The Paragamer

Tutorial 1.2

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

God Damn, waiting for my slow trickle of Mana regen just so I can blow 3 points of it to observe some random schmoe is boring as hell. I've counted off 'One Mississippi' in my head for several minutes, but it still hasn't gone up from zero. I give up.

I need a cell phone or something with a timer. I do manage to ask someone what time it is, four-thirty-four in the morning. After twenty something minutes, I gain a whole, one fucking point. It appears Mana regenerates in whole points, one at a time. I presume that's the case for all the other 'point' stats as well? It might be doing fractions behind the scenes, but who the flip cares if it takes an hour to get three measly points? I know it's an hour because when I ask the time again it's five-forty-something in the morning. At this rate it'll take four fucking days to get back up to the maximum.

My consolation is that according to some of the description clues, sleep, which I'm not tired enough to do yet, helps the regen. By how much I have no idea. Mediation does too, but if I am reading it right, at level one I get a whole extra 5% in regen gain rate? That won't amount to squat. Also, I've no damn idea what my HP regen is, because it hasn't gone up yet.

Stress points have gone up, but I don't know if that is due to regen or due to events, as it appears a bit random. I think though that those notifications about 10 point gains were due to WIS increases? The other WIS bump came only just recently. I should figure out what these numbers mean and how they're calculated.

"Status." Detailed mode, let's give this a more thorough review. Cross check it with my notifications history. Stress recovered by 10 for each gain in WIS, and I definitely saw that the max total was 290 before, and now it's 310. Attribute descriptions for both WIS and INT say they affect stress and mana. Hmm, 14 INT + 17 WIS times 10 equals 310. So that's probably how it's calculated.

For dutiful study of important information you have gained 1 INT

You have gained 10 Mana points

You have recovered 10 Stress points

Wow, well, that confirms it. 320 max MP now. Also, I can 'make' myself 'smarter'? Holy shit.

My mana points went from a max of 140 to 150. My 15 INT score times 10 fits the 150 value. But WIS is described as affecting mana also, how? It's not taken into account in those numbers.

Max HP of 100, and a max Stamina of 100, are they also based on two stats added together times 10 like how stress seems to be? Or is it one stat times 20? STR and CON are both described as affecting health, and AGI and CON are both described as affecting stamina. In both cases, (5+5) * 10 = 100, so I'll assume it's that for now, unless I learn something different. So PER, CHA, and LUC don't seem to be used in these calcs? Gamer min-max logic implies this makes those stats less important. INT and CON are used twice, at least for all those pool numbers, so they'll be more important. Of course there's those other stats, attack, speed, dodge, carry, and I've no idea how those are derived. Actually… carry is 42.7, a clear case of my adjusted STR of 4.27 multiplied by 10, 42.7 what though? You know what, fuck this. I'm hungry. My hunger bar says I am also.

You are suffering from the Status Effect 'Mildly Hungry'

I dismiss the notification. This is getting really annoying. As soon as I find some food, I'm gonna find out how to turn those off.

I wander around again looking for food, even venturing out into the cold early morning air.

You are suffering from the Status Effect 'Chilled'

The level of complexity in the mechanics behind this 'Game' is more than excessive. Games though, are inherently a model or simulation of life or some world, meant for entertainment sure, but a simulation none-the-less. Well, I guess actual training simulators like for pilots or the military or such could count just as well. Should it be a good thing that a game literally about life itself be as complex as possible? Dunno, I'm probably over-thinking this anyway.

"Hey, do you know where there is food?" I ask a passing national guardsman.

"Try that tent over there" he points before swiftly walking away. I walk over to where he pointed, carefully, and despite trying, fail, to avoid stepping in the strewn about trash with my bare feet.

As I approach a PRT officer walks up, gun holstered, but at his side. "Where are you going, kid? This tent is off limits." His overhead tag say

"What? Why? Someone said there's food in there, we got tents full of people with hardly any food, water or clean clothes."

"Sorry kid; can't help you there. Helis' are bringing temporary supplies in, you just need to hold tight, and head back where you came from."

"There are capes in there, aren't there. You have food and stuff." I was getting angry, but maybe I should tell someone I'm a Parahuman now. if it will get me some damn food and clothing.

"I wouldn't know about the supply situation, so I'd appreciate it if you could just move along."

"Wouldn't know? There is a dude carrying a box of stuff into the tent right behind you." There really was, now that the sky had gotten orange with the sunrise. Too far away for me to actually read the labels. I need new glasses. The PRT officer didn't even turn around. I see someone in a costume come out of the tent. If it wasn't for the overhead tags, I wouldn't have been able to recognize the costume or even remember who it is at this distance.

"Hey Lifeline!" I yell as I take a half-step forward. The PRT officer puts a hand on my chest and stops my movement.

I don't even have a plan here, but Lifeline starts walking over toward us. When he gets closer I whisper "Observe.", which drops me back to 10 mana again.

Name: ???

Level: ??

Alias: Lifeline

Gender: Male

Age: 30-39

Ethnicity: Caucasian

Class: Hero

Faction: Houston Protectorate

Summary Description:

Lifeline is a tinker which specializes in medical technology. He performs an important role in search and rescue and healing of injured capes and civilians alike with his tinker devices. He helped save lots of people yesterday, including you among dozens of others. He doesn't remember you. His posture indicates he is tired, stressed and overworked.

I rapidly read and dismiss the window by the time he walks over.

"Yes, can I help you?"

"Uh…you pulled me out of the sinkhole yesterday. I wanted to say thanks. You probably don't remember me though, you must have saved dozens, but I really appreciate it."

+5 Relationship with Lifeline

"Oh sure, I remember, glad I could help, but I've…"

"Somebody said there was food in there, I haven't been able to find any food anywhere and… not much water." Even though I was still holding one water bottle, I had finished off the other while bored this morning. "You sedated me in that sled too, and my memories are all weird now, was that tinker stuff?" I try my best to sound sorrowfully pathetic; I don't think I had to try very hard.

Lifeline's expression changed to one of brief surprise then concern. I don't think I said anything that wasn't already known though, stupid observe the obvious power. The fact that he was a medi-tinker was already public.

"Hey, it's alright, Jones, go get some food and water packages, I'll watch the front for a bit. I need some air anyway."

"And some soap and towels? Hell a damn shirt would be nice."

The overhead tag on the PRT officer updates itself. . Officer Jones looks annoyed but wanders off toward a side tent anyway. I whisper an 'Observe' at Jones as he leaves. Yep, he is definitely annoyed. Lifeline is looking down and pointing at the now slightly smeared but still legible lipstick writing one my sling. "The PRT fully tests and approves all tinker-tech before it's allowed to be used. What's this about memory loss? Concussion?" he asks.

"Yeah something like that, I woke up in the tent and didn't remember anything, well not entirely everything. Obviously I knew how to walk and talk and all that. But for a while I didn't even know my name."

"So you remembered your name eventually?"

"Um sort-of, more like I saw my name and then realized it was mine. I don't really know how all that is supposed to work."

"Have you been able to remember anything else since then?"

"When I saw someone I kinda recognized, not someone I knew, but that was in the sinkhole with me, I remember yesterday…yesterday evening when the mall, when everything fell in and…the water." I start hyperventilating again; feel weak and sick to my stomach. There it is again, the rain, the shaking building, the sliding, the exploding glass, the death. Gatling firing his cannon, the ropes, falling into the sinkhole, and… Leviathan. My knees buckle.

You are suffering from the Status Effect 'Stunned'

You are suffering from the Status Effect 'Nausea'

You are suffering from the Status Effect 'Fainted'

I come to my senses some moments later. Lifeline caught me so I didn't fall on my ass. Jones and some other PRT officer, a woman, came back with him. A few other refugees stopped to gawk at the scene.

The Status Effect 'Fainted' has been removed

The Status Effect 'Stunned' has been removed

The Status Effect 'Nausea' has been removed

"You okay there? You fainted. That's not a good sign if you'd had a concussion."

I groggily dismiss or swiped the notifications away from my view. I take Lifeline's hand to help me stand up and get to my feet. "Yeah" I say, though I really don't feel okay in the slightest, but at least the effects are all gone for now.

"Lifeline, we need you in here!" Someone was shouting from the PRT-Cape Tent entrance, still a good fifty feet away.

"Okay, I have to run, can you walk okay?" I nod in the affirmative. Lifeline turns to the other PRT officer, "Marks, escort this kid to Dr. Johnson"

Jones hands the plastic sack of food items to my good hand, and the gallon bottle of water to Marks. I drop my smaller water bottle into the sack before taking it, and glance inside. A box of Cheerios, a bottle of OJ, some white square packet things, pop-tarts, and some other box on the bottom I can't read without digging it out. Awesome. "Is there soap or washcloths?"

The Basic Necessities: 2 of 6 objectives completed

"No soap or towels, just some disposable moist towelettes."

"Lifeline!" the man by the tent shouts again impatiently.

"Here," Lifeline says, taking a silver spray can tube from his pocket. He drops it in the sack. "Cleansing foamer, use it within five days or it won't work." Then he turns around and goes back to the tent.

"Alright come on" Officer Marks says as she lightly pushes me along. I look at her overhead tag. I throw another Observe at her as well, still nothing that wasn't discernible without using the power.

"Hey, we want some food too!" some random gawking refugee yells. There’s a few murmurs of agreement in the small crowd as they moved closer to the tent.

Officer Jones speaks to the group, "Supply drops will be in later…" he responds. By then though we were already walking briskly back towards the tent I came from.

We didn't go into the tent I came from; instead we went off to the side, to a tiny silver trailer with a door. Officer Marks knocks and a small brunette with a tired face and gray in her hair answers.

"Lifeline said to escort the kid to Dr. Johnson."

"She's still doing emergency field service."

"I have a name you know." I said,

"What the hell am I…" the older lady tries to ask, but Officer Marks just shrugs, sets a plastic water jug on the ground, turns and leaves. We stare at each other for a while before I finally speak.

"Hi, I'm Simon..." I lift the food bag up with my good arm. "…I have pop tarts."

She laughs. Though really, who brings pop-tarts and cheerios to a disaster zone?

"Alright Simon, what do you need from Dr. Johnson?"

"I have a concussion and fainted twice, amnesia, a broken arm causing me severe pain, stressed out and trying really hard not to think about everything that caused this."

She frowns but speaks calmly. "Except for the amnesia part, you've described a variation on the current condition of every single ambulatory survivor here. That fact that you're not actively bleeding, and you are up walking around, puts you in a much, much better condition than many others. Where are your parents?"

"Probably dead."

"God, I'm sorry, you're just taking this oddly."

"No, I'm taking it like someone who can't remember anything, let alone my parents' names or what they look like. Grieving would probably be healthier. Are you a doctor?"

"No, I just help organize supplies"

"Do you have antibiotics? I was swimming in filth and am probably infected with something. Even just a Tylenol or two might help."

"Wait here"

"Can't I come in? It's cold."

"No"

"Why?"

"There isn't any room. This trailer is a temporary office and place to sleep for four people right now. It's crammed."

"How the hell did it get here? Someone said the bridge was out."

"A helicopter like everything else right now. Are you going to let me go get you something or not?"

I nod and the older woman disappears into the trailer for a bit. I rummage through the food bag. The box on the bottom is an MRE package. She comes out a moment later with a pill bottle.

"All I've got are a few extra-strength pain relievers."

"I'll take anything" I say as she dishes them out. I struggle to get the cap off the smaller water bottle in the bag. She hands me two and I swallow them down. I hope another objective met notification would pop up but nothing happens. There are no notices about other status effects either.

"Well, you have a last name Simon?"

"Anderson"

"I will let Dr. Johnson know, as soon as I see her. Where are you staying right now?"

"That tent right over there, but somebody took my cot when I got up to walk around earlier. How am I going to find a place to sleep tonight?"

"Come on, follow me. The National Guard is building some Quonset Huts to house people that aren't evacuated yet. They will probably be all done some time today."

"Can you get the water jug?" I ask, motioning with my broken arm. "Aren't those things from Vietnam?"

"Oh, Quonset Huts are older than that. Not these in particular, I just don't know what they call the modern versions nowadays." She says as she picks up the jug and we go into the tent I had woken up in early this morning. It's good to get out of the winter winds.

The Status Effect 'Chilled' has been removed

She goes to talk to someone and after several minutes of me waiting around, returns and leads me over to an empty cot. It is actually closer to Julia's cot than my last one. I glance over, Julia is sitting upright on it looking through her phone.

"Alright this whole tent is temporary anyway, for ambulatory medical cases before they can get off island or into other shelters. I know where you are and can direct Dr. Johnson to you when I see her. You also know where our trailer is too so you can check again later."

"What's your name?"

"Mrs. Davis" As before her overhead tag updated itself. I used my last MP to Observe her as well. Still shows only generic info that I already knew.

"How can I make sure no one takes my cot again?"

"Your name is written down on the bed chart now. Honestly though, if the huts are up you may not be sleeping in it tonight anyway. When those are ready you'll need to register with them. You may not remember everything now, but others might know you, so you should look around. Get printed photos of yourself and post them to the missing and seeking boards." She puts the water jug down on my new cot. "I'll let Dr. Johnson know you may need antibiotics as well. A lot of people do, we are well aware of the condition of the flood waters and don't want an epidemic happening, so there will be plenty getting shipped in. But I can't just hand those out on demand. Now I'm sorry to leave you right now, but I have a lot of my own work to do and a lot of other people to help."

I reluctantly nod as Mrs. Davis turns and leaves me. I stare at the cot, I pull my Pwned T-shirt off and lay it on the cot as well. Hopefully its disgustingness will deter any other bed-thieves.

You have lost the Equipment 'Pwned T-shirt'

I mentally sigh and look at myself. I'm tall and scrawny, with no muscle mass to speak off. I want to find a mirror but the status screen avatar is sufficient. A light brown, dirty haired, blue eyed and somewhat tan face floats in the window. I can zoom in, it mirrors even the various band-aids and larger bandages I have on my body. I dig into the bag and fish out several towelettes and rip open their packages with my teeth. I use them to wash my hands, face and torso, which is really difficult to do one-handed. I wash my feet too. I consider using the silver spray bottle, but whatever it was; I want to wait until I have an opportunity for a shower.

Inspecting my stats again indicate I gained about 20 Hygiene from my mini-wash. I don't want to use all the towelettes up though. In fact I now had 3 MP once again. I use Observe on the strange spray tube that Lifeline had given me.

Shower in a Can

This is a tinker-tech medical item made by Lifeline. This contains a spray-able antibacterial foaming substance which dissolves and repels dirt and grime from the surface of the skin and clothing it is applied to for 24 hours once applied.

Container is full, and contains enough foam to cover one average sized adult male and their clothes.

Effects: Fills Hygiene bar to maximum if applied properly to all areas of the body. For topical use only.

The tinker-tech compound will de-stabilize and become non-effective in 3.79 days.

Okay that's pretty cool. He should sell these. Well maybe he can't if they de-stabilize in such a short time frame. Also according to this it's not going to last 5 days, maybe he forgot when he made it.

I get up and carry my food bag over to Julia's cot. "Hey." She looks up from her phone and quirks an eyebrow at me. There's a new set of dried tears on her face. "I've got pop-tarts, cheerios, OJ, and some moist towelettes things to wash up with. Want some?"

"Why are you doing this?" she asks.

"Because I'm bored, want someone to talk to and don't know what else to do. You want something to eat or not?" Also because some weird pop-up window said I can get 500 XP if you become my friend.

"Okay"

"It will actually be easier if you can grab them. One hand and all" I say as I set the food bag on her cot. "You still have the water bottle I gave you earlier, and you mind if I sit down?"

"Okay" she says again and grabs the empty water bottle, while I pull the OJ out of the bag.

"Just pour half into the empty bottle, thanks."

She goes through the motions and washes up with some of the remaining towelettes, then opens the OJ, pulls off the foil sealer, and pours half into the water bottle and takes a drink, while I chug down the other half in the original bottle. We don't actually talk much while drinking, but she pulls the pop-tart box out as well. They're apple-cinnamon, three pouches to the box, and two tarts per pouch.

You have gained 1 HP from consuming a nutritious beverage

Hmm, okay that's nice. I nom into the pop-tarts as well, and learn I wasn't much of a fan of them. They have a kinda chalky aftertaste. I didn't get the hoped for HP gain notification after finishing the first tart.

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

"Because I don't have any."

"What happened to the one from earlier?"

"That's not a shirt anymore, it’s just a filthy rag pretending to be one. Any luck with your phone? You know what time it is?"

"It's 9:30. I can't get a signal; I've been trying all morning."

"Cell towers are probably down or overloaded, probably both. The National Guard is building some shelter hut things. This tent is just supposed to be temporary. There should be a supply drop in later with food and medicine and stuff. I hope it has some clothes, cause I am under no delusions about wanting to cover my scrawny self back up."

I finish off the second pop-tart, turn my head and whisper "Status." Still no HP gain, but the huger bar is filling up, so I go for a handful of dry cheerios. Julia doesn't offer up more conversation, just sits and eats quietly, but also quickly. It is obvious she had been pretty hungry.

"There is an MRE thing in here too. I'll share it with you later if you want, if more supplies haven't arrived, or just because I'll need an extra hand to open the thing." I say between mouthfuls of cheerios. I try combining my hand movements to manipulate the windows with my retrieval of the delicious flour O's. My game windows it seems can still be manipulated when intersecting objects, or even when the hand moving them is currently inside a cereal box.

"Thanks…for all this."

+10 relationship with Julia Mendez

"Sure." I say before eating more Cheerios. I offered the box to her as well. "You want some cereal or the other pouch of pop-tarts?" Julia takes the last pouch of pop-tarts and opens them, I resume munching on the cereal, having eaten a third of the box by now.

The Status Effect 'Mildly Hungry' has been removed

You have gained 2 HP from consuming nutritious food

Hmm, okay. HP is gained from eating food and drink. However water and pop-tarts didn't do squat, aside from refill my hunger and thirst bars. I'm full enough now too so I roll the cereal bag back up and close the box. Still haven't seen my HP go up from any regen yet. Is it because my stats are super crappy or something or is the regen just that slow? Whatever the rate is, eating food seems to be the fastest way to heal it. Although it seems the meal didn't do anything to speed up the various status effect timers.

My thoughts are interrupted by a number of people entering the tent shouting out different names, none of which I recognize. Though, someone did. A girl from a further off cot gets up yelling joys of elation at being united with a parent or sibling or some other loved one. At least someone was having some happiness. There had been a number of times during the morning where the opposite occurred, a doctor or someone else coming in to tell someone bad news. This usually meant that someone had died or had been found dead. Other times, the scene was a joyful reunion followed by the sad anguished lamentations when one reunited family member told the other that someone wasn't going to be coming back anymore.

I try to ignore it all but it's still going on in the background and still there in the back of my mind. Some faces and names flash before my mind, Joe, Sandy, Dirk. Friends I had, now gone, they won't be coming in here looking for anyone. I won't recognize their family if they come in looking either. My parents won't be walking through here in a frantic search for me. Would any siblings be doing so? I feel the nausea try to come over me again and pull my mind back. I look around to get myself refocused on the present.

I see someone wearing a Santa hat. It was Sunday December 20th. I was on winter break from some school somewhere. Christmas will be here on Friday. I won't be spending it anywhere with anyone, I'm homeless now. I shudder and tears escape my eyes despite trying to hold them back. I feel Julia's hand on my bare shoulder.

+2 Relationship with Julia Mendez

Your Gamer's Mind skill has increased by 1

You are suffering from the status effect 'Depression'

The status effect 'Post Traumatic Stress Disorder' has been partially negated by Gamer's Mind.

The status effect 'Extremely Stressed' has been partially negated by Gamer's Mind.

The status effect 'Depression' has been partially negated by Gamer's Mind

Oh for fuck's sake…

Simon's Character Sheet:

Name: Simon Anderson

Gender: Male

Age: 15

Race: Parahuman

Class: Refugee

Faction: None

Money: $0.00

Title: Endbringer Survivor

Level: 1 (0.0%)

XP: 0

Primary Attributes

STR: 5 (-0.73) 4.27

AGI: 4 (-1.20) 2.80

CON: 5 (-0.30) 4.70

INT: 15 (-1.50) 13.50

PER: 9 (-1.00) 8.00

WIS: 17 (-1.50) 15.50

CHA: 10 (-1.50) 8.50

LUC: 8 (0.00) 8.00

Unspent Points: 0

Secondary Attributes

Health Pool: 20/100

Stamina Pool: 90/90

Mana Pool: 2/150

Stress Pool: 40/320

Attack: 5.29

Speed: 2.63

Dodge: 6.70

Armor: 0.00

Carry: 42.70

Allure: 2.50

Skills

Max Slots: 26

Free Skill Slots: 12

Artistry: 3 (32.75%)

Basic Academics: 8 (10.22%)

Computers: 5 (11.09%)

Empathy: 1 (0.00%)

Gamer's Body: 1 (0.00%)

Gamer's Interface: 3 (43.74%)

Gamer's Mind: 3 (15.78%)

Language-English: MAX (0.00%)

Meditation: 1 (0.00%)

Observe: 2 (31.76%)

Programming: 2 (67.45%)

Psychology: 1 (0.00%)

Strategy: 1 (0.00%)

Video Games: 25 (63.73%)

Unspent Skill Points: 10