[SP-F9] Feeding Your Enemy

[Randal 0]

Spoiler

Quest Info

Spoiler

Randal

Level	22
HP:	440
Energy:	62
Damage:	11 (+2 SA)
Mitigation:	+20
Accuracy:	+3
Evasion:	+4
LD:	+6
Stealth Detection:	+2

 

Randal could feel the warm air fill his lungs as he stepped through the teleport gate. Its warmth brought back fond memories of his old life before the trappings of the devious Kayaba Akihiko. Singapore was a place as scorching hot as it was humid and rainy, so the similarities ran dry there. Here, rain was an event that had never happened, and water was not abundant in the sky.

Randal fished out a large gunny sack of familiar food and once again admired the way the fruits looked, he thought back to the words of the Travelling Gypsy and how he had met her.

It had been a normal day for Randal as he finished up his cooking for the day up until he heard a rumour that an extremely rare character was spotted near the outskirts of Horunka Village where he would sometimes go when looking for materials.

Edited April 10, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

He really packed up the bare minimum and raced off to the outskirts of town to find this mystical character. She was not too hard to find as many other beginner players had begun to crowd around her too. Despite the how overwhelmed any normal person would be, the “Travelling Gypsy” – identified by her marker – seemed chillingly unperturbed and calmly tended to every single player without missing out one. As she did so, she did not stop walking, constantly moving through the dense forest around the village.

She wore an orange headscarf that failed to conceal her pale emerald hair. The gypsy’s nomadic accessories accentuated her pale and unblemished skin. Not too far from where she stood, an flutter of butterflies lingered close by, as if suspiciously communicating with her. Each time her piercing orange eyes looked at a player, she would whisper something to them before materialising familiar food and handing it to them. Sending them off with a pat on the back.

[Randal 0]

Randal continued to follow the slowly dwindling herd of players and gently avoided them as they were left standing dreamily as though caught in a daze. Randal weighed his suspicions in his heart but dwelled no longer on them as the information brokers had never reported on any criminal activity related to this NPC.

He quickly arrived by the gypsy and asked for her help, and she already knew he was here for what all the others wanted as well. Her secrets to taming wild beasts, she was obliged to help, she simply had to, it was her bond to the tower. Peering deeply into Randal’s eyes she whispered into his ear.

“Head to the ninth floor and there you will find
a cute little creature that was in a bind.
Free it and friend it before it runs out of time
it eventually befriend you for you have been kind.”

“Whisper to this friend when you are done and I will find you. ”

[Randal 0]

Glancing at the monarch butterfly that flited close to him, Randal asked with a sigh “You would not happen to know where exactly my familiar might be by any chance, would you?”. Almost as if to answer him, the butterfly gently batted its wings against the heat and travelled along the main road.

Figuring it useless to contemplate if the butterfly understood his request and knew where it was going or was simply doing what regular butterflies did, Randal decided that since he had no inkling where to begin looking, then anywhere would be good.

What was not good however, was the way that NPCs on the 9^th floor reacted his presence, a number stumbled around with parched lips owing to the scarcity of water. As a man tries to jump on Randal, he found his target no longer in front of him and at the same time, an unusually large hammer comes swinging from the bottom to send him flying into smithereens.

[Randal 0]

A soot-covered dwarf pulled back his weapon revealing a ponytail of blond hair and pale blue eyes that glimmered through the dirt. “Eyy, do not even think about it, you all know the rules, if you want to try something think twice, or else the mining guild will have yer head!” Growled the dwarf’s rumbling voice. “Oh and do not go poking your nose where it does not belong around these parts, we do not want you around, do your business and leave, you got that?!” He said to Randal in a rush before turning around back to his post.

Randal thought to himself that firstly, he did not need the dwarf’s help at all and secondly, he probably should just go about his business and get out of here. So without any hope of a response, he quickly thanked the dwarf for his help and headed in the direction of the butterfly which had long gone from view.

[Randal 0]

As Randal steps through the narrow and black alleyways that stood defended by the remains of the frontline’s battle with the floor boss, he heard the cries on an animal. A low yet vigorous yelping met with a quick thud and more yelping. Now see, Randal was a pragmatic person, and if the town guards aka the mining guild told him to mind his own business, he more probably would heed their advice and in this case he should. He considered that it was likely to be an animal making those noises and considering his reason for being here and the words whispered by the Travelling Gypsy, it was his duty to look.

Randal peered through the barred windows to see a young vulture tied up to a metal post, its thrashing was weak but getting visibly stronger. Thinking to the advice of the Gypsy, Randal decided to try his luck and went around the house.

[Randal 0]

The area near the entrance of the house was guarded by a dark-looking individuals, he held on to a weapon and was standing guard outside the house, another then emerged from the house. This must be the one that silenced the vulture earlier. As Randal slowly comes into their vision, they immediately go into high alert. They do not recognise him and shout “Take another step forward and we’ll chop you into little pieces and hide you in ores for you parents to find.” The vulgarness of his words caused an ironic amount heat to boil up inside Randal, whose parents he has not seen in years.

Randal raised his fists and beckons for them to come. However, only one rises to his challenge. The other darts back into the house and the sound of chains rattling could be heard, Randal could not be sure what was happening inside the house but had to act quickly. Upset at Randal's blatant provocation, the bandit ran straight into Randal's right hook and was sent crashing into some wooden boxes.

ID Battle Craft Loot MOB         187995 5 6 5 8

Randal attacks using All Mights -16 EN +1 (CD 3 turns)

BD: 5 + 3 ACC = 8 Hits // MD: 8 - 4 EVA = 4 Misses
DMG: 11 + 2 (SA) = 13 * 17 = 221

Spoiler

Red-Eyed Bandit HP 229/450 DMG 135

Randal 

Level	22
HP:	440
Energy:	47/62
Damage:	11 (+2 SA)
Mitigation:	+20
Accuracy:	+3
Evasion:	+4
LD:	+6
Stealth Detection:	+2

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

The bandit crashed dramatically into the distance which gave Randal some time to rush into the house. As his hand reached for the door, it swung open, chains and metal crashing against the wooden door. Randal hopped back nimbly and just barely avoided the embarrassment of having a door slam into his face. The other bandit was carrying the vulture in a small metal cage and rushing into the distance. The bandit took a quick glance at the situation and shouted at Randal. “You’re going to regret this, get him, HURRY!” Sensing something a little off, the other Bandit had gotten up and was about to pounce on Randal, but Randal’s intuition gave him enough time to avoid the frog leap. The bandit crashed on the ground with a hard thud as he landed on the craggily obsidian floor. The bandit then glanced up at Randal and his red iris glowed strongly as he tried to swipe at Randal’s feet.

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB
187999	2	1	9	7

Randal Attacks with Falcon Jab -12 EN +1 (CD 2 Turns)
BD: 2+3 = 5 Misses // MD: 7 - 4 = 3 Misses
No damage dealt

Spoiler

Red-Eyed Bandit HP 229/450 DMG 135

Randal 

Level	22
HP:	440
Energy:	36/62
Damage:	11 (+2 SA)
Mitigation:	+20
Accuracy:	+3
Evasion:	+4
LD:	+6
Stealth Detection:	+2

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Meanwhile, the other bandit was running away with the vulture in tow. Randal was getting frustrated because he was being held up by one measly bandit. Of course, while veterans would watch the fight and say that this was a natural outcome. Any bandits that Randal would have faced on the lower floors were sure to be much weaker than those that were able to survive the formidable heat and creatures that roamed the 9^th floor. Nonetheless, equipped with foolish bravery, Randal was still able to maintain hope as his skill had taken a big chunk of the enemy’s health not too long ago. The broken remains of boxes laid in the distance as a testament to that. Randal was about to attack the bandit again when he accidentally cut himself on a protruding spike. Oddly enough, a single drop of blood spilled from his palm and landed on the floor, seeping deep into the crevices that lined the dirt.

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB
188000	6	8	14	1

Randal Attacks with Acupuncture -10 EN +1 (CD 2 Turns)
BD: 6+3 = 9 Hits // MD: 1 - 4 = 3 Critical Misses
DMG: 11 + 2 (SA) = 13 * 12 = 156

Spoiler

Red-Eyed Bandit HP 73/450 DMG 135

Randal 

Level	22
HP:	440
Energy:	27/62
Damage:	11 (+2 SA)
Mitigation:	+20
Accuracy:	+3
Evasion:	+4
LD:	+6
Stealth Detection:	+2

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Seeing this, the opposing bandit hesitated, Randal was unsure what was going through his head but figured that now was not the time to discuss terms with the enemy. He was not about to waste more time parlaying and negotiating with a Bandit which so clearly hated his guts and was doing terrible things to what can only be his future companion and ally. Randal pressed forward but something was off, the enemy seemed a little sluggish and unwilling to attack Randal. With the enemy focused on dodging, it became much harder for Randal to land a successful hit. He approached aggressively and made the mistake of attempting a flash kick. This move was one that would have been used to great effect when utilised against an approaching enemy but failed to meet the mark on a passively and retreating one. Randal’s legs swiped at nothing and they were both standing face to face with one another, waiting to see their next moves.

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB
188001	1	5	15	4

Randal Attacks with Crescent Moon -7 EN +1 (CD 2 Turns)
BD: 1+3 = 9 Misses // MD: 4 - 4 = 0 Misses
No damage dealt

Spoiler

Red-Eyed Bandit HP 73/450 DMG 135

Randal 

Level	22
HP:	440
Energy:	21/62
Damage:	11 (+2 SA)
Mitigation:	+20
Accuracy:	+3
Evasion:	+4
LD:	+6
Stealth Detection:	+2

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Seemingly so, the bandit decides that he could not give up his life of debauchery and banditry just because a player had performed the symbolic ritual and rite of passage within the Yōgan Village. He once again tries to tackle at Randal before hearing the whistling of air as straightened palms flew towards his joints and critical areas. With a few swift chops to places like the neck, elbows, groin and knee, Randal brought the bandit to his knees and as his body fell limply to the ground, he broke in digitalised pieces. In his wake were some a hefty sum of cols and several materials. Sparkling in the middle of the pile was a Trinket of sorts that needed to be appraised before usage. Randal swept all the items into his inventory before taking a deep breath and leaping onto the roof, from his vantage point, he could see the other bandit running out of the obsidian wall surrounding the village towards the Volcanic Flatlands.

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB
188002	5	12	15	8

Randal Attacks with Five Swords -7 EN +1 (CD 2 Turns)
BD: 5+3 = 8 Hit // MD: 8 - 4 = 4 Misses
DMG: 11 + 2 (SA) = 13 * 8 = 104

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB
188003	4	1	9	6

Defeated bandit drops 450*3 = 1350 col
LD: 9+6 = 15 // CD = 1 (Bandit Drops a Rare Trinket)
Odd LD = 2 Mats
ODD CD = 2 Mats

Spoiler

Red-Eyed Bandit HP -31/450 DMG 135

Randal 

Level	22
HP:	440
Energy:	15/62
Damage:	11 (+2 SA)
Mitigation:	+20
Accuracy:	+3
Evasion:	+4
LD:	+6
Stealth Detection:	+2

 

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Randal took a calming breath before he began to leap across the soot covered rooftops in a bid to catch up to the Bandit as he ran away. Every time he landed on a roof, mounds of black dust and ash would shake off the mud-covered houses. He was fast and slow at the same time, fast because he was able to cut diagonally across alleyways beelining towards the bandit, slow because he had to stabilise himself after each jump to ensure that the structural integrity of each house did not give way under his weight.

When he finally managed to leave the confines of the Yōgan Village, an expense like that of the 1^st floor flashed before Randal’s eyes, its only difference was a stark one. There was not a single hint of green or blue. The sky was something he was already aware of, dark grey and black clouds hung overhead and cast dim light over the plains.

Gathering attempt
ID# 188038 LD: 19 + 6 = 25

Find 1 Mat

Total En now 16

Edited April 11, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

The bandit was now not too far away from Randal and within a few minutes was quickly caught up to. The bandit who was focused on running and looking at a map of sorts did not notice when Randal caught up to him and swiftly knocked him out with a devastating and concussive blow to the head. The vulture screeched as the metal cage fell to the floor and rolled over some obsidian stones. The bandit was out cold. Randal picked up the metal cage and felt sorry for the poor vulture, but he could not bend steel. Randal carried the vulture over to the bandit and searched his pockets to find a map and a set of keys. The map was ineligible and probably written in a secret language. The keys took turns to try the lock on the vulture’s cage. One of the keys fit into the lock and opened the mechanism.

Gathering attempt
ID# 188038 LD: 11 + 6 = 17

Find 1 Mat
Total En now 17

Edited April 11, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

As the mechanism unlocks, the vulture wastes no time and immediately flaps its way out of the cage. Owing to the gypsy’s words, Randal believed the vulture would come back, but after a minute of watching it flying, he realised that it would not be coming back. He started to run after the vulture asking for it come and try the familiar food in hopes that it would be tamed. However, either the vulture chose to ignore him or was too high up in the sky to hear him, but it continued flying. Soon, the vulture came closer to the ground, looking around the area, Randal saw that he had come to the base of the tallest part of the 9^th floor. The great Mount Stylahm stood before him. The vulture came close to the ground and seemed to want Randal to follow it into one of the caverns that appeared at inside the mountainous volcano.

Gathering attempt
ID# 188044LD: 6 + 6 = 12

Find 0 Mat
Total En now 18

Edited April 11, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

The vulture led Randal deep inside the cave and stepped just before the light began to vanish, it was only when Randal lit a torch that the vulture landed on his shoulder, thinking that this was his chance to tame the vulture as his familiar, he reached down to take out the familiar food but before he could feed the vulture, it pecked his head as thought telling him to stay focused and to continue exploring.

Soon Randal came across an opening in the cave system, within the open space he saw the remains of several humans. a rock golem, a fire elemental, and a vulture. The creatures of the 9^th floor seemed to have perished fighting off the human forces that had invaded their nest. The vulture left Randal to peck at the bigger vulture, eating away at the carcass. Randal was no bird but he could feel a sense of sorrow in the action.

The vulture sensed Randal’s uncertainty and pecked at the center of the rock golem and lava elemental. Within, laid a small molten core that vibrated in his hands sensing life, the heat seemed searing at first but quickly grew lukewarm. He knew he had found his familiar and that the Gypsy was right, saving a creature in binds led him to find what he was looking for.

 

Find Familiar attempt
ID# 188045: 20 + 6 = 26

Found a potential familiar
Total En now 19

Edited April 11, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

As the ball of heat started to dissipate, it is lava like outer shell turned into molten obsidian and cracks started to form around the ball. Randal looked all over, trying to see what was happening when on one of the turns, the surface started to crack revealing joints as the molten ball started to form joints. A pair of bright orange and red eyes burst from the rocky surface and scanned its surrounding in a quick manner. The ball started to morph, cracks forming like tendrils across the surface. Soon the obsidian lifted from its core to reveal the entity in its purest form without the crags.  

Although exposed briefly, it brought the various piece back to give it an appearance resembling a bird like the vulture while maintaining a resemblance to human anatomy. Randal took a step forward, fishing out the familiar food. With an almost drunken like stupor, the little golem stumbled towards Randal, eventually transforming back into a ball, and rolling towards him.

It morphed back and gently crashed into Randal’s legs looking up at him with its burning eyes. The cracked veins of lava shone with rhythm as though following the breath or heartbeat. The creature was tiny, reaching only up to Randal’s thigh, maybe barely his waist if it tiptoed. 

 Randal knelt down and fed the golem a piece of the familiar food, without hesitation, an orange maw opened up and tendrils reached out and pulled in the food.

There was no resistance, Randal was sure that he could count on this little guy as his companion from now on.Feed Familiar attempt 1

ID# 188046: CD is 10 (Successful taming)

Tamed a potential familiar
Total En now 20

Edited April 11, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

Randal reached down and sensing his intention, the golem grabbed on to his hand lifted itself up onto Randal’s shoulders. Its form was not stable and constantly shifted, right now it remained as a blob resting around Randal’s neck, content with the comfort derived from this position.

Randal knew when to be grateful and was fueled by a modicum of curiosity as he tried to piece together the story of what had unfolded here. He had a few hints along the way. The way that the bodies were strewn around the floor and the various beasts that had fought them. First, the small little companion that he had found was different from other rock golems and lava elementals that were found around the 9^th floor. Normal rock golems were simply rocks attached together that could detach and attach at will, as though controlled by some force of magnetism, however, none of them glowed as red or had magma cracked lines running through them as my little buddy did. Lava elementals on the other hand glowed just as bright as it did but did not have the same kind of rocky crevasses to protect their magma cores. They were far more fiery and more passionate than my warm friend whose lava seem to ebb and flow between his rocks like the tides of the ocean flowing along the spaces between archipelagos.

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by Randal

[Randal 0]

From this first point, Randal concluded from the remains of the rock golem and the lava elemental that he picked his new friend out of that they must have fused to birth a rare creature from their two species. So technically, this was his parents. The bandits did not bear any insignias in common with each other, but they must have banded together to vanquish the two creatures. Although it is not known what the adult vulture was doing in a cave so deep inside the Mount Stylahm. Nonetheless, some of the bandits must have been able to live on after defeating the three beasts, they must have failed to find the newly formed lava golem as it was covered by its parents, but the young vulture must have not been so fortunate. Vulture must not have wanted to be Randal’s companion because it bore hateful memories of the human bandits. At the same time, it was smart enough to bring the most compassionate human it knew to rescue its birth-buddy.

[Randal 0]

His new buddy was not one that was very comfortable to snuggle with considering that it did not have any fur like normal familiars that other players brought around but it emitted a strong sense of warmth which reminded Randal of home. Randal opened his mouth and spoke his first words to the lava golem. “Hello there, will you trust me and be with me? I promise not to mistreat you or betray you, and I will never abandon you.” The golem did not stir from his position around Randal’s shoulders, but a faint heat warmed his neck, it was a perceivable yes to his question. “I’m going to call you Pebbles. Welcome to the party Pebbles.”. Just like that, Randal brought his new friend out of the cave and bid farewell to the young vulture. Randal found that his new companion was a very sedentary creature. The pathway to the teleport crystal inside the village was filled with weird looks, to regular players and NPC, Randal appeared to be wearing shoulder pads made of obsidian, not a completely odd defence system if one thought about it, but no one really thought about it. Randal stepped through the teleport crystal and arrived back at the Town of Beginnings.

[Randal 0]

Leaving the portal, was like a breath of fresh air, considering the dust and soot that practically polluted the 9^th floor’s air and the scorching heat that bellowed across the landscape. Pebbles shook at the new environment, rapidly cooling down until he appeared to be a black scarf of rocks. Seeing as how his buddy had calmed down and was not reacting negatively to the new environment, Randal sighed in relief.

He looked over at numerous butterflies that were around until one flitted over to him. Randal whispered to the monarch butterfly and quickly followed it to the travelling gypsy. She was surprised when Randal handed her an almost full bag, most did not have such luck. She thanked him for returning it to her even though it was not a necessary act. Randal quickly backtracked and bowed deeply for her help, she looked as if there was still more that she wanted but thought better of it.

A panel flashed informing Randal that his quest was now complete and that a new quest had been unlocked. Stroking his new friend, Randal inquired more about how to take care of a familiar and sat through a long conversation with the Gypsy so that he would be well-equipped with taking care of Pebbles. Thankfully, Golems generally did not need much sustenance and rocks for consumption was in abundance.

Edited April 11, 2021 by Randal