[SP/F1] <<The Fourth Lesson, Is Actually Free>>

[Alec 0]

As Alec brought the row boat up to the dock Ol' Pete jumped out and grabbed a dock line to tie the row boat off the the dock. "Now." Ol' Pete cackled. "Grab dat big boy an haul him up ta ma shack. I got some good cookin ta make a this un." Ol' Pete said with a smile as he placed his corn cob pipe in his mouth and began puffing billowing clouds of heavy blue smoke. Alec did as he was bid and hoisted and maneuvered the huge Sword Fish onto his shoulders and trudged his way up the dock his footsteps echoing deeply off the wooden dock as he made his way to Ol' Pete's shack with their prize. When Alec had finally reached Ol' Pete's shack he heaved the Sword Fish off his shoulders and on to a wooden table sitting outside the shack. "Now." Ol' Pete said. "I can make ya a couple things with nice piece a meat. I can make ya a fillet that'll help ya concentrate and have bettah aim or I can make ya a fillet that'll help ya feel refreshed and revitalized and help ya feel more energetic and recovah ya energy fastah. So Sonny which'll it be?"

Alec thought about it before he responded. "I'd like the fillet to help me recover energy faster please." he told Ol' Pete.

Spoiler

OOC Post 2

 

Edited March 21, 2019 by Takalo

[Alec 0]

"Ai yup." Ol' Pete responded to Alec's choice. "I can make dat fer ya." he replied. "Just give me a bit ta fix er right up fer ya."

Alec stood by as Ol' Pete pulled out a butcher knife and began hacking into the giant Sword Fish. After some time he took a large fillet over to a grill that was burning off to the side of the shack he threw the fillet on the burning grill which began to sizzle and let off a delicious smell. Ol' Pete reached down a grabbed a shaker which he picked up and sprinkled over the slab of fish. When he had let it grill on one side he flipped the large fillet over and began grilling the other side adding some seasoning to the already grilled side. The meat smelled delicious and Alec found his mouth watering because of it. It took about a half hour for the whole process to finish. Once Ol' Pete he lifted the steaming fillet off the grill and presented it to Alec. "Here ya go young fellah. One Sword Fish fillet with extra Energy Regeneration fer ya." Ol' Pete announced with a smile as he offered the piece of meat to Alec.

"Thank you very much." Alec replied as he took the offered piece of meat from the old fisherman.

"Thank ya fer yer help there youngun." Ol' Pete returned. As Alec saw a banner appear quest complete!! Alec smiled as he bid Ol' Pete goodbye and turned away from the old fisherman and began walking away.

Spoiler

 

OOC Post 3 - Full Energy Regenerated

-1 Fish with +1 Vitality snack (+2 Energy Regenerated in Combat for one Thread)

Alec - Lvl 9 / HP: 180/180 / EN: 18/18 / DMG: 3 / MIT: 40 / ACC: 2 / EVA: 0 / Thorns: 9 DMG Unmitigated (Successful Mob Attack - Not onCrit) / Paralyze: BD 9-10

 

 

[Alec 0]

Alec turned away from the old fisherman's shack a gradual smile breaking through his perpetual scowl for a moment as he started walking away from Ol' Pete's shack. He felt really good about that last fight with the Sword Fish. He must be getting better at this whole tanking thing since the Sword Fish hadn't even landed a single hit. He was beginning to feel like his shield was really becoming a part of him. He was really fond of his Mithril Axe as well but something didn't feel quiet right. Maybe because he had never actually played a video game like this or maybe it was because all he'd ever actually used an axe for was splitting wood. It felt off to him to seeing an axe at something other than a round of wood on a chopping block. He had heard there was a quest you could take to pick up to learn Martial Arts. Maybe he'd look into that. He had done some boxing and judo growing up. Maybe using his hands and his shield was the ticket for him. He wasn't taking anything away from the Mithril Axe Macradon had made for him. He loved that axe it was a piece if art and very effective. But maybe he'd feel more comfortable with his bare hands.

[Alec 0]

Alec walked away from the lakes caught in his own thoughts. He had a lot to think about. How could he make himself the best most effective useful version he could. So far he seemed very resistant to damage. In all his fights thus far his received damage had been minimal. Nothing he had encountered had done more than cause minor superficial scratches and cuts. He had been able to deal out more damage himself so far but nothing phenomenal as of yet. He was still only just beginning to scratch the surface of his abilities and capabilities for that matter. He had to search deep down within himself to find the man he was meant to be. He'd always been physically and mentally tough a rock for others to hold on to when times were tough and things hard to deal with. He wanted to be ready to offer that that strength and resolve to others again and that meant he had to be stronger for himself before he could be stronger for others. He would make it out of this horrendous experience and he would drag everyone else with him if need be but to do that he had to unlock his full potential and he was making his way one step closer today. He had finished with Ol' Pete. He had delivered the fishing pole and reeled in the Sword Fish and defeated it without being hit a single time. Yes he was beginning his journey but it was a long journey and he was only just beginning it.

[Alec 0]

Alec reached the edge of the natural bowl that held the series of lakes behind him. Alec slowly climbed the hill till he stood at the top of the rise. He slowly turned back to face the lakes behind him. He gazed out over the lakes thinking about the road ahead of him. He had just finished the end if the tutorial quest line. Now he had to go out and find his next quest on his own. The freebies we're over he had to earn his own keep now. Alec took a deep breath and calmed his slowly increase anxiousness. He would step up to the challenge and prove his worth to the Front Lines Assault Team and eventually take his place amongst them. But not yet he thought he had to prove to himself that he belonged there before others would accept him, but that he would he promised himself. With that Alec turned back to the prairie before him and set out back towards the Town of Beginnings.

[Alec 0]

Alec continued his introspective thoughts as he began his walk back to the Town of Beginnings and the Northern Gate through the grasslands before him. He had a lot to think about and evaluate. Maybe he should pause and think about his path before he got too far down it. Thinking back Alec remembered one of conversations he had had with his son Danny as Danny was trying to explain to him about one of the games he was playing and the various roles. His son had been trying to explain to him at the time the various roles in the game and how popular different roles were. Almost everyone wanted to a damage causer or DPS Alec thought that's what Danny had called it. That one got all the glory for dishing out as much damage as they could. That didn't feel like a fit for Alec. It seemed too flashy and attention grabbing, that wasn't him. Danny had explained there were tanks. They stood there and took as much damage as possible do that everyone else could damage the creature. That on had a note that rang true to Alec. He felt a good solid fit there he had always been a rock that weathered the storm. Then Danny had explained there were healers. They didn't actually attack they stayed back and kept everyone alive a very important role. Alec disliked the idea of not being in the front in felt anathema to him personally to stay behind others. Then a thought came to Alec, perhaps he could try to combine two of the roles a front line Battle Healer. Stay up front take direct as much damage and attention to himself and then offer healing to bolster the other players. That felt good and right to Alec. He'd have to spend some time and look into if that was even a viable option. Alec wished there were some type of message board you could go to and look at things like that or throw ideas against others and get more experienced players ideas.

[Alec 0]

Who knows Alec thought to himself. Maybe there was some sort of message board and he was just too much of a new guy to figure it out. It had taken him excessively long to figure out some if the most basic concepts here inside the game. Or maybe Alec was on his own and had only himself to get help from. He knew he had seen and interacted with other Players before Macradon the maker of his Mithril Battle Axe had been one and Vigilon the maker of his Shield of the Thunderhearts had been one too but off hand he'd didn't know if he'd ever even spoken to another Player before. He didn't think he had. Alec didn't even know how to start trying to interact with or even find other Players. When he walked the streets of the Town of Beginnings he was surrounded by other Players and non player characters but when he was there he was just gritting his teeth and scowling and trying to get through the situation and get past it as soon as possible. That wasn't how you met people. Well he'd figure something out, that he did know.

[Alec 0]

Alec continued his walk through the prairie. The sun shine down brightly on him as he passed through the waist high grasses. He lowered his hands to run them along the tops of the blades. They were soft on his calloused hands and quiet pleasing to the touch. He liked the topography of this floor very much it had everything. He was going to miss this floor when he had to travel to the other floors he knew they wouldn't all be this nice some would mist likely be living hells. So Alec took the chance to enjoy the First Floor while he still could. Alec felt a soft sheen of sweat spread over his body from the bright sun. It was pleasant. Alec had seen numerous people walking around accompanied by a veritable cornucopia of varieties of animals in his time here. He wondered to himself where they had found them? Were they bought or was it a quest thing? Alec would have to look into it he wasn't sure if the animals served a purpose or were just a companion thing but he liked to have answers when he had questions.

[Alec 0]

Alec made his way back to the Northern Gate and entered the Town of Beginnings. As he entered the courtyard he had a persistent murmur from the assembled masses. It seemed that the Front Lines Assault Team was hosting a second meeting here on the First Floor. The fact that they'd hosted the first meeting here was odd enough. Alec had never heard if it happening. Alec hadn't thought it proper to attend that first meeting he was a lowly noob and had no business amongst their elite ranks. But this second meeting was too much for Alec to pass up. There had to he something big happening to do another meeting so soon after the first. Alec's curiousety got the best of him and began making his way to the outdoor ampitheatre where they had hosted the last meeting. Alec was sure it had already begun so he'd need to take care and not cause a ruckus or distraction.

[Alec 0]

As Alec made his way across the Town of Beginnings he swiped to open his inventory. He selected his Mithril Battle Axe and unequipped it causing it to disappear. Next Alec selected his Shield of the Thunderhearts and unequipped that as well also causing it to blink out if existence. Finally he selected his Reinforced Heavy Iron Breastplate and unequipped that as well. The last of his adventuring gear safely stored in his inventory he selected his vanity bear skin wrap and equipped it on his shoulders. With that he finished making his way to the ampitheatre and the Raid meeting. As Alec arrived it appeared as though the meeting had already begun. Alec did his best to move his massive frame into the ampitheatre. He looked around and saw only one face he recognized, Macradon the genius Blacksmith who had created his Mithril Battle Axe. Alec stepped just inside the entrance of the ampitheatre and took a seat next to the exit to minimize the amount of movement and possible distraction he would cause. The last thing he wanted to do was to make a fool if himself in front if such an elite group of Players. He felt awkward enough just being in the same area as them much less if he made a fool of himself in front if them. So Alec sat quietly in the rear near and exit and listened attentively to what was being said.

[Alec 0]

Alec listened for some time to the Front Line Assault Team and there meeting. He was really impressed by them all. They were not exactly what he had expected but then who ever really is. It seemed that that were other high level Players who showed up but had been out of the scene for some time. Alec didn’t understand that. Why if you were on the Front Lines would you run away from that and hide in a cave or stop giving effort? Maybe it was because he was so new to all this after just figuring out how to function here but once Alec made it being peers with these people he would not leave he would give his all to make it to the end. He would do everything in his power to ensure he and everyone else made it out of here. He would carry people kicking and screaming if he had to. But he’d make sure as many made it out as he was able to.

[Alec 0]

Once the meeting had finished Alec stood up and quietly left the amphitheater. He didn’t really know anyone there so there was no reason to hang around and socialize. Alec found himself walking along the streets of the Town of Beginnings. His perpetual scowl was firmly in place due to the introspective nature of his thoughts. He was accessing himself in comparison to the elite Players he had just encountered. He had much to learn and many miles to traverse before he could ask to really stand among them and ask to be thought of as their equal much less earn their respect. But he would fight his way tooth and nail to reach that point he and they would one day call him equal, ally, neigh even possibly friend. He would offer his back and support and friendship and he would help them defeat this game. Though they each had their differences Alec felt he could be instrumental as a bonding/binding force to pulling them together.

[Alec 0]

Alec wandered without purpose and without aim thinking deeply to himself. When he paused in his deep thoughts he looked around and realized he was standing before one of the groves of trees. Not Hannah’s grove but one of the other groves. Alec took a deep breath and stepped inside the grove of trees. Obviously he needed to clear hi s head and think or his feet would not have carried him here. Alec was a strong believer of you ended up where you needed to be. He wasn’t sure why his feet had carried him to the Elite Front Lines meeting but he hoped it had been for a good reason. Now he knew his feet had brought him here to clear his head. He had a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions coursing through him. He needed a quiet place to think and sort out his thoughts and feelings and these groves had made him feel calm and centered after finding them only a day ago. When he was here on the First Floor they would be his refuge his eye amid the hurricane that was the Town of Beginnings.

[Alec 0]

Alec sat amid the trees of the grove and thought about all he had seen and experienced so far. He had come far in a short time but had an exponentially longer way yet to travel before he reached his destination. He was still a fledgling and had yet to even spread his wings to try leaving the nest. That was soon to come. One day he would soar among the elites but for now he had to settle with slogging it out on the ground. He still had to find a quest to do next now that he had completed the tutorial. Where would he even go? How would he find another one? He wasn’t even sure where to start. Maybe if he went back to the Inn and had a drink and sat by the fire he would come up with something. If not maybe he’d just walk out the gate and see what found him. Who knew really.

[Alec 0]

After sitting for some time in the grove thinking Alec noted that the sun was starting to go down. He sighed a heavy sigh and raised himself from where he was sitting and slowly strode out of the grove and reentered the Town’s streets. Luckily for Alec as it was getting into the evening time the populace had started to thin out on the streets. Alec found it wasn’t near as crowded as it had been in the morning. Alec made his way casually from the grove back toward the Inn. It was about a half an hours walk from the grove tot the front door of the Inn. As Alec approached he heard the tell tale sounds of conversation coming from inside the Inn. Alec placed his large hand on the knob and opened the door lighting up the street around him and himself from the lights inside the Inn. Alec stepped through the doorway and entered the Inn pulling the door closed behind him.

[Alec 0]

As Alec entered the Inn’s Common Rom his boots made heavy thumps as he crossed the wooden floor from the door to one of the empty tables. Once he arrived he pulled a wooden chair out from under the table with a loud SSCCRRRAAATTCCCHHH sound as the wood was drug against wood. Once the chair was out Alec positioned himself to sit. As he lowered his massive frame onto the chair it let out an alarming CCRREEEAAAKKK as he eased his weight onto the wooden chair. Once he was seated he looked to the Innkeeper to order a drink. Alec called for an ale and a glass of whiskey. He sat sipping the whiskey and thinking about all the things he had already run through his mind today. His quest the culmination of the Tutorial Quests what he had seen and heard at the Raid Meeting. It was a lot to take in and process but that;s exactly what Alec had to do now.

[Alec 0]

Alec sat sipping his whiskey while he went through the last few days events in his head. Much had happened to him and he had experienced many new things. On thought kept nagging at him though through it all. What Macradon had told him as he hurried out of the amphitheater. “Hey, you can stay if you want to, get some experience on how meetings can be held, and learn a bit about the frontliners, it’s an opportunity not many get or have available. It's of course up to you.”. How could he just up and run out like that. Macradon had been right when would he ever get a chance like this again. To meet the Front Liners and see how they thought and acted, what they cared about and what was important to them. If he wanted one day to be one of them then he would have to learn them now. He had to know them before he could be one of them!

[Alec 0]

Alec drank down his ale in a few large long draws that would have surely left him buzzed if he had done that in the real world. Then Alec picked up the last of his whiskey and eyed the brown liquid searching its depths for the answers he sought. After a few moments divining the glass and its dark brown liquid Alec raised it on high and in his deep rumbling voice toasted “To the Front Lines and knowing my future peers.” With that Alec upended the rest of the glass in a slow smooth gulp and set it down on the table standing from the chair with another loud CCREAAK as his weight shifted and he rose to his feet. Alec walked away from the table and across the common room to the door leaving the Inn. Alec pulled the door open and left the Inn again entering the streets of the Town of Beginnings.

[Alec 0]

As Alec left the Inn and entered the Town of Beginnings now mostly deserted streets Alec’s heart and head felt lighter. He felt a renewed sense of purpose. He would learn what he could of the Front Line Players and their personalities before he became one of them they would know of him before they knew him. Then when he joined their ranks and fought with them side by side it would be seamless. There would be no learning curve to overcome. He would step into his role and they would know who he was and how he thought that would ensure the safest transfer and least likely chance for failure. “Yes.” Alec thought his feet always carried him to where he was needed. They had before but he’d been to scared and nervous. But then they’d carried him to clear his head and now they’d carry him back to where he would be needed once more.

[Alec 0]

Alec walked through the Town of Beginnings with a renewed sense of purpose. He knew his path now and nothing would deter him from it. He walked alone through the streets relishing the quiet empty space. Why couldn’t it be more like this always he thought. Then the answer struck him like a back of bricks. Because most of the people stuck here were scared! They couldn’t fight on the Front Lines because they feared for their lives and needed someone to protect them and look out for them and deliver them from this hell they were all trapped inside. Alec would be that person. The inscription on the back of his shield suddenly clicked like it never had before. “When the tides rise, become the storm.” Alec wasn’t the storm that would cleanse this he was the storm that would sweep everyone to safety. He was the storm that would wash them all away from here and deliver them to freedom. Alec’s heart felt lighter than it had on a long time and and felt his resolve and conviction harden and solidify. He had truly found his purpose now and he would fulfil it!!