Shepherd

"Hm, suppose not. These trees mightn't be high enough to hurt ya, though I wonder how far ye'd need to fall.... Best not put it to the test, aye?" Shepherd turned with a chuckle. Having searched that area high and low for materials to give to Zachariah, he followed Fae and moved through the forest.

A tree hollow presented itself before the man. Being as curious as he was, Shep slowly and cautiously reached into the hole, feeling nothing but a barren cavity of wood until his arm plunged deeper inside. An object brushed his fingers and came into his grip, and he pulled out his arm to reveal a chestnut of... black? Its nutty form was darker than the night's sky with small white specs dotting its surface. Stowing it away, he turned as Fae mentioned her unlucky find. "Ah well, one more to go anyways. Want me to help ya look around?"

Overcome by realisation, he sent her an understanding nod. "Ohhh, ah see! Combat's not for everyone, aye. How ya plannin' to get that started? There some sort of in-game profession for it?"

ID# 87772 - LD: 20

@Fae: 4/5 Mats Found

Shepherd: 5/5 Mats Found

"Hm?" His gaze veered towards Fae when commotion sounded in her direction, only to see the girl catch herself safely on the ground. Shepherd chuckled, "Aye, do try to be careful though, falling from high enough hurts quite a bit." As far as he knew, fall damage scaled with hit points, meaning a level-50 player had no lesser chance of perishing from a big drop than a level-3 player. Though it wasn't particularly interesting or important detail, it allowed fall damage to be the most potent risk of death among all players.

"Dancer?" Holding on tightly to a branch above, Shepherd reached for an apple that seemed to be just out of reach - after swiping his fingers at the dangling fruit, it swung and fell to the floor with a light thud. "Wait, Winik told ya that?" Three seconds later and he landed on the ground with a roll to soften his landing, retrieving the fallen material. "He and I met before; Nice guy. What on Earth d'ya mean by 'becoming a dancer' though?"

ID# 87769 - LD: 17

@Fae: 4/5 Mats Found

Shepherd: 4/5 Mats Found

"Aye! We're findin' 'em all over the shop... aha, speaking o' which!" Shepherd scouted a strange looking fruit high up in another tree. Checking that he had enough space to climb up, he jumped and clutched the lowest branch the fruit-bearing tree had to offer, easing himself upwards until he was comfortably sat two metres above ground.

"Ya seem to be quite good climbin', take it ya had a knack for adventurin' before the game started?" Shep slowly stood in the tree, wrapping an arm around its trunk for support as he reached out took hold of a seemingly shimmering apple. "I've always been an outdoorsy person mahself," he commented, tucking away the fresh material. "Use to live in the countryside with me folks and work on Uncle's farm. There's nothin' like climbin' those Oak trees back in the fields!" 

It was going much faster than anticipated, having collected six of the total ten. Shepherd questioned how long the quest would last once the materials were handed in, would the Alchemist want them to do something afterwards? Shrugging, he knew only time would tell.

@Fae: 3/5 Mats Found

Shepherd: 3/5 Mats Found

Shepherd cringed watching Fae climb the tree, hoping to God she didn't fall. Memories of the boar attack flooded his mind, recalling how they'd climbed a small height to avoid the animal's wrath. She seemed sturdy enough sitting in a tree back then, so he assumed she was a fairly good climber and lessened his worries. "Ah, fair. Ah'm sure they're nice enough then!" He decided against reminding her that he was just one message away, knowing she was old enough to realise that.

Meanwhile, on the ground, a sparkle of blue reached Shep's eye from behind a thick of brush. As he forced his arm through the bushes, he grasped something and pulled it from its roots; a bright sapphire flower, the fourth material they'd collectively found. Turning to Fae, he clapped and raised her a smile. "Great job! Just six more to go and we'll be good as gold."

He shrugged and nodded, "Fair enough, they'll probably help ya raise yer level or somethin'. Ah know that I'll be workin' on raisin' my Heavy Armour skill, then I can start protecting others." Shep began circling the tree that Fae had been searching through. "Oh! Do you kno' what skills yer gonna be workin' on yet?"

ID: 87490 - LD: 11

@Fae : 2/5 Mats Found

Shepherd: 2/5 Mats Found

"Oh, that so? Are ye sure he's a safe man?" he asked. The environment around them shifted, changing from the open grassy plains of a field to an increasingly dense and populated forest outlook. There were plenty of cracks and crevices to check for materials around the area, and Shepherd quickly realised that what Fae said was right - there seemed to be plenty more materials nearby.

He spotted a herb similar in aesthetic to Fae's, if a little smaller and less vibrant in colour. "Alright, now we're gettin' somewhere!" Stashing the material away, he went about inspecting for more, engaging in small talk for the mean time.

"Ah'm joinin' up with a guild too. A player named Winik wants to offer me a spot in his, jus' needs a few more people and he'll get the ball rolling. Do ye' know what Vigilion's goal is for this guild of his?"

ID: 87464 - LD: 11 (Mat Found)

@Fae: 1/5 Mats found

Shepherd: 1/5 Mats found

"Y-yeah, ah think you're right, Fae..." He scanned the ground, grass, flower patches and just about any conceivable spot in the area that might hold a material or two, to no avail. He knew he'd be able to give wood-cutting a go in the forest, though that posed an uncertain question; whether or not the old man accepted wooden planks as viable materials. "Alright, let's swing by the forest then!"

Marching onwards, Shepherd initiated the short trek towards the forest. It wouldn't take them very long to arrive- assuming they didn't run into any Boars or other monsters that willed to kill them. "So, what ya' been up to lass? Stayin' outta trouble, ah hope." The farmer's green eyes fell to the little girl, a smile tugging on either side of his cheeks. He'd been careful to watch over her the following day, though there were times he hadn't a clue what she'd been up to; He was hoping the lesson she'd learned with the Boar had stuck.

ID: 87451 - LD: 8 (No Mats Found)

@Fae

"See anything out there?"

Three days passed since the Boar incident. Shepherd and Fae barely avoided an early fate, avoiding the wrath of an untamed wild pig by climbing to safety in a nearby tree. Afterwards, the rest of the evening entailed returning to town to grab something to eat and, through rather uncomfortable conversation, Fae told Shepherd that she hadn't many friends nor a place to stay in the game and was making it through the nights by sleeping in a lesser-known alleyway. Knowing he couldn't let her go on like that, the farmer gave the girl enough coin to stay at an Inn for a week, promising to help her out more in the future.

And now, three days later, he was making good on his promise. After arranging to meet up with Fae at the Inn, they'd headed out to do their very first question together, <<The First Few Lessons are Free>>. The old man NPC 'Zakariah' tasked them with collecting Five materials each, stating the items will be used to craft a potion of sorts once they returned. Accepting the quest, Shepherd led the way to an open field where monsters spawned in lower numbers, hopinh to gather the materials undisturbed.

"Remember, we shouldn't run into much trouble around here. If ye do happen to see a boar though, shout it out and we'll get a hasty move on." He made a lighthearted chuckle, casting an investigative gaze on the surrounding area. "I'm not sure what materials the old man's lookin' for - herbs and flowers, ah s'pose... see anything out there?"

@Fae

"Aye, I'm sure they will," Shepherd smiled, glancing down at Fae before returning his eyes to the path. The day hadn't ended up going quite as planned; Originally, the man was intent on returning to the town to sell whatever lumber he collected and go about his peaceful day as per usual, perhaps trying out a brand new restaurant for the evening before returning to the inn at night. As fate would have it, however, Fae had wandered into the fields alone and in search of a friendly boar, an impossible feat unless a wild one was tamed or otherwise labelled as a passive NPC. She invoked the ire of an aggressive boar and Shepherd had luckily been around to help her escape, boosting Fae and them himself high into a tree to lose the boar's aggression.  From then on, the farmer looked after the pink-haired girl until they reached Town of Beginnings. He learned that she didn't have anybody to go and that she'd been sleeping in an alley for the duration of the game, and he offered her enough Col to stay at an Inn for a week. Added as friends, he could at least make sure she was safe from now on and she could message him if anything bad happened. As the day drew to a close, Shepherd wondered how he could help her out most; Act as a guardian and watch out for her, or assume a brotherly role and offer guidance where needed? In the end, he decided it didn't really matter. As long as she didn't perish in SAO and made it out alive, that was good enough, and he'd do everything in his power to make sure of it.

Thread finished!

Shepherd: 2 SP
@Fae: 2 SP, 800 Col

Shepherd's expression became an odd mix of shock, willingness and assurance, though he wasn't prepared for the conversation to undergo a serious undertone. Watching a stern expression evolve from the face of his temporary party member, Shep's green eyes fell for the briefest of moments as he comprehended the benefits and disadvantages of joining up. Ultimately, the drawbacks were few and far between and easily outweighed by the advantages, and he grabbed Winik's shoulder whilst swinging his free arm across his own chest. "Aye! Members of a guild always look out for their brothers and sisters, ah'd be ecstatic to be apart of somethin' like that."

Naming conventions were not his speciality. "I don' know how much help ah can be there I'm afraid," he admitted with a diffident smile, "Named mahself after my Uncle's job, for God sakes." As the farmer racked his brain for ideas, he turned skywards and gazed into the open blue atmosphere. "Is there any particular theme you're going for? Brothers in arms and all that? I'd suggest literally 'Brothers in Arms' but that's not fair to the lasses that wan' t' join up."

@Winik

Shepherd chuckled lightly, "Aye, promise their desserts won't be quite as spicy." Save for a small group sat opposite them at The Chilli Cluck, all was quiet and barren inside, and Margerie quickly caught on that the two were finished. As she made way to collect their mostly-empty plates, Shepherd tried to pay but was quickly hushed by the blonde waitress, citing their meals were on the house this time around. "Oh, t-thanks! Ah don't quite know what to say..." Margerie smiled and waved at them both before disappearing into the back, and Shepherd quickly turned to Fae with an equally cheery expression. "Well, looks like that's all sorted then! C'mon, if we leave know then we should make it to the closest cafe before sundown."

As he stood up and stretched his arms wide, Shepherd was readying to leave when he looked over at Fae. The farmer offered a hand and spoke, "Only if ye want to - it's not far but we'll be walkin' a fair bit through town." He faced the entrance with a brand new energy about him, "I'll be gettin' a big ol' pretzel for mahself when we get there- and a milkshake, good god their milkshakes are insane!"

@Fae

As the friend request came through, Shepherd accepted and watched as Fae's name appear in his barren list of friends. Knowing there wasn't a need to worry about her safety when they inevitably split off, he sighed in relief,  and that should anything come up, they were a simple message away. "Got it! There we go, all done. If you'd like, ah can show ye how to send a message? It's real simple, promise!"

After the matter was all said and done, Shepherd decimated what remained of his Spicy Cajun burger in a matter of minutes, and set his plate aside with a slight frown as he pondered how short his meal was. "Think I could go for easy seconds, and thirds, and fourths... thinkin' about it, I don' think ah'd be able to stop myself." He made a silly smile, looking across the table. "How ye gettin' on? Think ye can still manage somethin' at the café?"

@Fae

Travelling down the southern walks of Urbus, Shepherd had been making way to the city's lowest geographical gate. He was coming from the announcement board having read a player's notice - Kaya, as the author's name suggested - seeking assistance on a quest he hadn't heard of before; Unsurprisingly, given his insistence on staying put in a starting town. The smallest bit of friendly conversation had afforded him knowledge of the quest objective, and it amused him enough to engage his curiosities.

As he drew closer to the gate's arches, the patter of a rolling rock caught his ears. Going out on a whim that he was close, the slender man of burnt umber hair sauntered along the centre of the street that led through to the wilderness, his green eyes scanning the area for anybody waiting around and kicking stones.

"Gettin' in some early practice?" He paused in the middle of the street, looking across to the redhead who appeared to be waiting about. "Haven't taken this quest before but I'm thinkin' the Boulder's bigger than these baby rocks, kickin' 'em around won't do ya no good." Shifting in his armour, a light smile took its place as he approached her, hand extended. "Kaya, right? Name's Shepherd, but my friends call me Shep."

@Kaya @Jomei @Stryder

Seeing Fae struggle with the heat, Shepherd couldn't contain himself as he chuckled. "Can't say I didn' warn ye!" He toned his laughter down to a smile, "At least ye tried somethin' new. Brave as a Lion!... do ye want some water, lass?" 

The burger suffered 4 bites of the farmer's wrath before half remained, and in a bid to savour what little was left, Shepherd put the rest down and leant into his chair with a satisfied sigh. "Phew, that's better than it has any right to bein'." A mean belch escaped the farmer out of habit, his eyes widening after. "Oh, p-pardon me!" Shep hastened an apology, his eyes closing up as he gave a sorry smile.

Idle seconds passed before he spoke again. "So, Fae," the farmer started, unsure how to phrase himself. "It's okay if ye want to say no, but, would ya like to add each other as friends? I want ye t' know that ye can always message me if somethin' bad happens."

@Fae

He offered a look of sympathy when Fae mentioned her lack of col, and he felt even greater regret for answering so unreasonably. Of course she doesn't... where would she even get the cash?

"Aye, ah don' see why not! We'll be neighbours, right next door to each other." Shepherd's voice took on a lighter tone as his once bright smile returned. He'd watched Fae's smile gradually fade as a bad energy shrouded the mood, so he at least owed it to the girl to stop dwelling on the negatives.

"Boy, you two sure look hungry!" A cheery voice called out from across the shop, followed by footsteps from the kitchen. "One Spicy Cajun burger for you, aaand one for you. Enjoy!"

Shepherd smiled at Margerie before looking at the food ahead of him, resisting an urge to dig in like a starved pig. Forgetting himself, he leapt right into the first bite and chewed without restraint, sighing with delight as it went down with ease. "Now that's what ah cool a burger! Bit more tender than ah remember," he remarked, tapping into his inner food critic. "How's it taste?"

@Fae

Shep gave into a silly smile at Fae's reaction to the food, he hadn't seen anyone so excited about anything since before the game began. The gleeful look silently faded as time went on, however, and a frown had all but replaced the farmer's smile as Fae mentioned knowing nobody in-game. Eyebrows pulling closer, his eyes fell down to the table in clear unrest. "A-ah, I see..." An internal debated waged on silently.

Looking up after a short few seconds, Shep listened intently at the girl's next answer, and his eyes became sadder by the second. "Ye shouldn' be sleepin' in the streets, Fae. Do ye kno' how dangerous that can be?" Maybe he was hoping for some sort of divine intervention; The game master granting her free nights in an inn, built-in systems for NPCs to take pity on children or something. "S-sorry, I'm not shoutin' at ye, but ah can't go on knowin' that you're sleepin' in the streets. Here," Shepherd opened up his menu and selected the Col icon, materialising 400 of the game's currency. Eight gold coins sat in his palm which he quickly held out to Fae. "One coin will get ye one night at an inn, this should be enough for a week's worth. Soon as ye start runnin' low, ye just come tell, ye hear?"

(Note: The Col will be officially handed over when the thread ends)

@Fae

Grass, grass, twigs, grass; No materials. The farmer kept a frown to himself, wondering how his luck could be so bad. "That so?" Shepherd asked, turning to face the player at his side. Originally, his goal was to attain decent enough gear to be comfortable solo and then move on to join a guild. If what the red-eyed Spearman said was true, however, he wasn't averse to inquiring about an earlier opportunity. "Aye, too right. Partyin' up and tacklin' objectives together is always goin' be the fastest and safest way to make progress, that just about holds true for any game. D-don' take this the wrong way or nothin', but do you have many players signin' up already? Reckon ye could spot me a place?" Shepherd inhaled a lungful of fresh field air and sighed, bringing a hand to his neck. "No hidin' the fact that I'm worried about dyin' and such, figure it's better to get somethin' sorted sooner rather than later. "

@Winik

Jotting down the order, the blonde waitress smiled and gave the two a nod. As she moved away to tend to another patron, Shepherd looked back to Fae across the table and gave a lighthearted chuckle. "S'pose this is all part of that learnin' experience. We can get ye somethin' else if it's too hot," he reassured.

When Fae asked if there was anything he wanted to talk about, Shepherd stared at the table for a moment, contemplating how to phrase what was on his mind. "A-aye, there's a couple a' things, actually. Firstly, do you have any friends in this game? A person that you really trust? If so, I need to kno' right now so ah can get in touch with 'em right away." That was the more finicky question, and his tone was slightly brighter as he asked the next. "Secondly, how have ye been makin' through the nights, ah assume you've been stayin' in an inn or somethin' like that?"

@Fae

Shepherd swung his eyes over to Fae, then down to the floor ahead. "N-no, they're just ah... they're try'n' to decide if yer safe with me or not." He could hardly blame them, too. Anybody leading a little girl around town was bound to look suspicious, even when the intention was a pure act of kindness.

"Aww, that's a cute name! My name's Margerie. Listen, if you need anything then you can come tell me, okay?" Margerie's smile held up as she stood up straight, turning back to the green-eyed farmer with a slight rise in her eyebrows.

Shepherd coughed gently and lowered his voice, telling the waitress about where he and Fae met and why they were in town together. Nodding understandingly, both Shep and Margerie looked at each other subtly before returning to normal. "What am I havin'? Quite fancy a Spicy Cajun Chicken Burger mah-self! Warnin' ya now, it's mighty hot."  He winked at Fae and raised an eyebrow. "Are ye sure ye could handle that?"

@Fae

"Hmm... tryin' t' make it tough for me, are ye?" Shepherd made a childish smirk and planted a hand on his side. "Well, how's about we get a warm meal at Chilli's and grab dessert at Cinnamon?" Though he'd only admit it much, much later, he wanted to enough time to talk and see if she had a trusted guardian or friend to return to. The fact that she was wandering alone made him think she didn't, and if that ended up being the case, he'd have a troubling dilemma on his hands.

"Pff, 'course ah know! C'mon, Cluck's ain't so far." Shep led the way through town, weaving through the occasional crowd to get to the restaurant. A few pairs of eyes landed on them on their way there and though most were quick to look away, one or two lingered for a second longer than he was comfortable with.

Walking through the wooden door of The Chilli Cluck, a wave of heat whooshed outwards. The interior was in the style of a modern restaurant yet had an authentic medieval theme, with iron-reinforced wooden furniture and a wide glass window between a metal lattice. He looked towards Fae before gesturing at a window table, and let go of her hand to take a seat. "Ah, this place is the best. A lovely lady named Margerie runs it and ah tell ye, she's the sweetest person in this castle!"

On cue, a young waitress with blonde hair approached their table, her smile as warm and pleasant as the Sun. "Hello! Welcome to The Chilli Cluck, how may I... oh, Shepherd? It's so nice to see you again!" As her eyes moved to Fae, the waitress went noticeably quiet for a short second. She crouched to be eye-level with the pink-haired girl and beamed a smile. "And I believe I'd remember a little cutie like you! What's your name, sweetie?"

@Fae

"Aye, could murder a burger myself! Let's see then..." Throughout his time in the Town of Beginnings, he'd amassed an ample list of cafes and taverns, and restaurants and more. Having eaten in less than half, Shepherd still knew enough to pick out his favourites and would recite from them memory, though not before noticing the city gates approaching fast. "In no particular order, we have: Bjorn's Beef and Burgers, run by a wee little man. The Chilli Cluck who make the best chicken ah think I ever tasted. Punka Palace which sells all sorts a' meat pies and finally, Cinnamon, which is kind a' like a coffee shop but with lots more dinner options t' choose from." Shepherd looked towards Fae, anticipating whatever she might decide on.

The soothing BGM of <<Town of Beginnings>> began as soon as they passed through the city gates. Players and NPCs alike wandered the streets, some with friends in tow and others alone, and a few pulling along carts behind them as they moved to and fro the market. Nobody seemed to look over or glance strangely in their direction, leading the farmer to feel far better in an instant. "So, any o' them take your fancy? Ah don' mind us snoopin' around for a while if not, there's plenty t' choose from around town."

@Fae

"Aw, shucks," Shepherd snorted. "I'm sure hopin' ah stick around too!" After making a brief chuckle, he would consolidate his expression and give the player a nod. "Aye, don' be wastin' your worries on me. Soon as I'm geared and ready to head out there, I'll be high-tailin' it straight to one of them low-level focus guilds or whatever they're callin' as. Oh and by the by, thanks for the tips! You'll have to show me where'bouts yer tavern is so I can pay a visit and repay the favour."

He had a lot of new information to mull over. From the player's words, Shepherd guessed the system was massively based on random number generation- hence Winik's rampant insistence on attaining enhancements. He'd had bad experiences with systems like it in the past yet with little-to-no choice in the matter, begrudging acceptance was the only tangible course of action. "Say, pardon me for pryin' but ye make it sound as if you've a group of yer own. Have ye rode solo all this time or?"

@Winik

"Hm?" Shepherd glanced down when he felt Fae's hand grabbing his. It made him smile to know she trusted him so much, though the feeling that he'd be wrongly labelled by townsfolk nagged the farmer's mind. Ultimately choosing to endure whatever came of it, Shepherd made the girl's comfort one of his top priorities, gently holding her hand in return.

Shepherd's eyes dropped after hearing she'd taken some damage, though his smile swiftly returned as she mentioned her health was nearly back at full. "Happy to hear it! I'm sorry ye had to take two hits back there, I tried t' get the piggy to come attack me instead but the fellow wasn't havin' none of it." Shepherd glanced around at the nearby Boars, keeping a watchful eye to ensure they didn't stray too close. "Ah, hadn' thought about that yet. Hmm... well, I don' know a great place off by heart but we'll find one when we get there! How about this, we'll let ye decide where we eat for the day. What are ye hungry for?"

@Fae

Shepherd caught the player red eyes, nodding. "I see. It's no surprise that higher quality gear's goin' to offer the largest safety margin. Now that death in the game means death in real life, the demand for Perfect weapons and especially armour would have skyrocketed compared to a normal MMO, and where there's demand, there's profit to be made... When you really think about it, SAO actually has a pretty good economy, don' it?" He shared a look with the man before sparing his gaze elsewhere, hoping to come across a second material yet failing for the second time.

"Aye, don' need to say that again. Especially when yer puttin' yer life on the line, the quality assurance of a trusted Blacksmith or whatnot is the only thin' keepin' nerves down." Sighing, Shepherd turned to the sky. "I hope to be like that some day, a potion seller that others can depend on. Might not be the best at it but hell, ah'll give it a fair go." Turning to Winik, the farmer asked "How 'bout you, have ye taken to any trade yet?"

@Winik

"Glad to hear it!" Readying himself to fall and land, the farmer's attention switched to Fae as she clambered down from the branch, and he followed suit straight after. Shepherd bent his knees and gave an "oof" as he landed, thanking his lucky stars the drop wasn't great enough to cause either of them fall damage.

Assessing the environment for any sign of threats, they appeared to be in the clear for the time being, and a sigh of relief swept through Shepherd's system system. "Looks like it'll be a straight walk home, don' know about you but I'm done runnin' from Boars and Pigs for the day." He beamed a smile Fae's way before swinging his eyes to the city. "C'mon, best not wait around unless we wan' t' be chased again. How're you holdin' up by the way, what's your health bar say up there?" Shepherd held a finger in the air, judging where the display might be for Fae.

@Fae

Thinking to try his luck at gathering another material, Shepherd's subtle examination of the environment afforded him zilch in rewards. The closest thing he saw that resembled a material was a bundle of sticks lying far in the distance, but the trip was hardly worth the effort necessary. "Aye, I get what ye' mean. Bein' a glorified crash test dummy isn' for all I s'pose - to tell ye the truth, I'm only after stacking defence to make damn well sure I don' die right away."

Shepherd's idle gaze trailed far out into the wilderness, carefully perusing the valleys and bushes for a flower of some kind. As nothing of the sort showed up immediately, he curiously turned to @Winik. "Aye? Ah'll be two favours in yer debt by the time we're finished gatherin'." The farmer chuckled. "Don't suppose prices are too dire a factor, thou' a steady amount of Col might be hard to come by... S-sorry- sure, spill the beans. You know if they're willin' to work around low-income clients?"