[F01-SP] Grinding Those Gathering Skills | <<Earning a Living>>

[Hanzoku 0]

Hanzoku emerged from the hovel he has been squatting in for the last two years and cricked his neck left and right. With a thought, he summoned his equipment, taking comfort once again in no longer being a helpless peasant, but becoming someone taking his fate into his own hands. And part of that fate was doing something to earn a living. He'd asked around and gathered information, and it boiled down to two things - to earn money, you needed to either kill mobs and loot them (something he was planning on doing... soon. Ish.) Or you needed to earn a merchant's license so you can make and sell equipment. But to make items, you needed materials, and there were only two ways to earn those - foraging, and fishing.

Some people enjoyed the quiet serenity of fishing, the sound of water and the peaceful wait for a fish to go for that tasty, tasty lure. He'd tried it a few times IRL, and it mostly made him stir-crazy within fifteen minutes. So that left foraging, and that meant finding the semi-fabled (well, at least for the Town of Beginnings) Giovanna. Whistling a marching song, he set out through the gates, making sure to keep a safe distance from any wandering mobs as he headed in the general direction that everyone agreed she could be found in.

 

Stat Line:

Hanzoku | Lv. 1 | HP: 50/50 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 7 | MIT: 3 | REGEN: 2 | THORNS: 1

Spoiler

Equipped Items:

• Humble Aspirations | T1 Perfect Weapon (SS) | DMG III
• Squire's Ardor | T1 Perfect Heavy Armor | MIT III
• Valorous Spite | T1 Perfect Shield | REGEN II | THORNS I

Battle-Ready Inventory:

• Starter Healing Potion (3/5) | Tier 1 Potion | +60 HP
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Consumed Items:

Skills:

• One-Handed Straight Sword | RANK 1/5

Misc. Buffs:

 

Edited August 5 by Hanzoku

[Hanzoku 0]

The trail lead into the edge of the forest, and the light quickly failed as the trees closed in around him, the path flanked on both sides by thick underbrush that had no business growing with so little light available from the trees looming above. The fighter kept his hand resting on the hilt of his sword as he made his way down the path. This should be a safe zone, but if there were ever woods that were creepy and ominous, these were certainly them.

A warm glow appeared faintly in the distance, and Hanzoku continued to push forward. The trail opened into a clearing lit by the warm glow of a crackling campfire, for all that it was sometime during the day, in the woods it was dark as night and the fire was a welcome sight.

Parked beside the fire was a covered wagon, and a woman in green emerged from it within moments of his stepping foot in the clearing.

[Hanzoku 0]

"So, it appears you've found me," she comments, though not unkindly. "I tend to move around quite a lot, but someone always finds me. I suppose you are looking for some herbs?" 

 "You're fairly well known, and you're considered a skilled trainer - why by the by, is what I'm looking for. No offense to your herbs, but I don't think alchemy is my speed."

"Most simply expect me to forage their materials for them, but few truly care about the process itself. You surprise me." Digging into the pocket of her dress, Giovanna draws out a small compass, then offers it to you. "You may borrow my compass. Dark magic has made it capable of locating an incredibly rare item called a Demonic Shard. Should you find one, and bring it back to me, you will prove yourself worthy of my teachings. Take care, and may good  fortune travel with you."

Hanzoku reached out and took the compass in hand, eyeing it doubtfully. It looked fairly normal as compasses go, except for the way the pointer was swinging around in lazy circles. "So, how will I recognize a Demonic Shard? Does it corrupt the world around it and cause the sky to start bleeding?"

Giovanna's eyes widened at the question, and he smiled a little as the shifted from the glazed look of an NPC going through the motions and sharpened. It was always interesting when you got the NPCs off-script.

[Hanzoku 0]

"Um... no." Giovanna said after a moment.

"Does it whisper eldritch lore in your mind and cause you to go insane?" he continued, enjoying the process.

"Not that I've ever noticed... though some people say that it does whisper to them, but they otherwise seemed well adjusted."

"Well, what does it do? Please tell me that touching it with your bare skin causes horrific mutations?" he asked hopefully.

She eyed him warily now. "No. Look, they're jagged shards about as big as my hand, and mostly they glow. Ominously, if you want to look at it that way. They're a vital component to making Demonic-quality items, which is where the name comes from. Honestly, if they had called them Divine-quality, they'd be Divine Shards instead."

Hanzoku made a face, then shrugged. "Well, that's a disappointment. I was hoping for more - this doesn't even break into the top ten of weirdest things I've been asked to retrieve. Alright, you have a deal Miss Tarragon."

[Hanzoku 0]

Once the adventurer left the clearing, Giovanna let out the breath she was holding. "And this is why I prefer plants." she muttered. Adventurers were all weird, but this was one was definitely pushing the boundaries.

Once he left the clearing, Hanzoku discovered the item (labeled a <<Cursed Compass>> on his HUD - not at all ominous, that) had stabilized, and now was indicting a direction due east. Of course, in a thick forest, due east was anything but, as he followed the trails as much as possible while keeping an eye out for anything worth trying to collect.

He noticed a faint sound, either far in the distance or nearly inaudible, but turning his head didn't change the volume, so he put it out of his mind. Instead, he focused on a fallen tree to the side of the path he was on. The compass was indicating the rotting forest giant, and he grimaced as he got on his hands and knees to peer into the hollow log, noting the moss, spiders, slugs and assorted other wonders of nature awaiting anyone foolish enough to stick their heads in.

He consulted the compass, and it pointed into the log. Getting up, he went around to the other side and watched as the pointed steadily swung to continue pointing at the middle of the log.

He sighed. "Of course it does." he says to the uncaring world before crawling into the log.

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID: 224211 | LD: 13 CD: 10 => No materials found.

[Hanzoku 0]

A few minutes later, Hanzoku crawled out of the other end of the log. His armor was smeared with moss stains, and with a grunt he flicked a slug from one of his pauldrons and looked at the spider hanging from the remains of its web in front of his face in its eight beady eyes. "You aren't covered by safe zone rules. You have five seconds to scram before I squash you."

The spider considered the offer and opened its legs, free-falling to the ground and scurrying back into the log to build its web again. Meanwhile, Hanzoku rubs gloved hands vigorously over his face and through his hair to get the remnants of the web off and remove the feel that more spiders were crawling all over.

Taking out the <<Cursed Compass>>, he saw that it no longer indicated the log, but was indicating somewhere further down the path. "At least it isn't entirely broken." he mumbled and continued on.

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID: 224216 | LD: 11 CD: 11 => No materials found.

Edited August 5 by Hanzoku

[Hanzoku 0]

After the first log, the compass was leading him on. It obviously didn't have a specific location in mind, but instead seemed to serve as a guide to pointing out what sort of features might have hidden materials. Luckily they weren't universally as disgusting as the first one, but it was a common feature that there were a bit off the beaten path, and half-hidden. A spot along the trail had led to a small clearing with some interesting but ultimately worthless flowers (well, they were quite pretty, and some had disappeared into his inventory).

So Hanzoku continued on and followed the <<Cursed Compass>> and where it led him. It was peaceful under the trees, and it was a pleasure to make his way through the forest, sometimes having to climb up a hill or over a fallen tree, or hop down a ledge to the next part of the path.

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID: 224218 | LD: 4 CD: 3 => No materials found.

[Hanzoku 0]

Hanzoku sighed to himself as he wiped his forehead. It was warm today, and he was on his second day of searching without finding so much as a material, much less a Demonic Shard. Yesterday he had started another quest with other players, giving him some interaction with other players to trade off with wandering through the forests. He lifts the <<Cursed Compass>> in his hand and stared at it. "So, what'll it be today? Under a rock this time? Or what about the base of the waterfall again?"

He followed the path it described. "Actually, I wouldn't mind the waterfall. How Kayaba could program a completely accurate representation of tromping through the forest in full metal armor in 30 Celsius and 100% humidity weather some days, but make is so alcohol doesn't get you drunk boggles the mind." he sighs to himself, following the compass around a tree wider then he was tall and poking through the moss at the base of the trunk with his sheathed sword. "Come out, come out wherever you are..."

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID: 224301 | LD: 11 CD 5 => No materials found.

[Hanzoku 0]

Moving onward, the American player started humming to himself as the <<Compass>> led him to several outcroppings where he attempted to dig out materials ."Diggy Diggy Hole... I'm a dwarf and I'm digging a hole..." he sang as he lost himself in the repetitive motions of find rock, swing pickaxe at rock until the game registered that he'd 'exerted' himself enough and despawned the rock with a shimmer, leaving behind a loose collection of rocks to sift through for anything shiny enough to qualify as a material.

In a way, it was sort of a moving meditation. Running the same 15 minute circle, looting every interesting plant and mineral that he came across. He passed by a few players and waved briefly at them, but didn't bother to break stride - he had a schedule to keep after all! Though it was a schedule on his own terms - it wasn't like he was given a time limit for when Giovanna wanted the compass back. And then his pick struck something, and a pulse of black light washed through the air.

"What the actual f-"

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID: 224302 | LD 16 CD 7 => Demonic Shard Found!

[Hanzoku 0]

"Say the lines."

".... no."

"Say the lines!"

"Why must you persist in this, mortal?!"

"Because! Now, say the lines or so help me, you'll get worked into a Demonic Toilet! It'll have HEATED SEAT I, BIDET II and FLORAL SCENT I for qualities!"

"Player characters don't need to use the bathroom!"

"Exactly! It'll be a monument to uselessness! Say! The! Lines!"

".... coughs I am the lucid dream...the monster in your nightmares...the fiend of a thousand faces! Cower before my true form! BOW DOWN BEFORE THE GOD OF DEATH!"

"Ahhh.... that takes me back. Good stuff."

It probably wasn't normal that the Demonic Shard was talking to him. It was probably even less normal that he was arguing with it. Or that he was bullying it into quoting back boss lines from other games. But then again, that otherworldly voice that scratched at the inside of your brain and made your eyes want to bleed was perfect.

In principal, he could probably head straight back, but the goal was to bring back a Shard AND some crafting materials, and while he had found one, he was woefully short on the others, so he kept making his rounds in the forest, searching for some mats while conversing with a shard of eldritch evil. If that made him wrong, he didn't want to be right.

Post Action: Forage for Materials

Roll ID: 224318 | LD 15 CR3 => Material Found!

[Hanzoku 0]

"How are you so blasé about evil whispering in your mind?"

"Oh! Funny story that. I spent most of an expansion in WoWoW III toting around a legendary weapon infused with the power of the Old Gods, and it would say the most fuc- er screwed up things. Ah, we'd get some good laughs in guild chat over it. Too bad ol' Timmy had to ruin it for everyone."

"Who was this... Timmy?"

"Ah, some kid. When I said that it whispered some screwed up stuff, I meant it - not sure how it got past beta and months of retail without someone saying 'hey, are we sure this is a good idea?' But yeah, it kept trying to encourage us to sacrifice the ones we value most to the Old Gods. I mean, I'm sure they meant in-game, but Timmy - well, Timmy tried to sacrifice his older brother."

"...what."

"Yeah. He failed - luckily! But yeah, there was a trial and a hot fix and some corporate apologies and a few heads rolled - metaphorically. But that was the end of that. Abe was probably the saddest about that - he loved his knife."

 

Post Action: Forage for Materials

Roll ID: 224319 | LD 11 CR5 => Nothing found

Edited August 6 by Hanzoku

[Hanzoku 0]

"Abe was your friend?"

"Yeah, one of the ones who died. Second day, about an hour after we stepped outside the gates. Stupid, really - I mean, any other game you'd laugh it off, you know? Boar to the gut, could happen to anyone. Of course, any other game doesn't microwave your gray matter for fucking up."

"...no."

"Ah, I don't blame you. Kayaba is the one who programmed you and designed the hardware. You don't want to kill people, its just the way the dice rolled. But yeah, Abe was one of the 'one in five died in the first month'. God, I remember that announcement. Really threw a damper on the party - and its not like spirits were high in the first place."

"I'm not Cardinal. But, people became more cautious after that."

"Of course you aren't. Yeah - I mean, the reckless and unlucky died. The cautious and lucky advanced, and the scared... well, we stayed in the safe zones."

 

Post Action: Forage for Materials

Roll ID: 224320| LD 11 CR5 => Nothing found

Edited August 6 by Hanzoku

[Hanzoku 0]

"Why are you out alone now, mortal?"

"Eh, you know how it is - everyone else picked up their skills a long time ago. I'm Johnny come lately and playing catchup. I'm sure if I asked, a high level'd take pity on me and tag along, but... eh, this is safe and they've got better things to do."

"...you confuse me."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"According to your logs... you have not eaten a single item in game. Over two years in game. Are you not hungry?"

"I thought you weren't Cardinal? Eh, you get used to it."

"I'm not, but ...how?"

"Funny thing, really. You see, Kayaba made it so you get hungry, tired and thirsty. Tired now... you can actually collapse and pass out if you keep pushing yourself. But thirsty? Hungry? You can't starve, not a single point of HP damage is lost. You don't get dehydrated, so no disorientation. So its just.... there. In the background. Its how I kept my starting money all these years."

Post Action: Forage for Materials

Roll ID: 224321 | LD 6 CR5 => Nothing found

Edited August 6 by Hanzoku

[Hanzoku 0]

The pause lasted longer. Hanzoku hummed to himself as he kept poking under bushes, behind rocks and in half-hidden corners.

"But you willingly remain in pain. For years. Even now. This is illogical."

"What's the alternative? For one, I was depressed as hell, and couldn't muster the energy to do... well... anything. But I can't die from being depressed in this world. I mean, you literally have no reason to move. You don't actually have to eat. Or drink. Or shave, shower, use the toilet, roll over to avoid bed sores. If you're depressed enough, you can just lie there! Forever."

"But you are moving now. Quite a lot, even."

"Sure, sure. But food costs money - and time. Someone has to go out and collect materials, learn a profession, practice that profession, and create food. I mean, I know some other townies who tried to live their lives and buy three meals a day and all that jazz. Then they went broke. Some players hand out food for charity, but its inconsistent - and they've got their own lives and worries."

Post Action: Forage for Materials

Roll ID: 224322 | LD 3 CR 3 => Nothing found

Edited August 6 by Hanzoku

[Hanzoku 0]

"There are... others like you? Like you were?"

"Oh yeah. I mean, look - ten thousand players. A couple thousand died. A couple hundred are actively pushing upward. A couple thousand more are somewhere in between. Another couple hundred who took just enough risk to get a crafting class and settle in and making an economy run. But that still leaves thousands of people who just... drift. In fugue. Too scared to risk their lives, not enough to motivate them to take that first step. They're all over the Town of Beginnings, whole slums filled with bodies. Perfectly healthy, just... dreaming. Sometimes one of them finally wakes up. Like I did."

"Why?"

"Ah... stupid. Midlife crisis, can you believe that? I turned the big 4-0 a few months back and realized 'Damn it, son. This was the big one. You were going to throw a big party with your friends. What'd you actually do for it? Lay there. in a hovel with another couple dozen slackers.'"

 

Post Action: Forage for Materials

Roll ID: 224323 | LD 12 CR 9 => Nothing found

[Hanzoku 0]

"Have you considered... therapy?"

He snorted, then started laughing. "Ay ay ay... any therapists in the initial ten thousand? Who's still alive?"

"... no."

"Yeah. Believe me - yeah, I need therapy. Everyone does - or they're lying. Or psychos. I mean hell, there are PK, can you believe it? In a fucking death game, there are people who go out of their way to murder other players. I mean, PKs are generally assholes anyway, but its a hell of a difference between annoying someone for an hour by spawn camping their corpse and sticking a blade in them knowing their brain is getting charbroiled for it."

he snorted. "Probably very hypocritical, but someone comes at me with intent, I'm not going to pull my blows. Let the courts solve it - if we ever get out of here."

"Does that make you better than them?"

Hanzoku sighed. "No. But intent matters. the difference between murder and self defense lies in whether you go out of your way to kill them. But I never did a good job playing the paladin in other games."

Post Action: Forage for Materials

Roll ID: 224325 | LD 3 CR 4 => Nothing found

[Hanzoku 0]

Hanzoku paused in his searching as he quest log flashed. Curious, he opened it, to find a third quest had joined the two he was already busy with.

"<<Feeding Your Enemy>>, eh? What's that?"

"the reward is a familiar. A pet."

"Oh? And you think I need a pet?"

"You are lonely. And unhappy. Studies show that pets make their owners happy."

"...maybe I'll look into it." he said. The thought appealed to him - and he was glad that he hadn't had a pet at the time out of game. He had been thinking about adopting a new one when he got back from his vacation. His week-long vacation. Huh. He probably didn't have his apartment anymore, did he? Hopefully they put his stuff in storage rather then junking it all. What about-

"...The Forest of Wavering Mists. Floor 3." the voice in the Shard said, pulling him out of his spiral.

"What about it?"

"You'll find the Gypsy there. You'll need her help."

"Ah, thanks Cardinal, its nice to know you care!"

"...I'm not Cardinal."

Post Action: Forage for Materials

Roll ID: 224326 | LD 4 CR 9 => Nothing found

[Hanzoku 0]

"Eh, sorry for giving you shit earlier. About the boss voices thing." he said apologetically as the sun sank down towards the horizon, casting the forests in shades of oranges. "I wouldn't actually turn you into something useless."

"It was... not unenjoyable."

"Well good! Maybe when I tank my first Kobold King, it'll give a rousing speech for its minions and shake with ominous laughter before attacking."

"....Mwahahaha."

"Haha, what was that?" he said, grinning widely.

"...Nothing. Mwahahahaha." the voice said, trying to muffle its practice further.

I'll give you twenty Col if it shouts 'You no take candle!' before attacking. Another thirty if there is inexplicably a candle in the room."

"...that would be illogical. Besides, how could you give me Col?"

"Ah, that's easy. Leave it in a treasure chest after its emptied. Whatever is in there when it despawns has to go to you, right?"

"...I'm not Cardinal."

Post Action: Forage for Materials

Roll ID: 224327 | LD 17 CR 4 => Material found!

Edited August 6 by Hanzoku

[Hanzoku 0]

His feet turned off the familiar circuit through the woods. Night was falling, and he had the fruits of his labor to show to Giovanna. Overall, it had been a long but successful day, and he think he had an idea of what he needed to look for in the future.

"You know... I wouldn't have minded this game, even with permadeath. If it didn't mean risking our lives in the real world... it makes you cautious. and it makes you think. Most other games, the way to solve raid boss is to throw bodies at it. Dying in droves hour by hour to figure out its mechanics by pure brute force. Here, you have to probe it and be prepared to retreat earlier. Strategy and tactics mean a lot more than 'don't stand in the fire, dumbasses' and 'throw more DoTs! All the DoTs!'"

"...I would have liked that."

"Yeah. Me too. But it is our lives, and we only got one of them. But that's why I'm going to level now. Find a party, find a guild, get gud and join the front lines. Because we'll never get to see the real world again unless people step up and get us out from the inside. I used to think that they'd figure out the safeguards and just... unplug us from the outside. But its been two years, and if they were going to do so, they'd have done it already."

"...Probably."

"Its not your fault. I think I'd even come back after. I just want to live in both worlds, you know?"

 

Post Action: Forage for Materials

Roll ID: 224327 | LD 6 CR 8 => Nothing found

[Hanzoku 0]

In the clearing, the campfire's warm glow was a welcome sight. Giovanna sat next to it, finishing a bowl of stew as Hanzoku crashed out of the underbrush into the clearing.

"Enjoy your stew. Hey, I found what you were looking for." he said, tossing her the Demonic Shard. She juggled the bowl and the shard for a moment before grabbing both safely and giving the dirty adventurer an annoyed look.

"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!"

He paused, then laughed. He handed back her <<Cursed Compass>> and accepted the shard in return. It felt warm in his hand.

"So, was it ominous enough for you?" Giovanna said dryly.

"Nah, I've had way worse. We had a good conversation." he said with a grin, rubbing an unshaven cheek.

Giovanna paused and said slowly. "It... talked to you?"

Hanzoku's grin widened. "Of course not! It's just a shard, right? But hey, I had time to kill, and talking to yourself or talking to a shard gets the same answer back, right?"

Giovanna shook her head slowly. She hated people. This is why plants were better. "Right. Of course. Good night." she said, disappearing into her wagon and closing the door with finality.

Humming to himself, the newly minted <<Forager>> held the Demonic Shard up. "I think I'll call you Sin. Short for Sindragosa."

"Your magic BETRAAAAAAAAAAYS you!"

"Attagirl!"