Nia was happy with the bunch of quests. Just when she was wondering of she could have similar quests from different shopkeepers, Aurrum was not the only shopkeeper who bartered items and sold things on consignment,she saw a tiny tot, carrying a pitcher as big as her. Awww! Such a cute girl.
Nia just had to help her. The girl was helping her grandmother, who was one of the dessert makers. Grandma Esla , that was name she preferred. She and and group of ladies started working together and named themselves after Esla sisters, who cold cook food worthy of gods. This band of Esla sisters though sold their foods out of the village, to be more precise, they paid taxes in form of food. If the foods were better tasting, there would be chance of getting some coins back as appreciation money.
Grandma Esla started explaining that her group also prepared dried breads, meat jerky and as such for hunters or people going on long journey. Main criteria were food has to stay consumable, should take less space and more importantly should not release scents that could entice monsters.
She gave a honeyed bun though, reminding Nia again to eat it before leaving the village. Nia then asked, as she was coached by many of her friends before, "Is there anything I could help you with, Grandma Esla?".
It seemed Grandma Esla did have some quest.
Ding. A faint chime sounded in Nia's ears again. After so many times, Nia now did not even startle, she reflexly said mentally- 'status- quests'.
A new quest had formed in the list- GrandMa Esla's request :
Grandma Esla had asked Kale to make sure her place always had water. Unfortunately now Kale had been pulled into patrol duty, he could not ensure the same. Get 5 Pitchers of water to grandma Esla before end of the day. If not, she can not cook those delicious honeyed buns.
level- very easy. F+.
Rewards- 2 honeyed buns , XP and a slight increase in affinity. Grandma will think about selling her products to you for personal use.
Nia then borrowed many utensils laying around to carry the water. Quest said five pitchers but that was just to make honeyed buns for tomorrow. Won't the NPCs also need water? Anyway, she had extra storage bag, its not like she will be physically carrying the water from the well.
By the time Nia came back with water along with the tiny tot, who was called Baby Esla, Grandma Esla wass busy making desserts. Nia did not call over to say she had finished the quest. Instead she pulled the child out and asked her not to disturb her grandma.
"Baby, do you know any other people who are waiting for water just like your Grandma?"
[Way to go, Nia. I knew you could think of ways of using the remaining water in your inventory/ storage bag.]
It seemed many did face water shortage. The job of fetching water was rotated among few young men but all were pulled into patrol duty , so they could help only partly. Nia chose her next mark, errr.....her next quest giver- Alchemist Al. He was one of the oldest alchemist and was becoming more and more cranky with age.
Al was happy when he received water. These days, he made less potions, so he got less water. Nowadays, he felt parched again and again, as he was drinking less water to save it for alchemy.
Ding. Would you like to learn ALCHEMY from Alchemist Al?
And just like that, Nia jumped the queue of people wanting to be alchemists.
Al was old and bored. So while showing Niyathi [Nia's game character] how to make basic red pot and blue pot, he talked about many things.
[As promised before, in order to curtail info dump, only relevant details are entered below.]
"....Eli Tasker was a good man. Problem was his family....."
".....So, after being banished from family, he could only work in wilderness to survive. He did lots of odd jobs.....he grew much more because of that, that's what I feel..."
"...After the bloodbath, he cleaned up the settlement and starting laying foundation for the town. Those greedy b@$t@rd$ knewv nothing of strategy, looking only at immediate gain...."
"....The newly named Tasker Town started growing, thanks to Eli's and his wife's management...."
".....Many new settlements and villages cropped up all around....."
"....Even this place belongs to Tasker Town. The Chief usually goes twice or thrice a year to give tax and details of the place...."
".....hehehe...If we old folk had not objected, that fool of Chief would be happily frolicking between here and the town, not caring about this place at all..."
Ding. Quest- Grandma Esla's request completed.
'Oh, Grandma must have taken a break in cooking and noticed that i have filled the water pitchers,' Nia thought.
This was the first quest she finished. She had to record the moment for posterity.
After asking for a break, Nia came out. She had to pause the record of history of the local places[aka Alchemist Al's ramble], start another recording and check the rewards.
Rewards- 10 honeyed buns, 10 cookies, Grandma's affinity increased to 'dear child'. XP- 200.
Ding. ' Due to Fairy Reena's blessing - "Do good to be good!", the bonuses have doubled. Grandma Esla has decided to teach you cooking. Now you can learn Cooking from her.
You have leveled up. You have leveled up.
Free stat points -2, Skill points-2.
Ding- Due to Fairy Reena's blessing - "Do good to be good!", the bonuses have doubled. Free stat points -4, skill points -4.'