[F16 | PP] The Seaweed is Always Greener <<Scents of the Wild: Fighting Fish>>

[Katoka 0]

It had been several days now since the battle that took place on floor 27. Katoka had taken some time off after the raid, taking a bit of that time to spend at home and a day to poke her nose into floor 28 briefly, though that ended up with her spending several hours in an escape room wrapping her brain around puzzles. During her break she had decided it was time for a new look, it had been quite some time since her last outfit change so now was as good a time as any.

Now not only was she visiting a floor that she had never been to before, but she was also in clothes she wasn't accustomed to. While fidgeting with the clothing she checked her messages, making sure the one she had sent to Freyd had gone through. Kat sighed and popped a couple of potion bottles open to sip on while she waited, breathing in the salt scented air of the ocean as she waited for her friend. She had a feeling that he had crashed hard once the fight was said and done, but probably had gotten right back to work not long after.

Message to Freyd:

Spoiler

You up for another quest? I hear the fish grow big on floor 16, meet me near the Venrough gate and bring your fishing pole. 

----

Katoka consumes:

Draught of Safeguard | Mitigation 3 | 214279-1
Draft of Keen Edge | Damage 3 | 216999

Katoka | HP: 760/760 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 5 | BH: 33 | AA | BLGT: 32 | P.V.O | REC: 8 | STK: 40

Spoiler

Katoka, The Cerulean Storm
Level: 33
Paragon Level: 18
HP: 760/760
EN: 110/110

Stats:
Damage: 23+3=26
Mitigation: 78+60=138
Evasion: 1
Accuracy: 5
Battle Healing: 33
AA
BLGT: 32
P.V.O
REC: 8
STK: 40

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Raijin's Corruption | T4/Demonic/Katana | Abs.Acc, Blight, Para.Ven (off), Static
Armor: Oni Haori | T4/Demonic/Light Armor | MIT 2, REC 2
Misc: Aquamarine | T4 Demonic Trinket | ACC III, EVA I

Combat Mastery: Damage R3
Combat Shift: ST
Familiar Skill: Rending Familiar
Custom Skill:


Skills:
Battle Healing R4
Katana R5
Light Armor R5
Energist

Active Mods:
Meticulous
Vengeful Riposte

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Ferocity
Stamina
Resolve
Precision

Active Extra Skills:
Survival
Concentration
Parry
Forgotten King’s Authority

Inactive Extra Skills:

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleportation Crystal x5
Starter Healing Potion x2

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)
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
Basic Training: +5% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]

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:

Wedding Ring:

 

Edited October 19, 2023 by Katoka

[Freyd 0]

Bleary-eyed and still struggling with the blissfully oblivious depths of the deepest, soundest sleep he'd allowed himself in longer than he could fathom to remember, Freyd swatted half-heartedly at the insistent UI as it persistently sought to deliver his friend's message.  A single eye, or half of one, peered and scowled from beneath the cowl, itself nestled beneath a blanket and two pillows, grudgingly acknowledging the missive and barely registering the contents: something about being fishy and bringing poles for roughness on sixteen.  That was about all he got. 

Add to his persistent exhaustion the added toll of his own inner turmoil somehow manifesting through system glitches, he'd especially been having trouble with the disguise skill.  Maybe it was all triggered by resurfacing demons of old, associated with his first forays into the wilds of Aincrad?  Or, the lingering effects of touching the void too many times?  Meh.  Maybe he just wasn't eating enough vegetables.  Surely, it couldn't be lack of sleep.  He'd just made up for that in a single night, at least by his own reckoning.  Still debating whether or not to just roll over, his shadow was already up and about pantomiming the actions required to prep for the outing and taunting him with his own laziness.

"Fine, fine... I'm up," he grumbled, the words sounding distant and warbled as his legs flopped over the edge of the bed.  Freyd's disheveled state struck strong contrast with the pristine minimalism of his bedchamber, the white limestone bedrock above the mantle looming overhead to remind him that he was still several storeys below ground and needed to motivate his ass a little faster if he planned to meet Katoka in a timely manner. 

Going through the motions with his eyes closed, he snared the replica of his grandfather's cherished fishing pole from his inventory and donned what seemed a suitable guise based on what little he'd gleaned from his friend's bizarre instructions.  "Doesn't make much sense, but whatever..." he told himself, his skin morphing to be replaced by flamboyantly coloured, iridescent scales, fins and frills.  "Maybe its some sort of strange guild theme party or something?"

Grabbing himself a desperately needed coffee on the way to Venrough, he emerged from the portal to find Katoka waiting in her dazzling new outfit and suddenly felt very awkwardly out of place.  Stunned in the midst of still lingering stupor, it took his idling brain another minute to realize that he might have misjudged the intent of the invite.  Still groggy, he barely managed to croak out a few words through his own altered lips, thinking 'Did I get the wrong memo', but managing to spout little more than: "Aaaaaughibbrgubugbugrguburgle!" 

Spoiler

https://www.owlboy.com/wowwiki/mMurlocAggroB.mp3

***

Freyd consumes:

Gugnir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Crème Brûlée Tray | ACC 2 | Feast (6/6) - 1 portion taken.  Rest shared with Katoka.
Armageddon Juice (Potion) | Damage 3 | 179638
Madlad Muffin | Tierless Rare Meal | EVA 2 | 215161 +Filled
Jackpot Pretzel (Snack) | Loot Die 3 | 197163
Lesser-Duper Anti Snake Sauce (Salve) | Antidote 1 | 160743
Divinity's Wait (Meal)| T4 Mitigation 3 | 188377

Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 152/152 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 163 | EVA: 5 | ACC: 6 | BH: 64 | LD: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | DOTE: 1/1

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadow
Level: 33
Paragon Level: 122
HP: 1180/1180
EN: 152/152

Stats:
Damage: 23+3
Mitigation: 103+60
Evasion: 2+2+1
Accuracy: 4+2
Battle Healing: 64
Loot Dice: 5+3
FLN: 16
HLY: 16
REC: 8

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Samael's Pride | T4 MA | FLN 2 | HLY 2
Armor: Fallen Angel Garb | T4 LA | MIT 2 | REC 2
Misc: Fight O'er Flight | ACC 2 | EVA 2

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

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
Untraceable
Detect

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Ferocity
Precision
Resolve
Reveal
Stamina
Focused Howl

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

Inactive Extra Skills:
Frozen Hide
Brawler
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: Hope's Covenant - Resolve +4 (T4 Demonic Weapon (MA) - AA, Phase, Frostbite, VO) x1
EWL: The Thing Behind All Lies (T4 Demonic MA, AA, Blight, Static, Para.Ven (Off)) x1
EWL: Dagan Crystal-B (Reusable) 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.
Angler: +2 Fishing EXP per attempt
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:

Fishing: Level 4 | 461XP

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Freyd

[Katoka 0]

Katoka turned in the direction of the garbled sound, arching a brow at the sight of a fish-lizard-frog thing holding a cup of coffee. She blinked a few times before she let out a laugh that caused her to nearly double over, "Wh-What in the hell have you managed to turn yourself into now?" The samurai wiped tears from her eyes as she attempted to gather herself.

It took a minute or two of deep breaths and trying not to look in Freyd's direction for her to be able to speak normally again. "And here I was  concerned about my wardrobe change. Are you returning to your primordial roots now?"

It always felt good to joke around with Freyd. Even after all they had been through both together and separately, she knew that they could both poke fun at one another to ease the mood into something a bit more comfortable.

----

Katoka consumes:

Gugnir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Crème Brûlée Tray | ACC 2 | Feast (5/6) - 1 portion taken.

Updated Stats:
Katoka | HP: 760/760 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 7 | BH: 33 | AA | BLGT: 32 | P.V.O | REC: 8 | STK: 40

[Freyd 0]

Bulging fish eyes swole to the size of saucers as the unintelligible words burbled from his own fattened lips, nearly causing the previous caffeinated drink to fall from him fingertips in surprise.  Apparently, Freyd still wasn't quite awake.  Mention of his friend's wardrobe change only frazzled him further.  For someone who prided himself on attention to detail, to have escaped something so obvious AND forgotten that he'd morphed himself into some sort of anthropomorphic fish was a double blow.  Palming his face only added and extra layer of slime over already sludgy skin and worsened what was well on its way to breaking records as the start of a bad day.

"Hnnnnng...:" apparently again came out as "Aaaaaughibbrgubugbugrguburgle!" The word was apparently universal.  About to groan again, he stopped himself with the barest of moments to spare and dutifully dismissed the self-offending form.

"There.  That's better," he grumbled, his lips feeling stretched and numb from the change.  "Skills have still been acting a bit funny, obviously, but I'm starting to get the hang of it again... I think."  Montjoy taunted him by shifting his shadowy silhouette into the most disturbingly curvy murloc form imaginable.  Freyd just cowl-scowled at him through slitted eyes best suited for the shooting of daggers.  

"Let me guess: what you actually meant was that it was time for the fishing quest in the scents chain, yeah?"  Already nodding his head at the rhetorical question, a more standard-looking 'regular' Freyd  had a dozen spectral display screens instantly open to refresh himself on the details.  It had been awhile.  Turning to spout more technical details Kat's wait, his jaw hung slack for a moment as his brow furrowed, only just truly recognize her change in appearance.  A single raising brow signaled his brain resetting the requisite internal breaker.

"You...err...that looks really good on you!  Good for you, Kat."  A smile slowly replaced the drooping jaw, mirth rounding at the edges of his eyes.  "You look all grown up."

Edited November 3, 2023 by Freyd

[Katoka 0]

Katoka giggled, not directly at Freyd of course, but at the situation itself. The thought of him accidently turning into a chicken or a donkey when trying to slip away had flashed in her mind. She composed herself and turned to her friend, "Hopefully things won't get too crazy for you."

"You look all grown up."

The samurai looked down at herself, inspecting her clothes and equipment before smiling warmly. It felt like she had travelled down a long road to reach this point in time. She had been to afraid to leave the inn she stayed at for so long before she finally took the first steps she needed to spread her wings. Now she was the captain of a well known guild and a member of the frontlines. Where had the time gone? It had seemed just like yesterday that she had fought a boar with shaky legs and a set of starter equipment.

"I guess you can call it my post raid glow up?" she looked to Freyd, one of main pillars in her life now. He had taken her so long ago with a few other new players through the desert of floor five and, as he had done so many times with her present, killed the sand shark with a single blow. She gave him a grin and threw her fingers up in a V for victory.

Kat stapped up and gave him a light punch to the arm, "Well? Shall we go fillet a fish?"

[Freyd 0]

"I guess you can call it my post raid glow up?" 

Freyd pondered back upon his former fishy self, wondering whether he might have gotten a raw deal on the whole 'raid glow-up' thing.  It seemed far more likely that their encounter with... what was his name again?  Wutang?  Mushu?  Who-shen? Taking a page from the disinterested boss' own playbook, he simply stopped caring.  Contact with the legendary beast's inner void had only exacerbated his troubling glitchiness and made use of his own shadow-drawn powers less reliable.  Perhaps the elements were at odds within him now too?  Grandpa would have chuckled at that.

"Well? Shall we go fillet a fish?"

A familiar wry grin spread across the Whisper's face at his friend's suggestion and request.  As the smile grew, his features changed again.  This time, his trademark cowl became a sweat-stained formerly-white bucket hat and pair strangely familiar black-rimmed shades.  Eclectic black traveling garb morphed into a pair of tarp-grade khaki shorts and red Hawaiian shirt with white palm tree shades.  White beach loafers rounded out the absurdity of his outfit, along with the addition of a duck-headed fishing rod that looked like it belonged to the 1950s.

"Sorry," he muttered, acknowledging the renewed strangeness of his appearance.  "This is my fishing gear.  it grants... uh... bonuses, and stuff."  It was a complete and total lie.  The outfit's only special power was to make him even more absurd than he normally was, but it amused him and so had become a mainstay of any waterborne adventures.  "I should probably also warn you that fish monsters and I have a certain hate-hate relationship, at this point, and that there is a high chance that dumbass shenanigans could result.  Will result, if I'm perfectly honest.  Sorry in advance.  I reserve the right to blame Cardinal for whatever comes next."  

Looking down, Freyd imagined an invisible aura rediating out from his footwear.  "You, uh... might want to keep clear of the splash zone."

[Katoka 0]

A grin spread across the blonde's face as she looked over Freyd's fishing gear. "I don't know why I still manage to get surprised by the goofy outfits and disguises you manage to put on these days. Also, you and any sort of monster having beef is not surprising at all. I would be more shocked if we didn't fight something that ended with us in some wonky dungeon or dealing with a error coded nightmare."

Katoka began to walk towards the edge of the settlement, she had looked at a few maps beforehand to get an idea of where to go. The two needed to find a local dock with a boat, then they just had to catch the fish and pull it close enough to the surface for them to fight. Easier said then done of course. As they edged closer to their destination Katoka looked over to Freyd, "So how have you been since the fight? Things been going well?" She wasn't terribly worried, but she would be lying if she had said she wasn't a bit concerned after the incident with the shadow clones they had to fight just before the raid.

[Freyd 0]

"Goofy?!  This is grade-A authentic imitation Hawaiian leisure wear!  I even fakes Gilligan's signature on the inside of the hat myself,"  Freyd countered with the full force of feigned indignity.  The whole getup was really just a means for him to break his own mold and step outside the edgelord vibes most frequently sent his way.  Those were equally well-earned and cultivated for a purpose, to be fair.  Fear of what the unhinged murder-hobo in black might do kept Firm Anima safer.   That alone made it worthwhile.  But even Freyd had to admit that he wasn't sure what to make of the person behind that persona.  'Who are you when every face you wear is only borrowed?  Even the silly ones,' he pondered internally.

Steadying a rickety rowboat by the docks, Freyd tossed his gear in while Katoka climbed aboard and sat at the prow.  The thing was barely big enough for the two of them, and looked like it had been built a hundred years ago, then left to bake in the searing sun.  Most of the paint was peeling.  The wood was badly worn and weathered, threatening a real risk of splinters if you sat the wrong way, and left the real risk that some patch of it was rotten to the point where the bottom might give out at any moment.  Grabbing the pair of oars slotted in the crutches on either side of the frame, Freyd maneuvered them away from shore and out to open water.

"Oh... err... things are better, I guess," he replied, roused from his daydreaming.  It hadn't been that long since their last excursion, yet so much seemed to have happened in between.  "Elora and I have been spending more time together, which is really great, and seems to be helping with all the odd glitchiness.  It hasn't happened in a while." he added with distinct relief.  "And, uh..." he added quietly, "we've decided to build a house together."

Unbeknownst to both of them, Freyd's tacky mallard-headed fishing rod had landed in the boat in an awkward manner leaving the line dangling from the stern.  A massive shadow had silently grown in the waters beneath them as their made their way along, through mildly choppy waters towards no specific destination.  Freyd barely managed to grab the grip as something yanked fiercely on the line and nearly took off with his treasured replica, light dawning in the Whisper's eyes as he realized what was about to happen.

"Oh shit, not again..."

***

Fishing for Moretsuna | ID 218714 | CD 12+2=14 (FOUND!)

Edited December 3, 2023 by Freyd

[Katoka 0]

The sight of the boat in front of Katoka cause d her to grimace. It looked as though it was far past it's prime and that one good wave would turn it into splinters. She turned and gave Freyd a pained grin as she climbed in and took a seat. "Should I write my Will now or are you more confident in this things structural integrity than I am?"

The two cast off as Freyd filled Kat in on the dealings in his relationship, she of course ate up every bit. A gasp escaped her mouth at the last bit of information and a high pitched squeal that could have shattered a glass erupted from her, "YOU'RE BUILDING A HOUSE TOGETHER?!" If she wasn't afraid of falling though the floor she would have jumped up and danced around, it was about damn time that Elora stopped living in the same room at the Inn.

The samurai's excitement was cut short as she felt the boat rock. She crouched down the steady herself as she noticed the dark shadow in the water beginning to get larger as it rose to the surface. A fish that was bigger than anything she had seen before broke the surface, sending a spray of water in all directions. Katoka frowned as she drew her katana, "Thanks for ruining the moment fish breath."

Disappearing in a flash the after image of Katoka faded from the boat, the vessel rocking back and forth from her leaping into the air. A moment later she reappeared several feat above the sea creature, her sword drawn and emitting sparks of electricity as she hung in the air. As if she was kicking off from an invisible platform, she rocketed downward, plunging her blade into the fish's head. With a crash of thunder, electricity struck from the sky and hit her blade as if it was a lighting rod. Black ichor then spurted from the wound in all directions as if she had hit some sort of artery filled with tainted blood. This was the full destructive power of Raijin's Corruption.

With a graceful back flip, she jumped back onto the rickety vessel that was their boat and flicked her blade to the side, sending any remaining blood from the fish before them into the water. She clicked her tongue with dissatisfaction. Despite the devastating attack, Mōretsuna's health bar only moved a fraction of what she had expected.

---

Post Action | ST-I [x15] (12 EN+2 Shift): 14 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 11 EN
Free Action | N/A

ID:218729 | BD:10, CD: 3, CRIT+2 Using [x15] ST-I vs. Mōretsuna | 15*28=420-105=315 DMG, [BLGT: 32/2] [Paralyzed] [STK: 40/2]  applied      

Katoka | HP: 760/760 | EN: 99/110 (-11) | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 7 | BH: 33 | AA | BLGT: 32 | P.V.O | REC: 8 | STK: 40
Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 152/152 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 163 | EVA: 5 | ACC: 6 | BH: 64 | LD: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | DOTE: 1/1

(2,0) Mōretsuna | HP: 785/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 105 125 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | [BLGT: 32/2] [Paralyzed] [STK: 40/2] (1100-315)

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Mōretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Mōretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Mōretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

Edited December 14, 2023 by Katoka

[Freyd 0]

A 'scree' to rupture eardrums; or it would have been if he'd actually had any to burst.  Katoka's high pitch squeal would have scared off every fishing within a league, save one, as it turned out.  As the spiffy blonde samurai leaped lightning fast into the air, the boat's balance shifted instantly in response to the suddenly absent weight.  Freyd's eyes barely had time to widen before joining the mass of his flailing arms and shadows tumbling backwards into the drink.  Some cursing might have been involved, but was drowned out by inelegant splashing and the roar of an injured mob whose cinematic ambush had just been ruined.  Katoka had stolen its moment.

Twisting and turning to right his sense of direction, Freyd had barely managed to cling to the stern when his partner slipped casually onto the prow, teetering his totter and sending him ass over tea kettle back towards the fore.  Had she looked up, Katoka might have spotted his airborne self glaringly wickedly while offering her two specific and twinned fingers as he sailed overhead to flop face first into the  already dazed flounder. Fortunately, the system still registered it as an attack dealing enough damage that it left a Freyd-shaped imprint in the monster's dorsal blubber. 

"ACME should consider sponsoring me," he muttered, as gravity slowly peeled him from the thing's back, dumping him back onto the ship's tiny deck.  "I swear, a fish will be the death of me some day."  Looking slightly drowned and fully soaked, the Whisper just wheezed and groaned while laid out on his back, wondering why the universe so hated him being near the water.

***

Spoiler

Post Action | TECH-D [x12] (12 EN): 12 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 9 EN (Charge +8 EN, CD 0/3)
Free Action | N/A

ID #218732 | BD:3+6-0=9 (hit, +3 charge).  DMG (12*29=348-85=263) to Mōretsuna (CD 12, ST-B Unlocked)

Mōretsuna takes 32 Blight damage and 40 Static damage

Mōretsuna is paralyzed.  Paralyzed fades.

Katoka | HP: 760/760 | EN: 99/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 7 | BH: 33 | AA | BLGT: 32 | P.V.O | REC: 8 | STK: 40
Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 135/152 (152-9-8) | DMG: 26 | MIT: 163 | EVA: 5 | ACC: 6 | BH: 64 | LD: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | DOTE: 1/1

(2,2) Mōretsuna | HP: 450/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 125 (-40, 1/2) | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 (0) | [BLGT: 32 (1/2] [Paralyzed] [STK: 40 (1/2)] (785-263-32-40)

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Mōretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Mōretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Mōretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

 

Edited December 14, 2023 by Freyd

[Katoka 0]

The blonde had managed to gain her sea legs faster than she had initially imagined. With the large fish breaking the surface and causing waves, on top of her and Freyd jumping about (or in Freyd's case flopping about) their little boat was rocking back and forth enough to make most people loose their balance. Katoka however bent her knees and rode the vessel as if it was a large surfboard. She let out an almost maniacal laugh as the boss before them couldn't move at all.

Once again she vanished in a flash, this time reappearing on top of the creatures head with her feet planted firmly. She plunged her sword into its skull with a thud hard enough to send a shockwave of force outward in all directions, the water beneath them rippling in perfect circles. She then with all her strength ran from the head of the fish to it's tail, dragging the blade through it's upper body as if she was filleting it for dinner.

"One Fillet o' Fish, ready for the grill!" she called to her companion. She knew that if he missed his attack this round that her lingering effects would finish off the beast with little issue. With a quick jerk she removed the blade and leapt once more back onto the sea vessel to let Freyd take a final whack.

----

Katoka regains +4 EN
CD 3 (no REC proc ID#218825)

Post Action | ST-II [x15] (13 EN+2 Shift): 15 EN - (Rested 1/2; Stamina) = 12 EN
Free Action | N/A

ID:218826 | BD:2+5+1-1=7, CD: 7, HIT Using [x18] ST-II vs. Mōretsuna | 26*18=468-85 MIT = 383 DMG        

Katoka | HP: 760/760 | EN: 91/110 (+4) (-12) | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 7 | BH: 33 | AA | BLGT: 32 | P.V.O | REC: 8 | STK: 40
Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 135/152 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 163 | EVA: 5 | ACC: 6 | BH: 64 | LD: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | DOTE: 1/1

(3,2) Mōretsuna | HP: 67/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 125 (-40, 1/2) | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 (0) | [BLGT: 32 (1/2] [Paralyzed] [STK: 40 (1/2)] (450-383)

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Mōretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Mōretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Mōretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Katoka

[Freyd 0]

Peeling himself off the deck, Freyd gave a thumbs up while resisting the urge to groan like an old man.  This fish was going down.  Katoka had already seen to that, by the look of things, but he was not about to let himself be sidelined in yet another fish fight.  'The curse must be broken,' he silently vowed to himself.  Reeling back, the familiar tingle of a sword art building around his fist gave way as he stepped forward to unleash it, and slipped.  Eyes wide with surprise, the infamous Whisper fell forward like a total noob, ending up in the reverse position he had just sought to escape.  It was like someone had flipped Freyd toast to evenly grill the other side.  Moretsuna seemed to grin mockingly, even as spasmic death throes claimed the last of its failing health bar.  Freyd pulled himself up to his elbows just in time to see if gurgle-laughing in his face.  

"I hate fish."  Vitriol was dripping behind his words, pretty mightily it seemed as his front seemed wetter than it had a moment ago.  That was when he noticed the conspicuously fist-shaped hole in the bottom of the boat and water bubbling in more swiftly than anyone could possibly hope to bail or patch.  Persi pranced playfully about his head, giving her best silent rendition of Nero playing a lyre as Rome burned, or in this case drowned.

"Uuuuuuurrrggghhhhhh..."

Freyd's face promptly plopped back into the rising waters, partly hoping that he might drown himself in it, rather than embarrassment.

***

Spoiler

Freyd regains +4 EN
CD 10 (+8 REC proc) ID #218830

Post Action | ST-I [x12] (12 EN): 12 EN - (Rested 1/2; Stamina) = 10 EN.  Missed (-2)
Free Action | None

ID:218829 | BD:1 (miss)   

Katoka | HP: 760/760 | EN: 91/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 7 | BH: 33 | AA | BLGT: 32 | P.V.O | REC: 8 | STK: 40
Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 145/152 (135+4+8-2) | DMG: 26 | MIT: 163 | EVA: 5 | ACC: 6 | BH: 64 | LD: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | DOTE: 1/1

(3,3) Mōretsuna | HP: 0/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 125 (-40, 1/2) | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | [BLGT: 32 (1/2] [STK: 40 (1/2)] (67-40-32)

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Mōretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Mōretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Mōretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

Loot Moretsuna: ID #218831 | LD: 16+9=25 | CD: 6 (Looted by Freyd, but kill credited and loot given to Katoka)
14300 col (HP[1100]*13 - incl. +4 CD/LD even, +6 from roll,)
T4 Perfect Weapon 218831a
T4 Perfect Weapon 218831b
T4 Perfect Weapon 218831c

Edited February 7 by Freyd

[Katoka 0]

"How did a hole get in the boat?" Katoka groaned as she started scooping water with her hands and tossing it overboard, "How the hell are we supposed to deal with this?!"

She felt panic grip her as the water began to rise. She couldn't run across this water without having some sort of solid ground to build up speed on first. She was not too keen on them having to swim back, as that might attract the attention of some other sort of water monsters. As her brain ran through as many scenarios as she could think of she continued to toss water out of the boat with her hands, not that it helped much at all. "Now would be a great time for one of your wacky game breaking things to happen so that we don't drown or get eaten by a big ass shark!" Kat grabbed the oars and attempted to begin rowing them back to shore.

[Freyd 0]

Wheels were already turning behind Freyd's eyes, time permitting little other than action before any opportunity slipped beneath the wave.  Physics and calculus procced internally to do what the Whisper was best at: come up with a plan.

"Kat, don't hold on."

Without giving any opportunity to let the oddity of the instruction sink in, Freyd gathered the pulsing energies of a sword art into his balled fist, spun, and smashed the bow of their tiny boat with enough force to pile drive a teeter-totter.  With his full weight behind it, his companion staring confusedly at him from the stern, the front of the ship plunged into the depths.  The back end, meanwhile, kicked high and suddenly into the air, launching a certain stunned samurai and sending her sailing high through the air towards the distant shore.  Standing at the fulcrum, Freyd felt the broken vessel flip and topple over him before wood splintered and the entire derelict wreck broke apart.  Most of the wood floated, but he sank, driven by the force and inertial of his own blow.

The surrounding water, concaved by the impact, rushed back in to fill the unexpected void and swallowed the Whisper whole.  By the time the waves settled, Katoka would be dusting sand off her backside.  Freyd felt the water cool and light dwindle into darkness.  Too much inertia meant that trying to alter his trajectory would feel like pressing against a mountain with his pinky finger, and be as likely to produce results.  A single thought dominated as he vanished:

I always knew, somehow, that it would be a fucking fish...

[Katoka 0]

In an utter state of confusion Katoka whipped her head around to look her friend dead in the eyes, "What do you mean don't hold on? Freyd?"

She looked completely dumbfounded as she watched Freyd wind up and punch the sinking vessel, sending the small blonde rocketing into the air as if she was a stuffed animal that had been sitting at the other end of a seesaw. Once she had reached the apex of her climb, Kat attempted to control the speed of her decent by throwing her arms and legs out as far as she could, catching the air as she fell. The winding whipped past her causing all sound to be replaced with the roar of her approaching the beach at terminal velocity.

Katoka let out a primal yell that was definitely not filled with fear whatsoever as she braced for impact, slamming into the sand and causing a geyser of beach to shoot upwards. As the sand fell around her, the samurai now rested in a crater that was almost cartoon shaped to fit her size.

"I'm going to kill him." she coughed, attempting to get as much sand out her mouth as she could.

[Freyd 0]

Pulses like lightning began to flash beneath the modest rippling waves on the open lake.  Moments later, rumbling shook the sand, like thunder through the ground, or... depth charges?  Portions of the lake slumped suddenly, like pockets created by some massive invisible ladle scooping the water away.  Before the voids could refill, water erupted upwards in a series of massive jets, like geysers blowing simultaneously or a pod of humpback whales discovering the joys of synchronized swimming.  Bits of orange crystal began raining down like fireworks; until Katoka realized that they were actually mob bits.  Because, of course they were.   And probably fish bits at that, because Freyd.

Speak of which, he fell next, forming a similarly-shaped crater, but with added spoop.  

"Ph... hack... wheeze... ptooey! Fucking... FISH!"

One and a half amorphous blobs of something dark and angry soon ambled out of the waters at the shore, angrily burbling something towards the players as they closed.  Judging by the crackling electrical auras turning sand to glass in their wake, they'd already met Freyd and probably lost a few family members during the encounter.

***

Used Random Dungeon Map 199926a

Spoiler

Post Action | AoE-I (x15, 11 EN, +2 Shift, +2/hit): 21 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 18 EN.  (-2 for one miss)
Free Action | None

ID #218990 | BD: 1 (miss).   Misses Squishy Jelly-Fishy 1
ID #218991 | BD: 5+6-1=10 (hit).  DMG (15*26=390-60=330) to Squishy Jelly-Fishy 2
ID #218992 | BD: 6+6-1=11 (hit, Fallen +16).  DMG (15*40=600-60=540)  to Squishy Jelly-Fishy 3. Dead.
ID #218993 | BD: 10 (Crit +3, Holy +16).  DMG (15*43=645-60=585) to Squishy Jelly-Fishy 4. Dead.

(0,0,0,0) Katoka | HP: 760/760 | EN: 91/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 7 | BH: 33 | AA | BLGT: 32 | P.V.O | REC: 8 | STK: 40
(0,2,2,3) Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 126/152 (142-16) | DMG: 26 | MIT: 163 | EVA: 5 | ACC: 6 | BH: 64 | LD: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | DOTE: 1/1

Squishy Jelly-Fishy 1 | HP: 400/400 | DMG: 180 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1
Squishy Jelly-Fishy 2 | HP: 70/400 | DMG: 180 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 (400-330)
Squishy Jelly-Fishy 3 | HP: 0/400 | DMG: 180 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 (400-540)
Squishy Jelly-Fishy 4 | HP: 0/400 | DMG: 180 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 (400-585)

Loot Squishy Jelly Fishy 3: ID #220218 | LD: 13+9=22 | CD: 7
+4 materials (+4 CD/LD odd)
1200 col (HP[400]*3)
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 220218a
T4 Perfect Consumable 220218b
T4 Perfect Consumable 220218c

Loot Squishy Jelly Fishy 4: ID #220219 | LD: 8+9=17 | CD: 4
2800 col (HP[400]*7 - incl. +4 CD/LD even, +X from roll)
T4 Rare Consumable 220219a
T4 Rare Weapon 220219b

Edited March 17 by Freyd

[Katoka 0]

Crawling from her newly minted hole in the ground, Katoka coughed up some sand and looked out over the beach. Her eyes fell on the floating jellyfish that were making their approach and she rolled her eyes. "How. How do you mange this? I swear your luck is astronomical." With a few grunts of effort the blonde pulled her self out of the ground and brushed what sand she could from her body. The two sea creatures glided ever so slowly across the land, sparks of electricity snapping from their tendrils as they did so.

A grin pulled at the corners of her mouth as Kat drew her katana, "Hey, I can do that too." Her muscles tensed and electricity of her own crackling around her before she launched forward across the beach, sand spraying behind her as she ran. Her sword art struck the first monster, causing it to jiggle and wobble like jello fresh from the mold. The second strike that hit her other target was a better strike, shattering the gloopy thing as if it was made from glass.

With a few off balance hops the samurai retreated to a safe distance from the monsters, her footing not as solid on the sand. The last remaining jellyfish shot forward at Freyd as if it was fired out of a cannon, the sudden acceleration causing Kat to nearly loose her footing as she shift out of it's trajectory. Looing to her companion she saw that it had thankfully missed him as well. "Careful now! I'm guessing this thing packs a bit more punch than a bit of static shock!"

----

Spoiler

 

Post Action | AoE-I (x11, 11 EN, +2/hit): 15 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 12 EN
Free Action | None

ID:219025 | BD:3+7+1-1=10, CD: 4, HIT Using [x11] AOE-I vs. Squishy Jelly-Fishy 1 | 286-60=226 DMG
ID:219026 | BD:8+7+1-1=15, CD: 6, HIT Using [x11] AOE-I vs. Squishy Jelly-Fishy 2 | 286-60=226 DMG

ID:219027 | BD:3+1-5=0 MISS | Squishy Jelly-Fishy 1 vs Freyd

(1,0,0,0) Katoka | HP: 760/760 | EN: 79/110 (91-12) | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 7 | BH: 33 | AA | BLGT: 32 | P.V.O | REC: 8 | STK: 40
(0,2,2,3) Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 126/152 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 163 | EVA: 5 | ACC: 6 | BH: 64 | LD: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | DOTE: 1/1

Squishy Jelly-Fishy 1 | HP: 174/400 | DMG: 180 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 (400-226)
Squishy Jelly-Fishy 2 | HP: 0/400 | DMG: 180 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 (70-226)

 

Looting Squishy Jelly Fishy 2: ID# 220393 | LD: 11 | CD: 8

2200*Col
2*Materials
T4 Rare Weapon #220393a
T4 Uncommon Consumable #220393b

Edited March 19 by Katoka

[Freyd 0]

Freyd's head popped up out the sand like a strange prairie dog, dirt bursting forth and spraying the surround area while also suffusing the tangles mop that was his hair.  Static still fizzed through him, the strange denizens of the depths clearly not appreciating his intrusion into their domain.  To be fair, he had no idea what he was swinging at, other than its oddly blob-ish shape.  Watching Katoka sail overhead with her own blistering zeal and electrocuting strikes, he couldn't help but wonder whether the two might repel each other if similarly charged.  Surely, such a thing would end up as a raid boss mechanic someday...

"How. How do you mange this? I swear your luck is astronomical."

Smacking his lips while extracting himself from the Freyder-crater he'd just created, he merely blinked a few times and shrugged.  There was also a good chance that his eyebrows were still smoldering.  Bending down to pick up a shiny bit of coral he thought might look pretty in Elora's hair, the hurtling jelly flew precisely where his head would have been.  Sheer dumb luck could also be a valuable ally.

"Careful now! I'm guessing this thing packs a bit more punch than a bit of static shock!"

"Huh?"  Perking up again, he finally clued in that they were still in combat.  Smacking sand-caked lips, and spitting out the granules that kept trying to infiltrate, he saw the mob turn and spin back towards him.  In the moment before it would strike, Freyd merely held out his hand and open palm, release the keener void within Samael's Pride, hoovering the entire mob into oblivion in a single casual motion.  Not even a single tiny fractal spark survived.

"Oh, good.  So, we're both not dead then?"  Apparently, his brain was still rebooting.

***

Spoiler

Freyd regains +4 EN
CD 1 (No REC proc) ID #219067

Post Action | ST-I (x12, 12 EN): 12 EN - (Rested 1/2; Stamina) = 9 EN.
Free Action | None

ID:219066 | BD: 7+6-1=12 (hit, Fallen +16).  DMG (12*42=504-60=544) to Squishy Jelly-Fishy 1

Katoka | HP: 760/760 | EN: 79/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 7 | BH: 33 | AA | BLGT: 32 | P.V.O | REC: 8 | STK: 40
Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 121/152 (126+4-9) | DMG: 26 | MIT: 163 | EVA: 5 | ACC: 6 | BH: 64 | LD: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | DOTE: 1/1

(1,2) Squishy Jelly-Fishy 1 | HP: 0/400 | DMG: 180 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 (174-544)

Loot Squishy Jelly Fishy 1: ID #220217 | LD: 6+9=15 | CD: 2
2800 col (HP[400]*7 - incl. +4 CD/LD even)
T4 Rare Trinket 220217

Edited March 17 by Freyd

[Katoka 0]

"Nope! Both somehow alive." Katoka shook her head and grinned. It was a wonder that all they had walked away with was some singed hair and a bit of sand in their clothes. Then again, the sand might prove to be a bit more annoying than anything else.

Just when things seemed to be calm, the beach began to rumble. The sand under their feet rippling and shifting as two large mounds began to rise from beneath them both. Kat dove off to the side as the mounds shifted into the forms of large crabs, their back covered in greenish coral not unlike the piece that Freyd had just picked up previously. The creatures clicked and moved their mandibles, turning about to focus on the players nearby. They both snapped their claws, the sound of large blades scraping against one another ringing in the air. Katoka's eyes widened as she saw the crab claws, the insides of them sharpened to fine edges that glinted in the sun.

Deep down she knew that she should use another AOE attack to hit they two of them, but her body reacted before her mind could catch up. With a flash of blue light and an upper slash from ground to sky, the small samurai let out a yell as she attempted to crack the large crustation. "Shit," she cursed, "I panicked a bit. Your turn to smash!"

----

Katoka regains +4 EN
CD 3 (No REC proc) ID# 219288

Post Action | ST-I [x15] (12 EN+2 Shift): 14 EN - (Rested 1/2; Stamina) = 11 EN
Free Action | None

ID:219287 | BD:6+5+1-1=11, CD: 4, HIT Using [x15] ST-I vs. Collossal Coral Crab 1 | 390-120=270 DMG        

Katoka | HP: 760/760 | EN: 72/110 (79+4-11) | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 7 | BH: 33 | AA | BLGT: 32 | P.V.O | REC: 8 | STK: 40
Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 121/152 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 163 | EVA: 5 | ACC: 6 | BH: 64 | LD: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | DOTE: 1/1

(1,0) Colossal Coral Crab 1 | HP: 430/700 | DMG: 280 | MIT: 120 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 (700-270)
(0,0) Colossal Coral Crab 2 | HP: 700/700 | DMG: 280 | MIT: 120 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1

Edited February 19 by Katoka

[Freyd 0]

Like a dervish whirling into being from a breeze, Freyd spun into action instantly.  Scouring their foes with a burst cloud of sand to cover his initial assault, he knew that he tactic could only be so effective.  These things lived in the stuff and their shells were too resilient to be affected for more than a moment.  But that was all they needed. Trusting that the mobs themselves could become their own worst enemies, he bashed their oversized and unwieldly claws against each other.  With a few well-placed kicks, he managed to turn their greatest strengths against them, piercing and shredding their crustaceous shells apart by manipulating their limbs into doing the players' work.

Clacking and snapping followed half a heartbeat behind him as he moved, but he managed to keep just ahead of them every step of the way.

"Don't worry about it!"  He called out, dancing around like an acrobatic maniac.  "But now would be a really good time to try it again!"

***

Spoiler

Freyd regains +4 EN
CD 6 (No REC proc) ID #219300

Post Action | AoE-I (x15, 11 EN, +2 shift, +2/hit): 17 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 14 EN.  Charge (CD 0/3, +8 EN)
Free Action | Rhino Horn (1/battle)

ID:219301 | BD: 3+6-1-1=7 (hit, Charge +3, Rhino +3).  DMG (15*32=480-120=360) to Colossal Coral Crab 1
ID:219302 | BD: 9 (Crit +2, Holy +16, Charge +3, Rhino +3). DMG (15*50=750-120=630) to Colossal Coral Crab 2 

ID:219303 | MD: 3+2-4=1 (miss)
ID:219304 | MD: 1 (miss)

Katoka | HP: 760/760 | EN: 72/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 7 | BH: 33 | AA | BLGT: 32 | P.V.O | REC: 8 | STK: 40
Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 100/152 (121+4-17-8) | DMG: 26 | MIT: 163 | EVA: 5 (4) | ACC: 6 | BH: 64 | LD: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | DOTE: 1/1

(1,2) Colossal Coral Crab 1 | HP: 70/700 | DMG: 280 | MIT: 120 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 (430-360)
(0,3) Colossal Coral Crab 2 | HP: 70/700 | DMG: 280 | MIT: 120 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 (700-630)

 

Edited February 19 by Freyd