[PP-F1] Really Need to Start <<Earning a Living>>

[Shepherd 0]

Shepherd really needed to indulge in a profession. After countless days of repeating the same old cycle - chopping wood, selling wood, eating and renting the same room at an inn - there was only so much more he could endure before insanity settled in, and he could feel that wall steadily approaching. Though his farming experience would make Cook the obvious choice, he'd been leaning towards his gut feeling of Alchemy and eventually found himself stood before the potion-making NPC, tapping 'Accept' to initiate the quest.

"Wonderful! If you manage to find a Coepi Wildflower, bring it to me and I will teach you the tricks of my trade."

"Aye, won't let ye' down!" he obeyed willfully, politely bowing in front of the wise old man before making haste for the first-floor wilderness. With abysmal luck and searching skills, he doubted his ability to locate the required material - at the least, Shepherd was expecting to be out there for a few hours. Given his low level and the risks involved with being outside for so long, he ought to stop and search for a partner, but there wasn't any player he knew of that could offer any help-

"Oof." Not a second later, Shepherd rounded a corner and failed to see the approaching player, bumping shoulders with the man by way of an accident. Taken aback by the collision, he shook his head briefly and spun around, a hand slightly raised and an apologetic look on his face. "Crud, sorry 'bout that! Di'nt mean to bump into no one." He rubbed his neck, offering a sheepish laugh. "A-actually, saying that, ye' wouldn't happen to have a moment would ye'? A-ah'm on a hunt for an item, a Coepi Wildflower, would ye' happen to know where I can gather that?"

@Winik

Edited July 27, 2017 by Shepherd

[Winik 0]

"A wildflower, you say? I'm sorry but I've never heard of that," Winik answered sheepishly.  He let a smile spread across his face as he held his hand out to shake. "I'm Winik, by the way." He was wearing his simple short sleeve blue shirt and plain brown cloth pants, opting to leave his armor in his inventory for the moment.  "But I'd be willing to help you search in the fields outside the city limits.  We've all got to stick together in this death game, yeah? Players need to help other players, otherwise we're more stuck here than on the first day.  I'm level 6, so I can help keep your back covered while we search.  I couldn't help but notice you seem a little low leveled, but so am I.  I've just got some gear to help me out is all." Winik tilted his head to the side, closing his eyes as he smiled before opening them and looking into Shepherd's.

@Shepherd

Edited July 27, 2017 by Winik

[Shepherd 0]

"You don't? Ah, rats." Shepherd ran the tips of his fingers through his hair, contemplating where he'd need to look for the Wildflower, although the player's voice quickly stole his attention again. "Oh, 'Winik' is it?" he asked, wondering if his pronunciation was off. Shep shook Winik's hand with a mutual firmness and pulled his arm back to his metal-clad side. A heavy set of grey metal armour adorned his body; It was the lowest grade of gear a player could wear, though it sufficed against Boars and Wolves for the time being.

"Aye, can't refuse an offer like that! Won't lie when ah say I'm half terrified of those brown pigs, be nice to have a bit o' company on the road." Shep returned a smile of his own and swiped open the party menu. "S-sorry Winik, don't mind if we party up do ye?" he asked, his finger slipping over the 'Invite Player' button. "Just a tad bit safer for travel, hope it isn't a bother."

The farmer assessed which way out of town would be fastest and took a few steps forwards, turning a second later to wait for Winik. "So, level 6 did ye say? Not bad! A little embarrassing to admit I'm level 1 myself, haven't been trying to level up much. Think ye can spare any tips?"

@Winik

Edited July 27, 2017 by Shepherd

[Winik 0]

"I recommend good gear, especially if you're low leveled.  It can make up for the difference in levels on the lower floors.  I had someone a while back gift me a sword with a damage buff on it.  It was a big help, it came with some mats and col too so I was able to get myself some decent armor and a shield.  I've changed though, switching to the two handed assault spear so now they just sit in my inventory." Winik spoke animatedly, gesturing with his hands after he clicked the party accept button.  He took note of the health bar in the top corner of his HUD, promising himself to monitor as closely as needed.  He clapped a hand on his compatriot's shoulder, moving to get him to follow him out of the gates and into the fields beyond.  "You're doing this for Earning a Living, right? Mat gathering can be a little tough if RNGesus is being particularly hateful, but the crafts you can make later on may save your life one day."

[Shepherd 0]

"Oh, shield eh? Intend to buy myself one of them and some new gear 'soons as I come into the cash- I'm after bein' a tank, ye see." Shepherd turned to look ahead as they talked, the town gates passing by in a flash as they ventured out into the great beyond. Gathering wasn't entirely new to him, he'd taken to lumbering trees for their planks and them selling them to NPCs for scraps of Col - it was enough to get by and live in town, not to save enough for a fresh set of armour and the works though.

"Aye, Sir! Been on the bitter end of RNGesus many a time, don't doubt he'll be frownin' on us today," he smiled heartily. "Ain' that the truth, I'm lookin' at being an Alchemist. Fancied myself as a Cook before- used to be a farmhand four or so years back, ye see- but potion makin' sounds cool as a cucumber." As soon as the last word left his mouth, a material lent itself to the farmer's eyes. Must've been dropped by another player on accident, he assumed, slowing to a halt before to take it in his hand. "Hah, whaddya know!" It disappeared into his inventory with a flash, and his steps picked up again. "Say, if you don' mind me pryin', what's the reason behind ye change of class? Didn't fancy a shield?"

ID# 87309 - LD: 16 (1 Mat found)

@Winik

Edited July 28, 2017 by Shepherd

[Winik 0]

Spoiler

Roll Results:

ID# 87322

LD: 8

Winik cast his gaze across the field, taking mental notes about the mobs he could spot spawning out in the distance. Boars could be seen in the open fields and if one looked closely enough they would see wolves in the treeline.  Unfortunately, he didn't see anything that could be gathered as a mat. "I decided that I couldn't just stand and take the hits. That's not what I'm about, you see?  So, I heard there were some skills that could be used to heal and buff your teammates.  Since those are out there, I'm going to keep my heavy armor and try to soak up some of the damage, but I'll use enhancements on my weapons to hinder the opponent and give me time to help my team." Winik cupped his hand around his chin and lost himself for a moment in contemplation. "If you're looking into getting some gear, I know a blacksmith with some good prices and decent enough work. If you're interested."

@Shepherd

Edited July 29, 2017 by Winik

[Shepherd 0]

Thinking to try his luck at gathering another material, Shepherd's subtle examination of the environment afforded him zilch in rewards. The closest thing he saw that resembled a material was a bundle of sticks lying far in the distance, but the trip was hardly worth the effort necessary. "Aye, I get what ye' mean. Bein' a glorified crash test dummy isn' for all I s'pose - to tell ye the truth, I'm only after stacking defence to make damn well sure I don' die right away."

Shepherd's idle gaze trailed far out into the wilderness, carefully perusing the valleys and bushes for a flower of some kind. As nothing of the sort showed up immediately, he curiously turned to @Winik. "Aye? Ah'll be two favours in yer debt by the time we're finished gatherin'." The farmer chuckled. "Don't suppose prices are too dire a factor, thou' a steady amount of Col might be hard to come by... S-sorry- sure, spill the beans. You know if they're willin' to work around low-income clients?"

Edited July 29, 2017 by Shepherd

[Winik 0]

"Price is solely dependent on what quality you're looking for.  Unfortunately for me I aim to have perfect quality items, perfectionism and all that, which racks of the price.  But it's worth it if it can save your butt one of these days," Winik looked the player in the eye as he spoke, showing trust in the man who's party he was in.  Turning his gaze outward, he peered around him once more.

Spoiler

Roll Results:

ID# 87328

LD: 6

With a grunt of disappointment, he kicked the toe of his booth into the dirt and swore under his breath.  This was going to be much harder than he was wanting.  RNGesus never smiled upon him without some enhancements, but Winik was saving his consumables for another matter as he had only been able to craft two. "Gear can really put you where you want, as long as you've found a player you can trust.  I recommend making bonds with players early on in their crafting, you never know how they might return the favor later."

@Shepherd

Edited July 29, 2017 by Winik

[Shepherd 0]

Shepherd caught the player red eyes, nodding. "I see. It's no surprise that higher quality gear's goin' to offer the largest safety margin. Now that death in the game means death in real life, the demand for Perfect weapons and especially armour would have skyrocketed compared to a normal MMO, and where there's demand, there's profit to be made... When you really think about it, SAO actually has a pretty good economy, don' it?" He shared a look with the man before sparing his gaze elsewhere, hoping to come across a second material yet failing for the second time.

"Aye, don' need to say that again. Especially when yer puttin' yer life on the line, the quality assurance of a trusted Blacksmith or whatnot is the only thin' keepin' nerves down." Sighing, Shepherd turned to the sky. "I hope to be like that some day, a potion seller that others can depend on. Might not be the best at it but hell, ah'll give it a fair go." Turning to Winik, the farmer asked "How 'bout you, have ye taken to any trade yet?"

@Winik

Edited July 29, 2017 by Shepherd

[Winik 0]

Spoiler

Roll Results:

ID# 87330

LD: 12

Winik needs to borrow Shepherd's glasses 

Winik looked out over the fields, strolling out further with his hands held behind his head with fingers entwined.  "IRL I always wanted to open my own restaurant.  Someplace you can get good food and even better drinks, but my mom owns a general store and without my dad around she can't run the store alone.  So, I'll be stuck working there.  To make up for it, I opened my own tavern on floor 3, picking up the Cook Profession but I'm only Rank 2.  I've made some perfect items, but they're my only successes that could effect the system.  As you craft, you'll see that you'll need to pick up some tools from artisans and maybe some clothing items to help boost your chance with the RNG.  Everything circles back to money and gear, something that many have learned like I did.  So, if you find someone you trust with a guild or a group promise me you'll join them?  You seem like a really good guy, hell I'd love to see you stick around."

@Shepherd

Edited July 29, 2017 by Winik

[Shepherd 0]

"Aw, shucks," Shepherd snorted. "I'm sure hopin' ah stick around too!" After making a brief chuckle, he would consolidate his expression and give the player a nod. "Aye, don' be wastin' your worries on me. Soon as I'm geared and ready to head out there, I'll be high-tailin' it straight to one of them low-level focus guilds or whatever they're callin' as. Oh and by the by, thanks for the tips! You'll have to show me where'bouts yer tavern is so I can pay a visit and repay the favour."

He had a lot of new information to mull over. From the player's words, Shepherd guessed the system was massively based on random number generation- hence Winik's rampant insistence on attaining enhancements. He'd had bad experiences with systems like it in the past yet with little-to-no choice in the matter, begrudging acceptance was the only tangible course of action. "Say, pardon me for pryin' but ye make it sound as if you've a group of yer own. Have ye rode solo all this time or?"

@Winik

Edited July 29, 2017 by Shepherd

[Winik 0]

Spoiler

Roll Results:

ID# 87365

LD: 2

Winik took his eyes off of the distance, turning to address his compatriot. "I was solo at the beginning, having just gotten here, but I was later able to find someone I knew from the real world.  Me and her have been together ever since, you know?" He took a deep breath, smiling at the memories as he took a trip down memory lane. It had taken him forever to find Raeze and now she's safe with him. As safe as you can get with a tall man walking around in a suit of armor. They haven't started any of the more dangerous quests yet, taking it easy for now because she was worried.  He was hoping for that to change soon. "I've been trying to get a group of players together, a guild, to take on dungeons and quests together.  No man should have to fiht alone in such a harsh world.  I want a place of mutual benefits, where we could help each other with our professions and gear."

@Shepherd

Edited July 30, 2017 by Winik

[Shepherd 0]

Grass, grass, twigs, grass; No materials. The farmer kept a frown to himself, wondering how his luck could be so bad. "That so?" Shepherd asked, turning to face the player at his side. Originally, his goal was to attain decent enough gear to be comfortable solo and then move on to join a guild. If what the red-eyed Spearman said was true, however, he wasn't averse to inquiring about an earlier opportunity. "Aye, too right. Partyin' up and tacklin' objectives together is always goin' be the fastest and safest way to make progress, that just about holds true for any game. D-don' take this the wrong way or nothin', but do you have many players signin' up already? Reckon ye could spot me a place?" Shepherd inhaled a lungful of fresh field air and sighed, bringing a hand to his neck. "No hidin' the fact that I'm worried about dyin' and such, figure it's better to get somethin' sorted sooner rather than later. "

@Winik

Edited July 30, 2017 by Shepherd

[Winik 0]

Spoiler

Roll Results:

ID# 87426

LD: 19

Thank RNGesus

Winik grinned widely at the nervous player, excitement coursing through his veins.  "Are you serious?! You want to join?," the tall player was practically dancing on the spot.  He clapped a hand heavily on Shepherd's shoulder, crossing his other arm across his body to rest his fist against his heart.  "This will make you my brother in arms, you know that right?  I don't like playing the leader role and let everyone else do the work.  I will be there alongside you all, I promise you that." Winik's grin had slipped from his face, his expression growing stern. He took oaths like this seriously, especially in a game like this.  The more people he had standing beside him, the more people he could protect and help. Everyone who stood with him was family, whether they knew that yet or not. "Unfortunately, I haven't even thought of a name yet," he said with a meek look, rubbing the back of his head with one hand. His downcast eyes notices a particularly large rock and he stooped to pick it up. Turning it over revealed the gemstone quality hidden inside. He let it disappear into his inventory as he continues talking to his friend.

@Shepherd

Edited August 1, 2017 by Winik

[Shepherd 0]

Spoiler

No dice :(

Shepherd's expression became an odd mix of shock, willingness and assurance, though he wasn't prepared for the conversation to undergo a serious undertone. Watching a stern expression evolve from the face of his temporary party member, Shep's green eyes fell for the briefest of moments as he comprehended the benefits and disadvantages of joining up. Ultimately, the drawbacks were few and far between and easily outweighed by the advantages, and he grabbed Winik's shoulder whilst swinging his free arm across his own chest. "Aye! Members of a guild always look out for their brothers and sisters, ah'd be ecstatic to be apart of somethin' like that."

Naming conventions were not his speciality. "I don' know how much help ah can be there I'm afraid," he admitted with a diffident smile, "Named mahself after my Uncle's job, for God sakes." As the farmer racked his brain for ideas, he turned skywards and gazed into the open blue atmosphere. "Is there any particular theme you're going for? Brothers in arms and all that? I'd suggest literally 'Brothers in Arms' but that's not fair to the lasses that wan' t' join up."

@Winik

Edited August 1, 2017 by Shepherd