[SP-F19/F2] Challenge of the Mountain King

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar's eyes were locked on the dark entryway of the temple. The grounds below him were silent but for the whispering wind. What remained of the cult of Tanos had fled deep into the Forbidden Lands, building new places of worship within the mountains that few dared to traverse. This temple had been cleared out and searched once before, although not by him. He had been sent as a form of quality assurance, with the intent to find anything that had been missed during the first run.

Expectations were low, of course. They had, allegedly, been quite thorough with their looting and had discovered more than they had originally bargained for. Those whom he had allied with decided that it was better to be safe than sorry, though.

He stood from his perched position atop the cliffside and dropped, bracing himself for impact. Elegantly, he landed feet first on a chiseled stone pathway. It was overhung by tall, red arches and lead straight towards the temple itself. Not a single guard defended the front, which was odd to him. The other temples he had been to were all protected, inside and out. Here, however, nothing appeared to respawn. His hand stayed closed to his sword, distrusting of what was presented to him.

Pure darkness awaited him inside. None of the torches along the walls were lit, forcing him to activate Night Vision. He scanned the hallway. It was fairly long with no turns. At the end, he could see a visibly jewel-adorned door.

Perhaps it was more of a gate, considering the size of it. It was impossible to judge from the outside, considering the temple was built into the side of a mountain, but it was a big place. He proceeded, making his way to the gate. It had already been opened, presumably by the player who had been sent before him. A great room lay on the other side, all but destroyed. He was not sure whether the damage came from looting or from combat. It was likely a combination of the two.

All that remained in tact were the painted mural at the opposite end of the room and the out-of-place chess board that sat upon a stone table. He approached it carefully and curiously, making note of the pieces which had been knocked to their side. White had been victorious. The black pieces had cracked, some of them even splitting into pieces. A stone pillar stood empty to the left of the board. He determined that the artifact had been taken from there. He took another look at the mural. The person (he assumed it was a person) in the center was painted with a blue aura around their body. He wondered what the true meaning behind it was.

He swished his hand, already preparing a message in his head. The temple was a lost cause—nothing of worth remained. His time would be better spent elsewhere.

[ lv. 44  ->   l. 33 / p. 11 ] MORNINGSTAR | HP: 874/874 | EN: 108/108 | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 167 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 40/24 | BH: 25 | Stealth Rating: -5   Hide contents notes. consumes the following: liquor of light | +3 dmg shadows withal | +114 hp caribou stew | +45 mit basic training | +5% exp   Hide contents equipped soulcursed blade VO II, AA I, STK I armor of fallen radiance  MIT III sapphire ACC III, EVA I battle-ready inventory x1 teleport crystal skills.   Hide contents mod count: 3/5 2HSS | RANK 5/5 precision, stamina, ferocity shift: tech HEAVY ARMOR | RANK 5/5 impetus, iron skin COMBAT MASTERY: DMG | RANK 3/3 SEARCHING | RANK 5/5 night vision, detect BATTLE HEALING | RANK 3/5 ENERGIST CHARGE extra SURVIVAL FORGOTTEN KING'S AUTHORITY LADY LUCK buffs.   Hide contents statue n/a consumables  n/a paragon Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread. Lv. 10 | +1 LD arts.   Hide contents en cost matches multiplier unless stated otherwise. shift underlined. ST | x12 -> x15 | x20 AOE | x11 -> x14 TECH-A | x16 | STUN | 13EN TECH-B | x16 | DELAY TECH-D | x16 | SHATTER misc.   Hide contents 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. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30. Tasty | 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. Relaxed | Increases out-of-combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. 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. gathering n/a

Edited February 12 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

As he turned to leave, his eyes widened in alarm. Instinctively, his body swayed to the left, avoiding the giant hunk of steel that crashed into the ground next to him. He stared at the face of the Avenger of Tanos, unblinking as he attempted to process what was happening. Ignoring the large health bar, Morningstar switched into action and made do with a less-than-ideal counterattack.

His positioning was off, as was his footing. He did his best to meet his mark but failed to disarm his opponent. The Soulcursed Blade hissed as it slashed across the chest of the behemoth of a creature. It had grey skin from head to toe in addition to it's long dark hair, knife-like teeth, and blood red eyes. It wore little in terms of clothing, aside from pants made from what looked like leather. Fur lined the trim of them; they offered no real protection.

Not that the Avenger needed it. He was quick for his size and kept Morningstar on the defense. It was an unusual style of fighting for him and reminded him of the discomfort that the Butcher of the Sands had brought him. The difference between Sando Satsu and Tanos' Avenger was that the latter could be slowed down.

Morningstar ducked beneath the thick blade as it raced towards his upper chest. Creating a wide arc with a sword art, he sliced through the monster's dominant wrist. It's dull weapon left a crack in the floor where it landed.

Spoiler

POST ACTION | TECH-B (x16)
FREE ACTION | N/A

ID: 218666 | BD: 3+4+1=8 | CD: 11 (ST-B Available) | MD: 3-2=1
26*16=416 DMG to Avenger of Tanos

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Morningstar | HP: 874/874 | EN: 94/108 (-14) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 167 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 40/24 | BH: 25 | Stealth Rating: -5

Avenger of Tanos | HP: 784/1200 | DMG: 200 
 

 

Edited November 23, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

The static effect of the Soulcursed Blade shocked the Avenger's entire body. Between that and the missing arm, there was little hope for him. In spite of it all, he continued to challenge the swordsman. Fueled by nothing but fury and willpower, it lifted its club and swung at Morningstar.

He evaded, knowing better than to parry a crushing blow like that. The attacks continued in a flurry, leaving Morningstar little room to breathe or think. He sidestepped a swing that might have killed him and slashed the Avenger with a short hit of his blade.

Now armless, it stumbled backwards, falling to its knees. Defeated, the Avenger of Tanos could do nothing but watch as Morningstar moved in for his final strike. He did so without remorse nor hatred for the monster. It had served its purpose: a source of experience for the players to collect.

He stabbed his blade into the chest of the defeated Avenger.

Spoiler

POST ACTION | Charge + ST-B (x20)
FREE ACTION | N/A

ID: 218667 | BD: 10 | MD: 3-2=1
(26+2+3)*20=620+40=660 DMG to Avenger of Tanos

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Morningstar | HP: 874/874 | EN: 71/108 (+4) (-27) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 167 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 40/24 | BH: 25 | Stealth Rating: -5

Avenger of Tanos | HP: 124/1200 | DMG: 200 | STK: 40 (1)

 

Edited February 11 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

With the Avenger of Tanos disintegrating behind him, Morningstar fled the temple. On his search, he had come up with nothing but the confirmation that everything hidden had already been found. A yawn escaped his wide mouth. The fight with the temple's guardian took more out of him than he had thought. Still, he carried on, climbing the cliffside to the shortcut he had followed before.

Caesar requested hourly check-ins from each squad. No one argued it because if nobody knew where to find them and something went wrong, they were likely dead. A ping sounded, his messaging system alerting him of an incoming message. It was Greymore.

greymore: floor 2. asap. rendezvous with team willow in urbus.

It was sooner than he had anticipated. Finished with his clear of the temple, he could spare the journey to the second floor.

morningstar: be there soon.
morningstar: thanks.

Whatever they had found, it warranted calling in reinforcements. Unfortunately, said reinforcements included one person: him. Between the three guilds, they had no players to spare. Morningstar was their extra hand, the "key to their success", as Greymore had put it. He was given the easiest mission because he was to act as a supporting unit for the entirety of the alliance. Wherever they needed him, he would go.

And off he went to Floor Two.

Spoiler

POST ACTION | ST-I (x12)
FREE ACTION | N/A

ID: 218668 | BD: 3+4+1=8
26*12=312+40=354 DMG to Avenger of Tanos

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Morningstar | HP: 874/874 | EN: 64/108 (+4) (-11) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 167 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 40/24 | BH: 25 | Stealth Rating: -5

Avenger of Tanos | HP: 0/1200 | DMG: 200 | STK: 40 (2)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

LOOTING | ID: 218669 | LD: 6+6=12 | CD: 11

+ 8,400 col
+ 2 materials
+ 1 T4 Rare Armor/Shield

 

Edited February 11 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

His body materialized in the center of Urbus. The city was as busy as it always was. It was not quite the Town of Beginnings but it was a close competitor. Players chatted amongst themselves, some visiting the variety of shops that lined the streets. Others kept to themselves, offering little more than a second of eye contact and a slight smile or nod.

Then, he saw Willow. He had hoped to see her at the summit but she did not show. It was a shame, he had thought. Destiny did not seem to think so. Suddenly, they had been pulled back together as if it were meant to be. It was strictly business, of course. Beside her was a tall, scrawny man. Circular spectacles sat on his long nose and his hair was quite neat. A squad mate of Willow's, he guessed.

"Afternoon," Morningstar saluted.

"Good to see ya," Willow did the same, chuckling. "Any luck with the temple?"

He shook his head. "Nada. Whoever cleared it first did a good job. The place was spotless," he left out the part about the giant with the club.

"Thought as much. Still, Grey will be glad that you doublechecked." After a brief pause, she spoke up again, as if remembering something. "Oh, sorry—this is Renflow. He's from Cleric too."

"A pleasure," Renflow said, wasting no words.

Morningstar would have offered to shake his hand but the man's arms were full of books. "Likewise. What's with the light reading?"

"Research," he replied. "Willow and I have been studying the floor's history in hopes of discovering the location of another artifact."

"This floor has history?"

"Everything has history," Renflow turned away, rolling his eyes.

Willow and Morningstar followed, smirking.

"So," the blonde inquired, "where's the rest of your team? I thought we'd rationed out four players per squad."

"They went on ahead to do some scouting. They're waiting for us now. They found something, apparently. I've ordered them not to engage without us. I know, you're thinking 'what could be so dangerous on the second floor?', right? It'll probably end up being nothing. I'd just rather be safe than sorry."

"Actually," Morningstar affirmed, "I was thinking that you'd made a smart decision."

"Oh. Well, thanks," Willow smiled sheepishly.

They arrived at their taxi. Two ostriches stood at the front of a large carriage. A grey-haired NPC sat at the front and urged them to hurry on board.

"Rain's coming," he said, "best we get back before nightfall."

[Morningstar 0]

They listened to the old man and boarded the carriage. It was rickety and the tarp had a golf ball-sized hole in it. It was no wonder why the driver wanted to avoid the rain. The rear compartment held the three players uncomfortably. It was not small and they all fit well enough, but the wood was hard and the road ahead rough. Morningstar could have done with a cushion.

"What was so important that you felt you needed backup? Greymore didn't give me any specifics," he told the Clerics.

Willow and Renflow looked at each other with unsure eyes, as if communicating through a mental link.

"Where to begin?" the latter muttered.

Tucking her crimson hair, Willow took the lead. "There's a castle in the mountains. It doesn't show up on any of the maps we have access to."

"You don't think—"

"That there's an artifact hiding there? Its just a hunch."

Morningstar paused. "Am I enough backup?"

"Probably not," Willow admitted, "but you're what we've got."

If her aim was to reassure him, she was doing a poor job of it. Willow summoned a crystal from her inventory. It was the same kind that Caesar had used during their meeting. A holographic image appeared before them. The trio looked at what appeared to be their destination in an enlarged, blue, and highly pixelated form. He could see the castle atop the mountain. It was enormous and in plain sight. It was a wonder that he had not known of it before then. He had done a fair share of exploring on the lower floors; he thought he had seen it all. This was new to him, though.

As far as he could tell from the 3D image, it was beautiful. It was perched at the edge of the mountain, one of Aincrad's ageless relics, lost to time that never was. Its walls blended seamlessly with the rocky landscape. Massive stone towers shot into the clouds, grey and looming. It had been nestled into the mountain's peak. The land within had been terraformed, flattened to allow civilization to flourish, to live. Outside of the tall walls stood a lone centurion of rock and stone. It's height rivaled the giants of myth. It's battle axe was forged by the mountain itself. It was the guardian of whatever lay behind the walls.

"I take it you have a plan for getting past that guy?" Morningstar assumed.

"Yeah," Willow said, "not really. It'll be easier to plan after we've taken a closer look. To be fair, we don't know for certain that it's an enemy. It could literally just be a statue."

"It's holding an axe. I'm not taking any chances."

Edited February 12 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

The old man promised that he would wait until evening but could not stay any later than that. As soon as the sun began to set, he would depart, with or without them.

Morningstar, Willow, and Renflow began their ascent. The path up the mountain began steadily, slowly progressing in difficulty the further up they got. The giant stone guardian and the other mobs that inhabited the mountains were the least of their problems compared to the climb itself. They had received a warning that at a certain point, the path would end. From there, it was essentially a free climb. By the time they had arrived at the cliff, they were already drained.

"Your guys actually hiked this entire thing? In a few hours?" Morningstar took a seat, catching his breath.

"I'm as surprised as you are," Willow followed suit.

Renflow had opted to hide the stack books away in his inventory the second that he saw the jagged wall they would be climbing. He wiped the dust off his round glasses with the edge of his cloak. Around his body was a belt holding three crystals of varying colours. Morningstar recognized them all: a healing crystal, a mitigation crystal, and a teleport crystal. As much as he thought the player was a bit silly, he had to admit that he came prepared. Morningstar wished that he had something similar; the fall was a nasty one and he had no way of holding a teleport crystal while he climbed.

"Are you any good at this?" Willow asked. "Rock climbing, I mean."

Morningstar looked up, examining the wall. "I've done worse, I think. Hard to know until you're up there."

She nodded, opening up a large flask and taking a sip. She offered it to him and he accepted without hesitation. The water was cold against his parched throat. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve before handing the flask to Renflow.

"I'll take lead when we're ready. Keep an easy pace and..." Morningstar paused, unsure of what other advice he could give, "don't die."

Edited February 12 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

The other two only watched at first. Morningstar considered himself an amateur climber but, in truth, he had a fair bit of experience. He took his time, calculating the route in his head as he climbed. A few sketchy foot and hand placements blocked his path but, with some effort, he made it past them.

Willow was first to follow his lead, with Renflow joining shortly after. With most of the route already mapped out and Morningstar finishing the rest as they climbed, the only stress they had was on their muscles.

Morningstar grabbed hold of an extruding rock. It shook slightly under his weight before completely breaking from the dirt that encapsulated it. "Watch out!" He shouted. Both of the players below him hugged the wall; all they could do was hope it wouldn't hit them. It didn't, thankfully. They all heard it smash into the ground, crumbling upon impact. "Sorry!" Morningstar added.

His hand touched the edge of the cliff. He pulled himself up with the last of his upper body strength and, for only a moment, let himself drop to the ground. His breath was steady by the time Willow arrived. He crawled over to the edge and reached out to pull her up. Then, together, they did the same for Renflow.

"Nice and easy, right?" Morningstar smiled.

"No," the others said in unison.

Edited February 14 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

The three opted for a break after their stress-inducing climb. They hadn't anticipated sitting so still, squeezed together in the crevice in the mountain's wall. Willow hushed the other two, who were attempting to find the slightest bit of comfort in their hiding place.

A rhythmic beating sound came from above them. It did not come from a drum, however, but a dragon. 

***

Morningstar had spotted it first. An object grew closer and closer in the sky until he could make out wings. It clicked instantly. He cursed, grabbing hold of his confused team's arms and urging them to stand. Dragons, in his experience, varied from region to region. It was hard to tell whether you had encountered a harmless one or a ruthless behemoth before the fight began. Sometimes, even Morningstar chose the path furthest from death. Willow hurried them toward a cave that was not intended for humans to enter.

They held their breaths. No one dared move. Mere feet from them, the dragon landed with a crash. Its hands and feet were the size of the three of them combined. From the hole, they could not see the rest of its gigantic body; no one dared peek out to get a better look. Morningstar knew that if worst came to worst, they all carried Teleport Crystals. They would be safe, no matter what. He worried for their rendezvous up ahead, though. There was little chance they could have taken on the winged beast alone. They had not received any messages. If it had found them first, they were likely dead.

[Morningstar 0]

The dragon's heavy breaths boomed from outside the trio's hiding spot. Morningstar's sword was unequipped, as was his armor, in order for easier climbing. He hadn't anticipated a fight with anything more than a goat or something of similar caliber. The dragon was more than any of them had bargained for.

It stood at the edge of the cliffside for a while, its back turned to them. When it was ready to fly once more, it left. Simultaneously, the three players let out relieved sighs and tried their best to crawl out of the hole without getting scratched up. They watched the dragon as it flew off and around the corner of a taller mountain. Morningstar noticed that its scales looked almost like rocks.

"It could circle back. Hard to say whether that was random or if it knows that we're here," Morningstar said, prompting them to continue on their trek.

"I don't fancy fighting that lizard," Renflow said, taking the first step up.

"Biggest I've seen," Morningstar agreed, nudging Willow. "Probably best we stayed hidden, as uncomfortable as that was."

She laughed, her anxiety dampened.

***

ID: 219060 LD: 15-5=10 (safe)

Edited February 16 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

"What's your role in Cleric, Renflow?" Morningstar asked, curious about his new acquaintance.

He turned his head to look at Morningstar. His eyes were wide, as if he were surprised to hear the question. "I'm the guild's treasurer. I'm also a healer, though."

"Oh, yeah? I haven't met many healers. Difficult to come by, these days. Everyone wants to be the main character, I s'pose," Morningstar chuckled.

Willow cut in. "Ren's one of the original guildmembers. He and Greymore met on opening day and, with a few others, started Cleric."

"No kidding? And where did you come in?"

"Greymore took me in a little over two years ago. I'm still considered low-rank within the guild."

"But you're his apprentice, right?"

"Right. I was level two or three when he found me and he taught me just about everything I know. If it weren't for him, I'd probably still be in the Town of Beginnings."

Morningstar had seen that often enough. There was nothing wrong with avoiding the wilds, of course. Dante did well for himself, despite never having left a safe zone. Star looked at Willow and saw similar motivation. He hadn't experienced the fear of the world like she had but they both shared the need to leave the confinement of safe zones; they wanted to experience the game for what it was, even if it was dark at its core. 

"And what about you, Morningstar?" Came Willow, jabbing his arm playfully. "So many questions for us. Do we get a turn?"

"I'm an open book," he rubbed the likely-bruising spot.

"Favorite animal?"

"Mm. Tigers. Or belugas."

"Color?"

"Red."

"Really? Good choice."

Renflow followed up with a proper question. "You're not in a guild; do you always play solo?"

Morningstar shook his head. "No, not always. I have a few friends. I think."

"You think?" Renflow laughed for the first time that day.

Morningstar's jaw hung. He didn't realize that the treasurer was capable of finding things funny. "We don't exactly hang out, aside from fighting monsters together. But I don't know if that's weird or if killing things is the most social thing to do in Aincrad," he crossed his arms.

"It's definitely weird. We play Saturday night board games and the whole guild goes skiing on the fourth floor once a month," Renflow explained.

"That sounds like more fun, I'll admit."

They stopped at the end of the incline. According to the map that they had been provided, they had an easy slope to work their way down. Near the bottom, they were supposed to be able to see the scouts. They speed they picked up traveling down the mountain was invigorating and also a little bit dangerous. Still, they were crunched for time. It was already midday and at the pace they had been walking, it was unlikely they would have made it back to the caravan in time for their ride back to town.

Edited February 16 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

With some difficulty, Morningstar and his crew stopped themselves from tumbling down the hill. From around the bend, a trio of wasps appeared. One, he recognized, was a wasp queen. He had encountered one in the past and found them to be nasty critters. She was far bigger than her windwasp counterparts and likely far more lethal. He waved his hand to equip his blade and quickly drew it.

"I'll take point on the queen; you two support me?"

In agreement, they made their first moves. Morningstar dashed ahead, aiming for the queen and trusting in his allies to guard his sides. The two lesser wasps moved to defend their queen but were warded off by the blades of Willow and Renflow. Morningstar connected with the the wasp queen, feeling the sharp point of her stinger scrape against his side as he lunged for the kill. He chopped low, removing her thorax entirely with the stroke of his sword.

***

(note: stats have been reduced to tier 1 for this field boss fight)

Spoiler

 

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

ID: 219083 | BD: 4+4+1=9 (hit) | (23*12)-20 = 256 DMG to Wasp Queen

ID: 219084 | MD: 9 (Crit +1) | CD: 11 (Royal Stinger proc) | 35+1-42 = 1 DMG to Morningstar

Morningstar | HP: 828/829 | EN: 84/93 (93-9) | DMG: 23 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 83 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 10/6 | BH: 25 | (829-1)

Wasp Queen | HP: 59/315 | DMG: 35 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 1 (0) | STUNNED | StunImm[F] (0/3) | (315-348)

• Royal Stinger | On CD 6+, the Queen’s attacks will ignore 50% of the target’s MIT (rounded up).
• Authority | Every two turns, the Queen’s DMG will increase by 5.
• Weapon Lock | Only Sword Arts of Rank 3 or lower may be used against this boss.
• Tier Lock | For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 1. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]

 

 

Edited February 16 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

The wasp queen dropped to the ground, in two halves but still struggling to live. He flipped his sword around and ended its life mercifully, shoving his weapon into its head. It exploded, alongside the two lesser wasps, into particles. Soulcursed Blade returned to its scabbard.

"Nothing like a few wasps to keep us on our toes, right?" Morningstar bumped fists with his companions and they continued on their way.

By the time they reached the bottom, they could see the rendezvous point. Two scouts sat on a neighboring flattop mountain. In between the two was a long wooden bridge. Morningstar didn't like the look of it but considering his options, he agreed that it was their safest choice. Neither of the Clerics entertained the idea of hours more climbing up and down mountainsides.

"Bridge it is, then," Morningstar said. As per usual, he took the lead. "Maybe we should go one at a time. Or, at least leave a fair sized gap in between us. This thing doesn't look sturdy."

***

Spoiler

Post Action | TECH-D (x16, 16 EN): 16 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 13 EN.
Free Action | None

ID: 219085 | BD: 10 (Crit +2) | (25*16) = 400 DMG to Wasp Queen

Morningstar | HP: 828/829 | EN: 75/93 (84+4-13) | DMG: 23 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 83 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 10/6 | BH: 25

Wasp Queen | HP: 0/315 | DMG: 35 | MIT: 20 (0) | EVA: 1 (0) | STUNNED | StunImm[F] (0/3) | SHATTER (0/3) | (59-400)

• Royal Stinger | On CD 6+, the Queen’s attacks will ignore 50% of the target’s MIT (rounded up).
• Authority | Every two turns, the Queen’s DMG will increase by 5.
• Weapon Lock | Only Sword Arts of Rank 3 or lower may be used against this boss.
• Tier Lock | For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 1. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]

+1 “Matriarch’s Stinger" (T1/Consumable/Single Use); Increases Multiplier of SA attacks by 1 for the duration of one thread. ([DMG*(SA Multiplier)] becomes [DMG*(SA Multiplier + 1)]) 

Edited February 16 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Not two steps across the bridge, Morningstar froze. A cry echoed through the valley, paralyzing the party. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw it: the dragon with rocky scales. It looked even bigger when it was flying towards them. Except, it wasn't flying towards them.

"Shit," Morningstar exclaimed, picking up the pace. 

Behind him, Willow called out for him to be careful. Inevitably, the pair joined him on the bridge race. Ahead of them, the scouts noticed the incoming dragon. Unlike last time, there was no where to hide. The scouts drew their weapons, standing firm and strong. Despite that, their fear was evident. They swore and cried out as the winged lizard slammed into the mountain top, leaving craters beneath his heavy feet. With a deafening roar, it picked up one of the scouts with its sharp maw and tossed him aside. He tumbled to the edge of the cliff and, unable to stop himself, fell.

"Shit, shit, shit," Morningstar's sword ripped through the air. The remaining scout screamed in anguish and fury, racing towards the dragon. He stuck his spear into the leg of the beast to no avail. 

The dragon sucked in the air around it. Morningstar could picture the flames before they even came, engulfing the scout, destroying him in an instant. But they never came. Instead, his breath was a blast of thick dust. In its wake was a statue shaped exactly like the lone scout.

***

Spoiler

LD 1-10 (Dragon attacks!)
LD 11-20 (Party can cross the bridge safely)

ID: 219086 LD: 2

 

Edited February 16 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

With it's spiky tail, it whacked the stone statue. The scout crumbled upon impact, dead in an instant. Morningstar grimaced, wondering how it had felt from the scout's perspective. How aware was he during petrification? Could he see or hear or feel his own death? With a roar, he beamed towards the dragon. He leaped and slammed a sword art against the beast's forehead with enough force to stun it, if only for a moment.

His party arrived safely, joining him in combat. Even Renflow, who marketed himself as a healer, stood at Morningstar's side, sword brandished. He aimed a strike at the stunned dragon's leg while Willow tried for its neck. Its rock-hard scales were too tough to puncture, however, and the total of their attacks amounted to very little. What was left of the scout had disintegrated. Morningstar could see the pain in Willow's eyes particularly. He wondered if she had ever lost someone on a quest before.

***

Spoiler

Post Action | TECH-A (x16, 16 EN): 16 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 13 EN.
Free Action | None

ID: 219087 | BD: 6+4+1=11 (hit) | (26*16)=416 DMG to Elder Rock Dragon

Morningstar | HP: 874/874 | EN: 69/108 (82-13) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 167 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 40/24 | BH: 25

Elder Rock Dragon | HP: 1884/2300 | DMG: 250 | (2300-416)

• Petrifying Breath | On an MD of 9-10, Elder Rock Dragon stuns its target for 1 turn.
• Stone Ward | On a CD of 9+, Elder Rock Dragon protects itself with its wings, forgoing its attack to defend itself and increasing its mitigation by 200.

 

Edited February 16 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

The dragon tried to roar again, calling for the trio to evacuate the radius of the petrifying smokescreen. They continued to aim for the legs, hoping that with enough trial and error, they would eventually find a weak spot in the scales. The Elder Rock Dragon missed the entirety of its breath attack. Morningstar was glad; there was no telling how long the effects of the attack would last and he was not confident that he would be capable of protecting either of his party mates if they had been stunned. They had already lost two and that was more than he was willing to sacrifice on a mission so unconvincing.

"Star, look out!" Willow called. His head spun right. The rock dragon's tail was coming right for him. He fell flat to the ground, barely evading the craggy mess. Instinctively, he had almost attempted to block it. With its force, he likely would have been thrown off the mountainside.

Spoiler

Post Action | TECH-B (x16, 15 EN): 15 EN - (Rested 1/2; Stamina) = 12 EN.
Free Action | None

ID: 219088 | BD: 7+4+1=12 (hit) | (26*16)=416 DMG to Elder Rock Dragon
ID: 219089 | MD: 4-1=3 (miss) | CD: 3

Morningstar | HP: 874/874 | EN: 61/108 (69+4-12) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 167 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 40/24 | BH: 25

Elder Rock Dragon | HP: 1,468/2,300 | DMG: 250 | ACC: -1 (Delay) | StunImm[F] (1/3) | (1884-416)

• Petrifying Breath | On an MD of 9-10, Elder Rock Dragon stuns its target for 1 turn.
• Stone Ward | On a CD of 9+, Elder Rock Dragon protects itself with its wings, forgoing its attack to defend itself and increasing its mitigation by 200.

 

Edited February 16 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar met the rock dragon head on, dashing beneath its belly and striking hard. The static effect of his sword procced in between two scales and seemed to actually stagger the powerful beast. It stepped back swatting at Morningstar, forcing him out of the way. Then, as the swordsman tried to keep up his momentum, the rock dragon hugged his body tightly with his wings, hiding away in a giant stone ball. Even with static, he found it impossible to crack through the perfect defense of the rock dragon.

Stone Ward did as its name suggested, warding off all three enemies until the user could recover his stamina and return to the battle. "It won't hide forever," Morningstar promised, "so be ready!"

He was right. It emerged from its shell with a gust of wind strong enough to push the three of them off their feet. And then, it dove.

Spoiler

Post Action | TECH-B (x16, 15 EN): 15 EN - (Stamina) = 13 EN.
Free Action | None

ID: 219090 | BD: 9 (Minor crit +1) | (27*16)+40-200=272 DMG to Elder Rock Dragon
ID: 219091 | CD: 11 (Stone Ward procced)

Morningstar | HP: 874/874 | EN: 52/108 (61+4-13) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 167 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 40/24 | BH: 25

Elder Rock Dragon | HP: 1,196/2,300 | DMG: 250 | ACC: -1 (Delay) | MIT: 200 (1/1) | STK: 40 (1/2) | StunImm[F] (2/3) | (1,468-272)

• Petrifying Breath | On an MD of 9-10, Elder Rock Dragon stuns its target for 1 turn.
• Stone Ward | On a CD of 9+, Elder Rock Dragon protects itself with its wings, forgoing its attack to defend itself and increasing its mitigation by 200.

 

Edited February 16 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Static continued to affect the injured rock dragon. Still, it moved quick and decisively. Morningstar briefly activated Charge and with a bounce, pushed himself into the sky. After it dispersed and he began to fall, he flipped his sword around and prayed.

He felt himself make contact with the dragon's back. He scrambled to find something to hold onto, settling for the sharp end of a scale. With one hand, he hung and with the other, he stabbed at the creature as it flew around the mountain. Aware that it had been mounted, the rock dragon spiraled, attempting to throw Morningstar off. He dug his blade into a softer spot where a scale had come off. The dragon roared, shaking Morningstar to his core, but still, he remained attached.

He glanced down for only a second and regretted it instantly. The dragon flew so high that his friends below turned to tiny dots at the edge of the cliff.

Spoiler

Post Action | TECH-B (x16, 15 EN): 15 EN - (Stamina) = 13 EN.
Free Action | None

ID: 219092 | BD: 3+4+1=8 (hit) | (26*16)+40=456 DMG to Elder Rock Dragon
ID: 219093 | MD: 1 (crit miss) | CD: 6

Morningstar | HP: 874/874 | EN: 43/108 (52+4-13) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 167 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 40/24 | BH: 25

Elder Rock Dragon | HP: 740/2,300 | DMG: 250 | ACC: -1 (Delay) | STK: 40 (2/2) | StunImm[F] (3/3) | (1,196-456)

• Petrifying Breath | On an MD of 9-10, Elder Rock Dragon stuns its target for 1 turn.
• Stone Ward | On a CD of 9+, Elder Rock Dragon protects itself with its wings, forgoing its attack to defend itself and increasing its mitigation by 200 for 1 turn.

 

Edited February 16 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

It sped up. The static had worn off. Morningstar was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe. He almost wanted to stun the dragon but worried that it might end up dropping out of the sky. Instead, he settled for another stab in the same soft spot between its scales. The party's previous attacked had weakened it greatly. He felt he could finish the job, even alone. The only issue now was getting back down safely.

He had his teleport crystal. He was confident that he could pull it from his inventory and crush it before hitting the ground. Considering the height they were at, he would have plenty of time. He stabbed the dragon twice more and it cried out again. They passed through clouds and Morningstar realized that he could no longer see anything beneath him except for a white, fluffy sea. Then, as if stopped by the heavens, they crashed into nothing at all.

Spoiler

Post Action | TECH-B (x16, 15 EN): 15 EN - (Stamina) = 13 EN.
Free Action | None

ID: 219094 | BD: 7+4+1=12 (hit) | (26*16)=416 DMG to Elder Rock Dragon
ID: 219095 | MD: 6-1 (miss) | CD: 1

Morningstar | HP: 874/874 | EN: 34/108 (43+4-13) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 167 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 40/24 | BH: 25

Elder Rock Dragon | HP: 324/2,300 | DMG: 250 | ACC: -1 (Delay) | (740-416)

• Petrifying Breath | On an MD of 9-10, Elder Rock Dragon stuns its target for 1 turn.
• Stone Ward | On a CD of 9+, Elder Rock Dragon protects itself with its wings, forgoing its attack to defend itself and increasing its mitigation by 200 for 1 turn.

 

Edited February 16 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

The height limit had stopped them from flying any further. Morningstar had not considered that crashing was inevitable. Without the barrier, they might have eventually found the third floor. Cardinal could not have them discovering any loopholes to avoid clearing floors, so it threw them back to where they belonged instead. They tumbled through the air, the rock dragon dazed and Morningstar holding on for dear life.

He could see the mountain again, yet it was so much further than before. The dragon had taken him on a joyride and he had no way of getting back to his party. They approached the ground, falling rather than flying. Morningstar made the executive decision to finish off the dragon before the landing did. They leveled out and, with his sword still in hand, climbed up the scales to the creature's head. With one last strike, he finished off the Elder Rock Dragon, claiming his rewards, which he only saw briefly before the mountain took him.

Spoiler

Post Action | TECH-B (x16, 15 EN): 15 EN - (Stamina) = 13 EN.
Free Action | None

ID: 219096 | BD: 6+4+1=11 (hit) | (26*16)=416 DMG to Elder Rock Dragon

Morningstar | HP: 874/874 | EN: 25/108 (43+4-13) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 167 | EVA: 1 | LD: 6 | AA: 1 | VO: 125 | STK: 40/24 | BH: 25

Elder Rock Dragon | HP: 0/2,300 | DMG: 250 | ACC: -1 (Delay) | (324-416)

• Petrifying Breath | On an MD of 9-10, Elder Rock Dragon stuns its target for 1 turn.
• Stone Ward | On a CD of 9+, Elder Rock Dragon protects itself with its wings, forgoing its attack to defend itself and increasing its mitigation by 200 for 1 turn.

Looting | ID: 219096 CD: 2 LD: 14+6=20
+ (2,300*3)+(2,300*2)+(2,300*2)=16,100 col
+ 1 T4 Perfect Consumable
+1 T4 Rare Trinket

 

Edited February 16 by Morningstar