Frogs. Giant Frogs. Eight of them. Out in the middle of fucking Frogsville, apparently. Swampy terrain, annoying insects pestering me with their probing proboscises, half a day’s walk out of the city, how could one ever top such a wonderful outing? The contract listed that they were eating sheep, or this world’s equivalent thereof, on a nearby farm. They were still called by that same word, “sheep”, but they were taller and covered in hair more like a yak. I was to exterminate eight Giant Frogs and to bring their tongues to the farmer as proof of my deeds. I had left my backpack behind in my room as I did not intend to stay the night, nor to be burdened down with extra kit in such treacherous terrain. I did have a sack for the tongues, as provided for the job. I was assured three times that the sack was big enough for the tongues.
Chooka was right about the Giant Frogs not being much more intelligent than ordinary frogs, but that did not mean they were not dangerous. The frogs, when sitting, rose up to my chest, and they reminded me of tree frogs with their slender shape and colorful patterns, no two of which seemed to be remotely the same as I would come to find. If one bullrushed me, I would be at a sorry disadvantage on the ground, as I estimated they weighed at least twice as much as I weighed. I could probably survive for a while if they swallowed me, but dissecting my way out from their innards was not an undertaking I was eager to experience.
The first frog was rather simple. I moved quickly and struck decisively with my shortsword with a hard downward stab into where I believed the brain to be. It croaked in short order, and wasting no time, I hopped to it for the task of tongue retrieval. I cleaned my sword of gore as best I could lest it slip from my grasp. I also checked the blade while I rested momentarily. It would not do to have my blade break on me or to be ambushed by other creatures nearby, presumably attracted by the opportunity for a free meal. Likewise, pushing too hard and fatiguing myself would also most likely result in disaster.
This frog was my first kill, at least in terms of anything greater than insects or livestock. I felt my Blessing empowered to a degree. From my understanding, for other people, their Blessing grows stronger over time as they perform tasks related to it, and that they have no active choices to make in how it progresses. They can try to skew it one way or the other by virtue of what activities they perform, but that is about it for curating specific Skills. For me, it is probably unique that I gain Experience Points, that each life taken has some value as ordained by some morbid and cosmic actuary. I then choose which Skills to unlock in some virtual web of Skills that only I can see. It all feels like some sort of game I have played before, spending points to unlock Skills or new tiers of existing ones. Some of the web of Skills I can clearly see and read descriptions thereof. For more of it, I can see the pattern of how they connect, but not what they entail. Yet more of it remains obfuscated until I advance closer, as I would come to find out.
Without going into too much detail, I have several different Skill webs that advance through different mechanisms. My [Hoard] has its own web, but also, I have one for [Age], for simply existing. Such Skills mostly relate to my size as a dragon and what inherent abilities I would have as one, such as my Skill to take on the form of a dragon, which I certainly did not have access to at that time. Another web was for [Survival] and defeating worthy foes, the Skills therein mostly focusing on my capacity to fight, to defend myself, to detect and manipulate my surroundings, or to remain hidden. The last web available at this time was for [Deeds] and achievements. The benefits provided are tied to the nature of the task. In that instant, I unlocked [First Blood], [Slayer - Giant Frog I], and [Harvester - Simple Beasts].
Curious, I looked to see what benefits those deeds had unlocked. I will try not to bore you with all the details of every Skill I acquire, but I will provide these as examples. The first gave me a small benefit to my striking power with my attacks, that they would hit with a small amount of force beyond my physical means. The second gave me supernatural insight to the behaviors and abilities of Giant Frogs, and the last gave me similar insights, but attuned to the nature of how to harvest body parts from creatures. Not to say that the effects of these Skills could not be acquired naturally through routine practice, but they provided me with that knowledge and wisdom as if I were seasoned in such tasks. Such Skills remained abstract, with no clear concrete numbers for them. It was not something like “Strength increased by 3 when attacking Giant Frogs,” or anything so blatant, for my Blessing did not display any such attributes in that manner.
A single kill of a Giant Frog yielded far more experience than I would have thought. I could purchase several Skills right away. Not that these low ranking Skills were powerful compared to those that I would acquire later in life, but they were cheap and provided nice utility and a solid foundation. I focused my early efforts on Detection and Defense Skills. I trusted my own aptitude and training to stick creatures with the pointy end of my weapons without the need for direct combat Skills.
With that frog down and seven to go, I resumed the hunt for more after harvesting the tongue. It was a gooey ordeal that I did not look forward to repeating, but I knew I would have to. I examined the surroundings of the Giant Frog for any clues as to how I may find them. Over my head, I noticed dragonflies bigger than my open hand buzzing about just out of my reach if I jumped for them. I did not recall seeing them earlier, but then, I was busy fending off other creepy crawlies. With that clue, I kept an eye to the sky for similar locations. My insight rewarded me, for four more frogs fell to my blade within half an hour at locations with such dragonflies.
My luck for Giant Frog hunting had ups and downs at that point. On one hand, five kills unlocked the next rank, such that I had [Slayer - Giant Frog II], so I had a better understanding of where to find and fight them, but on the other hand, I was not finding suitable locations for said Giant Frogs. Well, I was finding them, but not full-grown adults, which is what the bounty was for. Out of curiosity, I did kill an adolescent, but it yielded no benefit to the progression of my Skills, so I stopped at that. I can’t say that I feel bad for that particular Giant Frog or that it was wasteless killing. Perhaps that makes me a bad person, perhaps it was better to find that out on a Giant Frog compared to some other creatures, assuming not all life is of equal value.
Another hour passed with no more Giant Frogs. The midday sun loomed overhead to spectate my progress. Irritating insects buzzed about me with increased fervor. Curious, and not expecting it to work, I took some young Giant Frogs and put one on each shoulder. I must have looked like some strange swamp pirate to an onlooker, were there any to witness, with my frogs as stand-ins for parrots. Surprisingly, the frogs did not protest their new position in life, and with gusto, their tongues flicked out as fast as they could swallow to snatch up the bugs flying about. Flabbergasted that such a silly idea would work, I felt a deal of relief as fewer insects managed to survive long enough to find purchase on my exposed skin. [Creature Handler I] and [Giant Frog Handler I] both graced me as new Skill unlocks, so perhaps such ingenuity in the future would yield similarly interesting results.
Fortune smiled upon me once again, sort of. I found two Giant Frogs of appropriate size, but they sat right next to each other. I doubted one would just sit by idly after I killed the other, so this may yet turn into a real fight. I checked the terrain, careful to note that the ground was mostly solid and suitable to fight, unlike the knee deep swampy waters I had walked through earlier that day, much to my regret at the time that such was the only way forward. The plan was to coup de grâce the first one much like I had done with earlier encounters and then to deal with the second as best I could.
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I advanced forward cautiously, shield and sword at the ready, taking the bigger of the two as my target. It gazed at me with one large, bulging eye, and let out a cautionary ribbit. I inched forward, ever alert for a change in its behavior. With lightning quick speed, its toothless maw opened, and a large tongue shot out to greet me. I took the impact of the blow with my shield, but the tongue stuck fast and started to pull me in. Instinct kicked in, or perhaps the wisdom granted by virtue of my Skills related to Giant Frog, and I let it pull me as I lunged forward mightily with my sword. Rewarded for my efforts, my sword found purchase inside its mouth as I stabbed upwards into its brain. What last impulse went through its mind, I can only guess, as the deathblow spanghewed it fully over my head and away, wrenching my sword from my grasp as it landed in a dead heap behind me. A mixed blessing, that I lost my sword, but did not have my arm broken in the process, and that the frog’s tongue had let go of my shield. Otherwise I would be in a sorry shape, so I found my current situation acceptable.
The other Giant Frog took offense to this sudden intrusion of a most violent nature. Distressed that I had disturbed its meditations, or whatever it is that Giant Frogs do, it hopped my way in effort to knock me over. I had expected this, but it had moved far faster than I had given it credit, and while I had mostly dodged, it clipped my side and sent me tumbling. My shoulder frogs apparently had no problem with all of this as they stayed fast despite the tussle going on. Slightly disoriented, I quickly sprung to my feet and readied myself. The Giant Frog charged once again, but this time I was fully ready for it, thanks in part to the most enlightening education it had provided me with just moments ago. I twirled out of the way as I drew my dagger and leapt onto its back. Gripping mostly with my legs, I plunged my dagger into its skull three full times before it too croaked.
Not one to relax just yet, I sprung off of its body and readied myself for another attack. None came, for both Giant Frogs were dead, and if any opportunistic creatures were lurking nearby, they did not make a move on me. Slightly winded, I took time to catch my breath and observe my surroundings. Shoulder frogs continued to munch away as if completely unfazed by the whole affair. I half expected the Giant Frog King to come bounding out of the swamp as my last foe, but if he existed, he did not challenge me. After a few moments to assure myself I was safe, I retrieved my sword and checked my equipment. My dagger had a small crack in it, and slightly dismayed, I stowed it away. Using it any more for any tasks beyond food and starting campfires would most likely damage it irreparably.
I found the last Giant Frog and killed it too without much ceremony. I expected some sort of grand finale, but none came. As I neared the edge of the swamp, I removed my shoulder frogs and set them down on the ground. Crouching down to them, I inspected them.
“I will name you Hopper,” I said to the male frog, the gender of which I deduced thanks to my Skills. “I will name your Ribbette,” I said to the female. “I must go now, but I thank you for your services today. Hopefully, we will yet meet again.” I patted them each on the head, and neither seemed to display any reaction at all either positive or negative to my handling of them. Perhaps they were too simple of creatures to express themselves in overt ways.
I left the swamp and made my way with eight tongues in tow to the location of the nearby farmer. Swamp gave way to pasture with glaring finality devoid of any gradient. Perhaps some strange magic prevented one from mixing with the other, or perhaps the answer lies in simple farming techniques the likes of which I simply lack the education to discern. Nothing bothered me on my way to the farmer other than a few curious sheep which seemed to want attention and affection. Fluffier, pot-bellied, squat legs, and longer necks than what my memories told me they should be, but called sheep all the same. I petted a few, which only served to encourage them, and realizing my mistake as they started to hem me in, I bolted out of the flock before they could nuzzle me to death.
The farmer thanked me for the tongues and signed a writ of contract fulfillment, the payment of which was waiting for me at the guildhall. Seeing that it was later in the day than I would have liked, I hightailed it out of there and back to the city, ever watchful of potential threats. A band of raiding goblins would not care that I just finished fighting a bunch of frogs, so it was not like previous fights met the quota for what life could throw at me that day.
I encountered no resistance on my way back to town. Either my vigilant paranoia paid off or no potential enemies were in the area. I skipped the line by virtue of my gorget which served as an authorization token, but I waved to the same lead guard I saw yesterday as I made my way inside. He did nod in acknowledgement, but perhaps he was too captivated by yet another exciting opportunity to inspect another traveler to spare me any more of his sunny disposition. I made my way first to the bathhouse to clean up, then to the guildhall to collect payment.
The sun set by the time I had arrived. The place was packed, a large number of patrons sported Platinum rated gorgets and similar styles of equipment. Perhaps a large expedition had returned from some grand conquest. Ale seemed to flow freely as much merrymaking and rambunctious roughhousing occurred. I had to dodge more than a few people as I wove my way to the counter where a waiting Chooka and oblivious Serideth were stationed.
“Contract fulfilled,” I declared with tired enthusiasm as I slapped my writ down on the counter for them.
Chooka stared at me with a shit-eating grin on her face. “My, what a hero you are! I prepared a snack for you.”
She pushed a covered plate my way. I removed the lid to find eight frog legs underneath, half cooked in batter and half plain. I looked up at her as she leaned in slightly and continued to stare at me with a smile somehow wider than before. I took one of the plain ones and munched down without hesitation as I was indeed hungry.
“Thesh are prett’ goo’,” I muttered out between a mouthful of frog legs. It took a moment more to swallow before I continued. “Did you really just spend, like, a silver on frog legs just to make a joke?”
She laughed gently while leaning in to meet me face to face. “It was totally worth it too. I know you are a man who appreciates good legs.”
I tried not to choke on my food as I laughed at her joke. Serideth looked my way with slight confusion on her face as to how the joke was so funny. I would not unburden her of her innocence via revealing the full nature of what Chooka was getting at, so I just smiled at them both.
“I think everyone enjoys good legs,” I said as I popped another in my mouth.
Serideth slid a silver coin my way. “Here is your payment,” she said as she closed out the contract.
I took the coin and deposited it in a smaller, secondary coin purse that I normally sequester away on my person and out of reach of pickpockets. This was the first silver coin I had ever added to my hoard, and to me, it was a treasure for the ages. The very first coin of a higher denomination unlocked a generous range of [Hoard] Skills that lower tiers just could not provide even in great numbers. I would be leaving that out in the open in my room with my other coppers that I had collected from what few odd jobs I had completed earlier in life. Yes, I did properly get the key to my actual room before I left this morning for my job.
“Thank you kindly, my dear,” I replied back to her with earnest gratitude.
“If you want more legs, you know where you can find them tonight,” Chooka chimed in with a knowing wink that escaped Serideth’s observation, but not my own.
“Oh, I certainly plan for and look forward to that,” I said back to Chooka conspiratorially.
Serideth’s visage remained a portrait of bewilderment as she looked back and forth between us before she resumed whatever it was that she was doing. I got a proper meal and avoided the worst of the antics of the other guild members. I watched carefully for Chooka to finish her shift, and after waiting about fifteen minutes, I left the guildhall and headed to a location that would leave my bed yet again unblemished by my sleeping form. It would be a lie to say the same about Chooka’s bed concerning my person that night.