[F21 - SP] <<The Hidden Village>>

[Bahr 0]

Spoiler

STATS
LEVEL - 73
HP - 1490
EN - 146
DMG - 20
MIT - 79
ACC - 3
EVA - 4
FALLEN - 12
HOLY - 6
LD - 5
STEALTH DETECTION - 5
HOLY BLESSING - 24
BATTLE HEALING - 72
PHASE

HOME BUFFS
» WELL RESTED
     ➥ -1 EN FOR THE FIRST THREE TURNS OF COMBAT
» RELAXED
     ➥ +15 TO OUT OF COMBAT HP REGENERATION
     ➥ FULL ENERGY REGENERATION AFTER TWO POSTS OUT OF COMBAT
» SQUEAKY CLEAN
     ➥ REDUCE INCOMING DOT DAMAGE BY 25% FOR FIRST INCOMING DOT INFLICTED IN THREAD
» FILLING
     ➥ INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS OF A SINGLE CONSUMED FOOD ITEM IN A THREAD BY +1 T1 SLOT
» ITEM STASH
     ➥ +1 BATTLE-READY INVENTORY SLOT
» DELICIOUS
     ➥ COMBINE 3 IDENTICAL FOOD ITEMS INTO A FEAST ONCE PER THREAD
» SKYLIGHT SEARCHING
     ➥ SEARCHING EXPERTISE INCREASED BY 1
» ANGLER
     ➥ +1 MATERIAL GAINED WHILE FISHING
» MULTIPURPOSE
     ➥ GAIN +1 TO LD, STEALTH RATING, STEALTH DETECTION, OR PROSPERITY TO ONE POST IN A THREAD
     ➥ CAN BE APPLIED AFTER THE ROLL
» DECOR: <<SPOOKY AMENITY>>
     ➥ REDUCE INCOMING DOT DAMAGE BY 5% FOR FIRST INCOMING DOT INFLICTED IN THREAD
» KAMATETSU STATUE
     ➥ +1 DMG

SKILLS

NON-COMBAT SKILLS
» EXTENDED MOD LIMIT R3 
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ ALLOWS FOR THE USE OF ONE 3 ADDITIONAL MODS
» SEARCHING R4 >>> R5 WITH SKYLIGHT BUFF
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +5 LD
     ➥ +5 STEALTH DETECTION

COMBAT SKILLS
» PARRY
     ➥ POST ACTION
     ➥ REDUCE FINAL DAMAGE OF NEXT ATTACK AGAINST YOU BY 50% (ROUNDED DOWN) AND NEGATES STUN/PARALYSIS EFFECT OF THAT ATTACK
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 2 TURNS
» BATTLE HEALING R5
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ WHILE IN COMBAT, USER HEALS FOR 5% (73 HP) OF THEIRMAX HP EACH TURN
» ENERGIZE
     ➥ POST ACTION
     ➥ RESTORE 8 ENERGY TO TARGET PARTY MEMBER. CANNOT TARGET USER.
» CHARGE R4
     ➥ POST ACTION
     ➥ +4 BASE DAMAGE TO A SINGLE ATTACK
     ➥ -1 ACC DURING ATTACK

EXTRA SKILLS
» DISGUISE
     ➥ FREE ACTION
     ➥ +1 EVA UNTIL START OF YOUR NEXT TURN
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
» MEDITATION
     ➥ POST ACTION
     ➥ RECOVER AN ADDITIONAL 15 ENERGY - GETTING HIT BY AN ATTACK BEFORE YOUR NEXT TURN REDUCES ADDITIONAL ENERGY RECOVERY TO 9
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS

WEAPON SKILLS
» TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD R5
     ➥ +7 DMG WHEN TWO-HANDED WEAPON IS EQUIPPED

ARMOR SKILLS
» LIGHT ARMOR R5
     ➥ +25 MIT

MODS
» LIGHT ARMOR MOD: ATHLETICS
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 DMG WHEN WEARING LIGHT ARMOR
     ➥ +30 HP WHEN WEARING LIGHT ARMOR
» LIGHT ARMOR MOD: SPRINT & ACROBATICS
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 EVA WHEN WEARING LIGHT ARMOR
» PARRY MOD: JUSTIFIED RIPOSTE
     ➥ POST ACTION: COMBINE WITH PARRY
     ➥ SUCCESSFUL PARRY STUNS OPPONENT
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
» WEAPON MOD: PRECISION
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 ACC
» WEAPON MOD: TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD FEROCITY
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 DMG WHEN USING 2HSS SWORD ARTS
» WEAPON MOD: TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD FINESSE R3
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ REDUCES THE EN COST OF TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD SWORD ARTS BY 3
» BATTLE HEALING MOD: EMERGENCY RECOVERY
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ WHEN PLAYER WOULD SUFFER NON-LETHAL DAMAGE THAT PUTS THEM BELOW 25% HP, HEAL 10% HP (147 HP) AFTER THE ATTACK RESOLVES
     ➥ CAN ONLY OCCUR ONCE PER THREAD
» ENERGIZE MOD: HYPERACTIVE
     ➥ POST ACTION
     ➥ INCREASE PASSIVE ENERGY RECOVERY OF PARTY MEMBER BY 3 FOR 3 TURNS. CAN TARGET USER.
» SEARCHING MOD: REVEAL
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +2 LD WHEN SEARCHING FOR SUB-DUNGEONS OR LABYRINTHS
     ➥ USER CAN SEARCH FOR SUB-DUNGEON ONCE EVERY 15 POSTS
     ➥ USER CAN SEARCH FOR LABYRINTH ONCE EVERY 3 POSTS
» SEARCHING MOD: DETECT
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +2 STEALTH DETECTION
     ➥ +1 LD WHEN SEARCHING FOR SUB-DUNGEONS OR LABYRINTHS

EQUIPMENT

WEAPON
» [EQUIPPED] "DAWN'S DEMISE" - TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD (T3 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ FALLEN 2
          ➥ +12 TO BASE DAMAGE ON NATURAL ROLLS OF 6-8
     ➥ HOLY
          ➥ +6 TO BASE DAMAGE ON NATURAL ROLLS OF 9 OR HIGHER
     ➥ PHASE
          ➥ IGNORES 50% OF MIT ON NATURAL ROLLS OF 9 OR HIGHER

ARMOR
» [EQUIPPED] "BLOODSTAINED COAT" - LIGHT ARMOR (T3 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ +54 MIT
     ➥ +1 EVA
     ➥ HOLY BLESSING
          ➥ AFTER TAKING DAMAGE, USER HEALS 24 HP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FOLLOWING TURN

TRINKET
» [EQUIPPED] "EAGLE'S EYE" - TRINKET (T1 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ +2 EVA
     ➥ +2 ACC

FAMILIAR
» [EQUIPPED] SWINE BAJESUS R3
     ➥ +9 DMG

BATTLE-READY INVENTORY

» TELEPORT CRYSTAL (5)
     ➥ ALLOWS USER TO BYPASS ROLL DURING FLEE
» HYPNOSIS 2 INSTANT CRYSTAL (3)
     ➥ -2 ACC TO SINGLE TARGET
» LULLABY 2 INSTANT CRYSTAL (1)
     ➥ -2 EVA TO SINGLE TARGET
» FLASH OF REJUVENATION COMPOUND (3)
     ➥ INSTANT
     ➥ HEAL 90 HP AS A FREE ACTION (AFFECTS ALL MEMBERS OF PARTY)
» SELF HEAL RECOVERY ELIXIR COMPOUND (5)
     ➥ HEAL 180 HP
» "DUSK'S DEMISE" - TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD (T3 - PERFECT)
     ➥ VAMPIRIC OFFENSIVE
          ➥ HEAL 147 HP ON NATURAL ROLLS OF 9 OR HIGHER
     ➥ +1 ACC
     ➥ TAUNT
          ➥ +1 HATE GENERATED FROM HOWL, FOCUSED HOWL, AND SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1490/1490 | EN: 146/146 | DMG: 20 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | HLY: 6 | LD: 5 | HB: 24 | BH: 74 | PHASE

Finally, Bahr had made his way to the Twenty First Floor. He'd landed in Tomoika, a settlement that had been inquiring as to the whereabouts of a supposedly hidden village. Bahr wasn't exactly sure where he was supposed to begin with such an endeavor, but he had a sneaking suspicion that, as with many quests in the past, the peices would begin falling into his lap shortly after he accepted the quest.

So, the first thing that he did was accept the quest. 

Apparently, it was a village that had once been common knowledge to the people of this floor. But due to the strife of the Great Dragon War, its location had been lost to the sands of time. Apparently the people here wanted to reclaim the settlement in Tesseleth's absence and reconnect it to the rest of the Floor. A noble effort, for sure, but Bahr found something a bit strange with the zeal with which they wanted this village found. It seemed off.

Edited October 29, 2020 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

It wasn't long into his trek that Bahr stumbled upon a pair of Cave Bats. Or, at least, that's what their nameplates read. But they weren't typical Cave Bats; they sported ornate robes draped over humanoid frames. Above their still bat-like claws hovered a sinister energy - akin to flame - that seemed to dance to an odd and offputting cadence, unlike anything Bahr had ever seen. They were more oracles turned bat than ordinary bats.

It seemed that they had an NPC captive, as well. And while Bahr didn't particularly care what happened to the NPC, he was looking for clues about the location of a hidden village. What were the chances that special Cave Bats appeared only moments after accepting a quest that didn't have anything to do with the quest? Probably slim to none.

So Bahr dashed toward them and let them have a taste of Dawn's Demise, completely forgetting that he had a handy dandy new Charge Skill that could have dealt even more damage.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1490/1490 | EN: 134/146 | DMG: 20 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | HLY: 6 | LD: 5 | HB: 24 | BH: 74 | PHASE

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -9 EN

Cave Bat 1: HP: 691/1000 | DMG: 175/225/275 | MIT: 75 | EVA: 2 | ACC: 1 | PHASE (All hits) | ID: 175997
BD: 7, Hit for 32x12=384-75=309 DMG | MD: 6, Miss | -2 EN

Cave Bat 2: HP: 691/1000 | DMG: 175/225/275 | MIT: 75 | EVA: 2 | ACC: 1 | PHASE (All hits) | ID: 175998
BD: 8, Hit for 32x12=384-75=309 DMG | MD: 3, Miss | -2 EN
-12 EN TOTAL ("Well Rested" House Buff reduces EN expenditure by 1.)

 

Edited October 30, 2020 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

As though an afterthough, Bahr suddenly remembered that the Charge Skill was a thing, and that it may have served a purpose in dispatching the strange oracle bats a tad quicker than he ordinarily would be capable of. So, as the creatures recoiled from the damage he had inflicted and doubled back, screeching and flailing, Bahr readied himself. He bent slightly at the knees, took aim, and fired. Rushing forward with all of his might, the momentum of his swing was only bolstered by the momentum of the body carrying it.

But there was a problem. Using an unusual skill had its consequences, at it seemed that one of them was accuracy. Bahr completely missed the first bat, but managed to catch the second one without a problem. As the afflicted bat screeched, the other simply looked on in horror. It knew that they were being dismantled by something far greater than them, and there was nothing they could do about it.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1490/1490 | EN: 125/146 | DMG: 20 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | HLY: 6 | LD: 5 | HB: 24 | BH: 74 | PHASE

Bahr used Charge, +4 DMG
Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -9 EN

Cave Bat 1: HP: 691/1000 | DMG: 175/225/275 | MIT: 75 | EVA: 2 | ACC: 1 | PHASE (All hits) | ID: 175999
BD: 4, Miss | MD: 1, Miss

Cave Bat 2: HP: 334/1000 | DMG: 175/225/275 | MIT: 75 | EVA: 2 | ACC: 1 | PHASE (All hits) | ID: 176000
BD: 8, Hit for 36x12=432-75=357 DMG | MD: 1, Miss | -2 EN
-10 EN TOTAL ("Well Rested" House Buff reduces EN expenditure by 1.)

 

Edited October 30, 2020 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

Seeing the error of Charge, Bahr decided it might be best to go through the rest of the fight without relying on it. He got enough of a boost from Fallen and Holy anyways to go without it - and he was about to prove that. Another Sword Art was charged, then released, and the bats' health bars started to plummet once more. 

There was something slightly different this time, however, in that the bat Bahr had neglected to hit the turn before managed to release a torrent of flames a split second before Dawn's Demise collided with its frame and sent it hurtling back. It was a direct hit, to the face, and Bahr felt the full brunt of the assault. After he'd shaken off the initial shock of taking a fireball to the face, his eyes traced to the upper left hand corner of his HUD, where he examined the damage. It had been more than he was expecting, but still nothing to get too worried about.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1255/1490 | EN: 114/146 | DMG: 20 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | HLY: 6 | LD: 5 | HB: 24 | BH: 74 | PHASE

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -9 EN

Cave Bat 1: HP: 382/1000 | DMG: 175/225/275 | MIT: 75 | EVA: 2 | ACC: 1 | PHASE (All hits) | ID: 176001
BD: 8, Hit for 32x12=384-75=309 DMG | MD: 10, Hit for 275-40=235 DMG | -2 EN

Cave Bat 2: HP: 36/1000 | DMG: 175/225/275 | MIT: 75 | EVA: 2 | ACC: 1 | PHASE (All hits) | ID: 176002
BD: 10, Crit for 28x12=336-38=298 DMG  | MD: 1, Miss | -2 EN
-12 EN TOTAL ("Well Rested" House Buff reduces EN expenditure by 1.)

 

Edited October 30, 2020 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

Bahr couldn't be upset with them for fighting back. If anything, he was impressed that the thing had gone from shitting its pants to landing a direct hit against its assailant. Just as Bahr had suspected, the mobs on the Twenty First Floor were quite a bit more resilient than those of other floors. There were even encounters he'd had on higher floors that weren't so tense as the ones he had had on this floor. If nothing else, it kept things interesting.

That being said, he wasn't about to just let them get away with hitting him like that. If they thought they were in trouble before, they weren't prepared for the hell that they had just unleashed. With the speed of Barry Allen, Bahr closed the distance between where he'd been standing, and where the mobs had landed after his most recent attack. One swing of his sword sent their health bars falling again. One into the red, and one into full depletion.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1353/1490 | EN: 102/146 | DMG: 20 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | HLY: 6 | LD: 5 | HB: 24 | BH: 74 | PHASE

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -9 EN

Cave Bat 1: HP: 73/1000 | DMG: 175/225/275 | MIT: 75 | EVA: 2 | ACC: 1 | PHASE (All hits) | ID: 176003
BD: 7, Hit for 32x12=384-75=309 DMG | MD: 5, Miss | -2 EN

Cave Bat 2: HP: 0/1000 | DMG: 175/225/275 | MIT: 75 | EVA: 2 | ACC: 1 | PHASE (All hits) | ID: 176004
BD: 7, Hit for 32x12=384-75=309 DMG | Cave Bat 2 defeated | -2 EN
-13 EN TOTAL 

 

Edited October 30, 2020 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

By now, assuming that mobs could actually see player health bars, the single remaining Cave Bat would be witnessing Bahr's health creeping back up toward being completely full. Meanwhile, it had but a sliver to cling to. Bahr figured it probably could see his health bar, because the shock on its face continued to grow with each step he took toward it. Were he the sort of person to care more for computer generated mobs, he may have felt bad for it. But it just wasn't in Bahr's nature to show mercy to programs.

Another toss of the blade through the air, and the mob was destroyed. All that remained were the crystalline fragments of data that were now slowly evaporating from the space it occupied only a moment prior. 

"Good for a warm up, I suppose," Bahr concluded as he set his sights toward the NPC he'd just saved. But where he had expected relief, all he saw was fear.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1451/1490 | EN: 93/146 | DMG: 20 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | HLY: 6 | LD: 5 | HB: 24 | BH: 74 | PHASE

Bahr used [x13] Galaxy Destroyer, -10 EN

Cave Bat 1: HP: 0/1000 | DMG: 175/225/275 | MIT: 75 | EVA: 2 | ACC: 1 | PHASE (All hits) | ID: 176005
BD: 5, Hit for 20x12=240-75=165 DMG | Cave Bat 1 defeated

 

Edited October 30, 2020 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

"Uhhh... You alright over there?" Bahr called out toward the NPC.

"D-Don't come any closer!" she hissed, trying to back up but finding no luck against the rock wall that blocked her path. 

Bahr cocked his head, then noticed that he was still holding Dawn's Demise. Ah, he realized, Typical NPC behavior. She thinks I'm aggressive. As though like flipping a switch, the NPC's behavior changed the moment Dawn's Demise retreated from sight. Hesitantly, the woman took a few steps forward.

"Uhm... Thank you for saving me..." she said shyly. "I guess I'm lucky."

"I'll say," Bahr shot back. "Those fireballs hurt. You alright?"

She shifted nervously. "Yeah, they didn't attack me. I don't even know how I ended up out here with them. One moment, I was feeding my son dinner. The next..."

"You were here," Bahr summarized. All too typical. Cardinal toying with its subjects. She must be a part of the quest.

"I don't know how I can return the favor. Is there anything I can do for you? I don't have much col, but..."

[Bahr 0]

"Actually, since you mentioned it," Bahr piped up, cutting off what seemed to be leading into a weird, slightly sexual dialogue route. "I'm looking for a village called Charko. I've heard rumors that it's around here, but I haven't been able to turn up any solid evidence of its existence. I'm starting to feel like it might not even be real at all. Do you happen to know anything about it?"

With another stiff attitude shift, the woman suddenly became a lot more quiet and aloof. "I don't know anything about that," she stated flatly, not really leaving any room for any follow up questions. Immediately, Bahr's interest was piqued. Was it possible that she was from the village, but for some reason wanted to keep its whereabouts a secret? While it made the quest a bit more engaging, it was a tad annoying when he was trying to get things finished quickly. At this point, he'd hardly get any sleep before stopping the assassination attempt the following day.

[Bahr 0]

"Look, I don't have any nefarious plans. I've just heard that the commerce there is unique, and I wanted to bring my col to the village in search of special wares." A bit of a fib, but it would probably do the trick. Given the state of the woman's tattered clothing, and the fact that she'd just flat out admitted she was poor, perhaps coin would turn her attitude from aloof to helpful. To cement the idea, he opened his menu and produced a decent sum of col. It was only about twenty thousand, but the NPC's eyes lit up as though she'd just witnessed true proof of divinity on earth.

"You said Charko, right?" she inquired, eyes still glued to the pile of col in Bahr's hands.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Well, I might know more about it than I've let on," she admitted.

"You don't say," Bahr drawled sarcastically.

"I know where it is, and can lead you there. But you must keep its location a secret."

[Bahr 0]

"Why's that?" Bahr pried, his curiosity getting the better of him.

The woman glared at him for a moment, but it didn't take long for her eyes to return to the pile of col in his hands. She sighed, then relented. "I'll tell you, but on the way. I don't want to get accosted by another pairing of bats. Come, this way."

Bahr shrugged, stowed the col away in his inventory, and followed along behind her. They continued in silence for a short while, before suddenly her voice rang out, jarringly echoing against the walls of the narrow corridor they had found themselves in. "We keep our village a secret to protect ourselves from Tesseleth's wrath. That tyrant has seized hold of all of the other settlements as far as the eye can see. We live peacefully where we are, even if we are mostly poor. I would prefer that to becoming another collection of toys for that monster."

[Bahr 0]

Bahr rolled what she'd said around in his head for awhile as he trailed along behind her, trying to make sense of it. Did they not know that Tesseleth had been defeated? But the more he thought about it, the more that it made sense. They were, after all, a rather secluded settlement. If they truly had no solid communication with the other towns and villages of the floor, it would make sense that they hadn't been clued into the players coming and eradicating that pest. 

"Tesseleth has been felled," he finally said, deciding the truth was the best course of action.

"Nonsense," the NPC refuted, disbelief evident in her tone. "It has terrorized this plain for as long as any of us can remember. The only evidence of a time before Tesseleth is in tomes from our ancestors. We'll never know an existence without that beast - it is eternal."

"Okay - but no, really, we killed it. Tesseleth is dead."

[Bahr 0]

The woman abruptly stopped and turned on her heel, staring daggers into Bahr before going off on a tirade, her loud voice echoing through the stony walls.

"Oh really? And who did that? You? None so feeble as yourself could stand beneath its might. I've read the stories, and some of our own have seen the creature with their own eyes. Its strength is incomprehensible, the stuff of legend. Not of this world. There isn't a chance in Hell that you, nor your comrades, could so much as scratch it. Yes, it is impressive how you handled those bats, but their power is but a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of Tesseleth's fury. What do you have to gain from telling such lies? I am already putting my village at risk by showing you the way. Do you aim to reveal us to Tesseleth? Are you somehow working with that tyrant!?"

[Bahr 0]

Apparently, Bahr had struck a nerve. As the woman stood there, hands balled into fists, fire in her eyes, chest steadily raising and lowering with each measured, harsh breath that she took, Bahr couldn't help but feel a little bad for her. He hadn't realized the extent of the damage Tesseleth had caused on this floor. Not only physically, but apparently mentally and emotionally. This poor woman was so far gone, so convinced of Tesseleth's power that she genuinely feared even hearing anything to the contrary of its existence. Bahr honestly couldn't even imagine being in a situation like that, even after having dealt with the likes of the Forgotten Time King.

"Fine," he said back, giving up the fight. It wasn't one worth having, even if he knew she was wrong. "I'll be quiet. Just lead the way, please."

Cautiously, the NPC slowly turned away from him and started again down the hallway. There was an intensity that lingered in the air now that hadn't before. Even if Bahr was her savior, he got the impression she didn't care much for him after that interaction.

[Bahr 0]

Before long, she had led him into the settlement. She very unceremoniously motioned toward it, then put her hands on her hips expectantly while tapping her foot. "Here. I led you to my village, as promised. Now spend your coin, as promised, then please be on your way. Having your kind here is making me anxious." She then retreated into the crowd of the square, and Bahr lost sight of her after only a few moments. He doubted he would be seeing her again, but it didn't bother him much. She was a nameless NPC in a sea of nameless NPCs. Cardinal would kidnap her again soon enough, and then she could have a falling out with a different character - provided they had the heart to save her from the bats instead of venturing on in search of the village on their own. It had always been an option, just one that Bahr had chosen not to explore.

[Bahr 0]

As he ventured through Charko and stopped at the various shops, stalls, vendors, and restaurants, he experienced much the same reaction from the rest of the townsfolk that he had from the woman. It wasn't just that they didn't believe him, it was that they aggressively rejected the notion. Not a single person he mentioned it to took kindly to him suggesting that Tesseleth had been killed, even though, judging by their reactions, they should have been overjoyed that the monster was gone. Bahr couldn't wrap his head around how each and every one of them reacted in a way that bordered on violent just for challenging their worldview. It seemed almost... religious.

It was right around the time that near half the town hated his guts that he decided it was time to take his leave. He knew when he was unwanted, and didn't have a proclivity for remaining in places where he was unwelcome. It would be best to start making his way back.

[Bahr 0]

And as he made his way toward the entrance of town from whence he came, he silently considered his options. The people here weren't just secluded, they were delusional. Was it really in their best interest, and the best interest of the rest of the floor, to reveal them and reconnect them with the rest of the Twenty First Floor? Or would it be preferable to simply leave them be, and not tamper with the natural balance of the floor? There were likely arguments to be made for both, and it was likely that several others had already fulfilled the quest obligations before and seen the outfall either way, but for some reason Bahr still felt like it was a monumental decision to make.

On the one hand, these people deserved the truth - even if they weren't going to like it. On the other hand, there was the argument to be made that it didn't really matter if they knew the truth or not, and that it might not be worth the trouble.

[Bahr 0]

As he contemplated these ruminations, he was stopped near the exit of town by a rather large man who wore fancier clothes than the rest. "Excuse me, sir," he began, catching a raised brow from Bahr in response. "I'm the mayor of this city. May I have a word?"

He led Bahr into a nearby building, then up a flight of stairs to a modest office. It certainly wasn't grandiose or fancy, but it was definitely a step up from the squalor that surrounded it. Bahr took the seat that was offered him in front of the desk, and the mad waddled his way to the other side and took the seat across. He then laced his fingers and placed his forearms against the table before leaning forward. 

"It's not that I don't appreciate you coming to visit, and sharing some of your wealth with us. But you need to understand that you can't go spreading word of things like Tesseleth's death. I need the townfolk to believe he's still alive. It keeps them... easier to control."

[Bahr 0]

Well that was rather... forward. "Easier to 'control?'" Bahr questioned.

"Well, if they knew Tesseleth were dead, they might see it fit to venture outward and move to the other settlements. It's a pretty nice situation as it is now," the NPC stated very matt-of-factly.

"But they live in squalor," Bahr countered. "If they knew they could travel, commerce might improve."

"But you see, that takes money out of the town, not in. You think they'd really stick around here if they knew they didn't need to? With a self-contained economic system like we have here, it's a lot easier to filter the money up, and into the pockets of people who can handle it better."

"... Like you?"

"Now you're getting it, my boy!" the mayor explained, clearly jubilant that Bahr understood. "This town would never survive if they could move out. I assume it would be cleared out in a month. Now, I doubt there are mayor positions open elsewhere, and I'm not too keen on losing such an easy job here. So what could I say or do that might incentivize you to keep this place a secret?"

[Bahr 0]

Bahr just stared at the man for a minute. Then, without saying anything, he stood, and started making his way toward the door. 

"Well hang on just a second, there, sir!" the mayor protested as he shot up - or whatever would be the closest thing to a bowling ball growing legs. "Can't you see? These people live a simple life, with simple means. If you expose us, all of that will change, and their lives will be flipped upside down. You saw how angry they were with you for even suggesting Tesseleth was dead. Think of what this will do to them!"

"That's exactly what I'm doing," he retorted before walking out of the door without another word. While he'd been conflicted only minutes before, Bahr was certain in what he needed to do now. These people didn't just deserve the truth - they deserved liberation. There was absolutely no point to keeping them cooped up here, under the thumb of an actual tyrant to escape the imagined tyrant outside.

[Bahr 0]

"It's right here," Bahr told the NPC as he pointed to a spot on a map. "They wouldn't believe that Tesseleth was dead, no matter how many times I told them. But I'm only one man. Maybe if you guys go there with enough people, they'll start to believe. Trust me, they need it - and to be reconnected with the rest of the settlements. I think it would be a very good thing."

The trip back to Tomoika had been a quick one, what with the urgency in Bahr's stride as he sought to hasten the liberation of Charko. He'd avoided the mobs and moved as quickly and quietly as he could to get back and inform the NPCs there about his discovery. He didn't know whether or not it would actually make a difference, but a big part of him really hoped it would. Even if they were just NPCs, nobody deserved that.

"We appreciate the help. As promised, here's your reward."

One of the NPCs toward the back of the room produced a sword that appeared to be made from bone. Bahr's eyes fixated on it as it was brought forward.

"It's made from a Dragon's Tooth, sure to help the wielder hit their mark."

Bahr stifled a chuckle as he gazed upon it. He'd all but forgotten about the reward. 

"Thanks," he muttered as he recovered the blade and stashed it away in his inventory. "But seriously, check out that area. Those people need you."

"We plan to first thing tomorrow. You've done a good thing. Go home, and rest now."

Don't mind if I do.

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QUEST COMPLETE

Thread net gains:
7 SP
10400 col
[T3 - Perfect One-Handed Straight Sword] "Dragon's Tooth" [Acc 2, Keen]