Baldur 0 Posted June 19, 2020 #1 Share Posted June 19, 2020 (edited) Quote > | The cursor sat there flashing for several minutes, while Baldur sat on the edge of one of the walkways of his house, his feet dangling into the pond that surrounded many of the structures of his home, and the guild hall of Jacob's Ladder. He had never written one of these messages before. He had never led a meeting before. He had participated and enforced many, but never sent out the initial message. This wasn't just any floor boss either. This was floor 25, and they had had their collective butts handed to them. A labyrinth guardian had never been like that before, and its boss form would be even more challenging. The last fight, floor 24, had put the entire raid group on their back foot anyways. Would they even have the numbers to assault this boss? He wasn't sure. Floor 23 had cracked the frontline more than it ever had before. It was an exhausting stretch of floors. They needed to come together to win this. And the first piece of that would be this meeting, and this message he had to write. "Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears..." he mumbled to himself, swirling the water with his toes. This would also almost double as the coming out meeting for Jacob's Ladder. It hadn't been a secret yet, but it was also the first time in the spotlight. "What do you think, Gram?" The white wolf was inside Baldur's living room in the shade, the large white shaggy wolf hated this floor. Gram much preferred the fourth. In response, the mighty hunter gave a piteous whimper and then thumped the floor with his tail a few times in response. It was as much help as Baldur expected, before gazing back out over the pond and towards one of the zen gardens that littered his property. "It needs to bring people together, and give them hope. The message that they're going to get here is going to be dismal." Quote > My friends, front-liners, and comrades, the labyrinth boss has fallen... The gaijin samurai sighed. It hasn't though. He deleted the last few words. The labyrinth boss for floor 25 has been cleared. Technically it was correct, and that was the best kind of correct. He had already let his guild know that the meeting would be held here, at his home and the guild hall. Mari, Oikawa, and Shield would be helping host the meeting officially, and Crozeph and Calrex living at Baldur's house would be on hand to help as well. Junior members of the Ladder who wouldn't be participating in the fight would be helping find Baldur's house and ferry people back and forth on the small boat. "Saint Crispin's Day speeches will have to wait for the official meeting." He typed away at the keys, finishing out a simple message. Summoning everyone he could think to invite to the meeting, and inviting them to bring their guilds, and anyone else who would participate. The meeting would be tomorrow. "Now we just have to prepare." He withdrew his feet from the water and Gram looked up at him with a pleading look, and so Baldur left the wolf in the shade where he was happy. "Here goes everything." Spoiler This thread details what the trek to Baldur's home is like. You can just read my posts with the pictures. Baldur: Spoiler » Baldur, The Gaijin Samurai Modified HP: Modified EN: Modified MIT: Modified ACC: Modified DMG: Modified EVA: Battle Heal: Search: Temp Buff: Temp Buff: Temp Buff: Temp Buff: Temp Buff: » Base Stats Base HP: 1430 Base EN: 140 Base MIT: 79 Base ACC: 3 (4 and does not automatically miss on 1s with Warden's Fury) Base DMG: 19 (with fighting familiar) Muramasa Base DMG: 22 (No bonus from familiar) Base EVA: 3 Battle Heal: 72 HP Search: +0 » Items Equipped: Warden's Fury - Absolute Accuracy/2 Paralyze OR Muramasa - +12 Damage Montsuki haori - 54 DMG MIT/+1 EVASION Emerald Teardrop - +2 ACC/+1 EVASION Hammerspace Backpack (HB) +1 BR item (allows stacks up to 7) » Battle-Ready Inventory: Medium Damage Potion x7 | Rare T2 Item | +2 Damage Basic Teleportation Crystal x1 | Good Item | Teleports player to the Town of Beginnings Max Mass HP Recovery Crystal x7 | Perfect T2 Item | +30*Target Tier (30/60/90) Max T2 HP Recovery Crystal II x5 | Perfect T2 Item | +180 HP Safeguard Potion x3 | Perfect Tier 1 | Safeguard HB: Max Vitality Snack x2 | Rare Tier 2 | Grants +12 Energy EWL: Medium Antidote Potion x1 | Rare Tier 2 | Immune to negative status effects for 2 turns EWL: Muramasa or Warden's Fury EWL: Emerald Matagama | Perfect | +3 Accuracy SC: » Skills: Battle Healing | Rank 5/5 | While in combat, recover 1% per rank (45HP) at the beginning of your turn Charge | Rank 5/5 | +1 base damage per rank (+5 damage) once per opponent per combat One Handed Curved Sword | Rank 1/5 | Novice Katana | Rank 5/5 | Grand Master Light Armor | Rank 5/5 | +25 Mitigation Concentration | No Ranks | Gain +1 BD for a single attack | 5 Turn Cooldown Familiar Mastery: Fighter | 3 Ranks | +9 base damage (Does not stack with equipment) Survival | Purchased | Increases out of combat health regen to (15xTier) 45 per post Extended Weight Limit | Purchased | Increases Battle Ready Inventory by 3 Parry | Purchased | 3 Turn Cooldown | 5 Energy | Reduces incoming damage by 50% Quick Change | Purchased | Swap Equipment as a free action | 3 Turn Cooldown Extended Mod Limit | Rank 2 | Increase Active Mods by 2 Meditation | Purchased | Recover 15 Energy if not hit, takes a post action » Mods: Athletics: +1 DMG +30 HP Katana Precision: +1 to Accuracy Katana Ferocity: +1 damage on katana sword arts Sprint & Acrobatics: +1 Evasion Finesse: Rank 3 | -3 Energy cost to sword arts EML: Bull Rush | Stuns target on successful charge EML: Emergency Recovery | if dropped below 25%, heal 10% once per thread » Housing Bonuses: Rested: -1 EN on first 2 uses Tasty: Turns 2 food into feast for 4 Advanced Training: +2 SP to a thread 1/month Filling: Add 1 extra tier 1 slot to food Item Stash: +1 BR item slot Relaxed: OOC regen 5*tier, recover EN out of combat after 2 turns in lieu of 3 Angler: +1 Mat when fishing Edited June 22, 2020 by Baldur Link to post Share on other sites
Mari 1 Posted June 19, 2020 #2 Share Posted June 19, 2020 (edited) The 24th floor was a place Mari had only visited once before - when she went to visit Shield in Baldur’s dojo. A part of her questioned why she didn’t come here more often, perhaps it was because it was so very high up and the trek from the fourth floor was an adventure in and of itself. Or perhaps she was still punishing herself. Even so, as Mari made the walk toward Baldurs estate she couldn’t help but feel a childlike sense of wonderment. The expanse of the floor - it felt more open than any other below. Mari came to a stop; frowning, her feet touching the mirror-like surface of the water. Now, how the f**k do I get to Baldur’s from here again? As if answering her question, a small player wearing a haori very similar to the Shinsengumi tapped her shoulder. “M-miss Mari?” Mari blinked, turning her full attention to him, “Yeh? Who’s asking?” Mari asked with a tilt of her head. He beamed up at her and gestured toward a small wooden boat. “I’m to ferry people across to the estate.” Mari snorted in amusement as she followed the nameless boy, his mop of brown shaggy hair lead her into the boat and with a heavy grunt, they were pushed off the land, and now floating gently in the waters. “This...is nice…” Mari said to herself as she dipped her hand into the water; the afternoon sun warmed her freckled skin - tickling her with its rays. And the air smelt so clean and crisp. There was a light tone to the whole floor - which was a vast difference to the heavy solitude of her snowy home. There was no haze of discontent here she felt like she could breathe. The kid, who didn’t have a name so Mari decided to dub him ‘mop-head’ was quiet. And in a way, Mari appreciated that. She would have hated to try and make small talk with a stranger like that - especially one who was just ferrying her across the way. Mari shifted her gaze to the large Tori gate that protruded from the water, and the sight made her smile. It was the symbol she had created for the guild - and it meant she was close to her destination. With that warm swell of pride came the cold realization that she'd be attending her first meeting since she was kicked out of the frontlines. Well chased out more like. Then there was Baldur - Mari had really wanted to meet up with him sooner than this. To ease the tension. She...she still had feelings for him. But knew they would never be reciprocated and she was truly at peace with that. Baldur was a kind and caring comrade who brought her a wealth of warmth. Nothing would change that. They passed fully underneath the gate now. The transition from the living into the sacred world. Water lapped at the boat as they landed. "Thanks." Mari said; as she stepped out of the boat she realized that her regular attire, may not exactly fit the theme of her destination. So with a flourish and a wave goodbye to sweet, ol' mop-head Mari changed out of her regular orange attire; and into something more...fitting. Less threatening. Mari now donned her Yukata, which she usually reserved for wearing within her home. The other Pillars had seen her like this before. Simple hues of blue wrapped around her in thick silk- adorned with an image of a Koi fish - and her hair, normally nestled messily around her shoulders had been placed up and out of her face. "Right." Mari said as she thumped her chest with a small fist. "You got this Mari. You Got this." She said to herself in affirmation. Now she was here...it felt more and more real. Her footsteps clacked against the wooden bridge that connected the shore to the main estate; and it was here - out front of it. That she saw Baldur. Serene eyes, deep with wisdom stared down at a small pond beside him. Haori of white and blue, as if plucked from the sky adorned him. Swaying gently in the afternoon breeze. Whites like a budding flame - ready to envelop him whole, yet the serene wash of cerulean to keep it at bay. His stance was tall, and his hair a little messy. Was he frazzled? Or was it nothing more than the wind? He made it hard not to feel something for him, and the foolish gaijin samurai didn't even know it. Did he seriously not know the affect he had on other people? Mari thought for a moment, and realized. Yes. He seriously had no clue, and was most definitely the kind of person who'd be completely oblivious. The thought eased Mari. She laughed to herself before making herself known. "Baldur!" Mari called out, quickening her pace to reach him. She was thankful that he couldn't feel hear how her heart raced, nor the thrum of it in his ears. "H-How are you?" Mari asked with flushed cheeks. A mixture of emotion and nerves evident on her freckled features. "Your..." Blue eyes shifted to the small trickling pond he stood by. "Place is stunning." Mari finished. "It's a shame you couldn't have your welcome party before this." Mari paused and adjusted her Obi, fiddling around with things to help calm her feeling of restlessness. "You know..." Mari began with a small snort, her tone teetering between jovial and sarcastic. "The last time I was at the head of one of these meetings...a certain guild declared they'd take no part!" Mari slapped her hands together for emphasis - "And yet, even with that renounce - we successfully completed a floor boss battle with no casualties." Her smile faded as she turned her attention back to the water. Mari took a few steps toward it and dipped her fingers into it. A gentle smile tugging at plush orange lips as she felt the tickle of inquisitive fish nibble at the pads of her fingertips. "I hope - that things go smoothly today. So-" Mari turned to look at Baldur over her shoulder. "What do you need help with? Shall I help prep a meeting room?" @Baldur Edited June 19, 2020 by Mari Link to post Share on other sites
Cordelia 0 Posted June 19, 2020 #3 Share Posted June 19, 2020 The Floor Twenty-five Boss Meeting. Cordelia honestly never thought she would live to see the day where she would actually attend one of these things. She always wondered what they were like. How serious it would be and all of that. It should be serious, right? Lives were on the line here, right..? But after meeting majority of the frontline players, she wouldn't be too sure. She swore most of them acted like children after their tenth can of soda or something. Life is strange. Cordelia looked around. It didn't seem like Baldur was here to ferry her to his absolute frekin', Japanese mountain shrine- home... mansion place this time. She didn't need him, right? It's not her first time going there, she's sure that she can get there on her own if she really tried hard enough- "E-excuse me, are you Miss Cordelia?" Her thought train halted as she spun around. A young player dressed in what looked like traditional Japanese clothing approached her. "Oh, uh- hello. Yes... I am..?" she bit out, tilting her head at him with a peculiar look. Without saying a word, he gestured his head over to a wooden ferry boat, one that was almost identical to the boat that Baldur had used to guide her to his estate the first time, but slightly smaller. Like a two puzzle pieces, she connected the two ideas. "Oh. Oh. I see. Well uh- thank you..?" Cordelia exclaimed, giving him a sheepish smile before she stepped into the boat. The old wood creaked just slightly as she shuffled over to the front, and then it creaked again when the boy descended after her. With a small huff or two, the kid pushed them away from the dock, which began their long but not too long journey. Unlike the first ride she was offered here, it was much more quiet... and awkward even? She supposed that's what the air would feel like when you're alone with another stranger on a very small boat. It wasn't like she didn't have any words, either, but she felt like this boy wouldn't respond well if she bombarded him with random inquiries. Like, what was his relationship with Baldur? Did he belong in Jacob's Ladder? How the heck does he know how to ferry a boat at his age? Very compelling questions indeed. It wasn't long before their silent ride came to a close, though, so she guessed she'll just have to ask Baldur those things later. With a short grunt, the ivory-haired player hopped off of the wooden vessel. "Thank you. Uh, here, let me pay you. It must be hard work to ferry people back forth all day-" "Ah, n-no ma'am it's r-really fine. I'm okay doing this for f-free-" "No, no. I insist. Your services need to be paid. Maybe get something to eat when you get back to the other something-" "M-miss, it's really f-fine-!" "No, really. I insist." "B-But-" "Take the money or I'm going to throw you into the koi pond, kid." The boy was about to open his mouth to protest again, but a very non-threatening glare from the young woman shut him up rather quickly. As if in defeat, his shoulders sagged and he nodded meekly. "Aha! Good lad!" she exclaimed happily, her aura doing a complete one-eighty as she opened her menu to pay the boy. "Go buy something sweet when you get back. Or not. I don't care. It's your money now." She shrugged, placing a foot on the forward before pushing the boat away. "See you later, kid!" she shouted, giving him an eccentric wave before she spun around and began making her way to the main house of the property- where she assumed everyone would be. It didn't take her long to find players, though. Not long at all, really. Like, ten seconds. "Oh, hey Baldur, and looks like you were able to come too, Mari!" Cordelia remarked enthusiastically, moving closer to the two before she grinned. "Isn't this exciting? It's been so long since the last floor boss fight..." she trailed off, realizing that Mari wasn't in her usual attire and instead in more traditional clothing. "Hey, were we supposed to get dressed for this or something?" she whispered, leaning towards the girl as panic started to boil in her. Was there a memo she didn't get? Or was it just common sense? She didn't have common sense, so how was she supposed to know!? Was she overdressed? Was she underdressed? Was she dressed in general? She chewed on her nails nervously as she opened her menu. "I think I have something that would be more suitable in here if that's the case- I went out a while ago and saw this but I haven't like, used it at all so- so yeah." The girl took a big breath before exhaling. "So yeah." The girl flashed a mix of a grimace and a smile at the two other players before she scrolled through her inventory again. "Where was it again..? Was it a yukata- or was it a kimono. Gosh this was so long ago- oh here it is!" In a flash of blinding white light, Cordelia had quickly changed out of her usual armor and into a red and black kimono with a gold otaiko. "Is... is this too much?" Link to post Share on other sites
Ariel - The Crowned Lion 0 Posted June 19, 2020 #4 Share Posted June 19, 2020 (edited) After a few years they were finally tackling the quarter milestone of their end goal... Despite being a somehow joyous occasion, Ariel couldn't help but be concerned about what they were going to face. After shaking her head a couple of times, she began bobbing the traditional fan in her left hand up and down, in an attempt to cool her thoughts. "keep it together..." she muttered in a low tone, not to get the attention of her small companion who was leading the way with Kimba in tow. On a whim more than anything, she decided to bring Sin-chan with her to this raid meeting. While the girl would not directly benefit or bring something extra to the talks, her being there kept the blonde's mind centered and Ariel saw that as more than a valid reason for her to be there. "Are you excited to visit the estate again?" she asked with half a smile. "We'll get to meet some of the people from last time, and more... hopefully." As they walked towards the pier, Ariel was greeted by a ... student? "Ariel-dono. This way please." he muttered, the blonde noticing his eyes wavering. She let out a soft chuckle, she would feel offended if she didn't stir up such a reaction. She knew exactly the effect her attire had on the opposite sex, on some more than others. One of the reasons she decided to dress traditionally, in a dark colored kimono with flower patterns and a red pointy rose as a hair accessory. Priding herself as one of the best tailors, everything was of course hand made by her. As well as Assassin's attire which she wanted to match with her own. Doing her utmost best when manufacturing her attire. She decided to make her kimono a little more modern and experiment with the flower patterns, trying to give it a more cute design compared to hers, she even went and shortened the skirt size to have her move more freely. She was pretty proud of her work and was happy to flaunt it too. "How many players have arrived so far?" asked the blonde as they started boarding the small boat. "Not many ma'am, I think just a couple of 'em." he replied, trying to avoid eye contact with the lioness. "I see... What's your name boy?" she asked, her sudden interest sending chills on his back. Did she know he was checking her out before... "T... Takumi.." he replied just before they arrived at the tori marking the entrance of the estate. "I... I'll be on my way then... Baldur-sensei is waiting... just near the entrance, you can't miss him." he added, and after a short bow, turned around and went back on the boat. While walking through the main entrance, the blonde turned towards Assassin and asked with feinted concern: "Do I look that scary?" Afterwards she adjusted her and SIn's kimono before spotting the small gathering of people. Luckily she recognized all of them and with a small nod she greeted them. "Thanks for having us today, ronin-dono." she first said to Baldur, with a small grin. She then turned at Cordelia who she barely recognized before reading her name tag. "Long time no see." she took a moment to examine her attire, leaning to the sides a bit. "Cute obi." she added with a smile. "And our geisha. Also, long time no see. I'm looking forwards to working together again." the smile grew larger as she spotted the koi fish design and nodded to herself. She couldn't help but stare at the hair color, somehow she had the feeling she was talking to a different? person than what she remembered; despite the name tag being the same. She then eyed Baldur, a tinge of concern visible on her gaze, which until now had been mostly a happy expression that she kept partially hidden behind her fan. "I'd like a moment with you before everyone's here and the meeting starts." At this point, she hope Assassin was still next to her and willing to introduce herself but knowing the girl, she and Kimba were up to their own attics. Ariel And @Assassin making their way through the entrance: Spoiler Stats: Spoiler Stats: 1,550 HP (76 x20 +30[athletics]) 152 Energy 79 Mitigation (25 +54[armor]) +4 Accuracy (1[Precision] +1[weapon] +2[trinket]) +2 Evasion (1[Sprint & Acrobatics] +1[trinket]) 19 Base Damage (1[base] +7[weapon skill] +1[athletics] +9[familiar] +1[ferocity]) +4 Fallen Damage (Successful attack rolls of 6-8 (before modifiers) add fallen damage to your total base damage.) +48 HP Holy Blessing (After taking damage, heal at the beginning of your next turn. Can only trigger once per round.) +77 HP Battle Healing (While in combat, recover 5% of your maximum HP (rounded down) at the beginning of your turn.) +5 LD ( +3 LD more when searching for sub-dungeons: 15 posts CD and labyrinths: 3 posts CD) Absolute Accuracy (Attack rolls of 1 no longer automatically miss. Gain +1 to the BD when attacking. Cannot be used to trigger a critical hit.) Taunt ( +1 Hate generated from Howl, Focused Howl, and successful attacks.) Keen (After a successful attack, gain +1 BD until your next successful attack, at which point this bonus is removed. Another successful attack will reactivate this) Skills: Pic at 510x450 Downscaled to 385, right side alignment Equipment: ≪Shi’s Talon# 134787≫ ≪Leonidas' Strength#151568≫ ≪Solo Perception#151723-1≫ T2: Absolute Accuracy | Keen | Fallen T3: Holy Blessing | Holy Blessing | Mitigation | Mitigation T1: Accuracy | Accuracy | Evasion A long two handed assault spear made of polished maple. Its tip is a brilliant golden colour and is surrounded by tufts of white feathers. A blood red cape with a black inverted V design in the middle of the back, if worn as light armor; one of the trademark items worn by the Spartans that fought until the last man. A obsidian ring with thin parallel silver linings, that is said to increase one's eyesight. Inventory: ≪Basic Teleport [Crystal]≫ Spoiler ≪Nihilim's Anguish#154380≫ (Baldur has it) T3: Fallen | Fallen | Accuracy (Katana) A fang of the cursed dragon, Nihilim fashioned into a weapon. Darkness seeps from within the very core of the fang. Merely touching it fills the user with a faint sensation of dread Buffs: None Edited June 23, 2020 by Ariel - The Crowned Lion Link to post Share on other sites
Morgenstern 1 Posted June 20, 2020 #5 Share Posted June 20, 2020 The twenty-fourth floor was one that Jonathan really hadn't visited before. He hadn't even been a part for that boss raid due to his own problems he had been dealing with at the time. With the labyrinth boss only recently, he still felt like he once again was a stranger to the frontlines. After the incident with the twenty-third boss fight, he believed there were those that resented him for some his action during the boss raid. 'It has been some time, would they even remember?' He thought. 'If they do would the forgi-' His thoughts were interrupted upon his body slamming into another. Completely caught off guard, he staggered a few feet back and instinctively muttered, "Ouch". It was a dark-haired player he had walked into. "Oi, watch it! I'm walking here!" The player donned a green cursor, was well dressed in a white suit and immaculate combed dark hair. "I'm sorry" The blonde-haired player would say with an apologetic smile. 'Right... Paraneze. I'm trying to get to Baldur's house. Better pay attention'. The casual dressed player was currently walking through a tight alleyway in the city of Paraneze, pushing past a crowd of NPC's and players to get to the other side as he followed his minimap to the set location that Baldur had sent him. He walked with his hands in the pockets of a gray jacket that overlapped his black shirt. Now with his eyes paying attention to where he walked, he veered through the players, earning a few eyes on him due to his cursor that he had failed to get changed. After exiting the town, it was only a short distance to the location on his map. However, he was astonished to find that a flat plane of water rested before him. He walked up to the edge of the water, catching a glimpse of his own slightly distorted reflection. A small boat rested just to the left of the dock he now stood on. No house was in sight though. The boat would be taking him nowhere. "Mister Morgenstern?" A younger voice threw him off guard making him jump within his clothes. Thankfully, he didn't leap into the water. He turned, his eyes meeting the player with a slightly reproachful gaze. "How do you know my name?" The player, dressed in a haori gestured to the boat. Jonathan's eyes shifted from the small boat back to the boy. He would then restate his question. "How do you know my name?" The boy would gesture again to the boat. "Please hop in the boat." Jonathan's eyes would squint on the figure of the boy. "My name. How do you know it?" He said with annoyance hinted in his voice. The young shaggy brown haired boy ignored it however. "The boat. Why don't you hop in?" Jonathan rolled his eyes. "Okay buddy. Look." He turned and pointed to the water the cleanly sparkled before him. "There is nothing here. There is no point for me to hop into the boat." A pressure was placed on his back and he fell forward. Thankfully, it was into the boat and not into the water. "Hey!" The blonde player would protest. As he scrambled to get up, he would find that his boat was already drifting away from the shore. "Good day, Mister Morgenstern!" the boy would call to him. "Look what you did! Where am I supposed to go now? There isn't even any paddles!" The boy would turn away and he would continue his drift. Pouting, he would turn to face in the direction the boy sent him in. A large Tori gate randomly hung in the water, seeming to almost be pulling his small boat into the middle of it. "What a random thing to have here. I wonder if it had something to do with a quest? Was that boy actually an NPC? Bet that's how he learned my name." His boat passed through the Tori gate and the scenery in front of him melted into something different. In fact, the whole world seemed to change as if he were picked up and brought to somewhere entirely different. His boat slowly drifted up to a wooden bridge before coming to a stop. Appalled, he would get up from the boat and look at what lie in wait for him. His lips parted as he gazed at the Japanese estate that was invisible to him mere moments ago. He walked across the wooden bridge where it was quite easy to spot the small group of players that stood talking amongst themselves. He only recognized a couple of them. And if he hadn't just seen Ariel, he would have never guessed it was her. He walked up to the group, eyeing each of them before stopping suddenly. His eyes brought in each of their attires before he glanced hesitantly at his own. 'Shoot. I'm way out of place here....' Forcing a smile, he would begin to walk forward and gave as friendly of a wave as he could. "Heya" he said. Even his voice seemed out of place in the group. His throat tightened a bit. At one point in time he might not have cared but now was a crucial moment that he had blown. A snow white dragon would land on his shoulder, sitting there proudly as if it was a throne. 'Then there is this guy...' he thought regrettably. His eyes fell on a girl with a red and black kimono. He hadn't seen her at all before on the frontlines but she seemed to stand comfortably as if she'd been around for a while. Way more confident than he was on his first raid meeting. Funny thing, it was Baldur that dragged him on in the first place. The white-haired girl was cute in her own way but for an unknown reason he felt a tinge of rivalry after just seeing her. 'Whats up with that?' he would think to himself. Then there was the random child. 'There is no way she's a frontliner... no way. Right?' He straightened his shoulders to better his posture. 'I'm an almost a veteran frontliners at this point? Should... should I introduce myself? I haven't been around for a while.' Anxiety seemed to hang thick in the air around him. "H-Have I missed anything important?" 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Shield 0 Posted June 20, 2020 #6 Share Posted June 20, 2020 (edited) Shield stood on the roof of Dreamer's Temple, a high-roofed traditional Japanese temple that overlooked the dojo and mansion that Baldur had founded. The temple was home to the guild that he had founded together along with Mari, Baldur, and Oikawa - the latest and greatest brain-child of some of the older members of the front lines. It was strange to think that after so many of them had been absent from the lines that they would not only all be coming together but acting as the players calling the meeting to order. It was not uncommon for such affairs to meander or fall into chaos, so 'order' was likely relative. Still, this was a big day for the budding guild, and he felt honored that they were able to host. Loose, unkempt strands of hair drifted lazily into Shield's field of vision, and he had to hold them to the side to observe as the first few players were ferried to the meeting. All of them so far were known to him. Some of them made him feel more uneasy than others. "Time to make an appearance," he said, though the only one in earshot - his snake familiar, Lilith - was indifferent to the words. He felt her coiled around his forearm beneath the sleeve of his simple tan tunic, though he thought he could feel her lazy tongue taste the air in front of her snout. With a sigh, he bent his knees and dropped off the edge of the top roof, landing on the lower roof below and taking a few strides before dropping off onto the ground. His worn leather boots scuffed the ground as he jogged his way to the back entrance of the building where the meeting was to be held and paused at the door, remembering to hastily unequip the boots before entering. There was a small group already gathered, which was good. As he spotted the small player who accompanied Ariel, it took him a moment to compose himself. Why do we keep ending up with kids present at boss meetings? It's a distraction at best. His eyes landed on the young one's scars, and he had to turn his head away from her for a moment, taking a steadying breath before entering the room. He gave Ariel a brief nod and knelt down to Assassin's level to greet her, waving and giving a warm, if not pained, smile. He straightened back up and gave a more casual nod towards Cordelia before joining Baldur, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Big day for the guild. No pressure though, right?" he gave a silent snort before looking upon those already gathered. "Looks like we'll have to have the big ribbon cutting after the maiden voyage, so to speak." He gave the samurai a wry smile. "That is unless you'd like your present now instead." He turned to Mari, greeting her warmly. "It is good to see you back at the guild hall. You know, you could just teleport here. I am a merchant, after all. I have no shortage of crystals." Even as he jested, he knew it was more than the walk that kept her away. Things were strained between her and Baldur at the moment, though she was putting on a genuine and brave face. Finally, he turned to Jonathan, his once superior in a prior guild. "I am very glad to see you as well. Our paths have only crossed a handful of times since," he paused, not knowing a very pleasant way to refer to the final days of the Ascendants as a guild. "Well, you know," he finished, inclining his head and shoulders in a polite bow. "Seems as though a lot has happened since then." Edited June 20, 2020 by Shield Link to post Share on other sites
Crozeph 0 Posted June 20, 2020 #7 Share Posted June 20, 2020 Crozeph felt it, someone was licking his face. He didn't want to open his eyes but the licking became intense the more he tried to act like he's still asleep. Crozeph opened his eyes and gently shoved his familiar back "Ok Pram I get it I'm too lazy" he said in a half-asleep voice. He then noticed that he had opened his mail. He sat up and opened it again. The sunlight peered through his window which gave enough light to keep him going back to sleep "the meeting is today, that's why I'm here back in Baldur's..." Crozeph looked at himself. Half of his body was inside the closet that came along with the room. The futons remained untouched and his upper body outside of the closet, Pramanix moved close to him and licked his face again "ack! what is it with you and Kimba licking my face?" he asked his familiar who purred as a reply to his question. Crozeph felt his hair already reaching his neck, It seems that he doesn't plan to fix himself before going out of his room "I'll just change my clothes into a normal one" he thought and opened his inventory. Crozeph changed his black yukata into a brown one, he could at least look decent with the plain, oak-colored yukata. He stood up and tied his hair back, letting the fringes that weren't caught by it fall on his face. He opened his mail and type a message to Yuki as he just remembered why he returned to Baldur's estate earlier than what he planned. Quote To: @Zajcica How are you? I'm at Baldur's house now. I think I arrived a few minutes before midnight can't remember. This is going to be big so I'd be really happy to see you here, I received the message about a floor boss meeting happening here. Tell me if you got lost I'll pick you up or you can say "Jacob's Ladder" and they know where to take you. Keep safe ;) He pressed send and opened the door of his room and made his way outside. It was still new to him like how he still feel uncomfortable sleeping on beds, Baldur's land was big enough that one could enjoy so much scenery just by walking around the estate. A fine weather, vibrant colors of the leaves, and the beautiful design of the house and its color was such a treat to the eyes of someone who enjoys this kind of culture. These things however was not part of Crozeph's thoughts. He was still half-awake when he walked out of his room, HIs thought was on where he could find some water to wash his face, not that it was dirty or something, just a muscle memory. He shuffled as he looked around him. Soon enough he found a place with water, a pond. It is where the koi fishes lived in harmony until Crozeph will come in and disturb it with his laziness to find a proper place where he could find water. He walked towards it, his eyes still felt heavy and his mind telling him to splash water on his face to wake him up. He didn't even notice that there are already visitors near the pond but he did notice Baldur. He waved his hand at him and greeted the Gaijin Samurai "good morning Baldur, I don't know what time it is but I'm sorry I overslept and didn't notify you of my return. A kid was kind enough to give the last trip on the boat to me last night" he told him. He walked around them like they weren't there, he didn;t notice or he was still sleepy for getting back late to Baldur's house. Crozeph brushed his eyes and muttered words as he made his way to the pond "I should've stayed at Yuki's house and woke up early instead of going back here late" he said as he reached the pond. He sat down near it and scooped water with both his palms and splashed it on his face. He did it a few more times before wiping his face with the sleeve of his yukata. After the whole washing he did on his face he eased himself back and looked at the fishes who are now disturbed. "I swear it would be embarrassing if the people invited arrived already and I'm just waking up," he said, completely oblivious of the people behind him as he began to utter his woes of what he did "I'm sorry Baldur I should've just arrived here in the morning instead of..." he scratched his head ruining his ponytail which he quickly fixed. "Screw my sleeping habits, it would be the ruin of Jacob's Ladder's rep if they see me" he continued "they'll be like 'oh this one member of that guild is lazy as heck a snail might even beat him in a race' or they'll say something like 'ah that guy who sucks at his katana skills despite being a katana user' it would be unbearable for me if people began to talk about the guild in a bad way" the rant continued. It may not be as loud as the usual thing other people do but Crozeph was already starting to fully wake up "sorry about that I didn't mean to go on a rant, have you had breakfast Baldur? I could make some..." he turned his head and he saw them. There was Mari, her yukata with the koi fish design was familiar to him like the one she wears when at her home on Floor four. Cordelia with a rather matching attire with Baldur and Mari. His eyes turned to Ariel, Kimba beside her, and a young girl with a scar on her face. There was also a blonde guy who had a more western look and lastly the guy who Crozeph thought would be the guild leader as Oikawa and Mari told him, Shield. Crozeph looked at them, his face slowly turning red and then he looked at Baldur, like someone asking for helping out of the embarrassment he put himself into. The visitors have arrived and he had just woke up, add to that the presence of the guild leader. While he was informed also that Shield was a leader by paper, Crozeph still felt it in him to give Shield the respect he deserves. Well, right now Crozeph has acted disrespectfully. He turned his head away from them and covered his face with a facepalm "Oh s***, oh f***" the voice echoed in his head "they are here already" he added. Crozeph tried to think of how he could get himself out of the situation. "That's right Crozeph, this is the first time you meet people in the frontlines and you mess it up!" he told himself. He cleared his throat a few times and stood up, turning himself back to them he tried his best to redeem himself "I-I'm Crozeph for those who don't know me yet" he uttered before making a bow "if you are still waiting for anyone I could prepare some drinks for each one of you, what would you like to have?" he asked them. He looked down on the floor and waited for someone to say something, just name a drink and he'd prepare it right away for their visitors. 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Assassin 0 Posted June 20, 2020 #8 Share Posted June 20, 2020 The work that went into the attire that Assassin was currently wearing was too overbearing for her, quite frankly. Working with clothing was annoying. She had to stand like a mannequin completely still so that Mari could measure her dimensions and fit cloth around her body just to get it around her size. Not even just that, after it was finished, it had taken around twenty minutes just to get the thing on. At this point, Ariel could see that Assassin was visibly frustrated with the entire ordeal. After some time though, she seemed to have cooled down and taken a liking to the outfit. "Do I look that scary?" The Lioness asked Assassin, who really only shrugged in response. She watched the boy run off back to his position, trying to get away from the duo as quickly as possible it seemed. That was fine by her. "Are you excited to visit the estate again? We'll get to meet some of the people from last time, and more... hopefully." That's where Assassin was fearing this trip the most. Meeting new people was fun, but big get together's like these made her shut in more than anything. Sin-chan couldn't even form a response to Ariel's question when she asked it. She didn't like too many new people at once, she had opened up to Ariel so quickly because they were the only ones around when they first met. Unfortunately, that was exactly what was happening right now. When she had originally came to this place, she was only curious to find where Ariel was going after they separated. Now she had been roped into some meeting that she knew nothing about. Already there was more people than she could count on her fingers looking down at her and welcoming her with names that she wouldn't be able to retain with faces. As they approached to try and welcome her, she only clung closer to Ariel - The only person that was familiar to her. The girl wasn't much one for conversation at all. Shield's face was familiar enough to her, but she couldn't remember his name, as usual. Nicknames were so much easier. Even as Ariel found her way over to try and have a private conversation, Assassin followed in with her, clinging to her older companion's kimono's lower half, ensuring that she wouldn't lose her. As she noticed the tall, brown-haired ronin, she couldn't muster much more than a wave to him. And in this entire time, Assassin was unwilling to speak to anyone that wasn't Ariel. Would Ariel prod her to speak up again? She hoped not. @Ariel - The Crowned Lion @Baldur Spoiler Name: Assassin Level: 21 HP: 420/420 EN: 42/42 Stats: Damage: 9 Mitigation: 18 Evasion: 2 Accuracy: 2 Equipped Gear: Weapon: Kami Sori: DMG: III Armor: Dark Cloak(LA): MIT II; EVA I Misc: Fastening Belts(Tri): ACC II; EVA I Skills: Dagger [Rank 5] Extra Skills: Familiar Mastery: Fighter Battle Ready Inventory: Teleportation Crystal*1 Link to post Share on other sites
Pinball 1 Posted June 21, 2020 #9 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Somehow, somewhere, he could feel the wolves watching him. Their eyes were like needles on his back, threatening reminders that urged him forward through a world of lush greens and deep blues. The winds whispered through the trees, the sea lapped gently at the shore, enveloping the individual islands in its beautiful ambience. He didn't find peace in these sounds. How could he? There was always that fear, that guilt, that icy dread, like there was always someone or something waiting to drive that sickening knife through his back when he least expected it. But when he looked over his shoulder, there was nothing. Nobody. He was alone, and he always had been. When had everything started to look so bleak? He knew why things were this way, of course, what events had unfolded to make it so. But he couldn't pinpoint the exact time he'd started to slip up. Had it been when he'd killed Sugutsuya? Attacked Dustin? Or had he been falling since the beginning? Since Mishiro? Since Lucy? Why had he forgotten? Why couldn't he remember? Was it because he didn't care? Or because he didn't want to remember? Somehow, somewhere, the birds were watching him. He'd passed through these woods more than once. He left a blackness in his wake, an inky trail of corrosive miasma that left the ground beneath him dark and withered. Grief? Anger? He tried to keep it bottled up but those turbulent thoughts were leaking anyways. It was in the defeated way he carried himself, in his cold eyes and dead expression. It was in his voice, dripping from his teeth like venom, and it was above his head, dark and orange and foreboding yet shinining even in the darkest of places, a medal presented to him to commemorate the sins he'd committed. It had to be a mistake. There was no other possible reason for it. Right? No, that wasn't true. It could be misinformation, negligence, a trap; there were plenty of things that could have happened that led to Pinball receiving that message. No matter which way he twisted it, though, one thing remained clear: he shouldn't be going. So why was he? Pinball hated himself just a little bit more with every step he took in that direction, and he hadn't even known that was possible. There were going to people that hated him there. Rightfully so. People who would want to attack him. They wouldn't fight beside him. They would want to lock him up, wouldn't they? Drag him into some sort of gloomy dungeon like last time and leave him chained up there for good. The options seemed pretty damn grim. At best, they'd eject him from the meeting. At worst, he'd have a collection of frontliners gunning for his throat. Pinball's normally stoic features twisted into an agitated snarl as he stomped his way down the shore. Whatever. He was going anyway. There was a boat. A boy. Without greeting and without pause, Pinball got in, the raft rocking slightly as he settled down, and together they drifted across those tranquil waters. The house - er, houses - were gorgeous, and styled after exactly the sort of architecture he expected from Baldur. Elegant arches bowed over well kept gardens, all the while maintaining a view of the oceans around them. He hadn't seen the samurai himself in a long time. And honestly? Seeing the buildings, and people milling about not far from the ferry's landing? He didn't feel any more inclined to. It was time for him to suck it up and go for it, though. Adjusting his jacket and resting the palm of his hand on his sword's pommel, Pinball stepped off and out of the boat and quietly made his way to the meeting place. No greetings from him, no acknowledgement to the others. He found his place to stand and he stood there, leaning against a support -- because there was no way for him to approach this that wasn't already horrifyingly awkward for all parties involved. Pinball maintained a healthy distance, both out of respect to the others who'd gotten here before him, and caution for the others. Shield, Cordelia, Baldur, Morgenstern - with an orange cursor? And there, a ginger woman with another. Something about the white-haired woman and her child(?) didn't exactly seem too friendly either, despite their attire. Pinball frowned, running his fingers through his hair and trying to relax. He wasn't liking what he was seeing already. Link to post Share on other sites
Raidou 1 Posted June 21, 2020 #10 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) Looking over the serene lake with quelled nerves at rest within his breast, he was still unsure of the action he was taking. A sudden message from a prior unknown source had brought him to where he now stood. The waters a blinding reflection of the burning sun above him, the water was still to all but the slight sounds it played upon the shore. It was easy to pick out this small elongated vessel crossing the clear blue, upon it a male of fuzzed brown hair. A deep breath, Raidou would see what this was all about as an exchange of arms to aid the effort was always his intention. "S-ir Raidou?" The boy stammers as he comes aboard the pristine dock, retrieving a tether and pulling his raft in Japanese stylization up to the side. The break in the kid's words felt all too familiar, he was uncomfortable. A silent nod from the red wanderer, his decision made as he enters the boat. The kid moves with him with slight exhale, it seemed as though his day had already been troublesome and perhaps he was expecting more resistance. A long rod enters the water as he kicks from the structure, pushing them away from it as he starts to paddle. When did I become visible to these sort of affairs, have I been careless? In an awkward silence as they traversed the stagnant pool of clear blue water, Raidou messes with his inventory mostly as a distraction from the unsettling feeling in his chest. They were headed toward a massive structure akin to shogun of old. It called his appearance into question as he knew that with such a hierarchy based structure surely people would be outside of standard attire. Here he was in the same thing he had always worn, further cementing just how out of place he would be. Raidou had hoped they could see past such formality and allow the gravity of whatever situation this was to take precedence. No time to fix it now His familiar could pick up on how uncomfortable he was, he could feel it tightening on his skin as a result. "Relax Juiblex, we are in a safe zone." Raidou whispered into his collar, at the black ichor that was hidden underneath. The swordsman needed to relax if his companion could feel the shift the others could very possibly as well. The vessel makes it to the landing, and the boy remarks "W-we're h-here." as they come to shore at the grand estate, Raidou hops clean of the object they had used to travel. With the first and final word to the kid: "A little confidence goes a long way, remember that." Spoiler Raidou, the Red Wanderer Level: 50 HP: 1000/1000 EN: 100/100 Stats: Damage: 17 Mitigation: 81 Evasion: 3 Accuracy: 3 BH:50 Equipped Gear: Weapon: Auric Sol - Corona [T3/Perfect/2HSS]: Damage 3 Armor: Tactician's Gaze - Ogma [T1/Perfect/Trinket]: +3 Accuracy Misc: Red Wanderer's Robe [T1/Perfect/L.A] +3 Evasion Skills: Gatherer [Obtained] Two Handed Straight Sword [Rank 5] One Handed Straight Sword [Rank 3] Parry [Obtained] Howl [Obtained] Battle Healing [Rank 5] Fighting Spirit [Obtained] Extra Skills: Concentration Familiar Mastery: Protector Mods: Vengeful Riposte Focused Howl Battle Ready Inventory: Dracbane [T2/Perfect/2HSS]: V.O 1, ACC 1, BLD 1 Teleport Crystal*1 Edited June 21, 2020 by Raidou Link to post Share on other sites
tricolor_mina 0 Posted June 21, 2020 #11 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Violet found herself travelling to the 24th floor, a nervous feeling pervading her mind. this would be the first time in quite a while that she had found herself at a raid meeting. She'd dressed herself in a bright orange yukata, decorated with bright red flowers, a black and white obi tied with red string. to finish the look she'd even placed a matching flower in her hair, her familiar sporting a similar flower woven into red string as a part of a collar. She always tried her best to keep them matching, after all. She walked upwards towards the meeting place, an oriental home and guild nestled within the mountains, something that she was wholeheartedly impressed with. "Maa, baldur must've spent a fortune on these, especially for a place as gorgeous as this..!" she murmured to herself, approaching the water edge near what seemed to be a boat ferry. A small teen with a mop of shaggy brown hair was standing near the boat, seemingly waiting for the approach of another player. "Hello miss! If you'll step right this way, I'll go ahead and ferry you over to the meeting place." he called out, waving at her. Violet felt a mild wave of surprise hit her as she was startled into a smile. "Thank you, I greatly appreciate that, kiddo." she said softly, sitting down in the boat as the young man began to ferry her across the water, reaching the other end rather quickly. After she got out of the boat, Violet turned to the teen and thanked him, bowing in respect to him. It may not seem like alot, but even the small part that the teen was playing in getting players to the meeting hall was important, so she made sure to show proper respect to the kid. She adjusted her obi a bit, before walking into the actual meeting hall. She noticed quite a large group of people, four of whom she didn't recognize. A small child with snowy white hair and wearing a purple kimono was clinging to an older woman with ash blonde hair that was dressed in a rather impressive black kimono. A black haired man wearing an oak brown yukata was standing near baldur, along with a pair of women. The older of the pair, A frontliner by the name of Mari, was wearing a simple, yet elegant, purple yukata, with a koi-fish motif. The younger one, Cordelia, was someone she had met in passing, and she was wearing a vibrant red and black kimono with a golden otaiko. "Damn, she went all out with that one, that kimono is absolutely fantastic!" she gasped, her eyes sparkling with excitement. A boy with dark brown hair, and wearing what seemed to be a bright red track jacket was standing off to the side of the entrance, and seemed to be a bit uneasy with where he was. Maybe this was the first meeting he had participated in? the other guy was a face that was rather infamous among most of the players gathered, an orange player by the name of Pinball. Granted, she didn't know him quite that well, but he had somehow managed to earn the ire of several of the most powerful current frontliners, so that was more than enough of an incentive to keep her away from him, that was for sure. the other part of that incentive was that he had an active bounty on his head placed on him by the APD. Baldur was wearing his standard outfit, the familiar blue blue of his haori making her smile. a faint pang went through her when she noticed Jon had already showed up, and was dressed in what seemed to be fairly casual clothing compared to everyone else. Even shield, who she didn't expect to dress in a similar fashion, was at least dressed in something that could be considered formal if he was wearing his armor over it. She quietly walked over, a faint smile on her face. "Maa, jon, why aren't you wearing a yukata or kimono like almost everyone else?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. "I know you own one, so why don't you get changed into it, that way we match a little more~!" she elbowed him gently in the ribs, a playful smile on her face. Violet turned towards Baldur, smiling faintly at the Gaijin Samurai. "Looking spiffy as usual, eh baldur?" she complimented, a smile on her face. "Can you come over here for a minute, me and Jon have something we need to talk to you about before the meeting starts~" Internally, violet was actually kind of nervous. She had no idea how to go about talking to someone else about their wedding. She'd been to a few before, and even participated in one, but this was entirely new territory... even if the process was a great deal less complex in this world. 'Either way, I can't think of anyone who would fit the role better than baldur, other than itzal... and he's been gone for quite some time.' @Baldur @Morgenstern Link to post Share on other sites
Zandra 0 Posted June 21, 2020 #12 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) Spoiler Zandra sat on her double bed, looking down at the floating screen. On the screen was a message, a message she had got from Baldur. It did invited her to a boss planning meeting. ''Oh fan. Do I really have to go? I really, really dont want to.'' she let out with a sigh as she threw herself backwards on the bed, arms stretched out to the sides.''Gaaah! Every time we going thru this. Always it is the source of some drama.'' she said to her feathered familiar that was sitting on a beam under the roof. She knew she was the source of some of the drama. But mostly to protect her friends. Today probably none of her friends would be there. Why? Because as far she she knew, she barely had any anymore. She rolled over, grabbed her pillow and screamed into. She sat up anb threw the pillow. She looked down on her shaking hands. ''I guess I have to go. Must be there to represent ATP.'' But why would she do that? Noone cared about her guild anymore. Have they ever done? They only joined to get those crafting buffs. She had hoped to build up a community of trading. So everyone could get easy access to any item needed. But nope, noone have bothered in helping her moving the guild forward. Except her. But doing it solo... She let out a sigh. ''I better head out so Im not late.'' As Zandra sits on her bed, she picks out a teleport crystal, crushes it, and a few moments later exits the warp gate on floor 24. There she heads to the coordinates Baldur had sent. She enters a ferry that takes her across the water. When on the other side she did herd alot of voices. She followed the path to the source of the sound. There was already almost a dozen players present. ''Hi @Baldur'' she said and gave the samuraj a wave. Except those two words she had been totally silent all the way, and she didnt made any try to start a cinverastion now either and her red hood still up, throwing a shadow on her face. Edited June 21, 2020 by Zandra Link to post Share on other sites
Mari 1 Posted June 21, 2020 #13 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) Cordelia arrived next. Mari pulled her hand away from the small fishing pond and straightened herself, wiping her hands down on her kimono, a genuine smile on her face. Mari was happy to see someone she was familiar, and friendly with arrive first. "Oh. No- we didn't have to dress up I just thought it was...I unno, thematic - and I figured I may be less threatening if I'm wearing something I couldn't really maneuver around in." Mari said as she lifted up her arms, folded material of her sleeve draping down to billow in the soft afternoon wind. @Cordelia seemed flustered as she started to go through her HUD, Mari stood back and watched with an amused grin, which turned into a greater one of amazement - "Oh Whoa. Cord-" Mari began as she approached her friend, gushing over the heavy black silk. "This really suits you. You look amazing." Mari turned to look at Baldur. "Doesn't it suit her?" Mari asked him. Then, it was Ariel and...a child to arrive. Mari couldn't hid the raised eyebrow as she glanced down at the kid. Who the hell brings a child to a frontline meeting? Mari bit her tongue though. Her guild was hosting the meeting and she had to be hospitable. " @Ariel - The Crowned Lion , welcome." Mari said to her, ignoring the condescending grin and remark from the other woman. If that was how Ariel wanted to be, Mari wouldn't blame her, couldn't blame her. Not with the....speckled past that the ginger had. Ariel asked Baldur for a moment alone. "If it's something pertaining to guild matters-" Mari began. "Surely you can speak with the Pillars present, if it's not-" Mari wasn't able to finish. Another rocked up; interrupting them. This was a little startling for Mari. Not because of his cursor - but the realization that there were gonna be a lot of people here. Mari glanced over her shoulder to look at the devilishly handsome gaijin samurai, shooting him a look as if to ask just how many people did you invite? Back when she had run the meetings; generally it was a few guild leaders - and other players who attended. Keeping the meetings short, and concise - just how much had changed over the years during her absence? As the nervous @Morgenstern walked up to the group Mari stepped up to introduce herself. "I'm Mari. Member of Jacobs Ladder, Baldur and I are two of four of the pillars. The others should arrive soon if you need anything please let me know." The small wooden walkway they stood on felt crowded. Still Mari offered the blonde the best smile she could muster. Her eyes shifted to the dragon on his shoulder. Flashbacks to the gala, and being blasted in the face by a dumb rogue familiar flashed in her mind and Mari glanced to Cordelia. She was probably having flashbacks too. Still. It wasn't him, nor was it his familiar. Mari held out a friendly hand toward him. "Everyone is welcome here. Even if here is quickly becoming cramped." Mari couldn't help but add the last part. "You've yet to miss anything important. Uh...maybe just stand to the side - I swear we gonna have to have people start to stand on pond stones and -" Before Mari could get any more frazzled @Shield arrived. "Shield." Mari said exasperated, clearly relieved that there was another pillar here - now all they needed was Oikawa. But...he had been oddly silent lately. "Last I checked we could only teleport to the towns." Mari said to him with a grin and a jab into his side with an elbow. "Are you just tryin' to make me buy more? What a shrewd businessman you are." Mari taunted. Her eyes shifted over all the people gathering on the boardwalk. "Shield...we really need to start ushering people into the meeting hall." If any more rocked up; they'd begin to have a space issue. And of course more people rocked up Luckily one of those people were @Crozeph, Mari ignored the fact that he looked like he just crawled out of bed. "Cro - perhaps we should get our guests seated before offering them drinks." She mused. "Good to see you, sleepyhead." Then, another player. @Pinball This one Mari hadn't met or even seen before. Much like her, there was an orange crystal floating above his head. Wary eyes regarded her and the others. Mari guessed he kept to himself a lot - a youth of few words. She couldn't blame him, if the roles were reversed Mari wouldn't be bothering talking to even half the people here. She gave him a small nod of acknowledgement. A pink haired lady in a stunning orange Kimono arrived, and Mari offered her a smile. "Welcome. I do like your..." Mari gestured toward @tricolor_mina outfit. "Kimono but...and forgive me if it seems rude..." Mari said as she tapped her lips. "But perhaps the requests to take Baldur away can wait till after the meeting." Her eyes shifted from Ariel to the pink haired woman she was not familiar with. "I'm sure if it was urgent you would have contacted him before the day his guild was hosting a meeting, and waiting till just before the meeting starts to ask. So surely, it can wait. More pressing matters, yanno?" Mari said as she gestured to the group of people standing around; they almost all didn't fit. Someone would have to start ushering them around soon. "But - that's entirely up to Baldur if he chooses to step away." Mari added with a smile. She wasn't going to just but on in and tell people they couldn't talk to him, just wanted to kinda let them know that timing...was important. "Right now the Pillars will be greeting guests." As @Zandra arrived Mari decided enough was enough. "Zandra." Mari added acknowledging the red cloaked woman. She may have been rude enough to not acknowledge Mari, but Mari was a host, and wasn't going to extend that same attitude toward Zandra. "Okay." Mari said, louder now as she clasped her hands together. "Can everyone please make their way inside, and find some seating, so we can make room for the other arrivals." Mari gestured toward the entrance to their side. "If you follow Crozeph-" Mari added, dragging the poor sleepy boi to her side. "I'm sure he will make sure you are all comfortable and provide you with refreshments." sleepy Mari gave a small sigh of relief now that people were going to be directed to another place, leaving her Shield and @Baldur to be able to greet the next wave of guests. Mari turned to Baldur and gave him an endearing smile as she stood beside him and Shield. "I'm happy you're here. Both of you...err doing this meeting with you...yanno. it's nice to be back. " Terrifying but nice. Edited June 21, 2020 by Mari Link to post Share on other sites
Zajcica 0 Posted June 21, 2020 #14 Share Posted June 21, 2020 The paladin wasn't one to be fashionably late. Honestly, she preferred to be one of the first persons to an event when it was happening. Being early was always better than being late. A boat ride was all it took to get there, and while Yuki wasn't very fond of boats, she found time to write up a message to her best friend. @NIGHT may want to be apart of this, so she sent her a quick message containing the coordinates to the Jacob's Ladder Guild Hall and a short run down of what was happening. Also that she should wear a kimono or yukata, else be the biggest sore thumb in existence. As she stepped off the boat and into the estate that was owned by Crow's friend Baldur, she was actually insanely impressed with it. This may have been even more breathtaking than her own home. So this is where Crozeph goes when he isn't spending time with her. Interesting. Well, at least there were people who were nice enough to tolerate his inane sleeping habits besides just her. She would have to meet this man, Baldur when she had a chance to do so and thank him for taking care of her sleepy headed numskull. Many people were already socializing, getting to know the people they don't or just talking with past friends. Yuki took the time to find her loved-one and walked over to him. She was dressed in a familiar pink kimono with the white fur that resembled from her cape. The warm smile she had was beaming with excitement. "Crowy~" The call came from behind and was met with a hug. She knew how much he loved those surprise hugs. I slight blush formed over the woman's cheeks. "I'm nervous, I must admit. I hardly know anyone here well and this is my first time associating with anything done on the front lines." Letting go of the boy, Yuki could hear a familiar voice. It was Mari. The girl seemed to be leading all the players to be ushered into the meeting area at this point. The orange player was one of the leaders of the guild, she heard, so she would have to do her best not to make any mistakes like she usually did around the ginger-haired player. Then she came over and drug Crozeph to her side, telling people to follow him. Once that was done, she waved to Mari with a smile, remembering what she said to her last time they talked. She didn't want to see Yuki upset, nor did the paladin want to feel upset. After what happened with Crozeph in the last bit of time they saw each other, Yuki was in the best mood that she has ever been since she hit the second tier, even not better. Mari would probably be too busy to talk right now, so Yuki elected to not say anything to her. Rather, she caught up with her significant other and looped her fingers around his. Her palm clasped with his, she wouldn't really care who saw. "Did you sleep well? Here I brought something for you to eat cause I wasn't sure if there would be food made for the event." Opening her menu really quick to pull out the item, it was a small bento box of teriyaki chicken, rice and california rolls. She offered it to Crow with a smile. It was then that the girl actually noticed a stand out face within the crowd. As the two approached him, Yuki smiled and called out for her old mentor. "Oi, Shield! It's been some time hunh? Good to see you! Crow told me about the meeting and I thought I should join to listen in. Even if I'm not going to the floor boss, this will be a nice experience to see how the floor boss raids are planned." @Crozeph @Mari @Shield Spoiler Name: Zajčica Level: 50 HP: 1090/1090 EN: 100/100 Stats: Damage: 3 Mitigation: 159 Evasion: -1 Accuracy: 2 BH:54 BLD:36 H.M.:2 REC:1 THRNS:54 TAUNT Equipped Gear: Weapon: Durandal (T3/Perfect/OHSS): ACC II; BLD I Armor: Charlemagne Rouge (T3/Perfect/Heavy): Heavy Momentum II, Rec I Misc: Casa di Logistilla (T3/Perfect/Shield): Thorns II; Taunt Skills: One-Handed Straight Sword [Rank 1] Heavy Armor [Rank 5] Fighting Spirit [Obtained] Block [Rank 4] Battle Healing [Rank 5] Extra Skills: Concentration Familiar Mastery: Defender Mods: Athletics Stonewall Shield Bash Battle Ready Inventory: Teleportation Crystal*1 Housing Buffs: Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down) Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. Tasty: Turn 2 identical food items into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Angler: +1 material gained when fishing Advanced Training: +2 SP to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1] Guild Hall Buffs: Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day. Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests. Scents of the Wild: Tanos Statue: +15 Mitigation for a thread. Wedding Ring: Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted June 21, 2020 #15 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Bahr grumbled as he stepped off from the boat and onto the shore, the pollen from the flower riding his ear tickling it and sending shivers down his spine. When Lessa had told him about the meeting, she'd put it there. "Here! It will help you fit in!" she'd said as she'd tucked it past his ear and nestled it between his strands of ivory hair. But how, exactly? Was it even a Japanese flower? A very large part of Bahr imagined she simply wanted to see what he'd look like with something of a more "cute" accessory. Either way, his typical attire was Japanese-inspired enough that he felt right at home with the simplistic arches, colorful gardens, and calm waters that surrounded the spit of land. Though, none of that really mattered. There were more... difficult quandaries to attend to. Bahr had spotted a particularly unwelcome youth observing the carnival of players from afar, likely too nervous to approach just yet. And while Bahr still seethed at the sight of him, there was a certain kinship that he felt in congruence. From one outcast to another, Bahr understood the somersaults the murderer's stomach must have been doing right now. He'd probably feel more comfortable approaching the others if someone he knew was at his side. Bahr lamented the idea of doing the kid any favors, but the alternative was having a spooky skeleton spy on them from the outskirts. Somehow, he hated that more. "Gonna murder all of them, too?" Bahr chided as he came up alongside Pinball. He'd help the kid, but he wasn't going to be nice about it. Though, their relationship had always been this way. It probably put the youth at ease more than anything, the pure normalcy of the statement returning a modicum of familiarity to the situation on a macro perspective. He inhaled a lung full of that crisp, salty air before taking a step forward. "Let's get this over with. Stay close." There were plenty of faces that Bahr didn't recognize in attendance, all of them more lit up than the more off-put visages of the vagabond duo as they waded into the proverbial unfamiliarity pond. The further they made it in, the more the figures became recognizable. Bahr's mismatched eyes met briefly with Mari's, where they narrowed. Seemed that once again the fugitive had managed to run into him in an area not fit for an arrest. With a slow, knowing nod, he communicated to her that she was safe. For now. Other players oscillated around her nearby, one of which being Cordelia. When Bahr's eyes flickered to hers, they softened, and he offered a bit of a friendly wave. Within the same circle was Ariel - a player that Bahr had met only briefly during the Christmas event. She'd read Bahr and Lessa's shared fortune before they scampered out of the tent to skulk the event grounds alone together. Though he wasn't quite as familiar with her, he still offered a friendly nod. Zandra was hovering about as well, but Bahr averted his eyes when he saw her. Last time they'd interacted, he'd been flirting with her. Now he was a taken man. Oops. And then there was Morgenstern. Poor, nervous Morgenstern. And how could Bahr tell that he was nervous? Well, for starters, nobody was sweating like that in this heat. It was warm, to be sure, but the sun's embrace was a soothing and comforting one in this environment. As Bahr walked by, he offered a fist bump to the man in solidarity, then patted his shoulder firmly afterward as though to say, "Get it together, brother." Nobody else struck Bahr as someone he had crossed paths with before. Either he was more unfamiliar with the Frontliners than he originally thought, or his memory was absolute sh*t. Probably a mixture of the two. Though, Bahr was a tad nervous to see that he'd made it here before Lessa. She was, for all intents and purposes, meant to be his tour guide of sorts. Oscar also hadn't made it yet, or NIGHT. All of the players he was more familiar with either weren't coming or hadn't made it yet, which left Bahr feeling a little alone and uncomfortable. How messed up was it that the person who knew the most out of everyone in attendance was a man who'd tried to kill him, and who he'd attempted to kill in turn? The entire situation was uneasy and weird. As such, Bahr chose a wall at the peripherals of the crowd to lean against, before folding his arm and craning his head toward his unlikely companion. "Give me a rundown of the people here, and I might not try to kill you as soon as we get off this island," Bahr suggested in hushed tones. "I'm at a disadvantage. I hardly know any of them." Link to post Share on other sites
Itzal 0 Posted June 21, 2020 #16 Share Posted June 21, 2020 OOC Note: Unless you tag me, I likely won't know you're talking to me Stats/Skills/Gear Spoiler General Level: 83 HP: 1,660. 1,690 with Acrobatics. Energy: 166 DMG: 17 (base 1 damage + 9 dmg (Velnia) +5 sword skill +1 Athletics +1 Ferocity) Stealth Rating: +5 SP Available: 1 Total SP: 481 Combat Setup ---------------------------------------------- Slot 1: +3 EVA / +1 EVA +2 MIT Slot 2: +2 BLD/PLZ +1 Keen Slot 3: +3 ACC ---------------------------------------------- Skills: Rank 5 one handed straight sword (+5 DMG) <50 sp> Rank 5 light armor (+25 MIT) <50 sp> Rank 5 Search and Detect (+5 LD) <50 sp> Gatherer (turns each material found into the ammount of 4) <10 sp> Picking (+3 LD when opening chests) <15 sp> Rank 5 Charge (+5 dmg first attack) <50 sp> Rank 5 Battle Healing (+5% total health per combat post) <50 sp> Rank 5 Hiding (+5 Stealth Rating) <50 sp> Rank 2 Exceed Mod Limit (+2 Mods allowed) <5 sp> Expert Martial Arts (+3 unarmed damage) <23 sp> Mods: Detect (+1 to dungeon searching, +3 to player, npc, mob searching, all player stealth bonuses are negated) <9> Night Vision (Ignores any penalties from low light or darkness, as well as negating others stealth bonuses from it) <5> Athletics: +1 dmg +10 * tier HP. <9> Sprint & Acrobatics +1 Evasion while wearing light armor <15> Ferocity: +1 DMG <15> Untraceable: Players cannot Track Itzal <9> Surprise Attack (Assassin): Attacks made from stealth cannot miss. Attacking from stealth grants +1 * player's tier DMG. Stuns and other status effects (Bleed, Paralysis, Burn, etc) cannot trigger. Cannot posses both Surprise Attack (Assassin) and Surprise Attack (Trickster). Extra/locked Skills: Meditation: Increase meditation recovery to 5*Tier energy if uninterrupted. And 3*Tier energy if interrupted. Has a 3 turn cooldown. <0 sp> Survival <3 sp> Disguise: +1 EVA for a full round. 3 Turn Cooldown. It had been a very long time since Itzal had seen the frontliners. Well other than Zandra. If he was being honest with himself, he probably would never have come back to the frontlines if it weren't for her... In fact, he probably wouldn't have been able to move past Kasier's death if it weren't for Zandra. He owed her so much. So much so that, at this point, he was perfectly fine with fighting on the front lines, as long as he could do it by her side. He smiled at that thought as he ate his meal. In the past, Itzal always tried to be one of the first people at the meeting. Thinking back on it, he tried too hard to make an impression. But now, as he forked over the last of his eggs, he was content with taking his time and just handling things one step at a time. Though that didn't stop him from keeping a mental checklist of everything he needed to do in the day. Having cleaned his plate he put it into his inventory so he could clean it later and backed up from the table. He stared at the seat on the other end as he did so. Normally he'd envision Kasier sitting there, and feel a tug of pain. But now, as he smiled, all he could imagine was Zandra, and feel the excitement of when they could live together in the same house. No more lonely mornings eating by himself. Giving a sigh of satisfaction, Itzal figured it was time to get the day moving. He'd already gotten the training he needed (or more accurately was used to having), and he'd already taken his shower and now he'd finished eating his breakfast. Now he needed to put on his equipment, stock up on supplies, and pray to God that this boss fight wouldn't be as bad as the last ones in regards to players bickering and bringing politics where they weren't needed... At all... Opening his menu, Itzal went to his favorites menu and equipped his black cloth and leather armor. With a flash of light his normal, simple cloth clothes vanished as his armor materialized. Even though it's appearance had a very important meaning to it, he couldn't help but smile as he wore it. Call him childish, but he just felt cool wearing it. With that done, he equipped Beauty Incarnate, his last reminder of Kasier, and finally his black sword. Today he equipped Kins Pen since paralysis was more ideal against pkers, and he really didn't know what to expect today. But it was always good to have some form of 'crowd control' if things went south. After his equipment, he pulled out some consumables, but mainly just a teleport crystal, as well as a few corridor crystals... Just in case... All geared up now, he took a deep breath and pulled out the corridor crystal which lead to an area near the coordinates given to him by Baldur. He knew that Zandra was going today, so if anyone asked he'd tell them that Zandra informed him of the meeting, and that's how he knew. No one had his username after all, just his alias. He activated the corridor crystal and, after confirming that there was no one in the immediate area outside the portal, stepped through and kept himself low. He scanned the area for anyone else, and while there were a few players down the road, as well as a player who appeared to be ferrying players across the waters into the estate. Itzal stayed hidden behind some vegetation however as he watched this occur. To keep up Are's reputation, he wasn't going to walk in like an honored guest, but rather sneak in unnoticed if possible. So: Are switched his evasion armor to the mitigation armor. It had the same cosmetic appearance, including his face being shrouded in a black shadowy mist. With that he maneuvered around the large mass of water until he was out of earshot. With that, he dived into the water and began to swim towards the island. Using his night vision, detect and reveal mods, he kept an eye on players should they appear. He was coming from behind so unless people decided to take a detour, he shouldn't have any problem avoiding people's sight. Whenever he needed a breath, after confirming no one was there, he'd float to the surface, take a deep breath, and submerge once again. He continued this process until he reached the island the estate rested on. Climbing quietly out of the water, he quickly switched his gear to the evasion armor, resulting in him being completely dry. With that, all he had to do now was slip in through the entrance without being noticed. As he approached the entrance, he inwardly groaned since it was lit up, reducing his chances. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to relax and walked towards the entrance from the side. Keeping calm, he kept his stride long and quiet, and stayed close to the walls. Since no one could see his face, he would appear confident, while attempting to avoid attention. Zandra however, would see the anxiety and stress that clouded his expression as he walked in. Assuming she spotted him that is. Itzal would immediately move to a darkened corner of the room as soon as he was inside. After doing so, he'd lean against the wall and open his menu to send Zandra a message: Quote To: @Zandra From: Itzal I'm here. Currently in the corner of the room shrouded by shadows, but I'm here. ID# 154543 LD: 14+5=19 Stealth Link to post Share on other sites
Cordelia 0 Posted June 21, 2020 #17 Share Posted June 21, 2020 "Does it? Thank you! I didn't get to say how good you look in yours as well," she exclaimed after the initial panic had settled down. She looked down at her clothes and laughed softly. "When I bought this, I never thought I would be wearing it during a meeting as important as this. Special events, sure, but not as something major like a Floor Boss Meeting," Cordelia said, intertwining her hands together before she shrugged. It didn't matter as much as she thought it would though, right? They were here to discuss the next raid, so it would've been useless to wear armor. @Mari Eventually, a duo of players arrived, one of which Cordelia was able to recognize... and a little girl... She wasn't sure what to think. Was this child actually at a level to be a frontliner? Or was she just attending alongside Ariel for God knows what? A meeting discussing their next plan of action for getting out of this hell hole didn't seem to be the place where a kid would be. She cast Ariel a suspicious look before sighing. It didn't matter. As long as she didn't stir up trouble, Cordelia remain quiet about it. "It has been a while. It's good to see you again, Ariel," Cordelia replied, giving a casual nod to her and her... child? Whatever. "Ah, thank you. You look beautiful too," she commented, sweatdropping under her gaze as Ariel examined her attire. Their meaningless small talk didn't seem to last long after that since she seemed to have a few - possibly urgent - words for Baldur, and the last thing she wanted was to interrupt something that was important, so she settled her attention on something elsewhere. @Ariel - The Crowned Lion ... Which just so happened to be the small girl who clung to Ariel's side like her life depended on it. She didn't seem like a one for socializing, but Cordelia guessed that was reasonable. She was in a room with a bunch of adults and possibly some of the most powerful people in their reality after all. If it weren't for the comfort of the people she already knew, Cordelia would be in the same state. Tilting her head, Cordelia bent down slightly and offered her hand to the girl. "Hey there. I haven't seen you around before!" she beamed with a soft smile. "I'm Cordelia. Nice to meet you." Whether or not if the girl shook her hand, Cordelia would stand back to her full height and give the girl a single wink and smile before turning to the arriving guests. @Assassin The next one to arrive seemed to be an unfamiliar player to her as well, and even then, he seemed to be nervous. Maybe this was also his first floor boss meeting? She wondered if Baldur knew him, or did somebody else invite him? Nonetheless, she outstretched her hand to him in a friendly demeanor. "Pleasure to meet you. My name's Cordelia... and not really, everyone is just starting to arrive so you're right on time!" she said, giving him a wide grin. She nearly choked on her spit when she watched an almost familiar white dragon land on his shoulders... ah, yes. Dragons. Small... dragons. Cordelia shuddered. That night at the Valentine's Day gala will never escape her, will it? She coughed into her wrist and looked away. "Nice dragon," she muttered quickly, just catching her breath as she looked over to Mari from the corner of her eye. It seemed that neither of them were going to be forgetting that night anytime soon. @Morgenstern Shield seemed to be the next to arrive after, to which she gave a small nod to him in return. She had encountered him and quested with him maybe once or twice, but she wouldn't call herself close to him. He seemed to have business with Baldur too, so it would be best if she weren't to say her greetings at the moment. @Shield Another soul arrived, but this time, it didn't seem to be a guest... but a very sleep Crow. She chuckled at his sudden awareness of his surroundings. Cordelia had almost forgotten that he was staying with Baldur... and wasn't there another guy staying with him as well? She wasn't sure. Names seemed to fly right by her head and they were impossible to catch. "Hey Crow," she sniggered, patting the flustered boy on the back a few times before she went back to greeting guests. @Crozeph Two more players seemed to arrive, that being Raidou and Mina, both of whom she had encountered at one point or another. Considering that she didn't exactly leave on good terms with Raidou, she settled on approaching Mina instead. The pinkette seemed to be sporting a brilliant orange kimono of her own, which really went well with her warm colored hair. Cordelia couldn't help but gush at it. "Hey Mina! Long time no see... and you look great!" It seemed that she also had business to discuss with Baldur and with... Jon? Was that his name? She seemed pretty close to him. Maybe there were some sort of couple? Cordelia did a mental shrug. She shouldn't try prying into matters that weren't hers to pry with. @tricolor_mina More and more players started piling in, and it honestly became hard to keep track of who was there. Cordelia got a brief glance at Zandra, to which she gave a small wave to, and Yuki managed to be able to come as well. She seemed to know Crozeph very well. Were they dating? The platinum-haired player shook her head. "Don't pry into things," she muttered, giving the girl a small smile before she went to go speak to more arriving players. Amongst the crowd, she had managed to lock eyes with a familiar face; Bahr! She returned his wave with one of her own along with a bright smile. He seemed to be accompanied by another person, and for a moment, she thought it would be Lessa since the two seemed to close, but instead, it was the person at the very top of her hit-list. Her face dropped immediately. Was she seeing this right? Was that the Pinball? Why was Pinball of all people with Bahr? Cordelia looked at him in a mixture of confusion and disbelief. Did the world turn upside down when she was sleeping or something? Cordelia weaved her way through the crowd, desperate for answers and clarity to the seemingly unanswerable questions in her head. She had thought up many scenarios for when she would see that lying bastard again, but seeing him be buddy buddy with Bahr in a boss raid meeting of all places was not one of them. She was only about a few meters away before she decided to pause and think- something that seemed impossible to do only a few minutes ago. Cordelia pressed her hands against her temples as she let out a long sigh. As much as she wanted to wrap her hands around his stupid twig neck and strangle him, now wasn't the time for that. People were here for serious matters, and she doubted that her grudge against that stupid lying murderer would have a place in those matters. So instead of murdering a teenage boy in front of a child and respected friends, she'd take a deep breath and slowly make her way back to Mari and the rest, but not before giving him the glare of the century - because, y'know. She hated him. @Bahr @Pinball Link to post Share on other sites
NIGHT 0 Posted June 21, 2020 #18 Share Posted June 21, 2020 What? Words? Um, no. NIGHT took the boat ride. Sure. NIGHT walked into the house. Fantastic. NIGHT, reluctantly, had donned a yukata for the occasion. As tempting as being a sore-thumbed individual had first sounded to her ears. This wasn't exactly the best time for formalities, she believed -- there was a boss that needed to be slain first, wasn't there? Celebratory occasions could come after the fight was over. Still, she played along. No harm in avoiding the chance of getting kicked out. So there she was, in the midst of the crowd, trying to find some semblance of... ugh, normalcy away from the rabble. There were just too damn many people lurking around, mingling, mixing. Not enough familiar faces. NIGHT felt like a distant cousin returning from an overseas trip to finally show up for a family reunion after ten years of being apart. Cardinal at least let her at least vanish into the corner. --No, wait. No one knew who she was just yet. And that probably means she wouldn't be able to join the fighting army. Goddammit. She just wanted to listen in about the boss and interact with no one better. Maybe she shouldn't have arrived so early. She'd key the fact into her mind and save herself the trouble next time. Awkwardly, NIGHT bumbled her way over to a side of the room, leaning up against the wall in the hopes that the most she would receive from anyone who knew her was a nod and a wave. They could very easily talk afterwards. Maybe soon, she hoped, the players would get right down to business. NIGHT | HP: 1195/1195 | EN: 114/114 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 20 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 99 | LD: 3 | BURN: 36 | BLIGHT: 72 | BLEED: 36 | Stealth Detection: 3 | Stealth Rating: 7 - - - [Examine] [Equipment] Jack's Executioner -- [ Burn I | Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 deal 36 unmitigated burn damage each enemy turn for 2 turns. This effect does not stack, but can be refreshed. ] -- [ Blight II | Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 deal 72 unmitigated blight damage each enemy turn for 2 turns. This effect does not stack, but can be refreshed. ] -- [ Bleed I | Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 deal 36 unmitigated bleed damage each enemy turn for 2 turns. This effect does not stack, but can be refreshed. ] Reinforced Steel Plate Armor -- [ Mitigation III | +81 MIT. ] Silver Crescent Necklace -- [ Accuracy II | +2 ACC ] -- [ Evasion II | +2 EVA ] [Battle-Ready Inventory] - - - - - - - - - Skills Skills Mod Count: 7/8 Two-Handed Straight Sword | Passive | RANK 5/5 > Ferocity, Precision, Finesse Heavy Armor | Passive | RANK 3/5 > Athletics Searching | Passive | RANK 3/5 Hiding | Passive | RANK 4+1/5 > Blindside, Vanish, Surprise Attack: Trickster Extended Mod Limit | Passive | RANK 3/3 [Extra] Survival | Passive Concentration | Active -- CD: 3 Familiar Mastery: Fighter | Passive | RANK 3/3 Consumed Buffs Spoiler Kumatetsu Statue | +1 DMG - - - - - - Misc. Buffs Spoiler Dimensional Backpack, Item Stash | +2 Battle-Ready Inventory Slots. Well Rested | -1 EN for the first three expenditures of each combat. Relaxed | +(5 * Tier) HP per out-of-combat post. Full energy restoration occurs after two turns out of combat. Squeaky Clean | -25% DoT damage taken from the first DoT applied to this player in a thread. Skylight: Hiding | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cooldown of 30 days to reassign. Multipurpose | +1 LD/Prosperity/Stealth/Detection to one post per thread. Can be applied after a roll. Filling | +1 T1 slot to a food consumed by this player in a thread. Can exceed Cook enhancement caps. Link to post Share on other sites
Ariel - The Crowned Lion 0 Posted June 21, 2020 #19 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) In a short time after she and Sin arrived, the avenue got crowded. Yet she still watched amused as Crowzeph involuntarily gave them a glimpse of his daily mundane routine, then made himself busy by helping people set in. Various players came by and greeted their host, Ariel nodding and waving despite not being directly adressed except by a couple of them. She felt a little... distressed... under the weather, for a while now, even before coming to this meeting and she knew exactly the source of it. It was one of the reason she wanted to talk privately with Baldur but saw that she wouldn't probably get a chance to as a couple came with the same request as her. She listened to Mari's words and softly sighed, thinking they were still like like oil and water, despite not interaction for some time. Luckily the former pinkette, took up the host role and directed her attention towards other matters before Ariel would try to explain herself. With only the gaijin samurai and a couple of people around them and within earshot, she thought she could impart her concerns with him. get this over done as soon as possible. Putting a gentle hand on Assassin's head she asked: "Can you hold onto this for me, for a minute?" next handing her the umbrella she had, dismissing the fan on the other hand back in storage. She then would slightly position herself so that the girl clinging to her kimono wouldn't see directly in front of the blonde, trying to shield her from the influence of what she was about to show. With a couple of hand gestures she summoned from her inventory a odachi which she held in both hands. Its color as black as the night, the item itself seemed to exhume darkness. The moment it materialized a slight sense of dread filled the blonde, the weapon's malevolent aura probably affecting those in their immediate vicinity to some degree. " I'm sure you're familiar with noroi ken (cursed swords) since you wield a Muramasa yourself, Baldur. This is what our shadow 'friend'... " she put a heavy emphasis on the marked word before resuming, her tone serious and concerned: "...left in my inventory after we fled... or should I say.. 'cleared' the labyrinth." She looked Bladur in the eyes, clearly quoting his message and questioning the choice of words via a raised eyebrow. She hesitated for some moments, her expression showing that she was trying to mustering up courage to continue. After a long sigh, she then partially drew the sword; black flames/smoke? reminiscent of the labyrinth boss himself spewed out from the gap in the sheath and even the silver blade itself. The weapon's description read as following: Spoiler ≪Nihilim's Anguish#154380≫ [T3 Katana] Fallen | Fallen | ACC A fang of the cursed dragon, Nihilim fashioned into a weapon. Darkness seeps from within the very core of the fang. Merely touching it fills the user with a faint sensation of dread. She let Baldur and whoever was interested to read it, enough time to do so, then hastily sheathed the naked blade, significantly reducing the baleful aura it was producing. She let out a long sigh of relief. "I have no use for this and even if I plan on taking the Katana skill in the future, it would be a waste to have it laying somewhere; unused. I wonder if like a true cursed sword, would it would draw someone to wield it." she said in a failed attempt of a joke. After a brief pause pause, she looked towards the two members of Jacob's Ladder that were currently ushering the players then turned her attention back to Baldur. "Initially I thought about having Karasu-kun safekeep it for me but he's still not high enough level to use it so... Until I get my grandmastery in the katana, I want you to have it as Crow's sensei, use it if you like and pass it on to him when you feel he's ready. It'll be a long time until I can invest in the katana skill." She then extended the odachi towards him and smiled softly as she asked: "What do you say?" @Baldur @Shield @Morgenstern @tricolor_mina (+idk, whoever is close or interested) Edited June 21, 2020 by Ariel - The Crowned Lion Link to post Share on other sites
Lessa 1 Posted June 22, 2020 #20 Share Posted June 22, 2020 "Oh my god, it's beautiful." On a long inhale, Lessa took in the majesty that was Baldur's home. Content with her lakes and mountains, the woman had never even considered inhabiting the islands. Now? Well, jealousy gnawed at her like tiny, incessant insects. Lush, green vegetation rioted over the island, crisscrossed by the shimmering streams that shone like liquid gold in the sun. The various buildings that peeked through the foliage appeared constructed of entirely natural materials. As a result, they simply blended into the backdrop, allowing Mother Nature to take center stage. It was, in a word, breathtaking. The samurai had chosen his location wisely, and she saw many visits to his estate in her future. "Beautiful," she drawled once more, face soft and shining with awe. "Are you seeing this?" In a swirl of blonde hair, the swordswoman turned to face the boat's other occupant. The youth gazed back at her from under his cap of shaggy brown hair, eyes wide with unease and uncertainty. The poor boy stared at her as if she'd just stripped naked. Immediately, sympathy washed over her. "Of course you're seeing this," she hastily added, flashing the player a wide smile. "How can you miss it? It's just spectacular. Baldur really has an eye for this stuff." The kid blinked, shrugged. "H-he just asked me to f-ferry people across. Ma'am." The 'ma'am' was clunky, and he practically choked in his rush to add it in. Then, when he became suddenly engrossed in adjusting his hold on the paddle, Lessa determined he preferred the silence. Fair enough, she mused, sweeping her attention back to the approaching island. Might as well hold off on the drama until the meeting starts. Her first in many, many years, a fact that certainly was not lost on Lessa. As she delicately stepped from the boat, and gazed up at the nearest building, the first butterflies began to pinwheel in the pit of her stomach. Crap. Up until that point, she had avoided the nerves that accompanied any thought of floor boss battles. The last fight had played out hundreds of times in her dreams, and when she had walked away from the Frontlines, it had been for good. So what had changed? When her eyes met Bahr's, held there, she knew some of those answers lurked within that mismatched gaze. Recognizing her flower still nestled in his snow-white hair, pleasure bloomed to chase away the butterflies. "You beat me here," she commented, slipping her arm though his. Glancing around her boyfriend, Lessa offered Pinball a small nod, a quick, "Hey." Whatever fragile alliance Bahr and Pin had formed, Lessa felt the need to tiptoe where the player killer was concerned. "I'm just going to borrow him for a sec, if that's okay." Without waiting for a response from either of them, Lessa gently eased Bahr away and steered him toward the entrance. "I hope you don't mind," she began, dropping her voice so the words lingered between only the two of them. "I just wanted to get introductions out of the way before things get crazy." By the time she had finished her rushed explanation, the pair stood directly in front of their host. Perfect timing, as a steady stream of players had kept him occupied since her arrival. "Hey Baldur," Lessa greeted warmly. "Thank you again for hosting the meeting today. It was really generous, and your home is absolutely incredible. Seriously, it's just beautiful." With her right arm still nestled in Bahr's, her left hand patted his forearm gently. "I wanted to introduce you to my boyfriend, Bahr." Shifting, she continued, "Bahr, this is Balur, one of my oldest friends and first mentees." With a quick laugh, she concluded, "You might just say I taught him everything he knows." @Pinball @Bahr @Baldur Link to post Share on other sites
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