tr1ck 0 Posted June 20, 2015 #1 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Following the emotional roller-coaster ride that was his first ever quest, left Nat pretty much entirely discouraged from adventuring - at least, immediately after he finished it. As a few days passed, he begun to come back around and see his decision for what it was; hastily made. After all, with no marketable skills, his only way of making money (or even passing time) was... adventuring. Or just exploration which, in SAO, would probably result in him coming face to face with a mob at some point. He tugged at the lapels of his coat, the reward from his last attempt, and wondered if the garment (finely made as it was) had been worth almost dying for (twice). He supposed that the evasion bonus would hopefully spare him from similar situations in the future, along with the new skill he managed to train as a result of finishing the quest. After some consideration, he decided to visit the second floor for some gentle exploration (with absolutely no intentions of participating in any quests). A walk would help clear his head, right? Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
tr1ck 0 Posted June 20, 2015 Author #2 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 With a bright flash of light, he was transported to floor two's main city of Urbus, breathtaking in its beauty and grandeur. The level design was immaculate in SAO, that much was clear - he supposed it was the least the designers could do to make it a bit more bearable for the people who would be stuck there for however-long. There was a bounce in his step as he hopped down from the teleport pad and made his way into the city proper, having decided that wandering its streets was the first thing on his list of (easy) things to do for the day. Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
tr1ck 0 Posted June 20, 2015 Author #3 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Passing through narrow sidestreets and down cobbled avenues, he got the feeling of well-to-do, relaxed life. Most of the NPCs were bustling with activity, most tending to chores of some kind, shopkeepers wiping down counters during their downtime. Some were even engaged in friendly chit-chat with one another, though he supposed that both the AI and scripting in SAO were seamless. He was greeted politely as he continued his walk and was just starting to relax, when... a distressed-looking NPC approached him. Before he even had a chance to interject, the worried man began to speak. Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
tr1ck 0 Posted June 20, 2015 Author #4 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 "You look like you can handle yourself in a fight?" There was a lilt at the end of his question, indicating the need for a response - Nat knew where this was headed, and didn't have the heart to stop him. "Yeah... yeah, I suppose I can." The white-haired man responded reluctantly, crossing his arms as he awaited the NPC's proposition. "I'm Derrin - please, please, would you consider solving a problem we - me and my friends - have been having? We're merchants, you see, and we'd usually take our goods down to the surrounding villages, but..." His voice trailed off, as if in shame. Raising an eyebrow, Nat decided he'd bite. "But?" He prompted, and the man jumped as if startled. "We have a problem." He admitted finally. "For the past few weeks, our caravans have been stopped by... by... packs of goats." Before he could help himself, Nat snorted with laughter, making the NPC flush bright red. "With all due respect, adventurer, this is no laughing matter! Our livelihoods depend on this! I can't offer you anything in return, but... Please, would you take the time to help us?" As Derrin spoke, a notification popped up in front of him, facing Nat. <<Goat to Go>> Objective: Kill the vicious Bully Goats disrupting Derrin the Merchant's trading shipments. (0/5 Bully Goats defeated) [O] [X] Still stifling his laughter, Nat wondered for only a moment before he accepted the quest - apparently, he would be going adventuring after all. Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
tr1ck 0 Posted June 20, 2015 Author #5 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 "Thank you! Thank you, adventurer - I'm sure someone like you won't have any problem dealing with those troublemakers!" Nat left the NPC behind as he turned and strode towards the main gates of the city. At least he had purpose now, as opposed to his aimless wandering previously - even if his supposed 'day of relaxation' was cut short. How silly he was to think he wouldn't be approached by an NPC with a life crisis. If anything, he figured he'd best he glad he managed to explore as much as he did without being handed a quest. As he reached the edge of the safe zone, he turned and looked back to where he could still see Derrin pacing nervously in the street, ready to hand out his quest to other passing adventurers. Goats. Just the thought made him chuckle lightly to himself. Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
tr1ck 0 Posted June 20, 2015 Author #6 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 A thirty minute walk towards his quest marker took him to a flat clearing; a curiously empty ring surrounded by trees and abruptly cut off on one side by a rocky mountain face. Though covered by shrubbery and rocks, he could see a small opening obviously leading to a cave off to one side... and felt (very pointedly) the expectation that he enter and put himself in all the risk, like a good action hero would. "Aw, hell. Do I have to?" He muttered under his breath, glancing from side to side before taking a tentative step forward... But stopped short when he heard a loud rumbling coming from up above him. Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
tr1ck 0 Posted June 20, 2015 Author #7 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 ID: 20793 BD: 5 (Miss) MD #1: (6-1) = 5 (Miss) ID: 20794 MD #2: (3-1) = 2 (Miss) Looking up, he realised that it wasn't a landslide, but two black blurs barreling down the almost-vertical mountain side. With a rumbling he could feel in his chest, and in the ground at his feet. It took him a moment to realise these blurs were coming towards him - and with a shocked yelp, he threw himself to the side, hitting the ground just as the attack passed through thin air where he'd been standing. As he drew himself up to his feet, he had a chance to look at his attackers. These are definitely goats. He thought, but he'd never seen a goat anything like those. Pitch black and with eyes like smoldering coal, they were beefy to an almost unnatural degree. Their fur was wild; curled and overgrown, with the faint green signs of moss growing in patches and immeasurable amounts of chunks of dirt and rocks tangled in there. They had two pairs of horns each, one arching backwards, the other downwards, reminding him of some Baphomet imagery he'd seen. He didn't feel like laughing anymore. HP: Nat: 15/15 Bully Goat #1: 5/5 Bully Goat #2: 5/5 Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
tr1ck 0 Posted June 21, 2015 Author #8 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 ID: 20804 ID: 20805 Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
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