Lowbie Quests

After taking a break for a while my low level thief that I used to buy cheap potions deleted so I started a replacement today. I called him Vioby since his main job is buying violet potions. One thing I enjoy about the lower levels is there are a number of low level quests available with different rewards that are easy to miss. I found two interesting quests I hadn't seen before - the level five quest from the spirit guide in the academy and one from Dave the bard in Jed's tavern 8s, 3w from DH[].

The level five quest from the spirit guide was this:

You raise your hand in response.
The guide says to you 'You need to learn to acquire beneficial equipment while
'exploring. Not only keep your knowledge broad enough for your level when you
'are ready to gain another but also gather the items that you can use and that
'are doing the most for you. Look everywhere when exploring. Open containers
'and look in them. Try the consider command at every interesting mob. You
'should be able to easily explore Isle of the Monkeys. It is a small area. Get
'a woolen blanket there and bring it to me. It is simple.

So I travelled to the Isle of the Monkeys, tracked down Captain Eldyr killed him and got this item:

Object 'a woolen blanket' is infused with your magic...
It is a level 3 armor, weight 1.
Locations it can be worn:  about
Special properties:  none
This armor has a gold value of 50.
Armor class is 3 of 3.
Affects damage roll by 1.
Affects affected_by by detect_hidden.

After returning to the academy I gave the blanket to the spirit guide and the result was:

You give a woolen blanket to Spirit Guide Selmanovic.
Spirit Guide Selmanovic nods to you and says "Ahhh, yes..."
Spirit Guide Selmanovic tells you 'This is the right blanket, Yes.'
You gain 1400 experience.
Spirit Guide Selmanovic gives you a heavy woolen blanket.

When identified the item I received in return was:

Object 'a heavy woolen blanket' is infused with your magic...
It is a level 5 armor, weight 1.
Locations it can be worn:  about
Special properties:  none
This armor has a gold value of 50.
Owner:  Vioby
Armor class is 6 of 6.
Affects damage roll by 1.
Affects affected_by by detect_hidden.

 Notice that it is a slightly improved version of the previous blanket. The second quest from Dave in Jed's tavern starts when you walk into his room.

A Dark Corner Room
Exits: east
A pensive soul sits at a table, randomly questioning his liquor bottle.
Dave the introspective bard tells you 'So, Vioby. If you must be taking up space in this room, please sit down, at least.'
 

So I then sit down. Sit as a command only seems to have an affect in a handful of rooms besides here. The first time I ever saw sit doing something was in a room in the Desert of Despair. Next happens:

You sit down.

Dave the introspective bard tells you 'I could tell you quite a story, Vioby. I

once ventured with a band of eager thieves into the stronghold of the Hobgoblin King.'

Dave the introspective bard tells you 'We went in to steal the hobgoblins' gold. We were led by a brave warrior, he could kill three or more hobgoblins in a fight. Our thief only needed to take on one hobgoblin at a time, the warrior was so strong.'

Dave the introspective bard tells you 'That left me free to navigate to the Hobgoblin King, and find the hidden treasure I had heard about. The warrior fought, the thief was able to open locked doors and I knew about the gold.'

Dave the introspective bard tells you 'When we were surrounded by the hobgoblin soldiers, though, the cowardly thief ran. He and my leader were both killed. They kept me alive as a trophy to give to the king. I was enslaved and forced to work alongside the miners.'

Dave the introspective bard tells you 'I was forced into hours of labour that no human should be subjected to. But I listened to the miners. The miners sang songs while they worked. They chanted songs about the centuries old conflict with the gnomes.'

Dave the introspective bard tells you 'I listened to their songs and I learned the secrets of the hobgoblins. The gnomes had a secret weapon. I know the gnomes' secret, the hobgoblins sang about it.'

Dave the introspective bard smiles at you.

Dave looks away, apparently aware of something you don't see.

Dave the introspective bard tells you 'I know the secrets. The secrets of the hobgoblins and the gnomes. I know the secrets.'

Dave the introspective bard tells you 'Anyway. If you are joining me, you could buy me another winter green ale.'

 

The winter green ale can be bought from just a couple of rooms away in the tavern. Giving Dave the ale results in:

You give "Black" Jack's Green Winter Ale to Dave the introspective bard.
Dave looks at green.
Dave the introspective bard tells you 'The gnomes scientists can make a liniment, a paste that they apply to their skin to make themselves invulnerable to the hobgoblins. They keep some of it around and the whole village is ready to defend against attacks.'
Dave the introspective bard tells you 'Apparently the gnome children go out and kill fire ants to collect the blood, I have seen the flasks that they use. If you were to collect fire ant blood from the tunnels below the academy, the gnomes might let you have some of the salve.'
Dave the introspective bard tells you 'So anyway, here.  Have the flask, take it, and I thank you for the ale.'
Dave the introspective bard gives you an empty flask for collecting blood.
 

After killing the third fire ant:

Your stab rends a Fire Ant!
A Fire Ant is DEAD!!
You receive 581 experience points.
As the fire ant collapses, you collect enough of its blood to fill your flask.
Now you must take the filled flask and find the Gnome Scientist that Dave spoke
of.
A Fire Ant catches its guts in its hands as they pour through its fatal wound!
You can't carry that many items.
The corpse of a Fire Ant holds:
     340 gold coins

The gnome scientist is found in the Shattered Refuge not far from DH. The result of giving the flask to the scientist is:

Breaks in the trees
Exits: north east south west
A scientist wanders around deep in thought.
A gnome scientist says to you, 'I see you've been gathering plenty of blood from
 the fire ants.'
A gnome scientist says to you, 'If you give it to me, I will gladly share the sa
lve I can make.'
You give a flask filled with fire ant blood to a gnome scientist.
A gnome scientist thanks you heartily.
A gnome scientist says to you, 'This will be of great use to the gnomes. Please
take a sample with our gratitude.'
You have gained 9050 experience points.
A gnome scientist stops using a wicker basket.
A gnome scientist gives you a wicker basket.
You take a closer look at a wicker basket in inventory...
You see nothing special.
A wicker basket appears to be nearly empty.
A wicker basket contains:
     black and red paste (5)
 

The paste in the basket is kind of handy:

Object 'black and red paste' is infused with your magic...
It is a level 6 salve, weight 1.
Special properties:  none
This salve has a gold value of 12200.
Has 7(7) applications of level 29:
  'fireshield'  'dragonskin'

It casts fireshield and these days there aren't many fireshield items out there since they stopped them being brewable. Either way I got some handy experience out of it for my lowbie and found a couple of little known quests along the way.