Sure

Roll placeholder

ID: 104078
CD: 5 <<Fail - Material Destroyed!>>

Satisfied, Sure sighed. "And that... Is that." The last material, yet another apple, faded from existence and into his inventory, triggering a chain of events in the HUD. <<Gather Materials (5/5)>> was replaced with <<Return to Evangeline>> in the quest helper, and the final objective loomed below it; <<Craft an Item>>. 'This is really it: A job, crafting items, making money... Keeps on feeling less and less like a game.' Reading the last one caused him to shift uncomfortably. As real as it felt, he was struggling to accept the new reality for what it was; A game. Handing in a quest and getting rewarded for it was something you could only do in RPGs and MMOs. To physically do it himself meant irrevocably accepting SAO as reality.

Some moments later, however, he managed a smile. It wasn't logical to be held up on some neither him nor any other player could change any time soon. What's to keep him from enjoying the experience?

ID: 104056
LD: 16 (1 Material : 5 Total) <<Quest objective complete!>>

As expected the area was rife with materials, a clear-cut sign that no looters had been in the area that day. Another apple dangled from a low-hanging branch and was an easy pick-up for the novice. 'Four outta five already? It's been- what, ten minutes? No way this takes more than another ten to get over with.'

Sure pondered what to do for the rest of the day. Originally he'd planned to be out in the field for a few hours, including the time it would take to get back and craft another item. 'I could take another quest? Mm, then again, I'd have to go back to town to find one. May as well just take a new one after handing this one in... Ugh.' In a normal MMO, Tully always took on way more quests than he could properly chew. The heightened stakes of Sword Art Online meant he wasn't willing to hoard potential SP and get a bunch of rewards at once - completing quest individually maximized survivability.

ID: 104036
LD: 17 (1 Material : 4 Total)

As with all good things, his streak of luck had come to a bitter halt, marking the end of the steady stream of materials. As far as he knew, Three-in-a-row's were statistically improbable in the world of SAO, especially for a beginner of his caliber. Taking it in stride as a small victory, Sure decided to move on to the next location in his fictional list; The tall grass that he and another played stumbled upon during the last visit. A treasure chest was discovered with ease previously, so, if his recent fortune was anything to go by, the chance of finding another was very real.

"Crap," he exclaimed, inventory opening with a simple gesture. Something felt off from the offset for the man and he finally discovered what - the new armor and weapon he had made weren't equipped, leaving him vulnerable to ambush from mobs and potential players. Realistically, he knew the threat of anything attacking him were slim in these forests, but he wasn't taking any chances.

ID: 103919
LD: 14 (No Material : 3 Total)

A mere ten steps from the last, a tertiary apple swung merrily from a tree. "What is going on?" He pondered aloud. Sure was starting to reconsider his mindset towards material gathering and its perceived difficulty, realizing it to be the third he'd collected in such a short space of time. Maybe luck really wasn't on his side the other day? Or, the more likely option, he was simply having a streak of luck that would come to a bitter end soon enough.

Whatever the case, he pressed on, setting off on an adventure through the ivory forests of the first floor. Given that it was so early in the day, he didn't expect to see any other players nor monsters that lurked at night, a fact that put his mind at ease for the moment. Fresh new gear was at the ready if something were to come up, not that he was actually prepared to make his first real mob encounter in the game.

ID: 103839
LD: 18 (1 Material : 3 Total)

With all the misfortune he and Pick had last time, Sure wasn't feeling hopeful about taking on a gathering quest so early. A lack of funds meant he wasn't able to scrounge up any luck-enhancing items and was still very much at the whim of the cosmos, relying on blind luck and minimal strategic planning instead.

Amazingly, he was able to find another material hanging from a nearby tree; A pristine Apple ripe for the taking. Picking and stashing it, the quest helper refreshed and the '1/5' morphed into '2/5', signifying he was just under halfway there. 'So I was right,' he thought, reminiscing on the other day. 'That other player must have swept through the whole area, almost certain there was nothing here before.'

The more he thought back on it, the more he understood how stupid he'd been previously. Staying in an area where a skilled gatherer was working was always going to end horribly, but to do so in the evening when most players were coming back from a loot-filled adventure was guaranteed misery.

ID: 103834
LD: 20 (1 Material : 2 Total)

'Well, that's a good way to start!' Sure clasped the shimmering Golden Acorn, harvesting the very first item of the day.

His objective was simple; Gather 5 crafting materials and take them to back to <<Evangeline Calora>>, Master Alchemist and the stepping stone NPC for those looking to brew potions and crystals. Usually, the profession quest was the first he'd try to complete in an MMO. After a startling realization that gathering wasn't quite as simple in Sword Art Online as most other games, however, Sure had put it on hold until learning a thing or two from a fellow player.

Armed with an approximate knowledge of how to make out shiny things from a distance, he took to the forests outside the city walls only a few days post his previous visit. And with one-fifth of the task completed already, he was beginning to doubt it would take long at all.

ID: 103833
LD: 16 (1 Material : 1 Total)

Getting a message of confirmation some short days later, Sure once again rolled up to the infamous Smith's front door. Far from surprised by how fast the items were ready, he was more filled with envy after realizing the work necessary to properly progress in a profession. To keep the visit as short and sweet as possible, he opened up the trading menu before reaching the counter, greeting Macradon with another friendly wave. "Hello again. I um, I got your message about the items? I'd like to pay with Materials if that's okay." Not that he had particular need to save Col, it just felt the least expendable form of currency.

Taking the newly forged items in hand, he had to admire the craftsmanship that went into making them. Dark as the night's sky, the Anneal Lance gave off an ever-so-dull shine in the forge-lit room and the blue-silver leggings hardly weighed him down as they draped over his arm. "Thank you! I'll be sure to visit again sometime."

Payment: 8 T1 Materials

Received: Anneal Lance, Vengeful Leggings

"Ah... This would be the place." Sure stopped just shy of the renowned blacksmith's store, tucking away the map he'd been using to navigate the town. It seemed most everyone was having their armors and weapons made there, quite a comforting fact for a lowly player seeking fresh equips for the first time.

Not one to waste time, the brunette highlighted the order details on his HUD and pressed onwards into the establishment. At first glance, the inventory was an impressive sight, greatly reinforcing the idea to Sure that the Smith knew his stuff. 'At least I know what to expect.' After seconds of gawking at the ready-made items, he gained the sense to make way to the back of the shop and raise a hand in greeting. "Evening," he started, "I've heard you specialize in making... W-well, pretty much all weapons and heavy armors, actually. Would you mind taking a look at these two?" Transferring the items' details, he was quick to show the trading window. "How much would these cost?"

Just as Sure started for the path back to town, the pause in Pick's speech was enough to catch his attention. "Hm?" Despite the abhorrent lack of luck throughout the day, the blonde managed the impossible, pulling a chest potentially rife with treasure from the heavy shrubbery surrounding them. "I'll be damned! Definitely. May as well stick around to find out what's hiding in this thing, right?"

He stepped away from the trail and made way for the front of the chest, allowing Pick enough room to undo the lock and raise the lid. "No kidding, who'd have thought this baby was hiding right there?" The spot where the trunk once rested left a sizeable hole in the terrain, gaining a brief chuckle from Sure. "I don't wanna touch the damned thing, knowing my luck it'd be a total bust." An entertaining thought occurred to him; What if it were a mimic? '... Nah.'

@Pick

Mainly savouring the experience before the two would take their leave, Sure felt motivated to take one last look at the scenery. To his good fortune, two sprigs of golden oak were brilliantly intertwined and left out in the open; A parting gift from the forest, he liked to think. "For your sake, I hope that it starts to get better soon." Rounding off the conversation about Pick's luck, the brunette nodded at the mention of a treasure chest and stashed away his final findings. "Worth a shot, it looks like we're getting some consolation prizes for failing so badly today."

Overall, it wasn't such a bad day. What started as an embarrassing morning for one clueless player was quickly rescued by a helpful stranger. Despite their findings falling short of anything you'd consider impressive, they at least weren't walking away with empty pockets. "Thanks for helping me earlier, by the way. I'd probably still be vandalizing that poor tree if it weren't for you. I'll see you around?" Sure put out his hand, offering one last gesture of good faith for the day.

ID: 103741
LD: 18 (1 Material | 3 Total)

@Pick

After what seemed like the Queen's speech, Sure couldn't resist cracking a smile at Pick's final points. "Amen to that," he remarked. "That's fair, seems you can still prosper in SAO without risking your life... When you really think about it, this world's not so different from the real one. Stupid people die doing stupid stuff, brave people take risks for the greater good, and the smart people... Well, they keep on living." Tragic as it is, the game was a chance at a new life; Some chose to stand and fight, others took the back seat. It was clear what each of these two sought to achieve in their time there.

As he went to massage his forehead, Sure was quick to dismiss Pick's apologies. "Hey, i-it's cool man, honestly I'm the one who should be apologizing," he confessed, "Searching for materials around the most populated city was a terrible idea in the first place." Seeing as Pick was uneager to give up any trade secrets, he figured it best not to pry the gatherer and offered a loose shrug as he crossed his arms. "Was worth a shot. If you wanna do this again sometime, I still sort of need to do <<Earning A Living>>. First Perfect is on the house?"

The tall grass, despite its elegance, was a material bust. "Shall we call it a day? I feel like we're done here, the player I saw earlier must've picked this place clean." 'Maybe that garden will prove more plentiful,' Sure thought, knowing that anything would be better than their current situation.

ID: 103705
LD: 2 (No Material | 2 Total) [I'll take Nothing for 600, Alex]

@Pick

"Sounds good," Sure agreed, discouraged by the superior gatherer's lack of findings. The traveler rested his hind, taking respite over a convenient tree stump as he savored the unfamiliar environment. The almost industrial stench of a town's outer walls was nowhere to be found, the welcoming smell of baked bread and stat-dampening ale replaced by a pleasant, unthreatening aroma. An unending field of grass amidst a smattering of trees and vibrant flora was seen as far as the eye would allow, all-the-while accompanied by an index of animals each going about their pre-programmed routines. If not besmirched by the simulated nature of their new world, one might have called it beautiful.

"That's... convenient." Although he wouldn't admit to liking the material system, thinking it to be a rather lazy oversight on the developer's part, it was hard to argue its dynamic nature wasn't useful. "If I see any of those golden things, I'll be sure to let you know." Rising from the stump, he tried to hide his discontent by occupying his eyes with a sweep for materials. 

'Why am I not surprised?' was his first thought, naturally assuming Pick's overall goal to be business related. He nodded as the blonde set off once more, started for the path himself. "A wise decision," he chuckled, "I suppose it's a smart idea to get on the good side of a future front-line supplier." He'd be lying if he didn't find the idea of future discounts enticing. "So, am I correct in saying your goal is to create a network of traders and have a warehouse of all items types to sell off?"

A lack of materials caused his brow to stifle, a groan croaking out of his throat. "Is there anything you can do to make gathering a little easier? I get that nothing in this world is free but come on!"

ID: 103668
LD: 11 (No Material | 2 Total)

@Pick

"O.. oh," Sure started. "Y-yeah, sure, sounds good. We'll talk about it another time." A part of him felt relief that they wouldn't need to weed through awkward negotiations and compromises, although another part was silently disappointed. 'Maybe it was something I said?'

He trailed behind Pick as the blonde led the way, reaching the tall grass before long. The terrain became far richer and full of life, with birds tweeting high up in the branches and rodents scurrying around on the ground. Enthralled by the luscious scenery, Sure had grossly neglecting the wildlife like a truly inexperienced gatherer, something that his companion was obviously paying attention to. Pick grabbed the brunette's attention as he knelt over, though the mere sight of his findings made the explorer recoil. "M-mice?!" he jumped, "T-those count as materials? But how! How does- how would that even work?" Traveled as he was, the man failed to remember a time he'd watched anyone pick up a little beast so calmly; Let alone two of them.

At least the question calmed him down, and he regained composure before lining up an answer. "Truthfully, I haven't decided. I'll level as fast as I can and build up a damage/defense profile, though I'll end up joining the front-lines in a more strategic position hopefully. I'm more of a thinker, you know?" He smiled, returning the question. "What sort of player are you trying to be? Have any plans for the front-lines yet?"

ID: 103617
LD: 12 (No Material | 2 Total)

@Pick

Sure could only watch as the ball rolled further across the beach, his eyebrow twitching as he grumbled beneath his breathe. "Aren't you just lovely..." With a somewhat vague description of Asakku's familiar, at least he would know what to look out for. "The apples don't fall too far from the tree, huh?" he quipped. "Thanks, I'll... keep an eye out for it, I guess." 'Not a friendly gal, huh?'

It wasn't long before another player showed, and Sure turned to greet the mystery man. With Hazado's warning and Asakku's reassurance that she disliked company, the brunette took it at face value, raising his hands innocently. "Y-yeah, message received. Name's Tully, by the way," he revealed, "B-but just call me Sure." Two was a party, three was a crowd, and the social pressure was beginning to mount up.

Another person would soon approach, though Sure knew exactly who this person was. Remembering back to their first meeting, he immediately got an idea of what the blonde might be after. "Oh hey, what's up," he greeted, casting a friendlier smile than he'd given the others. "Still on for talking business sometime?" To the brunette's relief, Pick mentioned he knew where the familiar was, and he rested easy knowing he wouldn't have to spend any effort looking.

@Asakku @Hazado @Pick

[OOC: Edited to reflect that, sorry]

Sure raised an eyebrow, 'Again?' Given all the possible things that he thought could be bothering her, that wasn't particularly high on the his list. "Oh, uh," he started, "I guess not, huh?" His nervous chuckle returned for a moment. Ironically, this was the most normal encounter he'd had with another person so far. "A-actually, I was gonna ask if I you wouldn't mind passing that ball back, but that's not important for now." As much as he wanted to get back to playing, the disappearance of someone's pet took priority, even if they were essentially a stranger. "You um, you said you lost your familiar. A-are they like a dog or something? Does that... happen often?" It was a little strange for anything to get lost on such an open beach, he thought. 'Maybe the forest over there could provide some cover? If it's a pet monkey, I swear to God I'm not climbing any trees...'

@Asakku

Passing the ball between his hands, Sure scanned the beach to keep an eye out for potential players. Waves crashed against the shoreline and sprayed the brunette's feet with droplets of water, drawing his attention for a moment to the people chatting in the shallows. 'As entertaining as it would be, maybe throwing them a surprise ball isn't the best tactic...' He discarded the idea rather quickly.

The man sighed, resigning himself to a session of practice serving. Knees bent and with a focused mind, he flung the ball high into the air and pushed off the ground to spike it over the net, making contact with an explosive THWACK as it rocketed over to the other side. A hollow thud echoed as the ball burrowed into the sand, and Sure could only smile as he landed down on the soft floor. 'Nice!' he thought to himself, already ducking below the net as he shifted to retrieve the ball.

Swooping down to pick it up, he glanced upwards to see a player sitting idly in the sand nearby. Noting the shifty expression and drooped shoulders, he assumed she was trying to mask that something was obviously bothering her; That or the heat was beginning to get people down. With an uncertain hum, he debated whether approaching her was really the best idea, though it quickly became apparent it wouldn't hurt to try. Besides, maybe she'd be up for a game?

Sneaky as ever, he dropped the ball and punted it with the back of his heel, making the incident appear as an accident as it barrelled over towards @Asakku. "H-hey, watch out!" Shouting with a softened tone, Sure jogged after the ball at a mellow pace, slowing to a halt a few meters short of the dark-headed woman. "Sorry about that, didn't mean to smack it that hard," he lied with a nervous chuckle, massaging the back of his neck. Taking a second to breath, he waited a moment to pose his next question. "I-if you don't mind, are you alright? You looked a little... tense, just now."

As he admired the activities from afar, Sure had his doubts about jumping in. The last time he set foot on a beach was a few years prior during a week-long trip to California. What began all smiles and sunshine swiftly broke down into fully-fledged chaos, and a(n expensive) hospital trip was only the second worst thing to go down. On the plus side, the brunette did learn an awful lot about pier regulations that day.

Trying to psych himself up, he opened his inventory and began to carefully examine options for fashion. If he was going to go through with it, he wanted to look the part; Or at least to not look like he'd confused a beach party with a raiding party. The iron links of his breastplate clinked and dissolved into dust, only briefly revealing the tunic beneath before a khaki racerback tank slid over his torso. Despite feeling naked without a pair of sunglasses dangling from his neck, a simple combo of black shorts and matching sandals rounded off the holiday vibe he was shooting for, and the eager explorer soon set off to join in.

He spotted a small group engaged in thrilling conversation by the water, whilst another looked to be watching the crabs roaming the sands. Intriguing as it was, Sure wasn't looking to get snapped in half by the surprisingly dormant crustaceans, deciding to steer well clear instead. The brunette's interest naturally shifted to the nearby volleyball nets, forcing him to shudder and recoil at the sight. 'C-California... N-no, that wasn't your fault, damn it.' Ignoring the jolting flashback and going against his better judgement, he waltzed over to one of the volley balls and sneakily lent down to retrieve it. He smiled at how realistic it felt, commenting "Neat" beneath his breathe as he spun it around in his fingers. A brief look around revealed that no games were ongoing just yet, though that wouldn't stop him using the opportunity to practice his serve.

"Yeah? If you say so," he agreed, knowing he couldn't challenge the man's expertise. "Lead the way." Seeing as he'd had a few strokes of luck himself, he almost wanted to insist on staying put for a while longer, though Pick was the one doing the real gathering. For the purpose of the mission, a change of scene was necessary.

Still, tall grass felt a little strange to the brunette. What was the blonde hoping to find? A wild Pikachu?

'Damn, he means business...' The proposal brought back shuddering memories of his real-world job. Pick's offer seemed simple enough: Have materials supplied, make items for the supplier, rinse and repeat. What immediately concerned him was the long-term commitment, two Perfects a week? Was that such an easy task? "It's interesting, but let's talk specifics." He put a pause on his own search for materials. "If I can't provide the items, I assume you cut me off until they're in your hands. Will the item-to-rank ratio be linear, an extra item for every rank? And what about termination terms, are we free to back out of this whenever?" Tully turned to Pick, "I want to know what I'm signing up for."

@Pick

He stiffed a smile, turning an amused eye towards Pick. Going by the blonde's expression alone, Tully couldn't quite decide if he was being messed with, a few seconds of searching saw no change in expression however. "Fair enough reasons I suppose," he accepted, seeing no reason to mistrust the man.

The second question came as a surprise, partly as he hadn't put any thought into professions. "I haven't decided yet. Obviously I want to get a job at some point, probably something sustainable like a Cook or an Alchemist. Something that will keep the customers coming back and the money rolling in, you know?" Broadening his search, he gazed through the gaps of nearby trees. "All depends on the market's demands, to be honest. What makes you ask, trying to eliminate the competition early?"

Spotting a hole in a hollow trunk, he swiftly approached the promising sight and felt around inside. Whatever the item was, it slipped through Tully's fingers a number of times before he got hold of it, and the man finally pulled it out to reveal a pristine-looking acorn. "Catching up pal," he chuckled.

ID: 103492

LD: 19 (+1 Material | 2 Total)

@Pick

"Impressive," Tully admitted, applauding the blonde's efforts. He guessed Pick was using the <<Gatherer>> skill and realized its practicality; Three materials in one go? 'Crazy.'

The brunette felt bad about splitting the loot so freely, and the mention of 'business' instilled vague uncertainty. This was a favor, and he didn't doubt there was a debt to pay once it was all said and done. Moving on for now, he respected the firm handshake with a nod and gestured towards the forest opening. "Truth be told, it's a boring story. Shall we?"

Almost immediately the brunette found something; An apple, identical to the three Pick had picked earlier. "Nice. So yeah, my English was pretty terrible growing up. I didn't know a whole lot of words so when my online friends asked me something, I always responded with 'Sure'. They mocked the hell out of me for it but it stuck around, and I... I guess I started owning it?" Amusing as it was to him, he failed to tell the story with any flair. "You look like a guy with a history, what's your story? Pick is quite a unique name."

ID: 103453

LD: 15 (+1 Material | 1 Total)

@Pick

A sharp exhale passed through his nose, was it wise to consider the offer? Best case scenario, he would make a new friend - his first within the game itself - and collect a few extra materials for crafting. Worst case, he could probably make a break for the city walls before a gang of party killers sank his health bar...

Tully nodded. Acknowledging that the stranger was taking an equal risk, he realized it wasn't likely to be a setup. "Alright friend, deal." The axe disintegrated before the pair, and the damage inflicted upon the tree had slowly begun to repair. "But I'd feel bad about taking so much of your stuff, say 25% instead?"

He put on a jovial smile and chuckled, "What a treat." The man's enthusiasm had started rubbing off on him, now all he needed was some of that luck. Looking amusingly towards the man he said, "Your skills are leagues ahead of mine in any case. The only material I've seen got snatched up some scout girl earlier, like snatched it right out of my hands. That's cold, right?" Extending a hand, Tully introduced himself. "The name's Tully by the way, but people usually call me 'Sure'. That's what it says up here anyway," he added, glancing at the name on his personal HUD.

ID: 103433

LD: 3

@Pick

'Oh God,' Tully thought, facing the stranger. From his seated position, glare from the sun made getting a good look at the guy impossible, though he noticed the golden hair and darkened gloves that covered his hands. Not an entirely threatening look, yet curious enough to warrant a swift rise to his feet. "Uh, s-sort of hoping that I can gather a few logs, maybe an acorn or two..." His accent was an unlikely blend of Scandinavian with hints of southern European, and a cautious tone carried through his voice. "Y-yeah, to be honest I should'a guessed this was a total waste of time after the 20th swing."

Tully kept an eye on the distance kept with the stranger. He was brandishing a weapon himself after all, the last thing he needed was conflict. "M-maybe I'll give the apple thing a try, beats the hell out of... whatever this is." Mimicking the action of swinging at the tree, he continued. "How do you know so much about gathering, anyway? You had much luck doing those other things?"

@Pick

The midsummer's sun swept high across the barren sky, blessing the grassy knoll with a radiant light as sunbeams split in the leaf canopy above. As fond of nature as Tully was, the sights which littered the shallow hills of the first floor were ones he'd never quite got enough of, and they carried the benefit of being just a short distance from the city walls. If the man was to explore all that the realm had to offer then he would one day need to face the dangers scattered across it, although with the real possibility of death at such a young level, his passion for adventure was slightly undermined by sensible fear.

A soft breeze rustled the leaves up above and swayed the loose fabric of Tully's tunic. He directed his attention away from the wondrous view to the axe firmly in his grasp, and the partially-beaten tree bearing fresh marks ahead of him. With his right thumb tucked beneath his left palm (as if horribly trying to wield a golf club), he took a steady breathe and pulled the tool leftwards, turned it on its side, and swung with force at the trunk. Producing a satisfied thunk, tiny splinters of wood scattered all around. As Tully lowered his tool to one side, desperately hoping for a lootable item, nothing appeared in the immediate vicinity. "Damn it!" he barked at himself, falling silently onto the vibrant grass as the axe's blade caught in the dirt below. As if questioning the very universe itself he uttered "What gives?", failing to pay any mind to the path nearby and any passing strangers.

@Pick

Col:
[Template]   [+/- Amount] Brief description, e.g. "Payment made to Jake" [Link]

[+ 2500] Beginning Amount [n/a]

[+ 275] "A Swing and Amiss" | Thread reward [Link]

Materials:
[Template]   [+/- Amount | Tier] Brief description, e.g. "[X] Materials spent crafting" [Link]

[+ 10 | Tier 1] Beginning amount [n/a]

[+ 11 | Tier 1] "A Swing and Amiss" | Thread reward [Link]

[- 8 | Tier 1] Payment made to Macradon for "Anneal Lance" and "Vengeful Leggings" [Link]