration, you shall have everything you desire!"
The five players looked at each other. It sounded tempting, but... it also felt like a corporate boss promising a 'big bonus' at the end of the year.
Seeing that they had stopped chatting and were focusing on him, Viserys smiled inwardly. Good. The little green leeks are listening.
"Power, wealth, glory, women, fiefdoms, magic, dragons... you can obtain all of this in this world!"
"Women!" Step_Sis hadn't heard a word of the rest, but his eyes lit up green at the mention of "women."
"As long as you help me restore the Targaryen Dynasty, I shall grant you all these things!" Viserys said calmly, glancing at the player who was currently looking down and checking if his pants had physics.
[ ATTENTION ALL PLAYERS ]
> Main Quest Updated: Follow the Targaryen heir, King Viserys III, and restore the Dynasty. Massive rewards available.
> Important: Players cannot harm the King or the Queen.
> Warning: Attacking the King's vassals without permission will result in an account ban.
> Combat System: Using different weapons in combat will unlock combat skills and weapon proficiency after the battle concludes.
> Death Penalty: Do not waste your life. You have two free respawns. After that, each resurrection costs 10 Kingdom Coins. If you cannot pay, you will face a lengthy respawn cooldown.
As Viserys finished speaking, the System Sprite (the little Fireboy) appeared in the minds of the five players.
At the same time, a new mission prompt appeared in Viserys's own mind:
[ Issue beginner quests based on player classes. ]
Reward for Host per completed quest: 100 Kingdom Coins, 1 Bronze Chest, 5 Iron Chests.
"Now, I shall issue you tasks based on your talents. Upon completion, you will receive 10 Kingdom Coins and one Iron Chest from me."
Viserys cleared his throat. Adopting the tone of a generous NPC, he proceeded to issue the quests—while keeping the lion's share of the rewards for himself, of course.
"Here it comes! The tutorial quest!"
FaFo was excited. He hadn't expected the game to be real, but now that he was here, he couldn't wait to explore.
"I don't care about the rest. I just want to know, are there brothels in this game?" Step_Sis_Im_Stuck remained steadfast in his quest for digital romance.
"Dude, keep it PG," Bun_Immortal shot him a look of disdain, then turned to Viserys with a sycophantic grin. "Great King, your loyal servant humbly asks... is 10 Kingdom Coins enough for a night at the local brothel?"
"Oh, you wretched, lowborn filth! How dare you ask His Grace such a lewd question? I should skewer your arse with my blade like a kebab!"
Viserys stared daggers at Bun_Immortal and didn't deign to reply. Instead, Mouse_Is_Duck chimed in, pinching his throat to sound like a court eunuch, mocking Bun.
"Your Grace, I have a question. Is 'Kingdom Coin' the currency used in-game for trade, or is it just for the cash shop?"
Serious_Bush_Camper rubbed his chin and asked a legitimate question.
"Kingdom Coins are virtual currency. They can only be used in the Player Shop, which will open shortly. They have no value to NPCs. To buy items from locals, you must earn the real currency of this world," the King explained patiently to the newbie, like a teacher explaining math to a first grader.
"Player Mouse_Is_Duck." Having answered his friend Zhao Xiaotian, Viserys turned to the only Assassin in the group.
"As an Assassin, you must first learn to blend into the crowd. Before sunset, steal five items from the busy market."