Acanthus

Their direction has moved to the northwest. Acanthus wasn’t sure if they were moving towards Horunka on purpose, but it was a good idea. The clouds were starting to look worse. The clouds were starting to look worse. Haru stood under the bus stop awning, clutching Kumaki. Mom was going to be furious, but she couldn’t miss her appointment. Acanthus blinked a drop of rain out of her eyes. The two were still moving with purpose; NIGHT mentioned maybe finding her familiar along the way. “I hope we find the familiar soon. This rain is looking worse and worse.” NIGHT and Acanthus move

You manage to stay undetected all the way to the outskirts of the defector’s camp. They have put in plenty of effort to make the place a small, ramshackle village. There are about a dozen hastily-built huts in a circle surrounding a large, carefully tended fire. Most of the defectors are currently unarmed, but one stands out well above the rest. Rather than the simple woolen garb, the short man is dressed in heavy black clothes and jacket. On his back is a massive two-handed sword. As he talks to the other people in camp, you notice his hands reach back occasionally to feel for the sword, the

She hadn’t been prepared for how real Kumatetsu’s death was. When she watched Koji play games, everything was so… clean. The way people fell over quietly when shot, and they disappeared. When he hit people with a sword in his JRPGs, they just flashed red and disappeared. But SAO seemed to pride itself on realism, particularly the worst parts; and whatever pain indicators the players had did not extend to the bosses. Kumatestu labored to breathe. It struggled to stand, crashed back into the earth again, and let out a mournful roar. With the last of its strength, it dragged its head to look

“I’ll come back for you in the same place. I’ll circle the island every few hours and see if I can’t spot you. I’ve got pretty good eyes.” Given the foliage of the island, Ben-Goshi almost certainly has some help from Cardinal. The island appears relatively small—only a few kilometers in diameter—but the foliage is so dense that the sun barely penetrates. The atmosphere is thick and humid, and the game has done a frustratingly excellent job of recreating swarms of bugs eager to fly inside whatever space is offered. “One last thing,” Ben-Goshi offered. “Stay on the lookout. If this is

“No, you’ve got the right person. Name’s Ben-Goshi.” He sticks his hand out in welcome. “And this here,” he points behind him, “Is the Pearl Diver.” The ship seems less "a ship" and more “some scraps of wood with a dream.” Anticipating any comments or thoughts, he quickly adds, “She doesn’t look like much, but she’s served me, and my dad, and his dad. I trust her with my life every day and she’s never let me down once.” Hopping onto the boat, he begins to untether from the dock. “We can head out whenever you’re ready. Chief tells me that we’re heading to Liar’s Cove. It’s a small atoll fu

As you step into the chamber, the argument becomes more heated. There are two men in the room; the Chief, along with another man—likely the lieutenant the guard captain mentioned. The lieutenant leans over an ornate table. “We simply do not have the resources to gamble away. With Hogo-Sha in the way, nothing is—” His voice cuts off as Chief Mare-Suke raises his hand. “Greetings, adventurer. Your presence is welcome.” The lieutenant glares at you from over the Chief’s shoulder. “Please, take a seat.” The Chief eases himself into one of the simple wooden chairs surrounding the table. U

<<Storyteller System in effect, Acting as Storyteller>> From the boat approaching Marsonia, it would be nearly impossible to tell anything was wrong. The docks buzz with activity, merchants all over the city boisterously hawk their wares, treating the art of the bargain like a match in the colosseum. Only a keen eye can see that the palace, built at the highest point of the island, stands still like a mausoleum. From the dock to the palace gates, something has the Marsonian guards on edge. The higher up the island you travel, the more nosy they become. Foot traffic

Name: Binding Melody Profession: Performer Rank: 3 Roll ID: 228198 Roll Result: CD: 11 + 1 LD: 18 Item Type: Debuff Song Tier: 1 Quality: Perfect (Masterpiece) Enhancements: Instant Incarcerate Post Link: Here Description: A heavy and thunderous melody that weighs the listene

Crafting for 8/24/24 XP: 264/639

Crafting for 8/23/24 XP: 233/639

Name: Pinball Tango, Entrance Profession: Performer Rank: 3 Roll ID: 227790 Roll Result: CD: 9 + 1 LD: 3 Item Type: Debuff Song Tier: 1 Quality: Rare Enhancements: Hypnosis 2 Post Link: Here Description:

Crafting for 8/22/24 She tried to look calm when she read the order. "Of course. I'll have this done as soon as possible. I'll leave your pickup order by the front counter under your name." Internally, she panicked. That was a lot of songs to churn out. Resolved to make a name for her crafting, she disappeared upstairs to compose. Ambition Active (+1 EXP per craft); Apollo's Metronome (+1 CD) Roll ID CD LD Result Exp 1 Debuff 227787 3 + 1 20 S

Acanthus leaned over the trireme as the wind gently carried it across the waters. She picked awkwardly at some of the barnacles and chaff stuck to the bow. Driven by her desire to avoid the conversation, she pulled a surprisingly large amount of materials into the boat. “C’mon, Acanthus. I know I left a bad impression that first time. I’m just asking for a do-over.” Acanthus gave a small sigh; she pulled herself back into the boat, sitting across from the familiar leather-clad figure. “Hello, Titania. How have you been since Olympus.” Titania beamed. “It’s been great! I’ve met tons of p

Acanthus lost her train of thought. Definitely a he, not a she. The water nymph before her wore something that resembled a tight diving suit that reached his thighs, and was unzipped, revealing a lean, pale blue chest. He leaned casually on a boat tie, surveying the sea with a strange intensity. She pictured him as a lifeguard in an American film. Her footsteps sounded on the wooden dock as she approached, and he perked up. “Hey, you must be one of the newbies, yea? Just finished shipping over the last batch for today’s quest. I think you may be it.” His tight black curls bounced along hi

Floor 17 was the same as she’d left it since the last quest. Given the similarities of floor 17 and 24, much of the atmosphere was the same. To Acanthus, the difference was subtle but important. She would have described the feeling of teleporting to floor 24 as the feeling of your first summer vacation that you really learned to appreciate. But floor 17 was the feeling of returning to school. Not necessarily bad, but the air of obligation that hung over her felt like it muted any potential joy of learning or moving forward. Unlike her first visit, she took no time to sightsee. This was no

With a tired sigh, she rolled over to her side, and swiped open the quest menu. Let’s see what the job for today is. Completed. Swipe. Level too high. Swipe. Needs a full party. Swipe. Challenge of Olympus? It’s showing incomplete, but didn’t I already do that? Viewing the quest, she realized it was similar to the <<Earning a Living>> thread. It was repeatable for different professions. And the reward was a nice boost to her gathering abilities. Might as well. She pressed a few buttons to track the quest, and hoisted herself off the couch with a groan. Job or not, Acanthus was

The more Acanthus adventured, the more normal she felt. When she shut herself in for the first few years, her life was constant numbness punctuated by panic attacks and terrible thoughts. She recalled after her first adventure feeling content, and that contentment felt like finding a long-lost friend, or hearing a song you’d forgotten about. She relished that warm relief that she worried had been lost forever. Now, contentment was a consistent companion. She enjoyed her daily walks around floor 24, and her frequent trips back to Tolbana. Her life had developed a routine again; rather than a ro

With a small flourish, Acanthus put her sword away, and watched Kumatetsu. She saw a few openings as the bear struggled to its feet, but there was no need to strike. She saw the litany of effects Pinball had placed on the bear. She briefly thought about moving in for some grand finisher, but why bother? The bear would be dead whether she expended the effort or not. Acanthus had nothing to gain by striking, and everything to lose by risking an attack. Also, the bear had increased in size and ferocity after Pinball’s strike. She doubted that a single hit would finish her off, but level be damned

"that was... really brave of you. ... and i'm sorry i couldn't help out." Acanthus brushed past the compliment. She was uncomfortable receiving praise, though she quietly appreciated it. She was grateful for the cloak as well. All her preparation, and she hadn’t even packed for bad weather. Acanthus gave NIGHT a quick nod of thanks. “Night, you have nothing to be sorry about. If anything, you warned me that she can be a little… demanding. I’m unsure how other people fared with her, but the quest seems programmed to allow players to move forward, regardless of how the conversation goe

First a rustle, then a whistle. Then with a roar, all hell broke loose. "Strike first. I've got you." This is not the time to doubt. In a flash, Acanthus had freed her sword. Pulling her right foot back, she prepared to dodge when the bear inevitably charged. Let’s try something a little different. As the bear sprinted toward her, she twisted her sword around in her hand. It began to glow a faint honey-yellow. The bear lept toward her with its mouth open wide, ready to crush Acanthus in her armor. This is fine. Trust the sword art to do its job. The bear was so close she could s

Name: Gentle Streams, Calling Home Profession: Performer Rank: 3 Roll ID: 227662 Roll Result: CD: 12 + 1 LD: 13 Item Type: Support Song Tier: 1 Quality: Perfect Enhancements: Familiar Sight Post Link: Here Description: A lyrical piece for solo piano, evocative of a calmly rol

Crafting for 8/21/24 Ambition Active (+1 EXP per craft); Apollo's Metronome (+1 CD) Roll ID CD LD Result Exp 1 227662 12 + 1 13 Perfect 9 2 227663 5 + 1 8 Salvage (Fail) 3 3 227664 5 + 1 19 Salvage (Success) 3 4 227665 5 + 1 8

She listened eagerly as night talked about her experience. About how she had been thrust into the quest after seeking shelter on a rainy day, and subsequently found nyanko. "it took some level of persuasion to get him to stay." Acanthus cocked her head. That sounded like a story in and of itself. "but nyanko did, in the end." As night continued her story, the two crested a hill overlooking a beautiful pond. Flocks of birds came and went, and the entire area was full of the sounds of animal life. On the far end, there was a conspicuously human addition: a wooden covered wagon, with a

Name: Exquisite Entrance Profession: Performer Rank: 2 Roll ID: 227587 Roll Result: CD: 8 + 1 LD: 17 Item Type: Support Song Tier: 1 Quality: Uncommon Masterpiece Enhancements: Mass HP Recovery 1 Post Link: Here Description: A grand, powerful theme of high brassy goodness.

Crafting for 8/20/24 Ambition Active (+1 EXP per craft); Apollo's Metronome (+1 CD) Roll ID CD LD Quality Experience 1 (Support) 227587 8 + 1 8 Uncommon +4 2 (Support) 227588 8 + 1 17 Uncommon Masterpiece +4 Rank up! 163/159 Roll