[PP-F2] Training Intermission

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar, after multiple days of stress, took to Urbus once again. His time in the mountains had left him with more questions than answers and he desperately needed a break. Not a relaxing vacation, mind you, but a day where things made sense. He wanted to take a training day.

Atop a mountain on floor two, he had heard of a quest that offered just that. It was an opportunity to not only strengthen ones body, but their mind and spirit as well. He carried no weapon, for he would not need it where he was going. A broker had warned him that while risk of death could be ruled out, the quest would nonetheless be difficult. On the Urbus Message Board, he wrote a party request for any wanderers or stragglers interested in accompanying him up the mountain, to the master's dojo. He listed the time and location where he would be waiting and took a seat by a group of street musicians playing a song, sending a bit of col as a donation.

[ lv. 48  ->   l. 33 / p. 15 ] MORNINGSTAR | HP: 720/720 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 | FROSTBITE: 1 | BLD: 1 | REC: 4   Hide contents notes.     Hide contents equipped bleeding giant BLD I, ACC I, FROSTBITE I red longcoat EVA II, REC I sapphire ACC III, EVA I battle-ready inventory n/a skills.   Hide contents mod count: 3/5 2HSS | RANK 5/5 precision, stamina, ferocity shift: tech CLOTH ARMOR | RANK 5/5 athletics, nimble COMBAT MASTERY: DMG | RANK 3/3 SEARCHING | RANK 4/5 (5) night vision, detect BATTLE HEALING | RANK 5/5 ENERGIST CHARGE extra SURVIVAL FORGOTTEN KING'S AUTHORITY LADY LUCK DISGUISE 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 Well Rested | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat. Squeaky Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (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. Advanced Training | +10% 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. Multipurpose | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll. Skylight (Searching) | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill.  Working | +2 EXP per crafting attempt gathering n/a

[Wulfrin 0]

Wulfrin had been browsing the broker's quests list for the next quest he would undertake. His criteria was simple; it had to be low risk as the players that he had been being carried by were all busy at the time. He found a quest that fit his criteria. A quest in the mountains of floor two; there he would be able to train body and mind. No danger was listed on the info panel, and it even specified weapons were not needed. On top of that he had found a notice that another player was looking for additional players that may be wanting a traveling companion. There was a time and place posted, and Wulfrin checked that the deadline had not passed.

Coming from the teleport gate of Urbus, was Wulfrin clad in his armored coat and a pair of Ear cuffs. He had left his sword unequipped within his inventory. He hoped it wouldn't be necessary for the climb up the mountain, but he was quick at improvising and he was stocked on crystals. He found his way to the area where the invite had said the meet up would take place. Wulfrin scanned the area for other players. One caught his eye sitting on a bench roughly near the meet up location.

"Excuse me," Wulfrin said not wanting to disturb the player. They seemed to be enjoying the nearby street musicians' performance. "You wouldn't happen to be the one looking to head up the mountain would you?" The way he carried himself showed he was still fairly new to the game. There was little caution in his approach, but at least he was doing his best not to be too intrusive.

* * *

Wulfrin | lvl: 7 | HP: 140/140 | EN: 32/32 | DMG 1 | ACC 3 | MIT 20 | LD: 5 | REC: 1

Equipped Items:

Armored Coat: MIT II | REC: I
Crystal: LD III
Ear cuffs: ACC III

[Morningstar 0]

Midday passed and he decided it was time to leave. He closed the request for help and enjoyed the last of the band's tune. Before it could end, however, he was approached by a stranger. Prompted by a question, he smiled. "Yeah, that's me. Didn't think anyone would come, to be honest. I've heard the quest is a little bit tedious, and it's a bit of a trip to get there."

He looked the player up and down, as if trying to figure out what he was all about. Then, he held out his hand. "Name's Morningstar. People call me Star, though. I'm actually about to leave town, if you feel like tagging along."

Unfortunately, efficient travel around the second floor was a bit difficult to come by. "We'll probably need to walk to the base of the mountain. The NPCs here won't take their carriages off the main paths between cities," Star said, scanning over his map as he spoke. He had done the walk a number of times and new the route, but it didn't hurt to refresh himself. "I assume you're all geared up for the trip?"

[Wulfrin 0]

"Wulfrin," The man replied accepting the handshake. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Star." Wulfrin did a quick look over his inventory. "I'm as read as I think I can be. From what I understand, this quest has limited danger, so I came geared for a more exploratory adventure." Wulfrin listened intently as Morningstar explained the travel plans. "It's been a while since I've had a nice mountain hike." Wulfrin looked over his map. This was his first time moving through the mountains, so he decided it would be best to differ to the one who seemed more versed in the terrain. "While I like to think myself pretty good with directions," Wulfrin said studying the map. "I think it would be in our best interest to have you take point. This would be my  first time going through the mountains, and I don't really want to be the one who steers us the wrong direction." With that the two made their way out the city gate, their party solidified by the acceptance of a party invite.

[Morningstar 0]

"Good to meet you."

They set off, with Morningstar taking the lead, not admitting to his generally poor sense of direction. At least he had been there before. "First time in the mountains? Are you relatively new then?"

Wulfrin didn't appear out of the ordinary. His gear looked to be new and of decent quality. He supposed it wasn't impossible that the man had just come from the Town of Beginnings, but he wouldn't have guessed it. If he was, then someone must have set him up with some equipment to start off with. 

"I was just up here a few days ago. I think I passed by the dojo at some point. It's supposedly on top of one of the highest mountains in the region."

Of course it is, he thought. The game didn't like to make things easy for players like them. At least he had company. He scrounged through his inventory, passing the mess of potions and buffs he called his "secret stash," and stumbled upon his snacks. A couple of milk chocolate bars appeared in his hand like magic. He offered one to Wulfrin.

[Wulfrin 0]

"Ah," Wulfrin said as he accepted the offered snack. "Another player that just has random snacks. You're the second player that I've traveled with that has a secret stash of comfort snacks." Unfortunately Wulfrin didn't have a resource to get these snacks so whenever he was offered them, he took them with out hesitation. The two made  their way to the main mountain path. It was intimidating steeper and more jagged than Wulfrin had traversed before, but it shouldn't be too bad to travel. "Sure hope all the sources were correct about there being no danger for combat. Fighting while worrying about not falling down the mountain would be tough." Wulfrin completed some very unnecessary stretches before cracking his knuckles with anticipation. "Lets get up to that peak." Considering this quest was described as "a series of tests of one's body and mind" Wulfrin assume the climb upwas just another test for the sake of the system. With that the two began their climb.

[Morningstar 0]

The wind pushed his messy hair all over, picking up as they ascending the tall mountain. Morningstar ripped open the glossy wrapper of his chocolate bar, cracking a piece off and popping into his mouth. Almonds crunched under his teeth, combining saltiness with the rich sweetness of the chocolate. In between pieces, he glanced up the mountain. It began relaxed. An easy pace that he could hold a conversation at was all that it took. About a quarter of the way up, it steepened greatly, and he knew that the pair was in for a rough climb.

"Not sure why I started," Morningstar swallowed, "but I've been rock climbing for a while now. Did some smaller mountains on seven and twenty-four. I've even managed some of the big guys on this floor. Not sure which the tallest around here—there are quite a handful to choose from. I'm working my way up to some snow climbs on the fourth floor, but I think it'll be a while before I'm ready for them."

"How long have you been at it?" Morningstar cleared his throat, "Leveling, I mean. I only ask because you said you'd never been out here."

[Wulfrin 0]

"I'm woefully out of practice," Wulfrin replied between strained breaths. "Haven't gone climbing since before the game, when I was much younger. Only thing I have going for me is the fact that this body is virtual." Wulfrin thought about how best to answer the question. "Truthfully, I haven't been at it long. If it weren't for players like yourself taking on quests on the lower floors, I definitely would not be making all the progress I have." Even though the progress was limited, Wulfrin still knew that often times he was pulling the higher level players away from their work on the frontlines. "I've been trying to get at last somewhat independent, since there are very few players around my level running around." Wulfrin had lost concentration on his hand placement and grabbed a loose rock. The rock gave way as he attempted to make his way onto the steeper section. He was able to regain his balance since he still had a majority of his weight supported. "I guess I could ask you a question as well. What about this quest brought you all the way back to floor two?

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar smiled. "The early levels are difficult since, like you said, its a range with few people to party up with. Most people who've committed to leveling are in their 30s, 40s, 50s. I imagine that it's difficult to find someone who falls in between them and the countless level one players in the Town of Beginnings. Going solo's even harder, so a handful of frontliners try to help where they can. I'm sure you'll meet a lot of them if you keep this up."

"I don't have much to offer that you would benefit from now, but come by my shop when you hit tier four and I'll introduce you to the fun equipment," he promised.

He thought about the answer to the proposed question while climbing up the steep rock wall that interrupted their path. He held out a hand to help Wulfrin up as well. "I guess, partially, I'm here for the quest reward. It gives you a pretty useful sword art that I haven't yet collected. I also just needed a break from everything else going on. Busy times, I s'pose."

[Wulfrin 0]

Wulfrin made use of Morningstar's help to get to the top of the wall. Wulfrin reached down and help Morningstar up the rest of the wall. "Here's hoping I continue to meet more," Wulfrin said as the duo took a short break. "Each one that I meet passes on more info that I didn't have before. So far they are the only reason I've progressed as far as I have. Otherwise I might still be in the Town of Beginnings waiting for someone else to free me from this virtual prison." Wulfrin looked up the next section. They had already traveled a good portion of the mountain. "We shouldn't have too much farther to go, but on the way, if you got any advice you might want to pass on to a relatively new player, I'm all ears." The exhaustion wasn't bad since they felt no actual pain, but Wulfrin still felt some type of fatigue. Having finally recovered with a brief rest the two pushed onward towards the peak.

[Morningstar 0]

"Mmm," Morningstar thought carefully, picking out a piece of advice that might actually come in handy. "Don't be too nervous picking out your skills. You can always spend some col and get your points back if you make a mistake with them. I think I've done it about three times now," he laughed. "That being said, Battle Healing is a lifesaver."

They arrived at the peak, and the dojo came into sight. A short, wooden bridge completed their journey. On the other side was a structure inspired by old Japanese architecture. It was a small space, hidden from plain sight between the tall mountain walls. They crossed the bridge and were met with an elderly man. His beard was long and white, as was his gi. He questioned them about their arrival, and after listening to Morningstar's explanation, told them, "I will only train those who can prove to me that they are ready.”

"I am Master Yunxiang. To prove that you are worthy of learning the secrets of martial arts, you will undergo three trials. Your first task will be a trial of the body. You will perform various displays of physical strength in order to hone your body, transforming it into a weapon unlike any other. Your second task will be a trial of the mind. Beneath a waterfall, you will meditate for a prolonged period of time, strengthening your spirit and training yourself to battle discomfort. Your third task will be a final test. You will destroy a boulder with your bare hands. If you prove capable of succeeding at these three trials, I will agree to train you both."

"You may join me in the dojo when you are ready."

With that, he turned away, leaving them to prepare themselves for the trials to come.

[Wulfrin 0]

"So we have to train our body and mind then smash a boulder?" Wulfrin repeated the steps aloud. "Why do I get the feeling we are about to go through a Karate Kid training session?" Wulfrin pondered a moment as he limbered up his virtual body. He had undergone mental and physical trainings before. but that was when he was in his early childhood years. "Honestly I wouldn't even question it. I've already seen plenty of references to other media in this game. It wouldn't surprise me if Cardinal was designed to pull from the real world in real time." Martial arts was always something Wulfrin wanted to pick up in a full capacity. The sword style he was taught all those years ago utilized some basic maneuvers to compliment the one-handed stance. Perhaps the same methods could work here as well. Wulfrin was the first to push into the dojo, eager to see what he could learn.

The dojo was more of an obstacle course like one would see in those Ninja Warrior shows. The entire course was designed to push ones body to the ultimate test. There were several long jumps between large objects as well as obstacles that forced you to support the entirety of your body weight with just your arms to cross gaps or scale walls. Wulfrin was determined to ace these tests, so he put everything he had into it. Inside the dojo however, he felt the entirety of his body ache. It was a jarring experience since most of the time your body felt weightless, since it was virtual. At last he reached the end of the course. Wulfrin was panting and drenched in sweat, but he didn't fall or fail at an obstacle so that was a plus. He waited at the end for his companion, to either congratulate or offer words of support.

* * *

Physical Training | ID: 219589 | CD: 10 | Success | +2 final damage to boulder
Physical Training | ID: 219590 | CD: 12 | Success | +2 final damage to boulder

Edited February 23 by Wulfrin

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar quickly realized that he was not, in fact, an American Ninja Warrior.

He followed Wulfrin through the obstacle course, their roles suddenly reversing as he struggled his way around the course. He was much less graceful then his colleague, and struggled to leap over many of the long jumps. His balance was also considerably worse. It must be the altitude, he thought, banging his knee against the platform he had intended to land on. Sore and out of breath, they completed the obstacle course, and Morningstar was thankful they were not being graded.

Next, they were guided to the waterfall. It poured off of the cliffside with extreme force, slamming against the pool of water below. Master Yunxiang instructed them to sit beneath it for thirty minutes, maintaining a state of meditation for the entire time.

"Piece of cake?" Morningstar said unconfidently. He removed his shoes and stepped ankle deep in the water, wading towards the waterfall.

***

Physical Training | ID: 219591 | CD: 3 | Fail
Physical Training | ID: 219592 | CD: 2 | Fail

Edited February 23 by Morningstar

[Wulfrin 0]

"Definitely not," Wulfrin said patting Morningstar on the back. "Turning one's body into a weapon isn't meant to be easy. That was brutal." Wulfrin took off his boots and waded to wards the waterfall. Mental concentration has never been Wulfrin's best skill. His mind often wandered away from him allowing him to be easily distracted. This was a slight advantage in the heat of combat, since he could notice and react quicker to his opponents moves, but for an exercise that required mental focus, it was definitely going to be a hinderance.

Wulfrin took a seat beneath the torrential waterfall. After the strain he had faced going through the course, the force of the water fall felt like a barrage of punches all targeting his neck and back. Wulfrin found it incredibly hard to concentrate with the entire weight of multiple hundreds of gallons hitting his back. Wulfrin struggled for what felt like ages, only managing to fall into a concentrated state once during his stay under the waterfall. Even that brief moment was more of a zone out than anything. He flashed back to training as a kid. His master preaching to think of his blade as an extension of his own body. The fighting style was rooted in the style of the Ancient Greeks that relied on their speed and agility to amplify their own combat prowess. Wulfrin stepped out from under the waterfall in frustration. "Physical training is more my style. My brain just doesn't work right for this."

* * *

Mental Training | ID: 219593 | LD: 4 | Fail
Mental Training | ID: 219594 | LD: 19 | Success | +2 final damage against boulder
Mental Training | ID: 219595 | LD: 2 | Fail

Edited February 23 by Wulfrin

[Morningstar 0]

It was difficult, like Wulfrin had said; however, Morningstar had some experience with meditation. For him, the issue was not prolonged stillness of the mind, but withstanding the crashing wake of the waterfall. It pounded against his body nonstop and unrelenting. With closed eyes, he tried his best to breathe through the discomfort. The severity of it increased until, towards the end, it plateaued and he had become accustomed to it. In an odd way, it even felt relaxing. He'd surely need to stretch afterwards, though.

Thirty minutes had flown by. He followed his acquaintance out of the waterfall, dripping wet and mildly sore. He gave Wulfrin a gentle bump on the shoulder. "Thankfully, I think the last task is right up your alley. Time for the boulder, right Master?" Morningstar asked Yunxiang, who nodded in response. He lead the pair to their final test.

A single boulder, about the width of a small car and a bit taller than Morningstar, lay in an open space outside of the dojo. Master Yunxiang disappeared without another word. They were to begin the examination.

***

Mental Training | ID: 219596 | LD: 20 | Success | +2 final damage against boulder
Mental Training | ID: 219597 | LD: 12 | Fail
Mental Training | ID: 219598 | LD: 14 | Success | +2 final damage against boulder

Spoiler

Morningstar | HP: 720/720 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 140/140 | EN: 32/32 | DMG: 7 | ACC: 3 | MIT: 20 | LD: 5 | REC: 1

Boulder | HP: 75/75 | EVA: -2

 

Edited February 24 by Morningstar

[Wulfrin 0]

Eager to take on the final test, Wulfrin stepped up to The Boulder. Wulfrin took a moment to prepare himself with some limbering stretches. Then he took a combat stance and cleared his mind as best he could. This was less about damage and more about accuracy, as he and Morningstar could hit this thing multiple times with no repercussions. Physical obstacle course? He may of been out of shape in the real world but here he was way more agile. Mental control? Definitely a weakness he'd have to overcome. Punching a boulder? He was confident that would be no issue. Wulfrin took in a deep breath and in one swift motion, channeled all his inner self towards the boulder, with express delivery from his fist. The sound of thunder echoed through the mountain range. Wulfrin must have done something right, as when he pulled his fist back, there was a crack beginning to form. He stepped back from the boulder and patted Morningstar's shoulder.

"Your turn partner," Wulfrin turned to watch his companions attempt.

* * *

Spoiler

Post Action: Basic Unarmed Attack vs Boulder | ID: 219602 | BD: 10 + 5 = 15 Major Critical Hit | CD: 7 no additional | LD: 11 no additional | DMG: 7 + 2 = 9
Free Action: None

Morningstar | HP: 720/720 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 140/140 | EN: 32/32 | DMG: 7 | ACC: 3 | MIT: 20 | LD: 5 | REC: 1

Boulder | HP: 66/75 | EVA: -2 (75-9)

 

Edited February 24 by Wulfrin

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar nodded, impressed with the crack that Wulfrin had left in the boulder. He took a deep breath in preparation and then struck the boulder. The crack grew larger, albeit only slightly. It would take a while for them to break through the whole thing, but it would break eventually.

He shook out his hand. It wasn't exactly pain that he felt as much as it was discomfort. "We'll be done by nightfall," Morningstar said, hopeful, and then moved out of the way for Wulfrin to take his turn.

"You're don't happen to be aiming for the Martial Arts skill, do you? You'd be good at it, I think. You're pretty strong as is," he stretched out his back, sore from the waterfall. "We'll need to get  you leveled up. Maybe you can make it in time for the next boss fight."

With the time that had elapsed since the previous boss fight, it was likely possible. He had heard nothing of the labyrinth or the rate at which it was being cleared. It suited him fine; he had much to do as well.

***

Spoiler

Post Action: Basic Unarmed Attack vs Boulder | ID: 219603 | BD: 5+4+2 = 11 (hit) | CD: 10 no additional | LD: 9 no additional | DMG: 5
Free Action: None

Morningstar | HP: 720/720 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 140/140 | EN: 31/32 | DMG: 7 | ACC: 3 | MIT: 20 | LD: 5 | REC: 1

Boulder | HP: 61/75 | EVA: -2 (66-5)

 

Edited February 24 by Morningstar

[Wulfrin 0]

"Levels and allies are the current goal," Wulfrin replied to his companion's question. "I would love to start getting my hands dirty on the frontlines, but in my current state, I would at best just be there for the exp, or more likely some monsters morning snack." Wulfrin contemplated his own intentions. "To be more direct, yes. I was looking forward to collecting the skill. Way back when I was younger, my parents enrolled me in a class that was a mix of sword play and martial arts. I had fallen out of practice as I got older, but since getting trapped in here, the skills have kind of resurfaced." With a resounding TWACK, Wulfrin struck the boulder with another powerful blow. The crack that had formed began to spiderweb outward. Judging by the length of the new arms, they were around one third of their way through their task. Wulfrin backed away for his companion to take their swing. "Guess that's the benefit of this world being virtual, my body may have been out of shape, but my memory being more ironclad than I thought has saved me more times than I like to admit."

* * *

Spoiler

Post Action: Basic Unarmed Attack vs Boulder | ID: 219606 | BD: 7+3+2 = 12 (hit) | CD: 8 no additional | LD: 16 no additional | DMG: 7
Free Action: None

Morningstar | HP: 720/720 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 140/140 | EN: 31/32 | DMG: 7 | ACC: 3 | MIT: 20 | LD: 5 | REC: 1

Boulder | HP: 54/75 | EVA: -2 (61-7)

 

Edited February 24 by Wulfrin

[Morningstar 0]

"This place'll do that—bring out old skills. New ones too, really. I wasn't a fighter in real life but now I kill dragons and bandits and such, "Morningstar chuckled, "I'm learning all sorts of things that won't be applicable after the game's done. Although, I have gotten quite good at appraising items, so maybe I can open a pawn shop back home."

He stepped up quickly, gaining momentum, and launched his fist at the rock. Punch after punch, they slowly depleted its hit points. The crack grew more, rocks crumbling off from the spot they'd been hitting.

"If you're okay with some more unsolicited advice: don't rush to the frontlines too fast. How does the saying go? It's good to have an end to your journey; but it's the journey that matters, in the end? Anyway, remember to look around from time to time and appreciate this place for what it is. I know we're collectively against our will, but still. There's 100 floors and each of them has something beautiful to offer. Do things you never could in the real world. Go see the warm sun solstice; go climb Olympus; go hunt ghosts without getting weird looks from people."

He slid his hands into the damp pockets of his pants. "If I've learned anything from coming here, it's that things can change really quickly. One day, you'll be hanging out in Urbus or doing some quest you've done a trillion times and the next, the final boss will be cleared and you'll go back home. I imagine that for some of us, it'll be like day one all over again. Out of one world and into another. So basically, try to enjoy this while it lasts. There's a good chance that it'll never happen again."

***

Spoiler

Post Action: Basic Unarmed Attack vs Boulder | ID: 219607 | BD: 2+4+2 = 8 (hit) | CD: 8 no additional | LD: 8 no additional | DMG: 5
Free Action: None

Morningstar | HP: 720/720 | EN: 108/110 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 140/140 | EN: 30/32 | DMG: 7 | ACC: 3 | MIT: 20 | LD: 5 | REC: 1

Boulder | HP: 49/75 | EVA: -2 (54-5)

 

Edited February 24 by Morningstar

[Wulfrin 0]

The constant reminder of not rushing to the frontlines rang through his ears. It was true he had been pushing himself to level up as quickly as possible, but that seemed the only way to progress. Here your numbers literally determined if you would live or die. He hadn't been thinking of SAO as what it was meant to be, a whole new world where someone could start and live a whole new life. Wulfrin's thoughts must have wandered too far off course, as he struck the boulder pain shot through his arm. Was it as bad as if he had done it in the real world? No, he had the system's pain absorber to thank for that.

"Damn that hurt," Wulfrin said shaking off the pain. "Too focused on other things I guess. Sorry partner, looks like I'm not doing much this rotation." Wulfrin stepped aside for Morningstar to take another crack at the boulder. "I've thinking of other ways I can contribute though, namely gear acquisition and creation. Through fishing and blacksmithing maybe I can at least get gear out to those who need it. For the smithing though I need a spot to set up shop. I've been scouting the floors for places to set up, and I think I might go for a place on floor twenty two. I like the lakeside and cabin in the woods type feel."

* * *

Spoiler

Post Action: Basic Unarmed Attack vs Boulder | ID: 219607 | BD: 1+3+2 = 6 (Critical Miss) | CD: 12 +5 DMG | LD: 14 no additional | DMG: 0 Critical Miss
Free Action: None

Morningstar | HP: 720/720 | EN: 108/110 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 140/140 | EN: 30/32 | DMG: 7 | ACC: 3 | MIT: 20 | LD: 5 | REC: 1

Boulder | HP: 49/75 | EVA: -2 (49-0) Critical Miss

 

Edited February 24 by Wulfrin