Deran refused to speak more, saying his short rest wasn't nearly long enough. Gorgath tried to argue but interrupted himself with a yawn. Sheepishly, he agreed to wait until the morning. "You sleep first, Gorgath. I feel a little refreshed and you've been going for a while. I'll wake you when it's your watch."

Gorgath nodded in agreement, "For a nofang who claims to know nothing, you plan for the forest rather well."

Deran grinned even wider, "Only cuz of D&D. Taught me everything about preparing for the worst. Asshole DM's abound."

Gorgath cocked his head at the unfamiliar terminology but didn't press. Laying down on bare earth a few feet from the fire, he was soon fast asleep. At least, it appeared he was. Deran waved his hand a few times dramatically in front of the orcs face before shrugging and sitting with his back towards the fire. No sense ruining his night vision.

Deciding now would most likely be the best time to go over the ignored notifications, Deran sighed and focused on the icon.

You are the first to discover an unknown quest line!

You have gained a quest!

Damsel in distress!

You have discovered that the orc being hunted was an innocent in the abduction of the mayor's daughter. Find out more to clear your new friend's name!

Possible rewards: Increased relationship with the town of Tarth, increased relationship with Gorgath, unknown.

Consequences for failure: Decreased relationship with Gorgath, loss of companion, unknown.

He winced, "Better not fail." He looked over at his sleeping companion and realized he already didn't want to lose his only connection in this world. Without his orc buddy, there really wasn't much else for him. The nearest town hated him and trying to get all the way to the next town on his own would probably put an end to his new life real quick.

Another flashing icon caught his attention: the unallocated ability points. Thinking of how close that spear had come to taking him out, he didn't hesitate before throwing all three into constitution. The 15 extra health went a long way at this point. Feeling immediately better, he spent the rest of his watch planning out what he was going to do next. First step, finding the girl, wherever she is. The hours passed quickly with over a dozen ideas being thought up and discarded, all the while his headache coming back with a vengeance.

Sleep couldn't have come soon enough once Gorgath took over, with no real answers presenting themselves and the worst headache of his life the only change.

"Morning, nofang," Gorgath rumbled at Deran when he woke to the sound of the fire hissing as the orc finished urinating on the few embers still burning, "About time you woke. Come, let us be off for your plan."

"My name is Deran," He mumbled groggily, "And I could at least use a bite-" he was interrupted by a piece of cold meat colliding with his partially open mouth. Glaring, he picked it up nonetheless and began to chew on the hardened meat. "That's something, I guess. As for the plan... you lived in the woods for a while before it all happened, right? Anything odd start happening right before the girl disappeared?"

Gorgath shrugged, "The woods were quiet. They usually were around me, my song causes a sleepiness in others at times. Animals are even more affected. Now that you mention it, there were some odd tracks near where I used to live. I couldn't make heads or tails of it myself."

"Then we go there first and see what we can find. Did the villagers know where you live?" Deran grabbed a short stick and a rock and began scraping at the wood. After a few moments, Gorgath grunted and handed him a small knife, "Thanks." The carving happened much faster, soon leaving Deran with a very short wooden spear. He handed back the knife and hefted it cautiously.

You have unlocked the skill: Woodcarving (5xp)

"Why would anyone level up woodcarving? Unless you plan on being an artist or something, it doesn't seem like that important a skill." Deran mumbled to himself, dismissing the notification with a wave. The now familiar ache was back behind his eye, though he did his best to ignore it.

Gorgath ignored his talking of levels, acting as if he never said anything, "Now that you have a pointy stick, you ready to face the wild?" He grinned, flashing the small fangs that betrayed his heritage just as badly as his size. The only thing about him that really shouted orc was his skin itself. Unless people in this world could be green. Deran made a note to ask.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose. The faster we figure out this mystery, the better. You have anything that can help with a headache? My head was killing me last night and it's already starting up again."

Gorgath shook his head, then mentioned, "I do not. Some barks can be used to dull pain, though I am not sure which."

Deran nodded sadly, wondering if he should pick some flowers. Maybe someone in the village will be able to make something. They set off briskly, Gorgath mentioning that it was a few hours run to where he had been making his home, "The hunters chased me for a good while. I was surprised by their stamina, both of body and mind. The reward for this girl must be large indeed."

"Or maybe they genuinely care about a man and his daughter not being ripped apart." Deran stopped, shaking his head. Why was he getting into an argument about feelings with an NPC? And about an NPC, nonetheless.

Gorgath shrugged and they started running. As he ran, Deran began to think again of a plan to save the mayor's daughter. After a while, his head started to pound until he couldn't think straight, focusing only on the path in front of him. Running like this seemed to help the pain, causing it to fade until it was just beyond thought. It almost seemed like it was waiting for him.

So Deran tried to think of nothing but the trail and the placement of his feet. Which was a lot harder than he thought it would be, never being one for meditation or thought clearing. The constant pain was a good teacher, however, leaving him so distracted that he slammed into the back of his companion when the orc came to a stop.

"Easy, nofang. We are here. You ran like the wind, impressive for your kind."

Deran nodded, surprised by how he wasn't even winded. Putting all of his points into constitution seemed like a great idea. Being able to run for over an hour was a feat he had never been capable of, as well as being better insured against an early death.

"This is my camp," Gorgath broke apart his friend's thoughts, "There, by the edge, were the odd patterns I saw while leaving. I had no time to search out their source before the hunters were on me."

"I see." Deran walked over and started to study the tracks, trying to make sense of it all. Pain blossomed in his head but he forced past it, "They look human. A couple different sets. Something being dragged here, maybe? Looks like they broke through the clearing and didn't realize it was a camp."

Deran didn't blame the hunters for their error; if he hadn't been with the orc, he would have never realized that's what it was. The "camp" was basically a pile of leaves, next to a slightly larger pile of leaves. Some sand scattered over the charred remnants of a fire was the only real sign.

"Living it rough, aren't you?" Deran mumbled, shaking his head in wonder. They followed the tracks slowly, unsure of how far the bandits had gone. It wasn't far.

After two hours of crawling along the path, they found the edge of a clearing, the sound of which was obviously a camp. The typical noise of camp was evident; the crackle of fire, clanging of pots as meals were prepped, and the rowdy complaints of soldiers.

"Hey! Keep it down! Til we got this broad sold, there ain't to be a celebration! Once our purses are lined with coin, THEN ye can have your merry times! Til then, shut it! Hunters might be back to get that beast. Heard it escaped somehow. Keep your eye out!"

The noise quieted down as the camp settled, and the two made their way back down the path as quietly as they could. "What is the plan, nofang? This is the camp of men that trampled through my camp. How shall we proceed, Deran with a plan?" His tone showed no sign of the mockery Deran could see in the teasing orc's eyes.

"I'm... not sure. Wait til nightfall. Maybe by then, my head won't be hurting and I can think of something."

Gorgath cocked his head as he contemplated the man but in the end, he just shrugged. "Til nightfall, then."

While the sun went down, Deran shook his head. The constant ache was pounding again, getting even worse as the time for action drew closer. Any kind of thought was sent scattering with each pulse. "Go scout forward, and come back. You blend in better with your skin and know more about the wood life."

Gorgath nodded and disappeared into the brush. Moments turned into minutes which dragged with an agonizing slowness. Then, he was back in an instant. "Nofang. They post but a single guard by the fire, while the rest sleep nearby. He sits far in the clearing and keeps an avid watch. A subtle approach would be difficult."

Deran gripped the sides of his head, thoughts racing as quickly as they could. "Fine! Excellent. I will take out the guard." Grabbing his spear, Deran stalked into the woods, Gorgath hurrying after him with a worried grunt.

"What are you plann-" He began but stopped short as Deran flung his primitive spear at the guard sitting outlined by the fire. The spear was unwieldy and wobbled as it flew, striking the sentry high in the shoulder. Deran's victory dance was cut short as the bandit began to scream, rousing the rest of the camp.

"You idiot!" Gorgath hissed, drawing back and inhaling a deep breath, "I will do what I can, but it is up to you."

Then he began to sing. But the notes were all wrong, harmonies out of wack and out of tune notes. Deran felt a malevolent force shiver over his body, just to pass on in a moment.

You have automatically resisted your party member's Song of Discord. You suffer no effects.

Shouting a feral cry, Deran did the only thing he could think of, "Strike while they are unprepared!" made sense in theory but in actuality was a bad idea. As he entered the radius of firelight, he tripped and stumbled into one of the men getting out of his tent, sword bared.

The man had no time to shift his balance and was sent tumbling into the fire. It quickly lit up his booze-soaked clothes, causing him to careen off with more screaming.

With all the noise, Deran was amazed his head didn't hurt more. Grabbing the fallen mans' sword, he brought it up with a grimace, "Well? Shall we?"

-You have acquired-

Steel Short Sword

Base damage: 3-5 slashing

Durability: 8/10

Quality: Poor

Value: 3 Feathers

"Stuff is worth feathers here? What the hell?" Deran started to question but had to quickly focus on the two remaining bandits. They were armed but clothed only in their clothes, lacking the time to slip on their armor. One was obviously the leader, emerging from a much larger tent. Both of them looked disoriented, attempting to blink away a grogginess that didn't fade. Not while Gorgath's voice sang out its discordant symphony.

Deran had never wielded a sword before, and the poorness of his balance betrayed it. Luckily, the bandits' inability to straighten their thoughts got rid of any advantage they had. More than once, Deran missed a block and felt bits of steel biting into him.

It was the silence that brought him back. The song had ended, the presence next to him non-threatening. "Nofang has teeth after all." The respect was bregrudging but there, "Come. They have fallen. Tend to your wounds."

Deran looked at his character sheet:

Health:2/40

"Oh shit." Reality came crashing back in a rush. Panic flowed through him as he collapsed to the ground. Music once again began to surround him as darkness claimed his thoughts.

"Deja vu," Deran grumbled, looking away from the flickering fire of the camp, "Thank you yet again."

Gorgath growled low in his throat, shrugging while cleaning his blade. "I had to ensure they were dead." He responded to the questioning look in the young man's eyes. Deran tried not to hurl at the thought.

"Why do I not feel horrible after that fight?" Deran questioned, just loud enough for Gorgath to hear.

"My song will have eased some of your pain. You fought well, as well as a cub of my people. With little skill."

Deran glared at the orc, looking at the blinking notification. Scrolling past the log of combat with no interest, he focused on the important parts.

You have unlocked the skill One-Handed (5xp) One-Handed skill increased to level 2 (5xp) You have been subject to Song of Relief (+14 Health)

Quest Updated!

Damsel in Distress!

You have discovered that the orc being hunted was an innocent in the abduction of the mayor's daughter. Find out more to clear your new friend's name!

You have found the bandit's camp! Clear it out to find more clues to the missing girl.

Possible rewards: Increased relationship with the town of Tarth; Increased relationship with Gorgath; Unknown

Consequences for failure: Decreased relationship with Gorgath; Loss of companion; Unknown

"Ain't no rest for the wicked," Deran spoke in a mimicking tone, "Let's go. The big tent should have something." Gorgath nodded and shouldered the tent open. Deran ducked under his arm and entered the dark tent, squinting hard in the dim light, "Hold the flap open wide, I can't see shite."

Gorgath made a sound that resembled a threat but light flooded the tent more. Curled up on a fur was a blonde girl, shivering in fear as she looked at Deran. "Oh, hey hey. We're friends. We're here to save you. Are you okay?"

The girl shrunk away but looked at him with tear filled eyes, "Did the bad men go away?"

Deran looked back and motioned at Gorgath frustrated, "Grab me a torch. And then clean up a little bit out there? Before we leave the tent." He looked sideways at the young girl before staring at Gorgath. The orc stared back for a tense moment, then nodded. The flap fell and all the light went out. When the girl hissed in fear, Deran tried to make soothing noises, "The light will be back soon. No worries. I'm still here and the bad men are gone. They won't be bothering you anymore. I promise."

"You..you promise?" A scared voice spoke out, quivering with a mixture of fear and hope.

"I swear," the words were punctuated by the flap opening up, Gorgath holding a stick on fire through the flap. "Try not to burn it down. Idiot." Deran heard mumbled outside the flap.

Deran hurried around the tent, lighting all the candles he could find before stabbing the makeshift torch into the ground. "See? All better. What's your name?"

The blond girl looked to be about five, her eyes puffy and red, "Su- suzie. Suzie of Tarth. Daddy owns it." She stuck the collar of her shirt in her mouth, chewing with abandon.

"That's right! And my friend and I came here to save you from the bad men and take you home. I just need to look around and make sure we aren't leaving anything important behind, okay? Just stay put and we'll get you home, nice and safe. I swear." She nodded, still chewing away. Deran forced a smile and turned, scanning the inside of the now lit up tent.

The sleeping furs were piled haphazardly in two piles. Between them, along one side was a small desk, with a few letters and a box on top. Deran walked over, thumbing through the papers while prodding the box with a finger, "Locked. Of course. I'll get back to you in a moment."

Turning to the letters, he scanned them quickly. Most of them were written in languages he didn't recognize, though a few he could piece together enough to get a gist. Deran shuffled them into a pile and shoved them into his pouch, the only possession he had so far aside from his new sword. Which was still covered in blood outside. Even he had blood stains all over his now tattered shirt, hanging on by threads more than anything else.

The tent opened again, Gorgath sticking his head in, "The way is clear. Is all ready to return?" Deran frowned, "Yeah. I know what happened. There's a chest here that I can't open. You got anything to pry it open with?"

The orc shrugged, handing over his dagger, "You can try with this, though it won't be easy." Deran's frowned widened as he forced the tip of the blade between the lid of the box. Prying it gouged the wood more than anything else until Deran stopped and looked at the knife stupidly, "You are right, Gorgath. I am an idiot. Can you go search the bandits for a key?" Deran turned and found a key dangling from a string held by green fingers. Snatching it, he hissed, "You ass," before turning back to the chest.

Opening it was a little anticlimactic. There were a few dozen coins littering the bottom of the box. Instead of trying to sort it out, he just scooped it into his pouch, "We will figure that out later. Come on Suzie, let's go. Time to go home, right?"

Suzie nodded, holding out her arms. It seemed a strength of 4 was enough to hoist up what seemed to be a five-year-old girl. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried his face into his shoulder. Shooting a panicked look at Gorgath, he saw his companion struggling to stifle a laugh. "Let's go." He muttered, staring daggers at someone who didn't appear to have a care in the world.

"That's the monster! Get him!" Shouts began the moment people in the village caught sight of Gorgath. A few of the men grabbed up makeshift weapons and rushed to attack. Deran ran forward, desperation tinging his voice, "Wait! Just wait please, we bring news of the mayor's daughter!"

"Stand back! I will hear his words!" A young man stepped forward, a strong jaw set hard with anger, "Speak quickly, lest I lump you in with that monster you stand beside."

"That monster," Deran spoke through clenched teeth, "is named Gorgath. And he just helped save your daughter." He motioned and Gorgath set the bundle he was carrying on the ground. Suzie wobbled on unsteady legs, looking at her father with tears, "Daddy!"

He ran forward, crying as he fell to his knees, scooping his daughter up. "Suzie! You're alive, my little Suzie. Where have you been? Did that monster hurt you? I'll make him pay!"

"Daddy stop!" The girl stomped her foot, pushing at his face until he sat stunned, looking at his daughter, "They are my friends! They saved me. They made the bad men go away and brought me back. Don't be a meanie."

The mayor sputtered, looking around at the growing crowd in confusion. His gaze locked on the two newcomers, "You. You saved my daughter. I'm so sorry, Gorgath, was it? I was rash when I accused you. Thank you for looking past it to save my girl. And you, stranger. Thank you as well. How can I repay you?"

But words will get your farther skill increased to level 2 (5xp)

Quest completed!

Damsel in Distress!

You have discovered that the orc being hunted was an innocent in the abduction of the mayor's daughter. Find out more to clear your new friend's name!

You have found the bandit's camp! Clear it out to find more clues to the missing girl.

Returning the girl back to her father with quick words of silver, you managed to soothe the fears and anger held towards your friend. All ends well in the town of Tarth.

(500xp)

Relationship with Tarth has increased to friendly! Relationship with Gorgath has increased to friendly! Congratulations! You are the first to complete this quest! You have gained a bonus of 100xp for a common quest. Ding! You are now level 3! You have 3 attribute points to spend.

Deran waved away the notifications, addressing the mayor, "We just wanted to set things right. If there is a place we can lay our head or some food, we would be grateful."

"Oh, but of course, of course! You shall have the best room at our inn. It isn't the best but it's yours until you get your feet under you. It is the least I can do for the saviors of my daughter. I'll walk with you and make sure they do right by you. As a further reward, here."

The young man stepped forward, taking off the sword at his side, "Obviously, this is more suited to your hands. Take it. Use it to save another girl like mine."

-You have acquired-

Tarth's Beacon

Base Damage: 7-9 Slashing

Durability: 22/22

Quality: Masterwork

Value: 15 Swans

"Uh. Thank you, sir. You mentioned an inn?" Deran was having trouble juggling all the weapons he was now carrying, wanting nothing more than to set it all down and relax for the first time since he logged in. The games he had played had never cared how many swords you were carrying, as long as you could carry the weight. But this was like real life. Deran had discovered the folly of carrying so many loose swords, bearing a fair number of cuts to show for his efforts.

"Of course. It's right this way." The mayor led the way through the crowd of hesitant people, some going so far as to reach out and touch the smiling girl in wonder. The inn was even more crowded, packed with players and NPC's alike.

One of the names stuck out amidst the rest, the one above a tiny, brown-haired girl sitting at the bar: Lyselle.

"Hey, uh. Lyselle. Hey." The girl turned around, looking at him with a curious expression, "Hey! I didn't think I'd run into you this soon."

She smiled but still looked curious, "Who are you? I'm sorry, I don't recognize your name."

Deran mentally facepalmed. Of course she doesn't, "Oh, yeah, sorry. It's Jason. From before, you were telling me about the game in line." He suddenly felt very stupid standing there. This random girl would have no reason to remember him.

However, her face lit up, "Jason! I mean, Deran, it's awesome seeing you again. Yeah, I figured I'd hang out here for a couple of days, see if you turned up!" What took you so long?

"Oh, we got caught up in this questline to save the mayor's daughter," Deran motioned over his shoulder to Gorgath and sat next to her, ordering a drink. The bartender plopped down a foaming mug and waved away his coin, "It's on the house tonight. Mayor says enjoy and thank you again."

Lyselle looked at Deran with a confused look, eyes darting to Gorgath, "Wait. You saved the mayor's daughter? I thought he kill-" Her voice trailed off as her eyes widened in surprise. She grabbed his arm tightly, "You figured out the unknown on the first quest, didn't you?"

"Yeah. Barely, with the headaches that kept bothering me. I got lucky and started the game with the orcish language learned." Deran tried to pry her grip loose but failed miserably.

"You know, I don't know if you're lucky or unlucky." She shook her head, "Finding the first unknown in the game can lead to some, for lack of a better word, complications."

Deran cocked his head, finally managing to get blood flow back to his hand, "Why would it lead to complications. Don't you get more money for finding unknown in your run?"

Lyselle sighed, ordering a drink of her own, "Well, yeah. But there's also the fact that it was the first unknown. Which will undoubtedly lead to more, yes? So the developers will be more inclined to stop you from getting any farther if they can."

Deran choked on his current mouthful of ale, sputtering, "They can do that? That's not fair!"

"It isn't about fair," She shrugged, brushing her hair back, "There isn't any proof but most unknown hunters wind up dead after a few. It's kind of a race to see how far you can get before your inevitable end. Usually, the black market will get a wanted poster with your username and info, and then you'll have the world after you."

Deran tried to puzzle it all out, feeling the pressure in his head, "If it wasn't for these damned headaches, I'm sure I could figure something out."

Lyselle looked into his eyes, "You mentioned that earlier too. I don't know what could be causing your headaches. What are your stats like so far?"

Deran brought up his character sheet, relaying the numbers. When he mentioned his 2 in intellect, she burst out laughing, "Well, there's your answer. Hopefully, you still have some ability points left. You're basically an idiot right now, so every time you try to think bigger thoughts than your intellect will let you, your head hurts. A 4 is the average for a human, back out there." She waved in the air randomly, continuing on, "Higher intellect will let you have multiple trains of thought going. It's an odd sensation. Similar to those chess players in the real life that can play ten games at once."

Deran closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath. Gorgath chuckled in the background, saying only, "You really are an idiot. I was right!" Trying to ignore his gleeful friend, Deran threw two of his unallocated points into Intellect, bringing it up to 4 and abolishing his headache instantly. The final point he put into charisma, shrugging. Might come in handy with his only useful skill.

Lyselle sat back and toasted him, "If you'd like, we can stick together. You seem to have a knack for finding new stuff, plus who knows. Maybe with some help, you can stay alive. If you're willing, that is."

Deran breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn't be completely alone, at least. He looked at both her and Gorgath and grinned, "Sounds like a plan. Any idea what happens next."

Gorgath interjected finally, "Now, nofang, we drink." Lyselle seconded the notion with a wide grin and the rest of the night faded into an alcoholic haze.