[PP-F1] You smell that? That's Wild

[Randal 0]

Quest Info

Randal Equipment

Spoiler

Neptune's Tidings | Claw | Tier 3 | DMG 3

Cloth Trousers | Cloth Armor | Tier 3 | EVA 3

Ladybug Earrings | Accessory | Tier 3 | LD 3

Lvl 23 Randal Stats
HP 460/460 | Energy 64/64 | Damage 18 (+2 SA) | MIT 20 | ACC 3 | EVA 4 | LD 6 |

Skills and Mods

Spoiler

Searching Rank 3 14SP                   (+2 LD and + 2 Stealth detection)
 Claw Rank 5 30SP                             (+7 DMG)
                Mod Stamina 4SP             (EN cost -2)
                Mod Ferocity 6SP             (+2 DMG for sword arts)
Cloth Armor Rank 5 30SP              (+20 MIT)
                Mod Athletics 4SP            (+1 DMG)
                Mod Nimble 6SP               (+1 EVA and +1 LD)
Combat Master Rank 3 13 SP      (+3 ACC )
Survival                                                (Healing +10% and No Environment DMG)

Battle-Ready Equipment

Spoiler

NIL

The ongoings inside Horunka village were in a fluster, everyone was preparing for a festival that day as frontline teams had cleared the 25th floor, Randal wondered when he would be able to join them and start to make progress in the game again.

Nonetheless, refusing to let this get home down on such a special atmosphere, Randal decided to check out the information brokers to see if there is anything new that has happened and low and behold there really was. A sudden cave had appeared somewhere on the first floor.

While he was deep in thought about what to do with this information, he spots  someone wandering the streets nearby. Running up to them, Randal starts up a conversation, “Hey there, you seem to be wandering around loitering with nothing to do? I was just about to run a quest, if you’re not too busy you wanna just tag along? It is not too far from here and we can make in a day.”

@Damien

Edited April 24, 2021 by Randal

[Demian 0]

<<SotW: Keepers of Nature's Treasure>>

"Loitering...?"

The words fell out of Daemien's mouth, a drawl. The man looked haggard, unimpressed, but not because of what had transpired nor who it was that had spoken to him.

But he'd never heard that term of phrase used to describe himself before. Loitering, he ruminated, the faintest traces of the word upon his lips as he nearly mouthed it again. Was he loitering? Truth to be told, even Daemien couldn't say; after the wash of darkness that sunk the castle into a whole new world, nothing felt concrete any more. The man had always wasted time making pastries, so the description felt rather apt, since it had been his life back then. Now, it was a necessity. Cooking was all he had.

Loitering, he repeated again in his head. His hazy red eyes were stuck on the grass amongst the chaos, and they flickered back to the player speaking to him. Had they left? Maybe he shouldn't have taken too long to have spoken, if that were the case. But he was kind enough, whoever they were, to have started a conversation with him amidst his loss and... loitering.

A quest, he had proposed.

"Sure," Daemien replied. In his hand was a toothpick; he flicked it away to the ground as he savoured the remaining taste of pork, gifts from the festival. Shallow in taste, just like his creations. Why he trusted Cardinal again to offer him better, he didn't know.

The wooden stick trickled away into blue lights. Daemien set his empty hand back into his pocket. He extended his other to the player for a handshake.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance. Maxwell. Where are you off to?"

DAEMIEN | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 11 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 12 | REGEN: 1

Spoiler [EQUIPMENT] Torres Special -- [ Damage III | +3 DMG. ] Enduring Stand -- [ Mitigation II | +12 MIT. ] -- [ Regen I | Heal 5 HP every turn for 3 rounds. DoTs will not trigger Regen. Does not stack with Battle Healing. Taking damage while Regen is active will refresh Regen to its full duration. ] bauble. -- [ Accuracy II | +2 ACC. ] -- [ Evasion I | +1 EVA. ] [BATTLE-READY INVENTORY] Costa de Estrellas -- [ Loot Die III | +3 LD. ] [SKILLS] Spoiler Two-Handed Straight Sword | Passive | RANK 5/5 [BUFFS] Spoiler - - -

 

---

lmages. Spoiler [credit ::] * [ credit :: tttt_tt_t  ] * [ credit :: Ramkuriri ]

[Randal 0]

“Pleasure to meet you, Randal here.” He said with a smile, accepting the handshake of his almost cowboy sounding new companion.

“I am headed towards one of the areas over by the great valley, there is mentions of a place where the forest and valley where there it’s something worth exploring. Maybe you have been there before? It used to be a popular farming ground.” Randal slowly persuaded his already convinced ally.

They walked as they spoke, sharing their details and forming a party as they went, Randal sent a friend request so that they wouldn’t lose track of each other as they traveled.

Eventually they come up on the location mentioned by the brokers and in place of the usual mobs and first floor players that crowded the place on a typical day was an atypical entrance, crowded by players of the middle and upper tier and trying to enter and it snaked into a long queue of players all trying to enter. 

Oddly enough, there was as many players coming out as there were going in, maybe there’s limited space?

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB	Character	Link	Purpose	Time
190352	8	9	12	8	Randal	http://www.cydel.net/images/saorpg/diceroll/Msg_hover2.png	Find Material	2021-04-24 09:04:57

Edited April 24, 2021 by Randal

[Demian 0]

Randal. Daemien recalled the other player he'd met on his travels as he registered a new one in his memory. Randal, Orvilla. He remembered how names could make one fonder of people. Now he knew of two strangers.

The man closed his eyes as he started, following alongside Randal in long strides. His head turned upwards to the sky. "I'm not much for combat to begin with," he said, "Though I do recall the influx of players there, yes." It was right after the boar rush back when the game started, he believed. Now, it was desolate, used only as a shortcut towards the north of the floor. Players used to take the forest; with increased levels, the wildlife near the valley were nothing but annoyances.

He was about to continue when the appearance of a new menu caught him off-guard.

A friend request.

Daemien didn't have many friends.

He took it, if only to appease his fellow man. And then he wondered if it were human nature to have bonded so quickly with another. "Did you leave town often back during those days?" He wasn't sure what sort of player Randal was defined to be. "I personally stayed home, being honest."

It was after the third player they'd passed that Daemien noticed something was amiss. Wasn't this place supposed to be empty? Where used to be a scenic view of earthen colours, now instead there were players of different garbs and statures, weapons and tools lined up towards a location that was supposed to hold nothing.

A quest, indeed. "The queue makes things... civil," Daemien added, after staying quiet for a bit. His wide eyes still pinpointed his surprise for the strange turn of events. It was in his nature to have fallen in line, so he did, head leaning to a side as he examined what he could of the front in great curiosity. When it was clear to him he wouldn't gleam any more information than 'something of great value might be here', he turned to his new friend, brows furrowed.

"I don't supposed you're interested in investigating this place. Are you? If this wasn't the place you'd wanted to head towards, we could leave."

[Randal 0]

“No, No,” Randal quickly spoke surprised at how fast they had assimilated in the queue. “The quest marker is definitely ahead of us, and this looks like the location of the famous hunting ground. Look over there.” Randal pointed to a path of grass that was uninterrupted by the trees creating an open space where monsters used to spawn.

“Watch.” Randal said and hit up a conversation the player ahead of him. A blue-haired player in blue and black garments turned to face the duo and Randal asked him what the queue was for.

The man proceeded to laugh stating that young fools that join queues not know what they were queuing for was only looking for trouble, but then continued to explain. “When the update on the 25^th floor first came, many changes occurred all over Aincrad, this was one of them, not wanting to miss out, my guild and I are here to check out the place. The queue is here because no one else has managed to get into the dungeon yet, and each party is only given 30 mins at a time to figure it out. The queue formed as a result of a squabble that occurred over entry rights, someone almost died, now we abide by the rule to avoid unfortunate events.”

Spoiler

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB	Character	Link	Purpose	Time
190353	2	12	2	5	Randal	http://www.cydel.net/images/saorpg/diceroll/Msg_hover2.png	Find Material	2021-04-24 09:05:51

 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Randal

[Demian 0]

Well talk about touchy. Daemien winced, taken aback by how quickly Randal had rejected the notion of the line. In time, the player would query another about the queue.

Looking for trouble? It sounded as though competing for the hunting grounds were trouble in a nutshell. There were plenty of different locations in Aincrad, and even more sights to see, things to do.

What was it about incremental numbers?

Daemien soured at the thought. Narrowed his eyes and folded his arms. He only grunted an affirmation once he'd heard of the guild personnel's plight, and yet it connected with the man none.

"What, is there something at the entry that's specific to its location?" Given the network of brokers Aincrad had, it should've been little problem that multiple players were able to solve a pressing query at a moment's notice. The screenshot and messaging features were also proof of this. Was it the glory in unveiling the secret of what lied ahead first? The man looked to Randal, shooting him a confused yet frustrated look. "Unless you're up for a bout of puzzle solving, I think we should stay out of this."

[Randal 0]

This was the second Maxwell was thinking about leaving the group. Randal wanted his new friend to stay for awhile longer, partly because the company was always good, but mostly because at moments Randal felt some disconcertingly off with the man’s moods. He seemed neither here nor there, neither caring nor uncaring.

“I’m always up for a good questing and exploring, I was here for the intention of it anyway. Just come along and let us see what all the other players are struggling at.” Eventually the line dwindled down and was shaved off by the progress of time bit by bit.

The duo upon reaching the front of the line, checked the time in the interface and were asked to keep it to 30 minutes or less for the sake of others behind them. When they finally entered, they saw what stood before them. The cavern opened from where a rock wall used to be. Now light was trickling in from the top of the room, a hole to the outside acting as the ventilation for the whole area. A tree majestically grew despite the surround darkness under a stream of sunlight, bouncing off it is leaves to reveal a greenish hue over the surroundings. A small underground river gurgled along the side.

Spoiler

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB	Character	Link	Purpose	Time
190354	8	11	2	5	Randal	http://www.cydel.net/images/saorpg/diceroll/Msg_hover2.png	Find Material	2021-04-24 09:06:25

 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Randal

[Demian 0]

Daemien wasn't particularly moved by the wait, nor the sight that was before them, that vivid dreamscape of pristine nature, a growth despite the odds retained underground. At best, he hugged the coat upon his shoulders closer to his form; it was colder within than it was standing in line.

Had the brook passed under his feet, he was certain to avoid disturbing its waters, moving silently forward with grace like a cat's. He stopped at the base of the tree, right where the sunlight sparkled down upon the moss before it the brightest; there was a podium there, etched with certain markings upon the stone. Though Daemien was experienced with Cardinal's foolery, even he was scrambling to connect with the new sigils that stood before him.

So much for a reuse of previous content. The man huffed, squatting once he got closer to it, mouthing to himself its translation under his breath.

ID: 189665 | LD: 10 | Deciphering stone tablet...
 | 10/60.

[Randal 0]

Randal followed after his ally towards the center of the cavern. His eyes traced the runes that were engraved on the stone tablet. Randal was uncertain about the origin of the tablet nor of any cultural heritage that Aincrad had sought to insert into the world but Randal decided to look around for inspiration. He explored every inch of the cavern. He nimbly climbed the great tree that stood still in the silence to survey the surrounding but came up mostly empty handed. However, he did spot the same kind of markings on the tablet as on the large stone door opposite the entrance, the fact that symbols appear more than once in the cave is no coincidence.

“Maxwell look, over by the door there are symbols just like the ones on the tablet, I think that they mean something, are you able to interpret the words that are on the tablet, there must be a cipher located nearby.” Randal informed and advised.

Randal was not a linguist but he thought himself semi-intelligent and figured that there was no way an unsolvable quest would be given.

Randal deciphering tablet LD 11+6=20 | 27/60

Spoiler

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB	Character	Link	Purpose	Time
189666	2	10	11	8	Randal	http://www.cydel.net/images/saorpg/diceroll/Msg_hover2.png	Deciphering Tablet SOTW	2021-04-20 06:03:37

 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Randal

[Demian 0]

The man raised his head at the mention of more symbols. As though his instincts for correction hadn't exactly made it hard enough to read. Daemien frowned, eyes set towards their entrance his companion had ordered; upon his menu, he saved a screenshot of the tablet's writings and started towards the door, footsteps hastened with his mind still set on translating the sigils on the image.

He clicked his tongue after a moment. Cardinal liked making things difficult for him. When he reached the wall, the signs were deciphered from the new language to something he was more familiar with. And yet, even with his knowledge,

"These are some complex words for something trying to be so vague."

And what was the point of it all?

Daemien huffed, turning around to check on his companion's status; he'd ascended up the tree a while ago, and Daemien wasn't certain if the player could hear him yell with the distance between them. Nevertheless, hollering was worth a shot. "It's talking about some marks adventurers should hunt. 'The Keepers of Nature', or something like that. The details are lost on me, however."

ID: 189667 | LD: 17 | Deciphering stone tablet...
 | 44/60.

[Randal 0]

“Marks…Marks…Sort of like targets? That is what games before this called targets that assassins had to kill, isn’t it?” Randal pondered as Maxwell’s words struck a chord in his brain and his mind went at a million miles per hour.

Randal tried a variety of ways to decipher the code, but the one that worked in the end was to replace the most common letter with E, he had read somewhere that that was the most common letter used in the English language and so he hoped that the Cipher were symbols that represented the English Language.

Luckily, it worked out well, in the end, the tablet warped and changed, and Randal called out to Maxwell to see. “Look! I did it!” Randal announced. The words on the tablet reflected a series of puzzles maybe that the player would have to undergo and solve to get, no not puzzles, these were descriptions of creatures that he would have to defeat to het the marks. On the plus side of taking on difficult trials set by the Cardinal System, the players would be able to harness the power of Nature to their benefit. Sounds good.

Randal Deciphered the tablet LD 17+6=23 | 67/60

Spoiler

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB	Character	Link	Purpose	Time
189668	1	6	17	1	Randal	http://www.cydel.net/images/saorpg/diceroll/Msg_hover2.png	Deciphering Tablet SOTW	2021-04-20 06:13:41

 

[Demian 0]

Games before this? Daemien tilted his head. Sure, his memory did register something of the sort...

"A hunt," he reiterated, hoping the new term would sink in for the player. He watched from afar as the man looked over the tablet, returning to his side to attempt resolving the puzzle -- although, Randal had gotten to the punchline quicker than Daemien could fall into step. Looking over the tablet, the descriptions of the monsters they would hunt were not unfamiliar, but neither was Daemien a hunter, nor did he speak of such quests to any of his associates back in the Town of Beginnings.

"Well, mystery solved." He gave Randal a slap on the back, meaning it to be a complimentary sign. "So what's it to you, are you about to sell that information out now?"

Though, he paused, giving his companion a look over. "Or are you going to take them on first? Not sure what this 'blessing of nature' would be, but anything to help your build, aye?"

[Randal 0]

At the moment when Randal managed to decipher all the words on the stone tablet, the information in his quest log changed, he no longer needed to make sense of the tablet but to hunt down the marks and return a collection of them to this location.

Randal pondered over Maxwell’s question, he could very well get some col from the sale of the information and he should very well try, failure did not implicate Randal in anyway. “Yea, you and I should try to sell the information assuming the quest did not auto update for everyone.” The time they had left inside the cave was still enough for them to take their time but there was no reason for them to linger.

“I definitely would like to try to take them on if I could, if nothing else, just to check out what they were.” Randal replied to Maxwell. “After we try to sell the information, do you want to stop by my shop? To celebrate our success.” Randal offered.

Spoiler

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB	Character	Link	Purpose	Time
190355	5	9	7	8	Randal	http://www.cydel.net/images/saorpg/diceroll/Msg_hover2.png	Find Material	2021-04-24 09:11:04

 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Randal

[Demian 0]

"I doubt it will." Cardinal never had quest logs orderly for each player as a whole. Even shared objectives for a player base at large were isolated to the task-giver itself. Tanabata had shown him that. "Although, I'm not in the business of quest dealing, either. And I'm not about to get started, either."

Daemien started out towards the door. Despite their allowance given for the room, he didn't like keeping other players waiting. As though he were an obstacle, or something of the sort. "It'd be best to keep any offers for yourself, the payout and any further information both. No need to mention any word of it to me. I'm just some random nobody."

The man tucked his hands into his pockets, perking up at the sudden suggestion of food. To watch another person cook? At least there he could get some pointers...

"I'll take you up on your offer, however." His eyes bounced between Randal and the door. "Lead the way. What kind of store do you manage? Cuisine type?"

[Randal 0]

Seeing his partner’s disapproval was not pleasant, but Randal figured that every person had their own preferences and lines that they would and would not cross.

“Haha, great follow me, you’re probably going to love it, the initial concept was for the shop to be aa snack shop which incorporated all the snacks that I could remember from the old world and recreate them here in Aincrad. I have made replicas of hotdogs, chicken kaarage, onigiri, coffee, donuts, and bagels, generally feature snacks that are likely to be found in Asia though, I do not have much experience of food outside that region.” Randal explained while leading Damien out of the cave and past the other players who gleeful entered after Randal. Please at the fact that the duo was leaving early before the allotted time was up. They would need to take a few moment to get out of the forest and back towards Horunka Village.

Spoiler

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB	Character	Link	Purpose	Time
190356	2	1	10	10	Randal	http://www.cydel.net/images/saorpg/diceroll/Msg_hover2.png	Find Material	2021-04-24 09:11:40

 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Randal

[Demian 0]

Well, neither did Daemien himself have much experience with different types of food. But the list Randal had given him seemed more a mix than anything else. Hotdogs were American. Kaarage, onigiri; Japanese. Cardinal knew them best. Coffee, donuts, bagels...

A city? In Asia. His guess was made in spite of the fact that the player had mentioned more generic foods than ones that fit asian cuisine best. The signs were pointing the man to be Japanese. He didn't look the type, to Daemien's memory. Then again, he hadn't met a lot of them to begin with. He continued to nod, however, watching the crowd step to where they once stood.

"Did you make dishes when you were out in the real world?" The best he could do now was try and draw comparisons to his style and his companion's. "I'm sort of a chef myself. Although... I'm always trying to get better at it. Patisserie."

[Randal 0]

Randal felt pleasantly surprised at the revelation that Maxwell too was a chef, there was quite a number of them present in the game and they were always so different from one another, it was a happy coincidence that they were both cooks too. Randal’s face was visibly brighter as a result of that knowledge and opened up to Maxwell about his life outside the game.

It was normally a difficult topic to go over but when it was on the subject of food, there was no hard feelings. “I did not used to cook when I was outside no, it was because I could not stand the food, they were giving us in here that I decided to become a cook. Before this, I was a motivator for kids. Where is your shop, maybe we can head there after you have something at mine.”

They were fast reaching Horunka village and soon Maxwell could see the shack that Randal called home.

Spoiler

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB	Character	Link	Purpose	Time
190357	7	11	1	2	Randal	http://www.cydel.net/images/saorpg/diceroll/Msg_hover2.png	Find Material	2021-04-24 09:12:04

 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Randal

[Demian 0]

So their motivations were equal, then.

Only, one of them had the ability to make their food not taste like--

"I move around," Daemien commented, eyes darkened for a moment. He forced himself to spur at the man's choice of career outside of the game. A motivator for kids, something like a babysitter, then? The man wasn't able to relate; at best, a figure like that would've been his older brother.

So like, an older brother to... a variety of kids.

No, that didn't seem to fit the bill. Out of answers for himself, Daemien narrowed his eyes. "What does a 'motivator for kids' do on a daily basis? ...Change diapers?"

(But more importantly, he should've been asking, 'Kids, how old?')

Randal had soon taken them to Horunka; funny, he should've expected that this was the man's home after being approached there earlier. On the other hand, he was there on a materials search rather than to seek out shelter. There was plenty of it under foliage. Besides, Daemien wasn't bothered by nature.

The shack seemed old, weathered -- but in decent condition, taken care of. He hummed at the sight, nodding towards it with his head. "After you."

[Randal 0]

Prior to reaching the shack, Randal cocked his head to side while looking at Maxwell inquisitively, “You don’t know what a motivator is? In all honesty because I don’t think I’ll live long enough to get out of this death game, its just someone who takes money from schools and parents who believe that their children need someone to encourage them to do better through fables and stories with lessons.” He said with a shrug, he had been much more passionate about his job before he got trapped in the game when one of his kids gave it to him as a gift.

When they arrived at the house, Maxwell offered to enter after Randal, but was halted at the entrance. “No no, the inside is for the chef only, take a seat over there by the window and give me a hot minute.” Randal prattled quickly before entering the house. After about 10 minutes, he opened the window, and the smell of fried chicken left the house like a dam that had been broken. Randal placed the crispy chicken into a piece of paper for holding and passed it to Maxwell, drizzling some honey and spice on it before inviting him to take a bite.

“Don’t tell me if its bad, only if its good!” He said before taking a seat in front of Maxwell. It was good day, he completed a quest and made a new friend, hopefully Maxwell would feel the same way. Randal sent a friend invite to Maxwell. “Let’s do this again more, there a continuation to this quest maybe we can tackle it together when you’re a little stronger.”

[Demian 0]

"That just sounds..."

Plausible? Strange?

"... Unbelievable."

But mostly because Daemien didn't see the need for such a role in society. Children, under the ages of 10? He imagined that they were full of life and motivation enough for even adults to fear. Still, he bought Randal's explanation, shrugging back with folded arms.

He followed orders, but not before taking a look around the shack to examine it better, satiating his curiosity. A seat by the window allowed him a look within, watching Randal work -- the movements, ingredients, all of it seemed standard fare so far. Daemien grit his teeth as he continued to watch, hoping to pick up something of secret that might help in his own cooking.

The smell of something savoury flooded his senses once Randal had prepared the food. Fried chicken; a simple dish, and yet the man couldn't help but begin salivating once he caught whiff of the scent. A hand went to his mouth to abide manners, Daemien watching his friend add spices to it.

“Don’t tell me if its bad, only if its good!”

Daemien shot him a skeptical look, before taking a bite.

--It was amazing.

"This is amazing," he iterated, mouth full of chicken, sauces smeared across his gloves. The texture was tender, delectable; Daemien knew how exactly to master it in the same way his companion did, had probably done so before during his practice sessions alone. But the flavour was overwhelming -- food made by a player, fresh off the stove, warm and scalding and somehow had the world packed into it--

What? A friend invite? Daemien was too busy thinking about food to have registered the rationale behind it, but he accepted the offer anyway. After all, more time with Randal meant more food -- potentially, right? Food that tasted amazing.

He couldn't help but take another bite. There was flavour, flavour to the oil--

Only after he'd finished the dish down to the bone did Daemien finally regain his cool, a crunch of napkins set to the wayside. He cleared his throat, sheepish. The inside of his mouth was still burning with satisfaction.

"Thank... Thank you, Randal. I really appreciate the gift."

(Though he should've also added he wasn't planning on levelling up any time soon, either.)