[SP-F6] Calming the Soul

[Mack 0]

"I don't see what all the hubbub is about concerning this place," Mack grumbled to himself as he drew back the deep white hood of the Vice Commander's guild cloak and examined his surroundings. Sure, the waterfall was a nice enough digital geographic feature and the shadow creature was a bit interesting. Given that it also provided a quest called 'Calming the Soul' it seemed logical that the shadow monster was also, most likely, an immortal object. Silently, for the most part as he was still grumbling about the nature of the grove, Mack followed along behind the shadow creature as it led him to the first of a series of doors. "Face your inner demons and win the prize... I wonder if there's a brand new car or a trip to Paris behind door number one." Sighing loudly, he pushed open the door and entered the first room.

Gear:

Spoiler

 

Level: 48
Energy: 48
HP: 222
Col: 144,207
Total SP: 194 (191 Used)
Unused SP: 3
Equipped Items: Invictus (Two Handed Axe: +6 Dam.) with purely decorative crimson feather, St. Michael's Fingers (Gauntlets - +54 Regen.), Pertinax (+54 Damage Mitigation)
At Ready Items: 2 Potion of Health (+15), 1 Safeguard Potions, 2 15 HP Recovery Crystals, 4 +4 Energy Items (4 Green Tea), 4 Teleportation Crystals, (Dimensional Pouch)

Stored Items: 3 Bread, 6 Water, 297 Crafting Materials, Angelic Lantern - Gauntlets (Light Generation, +2 Heavy Momentum), Axe Amulet (+3 ACC), Trooper's Respite (+2 Recover), Two-Handed Axe of the Fallen (+1 Acc., +4 DMG), Demonic Egg (changes the type on a Demonic item), Banner of Command (0/3 +1 DMG/Battle), Banner of Support (3/3, +20 HP), 100 Proof Potion, Werepotion, 2 Snowfrost Potion (Half Fire Damage/Thread), Beowolf Steak (+18 Mit/thread), Somber Berry Split (-1 Status Dam./thread, +2 LD/thread), Sand Armor Potion (+27 Mit./Thread), 1 +4 Dam. Potion, 1 Uncommon (+15, +5) Health Potion, Matriarch's Stinger (+1 DMG/Thread), 3 Dimensional Pouches (Unused), Tiger Rage Potion (+2 DMG/Thread), Lightning Rod (Paralysis/Thread)
Profession: Blacksmith - Provisional Master [Level 8] (1349/2560)
Shop: The Wandering Forge

Combat Skills:
Heavy Armor - 5 Rk. (50 SP)
Charge - 4 Rk. (+4 DMG on opening attack) (35 SP)
Fighting Spirit - +1 Hate per Post (10 SP)
Battle Healing - 3 Rk. (Heal 12% Total HP on CD 10+) (23 SP)
Martial Arts - 0 Rk. (Bonus Skill)
Concentration - +1 BD to next Attack, 5 turn cool down (Bonus Skill)

Weapon Skills:
Two-Handed Battle Axe - 5 Rk (50 SP)

Other Skills:
Survival - +6 HP regen out of battle, Immunity to Environmental Status Effects (Bonus Skill)

Active Mods
Heavy Armor (Athletics) - +1 Dam., +5 HP (9 SP)
Heavy Armor (Stonewall) - +Active Mit to HP, -1 EVA (15 SP)

Damage Rating: 13 (6 Weapon Bonus, 5 Weapon Prof., 1 Athletics, 1 Base Damage) or 11 (5 Weapon Prof., 4 Weapon Bonus, 1 Athletics, 1 Base)
Damage Mitigation: 84 (54 Armor Enhancement, 30 Armor Skill)
Evasion: -1 (Stonewall Mod)

 

 

Edited July 4, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

ID: 63095
BD: 7
MD: 10 (9+1 Negative EVA)

Inner Demon #1: 0/56 (Base DMG: 39) {Crimson Blood: 3x2x17=102} (56-102=-56+5 Mit= -51 HP)
Mack: 221/222 (42/48 EN) [40-84=1 DMG]

Slipping into the small stone chamber Mack examined his surroundings with storm grey eyes even as the shadow creature sealed him inside the room for the time being. "I doubt this room is air or water tight," the gigantic man grumbled, seating himself cross-legged on the ground and muttering several nonsensical words under his breath. Mack may have been many things, but a yogi was most assuredly not one of them. For several minutes he passed the time with his eyes closed doing his best impression of the meditation that was always seen on television. Finally, a figure coalesced in the room as an Inner Demon.

Of course, Mack missed this crucial moment and didn't realize he was under assault until the thing actually hit him, given that his eyes were closed. When he felt the impact of the demon's strike there was a savage roar and even as he was rising to his feet the axe was already in motion, passing several times through the unknown creature and reducing it to pixels before it could even be identified.

Edited July 4, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

+1 EN, out of combat.

No sooner had the demon been dispatched than the stone doors that led to the small chamber whooshed open making considerably less noise than Mack would have imagined such large and imposing doors made of granite would make. Sheathing his axe at his back, Mack narrowed his eyes at the shadow guardian of this place and followed the creature back out the set of doors and down a short corridor to another set of doors. "That wasn't much of a prize, Monty. I think I'll trade it in for whatever you've got behind door number two here," the Vice Commander groused, clapping the shadow creature on the shoulder hard enough to produce a purple "Immortal Object" message to appear as he brushed past the monster and into the second room.

Edited July 4, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

ID: 63098
BD: 6
MD: 5 (4+1 Negative EVA)(Miss)

Inner Demon #2: 0/74 (Base DMG: 52) {Crimson Blood: 3x2x17=102} (74-102=-28+5 Mit= -23 HP)
Mack: 222/222 (38/48 EN)

As the doors hissed shut behind him for the second time during this ordeal Mack spun on the spot a couple of times before drawing his axe and seating himself cross-legged on the ground. Closing his eyes, Mack began to quietly chant nonsensical words for a second time. It was really more like random made up magical words. Within a few moments, the desired effect took place, but this time as the unknown demon attacked Mack ducked his head to scratch at his nose and the attack went sailing over his head. With a nearly identical roar to earlier in the first room, Mack whipped Invictus around his body in a series of punishing attacks that reduced the demon to blue confetti before the axe man could even identify what it was supposed to have been.

Edited July 4, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

+1 EN, out of combat

Once again, the heavy stone doors of the small cavern that Mack had been led into whooshed open. It was a bit creepy how quietly the shadow guardian could open those doors. "You know, Monty, I fully understand that there aren't any cars in this world... but if you keep giving me empty rooms, I'm going to start thinking you don't like me," Mack rumbled, brushing past the shadow creature and clapping it on the shoulder again before stepping back and allowing it to lead him to yet a third door which, most likely, led to a stone chamber beyond. "So, do you have a war horse for me behind door number three," Mack asked, continuing his chatter as they headed for the opening of the third chamber.

[Mack 0]

ID: 63101
BD: 4 (Miss)
MD: 3 (2+1 Negative EVA Score)(Miss)

Inner Demon #3: 111/111 (Base DMG: 78) (Mit: 7)
Mack: 222/222 (38/48 EN, 40-2 EN [Miss])

Moving into the smooth stone chamber, which looked suspiciously like the previous two chambers, Mack surveyed his surroundings with storm grey eyes and commented. "You know, Monty, if I didn't know any better I'd swear you were leading me in circles and I want my money back. Takao said this place had a map to the lost city of El Dorado," Mack groused as the doors to the chamber slid shut behind him. Seating himself once again Mack waited and closed his eyes and rambled on with a string of nonsense words until he felt the presence of the unknown demon. This time, though, both of them missed in their initial assaults on one another and when Mack opened his eyes there was nothing to be seen at all. "Interesting..."

Edited July 4, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

ID: 63103
BD: 4 (Miss)
MD: 9 (8+1 [Negative EVA])

Inner Demon #3: 111/111 (Base DMG: 78) (Mit: 7)
Mack: 221/222 (37/48 EN, 39-2 EN [Miss]) (78-84=1 DMG)

Slowly Mack turned in a circle on the spot where he stood with his axe at the ready, Invictus held in a defensive position across his chest. He couldn't see the demon he was supposed to be fighting at all. "I suppose this means that my inner demon is the unknown or the unknowable," the soldier muttered to himself, coming to the realization as he continued looking for something that clearly couldn't be seen. Suddenly, the axe man flinched as a hammer liked blow rained down on his back from somewhere behind him. Whirling around, Mack looked for his assailant and swiped out with Invictus, but he missed cleanly once again and then glanced at his health gauge. It was down by exactly one point. "Well, if you can get me two hundred and twenty-one more times then you win."

Edited July 4, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

ID: 63106
BD: 8
MD: 6 (5+1 [Negative EVA])

Inner Demon #3: 0/111 (Base DMG: 78) (Mit: 7) [Dynamic Violence: 4x3x13=156, 156-7=149 DMG)
Mack: 220/222 (26/48 EN, 39-2 EN [Miss]) (78-84=1 DMG)

Mack fell silent and began to listen for his assailant. Invisible or not, there had to be some kind of telltale noise that the thing made before it attacked. It couldn't possibly be both invisible and silent. When he felt another attack slam into his chest, the ginger giant's massive hand shot out and latched onto the thing. With a roar, he slammed it into the ground and then hammered on what was, for all intents and purposes, nothing over and over again with Invictus until there was a confetti-like explosion of blue pixels denoting that the creature had been defeated. Even as the stone doors were being opened behind him, the Vice Commander was turning and heading in that direction. Three down, one more to go.

Edited July 5, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

+1 EN, +6 HP out of combat

"Well, Monty, it looks like we're almost done playing Let's Make a Deal," Mack rumbled, passing the shadow mob again and clapping it on the shoulder for a third time. Falling into step just behind the creature as it led him deeper into the cave system near the waterfall, Mack kept up his conversation. "I suppose you're keeping all of the really good stuff behind this last door, eh," he asked as the shadow led him up to the fourth, and final, door which was still closed. "Everything must be behind this one, right? New weapon, new gear, a war horse, and something I can use to get Takao and Seul to compose wonderful ballads about the great and mighty deeds I have performed in this place, right?"

[Mack 0]

+1 EN out of combat

Silently, the shadowed figure led Mack deeper and deeper into the cave system while the burly blacksmith kept up his running strong of commentary about whether or not they were really on the classic game show Let's Make a Deal. "So, this is my last chance to make a deal, right," Mack asked as they came to a stop before the fourth, and final, of the stone doors. "I can keep all the nothing I have won so far, or I can go in this last little room and see what I win, right Monty," Mack asked, clapping the shadow figure on what he assumed was its shoulder again as he moved past the creature and into the granite room, the door closing and sealing behind him.

[Mack 0]

Three turns out of combat, full Energy

Unlike with the previous three rooms, Mack took his time with this one. Surely there had to be some kind of reward in this final room. No fantasy-themed role playing game ever had four subterranean rooms without at least one of them having something good to be found inside. It was a cardinal rule of these kinds of games. Slowly, the hulking man prowled around the perimeter of the room, probing with his fingers and booted feet as he searched for nooks and crannies that might hide a little col or a few crafting materials or, maybe, a powerful weapon, amulet, or piece of armor. After several minutes of searching failed to turn up anything, Mack snarled and flipped the wall the bird before moving to the center of the room and settling into a seated and cross-legged position.

[Mack 0]

ID: 63110
BD: 1 (Miss)
MD: 3 (2+1 [Negative EVA])

Inner Demon #4: 167/167 (Base DMG: 117) (Mit: 13)
Mack: 222/222 (46/48 EN)

Seating on the unforgiving stone floor of the granite cavern with his legs crossed and storm cloud eyes closed, Mack murmured and unceasing string of made up and imaginary words. The gigantic red-headed man was doing his best to meditate, really he was, but this kind of activity just wasn't something that he engaged in all the time. Or, really, ever for that matter. Suddenly, there seemed to be a sharp decrease in the air pressure in the room. Opening his eyes, and wrapping his hands around Invictus, Mack rose to his feet and dropped into an easy combat ready stance. The creatures had, so far, grown progressively more difficult, so there was no reason to think that this final demon would be a pushover.

Edited July 5, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

ID: 63111
BD: 9
MD: 7 (6+1 [Negative EVA])

STUNNED: Inner Demon #4: 12/167 (Base DMG: 117) (Mit: 13) [Screw Dimension: 4x3x14=168-13=155 DMG]
Mack: 189/222 (32/48 EN) (117-84=33 DMG)

As he had the previous time, Mack stood still and silently as he strained his senses to try and pick up on where the assault from the demonic beast might be coming from. As had happened the three previous times there was absolutely no indicator of where the demon might have been, until it struck him. This time, the beast hit considerably harder than its predecessors and there was a noticeable dip in Mack's Health bar, even as his hand shot out and latched around the invisible, but wriggling creature. With a roar, he slammed it into the ground and, even though he couldn't see it he knew right where it was as he pummeled the thing several times with Invictus.

Edited July 5, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

ID: 63177
BD: 10
MD: STUNNED

STUNNED: Inner Demon #4: 0/167 (Base DMG: 117) (Mit: 13) [Whirlwind: 2x1x15=30-13=17 DMG]
Mack: 189/222 (31/48 EN)

Since the last of the demons was stunned it was pretty apparent to Mack exactly where the creature had to be laying. After all, it couldn't move while it was stunned and so it would stay in the exact same spot, for the time being at least. With that in mind the red-headed Vice Commander took his sweet time lording it over the invisible beastie and lining up his last strike and, once he was completely satisfied that he wasn't going to miss the target the axe man growled and whirled Invictus high over his head before bringing it thudding down with a flourish directly in the middle of the whatever it was which exploded in a shower of pixels.

Edited July 5, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

OOC: Out of Combat, +1 EN, +6 HP

Behind the soldier, the heavy stone doors slid open once again with a soft hiss. Sheathing Invictus at his back, Mack spun to face the silent shadowy guardian as the doors to the stone room opened. Unlike the previous three times, when the doors had opened quickly and easily this time their opening seemed to drag on and on and Mack crossed his arms over his broad chest as he stood and waited until, at last, he could see out into the hallway beyond once more. "Well, Monty," the ginger man asked, crossing the room and exiting through the doors before smacking the shadow monster on the shoulder. "What fabulous prizes have I won?"

Edited July 5, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

OOC: Out of combat, +1 EN, +6 HP

Without a word, the shadow creature tuned around and began to head back out towards the entrance of the cave system that Mack had entered to begin this quest in the first place. "The strong and silent type, I see," Mack rumbled as he followed along in the wake of the shadow creature. "You wouldn't make a very good game show host Monty, you know that right," the Vice Commander continued, chattering away at the shadow monster since there was nothing left to do for the quest and Mack had no better way to occupy his time during the walk back out of the cave system and through the waterfall.

[Mack 0]

OOC: Out of combat, +Full EN, +6 HP

When, at long last, the shadow creature finally led him back to the exit from the caverns concealed behind the waterfall Mack stopped and clapped him, for the last time, on the shoulder in a comradely way. "Well, Monty, it's been real and it's been fun... but I'd be lying if I said it'd been real fun," the Vice Commander said in a deep booming voice. "My time on Let's Make A Deal didn't end with all of the fabulous richest that I was promised and this Meditate skill had better prove to be worth it," he concluded before spinning on his heal and slogging through the small body of water that separated the caverns and waterfall from the rest of the jungle.

[Mack 0]

ID: 63186
BD: 6
MD: 4 (3=1 [Neg. EVA])

Mack: 208/222 30/48
Jaguar 1-4: 0/113 (Mit.=40) [Explode Catapult: 3x3x17=153)

Moving back into the jungle, Mack had already resolved to make a beeline back for the town of Amazon and, once he was there, to depart from this floor as rapidly as was possible. The ginger giant had no desire to remain in this ruthlessly hot and humid place any longer than was completely necessary. He also had no intention of taking his time with any mobs that he encountered between his current location and his final destination. When a quartet of jaguars appeared the Vice Commander drew Invictus from his back, charged forward, and ruthlessly cut down the felines. He paused only long enough to collect the crafting materials they dropped before moving on.

+4 Mats

Edited July 6, 2016 by Mack

[Mack 0]

After collecting the crafting materials from the jaguars that had attacked moments ago Mack stood and brushed some of the jungle's detritus from his person before resuming his steadfast march in the direction of the town of Amazon. Making good speed and time through the jungle in the direction of the town it was not long before the gigantic Vice Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath came within sight of the gates that led into the town of Amazon. Just a little bit further and he would enter the borders of the town's proper safe zone and, within just a bit of distance beyond that he would reach the portal plaza of the town and be able to leave this accursed floor with its unrelenting heat and humidity that must have sapped the very desire to live from everyone that was forced to visit it.

[Mack 0]

With the gates of the town within sight, Mack put on a little extra burst of speed. Anything that accelerated his ability to leave the sixth floor in favor of just about anywhere else within Aincrad would be welcome. Passing through the overgrown jungle gates of the town, Mack made a quick path via the shortest route he knew to the portal plaza. Impatiently, the hulking Vice Commander waited in a short line at the teleportation portal itself, as there were a few people that had arrived there before him and he wasn't the type of person to simply bull his way through the line even though he was one of the more well-known players and front liners in the game. Besides that, such actions would hardly be something that would reflect well upon the Knights of the Blood Oath and, as Vice Commander, Mack was well aware that every thing he did reflected upon the guild, either positively or negatively.