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[PP-F01] A Late Start! <<The First Few Lessons are Free>>


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August - No Rothsbite, he was determined to go by his avatar name while stuck in this death game - drowsily sat up in the bed he was in. He had taken up in an inn in the Town of Beginnings while he adjusted to the new reality. But enough was enough! He had determined earlier in the week that today would be the day to really begin his journey, he had fallen behind and that bothered him. He blinked sleepily as his HUD came into focus.

"Oh noooo!" he moaned. He had slept in, something he was prone to do in the real world as well, and it was now nearly noon! He hastily washed his face - unnecessary, but it helped him stay grounded - and readied and equipped his gear. As he did so, he ran over the rumors he had heard about in his mind. There was supposedly an NPC not but a few blocks from here who offered a sort of beginner's quest, to help teach the basics of the game. Rothsbite was familiar with games, and likely didn't need much of a tutorial, but he was very interested in the EXP he could earn. Plus he had heard that there was a pretty good reward for low level players at the end, potions of some kind. That interested him as well.

He hurriedly scrambled down the stair and purchased a cheap, flavorless breakfast that he shoved in his mouth and ran out the door. He was still chewing when he bodily collided with someone.

@Paglikha

Quest Info

Spoiler

<<The First Few Lessons are Free>>

Materials Gathered 0/5

Stat Block

Spoiler

Rothsbite

HP 20/20

EN 2/2

LVL 1

DMG 5

1 base + 1 enhancement + 3 skill

MIT 9

9 enhancement

Gear

Spoiler

»Uncommon Two-handed Battle Axe - DMG 1

»Uncommon Heavy Armor - MIT 1

Battle Ready Inventory

Spoiler

» 5 x Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

Sword Arts

Spoiler
  • [x2] Whirlwind (2 Energy) - A single sweeping attack so powerful that it sends forth a shock wave to hit again.
  • [x2 AoE] Smash (4 Energy) - An uppercut aimed at opponents head to send them reeling.

 

 

Edited by Rothsbite
Added stat block and quest info
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Kaluluwa's day started with the virtual rise of the sun. On the way down to his shop to begin another hour of recording songs onto crystals and then attempting, but currently failing, to sell them. Walking down the streets of Starting City was a nice little thing to start aligning up his day. His schedule though, was far from filled to the brim. In fact, crafting those songs were the least of his worries as he understood that he can only get rich and be able to buy stuff with Col, not strong enough to fight on the front lines. He decided that the next time opportunity comes knocking, he would take it. Little did he know though, opportunity would be bumping sraight into him.

A small grunt escaped his lips as he fell to the ground. He looked to the cause of the incident and identified a man with a brown beard as the cause. Opportunity can sometimes be blatant, I guess. After picking himself up, Kaluluwa extended his hand out in order to help the man out and curtly said, "The name is Paglikha. Feel free to call me Kaluluwa. And you are?" However, Kaluluwa couldn't shake off the constant feeling as if he seemed slightly intimidating (or at least disturbing), with his eyes and voice and all.

((Stats/Inventory/You know what I mean:

Spoiler

Level: 5 | SP: 12 | HP: 100 | EN: 10

Equipment:

- Basic cloth

- Basic dagger

Skills:

- Two-handed Assault Spear [Rank 1]

Battle-ready Inventory:

N/A

))

Edited by Paglikha
Inventory
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Rothsbite watched the young man tumble to the ground, wincing as he did. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" He extended a large hand to help the boy up, but the player had righted himself before Rothsbite had the chance to assist him. "I can be such a klutz!" he chuckled, with mirth. "I really need to watch where I am going!" He accepted the younger and smaller player's hand, shaking it heartily. "Nice to meet you, Kaluluwa! You can call me Rothsbite!" He ran a thumb down is jawline and extended a thumbs up as he introduced himself, flashing a dazzling smile to his new acquaintance.

Rothsbite truly was sorry, and he hoped to make up for knocking Kaluluwa into the street. As he mulled over a way to make amends, he eyed Kaluluwa's information through his HUD. The player was a few levels above him, so he may be able to assist with the quest he was heading towards. Maybe Kaluluwa could do with the rewards as well. Rothsbite hadn't connected with too many players closely yet, and this seemed opportunistic. "Let me make my clumsiness up to you! I heard from some other players about a low level quest near here. It's supposedly rather simple and gives a decent amount of EXP and even some potions as a reward. If you haven't done it yet, perhaps we could party up. Make it easier on the both of us." He smiled as he spoke, he was being sincere, and it was nice to meet someone new, even if he had accidentally accosted the kid.

Quest Info

Spoiler

<<The First Few Lessons are Free>>

Materials Gathered 0/5

Stat Block

Spoiler

Rothsbite

HP 20/20

EN 2/2

LVL 1

DMG 5

1 base + 1 enhancement + 3 skill

MIT 9

9 enhancement

Gear

Spoiler

»Uncommon Two-handed Battle Axe - DMG 1

»Uncommon Heavy Armor - MIT 1

Battle Ready Inventory

Spoiler

» 5 x Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

Sword Arts

Spoiler
  • [x2] Whirlwind (2 Energy) - A single sweeping attack so powerful that it sends forth a shock wave to hit again.
  • [x2 AoE] Smash (4 Energy) - An uppercut aimed at opponents head to send them reeling.

 

Edited by Rothsbite
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Kaluluwa was now dwarfed by the man called Rothsbite as he helped him up. He seems cheerful. Kaluluwa began to hear apology and reasons the man had crashed into him. Then Rothsbite may a proposal, let him join his party and perform this certain quest. It appeared to Kaluluwa as if Rothsbite was speaking about the so-called "Lessons" questline, appropriately named by the players he has talked to since all of the quests have the name "Lessons" in them. Certainly, Kaluluwa hasn't completed this questline, let alone any quest in the game so far. It certainly can't hurt. Plus, the first one is supposed to be easy. Or at least, from what I've heard.

Kaluluwa nodded his acceptance of the apology, although he saw no need for there to be one, and began to speak. "I have not completed that quest yet. I may be of some assistance", Kaluluwa spoke while opening up his menu to send a party invite. "Let's begin, shall we?"

<<Sent party invite to Rothsbite.>>

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Rothsbite heard a soft ding as a notification window opened in his HUD, informing him he had a party invitation. He gave a big smile, this was his first party invite after all.

Quote

<<Paglikha has invited you to join their party>>

<<Accept>>             <<Decline>>

Rothsbite happily pressed the accept button, excited to finally have an acquaintance in this game. "Absolutely! Let's get to it!" he responded. He opened his map, took mental note of where he was told the alchemist was supposed to be located, and said, "If I'm not mistaken, it's this way." He motioned down the street before heading that direction himself. His excitement caused him to set a brisk pace, but he intentionally slowed a little as to lot leave his companion behind. The walk was short, but even so, Rothsbite tried to strike up a little conversation. "This is actually my first quest, I seem to have fallen behind a little," he chuckled, just as they rounded a corner and their objective came into view.

Quest Info

Spoiler

<<The First Few Lessons are Free>>

Materials Gathered 0/5

Stat Block

Spoiler

Rothsbite

HP 20/20

EN 2/2

LVL 1

DMG 5

1 base + 1 enhancement + 3 skill

MIT 9

9 enhancement

Gear

Spoiler

»Uncommon Two-handed Battle Axe - DMG 1

»Uncommon Heavy Armor - MIT 1

Battle Ready Inventory

Spoiler

» 5 x Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

Sword Arts

Spoiler
  • [x2] Whirlwind (2 Energy) - A single sweeping attack so powerful that it sends forth a shock wave to hit again.
  • [x2 AoE] Smash (4 Energy) - An uppercut aimed at opponents head to send them reeling.
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"This will be my second quest. The first one I ever did was to take on a job as a performer. Currently building up my stock so I can get some customers." Kaluluwa was internally cringing at his attempts to make small talk and banter. He wanted to make a lasting connection with this player and, being very naive, to help him survive this world. Kaluluwa always made it a point to research whatever he was getting himself through, and this quest line would just get harsher and harsher. "Rothsbite. If this is not a weird question, where are you from?"

"I'm not the flashiest person or the best equipped. In fact, I'm the exact opposite. But you're here, and you're happy." Kaluluwa was silent for a second because he was trying to piece together his sentences. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, try to preserve that happiness. You remind me of someone I knew." Speaking about Axios in the past tense, does it mean I've finally accepted it? Kaluluwa felt a tear roll down his face and wiped it with the sleeve of his shirt. Of course I did, but that doesn't mean I'm still not sad about his death.

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Rothsbite meandered alongside his newfound companion, listening to the young man talk about being a performer. "Ah, yes. I still haven't had the opportunity to gain a profession yet. I haven't even decided on which one I think I want yet," he chuckled. He raised his eyebrows at the question of his origin, it didn't offend him, but it did surprise him. A lot of folks found it difficult to talk about their real lives once they realized they may not make it back. "I'm actual--" he paused, noticing Kaluluwa didn't necessarily seem present. He looked over at the young man next to him. 'He's still just a kid,' he thought to himself, for the first time fully understanding that most of the people trapped in this game were still so young. He felt a knot form in his throat and his anger rise. 'Damn you, Kayaba.'

They had stopped walking, and they were in front of the alchemist's workshop. Rothsbite saw Kaluluwa wipe a tear from his face and he turned towards the kid, putting a strong hand on his shoulder. "Hey. I know tragedy, believe me... But we can beat this. We may never be flashy, but we will get strong. We have to, y'know? Losing people can break someone, especially in a situation like ours... But there's thousands out there, just like the people we lost, and they're counting on someone to beat this game." He was having some difficulty finding the right words, this was all sort of unexpected and he almost choked up a bit. But Kaluluwa needed someone strong right now, and his teaching and leadership instincts were kicking in.

Rothsbite swallowed the lump in his throat, steadied his voice and put on his big smile. Gesturing from Kaluluwa to the door he said, "Now, let's do this."

 

Quest Info

Spoiler

<<The First Few Lessons are Free>>

Materials Gathered 0/5

Stat Block

Spoiler

Rothsbite

HP 20/20

EN 2/2

LVL 1

DMG 5

1 base + 1 enhancement + 3 skill

MIT 9

9 enhancement

Gear

Spoiler

»Uncommon Two-handed Battle Axe - DMG 1

»Uncommon Heavy Armor - MIT 1

Battle Ready Inventory

Spoiler

» 5 x Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

Sword Arts

Spoiler
  • [x2] Whirlwind (2 Energy) - A single sweeping attack so powerful that it sends forth a shock wave to hit again.
  • [x2 AoE] Smash (4 Energy) - An uppercut aimed at opponents head to send them reeling.
Edited by Rothsbite
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After hearing Rothsbite's words, Kaluluwa knew he found a good man. He thought that it was near impossible for anyone to understand his predicament. When he found a hand on his shoulder, Kaluluwa felt a tight pain in his chest and he realized that this as the first physical interaction he has had with another player since this death game had started. "I appreciate that."

Kaluluwa stared at the door in front of him and opened it. Inside was a cacophony of smells and the sounds of liquids bubbling and boiling made this place truly seem like an Alchemist’s workshop. Looking around, vials of various substances were placed upon shelves. Kaluluwa couldn’t help but contrast this place with his own minimalist performer shop. That’s when an old man, appearing to be around 50, came out from a back room.

“My name’s Zakariah. Are you here for your first lesson?”, he called out. “Come on, don’t be shy. Look, it’s really really easy. The both of you just need to get five materials each and, when you both get back here, we’ll make a potion together. What do you say?”

A notification screen popped up in front of Kaluluwa notifying him about the quest when the Zakariah finished his sentence. Kaluluwa readily accepted it and nodded to Rothsbite. “There’s a forest nearby, not far from Starting City. If it’s alchemical materials he requires, it is a good bet. Although, I wouldn’t doubt that there would be some anywhere we go. Whichever environment you’re more comfortable with that’s fine” He paused for a short time and looked around the multiple chemicals around the room before heading towards the door. “Shall we?”

(( Quest Requirements:

Spoiler

Step 1: Gather 5 Materials from Out-Of-Combat for each player with a requirement of LD 11+ each material

  • 0/5 (Paglikha)
  • 0/5 (Rothsbite)

Step 2: Return to Zakariah's workshop and create a healing potion for each player requiring an CD 4+ for each potion

  • 0/1 (Paglikha)
  • 0/1 (Rothsbite) 

))

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Dice roll

ID# 89572         Loot: 13 

Materials found!

Rothsbite also accepted the quest without hesitation when his own notification appeared. He followed Kaluluwa out of the alchemist's shop responding, "Absolutely!" He was glad to be away from the shop as they made their way down the street, it's acrid odors had assaulted his sharp sense of smell and it was offputting to say the least.

"I think the forest should be fine. I haven't spent too much time away from here and would prefer to stay a little closer until I gain a little more EXP, so that works." He was double checking that he had everything he needed with him. "I do think we should keep an eye out on the way there, though."

They had reached the gate quickly, and Rothsbite followed Kaluluwa's lead as they strolled though the field heading to the slightly darker looking forest in the distance. He did his best to keep a stone's throw between himself and any mobs, but he also kept an eye out for anything they might use. It wasn't long before he noticed an odd looking weed with large, bright yellow seed pods and pointed them out to Kaluluwa. "Think I found something!"

His first measure of success excited him.

Quest Info

Spoiler

<<The First Few Lessons are Free>>

Materials Gathered 1/5

Stat Block

Spoiler

Rothsbite

HP 20/20

EN 2/2

LVL 1

DMG 5

1 base + 1 enhancement + 3 skill

MIT 9

9 enhancement

Gear

Spoiler

»Uncommon Two-handed Battle Axe - DMG 1

»Uncommon Heavy Armor - MIT 1

Battle Ready Inventory

Spoiler

» 5 x Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

Sword Arts

Spoiler
  • [x2] Whirlwind (2 Energy) - A single sweeping attack so powerful that it sends forth a shock wave to hit again.
  • [x2 AoE] Smash (4 Energy) - An uppercut aimed at opponents head to send them reeling.

 

Edited by Rothsbite
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Kaluluwa nodded in approval to Rothsbite’s success. However, his focus was on a separate issue; about one half of a kilometer to their right was a boar. Ever since he learned the monster responsible for Axios’ death, he has felt a cold hatred towards boars. Despite his stoic appearance, his bloodlust towards the boar was obvious in his gaze. After what seemed like an eternity staring at the boar while Rothsbite collected the flowers, he let out an exasperated breath. “There's still more work to be done." The duo headed off towards the forest.

 

Unlike Rothsbite, Kaluluwa was having a difficult time searching for a base material for the alchemist. If the task was to find base ingredients for a cook, he could have used his prior knowledge of plants that came from his time in the Philippines scavenging for food. Alas, it was not. After a couple of minutes of looking for the familiar plants from his childhood to no avail, he gave up. “Looks like that isn’t working.”

 

ID: 89979; LD: 2

 

<<No Materials Found.>>

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Spoiler

Dice roll

ID# 89983           Loot: 19 

Materials found!

Rothsbite watched Kaluluwa carefully out of the corner of his eye as he worked at gathering his own materials. The boy seemed preoccupied, watching a boar nearby, but he abruptly moved on. "Of course, please," he responded. "Lead on!"

Rothsbite followed the younger player a while further before spotting some long stemmed, pale green mushrooms as the base of a stump. He gathered those quietly and quickly, not asking Kaluluwa to stop. The other player seemed to have recovered from their earlier emotional outburst, and with his recovery had come a somewhat sour and short attitude. Rothsbite liked him, but didn't want to push his luck, and he figured announcing another find before Kaluluwa found something might seem like he was bragging. He truthfully wasn't trying to. Once he had gathered the new material, he turned and started following Kaluluwa again. They were beginning to near the wood now. hopefully it would yield better results for his companion.

Quest Info

Spoiler

<<The First Few Lessons are Free>>

Materials Gathered 2/5

Stat Block

Spoiler

Rothsbite

HP 20/20

EN 2/2

LVL 1

DMG 5

1 base + 1 enhancement + 3 skill

MIT 9

9 enhancement

Gear

Spoiler

»Uncommon Two-handed Battle Axe - DMG 1

»Uncommon Heavy Armor - MIT 1

Battle Ready Inventory

Spoiler

» 5 x Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

Sword Arts

Spoiler
  • [x2] Whirlwind (2 Energy) - A single sweeping attack so powerful that it sends forth a shock wave to hit again.
  • [x2 AoE] Smash (4 Energy) - An uppercut aimed at opponents head to send them reeling.
Edited by Rothsbite
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As they were nearing the woods, Kaluluwa started speaking. “Rothsbite. I'm sorry about… what happened before.” Gathering his words, he reached his hand out and felt the breeze brush past him. “You see. If I seem to be stoic or uncaring at times, it's not by choice.”

Kaluluwa tried to steel his resolve. No one truly understood his position. At least, no one who was still alive. If he ever planned to tell anyone, this was as good as a time to do so. “I grew up worlds away from a good life. Starvation was a constant threat and seemed as if there was no escape. Between school and home, I barely had enough energy to even move. At school, I enrolled myself into a charity program to keep my place but really spent most of the time sitting still to conserve as much energy; I didn't even dare to pick up a pen or pencil. At home, I was faced with parents spending all of their money on alcohol and hopefully domestic abuse and child negligence rings a bell.” He paused for a second looking around the brush.

“Oh, a herb”, he spoke flatly as he plucked the vegetation from the ground.

ID: 90334; LD: 15

<<Materials Found! +1 Material.>>

((1/5 materials.))

@Rothsbite

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