RoM: neglected npc-children

Finally out of the cold and back into the soft warm glow of my lcd monitor. I sat down a few weeks back for a nice session of gaming on Runes of Magic where I found myself saying, "Hey this isn't half bad". I mean sure it has many similarities to WoW and other games but it mixes them together well in an enjoyable way.

So I'm off finishing quests, running around, and generally having fun with my friends when I suddenly find myself in the first large city of the game. The city itself is well designed, it’s visually aesthetic but it almost feels too large. It's got that sort of ghost town feel to it. This will undoubtedly change as the player base grows though.

Anyways I decided to walk around and talk to the npc's. In my experience talking to random npc's can sometimes be fun; you never know what you're going to get. I wasn't prepared for what I stumbled into though. Sometimes dialogue gets lost in translation, sometimes its translated so bad that it's funny, and then sometimes... you run into something new.

I laughed it off at first, but I soon realized the truth. This was a city of broken dreams... a place of npc-child abuse and neglect. I mean usually you wait until they are teenagers to completely crush their hopes, dreams, and emotionally scar them.

Let’s take little Wooluis for example.
He's been standing outside, rain and shine, crying his eyes out for days. None of the other npc's even bat an eye at this. The guards pass by cold an emotionless as if its perfectly normal. The poor kid is just begging to be let back inside.


It seems everywhere you look there are children being abandoned and cast out onto the streets to fend for themselves.


Thats odd... They seem to be dressed the same.

Some of them are even joining gangs. That’s right, little children joining gangs and plotting out violent acts towards others. Can you blame them though? They dont even have homes to go back to anymore.

Just take a look at this group of boys.

Yea, make them cry!! Odd... They're all dressed the same as well.

Surely they can't all be depressed though!

I turned away from the small gang of evil boys and saw Bob. Bob was just standing there. He looked to be enjoying himself, surely he must be a happy child I thought.

Holy crap, no wonder he isnt moving. 100 laps around a city that big, and without any shoes on!

That outfit looks familiar too…

I walked away silently and left the child to his torture. Surely there must be atleast one happy child in this town. Further down the road I bumped into a child staring hopelessly at a large handcart. I had a feeling I knew what was coming but nahh, they wouldn't go that far right?! Right?!? ...

Child labor ftw... ;_;

I walked away again, stunned. This is way too depressing. I might as well be watching the news. How long until these children start shooting up the neighborhood with rapid fire bows, or setting buildings on fire with magic? All this negative energy can’t possibly lead to a good future.  I mean this city hates its younger generation so much that they won’t even let the children wear different clothes.

“You know the rules Johnny, now put your rags back on and get back to work.”

And then I met her, the most corrupt little child in the city. She’s been alone and neglected for so long that she’s become slightly deranged. Meet Sisie, she refer’s to herself in the 3rd person.


Awww, children say the craziest things… Somehow just being around her creeps me out. I’m sure she’ll grow up into a fine sociopath one day. I can see it now:
"YOU SPILLED WATER ON SISIE"
"I'm so sorry sissie, no no, please dont..."
"SISIE HATE GETTING DIRTY... SISSIE SMASH"
*random death screams*

After all this, it sort of makes sense. I’m beginning to understand the reason this city is like a ghost town. It’s not due to a lack of players, the city itself is pure evil.

Just gimme my quests and let me get the hell out of here.

Ahk! Damnit Sisie! Don't sneak up on people.