Humble Beginnings

One day as I was fishing in Windurst, an adventurer who looked fairly new approached me nervously and asked a question.

???: Ummm... Where can I use this?

It had been quite a while since I had seen an adventurer’s coupon. I led the new adventurer to the Cardian he needed to talk to, and he thanked me over and over as he clutched his first earnings. Thinking how fun it was to witness a new person taking his first steps as an adventurer, I began to recall my own first time in Windurst.

Today I would like to write about new adventurers.

I met two adventurers fighting crawlers in Sarutabaruta. Myaunya invited Minicoro to become an adventurer, and now the two are working together to overcome the difficulties of being a novice…

Minicoro & Myaunya: We have no money! Minicoro: I don’t know what I’m supposed to do! Myaunya: I’m earning a little gil by gardening and making fishing bait.

Ah, yes. Too little gil. The problem that never goes away.

Minicoro: Becoming a strong adventurer is more difficult than I thought. Myaunya: I was so happy the first time I crossed the Valkurm Dunes and reached Jeuno. Minicoro: Jeuno’s so crowded, I always feel like I’m going to get swallowed up! Myaunya: There certainly are a lot of people, but after you make friends with some of them, adventuring will change a lot!

Next, I asked about events that had encouraged them since becoming adventurers. Minicoro spoke with shining eyes about receiving the proceeds from her auction house sales in her delivery box. I was very surprised. It seems like such a trivial thing now, but when I think back to when I was a novice adventurer, I really looked forward to opening my delivery box each day. I even spent time wondering who was using the items I sold!

Let’s listen to a few veterans’ memories of their early days, shall we? First, I asked Kraze, an accomplished Galkan mage searching for a party in Jeuno. I asked him what he did about money when he was a new adventurer, and he gave the following response.

Kraze: My first day... I remember I mined some iron ore in the Zeruhn Mines. I used to mine a lot to make money in my early days. I had help my first day. My brother helped me. He bought me mining gear so I could mine.

It must be fantastic to have such good friends from the very start and make money with their help! In my case, all I could think about was power, so I rushed outside to do battle. Thus began my life of poverty.

Hoadley: Hmmm, I remember my first trip from San d'Oria to the Valkurm Dunes. La Theine Plateau was an exciting new place for me as a level 10 monk, so I was afraid of everything. It was nighttime and lots of aggressive monsters came out of nowhere. I was trying to make it to the Valkurm Dunes to party, but I kept getting killed by skeletons and Orcs. So I never made it by myself, but my friends took me after I got back to town.

I also remember that when I was a novice, every area I saw for the first time seemed exciting and new. The world seemed much bigger then.

Hoadley continued to speak excitedly, waving his hands around as he described getting trounced by a vicious monster and ending up back at Port San d’Oria.

Ah, the memories of yesterday, or perhaps yesteryear, when all seemed strange and exotic (and sometimes confusing!), and new discoveries never seemed to cease. A treasure trove of memories is hidden in the mind of each and every adventurer. Hoadley’s next comment particularly left an impression on me.

Hoadley: I will never forget those times. Those memories keep me interested in adventuring.

After the interviews, I returned home and asked my husband Tathuma if he had any memories to share. Tathuma: What’s still stuck in my mind after all this time? I’d have to say that would be this leather bandana you gave me. Myhal: Oh, you still have that! I’m so happy! That’s my…that’s… Hey, that’s not from me! I gave you a faceguard! Tathuma: Ahhh! …Yupipul taimiz upp! I no understand! Myhal: You’re not gonna get away with that this time! You’re going to tell me who gave you that!