2000 Energy, 5 Energy/min Basic Invisibility, 50 Energy/min Advanced Stealth Mode, 2.5 Energy/min regen.
100/100 Durability. Energy Efficiency (Advanced), Power Armor Instruction (Advanced), Revenant Training (Intermediate), Revenant Reputation: Friendly required.
Energy Efficiency (Mastered), Revenant Training (Advanced) recommended.
Warning! Due to not meeting the minimum requirements of your current armor, all armor activated abilities cost twice as much, Advanced Stealth Mode limited to 5 minutes maximum.
Phantom’s Enhanced Visual Prosthesis (Synthesized): Rank A*
A unique bionic eye implant developed by the inventor PhantomGlitch. This implant has synchronized with your Machine Lord augment, resulting in a more powerful tool. Grants the ability to visualize data better. Greatly increases vision, allows for remote access to connected systems and grants visibility of various light spectrums.
Permanent +100 Perception.
Settings: Normal, Program1*, Gamma, Infrared, Microwave, Radio, Ultraviolet and X-Ray Vision.
Cost: 1 Computational Energy/Min while not using Normal Vision.
Excited to test out his new armor and abilities, Alan hurriedly exited the capsule, but when he glanced at the time, he realized that it was nearly 7 p.m., five hours after the final assessment was to take place! He quickly messaged Phantom.
Alan: Hey, did I miss the final assessment!?
Phantom: Yeah, there were a few… complications with the upgrades I did. As you should see, everything worked out in the end, just took a bit longer than I expected. There was no need to participate in the final assessment, as you already joined as my squire, right? Anyways, I can send you the VODs if you want later.
Alan: I sort of wanted to test my new armor and implant. It seems like it synchronized with my class.
Phantom: That was one of the complications, getting it to work with that Machine Lord augment; it's quite the piece of work. Anyways, it worked out in the end, and you may get the chance to test your new stuff sooner than you think. Keep your abilities hidden, it will keep people guessing. I'm not saying I don't trust other people in the guild, there's just lots of friendly competition. Anyway, come to the Great Hall, there’s a celebration for all the new recruits.
Alan: Eh, parties aren’t really my thing, I think I’ll go to a training room.
Phantom: Do you want to embarrass me, squire? Come to the party, and that’s an order! An opportunity for you to earn credits might arise. Oh, one more thing, don’t use the X-Ray or Program1 vision while on guild premises. The amount of trouble you’ll get in otherwise is no joke.
Alan: Okay, see you at the party, I guess.
Alan walked over to the Great Hall, testing out his new implant. Unfortunately, walking and moving with a different magnification of vision was practically impossible, as it threw his sense of direction and balance way off. Additionally, he was having trouble understanding what he was seeing when he looked around with a different type of vision, accidentally walking into a couple of different animate and inanimate objects. If he closed his eyes and concentrated, Eve could now show him detailed objects or diagrams in his mind’s eye too. This would definitely be explored further later.
Eventually, Alan made his way into the Great Hall. Within, he found a raucous crowd of recruits, gleefully consuming all manners of food and drink, relieved at having managed to successfully join the guild. With a quick glance around, Eve easily found Kitana, who was talking with Sidestep and Aurora. Besides them was Aurora’s mother, the guild leader Elissandra. As Alan approached the group, Elissandra gestured for Alan to come over.
“Ah, and our fourth and final new squire joins us! I was telling our other new squires that you will all leave for the Academy in a week. I trust that you’ll take good care of my daughter. Make sure she doesn’t get into too much trouble, as you’ll both be enrolled in the Rogue program, with different sub-classes and programs, of course.”
Aurora rolled her eyes, glaring at her mother.
“Um, yes, of course," Alan said. "Also, I hope that you don’t think this is too forward, but can I ask you a question, Guild Leader?”
“Please, call me Elissandra, and go ahead.”
“Uh, well, I was wondering, what is the Black Rose’s main objective in the Game, anyway? I know it’s a mercenary guild, but well I guess it should be more than that, and you saying that we should think about not just what we can do for the guild but what the guild can do for us sort of started me thinking… So, uh, yeah…” Alan finally sort of sputtered out. He looked at his feet, blushing, sure that he had embarrassed himself fully.
Elissandra simply laughed, and replied, “Well, as you noted, the guild’s main objective is profit. I like to think that we can do some good with that profit. I hope to make a better future, for the next generation of players.” She glanced at her daughter, who scowled.
Scoping out the Competition Updated:
4/10 Major players met
Bonus: 1/10 Objectives found
“Well, I’m glad that someone actually listens to my speeches, but I must go and talk with the other recruits as well. Wouldn’t want anyone to think that I’m too biased,” Elissandra said, as she waved goodbye. Alan watched her depart.
“What happened to you Alan?" Sidestep asked. "Whose squire are you? I didn’t see you at the final assessment, and I was hoping to get my revenge for the duel yesterday.”
”Um, I ended up Phantom’s squire," Alan said. "He had an additional test that took some time. What happened during the final assessment?”
”Well, Kitana and I kicked some ass,” Sidestep said, gesturing at Kitana. “We beat all the other groups at a sort of capture the flag and managed to impress Arms Master Mason enough that he took us both on as squires.”
“Hmph,” Aurora muttered. Then, more loudly, she said, “The only reason you two beat me was because it was two vs one. I was practically all by myself, the partner I was assigned was useless.”
Kitana murmured her own agreement. “Yes, it was quite dishonorable, though I suppose the examiners knew what they were doing when they formed the teams. I would be glad to have a one on one duel with you, Aurora.”
“Perhaps later, though I would like to have a duel with you too,” Aurora said, smiling at Kitana. She then turned to face Alan. “Of course, I ended up as my mother’s squire, though I doubt it’ll be much different than before I joined the Game. Probably training, and more training. Though maybe I’ll finally be able to go on a few actual missions. Knowing her though they’ll be boring ones, like guarding some merchant. Who knows. Do you know what you’ll be doing under Phantom? I never could quite figure out what he does in the guild.”
As if summoned out of thin air, Phantom materialized behind Aurora, emerging from the surrounding crowd, holding a large glass of amber liquid.
“Why, I’m simply an inventor that chooses to live off of the spoils of my own inventions. Alan here will help me test out some of these new inventions, one of which I just gave him, an unusual set of enhanced power armor.”
Aurora turned around, startled. “Oh, that’s… interesting.”
“Yes it is, isn’t it. Now, I noticed, Alan, that you have been here a while, yet haven’t had anything to drink! I must insist you all try some of this fine Haxlardian whiskey. You were the one that acquired it, after all.” Out of his lab coat he pulled out four shot glasses of questionable cleanliness, pouring out a bit of liquid in each, handing them out to the four squires.
“Um, I don’t drink,” Alan said.
“Nonsense, this is an order as a Knight, drink up!” Phantom said. Kitana, Sidestep and Aurora turned to look each other, then downed the shot. Alan, still held his uncertainly, especially after Aurora started coughing, her eyes tearing up a bit.