[F04;PP] Ice Drakes | <<DHA 4: True Family>>

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Floor Four. She hadn't been there since the move, returning to her original home. She wondered what it would be like, to explore the snowy depths again - that was, until she remembered the last time she was there, and what she had lost. A pang of pain rang through her chest, and Nari found her eyes blurring against the tears that followed. It didn't seem to matter how long it had been, the loss still hurt.

As if reading her emotions, the small kitsune had come running over to comfort her, snuggling its nose under her arm and curling a few of the many tails around her in a supportive embrace. Yuki would've liked you, of that I'm sure...She didn't say anything aloud, content just to remain cuddling with the small creature for a few moments. 

Sighing, she eventually straightened herself, before bringing up her interface. "I guess I should ask her if she's up for another hunt...although, I hope she's not got anything planned..."

She bit her lip for a single second, the hesitation noticeable only in the way that her hand hovered over the button before pressing it. Worst comes to worst, she would say no. Besides, it'll be nice to see her again. Maybe, you know, straighten things out a bit. Be friendly. But not too friendly.

To: NIGHT From: Nari-Lanreth Hey NIGHT, hoping you've been well! I was just wondering, there's another of those dragon hunter questions, thought that maybe you'd be interest in...you know, hitting it up? This one is on the fourth floor...old hunting grounds, eh? Anyways, if you're interested let me know, would love to get together again! Nari

She carefully read over the message a half dozen times before closing her eyes and hitting the send button. With nothing further to do but wait, she decided to get up and start her day in earnest - now that a good half of it had already passed away.

"This is your fault, you know...you let me be lazy." She stuck a tongue out at the kitsune, which simply tilted its head in response, watching her as she went about cleaning up the few items that had been left lying around the night before. Pieces that she had been working on, that she hadn't wanted to let go to waste. Pieces that could now wait, seeing as she'd decided to get up and go out.

---

 

 

Statblock

Spoiler notes -- Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 44 | HP: 840/840 | EN: 98/98 | ACC: 5 | DMG: 20 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 30 | B.Healing [+46] | L.Momentum: 1 | LD: 4 | Static: 40/24 Tier 4 | Tier 8 equipped Reaper's Charge [Scythe; Tier 4 Perfect] Enhancement: Accuracy [3 Slots] Enhancement: Static [1 Slot]  Reaper's Defence  [Light Armour; Tier 4 Perfect] Enhancement: Evasion [2 Slots] Enhancement: Light Momentum [1 Slots] Twin-Fox Bracelet [Tier 4 Perfect Jewellery] Enhancement: Recovery [2 Slots] Enhancement: Evasion [1 Slot]   battle-ready inventory Teleport Crystal {3} Starter Healing Potions {4} | Heals 50 HP Divinity's Wait {4} | Tier 2; Perfect Potion | Mitigation III Divinity's Protection {4} | Tier 3; Perfect Potion | Overhealth III Cold Brew Coffee {3} | Tier 1; Perfect Potion | HP Recovery III Percephonius Pyratius {9} | Tier 4; Perfect Potion | Damage III Ketchup Chips {3} | Tier 4; Perfect Snacks| Probiotics III Siúil a Rún {2} | Tier 3; Perfect; Masterpiece Support Song | HP Recovery III [Mass] skills Spoiler Utility Skills Extended Weight Limit [Active: Passive. Effect: +2 additional Battle-Ready inventory slots.] Searching [Rank: 4. Active: Passive. Effect: +1 LD per rank. +1 to Stealth Detection per rank.] [Rank 3 Searching Mod] Detect [Active: Passive. Effect: Grants +2 Stealth Detection. Grants +1 LD when searching for dungeons and labyrinths.] Combat Skills Battle Healing [Rank: 3. Active: Passive. Effect: While in combat, recover 1% per rank of your maximum HP (rounded down) at the beginning of your turn.] Fighting Spirit [Active: 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.)] Weapon Skills Polearm [Rank: 5. Active: Passive. Effect: +7 DMG] [Rank 5 Weapon Addon] Stamina [Active: Passive. Effect: Reduces EN of all attacks by 2.] [Rank 5 Weapon Addon] Precision [Active: Passive. Effect: Gain +1 ACC.] [Rank 5 Weapon Addon] <<Weapon Type>> Focus [Active: 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 [Active: Passive. Effect: For TECH Sword Arts, +4 to multipliers, +3 to EN cost. No other Shifts may be taken.] Armour Skills Light Armour [Rank: 5. Active: Passive. Effect: 30 MIT. Mitigation is capped at 2 slots.] [Light Armour Mod] Meticulous [Active: Passive. Effect: Gain +1 base Damage.] [Light Armour Add-on] Resolve [Active: Passive. Effect: Gain +1 Accuracy and +10 * Tier HP.] Active Extra Skills Concentration [Active: 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 [Active: Post Action. Cooldown: 3 turns. Effect: Recover an additional (4 * Tier) energy.] 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 [Active: 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 [Active: Passive. Effect: Increases Healing effects received from all sources by 10%. Grants immunity to all damage dealing environmental attacks/effects.] 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%.] data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== sword arts Spoiler [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. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== buffs Spoiler Estate Buffs Master Bedroom [-1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat.] Master Bathroom [The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down).] Dining Room [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 [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 [Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.] Attic (Storage) [+5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests] Storage Closet [+1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot] data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

 

 

[NIGHT 0]

night: sure

she hadn't realized how foreign nari's typing style seemed to her until she'd reflected on it that morning. night would've admitted she was still in stupor, if asked then and there, but with two feet on the floor from her bedside with a burning restlessness underneath, it would be clear to an observer she was otherwise.

night: rn?

what was in her daily routine? check the store, make sure nyanko hadn't brought her any requests -- breakfast, then, that she'd steal from the fridge. and the suiting up she had to do on the fourth; given that it had been a while since she'd been there, she wouldn't be used to the cold again.

if she took someone else's cloak, it would be upon their insistence, rather than a request from herself. so she fumbled with it, hood over her head, as she showed up at the players' appointed time.

---

| NIGHT | Lv. 139 >> P. 107, Lv. 32 | notes: n/a Spoiler NIGHT | HP: 1060/1060 | EN: 144/144 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 6| MIT: 44 | LD: 13 | BH: 58 | VAMP-D: 108 | FS | AA | Stealth Rating: 6 equipped Cosmic Devourer+1  ABS. ACC, ACC III rider.  LOOT DIE III, VAMP-D feather. EVA III battle-ready inventory Jack's Executioner BLIGHT (32, -20MIT), BLEED (48), FROSTBITE (40, -1ACC), STATIC (40, 24 SPLASH) pretense. VAMP-D II, HB II Silver Crescent Necklace ACC II, EVA II 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 FIGHTING SPIRIT QUICK CHANGE CHARGE EXTENDED MOD LIMIT extra SURVIVAL CONCENTRATION HIDING untraceable, vanish, surprise attack-t buffs. Spoiler statue KUMATETSU | +1 DMG consumables Liquor of Light | DMG III | [x] Berry Crumb Bars | LD IVfilling Smores | EVA II 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.

Edited January 20, 2023 by NIGHT

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

The fourth somehow felt colder than Nari remembered - or perhaps it was just her imagination. Either way, she found herself bouncing from foot to foot while she waited, the small kitsune staring up at her with a look that clearly stated it was questioning her mentally.

"Oh shove off, it's not like..." She didn't get to finish the sentence, as the teleporter activated. Turning to see, she watched as the form blinked into existence, the familiar face stepping off in a jacket that was clearly designed for someone else. 

Stepping up to the teleporter, Nari adjusted the hood - her hands going up and setting it more central on the figures frame without being asked or asking permission to do so. She stepped back, before her face suddenly shifted into an expression that bespoke her realisation of what she'd just done. "Oh...hey. Uhm...sorry, old habits and all...uhm...anyways. Dragon hunting? Ready to go?"

She shuffled on her feet, waiting for a response. The cold seemed to bite into her deeper, now, as if reacting to the situation. She glanced down at the kitsune at her feet, before suddenly realising NIGHT likely hadn't ever seen the small creature. "Oh! Uhm, this is someone you haven't met before...err, Mio, this is NIGHT. NIGHT, Mio."

[NIGHT 0]

something in her almost wanted to shy away from the hand that reached out. was it the cloak? but night watched, vigilant, as the cloth folded upon her figure in a way that felt familiar, but wrong. she twitched it out of place with a finger when nari wasn't looking, the latter's eyes glanced towards what seemed to be a different looking fox than the one she was certain had been lounging around the other player for an extended period of time.

and they certainly seemed acquainted.

night shot mio two blinks, trying to ascertain if the tiny beast looked like it was ready to start a fight. in part due to her recent handling with nyanko, and in part due to the kitsune's red markings. they looked like they were from a game... yet also not.

she would've been ready had it not been for one question. there, her gaze went back to nari, wary. "um... what happened to yuki?"

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari shifted on her feet at the sudden question. She'd expected it, of course. There was no way that NIGHT wouldn't notice the change in her familiar - the obvious differences in the two that were as plain as day. She glanced down at Mio, a sad look crossing her face for a brief second as she considered her response.

"Yuki...moved on." The words were simple, not giving much of an explanation, but noting that it was not a topic that Nari wanted to discuss. She still felt a bitter pain at the thought of her old friend, one which hadn't left her yet. One that she wasn't sure would leave her anytime soon. "Anyways...Mio's here now, and Mio is...well, fabulous, really."

She stepped past NIGHT suddenly, determined to leave the topic and feelings behind as she focused on starting the quest in earnest. The snow crunched under her boots as she began walking away from the area, her gaze straight ahead even as she spoke to those behind her. "The nest is supposed to be somewhere near Glacier Cave...probably best to start around there then. Hopefully this one is a bit more...well, better, than the last one. Only time will tell though, I guess."

Mio had finally caught up with Nari, his nine tails twirling in the soft wind that seemed to rustle his fur gently. Nari found herself smiling down at the kitsune, the sadness rescinding ever so slightly as she remembered her new friend was here now. She didn't know, I can't blame her...

[NIGHT 0]

a simple "i could try looking for you," would've left her mouth, but upon topic switch, night simply stuffed those words back into her brain somewhere. she had the skills to do it -- track something down so long as you knew its name. at least in this case, the yuki she was looking for wasn't stowed away, where players couldn't find it...

yet. right?

night followed along, watching the nine tails waver about as mio walked behind nari. onto the quest then. how hard was it to find a dragon's nest out in the wild? especially in a frozen wasteland; she knew the forest out on the fourth was supposed to be dense and obstructive, like the snow. but in the same vein, they could count their blessings that it was also a well-explored area, and anything out of place, such as a cave entrance never seen before on her own journey out into the fourth was found. night pointed to it, a puff of vapor expelled in her jolt. "there it is."

---

ID212371 | ld7+13 = 20 | pspsps mmo hunt found.

Edited January 20, 2023 by NIGHT

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

She could tell that there was something that NIGHT had wanted to say, a comment on the tip of her tongue - something that the girl had bitten back and kept herself from uttering. Before, Nari might have pushed for it, to hear what the other had to say. Those days were gone, however, and instead Nari turned her attention back to the area they had been passing through - noticing after NIGHT pointed it out, that they had arrived at a rather large cave. 

She gave her friend a single glance, before leading the two into its depths. The darkness quickly surrounded them, before being pierced by a soft blue glow that seemed to light up the entire area. Nari paid it little heed, focusing on the growing form ahead of them - what appeared to be a skeleton of some sort. She held up a hand to catch NIGHT's attention, waving at the thing ahead of them.

"Definitely looks dead...think there's more of them here?" She spoke in a bare whisper, not willing to risk drawing too much attention towards them. She could see Mio shifting at her feet, agitated by...something. Nari let her eyes roam around, searching the dark before noticing large shapes moving in the shadows. "I don't think we're alone here..."

[NIGHT 0]

skeletons didn't exist in the game unless cardinal had wanted to set one present. so at nari's alert, and her body shifting to get a better angle of what they'd found, the player found herself on edge about the warning of death. but a few seconds longer of her gaze lingering on the remains, eyes then cast to the continuation of the form, and she realized it wasn't a warning meant for humans.

the bones had belonged to a beast, almost serpentine in nature. a dragon? likely -- it took all of her effort not to flinch when she approached the corpse, hand smoothing over the surface of what looked to be a rib, crystals starting to form on it.

"I don't think we're alone here..."

well, night hadn't been paying attention herself. she turned to look, stepping away from the remains, to welcome a coordinated troupe of wyverns, skin frosted over, almost luminescent in the icy caverns. and night pulled her sword from the ether, frowning, until a tiny hatchling fluttered out from the center of the pack.

this one was not made like the rest of them.

"oh hey, look," she commented, removing her weapon from her hold. "we've found our dragon. so... that's it for the quest, right?"

Edited February 4, 2023 by NIGHT

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari was about to comment on NIGHT's optimism, to remind the other player that there was no way they were that lucky, when a voice spoke overtop of her. It seemed to rumble ever so slightly, and it took Nari a few moments to realise that it was coming from the form that had appeared from the shadows.

The pearl coloured dragon spoke about the parents - the remains belonging to its father - and how the dragon's mother had left after becoming angered. Nari couldn't resist shooting a look towards NIGHT, her own expression one of reserved patience, but a clear indication that she thought the entire questline was utter shit. As the dragon finished talking, and Nari agreed to help it put down its mother for good, she leaned over towards NIGHT, her voice quiet against the silence that surrounded them. "If I ever find who made this quest...I'm going to beat them to death..."

With their agreement to complete the task at hand given, Nari followed the dragon and its ice drake companions out of the small area, heading towards the mountains where they were supposed to find the mother. As they walked, she slid closer to NIGHT, again keeping her voice down. "I cannot wait until we find the end of this questline...you're going to help me get there, right? No matter how much of...this...?"

She waved a hand back towards the cave they had left behind, signalling the conversation they'd just sat through - Nari feeling like she'd barely survived it at all. The entire thing had a questionable tone to it, and she was going to be more than glad to leave this all behind in the future.

[NIGHT 0]

hold the phone. who in their right mind would approach strangers in front of a corpse of their dead parent and explain to them, "i want to kill the other one, and you're going to help me!"

no, forget the drakeling in front of her. even that wasn't a correct answer, despite it being the truth of the quest at the moment. honestly, the entire debacle made night wonder if the text generation had gone mad, or some writer outside of the game had decided they'd all pay for their time trapped in the game by terrible premises. tired, night only nodded along with nari's seething rage, following along with only a minimum effort.

"you're going to help me get there, right?" nari had asked her, partway through the hiker further up the mountains. "no matter how much of...this...?"

night turned to her, confused first, before turning back to the drakeling, and his army of ice drakes swarming his ascent. it seemed like a small promise to make.

"yeah, sure," she replied, partially in jest, but earnest when she considered the repercussions of going at the quest alone. how much more homicidal could these dragons get? maybe that kind of eagerness was infectious for players. "braving a hundred terrible quest lines sound much more achievable in comparison..."

after some time, they'd arrived at the aforementioned slope. their mark had been visible on the climb up, especially given how the mountain had seemed to be hinting at the threat of the dragon, its silouhette blocked out in the blizzard and begging night to look at the conditionals she was affected by. despite the readiness of their allies, night sure wondered how much the drakes were going to contribute to the fight, resigning to her fate as a vital agent with a sigh and a draw of her sword.

she tilted her head towards sorsi, as she watched nari prepare for the fight. "after you."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari looked up the mountain towards the shape of the drake above, the wings outspread in what she figured was supposed to be some sort of display of magnificence, and perhaps terror for those players coming across it for the first time. Nari, however, felt only a bit of disappointment. It felt typical, like anything she'd find in any other game - something written by a childish individual with no imagination.

"It would be easier if it would fly down to meet us...doubt that'll happen though." She gave a soft sigh before beginning her climb in earnest, reaching back to offer NIGHT a helping hand on those few spots where a single individual would have difficulty. "You know...they could at least...make the climb easier..."

Beside her, the small kitsune seemed to leap without effort at her side, making its way up as if it was doing no more than walking down the street. Nari paused for a second to stare at it, before turning to NIGHT and pointing a finger at the kitsune. "See now that...that is utter bullshit. I want to do that."

[NIGHT 0]

the skip of the kitsune was the most joyful part of the adventure, easily. and this wasn't a dig at nari's company -- rather, the quest itself felt convoluted. into the ice dragon's territory they went, and that meant three squads of combatants; the players would have to do their best not to strike the drakes mekem was coralling, and they had to avoid the monsters' belligerent snaps as well. chaotic indeed.

night wasn't going to wait for a mother-son dialogue to occur. the moment the wyvern landed, billowing up snow and ice, the player was quick to dash forward as quick as she could. technique not withstanding; night often went for the most damage she could dish out first, but knowing that the game prized players protecting its creations of the realm, she swapped her blade's wield style at the last second, demonstrating a fine example of tempest's old execution -- to stun sorsi where she stood.

Spoiler

POST ACTION: TECH-A

ID212447 | BD10 | -> Sorsi

13 -2-1 = 10 EN

(25+2) * 12 = 324 DMG
324 - 75 = 249 DMG

---

ID212448 | BD3 | -> Sorsi
ID212449 | BD10 | -> Sorsi
ID212450 | BD8 | -> Sorsi
ID212451 | BD10 | -> Sorsi

Mekem misses.

102 - 75 = 27 DMG
100 - 75 = 25 DMG

---

NIGHT | HP: 1030/1060 | EN: 134/144 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 6 | MIT: 44 | LD: 13 | BH: 58 | VAMP-D: 108 | FS | AA | Stealth Rating: 6
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 840/840 | EN: 98/98 | ACC: 5 | DMG: 20 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 30 | B.Healing [+46] | L.Momentum: 1 | LD: 4 | Static: 40/24

Mekem | HP: 500/500 | DMG: 125 | MIT: 50 | EVA: 3 | ANTI-FREEZE | TACTICAL RETREAT | PLAYER MD9+ = BD9 | BD10: ICEBITE X2 | CARNAL RAGE

TACTICAL RETREAT | At 250HP, Mekem steps out of battle. Regens 50HP/turn. Returns to the fight at 400HP.
ICEBITE | 25 DMG to Sorsi after struck.
CARNAL RAGE | For each Ice Drake that falls, +1 BD, +25 DMG, -1 EVA.

Ice Drake #1 | HP: 320/350 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | COMMAND
Ice Drake #2 | HP: 320/350 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | COMMAND
Ice Drake #3 | HP: 320/350 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | COMMAND

COMMAND | Attack, Wait or Retreat.

---

Sorsi, the Heartless | HP: 672/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | THRNS: 30 | ANTI-FREEZE | EXPERT FIGHTER | SHARD VOLLEY | BORNE OF FROST | BD9+ & CD10+: BREATH ATTACK | [Stunned]

EXPERT FIGHTER | x1 attack per target, or x2 attacks per player. Focuses Ice Drakes and Mekem first. On BD9+, 5th attack as AoE against players.
SHARD VOLLEY | For one attack, 100 DMG, +1 ACC, AoE on all parties. 3 turn cooldown. 
BORNE OF FROST | -50% DMG from players using weapons with Frost enhancements. Inflict -1 ACC & EVA when struck.
BREATH ATTACK | For one attack, 100 DMG. Inflicts Chilled [-2 EVA] (2) when struck. BD10+; 200 DMG, inflicts Frozen [Skip Turn] (1). Replaces Expert Fighter.

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by NIGHT

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari watched as NIGHT rushed forwards to confront the dragon that had landed before them, rising from the shadows of the mountain as if some cliché in a bad video game. She couldn't help but smile at the other girl's daring movements, determined to end this as quickly as possible. Before either one of them could confront the larger dragon, however, the beast struck out - catching Nari off guard and slamming into her with force enough to cause her to stumble. She was saved the full brunt of the attack thanks to Mio's quick movements, the kitsune rushing forward to trip Nari ever so slightly, staving off some of the damage she would have taken otherwise.

Still, it frustrated her just having suffered such a blow, and she found herself growling slightly as she stepped up to join NIGHT in the fray. Kicking the haft of her scythe in order to force the weapon into movement, she rushed up alongside her friend, not willing to be outdone in this fight just yet. Casting a smile towards her, a slight glimmer of humour in her eye, she called out to NIGHT. "Shall we...break this bitch?"

Without waiting for an answer she ducked underneath another claw - the creature coming to a sudden stop as NIGHT's own assault reached it - before slamming her own blade into the underbelly of the thing, dragging it along and out the left side with a satisfying movement. She turned back to see NIGHT dodging backwards, safe from any major danger from the larger creature. In the distance, she could see the other dragons joining in, tearing into what Nari had understood to be the one's mother, forcing her to shake her head at the cruelty and brokenness of the Cardinal system.

---

Spoiler

NIGHT | HP: 1030/1060 | EN: 134/144 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 6 | MIT: 44 | LD: 13 | BH: 58 | VAMP-D: 108 | FS | AA | Stealth Rating: 6
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 658/840 | EN: 86/98 | ACC: 4 [5-1] | DMG: 20 | EVA: 2 [3-1] | MIT: 30 | B.Healing [+46] | L.Momentum: 1 | LD: 4 | Static: 40/24 | -12 EN [M.Bed] -228HP +46HP | Protection [0/3]

Mekem | HP: 500/500 | DMG: 125 | MIT: 50 | EVA: 3 | ANTI-FREEZE | TACTICAL RETREAT | PLAYER MD9+ = BD9 | BD10: ICEBITE X2 | CARNAL RAGE
TACTICAL RETREAT | At 250HP, Mekem steps out of battle. Regens 50HP/turn. Returns to the fight at 400HP.
ICEBITE | 25 DMG to Sorsi after struck.
CARNAL RAGE | For each Ice Drake that falls, +1 BD, +25 DMG, -1 EVA.

Ice Drake #1 | HP: 320/350 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | COMMAND
Ice Drake #2 | HP: 320/350 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | COMMAND
Ice Drake #3 | HP: 320/350 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | COMMAND
COMMAND | Attack, Wait or Retreat.

Sorsi, the Heartless | HP: 351/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | THRNS: 30 | ANTI-FREEZE | EXPERT FIGHTER | SHARD VOLLEY | BORNE OF FROST | BD9+ & CD10+: BREATH ATTACK | [Stunned] | Shatter [-20 MIT; 1/3] | -321
EXPERT FIGHTER | x1 attack per target, or x2 attacks per player. Focuses Ice Drakes and Mekem first. On BD9+, 5th attack as AoE against players.
SHARD VOLLEY | For one attack, 100 DMG, +1 ACC, AoE on all parties. 3 turn cooldown. 
BORNE OF FROST | -50% DMG from players using weapons with Frost enhancements. Inflict -1 ACC & EVA when struck.
BREATH ATTACK | For one attack, 100 DMG. Inflicts Chilled [-2 EVA] (2) when struck. BD10+; 200 DMG, inflicts Frozen [Skip Turn] (1). Replaces Expert Fighter.

ID212459 | BD: 8+3-3=8 | <<Attack #1 vs. Nari>> | Hit: 150-30 = 120 damage
ID212460 | BD: 6+3-3=6 | <<Attack #2 vs. Nari>> | Hit: 150-30 = 120 damage
Mio uses Protection: -10% to damage
ID212461 | BD: 1+3-6=-2 | <<Attack #1 vs. NIGHT>> | Miss.
ID212462 | BD: 4+3-6=1 | <<Attack #2 vs. NIGHT>> | Miss.
ID212463 | BD: 9+5=14 | <<Tech-D vs. Sorsi>> | Minor Critical Hit: (20+1)x16+40(Static)-55 = 321 damage

PST Note: Sorsi gets first attack, but original roll forgotten. Sorsi furthermore stunned for next turn.

 

[NIGHT 0]

one tear beckoned another, so night shifted, following along the dragon's front to match the line of light marked out of sorsi's belly. the beast recoiled as best she could -- getting up on hind legs and ready to land several other attacks. yet, in midst the players' opening to retreat and dodge, the drakes to the side had gathered to nip at the mother's hind legs.

against the dull skies, mekem was flying along, recognized as a snowflake only to the untrained eye. and, when he got close enough, he must've lunged with a killing intent, though night wasn't sure if it was sheer luck or if it was scripted -- sorsi's health had depleted to zero before she'd even realized, and the dragon cried, howled, toppling over onto her side before breaking into shards, like ice.

victory had never, never felt more hollow than this aftermath, but here the group was, left alone without rewards (except... for mekem???) in the storm.

Spoiler

POST ACTION: TECH-A

ID212468 | BD10 | -> Sorsi

15 -2-1 = 12 EN

(25+2) * 15 = 405 DMG
405 - 55 = 350 DMG

---

ID212469 | BD9 | -> Sorsi

125+1 = 126 DMG
126 - 75 = 51 DMG

---

NIGHT | HP: 1030/1060 | EN: 134/144 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 6 | MIT: 44 | LD: 13 | BH: 58 | VAMP-D: 108 | FS | AA | Stealth Rating: 6
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 840/840 | EN: 98/98 | ACC: 5 | DMG: 20 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 30 | B.Healing [+46] | L.Momentum: 1 | LD: 4 | Static: 40/24

Mekem | HP: 470/500 | DMG: 125 | MIT: 50 | EVA: 3 | ANTI-FREEZE | TACTICAL RETREAT | PLAYER MD9+ = BD9 | BD10: ICEBITE X2 | CARNAL RAGE

TACTICAL RETREAT | At 250HP, Mekem steps out of battle. Regens 50HP/turn. Returns to the fight at 400HP.
ICEBITE | 25 DMG to Sorsi after struck.
CARNAL RAGE | For each Ice Drake that falls, +1 BD, +25 DMG, -1 EVA.

Ice Drake #1 | HP: 320/350 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | COMMAND
Ice Drake #2 | HP: 320/350 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | COMMAND
Ice Drake #3 | HP: 320/350 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | COMMAND

COMMAND | Attack, Wait or Retreat.

---

Sorsi, the Heartless | HP: -50/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | THRNS: 30 | ANTI-FREEZE | EXPERT FIGHTER | SHARD VOLLEY | BORNE OF FROST | BD9+ & CD10+: BREATH ATTACK

EXPERT FIGHTER | x1 attack per target, or x2 attacks per player. Focuses Ice Drakes and Mekem first. On BD9+, 5th attack as AoE against players.
SHARD VOLLEY | For one attack, 100 DMG, +1 ACC, AoE on all parties. 3 turn cooldown. 
BORNE OF FROST | -50% DMG from players using weapons with Frost enhancements. Inflict -1 ACC & EVA when struck.
BREATH ATTACK | For one attack, 100 DMG. Inflicts Chilled [-2 EVA] (2) when struck. BD10+; 200 DMG, inflicts Frozen [Skip Turn] (1). Replaces Expert Fighter.

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by NIGHT

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

The giant dragon disappeared in a flash of sparks and rainbow coloured shards, leaving the group of two and extras standing in the cold. Nari let her scythe fall to her side, throwing a side glance at NIGHT before shaking her head.

"I barely even got to scratch it..." Her complaint came with no tone of actual concern. She was more relieved just to be done with the quest, and moving on and away. They spent a few moments listening as Mekem gave his final speech, thanking them for their hard work before leaving the two behind. Leaning close to NIGHT, Nari whispered at the other girl her thoughts. "Thanks for killing my mommy...now let me fly off into the night to do it again. Kinda fucked up, isn't it?"

She gave a single glance around the area, looking for any sign of further steps for the quest, only to be disappointed as the notification of success and completion appeared before her. She swatted the notification away with her right hand, shifting her weight as she leaned back against her scythe ever so slightly. "So...I guess I owe you for helping me so much with this line...can I get you dinner, or something? As a thanks."

ID212470 | LD: 3+4=7 | Search for Sorsi's Goods | Failure (You did not find Sorsi's Goods).

[NIGHT 0]

if she stared dumbfounded at the dragonling, it was in disbelief that they really were just asked to do that. yes, exactly in the manner that nari had whispered to her about -- and to that the woman could also return a tired, "please don't fly into me," before turning to see mekem drift off into the distance.

an easy, quick wave to dismiss the completion notice. night opted to survey the area for an exit path, before her attention was stolen by the proposal of free food. but she considered who she was conversing with for a moment.

"as long as it doesn't..."

--jokes like those wore themselves out easily. the player dipped her head slightly with a sigh, blinking slow. "no, never mind. i'd be happy to. dinner sounds great." night resumed to checking the way they came from, before starting to walk. she looked over her shoulder to face nari as they strolled. "did you have something you wanted to eat in mind?"

Edited February 23, 2023 by NIGHT

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Her face twitched, ever so slightly, as she considered her response. She had noticed NIGHT withholding a joke that was obviously borderline inappropriate, which made Nari hesitate in turn. Once, she would've said it without thought, without consideration. Now though...they were on a different level. They spoke to each other differently, as if unsure of how they should act and behave. Not to mention, you're an adult. Act like one. Sighing internally, she decided to do just that - exactly as NIGHT had done, and answer the question more forwardly.

"Mmm...anything warm, would be nice. Warm and with substance to it, like a nice chicken noodle soup. Or maybe a stew..." She turned and started to make her way back towards the main settlement, calling out behind her as she began moving. "Come on, I think I know somewhere. Small little shop - not a lot of people go there, so it should be rather private too."

The pathway back was simple enough, and although Nari attempted to keep some mingling small talk going, there was nothing really to say other than the typical questions that got repetitive and boring. A few moments of silence had passed, and as Nari's mind raced through different topics, different events, a question suddenly slipped from her tongue. "Hey...are we okay? Like, friend-wise. Maybe it's just me, but everything feels...different, somehow? Like more reserved. It's like...we know each other, but at the same time it feels like I need to be careful what I say, and maybe I'm just overthinking things and being an idiot...but, I don't want to upset you. Cause like...I love having you around and stuff...and...yeah. So like, are we good?"

[NIGHT 0]

well, this was new. "chicken noodle soup has substance?" it had always been on the contrary where she lived, beyond aincrad. though she supposed finding it would've been a rarity first, given that fish was somehow the more accessible option of soup between the two. night did wonder, in following nari, if they were headed towards cordelia's stall, still lost out in the woods somewhere.

quiet, and private. similar to the stroll they were taking, just how night preferred her presence on the world. she was attempting to guess where they were headed through the environment, but gave up incidentally just as nari had broken a long silence.

"..."

and she listened. fidgeted with the tip of her ear -- somehow, still warm, even in the winter cold. her fingertips were still chilly from the blizzard prior, even if it had only been present for seconds. "we are different," night concluded, searching for meaning in her words as she spoke them. the process of thinking aloud. her hand bounced around as she spoke. "but that's okay, i think. we're okay. so you can say whatever, that's fine. i just think it's better if all my jokes don't go for your throat just because we've been close before."

slowed breathing, careful steps.

"i like having you around, too. --don't need to overthink that. it's not an opinion that's going to change soon nor fast." then night took her eyes off the road ahead to offer nari a genuine look. "if it helps, i don't want to upset you, either. so i'd say we're cool."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari stared at the sky above them as NIGHT talked about how they had changed. How they were different from who they were - both of them - once before. Not that she had expected anything different in answer, the way that they acted around one another had noticeably changed. The jokes they made - or failed to make, even the way that they looked at one another. It was almost as if there was a tension in the air, an understanding that things had once been, but now weren't. 

She was so caught up in the entire thought of how everything had changed - not suddenly, but slowly, over time - that the final comments of the other girl didn't register at first. Nor the fact that anything further at been said. It took Nari several moments to realise that the other had stopped speaking, and that they were likely waiting for a reaction. 

"Uh...oh. We're...cool. Uh, okay." The words came out scattered, just like her actual thoughts were. Trying to piece together...well, everything. "So...not too awkward. Good. Good good...except I'm making it awkward. Not on purpose. But...we should keep going, right?"

She didn't wait for an answer, turning and continuing along the route they'd been following as she tried to calm herself. At least she knew now, there was no discontent between the two of them - at least, none from NIGHT's spoken word. Now if she could just stop being an idiot, things would be better.

[NIGHT 0]

night would've objected, but she didn't feel the need to -- or rather, where nari was at head-space wise seemed distant, her thoughts scattered. if anything, it felt like the appropriate thing to do for her to stay quiet as they trekked along.

so that's what she did. swallowed down her reassurances for the time being and kept her eyes to the road. what was her best bet to try and support her friend mentally from then on? maybe mio, she figured, watching the nine-tailed creature dogging it's owners footsteps.

at some point during the fight, the hood on her cloak must've dropped off. so night adjusted it once more, just as they were getting to where they were going, the silhouette of the establishment fuzzy on the horizon. as the wind picked up behind her, and the falling snow started up once again, the player but let out a long sigh, wondering if it was going to be a long night once more.