As I exit the training room I look around and find the first person who looks like they know where they are going.
“Hey could you point me in the direction of a quest board or something to that effect?” I asked a passerby who looks like he could kill me.
“Uh yea just look for the door that's labeled 'Assignments' in the main lobby, just go in there and ask around you should be able to figure it out.”
“Thanks man, later.” I respond with a wave as I walk towards the main lobby.
After I find my way into assignments I take a moment to look around and find one wall covered in various papers and on the other side is another long table like in the main lobby, at it sits more attendants, one of them waves me over as I walk in.
“Hey you're new around here aren't you? I assume you're looking for a quest?” She asked as I walked up.
“Yea I just joined today, I was hopping for something suited for a beginner.”
“I can get you taken care of, I assume based on the daggers you fit into a rogue architype?”
“Yup, I am hoping for some combat, but nothing crazy just trying to get my feet wet ya know?”
“Of course, I actually have two quests that go hand in hand. One is a request For golden clovers, its an alchemical ingredient important for finishing potions, and the other is another request for an alchemical ingredient this one however, fights back its for jackalope horns, and luckily jackalopes favorite food is golden clovers find one and you'll find the other, I think its a good quest for a fledgling adventurer. Wouldn't you agree?”
As she goes over the information she grabs two papers from a drawer behind the desk and slides them over to me.
“Those actually sound like a great pair of quests, out of curiosity what kind of fight would these jackalopes put up?”
As I speak I pick up the papers and see the reward is one silver per horn and five copper per clover.
“They essentially just jump at you head on, any of them with four or less horns should be simple enough, do be careful though if you see one with five or more though once they grow that many they gain the ability to use simple magic, should still be handleably on its own but they tend to group up, so I would recommend trying to take down the weaker ones first and if you come across more than one with magic I would recommend retreat.”
“Alright thanks do I just take these with me or?” I ask not sure how to claim the quest.
“Just press your badge into the paper, or interface if you have one of those.”
after she speaks I pull out the badge page on my interface and press it into both papers, afterwards I hand the papers back to the attendant and ask one last question.
“Alright sounds like I'm prepped one last thing though, where can I find these clover?”
“Just leave the Hall and follow the main road once you get through the gate just walk about 30 mins afterwards you should start seeing some hills, in-between the hills you can find the clover patches and any gold ones should be rather ostentatious, and if you find the clovers there should be rabbits nearby.”
I gave her my thanks and headed out if its that far away I didn't want to waste any time, as I had no plans on sleeping in the outdoors tonight. While I was walking down the main road I pulled up the quest page on my interface.
Clover Collecting (common)
Collect any number of
Gold clovers, each clover collected
is worth 5 copper.
Jackalope season (common)
Kill and harvest Jackalope's
for their horn's each horn
is worth 1 silver.
Seems like this would be quite useful, as I'm walking down the main road I see significantly more stalls hawking food than this morning and that thought reminds me about my experiment from earlier. Pulling the sausage tortilla from my inventory I find its just as hot as it was when I put it in. With this revelation I decide to grab some food from some of the stalls for later, I will fiercely resist eating rations as long as I can. I decide to get a sandwich with some mystery fantasy meat on it for one silver, and I also stop and grab a few more water skins for five copper each so I grab four, I figure it cant hurt to have extra water just in case. And with my preparations complete I head off towards the gate's in the distance.
After another half hour of walking I get a surprise ding checking my skills I see a level up for movement, I guess that will level up just existing that pretty convenient. And it level up at a pretty nice time because I have finally arrived at the gates, walking up there are two streams one coming inside that are being stopped and questioned most people flash some badge or another and are let in while others go through a more thorough search and questioning, while on my side there is a single guard nodding at anyone passing through, I guess they aren't too worried about those leaving. As I pass I shoot the guard the Nod I walk out into the wilderness for the first time. Once I'm a bit away from the gate I take out my other two daggers and attach them to my belt as well they might be required and I begin my trek towards my first quest and true combat in this game. While I'm walking I figure it would be a waste to not start working on my magic, gotta get that level up so it can be of use in combat.
After about three cycles of using my mana and waiting for it to recharge, about 30 minutes I estimate, I crest a hill I've been climbing for about 10 minutes at this point and behold a field of hills and sparse trees on either side of the path.
“I guess I found the quest zone.” I speak to myself. “Well them clovers ain't gonna pick themselves.”
And with that I set off And it only takes me about 10 minutes of searching before I come across my first Gold clover It is a single stem growing off of an otherwise seemingly normal plant that was gold, I pull it off of the plant and identify it.
Gold clover (common)
This common magical
plant is used in many
potions as a magical
binding agent.
Satisfied with my examination I put the plant in my inventory and get back onto the hunt.
I manage to find three more clovers before I find my first obstacle, I find my first jackalope. Looking at it this one only has two horns so this should be a simple enough fight, as I think that it rushes forward faster than I otherwise thought it should be capable of, I have to fling myself to the ground and left to just barely dodge an impaling.
“Alright a lot quicker that I thought you would be, that's fine.”
I say this as I get up and grab two daggers and hold them in front of myself, as I'm doing this the rabbit lands and quickly turns around seeming to size me up for a moment before charging once again. Now that I'm prepared for it I manage to interpose my dagger in its path, considering my daggers are longer than its horn this fight could only end one way. With a small thud the rabbit manages to impale itself on my dagger, he did manage to go so far onto it that it cut my hand so I guess its death wasn't in vain.
“A few dozen more and I might have to start worrying.” I joke to myself as I use its pelt to clean off the dagger before I identify the rabbit.
Jackalope (common)
Small horned monster,
the number of horns
indicates strength, this
specimen had only 2 so
it was rather easy to dispatch.
This identify holds no punches back, glad it didn't do anything more serious to me or I might be insulted. With a chuckle I put the jackalope into my inventory and get back to searching. I manage to find four more clovers and two more jackalopes with one and two horns before anything interesting happens after taking care of the second two horn I notice it was sitting near another Gold clover, to my surprise though this clover had four leaves instead of three, pulling it up to identify.
Gold clover (uncommon)
This is a rare variant of
the typical Gold clover,
having 4 leaflets rather
than 3 it has significantly
higher potency and is
sought after as a cheaper
alternative to more exotic
ingredients.
“Lucky mee” I sing as I place it in my inventory before I can get back to searching I hear some rustling behind me, I turn around and see two more jackalopes but what worries me isn't the number of beasts but rather the fact that one of them has 5 horns.
Well shit no wonder that other one was sitting near a clover without eating it, he was guarding it for the boss here, as I think this I size up the two foes before me, the fifth horn is barely there so maybe he just got it, and the other one only has 1 horn so he shouldn't be too bad. As if it could hear my thoughts the two rabbits hop into action, the one with one horn jumping straight at me while the other one did a small hop forward before stopping, assuming this would be a good chance to even the field a little I get ready to impale the single horn before I find my muscles locking up and then register the pain that is soon followed by more as the one horn manages to stab me in the side, thankfully its horn is still short but fuck me I'm pretty sure the five horn just shocked me before I can finish off the one horn it manages to rip its horn and use my hip as a platform to hop away.
Okay lets restart and try again, while the one horn is turning I throw a quick dagger at its flank and manage to land home impaling it, hoping that's enough I turn to the five horn I notice some small sparks coming off its horn, I meet its eyes before charging it. I notice it focusing on me and its fifth horn start glowing so I immediately throw my other dagger before feeling myself getting locked up again, this time its enough for me to fall over, as soon as I can I scramble to my feet only to find my dagger landed home and stabbed into its shoulder through its torso killing it near instantly. I take a moment to breathe before hearing a ding I don't even need to check to know I got another level for dagger throw. I will however take my interface out to identify the five horn.
Jackalope (uncommon)
Evolved form of the
standard jackalope this
individual grew an magical
horn with electric power, many
crafters would like this rare
ingredient.
Alright I think I can call it there I got plenty for the time being I'm pretty sure with these I'll get a healthy bonus on top of the normal quest reward.
“That was a little dicey thankfully it went well, time to head back safe and sound.”
Just as I say that I know it was a mistake to say it out loud, this is only proven moments later when I hear more rustling from behind me.