[SP(ST) | F01] One Person's Trash | <<Feeding Your Enemy>>

[3ulogy 0]

Link to Quest

[Storyteller Mode is active in thread]

The fields of floor one were breathtaking when the weather was at its optimal setting. Verdant fields dotted with a kaleidoscope of flowers beckoned all, and even the most hopeless would feel some peace as the wind gently passed over them, carrying away their fears and sorrows.

But today, the first floor stank. Not literally, at least—Cardinal had decided that today was not a day for optimal weather. The skies were gray, the temperature just a little too warm and the humidity a little too muggy. It wasn’t raining (not yet), but there was enough of a drizzle to keep your clothes—and spirits—damp.

Whether by chance or choice, you find yourself at the traveling gypsy’s wagon. She speaks warm and soft words to you that make it easy to forget the dreary weather outside. “Adventurer,” she starts. “I understand you are here to find a familiar for your journey. Before you accept, I feel I must warn you; a familiar is no simple commitment or mere pet. It is an ally and friend. I encourage you to treat your familiar as you would treat yourself. Not that I doubt your abilities.” She smiles at you. “I would not offer the food if I did not think you were capable.”

A dialog box appears in front of you.
 

Accept quest <<Feeding Your Enemy>>?                                     Yes                        No

 

[Oats 0]

Oats is standing in front of some sort of gypsy's wagon. Her curiosity subconsciously found herself there, staring at the dialog box popped up right in front of her. Her long black hair felt incredibly heavy after wandering too long in the drizzling weather. The right sleeve, of the same dark hue, felt similarly burdensome as she attempted to lift her arm to select one of the options. Staring at the gypsy woman, her words seemed to levitate Oats—a stark contrast to the surroundings. Despite the presence of kaleidoscopic flowers, their colors were dulled by the darkening skies overhead. This was a far cry from the vibrant kaleidoscope she remembered peering into as a child, endlessly turning it, falling into the infinite of ever-changing colorful shapes. Here, everything was static. Still. Bleak. Damp. One had to tread carefully, or risk being swallowed by an unseen void.

She subtly shook her head, returning her eyes to the interface box. With a brief hesitant hand, she clicked the "Yes" button, uncertain of what would follow. A familiar, huh? Perhaps similar to a player encountered in the Town of Beginnings plaza. A bird dyed in flames. She wondered what sort of familiar she would finds.

After the click, the dialog box vanished, leaving behind a strange sensation grows inside her. It seemed as if something was wrong with the picture. The gypsy's smile at her, is it a mask, a facade? Oats gazed back warily.

 

Spoiler

STATS:

Level 2 | HP: 40 | EN: 22/22 | MIT: 7 | DMG: 5

SP: 11 | EXP: 815

BATTLE STATS:

EVA: II | ACC IIII | LD: III

 

BATTLE READY:

The Oculus | 1H Longsword| Enhancements: DMG I | ACC I

Ink-Stained Battleskirt | ID: 236322 | T1 Perfect Cloth Armor | Enhancements: EVA II | MIT I

Brass omamori | [#236737] | TIER 1 TRINKET | LD III

Artemis | [#224267] | TIER 1 JEWELRY | ACC III

 

SKILLS:

Curved Swords- Rank 1

SWORD ARTS:

[x4] ST-I (4 EN) | A single-target sword art.

[x3] AOE-I (1 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once.

[x4] TECH-A (5 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.

 

INVENTORY:

1,900 col

12 mats

Consumables:
-Starter Healing Potions (Restores 50HP) x3

 

Edited November 3 by Oats

[3ulogy 0]

As the dialog box vanishes, the room seems to grow just a shade darker, and the quest-giver’s eyes flash. Her smile widens.

“Wonderful, yes. The first thing we must do is acquire some food for your familiar.” She stands up to rummage through her belongings, looking for just the right thing. “Firedrops—perhaps, golden honeysuckle—hmm, I think not. No, no, where is it…” She mutters to herself, tossing bags of varying sizes onto the floor. With an “ah, yes,” she grabs one final bag, turns around, and offers it to you. In her hand, she holds a small brown paper bag full of dry pellets. It smells somewhat like dog food.

“Hmm. This is unusual.” She gently hefts the bag, as if to test it. Then she picks a single pellet from the bag, sniffs gingerly, and takes a small nibble. You can see her fight the urge to gag.

“The food I offer is not usually this… erm, potent. But I have never had a player return without a familiar.”

She offers one last piece of advice. “There are many places to look for a familiar: you must always trust your instincts. A place that speaks to you is often where a familiar is drawn. To those who are at a loss for looking, I suggest starting inside the Town itself, or perhaps the woods to the south, near Tolbana. But again, I urge you to follow your heart. You may even find that your familiar resides elsewhere, on a different plane.” The gypsy’s words seem odd, but suggest that you could even look on another floor, should you choose.

[Oats 0]

Oats watched the woman with eyes wide in amazement as she scattered bags all over the place. She really had food for every type of animal, didn't she? And organization didn't seem to be her priority. Oats chuckled at the thought. However, her amusement turned to concern when the woman sniffed a pellet and took a bite, then struggled to suppress her gag reflex. Oats extended her hands towards the woman, hesitating whether to step back or forward to offer assistance. From the woman's expression, it was clear the pellet was the most detestable food on the entire floor. The woman's reaction seemed almost contagious, and that thought was far from reassuring. Oats couldn't help but make a cringe face. As she began to speak, "Madam, are you—" the gypsy woman interrupted, “The food I offer is not usually this… erm, potent. But I have never had a player return without a familiar.” If the interruption was any indication, she simply shrugged it off as if it were nothing. She must indeed be fine; her fortitude appears to be quite impressive.

Oats continued to heed her instructions. The woman has good suggestions. Oats' mind wandered for a moment thinking of places where she could go. She took the pellet bag off the interesting Gypsie person and thanked her before taking off. She mused to herself, the kind of familiar she'd want would have skills to help her finding materials she'd need. Figured the Town would be a good place to start, just like what she was told.

[3ulogy 0]

Today, the Town of Beginnings reflects the muted atmosphere. There appear to be fewer players and NPCs milling about the town. Some of the merchants with delicate crafts are starting to pack up early, cautious of the rain.

Underneath one of the awnings, a weary player converses with a face peeking out from behind a door. “Are you sure? It’s been three weeks. Certainly he would have checked back with you…” With a quiet shake of the head, the door shuts quietly, but firmly.

The weary player turns and walks away, pinching her nose as she moves. In her absentmindedness, she nearly bumps into you. “Ah, my apologies.” In a moment, she blinks the weariness from her face and offers a polite bow. “I was just trying to deliver this package. But it’s been almost a month, and the client has disappeared…” She trails off, lost in her own thoughts again. “And now I’m left with a prepaid bundle for a young man that was finally looking to earn his familiar.” You can see her struggle with her thoughts, vainly hoping that the worst did not happen.

“At this point, I’d rather see the package go to someone instead of having it gather dust in my shop. Do you know anyone who needs a familiar?”
 

[Oats 0]

Oats encountered a seemingly worried shopkeeper. As she listened to the shopkeeper's concerns, she was reminded of Donald Malarkey's experience during World War II. Having grown up in a military family, we were exposed to various media about wars, including 'Band of Brothers.' A few weeks after D-Day, Malarkey went to collect his laundry when a lady, who was handling the clothes, asked if he knew of anyone who hadn't collected their laundry. As she recited the names of the owners, he realized they were all men who had been killed. Malarkey decided to take unclaimed laundries and paid for them, even though these would never be used.

Oats contemplated whether she should do the same and spare the shopkeeper the pain. "Um, I'm actually in search of a familiar myself. I've just accepted the quest. May I ask about the contents of the kit? It is my first time hearing about it." She hoped to divert the girl's attention from a distressing thought. After all, a shopkeeper loves their craft.