[PP-F1] Appraising game <EaL Cook> (Freyd)

[Bismuth 0]

After checking his new dagger off of his list Bismuth only had a few more things that he needed to get before he felt ready to start heading out into the non protected areas of Aincrad, those being a pair of trinkets, and a set of lightweight and easy to move in armor. Bismuth already knew where he was going to get both of those items, opting for the trinkets first at Freyd Edges, a shop on the outskirts of a monastery on the thirteenth floor, normally Bismuth would have opted for the armor, but in his research there were not very many tailors in Aincrad, and one of the few had a, prickly, personality to say the least. 

The trip through the foggy jungle that is the thirteenth floor was hell om bismuth's long somewhat curly hair, kept back in a loose ponytail  he was able to manage to make it look presentable enough before finding his way to the shop, if you could really call the encampment a shop. Bismuth quickly found his way to what he believed was the main counter for purchasing goods, seeing a blonde lady manning the counter in a leather "Who might you be? Such a pretty thing stuck behind a counter all day, what a shame." Bismuth winked at the girl behind the counter before continuing "I heard this was the place to get some quality trinkets? was I mistaken?" Bismuth leans against the counter casually, gazing around the encampment for a man fitting the description he had been given for Freyd 'I hope Freyd is here, I want to get this show on the road' 

Spoiler

Bismuth
Level: 1
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 20/20
EN: 20/20

Stats:
Damage: 5
BLD: 12

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: T1 P Dagger <Ketsushouken> BLD 2, DAM 1
Armor:
Misc:

Skills:
Dagger R1

Battle Ready Inventory:
Starter Healing Potions x3

 

 

Edited January 31, 2022 by Bismuth

[Quip 0]

Bright blonde brows raised in surprise, but not by due of arrival as she'd heard Bismuth's footsteps upon entry.  It was the compliment that caught her off guard.  She was short, gazing up at him from a full head's height lower than his own with a pair of eyes like shining emeralds.  Thick braids dangled about broad shoulders that made her seem more likely to be a blacksmith than a shopkeeper, as implied by her stained and heavily wrinkled apron.

"Most fowk dinnae aim fur th' favoured punter discount ferr sae brazenly, bit keep it up braw. Ye'r daein' juist fine."    Her eyes raced down and up again, leading the man to wonder whether he was being appraised himself, and whether as a prize or a meal, or both.  "Can't think o' tae mony hings jumping aff th' stock list that wid draw ye tae this hellhole, bit ye'r certainly fàilte tae tak' a gander."  

"Linger as lang as ye like,"  she added with a disturbingly coarse attempt at being sultry.  The anime style of SAO's rendered avatars could make it tough to get a read on a player's age, but something told him she was a few years older than him.  "I'm Quip, at yer service," she added, leaning against the only bare spot on the otherwise cluttered counter and gazing dreamily in his direction. 

Her mood shifted visibly towards surprise and disappointment when she mentioned the shop's titular owner by name.  "Oh.  You're just looking for him?  Yeah.  Sec.  I think he's actually around here somewhere, for a change."

"FREYD!" She roared, sounding like some angry den mother or lioness calling a wayward cub.  "Oh.  Ye'r juist keekin fur him? Aye. Sec.  Ah think he's actually aroond 'ere somewhere, fur a change." 

***

Translations:

Spoiler

"Most people don't aim for the favoured customer discount quite so brazenly, but keep it up handsome.  You're doing just fine." 

"Can't think of too many things jumping off the stock list that would draw you to this hellhole, but you're certainly welcome to take a gander." 

"Linger as long as you like,"

"Oh.  You're just looking for him?  Yeah.  Sec.  I think he's actually around here somewhere, for a change."

"FREYD! Some pretty newb twit's here looking for you!  Try not to get him killed too quickly, will you?  He's kinda cute."

Quip | HP: 80/80 | EN: 26/26 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 6 | THRNS: 9

Spoiler

Quip,
Level: 4
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 80/80
EN: 26/26

Stats:
Damage: 6
Mitigation: 6
THRNS: 9

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Vanity Curved Sword
Armor: T1 Rare HA (Mit 1, Thrns 1)
Misc:

Custom Skill:


Skills:
Curved Sword R3

Active Mods:

Inactive Mods:

Addons:

Active Extra Skills:

Inactive Extra Skills:

Battle Ready Inventory:

Housing Buffs:

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:

Wedding Ring:

 

Edited January 26, 2022 by Quip

[Freyd 0]

A flicker of shadow darted in the back of the shop, sending several high piles of what looked like little more than junk clattering as it spilled.

"Hey!  Na running aff 'n' shirking yer business-ly duties!  FREYD!"  Stocky Quip went charging into the background, nabbing a cast iron frying pan like some sort of improvised battle axe as she ran.  The shop itself was an absolute mess, consisting of little more than assorted piles of indeterminate items.  It dawned on Bismuth that his struggle to describe them in any more meaningful way was likely deliberate.  These were all unidentified items gathered, by the looks of them, from every corner of the floating castle, then unceremoniously dumped here.  You could practically call it a junk yard, or at least pre-junk.  If the rumours were true, most of the items scrutinized by appraisers turned out to be useless and worth little more than salvage.

"Sorry about that."  The voice was calm and controlled, barely above a whisper in volume with the clear intent of avoiding the zealous attendant's attention.  "It's always easier to have a chat when she's distracted.  Montjoy will have her running in circles for a while.  I apologize in advance for any cursing you may hear in the background.  Now, what can I do for you?"

A man stepped out of from a bank of shadows that couldn't possibly have been deep or large enough to contain even his slender form.  Freyd was roughly the same height as Bismuth, dressed in well-worn black travelling leathers that looked to have seen more than their fair share of action.  Not quite form fitting, the clothes were clearly designed for ease of movement and action, adorned with a variety of straps, pockets and buckles for resilience and redundancy in the field.  Simply put: he had the bearing of a veteran to Aincrad's more perilous corners.  A soft woolen cowl, charcoal in colour, sat loosely draped over his shoulders, revealing a mop of unruly brown hair that hung over two piercing steely blue eyes.  His stance was relaxed, his hands stuffed into invisible pockets.  A hint of mischievous amusement clung to his lips as the predicted cursing in Scottish echoed off the white masonry walls of the ruined monastery.

"Not many people come out this way," Freyd added, tilting his head in an oddly hound-like manner.  "You mentioned trinkets?  Were you looking for something specific?  And you might want to make this quick," he added, looking behind him.  "We probably have about two minutes before she figures things out and comes back to brain me with that frying pan."

***

Freyd | HP: 1080/1080 | EN: 142/142 | DMG: 24 | MIT: 78 | ACC: 5 | BH: 59 | LD: 5 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | PARA IMMUNE | REC: 8

Full Stats:

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadow
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 102
HP: 1080/1080
EN: 142/142

Stats:
Damage: 24
Mitigation: 78
Accuracy: 5
Battle Healing: 59
Loot Dice: 5
FLN: 16
HLY: 16
PARA IMMUNE
REC: 8

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Samael's Pride (T4 MA | HLY 2 | FLN 2)
Armor: Fallen Angel Garb (T4 LA | Mit 2 | Rec 2)
Misc: The Shadowed Rose (T3 Trinket - ACC 3 | Para.Imm)

Custom Skill:


Skills:
Martial Arts R5
Battle Healing R5
Light Armor R5
Searching R4
Charge
Energist
Quick Change
Extended Mod Limit

Active Mods:
Night Vision
Tracking
Meticulous
Untraceable

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Ferocity
Precision
Resolve
Reveal
Stamina

Active Extra Skills:
Disguise
Survival
Forgotten King’s Authority
Hiding R5

Inactive Extra Skills:
Meditation
Brawler
Photosynthesize

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystals x7
Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+30*T HP) x7
Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+30*T HP) x7
Crystal of Divine Light (Reusable) x1
Rhino's Horn (Reusable) x1
Hmr.Pk: The Thing Behind All Lies (T4 Demonic WH, AA, Blight, Static, Para.Ven (Off)) x1

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 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.
Skylight (Searching): +1 Rank to the Searching skill.
Angler: +1 material gained when fishing
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor [Potted Tanabata Bamboo Tree]: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

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:
Kumatetsu Statue: +1 Base Damage for a thread

Wedding Ring:

 

[Bismuth 0]

Bismuth enjoyed listening to Quip's accent and let that be known by the wide smile he was giving to her, Scottish wasn't really something he had experienced a lot growing up in Japan. Seeing the look of disappointment on Quip's face when Bismuth mentioned Freyd, not meaning to bring the woman any ill will, but before he had the chance to say anything she had already run off to catch who he could only assume was Freyd. Sighing Bismuth turned back around leaning himself against the counter.

Startled by The sudden whisper coming out of the shadow's Bismuth looked up, in front of him was, the man himself, Freyd. Based on the description that Bismuth was given he could definitely tell that this was him, the tussled brown hair and the stunningly gorgeous blue eyes. this was definitely Freyd. "No apologies needed for Quip, I rather like her tenacity. Plus evidently I'm cute, so I couldn't be mad at her now." Bismuth was still casually leaning against the counter looking Freyd up and down "If everyone who comes here looks like you and your clerk, I will have to make my way up here more often." Bismuth smiled as he came back to meet Freyd's eyes "I was told you were nearly the best when it comes to odds and ends, and I don't do less than the best." Bismuth gained a more serious look before continuing "All flirting aside, I'm here for a pair of trinkets, one to help me in what combat I do get in to, and one to help me with my foraging. I would also like some advice, if you can give it." Bismuth takes a step towards one of the piles of junk and picks up one of the items, tossing it in the air and catching it again. "You see, I want to become an appraiser, and since you're the best, I would like pointers from you." Bismuth tosses the junk towards Freyd hoping that he catches it, waiting for a response. 

Edited January 26, 2022 by Bismuth

[Freyd 0]

A single slender eyebrow arched as the man spoke.  No one had ever really flirted with him in this manner, except those that did it with everyone.  Perhaps that was simply the case here?

"Hrm.  The trinkets should be simple enough."  Looking down at the assortment of odd items on the table between them, Freyd seemed to be searching for something specific before finally settling on what looked like some sort of metal spear shaft or pipe section.

"This should do the trick."

Grabbing the rod by one end, he gently pressed it to a mass of goods tangled in various strands of hefty roped netting strung overhead and between some nearby sections of stone with questionable structural integrity.  

"That's the spot," he muttered under his breath after prodding a few random locations, suddenly pressing up with a sharp thrust.  A humanoid form, short and scrawny and clad in the garb of an apprentice promptly fell out of his clandestine yet poorly concealed hammock and flopped loudly and awkwardly on the packed earthen 'floor.' 

THUD

"Ow!  Quip!  What the... oh.  Uh... Hi Freyd," the mousy boy added, rubbing his shoulder while trying to untangle himself from his leather work apron and toolbelt.

Freyd looked at him, deadpan, his face somewhere between complete disappointment and total predictability.

"Dingo," Freyd responded, flatly.  "LD3 and ACC3.  Have them ready when we return, or at least something that can be cobbled together to make them.  Your sister's on a tirade.  Cover is advised."

"Come on," he added, turning his attention back to Bismuth.  "We'll want to be elsewhere for the rest of your request, and I need a cup of coffee."  Glancing across the street at Quaestor's Quisine, he dismissed it as too near and easy for Quip to discern.  

"If you're going to be an appraiser, we need to go take care of your starter quest and set you on the right path."  The sounds of an approaching Scottish Tornado caused him to tense at the shoulder.  "And it would be best if we hurry."

Somewhere between Freyd's shop and the portal plaza at the heart of Angel's Point, Bismuth realized that his companion's shadow was lacking.  Rather, it was completely absent.  Freyd's pace was brisk, marking him as either a man whose time was not to be wasted, or someone terrified of Quip's wrath, possibly both.  It wasn't until they'd reached the dais upon which the teleporter sat.  A smirk rose on the Whisper's face as he noticed his companion's point of focus.

"Good.  Attention to detail is key.  Town of Beginnings."

[Bismuth 0]

Bismuth noted the lack of a shadow on his newest travelling companion, so far being one of only a few people he had interacted with an Aincrad, that is if you didn't count the hundreds of books and maps that he had read on the spawn mechanics that people had been able to decipher for the game they were in, but Freyd was quickly turning into quite the unusual character, not that Bismuth minded at all. "So did the shadow skip work today?" Bismuth knew the joke was horrible, but bad humor is the best humor for getting to know someone.  

"I didn't expect you to come all the way out here with me, not that I mind the company at all." Bismuth smirked towards Freyd as they walked very quickly towards the Appraisers quest, almost faster than Bismuth could keep up. "Stop walking so fast, it almost feels like you're in a rush to get rid of me, and we both know that's the last thing anyone should want." Bismuth didn't actually much mind the pace, but humor was one of the few things he was good at, so he had to slip it in anywhere he could. "At this rate, we are going to be done before I even have time to introduce myself." It was the second time in the last couple of days that Bismuth had either been whisked away, or whisked someone away without so much as introducing themselves, hopefully this wasn't going to become some sort of habit. "My name is Bismuth it is an honor to meet you."

[Freyd 0]

Freyd smiled a knowing, playful sort of smile, glancing over at Bismuth's cast shade and luring his companion by his gaze to do the same.  Nothing was out of the ordinary, but by the time they turned to look back at each other Freyd's shadow had inexplicably returned.

"Montjoy's the mischievous sort," he added without further explanation, as if something should have been self-evident.  Long, lanky strides kept up their pace even as Bismuth complained jovially about it.

"Sorry.  Occupational hazard.  Sitting still isn't really for me.  Too many things to be done, people to stab, information to gather, etc.  You know how it is."  Every word was spoken with complete, casual disinterest.  One might almost believe that Freyd would be just as equally calm chatting about the latest sitcom as he might be while slowly piercing a mob's digital flesh with a sharpened neutron bomb.  The man was disturbing, possibly disturbed, likely both.  For all of his supposed edge, however, he seemed genuinely willing to help.  Maybe he just liked messing with people, or provoking for a response?

"Bismuth, eh?  That's an unusual name.  What prompted you to pick that?  Ah!  Good.  We're here."  Freyd stopped in front of a small wooden plank resting precariously between a rickety wooden barrel and stack of rotten logs that looked like castoffs from a construction project cancelled about twenty years earlier.  The plank itself wasn't in much better shape, full of notches, holes and assorted dark reddish brown stains.  It was disturbingly similar to an elongated, improvised butcher block.  A handful of colourful tapestries, or possibly bedsheets, were strung behind the odd counter.  They languished as if on an improvised laundry line strung in a tiny sliver of space between adjacent stalls, then abandoned due to some nefarious affair.

A small boy with a crop of flaming orange hair, friendly freckles and eager yellow eyes popped up suddenly from beyond a daisy-print bedsheet, having heard the ringing of voices.  He looked absolutely thrilled at the prospect of customers, until he spotted Bismuth's darkly clad companion.  Hands flailed and started waving about frantically.  Eagerness morphed into panic and the boy's eyes doubled in size with a flicker of burning red flashing across the yellow NPC crystal floating over his head.

"Ohhhh no!  Not you!  You've had your fun.  NOT AGAIN!"  

"Billy!"  Freyd countered pleasantly.  "You remembered!  How nice."

[Bismuth 0]

Bismuth had already decided that commenting on his new companions shadow would result in him just gaining more questions then it would answer, as he already had several. Bismuth could feel his ponytail slapping against his back as they continued there very fast walk towards, well Bismuth really didn't know, it seemed like Freyd knew where he was going, but it definitely didn't seem like he was heading to the Appraiser's quest. The fast pace wasn't really something that Bismuth disliked, he had spent a decent amount of his time outside of the beginner town running around and collecting data to supplement with his books and notes. 

Unusual? That was twice now that someone had commented on his name, first Astreya with the stomach medicine and now Freyd. "It's an element on the. . ." Bismuth was cut off by Freyd's announcement that they had arrived, finding themselves nowhere near where he had thought they were going, and instead just seeing a makeshift counter made out of some unsafe, and unsanitary, looking wood surrounded by colorful sheets of some sort hung up. Bismuth didn't have long to ponder though before a small orange haired boy stepped out from behind one of the hanging sheets, a panicked look covering his face when he saw Freyd, who was seemingly pleased by this reaction. "Who is this? And where are we?" Bismuth wasn't necessarily upset by the detour, he was more confused than anything, but he didn't let that show on his face, which was still one of uncaring happiness. 

[Freyd 0]

"This is Billy," Freyd replied with a wide grin on his face, "the original merchant profession quest trainer, and the NPC who taught me the art.  He's also the best scoundrel and devilishly good liar in the game, who will scam and bleed you dry if given half a chance."

"Hey that's not-"

"He's also the best damned source of secret code cheats in the game and knows every developer's back door, which he shamelessly uses to his own advantage every chance he gets."

"Slander!  Gross exaggeration!  Maligning my character!  How dare yo-"  The kid's features were changing, the angrier and more agitated he became, until before them stood something akin to a cambion, complete with curling horns, blood red skin, and hooved feet.  'Billy's' nails lengthened into wicked claws turning black along with the entirety of the orbs in his eye sockets.

"Ah, Billy," Freyd chuckled.  "It's good to see you again, bud.  What happened?  Did Cardinal demote you or something?  I heard that they gave your gig over to Drax after the Shadow Storm thing."

The fuming imp's rage deflated as suddenly as it had stirred.  His pointed ears drooping in admission of defeat and despair at the shattering of his charade.  So much for fleecing another newb.  The chances had become so rare after all these months.

"I really hate you Freyd, which is what I also love about you.  What the fuck do you want, and who's the boy toy?"

[Bismuth 0]

Bismuth watched in silence as Freyd antagonized the small boy, intending to step in the way and call Freyd out for his poor treatment of someone who was so clearly doing nothing wrong, at the moment at least. But that mentality shifted as the boy's appearance did. Bismuth prided himself on his knowledge of the Cardinal system and about every material and monster that could be found on the floors they had currently discovered, but this, this was something completely new, something that Bismuth was not expecting. 

Unable to keep his expression from changing, the normally relaxed and inattentive expression on Bismuth's face morphed into one of extreme intrigue, and hunger, for what it was hard to tell. "This Boy toy is Bismuth, and well, now I have some questions for you Billy. What are you? What task has Cardinal given to you? How does cardinal effect the game world on such a grandiose scale at once? How do you fit into the grand scheme of Cardinal's true objective? What even is Cardinal's true objective?" Bismuth launched off a list of question's towards the boy, seemingly now something more akin to a fiend, in quick succession, barely pausing to even take a breath, while pulling out a thick tattered leather bound book that he kept strapped to his upper thigh in a very well maintained book holder, along with a charcoal pencil. As he flipped through the pages, Freyd could see endless note and diagrams of different monsters, and different drops, extensively detailing spawns and loot drops and locations with fully drawn maps of areas in Aincrad where those monsters and materials could be found, it was clear that this wasn't the first journal based on the notes found inside. Flipping to a blank page Bismuth began sketching the boy with very accurate detail as he waited for his questions to be answered, the hunger still plain in his eyes. 

Edited January 27, 2022 by Bismuth

[Freyd 0]

It wasn't the reaction he'd expected.  If anything, it was better.  Freyd was quite impressed by Bismuth's genuine curiosity, but even more so by his oblivious disregard for the fearsome miniature devil thing to which he'd just been introduced.

"Hehehe. Hold still, Billy.  I think you're about to become famous.  Give the guy some credit.  He knows the value of information."

The diminutive demon mob opened his mount as if about to protest, but halted himself before any sound emerged.  Black fingernails pinched his own chin between them as he suddenly pondered his former student's point.

"Huh.  Hadn't thought of it that way.  So you haven't gone completely soft after all?  Word on the street was that you'd setup shop in that hellhole on thirteen, surrounding by rotten pudding people and never getting any customers."

Freyd shook his head dismissively.

"I setup shop on thirteen precisely because I never wanted any customers.  You'd be surprised by how many people take that as a hint that you must have some super-special goods for sale.  No one in their right mind would do it otherwise, right?"

A twinkly shone in the fiend's dark eyes, as a wry grin flashed a set of sharp, ebony teeth.

"Plans within plans within plans," they said in unison, both chuckling softly in the aftermath like a pair of old friends far too familiar with each others' ways of thinking.

"Yeah.  Alright.  Maybe you were worthy after all."  Billy scrutinized Bismuth, sizing him up like some sort of raw gem or recently discovered bit of undeciphered lore.  "You ask a lot of questions, Bis-boi, but the real biz's about learning the value of exchange.  What will you offer me in trade for the answers that you seek?  What deal are you offering?"

Freyd, meanwhile, turned and sat himself down on a nearby pile of junk and summoned a white mug filled with steaming black coffee that struggled, but managed, to smother the pungent odours of the surrounding marketplace with a hearty dose of vanilla.

[Bismuth 0]

Bismuth finished his diagram, Freyd could tell that with the little time spent on it, it was a very accurate representation of the creature they saw standing before them. complete with a couple of sentences, pointing to different areas of the drawing. Bismuth closed the book with a dull thud clipping it back to the buckles he had on his thigh intent on coming back here to get more details out of Billy later, but though incomplete this entry would do for now. placing the pencil in a container seemingly designed for storing the small utensil and clasping it in place beside the book, Bismuth finally looked up at the apparent devil again.

"Sorry no can do, I don't do deals. deals are just half baked promises and truths, with words designed to lead the other into a false sense of security where truthfully a trap lies in wait, and I don't like to play that dance. I have nothing to offer you, and your answers to my questions, while rather intriguing would not further my goal whatsoever." With that Bismuth turned back to Freyd the curiosity once again replace with a smirk of complete indifference towards anything around him. "Are we done here? Or was there a purpose in introducing the two of us?" Bismuth asked leaning against the same table as Freyd.

[Freyd 0]

"You said you wanted to learn to be an appraiser,"  Freyd replied candidly.

Taking a sip of his drink, Freyd sat with legs splayed, leaning forward to rest his elbows against his knees.  It was an odd look, him holding the glaring arctic white cup against a background of so much darkness.  Even more strangely, his shadow stood by his side, seeming to lean against the edge of a nearby post and yet poised in a manner completely different than its caster.  Blue eyes watched from beneath his cowl as Bismuth worked, sketching his own internal assessment of the man, and seeking to gauge his merits.  Bismuth, himself, was being appraised.

"Billy goes by many names, most recently include 'Drax', if whispered have reached my ears correctly.  Some occasionally call him Hermes."

"That's a lie," Billy blustered with irritation.

"Sure it is," came Freyd's chuckling retort.

"Deals are a big part of the give and take that makes an appraiser.  Some people think it's simply a matter of staring at a thing to glean its secrets, but in truth you have to prod and provoke in order to tease truth from all things.  Hearts don't typically like to reveal themselves without a bit of coaxing.  Your attention to detail is impressive.  Few people are so meticulous in the cataloging of their experiences.  It can also be tough to do in a fight.  And I have to ask: are you going to keep hitting on people when you want to figure them out?  I'm not sure that will work on objects."

The cowl tilted left in a puppy-like fashion, though Freyd was too lean and wiry to pass himself off as a basset hound.  The intensity of his gaze was, likewise, far too unnerving.  Fortunately, there was no appearance of threat - merely curiosity paired with analysis.

"Maybe a better question to answer here would be: what makes you want to be an appraiser?"

[Bismuth 0]

Bismuth just listened to what Freyd had to say not really responding until he was almost done with what seemed to be a lecture. "My wiles aren't for gathering information, that is just for fun. The information people can give me doesn't serve much of a purpose when I could just go out and collect my own data." Bismuth scowled as he looked back towards the Cambion over in the corner then back to Freyd. "If it means dealing with the likes of him," Bismuth nodded his head back towards Billy not much caring if he heard that he had a disdain for the deal making devil "Than I don't much think I want to be an appraiser." Bismuth let the scowl drop as he resumed his simple indifference. 

"It just seemed convenient, lot of items to be found hunting through the wilderness of Aincrad, seems a waste to spend so much money having it appraised. But I guess I will have to make do." Bismuth opened his menu, looking through a list of nearby quests, among them being the professions, sadly inside he did not find one for being an artist, which is probably where his talents lied. Picking one at random Bismuth decided that he would become a cook, he new that the consumables they provided would be useful, and materials were something he prided himself on obtaining, so it wouldn't be too bad of a choice. Closing his menu Bismuth stood fully from his leaning position "Well then, I guess I have a cook to go make the acquaintance of, feel free to join me." Bismuth smiled at Freyd before turning back to the Cambion "Oh, and you, I will be back, with some col, so that I can put more illustrations of you into this field journal, until then toodaloo." Bismuth gave him a small wave, all hints at animosity now completely gone, before he began walking off not caring if Freyd followed him at all.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Bismuth

[Freyd 0]

A single arched eyebrow lifted in response to Bismuth's comments, even as Freyd and Billy exchanged a silent, surprised look with each other.  The Whisper broke it off first, shrugging his shoulders and tossing his empty mug to the tiny devil-thing, who make to whip it back at him only to have the cup disintegrate into its component pixels in his hand.

"See you around, Billy.  Good luck with the whatever it is you're scheming!"  A casual handwave, made without looking back, ended their bizarre interaction with the NPC.  Freyd's long, purposeful strides soon closed the distance and had him caught up with the now-would-be-cook.  "That was a bit of a sudden course change," he stated, in a tone suggesting amusement.  Freyd was certainly capable of rolling with the punches.  His particular line of work essentially required it.

"So, cooking?  The change was a bit drastic, but if that's what you prefer.  I might as well come along.  It's been ages since Marv and I spoke, and his post isn't very far from here."  He scratched at the back of his cowl for a moment.  Tilting his head down as if a hidden trail might reveal itself at their feet.  "Maggie, isn't it?  The NPC you want should be just around the corner."

[Bismuth 0]

"It may have been sudden, but he feels like the kind of person who uses someone for his own gain, and then throws them aside the moment they aren't useful. And I have had enough of those types of people, plus the ladies can't resist a man who cooks." Bismuth winked at Freyd while they walked, not caring one way or the other if his companion joined him or not, but definitely not frowning at the company. 

"Marv, like the guard?" Bismuth was interested in knowing if it was the same Marv that Astreya had somewhat introduced him too on his foray into gaining the gathering quest, though she had only really talked about him in passing, he still remembered it because it was odd to know any of the guards in this town by name. Bismuth opened up his menu again, looking at his quests again to look for the location and name of the quest giver for the cook quest. "Yeah Maggie, and she seems to be just right here. We can stop by Marv on the way if you want to have a chat, I have nothing but time." Bismuth looked up from his menu and over at  his very dark companion, so far Bismuth didn't really know what to think about him, there was something about him that was just so off putting, and at the same time, all he had done was help Bismuth so far.

[Freyd 0]

"Billy's not all bad," Freyd replied unexpectedly.  Many players reacted to his own dark demeanor in much the same way as Bismuth was to the NPC.  "He comes across as far more sinister than he really is.  In truth, he just pushes us to realize the value and potential of many things we all tend to take for granted, including things beyond the material.  These range from the benefits of having friends and allies, the value of loyalty, the true measure of sacrifice and a gift given with no strings attached.  Billy just provides us with contrast."

Freyd had never quite laid out that realization before, even to himself, and suddenly found a new appreciation for the conniving little devil that wasn't there before.

"Let's stop by Maggie's first and pickup the quest for you.  We'll have to pass through the gate where Marv is stationed.  And yes, Marv and I have been coffee companions for a very long time.  I introduced Astreya to him a while back.  She's the one that speaks like a valley girl, right?  You'd think a few years in this place might curb that sort of habit?  Guess not."

Leading them to a tidy little tavern on a side street off the main thoroughfare, Freyd spotted Maggie doing her thing behind the bar and gestured for his companion to step up and do the quest thing.  Crossing his arms and leaning against a nearby column, he seemed to casually fade into the background.  The tavern wasn't especially full at this time of day and the few patrons were mostly regulars.  Some spared sideways glances at the new arrival in their midst, but most just carried on with their business. 

Even if the ambiance was a bit bare, the smells wafting from the kitchen were unbelievably appetizing.  Freyd made a mental note to return here for a proper meal, at some point, perhaps bringing Elora along for some company.  They'd had so little time to themselves since that mess with Shadow.  It was like he'd blinked and an entire floor had gone by without notice or fanfare.  Catching the eyes of a waitress, he ordered a pot of coffee and mugs to go.  He and Marv had a ritual to maintain, and this place seemed as suitable a place as any to gather the necessary materials.

[Bismuth 0]

"I feel like being the person who provides a contrast to things that are good things, isn't really someone I should be interacting with. At least there is a purpose for his actions." Bismuth thought it was far better to have a reason to be a bad person, then to just be one for none. He had dealt with his fair share of people only using him for their own gain, and he was completely done with that, even if it was drastic and sudden.

"That sounds like a plan." Bismuth smiled as Freyd described Astreya it was fairly on point, and it made Bismuth laugh "You'd think it would go away, but it's so strong still. Though I don't really mind." Bismuth took in the small café that he had been brought too, the smell was already enough to make him just want to be a cook even more. 

Walking into the café Bismuth was immediately greeted by the cook here Maggie "Hi hun," Maggie waved from behind the counter where you could see she was hard at work "We've got a bunch of different meals in the works, so what is that you're hungry for?" Bismuth smiled at her, walking up to her counter "Not actually here to eat. Though everything smells so delicious." bismuth took a deep breath again, smelling all of the different aromas wafting through her kitchen "I am actually here to learn from you." Bismuth smiled at the middle aged woman as he watched her wipe her hands on her apron. "Oh my goodness, I would just love to teach you my favorite recipes. Unfortunately, today's lunch wiped out most of our ingredients. If it isn't too much of a bother, would you mind picking up a few things?" The woman was clearly excited at the prospect of gaining a protegee, and Bismuth was just as happy to be learning from her. "Gladly." Bismuth remarked before walking back to Freyd. "It's time for a little gathering mission." Bismuth seemed really happy and excited at the prospect of gathering, it was something that he had spent a lot of time studying, and something he had a deep passion for.

[Freyd 0]

Hanging by the door, Freyd twiddled with some random, decorative bauble to help pass the time while Bismuth performed the mandatory exchange.  Turning the thing over and over again while trying to recall which side was meant to be 'up', he had to admit that his new companion seemed to have a decent head on his shoulders.  A quick wave and gesture towards the menu board ordered the coffee he would need for his ritual.

"A hint of vanilla, please," he added politely, offering payment up front with a generous tip.  The merchants in this area knew him well, and while he'd been stingy with his coin, at first, Freyd soon learned the value of a happy business partner.  It paid dividends to have friends around, serving as eager eyes and ears.

Once Bismuth had concluded his exchange and accepted the quest, Freyd led them to the nearby main gate.  The towering bastion of white stone with its half-raised portcullis had never changed in all the years they'd been trapped in this world.  Everything in the Town of Beginnings seemed persistently stagnant, as if taunting players who remained here too long that they would eventually wither and die of boredom.  Too many years had passed before he finally found the gumption to take his chances beyond the safety of its walls.  

"MARV!" 

It was odd to hear true heartfelt joy from a man who was otherwise normally distant and withdrawn, but the Whisper shed his dour skin the moment he spotted one of the guards standing at attention by the gate.  The NPC in question was clad in the same, gaudy ceremonial armor as all the rest, staring at the distant horizon  with his back turned to the city itself.  He yawned, almost as if on cue, when Freyd made his approach.  Bismuth would soon learn that it was the only action the man ever made.  He never spoke.  He never turned his head.  He never even touched the cup and saucer that Freyd laid out between them, this time thoughtfully adding a third for his companion.

"Marv, meet Biz.  Biz, Marv."  Pausing only long enough to offer Bismuth his cup, he conjured a small dish with sugar cubes and a miniature milk jug, offering them to player and NPC alike.  Marv neither accepted, nor refused.  In fact, he didn't respond to Freyd at all.

"It's been too long, old friend.  I haven't really had a chance to catch up with you since we nearly kicked Gabrandr's butt up on twenty-six, until everyone went bleeding heart and decided to spare him.  Pfft.  What a farce that turned out to be."  Freyd's head jerked up, as if suddenly remembering something unrelated, yet important.

"Oh, Biz, you're probably going to need these." A pendant and pair of spectacles spontaneously formed in his hands.  "Standard adventuring gear for newbies.  I keep a ton of these around as useful handouts.  Please, keep them, Quip berates me constantly that I need to de-clutter."

***

Freyd gives the following items to Bismuth:

Hikei +2 | Trinket | #203097 | LOOT DIE III
A pair of spectacles known as the revealing mirror help to see through any manner of hiding. These golden glasses have round lenses that help to focus ones eyesight onto that which is not seen. It is said that mirrors are a true reflection into ones soul, and these glasses show that truth.

Koumi +1 (T1 Perfect Trinket – ACC 3)
Acquisition ID: #195572a | Identification ID: 203058, 203059, 203060 | Reroll ID: 203061
This pendant is an old looking gold coin with a leather strap looped through a hole in the top of it. This pendant provides the user with no actual benefit but, just having this lucky charm in the users possession seems to make them more likely to hit. It is said that this coin is a coin from ancient Greece, and was used by Hercules himself.

[Bismuth 0]

It was odd seeing someone like Freyd be so happy and carefree, especially at something like seeing an NPC that didn't seem to move or respond at all, it was just another thing to add onto the list of oddities bundled under black clothes that was Freyd. Bismuth graciously accepted the coffee, seemingly putting so much sugar into it that it would no longer be coffee anymore, but rather sugar with a side of coffee. Bismuth nodded at Marv when he was introduced, somewhat awkwardly, staying mostly silent in order to let the pair talk, or I guess just Freyd talk to himself under the guise of a conversation.

Bismuth jumped when Freyd's head jerked up, surprised at the sudden movement, even more surprised by the fact that he was being given items, evidently he had a large amount of them just laying around his shop, which wasn't really a surprise with how cluttered that shop was. "Oh, thankyou. How much do I owe you?" Bismuth asked taking the spectacles and putting them on, giving him a somewhat odd look, a goatee and long curly brown hair, with a pair of golden round glasses. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what anyone would assume he would wear. 

Spoiler

Bismuth equips Hikei +2 | Trinket | #203097 | LOOT DIE III

 

Edited February 6, 2022 by Bismuth