My First Day Out

My first day of adventuring sure was something! I might not remember the finer points of it, but I can make out some details if I think carefully about them.

Like receiving my very own crystal shard that I was told to wear at all times. From what I gathered, that is the item War Warlocks need to enchant with Signet so I can convert the essence of monsters into elemental crystals. It also serves as a homing beacon whenever I fall unconscious, as to teleport me back to one of those gigantic crystal appartus they call Home Points. And boy, weren't they kidding when they said I'd be needing it shortly. I was also given an Onion Knife for my trouble, and an extensive 4-hour course on how to stab monsters, which I felt was greatly overkill. Lastly, I was offered an Adventurer's Coupon, tradable to some newly created doll-like creature called Cardian for a nifty 50 Gil.

Looking back, that was much more crummy than nifty, I couldn't even buy a paper clip with that kind of Gil.

Next thing you know, I make for Shiva's Gate, ask for Signet for the first time (*glee*), and head outside the city gates. I remembered how, when a young kitty, we were given target practice against some mini mandies near the fountain in Windurst Woods, as going outside was a big no-no due to the always imminent beastman raids. I felt giddy seeing those Small Mandragora all over again, and decided to pick on one to start off. A few swings later, it fell to my awesome thieving skills! ...which pretty much was summed up to "stab-stab-stabbity-stab". And to reap my rewards! ...nothing... ok, time for my next victim. I spot another mandragora, and wear it down until it falls under my blade.

Coeurl finds a 2-Leaf Mandragora Bud on the Small Mandragora
Coeurl finds a Earth Crystal on the Small Mandragora

Wheeeee! Not too shavvy! My very first crystal! It was odd how it simply plopped off the mandragora's back on my finishing blow, as materialized out of thin air. I was afraid it would be complicated to extract those crystals from slain monsters, that there was a trick to it that I had to learn after killing a few hundred dozens of monsters. That kind of ease encouraged me, so next I fought a Bumblebee. Again, very little effort involved, and I got myself a Wind Crystal and Rarab Tail for my troubles! Whee!

After that fight, I took a little rest, and once I felt my energy completely recovered, I looked around eagerly, like a kitty in a candy shop, wagging my tail excitedly, trying to find my next prey. And there it was, a poor, little, defenseless Savanna Rarab. So I drew out my little knife, and charged...

5 hits later... from the Rarab's behalf that is, the world spun around until darkness engulfed me.

What the heck?!? That Bumblebee I just killed had a Rarab's Tail in its guts! How the heck would I get killed so easily when those creatures are the prey of such harmless creatures? I gathered my willpower and called upon the crystal resting on my chest to take me somewhere safe, by thinking three times "There's no place like a Home Point..." I felt a sudden urge of energy as my senses recovered, and I was standing next to the Orastery. I was alive! ...still, getting my tail kicked by a bunny... That was slightly less encouraging.

I resolved myself nonetheless, and kept killing Bumblebees and Small Mandragora until I finally made to level 2! Yay me!!! The sudden surge of energy from that event replenished my reserves, so I immediately went for that Rarab who got me to Home Point for the first time in my career.

...Darkness ...Life ...Bumblebees and Small Mandragoras ...Level 3.

Third time was the charm, thankfully, I finally got my revenge on that Rarab. Ironically, I went so hard on it that I didn't get anything salvageable from its corpse. No matter, I had plenty of Wind and Earth Crystals to fund some new gear. So I went back to town, sold all my goods, and... found nothing good to buy at the shops at the pier. With my newly made 290 Gil, I candidly skipped to the Auction House in Windurst Woods. I love that place, always busy with activity, plenty of adventurers trading their old, worn gear for new one. I checked the prices and...

WHAT?!? 2,000 Gil for a basic Bronze Cap?!? That's way too expensive!!! I could barely afford a Bronze Dagger as it was, and it was actually worse than the Onion Knife I was carrying! That price was obviously overly inflated! With that kind of price gouging, I would much rather wait until I could wear a Leather set of armor once I hit level 7! Curiosity got the best of me though, as I wondered how much crystals were going for on that market...

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Note to self : the middleman sucks. From now on, sell your goods on the Auction House.