HC: Handyman | Ch. 104 - Rope Armor

Time to make yourself look awesome, Jack!

Jack decided to start with the hat. Of all the equipment he needed to craft, it had the most in common with something he’d already made: the basket. 

Just apply what you learned from the saddle bags, and you’ll have a decent hat in no time.

He started by making the base of the hat the same way he had for the basket: fastening the spiral of rope. Jack tied a temporary cord to keep the spiral from unraveling, then secured a second cord tightly around it. Once that was in place, he untied and re-tied the first, ensuring the whole thing held steady. With that out of the way, he expanded the spiral until it was wide enough to cover the top of his head.

Let’s do this, he thought, excited to try it on. Jack placed the flat spiral on his head, planning to use it as a mold—just like he had with the pot hive. But the awkward angle was a killer. As he rolled his eyes upward to check the progress, he realized it was almost impossible to tie the knots properly. His fingers fumbled in midair, twisting ropes in the wrong direction.

This isn’t going to cut it, he thought, grumbling under his breath. He yanked the unfinished hat off and scanned the area for something head-sized. I need a better mold.

“Hey, Snowy!” Jack called out. The sloth, still lounging by the fire, opened one sleepy eye and lazily glanced in his direction. Jack held up a rock he'd found nearby. “What do you think? About the size of my head?”

Snowy responded by standing up, turning around so her backside faced him, and plopping back down with a dismissive snuffle. Jack let the rock fall with a thud. “I’ll take that as a ‘no.’”

Jack kept searching until he found a rock closer to his head size. He placed it in his work area and used it as a mold. With the solid surface to work against, the hat started taking shape faster this time. Jack knew what a proper straw hat should look like—he’d worn one before—so he had a clear idea in mind as he expanded the rope outwards.

Once the cap-sized portion was done, Jack began widening the brim, adding some extra coverage for sun protection. The end result was rough around the edges but functional—not bad for a first attempt.

You’ve crafted [Grass Rope Hat].

+230XP in [Bushcraft]

Grass Rope Hat (Common)

Description: A hat made of grass fibers that have been woven together. The thick rope offers some protection.

Crafting grade: C

Effects:

+2 constitution

+5 defense

+3 block

Requirements: Lvl. 10+

Jack grinned as he checked the stats. Nothing groundbreaking, he thought, but better than running around with nothing on my head! 

He tossed the hat onto his head with a satisfied smirk. “Not bad,” he said to himself, admiring the fit. Now that he had his headgear sorted, it was time to tackle the next part of his new outfit—rope sandals.

With the hat's success fresh in his mind, Jack felt confident. He began by forming the base of the sandals, shaping the sole much like he had for the basket but in an oval. The real challenge, though, came when it was time to position the cords for the straps. After some fiddling and re-adjusting, Jack managed to complete the first sandal. It wasn’t perfect, but it was wearable.

Feeling confident, Jack quickly started on the second sandal—only to realize halfway through that he’d made another right-footed one. He groaned, slapping his forehead. “Come on, Jack.” Muttering to himself, he started over, making sure to get the left-footed sandal right this time.

Finally, the pair was complete. 

You’ve crafted [Grass Rope Sandals].

+280XP in [Bushcraft]

Grass Rope Sandals (Common)

Description: Sandals made of rope and cord that are incredibly light and offer some protection.

Crafting grade: C+

Effects:

+3 agility

+10% movement speed

+2 defense

+2 block

Requirements: Lvl. 10+

Jack sat back and admired his handiwork, a small chuckle escaping his lips. Sure, the process hadn’t gone as smoothly as planned—mistakes were made—but that was part of the fun. I’ll get better with time, he thought, feeling the satisfaction of crafting something with his own hands. Even if his creations were a little wonky, they were still his creations, and that made them worth the effort.

Jack turned to the next item on his list: [Rope Overall].

*

Amari relished the feeling of the wind rushing past him, his horse’s powerful, rhythmic breathing in sync with each gallop. There was something about riding a horse—something primal, almost. It was a connection he’d never quite found with any other mount. In his old account, people used to give him funny looks for choosing a simple horse over a flashy dinosaur or one of the game’s more exotic creatures. 

What they didn’t get was that he’d tried it all. He’d ridden almost every type of mount the game had to offer, and while each had its perks, nothing came close to the feeling of riding a horse. It wasn’t just the speed or the strength; it was the bond, the unspoken synergy between horse and rider. Horses and humans were made for each other. It was a truth that didn’t need explaining—it was just felt. Every time he was in the saddle, he felt that connection.

Amari glanced over at Horace and Marie, riding alongside him. They seemed to be enjoying the ride as much as he was. Horseback riding had a way of calming the mind once you got used to it, and doing it with friends made it even better. The sprawling meadows and rolling green hills of the Between Ring stretched out endlessly around them under the starlight, offering a kind of quiet solace. For a brief moment, all the challenges and stress of the past month seemed to melt away, lost beneath the steady beat of their horses’ hooves.

They were on the second of three quests—part of a chain that would reward them with an uncommon skill usually reserved for knights, as well as special gear for their horses that would significantly boost their speed. After this long journey, all that remained was the obstacle course back at the stables, and then they’d be done.

Despite the peace of the moment, Amari stayed alert, scanning the horizon. It had been over two weeks since his last run-in with the Slayer, and while Amari doubted the brute was still after him, he knew better than to let his guard down. No red flags in his mind, though, so he allowed himself to relax, settling back into the rhythm of the ride.

But not far away, hidden among the boughs of a lone pine tree, a rogue watched them. On his forehead, a metal symbol glinted in the sunlight—a twisted iron mask locked in a perpetual scream.

“Slayer, I’ve found them.”

*

Jack inspected the shape on the ground, double-checking that everything was in order. The first steps to making a rope overall weren’t too different from crafting a rope mat, except that this time, he needed a long rectangle instead of a square. Finding long enough sticks for the frame proved challenging, so Jack improvised, lashing the longest ones he could find together with cords.

He lay down on the rock beside the frame, checking his measurements. After a quick glance, he nodded with satisfaction. The frame was just a bit longer than his full body length. Perfect.

Jack glanced at the rope he'd coiled into a circular shape and placed it in the center of the rectangle. "This is where my head goes, right?" he muttered. He made sure the circle was wide enough. The last thing he wanted was for the collar to become a noose that would choke him.

With the long rectangle and circle in place, it was time to weave. Jack started by tying ropes vertically along the longer side of the rectangle, much like he did with the mats. The first few ropes stretched from top to bottom, fastening securely to the sticks on either end. But when he reached the middle, things got tricky—the collar section. He had to cut the ropes in half, tie them to the circle for the head opening, and then continue securing them to the opposite side of the frame.

After several knots—and a lot of rope—he was left with yet another wonky harp. “Great.” Now came the real challenge: weaving the horizontal ropes.

Jack started tying knots to sticks and running new rope through the threads he’d already tied earlier.

He bent back over his work and threaded the rope through the vertical strands. Over and under. Over and under. The added height of the frame wasn’t so bad, but the circle in the middle? That was a time-sink. He had to stop frequently to cut the rope, tie extra knots around the circular section, and then start again.

Finally, the weaving was complete. He leaned back, flexing his stiff fingers and giving the work a once-over. “Not bad,” he mumbled to himself, feeling both proud and slightly exhausted.

Now for the next step. 

This was where things got a bit more technical. Jack carefully removed the sticks that had been serving as the frame. Thanks to his earlier experience, he’d tied the knots loosely enough to make this part easier. The circular rope in the middle stayed put, acting as the collar.

Instead of fastening the edges right away, Jack threaded a fresh length of rope through the knots along one side of the rectangle. The collar in the middle made it easy to gauge where the halfway point was, so he repeated the same process on the opposite side, ensuring both halves were evenly secured. Once the rope was threaded through, he fastened the knots tightly, securing the overall's structure.

Lifting the entire piece, Jack was pleasantly surprised by how solid it felt. “Huh. Rope’s sturdier than I thought.”

Next, he folded the rectangle in half, aligning the edges. He then carefully began untying the knots along the other side, retying each one around the newly threaded rope, joining the two halves together. Slowly but surely, the overall started to take shape. After a few final adjustments and tying the last knot, the piece was complete.

You’ve crafted [Grass Rope Overall].

+550XP in [Bushcraft]

Grass Rope Overall (Common)

Description: A tunic made of sturdy rope that can protect you from some attacks

Crafting grade: C

Effects:

+3 constitution

+30HP

+10 stamina

+6 defense

+4 block

Requirements: Lvl. 12+

Jack wiped his brow, proud of the finished product. He quickly stashed away his moss suit and equipped the new overall. The armor felt surprisingly solid.

Scratching his chest, Jack muttered, "This rope is definitely itchy." In real life, this kind of outfit would probably leave him with raw skin. Now that he had a new suit of equipment, Jack checked his attributes.

ATTRIBUTES

Hit points: 160/160

Stamina points: 51/145

Movement Speed: 111%

Attack: 1

Strength: 6

Constitution: 10

Agility: 29

Intellect: 6

Stealth: 15

Luck: 5

RESISTANCES:

Defense: 13

Block: 5

Fire: 2

It was a massive upgrade. His previously barren defense, block, and constitution stats had received a hefty boost, and his movement speed, too!

Turning toward Snowy, he called out, "Snowy! It’s time to fill those saddles with new pots!"

The sloth let out a groaning sigh, standing up with an exaggerated yawn. Jack clambered onto her back, feeling an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.

Nothing beats wearing fresh gear, Jack thought, grinning. He and Snowy looked like some kind of bushcraft samurai duo—him in his new rope armor and Snowy, a lumbering mythical beast outfitted for adventure.

"Hyah!" Jack shouted, pointing dramatically toward the lake like he was leading a cavalry charge.

Snowy didn’t charge anywhere, but with the boosts from Jack’s new saddle and sandals, she moved along at a much faster pace than usual.

Ch. 103 - Saddled

INDEX

Ch. 105 - Empty Brag