[PP-F1] Gathering Buddies <EaL Gatherer> (Astreya)

[Bismuth 0]

Bismuth blushed at the praise that Astreya was giving him. It was really nice for someone to be interested in his work, most people just brushed it off. "Well, it is still a little bit more complicated than that, knowing where it spawns is only half the battle, knowing how to fully locate that can take a lot of practice and skill, and honestly just luck." Bismuth smiled hoping he didn't dash her spirit at all "Though that is a big half of the battle, next time, maybe I can come with and see if I can help you." Bismuth hoped that if he did go with her on something like that, that he would actually be a help. While he had it documented, with how low level he was there were a lot of things he couldn't do, after all this was a game, and all the practical skill in the world can only help you so much. That was part of the reason he was pushing to level at this point, he had reached somewhat of a roadblock with what he could accomplish as he was, and he wanted to help out in the frontlines for a change.

Still foraging through the plains Bismuth smiled at her again as she kept giving him compliments, if she wasn't careful it would just go to his head. "There are a surprising amount of materials that can be found right outside of the main villages for a floor. But I had a lot of help either way, those people did all the heavy lifting I just drew and wrote things in my journal." Bismuth patted the book on his thigh before continuing his search, without any luck evidently.

Spoiler

Gathering:

LD: 9 = failure

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by Bismuth

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Foraging
ID: 203180
CD: 2 No Bonus
LD: 14 +1 Material! | +5 EXP

----

The girl nodded along with his words, quite interested in what he had to say regarding this whole thing.  Honestly, Astreya was generally pretty bad about finding...just about anything.  It had taken her forever to find the materials needed for the first quests and the one for her Performer career, and then to find Frosty had been even worse.  She'd tracked that bird all over the entire ninth floor before she finally had managed to convince it to join her.  And even then, Frosty was way better at hunting down treasures and stuff than she was.  She had come to rely on the creature quite a bit, and as she then realized that Frosty wasn't around, she tilted her head to the side.  

"Man, maybe I'm just not all that lucky then," the girl responded with a laugh. "It always takes me forever, to like, find anything here in the game.  My pet bird does a way better job than I do," she mused, although Frosty wasn't quite around at the moment.  She wondered where the bird had gotten off to.  Streya figured the creature would show up here sooner or later.  The bird tended to find her and bring her all sorts of shines all the time.  "But yeah!  Next time I go hunting for stuff, you should totally come along with!  Even if you don't, like, enjoy fighting, we can totally find some cool treasure and stuff together!" the girl responded.

"Speaking of finding materials..." the girl spoke, leaning down to pick up a semi-glittering item that had caught her vision, earning a "+1 Material" tag from the item before it vanished into her inventory.  "I did such a bad job at finding them in the, like, beginner quest with Zackariah that I like, totally picked up this Foraging Profession so I could find them easier," the girl mused, glancing back toward him.

"Same, like, reason for you?  Just to help with your maps and junk?"

 

[Bismuth 0]

"It takes me forever most of the time too, luck rarely seems to be on my side." Bismuth didn't look up at Astreya as he spoke with her, more intent on finding the demonic scale that he needed to finish this quest, that was until the mention of a pet bird at least. "Pet bird?" Bismuth looked up from his crouching position, staring up at the now taller woman. Bismuth liked animals, and especially birds, so the idea of having one for a pet was intriguing "What kind of bird?"

Bismuth smiled at Astreya's invite to join her on her next expedition "I would love to." Returning to his work bismuth rooted around in the grass, before stumbling onto something. A white flower with yellow speckles on it. Grabbing it Bismuth smiled up at Astreya again "Not a demonic scale, but this Dawnflower can be used for alchemy so at least I have found something." Bismuth held up the pretty flower, a smile on his face from ear to ear, the biggest one she had seen on him yet. "Now we are both getting lucky." Bismuth winked as he went back to his rooting.

Spoiler

Gathering:

LD: 16 = success

CD: 4 = failure

+1 Material

 

Edited February 2, 2022 by Bismuth

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Foraging
ID: 203182 
LD: 3 (Failure | 3 XP)
CD: 10

Free Action: Hunting Familiar [CD: 0/5]
ID: 203183 (936 Col)
LD: 13 (2 Materials)
CD: 3 (2 Materials)
T3 Rare Trinket

----
 

The girl grinned at his words, giving him a sly little wink.  "Well hopefully with the maps it, like, won't take you as long, right?" she asked, mostly just teasing him.  The girl didn't really think that he would take any offense to that, especially given the fact that she did genuinely think the work he'd put into the maps was awesome, but at the same time, she really didn't want him to draw any ire toward her for the commentary.  "I'm kidding, kidding," the girl spoke, raising her hands up with a small laugh, almost in a defensive sort of way.

As he asked about Frosty, however, the girl couldn't help but thank the topic change and she glanced out toward the horizon.  "Y'know how, like, I mentioned Floor Nine?  With all the lava and junk?  Check this out," she spoke, before cupping her hands over her mouth.  "Frostyyyyy!!  C'mere girl!" she called outward.  After a moment, the sound of wings could be heard, and while the Pyre Vultures made most of Floor Nine their home, what approached them was a icy blue creature, with snowflakes forming with each flap before it came down toward Astreya, dropping a small clutch of items.  It turned, cawing at her before looking toward Bismuth and cawing at him as well.

"I dunno what she's saying, but she didn't fly away.  Maybe you're like, a bird person too?" she asked.  She gestured down at the collection of things, putting them into her Inventory.  "But like, this is what she does.  Runs away from combat- she's totally a coward," the girl spoke, earning a small peck from Frosty for her words.  "Hey!  You're the one that runs," she spoke as the bird cawed at her again before taking flight, heading off to who-knew-where.

As he pulled up the flower though, she cheered, clapping.  "Awesome!  We've gotta be getting closer to the scale then right?" she asked, bouncing slightly.

[Bismuth 0]

Bismuth smiled at the way Astreya seemed to jump on the defensive thinking that her teasing, he chuckled a bit, the teasing was all in good fun, and that he didn't mind at all. Bismuth knew that his research was a bit odd to most people, and while it was useful, it wasn't for the greater goal. but hopefully people would see the smaller picture, instead of the whole gallery. 

His smile only grew as he saw the frosty bird, apparently sharing a name with its appearance. "She is so beautiful." Bismuth looked in awe at the graceful creature in flight, landing on Astreya and cawing "I am definitely a bird person, they are just so, majestic" Bismuth smiled at Astreya and the bird in turn laughing at their little squabble. Bismuth kept walking through the grass, searching for more materials hoping he would be able to find the scale he was looking for. All he found however was another flower. "Got another flower." Bismuth looked up at Astreya smiling before continuing the long hunt.

Spoiler

Gathering:

LD: 14 = success

+1 Material

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Bismuth

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Foraging!
ID: 203202
LD: 17 (Success!)
CD: 11 (CRITICALLLL!) | 2 Materials | 8 EXP

--------

"Awww, thanks!" Astreya cheered in response to the man's praise of her bird.  "I think she's, like, really pretty too!  She was such a big pain in the butt to get though!" she called out after the bird as she left.  The bird turned, giving a caw at her before the flight continued off into the distance.  "But, like, yeah!  Back on the Ninth Floor, she was really difficult to get close to.  All the other Pyro Vultures, like, totally kept her safe!  But I went after her!  And I got her!  Eventually," the girl admitted, remembering just how long it had taken to get the bird to listen to her.

At the man's note that he had found another one of the herbs, Astreya blinked, turning her head slightly to the side as she moved to creep near him, looking as if she were going to come too close, when she moved a little past him, seeing a small glittering object on the ground.  She reached down, grabbing ahold of the small, crystalline item that was half buried in the dirt, getting an alert for '2 Materials' as she did so. "Nice!  This'll be, like, awesome for my Performer thing!"

She glanced back over toward him.  "We'll find that, like, Demonic Scale!" she spoke, grinning his way.

[Bismuth 0]

Bismuth was glad that his praise of Astreya's bird, frosty, made her happy, he sincerely did think that the icy bird was gorgeous, and the smile it brought Astreya was also a nice sight. "I haven't heard a lot about familiar hunting." Bismuth listened to her talk about her story finding the bird, though it was a short one, all but sitting in the grass by her side. "Well I am really glad you found her, she is a gorgeous find." Bismuth smiled, standing up out of the grass and stretching after Astreya had found materials beside him "You're a performer? That's awesome, what kind of music?"

Bismuth and Astreya had already seemingly explored and searched the entirety of the small plains that she had found her demonic scale in. "Well, I at least don't think we will be able to find it here, maybe the compass can lead us somewhere else." Bimuth pulled it out, and sure enough it was pointing away from their field still. "You ready for a walk?" Bismuth asked smiling at his companion taking a step forward

Spoiler

Gathering:

LD: 13 = failure

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Bismuth

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Foraging!
ID: 203227
LD: 17 (Success!)
CD: 11 (CRITICALLLL!) | 2 Materials | 8 EXP

--------
 

"So like, the whole Familiar thing is like, totally a pain.  Like it's cool when you're done with the quest, but let me tell you what... make sure that you're, like, definitely prepared to go," she spoke, frowning as she pointed at the other.  "I had to track down this, like, gypsy lady?  And she was totally weird.  Still not sure that this was a good idea," the girl spoke, glancing out after where Frosty went... but before she could go further, the man brought up her profession, and Astreya couldn't help a slight flush to her features.

"Uhhh, so like.  I'm not actually all that good at music.  I just like... okay so I got guilted into it by, like, an NPC," she spoke, giving him an embarrassed smile.  "So like, there's this NPC I listen to that like, plays music from time to time, and so like... I decided to ask them about it and then the next thing I knew...I was an Entertainer."  

"So like, right now I'm just kinda figuring it out but if I had to choose it'd be, like... Lo-Fi?  Just some, like, relaxing music with some vocals on top.  I'm not very good yet," the girl admitted.  "Oh!  But if you are going after a pet, like, let me see if I can like, maybe make you something?" she asked, giving him a small smile.

As soon as the man mentioned going somewhere else, the girl blinked, realizing there was another set of Materials for her.  "Oh awesome!" she spoke, picking up the materials, before she looked back up at him. "Yeah!  Sure!  Let's go!" she cheered with a grin.

[Bismuth 0]

"I have heard some stories about the Gypsy, mainly just that she was, disconcerting. Though I haven't met her myself, maybe I will run into her soon." Bismuth smiled at Astreya's blush, it was cute, and funny, though having any profession was still further than he had gotten so it was still impressive. "That honestly seems to be how all of the professions end up gaining more practitioners. It seems like they always get roped into it." Bismuth chuckled a bit before commenting again "And I bet you are an amazing musician."

"I would love to be able to listen to your songs as I hunt for one." Bismuth smiled at Astreya mimicking her own. Bismuth was content right now, Astreya was easy to get along with so far, and he enjoyed walking as they talked, before long the compass had led them to a new field, one with a big tree in the center. "Here seems like as good a place as any to search." Bismuth began rooting around in the grass again, but for the moment was unable to find anything of note.

Spoiler

Gathering:

LD: 3 = failure

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by Bismuth

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Foraging!
ID: 203343
LD: 18 (Success!)
CD: 2 (No Critical) | 1 Materials | 5 EXP

-----------------

"I don't know about amazing but, like, I'm learning.  Gives me something to do instead of just kinda... y'know, hanging around the first town and just like, waiting for something to happen.  Or to get up the nerve to, like, totally go out and do some questing," the girl spoke, giving a small grin.  " But sure!  Especially like... I think I can make a song that helps if you're totally trying to get a pet in the future!  Let me know and like, you can stop by my place and I'll hook you up...if I can make it," the woman admitted with a small smile.

As they found a new place to look, Astreya grinned slightly, considering for a moment before just going for it.  They were going to have to wait until this was handled anyway.  "So like, what's the kind of music that's your jam?  Like, before this," she spoke, gesturing to the wide expanse around them.  "Anything that you'd like?  I don't know if I, like, totally take requests yet or anything, but I can always try, y'know?" she offered with a small grin.

[Bismuth 0]

"I can definitely feel that, I spend most of my time in a cramped room littered with papers and charts, so being able to get out like this is always nice, especially when I have such good company." Bismuth didn't look over at Astreya as he spoke content to just listen to her talk as he looked through the grass placing a flower into his inventory as he did. "I would love to do that, I will definitely make sure to go by your shop before I go out and find the gypsy." This time Bismuth did look up giving Astreya a charming smile as he said that "I am sure that you would be able to make something that is more than good enough." 

Bismuth smiled at her small talk, he didn't understand why people disliked this so much, the comfortability that came from just being able to talk about anything that came to mind with someone was a good feeling, and small talk was that sort of talking. "I'd say that folk rock is probably my biggest jam honestly." Bismuth tilted his head as he pondered further "Though, pub rock is also really good, and there are a lot of songs that I like that are pop songs." Bismuth smiled before continuing "I'd like to hear your own style though, a genre that makes your heart pump, that's what music is all about right? The emotions behind it that fuel the lyrics are what makes it good. I want to hear the real Astreya." Bismuth smiled at Astreya again, hoping that she wouldn't take any offense to his words, they were forward, and music can share someone's deepest secrets, so he didn't know if what he said could be taken as an insult.

Spoiler

Gathering:

LD: 19 = success

CD: 2 = fail

+1 material

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by Bismuth

[Astreya 0]

Foraging Roll Failure!  +3 EXP

--------

"Right?  Having good company is the best!" she agreed with a smile, once more folding her hands behind her lower back, bending forward slightly as she watched him continue to look for the Demonic Scale.  Sure, it was a difficult thing to find (it took her forever to find hers too) but it was nice to be able to spend this time with someone that was good to talk to.  But as he agreed to stop by her shop before he left, she couldn't help but to beam a smile his way.  "Cool!  I'll, like, make sure to have one ready for you!  I hadn't had any customers before, so like, now I'll have a goal to work toward!" she called, giving him a grin.

He offered then some ideas about the music that he was into, and she nodded along with what he said.  "Yeah, like pop music is totally what I listen to but like, folk music is totally cool too!" she spoke, beaming a smile at him.  "My mom was like, super into it, so I listened to a lot of it growing up." 

At his words though, wanting to hear a song from her and to hear what she wanted to sing, the girl gave a small thought.  "Hmm~  Yeah, like, I can do something like that.  It'll be kinda fun to just go all out!"  She began to think on what she'd like to sing.  She was starting to get some familiarity with instrumentation... maybe she could put something out that was pretty neat?

[Bismuth 0]

"I'll be there." Bismuth smiled right back at Astreya making a promise to himself that if he found a familiar, Astreya would be the first person he went to for it. "I would love to get to be your very first customer, I will be waiting." Bismuth smiled back at Astreya as they talked about this. "I like more obscure pop to be honest. most people haven't heard of most  of them. And is my music taste really that old?" Bismuth remarked laughing a bit, he was only in his early twenties by now, but he had always liked the style of older genres. 

Bismuth smiled at Astreya as she agreed to go all out and sing for him some day possibly. That thought was distracted though, by what seemed to be a red glint coming from a branch on the tree that stood in the center of the clearing. "Do you see that?" Bismuth pointed it out, running up  to the tree and climbing up its branches with a skilled hand, before she even had time to respond. Reaching out bismuth grabbed what was a large red scale the size of his palm, holding it out to Astreya from the branch of the tree "I do believe that this right here, is our scale." Bismuth smiled before hopping down from the tree with a small thud in front of Astreya.

Spoiler

Gathering:

LD: 15 = success

CD: 10 = success

+1 Demonic Scale

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by Bismuth

[Astreya 0]

Astreya grinned widely at the man's words.  "I don't know about old, necessarily, but that's definitely not a normal taste, like, at all!" she spoke, giving him a small laugh.  "But yeah!  Totally stop on by!  You can be my first and then like, you can show me whatever pet you get!  Maybe Frosty will like it?" she spoke, giving a small smile toward him, and she gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, not sure if the creature would like anything.  The bird just generally was standoffish toward...just about everything.

However, at his sudden question, she blinked, looking up at the tree.  "Oh wow!" she called out, pointing up toward it.  "That's awesome, you found one!" the girl called, even as he climbed the tree like a monkey, moving with far more ease than she could muster in her armor before he hopped down, holding onto the scale.  "That's so awesome!  So like, are you gonna mark that on your maps as like a spawn thingie?" she asked, tilting her head to the side, curious if he was actually going to go that far or not.

"Or like, is this thing like just a quest spawn?" she asked, curious.

[Bismuth 0]

"If Frosty is going to be there than I have to show up, I can't say no to such a  pretty bird." Bismuth smiled from the tree as he called down. The shard was now in his possession and he could go turn the quest in and officially become a gatherer. Which would hopefully help with his research. He didn't really know any of the way that the profession actually work, but with a name like forager, it had to help with his ability to gather, at least hopefully. 

"I don't know I would have to do more research at the very least, I don't fully know how it works, in all of my research I have never seen one of these. So they have to be really rare." Bismuth smiled at the thought of them being rare, finding rare materials, was well, rare, and doing it always sent a jolt of joy through his spine. and it was evident to anyone around that Bismuth was very happy. "Either way I have something new to add into my journal." Bismuth said as he pulled the one on his thigh off along with pencil quickly sketching the scale and writing what little information he had about it, which for now was not much, it seemed like it could be used to make even stronger weapons. Bismuth closed his book and replaced it soon after. "Well then, accompany me back to the druid?" Bismuth said sticking his arm out like he had when they first accepted the quest, he was glad to have met Astreya, and hopefully soon they would do things together again.

[Astreya 0]

The girl gave him a slight grin in response to his words.  "No idea if like, she'll be there.  She's pretty fickle when it comes to like, just about everything," the girl admitted with a shake of her head.  The bird just tended to come and go whenever she felt like and it was hard for her to keep the creature under any amount of control at all.  "So like, if she wants to be there, she'll be there.  Otherwise I might be able to call her?  It's hard to say- she's, like, totally independent when it comes to just about everything."  She expected it was because the creature had been basically coddled and held all the time by the actual pyre Vultures back on her home floor.  But all the same, it was a little annoying for the creature to just fly off randomly.

As he began to talk about what he was going to have to do about getting new research on this particular thing, the girl couldn't help but to beam a smile at him.  "They're pretty cool!  I've got the one from this quest too, so like, I knew what it was... sorta.  I'm still not sure what it's like, totally used for?  Something with crafting, per the description, but I'm totally way too far off from doing that," she spoke, shaking her head slightly.  

"Seeing you geek out like that is totally cute though.  You're like a little kid who just got his favorite candy," she spoke with a grin, nodding at his question.  "Yeah!  Let's get you that Gatherer Profession!"

[Bismuth 0]

Bismuth chuckled at her last statement "This is better than any candy I have ever been given." He smiled at Astreya as they walked to the NPC that gave the foraging profession quest, blushing slightly at being called cute. this was the mot real he had been with another person in a long time and it felt refreshing. "Hopefully this helps with my books." Bismuth remarked idly almost vibrating from excitement as they got closer and closer to the quest giver. It didn't take long.

Bismuth approached the druid presenting his demonic scale and the compass to her "So you've found a Demonic Shard! You continue to impress me. I'll confess, you've learned all that I could teach you through this single quest. Trial by fire has always been my preferred style." Grinning now, the pretty blonde holds out her hand. "As payment for your troubles, why don't you keep the Shard? I will be needing the compass back, however. Next time you hunt for a Shard, you will have to earn it the hard way - with your own skill!" Bismuth placed the compass into her hand as a quest complete notification showed up in front of him. Bismuth closed it before turning back to Astreya "Thankyou so much for all of your help." He beamed at her "I hope we do this again soon." Locking eyes with Astreya Bismuth gave a small eccentric bow before he turn and walked away, trying to hide the small blush that was on his face as he left. That went very well he thought to himself.

 

[Bismuth 0]

Thread Summary

Bismuth:

2066 EXP: 300 Quest, 1766 Thread Contents

3 Materials: 3 gathering

1 Demonic Shard: 1 quest

Forager Profession

Astreya:

5298 EXP: 5298 Thread Contents

936 Col: 936 Hunting Familiar

3 Fail, 2 Succeed, 2 Critical Foraging: (3*3) + (2*5) + (2*8) = 35 Foraging XP

T3 Rare trinket: Hunting Familiar

10 Materials: 4 Hunting Familiar, 6 Gathering