Randy checked his map. He should be getting close to the village of Sweet Water. He’d been traveling for a day and a half, and the dot on his map seemed to indicate he was close. As he closed his map interface, he heard a rustling in the bush to his right. He glared at the bush, willing whatever was hiding behind it to come out. He uncoiled his whip and held up his stabby basher. He waited, having learnt the patience of a hunter. He was expecting a rabbit to hop out, but instead it was a strange looking animal. It was shiny black, with big paws, a bushy tail and long pointy quills along its back. Randy thought it looked like a porcupine crossed with a small bear. He used his Identify Skill.
Level 4 Porcubear, quills used for crafting.
Well, the name fits , Randy thought. He knew that the quills fired from porcupines could be very dangerous. He would have to try and kill it without getting hit by the quills. He watched as the porcubear waddled out of the brush. The animal stopped when he saw Randy. He moved slowly, not wanting to spook the animal. He raised his weapon very slowly, preparing to use the whip first and then hide behind a nearby tree to avoid any flying weapons. He lashed out. The whip slashed across the animal's side. Amazingly it didn’t release any quills, so Randy lashed out again. This time the porcubear turned and shot out the tiny sharp darts from its back. Randy ducked behind a tree and tried to make himself as small as possible. He jerked when he felt a quill penetrate his calf muscle. He turned to lash out from behind the tree and hit the animal again with his whip. He could see from his notifications that it was taking damage. He let out a howl and leaped from behind his cover to hit and stab the little ball of needles with his new weapon. The porcubear growled and hissed when the whip made contact. He lunged again at Randy, coming at him with claws and snapping teeth. Randy felt several quills penetrate into his exposed skin. His health was dropping. He jumped out from behind the tree and hit the porcubear repeatedly until it finally stopped moving. He finished it off with a couple whacks with his stabby basher.
You have killed a Level 4 Porcubear. 55 exp
First, Randy pulled the quills out of his legs and arms and hoped they would heal OK. He then looted and skinned the animal and was happy to see he had 20 quills in his inventory. He wasn’t sure what they could be used for, but it was a nice addition to his stash of items. He also gained 100 pounds of porcubear meat. So far, his experience with wild meats was that they were delicious, as long as he didn’t ruin them with his rudimentary cooking skills, but he was looking forward to trying this new one out. It was funny, in the real world he’d been a fussy eater and wouldn’t try new things unless he had to. Here in the game, he was much more adventurous in all his decisions.
Randy double checked his map and set off in the direction of Sweet Water. He settled into a ground eating jog as he moved through the forest. It was a couple hours later that he realized it was getting late and he should make camp. He started paying more attention to the lay of the land and tried to find a place where he could have a fire, and have access to water. He saw an area that had denser brush and located a creek trickling through the area. He scouted the area for dangers and picked up wood for a fire.
The creek was small but had fresh clean water running over the rocks. He found a clearing for his camp and started a fire. He was looking forward to trying the porcubear meat but he didn’t want to rush the process. The fire was crackling and the meat he had on a stick was slowly sizzling. Randy was thumbing through the hunter’s notebook while he waited for his food to cook. It was better to keep the meat out of the direct flames and let the ambient heat of the fire do the work. It was slower but resulted in less burnt on the outside but raw in the middle meals. As he read the notebook, he found the man’s name on the inside cover, George Restwater. He had also found a folded letter inside the cover of the notebook. It was a love letter to his wife, Analise. Randy had started reading it, but felt like he was listening to a private conversation and put it away. Content to enjoy the fire, Randy thought about what challenges he would face when he arrived in Sweet Water. He had spent a lot of time alone, unless you counted the animals he had been battling with, and was wondering how the game would be once other players and NPC’s were in the mix. He hoped he would find some other players to travel with, maybe he would even join a guild.
When the meat was ready, Randy leaned back against a tree and ate his porcubear shish-kebabs. It was good! A noise in the bush made Randy sit a little taller. He made sure his weapons were handy and carefully watched to see what would come out of the brush. He chewed and glared, daring whatever was there to interrupt his dinner. He was not expecting what came out of the woods.
“What the...” Randy said out loud as he stood up, shish-kebab in one hand, Stabby Basher in the other.
“Well, well. What do we have here?” a smug looking man said.
Randy looked the man over, he was well dressed and carrying a bow. The man behind him was also carrying a weapon, but it was a longsword in a scabbard on his back. They looked...untrustworthy. The hair on the back of Randy’s neck stood up. These two reminded him of all the bullies he had encountered in real life. They were arrogant, cocky and loud. Randy hated them instantly.
“Hello,” Randy said. “Can I help you?”
“That depends little elf, what do you have to give us?” The man with the bow said, as he looked around.
“Sorry, but I don’t have anything but some porcumeat on a stick,” Randy said, hoping the men couldn’t see his stats or inventory. He wasn’t sure how that worked in the game.
“What are you doing out here?” the other man with the sword said as he stood with his legs wide.
“I am a hunter, on my way to Sweet Water for supplies,” Randy said as he put down his dinner and tried to stand a little taller. “I’m afraid all I have to offer you in terms of hospitality is the fire and the meat.”
“We don’t need either of those. What kind of weapon is that? Looks like a piece of junk,” the man said with a laugh.
“Like I said, I am a hunter. I don’t have any supplies, I had to make this weapon with what I could find,” Randy said, trying to stay calm.
“Pathetic,” the sword packing man muttered.
“What’s in the bag?”
Randy looked down at the hunter’s bag. “Nothing but a notebook. I found the remains of another hunter. I was hoping to return it to the man’s family.”
The two men snorted. The bowman lunged forward and grabbed the bag. Randy was boiling with anger inside, but let him take it. The man groaned in frustration when he realized that Randy had been telling the truth. He tossed it back on the ground.
“Worthless,” the man said as he nodded to his partner. “Let’s get out of here. We can get a decent sleep at an Inn and find a card game. This loser isn’t worth our time.”
They both turned and disappeared into the forest. Randy stood for a long time, ready for an attack that didn’t come. He thought about tracking them and attacking them but it seemed risky, better to stay and be on the defensive.
Randy sat by his fire and thought about the encounter. He wondered if he had handled it correctly. Should he have been more aggressive and fought them? Two against one seemed bad odds, but then he had won against the deer and the wolf, so maybe? Randy sighed, the whole reason he was in the game was because he hadn’t stood up or defended himself against people like those men. He would have to do better. Randy stoked the fire and prepared for an uneasy night.
Randy woke with a start. He had fallen asleep sometime in the early morning. He looked around but saw no reason for his abrupt wake up. He shook his head and stood up for a stretch. The fire was out so he packed up his things, checked his map and started walking in the direction of Sweet Water. It wasn’t long before Randy found a well-used trail heading towards the main road. He jogged along it wondering how the next encounter would go.
When the trail came out into a grassy field alongside the main road to Sweet Water, Randy stopped and stared. The road was busy with wagons, carts and an assortment of people going in both directions. After so much time alone, it was hard to adjust to seeing so many people. Randy noted all the variety of people, weapons, tools and clothes. He was drawn forward out of curiosity. When he joined the line of people, he walked with a smile on his face and started listening to all of the conversations around him. It was exciting and fascinating.
As the outer walls came into sight, Randy marveled at the village. It was laid out in a traditional pattern, walls for a perimeter, gates along the outside controlled by guards and a symmetrical design of roads and lanes inside. As he got closer to entering the village, the smell was both intoxicating and disgusting. He could smell bread baking, flowers, food cooking and other wonderful things but underlying it was the smell of sweat, unwashed bodies and human and animal waste. After so much time in the forest, Randy’s nose and eyes were assaulted by the smells.
With the gold coin he’d earned from the wolf quest in his purse, Randy decided that finding an Inn was the first thing to do. He wanted a warm bed, a bath and meal he didn’t have to kill or prepare.
“Excuse me, can you recommend an Inn?” Randy said politely as he approached an older man sweeping the front of a store.
“The Spitting Frog is good. I recommend the bean and gorro stew if it's on the menu today,” the man said kindly.
“Thank you. Which direction should I go?” Randy asked as he looked around.
“Straight down this street, second left you can’t miss it,” the man said as he looked in the direction Randy should go.
“Thank you for your kindness,” Randy said as he walked away. OK, good, some people are friendly, Randy thought to himself.
Randy ambled down the street, pausing to look in windows and observe all the different people in the village. He found the Spitting Frog and pushed open the door. It was busy inside so he made his way to the bar and pulled himself up onto a stool.
“What can I get you?” the barman said.
“I will have a soda and a bowl of bean and gorro stew please,” Randy said.
“We don’t have soda. I can get you an ale?” the man replied.
“Uh, OK?” Randy said, not sure if he would need ID or if anyone could drink in the game. He had never tried alcohol. He wondered what, if any, effect it would have on him.
“Do you need a room too? We are almost full,” the barman asked as he put a tall glass in front of Randy.
“Yes please, do you offer baths?” Randy said as he lifted up the glass to try the ale.
“Aye, it will be extra. Do you have the coin?” the barman inquired with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes, I do. How much for one night?” Randy said as he tried to hide his need to cough after taking a sip of his drink.
“4 silver to include your dinner and one night, with a bath.”
Randy mentally deposited the coin onto the counter and sat back with a satisfied smile. He had made it. He was finally out of the forest, sitting in a busy Inn, enjoying an ale.
“Move it Big Ears, you are in my seat,” a voice said beside him.
Randy turned to look. He was almost going to do what he usually would do and try to talk his way out of a confrontation.
“No,” Randy said and looked away from the dwarven looking man.
“Get out of my seat,” he repeated.
Randy stood up, and surprisingly, he was taller than the man. “I will stay on this seat until I am finished with my drink and food.” Randy stared down at the man and willed him to try something. The man looked him up and down and snorted. Randy had already brought his stabby basher up into sight and was prepared to use it.
“OK. OK. It is one of the only seats I can get myself up onto without looking ridiculous,” the dwarven man said embarrassed.
“Really?” Randy said as he looked around. He saw that most of the stools were much taller and didn’t have any rungs on the base. The dwarf would have looked pretty funny trying to get up on them. “Huh, you should talk to the owner. I bet he could get some more chairs brought in here.”
“I’ve been asking. He says he doesn’t have time to build or construct new chairs.”
Randy thought for a moment and looked around the room. There were quite a few patrons who were shorter than most. Odd that the owner hadn’t taken the time to accommodate his customers.
“Who is the owner?” Randy asked.
“The guy in the corner with the long red hair,” the dwarven man answered.
“I will be right back, don’t take my seat!” Randy threatened.
“Can I use it to get up on that chair?” the dwarf asked respectfully.
“Yeah, I guess that is OK,” Randy said. Ha! I just stood up for myself and made someone else intimidated! This is awesome, Randy thought as he crossed over to the owner of the Spitting Frog.
“Excuse me sir. Are you the owner of this establishment?”
“Yes, how can I help you?” the man replied.
“I think I’m the one who can help you,” Randy said confidently.
“Oh? How is that, adventurer?”
“Many of your patrons are shorter in height. They have trouble getting up and down from the chairs. I would like to help you redesign them to accommodate your clientele.”
The owner grunted and looked Randy up and down. “Is it a quest you are after then?”
“Yes.”
“Fine, it will finally get Stanley off my back.”
Samus Binfort is offering you a quest. Redesign the chairs/stools to accommodate patrons of various sizes. Reward of 10 silver coins. Do you accept? Yes/No
Randy happily accepted the quest and went back to his chair. He sat down just as his stew arrived.
“Thank you!” Randy said to the server with a big smile. So far his trip into the village was going very well. He dug into the food and sipped on his ale.
“So how are you going to fix these chairs?” the dwarf said from beside Randy.
“I have some ideas,” Randy answered.
“My name is Stanley. What is yours?”
“Randy, nice to meet you Stanley. Are you a resident here?” Randy asked.
“Yes.”
“Would you happen to know of George Restwater?”
“Restwater, yeah I know a Barney Restwater. Why are you asking?” Stanley said curiously.
“I am on a quest to return something to his family. Where would I find Barney?” Randy enquired.
“Oh, he would be down at the stables. He works there most days. If you go in the morning, he will be working in the barns.”
“Thanks Stanley. If you will excuse me, I need to work on some design ideas. Can I trade you chairs?”
“Sure, this thing makes me nervous,” Stanley said as he slid down and jumped up onto the shorter chair.
“Your bath is ready, better head up to the room now if you want the water to be hot,” the barman said.
Randy got his room key from the barman and found his room. It was heaven! Big soft bed, hot bath waiting for him and soap! Randy stripped off his clothes and stepped into the warm water to wash and soap. He had placed the stool where he could see it and worked on some ideas while he enjoyed his bath. By the time he got out, he had it figured out. He would need some wood and hinges. Randy made a mental list of the supplies he would need and then washed his clothes and hung them to dry before sliding into bed. He went to sleep with a smile on his face. With any luck he would have completed two quests by tomorrow.
The next morning Randy woke up, grabbed his gear and made his way downstairs for breakfast. The barman greeted him kindly.
“Have a good sleep?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Breakfast special for you?”
“Yes, please,” Randy said excitedly.
“What do you have planned for today?” the barman said as he poured Randy a cup of coffee.
“I will be working on the stool redesign. I just need to source out the materials. I should be done by later today,” Randy said as he tried the coffee. He wondered what his mother would think of him drinking ale and coffee. It was good!
Randy enjoyed his breakfast and then got directions to the stable. First, he needed to find Barney Restwater to complete his quest, then he would find the materials he needed for his design. The village was busy in the morning, lots of little booths selling food and supplies were set up along the main streets and shop owners had opened their doors and swept off the steps, inviting everyone in. It was a beautiful warm sunny day and Randy felt on top of the world. He looked around, fascinated by the variety of unique looking people in the village. He had only read about some of the characters and races, it was fascinating to see them in person. The stables were busy in the morning, travelers picking up horses, wagons leaving on the road out of town and stable workers tending the animals and stalls.
He approached a man who was taking payment for a horse and cart.
“Excuse me. Do you know if Barney Restwater is here today?”
“Barney? Yeah, he is cleaning out the stalls. Just give him a holler and he will poke his head out.”
Randy nodded his thanks and entered the long dark barn. He strolled down the middle aisle, admiring the horses. He had a cowboy stage when he was younger and was obsessed with anything western. He had ridden a horse once at a carnival but he was curious what it would be like out on the road, galloping across the fields. Shaking his head to bring himself out of the daydream, Randy called out.
“Barney Restwater?”
“Aye?” a short stocky man said as he popped his head out of a stall.
“Barney. Hello, my name is Randy. I am on a quest to deliver this bag to the family of George Restwater.” Randy held up the leather bag.
“Oh?” A deep sadness came over Barney's face. “That is my brother’s bag. He went hunting and never came home. Am I correct in assuming he is gone?” Barney asked.
“Yes. I am very sorry. I found his remains in the forest near Red Hedge Swamp.”
Barney sat down and took the bag from Randy’s hand. He held the bag fondly as he took a few deep breaths. “My brother shouldn’t have been out there. He was a sensitive man, meant for art and poetry, not hunting and fighting.”
Randy nodded his agreement; he had thought the same thing from looking at his things. For the first time, Randy realized that even the NPC’s were realistic and could have deep feelings. Randy felt bad for not grieving the loss of George. He hadn’t considered how the family would feel.
“There wasn’t much in the bag. Just a fire-starting kit, a cooking pot and a notebook.” Randy would miss the fire-starting kit but with the reward he could always buy a replacement. Barney nodded.
“The notebook will belong with his wife. I would like to keep the bag. I think you will benefit from the fire-starting kit and cooking pot. Will you return the book to her? I can’t afford to take the time off to go see her,” Barney asked as he looked up at Randy.
Randy felt the man’s sadness and his need for letting go. He had no choice but to consent.
Barney Restwater has offered you a quest. Return notebook to the widow Analise Restwater in Cedar Springs. Reward unknown. Yes/No
Randy selected yes and noticed his other notification.
Congratulations Adventurer, you have completed the second part of your quest. You have been rewarded with one gold coin.
Randy accepted the fire-starting kit and pot and placed them in his bag of holding. He watched as Barney looked through the notebook, admiring his brother's art and words for one last time. A few tears rolled down his cheeks. Randy stood somberly beside him as the man mourned his brother. When he finally handed the book back, Randy felt the weight of grief lift from Barney.
“Thank you, Randy. I feel like I can have some peace and closure now. I know that Analise will feel the same when she has the notebook to remember him by. You have done a good thing, accepting the quest. Tell me, is there anything I can do for you?” Barney asked sincerely.
Randy hesitated. He felt like he had already received his reward for the quest but the look on Barney’s face was sincere.
“I am looking for some supplies. I need wood and hinges. Would you be able to help me with that?” Randy asked finally.
“Aye. Yes, I can. Go see Pater at the furniture store. He is just down the way and on the left. Tell him I sent you. He will make sure you get everything you need. Thank you again for returning these items and good luck on your next quest.” Barney pushed himself up off the stable floor and entered the next stall. “Safe travels, Randy.”
Randy exited the stable and paused to take a big breath of the warm air. It was nice to be back out amongst the busy streets, the heaviness of Barney's grief still clung to him. Randy shook himself off and began walking in the direction of the furniture store.
He heard the sounds of construction first. Hammering, banging and creaking of wood, it excited Randy. He had learned the value of creative construction in the forest and was excited to see how he could use his skills to create something that wasn’t a weapon. He entered the store. The front was a showroom of items for sale; beds, doors, boxes, chests and tables. In the back, Randy could see an assembly line of workers, some were cutting and measuring and others were assembling products. He admired their tools and productivity, it looked very efficient.
“Excuse me. I am looking for Pater,” Randy said to one of the workers.
“Pater!” the man yelled to the back of the room.
“Yeah?”
“Adventurer here to see you,” the worker said as he nodded to Randy.
A big man with large hands and a long leather apron walked towards Randy. Randy came up to about his chest, and had to strain his neck to look up.
“How can I help you?” Pater said as he looked down at Randy.
“Good Morning. Barney Restwater said that you could help me with some supplies. I am in need of wood and hinges,” Randy said politely.
“Barney sent you hey? Well, you can have a look through our scrap wood over there,” he said while pointing to a big pile of wood. “And as for hinges, we have a table of odds and ends you can sort through. Can I ask what you are building?”
“Thank you! Yes. I am redesigning the stools at The Spitting Frog to accommodate those of varied heights,” Randy answered.
Pater grunted and laughed. “Ha! Stanley finally talked somebody into doing it! Well, good for you but I always got a kick out of watching the dwarves and little people get up and down, but since it is for a good cause, you can have the parts for free. I’ll just make Stanley buy me an ale or two for my contribution.” Pater chuckled and walked away from Randy.
Randy shrugged. He went to the wood pile and found all the parts he was hoping for so he went to the metal scraps and found a few hinges that would be perfect. He would have to modify them a little but he had enough supplies to modify six stools. He made sure to thank Pater before leaving and made his way back to the inn.
It wasn’t too busy yet so Randy took a couple stools at a time to his room and worked on the modifications. After he completed the first prototype he got a notification.
Congratulations! Your ingenuity is paying off. +1 to Creative Crafter Skill. +1 to intelligence. 10% easier to craft duplicates of your designs.
Randy finished the last stool and proudly delivered it to the owner.
“Well done! That is a clever design,” he said as he looked it over.
“Yes, you have six stools now that can accommodate patrons of various sizes. For those who are shorter they just release this hook and the steps come down. They will be safer and more comfortable getting up and down,” Randy said proudly.
“I like it. If you need more work, let me know. There may be others in town looking for new ideas,” Samus said while transferring Randy’s reward.
“I might take you up on that but right now I have another quest to complete. Can you tell me how to get to Cedar Springs?”
“Hmm, well the wagons will have already left for today but if you head out on the main road, you will eventually be able to jump on board one of the wagon trains. It is dangerous out there, lots of bandits. The wagon trains only stop at night but you will be safer with them than on your own. Make sure you check in with the leader of the train, sometimes you can get work,” Samus said helpfully.
Randy grinned, he was up to the challenge and excited to be travelling. Besides, the road had been busy when he came into town, it couldn’t be that bad.
Randy thanked Samus and strolled out of town with a smile on his face.