[F02/PP] Demons, Mountains, and Beauty | <<DHA 2: The Demon of the Mountains>>

Nari-Lanreth · April 18, 2022

“Hey, I’d forgotten about this quest…” She flipped the menu for NIGHT to read. She’d completed the first of the Dragon Hunter quests, but had been too preoccupied for the sequel quest; too focused on other quests and skills. “Feel up to facing down a dragon? The first one was easy enough, but company is always…enjoyable, no?”

She flashed a smile at NIGHT as she waited for the girl to respond – hoping that it made her look more appealing. The quest itself seemed easy enough, from what the description provided, but she would prefer the company along.

Rolling off the couch, she jumped up and began tidying up the room – collecting the numerous dishes that had pilled up throughout their morning meal. Once the place had been tidied up a bit, she made her way towards the front door, grabbing her newest vest and pulling it on as she went – the ice blue colour standing out against the violet turtleneck beneath. Pulling the hood up, she beamed a smile at NIGHT as the tiny fox ears popped up, the tail hanging off the back of the vest reminding her of a piece that she had back in the real world.

Cocking her head as she looked back at NIGHT, she smiled slightly before bringing her middle and thumb finger up in a V-like shape, the palm of her hand exposed towards NIGHT. “Shall we?”

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Word Count: 234

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Nari-Lanreth's Statblock

Spoiler

Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 37 | HP: 840/840 | EN: 96/96 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 147 | F. Aura: 32 MIT; 16 FRST | Thorns [72 DMG] | Frostbite [40 DMG; -1 ACC] | Battle Healing [+25] | Heavy Momentum: [+4 DMG] | Paralyse | Taunt | STH: -5

Tier 4 | Tier 7

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

Póg Deiridh [Tier 4; Polearm [One-handed Assault Spear]; Demonic] A metre and a half in length, the short spear contains a shaft of polished wood with a twisting combination of light and dark violet, with a single line of black separating the colours. The thin blade itself is coloured lavender, with a heart of royal purple. Attached at the connection between shaft and blade, are twisting tassels of violet and ice blue.
Enhancement: Frostbite [2 Slots] | 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.]
Enhancement: Accuracy [2 Slots] | Effect: Gain +(1 per slot) to the BD when attacking. Cannot be used to cause a critical hit.

Glacadh Morríghan [Tier 4; Heavy/Plate Armour] Designed as form fitting half-plate armour, this piece has an open chest area, designed to adjust based on the wearer. Small pauldrons protect the shoulders and neck, while light greaves cover the arms. Coloured in a shifting of soft violet and ice blue, the bottom left front of the torso contains a small curled fox.
Enhancement: Frost Aura [2 Slots] | Effect: Prevent (4 per slot * Tier) damage per slot from successful attacks against you. Successful non-critical attacks against you deal (2 per slot * Tier) unmitigated Frost damage to the attacking enemy.
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.]

Póg an Gheimhridh [Tier 4; Heater Shield] A smaller heater shield, this piece contains the typical heater shape, with a bouche edge on the left hand upper corner, and a tear drop tail that curls towards the right on the bottom edge. Coloured a shifting soft violet and ice blue, a small white fox appears on the forefront, the ideas staring outwards and the mouth pulled back in a snarl.
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: Taunt [1 Slot] | Effect: +1 Hate generated from Howl, Focused Howl, and successful attacks.
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 {4} | 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 {3} | 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.
Big Bertha Braciole | Unique Consumable (Meal) | A fishy entree that restores +2 additional EN each turn in combat 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
Ketchup Chips {3} | Tier 4; Perfect Snacks| Probiotics III
Poutine {3} | Tier 4; Uncommon Meal | Overhealth I
Cheesecake {3} | Tier 4; Perfect Dessert | Loot Dice III
Divinity's Wait {6} | Tier 2; Perfect Potion | Mitigation III
Divinity's Protection {5} | Tier 3; Perfect Potion | Overhealth III
Fruit Infused Tea {3} | Tier 3; Perfect Potion | HP Recovery III
Cold Brew Coffee {4} | Tier 1; Perfect Potion | HP Recovery III
Percephonius Pyratius {14} | Tier 4; Perfect Potion | Damage III
Axintori Alcemitanti {15} | Tier 4; Perfect Potion | Overhealth III
Eleanór a Rún {1} | Tier 1; Uncommon Support Song | HP Recovery I
Fill-iù Oro Hù Ò {1} | Tier 1; Rare Support Song | HP Recovery II
Clann Ulaidh {1} | Tier 2; Uncommon Debuff Song | Lullaby I
Clann Ulaidh {1} | Tier 2; Uncommon Masterpiece Debuff Song | Lullaby I [Instant]
Cànan nan Gàidheal {6} | Tier 2; Perfect Debuff Song | Incarceration
Bothan Àirigh Am Bràigh Raithneach {1} | Tier 2; Uncommon Masterpiece Support Song | HP Recovery I
Siúil a Rún {3} | Tier 2; Uncommon Support Song | HP Recovery I
Siúil a Rún {3} | Tier 2; Rare Support Song | HP Recovery II
Siúil a Rún {4} | Tier 2; Perfect Support Song | HP Recovery III
Cànan nan Gàidheal {1} | Tier 3; Uncommon Debuff Song | Lullaby I
Cànan nan Gàidheal {1} | Tier 3; Uncommon Masterpiece Debuff Song | Lullaby I [Instant]
Clann Ulaidh {1} | Tier 3; Uncommon Masterpiece Debuff Song | Lullaby I [Instant]
Clann Ulaidh {1} | Tier 3; Rare Debuff Song | Lullaby II
Clann Ulaidh {1} | Tier 3; Rare Masterpiece Debuff Song | Lullaby II [Instant]
Siúil a Rún {1} | Tier 3; Uncommon Support Song | HP Recovery I
Siúil a Rún {1} | Tier 3; Perfect Support Song | HP Recovery III
Siúil a Rún {1} | Tier 3; Perfect; Masterpiece Support Song | HP Recovery III [Mass]

Sword Arts

[x12] ST-I (12 10 EN) | A single-target sword art.
[x15] ST-II (15 13 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 18 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 9 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once.
[x14] AOE-II (14 12 + 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 14 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.
[x16] TECH-B (15 13 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 13 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 13 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 9 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE STUN | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. All struck targets are stunned for one turn.
[x16] TECH-G (15 13 EN) | BURN | A single-target sword art that, on a successful strike, applies [Burn] on the enemy. [Burn] is a DoT ailment that deals [14 * Player Tier] unmitigated Burn damage for 2 turns.
[x2] RAW-A (10 8 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.

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.

Fighting Spirit
Passive
Effect: Attacking and using Howl or Focused Howl generates +1 additional Hate. (Ex. Generate 1/2/3 Hate on a Miss/Hit/Critical attack. Generate 5 Hate when using Focused Howl.)

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

[Howl Addon] Focused Howl
Active: Post Action
Energy Cost: 4 EN
Cooldown: 4 Turns
Effect: Adds +4 Hate against a single target.

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.

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
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.

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.

Inactive Extra Skills

Concentration
Cost: Complete <<The Gemini>> with Unlock Conditions
Action: Free Action
Cooldown: 5 turns
Effect: As a free action, gain Absolute Accuracy on your next attack. In the case Absolute Accuracy is already present, increase your Accuracy by 1 instead. Effect lasts until the start of next turn.

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

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

Master Bedroom
Effect: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat.
Master Bathroom
Effect: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down).
Dining Room
Effect: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Lesser Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.
Basic Kitchen
Effect: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30.
Living Room
Effect: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Attic (Storage)
Effect: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
Storage Closet
Effect: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot

NIGHT · April 18, 2022

<<DHA:2 | The Demon of the Mountains>>

the dragon hunter series: forgettable? night hadn't thought so herself, when she raised her head and examined the interface displayed to her. half lounging, half cuddling -- she didn't need any excuses made from nari's end just to get her to tag along. a tilt of her head, right before her partner got up. "you know i'm down for whatever you want to do, right?"

and the dishes could be washed later, she supposed, despite a nagging feeling that the player had wanted to tend to them now. the pop of a jacket on -- it was strange how she had on a winter coat whenever she ventured into the wild of the fourth, only to remove it once she left the floor, as though its sole existence was to aid her to brave the floor's chill. a glance to her other as she contemplated on the idea -- and then the woman found herself caught, stuck in a pause.

"what in the world are you wearing...?"

who made that? no, never mind, she had an idea of who made it. rather, it was strange to see it made in the first place, at all. and night wanted to have her hands wander, flicking the hood ears and plushing that fluffy tail. was it cotton inside? the fabric -- a texture of comfortable short fur?

if she had her tongue stuck out after being stunned mouth agape, it was in confusion and curiosity. the ears made nari almost as tall as night was. almost. the player wrapped around her other, pulling her close.

"yeah, let's go. after you, 'winter fox'."

| NIGHT
| Lv. 137 >> P. 105, Lv. 32
| Status: yip, yip.

Notes:
//

Spoiler

NIGHT | HP: 1080/1080 | EN: 146/146 | DMG: 21 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 44 | LM: 2 | HLY/FLN: 16 | LD: 5 | BH: 55 | Stealth Rating: 6

equipped

oathkeeper.
FLN II, HLY II (16)
Tracksuit of Unfathomable Fashionability
MIT (24), LM II
Silver Crescent Necklace
ACC II, EVA II

battle-ready inventory

Jack's Executioner
BLIGHT (32, -20MIT), BLEED (48), FROSTBITE (40, -1ACC), STATIC (40, 24 SPLASH)

skills

Spoiler

mod count: 7/7

2HSS | RANK 5/5
- focus, stamina, precision
- shift: aoe
CLOTH ARMOR | RANK 5/5
- athletics, nimble
COMBAT MASTERY: DMG | RANK 3/3
SEARCHING | RANK 4+1/5
- reveal, tracking, detect, night vision
BATTLE HEALING | RANK 5/5
ENERGIST
FAMILIAR: PROFESSION
QUICK CHANGE
CHARGE
EXTENDED MOD LIMIT

extra

SURVIVAL
CONCENTRATION
HIDING
- untraceable, vanish, surprise attack-t

buffs

Spoiler

statue

BIALAS | +TAUNT
MOTHRA | +1 EN Recovery
TANOS | +25 MIT
MORETSUNA | +50 HP
OROCHI | +1 LD
KUMATETSU | +1 DMG

consumables

- - -
- - -

paragon

Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread.
Lv. 10 | +1 LD to looting.

sword arts

Spoiler

en cost matches multiplier unless stated otherwise. shift underlined.

ST | x12 -> x15 | x20
AOE | x15 -> x18
TECH-A | x12 | STUN | 13EN
TECH-B | x12 | DELAY
TECH-D | x12 | SHATTER
TECH-G | x12 | BURN

misc.

Spoiler

housing

Dimensional Backpack, Item Stash
| +2 Battle-Ready Inventory Slots.
Well Rested
| -1 EN for the first three expenditures of each combat.
Relaxed
| +(5 * Tier) HP per out-of-combat post. Full energy restoration occurs after two turns out of combat.
Squeaky Clean
| -25% DoT damage taken from the first DoT applied to this player in a thread.
Skylight: Searching
| +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cooldown of 30 days to reassign.
Multipurpose
| +1 LD/Prosperity/Stealth/Detection to one post per thread. Can be applied after a roll.
Filling
| +1 T1 slot to a food consumed by this player in a thread. Can exceed Cook enhancement caps.
Col Deposit
| +5% col from loot-minimum mobs, +10% col from treasure chests.

gathering

Greenhouse
| +2 G.EXP, +1 CD&LD to gathering attempts.
Familiar: Profession
| +2 G.EXP
Demeter's Cornucopia
| +1 CD to gathering attempts.

Nari-Lanreth · April 18, 2022

She’d almost responded to the teasing tone on her title. Almost. But biting her tongue, she decided instead to reach up and flick one of the ears – which bowed down, only to spring back into place atop her head. Smiling up at the other, she shook her hips, causing the tail to swish behind her lightly.

“It was just too cute to pass up. Plus, it fits the name, right?” A couple of bounding steps and she was moving down the walkway towards the teleporter, tail swishing behind her slightly as she walked. The few individuals they passed – those that were actual players, at least – seemed to give some double takes, but Nari ignored most as she made her way along the floor.

Bounding up to the teleporter, she waited for NIGHT to join her before calling out to activate the piece. The slight shimmer surrounded her as she closed her eyes, opening them a moment later to glance out at a changed world.

Tilting her head slightly, she stepped down from the platform, waiting for NIGHT to catch up before leading them out of the settlement and into the wilds beyond. The looming mountains cast a small shadow over the two as they walked, and Nari couldn’t help but feel awe in their presence.

“So, it sounds like we need to find the nest of the dragon to begin with, and then…I guess we fight it?” She rocked her head back and forth as she walked, causing the hood to shift in tandem. For a brief moment, she wondered if Yuki took any offence to it, before she pushed the idea aside – she was sure the familiar was fine with it, if she even cared at all.

-----

Word Count: 288

NIGHT · April 18, 2022

cute enough for the player to want to sink her fangs in. though night hadn't said anything, each little movement only drew attention to a different part of her companion. a hand nearly drifted to her other's waist at the gently swish of her tail. it made the world hazy. night wanted to distance herself at the thought.

so she let nari go, the moment the fox wanted to scurry up the steps -- the player was slower, glancing to the gawking flocks of witnesses, almost wanting to be defensive about her other's take on wear. she kept quiet, however, more focused on their destination. when night reached the pad, her palm met the top of her partner's hoodie, rubbing at it gently.

then, when the world released her to a different floor, she immediately began unpacking her winter wear. back to the tracksuit and fingerless gloves; those hands wrapped around nari's own as they started out towards the second. when questioned about the quest, night contemplated on what she could've remembered. "sounds about right," she figured, eyes searching their surroundings for any sign of the dragon's nest. surely it wouldn't have been so easy to find off the bat, right?

ID208775 | ld9+6 = 15 | nest.

Nari-Lanreth · April 18, 2022

Her attention drawn to the side as NIGHT reached out and grabbed her hand, before tugging her along. Nari felt her gaze rise up to NIGHT’s face, following the path of her eyes before noticing the cave entrance that NIGHT had found. ‘So easily. Maybe I should consider some skills in searching, or just general help outside of combat…’

Smiling up at the other, Nari pulled NIGHT along towards the cave entrance. As she made her way up the mountain, she felt herself get playful – the looks NIGHT had been casting towards the outfit had been…noticeable, for lack of a better term.

“You can touch it, if you want.” Her grin bespoke a double meaning, but as she shifted so that the other could grab the tail, she wondered if it would be missed entirely. “I promise not to bite. Hard.”

The trek up to the cave entrance had been harder than Nari had expected. She’d done mountain climbing in the real world, and in her experience the soft incline and relatively calm ground shouldn’t have led to as difficult a rise as they’d experienced – but her legs felt like they’d run a marathon as they reached the entrance itself.

Pausing just long enough to consider the entrance, Nari gave a half nod before stepping towards it. The winding tunnel within was about what she had expected – dark, barely providing any visibility as she followed with her right hand along the wall. The large domed area within, however, was far beyond what she had considered possible.

Her eyes gazing over the area – trying to determine where the unnatural light came from – she found herself stepping forward slightly, before noticing the nest in the distance, hidden away from sight behind a large pillar.

“Hey, NIGHT, there’s something-“ Words cut off as she felt something against her back, and a whispered voice in her ear.

“That’s far enough. Any closer, and I’ll make you wish you’d never been born.”

-----

Word Count: 327

NIGHT · April 18, 2022

just her language. goddamn. and night's eyes were carved into slits, considering the proposition. had they only remained at home for the better half of the day, perhaps she would've given the other gesture more thought. the plush tail sat flush upon her palm, the player giving it a trace to its underside just as they started their ascension up the mountain. nothing that wouldn't be felt as more than a tug to its wearer. she only hummed, low, eyes drifting to the environment around them.

she had to be over it soon, because the climb would wring exhaustion out of them had the players not been careful.

her guide took the lead, as always. even at the entrance, all the player could afford was an index flicked towards the floppy ear before nari took a step forward. and the cave was dark -- sure, as they always were -- and yet she was certain there was something off about it...

oh. she knew exactly what it was.

night stalled in her steps, a hand curved in a grasp, quiet. and she wasn't so sure how effective her gaze would've been, but it was enough to make out the traces of something unfamiliar in their vicinity. a presence. when the yellow cursor turned overhead of the entity, she was certain someone was there. they were quiet -- a woman -- sneaky as they trailed behind nari. the player wondered if their steps were enough to obscure as her own, had she been following directly behind her partner.

so she traced the two, with agonized breaths. trying to keep her silence despite the climb and the fluster. and when the construct grabbed hold of nari in the depths of the tunnel, so too did night spawn her weapon. there was a glow inwards that outlined the steel of a blade to her partner's back. hence did the player follow, placing her own towards the entity that followed them.

"likewise," night breathed, just loud enough for the two women to hear. and she'd almost wanted to apply pressure to that hold, but refrained, in fear of her weapon's own will to protect, just as much as the player did want her companion to be let go of. "so do us a favour and drop my friend. that's an order, unless you want to be burnt to smithereens."

where she couldn't see her sword, the glow of oathkeeper burned brighter, unusually so, in the dark.

there came the short hiss of air from the person unknown. and night sensed the reluctance to let go -- had it been herself, perhaps she would've an understandable reason why. instead of obeying, however, the woman posed a query spoken aloud. "well? you're here for a reason, aren't you? you two couldn't possibly have wandered in here by mere accident."

and night raised a brow. part of the quest, then, this entity? "assume that we didn't. what then?"

"dragon hunters," the stranger growled. there was a shift of movement up front; night couldn't see, too close to tell, but pushed her blade further just in case. "so you're here to off ormi, are you? well, either head back outside or i'll put you down myself -- your friend here first, of course."

the player couldn't help but snarl back in response. "fine. we won't. we clearly have the wrong nest or something ventured into. so let her go, and stop with the threats, before you make a mistake we both will regret."

Nari-Lanreth · April 19, 2022

The blade at her back, the sudden threatening words – from both the newcomer, and NIGHT – had Nari held in place, the spear slowly lowering as her hand slid along the shaft. The bottom haft barely touching the ground, she waited – waited to see what would happen, if anything at all. There was no fear in her heart, the beat unnaturally calm as she considered her options. ‘Not being able to see your target really puts a damper on the whole surprise thing.’

She had just considered making a wild, blind swing – something her Sempai would’ve quite literally run her into the ground for doing – when the blade suddenly parted from her back. Spinning, she turned to find a woman of no true bearing or outstanding appearance, blade in hand and a look that shifted between Nari and the sword-wielding NIGHT.

“Ormi? I’ve never heard the name before, but if it’s a dragon that’s been terrorising-“

“Terrorising? If anything she’s the one being terrorised!” The sudden response – which not only cut off her commentary, but left her blinking in confusion – hadn’t been what Nari had expected, in the slightest. She cast a glance over at NIGHT, trying to quietly question exactly what was happening here.

“I don’t underst- and she’s gone.” Nari sighed as the NPC woman simply vanished towards a pathway leading away from the main area. Casting a glance back at the nest, Nari shrugged before heading down the same path, determined to figure out exactly what in the nine hells was going on here. Calling back towards NIGHT she threw a smile at the girl, before continuing along the darkening pathway. “She’s as easy to deal with as you are, Oíche.”

-----

Word Count: 283

NIGHT · April 20, 2022

"whatever in the world does that mean...?" night huffed, before following her companion down the tunnel.

past the nest was a different entrance towards the small cave, the enclave opening up to a larger ledge that acted as a look-out. angled towards a number of fields, each connected to another, adjacent, square patches of green overlapping each other. surrounded by darker greens of forest clusters, the sight, though lovely to observe, appeared unremarkable as the player searched the scenery for any signs of a notable landmark she could tie to the floor. there were none.

part of night wondered if they were deliberately being escorted to such a sight, or if it had been nari's decision to tag along behind the stranger that they'd reached their dead end. the woman looked out over the landscape, half settling onto a boulder nearby, sturdy, sigh escaping her lips.

she wondered if either of them should speak up. but after a moment, just a hair too short of an expected pause, their confronter looked towards the party, a sullen expression on her face. "oh. great. you two are still here."

"you should feel so lucky," night scowled, arms folded. "i wouldn't have batted an eye." her head tilt towards nari, shoulders bumping by accident, spoke enough, before her gaze turned towards the skies overlooking the second. "obviously, whatever you must be up to sounds troubling in itself. so out of the goodness of our hearts, won't you tell us what's going on?"

the player felt the cold stare of their third party boring into her skin. if she'd shifted a foot forward, figure drifting so, it was to block her partner from feeling the harsh glare upon herself, too.

"swear you wouldn't hurt ormi?"

"never heard of them." her sights shifted from the clouds to the stranger. night shrugged. "if you don't want us to, then we won't, assuming she won't hurt anybody else."

Nari-Lanreth · April 20, 2022

Nari’s eyes had been drawn to the visage over the mountain range, the figure noticed only once they had begun to speak. Her attention split between the conversation and the view, she’d barely registered the mention of that name again – Ormi – when the shadow fell across the alright darkened cliff.

Head twisting to look back, she caught sight of a glitter of purple in the air, before squealing in excitement. “NIGHT! NIGHT! NIGHT! It’s purple!”

Her body had begun to bounce on the balls of her heels as she gazed up at the large, amethyst dragon sitting on the rocks above them. Nari could barely contain herself as the excitement coursed through her, and she had completely forgotten for the time being the danger that the large creature could be to the two of them.

“It’s so purple. Oh, my gods. Do you think it’ll let me have like…a teenie-tiny piece of its scales if one falls off to decorate with? It’s so pretty.”

“I would prefer you not refer to me as if I cannot hear, or understand you…” The huffed voice seemed to come from the vicinity of the form above them, and Nari’s excitement drained almost instantly as she froze in place. Realising the fact of what she had just said, she slowly turned her attention from NIGHT back to the dragon, her eyes wide as she opened her mouth.

“I’m…I’m so, so sorry. I just…you are beautiful. Like, almost as beautiful as NIGHT. I mean she definitely wins because I’ve seen all of her, but-“ Her voice suddenly stopped as a hand covered her mouth, mumbling the remainder of whatever she was about to say.

The dragon seemed to stare at them for a moment, before continuing to speak, acting as though Nari’s fumbled conversation – if it could be called that – had even existed. The words carried a hum to them as Nari listened, her attention torn between the pretty colours of the scales, and the voice itself as she tried to register the story being told.

“I would appreciate it if you would…assist, the village in repelling any attempts that Gaindogrig may take against the village…if you would be so kind as to do so. I would say you look capable, but…perhaps only one of you so.”

Nari’s eyes turned to NIGHT, and silently she mouthed the words, “She means me.”

-----

Word Count: 396

NIGHT · April 20, 2022

her attention was immediately stolen by nari's cries, notice directed towards the skies. and she'd looked up, unaware of the creature, wariness only growing due to the size of the shadow cast upon their ledge. it was by surprise, then, to find out that ormi was just as pretty as nari had mentioned.

albeit, she hadn't expected to have gathered scales off their new encounter, as her partner had mentioned.

before the player could respond to her companion's thoughts about decorum, ormi interrupted nari's fangirling with a voice that boomed ethereal. a thunderous sound that shook her even to the bone, despite its lack of hostility, despite the gentleness behind its words. a voice that commanded respect, and night was compelled to have wanted to bow her head at its grace.

not that she was keen on doing so, nor did she actually try. because, for a moment, she swore her partner had a handle on their discussions, apologizing for what she'd said, as though ormi hadn't been a party involved in the conversation. then...

"Like, almost as beautiful as NIGHT."

and so the woman had only froze from embarassment at being namedropped so suddenly in their conversation. what came after warranted hands over nari's lips, from both party members, night's own over her partner's fingers. shy, ears tinged with red, she turned back to their quarry with a broken smile.

"... please continue."

it was only after the dragon's motives, alongside the stranger's, had been made known that night dropped her hand from her companion. the half-lidded gaze granted back to her read lips exaggerated for words, and the player exhaled, recovering from her blush earlier. she had no objections -- nari was lucky that she was so cute. all the woman returned was a resigned hum, a tilt of her head and a finger scratching the back of her ear.

in that brief pause, ormi turned to her friend, a slow blink granted to the stranger sitting silent. "gianna, dear, however did you run into these two eccentricities...?"

gianna merely shrugged, silent, almost upset at her choice of unfamiliar faces to put her trust in.

if only to deign face, her gaze went back to ormi, an arm wrapped around nari's shoulders. "we're both reliable warriors, i can assure you that. now, what's this about a village? and who's this gaindogrig guy? how can we help?"

Nari-Lanreth · April 20, 2022

Her gaze drifting between NIGHT and the dragon, Nari listened to the tale of the supposed other dragon, and the danger it represented to the nearby village. Something in her knew that it was simply a village of NPCs, that they would regenerate the moment the quest itself had come to an end. Yet she found herself unable to pull that side to surface.

“We’ll help.” Two words, and she’d sealed their connection with the quest – promising to stop a dragon from raiding a village. She wasn’t sure what NIGHT would think of it, but Nari knew she couldn’t just stand by and do nothing while others were in danger – even if those others were computer generated code with no feelings, no emotions. ‘They may not be people but…what am I, if I turn away from this?’

“We’ll help…right?” She wasn’t as confident as she turned to NIGHT, an almost pleading look on her face. “We can’t just leave a village undefended to face against a dragon. That’s just…that’s not us. Or, well, not me at least. I know they’re not real, but…”

“Should you keep the village safe, I will have something for you upon your return. And…I have a final request…one of my hatchlings was taken by Gaindogrig. If you find them, I would appreciate their return.”

Nari’s face turned from the speaking dragon, back to NIGHT, the pleading look intensified as she bounced on her toes.

-----

Word Count: 239

NIGHT · April 22, 2022

between the conviction (“We’ll help.”), the almost-immediate uncertainty paired with cutesy eyes (“We’ll help…right?”), and the words spoken as though they were a unit (“We can’t just leave a village undefended to face against a dragon. That’s just…that’s not us."), it was beginning to become difficult for night to keep her cool. she'd feigned a wince; old habits died hard, but a flick of the fox ears upon nari's hood helped keep her eagerness in check. half the reason why she wanted not to go anywhere, only tempered by the silly, cuddly hoodie -- she did wonder why that vest out of all others. now, it was a saving grace.

"we'll help," she reaffirmed, slowing her breaths. pulling herself from the brink of giddiness, night allowed herself a reiteration, one final drip of words hissed in a low tone as her fingers wrapped around her other's hand. "'that's just not us.'"

gianna was the one to speak, then, upon the players' unanimous confirmation. "gaindogrig's gathered a number of goblins to ambush taran when the villagers are least expecting it." and she gestured to the distance, into the picturesque scenery, a circling of her index around where the residential area would've been. night looked, but couldn't spot the expected dotting of houses. "their camp's just a few miles away. i'd suggest taking out the militia first before taking down gaindogrig."

night considered the plan, uncertain. "wouldn't a dragon wreck a town better than a handful of goblins? especially given--" and she waved to ormi for example, "-- the size of them."

"he won't show until the raid begins," gianna continued. "call him a coward for that behaviour, sure, but he still knows how to find minions to do his bidding. if you can cause a commotion at their camp, however, he should show before any raiding has actually even begun."

the player hummed at the thought. saving the village even before the attack were to commence -- how practical. she turned to nari with a press of her palm. "sounds like a plan?" to ormi, night also added, "we'll keep an eye out for your hatchling while we're out there. maybe gaindogrig's given them to the goblins for babysitting duties."

Nari-Lanreth · April 22, 2022

She bounced from toe to toe as NIGHT confirmed their participation in – what Nari was dubbing – the mission to save the village from the big evil bad dragon. Her smile lit across her face as she turned from NIGHT, to Gianna, to Ormi, back to NIGHT.

“NIGHT. NIGHT. NIGHT! We get to save a village from a dragon! A dragon! Like real adventurers. We’re like knights on quests. Oh my gods. It’s like the story of Artorius! We’re like the Knights of Artorius!” Her excitement was coming out in squeals as she hopped from foot to foot, her hands up in front of her face trying to contain herself.

Almost as soon as their conversation had turned towards the village in the distance, Nari was moving. Waving a hand, she called back to the others. “Come on! The goblins and dragons aren’t going to wait forever! If we want to save people, we need to get going!”

Winding her way down a side path that had gone unnoticed upon their exit to the ledge, Nari hopped along the pathway, eventually finding her way along a path that seemed to level out slightly. As Gianna and NIGHT quickly caught up, she spun on the pathway, continuing to walk backwards while stopping Gianna from passing – sidestepping carefully in front of the other with a large smile.

“So, I don’t know if you’re used to fighting or not. But NIGHT and I have a thing, where we’re really good together. And I don’t want you messing that up. So, when it comes to fighting, maybe just…leave it to us? We wouldn’t want you getting hurt, or anything – okay?” A smile to offset the tone, a warning beneath the words. Her eyes spoke of an expectation as she slowly continued backwards along the path, not breaking contact from the NPC.

-----

Word Count: 306

NIGHT · April 22, 2022

the player found herself fumbling and fidgeting at the exclamation from her other. quaintly adorable -- the enthusiasm almost brought a smile, too, to her face. if anything, she would've wanted to ask about the legend being spoken of, but found herself short on voice the moment the ideas of knights had been dropped. if anything, night found herself awfully shy.

she'd only hummed at the call to move, tailing after nari as her companion skittered off. dazed, but not terribly impeded on movement, her pace matched with gianna's, making sure the third wheel wasn't going to be left behind. after all, she'd been in that position once, but more importantly was ensuring the npc wasn't going to disappear on them due to proximity like in other scenarios.

when they'd finally caught up with their tank, night had forgotten about which direction they'd needed to go. past the nest and out the tunnel, yes, but the location of taran, after the rounds around the underground, was caught in a mix on an invisible map in her head. and she'd already been lost on its specific location before they even begun moving.

instead, her attention went to nari, the player giving her other a wry smile. partial embarrassment -- night knew the commentary to have applied to their strength in combat, and yet she was inclined to think a little beyond it. "the way you put that sounds kind of arrogant." though she knew her other hadn't meant to offend with the way the request was phrased.

the glance she gave to gianna seemed to read as such; the raised brow, the uncertainty in the npc's expression. "she's right, though. it's more than likely just the two of us would be able to handle it together. nothing on you."

and there seemed to be a flare of frustration, if only for a moment, on their follower's visage. it was subdued as quickly as it came, gianna shrugging in turn. "suit yourselves. maybe while everyone's distracted, i can find ormi's hatchling, if nothing else."

Nari-Lanreth · April 23, 2022

A slight dip in her head as she showed her agreement with the ideology, before realising that words of confirmation were likely required. “Actually, that’s a really good idea. We’ll likely be focused on the goblin hordes, and this Gaindogrig – which, can we just call it Gain? So much easier…anyways, we’ll likely be focused on them, so if you can find the hatchling that would be perfect.”

She sent a look towards NIGHT, her left eyebrow arching slightly in question. She wasn’t sure if the other would understand her silent query, but it didn’t really matter. She hadn’t thought it was arrogant, simply efficient. The two of them played off each other well, and a third unknown could cause a break in that balance.

Spinning around again – if only to make sure she wasn’t falling off the side of a mountain as they travelled along, she hummed to herself briefly a tune she’d sung long ago. The humming stopped as she realised a sudden idea – something she felt should have clued in sooner, but she’d overlooked in her excitement.

“Actually, on that note…Should we be worried about outlying-“ Her words halted as she heard the skittering of rocks. Coming to a full stop, she drew up her shield, bringing her spear level along its upper edge in her standard phalanx position. “Up and to the right. Three – no four. I’ll front, you come in after.”

Before anyone could respond, her feet were moving. Although far from stealthy, Nari wasn’t worried about catching their attention – the four goblinoids had already noticed the group and rather than retreating, were rushing to meet Nari. Something she’d have considered a bad sign, if she’d stopped to consider it at all.

Instead, she moved to meet them, waiting until they were close enough and forced together before launching herself into the air, forcing her body to twist in a deadly spin. Her spear tip arcing around, aiming to catch the creatures as she flew through the air towards them.

-----

Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 37 | HP: 840/840 | EN: 96/96 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 147 | F. Aura: 32 MIT; 16 FRST | Thorns [72 DMG] | Frostbite [40 DMG; -1 ACC] | Battle Healing [+25] | Heavy Momentum: [+4 DMG] | Paralyse | Taunt | STH: -5
NIGHT | HP: 1080/1080 | EN: 146/146 | DMG: 21 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 44 | LM: 2 | HLY/FLN: 16 | LD: 5 | BH: 55 | Stealth Rating: 6

Goblin 1 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 2 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 3 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 4 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 5 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 6 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 7 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 8 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75

Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 37 | HP: 840/840 | EN: 82/96 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 147 | F. Aura: 32 MIT; 16 FRST | Thorns [72 DMG] | Frostbite [40 DMG; -1 ACC] | Battle Healing [+25] | Heavy Momentum: [+4 DMG] | Paralyse | Taunt | STH: -5
NIGHT | HP: 1080/1080 | EN: 146/146 | DMG: 21 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 44 | LM: 2 | HLY/FLN: 16 | LD: 5 | BH: 55 | Stealth Rating: 6

Goblin 1 | HP: 54/150 | DMG: 75 | Frostbite [40 DMG, -1 ACC; 0/2] | Stunned
Goblin 2 | HP: 54/150 | DMG: 75 | Stunned
Goblin 3 | HP: 54/150 | DMG: 75 | Stunned
Goblin 4 | HP: 42/150 | DMG: 75 | Frostbite [40 DMG, -1 ACC; 0/2] | Paralyse
Goblin 5 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 6 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 7 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 8 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75

PST NOTE: Ignore rolls 208878-208881 because Nari is stupid. /pet.

-----

Word Count: 334

NIGHT · April 23, 2022

only a syllable long. it was efficient, so night nodded to the title. though, it was a blank look that met nari's gaze when the look was shot her way. the player tilted her head, raising her hand in a wave. whatever message her companion had wanted to relay was completely missed.

past the mountainside, into the fields and forests -- they were closer to the goblin encampment than she realized, and night hadn't time to respond once her tank raised her shield. orders given, and the player was ready to follow through, had there not been another rustle from behind as nari's steps thundered down the path ahead.

unaware foragers -- it was thankful that gianna wasn't in view for aggro nor distraction. part of her wanted to search the environment just to make doubly sure their ally was safe, but she was much more occupied with erasing the new threats before joining her partner in the fray.

a chitter from the first scout that noticed her -- the player meant to make her culling quick. one swipe from the drawn blade forged in air and the party was eliminated, save a scout that had dropped a basket of strawberries on the floor, running towards safety, camp's way.

which... meant towards nari, anyway. night turned around at the goblin's racing steps, eyes settling upon her tank's cape. "there's one behind you!"

Spoiler

> POST ACTION: AOE-I

ID208882 | bd9 | -> Goblin #5
ID208883 | bd6 | -> Goblin #6
ID208884 | bd6 | -> Goblin #7
ID208885 | bd1 | -> Goblin #8

15 + (2*4) -2 = 21 EN

21 * 15 = 315 DMG

ID208886 | md5 | -> Nari

Goblin 1 | HP: 14/150 | DMG: 75 | Frostbite [40 DMG, -1 ACC; 1/2] | ~~Stunned~~
Goblin 2 | HP: 54/150 | DMG: 75 | ~~Stunned~~
Goblin 3 | HP: 54/150 | DMG: 75 | ~~Stunned~~
Goblin 4 | HP: 2/150 | DMG: 75 | Frostbite [40 DMG, -1 ACC; 1/2] | ~~Paralyse~~
Goblin 5 | HP: -165/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 6 | HP: -165/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 7 | HP: -165/150 | DMG: 75
Goblin 8 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75

Nari-Lanreth | HP: 840/840 | EN: 82/96 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 147 | F. Aura: 32 MIT; 16 FRST | Thorns [72 DMG] | Frostbite [40 DMG; -1 ACC] | Battle Healing [+25] | Heavy Momentum: [+4 DMG] | Paralyse | Taunt | STH: -5
NIGHT | HP: 1080/1080 | EN: 135/146 | DMG: 21 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 44 | LM: 2 | HLY/FLN: 16 | LD: 5 | BH: 55

Nari-Lanreth · April 23, 2022

The shout drew her attention for a brief second – long enough to encourage one of the goblinoid creatures to try rushing towards Nari. A slight snarly as she ducked under the hasty swing of her combative opponent, and she was in the clear. She could see the escapee, but knew there was little she could do about it at the moment – she needed to focus on putting down the four before her, before she could even consider the newcomer.

“Morríghan mo lann.” A simple prayer, but all that she had time for as she pushed herself forward. Shield up, she ducked under another wide swing, rolled softly to her right around a second, then left as a third tried to connect with her. She could hear the soft ring of another wild strike bouncing off the shield itself, before she realised that she had all the creatures’ positions where she wanted them.

Half a step back, and then she propelled herself forward. A shift in her momentum forced her to spin, allowing the tip of the spear to move in a wide arc as she held the shaft close to herself. She felt the sword art activate, even as the soft violet glow enveloped the tip of the spear – and she realised this was likely the first time she’d ever used this specific attack.

------

Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 37 | HP: 840/840 | EN: 86/96 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 147 | F. Aura: 32 MIT; 16 FRST | Thorns [72 DMG] | Frostbite [40 DMG; -1 ACC] | Battle Healing [+25] | Heavy Momentum: [+4 DMG] | Paralyse | Taunt | STH: -5
NIGHT | HP: 1080/1080 | EN: 135/146 | DMG: 21 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 44 | LM: 2 | HLY/FLN: 16 | LD: 5 | BH: 55

Goblin 1 | HP: 14/150 | DMG: 75 | Frostbite [40 DMG, -1 ACC; 1/2] | ~~Stunned~~ [1/4]
Goblin 2 | HP: 54/150 | DMG: 75 | ~~Stunned~~ [1/4]
Goblin 3 | HP: 54/150 | DMG: 75 | ~~Stunned~~ [1/4]
Goblin 4 | HP: 2/150 | DMG: 75 | Frostbite [40 DMG, -1 ACC; 1/2] | Paralyse
Goblin 8 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75

[4,0] Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 37 | HP: 840/840 | EN: 72/96 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 147 | F. Aura: 32 MIT; 16 FRST | Thorns [72 DMG] | Frostbite [40 DMG; -1 ACC] | Battle Healing [+25] | Heavy Momentum: [+4 DMG] | Paralyse | Taunt | STH: -5
[0,0] NIGHT | HP: 1080/1080 | EN: 135/146 | DMG: 21 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 44 | LM: 2 | HLY/FLN: 16 | LD: 5 | BH: 55

Goblin 1 | HP: 14/150 | DMG: 75 | Frostbite [40 DMG, -1 ACC; 1/2] | ~~Stunned~~ [1/4]
Goblin 2 | HP: 0/150 | DMG: 75 | Stunned [1/4]
Goblin 3 | HP: 0/150 | DMG: 75 | Stunned [1/4]
Goblin 4 | HP: 0/150 | DMG: 75 | Frostbite [40 DMG, -1 ACC; 1/2] | Paralyse
Goblin 8 | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 75

-----

Word Count: 224

NIGHT · April 23, 2022

night exhaled, moving forward -- the gap she closed within seconds was just enough time for her to watch nari clear the path beyond, if only a straggler remained. oathkeeper set to her side, she let cardinal drift her towards the first target in a chain, the lunge forward barely grazing her partner's spear as it was pulled backwards. with the tip of her blade sated, then came her second attack, weapon drawn behind her as her hands searched the system for a tug. her eyes were set upon the back of the goblin still fleeing from before.

a slight shift of her foot forward, and night knew she was onto the maneuver desired.

her bolt forward wasn't precise -- but she was certain it didn't need to be, going for a whirling cut as the winds carried her forward. sword raised over her head, the steel of her arm slammed down blocking the goblin's path, causing it to fluster, alarmed for a pause. a swift slash across it afterwards, and it sent the creature back to its sender.

Spoiler

> POST ACTION: AOE-I

ID208893 | bd5+3 = 8 | -> Goblin #1
ID208894 | bd6 | -> Goblin #8

15 + (2*2) -2-4 = 13 EN

21 * 15 = 315 DMG

Goblin 1 | HP: -301/150 | DMG: 75 | Frostbite [40 DMG, -1 ACC; 1/2] | Stunned [1/4]
Goblin 8 | HP: -165/150 | DMG: 75

Nari-Lanreth | HP: 840/840 | EN: 82/96 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 147 | F. Aura: 32 MIT; 16 FRST | Thorns [72 DMG] | Frostbite [40 DMG; -1 ACC] | Battle Healing [+25] | Heavy Momentum: [+4 DMG] | Paralyse | Taunt | STH: -5
NIGHT | HP: 1080/1080 | EN: 122/146 | DMG: 21 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 44 | LM: 2 | HLY/FLN: 16 | LD: 5 | BH: 55

Nari-Lanreth · April 23, 2022

“Safe to assume they know we’re here now.” She shifted as the final goblin exploded into shards, letting her spear fall back into her arm and the shield drop from its ready position. Her eyes cast over the area, making sure they were alone – if only for the moment.

“Forward scouts. Did any get away?” She’d been too preoccupied with the fight to notice, but felt a small amount of comfort as Gianna shook her head in reply. “Well, that’s good at least. Although I doubt we’ll get the element of surprise on the camp itself…”

Her eyes shifted over towards NIGHT, giving the girl a once over to make sure she was okay – likely appearing to be inspecting the other, but not truly caring. Content that she was fine, Nari returned her focus to the area around them. The mountains had given way slightly to forest, and although she knew they were on the general path towards the encampment, she was no longer sure that she’d be able to lead them directly to it.

“Uhm, would either of you happen to know exactly where we need to…” Her words cut short again as Gianna seemed to step forward, giving them a wave and then heading deeper into the woods. “I guess we follow her then?”

A quick glance towards NIGHT before heading after their newfound guide, her eyes and ears peeled for any sign of other creatures in the darker areas.

-----

Word Count: 242

NIGHT · April 25, 2022

nari was right -- their presence made known to the camp seemed likely to be loud enough to cause some disruption. and, for what it was worth chasing the runaway goblin she'd shattered, the path they were down seemed like an open view from her point towards the encampment's entrance. the player only glanced back to her partner, watching her eyes draw away towards gianna, curious to where her sights had lingered. if there'd been guards, perhaps night had been hasty, not noticing.

so it was likely for the best that they started following their scout-turned-guide, weaving through foliage a distance away from where they figured the camp's outline to be. the ground turned steep as they approached the side of it -- territory marked by a circle of rocks, larger than her eyes could trace from one end to another. goblin patrols were present, more visible now with their height advantage, and as they rounded in the wilderness, the forest opened up to a clearing near the back of the camp, where a larger hut appeared to have been built. adorned with a variety of decorations, there stood a goblin much larger than the ones they'd faced, hunched over with two axes strapped to its back.

and night tilted her head, speaking in a hushed tone once she'd noticed that detail. "if we catch the head of the goblins off-guard, we'll be able to throw them into chaos to get gain running -- err, flying towards us, won't we?" her turn of the head towards her party was to verify her train of thought, but her glance turned up only one member empty. only nari was standing beside her in the brush, their scout already missing from her temporary lapse in focus.

the player almost sighed, speechless.

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