Soul Bound

1        Soul Bound
1.3      Making a Splash
1.3.3    An Unrequited Love
1.3.3.35 The righteous saint

Alderney: "Secondly we have my Righteous Saint, 正義的 聖人. Their task will be to take the recordings the six of us make while playing the game, and create broadcasts out of an edited selection from them. Bungo?" She took off her shiny helmet.

Bungo: "Sure." He picked up the wide-brimmed adventurer's sandogasa from the table and put it on.

Bungo: "Speaking for Adventurers: Things are going well, I think. I'll give a quick summary of the projects, factions and plot arcs that we're involved in, where they're at, recent progress and any notable deadlines or events coming up, then do my best to answer any questions you have."

Bungo: "Things that are definitely factions, or going to be: House Sincero, The Lawful Fraternity of Chartist Campaigners for Equitable Employment and The People's Encyclopedia. Things which are definitely plot arcs, and probably connected: The Lovebirds, and opposing Bel's machinations - which at the latest count include pirate blockades, plague-spreading smugglers, thug-hiring cultists and fleet gathering assassins. Things which might turn out to be either, or both: divisions within the nobility, and divisions within the priesthood. Other categories of quest, which have a lower current priority, include repeatables such as Alderney's skill challenge, progressers intended to lure players into exploring more of the map such as Vale Valsinni and utilities which grant you a specific reward such reputation or an item that may be nice but are not the sole gateway to anything more."

Kafana: "Like 'The Perfect Violin'? I still really want to see what old Giovanni could craft with higher grade raw materials."

Bungo: "I think we can fit that in. But anyway, projects. These are things we don't have quests for, but we want to do anyway because of the values we stand for, or just because they'll be fun for Alderney's viewers to watch. I started a thread about them on The Burrow, and each of them has already attracted enough people's interest to form a clan working on it and nominate some names to head them, which I've passed onto Bulgaria. The Basso Redevelopment Project and the Adventurers Guild are two of them, obviously. But there's also been support for three others. Our stance on treating vessels and other NPCs with respect. Our stance against the unfair discrimination against foreigners, non-'pure'-Covadan and what the game's nobility system sees as 'the class of people with low social status'. And our stance against egotistical players vandalising the game's atmosphere by acting like murder hobos or by introducing technology for centuries ahead of the game's development stage without any thought to the consequences."

He spoke for a few minutes, going into detail on each one while Wellington turned the room's largest screen into a spreadsheet which he filled in as Bungo spoke. When it came to the Lovebirds, they asked Kafana to expand on what she'd said about her interaction with Dottore, so she summoned her game-coach expert system, Dinah, to answer the questions on her behalf.

It was a decision she soon came to regret, as Dinah's account of what Kafana had done and experienced while her mind had been joined with the love struck Zeradan shifter made her seem far more decisive and heroic than she felt comfortable with. Eventually it was their turn to ask questions of Bungo.

Tomsk, who'd been looking pensive for much of the meeting, asked the first question: "Bungo, can you make do without me tomorrow? There's a publicity event that the studio wants both Shane and myself to attend, and I really ought to go."

Bungo: "Shane Bulnic? The Blood Slayer?? We'll manage, we'll manage!"

Tomsk: "Cheers. Oh, and Kafana? He's a fan of yours - I've been showing him clips of our adventures during makeup. Alderney, I'll take the opportunity to see if he knows anyone who'd be willing to help you out - there are CEOs of major PR firms who'd sell their first born daughter to have Shane front an advert for them. Something about the way his eyes 'smoulder', apparently. Actually he's an okay guy once you get to know him - he visits my dojo occasionally, when he wants to get away from the pressure to be a sex symbol."

Bulgaria: "Are there any other aspects of what we do inside Soul Bound you want to cover? Any issues we can support you with?"

Bungo: "Understanding the game's underlying mechanics; designing our characters and their progression; fostering relations with allies and supporters such as Fra Gamal, Crafty Squ1d and Rudy's bunch. But most of that actually takes place in The Burrow rather than while logged in. I guess doing right by NPC groups and individuals who've helped us or our vessels, such as Planchet and your Basso District Irregulars, House Landi, our skill trainers? No issues currently, but it's going to be fascinating to find out how the reputation system works from the other side, once House Sincero gets acknowledged by the establishment. Will we get to award reputation points to people like Harlequin? Is there a fixed scale saying how much an action like safely guiding us out of the underworld is worth? Or will Kafana be free to reward him however she likes?"

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*snerk*

Kafana spun towards the stifled sound and saw Alderney whispering something to Tomsk. He looked at Kafana, his face dimpling, and nodded gravely back to Alderney. Bungo looked mystified by the by-play and seemed about to ask, when Wellington rescued her.

Wellington: "What are we doing in the game tomorrow, and what would you like our vessels to focus on?"

Bungo: "Tomorrow, Monday morning, we log in at our normal time, cast magic over everyone watching the Flight of Luna to find out how close their genes are related, drop by The Sostanza to pick up wood for Kafana's violin, and generally follow up on any leads we've gained. If we can work out a way for her to do it safely, it would be nice to arrange a meeting between Kafana and Flavio. But chiefly we're going to be getting ready for the Masked Ball."

Bungo: "Then try to get some sleep if you can, because twelve hours after we log out, which will still be Monday for some of us, we need to log back in again for the ball itself. Hopefully you've all made arrangements to be available for it?"

They nodded, and he looked relieved.

Bungo: "Okay, so, vessels: because time passes faster in the game, they have three and a bit days before the start of the ball. Some of that should be allocated to things that will be fun for them, such as attending the Lammas Fair or celebrating the end of Summer at one of the many parties arranged by commoners who don't have invites to the balls of the nobility."

Wellington: "But?"

Bungo: "But I do have a wish list of things that, if they feel like doing them, would be rather helpful. If they visit Chez Signora during Afternoon Watch on Droday, our costumes for the ball should be ready for collection. Undoubtedly Signora will want to see them being worn, and if they bring along Harlequin and Carlos they could sort out hair, makeup, accessories and possibly even learn a few dances and the correct greetings for such an occasion. If they all manage to get at least one level in a skill, we can boost that with jewellery and buffs just before we make our entrance."

Alderney: "My vessel will love that!"

Bulgaria: "If they're going to be wandering the fair in the morning before seeing Signora, could I give them a list of rumours to spread and to listen out for? It would help Nafaro and the Chartists succeed at the Intra-Guild meeting; help frame how House Sincero, the Adventurer's Guild and even the construction of a temple dedicated to Mor get seen; turn the conversation agenda at the ball to our advantage; and gather fresh juicy scandal to swap with Signora."

Alderney: "Better yet, they could touch base with the BDI, Chartists, Lovari and Royals, ask them to help spread your rumours and pass back any that they hear. We invested a lot of effort in gaining reputation with them. An occasional bit of low-risk rumour mongering as interest on the investment is a fair reward to reap." In a sanctimonious voice she added, as an after thought: "And of course, if they have news they want us to spread, we'd be happy to oblige."

The conspiratorial looks that she and Bulgaria gave each other made Kafana instinctively want to check she still had her purse.

Bungo: "I agree, especially about the Chartists. They could spend some of the remaining time on crafting, shopping for stuff Alderney wants, practicing skills, etc but I think we can leave that up to their own initiative. But what I would like, in addition to Madero, is if they could contact Cardone, Pantalone, Nafaro and especially Dottore. We need to keep track of how they're doing and what they need. A trip to Libri would also be nice, so Vessel Alderney could visit the Mask Shop we learned about and someone could follow up the lead about Flavio's parents. They might need to split up to cover all that, but I'm sure that between Lelio, Gregorio and my monks, sufficient escorts could be found."

Kafana: "It sounds like they'll be doing more work than we will!"

Tomsk: "This is not a bad thing. Did you know my vessel has started practicing with the wrestlers at the Retum Edulo? It's the sort of thing I would do. I think that as a player and vessel become closer, marked by how brightly their pendant glows, the vessel gains more than just the player's skills - they gain some of the player's values and attitudes - their personality. We've all seen it with Vessel Kafana, but I'm starting to notice it with my own vessel too."

Kafana: "You're saying they don't mind doing it, because we wouldn't mind doing it? Bungo called it a wish list, not a set of orders for them. They'll work at what they want to work at, and only as hard as they want to work at it?"

Bulgaria: "And we wouldn't want it any other way. Good job Bungo. Back to Alderney?"

Bungo took off his hat, looking pleased, and Alderney put her Media hat back on.