Them

Cleo pulled the cup of coffee close as if it were the only source of warmth she'd felt in days. "Hm?" Taking a sip, she swiveled around in her seat to see who Roger was pointing to and learned that it was the same boy she'd seen on her way in, who was beginning to approach the bar. That's one mystery solved, she thought, but the unsteady look in the barkeep's eyes hinted that there was more to the boy's story that he wasn't telling. Fancying a dagger, Cleo picked up a small one from the pile. The stats weren't impressive but she didn't want to seem rude by declining his offer, and it woul

"But times like this will make it all worthwhile, if only for that single moment." She looked forward to such times. For so long, her sense of self-worth had been tied to the quantity of her relationships moreso than the quality of them. If one became sour, the solution was simple in the past; cut the branch and let two more grow in its place, as new friends were easier to make than great friends were to keep. Now that friendships couldn't be recycled on a whim, Cleo had to start putting the effort in, especially with Éli. "At some point we all stop running, because we find something

On her journey to conquer every floor until she caught up with the frontlines, Cleo found herself on the dingiest of them yet. A world utterly consumed by darkness, save for the bioluminescent plantlife seen sparsely throughout, its popularity among players (or therefore lack of) was evident from a single glance around the teleporting platform in Yomi, where more souls of the dead haunted the streets than those of the living graced them. The once-bustling metropolis, reduced to a mere refuge for those unfortunate enough to find themselves wandering through it, had few amenities to offer, which

Positively shocked that Éli had listened, Cleo guffawed after the feat of violence played out. "It worked? It... it actually worked!" Éli enjoyed the spot of praise from the violet-haired woman and posed proudly beside her, though he couldn't maintain such a demeanor when Cleo slid across the floor to reach his side. As soon as Éli realized celebratory head scritches were in order, he maintained some sense of regality, yet couldn't hide appreciation for his owner's affection as she brushed her fingers between his ears and down to his neck. "I'll admit, I had my doubts that any of this wou

"For any human to be invited to Olympus makes them exceptional, doubly so for those called upon by Athena." The Satyr slowed down to await the human, continuing when she caught up. "I wouldn't be so swift to make judgments; she sees in others what they're blind to in themselves." "Perhaps I will take it back, then." Cleo, amused by his flattery—or what she perceived to be as such, anyhow—gestured vaguely with acceptance. --- A stretch of time passed. Cleo and the Satyr ascended a marble staircase, at the top of which stood a legion of sentries stationed to guard the walls around

The forest, once dense with trees and lush with green, largely receded as the Satyr guard led her further up the mountain. The dirt path became gravel as a series of paths converged into one, and notable landmarks started to pass every hundred or so steps; status with the likeliness of numerous Gods, bearing torches to illuminate the road. Knowing Greek mythology to be a gap in her knowledge, she could only dream of being able to identify the different members of the Pantheon, her attention captivated by each one. Clearing his throat, the Satyr must have noticed her intrigue. "The Goddess

| 29/03/2022 ID207486 | Daily Crafting 1 (T4 | Cloth Armor) CD: 5 LD: 19 Salvage Success! +3 EXP ID207487 | Daily Crafting 2 (T4 | Cloth Armor) CD: 12 -- Perfect! +9 EXP ID207488 | Daily Crafting 3 (T3 | Cloth Armor) CD: 8 -- Uncommon! +4 EXP ID207490 | Daily Crafting 4 (T3 | Cloth Armor) CD: 1 -- Critical Failure! +2 EXP

"To see Athena. I've an invitation from her." Cleo stood her ground, sizing the guards up. The less coherent of the two shouted out, "Ish that the one?" To which the other responded with a disappointed sigh at his colleague's demeanor. "Yes, it would seem so. Our apologies, human. We were told that one of your kind would be gracing us today. You may pass." With a wave of the guard's arm, the golden gates blocking entry to Mount Olympus unlocked with a click and effortlessly unraveled. The one Satyr that could stand of his own volition stood to attention by the opened pathway, an

| 28/03/2022 ID: 207478 CD: 7 LD: 10 Daily Crafting 1 (T3 | Cloth Armor) Salvage Fail +3 EXP ID: 207479 CD: 8 LD: 11 Daily Crafting 2 (T3 | Cloth Armor) Uncommon +4 EXP ID: 207480 CD: 4 LD: 6 Daily Crafting 3 (T3 | Cloth Armor) Fail +2 EXP ID: 207481 CD: 6 LD: 17 Daily Crafting 4 (T3 | Cloth Armor) Salvage Success +3 EXP

The training dummies gathered the interest of Éli, who, stepping out of the pile of curtain he found himself in, stared at the hunks of metal armour that were hap-hazardly thrown together. Little emotion conveyed in his eyes, he looked to Cleo, uncertain as to what he should be doing with them. It took Cleo a moment to notice, her mind held up on the property damage she was culpable for. When she finally looked to Éli and to the targets Nari set up, she realized that he didn't immediately go in for the kill. For the first time, he awaited her command. Weary of how he would interpret

Having learned why Rebekah chose to stay on the fourth floor, Cleo understood, even agreeing with the reasons herself. "I'm with you there." To be stuck inside all day long was healthy for nobody, especially in their virtual reality. Indeed, the floor seemed an almost perfect place to live; natural beauty, plenty of amenities, and an entire sub-community of snow-loving dwellers with which to mingle. "The only reason I wouldn't want to stay here is because of the cold. But, that's nothing a few coats can't fix." She smiled and looked out to the lake, then to the twin peaks of the mountains beyo

"Home?" She blinked, struggling to grasp the scale of the estate before them. "As in, like... this entire building is yours?!" The Town of Beginnings had its fair share of homes, many belonging to NPCs or high-level players with money to throw around, and some to the lucky few low-levels who'd somehow secured funds. None were as immense as the house that stood before them, though, and a dumbfounded look remained glued to her face as they headed onward and into the estate. She secured Éli in her arms and nodded—quite profusely—when asked to wait for Nari's return. "Take all the time

The floor's status as a popular tourist spot made sense, given that the snow never stopped falling and the climate perfectly (and permenantly) emulated the holiday season. As they made for the edge of town and then onward to the Frostbite Lake, Cleo stared upward, watching the clouds drift by high above. In a moment of introspection, she aired her thoughts out loud. "Maybe I'll move up here, soon. The first floor's safe and comfortable but it gets boring after so long. Plus, I bet there's a market in this town for warm clothes. Think about all of the coats you could sell here..." A clear

The road to the base of Mount Olympus was far less perilous than she had imagined. Monsters receded into the forest when she came close to them, as if they knew it to be the will of the Gods that she be given safe passage on her travels. With sparse reason to keep her weapon brandished, she strolled unarmed through the last stretch of woodland, Eli in tow, and stopped before a set of golden gates which marked the entrance to Olympus. Guarding the gates were a pair half-goat, half-men beings with scraggly beards, flask in one's grasp and a lute in the other's. They failed to realize Cleo's pres

| 27/03/2022 + Dragon's Breath Consumed (Crafter's Respite) ID: 207300 CD: 3 LD: 5 Daily Crafting 1 (T3 | Light Armor) Fail (+2 EXP) ID: 207301 CD: 3 LD: 10 Daily Crafting 2 (T3 | Cloth Armor) Fail (+2 EXP) ID: 207302 CD: 2 LD: 3 Daily Crafting 3 (T3 | Cloth Armor) Fail (+2 EXP) ID: 207303 CD: 7 LD: 2 Daily Crafting 4 (T3 | Cloth Armor)

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a... pain." Her words fell on deaf ears as Nari was already halfway out of the café. "Well, shit. She doesn't hang around. Wait up!" Cleo and Eli chased after Nari, stopping just shy of the street outside. "Regime? Starting to wonder what I just got myself into." She said with a playful smile. The location sounded perfect from Nari's description, though she didn't honestly know what to expect. Cleo had only seen Nari's smithery twice, a quaint little shop, with not nearly enough space to contain the havoc they were sure to cause. She surmised that the Pla

A brisk, cold chill blew right past before the teleporter's light faded. Cleo didn't hate the cold—plenty of that in Norway, after all—but had grown accustomed to more temperate climates in her time on the first floor. She paced through the menu quickly, equipping a thicker version of her dark-blue jacket with a fur-lined hood and a light blue beanie she'd crafted not a few days before. At Rebekah's insistence, she followed her to a nearby establishment, a café, much to her delight, eyes awash with wonder as she scanned the menu board from afar. "I normally get a salted caramel flat white with

That brought Cleo some comfort. She worried that her attitude toward him seemed too blunt, harsh even. Cleo's nature was to express her feelings and thoughts toward others, so to know that her fondness for Eli still shined through despite the negativity came as a relief. "I still love my little man, despite everything. Don't get me wrong, it was a supreme pain in the ass to find him, but I would do it all over again if I had to." Her words held nothing but the truth. The search was painful, but she cherished what she gained from it. "Training plan?" Cleo shook her head. "No, not at all."

Nari's words pierced Cleo's ego like darts to a board, and try as she did to look unoffended by the accusation, she couldn't help but shift an eyebrow. Though most of what the violet-haired woman told made a great deal of sense, and as much as she wanted to take the advice as gospel, she'd be hard-pressed to submit to it so quickly. Sipping on her coffee, she cleared her throat before answering. "I had. Given Eli's penchant to swipe at anything that moves, stands still, or simply has the gall to exist before him, I thought the Rending skill might suit him. Sometimes, he can be a ball of e

| 26/03/2022 - Crafting Evaluations Item Name: Investigator's Jacket Profession: Tailor Rank: 3 Roll ID: 207125 Roll Result: 12 Item Type: Cloth Armor Tier: T2 Quality: Perfect Enhancements: [MIT] [EVA] [EVA] Description: A dark blue double-breasted jacket with white lining. Sleak and slim, it offers mild protection and a good deal of mobility to the wearer. Post Link: Item Name: Focus Sash Profession: Tailor Rank: 3 Roll ID: 207122 Roll Result: 11 Item Type: Cloth Armor Tier: T2 Quality: Rare Enhancements: [RISKY] [RISKY] Description: A

| 26/03/2022 + Dragon's Breath Consumed (Crafter's Respite) ID: 207120 Daily Crafting 1 (T2 | Cloth Armor) CD: 6 LD: 5 Salvage Fail (+3 EXP) ID: 207121 Daily Crafting 2 (T2 | Cloth Armor) CD: 2 LD: 9 Fail (+2 EXP) ID: 207122 Daily Crafting 3 (T2 | Cloth Armor) CD: 11 LD: 4 Rare (+6 EXP) ID: 207123 Daily Crafting 1 [Crafter's Respite] (T2 | Cloth Armor) CD: 3

Before Cleo could lift a finger to close the 'Rank Up' screen, an intrusive ding snatched her eyes away, having received a message from up high. The subject gained her curiosity, but the sender stole her attention; Zeus. Presuming that she hadn't befriended a player named Zeus unknowingly, she gathered it to be related to some quest related to Greek mythology. After a brief scan of the message's contents, her theory proved correct. "An invitation to Olympus, to prove my worth as a tailor to the Goddess of War, Handicraft and Practical Reason, Athena. Is this for real?" Searching the room

Cleo heard whispers of a potion said to re-energise those who consume it. New to the crafting scene, she desperately needed such a thing to ease the early grind of her chosen profession, and sought out a nearby alchemist in hopes of finding some. The storefront, tucked away in a quiet corner in the Town of Beginnings, seemed peculiar at first. Upon entering, she thought the interior reminiscent of a café, a curious design choice for a business dealing in potions and concoctions, though one that she quite appreciated. It was a stark contrast to Zackariah's establishment, the famed alche

And in a flash, the quest drew to a close. Cleo withdrew her surprised reaction; it was, after all, the first questline players were expected to take, so to have spent any longer on it would have been more peculiar than anything. With no responsibilities nagging at either of the Players, and with Rebekah's agreement to head to the fourth floor, Cleo led the way out of the shop. "Let's go, then!" She pushed onward, excitement building as she wondered what it might be like on the higher floor—all the while accompanied by a patron of the winter wonderland, no less. --- After a brisk wal

To: Nari From: Them Message: Maybe a knife if you're offerin- "No, God, too much." Cleo stopped typing and deleted the rest of the message, sending off a much more suitable response instead. To: Nari From: Them Message: Just your sage advice, please. See you soon. --- And see her soon, she did, as she spotted Nari entering the café. Try as she might to muster a smile, the best she could do was offer a strained lip pinch, her free hand rising into a wave. Éli, shifting on his paws to make eye contact with the new yet familiar human, ignored her stern looks entirely a