[F18 - PP] <<Just for the Halibut>>

[Shield 0]

Quote

ID# 92604 results: Craft: 4+1=5 - Nothing

Fossil Fish Killed [1/4]

"You and me both," Shield said in response to her decision to not make a habit out of this. He snorted a little at the thought and shook his head. "There is more to fishing in SAO than fighting fish monsters. It's one possible way to fish up treasure chests. I've very seriously considered it for my profession."

Shield sighed, not entirely excited for the prospect after what he had been through so far today. The monster had not been impossibly difficult, but he also knew that this was a part of a quest, and the monsters encountered during quests usually met quest parameters rather than player parameters. The monsters he attracted by himself took a lot more punishment before they dropped, and they also hit a lot harder.

Tugging on his pole, more out of boredom than anything else, he felt something catch. Shield started to his feet and yanked. The line remained taut and the pole bent against his pressure. With the strength of his shoulders, he kept tension on the line while the rest of his arms focused on the motions of reeling in his catch. As he pulled the line the last little bit, out of the water popped an old boot. It flew at his head, and he just barely managed to catch the sopping footwear before it struck him.

"...What!?"

Edited March 11, 2018 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

"Tempting, but I still think I'll pass." She smiled after he brought up the allure of fishing up goodies like treasure chests. She did perk slightly in interest at the tail end of his comment, offering a follow-up. "You know, I don't think I've ever asked what that is." She prompted after he mentioned his profession.

She watched intently when he seemed to have caught hold of something again, not yet springing to her feet, but keeping herself ready if another monster were to emerge from the murky waters. Instead, she blinked in startled surprise at the grimy piece of footwear that was reeled in. Seeing the common trope to remind her that they were most definitely in a video game, Callie let out a laugh while a hand raised to cover her mouth from the outburst. "Okay, that's just mean."

Moments later, a solid tug at her own line pulled the hand that was left on the rod's handle forward a couple of inches before she reacted to the movement. "Hopefully this one isn't a stick or an empty can." She jested, pulling up to her feet and pulling the line in just the same. She half-expected to also pull up a piece of junk, but what broke the lake's rippling surface was a monster labeled as another Fossil Fish. Callie took a couple of hesitant steps backward on the pier, and surely enough as soon as the creature made contact with the wodden planks it shot back up into the air and swiped at the woman with its spined fins.

ID#: 92605 | CD: 5+1=6 - Fossil Fish!

[H:0] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 124/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:0] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 20/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 250/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - ID# 92786 results: MOB: 4 [+1=5 - Miss!]

[Shield 0]

Quote

Passive: N/A

Action: Focused Howl [-8 EN]

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 116/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:0] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 20/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 250/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - ID# 92786 results: MOB: 4 [+1=5 - Miss!]

With the old boot only recently off of his line, the new catch almost didn't register to him. By the time Callie had reeled in the fish, he barely had time to get onto his feet before it was swiping at her with its sharpened fin spines.

"Nope!" he barked, stepping between her and the fish. "You don't get to pick who you attack," he bellowed with his <Focused Howl>.  "I do!"

The force of his howl pushed the fish back into the nearest piling where it bucked around angrily. The fish kipped up in midair, flopping over onto its other side to get a better view of the tank. Shield met the gaze of its dead eye with his own dead eye, and he could see that it had completely forgotten Callie.

Good. It's good that it missed because I don't think she can handle many of those hits.

Edited December 23, 2017 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

Callie let out a tiny breath of relief when Shield stepped in. On the eighteenth floor she hadn't the slightest idea what the average damage output on a monster looked like, and she still had very little invested in her own defenses.

With the heat no longer focused on her, she was free to pull her claymore from its sheathe amd take careful sidesteps to give herself a straight path to the monster. When she was sure it was no longer paying her movements any mind, Callie pushed off of the wooden planks to bring her avatar forward. Her blade fell onto the monster that flailed just as wildly as its predecessor, but unlike the critical result of her foremost attack of the day, the blow barely made a difference in its floating health bar. Not even the empowered damage from an activated sword art seemed to make any difference. Callie met the sight with a small, dissatisfied scowl. "Alright, looks like this is all you and that armor of yours."

ID#: 92787 | BD: 7 - Hit! Back Rush (x5) Active
(9 base) x (5 sword art) = (45 DMG) - (50 MIT) = 1 DMG minimum

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 116/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:1] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 20/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 249/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - ID# 92787 results: MOB: 10 - Critical Hit! (1 DMG minimum)

[Shield 0]

Quote

Passive [+1 EN] BH [+66 EN] ID# 92788 results: Craft: 3 [No Recovery]

Action: Parry [-5 EN]

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1330/1330 | EP: 112/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:1] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 20/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 249/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - 

Shield nodded. He had remembered fights where an enemy's health had dropped to practically nothing, allowing it to remain and cause havoc for an entire other turn, but he had a feeling that a phrase like 'every hit counts' might feel like a consolation prize more than actual advice. With the focus back where it needed to be to keep Callie safe, Shield lowered himself into a more defensible stance, holding up his Manticore Mask and his mundane straight edged sword in preparation of the next flailing attack.

"You can definitely pick the next quest," Shield said to the other player, giving her a quick sidelong glance. "I can't say I'm particularly pleased with the pacing of this one either."

In truth, he had had very little choice. If he wanted the full experience of a quest, this was his last major chance to do so, at least until more quests started to come out for higher floors. Currently, it was this or nothing.

Edited December 23, 2017 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

"Fine by me." The corner of her mouth pulled up into a smirk at his offer for her to choose the next quest they might take on together. The fish continued to throw its rotting body towards Shield, its critical strikes mirroring the effectiveness of Callie's earlier attack against it. She pulled her blade to the side, but despite the attempt to time her swing with the monster's movements it proved elusive enough to flip its flat body out of the way of the sharpened edge of her sword.

Pulling back with a light sigh, she tried to divert her attention away from its still practically-full health bar. "So, I don't think I got the full details on this quest. Something about a... 'big fish'?" She echoed the fisherman's descriptive choice of words. "Do we just keep hacking through these until it shows up?" She questioned, golden eyes travelling up and down as she continued to track the Fossil Fish's irregular movements.

ID#: 92819 | BD: 4 (-1 EVA) = 3 - Miss!

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 116/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:1] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 17/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 249/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - ID# 92819 results: MOB: 10 - Critical Hit! (1 DMG minimum)

Edited December 24, 2017 by Calypso

[Shield 0]

Quote

Passive [+1 EN] BH [+66 EN] ID# 92830 results: Craft: 3 [No Recovery]

No action

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1330/1330 | EP: 117/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:1] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 17/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 248/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - ID# 92787 results: MOB: 10 - Critical Hit! (1 DMG minimum)

"Something like that," Shield grunted, kicking fruitlessly at their fishy quarry. He continued to scowl at the ineffective foe. "The brokers had some choice words about this quest. Apparently, the big fish can show up at any time, and if he shows up early, he brings all of his minions with him rather than fighting them one at a time."

 Shield took a step back, moving his feet along the dock so that hopefully the fish would take the bait and leave Calypso well enough alone. At the moment at least, it seemed to work. Flopping around with all of its might, the Fossil Fish and its bony frame slapped against the dock rhythmically as it bounded after the tank. Its scales flashed in the dim light as its spines slashed through the air after it.

"I wish there was a way to buff enemies in this," Shield grumbled, more to himself than anyone else. "There used to be items that would help with that, but they've since been phased out."

Edited December 28, 2017 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

Callie grimaced with his summary of the quest, "Wonder how hard these guys actually hit." She mumbled the thought aloud, beginning to question if it was wise for her to try her hand at fishing up the monsters after all. Their opponent continued to thrash against the dock, swiping through the air persistently at the tank all the while. Finally, its attacks weren't so lucky to bypass the defensive damage the duo were forced to rely on, and it recoiled when its successful attack was met with a sizeable chunk of damage to its own health bar.

Its movements were less sporadic for a few precious moments, as if the fact that it had taken noticeable punishment had caused it to doubt its previously relentless assault. Just as it faltered, Callie's broadsword sliced through it with another downward slash. She only scowled as the attack was barely registered, leaving her tempted to sheathe her blade and take a seat at the edge of the pier once again. She took a half-step back, shifting her weight to her back leg while her weapon was lowered in front of her. "If only. I guess Cardinal was grumpy with players actually working the system to their benefit." She snickered lightly at the thought of the all-powerful network behaving like a child when things didn't go its way.

ID#: 92840 | BD: 9 - Critical Hit! Back Rush (x5) Active
(9 base) + (1 crit) = (10 DMG) x (5 sword art) = (50 DMG) - (50 MIT) = 1 DMG minimum

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 117/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:1] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 13/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 160/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - ID# 92840 results: MOB: 6 [+1+1=8 - Hit! 100-169=1 dmg - THN: 87 dmg]

Edited December 28, 2017 by Calypso

[Shield 0]

Quote

Passive [+1 EN] BH [+66 EN] ID# 92830 results: Craft: 3 [+6 EN]

Basic Attack- ID# 92944 results: Battle: 1 [Miss] Craft: 11 [Recovery Proc]

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 123/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:1] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 13/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 160/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - 

With some relief, Shield felt the solid connection of a proper attack and noticed a considerable dip in the fish's health. At the same time, Callie seemed to be having better luck at least landing blows. He tried his luck at keeping the pressure on, but with the last few fishes being dragged out of the water and flapping around on the worn boards, the dock had begun to take on a rather marshy quality. He swung his sword, but immediately, he felt his feet begin to move from under him, and he had to grab a nearby piling to regain his footing. He pushed himself back upright and took a wider, more cautious stance.

"Supposedly, these weaklings are fine," he called out. "You could take a hit or two without being in too much danger. The main boss though, that's another story." He said with a slight shrug. "Even I will likely take a little damage from him, so you're best off not looking for him."

Edited December 28, 2017 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

"Yeah, I don't know if I like those odds." Callie grumbled, bringing her right foot back in a crescent motion while her eyes continued to follow the fish's wild movement. After a few seconds she stepped forward again, the edge of her blade slicing through its tailfin as it came down. The monster didn't give her strikes a moment's attention, simply throwing itself against Shield's armor with the repetitive attacks it was programmed with. While it was technically successful, the single point of damage it inflicted against the tank with each rake of its spiny fins came nowhere near outweighing the damage it took in return.

Finally, it felt as if they were making some progress on the monster, and Callie would have felt a small sense of accomplishment until she quickly remembered that it wouldn't mean much until they managed to find the big bad hiding in the murky waters.

@Shield

ID#: 93192 | BD: 8-1=7 - Hit! Back Rush (x5) Active
(9 base) x (5 sword art) = (45 DMG) - (50 MIT) = 1 DMG minimum

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 123/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:2] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 9/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 72/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - ID# 93192 results: MOB: 5 [+1+1=7 - Hit! 100-169=1 dmg - THN: 87 dmg]

[Shield 0]

Quote

Passive [+1 EN] BH [+66 EN] ID# 92830 results: Craft: 3 [+6 EN]

Basic Attack - ID# 93201 results: Battle: 1 [Miss -2 EN] Craft: 2 [No Recovery]

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1330/1330 | EP: 122/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:2] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 9/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 72/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - ID# 93192 results: MOB: 5 [+1+1=7 - Hit! 100-169=1 dmg - THN: 87 dmg]

Shield was relieved to see the health bar around the Fossil Fish finally change colors. Not only that, but it was a decent way into the yellow gauge, easily near one third of its health. If the last one was any indicator, one more hit of his thorns should do the trick. He took a swing with his sword, but the effort was really more for the sake of having something to do than anything. Munchkin fights were of little consequence.

One consequence he did notice was a certain amount of frustration on the part of his quest partner. He couldn't say he blamed her. The fight was not suited for her level, and she could neither take a hit nor deal one. This after some of the more humiliating moments in their recent history was sure to leave a bad taste in her mouth if he didn't say something to her. There would be time after the fish was dealt with. For now, if they didn't focus, they were likely to keep watching the thing flop around for a good while longer.

Edited January 3, 2018 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

Just as expected, the fish didn't survive another instance of damage from Shield's defenses. Seconds after its spiny fins came into contact with the heavy metal of his armor, its flat body was riddled with even more bright red gashes and its health bar drained. Its color shifted to red, and the gauge emptied without stopping. After the creature glowed with and shattered into data fragments just the same as the last, Callie sighed through her nose and dropped her claymore into the sheath at her back.

"If I didn't feel like I needed the practice," Callie brought up a hand to hover in front of her mouth as a yawn worked its way up through her chest. "I'd be tempted to just sit these out." Her fingers then shifted towards the pair of familiars still resting on her shoulders, running over the top of Danesh's head while she turned back to the edge of the pier. She rested an arm against a wooden post that stood up on the corner, leaning her weight against the structure and looking out over the lake yet again.

@Shield

ID#: 93254 | BD: 7-1=6 - Hit! Back Rush (x5) Active
(9 base) x (5 sword art) = (45 DMG) - (50 MIT) = 1 DMG minimum

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1330/1330 | EP: 122/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:3] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 5/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: -16/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - ID# 93254 results: MOB: 6 [+1+1=8 - Hit! 100-169=1 dmg - THN: 87 dmg]

[Shield 0]

Quote

ID# 93306 results: Craft: 4+1=5 - Nothing

Fossil Fish Killed [2/4]

"I feel like I dragged you into the wrong quest," Shield said apologetically, giving her a little crooked smile. "I suppose on the bright side this should be a lot of quest experience for you, but I can't imagine this is fin for you."

He set a hand on the wooden boards that made up the floor of the pier and lowered himself into a sitting position on the edge. The familiars seemed to be unperturbed by the chaos of the battlefield, which was maybe not necessarily a good thing given that he was fairly certain Callie's was supposed to be a warrior. He paid it no mind for the moment. It had done its part in the past. Perhaps it could just tell that these fights would not turn out any differently whether he helped or not.

Shield took out the fishing pole and proceeded to cast the line out once again. He did not have any idea how much longer it would take to find their quarry, but for Calypso's sake, he hoped it would not be long.

Edited March 11, 2018 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

"I won't lie, the quest part would probably be a lot more satisfying if I was about ten levels higher," Callie chuckled, her eyes focused on the farthest details of the landscape she could make out on the horizon. "but if this was on your to-do list, I really don't think I'd want to come back here down the line to try to get through it on my own." She added on with a wry smile.

Her finger circled around the stubby ivory horns poking out from Danesh's skull while she continued to stroke his head. The familiar opened his mouth, revealing a set of tiny but very sharp-looking teeth, and his jaw stretched wide with a silent yawn. She lowered the beginning of her finger's repeated trail, starting right above Danesh's small snout and gliding up the center of his fur-covered face.

She opted to sit out for now, the previous conversation of surviving a hit from the big fish draining her motivation to take an active role in fishing. Instead, she continued leaning against the wooden support and taking in all that her golden eyes could see of the marshlands that stretched into the distance. "Besides, I'm not having a bad time, otherwise." She admitted with a soft smile.

[Shield 0]

Quote

ID# 93489 results: Craft: 8+1=9 - Fossil Fish found!

MOB: 8

Passive [+1 EN] BH [+66 EN] ID# 92830 results: Craft: 3 [+6 EN]

[H:0] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 124/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:0] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 10/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 163/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - MOB: 8 [+1+1=7 - Hit! 100-169=1 dmg - THN: 87 dmg]

"Well, I'm glad to hear tha-" Shield stumbled as his line snagged. At first, he could not tell if he had hooked yet another boot. Then, just as he was beginning to suspect he had, his bobber vanished and his line began to drift lazily to the side. He stood and gave a solid tug to set the hook and began reeling as fast as he could. The line drew nearer to the dock rapidly and with only a moderate amount of resistance. "It's another small fry."

As the line drew nearer, then only a few yards from the dock, Shield turned and began hauling against it. With a sudden release of tension, he could both feel and hear the fish leave the water as well as the heavy thud of the fish against the dock. Before he could even turn around, he felt the thing slap its flapping body against him. As he turned properly to face the Fossil Fish, he could see that a chunk was already missing from its health gauge.

"Well, this is going considerably smoother than last time already."

Edited January 6, 2018 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

"Pfft!" Air spilled from Callie's lungs in a stifled laugh as the Fossil Fish scrambled to attack the player that had pulled it from the swampy lake. As expected, the strike only resulted in considerable damage to itself. The woman once again considered sticking to the sidelines, but in the end she decided to be a better sport than that. She drew her weapon once more, hefting the heavy blade in preparation for a simple attack.

"No complaints here." She commented as the tip of her claymore sunk into the pier with a dull 'thunk', revealing a shallow gash that was left in the wood when she lifted it back up in front of her. Her mouth stretched into a momentary frown that substituted for a muttered "oops", at the swing that likely would have missed the monster even if its thrashing had been milder. Despite the repetition and her either negligible or non-existent contribution to the battles thus far, Callie was growing to shrug it off.

ID#: 93823 | BD: 3-1=2 - Miss!

[H:0] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 124/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:0] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 9/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 163/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100

[Shield 0]

Quote

Action: Energize > Calypso [Shield: -10 EN, Calypso: +8 EN]

Passive [+1 EN] BH [+66 EN] ID# 93833 results: Craft: 2 [+0 EN]

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 114/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:0] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 5/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 163/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - MOB: 10 [+1+1=12 - Hit! 100+2-169=1 dmg]

Shield was running out of ways to make himself more hittable. He was doing his best to stay well within the fish's range, and he wasn't even using his shield at this point, letting it hang down by his side uselessly. He did notice, however, that Calypso's energy was very close to empty. He might need to do something to keep her in the fight. She was doing her best to keep up, and practice was practice. He needed to pull aggro first though.

He took a sharp inhale of breath and held it for a moment before unleashing it in a torrent of wind and sound.

"Over here, fishy!" he called, pushing the scaly creature back which immediately rebounded off of a wooden piling and came flopping back towards him.

It made its attack, hurling its body at the 'defenseless' Shield. Its fin fanned out, the spines sticking out from the membrane in its attempts to pierce the player before it. Shield felt the impact, and what's more, he could feel the fish's flailing through its spine, the largest of which was stuck in his neck. He sighed, trying to use his shield to scrape the thing off, but the creature was surprisingly slick, causing it to slide off uselessly.

"Well then..."

Edited February 10, 2018 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

"Ah, thanks." Callie nodded as the swirling light made contact with her avatar. The orb of light splashed against her shoulder like a water balloon, quickly dissipating into the air as it served its purpose. Her energy shot back up to full, and although she wasn't planning on trying to use any more empowered attacks for the time being, Shield's taking the time to bother using the support skill on her was still appreciated.

While the sharpened edge of her broadsword sliced through the air rather than the fish that bounced around in it, Callie thought. She took a step back and watched the creature continue throwing itself at the tank, managing to avoid a second punishment from his defenses. "Oh, so before we were so rudely interrupted," She started, recalling the earlier question that had been left unanswered when the first of their fishy friends had been reeled in. "You mentioned having a shop, but I don't think I ever found out what your profession is." She prompted curiously.

ID#: 94287 | BD: 4(-1)=3 - Miss!

[H:0] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 114/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:0] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 8/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 163/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100

[Shield 0]

Quote

Passive [+1 EN] BH [+66 EN] ID# 94368 results: Craft: 2 [+0 EN]

Action: Energize > Calypso [Shield: -10 EN, Calypso: +8 EN]

[H:6] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 105/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:0] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 13/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 76/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100 [MD 9:+25, MD 10: +50] - MOB: 5 [+1+1=7 - Hit! 100-169=1 dmg - THN: 87 dmg]

While Callie seemed to have stepped back and taken a more relaxed role in the fight, Shield was having to walk a thinner line. He couldn't lift his defenses enough to prevent the fish from striking him, but at the same time, lowering his defenses completely meant likely suffering a hit that would bypass his thorns. He frowned, charging and sending another parcel of energy at Calypso to recharge her a little.

As the flailing foe flopped its way back towards him, he faced towards it, his shield at the ready, but not out or held in any particularly defensive manner. He felt like he was preparing to catch an unwieldy beach ball. It struck him in the chest, and with a shock of relief, he saw its health gauge drop down a significant amount, dropping into the red register. It flailed and flopped away, turning over as it bounced angrily off of the wooden planks of the pier.

In the mean time, there were questions being sent his way.

"I'm a merchant," he said, glancing briefly over to Calypso, trying not to pull his attention away from the fossil fish for too long. "I make most of my income identifying drops that players find as loot. The shop is up on the eleventh floor."

Edited February 10, 2018 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

Callie repositioned her blade with a small turn of her wrists, gripping it a bit more tightly as she did so. Sure, the damage she could provide was basically negligible, but that didn't make it any less annoying when each of her attempts fell short. 'Maybe I won't be holding on to that Essence item for very long. If there isn't even anything like partial damage in this game, accuracy bonuses are going to be way more important than I thought.' The words passed begrudgingly through her mind.

At mention of the eleventh floor, Callie was promptly reminded of the cloaked player that had helped her retrieve the item in the first place. The performer's workshop in Taft quickly came to mind, and their brief conversation shortly after. She'd hadn't explored much of the main settlement, and certainly hadn't left the city to see what else the floor had to offer, but she could at least claim she'd visited the floor.

As the narrowed tip of her blade failed to clip the side of the fish, Callie began to wonder if she was doing something wrong. She gave up on dragging out conversation, instead crossing her right foot behind her left in a slow sidestep to reposition herself behind their target.

ID#: 94998 | BD: 6(-1)=5 - Miss!

[H:0] Shield - HP: 1329/1330 | EP: 114/124 | Dmg: 2 | Acc: 0 | Eva: -1 | Mit: 169 | BH: 66 | THN: 87 | REC: 6 | LD: 7
[H:0] Calypso - HP: 200/200 | EP: 7/20 | DMG: 10 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 1

<Fossil Fish> HP: 76/250 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | Eva: 2 | DMG: 100