Homestead Survival

<06 September 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+>
[Theo and Julia]
Theo and Julia watched the dwarf activate the portable forge. He placed it on the ground and then placed a hand on it.

"Stand back," Kreldar called out to everyone around him. Then he focused on the portable forge, and it began to pulse with blue light. It started slowly and was rapidly picking up pace, giving Kreldar time to scramble away before the air around them erupted with an incredibly loud sound, and suddenly, a room stood on its own, twenty feet to a side, ready for use.

Kreldar nodded and entered, taking the seven chunks of Crystalized Iron that he had selected for the project, and got to work. Theo stepped up, "Do you need any help?"

"I appreciate the offer, but if ye've never worked a forge before, then ye' would probably just be in my way," Kreldar said, rolling up his sleeves, revealing forearms that had more muscle than they had any right to.

A sad, small voice spoke. "Oh, but I wanted to help."

Theo and Kreldar turned to see a crestfallen Sarah, holding a hammer, looking up at Kreldar with watery eyes. Theo felt his heart breaking for the girl who had decided that Kreldar was her favorite person. Kreldar had a slightly panicked look on his face for only a moment, then waved his hand dismissively. "What're ye' on about, lass? My apprentice always works with me. Good hammer but not the one we'll be needin'."

Julia, who had seen the whole interaction, felt her heart melt at the look of unadulterated joy on the girl's face. Sarah nodded, lugging the hammer back to where she had gotten it. "I'll find a better one."

"Good lass! Find the KRÛZDRAKMAR an' I'll let ye do some strikin'." Kreldar nodded his head to Joshua, "With yer' father's blessin' of course."

What followed was a mad scramble on Sarah's part while Kreldar set a fire in the forge, as she would bring him one hammer after another. Finally, with a cross-peen hammer in her hands, Kreldar nodded, "Good work, now let's start."

Theo, Julia, Velna, Renno, and Fred walked away, recognizing that this would take quite some time. Once they were a ways away. Theo nodded, "Alright, I say we let Kreldar have the day. Fred, Julia, and I have something that we need to do, so if you would, why don't you work with Velna and Renno on some basic combat? You are by far the most expert person here, well, maybe Kreldar, but whatever, I'll trust you."

Renno looked upset. "Why do I need to train with him?"

Theo looked at the younger man. "Well, you and your grandmother are supposed to attend a dungeon with Julia and me, and I suspect that Fred will want a crack at it. And Fred is probably the most proficient at combat out of all the humans here. I don't know about Ordus, but Kreldar originally showed up here as a warrior ready to fight in some nearly religious military action."

Renno nodded, "I can get behind that."

"When we get back, I hope to get some training as well." Theo said, "But for now, do what you can. Julia and I should be back sometime later today."

Theo and Julia walked away. Julia finally asked. "So what is this special thing that we have to do?"

"We," Theo said, pulling out a couple of items from his pouch, "have a reward to utilize."

Julia smiled and nodded, "I can get behind that. Let's check on Hestia, and then we will go."

Theo nodded, and they quickly made their way to the plinth. They placed their hands on the core. Julia spoke first. "Hello, Hestia. How are things?"

"Things are well, Julia, and how are the two of you doing?" Hestia asked.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"We are good," Theo said, "we are headed out to take care of something, but we wanted to make sure that you knew and ask if you needed anything?"

"I do not," Hestia said, "though I would remind you that you currently have pending rewards, and also that if you tell me what it is you are headed to do, I may be able to provide tasks for you."

"Oh.. I am not going to lie, I forgot about the rewards that we were expected to get." Julia said, "As to what we are going to do, we are going to try using the Personalized Dungeon Access Crystal."

"I think that I will be able to provide you with a task for that... I went ahead and assigned them to you." Hestia said.

"Hestia," Theo said with curiosity in his voice, "How are we supposed to see what tasks we have active currently?"

"Unfortunately, I am unable to provide that information yet. If I grow in power, I might be able to provide it to you in some form or another, but as it stands, I can not give it to you any other way than simply telling you." Hestia explained.

"Interesting, what are our current tasks?" Julia asked.

"You have three shared tasks and two unique tasks pertaining to actions you generally complete, as well as skills you have. Would you like me to tell them to you?' Hestia said.

"Please." Theo said.

"You have three joint tasks. One: Clear a dungeon floor. Two: Direct and assists in the completion of the Sorrin Family manor. Three: Complete a permanent path to both the surface of the Grand Mesa of Summer and the Valleys of Ar'Ha'Nura. Theo, you have the following individual tasks. First, use the Farming skill for a total of fifteen hours. Second, use the Dungeon Mapping skill for the first time. Julia, you have the following individual tasks. First, craft twenty items that benefit from the Hearthmade Skill. Second, heal a total of fifteen unique people with Warmth of the Hearth. Four out of fifteen completed.'" Hestia quickly rattled off.

"Well, that is good to know," Julia said, "Now what about the rewards that we have?"

Hestia channeled a wave of power. "There you go."

A small bag appeared in front of each of them, one had a 'T' on it, the other a 'J'. Theo opened his pouch and found a variety of coins, which he quickly added to his Hand of Gold, bringing his total money up to three gold, seventeen silver, and eighty-three copper. He also found a small white gemstone. Julia had similar items, but her coinage consisted of three gold, one silver, and seventeen copper.

They both identified the gem.

"Interesting," Theo muttered out loud before placing his hand back on the core, "Alright, Hestia, thank you. You need anything else?"

"I am good. Thank you both for asking, though." Hestia said, and they pulled their hands back.

"Alright, we got this, you ready?" Theo asked.

Julia nodded. "Let's do it."

Theo pulled the access crystal and one of the Instance Boosters out and gave Julia an inquisitive look. She nodded, and he crushed the Instance Booster, then triggered the access crystal. A portal opened, shimmering with granules of white; they stepped through together.