Friend Group 2: Mixed Group In A High Fantasy Setting

Bryan wiped off the dust from his controller, careful not to breath in the dust and set off his allergies worse than they already were, "Hey Conrad, you recognize this system?"

The bespectacled boy peered at the game like it was alien technology, "No... looks kind of like the 2nd- no, 3rd generation Sega consoles."

Bryan's sister, Wanda, snickered at the two, "You guys are such dorks."

Conrad held up his arms, "I'm just sayin, I'm a pretty knowledgeable guy about this kind of thing. It's a little weird I haven't seen this before."

Nubia Pestana, friend of Wanda and an exchange student from Brazil, eyed the crude image of pigs mid-coitus on the box, "What is this game about?"

Wanda raised her eyebrow, "She has a point guys, is this really worth plugging it in? Our young impressionable minds could be scarred for life."

Conrad laughed and Bryan snorted. If his sister had been young and impressionable at one point, no-one had told him. Some of his earliest memories were of her bullying him. He couldn't help but feel like it wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't the older one. Conrad used to give him crap for hiding from her, until she hit puberty and he started getting tongue tied whenever she was in the room.

Bryan was actually really impressed with his friend, they'd gotten through half the garage without Conrad letting on he was at all uncomfortable with Wanda being in the room.

The game blinked on, a tinny arcade noise signifying its working condition, "Wow, the speakers still work!" A pixellated loading bar transitioned into a title screen, "Huh... guess this isn't Makin' Bacon." "Swords and Sheaths?" "Wow, give the guy who came up with that a Pulitzer."

Bryan hit a button and the screen immediately switched to a screen labelled character select, "Dude, check out these names!"

Galden Uren: Paladin

Strengths: Patron Goddess Vienna, Leadership, Charisma

Weaknesses: Magnetic Personality

-

Ivana Shackledem: Witch

Strengths: Dark Magic, Occult Knowledge

Weaknesses: Mana Pool Recharge, Strength, Holy

-

Caidog Whersmibeer: Barbarian.

Strengths: Strength, Size, Situational Stoneface

Weaknesses: Words, Non-Situational Stoneface

-

Plyth Kuminsiedhe: Dhampir

Strengths: Stamina, Lifeleech, Stealth

Weaknesses: Diet, Bright Sunlight, Holy, lisp

The list went on but those were the four they ended up deciding on, handing the girls their controllers after the select. Wanda gave Bryan a look as he handed her a controller, "Seriously Bro? Can't we just finish up in here and go outside instead of wasting time on this old game?" Bryan ignored her, handing Nubia her controller. She accepted it with a smile and Wanda rolled her eyes. He'd never notice but Nubia totally had a thing for him. Conrad looked a little nervous as Wanda reluctantly settled on the floor, "Um... just so you know these were the tame ones."

"What do you me..." she looked closer at the names, "Bryan!"

Her brother cackled and she raised the controller threateningly, "Ivana Shackledem? Plyth Kuminsiedhe?! You assholes!"

Bryan snickered but still shielded his face and groin, "Conrad was right, there were worse ones. We have bad names too see? I'm Galden Urin." He grinned and Wanda gave him a withering look, "That's disgusting! ...what's Conrad's name?"

He cleared his throat, "Caidog Whersmibeer."

"That's way better than ours! That's actually funny!" Conrad beamed then shrunk under Wanda's glare.

"Chill out Wanda, they have cool abilities. It balances the party: we have a dps fighter, a tank, a rogue, and a mage. Perfect blend."

"Don't we need a healer?"

The three gave Nubia looks of varying levels of awe and disappointment and she blushed, "I've played some games with my host family..."

"Good call... but I'm hoping we won't need one. This game is so old we'll be lucky if it's text based. Ok, everyone ready? Start!"