Chapter 75: [Bonus Chapter: The World]

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I plunged the readers into this beast taming world, whose conventions many readers will find familiar. However, a little explanation goes a long way. Not a complete information dump, but the basics. Just the Cliff’s Notes, as it were, a cheat sheet.

1. TANGLEWOOD: THE GAME

Tanglewood is a fictional, wildly successful fantasy MMORPG similar to World of Warcraft or FinalFantasy, married to fantasy animal battleground simulators or Merge Dragons.

The goal is to get your beast to Level 10 and become the ultimate tamed beast champ. However, the game also has several side goals to keep the gameplay interesting, and new branches are unlocked all the time. There is a bit of AI involved in that the game constantly surprises you. Cheat codes and walkthroughs exist online, but the game designers keep improving the game. Tanglewood is fiendishly difficult, which is why it is so popular.

The game has two modes: Fate Mode or Players Choice. Players can choose from a variety of tamed beasts from the beginning, or the game can select one at random. Josh picks Fate Mode because he likes control. Damon chooses Players Choice because he enjoys surprises and being challenged. Neither mode is better than the other, but Players Choice allows more randomness and surprise that potentially lead to bigger rewards.

Once you select a beast, the game randomly assigns a tamer to you. In most cases, you will have the same tamer throughout the game, although that’s not always the case, especially if you select Players Choice. For example, Damon’s Lobo changes tamers from ex-Lady Lammermoor to Minette Riddlehoeven. That is one possible game branch.

Other players can influence your fate, just as in any other MMORPG. Cooperative play is just as important as competitive play. Cooperative play can actually improve

your gameplay in many ways. The game is designed to be interactive on a variety of levels, such as in-game messaging and live streaming on platforms such as Twitch and others.

[SIDEBAR: Tanglewood E-Sports tournaments have become popular worldwide and in W City. This will feature in the story later!]

Each player gets an Arsenal of objects. As gameplay progresses, you unlock secret artifacts and power-ups and gifts. In-game purchases are available but not required to level up or advance.

2. TANGLEWOOD: THE WORLD

Tanglewood is a medieval fantasy world, with some technological features such as “magic tablets.” It’s a mostly European-style sword and sorcery setting. The major industry is beast taming, which largely supports the economy along with other sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing as well as magic.

Beast taming is so integral to the economy and to local communities that it can be likened to major sports in our world, or to the pet industry. It’s as if someone has blended the sports and pet industries. Think of dog shows and horse shows and horse racing. More on beast taming in the next section.

Tanglewood has a variety of animals and mystical beasts and monsters, but monster taming is uncommon. The population of Tanglewood is a mix of humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins (pests at best), imps, faeries, halflings, brownies, trolls, demons, dragons, lizard folk, snake folk, cat folk, Lycans and other were-shifters. Major wars and conflicts do not exist between the various species, except for goblin raids. Beast taming somehow satisfies the need for conflict. Beast fighting and competitions help the various species channel their aggressions.

Also, Tanglewood doesn’t have an absolute ruler. There are a variety of territories and kingdoms that are independent and trade with each other, much like the medieval Hanseatic League. There are old legends, almost prophecies, that the most powerful beasts and their tamers could rule all of Tanglewood if they wanted. However, the beast taming system is too competitive to unite like that, at least so far.

The geography is made up of magical settlements and strongholds, with cities and towns having at least one major beast taming family as community leaders. Larger cities have multiple beast taming households.

There are several unexplored or little-explored remote areas such as the far north where Lord Elandior Lammermoor traveled to seek the fabled Golden Bull, a fabulous legendary beast. However, most beast tamers prefer villages and cities and other settlements, with a few beast tamers roaming around as nomads or living in natural settings.

The Annual Beast Taming Elimination Tournament is the biggest event in both the beast taming world and in all of Tanglewood. Think of the World Cup in soccer or the Olympics, and you get the idea. It is a major social event that unites this medieval world.

3. BEAST TAMING

As the primary industry of Tanglewood, beast taming is taken VERY seriously. It’s a special form of magic that has existed for millennia. Among humans and other races, there is a belief that the gods themselves created beast taming. Among beasts, the Primal Beast gets all the credit for creating the bond between beasts and people.

Different Beast Levels

Once a beast is tamed, that beast starts at Level 1, regardless of whether the beast is an infant or an adult. Level 1 is Novice, while Level 10 is Ultimate Supreme Beast.

To level up, a beast can complete quests and side quests, and battle low-level NPCs such as goblins or low to medium-level beast players. The quests earn your beast XP (Experience Points) that range from +5 to +30 to +50 to +100. They can also advance in the various stats such as Luck, Charisma, Speed, Defense, Resistance, and Magic. (As well, the beast can earn bonus gifts for the Arsenal, such as potions, talismans, charms, Crunchy Exotic Fruits, and other artifacts and magical aids.)

The Beast Bond

The bond between tamer and beast is elemental, fundamental, and among the most powerful magical and emotional bonds in Tanglewood. At Level Three, a beast acquires Telepathy with the tamer, and the relationship deepens. However, the emotional bond between beast and tamer begins from the moment the tamer bonds the beast by placing a hand on the beast’s head and initiating the bond.

Unless the beast or tamer disappears or dies or is otherwise incapacitated, the bond is for life. There are exceptions, however. If the tamer is unworthy of having the tamed beast, or if the beast is unsuitable, the tamer can select a different beast through the Rite of Bond Transference.

The bond helps beast and tamer unite their energy and direct their magic for activities such as healing. It is a long-established fact that beasts do have healing abilities far beyond human powers. When combined, and channeled through the bond, the two powers can achieve great feats in battle and healing.

When a beast tamer and beast take mates, it is a unique experience, because the tamer and beast are aware of things about each other’s mates that their taming partner may not be. The tamer can choose the right mate for his or her beast, and the beast can nudge his or her tamer toward a quality mate.

The bond has the following benefits:

* Tamer and beast can sense each other’s emotions.

* Tamer and beast can sense when the other is in danger.

* Increased well-being for both tamer and beast.

* Combining of strengths and magic.

* Increased connection.

* Ability to coordinate together and work more efficiently.

* Higher level spells! The beast can level up faster. So can the tamer.

* Help in choosing mates.

* Telepathy after Beast Level 3.

* Secret powers (to be discovered.)

* Tamer supercharging the beast and vice versa, unlocking abilities such as healing.

Unfortunately, the bond also has the following drawbacks.

* Whenever the beast or the tamer suffers pain or illness or an attack or injury, both the beast and tamer suffer.

* The tamer’s limitations might hold the beast back from his or her full potential.

* If the beast is cursed or otherwise controlled by a third party, the tamer is in real trouble.

* Both the tamer and beast must accept each other’s mates, which can be a problem.

* Madness has been known to happen in beast and/or tamer, which is dangerous.

What Tamers Can Do to Strengthen Their Beasts

* Agility training exercises

* Hunting sessions

* Play!

* Take part in community activities

* Train for the Beast Taming Elimination Tournament

A WORD ABOUT BEAST POACHING

One of the most serious crimes in Tanglewood, beast poaching is NEVER allowed. It is punishable, in some communities, by death. Poaching can happen in one of two ways: through a professional wildlife poacher or through someone in the beast taming world trying to steal someone’s beasts, as when ex-Lady Lammermoor and Viscount Rossa schemed to kidnap Blaze and may have been responsible for the theft of Judo and Memo.

It’s very important to be on guard against beast poaching and never take your beast for granted or let him or her out of your sight alone for any length of time. Although your beast knows defense and attacking, a spell, potion, or other tricks can fool even the sharpest creature. Don’t be fooled! Protect your beast, and he or she will protect you for a long, long time.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep