[F03 - PP] It's Dangerous to Go Alone! <<Worn Out Welcome>>

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga

Level 9

HP: 180

Energy: 18

DMG: 5 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

Skills

>> [Rank 1] Curved Sword

>> [Rank 2] Katana

Equipment

>> Tier One Demonic Katana <<Jack's Kuiaratame>> [Burn // Blight // Cursed // Fallen]

>> Tier One Perfect Light Armor <<Shaded Coat>> [Evasion // Evasion // Regeneration]

>> Tier One Perfect Trinket <<Tearful Strands>> [Accuracy // Accuracy // Recovery]

Battle Ready Inventory

>> Spider Ciders [90 HP Restoration] (2)

>> Popcorn [+ 20 MIT] (1)

>> Off-Brand Energy Drink [Tier*3 Energy Restoration] (1)

>> [50 HP] Healing Potions (2)

>> [40 HP] Healing Potion (5)

Ah, the Quest Board. Many an adventurer would come here on any given day to see what quests were available, where they could get some new gear or to level up. Life for many players in Aincrad revolved around the Quest Board. Koga, on the other hand, tended to go to info brokers. They tended to be able to tell him more than the Quest Board could. On the other hand, every once in a good long wild he'd find something on the Quest Board that interested him. Today just happened to be one of the days that Koga was looking at the board to see if something had caught his eye. Sadly, there was nothing. Just all the usual things.  Koga let out a sigh as he turned around, not really bothering to look if there was someone behind him. As it turned out, that was a colossal mistake as the man immediately smacked foreheads with someone else.

"Ow, damn it," Koga said as he stumbled backwards a moment, hand covering the spot that had just been struck.

@Silver Star

Edited November 26, 2019 by Koga

[Silver Star 0]

Silver had been walking up to the ask the man if he'd like a partner to come with him on the quest. However, right as she was about to touch his shoulder to get his attention, he turned around and rushed into her. She stumbled back just like he did, grabbing her forehead. "Oww, you really do have a hard head. I'll give you that," she said, straightening up, and rubbing the tender spot some more. Then she remembered her manners. Sticking out her hand, she introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Brianne!" she said, shaking his hand energetically. "Before you ran into me, I was actually going to ask if you wanted some help with any quests. I'm still a lower level and need some more experience." She then happened to look up at the player's stats. He's level 9?! she thought to herself. Uh, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. 

"Though, now that I look at it, I'm still only level one," she said, sighing. "I don't wish to be a burden, but if you would allow me to tag along for experience, that would be lovely." The girl was dressed in white, form fitting armor with her spear leaning against her shoulder. 

@Koga

Spoiler

Stats:
Level 1
Silver: 20/20 HP | 2 EN | 1 DMG | 8 MIT | THORN | REGEN

Skills: 
Armor skills: 

Heavy Armor - Rank 1: 8 MIT

Equipped gear:
[Equipped] [T1 Vanity Rapier] <<Hell’s Deliverer>>
[Equipped] [T1 Rare Heavy Armor] <<Angel’s Blessing>> THORN, REGEN

Battle-Ready Inventory
(3) Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

 

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 180/180 // EN: 18/18 // DMG: 5 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

"Oww, you really do have a hard head. I'll give you that," Koga heard a voice say, presumably the person who'd he'd run into.
"Yeah, I'm told I can be really thick headed sometimes," the man replied sarcastically, still rubbing his throbbing forehead. The woman suddenly stuck her hand out in front of herself, introducing herself. "Hi, I'm Brianne!" she said, perhaps a little too enthusiastically.
"I'm Koga," the man replied, taking her hand and shaking it, "sorry about that. I shoulda been paying more attention."
"Before you ran into me, I was actually going to ask if you wanted some help with any quests. I'm still a lower level and need some more experience," she explained before a dejected look crossed her face, and she let out a sigh. "Though, now that I look at it, I'm still only level one, I don't wish to be a burden, but if you would allow me to tag along for experience, that would be lovely." Koga really wasn't that high of a level however, at least not in his opinion. He was no frontliner, as much as he wished he was. The black clad man gave her a gentle smile, "Well, I don't really wanna drag you into anything that might get you killed...but, I'll be happy to give you a hand or something, get you some extra experience or loot?" Koga gave her a quick once over, checking out her armor and weapon. "I'm guessing your looking to be a tank right? Well, I do know of one quest you could take. It's called 'Worn Out Welcome', up on the third floor. You get some armor at the end of it, but its not really stronger than what you got now. The real boon would be getting the Exp. That sound good to you? I can eat the damage for the most part, and just help you whittle down the enemies so you can last hit."

@Silver Star

[Silver Star 0]

 "I'm guessing your looking to be a tank right? Well, I do know of one quest you could take. It's called 'Worn Out Welcome', up on the third floor. You get some armor at the end of it, but its not really stronger than what you got now. The real boon would be getting the Exp. That sound good to you? I can eat the damage for the most part, and just help you whittle down the enemies so you can last hit," the man had said. 

Silver enthusiastically replied, "Oh, yes! That would be lovely. And thank you for helping me out. I actually want to become a tanky healer of sorts, so all the exp is welcomed." She thought for a moment, checking over her armor enhancements. "Oh, and if you actually let them hit me, my thorn enchantment should allow me to take a good amount of their health out." She took a second look at the quest he had mentioned. "Ah and with my mitigation and healing, I probably shouldn't have a high chance of dying," she said cheerfully. Maybe a little too cheerfully. She looked at Koga expectantly. "So, would you like to do the honors of leading the way?" she asked, a smile on her lips. 

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 180/180 // EN: 18/18 // DMG: 5 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

Brianne started looking over her stats and equipment while she spoke, "Oh, yes! That would be lovely. And thank you for helping me out. I actually want to become a tanky healer of sorts, so all the exp is welcomed. Oh, and if you actually let them hit me, my thorn enchantment should allow me to take a good amount of their health out. Ah and with my mitigation and healing, I probably shouldn't have a high chance of dying," Koga nodded in response. Awesome, decent MIT, thorns. This girl could probably take down the Dark Elf all on her own. Koga chuckled inwardly to himself as he remembered dragging Yukiro along to do the quest with him and then realizing he hadn't even needed the help in the first place. Funny how things came full circle like that. "Healer/Tank hybrid huh? Interesting. Well, we could always use more of both."

"So, would you like to do the honors of leading the way?"
"Can do," Koga replied, starting to walk in the direction of the town's entrance, "Why don't you send me a party invite too. That way you can accept the quest and all that good stuff."

@Silver Star

[Silver Star 0]

"Why don't you send me a party invite too. That way you can accept the quest and all that good stuff."

"Oh! You're right," Silver said as she brought up the menu on her display. Let's see... where is it? she thought to herself as she searched through the different icons. Ah! Found it! she sent the party invite to Koga. "Aaand sent!" she said cheerfully. 

While they walked along to your destination Silver asked Koga, "So, what did you do before this game trapped us here?" She wasn't trying to be rude -- it was just that she didn't quite understand most social boundaries quite yet. She was a bubbly and happy personality that was oblivious at times. 

For the past two years, Silver had been staking out in the Town of Beginnings. Many of the players she had befriended in the beginning of the game had perished, which had kept her from adventuring. But she had finally grown tired of just hiding. She decided to go out and stand her ground and try to see if any of her followers were still alive. 

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 180/180 // EN: 18/18 // DMG: 5 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

"Oh! You're right," Brianne said as she started to send Koga the invite, "Aaand sent!" Koga accepted the invite and continued to walk.

"So, what did you do before this game trapped us here?" What was with so many players asking that question these days? Didn't they know that was against etiquette? At least it wasn't too personal of a question. "You know, you shouldn't really ask people about their real lives here. At least, not until you get to know them better," Koga said, shaking his head, despite the amused smile on his face, "But, since you asked, I was in college before this all went down. Third year, studying Game Design. What about you?"

The pair reached the teleporter now, and Koga looked at his partner, "Alright, so we're heading to Delilah. Ready to get going? Or did you want to stock up on anything before we head out?" Couldn't hurt to have some extra Healing Crystals or something like that.

@Silver Star

[Silver Star 0]

"You know, you shouldn't really ask people about their real lives here. At least, not until you get to know them better,"

Brianne blushed and quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. I know that sometimes I am too open or forward. I will try to watch my questions in the future." Then he answered her question. "College, huh? That sounds fun!" She thought about how much she should tell the man about her life. Well, he had been open with her, so she might as well be open with him. It was only fair. "Well, I was a streamer before I was trapped in this game. In fact, I was streaming as I was trapped in here," she said, laughing nervously and rubbing the back of her head as she finished speaking. "I usually don't tell most people as I was pretty popular back in the real world in America. I don't really want everyone fan-girling over me in game, ya know?" 

Then he asked if she was ready to go up to Delilah. She double checked her gear before nodding and replying, "Yep! I'm all set!" 

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 180/180 // EN: 18/18 // DMG: 5 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

"I'm sorry. I know that sometimes I am too open or forward. I will try to watch my questions in the future," the woman apologized with a slight blush, but Koga shook his head, "No worries."

"Well, I was a streamer before I was trapped in this game. In fact, I was streaming as I was trapped in here," Brianne explained witha  nervous laugh, "I usually don't tell most people as I was pretty popular back in the real world in America. I don't really want everyone fan-girling over me in game, ya know?"

...

'Eh? Streamer?'

Hold on, so this girl was a popular streamer...but didn't know about common etiquette...and her being a streamer brought out another totally different question. Actual streamer or e-girl? Koga wasn't sure which...he had the feeling it could've swung either way. In any case it didn't make too much of a difference to Koga. Good on her for making a living out of gaming.

"A streamer, huh? That seems like a pretty slick gig. What was your handle, maybe I've heard of you? Hell maybe I watched you too...I'm terrible with faces sometimes."

Given confirmation that they were set to head out, Koga stepped onto the teleporter, "Alright then, I'll see you on the other side. Teleport, Delilah!" Within moments, Koga was gone in a column of blue light, and then, he was standing out on the third floor again. Good times.

@Silver Star

Edited November 26, 2019 by Koga

[Silver Star 0]

"A streamer, huh? That seems like a pretty slick gig. What was your handle, maybe I've heard of you? Hell maybe I watched you too...I'm terrible with faces sometimes."

Brianne perked up as Koga began to show interest in her profession. "It was quite a fun job once I got through all the tough times. My handle was the_Silver_Streamer." She laughed at the name. "I made it when I was 14 or 15, so it's not the most catchy or professional handle, but it did its job. I ended up moving to Los Angeles, California, and falling in with some regular streamers. In fact, I was even on a sports team for the last League of Legends try-outs. I made it as runner-up, so I didn't get to make it to the big leagues, but I was hoping to make it into the pro teams this next year..." Her eyes went dull for a moment as she was brought back to the reality she was stuck in. There were no more try-outs. She was stuck in a death game. Oh, right. We're still trapped here, she reminded herself. As soon as her eyes darkened, they became bright again and her normal smile appeared back on her lips. 

She realized that they had reached the teleporter. "Alright then, I'll see you on the other side. Teleport, Delilah!" Koga said as they entered the teleporter and were wisked away to the third floor. "Oh, right..." Silver muttered as she was left alone again. She quickly ran up to the teleporter and jumped on it. "Delilah," she said clearly, immediately being taken to the third floor. 

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 180/180 // EN: 18/18 // DMG: 5 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

"It was quite a fun job once I got through all the tough times. My handle was the_Silver_Streamer."
Koga chuckled for a moment as he thought. For one he knew for sure he hadn't heard of the girl before, or at least not that he could remember. He was wondering however, "Is that supposed to be a play on the Silver Surfer?"

"I made it when I was 14 or 15, so it's not the most catchy or professional handle, but it did its job. I ended up moving to Los Angeles, California, and falling in with some regular streamers. In fact, I was even on a sports team for the last League of Legends try-outs. I made it as runner-up, so I didn't get to make it to the big leagues, but I was hoping to make it into the pro teams this next year..."
It was impossible for Koga to miss the change in Brianne's demeanor, even after she had tried to return to her normal self. Koga wanted to make some quip, like 'Pretty optimistic to think we'll be out of here in time for trials,' or something similar, lighten the mood, but he had a feeling he would only make things worse. So for now, he just went along with her happy facade.

When she appeared on the third floor though, Koga couldn't keep it up. "We'll get out of here. One day," he assured her with a nod, hoping he sounded more convincing than he felt.

@Silver Star

[Silver Star 0]

"Is that supposed to be a play on the Silver Surfer?" Koga said. Brianne blushed and stammered, "H-hey, I was into comics and super heroes at that age." She couldn't help but laugh at herself. It was true. She had tried to make her username reference the alien super hero. 

When she appeared on the third floor, she quickly looked around, amazed at the sudden change of location. Then she heard Koga say, "We'll get out of here. One day." She looked over to him and smiled weakly. "Yeah. I'm sure we will," she said quietly. It wasn't as if Brianne didn't believe that a player would beat the game one day or that she didn't believe it was possible, she had just seen so many friends and followers die on these floors that she didn't like to be too optimistic about leaving this world. Hopefully others could escape, but she didn't dare hope that she ever would. She didn't want to get her own hopes up like that. 

@Koga

Edited January 24, 2020 by Silver Star

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 180/180 // EN: 18/18 // DMG: 5 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

"H-hey, I was into comics and super heroes at that age," Brianne blushed. Koga couldn't help but laugh, not at her chosen screen name, but rather how defensive and nervous she'd gotten. "No, no, I was and am still really into Star Wars and stuff. I'm not gonna judge you," he said with a genuine smile.

The girl gave Koga a weak smile, "Yeah. I'm sure we will." Koga wasn't really sure if she believed him. He wasn't entirely sure that he believed himself. "Well, we should probably go find Griswold," Koga said, trying to change the subject. "He's the quest giver. Master blacksmith, over in that shop over there." Koga pointed over to a shop, not terribly far from the teleporter. "The thing you have to kill to get the materials he needs is pretty easy too. I don't think you'll have any trouble with it." Admittedly, Koga got lucky and had procced his damage over times when he'd fought it...but still, he didn't think Brianne would have much trouble fighting the Elf.

@Silver Star

[Silver Star 0]

Brianne quickly turned her attention towards where Koga had motioned. A small wooden shop stood where he had gestured, the sound of the clanking of metal yelling through the open door. She nodded, her gaze still turned towards the blacksmith's shop, as she continued to listen to Koga. "Hopefully we can finish this quest quickly and easily then!" she said enthusiastically as she looked back at the man in front of her. A broad smile was spread across her lips. 

Looking back towards the shop, she led the way through the door and up to the counter. Once inside, she could see that the blacksmith was hard at work hammering a red-hot sword on an anvil in the middle of the shop. A large pit surrounded by bricks and filled with coal was located to the blacksmith's right. This was where he put the piece of metal he was working on (deep into the coals) when he realized he had visitors. 

"Why hello there!" his booming voice echoed to the pair of players in front of him. "What I can help you two with?" 

Brianne quickly approached the bearded, large man. "Well, I heard you make armor for beginning players like me," she said, smiling hopefully up at the older gentleman. "I was wondering if you could make me a suit of silver heavy armor." 

The older blacksmith set down his hammer and pondered for a second, resting his chin on an open palm of a hand as she thought. After a few moments of silence, he answered. "Hm, yes... I think I know just what you need to get in order for me to make this request," he said while quickly grabbing a paper and pencil from the back of his shop. He wrote down a small list of materials to make the set of armor. "Now, these shouldn't take too long for you to gather, but it won't be so simple to gather the materials either. You see, a dark elf broke into my shop a few nights ago and stole these and a bit of other materials from my shop. I would like you to retrieve these materials from the elf." He gave her the list and smiled down at her expectantly. 

Brianne's eyes scanned the list quickly and then looked back up at the man. "Of course! I'll get these for you right away!" she said happily. 

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 180/180 // EN: 18/18 // DMG: 5 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

It was good to see that Brianne was nothing if not excited by the task at hand. As the pair entered the blacksmith's shop, Koga was met with the familiar heat of a furnace, and the rhythmic tempo of hammer against steal followed by the quiet shuffling sound as metal was buried beneath a mound of coal, eager to heat the steel once more.

Brianne spoke with the blacksmith Griswold, and only a few moments later, she had the quest. "Alrighty then, let's get goin'," Koga said, already out the door and holding the wooden portal open for the heavily armored girl.

If Koga remembered correctly the quest marker for him had been somewhere...off in that direction, deep within the Forest of Wavering Mists. But the man didn't wanna jump the gun yet and waited for Brianne to take the lead. Who knew, it might be a radiant quest that took them to a completely different part of the floor. "So, where to?" he asked, a hand resting on the pommel of his sword as he waited expectantly for the woman.

@Silver Star

[Silver Star 0]

"So, where to?" Koga asked. 

Brianne thought for a moment and then pulled up the quest information on her display. "Hm," she mumbled as she looked over the text in front of her. "It seems like our best bet is going down the north path out of town. The quest says that the dark elf should be located by a wooden shack along the path." She tapped the large X at the edge of the quest pop-up and closed it. Then she turned her attentions back to her companion and smiled. "Well, there's no time like the present," she chirped cheerfully as she led the way down the dirt path leading out of the town. 

While walking, Brainne thought of what to talk about. Walking in silence tended to make her feel awkward after all. After a few more moments of thinking about what she should say, she finally settled on, "So, what's the first thing you plan on doing once you get out of the game?" An optimistic question indeed. 

@Koga