Well, that was just bad format. The Dynamic quests were actually two different quests, but some glitch in the system or something had caused them to come up looking like they were the same. Still, the quests were run and done, a whole day was spent….running, actually. When it came out that Estaria could somehow move like she had lightning in her veins, everyone wanted her to go here and get this, go here and get that. She felt like a courier and not a Captain. By the end of the day, she got the carrying bodies quest done, once. The running to collect quest, however, was overdone a solid half dozen times. She had covered every inch of Middenhiem by the end of the day, but much was done because of that. Strength increased from all the carrying, Agility from all the running, and Stamina because Estaria didn’t slouch when she was asked to get something. She ran for it.
In bed after the long day, she finished the carry quest and got a potion. “Potion Of Lesser Experience”. Which was actually really good. The bar was close to ending so a quick push would be good. Withdrawing it from her inventory and downing it, it tasted of strawberries. Gods, she could buy them just for the taste if nothing else.
Experience limit reached. Please choose a Job to continue gaining experience
The box came suddenly, mostly because Estaria was focused on the taste of the potion. But with the box bringing her back she turned on the status screen and opened the flashing Job box. There was a list of several, but they were pretty simple and didn’t entice her. This was going to be important. And then she saw one with orange text. Mostly because it really did have telepathic communication with her, the box to explain her question came up as soon as she mentally asked it.
Orange Jobs are superior to normal jobs. However, they require passing a Job Quest to obtain
Estaria looked at the job - Captain, which was pretty fitting - and then back to herself. It was no use deciding to jump right into this job quest without preparing, that was just stupid. So she shot job down for the moment and opened the dynamic quests for running. Here she completed 6 of them, earning her six of those delightful potions, and her choice of six others. Hovering over, there was Lesser Quicksilver Potion, Lesser Guile Potion, and Lesser Acuity Potion. After a very quick bout of thinking, four Guile and two Acuity potions were picked. She really didn’t need more Agility right now. Was still coming to grasp with what she had.
Despite how good they tasted, Estaria put the experience potions away in the inventory for now and withdrew the Guile potions. Holding onto her sheet for support, she popped open the top and drunk the content. It tasted, like a sweet apple. Maybe, the taste was evocative of her main stats? While the experience was for everyone, the Stamina potion tasted like old shoes. Testing out the Acuity potion, she got a mellow tinge of chocolate. Which all but confirmed her theory that these were good tasting because that was her main stat! They were downed by her, and then another pop-up came, unexpectedly.
50 Dexterity, Second Slice unlocked.
Second Slice - The blade is like flowing water, always moving from one spot to the next with incredible grace. Spend Cool to make a second melee attack immediately after the first.
Another Cool-powered technique. Now she was superpowered in both aspects of combat, her long-range covered by Quick Load and her melee range covered by Second Slice. And speaking of melee range...She had spent the day considering what she was going to do, and finally, come to the conclusion that at least some of it was going to be spent in the Temple of Ulric. Estaria didn’t know what happened to the money spent there, but it seemed to please the God if nothing else. So she got some shoes on and shuffled on over in her civilian clothing. Not, that that dampened the recognizing at all, a lot of night workers gave her a wave as she passed, and one Night Watchman even offered to escort her to the temple when she told him where she was heading. It was cute, but she refused, stating that it was the great work of him and his peers that allowed a woman to walk to the temple by herself and feel safe. He seemed both embarrassed and emboldened by that, and went off into the night, his chest out and his confidence against the monsters in the shadows radiating as brightly as his lamp.
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Eventually, Estaria got to the temple, and the pop-up told her she was entering holy ground. The offerings shop was opened, and she picked up Holy Offering, dropping 20,000 gold pieces into this handful of reeds. As simple as it seemed, she could really feel the power radiating off it. Heads were turned as she walked towards the fire, clearly not the only one to recognize it’s feel. And then when she threw it into the fire, a most beautiful sight was shown before her. The flame twisted and rose, like a wolf running out of the flame and up, up into the sky. Murmurs of Good Omens and Ulric’s Approval filled the air as people began to talk. Some flicking glances at Estaria before getting back to their talk. This was really going to blow up, wasn’t it? She really didn’t need heralding as some sort of chosen of Ulric or whatever else they were planning. Letting out a soft sigh, she saw the new pop up as she gave the offering.
Ulric’s Boon - +20 to Strength, +20 to Constitution.
Mercy Of The Wolf - deal double damage against foes with 25% health remaining.
The strength and constitution were considerable, and Estaria felt herself filling out, her civilian uniform getting tighter as the stats affected her physical build. Wasn’t just the still-strange walking from Agility, but also her physique from Strength. An errant thought flashed in her head that she needed to check herself out in a mirror sometime. Muscular women always made her tick in a way nothing else did. But that was slapped out of her, it was no time to be going ogling her own body. Instead, she was going to the shop. Leaving the Temple to avoid anyone tempted to come over and bother her, she opened the shop item and flicked through, much more money for a spending spree now.
One item that caught her eye was a Barrel of Bugman’s XXXXXX. It made Estaria smile, and give a soft laugh. For 5,000 a barrel, she’d be making some dwarven friends with that. She bought four, and her inventory was now ladened with copious amounts of the best booze you could hope to find. Prices increased as she scrolled down, and then something made her splutter. Gromril was for sale. Starting at a fist-sized chunk for 10,000 and currently the most expensive she could afford for 150,000 was a boulder half the size of a man. While that was her stash from the Siege wiped out, that much Gromril wouldn’t just make her a friend. She could probably buy a Dwarf Hold. Even the fist-sized chunk, too small to be made into anything proper by itself, would get you fast friends with any Dwarf you gave it to. And you really would need to give it to a Dwarf, since nobody else could do anything with it.
Taking a few breaths so she didn’t do anything rash and buy something that wouldn’t be of use for at least another month, she scanned the lists for more and came across a 50,000 sword. “Blade Of Ulric” it was called. And while she really didn’t need to throw any more fuel on the fire, she clicked it up.
Blade Of Ulric - The Wolf God’s fang, forged into a mighty scimitar to fell his foes and bring honour to his followers!
Looking through its stats, she saw it had high damage, good armour penetration and “Breath Of Winter” which dealt additional frost damage and reduced fire damage when wielded. Well worth the price tag, and so Estaria got it. Withdrawing it from the inventory, Estaria admired the blade. It was beautiful, the handle exquisitely crafted, the edge glistening with the soft frost of early winter, and the blade inscribed with runes she’d have to show a historian or librarian or another smart guy to understand. Returning it to her sheath, Estaria got back to her room, dressed in her combat regalia, spent a good hour cleaning her pistols with her cleaning kit, and then opened the job screen, and accepted the challenge for the Captain job. The world went white, and Estaria could only hold her breath in anticipation of what was to come