Freyd

Their glow stone revealed a terrified young girl, her clothing torn from crawling around in the darkness and hiding from critters she could only hear flapping about around her. Hair caked with mineral muck dripped down from stalactites overhead, she had a few bruises and would need a good wash, but was otherwise intact. "Hey," Freyd began gently, speaking slowly not to spook the poor child. "You're okay, kiddo." Kneeling down and reaching out a hand, he made sure to keep Ty visible within the sphere of light. "I know, I might look a bit scary, right? That's why my friend Ty came with

[Note: The following an annex to the main Witherwind Rest estate in Elora's name, per https://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/15355-housing-evaluation/?do=findComment&comment=691351. Doubling up because standard housing doesn't actually allow enough slots for two players to get all of their housing buffs. Also, courting but not married means house goes poof if one dies, so this is protection against that.] House Name: Witherwind Rest (Annex) Location: Floor 2, In a small valley nestled in the cliffs on the outskirts of the plateau that marks the High Fields of Crossing (Safe Zone) Plot

Freyd merely smiled as the rest of the group bantered in the aftermath of their victory, contented by their shared achievement and the ensuing comradery. Wulfrin went on to lay out their next steps, and what would surely prove to be an utterly devastating afternoon nap for a three-headed fire-breathing puppy dog. Having experienced much of the content before, it seemed only fair to let others soak in the full potential of their first run-through at their own pace and choosing. Persi reacted to Ciela's self-deprecation and doubts before he could even say a word. The spoopy little mong

"Gods, I hate that prick," Freyd muttered as he exited Abdullah's abode, his appearance shifting from that of a pink-haired waifu with a too tight skirt and proudly bouncing boxum funbags to his far less attention-seeking usual self. Pink became black, skin turned to oily-black plate armor, and a keen black katana sprouted from his back to complete the ensemble. "There must be a way to trigger this quest without having to suffer through that NPC's insufferable ego every, single, time." Rolling his eyes as gauntleted hands pulled the soft woolen cowl over his head, the locals stared at h

Taking the blood of the vilest of the vile, combined with quasi-convincing yourself you’re a digitally spawned sentient construct, tends to skew your perspective on a lot of things. Mobs and monsters, for example, made of the same shards of shattered glass and code and painted with a skin veneer no thicker than a pixel. Or, the physical manifestations of the deepest, darkest parts of a wounded girl’s soul. As strange as it might seem, these were not unknowns to Freyd, nor frightening. It was why he often seemed trivially calm, even while facing down the worst of Kayaba's horrors. His own d

Nod returned, Freyd raises a single eyebrow to take in his companion's new duds. "Suits you." Delivered deadpan, Kyoto couldn't tell if the captain was joking or not - which was probably the point. Freyd had a mildly annoying habit of messing with people to let them guess his intentions. Handy tool for a spymaster. Not great for social interactions. And likely also a hardwired part of his personality that wouldn't soon or easily be shaken off. "The bandits haven't gone far. Without a steady source of supplies, they survive by raiding the mining camps." A general wave of his ha

Suppressing the urge to laugh, lest it be taken in the wrong light, Freyd merely grin proudly. "Well done, Ty. Just keep practicing and you'll have the hang of it in no time." Sheathing his blade, Freyd reached into the ether before him and drew forth a small black sphere about the size of his fist. Shaking it briefly, wondering if the magic might have done out for lack of use, a dim willowy light blinked into existence within. Bathed in its increasing, pale light made his features seem pasty, like he'd lived his entire life underground. The look was more than a little ironic, give

"We don't have a choice," he called back. "Koko's inside and this thing isn't likely to follow us into the light. We have to fight it here." The giant critter's claws raked across his back, but failed to find any true purchase. It was simply too weak to actually hurt him, but that had never been the point. Freyd wanted to see how Ty fared in a real fight where she had to make her own decisions. Trial by fire, so to speak. He'd keep the threats off her back, but wanted her to feel pressure nonetheless. "You need to use your sword arts. Basic attacks won't cut it. Call out its name

Callisto's claws raked across his upper arm, drawing a string of parallel red gashes that would surely have led to fatal infection if not outright blood loss in a different world. Fortunately, their berserker healer had his back - all of theirs, really. The wounds closed nearly as soon as they opened, thanks to Zandra's ongoing and watchful efforts. Still struggling to find and keep his bearings, Freyd's eyes scanned over adjacent groups as well as his own. Senses still discombobulated, some things didn't feel quite right. It was like part of him was missing, left behind and fumbling

Thread Closing: Xena receives: 2,270 EXP (Word Count [6059/10*3*0.7] + Quest [1000]) 400 col (1 page [400]) Monkey Agility | Uncommon Consumable [potion] | A strange potion that boosts the user's Evasion by 1. Lasts for one thread. This item does not stack with existing Evasion Consumables. TECH-D collected sword art unlocked. Freyd receives: 7,623 EXP (Word Count [6059/10*18*0.7] + Quest [0]) 1,143 col (1 page [0] + 15% P5 Reward [1143])

"Alright, so first we have to go tolerate an absolute and total ass-wipe of a mob boss, who thinks he's literally the hottest shit in this entire bloody desert and... Wulfrin?" Freyd had agreed to bring Xena along for a quick run through Terra Firma territory, acknowledging with silent satisfaction that his old Sharkbait placard was still leaning against the nearby crates, albeit considerably more sun bleached. "Wait... are you doing the thing?" He'd noticed the young woman standing next to his counterpart, raising an eye at the potentially compromising catch and useful tool for cau

"How do you know?" An honest question. "I've done more impossible things than you might suspect, or ever imagine. Would you at least let me try? I can only do that if you let me know what's going on." Others might have given up by now, but the Whisper had a persistence about him. Literally and figuratively. Persi, his little black shadow mongoose familiar slunk out from beneath his armor and took on an inky solid form. Her blazing blue slotted eyes revealed her nature as she tilted her head to assess the feline woman balled up before her. Deciding to seek her own sustenance inst

"So he's been giving you trouble again? I can't say that I'm surprised. It's been quite a while, and old grudges have a habit of popping up again like some inevitable plague, or a birthday." How else was one supposed to explain a respawning nemesis to an NPC? Freyd found that providing them with a plausible explanation tended to make the AI more cooperative, like it appreciated the cues. "I'm sure we can help each other out again, Kirk. My associate and I," he added, pointing toward Kyoto, "will be quite happy to deal with your bandit problem, in return for the usual fee." The two m

Signaling the bartender for two of whatever seemed most appropriate for their collective mood, he received an understanding nodded response. "A corner it is," he replied, stoically, hooking the foot of a chair with his boot and dragging it back for his companion to be seated. Folding himself into an opposing spot, Freyd sat back and listened as Xena struggled to get her words out, seeming to shrink in on herself with every revelation. "Brokers don't share easily, do they? Guess I can't say that's surprising, given what I know of them. Would it surprise you to learn that I once con

Of course, it would happen here. Diwali, being the festival of lights, might have helped her suppress her inner darkness, but catharsis for both of them could only inevitably occur at the Eyvinsung. Here, where the contrast of darkness laid alongside clarity and introspection. It was ground Freyd had already traveled, a journey made with her undeniable guidance. Maybe... maybe those days in the dark were the very thing she needed to come to terms with her own. The Thing Behind All Lies was a weapon, both literal and figurative. It was the truth of all existence and the power of belie

Hesitating at her reaction, Freyd waited a breath to let Sewallus get farther ahead and out of earshot. "Look," he began, "I'm not sure what's going on, but if you don't want to talk in front of the NPC, I can understand. What I'm not clear on is why an old friend is talking to me like she's trying to glean information for the next potluck at Brokers'R'Us, while telling me nothing about where she's been the last few years." His smile inferred that he wasn't offended, just curious. "I know it's just your way, but it risks putting people on their back foot and ready to walk away. What y

Guiding them along an assortment of twisted,barely used trails that look like they might have been made by animals rather than people, Freyd kept mostly silent during the brief journey. He knew what was coming, the possibilities of what they might find. Reaching the broad, unguarded cave mouth within a half hour, the two players could easily see its appeal to overzealous curiosity, as one might find in a child. Pointing to particularly sizable droppings off to the side, he gestured for Ty stand ready while he approached the opening. "KOKO!" Roaring like the crash of a waterfall int

"Actually, I was being a tank there, just one able to deal damage. If I hadn't been, he'd have come after you and plastered your pretty face all over the walls. McDude doesn't care who he targets, as long as he gets to wallop someone." Smiling at how Ty had immediately taken his comment to the absolute, he clarified by mentioning how most players were a combination on the spectrum of roles. "I can probably count on one hand the number of players I know who were so dedicated to tanking or healing that they gave up all capacity to deal any damage in combat, even passively. Mostly, it just m

"An affectionate nickname, graciously granted by the elves for services rendered." Freyd offered Sewallus a small, courteous bow, as if out of some unspoken bond or respect. The NPC returned it, offering no alternative explanation, and seeming content to consent by his silence. "And I'll gladly join you for a drink, after the raid. Call it a raincheck. Too many people are waiting and counting on me to be late due to a social call. But, please, make sure you don't become a stranger. Aincrad isn't especially kind to solo players. I would know." Their elven escort, taking his cue fro

In the wake of three concussive waves rocking Ravana's grand moment, Freyd sought not to disappoint. Stepping from one shadow to another, he reappeared to the mob's left and sliced down hard. Screeching tore open the silence of Bizarro Ronburu as Samae'l Pride opened its maw and bit down, hard. Black void within the blade carved its way through the mob's digital flesh like a vacuum, consuming every congealed dust bunny compressed into the demon's ridiculous-looking overstuffed outfit. A stitch on its left side gave out, billowing like a dessicated fart could that the weapon conveniently de

Shaking his head to ward off her quick dismissal at the accomplishment fading to dust before them, Freyd wouldn't have it. "Let yourself enjoy the win, Xena. You earned this. Yeah. it was quick, because this boss needs to go down quick or he can cause some serious mayhem. And, while I believe you could have taken him down alone, you might have come back to town with some fairly serious wounds. My point is: things are always easier in a group, no matter who you are." Knowing that she'd long been a loner, he had no expectations of breaking her solitary habits overnight. Baby step

"Appreciated, but that's basically my chosen role. I'm a tank, Ty. I stand in front and take the hits while others work to take down our enemies." It felt really weird to actually say that out loud, especially given how long he'd spent as one of the ground pounders dealing out the damage, but it was true. This was the job he'd volunteered for. A frantic woman, the same that had set Ty on her way in the first place, met them by the town gate. It took a few minutes and calm steady voice to get her settled enough for any meaningful information to emerge. "Koko, my daughter, went

Stepping into the strange, ominous circle, Freyd found their surroundings suddenly swirling. Everything turned a deeper, nastier, creepier shade of red as if every element had been completely marinated in blood. "Someone needs to talk to their decorator... and the health department. This can't possibly pass muster. Hey! Ravana? Lilith wants her decor back!" Nodding to the others to follow, the demon's herald had unwittingly given them an edge. "Not sure if we're supposed to wander aimlessly around here for a bit, but we already got what we needed. Dude's this way, about five hundre

"Loose lips sink ships. Isn't that the phrase? Not that I have any concerns about you spilling what few strategies we have to others, but it seems like information best left to those intending to use it, at least until the battle it done." The sad truth was, Freyd couldn't actually know what Xena would do with the information and past raids were replete with occasions where players had killed other players. It was all long before his time, but not worth the risk of repeating. Something about her subtle prods for information was sitting well with his professional duties in service to his g

"Yeah. That was an NPC. They do a good job of hawking that one and snaring player feels before you can figure out what's going on. Don't feel bad. It does you credit that you cared." Crossing his arms and leaning against a nearby lamp post, chomping on his own share of dessert, he waited casually as Ty organized herself. "Freyd, please, or 'hey you'" he clarified, politely. "We don't need to be so formal, and it reveals more about who we are than might be wise to otherwise let on." A single eyebrow raised as she donned the armor, as it adapted itself to fit her far curvier form th