[F01-SP] <<The First Few Lessons are Free>> (Beginner Quest)

[Randal 0]

Randal glanced around the town of Beginners, its rustic buildings lined up straight outwards from the center of town. Randal looked out towards the grasslands that surrounded the town and grimaced as he remembered being beaten badly by a pack of boars and having to run away. He knew if given the chance he could make friends with someone and they'd get along great, but he hadn't been very successful since the beginning. The guidebook which was being sold in the NPC shops actually recommended that new players head over to Zackariah's apothecary for a quest that would help new beginners, not sure where else to start Randal set off.

The journey through the town left Randal amazed that this was actually a game. The bright blue sky littered with beautiful pearly clouds perfectly accentuated the cool summer-like breeze which blew through his dark-brown crew cut. The system only spawned Randal with one weapon and one armour thanks to the bundle he chose, so he had decided that he would rather walk around without a shirt then without a pair pants. Randal certainly wasn't ripped but he was certainly well-built thanks to a healthy diet and exercise in the real world. As Randal followed the directions provided and memorised the routes and street names as he walked, he breathed in Aincrad's beauty.

Spoiler

Randal lvl 1 (5 MIT, 1 ACC, 1 REGEN)

HP: 20/20

Energy: 2/2

SP: 0/5

Skills: (1.Light Armour Combat Mastery Tier 1 [+5MIT])

Equipped: (Uncommon White Hand Wraps [+1ACC]) (Uncommon Green Trousers [+ 1 Regen])

Consumables: (5 Starter Healing potions [+50 HP])

Items: (10 Tier 1 Materials)

Col: 2,500

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

As Randal walked, he felt some mental fatigue from a few wrong turns that he had made earlier, the map still wasn't very familiar to him and left him needing a lot more help than he initially thought. Eventually, Randal came upon a wooden door attached to a brick house, the faint scent of medicine wafting through the air. He spotted some strange looking plants growing outside in little flower pots hanging by the window.

As Randal rapped his wrapped knuckles on the door, a sagely voice droned out sleepily. "Urgh, whut, come in, come in!".

An old man walked out from behind a set of curtains, the first thing that Randal focused on was the long white hair which cascaded down from the elderly man's head. "Hello there lad, you look very young. What brings you to Zackariah's Apothecary? That's me! Zackariah."

"Good Afternoon Sir!" Randal smiled sweetly. "I had been wondering around town looking for work, may I help you with anything?" Randal asked while examining the long and intricate beakers made of plastic that winded and looped. All sorts of colours and smells that were otherwise faint outside, much stronger and obvious inside.

Spoiler

Randal lvl 1 (5 MIT, 1 ACC, 1 REGEN)

HP: 20/20

Energy: 2/2

SP: 0/5

Skills: (1.Light Armour Combat Mastery Tier 1 [+5MIT])

Equipped: (Uncommon White Hand Wraps [+1ACC]) (Uncommon Green Trousers [+ 1 Regen])

Consumables: (5 Starter Healing potions [+50 HP])

Items: (10 Tier 1 Materials)

Col: 2,500

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

"Ah, yes now that you mention it, I do have a small requirement for someone such as yourself, you've come at a rather timely instance. I need someone to help me grab some of these from the grasslands outside town." Zackariah spoke while fondling with a small green plant which was blooming into a little red bulb. "This one is just a baby, but you should be able to find some fully blooming flowers out there clear as day."

Randal felt a chill down his spine as he recalled the instance earlier where he was run back into town. And so he spoke slowly and carefully, "Sir, I have had some dangerous encounters out in the fields, is there any other requests I can help you with in town...?", Randal continued to explain his fears and relay his experience to Zackariah.

After listening for some time, Zackariah said, "Hm, you won't be able to prosper in this world with an attitude like that, but I understand, I would definitely direct you to another task if I had one but...young man, I only need this one things, how about this, I'll show you a safe way to a little field with such flowers." Zackariah turned around to grab a long piece of parchment that was a map, carefully explaining how to get there. Randal was writing in deep specifics how to get there and was almost certainly not going to get lost.

Spoiler

Randal lvl 1 (5 MIT, 1 ACC, 1 REGEN)

HP: 20/20

Energy: 2/2

SP: 0/5

Skills: (1.Light Armour Combat Mastery Tier 1 [+5MIT])

Equipped: (Uncommon White Hand Wraps [+1ACC]) (Uncommon Green Trousers [+ 1 Regen])

Consumables: (5 Starter Healing potions [+50 HP])

Items: (10 Tier 1 Materials)

Col: 2,500

 

[Randal 0]

With renewed vigour in his step, Randal thanked the elderly man for his help in paving the way forward. Walking out the door and into the street, Randal started to study the directions while walking, taking note of key landmarks mentioned by Zackariah, as he left through the North-Eastern gate.

As far as he had read from the guide, Randal was aware that the gate around the Town of Beginnings formed a Semi-circle facing the north. With the Town itself being cantered in the southern end of the first floor.

Approaching the high guarded brick wall and leaving the safe zone. Randal quickly tightened his hand wraps and pulled up his pants. 

The first time Randal had left the town, he had exited through the main gate in the North and was very quickly overwhelmed due to a basic lack of knowledge and understanding about the monsters, terrain and key combat features. 

This time, with the help of Sir Zackariah’s directions, Randal was certain that he was not too far away from where he needed to go.

 

Spoiler

Randal lvl 1 (5 MIT, 1 ACC, 1 REGEN)

HP: 20/20

 Energy: 2/2

SP: 0/5

Skills: (1.Light Armour Combat Mastery Tier 1 [+5MIT])

Equipped: (Uncommon White Hand Wraps [+1ACC]) (Uncommon Green Trousers [+ 1 Regen])

 Consumables: (5 Starter Healing potions [+50 HP])

Items: (10 Tier 1 Materials)

 Col: 2,500

 

[Randal 0]

As Randal left the Town towards the Northeast, he quickly realised that the surrounding area was grasslands surround a large lake feature. In the far distance, with a difficult squint, Randal could see Boar pups and their parents drinking from the lake as well as spawned in passels of hogs surrounds some trees nearer to the Town.

Randal felt a bout of fear looking at them.m, but he quickly clenched his fist, remembered what he needed to do and who he needed to get back to. Randal quickly brought up his notebook and read through this part of Zackariah’s guidance.

”Turn left here....100 paces....groove...” After having mumbled to himself for a few minutes, Randal quickly set off following the instructions.

While he was moving through the locale, he accidentally alerted a bunch of boars hidden behind a bush when he broke a bunch of dried sticks under his weight.

Much to his fortune, the boars didn’t chase after him when he carried on sprinting but the fear did cause him to take a small tumble.

When Randal opened his eyes, a bright red flower was standing gloriously right in front of him, a little of route but success doesn’t discriminate and neither would he.

Upon picking up the flower, he knew the quest indication was slightly more completed than before. 

1/5 Red Bloom Flower Found

Spoiler

Material Search Roll ID# 129619

LD 19 Sucesss

+1 Material

Spoiler

Randal lvl 1 (5 MIT, 1 ACC, 1 REGEN)

HP: 20/20

 Energy: 2/2

SP: 0/5

Skills: (1.Light Armour Combat Mastery Tier 1 [+5MIT])

Equipped: (Uncommon White Hand Wraps [+1ACC]) (Uncommon Green Trousers [+ 1 Regen])

 Consumables: (5 Starter Healing potions [+50 HP])

 Items: (10 Tier 1 Materials)

 Col: 2,500

 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Filled with renewed aspirations, Randal quickly looked around for more flowers. The indication on his quest now updated to inform him name of the flowers, "Vitality Tulips". As he glanced around, he spotted the signature blood red contrast peeking out from behind a tree trunk in the distance. Recalling the memory of his earlier mishap, Randal decisively decided to make his way over with as little noise as possible.

2/5 Vitality Tulips Found

Spoiler

Material Search ID# 129644

LD: 11 (Success)

+1 T1 material

Upon creeping his way as fast as he can, he looked around the corner and the flower was not just flower, there was also a stinger, a bright red stinger attached to a bee. Much to his dismay and shock, Randal steeled his nerves and remembered what Zackariah said about needing to find his own way to survive in this world. Whipping his fist towards the bee in a backhanded arc. The impact on the monster bee barely made it flinch as it immediately started flying right towards Randal, stinger first. With a quick duck, Randal dodged the stinger.

Spoiler

Randal: HP 20/20 // Energy 2/2 // DMG 1 // 5 MIT // 1 ACC // 1 REGEN

Bee: HP 9/10 // 3 DMG

Combat ID# 129650

BD: 8 (Hit)  MD: 4 (Miss)

Dmg: 1

 

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal
I thought the LD: 15 and up was the requirement... sorry

[Randal 0]

Flustered by the fear of being beaten and killed by the Bee being incapable of returning to the real world. Randal kicked out in a messy flurry, although the power and speed of his legs were commendable due to the adrenaline, Randal didn't put any focus to accuracy and so flailed out in vain. Taking full advantage of Randal's inaccuracy, the Bee flew over and dashed right into Randal's chest face first using it's strong exoskeleton to headbutt. The force of the hit sent Randal staggering but when Randal observed his HP, he noticed it didn't decrease at all. Quickly he remembered his skill which provided him with some mitigation to enemy attacks.

Spoiler

Randal: HP 19/20(20-1) // Energy 2/2 // DMG 1 // 5 MIT // 1 ACC // 1 REGEN

Bee: HP 9/10 (10-1) // 3 DMG

Combat ID# 129652

BD: 2 

MD: 8 (Hit)

Emboldened by this fact, Randal dusted himself of and readied his fighting stance. Although he had never actually undergone any real martial arts training, he knew the basic fighting stance of a kickboxer, placing the left side of his body just a little bit more forward than his right, he stood, ready to strike.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Already in his stance, Randal breathed in deep and focused his concentration on the bee. Watching carefully for the slightest movements and attempting to predict where the next attack would come from. The fluttering of the wings slowed tremendously, as the bee dove straight straight towards Randal with its Stinger protracted. A silence rang out in Randal's head and with s sharp strike which cut through the air, he smacked the bee right in the face. 

Being hit in the face, left the bee disorientated for a short moment, but long enough to knock it out of it's flight and on to the ground.

Spoiler

Randal: HP 19/20(20-1) // Energy 2/2 // DMG 1 // 5 MIT // 1 ACC // 1 REGEN

Bee: HP 6/10 (9-3) // 3 DMG

Combat ID# 129655

BD: 10 (Crit)

MD: 2

The bee was clearly quite injured but it remembered its own brethren who had been beaten down too many times before. The desire to exact revenge on the large organisms that roamed through the field searching for items and destroying it's Brother's and Sisters. With a heavy heart, the bee got back up.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Randal was unaware of the seething hatred that were hidden behind those beady eyes, but he was more confident than ever after landing that blow, because the force of the strike reverberated through his bones and it felt absolutely exhilarating, jumping up and down for joy, Randal didn't realize how quickly the bee had gotten up and lost track of the bee's positioning, with a quick crunch with it's mandibles, the bee snapped at Randal's feet. 

The force was sudden a caught Randal off guard as he lost his balance and struggled to fling the bee off. Finally, after a good 5 seconds of Randal's health depleting, he manage to remove the bee, but lost his chance to counter attack. Punching the ground in frustration, Randal thought back and began introspecting the whole combat situation. How he had been afraid, and how he had been over-confident the whole way through. Although the attacks of the bee didn't hurt, Randal was unwilling to be tossed around anymore.

Spoiler

Randal: HP 19/20(20-1) // Energy 2/2 // DMG 1 // 5 MIT // 1 ACC // 1 REGEN

Bee: HP 6/10 // 3 DMG

Combat ID# 129667

BD: 1

MD: 10 (Crit)

 

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

With a flurry of blows, Randal barely managed to land a decently aimed blow right at the abdomen of the insect, a crack formed along the the glossy red exoskeleton of the Bee and a white gooey substance was seen oozing out from the crack. 
 

Spoiler

Randal: HP 20/20 // Energy 2/2 // 1 DMG // 5 MIT // 1 ACC // 1 REGEN

Bee: HP 5/10(6-5) // 3 DMG

Combat ID# 129679

BD: 6

 MD: 1

Randal could feel his hand throbbing from the force of the impact and even though he couldn’t receive any feedback to his pin receptors due to the sensation dampeners in the Nervegear, he could still perceive the shock and strength of his blow. Having been moving around so much, Randal could also feel his muscles aching in his head. Still unsure of the actual scientific impact or relevance of Randal’s revelation. He stood by as he watched the Bee stagger to a stand.

The wings on the Bee fluttered momentarily, unsure if it could gather the strength needed to lift its body into the air. As the Bee’s mental screaming could be heard, it powered up and started flying once more.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

For what was supposed to just be a simple and quick battle with a bee, Randal started to realise how difficult combat was going to be. Not because the encounter with a single bee was going to be difficult but because the amount of damage per second that Randal could put out was far too low, if he were to take too long with one or two mobs, the fighting might attract other bigger enemies that would be able to push damage through Randal’s mitigation stat.

Randal started to think about the bee’s in the real world and how people were possibly allergic to them and took a quick moment to be grateful that the allergies weren’t carried over.

As these various thoughts flashed through his mind, the bee’s translucent pink wings fluttered towards Randal at an increasing pace landing a quick body slam into his chest. 

Taking advantage of the situation, Randal leaned into the enemy, grabbed it by the wings and threw it on the ground.

Spoiler

Randal: HP 19/20(20-1) // Energy 2/2 // 1 DMG // 5 MIT // 1 ACC // 1 REGEN

Bee: HP 4/10(5-1) // 3 DMG

Combat ID# 129686

BD: 7

 MD: 6

 

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

At this point, Randal could feel the exertion of his body as digital sweat dripped from his body. Glistening in the early afternoon sun, he steeled himself for the next round of attacks.

The Bee too was feeling exhausted, but the basic parameters of the game limited the Bee’s actions to only attacking, but at this moment, it was thinking about how to run away, it’s wings and joints ached and hurt with every movement and the frustration was only multiplied by the fact that the opponent’s health wasn’t dropping at all!

With a heavy tiny insect heart, it got up and dashed recklessly in an attempt to injure this annoying creature who had done nothing but bully and interrupt its casual daily routine.

Unbeknownst to Randal, that the bee was in its true heart of hearts, contemplating suicide, he casually dropped the weight of his torso and leaned back with a quick roundhouse to the bee’s abdomen.

Spoiler

Randal: HP 20/20(19+1) // Energy 2/2 // 1 DMG // 5 MIT // 1 ACC // 1 REGEN

Bee: HP 3/10(4-1) // 3 DMG

Combat ID# 129687

BD: 7

 MD: 2

 

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

The kick landed with a huge thud and the bee was knocked onto the floor and laid there sprawled on the floor. Randal too suddenly felt a burst exhaustion and didn’t expect the kick to drain him so my energy. Feeling weakened, and not threatened at all by the bee, Randal walked over to the bee and sort of sat down next to it.

A sad look of pity was drawn onto Randal’s face as he tried to introspectively consider the bee’s situation while comparing to his own. For one to live and or the other to thrive, one of them must die. 

Randal thought back to his motivations in the death game, and knew that he had to kill to survive and to make it out. Even though it may means having to take the artificial life from an artificial creature, nothing about this game felt unreal. From the realistic design to the realistic AI, it almost felt like animal abuse in real life, sad about this fact, both Randal and Bee decided to take a break.

Spoiler

Randal: HP 20/20 // Energy 2/2 // 1 DMG // 5 MIT // 1 ACC // 1 REGEN

Bee: HP 3/10 // 3 DMG

Combat ID# 129690

BD: 1

 MD: 4

 

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Spoiler

Randal: HP 20/20(20-1) // Energy 2/2 // 1 DMG // 5 MIT // 1 ACC // 1 REGEN

Bee: HP 0/10(3-3) // 3 DMG

Combat ID# 129691

BD: 10

 MD: 9

Spoiler

Loot Roll ID#129692

CD: 1 LD: 12

Items Received: 

50 Col

2 T1 Materials

1 Unidentified T1 Rare Trinket

Sitting right next to each other in deep contemplation and agony, Randal and his enemy, the bee, knew that they would have to end this encounter here, for going on much longer would be too much for either to withstand.

Using what was left of its energy the bee moved fast than it had ever moved before, its final burst of firepower in an attempt to at least go down with a fight, the bee’s stinger impaled Randal’s chest and thrashed around to cause as much damage as possible.

However, to its dismay, unlike its expectations for Randal to knocked to the floor, it felt two strong arms wrap around its body.

Randal held tightly onto the insect, pulling it deep into his chest and with what strength he had, used his biceps and forearms to relentlessly crush the insect.

The brutality of his actions almost as if to say that he wasn’t going to cower anymore and that he was resolved to get stronger even if it meant fighting and killing his way there.

As the exoskeleton creaked and cracked under the weight of the pressure, the internal juices of the mob started to spray onto Randal before disintegrating into digital nothingness.

In its place was 50 Col, some materials from the bee and a trinket which would have to be brought to a merchant according to the guide.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Spoiler

Randal: HP 20/20(19+1) // Energy 2/2 // 1 DMG // 5 MIT // 1 ACC // 1 REGEN

Following the end of the battle, the exhilaration and adrenaline was slowly wearing off from Randal’s mind and even though that felt like it took forever, Randal knew he could stay down.

Picking himself up, he looked around the clearing where he was fighting to reorientate himself, after the running, falling and fighting, he didn’t exactly pay attention to where he was.

Glancing at his map and spinning in circles, Randal finally figured out which direction was south-west back to the Town of Beginners and started pacing back towards where he came from.

He was looking around for anything that seemed out of the ordinary because he knew that if he were lucky he could find more loot just laying around. But he didn’t.

Spoiler

 ID# 129718

Rolled for Treasure

LD: 11 (Failed)

However, he didn’t give up hope that he will one day in the future and hummed a tune from the real world to lift his spirits. Randal has no reason to feel down since he had only been out in the wild for about an hour.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Randal was pleasantly surprised of course when he spotted the beautiful red flower blooming beside the a tree, this time to avoid detection he went around corners that he could first ascertain were clear before proceeding to approach the flower.

Upon reaching the flower, Randal simple bent down and picked it up, thinking back to the farmers back in his old world, he thought that this was actually quite an experience that he would never have had otherwise. 

3/5 Vitality Tulips Found

Hunting/Gathering of course was something that only people in the past did because they had no concept of localised farming. Those people merely roamed the lands that they inhabited with their tribes or families and lived off what they were lucky enough to find and smart enough to avoid.

Spoiler

 ID# 129719

LD: 18 (Success)

+1 Material

These people would take their time to pray to gods of lands and fertility to bless them with good finds and pray to gods of the hunt for safe travels. Most of the time they thrived by journeying onto uncontaminated lands and being the pioneers.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Those pioneers also experienced extremely harsh situations where they might go on days without food or water due to unfavourable conditions like the locale being unsuitable for setting up camp and forcing them away from a resource or there being no resources to be gathered all together..

Spoiler

 ID# 129722

LD: 9 (fail)

Thinking back there was no guarantee that they would be able to find and forage anything to eat nor that they would be able to find an animal small and easy enough to kill when the hunger had weakened them.

It was certainly only following the the constant failures and strengths of this lifestyle did a branch and separation of ideologies take place in these men and women.

After all, to transition from a life of someone who travelled a whole lot to find food to that of someone who cultivated a single plot of land required a lot of mental gymnastics as to think up what logistical planning they would require as well as the mental foresight to predict other factors.

Edited November 21, 2019 by Randal
not enough words

[Randal 0]

Randal was fairly sure that walking around in circles aimlessly was not going to do him any real good, after all he only got up to check this one safe area every like what...5 minutes? So it’s fairly unsurprising to not see any more flowers until the respawn, Randal just really didn’t expect them to take a figurative forever to respawn.

Spoiler

 ID# 129723

LD: 1 (fail)

Randal’s mind started to wander again, he thought about whether he should try to venture out further than this one area for a higher chance of finding the flowers that this quest demanded.

Looking down at his fists and examining his legs, he knew he was wholly capable of taking down another mob, but would dread the whole situation and struggle until he at least got a bit stronger than he currently was. 

No damage buffs and no sword arts makes combat extremely difficult to sustain because of how long the fights tend to drag out for.

Edited November 21, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Randal decided to wait just a little bit longer in this spot, after all even if he had been fully capable of defeating one mob at a time, taking on a whole armada of them would end his career.

Fortunately he wasn’t wrong as a flower was heard spawning right behind him.

4/5 Vitality Tulips Found 

Spoiler

 ID# 129726

LD: 13 (success)

+1 T1 material

 

There were many men in history whom had let their overconfidence in little victories cost them their caution and made them careless in their tactics.

Allowing their enemies to pull the wool over their eyes and utilise an advantage over them. In this case, Randal was afraid to let a swarm of enemies gather around him for fear that he would not be able to escape. Not to mention the possibility of a larger more dangerous mode being pulled over by accident.

He remembered a few things that he had read on the internet awhile ago, like the Battle of ChangPin in old China.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Randal

[Randal 0]

In the battle of ChangPin, two great armies from different factions had been warring for over three years. And the aggressive faction had never been able to overtake or overcome the massive encampments and military bases that the defensive faction had. 

One day an aspiring war leader from the aggressive faction finally managed to gather what he believed was a number of troops and forces that was guaranteed to be able to overrun the enemy.

And he was right....up to a point. In his courage and infinite wisdom, he managed to beat back the defensive faction to their last line of defence but in his eagerness to chase them down and defeat them, he attacked too fast for his supply lines to catch up.

An equally great tactician managed to manoeuvre a cavalry force around the aggressive forces and cut off and killed the supply team, suffocating the aggressive army through insufficient food and water.

 Just like the great failure at Changpin, Randal didn’t find another flower.

Spoiler

 ID# 129765

LD: 7 (fail)