Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Learning The Hard Way
Thaddeus walked into the forest, he could see players running around killing Timber Wolves. The forest was old, the tall trees seemed like they were evenly placed apart, so sunlight could nourish the undergrowth. The forest floor was more moss than dirt, making it so shrubs and herbs hid in plain view.
As the name suggested, White Pines Town was surrounded by a white pine forest. They were by far the easiest to locate because they were numerous in the forest. Thaddeus easily found a place in the forest with very few players. He didn't want to fell a tree and kill a player on accident.
Thaddeus found a tall pine tree and began cutting the tree down. But he didn't know the first thing about cutting down trees, but he knew he needed to notch one side with a triangular cut and then he could use a shim or wedge to fell the tree.
Using the little he knew he was able to bring down his first tall pine tree.
System Message
New Active Skill: Lumberjack. At higher levels can identify quality timber and fell trees faster.
Stat Increase: +1 to STR, +100 EXP
Level 1: Novice Level 1
Effect: Increased speed and damage to cutting down trees.
Cost: 10 END/second
After he finished celebrating, he looked at the tree trying to determine the quality when a screen appeared.
Timber Quality: Poor
All that work, and he couldn't even use that tree. But, another screen appeared giving him a consolation prize.
System Message
Congratulations you have reached Level 2. You have 5 Stat Points to allocate.
"I can't believe I leveled from felling a tree. This game is so real. It's too bad the tree isn't good quality, at least I pick up stat increase and the lumberjack skill.
Thaddeus cut down three more pine trees, but they were also poor quality.
"I wonder what makes these trees poor quality," Thaddeus said examining the trees.
System Message
New Active Skill: Analyze. At higher levels can identify and find hidden details.
Stat Increase: +1 to INT, +100 EXP
Level 1: Novice Level 1
Effect: Increased intelligence
Cost: 10 INT/second
Thanks to his new skill, he noticed poor-quality pine trees had several knots along the truck.
It didn't take long until he found a tall pine tree with very few knots and saw the message he was looking for.
Timber Quality: Good
Thaddeus celebrated for a little bit as he felled and hauled the timber back to the sawmill. The trip to the sawmill. He laid the tree in an area Josh had set aside for him. By the time he brought the timber back, his HP was at 40%. He had chopped down four trees, but only found one tree that counted towards his quest.
Thaddeus finally understood how daunting the task Josh gave him was. It took him about an hour to fell a tree, and it was already afternoon. He was sweaty and his shirt stuck wetly to his chest.
Cutting down 30 trees would take him roughly a week. But he hoped he could speed up as his Analyze and Lumberjack skills increased.
Thaddeus ate a quick dinner of chicken and dumplings with Josh and Michelle. He told Josh about the skills he picked up and how he learned he identify the difference between poor and good-quality pine.
After eating dinner, Thaddeus went to his room. He washed his body with a basin of water Michelle put in his room and lye soap. After his bathing, he fell quickly asleep.
The next morning Thaddeus got up early, had breakfast, and walked back into the forest. By this time the number of players in-game was doubled or tripled what he saw yesterday. White Pines was busier with players running all over the place looking for quests and mobs.
He spent the entire in-game day analyzing trees and thanks to his analyze-skill he felled 4 good-quality, and 1 excellent-quality pine timber back to the sawmill that evening. He also reached Level 3, bringing his analyze skill to Level 6 and Lumberjack skill to Level 7.
System Message
Congratulations you have reached Level 3. You have 5 Stat Points to allocate.
On Wednesday, Thaddeus finally brought the last three pine trees and got a notification his quest was updated.
Quest Update: Timber
Joshua the carpenter needs you to cut down 12-foot oak, cedar, and pine trees for timber. Each tree must reach a minimum standard of [Good] to quality.
The oak trees were deeper in the forest than the pine trees. The more he walked through the woods the more at home he felt. It almost felt like nature could speak to him.
Along the way, he noticed all kinds of plants and herbs. For some reason, he knew their names and what potions or salves they could be used to make.
System Message
Nature Speaks to You: your earth magic resonates with the natural environment. Your HP and MP regenerate faster in the forest.
It felt like he was being swaddled like a newborn. He closed his eyes to enjoy the comfort. He could feel his consciousness begin to spread out and map the forest. Even though his eyes were closed he could still see the forest and he could identify trees nearly half a mile away.
Moreover, he felt like he could manipulate the earth and vegetation around him. He could encourage a plant to grow faster by pouring in his mana or moving a boulder. However, he could also tell his mana was draining at an astonishing rate. He opened his eyes and the warm feeling he had disappeared.
He walked to a tall oak tree he found with his eyes closed. He started to cut down the tree when he heard a low growl.
He turned around and saw a Level 3 Timber Wolf. Since he and the wolf were on the same level, he knew he was in for a fight. The wolf was 4 feet and looked about 70 pounds, but Thaddeus didn't know how he knew that. The wolf's dark gray fur and sharp canine teeth blended into the forest.
Thaddeus gripped his axe tightly as he stared the wolf down. He and the wolf locked eyes. The wolf growled louder, and Thaddeus bent his knees slightly ready to sprint. He felt confident that he if could fell a tree, he could cleave a wolf.
At the same time Thaddeus and the wolf sprint toward each other. As they drew closer together, the wolf leaped in the air aiming for his throat. With his massive frame, he was not able to dodge easily. With his build, he was more suited for tank class.
Instead of dodging, Thaddeus swung his axe with all his might, chopping down like he wanted to split a log. His axe came down hard between the wolf's eyes, splitting open the wolf's skull.
"Huh, I thought it is harder to kill it. It must be the difference in our stats. I might be level 3, but my strength stat is closer to someone at level 10.
Thaddeus quickly logged out the game of the game, to visit the player forums. He looked up the guide on how to field dress animals.
Using his axe, hung the wolf up and gutted it. Making sure to bury the viscera to not attract more scavengers. Then he crudely cut by the wolf's anus and cut along the skin. He did his best to preserve as much of the pelt and meat as possible.
After he was done, he took out a piece of jerky Michelle gave him and looked up his notifications that were silenced.
System Message
Congratulations you have reached Level 4. You have 5 Stat Points to allocate.
Thaddeus was surprised to see he leveled again, but the good news didn't stop there. He picked up more skills.
System Message
New Active Skill: Surveyor. At higher levels can identify and find natural resources.
Stat Increase: +1 to WILL, +100 EXP
Level 1: Novice Level 1
Effect: Increased intelligence
Cost: 10 WILL/second
And he picked up his first weapon skill.
System Message
New Active Skill: Two-Handed Axe. At higher levels can become a Bear kin Axe Warrior.
Stat Increase: +1 to STR, + 1 CON, +100 EXP
Level 1: Novice Level 1
Effect: Increased Strength and Constitution
Cost: 10 STR/second
And another practical wilderness skill.
System Message
New Active Skill: Field Dress. At higher levels can obtain perfect pelts.
Stat Increase: +1 to AGI, +100 EXP
Level 1: Novice Level 1
Effect: 3% Increased speed field dressing carcass
Cost: 10 AGI/second
After a brief rest. He cut down four more oak trees but only one was of good quality.
From analyzing the trees, he felled, he learned to spot root rot, blight, and other diseases.
That evening Thaddeus returned with the one oak and wolf pelt.
He dropped the lone oak tree in the sawmill and left for the Tanner Shop.
When he opened the door, Alice was already in the front of the store haggling with a player over the cost wolf pelts.
"I can't pay more than 3 coppers. I already have more pelts than I know what to do with," she said to the angry player.
"Give me 5 coppers or I'll tell my guild to stop selling out pelts!" the average-height blue-eyed American-sounding man yelled.
"Take it or leave it. You won't find a better price, except in the city," Alice said dissatisfied with the man yelling in her face.
"I guess I should've known better than to bring my concerns to NPC!" he said pulling out his sword.
Instead of Alice hearing NPC, the game replaced NPC with a townie.
Before he could swing his sword, the man was teleported outside. With the words: [Banned from Alice's Tanner Shop] in red letters.
Thaddeus also saw the town guards have approached the player and arrested him threatening Alice.
"Oh Thad, sorry you had to see that. Josh has told me good things about you. How was your trip to the forest?" she asked in a pleasant mood, her annoyed expression from earlier was gone.
Thaddeus told Alice about his excursion in the forest. Finding only one good-quality oak and his fight with the wolf.
"So, I guess you want to see that pelt of yours. I'm afraid I can only buy it for 5 coppers," she said.
"No, I was hoping you could teach me how to tan. When I leave here town, I want to know how tan my hides," he explained.
"Oh, it's this something. I've never had an apprentice before. I'm only at the apprentice level myself, which means I can only teach novice skills.
How bought this, instead of paying you, I'll trade ya the novice tanning books for the extra help in the tannery. Deal?" she asked sticking out her hands.
"It's a deal," Thaddeus agreed.
Thaddeus spent the rest of the week feeling the trees he needed to finish his quest while fighting off increasingly stronger Timber Wolves. He was just able to finish the quest before he got the notification he'd been in-game for over 24 hours, and he needed to log out.
After coming out of the FIVR pod, Henry looked around his room. Even though it was late he wasn't tired. He excitedly looked up the forum to see what players were posting. Most of the posts were about combat play. Less so were playing as crafters, alchemists, merchants, and artificers.
He noticed no one wrote anything about the carpenter class, so he posted about his quest and how to differentiate between poor, good, and excellent quality timber. After he was done, he fell asleep.
Weekly Power Status
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