I have to admit, I was excited as I teleported from Tutorial Island to the mainland. After all, this was only the second spell I had ever cast, and I felt so powerful making the purple circle and shifting myself within time-space. For months a friend had been writing me from Lumbridge, encouraging me to make the journey to visit him, and at last I was on my way.
The tutorial itself had been a whirlwind experience. I had spent most of my time running around, dizzy, exhausted, and confused, so now, as I put the finishing touches on my second spell, I was tired, sweaty, and ready to begin my adventures in this new world. Despite my confusion, Tutorial Island had been well organized, and the guides had been kind. Their lessons hinted at adventure and excitement, and even though a slight headache was beginning to form at the edge of my temples, I caught my breath as the purple cloud surrounded me.
And suddenly I was there. In Lumbridge. Ready to meet people and begin a life of adventure. I equipped my sword and shield, and set off to see…
A dizzying blur of utter insanity. I watched, dismayed, as people ran one way, then the other, then back from where they had started. Seated on the ground in random, awkward locations, I saw knights, wizards, and an assortment of wildly dressed characters. I tried to run forward, and found myself going first one way, then the other, apparently contaminated by the chaos that surrounded this misbegotten land.
"Slow down," I told myself. "Take it one step at a time." For a while I was still. "They said there would be a guide," I remembered, "And that there would be experienced players who help out those of us who are new…"
I approached a ferocious, armored knight. As I got closer, I saw that he was level 36. Surely here was someone experienced. I tried to speak to him, and found myself locked and muted in some bizarre quick chat mode. Before I could ask any questions, the knight ran off. Had I offended him? Had I violated some protocol I didn't know?
Then I noticed an attractive, tanned young woman standing down the road. She seemed more approachable. As I moved forward, I saw that she was only level three, much closer to my league. "Strange world," I commented. "Do you know what's going on?" But no sooner were the words out of my mouth, than I realized I hadn't spoken at all. This world had muted me again, and now this young woman probably thought I was stalking her.
This was only the beginning of my amazing travels through Lumbridge. I could write about almost being killed by a spider, and being randomly attacked by a level 143 knight while I tried to chop firewood. I could write about examining a bookshelf and finding nothing, examining a trapdoor and finding nothing, examining an ancient rock and finding nothing, or examining a vase and finding nothing. I could tell about trying to fish and finding out my net was too small, trying to cut a tree and finding out my axe was too small, trying to run and finding out my coordination was too small… But I'll have to leave those adventures for another day.