No light. No clothes. No warning. And no tutorial.
“Oh devs who art in the issue queue. Hallowed be thy code. Thy commits merge without conflict. Thy will be done in production as it is on local. I’m sure you guys are busy and all, but I can’t log out.”
As a programmer, Ike knows all about Virtual Dive Experiences (VDX), but when he suddenly wakes up in a virtual game he’s never heard of, he’s too busy struggling to survive to worry about how he got there. Luckily, he’s got a trick up his sleeve: The ability to program custom enchantments for his gear.
He’ll need that and more to figure out what’s going on, since there’s no tutorial and True Calling plays by its own rules: Your class and race are chosen for you, the NPCs are indistinguishable from the players, every quest is unique, and the GMs keep leaving Ike’s prayers unanswered.
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Meet the Party
Isaac Fennell
“Well, it takes experience reading people, and I’m not always right,” Dusty said. “If I had to guess, though, I’d say you’re a bit of a metronome. Consistent, steady, maybe a bit of a stickler for the rules. Cautious. Honest almost to a fault. You like to plan and hate being late or lost. How am I doing so far?”
Ike never asked to be a hero, but he's a natural-born problem solver with a penchant for thinking on his feet. And True Calling has no end of problems for him to solve.
Ada Rose
“Suspicion!?” Ada yelled. Passersby slowed down to stare. “Suspicion?! Rude as hell! You get to see the future and I get to smell bullshit!? I feel attacked!”
Ada wanted to play a healer. The game made her a rogue. She was tracking a thief. She found something else entirely. She's sick and tired of the game knowing her better than she knows herself, and she's not afraid to say so.
Dusty Knees
"She's a twentieth-level glamazon with a vorpal tongue and she's ready to camp this dungeon! You know her! You love her! Put your hands together for the Queen of Weir herself, Dusty Knees!"
Most people play RPGs to fight monsters and go on grand quests. Dusty's here to put on a show, but she'll need more than a fabulous dress and a sharp tongue to pack the seats.
Clay Smith
Ike caught his breath and squinted at the man before recognition dawned on his face. "Clay? Wow, I barely recognize you without all of the..." "Mud?" Clay finished. "Yeah, farming is dirty work. And wrangling Princess is as bad as it gets."
Some people want to wield swords and magic. Clay's a simpler sort with a much more "down-to-earth" calling, but he's smart enough to know when to listen to someone smarter than him.
Play the Game
Calling System
True Calling chooses the class, race, attributes, and starting area for every player. Many are frustrated by the lack of choice... at first. Then they realize how well it all suits them.
Unique Quests
Players can only gain levels from quests, but quests are rare and unique in True Calling. You never know where or when you'll find one, and there are no strategy guides or walkthroughs to help you.
Lifelike NPCs
The non-player characters who populate True Calling are indistinguishable from the players. The only thing they can't do? Talk about the real world.
World Firsts
Like many RPGs, True Calling awards achievements. They even come with useful bonuses. However, only one player can ever achieve a World First, making them as rare and unique as the quests.
GM Prayers
When a True Calling player has a support request, they don't use a separate interface. They get down on their knees and pray for salvation, then hope the all-powerful GMs heed their call.
Peacebonds
There are no rules to prevent PvP in True Calling except for the peacebonds, magical tattoos that are applied by guards and only apply within settlements.
Book Two on Kindle April 7th
“Don’t talk about this to anyone. Follow the hidden message. Do your best to act like an ordinary player and everything will be okay. And above all, don’t die.”
One adventure ends while another begins. Along with Ada, Dusty, Clay, and Milly – plus a familiar stowaway – Ike leaves Weir and travels to the capital city of Halorin. On the surface, it’s a quest to meet the King, but Ike’s primary goal is to find the Sage Keys so he can finally log out.
Too bad nobody’s heard of them and the big city has other plans. Ike’s new armor takes on a mind of its own, leading to friction within the party. A guild of World First holders has their eye on Ike. And he’s still getting used to his newfound hero status. All of which might be easier to handle if Ada were around, but real life keeps pulling her away from him.
Meanwhile, darker truths lurk in the city’s shadows. The gruesome Tawdd, a masked assassin, a cursed relic, and worse await Ike in the Hallowed Labyrinth for which the city is named. Getting in will be hard, but getting out might just be game over.
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