[SP-F1] The Swing o' Things <<Earning A Living>>

[Ronin 0]

Ronin had gotten some decent rewards for completing this quest the first time around, so it made sense to do it again.  He had seen that not every quest was available to him yet, being that he was just starting out and that some quests were not repeatable once you had completed them once.  He knew he needed to take advantage of this opportunity to earn some more materials for his new blacksmithing operation, especially if he was serious about getting some good weapons and gear together in a hurry.  So far, he had made a rare sword and hopefully, that was just the beginning.

[Ronin 0]

As he climbed the hillside to reach the cave he had been frequenting as of late, he stopped and turned back, looking over the incredible landscape.  "Man, they sure pulled out all the stops with this one, didn't they..." he breathed, taking it all in.  It was truly beautiful and it made him kind of sad as he stood there looking at it.  For someone who had never known another world, this would be more than enough to convince them that this place was real.  And with the way things were, it kind of was real in the fact that once you died, you weren't coming back.

[Ronin 0]

He sighed and hung his head, before heading up the hillside.  The path beneath his soles had been beaten down from his work alone in the last day.  He had only just begun this death game, but already he was leaving his mark.  He knew that he had to work hard and be cautious, because at any moment some higher level monster might emerge and attack him.  He had to get stronger and be ready for anything.  He nodded his head, feeling that determination rise up in him again.  His self criticism hardly allowed him to rest.

[Ronin 0]

Upon reaching the mouth of the cave, Ronin decided to take a little break before heading inside.  He had some things weighing on his mind lately and he needed to squash that [censored] before he got to work on mining this ore.  This was no easy task and though he couldn't really feel fatigue like back in the real world, he knew that it drained some sort of energy in his character's coding, or at least, he imagined so.  He was still learning the ropes so he couldn't be sure.  All he knew for sure was that a little bite to eat sounded just right at the moment!

[Ronin 0]

Pulling out some of the bread that he had in his inventory upon joining the game, he sat down with his back against the rock wall that butted up to the mouth of the cave.  Wiggling until he was comfy, he lifted the bread up to his lips and licked them before taking a bite.  It was insane, the level of realism in this place.  Even now, he felt slightly dehydrated, a little hungry and his lips seemed to be a little dry and chapped.  The instinct of most things from his real life took over and the game went right along in stride.  It was so real, it was... unreal.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

Peeling back his slightly chapped lips, he touched his tongue against the bread as he slipped the corner of the roll into his mouth and his teeth came together.  He bit into and tugged, tearing the bite off of the roll and rolling it across his tongue.  His taste buds lit up and he marveled over the ability of this game to make him feel like he was actually sitting here now, eating a piece of bread.  It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before and he knew it was only going to get more wild and unbelievable as time went on in this new world.  "Mmm..."

[Ronin 0]

As his teeth sunk into the loaf of bread once again and he tore off another piece, the swordsman groaned in response.  "Damn... this [censored]'s better than back home," he said this of course referring to the real world.  He had only been in game for a day now and already he was beginning to think of back home, or back then.  It wouldn't be long, surely, before he had forgotten about his old life altogether and all the people back there, waiting for him.  For now, he couldn't allow that distraction and needed to keep focused on staying alive.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

It was time to head into the cave now and get to work.  These mines weren't going to mine themselves.  Or at least, he didn't have a skill high enough yet to do such a thing... He pursed his lips in thought and gobbled up the final bite of the bread loaf.  He brushed his clothing off as he strained to a stand and took in a deep breath.  "Man, coulda used a little hot sauce but eh..." he commented, patting his belly and feeling surprisingly satisfied.  He thought maybe later he would work on some sort of cooking skill, in order to do himself and his stomach a favor.

[Ronin 0]

Planting the heels of his palms on his lower back, just above his waist line, Roning leaned back and pushed inward with his palms.  The result was a bit of a strain, a wince, and a plethora of delicious audible popping sounds emitting from his spine and hips.  The sensation was incredible and it sent signals racing up his spine and into his brain's pleasure receptors.  "Oh hell yesss...." he groaned in delight, feeling the wonderful relief of cracking his back.  Nodding his head and feeling ready, he entered into the cave, scooping up the pickaxe leaning against the wall and got right to work.

ID# 53868 results:

Loot: 18 = LD: 15+: Obtain 1 Material for crafting use.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

With his first attempt proving successful and bearing the fruit of the cave, Ronin licked his lips, feeling good about this mining session and decided to give it another go.  He wasn't completely sure he was going about all of this in the most proficient manner or what have you, but he was giving it his best shot and trying to learn the ropes as he went.  He felt like he was getting into the swing of things and he gave the pickaxe another heave toward the wall, piercing into the vein and hoping to get more materials.

ID# 53871 results:

Loot: 15 = LD: 15+: Obtain 1 Material for crafting use.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

"YES!" he cheered, having another success.  So far he had already collected two new materials and he wasn't even getting warmed up yet.  He knew this was going to prove to be a bountiful trip to the cave after all and he couldn't wait to get back to his little shop and see what he could craft today.  Hopefully he would be able to make some more rare items and maybe even another weapon.  The sword he had crafted was much better than his started weapon and he couldn't wait to find out what else he could create!  "C'mon!" he cried, taking another swing.

ID# 53872 results:

Loot: 7

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

As his pickaxe hit the wall and the vein produced nothing this time, Ronin sighed and shook his head.  Maybe he could increase his mining skill somehow and produce better results?  Maybe if he was a higher level he would be able to get materials on every single swing?  Maybe he could get multiple materials with one swing of this pickaxe?  The possibilities seemed endless and Ronin was much too green in this world to know any better.  Surely there were higher level players out there who could give him a hand and fill him in on all this, but for now, he was doing the best he could as a solo player.  "HRMPH!" he grunted, swinging again.

ID# 53874 results:

Loot: 2

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

The swordsman turned miner decided to take another break as his pickaxe strike produced nothing for a second time.  He had started off so strong and promising, but that was how these things went right?  He sighed and shrugged his shoulders back, lowering the head of the pickaxe to the ground and leaning the wooden handle up against the stone wall.  He looked deeper into the cave, still yet to venture that far and wondering what was back there.  Surely there were more exotic minerals and veins the deeper you went, but they were probably tougher to mine as well...  Once he had caught his breath, he took up the pickaxe and tried again.

ID# 53876 results:

Loot: 16 = LD: 15+: Obtain 1 Material for crafting use.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

"Alright!  Now we're cookin!  If I keep up like this, I'll have tons of materials to work with by the time I get back to the shop."  Ronin pumped his fist and took his newly acquired material from the wall.  This pickaxe was striking pretty good today and his hopes once again rose that he would get going on a roll.  He swung again, hoping to get another material from the vein but knowing there was a good chance he might come up empty handed again.  Surely there was a way to increase his mining skill, but how?  By continuing to mine, he guessed...  "HA!" he cried swinging again.

ID# 53879 results:

Loot: 4

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

"Damn mine... damn pickaxe... damnit all," he spat, snarling and growling in disapproval for the miss.  He shook his head again and lowered the pickaxe for a moment, catching his breath.  This was grueling work and it was endless.  How could people keep on like this forever?  Was this the way the more experienced players did it?  Did they head up to the mines and swing their pickaxes for hours on end just like this?  No, surely they had a better way... a more efficient and smarter way of going about this, right?"  He shrugged and swung again, hoping to be successful this time.

ID# 53882 results:

Loot: 14

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

Ronin took another deep breath, lowering the tip of the pickaxe away from the wall.  He turned it, examining the tip to see if it perhaps it was growing dull.  "What's wrong with this thing?" he wondered aloud, glaring at it in an unsatisfied manner.  He wanted to be back at his shop with a boat load of materials by now, but yet here he was still swinging a damn dull pickaxe in a cave.  What the hell was he doing here?  Was this really the way?  He couldn't be sure.  Perhaps it was time to seek out another player and ask for some help in these matters?  He swung again, this time, harder than ever before.  "RAAAH!"

ID# 53885 results:

Loot: 6

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

The dull tip of the pickaxe struck the wall and bounced back, sending Ronin tumbling backward onto his ass.  "[censored]!" he shouted, his voice echoing loud throughout the cave.  He looked toward the mouth of the cave, noticing the light that shown in for a few feet.  He wondered where everyone else was?  Were there better caves with more plentiful bounties out there somewhere?  Was he simply a fool wasting his time in this shitty little hole?  He had no way of knowing, but something told him this was the case.  He had spent all this time here and never seen another soul.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

Ronin looked through the loot he had obtained thus far from his mining efforts.  "Hmm.. so that makes... three so far today..." he acknowledged with a sigh.  He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall behind him.  He did his best to relax and just try to enjoy himself.  After all, he was in a game, right?  He smiled softly and thought of the world outside of this place, with all its fussing and fighting and stupidity.  This was where he wanted to be.  Not out there, dealing with all that real world [censored].  This world, was his home now...  Glancing at the pickaxe, he kicked it toward the wall with his foot.

ID# 53888 results:

Loot: 13

 

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

"Belch!"  Ronin burped as he watched the pickaxe clank against the stone wall and produce nothing.  Yeah, he clearly needed to work on his skills as well as his attitude.  He shrugged and pulled a pack of smokes from his attire.  Cracking open the lid, he lifted the pack to his lips and pulled one of the cancer sticks free from the confines of the box.  Lowering the pack and stashing it back into the folds of his clothing, he patted at his body in search of a lighter or some matches.  "Hmmm.. where the hell," he grumbled, trying to figure out where his fire was.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

So far, this blacksmithing business was proving to be pretty hard work.  The crafting itself wasn't all that hard to get going, but this mining for minerals crap was a little monotonous.  He closed his eyes as his hand finally touched upon a bulge in his attire in the shape of a lighter.  He pulled it into view and without opening his eyes, rolled his finger across the striker wheel and lit up his cigarette.  As he inhaled, dragging hard at the dry tobacco, the cigarette lit up and poisonous smoke rushing into his throat and lungs.  "Mmmm yeaaaahhhh, that's the good stuff..." he teethed.  He had done well enough by getting three materials, so maybe it was time to call it a day...