Heart Games: Sol [#0: TUTORIAL]

[idolpro]

Welcome to the Great Library!



Let's say you stepped through a door to get here-- you’ll find that the door disappeared behind you, and there are no other doors in sight.

You are now in a big, round room, with numerous staircases and walkways along the walls which are lined with massive bookshelves.

There is a table in the center of the room, surrounded by eight chairs, and seven white books in front of them. There are also eight empty mugs, one in front of each chair. In the middle of the table there are plates stacked with... sandwiches, mostly? Different types of sandwiches that should taste good without heating.

. . . Which is for the best, really, because this place is Cold, even for Big Library standards.

Powers are off!

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Mingle | Tutorial | System #1 | System #2 | System #3 | Ability of choice

Comments

Re: Mingle / Explore

[we_meet_again]

...Wow! What is this place? Is this the game tower?

Re: Mingle / Explore

[we_meet_again]

[He walks over to the table... takes it all in for a moment, then opens the nearest book]

Book

[bluerosestyle]

Newcomer’s Primer

It’s a book bound in white leather, and each page is completely crammed with information. When you open it, you notice that it has been handwritten, in tidy calligraphy, and whoever wrote this left barely any white space between words.

If you pay attention now and you’ve paid attention to it during John's lessons in the past, you may or may not recognize this handwriting as Sol's.

There are several categories of rules and laws listed under headers such as “Rulid Village Standards,” “Norlangath Basic Imperial Laws,” “Swordcraft Academy Rules,” “Taboo Index” and “Imeeji Guidelines.”

Read more (if so, what)?

Re: Book

[we_meet_again]

Hmmm.

[The handwriting does look familiar, but he's having trouble placing it.

...He suspects he already can guess the basics of Imeeji Guidelines, but what's the rest of this? Rulid Village is first on the list, so he flips to that section.]

[bluerosestyle]

[The Rulid Village Standards are actually not very simple to understand without context, and you’re not being given any context for this.

In general, it’s a list of very specific yet trivial rules such as “Children must not cross the northern pass to play on their own without adult supervision,” work times, marriage eligibility and restrictions, job descriptions, salaries for Callings such as “Village Elder” and “Gigas Cedar carver,” maximum number of men-at-arms allowed in the village... Who knows, right?]

[we_meet_again]

[Huh. He isn't sure how much of this is going to be useful, so he tries to pay attention just in case... even though this is kind of opaque.

What about the part about Swordcraft Academy?]

[bluerosestyle]

[The Swordcraft Academy Rules category details permissions and prohibitions that apply to Swordcraft Academy students, whoever those are, barring a noble’s judicial authority, whatever that is, and any considerations related to the Taboo Index: the so-called "higher law." Or so it says here in a footnote.

In general, there’s information about curfews, rest days, matters of hierarchy, but especially prohibitions. Some choice quotes:

• "In order to maximize the elite disciple’s training, they shall receive a page to address his needs. The page shall be chosen from among the twelve highest-ranking primary trainees of that year, but if the disciple and managing instructor agree, a page can be released or transferred, and a new one may be chosen by them.”
  
  
• “When an elite disciple hands down disciplinary punishment for breach of protocol, one of the following three types of commands is allowed. 1) Cleaning the school grounds (see area limits). 2) Training with a wooden sword (see regimen). 3) A duel with the disciple (see rules). In all cases, higher law takes priority.”]

[we_meet_again]

[He still isn't sure what any of this means, but maybe it's important, if there's a copy of this book at every place setting...?

But he's still curious about where he is, so he's going to close the book for now and take it with him while he explores the room a little. What's in here? What kind of books are on the shelves? Etc.]

[bluerosestyle]

[No matter where you look, there's nothing but books and bookshelves, sadly. Most books are on history and religion. If you look closely, you might recognize a couple of books, like Dante’s Inferno and a copy of The Bible. However, most of the books don’t refer to historical events or religions anyone in this room is familiar with. Who is Stacia? Who is Vecta?

Other notable books seem to be familiar fairy tale knock-offs, a guide to the Yamanote Line, sword-fighting manuals, and cooking books.]

[we_meet_again]

[HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

He turns around to head back to the table and it seems there's a person there now! So he heads over to see what's up.]

[sleeplessknight]

[yes, time to go talk to the tiny girl

(she'll be sitting next to wherever Cobalt sits)]

Re: Mingle / Explore

[sleeplessknight]

Cobalt!

Re: Mingle / Explore

[we_meet_again]

Sunset! You're here too! Hi!

Re: Mingle / Explore

[sleeplessknight]

Hi! Ahh, I'm so relieved! I have no idea what's going on.

Re: Mingle / Explore

[we_meet_again]

Me neither.

[holding one of the books from the table]

I think there's an objective we're supposed to work toward, but I don't know what it is yet. Have you found any clues?

Re: Mingle / Explore

[sleeplessknight]

Um... I'm not sure about the goal, but...

Re: Mingle / Explore

[we_meet_again]

...Did you find something?

Re: Mingle / Explore

[sleeplessknight]

There's some stuff in the book... that Sol mentioned once. From his world.