As the first rays of the alien sun filtered through the jungle canopy, Jason awoke, feeling a mixture of soreness and exhilaration. The events of the previous day played through his mind: the intense battles, the discovery of the egg, and the establishment of his makeshift shelter. He knew he was growing and becoming something new, but what he was unsure of. After a quick breakfast of forest berries, Jason checked his status. He was curious to see if his experiences had impacted his attributes or if he had gained any new skills. The screen lit up, displaying any changes.
Status
Name Jason Morrow Race Human Level 1 Strength 16 Intelligence 16 Constitution 12 Agility 12 Dexterity 12 Charisma 9
‘Well my Strength went up three but my constitution went down three. I guess my choices had an immediate effect on my stats. I need to keep this in mind for future choices.’ He thought to himself as he stretched and looked around, he still hadn’t gotten an updated task to explore anything specific. Taking a few more moments to look around he was getting ready to head out when a strange feeling overcame him. His head turned to the north, he swallowed and took a deep breath. It was as if something was calling to him. Jason started walking. After about 30 minutes of walking a screen appeared.
Tasked Updated: Something has called you to this place of power. Search it out.
Jason closed the screen and looked around he felt a growing sense of anticipation. The call he felt was not just a physical tug but something deeper, resonating with a part of him he hadn't known existed. The jungle around him seemed to be alive, its very essence guiding him forward. He stumbled upon a clearing, where the vegetation seemed to form a natural path leading to a central point. The air here was charged, humming with an energy that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. In the center of the clearing stood an ancient stone structure, covered in moss and vines, but pulsing with a faint, otherworldly glow.
Jason approached cautiously, his heart racing. He reached out to touch the stone, and as he did, a surge of energy coursed through him. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he saw glimpses of warriors in a training ground, he watched as an instructor taught students proper stances and sword techniques Then it shifted, and he saw warriors fighting, time would slow, and he would get to watch how the stances of the fighters shifted, how they moved their body to better angle the swords. These scenes passed so quickly that it didn’t seem possible to understand anything, yet he did he understood it all as if he was there going through it. That’s when the pain hit, it felt like his muscles were ripping and then rapidly healing, it was if all the time he saw in these visions were passing on him all at once. After what felt like hours of this pain, where Jason was unable to scream or move, it all stopped. Jason fell to the ground panting, no longer in pain but his body sore. It reminded him of the time he went and worked out with a buddy of his, Mark was easily three times as big as Jason and for some reason got it in his head that Jason could lift the same weights he did. That had been a long hour and Jason was unable to move for an entire day after that workout.
Tasked Completed: You have unlocked the first stance of the sword warrior. Ability Added!
Jason closed the screen and slowly stood up; his body was recovering quickly but he was still quite sore. Standing on shaking legs he looked around; nothing looked any different. Jason blinked and was back in his room, dropping onto the bed, he closed his eyes and rested. After resting for a few hours, Jason felt his strength return. He sat up, his mind still processing the incredible experience he had undergone. The visions of the warriors and the intense physical transformation had left him with a profound sense of connection to the ancient practices of sword fighting. He needed to test this new ability, to understand the extent of his newfound skills.
As he stood, he noticed his clothes felt tighter on him. He walked over to a mirror he had and inspected himself. As he looked, he noticed his arms were bigger than they used to be, pulling his shirt off he noticed he was now a lot leaner with well-defined muscles. He had always been on the skinny side but before he was pretty much skin and bones, now though, now he looked like he worked out multiple times a week. After checking himself out for a bit longer he put his shirt back on and pulled his sword out of his inventory. Grasping the hilt, he felt a sense of familiarity, as though the sword was an extension of himself. Jason moved into the first stance, and it was as if he had been doing it his entire life. He easily dropped into the stance then started going through the movements. After 5 minutes he was done, he had swung the sword around his body, stepped and lunged and blocked. He wasn’t even winded. The sword never lowered, and he barely felt the weight of his chosen weapon.
‘This is so cool!’ he thought to himself. “Now onto the next task.” He said as he walked over to the consol. “Show task”. He said, and the console lit up showing only one task “Basic Craft”. “Okay, how do I start this task?”
“Would you like to begin basic craft? Warning this task will take a while to complete and must be done in one go, you cannot stop this task once it’s started.”
Jason paused, considering the warning. "This might be a big step," he mused. "But it's necessary." He took a deep breath and replied, "Yes, start the 'Basic Craft' task."
The environment around him transformed once more. He found himself in a well-organized workshop filled with various tools and materials, all unfamiliar yet intriguing. A screen appeared with instructions and objectives for the task.
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You have everything you need to craft here, learn the tools and different materials. The task will update once your knowledge has grown.
Jason began to explore the workshop, examining each tool and material. He reached out to pick up a hammer, and nothing happened. He picked up each tool until he reached for one he didn’t recognize. The tool was about ten inches long, its body crafted from a lustrous cast iron that gleamed under the workshop's lights. It’s tote and front knob were made from polished hardwood, their rich, dark tones contrasting beautifully against the metallic body. The tote's graceful curve was designed to fit comfortably in the palm, while the knob was shaped just right for the grip of his other hand, allowing for controlled, fluid movements. At the heart of the plane was its blade, a fine piece of high-carbon steel that protruded through a narrow slit in the body. It was set at a precise angle, honed to a razor-sharp edge that promised seamless cuts. Above the blade, the lever cap, a sturdy piece of metal, clamped down with a satisfying click, securing the blade and chipbreaker firmly against the body.
Smoothing plane, this tool is a traditional woodworking hand tool designed to trim and smooth the surfaces of wood.
“Hm interesting, some of these other tools I recognize from day-to-day life, and others from working on my blacksmithing game. I didn’t really have interactions with woodworking though, but now looking at it that would have most likely come into play later, for shaping handles and stuff.”
After being satisfied with the tools he moved onto the materials. The workshop was stocked with an array of both familiar and alien resources. Among the earthly materials like oak and pine, there were several unusual woods and metals native to this alien world, each with unique properties.
One such material that caught his eye was a dark, almost black wood with a dense, heavy feel. Its surface had a subtle, shimmering quality, as if imbued with an inner light. "Darkstone Wood," read the label. The screen flickered to life as he touched it.
Elemental Attunement: Earth. Known for its grounding properties and exceptional durability.
Intrigued, Jason set the Darkstone Wood aside, considering its potential uses, when another material drew his attention. This one was a deep, vivid green, with a texture that seemed to shift under his gaze. It was lighter than it appeared, with an almost spongy feel. "Venommoss," the label stated. The screen illuminated again:
Elemental Attunement: Poison. This material possesses natural toxic properties
Tasked Updated: Create a habitat for your egg.
Jason could have facepalmed, in all the excitement he forgot bout the egg he found. Opening his inventory he saw it sitting there. ‘Okay so eggs normally need heat and something soft. Hmm actually looking at it both the darkstone wood and the venommoss match the coloring, perhaps that’s why I was drawn to them. Okay so let’s try and make some kind of…’ Jasons thoughts trailed off as a memory came back to him. The snake like creature that attacked him, it was the same colors also. Had that been the parent to this egg? Had Jason stolen this egg from it? No, it was probably just coincidence right? Jason couldn’t let himself go down that train of thought. He quickly pushed the matter aside.
“Okay looks like I’m making a vivarium.” He said to himself.
Tasked Updated: Create Vivarium, blueprint provided.
Just then a blueprint appeared on a table nearby. Walking over to it Jason saw measurements and detailed instructions on how to craft a vivarium, using the materials here in the workshop. It even showed how to shape glass and how to use some of the fire attuned materials to make a warming bed for the egg. Jason studied the blueprint intently, his mind working to translate the intricate design into reality. The vivarium would need to be a nurturing, safe environment for the egg, balancing heat, light, and humidity.
He began by selecting pieces of Darkstone Wood for the frame. The wood's dense, almost black texture was difficult to work with. His first attempt at cutting it to size ended in uneven, jagged edges. Frustrated but determined, Jason took a deep breath and started again, slowly getting the hang of handling the tough material. Every time he did something right a sense of correctness would pass through him, using this feeling and trying out different methods he was slowly learning how to handle this material. After several hours, he had a rough frame that matched the dimensions on the blueprint.
Next was the Venommoss, which he planned to use as a lining for the vivarium's interior. Its spongy texture was deceptive; it tore easily when handled incorrectly. The first time he picked it up, without gloves he got a message telling him he was being poisoned, but luckily for him the message went away when he put it down. It seems prolonged contact with the moss could poison him. Jason had to be meticulous, carefully measuring and cutting to avoid wasting the precious material. Trying to maneuver it with gloves was difficult, too much pressure would cause it to rip. After a couple of failed attempts, he managed to line the interior walls of the frame smoothly. Now he just needed to use the fire attuned marble and moss to make a type of bed for the egg.
He used fire-attuned materials, which were tricky as they reacted intensely to even the slightest heat. More than once, Jason had to toss the material into a fire-resistant bin because he had them too close and they started to catch on fire. He had to wear special clothing for this too which again made it harder to handle. But with patience and careful handling, he crafted a small, heated bed, surrounded by moss that fit snugly into the vivarium's base. Attaching the moss to the marble had been surprisingly easy, it was almost like the moss wanted to be near the heat.
The most challenging part was shaping the glass for the vivarium's front and top. Jason had never worked with glass before, and the process was nothing like he had imagined. The first two attempts ended in cracks and shatters. Again, the feeling of correctness with his adapted thinking allowed him to figure out a good enough way to handle and mold the glass. Sweating and tired, Jason persevered, slowly learning to control the temperature and manipulate the glass with the right amount of pressure and finesse. Finally, he succeeded in crafting a somewhat clear, somewhat smooth pane that fit almost perfectly into the frame.
After hours of non-stop work, Jason stepped back to admire the crude yet functional vivarium he had created. It wasn't perfect – the frame was a bit rough, and the Venommoss lining wasn't as even as he'd liked – and the glass would let some cold air in but it would serve its purpose. It would work for now but as Jason improved his skills he would craft a better one
With a mixture of pride and relief, Jason carefully placed the egg on the warming bed and closed the vivarium. He hoped the environment he had crafted would be suitable for whatever creature lay inside the egg.
As he cleaned up the workshop, Jason reflected on the task. It had been a journey of trial and error, frustration, and learning. But it was also deeply satisfying. He had created something with his own hands, something that could nurture life. He couldn't wait to see what would come of it.
Tasked Completed: Create Vivarium.
Jason smiled as he closed the screen. Exhausted but content, Jason realized that each task in this world was shaping him, teaching him new skills, and connecting him deeper with this mysterious and wondrous place.