M&FF: Fantasy Stereotypes
#4 of Monsters and Fairy Folk
Samantha chooses a new identity and meets a rather uninspired player
Finally, the last of the players were spliced and out of the 20,000 humans that had arrived by plane, the airport was now filled with a variety of mythical creatures. Orcs, Goblins, Elves, Hobbits, these were only a small list of the dozens of different species that Samantha was able to recognize!
She hadn't seen either the Fairy Queen or the Monster King since they were lead away, so whatever the briefing was, it had to be quite extensive, or perhaps they were simply awaiting the others to finish up. In any case, the modifications had finished and the players were asked to form into two groups. Fairies were to line up on the right side of the runway, and Monsters on the left.
As they scrambled the make room, a man stepped out of the broadcast facility holding a megaphone. The man was the host of the show, Samantha easily recognized him from the years she watched the show.
It was Lord Valmese, or so he called himself. Not only was he the host of the show, he was also its leading scientist, and had personally invented more than half of the pseudo-magic splicing enhancements used in the show today! An iconic hero in the nerd community, he could have been the wealthiest and most powerful doctor in history, but chose to apply his talents to bringing medieval fantasy into reality.
Valmese seemed to have used his own modifications on himself, changing his appearance from a simple human into a regal High Elf. His hair grew to his shoulders in dark black locks, his bangs were braided in the front and kept tucked behind his ears. He was dressed in a forest green robe as opposed to a business suit, which made the megaphone he was carrying seem out of place.
"Alright players, we unfortunately don't have a room big enough in the facility to house 20,000 people, so we're going to start on getting you all to the island. My name is Lord Valmese and I will be your host for Monsters and Fairy Folk!" he declared as many of the players clapped and cheered in anticipation for starting the game.
"Now while I know you're all excited to begin killing each other or spending your nights with lusty bar wenches." he paused, getting a laugh from some of the players, "There is the matter of your training." he continued. "I highly doubt any of you know how to truly swing a blade that isn't made out of cardboard and foam, and those of you who have been given magical abilities may not have any clue how to use them." he paused again.
By now, the players were looking at themselves and those around them. It was true, their new abilities were completely foreign to them! Most had never had a day of official combat training in their lives.
"Well don't you worry, because what most in the audience don't know is that Monsters and Fairy Folk actually premiers later than its official time! That's right, we're going to give you all a generous 2 months of training so you can get accustomed to your abilities!" he explained, "During that time, there is a truce between the Monsters and the Fairies. No war is to be conducted until we give the signal." Valmese instructed.
It finally hit Samantha that in her excitement to join the show, she had completely failed to realize that her ticket had arrived a full two months ahead of when the show actually began its next season. So this was how the players adjusted to their powers so quickly, they had time to prepare! That was a relief on her mind, at she wouldn't be charging straight into enemy lines right off the bat. With luck, maybe she could learn to control her body as well, she was still feeling her lust creeping at the back of her mind, threatening to distract her if she didn't keep focused.
"Upon arriving on the island, you will find guild halls scattered around the cities and towns." Valmese spoke up again, "These guilds have company employees who will be in charge of your instructions. They will leave the island before the game begins, however, so make sure you listen to their teachings properly!" he warned.
"Now finally, it's time to go over the rules of the competition." Valmese spoke up once more as Samantha kept her gaze on him, wanting to see if there was anymore information she wasn't aware of.
"The two most important players in the game are the Fairy Queen and the Monster King!" Valmese began, "If the King is slain, the fairies automatically win the war. If the Queen is destroyed, the monsters automatically win. So both armies should be advised to keep their respective leaders well defended!" he explained the basic information that Samantha already knew, before moving onto the more complex rules.
"Alternatively, an army can win by conquering the whole island, or slaying all of the opposing faction's troops. No fighters means no war, after all!" he continued, "Thirdly, the instructors are going to remain in character and it is advised that you do the same. I suggest you all start thinking of an alias for yourself. Nobody's ever heard of Tim, Conjurer!" he went on, "They want to hear names like Galstaff, Sorcerer of Light, or Draxen, the Foul!" more players laughed at that before he continued.
"Also, I have legally purchased the entire island and registered it as an independent nation. As such, it is not beholden to the laws of any other government in the world." he spoke up, causing a deal of surprise among the players as to how this could be a law. "For the duration of the game, the Fairy Queen and Monster King are diplomatic governors for the island. They are free to establish their own laws and customs. As such, whatever goes on in their territory is perfectly legal so long as it has their approval!" he paused, grinning after he said that, though Samantha did not know why.
"Finally, this show is uncensored as is most blood sports." he began to finish up, "We fully condone public nudity and sex here, so don't be afraid to get a little naughty from time to time. Have fun with your Elf chicks or Half Giant studs, or whatever you're into!" he finished before pointing to a set of docks.
"Now everyone make your way to the transport ships!" he ordered, "It's time we get you in position!"
The transport ships were noticeably huge. They looked like they were supposed to be used for hauling cargo, but had removed all the heavy crates to make room for more passengers. The monsters were loaded onto one ship and the fairies on the other before they began to sail off. The Monster Ship took a different course, maneuvering around to the north of the island, while the Fairy Ship headed for the south. She decided it was probably time to start getting introduced to the others, if only so she wasn't alone on the game.
Most of the Fairy Folk seemed quite attractive, but that was to be expected. They were supposed to be the heroic champions of justice, the shining knights in armor. The Monster's forces were supposed to have all the ugliness. Others seemed to be just as interested in getting to know other players, but they were in smaller groups, keeping their discussions to private matters. The Fairy Queen had the largest group surrounding her, likely players who wished to get a high ranking position in the military early on. Samantha didn't know how they did it, but somehow the Fairy Queen had been snuck on board without her noticing. Maybe they were brought out to the ships after their briefing while they waited on the other players, or maybe she simply wasn't paying enough attention.
Eventually, Samantha found the groups were becoming too thick to wade through, and tried to find another way around, only to bump into another player and nearly topple over, only to be caught by the wrists at the last moment.
"Woa there, careful!" the player exclaimed, helping her regain her balance before releasing her. Samantha looked to see the player was, of all things, a satyr! Given that she was a nymph, she had to laugh at the circumstances, but soon regained her composure and thanked him.
"You okay?" he asked her, "My name's Pan. At least for the duration of the game." he introduced himself. Samantha remembered that Valmese had advised players to pick new identities for themselves in order to keep up with the theme of the game, but hadn't given much thought to her own.
"Uhh, just call me... River?" she said, feeling stupid at having just chosen the first name that came to mind. Pan didn't seem to mind, though, smiling and giving a nod of agreement.
"River, huh?" he asked, "Well you are a water nymph, so it suits you well enough." the satyr crossed his arms as he looked Samantha over, and she began to do the same to him.
Pan had the expected features of a satyr. His head, arms, and torso were that of a man, but he had the legs and horns of a goat, everything below the waist being covered in thick fur. His goat appendages were also proportioned to suit his human body. He was shorter than her, only standing about 4 feet tall, but he was quite handsome with a muscular body and smooth skin. A short, pointy goatee made up his facial hair.
Pan's uniform was surprisingly even less modest than her own. The only article of clothing he had was a loose hanging loin cloth that dangled in front of his crotch. Attached to his belt was a pan flute on the left hip and a curved dagger on the right.
"Minstrel, huh?" the newly dubbed River asked, while Pan nodded in confirmation. Minstrel was the Fairy version of a Bard, the counterpart to the War Chanter used by Monster. If she remembered correctly, their duty was to play mesmerizing songs that inspired allies and disheartened enemies.
"I know, not very original." Pan replied, "A satyr who plays a magic flute, not like there aren't a hundred of those walking around." he waved his hands in a sarcastic tone, "I'm guessing by your staff that you're a magic user?" he asked, resting his hands on his hips.
"Sorceress." River answered before flinching as a loud fog horn sounded from the ship. Looking over the side, they could see the island was coming in close and they would be docking soon. River was once again distracted when Pan turned back to her and made a proposal.
"Hey, I don't suppose you want to group up together?" he asked...
To be Continued.