HC: Handyman | Ch. 45 - Survival Buff (Patreon)

Jack ran his fingers through the fabric of the tent cloth and found holes in the corners. “I guess that the rope goes here, huh?” Everything about these tents was expensive. The fabric, the frame, and the stakes had drained most of his scarce funds. Furthermore, getting money in this cursed game was hard. Jack remembered Felix’s advice about being patient. He’d better not dive headfirst into this and risk spoiling these precious resources.

Just in case he was missing something, he opened the browser. “How to set up a tent bushcraft New Earth.” A few hits popped up, and he spotted a tutorial by someone he recognized. The player wore a straw hat, shorts, and a vest filled with pockets. He looked like a safari guide. Jack wondered if this player used this outfit for dramatic effect or if they provided any bonuses to bushcraft. 

He had watched a video made by the same individual before. It was thanks to him that he’d learned how to get consistently good grades when crafting rope.

"Hey there, fellow adventurers! NewEarthDundee here. Welcome back to the channel. Today, we will dive into setting up the perfect tent in New Earth. Whether you’re a seasoned camper or a newbie, I’ve got you covered with some essential tips and tricks. So, let’s get started!”

"First things first, let's talk about choosing frames and cloths for your tent. There is no shortcut for both of these important resources. You get what you pay for. Metal frames are more durable and a great choice for long-term use, although they take up more inventory slots. Wooden ones wear out more quickly but are easier to transport.” 

“For the tent fabric, go for something weather-resistant. Ensure the cloth has a decent waterproof rating to keep you dry during those unexpected in-game storms.”

“A little late for that,” Jack mumbled. It should be OK, though. Amari said it wouldn’t rain.

The video continued. "When it comes to stakes, the game offers different options. Any stakes will do the job, but remember, low-priced stakes are usually not reusable, so keep a few extra on hand if you’re opting for the cheaper ones. Investing in more durable stakes means you can reuse them multiple times, saving you resources in the long run.” 

“When hammering in the stakes, use a rock, your weapon, or a hammer if you have one. Drive them in at a 45-degree angle for the best hold. Ensure they’re deep enough to stay put but not so deep that they’re hard to remove later.”

Jack looked at the fours stakes he’d purchased. They were disposable, then. That was unfortunate. Eight silvers down the drain. He hadn’t brought a spare either. Hopefully, that wouldn’t hurt him too much.

“One crucial aspect of tent placement is its distance from the fire. Place your tent more than 5 meters away from the fire. If it's too far, your tent won’t benefit from the fire’s effects, such as warmth and boosted health regeneration. On the other hand, if the tent is too close to the fire, it will lose durability points quickly."

“I knew that,” Jack said proudly.

“Always set up your tent on flat ground. This provides stability and prevents water from pooling under your tent if it rains. Clear the area of sharp rocks, sticks, and other debris before setting up your tent to avoid damaging the fabric. This can significantly increase your tent's durability. When securing the ropes, make sure they are nice and taut. This will stabilize your tent and prevent it from flapping in the wind. Tighten them evenly and check them periodically, especially if the weather changes."

The video went on to show the guide exemplifying how to set up a camp. Jack resisted the urge to start setting up his tent right away and made himself watch the tutorial a second time. Once he was satisfied, Jack proceeded to follow the steps. The clearing was on level ground, but he hadn’t cleared all the sticks and stones. He kicked most stones off to the side, choosing a couple of good ones to hammer the stakes down, and gathered all the sticks and twigs to add to the fire later. He wasn’t about to waste his buckler’s or pitchfork’s precious durability in hammering stakes.

He untied the rope from each stake. After watching the safari guide work, he now knew he had skipped a step. It was much better to hammer the stake first and only then tie the rope. He pierced the stake at an angle, as low as he could with his bare hand, and then hit it with a rock a few times. 

You nailed a stake down.

+10 bushcraft xp.

“Sweet! It gives experience, too.” 

Jack hammered the other three stakes down and then tied the rope to them. He had to check the video a few more times to get the best knot for the job. It was strangely satisfying to use ropes he himself had made, and seeing them hold despite the tension. He kept stretching the ropes and steadying the tent frame. According to NewEarthDundee, all these things would ensure that the tent’s durability dropped slower, saving him precious money.

You’ve set up camp.

+300 bushcraft xp.

Your fire is empowered by the [Camping] skill.

+100 bushcraft xp.

It was surprisingly good XP. He could never imagine he could progress so much in bushcraft from setting up camp like this. His hp, which had been slightly chipped by mosquitos, began to slowly rise. With the tent near the fire, he could now passively recover hp. He would also have to help his teammates recover stamina when they arrived. For that, he’d need to prepare food.  

Jack looked for anything edible in the clearing. A few mushrooms were growing off the shady side of a tree. Jack signaled them in his map. He would only harvest them when his colleagues arrived. It would be too bad if they spoiled. He rubbed his hands, cleaned off the dust, and sat by the fire, throwing the occasional twig to keep the fire blazing. All he had to do was wait.

Jack did. One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. Just how long would they take?

“Hey, Amari. Just checking in. I’ve set up camp.”

“Great!”

“How long will it take for you guys to return?”

“Hmmm… We’re still looking for mantises nearby. One hour? Maybe? I’ll message you once we’re on our way back.”

“One hour?!” Jack yelped. “And what am I supposed to do until then?”

There was a rustling of leaves in one of the bushes. Jack jolted upright, pitchfork pointed at the source of movement, and his small buckler ready to block any incoming attacks. Whatever was disturbing the foliage was much larger than a porky. At the thought of an impending Alosaurus attack, Jack felt his mouth dry. However, the creatures that emerged from the treeline completely differed from what he expected.

“Hello!”

“H-Hi,” Jack greeted the three new arrivals uncertainly. 

The three players were at a higher level than he and his teammates. They were three young men. Two had plate armor, and one had a long bow strapped around his back. “So…? The fee?” one of them prompted, seeing Jack still pointing the pitchfork warily at them.

Jack glanced at the nearby fire and then at the players, and put the pitchfork away. He remembered when Amari had negotiated rights to use the fire and have a meal from hungry, tired adventurers. What had he said back then? “The usual,” Jack said, trying to sound confident. 

The three men exchanged glances. “Will you give us a five silver discount? There’s three of us, after all.”

Jack bit his lip. Before he had the camping skill, the price he took from players was 20 silvers. He didn’t know if [Camping] improved the fee somehow. “S-sure.”

“Alright, then!” One of the players approached Jack and stretched his hand, which was filled with coins. 

You’ve received 70 silver.

Jack accepted the money and resisted the urge to look too happy. Camping did boost the fee! They were paying him 5 extra silver! Good thing he hadn’t been an idiot and asked for only 20 silver a piece.

The three men headed toward the fire and sat on the log that Jack had been using as a makeshift bench. He was a little annoyed that they took his seat without asking for permission, but he was just too happy with the money coming in. Before this, he had been in the red. Having some coin enter his purse was like taking a gulp of fresh air after almost drowning in one of Piri’s underwater mazes.

As they made themselves comfortable, Jack hurriedly texted Amari.

“Hi, Amari. A few guys came to camp asking for food. Would you mind if I used my waiting time to earn money and level my profession?”

He waited for a few moments, and soon, the reply came. 

“No problem.”

Jack sighed in relief, and placed a pot over the fire and filled it with water. He then headed toward the mushrooms he had spotted earlier and, grabbing his bush knife, carefully harvested them, getting as much of the stem as possible. He returned to the fire and poured them into the pot. There were three patrons, and each serving of [Survival Stew] needed three ingredients. He threw nine mushrooms in, grabbed the salt and pepper he’d bought from the marketplace, and threw a pinch of each into the pot. The progress bar began filling.

“So where to next?” the archer asked his two companions.

“Hmmm… We still need to hunt ten more. They have probably respawned already in that first place, right? You know the one. By the stream?”

“Oh, yeah! That’s a good idea. After this, we’ll probably have enough hp and stamina to then head back to the city and turn it in.”

Congratulations! You’ve crafted [Survival Stew].

[Camping] has strengthened your meal.

+150xp in [Bushcraft]

Survival Stew (Common)

Crafting grade: B

Item description: A nutritious, tasty meal from ingredients you’ve crafted in the wild.

Item effects:

+1 stamina per second for five minutes. 

+1 hp per second for five minutes.

Survival buff: Prevents loss of stamina and health for five minutes after leaving camp. The buff wears off when entering combat.

Durability: 5

Jack’s eyes widened. He had expected the xp he gained from cooking to decrease after gaining a few levels. Maybe it was because he had added seasoning, or maybe because of the bonuses of his [Camping Skill], but he had still gained a generous amount of XP, and his dishes now granted a small bonus: [Survival Buff]. Five minutes without losing hp and stamina didn’t sound like much, but arriving at a hunt with that little extra hp and stamina probably made a big difference in decisive battles. No wonder that they were willing to pay an extra 5 silver for the meal.

He filled three bowls with the stew and served his customers. They seemed unimpressed with the buff or the taste of the food. 

As soon as they had their meal, they stood up. “We’ll be on our way.”

“Thank you for coming. Spread the word to others!” Jack said invitingly. As the three players left, Jack scratched his chin. He was onto something here. Maybe being stuck in this clearing for a while wouldn’t be so bad. If he could serve ten customers like these every hour, he was looking at over two golds of profit. He hadn’t gained that much from spending a full day in the pottery workshop.

Jack cleaned up the rest of the camp, making it as inviting as possible. He even kicked the porky corpse out into the bush. He then explored the area around the clearing, looking for more food. The jungle was his pantry, where he could get the ingredients needed for his stews. He marked whatever ingredients he found on his map, sat by the fire, threw a few more branches to feed it, and waited. 

After ten minutes, no new customers had come. Amari was also radio silent. Maybe he had just been lucky to find those three players almost as soon as he had set up camp. He had imagined that there would be people rushing to his camp, but that hadn’t happened. Was he just going to sit still, waiting for customers to come? What if no more customers came? How was he going to make money then? Jack ran his hand through his hair, trying to find ways to attract new customers.

“Wait. They talked about a stream. Right?” Jack stood up, made sure the fire’s durability was topped up, and then checked his messages. Amari hadn’t said anything yet. Jack grabbed his pitchfork and buckler and left the clearing through the path where his first three customers had disappeared.

Ch. 44 - Camping

INDEX

Ch. 46 - Capture