[F2-SP] Bagging up those Wintery Flakes, Beginning Again pt. 7 - COMPLETE!

[Brax 0]

ID 46299

Spoiler

BD 8 +3 ACC LD 17 MoBD 7 -1 EVA N/A due to mob death

Brax 52/52 EN 2/13

Bandit 1 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

Bandit 2 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

Bandit 3 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

Bandit 4 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

     Brax had spent too much time deciding on what course of action he would take, his indecision costing him as a bandit mob respawned in the space before him.  He had previously entered a castle ruins, clearing the place floor by floor, room by room, finally making it up to the thrones where all he had found was a quick respawning rate of a mob.  As the materialized before his eyes, Brax readied his weapon for battle and as they solidified entirely he struck hard and fast.  Getting down and throwing his shoulder into the bandits, contact with them activated his Trample Act Sword Art before they could even raise a weapon in protest.  His broad reaching axe blade swung out into two wide arcs, and when they hit the angry NPCs the group was cleaved in half and dispersed into so many pixels, leaving only remains laden with loot.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

+640 col

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     With the death of the loot laden mob, Brax came to a quick decision: he had had enough of the castle and it's bandit filled ruins.  But, as it was still the dead of night, Brax would need to find somewhere relatively quiet to lay low in the area to wait the remaining three or four hours before daybreak.  Looking up through the cracks and holes in the ceiling at the moonlight uncovered by clouds for the moment, he shook his head in acceptance of the act and with a final look around the opulent throne room he left, moving quickly but surely down the flight of stairs to the second floor.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     Brax circled his way down the rich red stairs to the large and imposing double doors that he had crossed to get to the throne room.  As he neared them, he again felt the telling tingle throughout his body that confirmed his suspicions of a portal being placed at the entrance which scanned his level before he had gone upstairs.  It was this portal that had leveled the appropriate mob strength of the bandits, so as to give a decent challenge to any who managed to make it that far, so long as they wished to stay and slaughter bandits.  It had had it's appeal, but Brax had grown tired of the monotony and chosen to leave.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     The red leather doors stood in front of him, and Brax pushed hard against them.  The large and heavy slabs of wood parted at his insistence, revealing the second floor landing and the East and West Wings on his left and right, respectively.  He would make his way to the West Wing and their living quarters, taking refuge in one of the rooms and barring the door against intruders until morning, though first Brax would have to contend with some more bandit mobs.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 46300

Spoiler

BD 3 +3 ACC LD 10 MoBD 2 -1 EVA

Brax 52/52 EN 2/13

Bandit 1 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

Bandit 2 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

Bandit 3 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

Bandit 4 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

     They were waiting for him as he exited the doors onto the second floor landing.  Swords and axes brandished high they charged at Brax, their unintelligible NPC speech alluding to the one thing that the computer designers failed to complete in their creation of the location: proper battle retorts for enemy NPCs.  A flash from the Epitaph on his wrist gave Brax the energy to avoid most of the bandit's blows, raising his weapon to block the last one and using it to disarm the final bandit.  As the NPC stared at him with hate filled eyes, Brax used his shoulder to tackle it, knocking the bandit backwards and activating his Trample Act.  Two large sweeping strikes later, he walked through the shower of pixels that heralded their demise in search of the relative safety he might find in the living quarters of the West Wing.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     Striding into the West Wing, Brax looked for the room he hap taken his nap in the day before, whilst the sun was still in the sky.  He found it uninhabited, the bandit mobs from the two floors still relatively empty compared to the amount he had killed up above.  Before entering, he searched the immediate area for various debris for use in a makeshift barricade to bar any passage into the room and the entire area.  Brax would rather not leave anything to chance, and set about creating large instances of interference, from broken dressers blocking the main hallway, to wooden planks placed strategically to impede foot traffic and allow him time to react before being found.  Once Brax was finished outside, he went into the room itself and placed the furniture, save the bed, in front of the doorway for additional protection.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     He checked his window for the time: 2:35 A.M., so roughly three hours to go.  Brax debated several options on how to pass the time: one, he could continue his earlier meditations, delving into his short-term memory and focus on collecting his thoughts and ideas from the previous hunting trips, collating them for a future introspective moment; two, he could polish his weapon and armor, spend some time learning more of the ins and outs of the gear he wore, beyond their usefulness in combat; or finally, three, he could take another nap, energizing himself for the long trek back to civilization and the bustling world of Aincrad.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     Brax considered his options, and decided on door number 3 - the nap.  He had erected sufficient protections and barriers in place to ward off all but the most inquisitive of mobs, and believed that they would give him enough time to react should the bandits make a move on his position.  Preparing the bed for a short sleeping session, Brax took one more moment to check the barricade blocking the door from unauthorized entry, and concluding his examination laid his weary body down to rest.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 46301

Spoiler

BD 8 +3 ACC LD 18 MoBD 8 -1 EVA

Brax 40/52 [6 - 3 MIT] x 4 = 12 DMG EN 2/13

Bandit 1 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

Bandit 2 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

Bandit 3 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

Bandit 4 -2/32 DEAD [7 x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 34 DMG

     Brax was rudely awakened from his slumber by a loud crashing outside his door.  Groggy from the rest, his half lidded eyes saw the wooden door barring passage into the room fly off the hinges and the dresser placed as a barricade fling against the far wall, breaking apart on impact.  A large bandit strode into the quarters, a Battle-Axe similar in size to his own in it's hands, yet without many of the accoutrements, followed by three more with smaller swords ready for combat.  The Axe wielder smiled at Brax leeringly, and raising it's axe high above it's head bore it down with a relatively unmatched fury, the shockwave from the attack blowing Brax hard into the wall behind him.  The bandit advanced, but Brax recovered enough to get his feet beneath him and tackle the large NPC, turning at the last moment to put his shoulder in it's chest which activated the Trample Act.  The tackle drove the bandit to the floor, and Brax's twin sweeps from his axe managed to catch every one of them in his attack, separating them limb from limb.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

+640 col

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     Following the surprise assault, Brax stepped over the rubble to observe the ruins of the defenses he had laid.  Crossing the threshold of the doorway, he saw the Battle-Axe wielding bandit had carved a devastating path through his protections, the giant weapon cleaving every barricade and leaving behind nothing but destruction.  The hall was littered with shattered wood and twisted metal, large gouges and deep groves lining the walls and floors where it had thrown the axe with impressive force.  Looking at the massive amount of damage, Brax briefly wondered why it took the NPC so long to reach him.  Given the damage it could do, the bandits should have reached his place of refuge much sooner.  The odds must have been very much in his favor, he concluded, and trekked over the debris on his way out.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     As he had woken up, Brax noticed the sun streaming in through the various cracks in the façade of the ruins, indicating that morning had indeed arrived.  He double checked his chronometer, which read 5:43 A.M., and decided that it was time to vacate the premises.  Nothing more could be found in the castle, and he was in need of a good meal and possibly, a bath.  All this time spent out in the wilds, Brax was beginning to smell like one of the mobs, grungy and filthy with dirt, grime and sweat.  Civilization awaited him, and with that, he made his way downstairs and out the door, the hinges banging loudly as he exited quickly with force.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     It did not take him overlong to find the jutting rocks that stood guard over the ladder leading back down into the mountain.  Brax swiftly climbed down, taking little note of the mussed bedrolls and damaged belongings of the introductory campsite/guard barracks that he had examined on his first walkthrough of the area; instead he strode back into the tunnels where the subterranean snakes held domain, making sure to properly retrace his steps so as to not get lost down one of the many passages winding their way through the mountainside.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 46302

Spoiler

BD 9 +3 ACC LD 8 MoBD 6 -1 ACC

Brax 43/52 EN 2/13

Subterranean Snake 1 -8/32 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 40 DMG

Subterranean Snake 2 -8/32 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 40 DMG

Subterranean Snake 3 -8/32 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 40 DMG

Subterranean Snake 4 -8/32 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 6 Trample Act - 8 MIT] = 40 DMG

     He again arrived at the tunnel that bore the marks of a well traveled hub for the serpents, though this time would be much different than that previous encounter.  Whereas the beast had managed to surprise the armored adventurer on his first walkthrough, this time Brax would be the one to surprise them with his increase in power.  A tell-tale rumble heralded the coming of another mob of snakes, with Brax holding his weapon ready for the battle to come.  They emerged all at once, multiple eyeless creatures appearing seemingly at random in an attempt to ambush the man.  With caustic venom dripping from their fangs, they charged him quickly with intent to kill.  Brax would have none of it.  With an emerald flash his Epitaph went into action, giving him strength to leap backwards enough to set his feet properly.  Dropping low to the ground, he then used another burst of energy to thrust himself forward and tackle the group, his shoulderguards connecting solidly and stunning the mob before his axe swept out before him with the full force of his Trample Act behind it.  He clove the snakes in half, their bodies fritzing for a moment before vanishing in a pixelated storm.  Wiping his blade clean of the monsters' venom, he sheathed the weapon and continued on.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     The rest of the tunnels were quite uneventful.  Brax remembered every step he had taken and every turn that had led to the ruins above.  As he came to the broken bridge where he had encountered the larger Subterranean Snakes, he swore to himself in frustration: the bridge was gone, the result of the aforementioned battle.  He had to turn around, find some other way down, but as he had followed his footsteps here, Brax was now slightly unsure as to what direction he needed to go.  No other path had presented itself.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     As he stood there contemplating the situation, a bit of a miracle occurred: before his very eyes, the stone bridge began to materialize out of thin air.  It took a few minutes, a haze over the length of the walkway like a shimmering mist through which you could see the rock reshape itself, but afterwards, the stone archway stood as if nothing had happened to it.  Brax tested the stone, cautiously placing his armored boot onto the bridge, and finding solid purchase he moved to stand on it entirely with his entire weight.  The bridge was good, so he made his way quickly across.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     'The structure must had been specifically designed,' thought Brax to himself as he walked the rocky bridge and strode down the tunnel leading to the first floor.  'I should have guessed; since the castle above would most likely be considered an 'important' area, the way up would have to be protected somewhat so as to allow everyone equal chance at the locale.  The bridge must reset after a certain amount of time has passed if damaged.'  That was most fortunate for Brax, as he did not want to spend more time in this mountain than was absolutely necessary, at least for now.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 46303

LD 10

     He crossed through Troll campsites, cavernous caverns, and open tunnels as he swiftly moved to the crevasse that led back to the forest at the foot of the mountain.  Brax might have been moving with all due haste, but part of him made sure to keep an eye out for any suitable materials that he might take back to Urbus for sale.  The speed at which he was moving, though, mostly prevented him from finding anything of note, not that there was much of anything to find to begin with.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 46304

Spoiler

BD 9 +3 ACC LD 19 MoBD 8 -1 EVA

Brax 37/52 [6 - 3 MIT] x 4 = 12 DMG EN 2/13

Troll 1 0/38 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 6 Trample Act - 10 MIT] = 38 DMG

Troll 2 0/38 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 6 Trample Act - 10 MIT] = 38 DMG

Troll 3 0/38 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 6 Trample Act - 10 MIT] = 38 DMG

Troll 4 0/38 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 6 Trample Act - 10 MIT] = 38 DMG

     Nearing the end of his long journey through the mountain pass, Brax would have to contend with at least one more mob of monsters.  A diseased pack of Trolls blocked his path forwards; whereas he had been able to avoid most of the mobs previously, his Epitaph granting him a fleetness of foot that let him skip over the battles, these ones stood directly in his path, and the emerald energy of his well-worn trinket was drained of power for the moment.  As a result, Brax was unable to dodge their concentrated attacks, weathering them as best as he could whilst seeking an opening to strike back.  With blunt swords and misshapen hands rain blows down upon him, Brax found his opportunity in the form of a slight hitch in the punches of one of the trolls.  Taking advantage of the tell, he used the information to counterattack hard, his shoulder already in motion as his body pushed off the ground.  Connecting with the blow, Brax's body was led through the Trample Act, now a mainstay in his offensive arsenal, and with a final two sweeping motions of his Battle-Axe he ended the battle.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

+4 Potions of Strength (+1 damage for a thread)

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     Finishing up the trolls had another benefit: the RNG had decided to awards the adventuring man with several more damage potions.  Should Brax decide to travel back out after resting in town, he would have a little more of a buffer for his weapon against the powerful mobs he was sure to face, now that his level had risen substantially.  Looking over the area for anything he might have missed and finding nothing, Brax left the battlefield behind in search of the nearby exit.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     Finally, after a long and arduous journey, Brax found the mouth of the cave, torch-lined walls heralding the bright expanse of morning that lay just beyond.  He had had much success in his hunt, though most if not all was monster related and not treasure filled, which was a frustrating issue as far as he was concerned.  Nevertheless, as Brax stepped from the dark dampness of the mountain pass into the soft light of daybreak, he allowed those sensations of annoyance and frustration to evaporate like the morning dew, leaving behind only his unemotional demeanor and untroubled thoughts, which was easy enough to do thanks to the diminutive nature of the sensations themselves.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Brax