[PP-F1] Ready to Reach for The Stars! <<The First Few Lessons are Free>>

[Astralin 0]

Astralin had been around the Town of Beginnings for so long, but she needed to do something more than just stand around, occasionally trying to use her healing skill for a wounded player who returned to the safe zone. The only issue was, she had to get out there at some point, but she knew that without a weapon, or a weapon skill, she would be defenseless out there! "I have to do something...I can't keep going on like this for much longer...how long has it been, exactly?" She didn't know, for she had lost count some time ago. She wondered if there would be anyone willing to help her get started, but the final issue was, everyone around probably knew only on how to fight, while she was incapable of it at the moment. Maybe she should learn about the Martial Arts skill she had heard so much about. One player had given her a pair of handwraps as a gift, but without the Martial Arts skill, she couldn't use it. If only she knew how to obtain it... For now, she would head over to the shop where the NPC said to give out beginner quests would be, and remain near its walls until someone would come by...Someone would come, she was sure of it! Whether it be a veteran passing by, or someone as low-level as her!

[Summoner 0]

It has been aged after the events but I have to push on, no matter what happened she would not agree with me sitting still and doing nothing. She would probably want to push me into a direction at any will of hers. Sure Pettlelin or Haru is gone now and I'll never see her again but I have to move on, Go stick your Nose out Kiran you ain't dead yet keep moving, That is probably what she would say now. Not knowing where she is was worst than knowing she was dead, But at least she was out there, the strong Haru she knew as her friend. From time to time getting a message from her was okay but she did not even massage back after her last message at all.

Walking in the streets I look around to see a girl maybe around the same age as her as well and with her blonde hair and blue eyes... well I could not say different but she looked quite cute just like that other girl I once met. Haru would definitely push me to meet her. Walking up to her a bit I notice the construction she was at, this was the house of the old man who gave the first lesson and the quest after that. Those memories were times I would not forget. With those memories in mind, I walked up to the woman but once there I got nervous and lost everything I wanted to say "H...Hi...You.. no... um ... do you need help?" I said forgetting what I wanted to ask her and went for the thing that made the most sense in my mind.

Edited August 20, 2019 by Summoner

[Astralin 0]

Astralin would be spoken to by someone who seemed pretty nervous. They asked if she needed some help. "Yeah, actually. I'm without a single weapon skill, so I can't fight yet. I wondered if the beginner quests involved combat or not, because if they did, I wouldn't be able to handle them. I can heal, but nothing else at the moment... I really need to get out there and do something, but if only I wasn't in such a helpless position! Hmph, if only there actually was a little magic in this game..." She explained, crossing her arms as she huffed out that last sentence. She really wanted to do something, she just wasn't very blade-savvy. As a matter of fact, she loved the idea of magic far more than the most legendary sword she'd ever read about, or seen in a game, aside from this one of course, obviously.

@Summoner

[Summoner 0]

I was quite worried about how the woman was going to be but once she started speaking she sounded quite nice and to put more this made her cute look, even more, lovelier and made the picture in my mind better. At least she needed help and that was clear, having no weapons and just healing was not the great start, to begin with, but planning ahead Like I always did that would mean like most healers would level up is by healing others. "W... Um... I can help," I said to her moving away a bit of my robe to show her a rapier on my hip. Even if the white and gold robe hid most of my face I kind of smiled to know that I could help people again. "Doing ... this one, means... you do not really um... no um... you don't really have to fight," I said to her making it clear. I felt like I was forgetting something but at the moment I was not clear what I was missing, but it was clear I now ended up helping this woman at the moment and it feels good again to help people again. As she spoke I paid attention as it seems she was used to having some magic in games, and true that would be cool for sure but in this game, there was no magic at all.

[Fayetta 0]

"Nnnnn..." Fayetta let out a tiny groan as he stood outside of the NPC alchemist shop. He held a copper mug in his hand, a drink of bitter tea half-full in front of him while he frowned to himself. He shook his free hand past an over-sized sleeve and brought his fingers up to ruffle through his messy cerulean hair.

The young man had been standing in front of Zachariah's building for a few minutes now, and each time the NPC quest-giver spotted him through the window and gave him a beckoning wave, Fayetta tensed up and gave an awkward look to one side or another before remaining firmly glued to his position. This last time, he could hear a muffled, "You there! I could use an adventurer's help. Please, come this way!" from the old man. Zachariah quickly went back to his cycle of motion and Fayetta let out the breath he had been holding. One more time, he gave a quick look around him, realizing just how awkward he looked and felt. "I wonder if anyone would bother to do this quest with me...?" He muttered under his breath.

Edited August 20, 2019 by Fayetta

[Astralin 0]

The player said that she could help, moving part of her robe to reveal her rapier. She also noted that the quest Astralin wanted to do had...no combat? "Wait, a no-combat quest? Why didn't I hear that before? ...Wow. Um...But I guess I'd still have to leave the safe zone without a weapon, huh? Right...so, anyway, thank you so much for letting me know." Astralin now knew that combat wasn't necessary, but it was still a potential problem. "Well, allow me to introduce myself, My name is Li- A-Astralin, my name is Astralin!" After the introduction, Astralin would head over to the building's door, but when she did, she saw someone muttering something. "Excuse me," She began. "are you standing there for any particular reason? Need an ally or two for the quest...since you just so happen to be at the door where the quest is given?"

@Summoner @Fayetta

[Oscar 0]

"Did I hear you say you were about to leave a safe zone without a weapon?"

Oscar had been on his way to his shop down in the Town of Beginnings from his home on the upper floors. His route took him by Zackariah's shop. There, he saw a group of newer players getting ready to, he assumed, take on the first tutorial quest. Then he overheard one of them mention they were planning on leaving the safe zone with out a weapon. That was a silly idea. He couldn't very well watch a group of newbies expose themselves to undue danger. So, he interjected himself into the conversation. He crossed his arms and bore an almost-scolding expression on his face. Gob-Gob trotted out from behind Oscar's leg and mimicked his master's stance.

"If you're gonna do something silly like that, at least let me come along to make sure a boar doesn't try to gore you to death or something. You three doing First Lessons?"

[Summoner 0]

As soon as the girl thanked me for telling her about quest without fighting were a thing she thanked me for it, it was normal for a game to have those I thought but it seemed she did not know about it. Then it came back to me what I forgot, it was to greet her normally and well tell her my name, but she was already a step ahead of me and said her name was Astralin, quite a nice name for sure. "Um... Summoner, I mean um...  my name is Summoner," I said to her still really not feeling all too well with the leading conversation stuff that was more Haru's thing and not mine. As I told her my name I started falling quiet and started to do a bit of sign language with my hands slowly making signs like, we can go, and  I'm ready when you are. But it seems that Astralin got her eyes on someone else who walked passed mumbling to himself. I just did a small, yet very shy wave to the player.

@Astralin @Fayetta

For a second I thought things could not get worse from this point out but it did. Another player who seemed to have heard just the half of the conversation spoke up saying he could come with is they were going to do something dangerous. But this quest was not dangerous, and with a lot of loot places cleared out now this quest would not even have trouble running into boars at all so why need you the extra muscle? He then asked us something and I just shacked my head no doing a bit of sign language to the newest player with his goblin, being something along the lines, Done them already before pulling my hood more over my head hiding my face now completely from anyone while I became red from shame and being shy.

@Oscar

[Fayetta 0]

Another glance over his shoulder, and then it happened. Fayetta spotted a pair of girls making their way towards him and caught direct eye contact. His eyes snapped back forward to the window where he could still see Zachariah mixing potions and grinding herbs in a never-ending loop, but before he could pretend to mind his own business and let them be on their way, the girl with bright blonde hair addressed him quickly. His lips pursed and his free hand moved to the side of the cup that he still held onto, using the dark liquid as a crutch in conversation. "Oh, well, I was just looking around, sort of."

He immediately thought about how straight-forward the woman was to ask if he was looking for help, which made him feel a twinge of embarrassment at the same time as he swallowed the small lump of his pride that had gotten stuck in his throat. "I... Well, yeah, I was just thinking that it might not be a great idea to do any of this stuff alone." He admitted, finding his voice. No sense in squandering her kind approach, he thought.

Before they'd all had a chance to introduce themselves, a fourth figure spoke up to address them all. Fayetta turned a bit so he wouldn't still have his back to anyone, and the moment he did so he was suddenly aware of how much taller this other man was than the rest of them. Fayetta was barely taller than the first two women who had approached, and this third stranger practically loomed over them all. "Oh... Uh, were we?" He felt stuck, compelled to take up an offer Astralin hadn't actually put out now that the four of them found themselves all lingering in front of the quest-giver's shop. 'Is this how you team up with people for stuff like this?' He kept the question to himself and brought the mug of lukewarm tea to his lips. 'I'm not gonna be good at this whole 'party' thing anytime soon.' He inwardly grumbled.

@Astralin @Summoner @Oscar

Edited August 20, 2019 by Fayetta

[Astralin 0]

"Summoner? Nice name, sounds like we both could have been mages if it weren't for that little 'no magic' issue..." Would be Astralin's response to Summoner's introduction. The blue haired player that Astralin spoke to first claimed that he was just looking around, then after a few seconds, he admitted that he indeed was waiting for a party of players to show up so he wouldn't take the quest alone. Before Astralin could say anything, another voice interrupted. 

"Did I hear you say you were about to leave a safe zone without a weapon?"
 

Astralin turned around to see a player who looked as if he was trying to scold someone. He would say that if she was to try something silly like that, that she should let him come along so she doesn't get killed out there. "Kind of why I was hoping to have some allies anyway. I wouldn't be going with a weapon simply because I cannot equip the weapon I have without unlocking an extra skill first. I'm not very blade-savvy, you see..." She would then introduce herself to the two male players. However, she would encounter a bit of an issue, do to habitual circumstances... "My name is Libr- A-A-Astralin! M-my name is Astralin... *sigh*, I guess it got out, didn't it? Yes, my real name is Libra...my username is Astralin. My, this is gonna be hard to make a habit out of...So, are you all willing to start a party, so that we might take the quest together?" Astralin would then send out party invites to the three players.

@Summoner @Fayetta @Oscar

[Oscar 0]

As the party invite propagated upon his line of sight, Oscar gave a small smile to the group. He happily accepted the invitation. After doing so, he cycled through his inventory, wondering if he had anything useful that could help the group clear the quest just a bit easier. Finally, his eyes fell upon the pair of Hot Dogs he had crafted some days prior. He was going to save them for a special occasion, but he could always make more. He wondered if they'd be willing to take a quick detour to his house on Floor Seven so he could make them something nice. He seemed to have rubbed the group the wrong way and he really wanted to make up for it. He needed to feed Leeroy and Jenkins anyway, so it all worked out. The cerberus had been left back home. Might be a good idea to bring him with too.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. My name is Oscar. If you guys would like, we could go up to my home on Floor Seven. I can make you guys a feast to make this quest go a little easier. I've already done this quest, but I'm willing to do whatever I can to help out."

@Astralin @Summoner @Fayetta

Edited August 21, 2019 by Oscar

[Summoner 0]

What to do, I cant deal with this, this was all too much for me... so many people at once I just knew how to lead Haru but so many people at once is a bit too much for me. And this new guy seemed all to high for himself even if I was nowhere near a starter. I have done all of the beginning quest and a few more before coming here. hearing the conversation going on a bit as Astralin looked at me a bit I think out of pure habit started to struggle with my hands and did some low sign language staying quiet, I was never the popular girl in real life, but here it was a combination of the two. "Su... Summor... No um... My name is Summoner, Hi," I said really awkward to the new players who joined up with us, but it seemed this guy with blonde hair had plans, on one side I did not like it while on the other hand, it would help but it would also be a waste as only two out of four people would have to do this quest.

For a moment I stayed quieted but then walked up to this Oscar guy and tugged his sleeve a bit,  Looking up to him made me feel very shy and I hid my face under my hood again, "It be a waste of time, just two of us here need to do this quest and it is made much easier than other quests so it be done quickly for sure," I said looking down to the ground still holding my hood over my face with one hand. To be sure if this Oscar wanted to help it was better of giving them an item for borrow or a snack that would give better searcing skills. Still looking at the ground I got the invite and accepted it fast not wasting any time. "Os... Um... S... Sir Oscar, I um... I would advise, to keep the feast, it will be more helpful with a bigger group and where they all can use it," I said to Oscar hoping he would heat my advice as Feast were quite useful items for a bigger group.

@Fayetta @Oscar @Astralin

[Fayetta 0]

As introductions were stammered out, Fayetta found himself wearing a crooked smile. Kind and straightforward, Astralin stumbled over her names until she got out an explanation, and the other girl dressed in white seemed to be forcing almost every word out while she kept her face hidden away. Fayetta's shoulders fell as he relaxed slightly, taking solace in the fact that he wasn't the only awkward, introverted individual among them. So, breathing in a gulp of bravery, he smiled more genuinely towards the other players and pulled a hand away from his cup to poke an index finger at the party invitation that appeared before him.

Astralin, Summoner, and Oscar. He recited the names once in his head when they stacked themselves in the upper corner of his vision. "Call me Faye." He smiled to hide the embarrassment. He disliked how feminine even the shortened version of his username still sounded to him, but it was as good as he was going to get. Fayetta tilted his head back to finish off the last of his tea and pressed a few buttons on his own menus to deposit the copper mug back into his inventory and free up his hands again.

"A feast?" He echoed, straining his ears to hear Summoner's soft suggestion otherwise. Fayetta rubbed at the back of his neck, an oversized sleeve drooping down his forearm. "Maybe we could all get something to eat after the quest?" He suggested, oblivious to Oscar's intent to provide them with a mechanical boon.

[Astralin 0]

(OOC: Maximum party size for the quest is 4, so I'm sure we're all good)

The player who interrupted accepted the party request, and introduced himself as Oscar. He mentioned heading over to the seventh floor to prepare. "T-th-the seventh floor???? Aaaah, nope, I'm sure we'll be fine....th-the quest's right here in this shop, anyway, so, let's all go in!" She turned to open the door, unable to hide her panicked expression over the possibility of going to the seventh floor at level one, and entered the shop, hoping the non-combat quest she planned to take would ease her mind. Sure enough, she managed to put on a happy expression as she approached the NPC. "Hello, I've heard that you're willing to help adventurers get started, is this true?" The NPC would smile and nod. "Yes, young adventurer, I am willing to help them get started on the basics. You will need to get a glimpse of the land around us, as you find some materials with alchemical properties, then you will assist me in making some potions. No fighting will be necessary." Of course, Zackariah had Astralin at Potions. Her eyes lit up. "Potions?? We...we can make potions?? I can't wait to get started!" The quest notification would appear for all party members who hadn't taken the quest yet that were still under level 15, and Astralin would press accept.

@Summoner @Fayetta @Oscar

[Oscar 0]

Oscar watched as Astralin began the interaction with Zackariah to begin the quest. It seemed as if they wanted to go without his delicious meat cylinders. He couldn't force them to accept his generosity. Since they didn't want them, Oscar decided to scarf down one of his Hot Dogs. The Loot Die enhancement created a buff upon his status bar. A pair of dice with a shiny star upon them. "I'm gonna go on ahead and make sure the way is clear, alright?" Oscar began to walk towards the gate. As he did, he whistled sharply. At his call, Leeroy & Jenkins bounded off behind him, both heads looking straight ahead. Oscar was the first to step outside the gates and he began to look around. No enemies, no gathering spots. Nice and clean. There were boars wandering wandering about, but they weren't aggressive unless attacked. The ones farther out from the city were, however. Oscar would have to make sure that they didn't wander too far while looking for materials.
 

Spoiler

ID: 122342 LD7+3 Nothing found.

 

Edited August 22, 2019 by Oscar

[Summoner 0]

I had nothing to say as Astralin was busy talking to the quest giver and seemed to be joyful the moment hearing about crafting Potions and that you had to make them in this quest as well. Waiting a bit I took out my rapier and walked outside waiting for the two to get the quest started. Looking at my rapier and how it was shining it smiled a bit having experience with this weapon helpt quite a bit now and to make sure I kept helping her I was going to keep close to her or at least make sure in the second quest that she was not heavily damaged. Looking at Oscar as he walked off saying he will make sure the way is clear got a bit annoying, the quiet guy was even better to deal with. "S... sir I ... Um I mean Oscar, Don't Leeroy Jenkins this... And we can handle um... It so... um please don't go ahead," I tried to say to him as he seemed to already be gone and somewhere at the gate, Well he ran fast it takes at least a lot before getting to the gate and both players getting this quest signed up. Waiting in the open door I looked at the two players as they got the quest accepted and were ready to get going on an easy go tempo I hope.

[Fayetta 0]

After looking between Astralin hurriedly sliding into Zachariah's shop and Oscar and Summoner taking on more precautionary roles, Fayetta awkwardly shuffled into the store before he could catch what Summoner was trying to say to their fourth member pushing ahead. The sounds of the streets of Beginnings disappeared as his senses were assaulted with the smells of herbs, the sound of soft bubbling liquids, and the sight of bottles upon vials upon books. If there was a dictionary definition for "Fantasy Alchemist", Zachariah fit the bill.

Fayetta listened to the exchange in silence until his recollections prompted him to speak up. "Oh, I've heard about this stuff. There are some player shops mixed into all the game ones here in town, but yeah, you can learn a crafting skill and make your own items. Think you'll pick up alchemy?" He asked after Astralin's enthusiasm.

The two of them had accepted the quest easily and would make their way back out to catch up with Summoner and Oscar. His times outside of the safe zone were few, but having others nearby left him just a bit more at ease. "Okay, so..." He started, pulling up his menus once they'd had a chance to breathe outside of the city walls. "I guess we just have to collect some items for that guy?" He summarized, hovering a finger over the quest text that stood in front of him.

ID: 122366  LD: 16 - Found 1/5

"Oh." Looking just past his menu where the last of the quest description was written out on the semi-transparent window, Fayetta's eyes finally caught sight of something right in front of his feet. He waved his hand until the menus slid away and dismissed from view so he could crouch down and reach towards a green plant that looked just a bit different against the grass around it. Before his fingers made contact, a small dialogue appeared that read 'Wild Herb - Ingredient'. He smiled with satisfaction, plucking the plant from the ground. "Hey! Found one already."

@Astralin @Summoner @Oscar

Edited August 22, 2019 by Fayetta

[Astralin 0]

Astralin heard Fayetta say that players could take up professions and create their own items based on the chosen profession, proceeding to ask if she wanted to pick up alchemy. "Ohmygoshyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyessssssssss!!!!!!!!" was Astralin's immediate response. She took a few deep breaths to calm down slightly, then she would respond normally. "I would LOVE to take on this profession!" Zachariah would hear this, and raise an eyebrow as he half-smiled, intrigued by Astralin's willingness to take up a profession like his. "If that's the case, you may want to visit my former student and apprentice, Evangeline Calora, later on. She may be able to teach you more than I can, for she has the time to train new alchemists, whereas I've got my hands full running this shop and helping you all start your adventures." Astralin nodded. "Right, gather alchemical materials, assist you with potion crafting, potentially see Evangeline Calora, got it!" Astralin would dash out of the shop, ready to catch up with the others that had already left for the safe zone's edge. Zachariah chuckled over Astralin's reactions, optimism and energy as Fayetta was walking over to the door to leave. "Ah, youth..."

Astralin would manage to rush over to the safe zone's edge in order to catch up with the others. She hesitated before leaving the safe zone, but once she was out, there was no turning back. She did what she could to stay near her party members in case an unwelcome surprise ever came their way as they searched. She would find an herb, and so would Fayetta. "I found one too!"

@Oscar @Summoner @Fayetta

[Active effects: Quest gathering- materials are found on LD 11+ until five are found. Is player-specific]

ID# 122409 LD: 11(success, found 1 T1 Material)

1/5 materials gathered

Edited August 23, 2019 by Astralin

[Oscar 0]

With nothing else better to do, Oscar pulled on his Gloves of Caerus and unequipped his pants. In their place, he had a pair of black vanity slacks that he used for just such an occasion. His Loot Die modifier was now a hefty +6. Since everyone else was gathering and he was in great need of materials, Oscar decided to gather some of his own. Since he had already completed the quest, his requirements to successfully gather were much higher than theirs. Luckily, between the Hot Dog he consumed and his Gloves of Caerus, it was actually much easier for him to gather than the newbies. He found a sparkling plant and gathered it. As the progress bar filled, he noticed that everyone else had successfully gathered their first materials. One down, four to go. He hoped the rest of the quest went this smoothly. Bodyguard was a boring job when you could one-shot everything around you.

 

Spoiler

ID: 122452 LD17+6 Materials Found!

 

Edited August 23, 2019 by Oscar

[Summoner 0]

I heard the girl jump from happiness and because of that I gave a little shock, Never in my life have I seen someone turn so happy within seconds. Although I never see many people who are happy at all. Once they all seemed to get outside and ready to move I followed behind them making sure to be the last to leave the safe zone. It seemed that both players were a bit nervous for sure and seemed to not want to get out but once Oscar and I both were outside as well they wanted to go. "It's safe... no worry," I said to Astralin with a weak smile like I normally did when trying to cheer people up. I was not good at this but I had to do something Right, I loved helping people and on the forms, I was staff on for helping new players I always enjoyed it, and Now I can enjoy this I guess.

For a bit, it seemed that both players got their first Item, true this quest was not hard and no monsters should spawn nearby at all so that was all clear. Looking around I looked at Oscar as he switched gear, it was a bit weird I tell you to get but He did so. I then turned my back to the group a bit and took out my Rapier from under my robe. Before anyone knew it I started using a sword art into the air. The thin metal weapon started glowing Blue and I did two small stricks into nothing. Once I was done with that sword art I opened the Menu and looked at how long it took to cool down the Sword art. It seemed that while doing this the Sword art was almost recovered right away. "Note... Um... Recovery of Sword Art is fast for a Rapier," I said low before I turned my rapier a bit left and right to look at it from different angles. The white like metal with blue and gold markings on it showed quite a bit of power as I was holding it.

@Fayetta @Oscar @Astralin