[F21-PP] talked into nightmares and night terrors

[Crux 0]

In a display of mostly authentic confidence, Crux knew immediately when asked to meet Freyd on the 27th floor that he was in for a rude awakening. It seemed easy enough and he had been a part of any buses in other video games but now he was about to take a gamble with his life and deep at his core, he felt the foundations crumble by the pressure. He wasn’t one to back down from a challenge though and he committed to this insanity and so he would continue forward with as much feign confidence that he could muster. 

The information brokering had done him some good as he felt his weapons secured on his knuckles with the sharp claws retracted for the moment while both earrings he found dangled from a single lobe and he had the crystal in his pocket. Crux still needed armor but for still being low-leveled and using the resources at his disposal, he felt ahead of the newbie pack for now.

As he ascended into the 27th floor, his mind quickly touched on the blacksmith who crafted his weapon.  Ren — something or other, hard long name but quite the thinly framed man who seemed much more than he let on. Crux would never choose the 27th floor for anything, the cavernous aesthetic and ransacked village gave off off-kilter vibes. Perhaps he was a bit biased, but the first floor really had everything that anyone could possibly want or need. 

The beginner's eyes narrowed as he entered the village and quickly scanned around looking for someone who looked like he was capable of soloing some hard content. Instead, he just opened up his chat and hoped for the best.

[ CRUX ] : hey, where's the player that was about to run that bus?
[ CRUX ] : i'll loot for ya, solely here for the experience. 

[ QUEST ] : << BETRAYAL OF THE KING >>

@Freyd

CRUX | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 07 | ACC: 03 | LD: 03

Reveal hidden contents // journal   equipment. i. wildcat's grace / claw weapon - dmg iii [ e ] ii. dioscuri / earrings  - accuracy iii [ e ] iii. crystal / trinket - loot die iii [ e ] iv. empty  battle-ready inventory. i. starter healing potions - heals fifty hp [ 3 ] skills. i. weapon mastery: claw [ rank 01 ] sword art. i. [x4] ST-I (4 EN) A single-target sword art ii. [x3] AOE-I (1 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. iii. [x4] TECH-A (5 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by Crux

[Freyd 0]

Some stranger responded to Crux's query with a confused expression before quickly moving on, thinking him to be some sort of murderous lunatic.  Ronburu had experienced far too many of those in recent days and everyone was on edge.  Before he could follow up, a message appeared in his HUD.

To: Crux From: Freyd Dude.  Why are you up on 27?  FTK is here on 21.  I'm waiting out in front of the Knight Shift and realized that you ended up on the wrong floor.  Gimme two secs.  I'll come collect you.

A lanky man in dark, unassuming clothing was already crossing the central plaza from the teleportation gate by the time the message was read. Hands, feet, every part of him was covered save a pale chin and other partially concealed features under the charcoal-coloured cowl draped over his head.  A pair of barely perceptible blue eyes peered from the darkness within.

"Crux, right?"  His tracking mod had already confirmed it, but Freyd thought it best to play through the pleasantries anyway.  "I understand you want to face the Forgotten Time King, yes?"  Scanning the man's stature and gear, as if assessing both, Crux could feel rather than see an eyebrow raise in the dark.  "That's a bit of a bold ambition, isn't it?"  Amusement flowed from the lighthearted chuckle following his words. "Who am I to discourage such ambitions?  If you're willing to take on one of the most notorious mobs in Aincrad in your starter jammies, I'm game.  Come on.  Let's go watch me get beat up a little.  Just make sure you stay behind me the who time.  If he even looks at you funny, you might get dead."

Already wandering back towards the portal, hands stuffed in a pair of invisible pockets on his strange leather garb, his head twisted aside as if he'd forgotten something.  "I'm Freyd, by the way.  Some call me the Whisper in Shadows.  I'll be your tour guide on this particular adventure.  Please try not to die.  The paperwork that follows is just a killer."

Placing a gloved hand on the arch, Crux would notice the utter emptiness of the handwraps tied snugly around both palms.  Looking upon them was like watching the void between the stars go on forever. With but a word, their destination was set:

"Tomoika."  

***

Freyd consumes:

Gugnir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Crème Brûlée Tray | ACC 2 | Feast (6/6)
Liquor of Light (Potion) | Damage 3 | 183085-2
Divinity's Wait (Meal)| T4 Mitigation 3 | 188375
Red Velvet Meringue (Snack) | Evasion 2 | 197147 + [Filled]
Divinity's Protection (Meal)| Over-Health 3 | 176345-1
Viperion | T4 Perfect (Salve) | Toxic Venom 3 | 189872-2
Troll's Blood | 202053d

Freyd | HP: 1311/1311 | EN: 148/148 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 163 | EVA: 3 | ACC: 7 | BH: 71 | LD: 5 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | Para.Imm | Troll's Blood | TXV 32/3

  Reveal hidden contents

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadow
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 119
HP: 1140/1140 + 171
EN: 148/148

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 103+60
Evasion: 0+2+1
Accuracy: 5+2
Battle Healing: 71
Loot Dice: 5
FLN: 16
HLY: 16
REC: 8
(TXV 32/3)

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

Combat Mastery: Damage R3
Combat Shift: AOE
Familiar Skill: Grappling Familiar

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

Active Mods:
Night Vision
Tracking
Meticulous
Emergency Recovery

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Ferocity
Precision
Resolve
Reveal
Stamina
Focused Howl

Active Extra Skills:
Disguise
Survival
Forgotten King’s Authority
Brawler

Inactive Extra Skills:
Meditation
Frozen Hide
Photosynthesize
Hiding R2

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystals x7
Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+10% HP) x7
Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+10% HP) x7
Crystal of Divine Light (Reusable) x1
Rhino's Horn (Reusable) x1
Hmr.Pk: The Thing Behind All Lies (T4 Demonic MA, AA, Blight, Static, Para.Ven (Off)) x1
EWL: Hope's Covenant - Resolve +4 (T4 Demonic Weapon (MA) - AA, Phase, Frostbite, VO) x1
EWL: Glow Stone x1

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Skylight (Searching): +1 Rank to the Searching skill.
Practiced Angler: +2 Fishing EXP per attempt, addition +1 LD/CD to fishing attempts
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor [Potted Tanabata Bamboo Tree]: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild:
Tanos Statue: +25 Mitigation for a thread.

Wedding Ring: n/a

Fishing: Level 4 | 461XP