Quest Complete!
Reward: Map to ( Iron Gore Mines )
New Hardcore Quest! Deep Rock Terror
Journey to the Iron Gore Mines, and defeat the Boss within.
Time Limit: 7 Days
Time Remaining: 06:23:54:36
Penalty for failure: Red Moon Curse x7 Nights
Reward: Rare Skill Book
A lot to unpack here.
First the arrival of this new 'Hardcore' Quest already had him on edge. The fact that it was distinctly different from the other dangerous quests he had been a part of already was slightly concerning. The time limit felt generous and constricting at the same time, especially considering he had no idea how far away the Iron Gore mines were. The penalty scared him. If this was a big enough deal to outright tell him that a penalty would be involved, Isaac didn't think that this would be by any means easy.
But, then again, it was called hardcore for a reason.
The only thing that really peaked his interest was the reward. A rare skill book implied that the skills that he had gotten so far we're common or normal. And it wasn't a hard leap in logic to assume that there would be a higher level than rare. Isaac watched as the timer faded away and he was left looking at the map in his hands.
It looked like a topographical map, showing an above head view with some variation in the lines to dictate height. The area was in various shades of grayish reds and orangish browns, and there was a river cutting through the center. An X was on the map, with 'Iron Gore Mines' written in spooky looking letters.
"Okay well... I guess its time to get going."
He pulled out the compass and looked at the map. On a whim he tapped the map with the compass, and the arrow began to spin. It spun, then stopped, pointing in a direction that definitely wasn't north.
"Well... good to know video game mechanics still function as intended." he said with a chuckle. Isaac took a few moments to gather the rest of his supplies. Looking at the little hillside house, he felt a strange sensation wash over him. He hadn't even been here but a day but he already felt like he would miss this place.
"Maybe I'll come back one day. Yeah, that sounds nice."
Taking a breath Isaac turned and started following the direction of the compass, walking through the forest.
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Traveling beyond the forest had been interesting, and had taken Isaac through grassy fields and steep mountainsides. He took his time to fish where he could, and collect any new materials along the way. Playing around with the crafting system was proving to be an interesting experience. Making things like wooden furniture and tools were becoming second nature, although he hadn't messed with as much stone as he'd liked. Maybe once this quest was done he'd focus more on stonework.
The trip wasn't without it's hazards. More than once he had to dig into the ground to make a small shelter for the night, or climb up a tree and find a comfy branch to stake out at. Setting up a campfire or having a torch lit nearby helped keep the darkness and hence the monsters at bay, but never enough to get rid of them completely. They still lurked in the distance, giving him the feeling of being watched.
Slowly the landscape had been changing from lush greens to arid browns. The ground had changed from grass to gravel a long time ago, and there was less shade during the day. Isaac wiped his forehead and brought up his quest window.
04:13:22:04
Glancing down at his compass he adjusted his course to stay on track. He really had no idea how far the mines were from this point, and after traveling for over two days he was starting to get worried. If no indication of him getting any closer to his destination appeared soon, he'd be doomed to endure a week of red moons... And he didn't want to forcibly discover what that involved.
Fortunately, his fears were abated as he found the arid hills he was traversing taking on a more canyonlike appearance. He stayed higher on the edge, continuing to follow the compass until he saw something in the distance. Isaac frowned and squinted his eyes, shielding them from the noon sun.
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It looked like a settlement.
Upon seeing the house-like structures in the distance, he moved forward with a bit more energy to his step. However, as he did so, Isaac noticed the houses we a bit smaller than what he would normally expect from a village. It didn't take long for him to find out why.
"Piggi piggi!"
A small yellow Pehngi in overalls and a straw hat came out of a nearby house, waving at him. It walked down the street, meeting up with two others that were similarly dressed as they all headed to a nearby field. They looked to be farmers, if the rakes and baskets were anything to go by.
Walking through the village Isaac was greeted by more and more brightly colored penguins. He saw one dressed as a blacksmith, one dressed as a lumberjack, and another wearing a purple wizards hat. Several small fluffy penguins ran around the fountain at the center of the town, and he made sure not to accidently step on one of them.
It was all very charming. The mental image of small blocky pastel penguins seemed like a distant memory from another time. Isaac walked through the village for a short while before he realized that none of the doors would be big enough for him to go through. In fact most of the buildings were small enough that he'd easily be able to jump and see over them if he wanted to.
Rather than take up space in a place he clearly wasn't built for, Isaac headed over to a large tree and sat down, leaning against it in the shade. It was out of the way enough that he wouldn't be in any of the villagers immediate pathing. Just a short rest before he moved on. Maybe he could trade with some of them.
"So you're the newcomer the village has been talking about."
Isaac was very, very surprised to hear another voice. And when he opened his eyes he was even more surprised to see the figure approaching him.
Red. That was the first thing he noticed about the woman. Long, lustrous, crimson red hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall. The second thing he noticed was how tall she was. His eyes went up, up, up until he was finally looking into two brilliant emerald green eyes that regarded him with an air of kindness. The woman was dressed in an overall dress that came to her knees, over a tight fitting red blouse that did little to contain the absolute mountainside that was her breasts. She wore knee high work boots, and a large straw hat with a silver band.
To say he was surprised was an understatement. Isaac was no stranger to beauty, and as a rule tried to keep himself from looking like a fool. But there was something about this giantess of a woman that oozed sexy and power in a way he couldn't put into words.
When she smiled he felt his knees shake, and when she leaned down to get closer to him he almost fell back.
"Your mouth is hanging open."
His mouth snapped shut and his cheeks turned red, and the woman laughed lightly.
"The villagers said that a newcomer had arrived with fish, so I thought I would come over and introduce myself. I'm Lizzie, I run the farms on the western outskirts."
Breath. Breath in. Form words.
"Hi."
More words, moron.
"I'm Isaac. I uh... I'm just passing through."
"Oh? There's not much past here for a while. You mind me askin' where you're headed?" The slightest traces of an accent bled through, and the southern tone nearly made Isaac swoon. Nearly, he wasn't that easy.
At least that's what he told himself.
"Actually if you could give me some directions, that'd be awesome. I'm looking for a place called the Iron Gore Mines."
The name had the same effect as a batch of rotten eggs. Several of the nearby pehngi looked at him, then quickly scurried away. Lizzie stood up slowly, her face unreadable.
"I see... That's not that far from here, in a nearby canyon."
The tonal shift was not lost on him. Isaac scratched the back of his head and glanced around. "Okay, well... Is there something wrong with the place?"
Lizzie crossed her arms, looking at him and was silent for what felt like a long time.
"Would you be opposed to coming back to my house for the evening? Going to the mines now would put you at risk of running into the night life before you even get there."
That was a little concerning. But, Isaac wasn't about to turn the woman down. With a nod he followed her through the town and headed west. The road lead them into open fields with fenced off areas where farmer pehngi worked.
"I own most of the land around here, and help provide for the locals. Not many crops can thrive out here in this climate, but potatrocs seem to work well enough."
Isaac saw one of the farmers pulling on a green stem, and then yanked a large gray-brown lump from the dirt. It was tossed into a basket with similar lumps, waiting to be taken away.
Soon the road lead them to a large homestead. And not large as in multiple buildings, large as in the main house was huge. Three stories tall, easily taking up more space that half the village buildings put together. The outside walls were a cream white and the roof was a tiled red in a pattern that reminded Isaac of large scales.
Lizzie walked up to the double doors and opened them, gesturing for Isaac to enter. "Please, come in."
The inside of the house was just as impressive. Whereas the outside was hot, dry, and uncomfortable, the inside felt very cozy and welcoming. The walls were adorned with various paintings of different sceneries, and large fluffy rugs accompanied the floors. Various lamps hung from the walls or ceiling, illuminating the rooms interiors. Isaac was lead deeper into a dining room, where a large table and equally large chairs awaited him.
"Please, sit. I'll have something brought in. There is much I need to tell you about the mines."
Isaac obeyed, sitting at the table and Lizzie taking a seat nearby. She looked at him with concern, before taking a breath.
"I will not mince words. If you go to the Iron Gore Mines, you will die."