[F4|PP]Phantasmagoric Hell [Trigger Warning: Suicide/Self-Harm]

[Assassin 0]

Cold.

An empty vessel ripped of flesh and given temporary existence in this digital nightmare. One who could not even understand their plight even if they attempted it. Nothing but a lost and forgotten child, a premade headstone in a graveyard of living corpses. Depression had sundered this soul's living body. All that awaited her was the promise of oblivion.

---

Once a challenger of this brutal hell, nothing was left in Assassin. The child had lost everything she cared about: Her sister and friends. The only one that remained with her was Hyou. The white leopard was quiet as her master inspected the blade she held. Snow daintily lay on the blade as well as the girl covering her in a mound of freezing pain. A metaphor of her existence.

What meaning did this life hold? Suffering. Nothing else. What was it worth? Absolutely nothing.

Twisting the blade in her hand, Assassin would plunge it into her stomach. Hyou would whimper in response as the child fell forward onto the blade, it's paralysis overtaking her by the time it wore off, her health would return to full. The young rat would sigh quietly, face first in the snow impaled with her own blade. "Failing in both life and death. What would Nee-chan think of me?" She would ask no one, her familiar adjusting it's position to lay with her master and keep her warm.

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

The crunch of snow beneath her boots was welcoming on the crisp air. It had been some time since Nari had visited the winter wonderland that was floor four. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the crisp cold, almost as much as the fox on her shoulders. Nari knew that although their home on floor twenty seven was enjoyable, Yuki didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as the winter floor that she had come from. Each visit here seemed to instil more longing in the fox, and once again Nari considered selling the estate. It had been on her mind more and more frequently lately.

The whisper of a voice would pull her attention, and Nari felt herself spin on her heels, spear and shield rising in tandem. Her eyes cast across the area, looking between the numerous trees. They passed over the open area, spotting a rock, before moving onwards…

‘That’s no rock.’ Her eyes shot back to what she realised was a player, curled upon the ground, appearing in distress. Another quick sweep around the area confirmed that no one appeared to be waiting, and slowly she moved across the distance, stopping when the point of her spear was near enough to lash out.

“Hey…are you okay?” Her eyes still watching the area around her, she called out to the form. As she waited for an answer, she took time to study the smaller figure. The girl appeared young, far younger than Nari herself. She would almost hazard a guess that she didn’t quite meet the age requirements for this game. ‘Another fuck you, to Cardinal, and in return.’

She felt herself growl in realisation, the frustration and anger towards the system coming out in little more than a guttural sound. Her spear almost dipped as she considered how dangerous a child could be, before realising the danger in such careless action.

Spoiler

Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 21 | HP: 780/780 | EN: 90/90 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 147 | ACC: 1 | REC: 8 | EVA: 0 | LD: 0 | STH: -5 | Thorns [72 DMG] | Frostbite [30 DMG] | Battle Healing [+15]

Tier 4 | Tier 6

Laurel Wreath (Earn Col equivalent to 15% of player’s EXP earned in thread).

+1 LD (This bonus only applies to looting, searching for and opening chests).

 

Equipped Items

Síonnách Geímhrídh | [T3 Polearm [One-Handed Assault Spear]; Perfect] Standing at nearly 120 cm in length from tip to tip, this short spear contains a metallic-appearing shaft of shifting dark and light violet, twirling in a mesmerising pattern. The blade - connected by a metal collar of a blackness similar to a void - glints with an ice blue colouring, a shift of light violet visible in the surface at the right angle. Twin wrapped lengths of cord - a combination of ice blue and dark violet - hang from the metal collar, intertwining in a mesmerising pattern when in movement.
Enhancement: Freeze [1 Slot] | Effect: Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 (1 slot) or natural successful attack rolls of 8-10 (2 slots) remove the enemy’s action on their next turn as a Frost effect. Frozen opponents have their Evasion set to -1. Striking a frozen enemy before the effect ends deal an extra (16 * Tier) unmitigatable damage. [Must hit to activate the status condition.]
Enhancement: Paralyse [1 Slot] | Effect: Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 (1 slot) or natural successful attack rolls of 8-10 (2 slots) remove the enemy’s action on their next turn. Paralyzed opponents lose any evasion properties.
Enhancement: Frostbite [1 Slot] | Effect: Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 (1 slot) or natural successful attack rolls of 8-10 (2 slots) deal (10 * Tier) unmitigated Frost damage each enemy turn for 2 turns. In addition, anyone with Frostbite receives a -1 Accuracy debuff until the effect wears off.  Frostbite damage does not stack, but can be refreshed. The highest tier of Frost damage overrides lower tier versions; cannot be overridden by lower-tier versions. [Must hit to activate the status condition.]

Dark Fox's Reckoning [Tier 4; Heavy/Plate Armour] Forged to be shapely, this piece appears thinner than most pieces of heavy armour - leaving what appear to be openings towards the neckline, and the sides of the torso. Smaller shoulders leave limited protection towards the neck, but allow for greater movement. Coloured a dark violet, the edges of the piece outlined in a shifting soft silver, orange and red colour. Upon the chest's centre stands a white fox, slightly cured with fangs barred, black eyes staring out as if at the individual in front of the piece.
Enhancement: Recovery [1 Slot] | Effect: Before your post action, make a separate CD roll. On a natural CD7+, regain (1 per slot * Tier) additional energy. This CD roll may also apply to activating the effects of Vamp-Def.
Enhancement: Heavy Momentum [1 Slot] | Effect: After an unsuccessful attack, gain +(1 per slot * Tier) base damage until your next successful attack, at which point this bonus is removed. Another unsuccessful attack will reactivate this enhancement. Must be using the Heavy Armor Skill for this enhancement to take effect. [For Area of Effect attacks: This effect only activates if you miss all enemies targeted by the attack.]
Enhancement: Taunt [1 Slot] | Effect: +1 Hate generated from Howl, Focused Howl, and successful attacks.

Dark Fox's Retribution [Tier 4; Celtic Shield] Similar to a wall shield, this piece stands nearly 137cm tall, and nearly 76 cm wide - easily covering the form of a shorter individual. Tapered on the sides, the shield seems to bend inwards slightly on its edges, a perfect opening for an outwardly weapon to be levelled through. The top and bottom edges slightly bend inwards, giving the impression of a less than straight appearance. Coloured in a dark violet, with edges of dark forest green, a white fox, slightly cured with fangs barred is emblazoned on its centre, appearing as if ready to strike.
Enhancement: Recovery [1 Slot] | Effect: Before your post action, make a separate CD roll. On a natural CD7+, regain (1 per slot * Tier) additional energy. This CD roll may also apply to activating the effects of Vamp-Def.
Enhancement: Thorns [2 Slots] | Effect: Successful non-critical attacks against you deal (9 * Tier) unmitigated damage to the attacking enemy. Only activates on damage dealing, melee attacks.

Battle-Ready Inventory

Teleport Crystal {3}
Pure Unadulterated Rage (Meals) | Tier 1; Mitigation 3
Starter Healing Potions {5} | Heals 50 HP
Blank Dungeon Map {4} | Tier 4
Immolation Potion {1} | Tier 4; When used, successful non-critical attacks against you deal (10 * Tier) unmitigated damage to the attacking enemy. Must be of the appropriate tier to use. Effect lasts for one thread.
Caribou Stew | Tier 4; Rare Meal | Protein II

Inventory

Monkey Agility {2} | Tier 1; Evasion 1
Super-Duper Anti Snake Sauce (Salve) | Tier 1; Antidote 2
Spyglass {3} | Use to reduce the number of posts required to search for a dungeon, familiar or field bosses by 5 posts. Effect lasts for one thread.
Uncommon Health Potions {5} | Tier 1; Heals 5% of Maximum HP
Uncommon Overhealth Potion {1} | Tier 1; Adds 5% of Maximum HP to users Maximum HP for a thread
Rare Health Potions {1} | Tier 1; Heals 10% of Maximum HP
Arrowhead Brooch | Tier 1 Perfect Trinket | Accuracy III
Music Box | Tier 1 Perfect Trinket | LD III

Combat Skills

Battle Healing
Rank 3
Passive
Effect: While in combat, recover 1% per rank of your maximum HP (rounded down) at the beginning of your turn.

Weapon Skills

Polearm
Rank 5
Passive
Effect: +7 DMG

[Rank 5 Weapon Addon] Stamina
Passive
Effect: Reduces EN of all attacks by 2.

[Rank 5 Weapon Addon] Precision
Passive
Effect: Gain +1 ACC.

[Rank 5 Weapon Addon] <<Weapon Type>> Focus
Passive
Effect: Decreases minor critical threshold by 1. Also reduces DoT thresholds by 1. Players cannot use Focus and Ferocity at the same time for the same Weapon Type.

[Rank 5 Shift] TECH Specialist
Passive
Effect: For TECH Sword Arts, +4 to multipliers, +3 to EN cost. No other Shifts may be taken.

Sword Arts

[x12] ST-I (12 EN) | A single-target sword art.
[x15] ST-II (15 EN) | A powerful single-target sword art. Only available for use when ST-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if ST-II had been used and had missed the previous turn.
[x20] ST-B (20 EN) | A devastating single-target sword art. Can only be used if the sword art used the previous turn is not ST-B and had rolled a natural CD9+. When performing an AoE attack, use only the first roll.
[x11] AOE-I (11 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once.
[x14] AOE-II (14 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE | A powerful sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. Only available for use when AOE-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if AOE-II had been used and had missed the previous turn.
[x16] TECH-A (16 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.
[x16] TECH-B (15 EN) | DELAY | A single-target sword art that, on a successful strike, applies [Delay] on the enemy. [Delay] is a status condition that reduces the enemy’s ACC by 1 for one turn.
[x16] TECH-C (15 EN) | COUNTER | A single-target sword art that, on a successful strike, places [Counter] around the player. [Counter] reduces the final damage taken by its user by 25% (rounded down) for one turn.
[x16] TECH-D (15 EN) | SHATTER | A single-target sword art that applies [Shatter] to an enemy for 3 turns. [Shatter] is a debuff that can stack up to a cap of 3. Each stack of [Shatter] removes -20 MIT from an enemy, down to 0, if it has MIT.
[x12] TECH-F (11 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE STUN | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. All struck targets are stunned for one turn.
[x3] RAW-A (10 EN) | THORNS | A single-target sword art that utilizes the [Thorns] of the individual against the enemy. Other types of enhancements that apply damage upon contact with the individual are also considered in improving the damage of this sword art (eg. Immolation Potion, Flame/Frost Aura, etc). Outgoing damage is considered mitigatable.  Must have a weapon equipped to activate this sword art.

Armour Skills

Heavy Armor
Rank 5
Passive
Effect: MIT + 35. You can only benefit from one armour skill at a time (the respective armour type must be equipped). Your evasion is capped at 1 enhancement slot and you take -1 to Stealth Rating per rank.

[Rank 5 Heavy Armor Addon] Iron Skin
Effect: Gain +15 Mitigation and +15 * Tier HP

Active Extra Skills

Block [Requires two Extra Skill slots]
Passive
Effect: Requires an equipped shield. User’s evasion cannot be greater than 0 (can still be negative). Grants additional mitigation:
Rank 5: 25 MIT

Frozen Hide
Active: Free Action
Energy Cost: 5 EN
Cooldown: 4 Turns
Effect: As a free action, apply one slot of Frost Aura and one slot of Frost Thorns equal to your tier to yourself until the start of your next turn.

Howl
Active: Post Action
Energy Cost: 2 EN
Effect: Adds +2 Hate each against up to 4 targets.

Parry
Active: Post action
Energy cost: 9 EN
Cooldown: 3 Turns
Effect: Apply the energy cost upon proc, not activation. Reduces the final damage of the next successful attack against you by 50% (rounded down) and negates stun/paralysis effects of that attack. If hit by multiple attacks, only apply parry to the first attack against you. Parry lasts for three turns. Cooldown starts when the player activates the Skill. If the player is hit when using Parry, the cooldown is reset to 3 turns.

[Parry Mod] Vengeful Riposte
Passive
Cooldown: 4 Turns
Effect: A successful Parry also returns 50% (rounded down) of the raw damage that would be dealt to you back to your opponent. The reflected damage can be mitigated by the opponent.

Survival
Cost: Complete <<The Traveler>> with Unlock Conditions
Action: Passive
Effect: Increases Healing effects received from all sources by 10%. Grants immunity to all damage dealing environmental attacks/effects.

Meditation
Action: Post Action
Cooldown: 3 turns
Effect: Recover an additional (4 * Tier) energy. 

Inactive Extra Skills 

 

Combat Mastery

Mitigation
[Expert] -> Rank 3
Passive
Effect: Gain +6*Tier Mitigation per rank. Ranks of this Skill apply to Mitigation enhancement caps.

Familiar Skills

Protector Familiar
Active: Free Action
Cooldown: 3 Posts
Effect: The next time you would take damage, your familiar rushes to your aid, reducing the final damage by 10%.

Estate Buffs

Bedroom
Effect: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat

Storage Closet
Effect: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot 

Spoiler

Word Count: 312

 

[Assassin 0]

As the child lay there helpless in the cold embrace of piling snow, she could do nothing but sit with her thoughts while the paralysis ran it's course. Hyou, the massive leopard that weighed more than herself, would do her best to keep her master warm until then. It wasn't long before she heard a voice: A woman, one she didn't recognize. The familiar stood up instantly and growled at the encroaching on her masters space. Assassin would speak up.

"Hyou, quit it." The girl would say. The familiar looked upon her master then back to her query before giving up on it. However, it was clear that wouldn't allow Nari to get very close until the paralysis wore off.

Looking upon the girl, the violet tank could see a plunged weapon sticking from the opposite side. She was quite literally laying on her own blade, stuck in a perpetual paralysis lock. Assassin's head would slowly turn, trying to get a view of the girl above her. The child's eyes glowed a wonderful emerald as they peered into her soul. "You don't look like them. If you aren't just leave me alone. Otherwise, just get it over with."

---

"I'm tired." A quiet plea would escape the girl's lips, almost like a request. She made no attempt to resist the paralysis she was under but couldn't escape it if she didn't try. If Nari did nothing, she would lay in this snow until a mob came around and finished her.

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

As she came closer, she noticed the blade piercing the other, the weapon clearly impaling the girl and keeping her from moving. Nari hesitated – unsure of whether there was danger to be found here, or if there was something more than met the eyes.

Breaths passed as Nari considered her position, and as the girl remained motionless, a single plea came out. Nari Knelt down, careful to keep an eye on the leopard, laying her spear on the ground just within reach should she need it.

“I can see that…but…can I help you get that blade out?” She reached a hand forward, keeping her eyes on the leopard. She wasn’t entirely certain of the situation, but if she could, she was going to help this player. “And then we can talk about what happened to you. And who that belongs to…”

Something about the whole situation seemed…wrong to Nari. Murders, especially those done by other players, didn’t often leave the scene while the victim was still fine. Nari had learnt, thankfully by no first hand experience, that they usually enjoyed finishing off their prey. This, however…

Spoiler

Word Count: 186

 

[Assassin 0]

The girl continue to lay on the ground, no commitment to make any movement for any reason. Hyou was visibly tense, obviously on edge of a stranger touching her immobilized master. Bright green eyes peered at her, no emotion beyond a saddened, blank expression. "Does it really matter?" She asked. "Even if I remove the blade and try to fight. I'm going to die. They won't leave me alone. Nee-chan isn't here to help me. No one cares about a lonely orphan child, so why should I care about her too."

Her words were as sharp as her dagger. That considered, the girl tried to roll to the side but her body refused. "The blade is Shadow's Infection. Nee-chan gave it to me. One small cut will make an enemy completely helpless." A silent pause fell between them as Assassin picked her next words. Her eyes began to well with tears, an emotion she hadn't felt in so long overtook her almost instantly. "I don't want to be here anymore."

Assassin would begin to cry into the snow. Hyou, on the other hand would roll her master over, laying her on her back and step back so that Nari could aid the child with removing the blade stuck in her stomach.

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Cautiously, Nari slid forwards, placing a single hand upon the hilt of the blade as the leopard stepped aside so that Nari could assist. Gently, she placed her right hand upon the girl’s shoulder, steadying herself as she readied for what came next. “This won’t hurt, but you may feel some pressure.”

As soon as her words finished she pulled the blade from the girl’s body, before letting it fall to the ground. Letting her arms catch the girl as she shifted, Nari pulled her in close, wrapping herself around the girl in what she hoped was a warm, comforting embrace. For a time, she just sat silently, letting the silence sit over them.

“I…get how you feel, kind of. I lost someone here, and for a long time…for a long time I didn’t want to continue. For a long time, I wondered how best to make it all stop – to bring it to an end.” She could feel the emotions welling up in here again. Tucked deep down, but never gone, she’d managed to go so long without thinking about it. “For weeks, I would keep visiting the same edge, wondering if it would hurt to fall, before turning into thousands of shards. Wondering if there would be one final, overwhelming pain before the darkness.”

She let the words drift away for a few moments, contemplating how much to share with what was essentially a child. She knew the hurt that this player was feeling, knew that nothing she said would make it go away now, that it would take time – time and help.

“I won’t lie to you and tell you that it’ll all magically go away, or that you’ll wake up one day and realise that life is worth living and never have trouble again. I won’t even tell you that with help, and love, that you’ll be fine. Because…I’m not. I still have moments, days, hours…where I wonder if it’s worth it. Where I wonder if this is all for nothing, and if it shouldn’t just be ended…” She knew she was oversharing at this point, but the words just continued to pour out, as if a dam had been opened. “But…I know you now. And because of that, I won’t let you go through this alone. Even if I’m only one person, I’ll support you, in whatever you need. And if all that you need is…a hand, to finish it all, I’ll walk you to that ledge. And shed the tears that come afterwards.”

Spoiler

Word Count: 419

 

[Assassin 0]

As the child lie there in the arms of a stranger, she couldn't help but cry more. She used to think she was a strong person but now this world was nothing other than a whirlwind of pain and suffering revolving around her head. Listening to her attempt at comforting words, Assassin would quietly sit there in her wallowing. "I don't want to die... I want to feel strong again... They won't leave me alone and I can't find Nee-chan... She disappeared..." The girl would whisper to herself.

"They want to kill me and I keeping running and hiding. They keep finding me." She would add. "They won't quit until I am and I don't know why." A painful quiet continued for a moment nearly as sharp as her dagger. Assassin didn't know what to say so she started speaking her mind without thinking. "B-But, what if I killed them... they... they would leave me alone... finally. Then I could find Nee-chan... and everything would be nice again."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

The girl spoke, and Nari listened. Listened to the words of being chased, being hunted. Of having lost someone, and wanting to find them. She knew the feeling of that loss herself, and could empathise with the feeling, but as the girl continued speaking, Nari foresaw a darkness coming over the small girl in her grasp. At first, it began as one afeared of being hunted, likely by the player killers that Nari had heard so much about throughout her time here – especially lately. But the final ideology that the girl presented, that hit Nari harder than anything else.

“You don’t want that, no matter who is hunting you. Taking the life of another, it isn’t like ending the creatures, monsters and NPCs that populate in this game.” She pulled the girl closer, tighter to herself as her heart turned cold, the memories arising in her mind from years ago. “I won’t say it’s not easy, but…it will haunt you for the rest of your life. It will never leave you, to peace.”

Realising how tightly she was holding the girl to herself, she loosened off her grip, before speaking again. “You mentioned a name…Neechan? Perhaps I can help you find…them? Maybe this…Neechan can help you with whatever is chasing you?”

She wasn’t quite sure what to take of this whole situation, but the girl was obviously afeared of something – and that alone meant Nari couldn’t leave her like this. If nothing else, she needed to help the girl back to the nearest settlement, to relative safety. From there…well, from there she could figure it out, as need be. First though, was getting out of an area this dangerous, if someone was hunting her.

“That being said, if someone is trying to hurt you, being out of the safe zone isn’t a good idea. Anyone could stumble across you here, alone. Why don’t we get you back into a town, until we can figure out a path forward, okay? And I promise you I won’t leave you until everything is sorted out, okay?”

Spoiler

Word Count: 343