After exploring the area I spawned in, I gathered some valuable information about this place.
The small village, Vendall, serves as a "Beginner" village, catering to new players like me.
However, one of the most frustrating mechanics in the game is the penalty for dying, which can vary in severity based on the player's level.
From what I heard so far it goes something like this:
For beginners from Level 1-20: Lose 25% of current exp, 1 hour respawn cooldown
From Level 21-50: Lose 50% of current exp, 5 hours respawn cooldown, 20% chance to lose a random item (if the death is the result of a PK, the Player who got the killing blow obtains the item automatically)
From Level 51-100: Lose 75% of current exp, 12-hour respawn cooldown, 40% chance to lose up to 2 random items (PK rule applies)
From Level 101-200: Lose 100% of current exp, 1 day respawn cooldown, 60% chance to lose up to 3 random items (PK rule applies)
Past Level 200: Lose 1 Level and all exp progress achieved so far, 1 day respawn cooldown, 80% chance to lose up to 5 random items (PK rule applies)
Given this knowledge, I assumed PK (Player Killing) wouldn't be a common occurrence against beginners, as it doesn't appear to offer any benefits to the killer.
Yet, rumours abound that certain PK groups, particularly the notorious "Blood Wolves," specifically target newcomers for their twisted amusement.
Fortunately, within Vendall, PK is not possible as it functions as a Safe Zone.
However, many other towns and villages lack this protection, making them vulnerable to PK attempts.
To counteract this, each village and town has its guards—NPCs tasked with keeping the area in check and preventing most PK encounters.
My immediate goal should be finding a safe hunting ground to level up, but due to the risks associated with PK encounters, I decided to search for quests first, as I am completely inexperienced in combat.
Spotting a nervous NPC near a house in the western part of Vendall, I mustered the courage to approach him, reminding myself that he's just an NPC, not a real person from school or elsewhere, to overcome my shyness.
In our brief conversation, the NPC explained that he had lost a small bag somewhere in the village.
Despite his lack of promise of a reward, I empathized with him and agreed to help in the search.
As I scoured the village and sought assistance from other NPCs, I eventually discovered the bag wedged between two wooden carts, its handle probably snagged as he walked past.
Returning the bag to its owner, he seemed overjoyed and eagerly rummaged inside.
A short while later, he pulled out a peculiar-looking device along with a few coins, expressing his gratitude and insisting I keep them as thanks for my assistance.
I accepted the gesture gratefully, bid him farewell, and proceeded to find a quiet spot to examine the items he had given me.
Quest Rewards obtained:
25 BC
Digital Map of Vendall and its Surroundings
Title: Happy Helper (Relationship with NPCs gets a minor boost)
The map automatically integrated itself into my System interface, adding a convenient "Map" tab to it.
It seems that different maps for Clash of Blades can be found in various locations to simplify navigation.
A detail caught my eye, which I hadn't noticed while walking around the village earlier: Vendall has its own personal training ground located in the basement of the local Tavern.
Considering the dangers outside the village, I've decided to prioritize checking out this training ground.
A few minutes later, I enter the bustling Tavern, filled with players and NPCs of diverse appearances and races.
Two beastmen share laughter in a corner, an Elf engages in friendly conversation with the barkeeper, and other individuals also gather here.
Approaching an NPC who appears to work for the Inn, a young man with a short beard and short brunette hair, I inquire hesitantly, "Uhm... Hello? Excuse me, but do you happen to know how I can enter the training gro-" Before I can finish my sentence, the man places his hand over my mouth and leads me to a private room away from prying eyes.
"I apologize for the abruptness earlier, but you'll understand in a moment. The training ground you mentioned isn't known to the general public in this village. If you don't mind my asking, how did YOU come to know about it? I haven't seen you around here before..."
Nervous and flustered, I reply, "I... I'm sorry, I didn't know. I helped a man earlier, and he gave me a map with details about Vendall. Since I didn't want to encounter danger outside the village unprepared, I thought the training ground would be a good place to start."
My hands tremble slightly as I try to gauge his reaction.
After a brief pause, he thankfully breaks the silence, showing me a picture he retrieved from somewhere in the room.
"Is this the man you're talking about?"
"Yes, that's him! Is he some kind of criminal? Am I in trouble now?"
Fear starts to grip me as the situation becomes increasingly unclear, causing my body to shake.
However, his laughter dispels my concerns, "Oh no, not at all! Quite the opposite. This person is the chief of our village, named Baelnor. If he's the one who shared the details with you, then there's no problem, and you're free to use the training ground to your heart's content."
A wave of relief washes over me, and I start to calm down again.
He invites me to take a seat as he introduces himself as "Aster" now that the mood has lightened.
He proceeds to explain further about the training ground, clarifying that it isn't a place to fight monsters for experience and levelling up, but rather an old-fashioned facility to test one's own body and skills.
The reason for keeping it a secret is that the place wouldn't be able to accommodate the influx of adventurers seeking to train in a safe environment.
The only rule for using it is that I'm not allowed an unlimited time there, instead, I can use it for a maximum of 7 days.
After that period, other players can earn the right to train there as well, ensuring no one monopolizes it forever.
That means I have to use the following week wisely, to get used to the game controls and get a general idea of how to fight in my current state.
Once he finishes the explanation, he excuses himself to attend to other customers.
On the table, he leaves a key to the basement, which will automatically expire after 7 days since I opened the door for the first time.
Once the time is up, the key will remove me from the training ground.
For now, I have to log out, prepare dinner, and get a good rest before dedicating most of my time to training during the following week.
Devilish Shadow
Titles:
Happy Helper
Lv. 1
Hp 24/24
Stat Overview:
Strength: 5 Atk=13
Vitality: 4 Hp=24
Endurance: 3 Def=11
Agility: 6+1 Spd=14
Intelligence: 4 Mana=16
Stamina: 6
Skills:
—
Exp: 0/25
Equipment:
Beginner Dagger (Atk+3, Agi+1)
Adventurers Jacket (Def+1)
Adventurers Cap(Def'+1)
Accessories:
—
BC: 125
Sidenotes:
PK=Player Kill(er): Getting killed by another player instead of a mob/boss/etc
For the Item drop percentage when dying: This is a "base-chance" meaning it is possible to be increased during a PK with certain items/skills within the game, but also possible to be decreased by the Player's items/skills
NPC= Non-Player-Character: Characters controlled by an AI instead of a Person, that usually function as a Quest giver or Guidance during the game to support the Players
I won't include the calculation formula for stats from now on, if you forgot how it's done, refer to the end of Chapter 1