Questing for Reality
A Ready Player One inspired RP
A world in ruins.
A people who spurn the real and live in the virtual.
A Quest grounded in both worlds, imagined by a dying woman.
February 12, 2045
Two years have passed since Helen Seymour first announced 'The Quest'.
She sent out a short video message, recorded in the real world before being uploaded to the Virtual Reality and posted to every single users' personal inbox. Sitting in a sparse office behind a hard oak desk, one more suited for a professor's office than that of the world's most influential boss, she spoke to a webcam. On the top of the desk was a golden plaque engraved with her name and a photo frame although it was turned around to face her so whatever it depicted was a mystery.
She appeared as a pale woman with dark, straight hair. Although it was hard to tell from the video as she remained behind the desk throughout, she was a tall woman standing at nearly six foot tall with a lithe frame. She was wearing a black pantsuit and wore light makeup, as if she were about to go to a meeting. Very businesslike.
"Hello, everyone in the world. I am Helen Grey, founder and CEO of Virtual Reality. Today I am announcing that I have contracted a terminal illness and am not long for this world. It is not in my nature to turn to theatrics or to make a big thing out of a personal issue, however this will have ramifications for all of you."
She gestured to her right and some, clearly edited in, boxes with titles like "Proposal for Monthly Subscription" appeared, all the way down below the bottom of the video window.
"These are just a few of the plans this company's board has attempted to slip in which I have vetoed. When I created the Virtual Reality I wanted it to be something that anyone could access but now most of the board no longer share my views and wish to monetise it, making it unavailable for many of you. In turn, I was slapped with a contract which has prevented me using Virtual Reality's vast resources to launch any initiatives which would improve our current situation. For the last two decades we have existed in this stalemate but now a time has come where this must change."
She flicked her hand and the list of boxes disappeared, swiping away to the side and off the screen. Then she reached into a drawer in her desk and pulled out a well read copy of Ready Player One for the viewer to see.
"Normally, the board would elect their own choice for CEO and their choice would undoubtedly be someone who shares their vision. I am unable, even with my controlling share of the company, to elect my own successor by normal means, however this book gave me inspiration for a solution to this problem. In this, a man in a similar situation to myself leaves his inheritance to the winner of a game he sets up within the virtual world he created." She looks up at the camera and smiles, the first real one in the entire video; it has a childish glee to it and there is an excited shine in her eye and she speaks more quickly in her excitement.
"I have hidden clues, both within the various worlds within the Virtual Reality as well as the real one. Each one will lead you to the next until you finally reach the prize which is well hidden and will require you to have found all the previous clues. Even should I die before someone completes this Quest, no new CEO can be chosen. There will be some who will try to subvert this contest, using their money and influence to ensure the winner will lead this company in the wrong direction. I have faith, however, that it will be one of you, an ordinary user of the Virtual Reality who cares deeply for it and understands its importance to everyone across the world, who will complete my Quest."
She puts the book down on the desk and then pulls out a small gun, one used for the starts of races and it is clear what she intends to use it for.
"My personal website has been converted in a scoreboard, showing who is closest to winning the prize. Using your avatar's name, of course. The first clue is as follows:"
Bruised and battered I sailed there,
To draw a line upon a Bell,
A stately house now lying bare,
To free us from this Cage of Hell.
To draw a line upon a Bell,
A stately house now lying bare,
To free us from this Cage of Hell.
The lines of text appear on the screen in flames, most likely in homage to the depiction used in the aforementioned book, and she looks up with an abashed grin.
"I never was a poet or a riddlesmith so forgive how clunky it is. Now, game... start!" She pulls the trigger on the gun, a brief bang and the video ends.
I think it goes without saying that the characters in this RP will be those seeking to find the prize. One of the requirements to receive the first prize is to be aged over eighteen so all characters will be over that age (probably in early 20s).
Other rules are fairly standardised to RPG: GM's word is law etc etc.
I'm looking for about four other players besides myself and, as you can see, there is a relatively clear plot planned for this RP although it may well veer wildly about depending whether people can guess the answer before I begin to steer the story along!
Updates as I think of them:
14th March: So I realised that the type of virtual reality in this was pretty vague in my earlier explanation. Homeworld is a (mostly) non PvP world that is a meticulous recreation of Earth, perhaps a little airbrushed in places, but nonetheless accurate. From this world one can enter numerous other worlds, largely based on fandoms (Middle Earth, Whedonverse, Star Wars, Star Trek etc etc). Within those worlds different rules would apply (So no magic in Star Trek but no advanced technology in Middle Earth). The portals to these worlds are either from major cities (chargeable) on Homeworld, from guild/clan HQs (free but cost said group a lot to maintain) or a personal one situated in the personal, in-game residence (again, expensive to maintain but free to use).
We may enter some of these worlds, I haven't decided yet. Instead, we may enter generic medieval worlds (for example) so that those not familiar with a particular franchise aren't confused or feel left out. This will largely depend upon who ends up joining the RP.
