Lore/Story Fixing Wynncraft’s Recruits Issues

Some light projects to edit and adjust quests, dialogues, and other to make the player, Aledar, and Tasim to be more likable about actual recruits rather than what they present in the current game. The goal is to edit and change the quest as little as much as possible but give more context and reasoning to why certain things happen. Made this mostly because I am bored and I think it just good way to get some experience by editing small quests for my larger project.

The issue -
While the premise of wynncraft may seem unique from other MMORPG as players start out as recruits of an existing army rather than wandering adventurers can potentially create unique story telling, it sadly never been utilized properly as players would then seemingly become generic adventurers afterward. This became more of a problem as the later quest went on as it almost seems like the player just deserted the army they were meant to assign to rather than actually being a soldier.

This also affects world building as this makes Wynn as a whole feel ignorant or irresponsible to the recruits they suppose to be taken into their war against Corruption. As we know that death happens everyday due to the ongoing war, it feels odd that there is no sense of regulation or management to the recruits from Fruma at all. So the project aims to fix those kinds of issues.

So here some editing

Spoiler: King's Recruit

Ragni King’s dialogue at the end of the quest has been adjusted

Ragni King: Ah! You must be the last recruit. Please come over and speak to me.
Ragni King: Hello! Your friends just left. They told me quite a story about what happened to you three on the way here.
Ragni King: This is the noble fort of Ragni, one of the oldest and influential cities in the province!
Ragni King: Usually you would be trained to be a capable fighter before sending you out to the assigned army though the story I heard, it seems like you three are already capable fighters!
Ragni King: It still might be a good idea to help out around before we send you off to Detlas to familiarize yourself with your new home. After all, we lose many lives everyday..
Ragni King: Anyway, good luck! If you are lost, use map.wynncraft.com as it is very useful if you don’t know where to go.
Ragni King: Take this [Ragni Teleportation Scroll] too! It will bring you back here if you use it.

Tasim dialogue been adjusted

Tasim: …Oh, <playername> ! Over here. Aledar’s gone, but I figured I’d stay back and wait for you to be done.
Tasim: So! Wynn, huh? It’s pretty exciting to finally be here. I’m going to do some tasks before heading to Detlas soon, but I want to tell you something first.
Tasim: There's this handy item we were all given on our way here- the Content Book. It displays most things you can do in this world- quests, caves, and more.
Tasim: It also lets you track any content you want, which will create a beacon you can follow. Here, why don't you try it out? Use your content book, and click on the highlighted quest.
Tasim: Well, there you go! I’m going to head off now. Maybe you can use that book again to find me once you’ve gotten a little stronger so we can meet up together to go to Detlas.

Comment - The adjustment here is to adjust the context a bit to make it seem like for the player case, it's a special occasion and a bit different from the usual procedure they would use on other Fruman recruits. The “Your job as a soldier of Wynn is to stop the growth of the monsters that are ravaging the province.” always feel like a strange thing to say to a new recruit anyway. Also adjuisting Tasim's eploigue dialogue so it does not imply he immediately heads to Detlas right away. I do this so it imply that they need to get some work around Ragni first because again Ragni still in need of help as according to the Sewer of Ragni quest, so it make sense for you and the gang at least require to help them out a bit before moving to Detlas to finalize your potential. I also remove information to where Tasim ends up for later NPC.

Spoiler: New Interaction in Ragni

Sergeant Klafson will be moved to be more noticeable when you pass the Ragni’s gate that leads to Emerald Trail, his dialogue being rewrite.

Sergeant Klafson: Hmmmm… Oh, you must be one of the three new recruits I’ve been hearing about. Heard you manage to fight your way to Ragni.
Sergeant Klafson: That impressive! Usually we would train recruits like you first to be capable but you three are something special.
Sergeant Klafson: It’s no wonder why the king wants you all to go Detlas as soon as possible, he sees the potential in three of you.
Sergeant Klafson: Though sadly the tunnel we use to send recruits safely is not usable at the moment.. So you probably have to walk all the way to Detlas.
Sergeant Klafson: I already informed your other friends about this. I’m pretty sure one of them told me to tell you that he will meet you at the entrance of the Nivla Forest when you are ready.
Sergeant Klafson: So off you go then! Make sure you help us first before heading off!

Comment - Rewrite Sergeant Klafson to establish protocol that they usually use for recruits. I mostly use him here because he is barely used in the game so it leaves a room open for this kind of thing without the need of making entirely new NPC that could cluster the space. Just overall telling world building info that Tasim would be unable to do due to his status as a new arrival recruit.

Spoiler: Enzan's Brother

The beginning of the quest’s dialogue has been adjusted.

Enzan: Ah new recruit! Here to do your first task eh?
Enzan: My name is Enzan, and I am now a retired knight. I’ve spent most of my life fighting in the name of Ragni and the province and you will too!
Enzan: I know how hard it must be for fruman recruits to be adjusted to this new world, you all lose your memory after all!
Enzan: So here is a very simple job, just follow this road and make sure my brother is working. He should be sitting around those stairs, past the item identifier.
Enzan: Tell him that I sent you! He can be such a jerk to strangers sometimes, especially when he’s focused on his stairs.

Therck dialogue is also being adjusted when you talk to him for the first time.

Therck: Excuse me? Can’t you see I’m busy?
Therck: Oh, my brother? Sorry I didn’t know.
Therck: Why yes, I am still working and not dozing off…
Therck: This cow saken plains always just been filled with undead. Look, if he wants me to keep working and not sleep on the job. How about you help me with something? I can give you something in return.
Therck: You see, there's a special kind of mushroom that grows in this cave. I hear it is certain... energizing properties.

Returning Therck with the mushroom dialogue also adjusted

Therck: Ah, you’re back! Do you have the mushroom?
Therck: Excellent.. Now I might be able to finally climb these stairs… And do my job!
Therck: Who knows, maybe there’s treasure up there…
Therck: Huh? Oh, here is your payment. Take this ring. It's an accessory item! You can identify it at the nearby Item Identifier.
Therck: It’s very good for a recruit like you but there’s just one small issue…
Therck: To wear it, you must help my friend back in Ragni. He's been pestering me for days about needing help.

Comment - Slight adjustment to make it seems like the quest is about doing tasks for Ragni. I can imagine Ragni just giving out simple tasks like this to make recently memory wiped recruits to be more adjusted to their new world. I also took a bit of info from Sewer of Ragni quest and put into this quest a bit for world building.

Spoiler: Posion The Pest

Beginning of the quest’s dialogue been rewrite

Farmer Cevalues: By the bovine, are you one of those recruits the guards sent to fine me!?
Farmer Cevalues: It was an accident! I forgot to burn my step father's body before corruption got to his body!
Farmer Cevalues: I didn’t even know he would become an unstoppable beast! He is ravaging my farm right now!
Farmer Cevalues: Just take this [1 Crate of Rat Poison] and pour it in the reservoir at the back! I can turn on the water sprinkler and that will probably weaken him enough for you to take him down!

If you talk to him again.

Farmer Cevalues: Have you at least attempted to put the poison in the reservoir yet? Remember, the water reservoir is on the other end of this field.

The end of the quest

Farmer Cevalues: Goodness, that was a little more tense than I anticipated. Still good work! I’m glad that we were able to put him to rest!
Farmer Cevalues: I mean… Poor step-dad…. I don't know how I'll explain this to my wife... Might need to buy her something nice, heh.
Farmer Cevalues: Oh.. You are not forgetting about the fine are you? Fine here is the payment for the trouble.. And for your help, I will also give you access to my second farm in the back, just take whatever you need!

Comment - It’s been 1000 years of war against forces that are known to bring back the dead, burying or leaving corpses to be reanimated should be illegalized in Wynn province a long time ago. I readjust the dialogue in this quest to expand on this world building and make it appear that the players themselves are just doing a job for Ragni to help them out while try to familiarize them with the world they are in.

Spoiler: The Sewer of Ragni

Beginning of the quest’s dialogue has been adjusted

Jenprest: Recruit! Good timing. We've been requesting help for ages.
Jenprest: With the corrupted hordes terrorising the Wynn Plains, more and more people are moving to Ragni.
Jenprest: Issue is, a major sewage pipe's been blocked up. No wonder nobody wanted the job.
Jenprest: I'm going to need you to get your hands dirty. I'll need some assistance with the blockage.
Jenprest: Here's the brief. We get in, deploy some small explosives to dislodge the blockage, and get out.
Jenprest: We're using the side pipe. The larger one down the hill, well... you don't want to stray too far into that one.
Jenprest: Keep your wits about you in there. All sorts of things could be lurking. Ready? Let's go!

Comment - Again not much problem with this quest but just change how the NPC refers to the player. I think it makes more sense for this quest to be one of those Ragni tasks that players do during their stay in Ragni. Though I am a bit skeptical since it is placed in level AFTER Infested plant but the quest itself does really sound like something they would have a recruit like us do.

Spoiler: Infested Plant

Beginning of the quest’s dialogue been adjusted

Tasim: Oh, <playername>! There you are. It's good to see you. Are you ready to continue on towards Detlas?
Tasim: It seems we'll need to pass through the Nivla Woods first. I've heard the forest is crawling with spiders... But between you and me, we should be-
???: H-hey! You two! You are a capable fighter, right? I can tell that from your gears. Can you folk help me out for a bit?
Tasim: Huh? Oh- yes, of course! What's your name? What do you need help with?
Ope: I'm Ope! I was recently... uh... bit by a spider! And now I need your help to get a rare medicinal herb to heal me!
Ope: It only grows in an infested cave filled with creepy crawlies. And I'm clearly in no condition to go get it myself!
Tasim: Well, alright! We're here to help! We'll get you that herb!
Ope: Perfect. I'll bring you to the cave, and you can do the rest from there. Follow me!

Dialogue when giving the plant to Ope also adjusted

Ope: There you are! It feels like we've been waiting for hours.
Tasim: It... really hasn't been that long. Maybe ten minutes at most.
Ope: Well-... Anyway! Do you have the herb? It's very- uh, important! To cure me. Yep.
[-1 Saccharum Plant]
Ope: There it is! Eheh. Thank you kindly for your work! Now, about your payment...Let's see, what do I have...
Ope: Oh. I seem to be out of emeralds. Well- I can, uh, offer some advice! There's lots to find in this forest. Plenty of caves with valuables to explore! Might be worth your time.
Tasim: Wait, are you seriously not going to-
Ope: It has been a time, but I truly must be going! We're near Alekin Village, you should stop on by! Just keep going east down the main road! Go and speak to the mayor! He can cover my expenses!
Ope: Well. Goodbye!
Tasim: …
Tasim: That's... frustrating. He seemed shady from the start, I should have-... Well. What's done is done. Let's go speak to that mayor.

Comment - I am changing dialogue here to not present Tasim and the player as soldiers YET because at the moment they are in the middle of transferring to another army and they are in territory belonging to Alekin and try to demand reward from citizens. So to avoid Tasim committing the crime of extortion and posing as authority, I have to remove mention of him and the player being a soldier in this quest while also keeping the reward joke.

Spoiler: Mushroom Man

Talking to Yahya for the first time in the quest now have been adjusted

Yahya: G-... Hi! H-how can I help you on this... this p-perfectly fine and n-n-normal day!
Tasim: Sorry to interrupt- we're just traveling through this town, and you looked like you were in need of some help! So what is your problem?
Yahya: O-oh! No, t-there's nothing going on. Not a th-thing. My m-m-mushroms are... they're fine. Why are you a-asking? Ev-... everything is g-great. W-Why wouldn't it b-be?
Yahya: ...O-okay, fine, y-you caught me! My mushrooms... my m-mushrooms aren't fine! T-they're bad, even! A-are you hap-... happy now?
Tasim: Ehm- no, but that's why we're here! Is there anything we can do to help your... uh. Your mushrooms?
Yahya: Hm. One fighter, two f-fighers... Y-you look weak. I've s-seen str-... stronger. B-But- eheh, the- the s-stronger fighters are... not here. Y-you'll be good enough. Maybe.
Yahya: I- my favorite mushroom spot. I c-can't use it any-... anymore. Spiders. L-lots of spiders. They've t-t-taken over it... I can't get... mushrooms. Can y-you kill the s-s-spiders? Mushrooms.
Tasim: We can kill spiders! Right, <playername>? Come on, this is what we're here to do! We are going to become soldiers to help the people of Wynn, aren't we? We'll help you get your mushrooms back sir.
Yahya: H-hm. Good. I can't m-make soup without... mushrooms. F-follow me, I'll take you to the-... the spiders. B-bad spiders.

Talking to mayor Alvin after Yahya got kidnapped will be adjusted

Mayor Alvin: Ah, hello travelers. You seem to be in a rush- has something happened?
Tasim: Yes! Yes, something- something has happened. We went with Yahya to help him with a problem he was having with spiders-
Mayor Alvin: Yes, yes, I know of Yahya's antics... He doesn't seem to be with you. Has he ran off on you, just as Ope did?
Tasim: No- no. When we finished clearing out the spiders, we were swarmed- and they took him!
Mayor Alvin: ...Oh. Oh, dear. That isn't good at all. If they're making moves such as this, unprovoked…
Mayor Alvin: You two are fruman recruits, yes? I would ask you to continue your travels to Detlas. Find an Admiral Aegis- tell him our little village needs aid.
Tasim: I-... of course. We'll set out immediately. Come on, <playername>.

Comment - Just remove the mention of the player and Tasim being a soldier similar to Infested plant quest.

Spoiler: The Mercenary

The scouts that appear in Detlas, Nemract, and Tempo Town now have their dialogue adjusted.

Military Scout: Ho! You! Are you <playername>? Ahem…
Military Scout: Admiral Ageis requests you to go to Almuj to aid admiral Amerigo of Almuj Army.
Military Scout: To put it bluntly… They’ve run into predicament over there. Almuj’s standing army has been taken captive, and the desert barrack overtaken.
Military Scout: You were one of the two being selected by Admiral Aegis to aid in the operation. I have heard that you're going to be also joined by the mercenaries that Admiral Amerigo brings.
Military Scout: ... If you ask me, I reckon he'd like this taken care of quietly and discreetly. I don't blame the man, really, given the circumstances.
Military Scout: Anyhow, if you can, travel on over that way. Almuj is the desert city to the east of Detlas, if you've never seen it.
Military Scout: With that, I’m off! Good luck with your task and may the bovine bless you!

The briefing has been adjusted

Admiral Amerigo: Hmph. I suppose this is as many soldiers as we'll be able to get. Very well!
Admiral Amerigo: To begin with - the situation. Commander Takan of Nemract has abandoned his post, and has taken the lead of a group of local bandits.
Admiral Amerigo: Under his command, they were able to strike our forces in the dead of night, and have taken over the barracks to the northeast.
Admiral Amerigo: Our entire military force, captured or killed! What a disgrace. We've sent messengers to Detlas, and they provide us some support.. In the form of <Playername> and Aledar.
Admiral Amerigo: I would like this dealt with quickly and quietly. That's where you five come in.
Admiral Amerigo: You will attack and infiltrate the barracks, and assassinate our treasonous commander. I will leave the strategizing to you, as there is much I still must handle here.
Lanu: A question, if I may. Do we know the commander's reasoning for this attack? It seems out of character.
Admiral Amerigo: ...No. There is nothing that I can recall that would motivate such an attack. Will that be all?
Lanu: ...I suppose.
Admiral Amerigo: Then I must be off! Good luck, soldiers. I hope for a swift end to this disaster.

Comment - I am sad because I really like this quest and I can see what they want to do but like this quest serve as a prime example of how misunderstood the concept of military is in wynncraft writing. Like look at Amerigo for example, he wants this operation to be quiet and quickly which is why despite Detlas wanting to support, he still prefers not getting them involved. This makes sense if not for the fact he sent a scout to DETLAS to get DETLAS SOLDIERS into his operation. EITHER WAY HE LITERALLY GETS DETLAS INVOLVED. Also this quest literally names the MERCENARY but Amerigo still insists on calling you and the rest of the team as SOLDIERS despite half of the team are not even soldiers I'm pretty sure. Also this implies that Amerigo is willing to take soldiers from different cities without telling their leader btw which is really really bad

Spoiler: The Rest

Onward there will be a clear difference between a quest where a player is doing military work and a player simply helping people out. Quests like Underwater, Supply and Delivery, Grave Digger, and more are players using their free time to help people out or go on personal adventures. In these quests they will not be referred as soldiers or act as official authority. While quests like Elemental Exercise, Dark Descent, Taking the Tower, and more are quests that the player is actually doing military work and therefore will be addressed as a soldier.

Another thing I would like to mention is that there are many quests out there that are waiting to be completed. That is why they did not get covered here. However I still would like to discuss what I want to see in the future of Wynncraft and its execution on its unique premise. The writers are already completely aware of some of these flaws so I am looking forward to what come next. Anyway I feel like one solution they could go with right now is to treat the player, Tasim, and Aledar as a special batch, some sort of special unit I guess? This would suited well with the fast pace of the game story where the player being sent to a different city and working with its respective army because they were being transferred by Admiral Aegis. Later on I can imagine the player would stop being a soldier around mid game because at that level range is when you never do anything that soldier would do and more of a mercenary/traveler.