[PP-F27] The Ghost of Ming Garden (NIGHT, Seul, Rencesvals)

[Morningstar 0]

Against all cautionary tales and warnings, two intrepid players tip-toed through and around plant life, their bodies fueled by excitement and trepidation. Guided by the light of the full moon, they ventured into the heart of the garden, oblivious to the danger they had put themselves in. Their eyes played tricks on them as they moved through the unexplainably thick air. Shadows danced in the corners of their eyes, disappearing when the pair tried catching them. It was cold—so cold that they could even see their breath as they exhaled.

The wind kicked up and the two players stopped in their tracks, frozen. Standing at what must have been twenty feet from them was the figure of a woman. She appeared to be perfectly normal, at first glance, but the white gown she wore was off-putting and the fear that arose in them was instinctive, begging for them to run far away from the woman.

They stood their ground, raising shaky swords in defense. Without taking a single step, the woman was suddenly face-to-face with the players. One whipped his sword into the woman but was met with nothing tangible. With unexpected quickness, she gripped him by the neck, squeezing with unyielding force. The other dropped his blade in fear and in a sprint, escaped the scene, abandoning his friend in the process.

. . .

Day 1
Ming Garden - Floor 27

. . .

Morningstar arrived at midday, just as the message had specified. The garden was curiously empty and nowhere did he see his requestor. He glanced around, sometimes at the pretty plants and blooming flowers and other times at the edges of the garden. He watched for the shapes of people, the thought that he had walked into a potential ambush at the forefront of his mind. If this were an event as he had originally assumed, then where were all of the people? Things weren't adding up.

He dropped his hood, revealing tied-back blonde hair, and returned to his menu to look over the message once again. It materialized as an item, which was equally as unorthodox as everything else. He had never seen anyone write a letter, considering there was a direct messaging system built into the game.

Quote

To Morningstar,

I write to you in utmost desperation.

My name is Mary and I am the caretaker of the Twenty-Seventh Floor's Ming Garden. The garden, normally a peaceful place, has been afflicted by rumors of a dangerous ghost that wanders our grounds. For weeks now, whispers of the ghost have circled Dagan. They claim she materializes only under the shroud of night but her spectral presence has cast an eerie shadow over the garden, even during daylight hours. Alas, this spectral apparition has driven away visitors and the once-bustling sanctuary now remains empty.

Reports of violence from those who claim to have witnessed her presence have escalated, and the garden's reputation hangs in the balance. It pains me to see our haven of tranquility tainted by fear and unrest. I implore you, Morningstar, to lend your aid in restoring peace to Ming Garden.

Please meet me at the garden at 12:00 PM. I understand the weight of this request and the risks it may entail, but I implore you to help uncover whether there is any truth to the rumors.

May your heart be touched by our plight and may your courage be unwavering in the face of the unknown,

Mary

He returned it to his inventory. It was poetic and more formal than the writing of a player so Morningstar wondered if it was an event or a quest after all. An uncanny stillness hung in the air, adding to his alarm. It felt like at any moment, something might jump out at him. He kept his hand beneath his cloak and near the hilt of his blade, watching as the wind flowed gently through the leaves of the distant trees.

Spoiler

Morningstar | Lv. 30 | HP: 600/600 | EN: 93/93 | DMG: 20 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 66 | EVA: 1 | BLD: 36 | PAR: 1 | Stealth Rating: -2

Equipped

Spoiler

• Meteor | BLD II, PAR I
• In Noctem | MIT II, EVA I
• Lexa's Light | ACC III

Skills

Spoiler

5/5 Mods Active

• 2HSS | Rank 5
  Precision | Stamina | Ferocity | TECH Specialist
• Light Armor | Rank 5
• Searching | Rank 4
  Night Vision | Detect
• Combat Mastery: Damage | Rank 3
• Charge | +2*tier ENG cost to activate
• Energist | +15 ENG

Extra

• Survival | Increases Healing effects received from all sources by 10%. Grants immunity to all damage-dealing environmental attacks/effects.

Buffs

Spoiler

Housing

• Basic Training | +5% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post.

 

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by Morningstar

[NIGHT 0]

funny how she kept being sent to investigate the same rumor over and over again. night was practically stationed at the ming garden now, after the first two visits yielded rather poor results for their parties. laid upon one of the benches near the center of the garden, the player had a book lain over her face, open to its centerfold, her eyes closed to block out the sunlight.

it was noon, it was bright, and she didn't exactly want to be here, counting down the hours till eve and hoping a ghost (gosh, she hated ghosts) would show up one day. still, since the garden was accommodating for her, she would gladly take the spot. amidst the flora, an occasional breeze would sweep by the land, keeping her cool. the gentle chirps of scavenging birds helped lull the player into awareness, in between her bouts of drowsiness. then there was the occasional passerby, with the sound of footsteps, and she felt no obligation to check who they belonged to. sometimes, it was the small, intermittent things that were enough.

on this occasion, however, she did raise her head, gaze shifting from a poor darkness to light, noticing a player afar peering over their interface. and maybe, just maybe, night was a little too bored by sleepiness to have continued her nap-filled wait then.

[ lv. 141  ->   l. 32 / p. 109 ] NIGHT | HP: 1060/1060 | EN: 144/144 | DMG: 21 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 4 | MIT: 44 | LD: 10 | BH: 58 | VAMP-D: 108 | AA | Stealth Rating: 6 Spoiler equipped Cosmic Devourer+1  ABS. ACC, ACC III rider.  LOOT DIE III, VAMP-D feather. EVA III   battle-ready inventory Teleport Crystal (3) | TELEPORT   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 QUICK CHANGE CHARGE SCOUTING FAMILIAR EXTENDED MOD LIMIT extra SURVIVAL CONCENTRATION HIDING untraceable, vanish, surprise attack-t buffs Spoiler statue OROCHI | +1 LD consumables   paragon Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread. Lv. 10 | +1 LD to looting. 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-F | x8 | AOE STUN  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.

[Seul 1]

Ming Garden seemed to have been created for someone like him. One who opted to wander this world on his own. It was the man’s first visit, but the tranquility in the air was palpable as Seul strolled among the plants. Some time had passed since he last was on such a high floor, but something had drawn him here. Recently word spread like wildfire throughout the playerbase of strange occurrences happening here in the garden. Some claimed it may have been some sort of secret event. Others believed the location was really haunted. Having seen the horrors of this world first hand, ghosts and demons were near the bottom of his list of concerns. With that mindset, what harm could there be in finding the truth behind these rumors? 

Despite being midday it was dark; save for the glow of a few lampposts dotted around the garden and the light emanating from some flowers he didn’t recognize. Where was the best place to start? There had to be someone around here with more insight to point him in the right direction.
 

Spoiler

 Level 32 (Paragon 21)| 780 HP | 120 EN

21 Damage | 8 Holy Damage | 56 Burn | 64 Freeze | 30 Mitigation | 39 Battle Healing | 78 Vampiric Defense | 15 Holy Blessing | 2 Accuracy | 3 Evasion

Equipment 

Whorleater (Katana) 

8 Holy | 64 Freeze | 54 Burn | Accuracy I

 

Wight Knight’s Long Coat (Light Armor)

15 Holy Blessing | Vampiric Defense II

 

Generic Armor MK.9 (Light Armor) 

Evasion III

Skills

Curved Swords (4 SP | Novice)

Katana (30 SP | Grandmaster)

• Ferocity (6 SP)

Light Armor (30 SP | Grandmaster)

• Meticulous (4 SP)

• Resolve (6 SP)

Battle Healing (30 SP | Grandmaster)

Energist (8 SP)

Combat Mastery: Damage (13 SP | Grandmaster)

Combat Shift: ST Specialist (10 SP)

Extra Skills

» Concentration

» Survival 

» Meditation 

» Rending Familiar (10 SP)

» Hiding (30 SP | Grandmaster)

• Vanish (6 SP)

• Surprise Attack: Assassin (6 SP)

 

 

[Rencesvals 0]

Lured by tales of crystalline formations said to contribute to the unusually hardy and bountiful harvests of Dagan, Ren had travelled from the lowest extremes of the floating castle to the highest, purely to satisfy his curiosity.  Wispy white hair and alabaster features still marred from soot and smears earned at Callum's forge, his studies were progressing slowly.  It didn't help that he kept having to play fetch to feed the blazing furnace's endless appetite.  Maybe something in these crystals could catalyze the combustion and make their fuel burn longer or hotter, or even help refine the quality of the ores?  He'd heard tell of a witch on the twenty-second floor whose reagents were said to hold similar potential.  She just didn't appreciate guests, and his skills were still too raw to attempt face-to-face negotiations.  The harshness of his black segmented armor softened somewhat under the violet mantle and battle skirt adornments.  It gave a distinctively priestly appearance tempered only by the battered scabbard and plain hilt hanging at his side.  

Golden eyes that shone like radiant amber beneath the bioluminescent glow scanned the grounds, appreciating the meticulous care and cultivation on display.  He knew it was incredibly foolish to be here, beyond the safety of the cities and so close to the vanguard of the Front Lines.  The thrill was exquisite and revved his pulse until it thrummed so loudly in his ears that it drowned out all ambient noise.  Kneeling, he pressed a gauntleted hand into the sandy soil of a small karesansui patch marking the formal edges of the ground.  None of the chosen anchor stones were native to the area, so far as he could tell.  Some random tourist had mentioned that they represented other regions on the same floor.  Their arrangement implied cardinal orientation.

Where most visitors were awed by the verdant foliage and colourful blooms, Ren's focus rested solely on the patterned beauty of its dry landscaped borders.  Words echoed in his mind, recounted a thousand times in his father's voice and whispered now in his own without even realizing it.

"God is absence.  God is the solitude of man."

A presence moved before him, felt more than seen in the unnatural darkness yet distracting from his reverie.  Glancing up, those same golden eyes fixated upon the slowly twirling amber icon over the man's head.  Where fear should have governed, he found none.  Only the memory of lost friends and fury stirred within, wanting to judge but tempered by the serenity of their surroundings.  Instead, Ren chose to tempt fate with a question.

"We all die in the end, alone.  Isn't that so?"

***

Rencesvals | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 4 | ACC: 2 | LD: 3

Spoiler

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

Stats:
Damage: 4
Accuracy: 2
Loot Dice: 3

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Joyful Tribulations | ACC 2
Armor: Music Box | LD 3
Misc:

Skills:
Straight Sword R1

Battle Ready Inventory:
Starter Healing Potions x2
Field Ration x0
 

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by Rencesvals

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar's attention was stolen by the hushed sounds of a distant voice. The words were unintelligible, a mere whisper in the breeze, but he was sure he had heard something. Suddenly, he was not alone. Amber fluttered between white hair and an orange cursor and, momentarily, he questioned whether this had been an ambush all along. Then, further away from the other players and in a separate direction, he recognized a third. At that distance, he could have been wrong; however, what he thought was a familiar face set his mind at ease. Perhaps he was not a destined murder victim after all.

He thought to approach either of the players closest to him. The more he inspected the letter, the less confident he was in his understanding of the situation. Also, the more likely he thought it was that he was a key character in an elaborate prank. The camera operators hid their equipment proficiently if he was.

Through the silence came another voice, this time clearer and from behind. It was of a woman, young and well-spoken. Morningstar turned to put a face to the voice and was greeted with the sight of a tall NPC with wavy chestnut hair. She wore a cobalt dress and walked expeditiously towards him; or rather, the group as a whole. The message came to mind and he assumed her to be Mary.

She slowed as she approached a comfortable talking distance between herself and Morningstar but spoke indirectly and abruptly to all four of the invited players. "I am delighted to have you all here this afternoon. My name is Mary and, as stated in my letters, I maintain these gardens," she gestured around at the plants that surrounded them.

Morningstar glanced back at the unexpected players. Clearly, he had not been the sole target of her request. Had she intended for them to band together, or was this an unorthodox form of competition?

Mary cleared her throat before continuing. "While the letters contained a summarized version of the events that have unfolded here, I thought it best to speak to you all in person before you choose to accept my prayer and save this sanctuary."

She paused, taking a breath. "It is said that a ghost haunts these grounds, appearing only during the night. People across Dagan are afraid and the vast majority no longer visit the garden. Last night," she hesitated, "a man was killed. An eyewitness reported to the guards of Vesh that the one responsible for the murder was, as he put it, the Ghost of Ming Garden."

What Morningstar had previously believed was confidence, he now realized was desperation. "I'm afraid that, if this case is not put to rest quickly, I will be forced to close Ming Garden for good. I humbly request your help clearing the garden of the stories that have tainted it."

She finished with a bow. Then, with eyes that matched her dress, she panned in the direction of each player, hopefully awaiting questions and support.

[NIGHT 0]

it did seem, then, that there were a gathering of players in the distance. and the part that annoyed her more was spotting an npc emerging to greet them from the environment nearby. no way. she wasn't aware of any other quests in the area, and if this was new content then it was within her scope to have to investigate. to leave her post in pursuit of another one.

yeah, something new to do. but at what cost?

she snorted, pushing herself up from the bench she had been laying on. sure, she would go along with it. after so many losses with the apparition, it was just as likely that it wouldn't show up today out of all others, and if she did miss it on the one night it would appear, she would have another eternity to wait for its eventual encore. night had time.

a hand ran through her hair as she walked over. two players she didn't recognize, one with an orange marker – her eyes flitted then towards a familiar blond and instantly she was worried if she was supposed to defend the group from the marked player. that wasn't going to be the case, was it? perceiving a lack of threat, despite the apparent air of caution she carried, night shuffled up to star, or at least closer to him than the rest of the group. in doing so, she rounded behind the npc, catching the last few sentences of the story told.

"last night... eyewitness... murder... ghost of ming garden."

so night stopped in her tracks. she blinked twice, gaze trying not to meet the others as she listened in, attempting to be polite. once the woman was done speaking, she raised a hand, finally ready to bring her sights up, almost ready to place a hand on the npc's shoulder. for courtesy, without the intention of an invite, she gave a nod to star.

"sorry, this is going to be much ado about nothing. i wouldn't blame any of you if you were meant to be doing something else here and this lady came to bother you, not many people love 'questing' in nice places these days... so if none of you are interested..."

her palm came down as a soft pat on the npc's shoulder.

"... i'll be taking this one."

[Seul 1]

The search would not take long. Soon after arriving Seul would stumble upon another man. But before he could make an inquiry as to the nature of recent news in the area, the white-haired player would pose a question of his own. In truth it caught him off guard. Playing with one of his locs now to try and ease the discomfort, he’d mull over the strangers words only for a moment.

“Wow… I bet you’re real fun at parties…” 

Soon after slinging his sarcastic response, the NPC responsible for maintaining the gardens would make her presence known to himself and the few others who had been in the area. Though knowledge of what letter she had been referring to was currently escaping him; it did at least confirm the rumors were true. People were dying.

The woman who had been listening intently was the first to speak up, causing Seul to shake his head in protest. It seemed her mindset aligned with his own; both wanting to help Mary in her time of need. Or at least, benefit from any rewards that may come from doing so. Either way, he could not let her go alone on what inevitably seemed like a dangerous road laid out before them.

“Don’t worry, Mary. No one else is dying here on our watch. Isn’t that right, Sunshine?” He’d say with a grin and a nudge to his golden-eyed acquaintance.

[Rencesvals 0]

Ren stood, gob smacked by the other fellow's response, but honestly just glad that the chances of his imminent demise appeared to be dropping.  Maybe.  His mouth took odd shapes, but no words emerged.  Instead, golden eyes swiveled to two other approaching players, both veterans judging by the mien of their gear and mannerisms.  He was just here to pick rocks and crystals, still wearing the technical equivalent to his newbie pajamas.  Interesting times.

"Murder?"  General confusion was apparent in his features, making it clear that he'd not heard the same news or received the same invites as the others.  "Ghosts?  Clearly I'm missing something here, but that doesn't mean I'm not willing or able to help."  Aus would have his hide for jumping in blind to quests a hair's breadth behind the front lines without any information or suitable preparation.  Ren just cared that people were in danger.  It didn't matter if that meant players or NPCs.  What would it say about him if he just turned tail and walked?  Grinning to Seul's newly minted nickname, he chose to take it for what it was and play along.

"Sunshine?  Sure thing, Solo.  I can work with that.  If someone could bring me up to speed, I've no intention of turning a blind eye."  His gaze set on NIGHT to reaffirm the commitment, seeming to wonder why she expected all of them to just walk away.  "Do we know how this man was killed, and precisely where?  Was it a player or NPC?  Was anything left behind?"

Edited July 8, 2023 by Rencesvals

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar glanced curiously at NIGHT as she circled around. To be frank, he did not remember her well. Time had passed and countless other people and things had taken precedence in his mind. Still, he thought she carried herself differently. It was difficult to point out what had changed, though. Maybe he was delusional.

She was the first to offer her help to Mary; however, the other two followed suit almost immediately. "I can't be the only one to say no, can I?" he joked. "I'm in."

The white-haired player got straight to the point, following with genuinely good questions. Mary shook her head, her lips curved into a frown. "I'm afraid all I know is that it took place around there," she pointed towards a young tree adorned with crimson leaves and surrounded by various growing flowers. "There's a man in Vesh—the witness I mentioned. He goes by Hound. He should be able to answer the rest of your questions."

"Vesh is a big place. Do you know where we can find him?"

"I've heard he's at an inn on the outskirts of the city telling his story to whoever will listen. It's called The Green Elf, if I remember correctly."

He raised a brow at the peculiar name and then looked around at the group. "Shall we work together on this, then? Might make things easier than if we were to go at it alone," his eyes fell on NIGHT specifically now.

[NIGHT 0]

wow, tough crowd. night felt the weight of all eyes on her, and despite her experience, if she hadn't been in her tracksuit, she might've shriveled up from embarrassment.

in truth, night knew that her investigation would be going easier and faster if she did work at the case alone. but seeing how often her trail went cold (better; it never began at all) when it was simply herself present, it made sense to try and stick with a party... this time.

she gingerly, though reluctantly, pulled her hand off the npc.

"sure," night spoke aloud, though turning to star, as though her once-acquaintance was the only person of the group she was properly addressing. but her gaze slowly swept over the other players as she considered their next plan of action. "we're headed north then, to dagan. i don't suppose any of you would like to arrange your own transport over, unless you've got a knack for horse-riding." 

"fortunately, vesh suppliers travel often to and from ronbaru, so we can hitch a ride on one of their wagons." night folded her arms. "as for the potential travel fare... i'll foot the bill. consider it a sponsorship--" and she shrugged, wincing lightly, "-- that's been set aside for an opportunity like this."

[Seul 1]

It seemed everyone was in agreement to work together, much to the man’s delight. Seul couldn’t remember the last time he’d done anything with a party. Having spent so much time on his own after leaving the frontline, it would make for a nice change of pace. Moments like these were what he enjoyed most about the lives players manifested in this world. What more could someone ask for than fun adventures and good company? He thought it beat working a 9 to 5 at least. 

Next order of business was to speak with this ‘Hound’ and see what insight he’d be able to provide. Being new to the floor he wasn’t entirely sure how long the journey might take or the subsequent search for The Green Elf. But with how quickly news spread throughout Aincrad he imagined it wouldn’t take long considering the fellow had been flapping his gums since the incident. 

“Alright, friends. When’s the next supply convoy scheduled to depart?” He’d ask while fidgeting with his hair again rather than focusing on anyone in particular. He was waiting for one of the others to take the lead, clearly disinterested in the role.

[Rencesvals 0]

"North.  Right."  Ren turned and made ready to walk off in the wrong direction.

"Left, actually," replied Mary, hesitant to correct those who so gallantly offered to help.  A casual sweep her hand redirected the wayward knight towards the large print sign reading: 'Dagan this way.'  He just sighed, resigned to the fact that his sense of direction inevitably failed at the least opportune moments.  "Of course," he corrected, humility pivoting him on the spot and leading them to the carriage yard where dozens of carts and drivers sat waiting to convey people towards the distant City of Vesh.  "Thank you for the, uh... sponsorship?"  A newb's coin purse was rarely sufficiently stocked, making him truly appreciative of the offer.

"I'm Rencesvals, by the way, or just Ren will do if you prefer."  Picking a stray and broken crystal shard from the ground, he glanced at it curiously while they made their way to a wagon. 

"Hrm, sodalite, or something close to it.  That seems a bit off given what else we saw in this area."  The words weren't meant for anyone in particular.  He'd just noticed the off bit of geology as they passed and quietly slipped the sample into a pouch on his belt, the clink of stone against stone suggesting a habit or hobby.  "Does anyone know what this is all about, other than what Mary mentioned?  I was really just here on a mineral survey and only arrived a short while ago.  Is it not odd that a murder witness was permitted to leave town?  I can't say I've been able to entirely place the local culture just yet."