(INV) Special Delivery

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The two adventures meet Mr. Joseph Conway at his makeshift camp several hours outside of Stokbon. You can see that he is bedridden, and his left leg is bound in thick bandages and splinted with a section of a thick sapping. He obviously isn't going anywhere, and obviously isn't happy about obviously not going anywhere. A Physician whom moments ago was tending to the man emerges from the tent and beckons the two of you inside.

As the two of you approach, he beckons earnestly for the two of you to hurry closer, then speaks in a pained voice;

"You two probably already know from the quest board, but I've been badly injured, and I need a delivery to be completed. The contents are none of your concern, and of little value, I assure you. This is an urgent matter because every time i take on a contract, I put my reputation on the line, and I will not let something as silly as a broken leg tarnish that same reputation."

He pauses to give a meaningful glance to either of the adventurers present, making absolutely sure he's driven the point home before continuing.

"This package is to be delivered to a one Chris Olsen of Stokbon. He lives and works in the commercial district, one street to the west of the the north south canal. I've written down the exact address and very specific directions on where he can be reached and at what times. It is of the utmost importance that this be delivered within two days. By the time that deadline has been reached, I should have been brought back to the city proper, and will have payment sent via courier so long as I am pleased with your results. Any questions?"

As he asks his final question, he offers the cloth and twine wrapped parcel, making it apparent that he wants less talk and more delivering to happen as soon as possible.

@Avilon C. Vixen @Amane Hirota

 

Avilon's eyes stared over a bit lost, as she noticed the second participant in this little quest she contemplated the severity. Her eyes stopped upon Mr. Joseph Conway. The bandages upon the man's knee brought back unfortunate memories, injuries reminded her of when she broke her leg. The woman now sighed and nodded toward the man realizing the pain and sympathizing with the individual until she realized that the pain wasn't making him any more negotiable. She squeaked and hastily rushed forward into the tent as she shook, "I-I'm sorry but I don't really know what all we have to do other then what the quest was named. What exactly-"

Before she could finish her thoughts she then mewled weakly hushing up, a sheepish expression worn on her face. It was an odd situation where she actually would interact with anyone let alone someone who was so grumpy. The world was still a strange new place for herself before then glancing down upon him once more. Avilon nodded, "Right, so keep your reputation up to snuff, but what then do you want?"

She gulped and nods before then contemplating, "I would be willing to help, but might I ask if we are going to be out with a lot of people? I don't really enjoy spending time with others so." The white haired woman was dressed in light black leather before then sighing. She then looked down toward the pencil before sighing, "Sorry, I will just ... stop talking." The digits on her hand now poked and prodded at one another before sighing. A sideways glance then shot at her companion as it would seem for this endeavor.

 

Amane wasn't quite sure what to expect when she crossed the wilderness to the camp listed in the quest notice, but being thrust a wrapped package and subtly threatened by a dude in a makeshift cast wasn't it. Immediately, when the man mentioned that the contents weren't of any concern to her, she was seized with a sudden impulse to take a peek inside the minute her companion and she were out of sight. But could she even do so? Perhaps the game locked the parcel such that it couldn't be open, or maybe opening it would immediately invalidate the quest. Sighing, she bit back the whimsical fancy. Better not ruin my first quest, she thought. Besides, I have a teammate. Ruining her first quest as well would be too much. After all, her potential questmate looked pretty new, with no high level gear equipped at all.

Giving a cheeky smile and a wink, she said "Sure thing, no peeking at the package whatsoever. And of course we'll deliver it on time." Conveying a package into a city, which should be safe from most, if not all attacks, if Amane wasn't mistaken, shouldn't be too hard a task at all. Just a matter of walking there and back. If her Astramancy mastery were higher, she wondered if she would have been able to simply open a portal through the different dimensions in the game and teleport them into the city. Still, the journey would only take several hours at most, even on foot, and if luck were on their side there wouldn't be any battles on the way there. A quick, simple quest.

Her partner seemed like a nice person, albeit a bit shy. Definitely gorgeous, with her light hair, fit figure and leather, though Amane pushed that thought as far back into her mind as possible. Nope, not something she wants to dwell upon at this time. At her companion's comment about not wanting to spend time with others, the Felis' lips twitched into a bemused smile. "I don't bite," she said, in what she hoped could be construed as a friendly tone, "And it's just the too of us on this quest, I think." Judging by the 2H sword on her questmate's shoulder, she seems to be a melee type, perhaps tank or DPS? Amane had never cooperated in a party before, in Terra Sphere or otherwise, but a mage and a martial seemed like a pretty solid combination. "What's your name? Mine's Amane."

As her companion didn't reach forward to claim the package, she grabbed it instead, striding out of the tent, pausing to see if her white-haired teammate would follow, and if Joseph Conway would give them any parting instructions. If there was anything, she would be fine with waiting for whatever reason, being in no rush as she was. If there was no matter, however, Amane would walk out towards the direction of Stokbon.

@Avilon C. Vixen , @evilandlazy

 

Seeing that the two of you have been informed of your mission and instructed as well as one needs to be to deliver a package, the clearly high-strung physician hurriedly shows the two of you out. He remarks plainly "Remember, you have two days to get this to the intended recipient. Remember to be careful though; the road can be a dangerous place."

You perhaps feel as if the vague comment may be foreshadowing danger ahead, though at the same time it is fairly common knowledge that here in Terraspehere, it is easier than not to find oneself in danger outside the protection of city walls, and even inside if one takes the wrong turn at the wrong time.

A spring breeze still carrying just a bit of winters chill blows through the trees, punctuated by the pronounced flapping of a fairly large bird taking flight from a nearby tree. The two of you should set off immediately.

((OOC: To touch on a question Avi had, every DM has different rules about posting order. When in doubt, assume that you are expected to continue to post in order. I however, don't require that unless you're in combat, and if/when you are, i will be sure to let you know in my most recent DM post. Until then, posting is first-come-first-serve, one post per round.

 

@Avilon C. Vixen @Amane Hirota

((I always forget to tag people :'(

 

"Yes sir," she said with a respectable tone to the injured man offering up the quest. It must be difficult living in this world where the roll of a person can quickly change just at the flick of a few binary digits. The game controlled every aspect of their lives including the quickness of recovery. It was no wonder the man was annoyed that his own business would be tarnished for the simple task of another person needing to take it for experience.

The breeze of spring was still quite cold as she was dressed in some ragged clothes and with a rather rudimentary weapon as she then gulped. Curiosity of the quest item that they were to carry did make her worry. Various goods could fit inside such a container, but as a habit her mind always skipped straight to the worse case scenarios.

"No time to waste then it's a pleasure to meat you miss Amane." Her voice wavered with nerves as the development of a backbone was still in development as she at least didn't have to worry in the game of people seeing her true figure. She was paranoid of her appearance and ability tarnishing her name and ruining her career so it was a god send here.

The comment of biting caused a flush to spread across Avilon's face though as she then retracted her hand after the offer, whether it was taken or not. "How long have you been wandering about? I honestly am quite new to all of this still." As she heard the question. "I'm Avilon and hope that our quest goes well so we might as well get a move on it." A rather gentle smile crossing over her face as she then wandered out toward the wilderness from the tent, right behind miss Amane. Quickly keeping pace as she wasn't entirely where they were headed. "So, since we are gonna be out on this a while maybe we should get to know one another?"
@Amane Hirota @evilandlazy

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"Sure thing," she said, frowning slightly at the physicians warning. Indeed, perhaps hoping that they'll reach Stokbon unmolested was too naive a thought; a couple of hours was quite a bit of distance to travel, and this was a quest, after all. For all she knew, the game could generate creatures specifically for them to accost them. A cool wind swept through the camp, catching her hair in its wake and chilling the back of her neck. A shiver ran down her spine, and whether it was from the chill, or some foreboding premonition she knew not.

Turning her attention back to her companion, Amane matched her pace to that of the light haired girl, taking her hand when offered. "Nice to meet you, Avi~ Do you mind if I called you Avi?" She hoped she didn't offend the other girl, but Avi did roll of the tongue more easily than Avilon did, and she always had a perchant for giving people nicknames, close friends and acquaintances alike. What if she did, though? The Felis thought, slightly panicked. She didn't even want to think what would happen if she messed up her very first potential friendship.

"I just created my character too," she admitted, "To be honest, this is my very first quest, so I'll probably mess up somewhere along the way." Before she logged in she made sure to brush up on her gaming terminology, but she knew that no research could ever compete with real experience. "Of course," she agreed when Avi mentioned getting to know each other better. "What do you wish to know? I play a ranged magic DPS/support mix, and this is actually my first MMO, ever." Looking at the rudimentary weapon on Avilon's back, she asked "Have you gamed before? What made you pick your masteries?"

OOC: Awkward short post here, sorry about that ^^; @Avilon C. Vixen , @evilandlazy

 

((since the two of you are just engaging on conversation, I'm going to 'skip' my turn and let you two have at.

@Amane Hirota that's a perfectly fine post as far as length goes; Doing too much in one post can be awkward for other players to reply to. Especially in combat, stick to the rule where you move once, act once, and speak once. This makes it easier for other players to keep the timeline and events straight, and also doesn't compel them to respond to several things in one post before they even get to the actions they wanted to take with their own characters. Long posts are great to set the tone for a new setting and/or introduce your character, but once a thread is moving along, really shoot for 200-500 words per.

@Avilon C. Vixen @Amane Hirota

 

The snow white hair flicked out from her eyes, her body dressed in rather ragged black clothing as she stared over to her companion. As she looked over she noticed the effect of the swift winds brushing over them. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well miss Amane," she whispered before then staring off through the wilderness. She blinked hearing the abridged version of her name as she nodded, "Yes Avi is fine it actually brings back some old memories. You sorta look a little chilled maybe I can get a coat or something for you to wear as we continue on this adventure."

Her hips swayed back and forth as she strolled along, her combat boots gripping into the grassy patches as she continued along her way. It was a strange sensation she wasn't the type to be outside in the real world, and here she was traversing wondrous lands in a virtual reality. As she thought about ways to keep warm she shuffled over and would then rub the girl's shoulder, presuming that friction would still cause warmth if physics in this world weren't different.

"Admittedly I'm not the best gamer, I sorta joined due to some anxiety issues and the idea of hiding behind this confident mask was hope. Sadly, I just feel a bit more nervous as I have a few issues." She gulped before then biting her lip and thinking, "I ummm wanted to be stronger then what I normally am, in crowds or in combat ... I guess I'm compensating for my real world issues. A learning experience." A rather nervous gulp display her inability to be comfortable. "I sorta just picked things ..."

@Amane Hirota @evilandlazy

 

Amane's eyes widened at the offer of a coat, struck slightly dumb at Avi's generosity, a slight flush coating her cheeks that had nothing to do with the cold. "T-that'll be great, thank you," she said, her voice sounding as confident as ever, but marred with an almost imperceptible stutter at its beginning. The unexpected offer had caught her by surprise, but the Felis recovered quickly, throwing Avi a wide, ebullient grin. She didn't think the other would notice, but the thin, ragged dress that constituted starter light armour in this game had a lot to be desired, leaving goosebumps breaking all over her exposed arms. She had been hoping to pick a kimono as her character's general outfit, but it seems that skins like that could only be achieved if she reaches higher levels.

When Avi rubbed her shoulders, her eyes softened, and she gave the girl a thankful look. How fortunate she was, to have found such a considerate party member on her first quest. Though she'd never experienced it first hand, Amane had read enough online forums to know that many MMORPG players were, well, assholes, for the lack of a better word. She had been worried that she'll have to tolerate some demanding, selfish jerk, but thankfully her fears were unfounded. Suddenly, completing the quest seemed like a pretty enjoyable task.

Hearing Avi's explanation for why she joined the VR game, the Felis mused, huh, she's just like me. Though she often acted self-assured — and she was, really, even in real life — sometimes doubts crept up on her nevertheless, stilling her mind with hesitation at the most crucial moments. She too, joined to overcome her shortcomings, and to prove herself better than her upbringing. So, the question was if she should disclose her own motive for joining as well. Quid pro quo, as it were, though she wasn't quite comfortable with exposing her inner motivations to what essentially was a stranger, no matter how relatable Avi was. "That's quite similar to the reason that I joined, as well," she decided to confide at the end, purposefully phrased rather vaguely. "I, too, want to achieve strength."

OOC: Thanks for the advice XD I'll keep it in mind! @Avilon C. Vixen , @evilandlazy

 

The scenery is placid and idyllic as the two begin their several hour long journey to Stokbon. The way is quiet, and the forest floor is cool and quiet. Occasionally a gap in the canopy permits a column of sunlight to pierce the shaded and tranquil forest, casting an occasional splash of brightness on the otherwise cool and subdued pallet of the forest. The road that cuts though this stretch of forest is dry and well maintained, making the journey an that much more relaxing.

A good deal of time passes like this as the two newly introduced companions talk back and forth, interrupted only by the mundane sounds of the forest. As all things go though, this peace and serenity can only last so long, and the two are inevitably interrupted in their journey. At first, nothing seems at all out of place, until the two notice that the birds have gone silent, and even the insects of the forest seem to have lost their appetite for conversation.

A single distant rustle can be heard, then another slightly closer. The sound of small feet quickly skittering across the forest floor draws near, and before either can make any sort of meaningful reaction, whatever it is that draws near is almost upon them.

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Please include a d20 ( "[ dice ] d20 [ /dice ]" without spaces) at the end of your next post, and post in order for the time being.

Thrown die:

12

@Avilon C. Vixen @Amane Hirota

 

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Avilon looked up and then down toward her feet, the awkwardness growing between the two as she now gulped. Perhaps it wasn't the greatest of beginnings offering another girl your own coat. It was cold, though she had grown quite use to being overheated down intexas so the cool whether was a partial blessing. At least it wasn't humid. The black outfit she wore left little to the imagination every curvature her of her form visible to the naked eye before then covering up the chest with crossed arms. "Anyway umm let me just look through my inventory real quick," she rummaged about till she found a coat slightly heavier then the rest of her clothing but as ragged and worn as the rest which had rips and tears through it.

"Sorry that it's not prettier, I'm still quite poor and well I'm doing this for the money so we better pick up our pace before we are warned that our time is running out or something. How long did we have again two days or something?" Ideas flurried through her head of how to keep time passing quickly as well as keeping their pace at a quick jaunt. "I uermmm .... so you enjoy the gaming experience? I think that this world is quite gorgeous myself. I just wish I had been able to enjoy the real world like this with an ounce of confidence that you have."

Avi continued to walk before letting out a startle shriek as she managed to not pick her feet up quite high enough. A large root breaking out from the surface of the earth caused her to fall forward groaning rather annoyed, "Ow ..." A statement more out of habit from falling over rather then actual pain. She glanced about the area after thinking she heard something strange, she honestly thought it might have just been her mind playing tricks on her or just a simple bird fluttering through some leaves.
@Amane Hirota @evilandlazy

Thrown die:

13

 

"It's alright, this is loads better than nothing." Amane responded, shrugging on the jacket. Immediately, warmth enveloped her arms and shoulders, chasing away the lingering chill that had clung stubbornly to her skin. It was slighty heavy, but since she herself carried no weapons, choosing to rely on magic alone for her all attacks, and only wore light armor besides, it didn't weigh her down by much at all.

At the suggestion that they pick up their pace, the felis agreed, lengthening her strides to a more unnatural gait in a bid to cover more ground with each step. "It's very different," she said, admiring the towering trees on either side of the party, silvers of sunlight swaying on the ground in tandem with the branches above, creating an ever-shifting mosaic. "But beautiful, definitely. I've lived in cities for most of my life, so being able to visit places like this, even if it isn't real....it's enjoyable. But scenery aside, I have to say, combat and quests have to be my favourite parts so far." Turning to Avi, she shot her a grin, closing her right eye in a slow, deliberate wink. "You flatter me. So, what do yo——"

Before she could complete her sentence, the presence at her side vanished, and Amane swung back in shock, finding Avi sprawled on the ground, a groan of irritation leaving her lips. The girl's expression looked more annoyed than pained, and with a relieved smile she made her way over to her companion, stretching a hand down for Avi to grab, if she wished. "You alright?" she asked, though she knew that, with the game dampening most pain to 15% of its original impact, 60% at the very most, Avi should be fine. Nonetheless, it couldn't hurt to ask.

With their chat interrupted, Amane suddenly noticed that the woods surrounding them was dead silent, the forest critters that had previously provided an accompanying chitter to their conversation now making nary a sound. She narrowed her eyes, fingers subconsciously curling inwards in preparation to cast a spell. Straining her fox ears, she could barely make out the sound of a rustle in the unnerving stillness, before it grew abruptly louder, whatever it was approaching at an astounding speed. Before Amane could get her bearings, it was practically upon them.

OOC: @Avilon C. Vixen , @evilandlazy

Thrown die:

17

 

Lesser Homonculus
HP:[////]
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There is a half second of silence, perhaps leading the adventurers to believe that the approaching sounds were all in their imagination before a short figure bursts from the thick patches of undergrowth that dot the side of the road. The thing launches itself toward Avillon with a high pitched squeal and a swing of it's kitchen knife that misses by inches. After it's failed attack, it rights it'self and squares off against the party with a hiss that reminds the two adventures more of a sickly cat than anything.

The thing is unsettling to look at, to put it kindly. It vaguely looks like some sort of rabbit but it walks upright, it's eyes are unnaturally large, and the color of the things fur just seems a shade or two off, giving it an almost-but-not-quite pink coloration. Neither of you know exactly what it is, but the games interface reveals to you that it is fairly weak, and shouldn't pose much of a challenge. Regardless, it is obvious by the things unnerving, twitchy speed that this thing must be dealt with; It is too fast for escape to be a viable option.

@Avilon C. Vixen @Amane Hirota

 

Avi nodded, a warm feeling in her chest after assisting her first acquaintance in this strange game. The wilderness was still uncharacteristically quiet before the creature approached. As she cringed glancing down toward the strange rabbit-esk creature now was in their midst with a belligerent front. The animal could have been mistaken for adorable if it weren't for that feral hiss. Immediately she pulled herself back to her feet, with help from Amane as she now stood back up gulping. "Umm that doesn't look like any normal rabbit that I have ever seen?" A note to the creature that was now rearing it's unnatural head toward them with the cries of it species. "Combat quests, well I didn't really expect this delivery to engage us in anything to life threatening but looks like your favorite quest is about to begin. I'll um cover you while you cast that magic you were talking about."

This was a quick subject change for Avi, after the wink she was a bit off her game and felt uncomfortable while talking to Amane now. It probably was just an innocent wink, her intentions completely harmless as she now let out a nervous gulp. Her hand reaching back toward the large two handed weapon, it was rust and dull for blades practically incapable of slicing into a foe at any rate. The idea of painless falls still was confusing to her, even if she was attacked simply stating ow seemed like a natural reflex for the girl.

"I'm fine though thanks, let's just get this over with and hopefully we can find a room once we get to the town. After this exercise we probably are going to be exhausted." Avi would wait for a fireball to be cast before taking a defensive stance between Amane and the Homonculus now gulping as she held stead.

OOC: How exactly does combat unfold?


@Amane Hirota , @evilandlazy