[SP-F1] «Nature's Treasure» A Graceless Interlude

[Vera 0]

Vera was, for a lack of better words, unenthused by the idea of picking leaves all day. To be honest, she'd much rather gorge and read a good book, courtesy of Aincrad's finest authors, but her pockets had reached that point of sparseness. The woman's stomach squeezed, seeking sustenance only to find nothing but the juice she'd downed to keep herself at day. "God damn it," the readhead hissed, palm soothing her abdomen. "Why the hell do I have to eat in this game anyways?!" She screamed aloud, into the nothingness, in the middle of a field by herself like a lunatic. There was nothing around her save for a few lame boars lurking. They were of little concern, however. Her nimble feet could carry her a good distance from death's claws. The sun's rays, scorching as ever on this sunny floor, blinded her periphery. She was forced to do some side things to afford the luxury of sustenance. With her weak self, beating something to death was out of question.

 

So here she was, picking leaves like a toddler in the middle of this field.

Spoiler

Name: Vera
Level: 4
HP: 80/80
EN: 8/8

Stats:
Damage: 1

Equipped Gear:
Weapon:
Armor:
Misc:

Skills:
Gathering [Obtained]

Extra Skills:

Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
Requires Extended Weight Limit 1
Requires Extended Weight Limit 2
Requires Extended Weight Limit 3
Obtained via Item Stash (Housing)
Obtained via Dimensional Backpack

Housing Buffs:

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild:

Wedding Ring:

 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Vera

[Vera 0]

Whoo boy. Today was going to be one of those days, wasn't it? Vera cracked her neck and swung her arms. Lucky for her, there was an abundance of materials to be found on these levels of Aincrad. The first few floors seemed forgiving enough, a peaceful escape from the chaos that the upper levels could bring. It was easy to fall into some sick sense of normalcy, detached from the life beforehand. In a way, this world was... beautiful. The pressure of her past was forgotten here. She could reinvent her identity in this dangerous playground of a game.

Her motives for picking these stupid flowers? Just to make enough to eat, that was all. She didn't have any true incentive to level beyond scraping enough to live a nice life here. But was it nice... really? The trade off from such an easy, mundane task, had to be that it wasn't so lucrative. More effort out of her to reap just the bare minimum.

Spoiler

 

ID: #169367

CD: 10

LD: 4

3 mats
--
LD check failed.

Spoiler

Reference

Searching:  LD rolls of 11-14 give 1 material.  LD rolls of 15+ give 2 materials.  Gatherer skill is added to this roll as well.

 

►Gatherer
Cost: 10 SP
Passive
Effect: Obtain additional materials after a successful out of combat gathering based on a natural CD result:

• CD 1: No bonus materials
• CD 2-5: 1 bonus material
• CD 6-9: 2 bonus materials
• CD 10-12: 3 bonus materials

 

Edited October 5, 2020 by Arabelle

[Vera 0]

This particular area of the field was just about barren. A slight frown curled at her lips. Ah, well, there was only a massive, expansive field ahead of her to keep looking. She advanced forth, to figuratively and literally greener pastures. A wild field full of blooms, they could be of use. She knelt down to expect them, but they were as is, random flowers. Insignificant in quality, not nearly pigmented enough to make a dye worthwhile. She plucked one blossom from its roots and twirled it around. It was still... kinda cute? She stowed the blossom away for another time.

Perhaps she could get crafty with that, even if it was of no monetary use to her. Her pockets were largely empty as they usually tended to be. She carried light for she couldn't afford much to keep in there. The blossoms could work for some artsy experiment to kill time. There was so much time in this world to the point where it felt grueling.

 

ID: #169369

CD: 3

LD: 2

Edited September 29, 2020 by Vera

[Vera 0]

Carob eyes ignited with a spark. The herb ahead of her, shrouded behind a cluster of mushrooms,  was a significantly valuable one. With a gloved hand, she snipped the herb from its roots. A thin film of moss coated the top, disgustingly enough. She scrunched her nose and examined the leaf up close. Alchemist grade, just as the pop-up identified it. Good start! Fortunately enough, there was more clusters of alchemist grade herbs to pluck. She gave a glance over her shoulder just to be safe. Being all alone in an open field gave her the spooks. She'd heard horror stories of raging boars outright murdering unsuspecting players. Now she wasn't afraid to die and frankly didn't give a shit, but she wouldn't be dying to a level one boar of all things.

Not with her pride.

She let out a sigh of relief. She ought to be paranoid, a boar killing someone? How much of an idiot were those people? She'd ask them but they wouldn't live to tell the tale.

 

ID: #169370

CD: 11

LD: 14

4 mats

Edited September 29, 2020 by Vera

[Vera 0]

Vera propped her hands on her hips. A few herbs were shooed into her bag in no time, it was off to a promising start. Combat boots crunched at the dirt as she advanced. She kicked loose gravel out of the way, watching the rocks skip over the dew drop glades. The wind howled, brushing gently against the plants. Fiery auburn locks fluttered over her periphery, in all its unruliness. She took a breather to just bask in the moment.

This world was... beautiful. There was so much to see beyond the confines she called home, back before this reality. Even if it was artificial sun, it felt real, she could pretend for a moment it was real. The soothing warmth of those sun beams made it convincing enough to believe. A life like this didn’t seem so bad in hindsight. She had the whole world to herself to explore, there and as much she hadn’t gotten to see yet.

ID: #169371

CD: 6

LD: 17

4 mats 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Vera

[Vera 0]

Delicate fingertips sorted through herbs. She grazed over one bloom nestled in the middle and seized it. She brought the bloom up to her nose and inhaled a sickly sweet aroma. It would work for a dessert base. Such idle task, in the interim, left room for her mind to continue wandering. She thought to her life before in comparison. Not once had she pictured herself out here, picking daisies in a field to gather enough cash for sustenance. It was, however, preferred to the coop she called home.

She had a bittersweet relationship with the word, home. Her safe zone and comfort had been the confines of her bedroom, away from civilization. Her sole entertainment was a dim lit screen, and that was enough. That was enough until she was introduced to this world, and now she had no clue how to act. The alleviation of pressure from her shoulders was a breath of fresh air, for a start.

ID: 169374

CD: 5

LD: 13
--
+2 T1 mats.

Edited October 5, 2020 by Arabelle

[Vera 0]

A further walk down the trail revealed a much needed change of scenery. Thickets shrouded a narrow wooded path, drawing the auburn haired woman's attention. She manifested her battle axe, the weight dropping into her arms. She grounded her soles on loose gravel, then swung. Vines snapped against the blade, giving way to a secret path down the plain.

"Ooh, adventure."

She swung her axe over her shoulder and kept it there in case. With how pathetically weak she was, there was no telling what would come ahead. Horror stories of merciless PK-er's lurking about these woods, ready to prey, that was just one of the scenarios running through the paranoid woman's brain. The likelihood? An adorable baby boar lost in the woods. Maybe a pack. She hadn't tried to outrun a pack of boars before, but it couldn't be THAT hard, could it? They couldn't possibly lug that fat  fast enough to reach her.

 

ID: 169375 

CD: 11

LD: 17

5 mats

Edited September 30, 2020 by Vera

[Vera 0]

Nothing but the sounds of leaves rustling over the canopy greeted her. A soft echo of birds chirping brought forth a serene air. Maybe after all was said and done, she'd climb a sturdy tree and read a book up there. A book and the fruit of her hard work... that was what the end of the day would bring. She willed away the traces of lethargy and pushed on.

Boots cracked on a twig, a chill running up her spine. Auburn locks flew about as she scanned her surroundings. She glanced down, at the twig snapped in half beneath her. "Really?" She sighed and kicked the twigs out of her path. Her heart was racing at the thought of something lurking there, waiting for an ambush. She had no reason to rile herself up like that! It was bright ass daylight for one. She could see em' coming from a mile away.

 

ID: 169486

CD: 11

LD: 10

3 mats
--
LD check failed.

Edited October 5, 2020 by Arabelle

[Vera 0]

Leaves, leaves, and more leaves. The repetition was wearing her down. She scanned her surroundings, but all she could see was... just common leaves. Secret path, her ass! Vera frowned. She'd wasted all that energy leading herself down a path more barren than initial. It was a mild nuisance, however. The backtrack wasn't too far off. Even still, it wouldn't hurt to explore the area a little more. Soft footsteps traversed under the lush, shaded canopy.

She was met with two separated trails, one inclined, and the other a steep line leading downward. What was the catch? The woman scratched her head. After much thought, she was more intrigued to travel the distance, up the harder trail. Vera's thighs burned as she grounded her feet in the soil, seeking purchase on her path up trail. Was a nice workout to keep her preoccupied. With all the running amok Vera did here, she would've been thin enough to disappear in reality.

 

ID: 169642

CD: 3

LD: 20

3 mats

Edited October 1, 2020 by Vera

[Vera 0]

She worked through the woods, hacking away at more thickets in her wake. Lo and behold, another enticing bloom introduced itself. A patch of soft, purple flora nestled itself in a bed behind a mossy bog. She plucked several and stowed them away for safe keeping. Further on, there were more and more. Unceremoniously, the sound of a shriek snapped her out of her reverie. The hair on Vera's nape spiked. Auburn hair thrashed around as she whipped her head in search of the source. Again, you never know what's out there. She shivered, taking tentative steps down the path. She wasn't afraid of death, per se, but she refused to die in a humiliating, disgraceful way. She would much rather go off with a bang than a sad kazoo fanfare.

The redhead unsheathed her battleaxe and held it out in front of her. Eyes widened in search of something amok here. There was... nothing? She was still just as suspicious. She took the path diverging left for a change. If there was anything sinister, she was prepared to book it.

ID: 169643 

CD: 7

LD: 20

4 mats

Edited October 4, 2020 by Vera

[Vera 0]

The source of the noise drew closer. It seemed feminine, from the sheer pitch of it. Perhaps it was an adventurer getting bested by wolves? Before she moved forward, her eyes settled on a soft blue blossom sprouting from a split rock. That would be hers then. She snatched it up and stored it away. Eyes retrained on the clearing ahead and she gulped. Danger... she should have turned back. What if she walked straight into death's path? 

As stubborn as could be, she let her feet take her places she knew better than to investigate. Her weapon would be her protection for now. If anything dared come at her, she  would be for fight or flight. She tested the waters and threw a stone past the clearing. Little did the adventurer know, that would be her worst mistake. Among one of them by far this week. Was there any way of salvaging this?

ID: 169644

CD: 11

LD: 19

5 mats

Edited October 4, 2020 by Vera

[Vera 0]

"H-Hey, ouch!"

Vera's brows furrowed at the shriek. The stone seemed to have hit the noisy culprit.

The woman slinked past the tree and ducked behind shrubbery. The sound belonged to a little girl, with tan skin and round, golden eyes. She was a hair tall, comical in comparison to the large sword she struggled to yield. The little girl quaked in her soles, pointing her sword at the dire wolves surrounding her. The pack inched closer and she stepped back, booping into the creature behind her.

Vera, as abrasive as she was, was not a heartless monster. Her conscience convicted her to intervene the little one. She could not move for whatever reason, eyes widened and chest heaving in terror. She was in no state to defend herself. Soft, round eyes looked back at the bushes, straight at Vera. No words were spoken but the older knew what she had to do.

Not before picking another herb.

ID: 169645

CD: 7

LD: 14

3 mats

Edited October 4, 2020 by Vera

[Vera 0]

Vera's eyes skimmed her surroundings for something of use, something to use to distract those wolves. They were toying with her, inching forward yet unmoving. Like divine intervention, a large, conveniently placed rock rested behind the bush. She picked it up with the herb smashed underneath and grasped the rock. She sprung up from her covering and hollered, waving the rock about. "Hey, shitface!" She moved back and went into stance. "EAT THIS!" She pelted the rock at frightening velocity towards the center. The boulder landed square on a wolf's head. The force was enough to chip away a fraction of health.

The pack advanced towards the woman and she gulped.

Now, she was a mere low level herself, and numbers of these things were deadly as is. There was still a chance to leave unscathed, if she stayed optimistic. She readied her battleaxe and gave the furry skeezeballs a come hither.

ID: 169646

CD: 10

LD: 7

3 mats
--
LD check failed.

Edited October 5, 2020 by Arabelle

[Vera 0]

With them in range, it was opportune for a strike. And to pick another herb. Tip of the battleaxe glowed a vivid orange, like fire smelting steel. Her eyes ignited with rage. She grounded her soles in the mossy grass as much as she could, stumbling back a moment at the slippery traction. She recovered, twisting her boots. She pivoted on one heel and spun, slicing through the pack. They were stunned at her sudden movement, like whiplash. They were still far from death. She gritted her teeth and muttered at the younger.

"L e a v e . Now."

The girl, much to the older's annoyance, shook her head and pointed her sword at the pack. Vera's eyes widened. What was the idiot trying to pull now? She was in no state to be attacking anything with a blade she could hardly hold. The thing practically dragged in the dirt as she walked.

"I-I wanna help...!"

Vera face palmed and stepped in front of the younger.

"Just pipe it, will ya?"

She glared at the girl.

ID: 169647

CD: 9

LD: 18
--
+4 T1 mats.

Edited October 5, 2020 by Arabelle

[Vera 0]

The distraction was a set back. One wolf pounced forth, ripping into her flesh. She winced on instinct, albeit the pain was comparable to a little pinch. The absence of pain was like courage to her. She narrowed her eyes and shrugged the aggressive dog off her. She stomped at its chest and panicked as the other wolves took notice of the girl behind her. Not on her watch. She pushed her out of the way and kicked the wolf in opportune time. She rallied the pack together, and with one heavy swoop, sliced through them again.

Vera panted. Her energy was sparse, there was not much she could do this early on without testing her physical limits. With time that would change. Never would she throw herself into a fight under leveled like this, was not an idiot. But this girl sure as hell was, and she would have to give her talk. Who let her out here like this? Where was her mother? She noticed a herb stuck on her sleeve and raised a brow. Huh, lady luck sure was on her side today.

 

ID: 169648

CD: 8

LD: 3

2 mats
--
LD check failed.

[Vera 0]

The pack of wolves were all equally down to their vestiges, much to the ragtag duo's fortune. She cracked her knuckles. She had enough energy to just kill them all, given she didn't miss so many times. The woman worked quick to swing her axe in a circle, slicing clean through them all. Like butter, she cleaved through the pack. It was a gory mess as appendages scattered about, pixelated blood splashing back on her.

She spat it out, scrunching her nose in distaste.

What a day.

There was only one left, a pathetic heap of fur and bones whimpering. A slight bit of remorse overtook her. It looked like a domestic house dog when it wasn't trying to maul anything apart. She could leave it there to die, but what was the point? She would give the thing a merciless death. The little one covered her eyes and dropped her sword.

She sliced clean through the thing, and along with it came an unexpected surprise.

ID: 169649

CD: 4

LD: 6

1 mat
--
LD check failed.

Edited October 5, 2020 by Arabelle

[Vera 0]

Vera let out a sigh of relief, the tension ebbing away. They weren't safe out here. Did the girl try to provoke these things or did they chase her down? Regardless, she would see the little one to town where it was safer. Talk some sense into her, maybe find her parents or something.

"Where are your parents?" Vera interrogated as she stowed her blade away. This field was truly chalk full of materials. She gathered more because why not? They were easily accessible. 

The raven haired girl fiddled her thumbs.

"They're in the other world. I-I just wanted to go exploring... Then these things came outta nowhere and-" She looked up at the woman, doe-like eyes shimmering with a film of tears. "I wanna go back." She clutched the hem of her tunic and sniffled.

Vera was the farthest thing from maternal, but she was overcome with some instinct to protect the girl. She sighed heavily and placed a hand on the other's shoulder. "Hey, hey, it's alright. My name's Vera. I'll, uh," she scratched her head, "I'll take you to town. It's not safe out here."

ID: 169650

CD: 3

LD: 15

3 mats

Edited October 4, 2020 by Vera

[Vera 0]

The frown on the girl's face receded in place of a softer look. "I'm Tsumugi." She pulled away and reached for her hefty sword. She grunted, struggling to tote it around. Vera bit her lip, stifling a snort.

"Hey, Tsumugi, do you want another weapon? I think you'll like it better." The redhead swiped up her HUD and scrolled for a set of throwing knives. They were small enough for the little one to hold and safe enough for distance combat. She equipped it and turned the hilt, offering the blunt end to the other.

The girl tentatively reached out to accept it. "But it's so... small. It can't kill anything." She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout. She accepted it anyways and stowed away her great sword.

Vera raised a finger. "Heh. Watch and learn, sprout." She walked ahead, gesturing for the other to follow suit. She clutched the dagger and sheathed it in her pocket, trailing after the woman. She was kind, the girl felt a sense of gratitude for her life was saved. She plucked some pretty blooms from a patch along the way, they would serve as a nice thank you present.

ID: 169651

CD: 9

LD: 4

2 mats
--
LD check failed.

[Vera 0]

The redhead led her along the open woods, up to a field with a stray boar roaming about. She slipped behind a tree and gestured at the younger's knife. She hesitantly handed it over. Vera flipped it around and aimed it at the weak mob. She pulled her hand back, and with that, the knife went flying forward. The hog squealed, the blade digging into its flesh. The dagger vanished, and manifested yet again for the woman to seize. She threw it once more, tearing through its defenses. The hog was no more, the equivalent of pork.

"W-Woah that's so cool!"

Vera flipped the dagger and handed it back to Tsumugi. "Yep. Sometimes the tiniest weapons are the most lethal." She looked back to see the younger beam, a bit of the nerves ebbing away. "So, sprout, let's head back." She rallied her along.

On the walk, she turned back to see the raven hair with a fistful of vivid flora. She shakily held them up to her. "You're really pretty. Can I put these in your hair?"

 

ID: 169652

CD: 2

LD: 14

2 mats

Edited October 4, 2020 by Vera

[Vera 0]

Honestly, she didn't mind having the younger for company. Solitude was something she was used to, seldom did she get the chance to interact with people like this. Were it some random Jo, she wouldn't have been so keen on the small talk. But Tsumugi? She was something precious. For the first time that day, a soft smile  graced her lips. Flowers in her hair wasn't her thing, but who was she to deny the younger?

The redhead sighed and knelt down. "Sure, have at it." The younger beamed, separating the flowers from their stems. She combed her unruly locks back and tucked a bright yellow bloom behind her ear. She pulled back and clasped her hands together in adoration. "How do I look?" Vera jested, playing along with her.

"Like a princess!" Tsumugi commented, with a giggle.

"Yeah, thanks kiddo."

She stepped on ahead, making distance. Smaller, stubbier legs struggled to keep up. "Hey, don't leave me behind!"

 

THREAD COMPLETE

2 SP, 400 COL, & 39 T1 MATS

Edited October 5, 2020 by Arabelle
note: -5 T1 mats.