[SP-F1] A Personal Quest

[Aya 0]

 

Rain was dripping down the windows in a steady stream. “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” Aya was sat on her bed in the Dragon’s head Inn. The book in her hand, she was actually reading it for once. The Hobbit was one of her favorite books she could read it for days, “And sometimes even upside down” her internal monologue mocked. Aya was a reader, she was also a writer. She love making notes sadly she’d lost her first notebook she could only assume she had left it in a café somewhere on her travels.

[Aya 0]

She had always loved to write she missed the book she’d written in for hours. Not having a book to write in or being able to purchase one as easy as she once could was one of the only things she really missed about where she was now. Also the pen her Grandfather had bought her for her 10th birthday. “Now you need to take care of this and I'm going to have to teach you how to use it properly, it isn’t an original but I picked this up at a museum shop, it’s a good one.” He had said with great excitement. It was a fountain pen Aya had loved it because you could replace the ink when it ran out. She had a little bag of replacement ink she would fiddle with absent mindedly under where she would sit writing for hours. For her 11th birthday he had found her purple ink replacements she particularly liked when she changed from blue to purple ink or purple to black because the ink would mix for a little while the old with the new.

[Aya 0]

Aya had been considering for a long time that she wanted to do her earning a living quest, she knew she wanted to be an alchemist and that would mean she would want to keep a log, journal, notes. She knew this would mean purchasing a book a blank notebook to replace the one she lost, and that would be expensive. It would be over 100 col at least. Aya looked at her menu, 74 col disappointment sunk into her heart this was going to take a while.

Wandering downstairs, the rain hammering on the roof it seemed set in for the day, it was gone 2pm “At least you've left your room today” she congratulated herself.

[Aya 0]

The bar of the inn was full of players, card playing conversation coming from every corner. Aya sought a quiet seat towards the back of the bar in a small hidden room that only the residents seemed to know. Even this room today had a couple of players sat around and the Innkeeper Gareth’s familiar cat Tabs was sat eating it’s dinner in the corner of the room next to the table Aya had eyeballed. Aya slumped into the chair she hadn’t bothered to tie her long purple hair back and it annoyed her, sticking to her, she tied it quickly into a ponytail.

Tabs jumped up onto the table “Hey there” Aya spoke softly holding her hand out for it to accept her affection. The cat bashed its head into Aya’s hand, Giggling she stroked the cat whilst with the other hand she opened her menu and pulled out the book again.

Edited June 26, 2016 by Aya

[Aya 0]

“Hey there, how are you today?” It was Gareth coming, no doubt to see where Tabs had got to. “I’m ok thanks” Aya smiled up at him “Do you forget that breakfast does come with the room?” “Oops” Aya had been forgetting recently. “Order something off the lunch menu it’s ok I’ll put a note on your tab.” Scratching the cat’s head. “Thanks” Aya was relieved she wouldn’t have to spend so much in the Starlight Cafe to keep herself sustained. Tabs folded itself up on the table and fell asleep.  

[Aya 0]

Aya ordered from the menu, the soup of the day, with a warm crusty roll and a jug of cold water As her food arrived Aya put the book down marking her page, before tucking into the steaming soup with the hot crusty roll. Small bits of yellow goo were throughout the roll as she broke it apart, dipping it into the soup letting it soak in, before placing it into her mouth. Letting out a soft sigh of satisfaction Aya, enjoyed the flavor of the tomato soup that rolled over her tongue mixed with the cheese dough of the roll. Pouring a glass of the water from the jug Aya sipped it the cold liquid mixing with the heat in her mouth, it satisfied her thirst.

[Aya 0]

“Can I sit here please?” It was a young voice and one Aya recognised, it was Cal, Aya looked up smiling at him. He had frequented the inn from when she first arrived, but she didn’t know if he was a resident. Instead he just seemed to enjoy the resident’s company, Aya gathered he was an NPC from their previous interactions. “Like reading don't you?” He smiled at the book as Aya beckoned him to sit pushing the chair out with her foot, Tabs yawned and stepped down onto Aya’s folded knees  “What you reading?” Aya held the book up for Cal to read. “The Hobbit, A classic I approve.”

[Aya 0]

Cal went up to the bar and ordered , Aya selected her menu and put the book away. Cal returned, his food arriving a couple of minutes later, “Well it looked so good I thought I should have it too” he smiled.

When they had both finished their food and Aya’s legs had started to fall into an equally deep sleep than the cat which was curled up on them. “I’ve been meaning to ask for a while Cal what is it that you do?” “I’m a merchant” he replied “I sell odd items, things that have come to me by way of players who either no longer needed the item or had no use for them”

[Aya 0]

Aya paused “Ask about a book” her internal monologue nagged her “Go on it can’t harm.” “What else do you like doing?” Cal inquired, Aya paused, how to explain this was something from her life outside of here it wasn’t something the would usually be accepted, but this was an NPC, surely he wouldn’t be offended. “I like writing” she replied slowly “It’s something that has interested me for a long time, books in general reading them writing in them” pausing for breath “I like the smell of a new book and the feel of an old book she started to drift memories passing through her mind.” She stopped.

[Aya 0]

Thankfully Cal broke the silence “so you like writing books do you” he mused. Picking up his trusty merchant bag from under his feet. Routing into the worn leather satchel, so many pieces of it had been replaced Cal wasn’t sure how much of it was actually the original bag it was so well loved. He found what he was looking for in the back pocket. “Here you go, found it! ” he said triumphantly. He pulled out a worn black leather book with purple trim and a bunch of pens and pencils of different; colours, sizes and lengths tied with an old piece of dirty looking string.

[Aya 0]

“Oo” Aya’s eyes widened with amazement, the book in front of her would be perfect for what she needed but the Col value was way over what she could afford.  “You can have this” Cal passed it over Aya’s hands trembling ,reaching for it and then stopped. “No I couldn’t, I couldn’t just have it, how much do you want?” Cal looked at her with a tired look “Aya I have been carrying these around for long enough and I’ve decided I do not need them, What I sell is worth more than this” He gestured with the book.

[Aya 0]

“ It is for you, you will treat it well and will use it the way it is meant to be intended, and these have been rattling around in here for a couple of weeks.” He held up the pens and putting the items in front of Aya ." Now my friend I need to be elsewhere so I hope you have a pleasant day” Aya didn’t know what to say “Say thank you idiot” her internal monologue rebuked her. “Thank you Cal” she called after him. Tabs was awake and after bashing its head into Aya’s hand, then lightly jumped from her knees and onto the floor. Aya stretched her legs out feeling the blood return to them once more.

[Aya 0]

After holding the book in awe for quite a long time Aya sent the notebook, pens and pencils to a new slot in her inventory. She had her plan in place she was going to message Vyrtew as soon as she could about starting her own earning a living quest. She know she would have to find someone willing to teach her but that person would probably be way outside the city gate. It was what was on the other side of that gate that scared her.

She opened the Hobbit and started to read again “Sorry! I don't want any adventures, thank you. Not Today. Good morning! But please come to tea -any time you like! Why not tomorrow? Good bye!”

[Aya 0]

She read for a good couple of hours, the hammering of the rain on the roof not letting up.  Aya started to feel hungry she had a craving for Soft gooey cookies and mint choc chip ice cream but that would have to wait she was not going out in this weather and the starlight café would be well closed by now. She went to the bar to decide what she wanted to eat something new had appeared on the Menu Cheeses and onion pie with chips but she didn’t feel like that tonight she was building a second craving and that was for the Burger and chips with onion rings.

Edited June 26, 2016 by Aya

[Aya 0]

She realised she’d left the book on the table on her return , she scolded herself “This is how you lose things” Her food arrived before she’d sat down. Aya stacked two of the onion rings into the burger and tucked into the now giant burger, flipping it upside down making it easier to eat. The chips were done just how she liked them jumbo and chunky with a crisp outer shell. Dipping them into mayonnaise before she bit chunks off them. She was tired and she would have to be up early tomorrow. ”This is potentially very risky but it will give me what I need.” She thought to herself as she walked up to her room to go to bed.

[Aya 0]

Aya woke early the steady hammering of rain on the window had slowed during the night and now it had stopped altogether. It seemed like it was going to be a nice enough day for her to go gathering materials in the forest.

Wandering downstairs and to the bar she ordered her breakfast of Pancakes, bacon and maple syrup and 3 potato waffles. Wandering through to the residents area she sat waiting for her food to arrive contemplating the events of the day before and what this would mean to her personal goal of becoming an Alchemist.

Tucking the plate of hot delicious food she planned out her day, she intended to skirt the edge of the nearest forest to  the starting city. Only entering if she really needed to.

[Aya 0]

When she left the inn there was a steady stream of residents ordering and eating their breakfast.

Walking out of the Dragon’s Head inn into the early morning sunshine she could see the city streets still glistening from the deluge of the previous day. Aya could hear the early morning rush of players and Npc’s going about their business. Aya walked through the streets toward the city gate, it was mid morning when she reached them, she paused before walking out of starting city. She was scared but this was necessary.

Making the long walk to the forest , keeping to the path and walking quickly, with purpose Aya finally made it to the treeline just after midday.

[Aya 0]

ID: 62387 LD: 13

Skirting the edge of the dark forest, the trees were gently swaying backwards and forwards in the wind that was steadily building up.Aya started to search for materials she searched for a long time weaving in and out of the treeline not having much luck. She decided to have a rest, climbing a tree she was not relaxing at all and every noise of the forest made her jump grabbing the hilt of her long sword in preparation to fight, she got out the Hobbit in the hope that it would calm her nerve to read a little bit.

Edited June 28, 2016 by Aya

[Aya 0]

ID: 62388 LD: 14

"We are plain quiet folk, and I have no use for adventures. Nasty, disturbing, and uncomfortable things.”

She had no need to be concerned nothing jumped out at her and soon she jumped down from the tree and continued her search. Looking once more along the line of the trees she found nothing and started to consider whether moving deeper into the forest would be more beneficial to her searching. Her eyes were becoming accustomed to the light now and it seemed less threatening and more and more inviting. Walking on a little further she noticed a pathway obviously worn by players entering the forest, she decided to change her luck, this could change things for her and she may be able to obtain the lucrative materials she was so desperately after. 

Edited June 28, 2016 by Aya

[Aya 0]

ID: 62959 LD: 16

Aya walked down the path and into the trees, the deeper she walked the tighter they seemed to be packed together, every creak and moan from the canopy set Aya’s imagination on fire “What was that,this was a bad Idea, You should go back” her internal monologue screamed. Just then the dense trees started to thin out and Aya could see ahead of her a clearing.

Walking towards the clearing she nearly missed, to the side of the path the materials she had been searching for. Forgetting her concerns she moved from the path and collected them quickly, moving back to the path and walking on wards towards the clearing scanning the area for more of what she needed.

+1 Material

Edited June 30, 2016 by Aya