[F1-SP] <<The First Few Lessons are Free>> Which is Good, Because I'm Lost and Broke [COMPLETE]

[Volcanic 0]

ID: 86890

LD: 16

Quest Herb Gathered (5/5) [COMPLETE]

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As Volcanic stood in the grassy area where she had sat, she considered the idea that she had found plenty of herbs here, even if they had been destroyed or ended up unuseable by the wind. Scanning the ground she saw plenty more remains of herbs, but among the scattered pieces of herbs and crushed petals, she found one, untouched. She couldn't help but wonder if the game's algorithms simply spawned them back when they got destroyed, and past that, she wondered how many spawns it would take to have so many crushed and scattered remains. How close to the real world was this simulation, and at the same time how far away was it? The more Volcanic encountered these intrigues, the more interested in this world she became. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but she had to snap herself back to reality to remind herself to grab the herb before something happened to it.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Volcanic

[Volcanic 0]

As Volcanic pocketed the last herb in her inventory, she checked her quest log to make sure that everything was correct. It read a green "5/5" and she smiled at the accomplishment. Perhaps things weren't so hard in this world after all. At least no difficult than in the real world. Well, as far as a lack of monsters was concerned. In light of her completed objective, she felt her weariness melt away as she opened up her map to make her way back to Zackariah's lab. As she walked, she wondered if delivery of the herbs was enough. Perhaps it was another quest that had the other players brewing up their own potions. Either way, she had done as asked, and she was excited to get paid for her work. She hoped she'd make enough for a stay at a cheap inn with a real meal. Oh, and she couldn't forget the bath.

[Volcanic 0]

It didn't take long before Volcanic was back on the doorstep of Zackariah, and she took a deep breath as she tried to compose herself to turn everything in. She was afraid, despite having followed the instructions to the letter, that something would go wrong. Though it was all scripted, though the quest log itself read that the objective was complete, she still worried. But she steeled herself by reminding herself that there was a nice warm bath waiting. And so she pushed herself through he doorway and into the somewhat busy lab of the NPC. Even hours later, there were still students working away at the alchemy tables, some of which would look at Volcanic, scrunch up their noses a bit, and then return to work. It made her heart ache a little every time that happened. Had she truly been so lost? She sighed as she waited for the white haired gentleman to notice her return.

[Volcanic 0]

After instructing a few more students, Zackariah's head turned to look at Volcanic with a smile, as he strode over to the girl, "Ah, yes, gathered the herbs then? Perfect!" He put an arm around her shoulders and guided her over to an empty alchemy table with clear bottles devoid of any liquid aside from one beaker bubbling what was most likely water over a small fire. She marveled at the equipment for a second, before Zackariah continued, "The herbs you Gathered have two uses. The white wispy seeds of the dandelion bulb have a semi-potent healing factor when boiled, and the yellow leaves of the outer flower give combatants added vigor in battle." Volcanic listened intently and nodded as he indicated the information on one of the copies of the hand drawn picture, before finishing up with, "Start by boiling the dandelion seeds in the beaker. Once the water becomes a milky white, pour it into a nearby bottle. Once it settles and cools, if done correctly, it will become a silvery color."

[Volcanic 0]

ID: 86945

CD: 5

Good Quality Quest Healing Potion Crafted (1/1) [COMPLETE]

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Volcanic listened intently to the instructions, and her only real wish that she had a notepad and a pen to write it down. But it seemed simple enough, and Volcanic was nothing if not a quick learner. So she placed the five herbs in front of her from her inventory, and carefully brushed the seeds from the bulb into the boiling beaker. By the time she was done with the last herb, the water had started to take on the milky white appearance that Zackariah had described. Having only just entered the last herb into the beaker, she gave it another half a minute before moving the beaker to a cooling rack carefully with some tongs provided nearby. Now this was the part Volcanic wasn't good at. The waiting. She wasn't quite sure how long this process would take, but much to her surprise, the beaker sparkled a bit before the substance inside pixelated into a silvery potion. She supposed it didn't quite work like it did in real life, but it was still a success nonetheless.

Edited July 20, 2017 by Volcanic

[Volcanic 0]

Having finished her task, Volcanic put the cooled potion in a bottle and waited to catch Zackariah's attention after putting the cork in. It didn't take long as the man wandered around the thinning crowd of students as the day started to come to a close. Zackariah was practically beaming as he walked over and looked at the potion in the bottle. "A first time success, I'm impressed! Some of my students are over here for hours at a time trying to brew up this potion." He placed the potion on a nearby shelf and smiled, "What you managed to make is a simple remedy to cure a bit of pain. Nothing spectacular. It won't stitch wounds together like some more potent potions, but it will help someone in need in its own way someday." Zackariah seemed content to leave the conversation there, as he turned to grab a nearby package off the shelf next to where he placed the potion.

[Volcanic 0]

As Zackariah turned back to Volcanic, she looked over the package. It was a simple brown box that she thought she could hear a light clinking of glass inside of. Most likely potions or something of the sort. Zackariah smiled and held it out to Volcanic. She blinked at the man, before slowly reaching out to grab it. He chuckled lightly and said, "Don't worry, it won't bite. It's a set of potions for Lyle, the blacksmith." She cocked her head, and opened up her inventory to place the package inside, before raising her eyes back to Zackariah with a simple, "Why ask me to deliver this?" Zackariah stroked his chin and beard for a moment before saying, "Well, he owes me for he delivery. I'd like you to accept the payment on behalf of me for doing such great work today." Volcanic shrugged, not about to argue that, before giving the man a light bow.

[Volcanic 0]

Zackariah seemed finished with his part of everything, as Volcanic shook the man's hand and thanked him once again for his help. She was that much closer to being an actual functioning member of society, as she made her way to the exit. A few of the remaining students ogled her as she left, perhaps with jealous for her quick completion, or perhaps with curiosity that such a grimy person could succeed at all. It didn't really make a difference in the end to Volcanic. She had succeeded, had a new task, and her bath was in sight. As she left the lab and pulled up her map to look up Lyle the blacksmith, she couldn't help but wonder just how deep this rabbit hole went. But the way things were looking, she could be spending another night in her alley corner, if she didn't get paid soon. As she looked to the sky, the sun was starting to set, as a violet hue cast across it.

[Volcanic 0]

Unsure if NPCs had a closing time, Volcanic made her way briskly down the street, watching her blip on the map slowly edge closer to her destination. She would hate for Lyle's shop to be closed, even if the quest continued. At least if she had more to do, she could use the night to her advantage to get it done, depending on the task. But it seemed that she was not too late, as the violet sky turned to black and the stars shone bright against the night. The light to the blacksmith's shop still appeared to be on, and she could hear the hammering and grinding of what was presumably the man working his trade in the late hours. For a moment, she actually wondered if NPCs slept. If as computer programs, if they had dreams, thoughts and ambitions, and just how far the AI for this simulated world went.

[Volcanic 0]

Slowly, Volcanic pushed her way into the blacksmith's workshop, trying not to disturb the man overmuch. A little bell rang as she entered, and she winced but knew the jig was up. Surprisingly, the shop was empty aside from the blacksmith, whose hammer didn't stop ringing on his anvil even as he looked up to see who had entered. "Ah, welcome kiddo," he said in a gruff voice, as he finally stopped hammering away at what appeared to be a molten sword. Idly, he moved to stand and his large gloved hand took the metal plunged it into a nearby barrel of water with an audible hiss and puff of steam. Volcanic smiled at the man, and opened her inventory to produce the package for the blacksmith as he lumbered over to her, pulling off his gloves and wiping a hand on his dirty apron. "Hello sir, are you Lyle? I have a package for you," Volcanic said, as she held the box to her chest.

[Volcanic 0]

Lyle stroked his beard and held a hand out to the girl, "Yes, I'm Lyle. You must be one of those beginners that Zackariah is so fond of teaching. I've been expecting his package." Volcanic nodded and handed over the box to the large man, as he smiled and pulled at the twine holding it together and pulling off the loose brown wrapping paper to reveal a box full of potions. Lyle grunted, and pulled out one blue potion before handing the rest back to a surprised Volcanic. "Looks like he packed some for you too. All I needed was my medicine. I don't have any use for the rest of all that." Lyle put the bottle on a nearby desk scattered with empty bottles. Volcanic picked through the bottles. It looked like a few of the silvery bottles and a yellow one were in the box. She looked back up to Lyle, who simply nodded as Volcanic placed the potions in her inventory.

[Volcanic 0]

"I suppose Zackariah expects me to pay you too. Sounds like him. The lesson is only free for him. I gotta pay for it to keep getting my medicine." Lyle grunted again but smiled at Volcanic, before a prompt popped up in front of her with the notice "QUEST COMPLETE" and her reward below it. Some Col, and some experience. A good deal too. Enough for at least another level. Volcanic couldn't help but smile at the fact that, for the first time in a long time, she could relax. She pressed the "OK" button on the prompt, and Lyle continued to smile. "Now girly, how about helping an old man out? I can pay you more for your assistance if you're willing. Ol' Zackariah would be happy to know I'm helping out you beginners on my end too. But my work is a bit more dangerous." He said the last bit with a stern look in his eye, though his smile hadn't faded any.

[Volcanic 0]

Volcanic gulped at the ominous words and shook her head gently. The blacksmith nodded and said, "Well if you change your mind, come seek me out. It's late anyway, so perhaps some rest is in order. Unfortunately for this old man, I have orders to fill." He grunted again and lumbered back over to the anvil as Volcanic watched him pull his gloves back on and grab some tongs to roast the hardened metal of what was presumably a sword over some hot coals. Volcanic watched him with a glint in her eyes, but thought it rude to ask him to teach her to do that instead. Besides, he'd probably just say no. He was a scripted NPC after all. And the old man was right. It was late, and in an instant Volcanic realized again just how tired she was from the days events. What a day it had turned out to be.

[Volcanic 0]

Volcanic watched Lyle work for a minute before she heard the door ding behind her, as what appeared to be another player walked in. Volcanic gave them a light smile and a bow as she noticed that the blue bottle on be counter was gone and Lyle started his spiel all over again by dousing the hot metal and lumbering over to the new arrival. Volcanic quickly made her exit, and was surprised to see the NPC giving her a wave as she looked over her shoulder, as she fully expected him in his script to forget she existed. But this world was more real than that, even for the fake people. She smiled at the blacksmith and gave a light wave back as the bell dinged again for her exit. She took a deep breath of the night air, and savored the completion of her task once more. She felt wonderful.

[Volcanic 0]

So, with money in her pocket, the only thing left was to find an inn. Unfortunately, she had no way of knowing which was one she could afford, and even how to go about finding out that information. And what if they didn't have a bath? What if they didn't serve food? She shook her head. She'd just have to figure it out. It wasn't until she tried that she'd know, right? And so she put her feet to the pavement and pulled up her map to find the nearest inn to start at. The first inn had no personal baths but was really cheap. A part of her wanted to stay, but she needed that bath too bad. The next one served food, but had a community bath. She really didn't like the idea of ruining someone else's nightly bath with her stink. So she sighed as she trudged on, looking for the right inn as the moon grew ever higher in the sky.

[Volcanic 0]

It took her the better part of the evening, but Volcanic finally managed to find an inn with a personal bath and morning breakfast that she could afford. She sighed with relief as she transferred the Col to the innkeeper, and he gave her the key to one of the rooms. As she made her way up, she could hear players talking through the doors, others snoring, and even one room had what sounded like arguing over a game of cards. Volcanic giggled a bit. It was just like the real world, almost eerily so, and she found that comforting in its own way. Perhaps this game wasn't so scary after all in that sort of light. Obviously death was a reality, but so was it in the real world. The same care and precaution to stay alive had to be taken here, just with more dangers. Volcanic continued to muse for a bit before realizing that she had been standing in front of her room for a solid minute now.

[Volcanic 0]

Volcanic fumbled with the key to the door for a moment as she nervously realized that she had been standing there staring off into space. She didn't want anyone to get any funny ideas about this grimy girl standing outside of an inn door. She heard the click and entered into the room, before closing the door and locking it behind her with a heavy sigh. First step was to get that bath going, and then a nice cozy sleep in a warm bed. Straight to the bathroom she went, and inside was an old fashioned tub like something you'd see in an old house or even a western movie. This one had a faucet, so at least she wouldn't have to bucket her own hot water into it. There was a nearby soap bar, and she turned the hot water to full blast to get things started. It wasn't long before steam started to fill the room.

[Volcanic 0]

As the steam started to rise and Volcanic was sure that the water was hot enough, she plugged it up and almost started to feel cleaner just standing in the steam. As the water started to rise, she grabbed the nearby bar of soap and ran it under the hot water to start making bubbles. A part of her missed her bath bombs, but it would have been asking for too much to have those here she was sure. A part of her considered just dropping the entire bar of soap into the bath as dirty as she was, but she didn't want to upset the innkeeper by wasting all of his soap like that, although with all the scrubbing she would have to do, she almost figured she'd use all the soap anyway. Only time would tell. Steadily the bath water rose, and the bubbles with it as she placed the soap back on the nearby rack.

[Volcanic 0]

As the bath water rose, Volcanic prepared to wash by stripping down. She was a little surprised that the game itself allowed for full nudity, half expecting to be stuck bathing in glued on underwear, but found out that wasn't the case. She shrugged, not necessarily complaining as she walked over to the sink and filled it up with hot soapy water and plugged it up, dumping the clothes into it to wash. No sense in taking a bath only to put grimy clothes back on. Once done, she turned off he bath faucet and as she stared at the hot soapy water, a part of her simply wanted to dive right in. But she wasn't sure how pain worked in this game, and to be completely honest she didn't want to find out. And so she gingerly stepped in, letting the heat envelop her like a warm blanket. She sighed as she leaned back and was finally able to relax.

[Volcanic 0]

As she sat in the bath, Volcanic managed to find the energy to wash some of the worst dirty spots, but was honestly almost completely sapped of anything she had left. Her mind felt clear and she felt herself start to drift away, as if she was floating down a warm river. Her eyes closed, scenes from the day's adventures playing through her mind, before starting to get cloudy and become replaced by dreams and thoughts of the future. Volcanic started to get excited at thoughts of becoming a blacksmith and starting her own shop, making her own path in the game. Maybe once she got braver, she could try fighting. Maybe she'd become a hero. Who knew? Mentally she thanked the man who gave her the note and changed her entire path. She only wished she could remember his name to properly thank him. She hoped she could someday, somehow... and before Volcanic knew it, she had dozed off in the warm water.

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QUEST COMPLETE

Rewards:

• 2 Thread SP
• 800 Thread Col
• 2 Quest SP
• 5 40 HP Health Potions
• 1 +1 Damage Potion
• 1 +50 Temp. HP Potion

Edited July 21, 2017 by Volcanic