[PP-F1] Dragon Hunter's Anthology, Part I: Diary of The Dragon Huntsman

[Morningstar 0]

Spoiler

Floor 1
<<DHA 1: Diary of The Dragon Huntsman>>
Party Limit: 3 | 20+ Posts
Repeatable for standard thread rewards.

Quest Rewards:

• 500 Experience Points
• Each player receives:
  • Topaz Gemstone - Not Transferrable
    • "It's an orange topaz which appears to be half an inch in diameter and seems almost perfectly spherical. This has to be of some importance, but exactly what I'm not entirely sure. Maybe more of these journal entries will reveal the secret."
• Unlocks <<DHA 2: The Demon of the Mountains>> quest

Requirements:

• Roleplay meeting and speaking with Fuzziel
• (Option) Obtain Fuzziel's blessing.
• Roleplay searching for the hidden dragon nest.
• Defeat Carsar the Egg Snatcher.
• Retrieve the topaz dragon hatchlings and egg.
• Roleplay reunion and hatching of the topaz dragon.

Summary:

On a random day as you strive to finish a quest, slay a mob, open up a chest, pick an NPC's pockets, perform the fishing skill, or simply just trading with the wandering NPC merchant, you encounter an item drop the likes of which you've never seen before. It appears to be a scroll, at first, with old drawings, maps and runes written into it. After messing around with the 'scroll' for awhile you discover that it isn't a scroll at all, but is actually two separate sheets. The first is a map, while the second appears to be a journal entry with the page number barely visible. While what you assume to be the date is indecipherable, the general text already appears to have been translated.

"It didn't take much time for me to locate my first target. After all, I've been studying dragons since I was a young child. I always knew it was the job I wanted. Now I'll be doing more than I ever imagined. The task I'd set for myself was a grand one indeed. Nevertheless, I've drawn a map of the area to ensure that I don't get lost, and will likely need to draw more in the future. The dragon's lair should be close. I only pray that the creature is sleeping..."
13.

After reading the text, the map makes more sense.  Further inspection makes you suspect that you know where this map may be leading. As you finish reviewing the note and map, a prompt appears before you:

Quest <<Diary of the Dragon Hunter>> Accept Quest? O           X

Upon choosing accept, you are left to locate the dragon's nest. To find the dragon's nest, the player(s) must roleplay searching for the dragon's hidden nest, which requires  an LD roll of 18 or higher, or making 5 posts roleplaying their search.  Five failed LD rolls achieve the same result.  Reaching the dragon's nest, you discover a long dragon with topaz-colored scales curled up in the center of the lair. A few pieces of gold are scattered across the den, but little else other than stone, rubble, cracks and claw marks. The dragon's eyes open as you enter.  It immediately stands up to roar at you, revealing an empty nest with cracked eggs, a dead topaz dragon behind her, and several wicked wounds visible on her underbelly. The dragon makes threatening noises towards you, but does not make the first move. Should the player(s) enquire as to what happened,  she tell them her tale in hopes of gaining their help. She will also reveal where her hatchlings and remaining egg were taken. If the player(s) heal her wounds with healing hands or potions, she will bestow her blessing breath (see below) on everyone, excepting any orange-cursor players. Her wounds will take time to fully be restored, but she will be whole upon the player's return.

Arriving at the specified location, the party catches sight of the missing topaz hatchlings, as well as a dragon egg.  A different topaz dragon rests nearby. The surrounding landscape consists of uneven stone ground, sloping upward in several areas with large stalagmites overhanging steep cliffs and ridges. Many boulders also litter the area. The player can choose to either sneak the hatchlings away (must beat Carsar's detection rating for 2 posts; sneaking to the hatchlings and sneaking back), fighting Carsar head on, or attempting to converse with him and persuade him to give the hatchlings up. If the player(s) fight and slay Carsar, they can roll to find his treasure trove (LD 15+ to succeed) of 5000 col and 15 materials. If the player chooses the stealth option they can still roll to find it, but must make another stealth roll in addition to the LD roll.  Any failed stealth rolls will cause Carsar to attack. The players can roll to find his treasure as many times as needed.

Regardless of which option the player(s) choose, they end up coming across another journal entry from the Dragon Hunter. This one seeming to have different locations written down with 'X' and 'O' marks. Oddly enough, there is also one location on each of the next eight floors in Aincrad...

Dragon Hunter's Journal:

  Hide contents

During this quest alone, players have access to a unique loot system allowing them to obtain more pages of the Dragon Hunter's journal. This has no mechanic benefit and is mostly just for lore collection and achievement purposes, and as such completely optional. Journal pages can be recovered by slaying loot level mobs (does not need to meet player's level to drop), opening chests, picking pockets, or by using the fishing mechanic. The chance of a journal page appearing varies based on the difficulty of the method used (LD bonuses do not count towards this):

Fishing Skill - Drops on 18 LD or higher
Opening Chests - Drops on 17 LD or higher
Picking Pockets - Drops on 15 LD or higher
Slaying Mobs - Drops on 13 LD or higher.

SPOILER WARNING

If you want to discover the journal entries IC as you go along as opposed to reading them before encountering them, don't open this spoiler. Only open it if you aren't afraid of spoilers or if you dropped a specific entry.

 

NPCs:

<<Fuzziel>>
Like others of her species, Fuzziel is capable of human speech. A kind and loving motherly figure, Fuzziel's wrath is quickly defused when dealing with younglings, or kind looking individuals who appear injured. With her hatchlings having been stolen, and having received deep wounds herself, she is desperate enough to accept help from any others willing to offer it. If it is clear the players do not care for good deeds, she will angrily promise them the treasures of the one who stole her children so long as they bring the hatchlings back to her. For humble players with green cursors she will gently breathe on them, giving them her blessing (+1 EVA for this thread. Stacks with normal EVA).

<<Topaz Dragon Hatchlings>>
There are a total of six hatchlings being held by Carsar. They don't dare move without someone there to protect them for fear of Carsar's wrath. One of the hatchlings appears to have received a long scratch along its side, and another walks with a limp. Each of the hatchlings will huddle close to the player(s) for safety the moment they are near, and will hide behind and under rocks if the player(s) confront Carsar, whether via conversation or physical combat.

---

Enemies:

<<Carsar the Egg Snatcher>>
Carsar will attack any non-dragons on sight versus talking, but he will entertain negotiations if outnumbered (i.e. not a solo thread). Carsar was jealous and hateful towards Fuzziel's mate. He stole her hatchlings, killed her mate to gain dominance over her and stole her treasure for himself. If the player(s) push for a non violent solution he will demand no less than 2500 col as compensation.
In battle, Carsar is relentless and vicious. He attacks with claw, tail and tooth and isn't afraid to use his flight to his advantage. He is intelligent and capable of identifying the greatest threat to him, targeting them first. His strategy more or less focuses on destroying the greatest threat to the least threatening, but depending on what the players do he will change his tactics to gain any form of advantage.

HP: 350/350 | DMG: 65 | MIT: 40
This boss uses its own BD roll when attacking.

Abilities:

• Natural Fighter| Carsar can make three attacks in one round; once with his maw, once with his tail, and once with his claws. All deal the same damage.  If fighting against a party of three, each player will be targeted by an individual attack. Against a party of two, each will be targeted once, followed by an AoE attack that targets both. Against a solo party, the player will be targeted by all three attacks.
• Aerial Combat | At any time Carsar feels overly threatened (losing more than 100 points of his health in one round) he takes to the skies to increase his mobility. While airborne he has +2 EVA, with a penalty of -1 ACC (-2 ACC at 200 or less HP, and -3 ACC at 100 or less HP). Carsar will land, ending this effect, if he takes 50 damage or less over two rounds. 
• Breath Attack | Activates on an BD 9-10.  Carsar has the ability to use a breath attack which emits a large paralytic gas. The attack gains +35 DMG (replacing crit bonus) with this attack and targets all players in the battlefield, inflicting Paralyze on contact. Make separate attack rolls for each additional target beyond the first.  Carsar he can only use this twice in a single battle before he cannot do so anymore.

 

---

Epilogue: 

With the hatchlings and the unhatched egg rescued, the player(s) return to Fuzziel. Overjoyed at the return of her children she thanks you dearly. She ponders for a moment before drawing forth a small gemstone half an inch in diameter. The gemstone appears to be a topaz, and seems to be almost perfectly spherical. You wonder what its purpose might be...

"I'm not sure what it is," Morningstar showed the bartender a piece of wrinkled parchment. "A scroll, maybe?"

"Interesting," the NPC returned, adjusting his glasses to get a better look, "where did you say you found this?"

Morningstar leaned against the counter, taking a sip from his glass. "It was a random drop. Never seen anything like it."

The tavern was lively despite it being three o'clock in the afternoon on a Thursday. The jukebox kicked off with an unfamiliar tune and groups of people laughed and conversed merrily at different tables. Morningstar wondered if he'd forgotten a holiday. He was normally good at remembering them.

"Do you mind?" The old man asked, gesturing to the item.

"No, not at all."

The NPC rotated the paper ninety degrees and studied it carefully, an eyebrow raised. "Some of this text has been translated."

"Oh?" Morningstar peeked at the spot the NPC was referring to. He hadn't noticed the text before.

The old man touched his hand to his chin, trailing his fingers down his short beard. He began to read from the script. "It didn't take much time for me to locate my first target. After all, I've been studying dragons since I was a young child. I always knew it was the job I wanted. Now I'll be doing more than I ever imagined. The task I'd set for myself was a grand one indeed. Nevertheless, I've drawn a map of the area to ensure that I don't get lost, and will likely need to draw more in the future. The dragon's lair should be close. I only pray that the creature is sleeping... 13"

"It's almost like a journal entry," Morningstar remarked. "What's that number at the bottom, though? Thirteen?

"A sort of signature, perhaps? Or maybe an entry number?"

"Hmm."

Morningstar sat back, contemplating what it all meant. He looked to the opposite side of the scroll, analyzing the drawings and runes sketched onto it. It appeared to be a map leading to what he assumed to be the dragon's lair mentioned in the text. A thought occurred to him. Quickly, he withdrew a pencil from his inventory and drew a thin line down the center of the parchment.

"It's not a scroll at all—these are two separate things. The left is an entry out of someone's journal and the right..." Morningstar's words faded out as he paused. He pointed to the red marker on the map. "I think I know where this leads."

Spoiler

Morningstar | Lv. 19 | HP: 380/380 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 17 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 29

Gear:

• Beginner's Straight Sword | Uncommon
  +1 DMG
• Beginner's Light Armor | Uncommon
  +9 MIT
• Lexa's Light | Perfect
  +3 ACC

Skills:

• Two-Handed Straight Sword | Rank 5 | Precision | Stamina | Ferocity
  +9 DMG
  +1 ACC
  -2 ENG per attack
• Light Armor | Rank 4
  +20 MIT
  -2 Stealth
• Searching | Rank 5
  +5 LD
  +5 Stealth Detection

Combat Mastery:

• Damage
  +6 DMG

Combat Shift:

• TECH Specialist
  +4 to multipliers
  +3 to ENG cost

 

[Remiel 0]

Remi had waited long enough to start his adventure, today he became a squire and tomorrow, a knight. Clad in his standard leather gear tucked under a beige cloak, The boy’s sword strung across the back of his waist as if taunting those behind him to draw it and use it on him, he would set out. An adventure awaits, but first, a stop at the ale house for a drink, because no knight can refuse mead. Walking into the building, he would notice a group of people looking at some sort of parchment, and the kid would walk up, slowly and carefully, so as to not disturb them. Peaking over the shoulder of Morningstar without even realizing how rude he was being, Remi would gasp. ”That looks like a quest.” His excited voice would escape as he steps back and holds his hands up by his shoulders. ”I don’t mean to intrude, I’ve just started actually playing and I was wondering if I could tag along.” He would drop his arms back under his cloak, now sitting on either end of his sword as if it were a cape. Peaking out of the scabbard, a golden crossguard would branch out from an orange artistic rendering of a Sun.

Ordering an ale, Remi would drop a single col on the counter as the bartender just stared at it. Another ten would pile on top as he turns to the paper once more. ”I promise I won’t get in the way. I just want to fight a dragon so badly.” His eyes would trail the page, focusing on the mention of a dragon’s lair. He had heard mention of this quest, and from what he understood he could definitely get to fight a dragon here. Although he had also heard it can be dangerous for the lower end of players, and Remi being level 1 it was definitely a big risk.

But Knights can’t fear death.
 

Spoiler

Remi: 20/20 HP | 20/20 EN | 6 DMG

Equiment:
DayBreaker: 2x DMG

Skills:
Rank 1 Straight Sword

battle ready inventory:
3 Starter Healing Potions (+50 HP)

 

[Alkor 0]

The shadows of his hood obfuscated the top half of his face as he watched from across the room. He'd collected the same quest recently and decided to scour the town for other players who chanced on the same thing., but he hadn't expected it to happen quickly. While nursing the ale that sat on the table in front of him, he listened to the conversation just to be certain before he approached. Basic looking weapon, same for the armor... just by looking, Alkor gleaned that this player was a lower level, and the risks involved with the quest were fairly high if he tried to take it on by himself. His jaw set a bit.

Part of him wanted to leave it alone. If he did nothing, there was a chance that the man survived on his own and felled the beast. If he did, he would go on to follow the quest wherever it led, possibly toward further danger. Alkor knew that if he did not step in here, he was not doing anyone in Aincrad any favors and they were at risk of losing another potential asset to the frontlines. Before he had time to weigh the decision at all, another person stepped forward and asked to join. He said several words that immediately made Alkor's decision for him.

I've just started actually playing...

He stepped up from the table, leaving the drink behind. Alkor moved like a shadow through the crowd and took up a position flanking the other two, glancing down to confirm what was written on the paper. Just as he surmised, they had accepted the same quest. "Hey there," Alkor gave a stiff, quick wave as he made himself known to the group without skulking for too long. He peeled the hood away to reveal his blonde hair and golden eyes, which accentuated his smile as he chanced a step closer.

"I just happened to overhear the details of this quest, and I recently chanced across the same one." The details of his strength and level were a non-issue, so long as he didn't join their party, he figured. While his equipment outmatched theirs and his abilities might speak for themselves, there was always the chance that the other two would not put things together until later. He decided to stake things on that. "If you'd be so inclined, I'd like to go along with you. Three heads are better than two, and all that?" he told them, looking from one man to the other.

The reality was, Alkor felt responsible now. While one of them had a 50/50 shot of surviving, the other's chances were much more grim if he was fresh out of the Town of Beginnings. He wasn't going to have two new additions to the monument on his conscience.

His gaze fell on Morningstar. "You said you might have an idea of where to go...?"

Spoiler

Level 32 // Paragon 35

820/820 HP  116/116 EN

23 Base Damage 30 Mitigation

5 Accuracy 3 Evasion 

32 Blight Damage (20 Mitigation loss for duration) 

48 Bleed Damage

Paralyze

42 Battle Healing 

Survival (10% increase to healing effects applied)

Unlocked Paragon Rewards:

Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 10% of EXP earned in that thread.

Lv. 10 | +1 LD to looting

Equipment:

Witchfang : Tier 4 Demonic One Handed Straight Sword // CURSED / BLIGHT / BLEED / PARALYZE

"Forged from the fang of a Black Dragon, this blade promises ruin to those who are struck by it. The blade's edge is fashioned of Obsidian andinvested with a myriad of afflictions."

Cloak of the Wanderer : Tierless Perfect Light Armor // EVASION / EVASION / EVASION

 "Tattered from the wear of many battles, this cloak was once worn by a warrior who faced the trials of the Castle and through the flames found the strength to walk again."

Eye of Osiris : Tierless Perfect Accessory // ACCURACY / ACCURACY / ACCURACY

"A pin fashioned in the style of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, depicting the eye of the god Osiris."

Skills, Mods, Addons:

<<One Handed Straight Sword>> rank 5
<<One Handed Straight Sword>> Ferocity Addon  
Stamina Addon 
Precision Addon 

<<Light Armor>> rank 5 
Meticulous Mod
Resolve Mod

<<Battle Healing>> rank 5
Emergency Recovery Mod 
Energist

Combat Mastery: Damage   
ST Specialist Combat Shift 

Charge 
Parry

Extra Skill: Survival

 

Edited March 24, 2022 by Alkor

[Morningstar 0]

The gasp of a stranger took Morningstar by surprise. He jumped, startled. By the look on the bartender's face, he was as shocked as the blonde. He exhaled his lagging breath; a sigh of relief as the gears in his brain began to turn and he figured out what was happening. He hadn't even noticed the man standing behind him, peering over his shoulder. He scrambled for words at the realization that he was being asked a question.

The stranger was dressed inconspicuously. He wore a cloak that, for the most part, covered his identity. It was similar to Morningstar's own, albeit longer and duller in comparison. A sword sat at the man's waist—he couldn't see the full length of the blade but it appeared to be a straight sword. The sun-shaped piece of the weapon was its most noticeable feature. 

"I mean," he began, thinking for a moment before continuing, "I don't see the harm in one more—"

His voice trailed off as a second player interrupted the scene. A look of curiosity formed upon Morningstar's face as he noticed that they shared the same eyes. He had never met another with a golden gaze quite like his own. This newcomer shared the same interest as the other; a wish to join the party. If the man had truly found the same item as Morningstar, then there was no harm in bringing them along.

He met eyes with the NPC at the bar, who hadn't said a word since the commotion had begun. The old man shrugged, polishing a mug with a ratty cloth. Morningstar turned back to the two men.

"Alright," he obliged, "I guess I'm not one to turn down a party. And yeah, I think I have an idea."

He gestured for the two to sit in the open seats next to him and looked back at the map. He touched the southeast quadrant of the area with a finger, tapping it a few times. "Obviously you can't see it on the map but the Town of Beginnings is somewhere in this direction, I believe. So, with that in mind, we should be looking to go northwest from here."

He'd explored a large chunk of the first floor. It so happened that he'd been to a portion of what was on the map, although it had been quite a while.

"I'm Morningstar, by the way," he said.

Edited March 25, 2022 by Morningstar

[Remiel 0]

As a quick run down of the quest was given, Remi would watch, his eyes practically sparkling. It was rare, to see his purple eyes filled with so much light. "I don't believe you can ever have too much help." The kid would say, leaning down and watching Morningstar poke around the page as he explained where they were going. "So we're going North West?" He would ask as he plopped down in his chair, the sword dangling off his belt slapping into it. "I rarely leave the town of beginnings, so I don't know what to expect as far as monsters go." He would lean forward, his hand reaching back and touching the pommel of his blade. "But as long as I have my sword I should be alright." A bright smile so wide his eyes shut completely would punctuate his sentence.

As Morningstar introduced himself, Remi would stand and hold his arm out for a handshake. "My name's Remiel, archangel of hope." His handshake, if accepted would be firm, but not controlling. His father had spent a lot of time explaining to the boy how to properly carry himself if he truly wanted to be a knight.

Turning towards Alkor, the kid would extend his hand once more. "Nice to meet you sir." He would say as his hand waited for the grasp of a fellow warrior. 

[Alkor 0]

He didn't know either of the young men, and it sounded like they weren't incredibly familiar with players outside of their sphere of influence. He gleaned that from how they introduced themselves. Alkor had considerable doubts that either of them would know much about the Frontlines, or the names of Players who frequented boss battles, or who were believed to have died in them. With some relief, he accepted the handshake offered by the boy named Remiel courteously. "Alkor," he told them both at once, "and you don't need to call me sir, I'm not so much older than you are."

Alkor looked from one to the other in turn before he continued to speak. Allowing for the other two to state all of their thoughts and concerns and get everything into the open before they began would be a solid foundation for teamwork, which was a skill Alkor was still learning; but he had more understanding of it than the average player, since he'd done hardcore content in other games, and even fought bosses in Aincrad. He would subtly use that wisdom now, and hope that it would keep the other two alive while simultaneously allowing them to learn and grow. Listening to them, he was glad he'd been there when he was. I rarely leave the town of beginnings was not an ideal thing to hear, but he wasn't going to reprimand Remiel for it. Without taking significant risks, there could be no reward.

Him being there, that was the insurance policy. If the lad died, it would be on Alkor's conscience. Even if he wasn't going to tell them so.

"Alright, Morningstar," he said as he locked eyes with the man briefly, then looked to the other and did the same, "Remiel," he committed their names and faces to memory. "So, neither of you have much experience beyond the first floor, but I've heard some rumors that this quest only originated on the floor after well after it was cleared. What that means is the learning curve could potentially be pretty high. I don't say that to scare you, but what I do want to let you know is that there's going to be a good amount of teamwork involved to reduce risks and increase our chances of success. What I want to do briefly is discuss strategy, if you guys are amenable to it. Tell me what you're good at, and what you'd rather not do if possible. I'll use the information you give me here to help work out our plan of attack as we get closer to where we're going..."

He gave a gentle smile, then continued. "...which will be to the northwest," Alkor confirmed. "It's great to meet you both, and I look forward to working together with you."

Edited April 1, 2022 by Alkor

[Morningstar 0]

Remiel had a spark in him that Morningstar admired; a drive to prove himself. Morningstar believed that it was foolish to assume that because he had a sword, the boy would be safe outside the walls of the Town of Beginnings. That being said, he had courage. The glimmer of someone who had grown tired of the comfort bestowed by a safezone twinkled in his amethyst eyes.

The boy's movements were methodical. His posture, the way he shook Alkor's hand. It was as if he were trying his hardest to be the man he wanted to be—or, as he put it, the knight he wanted to be. Their grips were released and for a brief moment, Alkor met Morningstar's amber gaze. Then, he went on to provide them with his wisdom.

Morningstar raised a brow at the idea that he had never left the first floor but buried his reaction. It wasn't an unfair analysis, he supposed, considering what he was wearing. His gear looked like that of a beginner and in comparison, looked leagues below Alkor. Instead of fighting it, he listened to the man speak. 

Alkor's question only proved his inexperience and reinforced his self-doubt. He considered his strengths as if he were interviewing for a job. What exactly was he good at? He crossed his arms, looking up at the bottles of various drinks lined up across the bar. The old NPC had turned his back on the crew, cleaning and drying off dishes by the corner sink. Morningstar looked back at  Alkor.

"I've been centering my build around dealing damage, although I can't say I've perfected it yet. I guess I'd say that's my main strength. I find that I'm good in high-stress situations as well," he said, picking his words carefully. "As for what I don't want to do... I'm not very suited for tank duties and I try to refrain from extending fights for too long. Energy runs out quick at my level, you know?"

His answers were as accurate as they could be for the time being. He awaited Remiel's response.

[Remiel 0]

Remiel’s thought process on the entire event was definitely optimistic. He wanted to go in, kill the dragon, and reap the rewards of boundless glory and take his spot in a song in an alehouse, but he also knew the reality of the situation. ”Well… you see… I’m not very high level, I doubt I could even scratch the thing. But I want to kill a dragon with all my heart, and for that to happen I need to be willing to die. So while I’d rather not get hit and risk dying before my journey really starts, I understand it’s a possibility.” The boy’s purple eyes would fall to the floor before rising back up full of hope. ”I doubt it’ll be an issue, you guys look strong enough to take it.” Remi’s eyes would wander back to the page, something about it felt familiar, but nothing he could quite grasp at the moment.

”Aren’t there a ton of Dragons? What if we three hunted them all down? It’d be like those awesome stories of knights who saved the world.” The unsung heroes of Aincrad, that was what the boy wanted. He didn’t really care all that much about being thanked for his contribution as a whole, but he wanted people to know what he is. And this…

This is where his story begins.

[Alkor 0]

His armor subtly clicked as Alkor took a seat and listened to both men in turn. It was good that Morningstar recognized the shortcomings of energy for long term engagements so early. That economy only exacerbated with level, as strong Sword Arts still heavily taxed the limited pool of resources that Players had to call on. As a DPS, micromanagement like that was key for survival. The young man was well on the way. He nodded by way of agreement, and did not move to correct or call to question anything that the first youth had said.

When his eyes moved to the other, he understood implicitly. Remiel knew the constraints that his inexperience placed on him, even if he was not aware firsthand of the danger. A pragmatic outlook would serve him well in the trials to come. "Willingness to die is good for our undertaking," he folded his hands. "But never mistake that with a desire to die. It sounds like you'd rather avoid death, and that's a good thing. Hold on to it. Instinct will serve you well in this world."

Alkor cracked his knuckles in response to the question about Dragons. "...I've seen a few," he answered honestly, "and it's possible that there are more. In fact, I'm sure there will be, but remember that it takes more than slaying a Dragon to be a Knight."

He still remembered when the Fae Queen laid her sword on the crown of his head, and the words she spoke. This young man had reminded him of his vow, and what it meant to be the First Sword of Aincrad. "That said, I'd be glad to help you fell some of the beasts and take a few steps forward on your journey toward Knighthood, Remiel," and he looked back to Morningstar. "What do you say? Dragon Adventure?"

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar took a moment to listen to the men talk back and forth. Already, they had found comfort among each other. He grinned at Alkor, whose attention had moved to Morningstar. The group piqued his interest; he wanted to see how where it would take him.

"Dragon Adventure it is," the blonde said.

Like clockwork, a notification screen popped up in front of him. It hovered a few inches from his face, offering him the chance to accept the quest. Without hesitation, he pressed the large, blue circle on the left side of the box.

Quest <<Diary of the Dragon Huntsman>> Accept Quest? O           X

The popup blinked away and shortly after, Morningstar found himself standing up and pushing in his chair. He frequented the establishment—the NPC who ran the place knew to put whatever he had ordered on his tab and he would pay up the next time he was in. The blonde peeked back at the others.

"Make sure your equipment's in check. We should get going or it'll get dark before we're back," he said.

After he had prepared his own inventory, he stepped outside into the Town of Beginnings. It was not quite cold but the wind made the air a bit brisk. The building was on the edge of town, not far from the town's gate. Morningstar led them to the exit, opening his map to confirm their direction. Northwest, he recalled, was where the map told him to go.

- - -

The walk to the edge of the map's location was long and even Morningstar felt a bit weary after making the trip. The spot marked by the X wasn't hidden much. A massive cave in the side of a hill stuck out like a sore thumb. He assumed it was the lair of the dragon they were searching for. Mossy stones cover the outside of the round entrance and the path leading up to it was short, consisting of gravel and dirt. From the distance, it was difficult to discern much else.

"Over there," Morningstar pointed. "I think that's the place we're looking for."
 

Spoiler

ID: 207773 LD: 14+5=19
Dragon's Nest found.

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Morningstar