[center]
[color=gray][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcr9zJes_Oo]𝔸
ℙ
𝔸
ℝ
𝕋[/url]
𝔽𝔸𝕃𝕃𝕊
𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝕎𝕆ℝ𝕃𝔻
𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔹𝔼𝕃𝕃 𝕊𝔼𝕃𝔼ℂ𝕋𝕊
𝕋ℍ𝔼 ℂ𝕆𝔾𝕊 𝕊ℙ𝕀ℕ
𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝕊ℂ𝔸𝕃𝔼𝕊 𝕊ℍ𝕀𝔽𝕋
𝕋ℍ𝔼 ℙ𝔼ℕ𝔻𝕌𝕃𝕌𝕄𝕊 𝕊𝕎𝕀ℕ𝔾
⚙
⚙
⚙
《𝔻𝔼𝕊𝕋ℝ𝕌ℂ𝕋𝔼𝔻 𝕎𝕆ℝ𝕃𝔻 𝕄𝔸ℕ𝕀𝔽𝔼𝕊𝕋𝔼𝔻》
《𝔻𝔼𝕊𝕋ℝ𝕌ℂ𝕋𝔼𝔻 𝕎𝕆ℝ𝕃𝔻 𝕊𝕋𝔸𝔹𝕀𝕃𝕀ℤ𝔼𝔻》
⚙
𝕡ℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼 𝕪𝕆𝕌ℝ 𝕝𝕆𝕍𝔼 𝕚𝕊 𝕥ℝ𝕌𝔼
[/color]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/hK7BLxl.png[/img]
[/center]
[quote][i]Your vision blurs. Too much blood was lost, and your sword lays in pieces within you, having shattered from the monster’s blow with such force that it pierced through your own armor. Behind, beside, and beyond, your comrades continue to fight, mixed cries of rage and terror sounding everywhere. Celestial fires scour the field, mythic steel strikes scale, and the invocations of a dozen Nuclei resound, singular abilities manifesting to strike down the being before you. But that creature too, was unique. The first of its kind, the last of its kind, an Anomaly in the truest of sense, granting glory and wealth upon its defeat, but carnage and despair in its victory. Your hometown lies behind you, five thousand souls watching this battle from a distance, their fates balanced on a blade’s edge.

A head flies through the smoky air, bouncing, then rolling to a stop beside you. Your lover’s head, transfixed in a resigned, apologetic smile. Less than half the party was still alive, commands and orders turning into panicked requests and blame-shifting, even as the Anomaly devoured the last of the front-liners. The last bit of hope died with them, and you close your eyes, accepting your fate.

‘Welp, maybe someone else can deal with it.’

Your vision goes black, and you open your eyes to the familiar sight of your bedroom ceiling.[/i][/quote]

On a certain day of a certain month, [i]Cacophony Concord[/i] was released, a VRMMO designed for a new console that boasted promises social media influencers derided as grossly overexaggerated and overhyped. Until then, no full-dive game was so bold as to claim fully-sentient AI and realistic physics, nor anything as insane as a whole [i]continent[/i] for players to explore. An exaggeration, perhaps, for a nameless studio to grab some attention. Marketing hype, perhaps, when the reality of it would be like [i]No Man’s Sky[/i] upon launch.

There was no lie. No fabrication.

Within the first month, 70% of compatible Full Dive Devices were subscribed to [i]Cacophony Concord[/i]. In three months, sales of FDDs increased by 40%. Within half a year, the game boasted the largest active player population of any MMO game in the market, and had yet to require any patch or server maintenance. An in-game translator enabled seamless communication between players, regardless of their nationality, and there never seemed to be any server lag or glitches. The world of [i]Cacophony Concord[/i] truly [i]was[/i] like a real world, in both physical size and cultural complexity, and with thousands of different classes available to mix and match, the possibilities were endless for character creation. Sentient NPCs acted in a way almost indistinguishable from players, and the time dilation put into place enabled one to enjoy the game at whatever pace they desired. It was a second life in a fantasy world, a life where you could live out those dreams of your childhood…so long as you could afford it.

The game never crashed. The game never glitched. The game never sent players comatose, nor trap people within it. It continued to run perfectly, thwarting any attempts to hack it, and there were security systems put in place to prevent distasteful actions between players. There was neither any downtime nor any patches.

Thus, no one really noticed or cared when the studio that made [i]Cacophony Concord[/i] quietly disappeared.

[center]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/7QBq1px.png[/img]
[/center]
[hider=The Nuclei of the Immortal Soul]Beyond being able to possess eight different Classes at once, Cacophony Concord has one final system in place to enable players to feel truly unique. That is the Nucleus System, a special item molded by the player’s personality and actions and granted to them after they’ve spent an unspecified amount of time in the game. This Nucleus, which can be neither be lost nor replaced, continues to evolve as one plays, seemingly without any correlation with one’s Level. As it goes from one stage to another, it obtains more abilities, molded to fit a combination of the player’s playstyle and experiences, and confers higher stat gains to its owner, which gives a massive advantage for more highly evolved Nuclei. Some have called it like “having a Stand”, and for the casual player, unconcerned of the vast scope of the game, simply having a superpower tailored specifically for them is enough of a draw to continue playing.

Nuclei can generally be separated into five categories:

[indent][b]Type-Arms[/b] manifest as equipment, often scaling well enough with the user’s level that one would never need to replace it with something different. Unlike normal weapons, they are usually indestructible, though damage can still ‘pass’ through them.

[b]Type-Guard [/b]manifests as monsters native to the setting of Cacophony Concord, possessing stats and abilities that complement’s the user’s own. Unlike monsters tamed or summoned, they cannot be destroyed unless their user is, but can be rendered unconscious for periods of time.

[b]Type-Chariot[/b] manifests as a vehicle or a steed, and is widely considered to be the Nucleus category most prone for being a hybrid, such as a Type-Arms/Chariot manifesting as a motorcycle with chainsaws attached, or a Type-Guard/Chariot manifesting as a monstrous steed.

[b]Type-Castle[/b] manifests as a fortification that the user can summon and remove at will. These fortifications range from towers to temples to workshops, and generally offer more defensive or utility-based abilities for their user.

[b]Type-Territory[/b] manifests as a zone dictated by the user. The Nuclei have no physical form at all, instead temporarily changing the landscape that the zone is set in, and often possesses powerful abilities limited to the boundaries of the zone. The least common of the standard Nuclei.[/indent][/hider]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/NHZvSd3.png[/img][/center]
[hider=The World of Gala]The world of Cacophony Concord is set upon two continents bridged by an archipelago, upon which five noteworthy nations exist, each of them apparent facsimiles of real-world countries. Magic has bridged the gap between the medieval and the modern, though the extent of how much magitech has progressed depends on which nation one is in, varying from steampunk to high fantasy in both aesthetics and the commonality of magic in daily life. Of note, however, is that modern conveniences, such as plumbing and heating, exist in all nations, apparently for the comfort of players who’d rather not walk through streets smelling of human refuse.

Upon character creation, players are able to select one of five nations to become a citizen of, allowing them to partake in wars, join and establish guilds, receive merits and titles from the rulers of the nation, and gain access to nation-specific Classes. Though one can change their citizenship later on, they relinquish any titles or merits accrued, as well as membership of whatever guild they’re in. These nations are:

[indent]The high-fantasy kingdom of [b]Deneb[/b], home to grand mountain ranges, sweeping plains, knights in shining armor, and pristine castles.

The steampunk meritocracy of [b]Alderamin[/b], where infertile soil sparked invention and industry out of necessity, creating blimps and steel golems.

The noble-states of [b]Horogi[/b], perpetually in a state of civil war as aristocrats scheme and warlords slay, all for the glory of becoming emperor.

The mercantile archipelago of [b]Velonta[/b], always tropical and always flush with foreign goods as pirates and traders go to and fro in ships living and inanimate.

The lawless wastelands of [b]Erid[/b], ruled by dastardly gunmen during daylight and undying monstrosities during nighttime.[/indent]
Lore and mythos tells of ancient civilizations, sundered by an alien force, and even now, ruins have been discovered around the world, holding treasures from another time. Vestiges of that civilization-destroying force persist as well, Anomalies that are predator and prey of the Players.[/hider]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ml0dVoE.png[/img][/center]
[hider=The Lands of Horogi]South of Alderamin, the lands of Horogi gradate from grand mountain ranges replete with ore to wild plains and terraced rice paddies. Steep, sheer cliffs overlooking the ocean has made it difficult for sea-bound voyagers to reach this disorderly nation, and the monsters that roam the land and air are often spiritual in nature, specters and apparitions manifested from millennia-long grudges sparked by war. Though most buildings are traditional in nature, with talisman magic substituting for proper magitech in villages and towns, there has been a gradual trickling down of technology from their northern neighbour; a network of railways connects the fortified city-states to their vassal-villages, and some of the richest ore merchants have begun to populate the skies with their airships, to the chagrin of the serpentine dragons inhabiting rainclouds and thunderheads.

Inhabitants of Horogi have their faith built upon a mixture of animistic, ancestral, and solar faiths. All things in the universe have a soul, and thus, all things are meant to die. To fear an inevitable death is dishonorable, though the act of saving a life that could be saved is not. The most valorous of warriors become one with the Sun, their brilliance fueling that life-giving light, while cowards seep into the soil, becoming food for the basest of creations. Passing one’s weapons onto a student is perhaps the highest form of respect you can offer unto the new generation, but for one to return their weapon to their creator indicates an intense disapproval of the craftsmanship of the artisan.

The most important belief, however, is that of the Divine Mandate, of the heavenly power that shall be granted upon the one to unify all the people of Horogi, giving them the wisdom and power to bring forth an era of prosperity unlike any other. It is for that purpose that Horogi is still at war, for all people seek to either immortalize themselves as the ruling clan of this nation, or to take advantage of this continued state of affairs and profit off the endless conflict.

Five City-States rise above the rest in terms of power and influence, to whom players can vow allegiance to. Though roughly equal in power, their military power extends only so far; the majority of villages that populate Horogi defend and maintain their own systems of law, while bandits run rampant down ancient highways, their pillaging and robberies left largely unchecked.

[indent]The [b]Ryoku-Jo[/b] clan inhabits the northernmost City-State, nestled in-between the grand Niman Peaks. Heavily fortified with great walls and arcane artillery imported from Alderamin, the Ryoku-Ju are the most technologically-advanced City-State in Horogi, with foundries constantly burning and mines that dig deep into the earth. Their steelbound warriors stand at the gates, proud and unyielding, and their chainsaw katanas roar with ferocity to match the cry of dragons.

The [b]San-Li[/b] clan stakes their claim upon western Horogi, their City-State spread out around the Three Widows Fall, where snowmelt from the Niman Peaks funnels down, providing fresh water for agriculture, as well as religious significance for pilgrim villagers. Valuing martial arts rather than martial ability, their blade masters are reputed for having such skill as to slice through the reflection of the moon without disturbing the waters.

The [b]Tato-Ie[/b] clan lives upon the foot of the Jinto Mountain Range, three-fourths of their City-State dug into the mountainside while the other one-fourth serves as a wall of towers and buildings. Once a vassal-city of Ryoku-Jo many centuries ago, they splintered off from that clan due to disgust towards their reliance upon Alderamin’s technologies, and now, their smiths and miners hammer away at the same ore veins that Ryoku-Jo does, bringing them into conflict constantly.

The [b]Mora-Sho[/b] clan set themselves upon the southeastern Plains of Repentance, where fields of blood lilies grow as far as the eye can see. Once the most powerful clan in Horogi, the emergence of a Mythical Anomaly, as well as the subsequent invasion from Tato-Ie, lead to massive casualties and territory loss. Though they have managed to defend their City-State for now, through the invocations of their Dead Soldiers, the blood lilies continue to choke the life out of their soil, making recovery difficult.

The [b]Gakui-Re [/b]clan, in southwest Horogi, is a loose organization of former bandits and mountain men who, rather than possessing a single, fortified City-State, rove across their lands in a nomadic band, offering protection services to unaffiliated farming villages while raiding the territories of other clans. A dashing group of vagabonds lead by the elusive King of Brigands, they have no real bloodline or heritage, but similarly have no qualms with taking in allies wherever they want. The Tato-Ie clan and the San-Li clan formally recognizes them, the Ryoku-Ju sees them as a glorified group of bandits, and the Mora-Sho withhold their opinion.[/indent]
In the center of Horogi, upon the Goldspun Hills, lies Nyu-Taro, a City-State that holds representatives from all five clans. New players spawn here, and may use the surrounding lands to adventure freely, leveling themselves up and learning more of the nation they’ve established themselves in. From there, they may either pledge allegiance to one of the clans, or strike off on their own, as a vagrant who, depending on their reputation, may continue to be pursued by the five clans.[/hider]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/1u4gxdt.png[/img][/center]
[hider=An Adventurer's Attributes]
All living beings within Cacophony Concord have their attributes measured in eight different manners, split into two categories. The first category of attributes are the Resources, one’s Health Points, Mind Points, and Stamina Points. Though the usage of these three resources empower one’s capabilities, they can be generally understood in purely mechanical terms. The increase or decrease of one has no effect on an individual’s ability to function in the world of Cacophony Concord.

On the other hand, the second category of attributes, one’s Status, do play into one’s ability to act as they wish. Strength, Agility, Endurance, and Dexterity all influence an individual’s day-to-day actions and routines, while the Luck stat remains a curious anomaly, influencing one’s life in terms of actions that are beyond their own control.
[indent][b]Strength[/b] is the Status for general physical fitness, encompassing both one’s ability to strike, as well as their ability to bear burdens. There is correlation too, in one’s ability to resist and operate freely under the effects of gravity, as well as their ability to resist being lifted or carried physically by someone else. A normal human adult from Earth would have 10 in Strength, enabling them to resist Earth-like gravity and attempts to lift them by others of the same amount of strength.

[b]Agility[/b] is the Status for reaction speed, but manifests itself in the personal dilation of time around the individual, enabling them to move in what they see as a slowed world. Their sense of balance is also improved the higher their Agility stat is, though conversely, reduced Agility will see them become clumsier and less precise with their movements. A normal human adult from Earth would have 10 in Agility, enabling them to walk up and down sloped surfaces without falling over.

[b]Endurance[/b] is the Status for general resilience and vitality, granting individuals increased chances of shrugging off damage and ailments, as well as increasing the passive regeneration of their Resources. Furthermore, raising Endurance enables one to resist attempts to be knocked away, as well as grant one the ability to operate normally in areas of higher atmospheric pressure. A normal human adult from Earth would have 10 in Endurance, with the ability to withstand unarmed blows from their own kind with little issue, so long as non-vital points are struck.

[b]Dexterity[/b] is the Status that partly determines one’s skill in the usage of equipment and items, encompassing everything from the accuracy of one’s attacks to the quality of their creations to their handling of vehicles and animals. This manifests in a ‘sense’ or instinct of how one ought to move in order to become more proficient with their tools, which differentiates itself from the ‘Automatic’ or ‘Stylish’ settings in the User Experience option due to being knowledge, rather than the direct manipulation of a player’s movements. However, it should be noted that Dexterity does not confer this intuition automatically. Rather, it only applies to skills covered on one’s Classes; a Warrior with high Dexterity can swing a sword well, but cannot craft a sword at all. Dexterity is the only Status that one can safely ‘dump’ during Character Creation.

[b]Luck[/b] is the Status that determines one’s luck with loot drops. Certain Classes too may have skills involving it in some way, but otherwise, Luck only plays a role in determining how often one will score rare drops, either from slaying monsters or collecting raw resources. At higher levels, the drop rates for certain items and materials become slimmer and slimmer, practically requiring one to continue to spend some of their attribute points in Luck. It remains uncertain what exact formula is used for determining an individual’s drop rates though.[/indent]
When one levels up, they gain [b]8 attribute points[/b] to be distributed as they wish, but one can only level up one class at a time. Low Rank Classes have a level cap of 50, while High Rank classes have a level cap of 200. Superior Classes, unique classes with difficult conditions to clear, have no level cap at all, enabling one to increase their attributes infinitely…in theory, at least. If one hits the level cap for the Class they are levelling up, but do not select a new class to begin pumping EXP into, half of the excess EXP earned afterwards is banked, while the other half is lost.

Beyond the allocation of attribute points, all Classes increase certain attributes by a percentage, and these percentage increases stack up as one gains more Classes. Low Rank Classes confer a total of 30% to one’s attributes. High Rank Classes confer a total of 60% to one’s attributes. Superior Classes confer a total of 100% to one’s attributes. These, of course, all stack up, meaning that, with the maximum of 6 Low Rank Classes and 2 High Rank Classes, one could increase their total attribute count by 300%.

Unique to players, Nuclei also confer percentage increases to their attributes, generally with greater increases as the Nuclei progress from one Form to the next, up to the Seventh Form. Due to this, players will invariably have an attribute advantage over non-players of the same level, though how much of an increase they get varies from Nuclei to Nuclei. In extreme(ly hilarious) cases, there have been Seventh Form Nuclei that have increased singular stats by 300 times the original amount, while in other cases, there have been attribute decreases due to the sheer strength of the Nuclei’s abilities.

[/hider]