DEMONPRIST

"I'm sorry, I have no record of such a document. Please describe the imagein question."

Demonprist sighed. "Alright, listen up. She's a human - but more powerful -female. Rather tall. Pale skin. Red hair. Red eyes. Little skirty thing..."

"You suit the template for the position of 'Avatar.' Would you like to chose the role of Avatar instead of Human?"

"Avatar?" asked Demonprist as the computer defined the term for her. "Hell, yeah!" she decided with enthusiasm.

"Your power must begin on as sufficiently low level, but the god whom your description matches has powers in the realm of all four elements. Please choose either Earth, Air, Fire, or Water as your primary element."

"Hmmm...I will choose water," grinned the player.

"And will you choose morphing or a familiar?"

"Morphing is cool! I want to change shape! Er...what animal would I be changing into?"

"You have a choice," said Bast. "Sethian animals include the suthek, the black dog, the wild boar, the crocodile, the viper, the donkey..."

"Ooo...I want a viper!" cried Demonprist excitedly.

"Morphing stages include full serpent form, full human form and all forms in between. Venom power will be low at first."

"That's...fine. Great!" dismissed the player, trying to wave the computeron to the next stage.

"Character designated 'Demonprist' is saved," said the voice of Bast. "Basic equipment includes food, water, and basic bedroll. You may choose one weapon and one additional item of equipment. Others may be gathered in time."

"Definitely a bad-ass sword," grinned Demonprist. "Something like the Swordof Plun-darr."

"The Sword of Plun-darr is unavailable to new characters although you may earn the ability to weild it. Your sword, as Avatar, would be best as a Khepesh scimitar. It may be pulled from the ground or the air and thus needs not be carried."

"Cool!" said Demonprist excitedly. "For my second item, can I have a staff like...er...a serpent staff with a red gem in it's mouth? And can I have it store power or amplify it or something?"

"Which element would you like to amplify?"

"Um...how about Fire?"

"That is acceptable. Please adjust your attributes."

Demonprist did so and chose her pantheon's mystic arts as her primary skill, followed by combat and literacy.

"Attributes designated to character 'Demonprist' are saved," said Bast."Thank you for joining the VR2L test group. I hope you enjoy your stay onThird Earth."

"Anything with Mumm-ra in it will do just fine," grinned Demonprist as she eagerly slipped out of the antechamber before the wall could finish rising.

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AUROARA

"Aurora is sort of mixed," said the player when she chose Thunderian as the race of her character. "She's a little bit like a jaguar, a little like a leopard, and a little like a cheetah. She's tall - six feet - and athletic, and she wears a trench coat with black clothing underneath...like black jeans and boots that reach mid-calf."

"Character designated 'Auroara' is saved," said the voice of Bast. "Basic equipment includes food, water, and basic bedroll. You may choose one weapon and one additional item of equipment. Others may be gathered in time."

"I'll use a sword, of course. It seems to be the main weapon on Thundercats. But I also want a laser gun if I can."

"That is acceptable," said the computer. "You have chosen two weapons...your proficiency will be in swordplay. Do you wish to change this?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Very well. Please adjust your attributes."

Auroara fiddled with the numbers until she was satisfied and then selected combat, manipulation, and sex appeal as her three skills.

"Attributes designated to character 'Auroara' are saved," said Bast. "Thank you for joining the VR2L test group. I hope you enjoy your stay on Third Earth."

Auroara clapped her hands together in excitement and turned toward the rising wall. Time to get out there and charm some cats under her spell! She shielded her eyes against the light as the wall stopped, but when it did not dim, she merely shrugged and plunged into the world beyond.

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AXECAT

"Well, I'm an inflatable panther-morph," said Axecat.

"Description not found," said the voice of Lady Bast passively. "Please define."

"You know...inflatable. Like a pool toy. In fact, Axecat *is* a pool toy."

"Understood. The fabrication of your body is like that of a polymer inflatible. And your form is anthropomorphic?"

"You got it! Part panther and part human in shape. But I have stripes as well...my main colour is grey with bluish stripes. I'm about six feet and six inces and the air/helium ratio in my body is two pounds to one. I don't really wear much but shorts and I have the power to reseal any tears."

"Accetable. Character designated 'Axecat' is saved," said the voice of Bast. "Basic equipment includes food, water, and basic bedroll. You may choose one weapon and one additional item of equipment. Others may be gathered in time."

"Hmmm...It would be useful to carry a morningstar...with blunted spikes, of course. And as for my other item...well...lets just call it the inflatablefurry emergency kit."

"And what would this kit contain?" asked the computer.

"It's a utility belt that contains compressed air pellets for reinflation. There are also usually inflatable traps and for anthros without the power to reseal leaks, temporary patches for repairs."

"Very well. Inflatable furry emergency kit is saved. Please adjust your attributes."

Axecat balanced the points and mused over his skill options. He decided on computer knowledge and combat, trading in his final skill for extra point to raise his constitution and toughen his inflatable body. "After all," he mused, "we pool toys don't need many skills...we mostly like to lounge on the beach or float in the water."

"Attributes designated to character 'Axecat' are saved," said Bast. "Thankyou for joining the VR2L test group. I hope you enjoy your stay on ThirdEarth."

"I intend to! Right after I blast Mumm-ra's pyramid into the stratasphere and find a nice, sandy beach," grinned Axecat, plunging into the world of bright, white light.

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