As the sun rose high in the azure sky, Nick rounded the southern tip of the island.
Not long after, a massive mound came into view a bit further down the beach. After another ten minutes of hiking along the shore, he could make out enough details to be certain that he was peering at the remnants of a shipwreck.
It was big enough that Nick could identify it as a cargo ship, even with his limited knowledge of wind-powered vessels. Half of the hull had been splintered to smithereens from being tossed against the rocks before it had washed onto the shore. The biggest intact piece was impressive, at least thirty feet high and twice as wide. When it was whole, the ship must have been hundreds of feet long.
Worried that this was a guarded point of interest that had been placed here by the System, Nick cautiously approached the wreckage. He was eager to find another chest, or any reward for that matter. The komo’s ambush was still fresh in his mind. Thus, his first goal was to survey the nearby stretch of shoreline. He wanted to see if there were any swordclaws nesting nearby or other species that he hadn’t encountered.
Staying as far away from the forest as possible, he walked east for a while longer. Although he spotted a dozen beefy crabs combing the dunes, they seemed content to hunt small game along the waterline. None of them were heading in his direction, as far as he could tell.
He noticed a few long trails of smoke drifting up along the northern horizon, which he thought might be channels where the volcano was venting magma to relieve pressure. Nick doubted that it would erupt while the tutorial was underway, as he didn’t think it would be possible to survive such an occurrence—although the possibility still made him nervous.
Just to be thorough, he ran his gaze along the ocean before heading back to check out the wreck. It was a windy day, and the waves were high. He spotted a pod of pink dolphins out in the distance, shuddering as he remembered his thankfully long-distance encounter with the thing in the sea.
He stopped for a few minutes just to enjoy the soothing roar of the surf, then turned his gaze to the elevated ground leading up to the tree line. Nick twisted from side to side, then jumped into the air and lowered himself onto his belly.
He was looking for the telltale shimmer of silken threads reflecting back the sunlight. To his immense relief, he discovered nothing of the sort. If he had seen even a hint of silk, he would have abandoned his exploration of the northern shoreline without a second thought.
At last, Nick was satisfied that nothing would sneak up on him while he was inside the ship. He turned around and walked back the way he had come, eager to explore the intact portion of the vessel. He began by circling the wreckage, looking for any indication that beasts were living atop or inside it.
Except for a few faded trails left by wandering swordclaws and a flock of gulls perched on the highest point, he saw nothing that suggested the presence of anything laired nearby. As the wreck was presumably an artifact left behind by people native to this planet, he was curious about the story of the shattered vessel and the lives that had been lost at sea. The hopes and dreams that had descended to the briny depths alongside it. However, except for a few faded symbols painted onto the hull, he found no clues as to who had piloted the vessel or what had become of them.
The wreck was too far from the waterline to have been deposited by the tides. It must have been washed up by a violent storm. This was a lucky break, as Nick wouldn’t have to worry about it being carried out to sea. The bird shit caked onto the hull, and the weathering of the exterior indicated that the ship had been resting here for some time. After making sure that the wreckage appeared stable, he was ready to head inside.
He shuddered at the prospect of coming across rotting corpses, although he was extremely curious to discover what the inhabitants of this world looked like. But then he realized that it must have taken months, if not years, for the sunlight to bleach the paintjob. Any remains that he discovered would be skeletal, if they had washed up with the debris instead of sinking into the ocean.
On alert for the presence of hostile beasts or other unknown threats, Nick hefted his walking stick and took his first step inside the wreck. The interior of the shipwreck was shady and cool. The cavity was wide and spacious along the level of the sand, and he was happy to discover that it was free of swordclaws or other dangerous critters.
He enjoyed the refreshing sensation of no longer standing in direct sunlight as he waited for his eyes to adjust. Then he took a long look around. A slice of what must have been the bottom of the main deck ran along one side of the hollow at an angle, sheared off by either the collision that had sunk the vessel or when it had rolled its way up the shoreline.
Looking up, he could see segments of the lower decks peeking out from between gaps in the boards running over his head. Leaning against one side of the hull was a piece of the mast that had been jumbled up with a pile of rocks when the vessel flipped upside down.
Along the far corner, Nick noticed a small door high above him. The only intact piece of woodwork he could see. If there was anything more valuable in this place than a lifetime’s worth of firewood, he was certain that he would find it on the other side of that door. Assuming that he could get up there without breaking his legs in the process.
By now, his internal loot finder was tingling. It would be a crime not to place an Exploration Reward Chest in such an obvious point of interest, at least while he was in a System-moderated tutorial.
Although his greed sang to him, cajoling him to scamper up the wreckage and begin looting in earnest, he sat down in the sand and unfocused his eyes, taking in the arrangement of the shipwreck as a whole. The longer he looked, the more certain he became that he could find a way up, because the layout reminded him of a platform puzzle.
This meant that using his brain would be just as important as leaning on his athletic ability, which was still far from Nick’s strong suit. Twenty minutes into his deliberations, he was satisfied that he had traced out a viable path.
If I can reach the top of the incline, that section of mast is a straight shot to the roof of the lower deck. Those boards look less stable than the ones down here. I’ll need to distribute my mass and walk along the interior of the hull, where the beams have the most support. I should take my time and test each step before committing my weight. But I doubt that the entire deck will give out from under me.
Nick was convinced that this course would take him as far as the door. Hopefully, a reward chest would be sitting on the other side, waiting patiently for him to open it. If there was anything dangerous inside, he would slam the door shut and scamper away as fast as he could without falling through the floorboards, then regroup and consider his options.
First things first. You can worry about what’s inside once you make it to the door. Ready to begin his climb, he removed his robe and hung it on a shorn piece of railing. Both to lighten his load and to set his meat high enough that a wandering swordclaw couldn’t saunter by and steal his dinner.
His plan in place, Nick rolled up his sleeves and went to work. He crouched down low and started scaling the inverted deck, placing one hand on the wall and the other on the floor to maximize his traction and stabilize his balance. He winced as he picked up a few painful splinters, but thankfully, nothing deep enough to interfere with his explorations.
After climbing the shattered deck, he stopped to catch his breath while he inspected the clipped mast. He had been worried that it would roll under his weight. But up close, he could tell that it was wedged tight between the bilge and one side of the hull.
If he slid off the end or his grip failed him, he would fall a good ten feet down into the sand, which would hopefully cushion his landing enough to keep him from cracking his shins. Releasing a huff of frustration that he hadn’t put more work into developing his athletic ability in his former life, Nick took aim and made an awkward leap.
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His arms wrapped around the mast and then started to slide, gifting him with a surge of adrenaline until he remembered to grip with his knees. Thanks to his improved Strength, he barely managed to keep himself from slipping off the end of the pole.
Huffing and puffing, he dragged himself up. He made a solid impression of a clumsy caterpillar until his legs were even with the lowest deck, which was now the highest point in the inverted wreck. Fortunately, the mast was close enough that he could reach out with one foot and then transfer his weight, as he had no leverage to launch himself through the air.
The boards creaked ominously as his feet came down but held firm for the moment. Nick didn’t like the amount of play in the joinings, so he crawled on his belly, spreading his mass over as wide of an area as he could.
Twice on his way to the door, his hands pushed through rotten wood, forcing him to detour around after probing to determine the extent of the damage. But despite the tension now filling the air, he found himself sitting in front of the entrance a few minutes later, winded but whole.
While he waited to catch his breath, Nick put his ear up to the wood, straining to catch any indication that something living was waiting on the other side. Other than the roar of the surf reverberating through the bones of the ship, he heard nothing beyond the rise and fall of his own breath and the steady rhythm of his heart.
Since the portal is latched and the exterior of the vessel is intact, there shouldn’t be anything in there. It’s probably safe to stick my head in. Ready to retreat just in case, he rose into a crouch and then slowly opened the door, widening it inch-by-inch as the interior of the chamber was revealed.
After poking his head in far enough to determine that the coast was clear, Nick stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He was glad for the narrow slits of sunlight shining through the cracks in the hull. They provided enough light to see, and he felt safer with the portal shut.
This might be a decent place to use as a base of operations when I’m on this side of the island. It’s a bit far from the obelisk and spring, but not unmanageably so. None of the beasts can reach me up here except for the spiders, assuming that they ever leave the forest to begin with. Either way, they shouldn’t be able to get past the door. The swordclaws aren’t as friendly as Bandit and the lemur tribe, but they don’t seem like bad neighbors, all things considered.
While Nick mulled his options over, he began sorting through the contents of the room. At first, he only found the jumbled remains of what appeared to have once been a writing desk, a collapsible bunk, and a three-legged stool. Each had been bolted to the floor before being shattered by the catastrophe that sank the ship.
He cracked a wide smile five minutes later when he noticed an intact wooden box resting in the corner, formed from lumber the same color as the deck. This wooden chest was as simple as the last had been ornate. Its smooth, unadorned sides reminded him of the projects he had made in the woodshop back in high school. Although there was a level of precision to the work that surpassed his own modest abilities.
He mouthed a silent prayer to the gods of RNG, which he fervently hoped was not an actual thing in this new reality. Nick stood to one side, just in case the box was trapped, and then flipped open the lid.
He laughed in delight when he saw what was inside. I never thought that I would feel your loving embrace again. But here you are, right when I needed you most. At long last, after opening the third reward chest he had discovered on the Searing Isle, Nick had finally found a pair of shoes—or more precisely, a pair of badass-looking boots.
He never thought that something so simple would make him happy enough to cry. But after running for his life on his bare, battered soles, he felt no shame. He glanced at the slip of paper inside the box, noting that the boots were common quality, but he didn’t care. In this wondrous, fortuitous moment, the boots were an epic item to him.
Hoping that they fit him as well as his belt, Nick plopped down onto his ass and then shoved his right foot inside. He groaned in pleasure as the soft lining slid along his skin. The sensation promised cushioning, support, and protection, all rolled into one magnificent accessory. Shivering in satisfaction, he quickly put on the other boot, rose to his feet, and took his first step.
It felt like he was walking on clouds, each footfall padded and braced. It was exactly what he had been dreaming of for the last several days. As his feet purred in contentment like a pair of stroked kittens, he fished out the scrap of paper and read the description in full.
Congratulations! You have discovered an Exploration Reward Chest (Wood).
A tutorial knowledge point has been awarded.
Contents: Explorer’s Boots (Common).
These rugged, waterproof boots are suitable for use across a wide variety of terrain. They have been built for both comfort and durability from raw materials boasting a moderate resistance to corrosion and flame. These boots feature reinforced arch and ankle support and incorporate steel shanks and toes to protect your feet.
Awesome! These are even better than I thought. Nick was so enraptured that he barely noticed when the wooden chest crumbled to dust and blew away. I wonder what the deal with these scraps of paper is anyway. They are far more detailed than the descriptions provided in my profile. Then it hit him.
This lets the System grant prizes that are pre-identified instead of giving me an Analyze skill or Scrolls of Identification. I know exactly what the contents of my rewards do. But other items I find in the field will have unknown properties. At least with the abilities and skills I have at my disposal.
Although he was excited enough to dance, he took his shoes back off and went to work, pulling all the splinters out of his feet. He stopped to examine the boots up close before putting them back on. They were fashioned from jet black leather, embroidered with subtle white stitches that accentuated their profiles.
The soles were rough and textured with what felt like a layer of dense rubber. Nick could already tell that they would provide superior traction. Instead of laces, they featured a series of adjustable straps running up one side, pre-configured so that they were perfectly aligned to the contours of his feet.
He pulled them back on and decided to dance a little jig in celebration after all, laughing at his own whimsy. His feet felt like fortresses after hiking dozens of miles barefoot across the island. He no longer had to worry about slicing his heels on jagged rocks or impaling his soles with random sticks and thorns. No more jamming his toes against what felt like every rock on the island. Not to mention the risk of having them bitten off, clawed, or stung.
Nick pranced his way across the room. He was thrilled to have ankle and arch support, and better yet, a steel plate running across his toes. With the Explorer’s Boots, he would be able to survey the interior of the island without risking his mobility with every step he took. At least once, he had a plan in place and more attributes under his belt.
Just as he turned to leave, eager to complete his objectives for the day, he noticed a dull lump of brass wedged between two floorboards. Curious, he bent down to take a closer look. After making sure that it didn’t seem dangerous or connected to any hidden mechanisms, he used the skinny end of his wand to lever the object out.
He rolled what appeared to be an eight-inch tube between his hands, running his thumbnail across a series of ridges that ran down the length at regular intervals. When he rubbed away the dust with the corner of his shirt and looked through the end, he realized what he had found.
It's a telescoping spyglass, like in those pirate films that Angie loves. Confused by a momentary swell of sorrow whose source he could not identify, Nick shook his head, cracked open the door, and then peered through the spyglass. The far end of the wreck leapt out at him, offering a magnification of perhaps 300 percent by his rough estimation. This would have been useful to have at the top of the tree, and finding it is a good lesson. Not all treasure comes in chests. Using your eyes and brain will yield rewards as well.
After wiping away every speck of grime lodged in the crevices, he gently closed the device. There was a hint of gritty resistance before the spyglass collapsed down into a thick ring of brass, a third of its prior length, allowing the tool to fit neatly into one of the empty pouches on his belt.
Okay, I’m sold. This toolbelt is even more useful than I imagined. Riding the high of cracking open his third loot chest, Nick began contemplating how he would spend his KP as he carefully retraced his route back to the bottom of the wreck. Although the boards creaked ominously beneath his weight, he was able to climb down to the entrance with no further mishaps.
He retrieved his bathrobe, walked through the hole in the hull, and then stepped out into the sunlight. He waited for his eyes to adjust before he continued surveying the shoreline.
He still intended to make it up to the north shore and find a place to camp before it got dark, then head south and make it back to the obelisk sometime in the late afternoon. He had no intention of taking the shorter way around the northern coast, as it would lead him through an area that he knew was part of the lurk’s hunting grounds.
It's too bad I don’t have a flint or another way to start a fire. That was when it hit him. As his gaze panned over the volcano’s smoke, he realized that he had already found the solution to starting a fire. He just hadn’t put the pieces together, with his attention focused on looting the shipwreck.
The lava. I can use it to light a bonfire if some of the flows come out along the beach. He broke into a broad grin, looking down at the bundle hanging from his toolbelt as his stomach started to growl.
For the first time in Nick’s new life, meat was back on the menu.