Day 2
Nolon starts his morning with research he wished he had done on Exiled Frontier. After scrolling for a few minutes he finds a beginners blog that tells him the basics he wishes he never needed.
“Well it looks like there are dozens of skills and all professions are learnable. Thankfully classes aren't the same, you just need one but they grow with you as you level. OK. Damn it.”
Thread: Proficiency Matters
Proficiency matters more than anything so even if you don't think you'll need a skill it's best to learn all you can to however high you can early on rather than later. The training grounds that every new player spawns in gives each player the title of [Trainee] doubling proficiency gains. Proficiency seems to be gained randomly but some have had better luck than others. I mean someone who has already practiced with a sword is said to have increased their Proficiency faster so maybe there is some skill component to it as well. Try and tough it out as long as you can stand it. [Trainee] will be disabled as soon as you leave so it’s important to get the most out of it now. Most Titles are one of a kind. Only one can be active at any given time and each one has requirements that must be filled. Other known examples of Titles are [Guard], [Thief], and [Merchant].....
“Alright, looks like I'm gonna have to grind a lot more than just my Axes skill before I leave the barracks. Great”
Nolon gets out of bed and tidies his room then showers and changes into his “loungewear" a pressed t-shirt and shorts before he cleans his VR pod and hops inside.
“Logon to Exile Frontier. Character Murdrum.”
Murdrum opens his eyes. The sky is bright through the window. Vett calls across the barracks room.
“I told yah you'd end up that way. You're even up late today eh. Did you figure anything out at least?"
“That I did, Vett. Care to watch?” Murdrum smirks.
Vett smiles back. "Sure, and if you can prove it I'll even give you a little something."
____________________
[Sudden Quest:Vett’s Approval]
You've asked Vett to check your form. If you can prove you have what it takes to swing an Axe like he's been trying to teach Vett will certainly be proud.
Requires: Swing your axe and gain Proficiency in Axes 0/10. The more successful attempts the better the reward.
Reward: Unknown. All Proficiency Increases will be awarded after the quest is completed.
____________________
Murdrum hops up and neatens his bedding before grabbing an axe and heading out to a dummy.
"Alright Murdrum let's all see what you've got. I'll give you ten attempts to prove yourself. Give it a whack."
"Yes sir." Murdrum replied.
He stood there for a minute breathing in and out in time with the rhythm he could still hear clearly in his mind. Then he began to swing.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
Five successful attempts all perfectly, just right. After the first couple a group of other players began to look over and watch but Murdrum had made five. Five successful Proficiency increases in a row. That kind of luck was completely unheard of to them so they stayed shocked, absolutely silent. Murdrum takes a breath unaware of the crowd that has formed around him. Vett’s smile larger and gaze that much more intense.
"Again Murdrum give me five more!"
"Yes Sir!" Murdrum snaps back louder than before.
"Haaah!"
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
__________________________
[Sudden Quest Task Complete]
Swing your axe and gain Proficiency in Axes 10/10.
[Exceptional!]
[Axes Skill Proficiency Greatly Increased]
[Axes Skill Proficiency Maximum Increased]
Axes: 34/40
[Axes Skill Proficiency Increased To Maximum Without Real Combat Experience]
See Quest giver for rewards
__________________________
That was the first time Murdrum looked up from his intense focus. The crowd was cheering and hollering but all Murdrum could see was his [Axes] skill sitting at 32/40.
“FUUUUUUUUCK!!!!”
Murdrum was drowned out by the cheers but the thought of having to grind even more infuriated him to no end.
“How did you do that man?”
“What insane luck!”
“No not luck, that guy's a pro!”
“Incredible!”
Vett walks over to Murdrum and clasps a hand down onto his shoulder. Shaking back to the present as his mind was spiraling from all he was going to have to do.
“That was an outstanding show kid! Looks like your fellow trainee's agree. I don't think my original award of a few silver is gonna cut it any more.”
Vett reaches To his chest where some sort of medal is hanging and pulls it off holding it out to Murdrum.
“You deserve this kid more than a washed up old man like me.”
______________________
[Sudden Quest: Vett’s Approval Completed]
Reward: [Instructor's Badge]
[Instructor's Badge]
Badge given out to the Frontier instructors.
Effect: You can hold two titles at once. Ignoring other restrictions.
______________________
“Wow Vett I don't know what to say?”
“Don't say anything kid, I should just head back to being a [Woodsman] now that my instructor days are done. Keep being amazing kid you can really be anything in this world.”
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“I will Sir, I will.”
After the Quest rewards the crowd started to die down no one seemed to know the significance of the badge Vett just gave him. A few tried to ask the obvious question of how'd you do it, but Murdrum was able to say just pure luck and get most people off his back. He decided to start training in his Attributes so he'd be able to be left alone for a bit. He also wouldn't be able to increase his [Axes] here anymore. Murdrum walked over to where a different instructor was counting out workouts as a number of trainees were following along. Murdrum joined in at the start of a new set. What he soon realized is that everyone's forms were way off. Nothing but big arched back push ups, half trying jumping jacks, just no one committing, no one actually trying to follow the instructors example. Yet he did. After he was able to finally complete a full routine while being able to maintain perfect form.
[Strength Attribute Proficiency Increased]
“Huh well that's actually not too bad.” He kept this up all afternoon ending the day with some more bad news.
[Strength Attribute Proficiency Increased To maximum without increased weight and intensity]
[Strength Attribute Maximum Increased]
20/40
Murdrum's nose twitched as he had to accept what he saw in front of him. Anger beside he felt fairly comfortable even though the workout exhausted him. It wasn't impossible to keep up with just difficult to maintain good form. He was surprised more people hadn't finished today like he had. He went back to the barracks and sat on his bunk in the mostly empty Bunkhouse.
“Status”
_______________
[Status Window]
Player: Nolon Ortro
Character: Murdrum
Level 0/20
Title: None
Extra Title: [Trainee]
Class: None
Profession(s): None
Attributes
Strength: 20/40
Dexterity: 0/20
Agility: 0/20
Intelligence: 0/20
Wisdom: 2/20
Skills
[Axes] 32/40
[Bash] 2/20
Equipment
[Instructor's Badge]
_______________________
“Okay looks like every twenty Proficiency is some kind of stage. I'll have to train in some other ways to keep increasing them. Well time to sleep.”
“Rest and Logout”
Nolon hopped out of VR washed, cleaned and headed to bed resigning himself to many more long nights ahead.
“They're not done. You won't ever finish it. It's gonna happen again if you don't. You need to finish it.”
Nolon heard voices like these constantly. Yet he still played and strived. Whenever he felt the rush of success these voices faded just for a little while. Nolon finally managed to suppress the voices enough to sleep.
Day 3:
Nolon started his morning with breakfast and scrolling through the games forums again.
Thread: Attribute Training Definitely Not as Interesting as Swinging a Sword But Worth It.
Strength is the backbone of every build. The more Strength the more HP you have and the more basic stamina. Heavier Armor and weapons all have Strength requirements. Dexterity is seen through fine movements. Think tightrope walking or parkour. It's very physical but isn't about strength. Another example is shooting a bow with multiple arrows in combat. Lighter Armors and ranged weapons have Dexterity Requirements. Agility is seen through quick movements like tumbling out of the way of an attack or sprinting fast. Certain special tools or Accessories have Agility Requirements. Intelligence is an interesting Attribute as it can be raised by simply playing the game and learning more about the world. Unlike some games That have a codex of information to casually read through and learn from whenever because it saves in a journal or something. In EF the player has to actually read and remember these documents learning from them and only when that knowledge is used in a meaningful way will their Intelligence increase. Some magical equipment requires Intelligence as well as certain locations are inaccessible without the correct knowledge and Intelligence score such as the Mage's Towers. Wisdom is different from the rest of the Attributes as there isn’t any one thing that seems to increase it. It has something to do with your battle senses and sometimes just increases during dialogue sections. It’s important because various different pieces of gear require it and some NPC’s don’t talk to you if it’s too low. Well good luck, hope this helps you out on the frontier.
“Logon to Exile Frontier. Character Murdrum.”
The Dexterity training course was built in stages. The first stage was holding a long rod and poking it through various rings, bringing on a downside he should've expected while increasing his Dexterity.
[Dexterity Attribute Proficiency Increased]
[Polearms Skill Proficiency Unlocked]
“Gaaaaaaaaah”
Another damned weapon skill. Others looked on at Murdrum oddly at his sudden outburst but he wasn't the only newbie whining to themselves. Next was juggling. Yes really juggling was the second stage of the Dexterity training routine.
“Never would've seen this coming. I guess hand eye coordination does matter.” Murdrum laughed to himself.
Most of the long-time gamers didn't think much of it and even more than a few were pretty good at it.
“I guess it's just a normal thing here.”
After a few minutes of failed attempts at two stone juggling. Nolon managed to catch both stones in one hand.
[Dexterity Attribute Proficiency Increased]
"This isn't too bad just gotta keep this up."
The more rotations the faster Murdrum was and the easier piercing the rings and juggling stones became. Stage three was the most interesting and honestly most fun part of the whole Dexterity course for Murdrum. The rope obstacle course.
The instructor told the recruits.
“You have to climb across the ropes without falling. It may only be a few feet off the ground but it can still be dangerous and I promise it is much more difficult than you can imagine. I will demonstrate once, and only once how I can accomplish the course. However everyone I encourage you to find your own way. You know your body more than I ever could. You move differently than I do so my movements may guide you, but certainly won't help you complete the course on their own. Now watch closely.”
Something about the instructor changed as they stepped onto the ropes. They began almost floating through the course. As if they were being carried by the wind and experience they landed on the other side satisfied.
“Alright begin!”
Some trainees stepped across the ropes easily as if they were feathers, others monkeyed their way through them like apes. Murdrum was something else.
“Terrible! Fallen! Again! Start over!”
Murdrum just couldn't move either smoothly or strongly through the course, his movements were too rigid, and too precise, almost like a machine. With every attempt at stepping onto the ropes and reaching further he would lose his balance. After hours of falling down, he was all that was left to complete the course. Murdrum was staring up into the trees above after an especially painful tumble when something inside Murdrum clearly began clicking. On his next attempt he managed to not just complete the rope course but began to play in it. Finding ways to make it harder for himself, swinging and jumping between the ropes as if he was a bird on a line.
The instructor smiled. “Excellent Trainee! What changed for you?!”
[Dexterity Attribute Proficiency Increase]
[Wisdom Attribute Proficiency Increase]
“I realized to move with Dexterity is to move naturally, everyone else was mimicking animals. I originally was just trying to fumble through the course. It just suddenly made sense to me.” You see the clicking inside of Murdrum wasn’t just understanding it was literal clicking he was hearing the birds clicking away above in the trees. Them gently sitting on the ropes and branches hopping back and forth. They were neither rigid nor precise in how they moved. They just moved. By the end of the training day, Murdrum, to even his surprise, managed to finish his Dexterity Training completely. Murdrum, exhausted and annoyed at having to train yet another weapon skill, was sitting atop his neatly made bed praying that the numbers would just be full. But he knew as he spoke.
“Status”
_______________
[Status Window]
Player: Nolon Ortro
Character: Murdrum
Level 0/20
Title: None
Extra Title: [Trainee]
Class: None
Profession(s): None
Attributes
Strength: 20/40
Dexterity: 20/40
Agility: 0/20
Intelligence: 0/20
Wisdom: 4/20
Skills
[Axes] 32/40
[Polearms] 2/20
[Bash] 2/20
Equipment
[Instructor's Badge]
_______________________
“Damn it all. Rest And Logout”
Nolon did his nightly routine. Get up, clean and disinfect, trash taken out, rug vacuumed, showered and scrubbed, squeegee then clean the shower, and put on sleepwear. A different type of t-shirt and shorts. He finally was able to and laid down in bed. He began to count to 100 and after he was done only then he slept.
