Shepherd

Shepherd cringed a little as he saw Fae agitate the branch, though it seemed to hold up well for the time being. At the mention of Wii Sports, his features contorted into a smirk which he promptly masked with a cough, and his smiled returned in an instant. "First is it? Played many a' games myself, tho' nothin' quite like this game and its fightin'. Wouldn't say Wii Sports comes close either," Shepherd chuckled, "But it don' hurt to know how to swing ah s'pose." As Shepherd looked across to the pink-haired girl and noticed her facing the grass, a pang of second-hand guilt struck his gut.

'If I was strong enough to put that Boar down, we wouldn't need to have this conversation... then again, maybe it's better this way? There's no telling what would happen if she went on her way and tried to talk to another animal, maybe she'll know better from now on...' Internal monologuing aside, the green-eyed farmer leant into the tree and shook his head. "Ye can't blame y'self. Hey, now ye know the wild animals are the baddies, I bet ye'll be able to warn others before they put themselves in danger!" Shepherd sent her a reassuring smile, "It's all a learnin' experience, Fae. Remember that?"

Moments later, he grinned as Fae promised to be more mindful in the future. "Aye, that's the spirit! How's about we get down from here and make a' way back to town? Can nearly hear mah tummy grumblin'!" Shepherd hovered over the branch with both arms, ready to drop down when Fae said the words.

@Fae

"Oh, a dragon eh? Well, yer name certainly suits yer brave heart little one." Shepherd's pitch carried a laugh-like tone to it as he tried to keep the mood as light-hearted as possible. The farmer put conscious effort into not mentioning her dad; Family was a unanimously difficult subject matter in-game, and he couldn't imagine the trauma children were faced with after being separated from their Mothers and Fathers.

The words echoed in his mind, But I don't really play games much. Shepherd sighed, offering Fae a kind-hearted smile. "Hey now, don' go blamin' yourself for what went on back there. How could ye have known they weren't the nice kind?" If she an adolescent or even a late-teen player, he'd have likely carried a sterner, serious tone, but he wasn't in the spirits of causing the little girl trouble. "Listen, Fae, there's a lot a' mean things out there. They can't cause ye harm when yer safe in that there city but out in the fields, they'll try to gobble ye up the second they lay eyes on ye. I was here for ye this time but ye have to be more careful about wanderin' alone in the future. Can ye promise me that, lass?"

@Fae

In the mean time, Shepherd inhaled sharply and heaved himself over the branch, clambering over under he was sat comfortably. When the little girl asked if he was okay, he returned a nod and smiled brightly. "Aye! Ah can't lie, there was a second I thought he'd graze mah bum- didn't land a scratch, though!" He gave one final look at the Boar that seemed disinterested and sighed from the relief that the trouble was over.

As Fae asked for his name, he couldn't help but see a bit of his cousin in the girl. They were about the same height, though Fae must have been a few years younger. "Fae? Well, ain't that an adorable name! Mine's Shepherd, or Shep for short." He looked across to the girl, concern in his eyes. "Lass, ah'm not shoutin' at you or anythin' of the sort, but what on Gods great green Earth were doin' in the fields? It's a very dangerous world out there, doncha know?"

@Fae

"Oh, shield eh? Intend to buy myself one of them and some new gear 'soons as I come into the cash- I'm after bein' a tank, ye see." Shepherd turned to look ahead as they talked, the town gates passing by in a flash as they ventured out into the great beyond. Gathering wasn't entirely new to him, he'd taken to lumbering trees for their planks and them selling them to NPCs for scraps of Col - it was enough to get by and live in town, not to save enough for a fresh set of armour and the works though.

"Aye, Sir! Been on the bitter end of RNGesus many a time, don't doubt he'll be frownin' on us today," he smiled heartily. "Ain' that the truth, I'm lookin' at being an Alchemist. Fancied myself as a Cook before- used to be a farmhand four or so years back, ye see- but potion makin' sounds cool as a cucumber." As soon as the last word left his mouth, a material lent itself to the farmer's eyes. Must've been dropped by another player on accident, he assumed, slowing to a halt before to take it in his hand. "Hah, whaddya know!" It disappeared into his inventory with a flash, and his steps picked up again. "Say, if you don' mind me pryin', what's the reason behind ye change of class? Didn't fancy a shield?"

ID# 87309 - LD: 16 (1 Mat found)

@Winik

Although they eventually managed to get away, Shepherd flashed back to their first attempt at escape. After helping Fae high enough to avoid an attack, the Boar's mighty charge shattered the tree upon impact and Shepherd was barely fast enough to catch Fae, his eyes wide. "N-not good!" He put the girl down and held out his hand, "C-can you see another tree?!"

(Note: Italic paragraphs signify flashbacks, as a way to get around the escaping problem.)

---

Sometime in the future, they slipped away. "Don't bet on it!" Shepherd lifted with all his strength and hoisted the girl high into a new tree, allowing her to climb to safety. Time slowed down as he released her and swung his eyes to the enraged Boar, it's red cursor getting bigger with every millisecond. He questioned why Fae did what she did, wandering alone through the wilderness actually trying to attract the beast; Anyone with past MMO knowledge should know that a red cursor meant hostile.

And then it dawned on him... had the girl played an MMO before? Was she even the minimum age for SAO?

Time began to speed up. Shepherd dragged his eyes away and focused on the branch opposite to Fae, knowing full one wouldn't support them both.The Boar was inches from his behind as Shep ran and leapt towards the tree, and he kicked off from the trunk to get just the right amount of height to wrap his hands around the branch.

The Boar charged straight past his feet and beyond, slowing down a good twenty feet away. The farmer held his breath as the beast twisted and turned on the spot as if searching for a target, and five tense seconds later, its interest in the players seemed to crumble and the angry pig went on its merry way. Shepherd tilted his head back and sighed in relief, dangling tirelessly. Looking up at the girl, he spoke with a smile. "Aye, told ye we'd lose him! You okay lass?"

ID# 87299 - CD: 10 (Successful escape!)

"H-hey, careful where you swing that thing!" As soon as he felt Fae's hand holding his, Shepherd took off running for the nearest tree he could find, keeping as quick a pace as possible with the girl in tow. Nervous eyes watched as the Boar gained an inch on them every second, and he spared a glance down at the pink-haired player before looking to the forest ahead of them.

With seconds to spare, Shep stopped before of a tall tree with a few low-hanging branches, thick enough to hold the weight of a small person at least. "Then we best get a move on! Here," he locked his fingers and crouched down low, ready to lift the girl as high as possible. "Climb as high as ye can, don' look down!" As his eyes veered sideways to the approaching beast, alarm bells blasted in his mind upon seeing how close it was, "I-I'll be right behind ye!"

(CD 7+ required for escape)

Boar: 7/10 HP

[H:3] Fae: 14/20 HP 1 Energy

[H:0] Shepherd: 20/20 HP 0 Energy

@Fae

Shepherd felt powerless when the Boar struck Fae with all its might, green eyes wide and mouth agape. To see her hit back was a small relief, but it didn't make him feel any less worthless. He knew that if his parents could see him there, standing and watching a child get beaten by an animal while he stood idly by, they'd slap him silly and brand him a coward; he clenched a fist.

Fae was close enough to where if the beast came charging, Shep might've been able to intercept the attack and save the girl further harm. He brought a gentle hand to her shoulder, his smile tender yet urgent.  "Aye! D-don't talk like that wee one, we'll get ye safe an' sound soon; Gotta outrun the piggy first!"

Knowing the Boar would run them down before they got back to town, Shep desperately searched for a place to run and hide. Muttering "aha!", he turned backwards and stepped away, holding out his hand for Fae to hold on. "C-c'mon, we'll hide in the trees!"

Boar: 7/10 HP

[H:3] Fae: 14/20 HP 1 Energy

[H:0] Shepherd: 20/20 HP 0 Energy

@Fae

"You don't? Ah, rats." Shepherd ran the tips of his fingers through his hair, contemplating where he'd need to look for the Wildflower, although the player's voice quickly stole his attention again. "Oh, 'Winik' is it?" he asked, wondering if his pronunciation was off. Shep shook Winik's hand with a mutual firmness and pulled his arm back to his metal-clad side. A heavy set of grey metal armour adorned his body; It was the lowest grade of gear a player could wear, though it sufficed against Boars and Wolves for the time being.

"Aye, can't refuse an offer like that! Won't lie when ah say I'm half terrified of those brown pigs, be nice to have a bit o' company on the road." Shep returned a smile of his own and swiped open the party menu. "S-sorry Winik, don't mind if we party up do ye?" he asked, his finger slipping over the 'Invite Player' button. "Just a tad bit safer for travel, hope it isn't a bother."

The farmer assessed which way out of town would be fastest and took a few steps forwards, turning a second later to wait for Winik. "So, level 6 did ye say? Not bad! A little embarrassing to admit I'm level 1 myself, haven't been trying to level up much. Think ye can spare any tips?"

@Winik

"Aye, hang in there!" Shepherd tugged on his battle axe and stared outwards, panicked eyes landing on the little girl and the Boar chased her. A cringe twisted his features when the aggressed pig struck her and she fell, yet hope filled him as she landed a solid hit once more.

Shepherd ran as fast as he could, trying to close the gap between himself and Fae - as she called herself - before the Boar could reach her. If he could land a strong enough attack then its aggression might swap to him, but he didn't have faith in himself to land a hit. He stopped by the girl wide-eyed and looked further to the Boar, gulping as he brought his axe up. "Y-ye should be more careful lass, these piggies ain't the nice kind!"

As the four-legged beast neared, the farmer tried to swing his axe, only to have his blade fly high and miss entirely. It was enough to push the Boar off its path and have it charge straight past, but it would only be a few seconds before it recovered and would come charging back. "Lass, are ye hurt! Can ye run?"

ID: 87287 - BD: 1 (Miss)

Boar: 8/10 HP

[H:2] Fae: 17/20 HP 1 Energy

[H:0] Shepherd: 20/20 HP 0 Energy

@Fae

Shepherd grew concerned as the Boar broke into a sprint, and an equally puzzled look took shape as the player returned fire. Her dagger appeared to deal small damage the creature, an observation he could make from watching others fight at a distance, but it obviously wasn't enough to slow the agitated pig.

"Don' worry none!" Shep shouted in reply, now gripping his axe's handle. It might've been the air or something about the game's sound system but from what he could tell, the girl who fought the Boar not so far away couldn't have been older than eleven or twelve. She was holding up for now but if things went sour and he didn't step in to lend a hand, there wasn't any telling if she'd be able to escape... Conflicted between his disinterest in combat and unease for the girl's safety, the man made up his mind and asked aloud. "Do ye' need help lass?" he called out, hints of concern in his voice.

ID: 87274 - BD: 5 (Miss - RP'ed like he hasn't engaged in combat)

Boar: 9/10 HP

[H:1] Fae: 20/20 HP 1 Energy

[H:0] Shepherd: 20/20 HP 0 Energy

@Fae

(Note: If you don't know what the 'H' means, send me a PM and I'll clear it up!)

Shepherd really needed to indulge in a profession. After countless days of repeating the same old cycle - chopping wood, selling wood, eating and renting the same room at an inn - there was only so much more he could endure before insanity settled in, and he could feel that wall steadily approaching. Though his farming experience would make Cook the obvious choice, he'd been leaning towards his gut feeling of Alchemy and eventually found himself stood before the potion-making NPC, tapping 'Accept' to initiate the quest.

"Wonderful! If you manage to find a Coepi Wildflower, bring it to me and I will teach you the tricks of my trade."

"Aye, won't let ye' down!" he obeyed willfully, politely bowing in front of the wise old man before making haste for the first-floor wilderness. With abysmal luck and searching skills, he doubted his ability to locate the required material - at the least, Shepherd was expecting to be out there for a few hours. Given his low level and the risks involved with being outside for so long, he ought to stop and search for a partner, but there wasn't any player he knew of that could offer any help-

"Oof." Not a second later, Shepherd rounded a corner and failed to see the approaching player, bumping shoulders with the man by way of an accident. Taken aback by the collision, he shook his head briefly and spun around, a hand slightly raised and an apologetic look on his face. "Crud, sorry 'bout that! Di'nt mean to bump into no one." He rubbed his neck, offering a sheepish laugh. "A-actually, saying that, ye' wouldn't happen to have a moment would ye'? A-ah'm on a hunt for an item, a Coepi Wildflower, would ye' happen to know where I can gather that?"

@Winik

chop

A blunt chop rang out as his axe struck the tree, and again when he reared the beginner's tool.

chop

Splinters of wood erupted at the point of impact yet his attention never wavered, and he pulled the tool back for yet another strike.

chop!

With a snap, the thin tree - barely taller than Shepherd himself - toppled to the grass with a resounding thud. If lady luck were on his side, a few items would spawn from the wreckage, though his previous his previous attempt at collecting wood hadn't served him so well. As the shards of splintered wood finally disintegrated, Shepherd's big green eyes gazed curiously at the fallen tree, hoping to see just a single plank as a reward for his efforts - no such planks appeared. A slurred groan left the farmer as he placed his axe's handle onto the tree stump and used it as a leaning post, kicking at the dirt beneath his feet. "Christ, I'm not cut out for this..."

His eyes searched the horizon. As far as the eye could see, plains and hills stretched into the distance, and more diverse terrain lied beyond - deserts and valleys, mountains and more. Shepherd wasn't fond of the great expanse, however - not until his levels and equipment could offer a comfortable safety margin. He'd taken to inching ever-so-slightly further outside the Town of Beginnings each day, hoping to one day explore whatever was out there, but for now, the grandiose starting settlement was his home. In order to make his coin and pay for food and shelter, the farmer chopped trees and small bushes for hours at a time, and he'd only recently moved so far from the town's walls.

A lone boar came into his view and he spared a glance at the wandering creature. Usually, he'd pay no mind to the game's weakest enemies, knowing them to be easily avoided. However, something off caught his eye - the outline of a player stood not so far from the creature's path. Shep's eyes betrayed him given the player was lots smaller than expected, and he unassumingly cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted across. "Aye! Watch ye' back, a pig's coming for it!"

@Fae

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Profile Info

IGN - Shepherd

Name - Kelly O'Connor

Height - 6'0"

Weight - 161 lb

Age - 21

Birthday - November 17th

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History

"Name's Kelly... quit laughing!”

Growing up in the countryside wasn’t a glorious upbringing, but it allowed Kelly O’Connor to experience much of what a city kid could only dream. Running wild and free in the vast forest surrounding his hometown, the young boy figured he was destined to lead a life of agriculture, and always pictured himself running a farm with a family of his own.

He’d spend a lot of his time after school working on Old Browne’s farm alongside his two best friends. Through thick and thin they stayed together, and as the trio gained popularity around the town, they came to be known as the ‘Tom, Dick and Harry’ of Warlington. Kelly wasn’t the brightest of the bunch, often people made fun of how dull he was. He learned to take it in stride and twist the harsh truth into a joke, becoming the ‘funny’ one of the three for his self-deprecating humour. All the way through schooling age they remained inseparable until O'Connor hit 16.

His father’s company was having internal changes, one of which being to transfer a large number of employees from Ireland to their headquarters in the United Kingdom. Reluctant to follow his father into another country, he was distraught when he found out his grandmother falling ill around the same time, and that his mother would be staying behind for a while to care for her. Leaving his friends, hometown, mother and country behind, O’Connor had nothing left but his future to look forward to.

Initially, he stayed in his grandfather’s home a few towns over from his father, enrolling into a sixth form for the two years that would come. In that time, he adapted to his new surroundings well, meeting new friends and sustaining a relationship throughout his time at school. Half-way through the second year, his mother finally moved out to reunite with his father and he would only be sixth short months behind them.

Years flew by. He moved back in with his parents, kept in contact with the one he loved in his old town and went on with his life as a University undergrad. The final year of his degree rolled by and O'Connor's parents and partner all chipped in to buy him a special gift; a way of congratulating him on completing his first two years.

“NerveGear? Smells good!"

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Virtues

Adventurous: Shepherd’s from the countryside, he grew up near vast forests and open fields. Holding onto the time spent out in the wilderness, Aincrad has given him a chance to relive those childhood memories. When faced with a chance to explore it’s hard for the Irishman to resist, and like a duck to water, he’ll feel most at home when he’s out and about wandering the unknown.

Playful: Never a serious fellow, Shepherd’s taken to bringing fun into the lives of those around him. In a world as cruel and unforgiving as Aincrad, he learned early on to not fall into the trap of being a serious sad-sap and instead seeks to bring out the brighter side of other players. He swings a double-edged sword with this trait- some people have the opposite intended reaction.

Peace-loving: If there’s one thing Shepherd hates more than weak beer, it’s the unease and tension that arises from conflict. His feel-good attitude forces him to try his hand at diffusing a negative situation, and it’s worked out well for him in the past. This Irishman loves nothing more than to see two souls getting on well, and if he has to throw himself under the bus to create a peaceful atmosphere, he smiles doing it.

Animal-lover: What’s a man without his companion? Born and raised on a farm, Shepherd’s had many iterations of pets and farm animals alike who’ve kept him company over the years, from the oversized golden retriever he grew up alongside, to the tactful cat that all-too-willingly saw him depart from home. Now, living with his Grandfather, he gained a soft spot for Key, the old man’s white-coated munchkin kitten.

Patient: Although he’s an explorer and people think he loves to get out all the time, that's not the reality of it. While he’s at his best when moving and getting out there, the man’s patience surpasses that of a sloth. He can sit and talk hours on end without showing unrest, and even if he's itching to get up and leave on the inside, he’ll wait as long he needs to for the other player.

Mind his temper when it catches up with him.

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Flaws

Childish: As well as being playful, Shepherd has a hard time discerning how far he can push other people. Some react well to the occasional nudge and his zealous attitude- others do not. He’s gotten into heaps of trouble with his superiors and peers alike, and although he strives to improve, he’ll never go a week without overdoing it to the point of pushing somebody’s buttons.

Unwise: Try as he might, Shepherd’s not cut out to be the sharpest tool in the shed. Jokes and remarks have been made about his lack of academic progress throughout schooling and sixth form, and even if he stuck it out to land a spot at University, he’ll always lag behind greater minds. Shepherd uses self-deprecating humour to cope, using his intelligence (or lack of) as the butt of his jokes.

Credulous: ‘Gullible’ is always written on the ceiling with Shepherd around. Having puppy-like loyalty towards those that show him affection, he’s a sucker for trusting everything his friends say. He can tell when someone’s blatantly leading him on and reacts quite harshly to it sometimes, but for the most part, he’s painfully unassuming.

Long-fuse: Shepherd’s a patient man. He’ll wait till the second coming if need be. Push his buttons though, and he’ll make you know it; not straight away, but eventually. Not one for stirring trouble and equally against condoning it, he’s usually good at removing himself from a situation where his temperament would boil up. When he does get angry, a fire ignites deep inside – having hurt friends with his temperament in the past, he knows and tries his best to keep that part of him hidden. Even if it takes a lot to get him angry, nobody likes him when he is.

Alektorophobia: Chickens. Whenever he's faced with these feathered creatures, Shepherd can't help but freeze up on the spot. A head scratcher for those who don't know, it stems from a bad experience from when was a little boy, though he'll run for the hills before explaining it (small exaggeration). “Chickens… the cheek of ‘em.”

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Skills

Total SP: 7
Unspent: 2

Heavy Armor (5/50) - Rank 1

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Inventory

Iron Heavy Armour
Iron Battle Axe

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Roleplays

In Progress:

Finished: