Unital Ring: The Mysterious New World

Logging Off

The trip to the pillar was as safe as it could be, and the following climb from the base of the pillar to the opening was mostly smooth. Sinon, Jaymes, Kureha, and their AI compatriots all gained a proficiency point in climbing (the alert that came with it almost made Sinon fall had not Jaymes reacted to hold her).

One by one they made their way into the two-foot hole that was the cave's entrance, entering into what became a cocoon-shaped interior about ten feet deep and four feet in height. No monsters are inside, just a wooden chest that made Jaymes excited. "Yo, a treasure chest." He drops down in front of it and tries lifting the lid, but it wouldn't budge. "What the... Don't tell me..."

Sinon leans over his shoulder, seeing the metal lock in his hand. In GGO, treasure boxes-same as treasure chests, but called differently by the players-came in two forms, metal and electronic. For metal locks, one needed the Lockpicking skill, and for electronic, the Hacking Skill. Of course, one could shoot a physical lock, but the chances of successfully opening the chest were low compared to the chances of breaking the latch permanently or destroying the chest's contents.

If this was GGO, neither player nor Arfa-Sys would have a problem opening the chest without issue, but Jaymes' annoyance stems from the fact they don't have any supplies, including lockpicks. All they have between the six of them are centiwig carapaces, pincers, loot from the men, and a rusty knife-

Oh, she could try that. "Let me try something." She materializes one of the centiwig pincers. She glances back and forth between the curved, sharp spike and the lock. She sticks the pointed end of a spike into the lock, moving it slowly until she felt it catch something. While she tries to move that, another message appears: Lock-Picking skill gained. Proficiency has risen to 1.

"Seems to be a bunch of skills here, huh?"

"Yeah. You got it?"

She, in fact, did not "have it". "Grrr...stupid...thing..."

Jaymes lightly pats her head and softly states, "Take your time." He removes his hand and shuffles somewhere behind her, getting ot her way. Annoyed at the lock and blushing at the minor contact, it takes her three more minutes and another proficiency point before the lock is opened. In turn, the pincer's durability wears out, crumbling in her hand.

Jaymes returns after hearing the click of the lock, and together they open the chest. Inside they find a couple of coins, a leather bag that has seen better years, and a rusted green key. Sinon picks up a silver coin first, noting the '100' on one side and a picture of two trees on the other. "This currency...it's not credits, col, or yrd."

"It's not yuld either, from old ALO. Not the Underworld's shia."

The properties window describes it as El, which neither has heard of. Can't ask Strea about it, she can't access the Seed. Shrugging, Sinon pockets it and the copper coins it was found with, then picks up the key. It's fancy in design, with a flower pattern on the handle, and its properties Bronze Key, Tool, Weight: 0.72. No information on what it's a tool for.

Into the inventory, it goes.

Reaching for the leather bag, she finds it quite heavy that she eyes Jaymes silently. He answers with an eye roll and, instead of helping her pick it up, reaches inside. His eyes suddenly stop mocking her as he frowns and lifts whatever object he palpates out of the bag. In his hand is a spherical black object, which the properties window identifies as Crude Musket Ball, Weapon/Bullet, Attack Power: 28.42 puncturing, Weight: 3.67. "They're just bullets... Musket ball?"