[PP-F18] Caravan Defense | <<The Poisonous Warg>>

[Morningstar 0]

Eriwald.

Morningstar had never been to the swampy settlement. It was small, as he had heard, and there wasn't much to say about it. A few shops could be found within its borders, but what they sold was mostly junk. The local tavern, Mucksucker's, was the village's primary point of interest. While the streets and neighboring buildings were quiet, Mucksucker's was often not. At night, the crowd of both players and NPCs was wild and rowdy, as if the gathering in a place where people would normally be intoxicated caused a sort of placebo effect to occur. Morningstar tried to stay away from such places. Unfortunately, in Eriwald, there was no where else to meet people. So, he pushed open the tavern doors and wandered inside.

Thankfully, during the early afternoon, there were few customers inside Mucksucker's. Peak hours were far later in the evening and instead of the rowdy bunch that had been described to him, he was greeted by the quiet cowboy types.

Of course, they were swamp cowboys. The difference between them and regular cowboys was that swamp cowboys were significantly less cool. They didn't ride horses. They didn't ride exotic swamp animals either. No, instead, they walked from place to place because on the eighteenth floor, that was their only real option.

Significantly less cool.

He sat down at the bar and ordered something cheap. While he waited, he wrote a message to an acquaintance.

To Wulfrin From Morningstar Heya, chief. Come up to Floor 18, if you've got some time. I've got a quest for you. I'm interested in seeing how much stronger you've gotten since last time. You can find me in the only bar in Eriwald.

He hit send in time with the arrival of his order. He paid upfront, knowing he would not stay for long. "Any chance you know where I can find a man named Gyrard?" Morningstar asked the barkeeper.

The man pointed to a table in the corner. "Right over there."

Morningstar nodded. "Cheers."

[ lv. 49  ->   l. 33 / p. 16 ] MORNINGSTAR | HP: 720/720 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4   Hide contents notes.     Hide contents equipped bleeding giant BLD II, FB II red longcoat EVA II, REC I sapphire ACC III, EVA I battle-ready inventory healing salve | HP III (x5) health potion | HP I (x5) teleport crystal magdalyn's cuckoo  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  liquor of light | DMG III smores | EVA II 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 TECH-F | x12 | AOE STUN 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. 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.  gathering n/a

[Wulfrin 0]

Wulfrin had just wrapped up a craft when a notification panel appeared in his vision. A message from Morningstar instructing him to meet up on Floor 18. Wulfrin sent a short reply affirming he would be present and set off towards the teleport gate in Coral. Immediately the stink of the swampy marsh filled his senses. He had only briefly stopped on this floor while scoping out places to set up shop. He very quickly decided this place was not to his liking. It didn't take long to find the bar, as like Star had said it was the only one. Once he had entered he scanned the room for Morningstar. It wasn't difficult, as the two seemed to have a similar choice of garb, long red coats. Wulfrin's was a bit on the shorter side as to not restrict his movements too much, but it still stuck out like a sore thumb amongst all the swamp cowboys. Morningstar sat at a table in the corner chatting up a larger fellow, a merchant by the looks of him.

"So...," Wulfrin said as he pulled up a chair at the table. "What did I miss?"

* * *

Spoiler

STATS:

Level: 13 | HP: 260/260 | EN: 44/44 | DMG 12 | MIT 44 | ACC 3 | REC 1 | LD 3 | Stealth -2 | Stealth Detection +2

Equipment:

• Blighted Fang | [Fusion ID #219398b] | TIER 1 PERFECT STRAIGHT SWORD | DMG, KEEN, BLIGHT
  [desc.]: A longsword crafted from metal coated in the sap of a blighted maple tree. Its necromantic properties leave lasting wounds that are hard to recover from.

• Hunter's Coat | T2 Perfect Light Armor | MIT 2, REC 1
  Fusion ID 219737
  A leather coat with attached armored plates at the shoulders and forearms. It's design offers plenty of protection while sacrificing very little of the wearer's mobility.

• Dioscuri. | TIER 1 JEWELRY | ACC III | ID:  #210452-5
  [desc.]: a pair of ear cuffs fashioned from precious stone.

BATTLE-READY INVENTORY:

 

• 3 Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 hp each)
• 6 T1 Uncommon Health Potions: Heals 5% of Maximum HP.
• 4 Teleportation Crystals

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar raised an eyebrow at Wulfrin's new coat. "Nice jacket. Good taste."

He summarized the quest that he had accepted for the two of them. Gyrard, the Merchant, had purchased their aid for a fair sum of col. Their job was to protect his caravan from wolves on the long road to Serpent's Pitch. "Flotsam and Dross, the bazaar in Serpent's Pitch, will be starting soon, so he's on a time crunch," Morningstar explained. "I'd normally be fine on my own for a job like this, but I thought you could use the experience. Think of it as training for the big leagues."

"Allow me to prepare the Caravan and I'll meet you outside the front gates to the city," Gyrard said, standing. He left he pair at the table, allowing them to prepare themselves for the quest to come.

"Glad you could make it. Sorry about the location," he whispered, out of earshot from the rest of the crowd. "It's not Aincrad's finest establishment, nor the nicest town. But, anyways, how've you been? Keeping well?"

***

Applying the following:

Elven Armor Salve (t1 reusable consumable) | Misses generate 1 hate, hits 2 hate, and crits 3 hate

[Wulfrin 0]

"So far," Wulfrin replied. "Haven't really done much since our little venture in the mountains, except blow through most of my materials. I'm hoping I can maybe hunt down some mats in like a dungeon or on monsters at some point." 

Wulfrin pulled up his map and studied it intently. The scenario wasn't too terribly unfamiliar. He had seen the type many times before. In just about every RPG, there is some number of quests like this, act as an escort for a defenseless party. There was little doubt in his mind there would be at least one ambush on the road. Unfortunately his battle tactics were not exactly the best so identifying potential ambush sites was way above his current abilities. He was sure about one thing, even if they forced the caravan to move slower, the duo had a better chance of spotting any attackers if they walked.

"If this is like any other escort mission," Wulfrin said finally looking up form his map. "Might be best if we walk along the caravan. It'll probably slow them down a bit, but we are less likely to be surprised. The real question is are we expecting monsters or human attackers. I'm not exactly up to my Floor 18 lore."

[Morningstar 0]

"Yeah, I feel you. Scraping the bottom of my col and mat reserves myself. That's life, I guess. I'd take you through a dungeon today if I could guarantee your safety. They're no joke, though. There'll be mobs along the way, I expect. We can try to loot those."

Morningstar was glad to see that Wulfrin was acclimating well to his new lifestyle as an adventurer. He had observed so many level one players who had started their journeys only to give up the next week. It made him happy that there was another strong-willed person among the dwindling crowds. He'll be a good asset to the frontlines someday, Morningstar thought.

He nodded in agreement with Wulfrin's plan. He was logical, which was a good sign. Walking along the caravan would stop them from being caught of guard along the way. It was essentially a guarantee that they would be attacked; it would not be much of a quest, if that were not the case. "Monsters for sure. Eighteen's got some exotic critters—most of which, I prefer to steer clear of. Alligators, giant worms, snakes, fish. Steer clear of deep water and you'll be okay. I did research before coming here. We're to expect wolves, but we should watch out for any random mobs that spawn along the way."

He opened the doors to the outside world. "Let's get going," he said, eager to see how Wulfrin would perform.

[Wulfrin 0]

"What swamp would be complete without those?" Wulfrin asked as he stood up shaking his head. "Right behind you." 

"Careful out there," The bartender added as the two started to exit.  "I've heard word that the wolf pack's alpha gives a nasty bite. I've heard some mentions of poison.  You might want to stop and grab an antidote before you go out there."

Wulfrin gave a nod of thanks to the barkeep as they exited. The duo pressed out into the town and made their way towards the caravan's rendezvous point. Luckily it appeared they only had to look over one cart. That was fine with Wulfrin, as it would be easier to coordinate their defenses. It wasn't long before their arrival was made known to the head merchant, Gyrard.

"Glad you could join me," Gyrard stated as he and his crew finished slipping on their heavy packs. "'fraid that I couldn't manage to get you a mount. This ground is very boggy, but I've made my living by mapping out a rare and reliable route for my wagon.  Keep your eye on the water, too.  Lots of nasties hiding just below the surface."

"Hey no sweat," Wulfrin reassured the NPC. "Keep a tight formation and do as we say and you should be plenty fine." He patted Gyrard on the shoulder and made his way towards the front and awaited Morningstar to join him. "Keep your head on a swivel. Call out if you see anything that poses a threat. If it gets too hairy we leave, I value our lives more than some caravan that will just respawn for a quest do over."

The caravan was already slow, and the terrain was doing it no favors. The sluggish cart struggled in the boggy marsh they had to traverse. Even with this being a somewhat well traveled path, its wheels still found some way to stick themselves. Wulfrin kept an eye out for anything that may charge the right flank of the caravan, but for the first bit of their trip, everything seemed to be going smoothly. Save a few curses from the caravanners whenever a wheel bogged down.

[Morningstar 0]

Wulfrin took the lead, conversing with the NPC like he had done it a million times before. The man was quick to gain confidence and Morningstar respected that. They went on their way, beginning their trek through the swampy wetlands of the eighteenth floor.

Hiding beneath the bog, shallows prowlers lurked, awaiting their misstep into their sunken territory. The alligators watched the caravan crew carefully, but Morningstar had spotted them forever ago. He knew of their predatory tricks and how to avoid them. Even so, he kept his hand near his blade, careful not to let them get too close to his friend or the NPCs, who would have little chance of survival if dragged into the marsh.

The putrid aroma seemed to swell around them magnetically. Morningstar remembered why he avoided the place. It was gross and wet and full of oversized monsters. There were better locations to spend your time. He kept an eye on their surroundings, looking as far into the distance as he could, searching for the forewarned wolves.

***

Spoiler

Post 1/6

Gathering:
ID: 219840 LD: 5 | nothing found
 

 

Edited March 9 by Morningstar

[Wulfrin 0]

Wulfrin kept his eyes fixed on the swamplands flanking the caravan to the right. Occasionally he would see brief glimpses of movement within the gnarled roots of the land. It was hard to tell where the solid ground ended and the pools began. Careful footing was required to keep from being swallowed by the boggy terrain. Nothing made an effort to strike out, at least not yet. There was still plenty of travel time to their destination. Wulfrin kept his sword arm at the ready. He was taking no chances on getting ambushed. The terrain offered many opportunities for a surprise attack, be it form the thick bogs or the pools of murky water.

"I'm glad I travel light," Wulfrin said as he pulled a foot loose form a patch of mud. "Traversing this in heavy armor would be terrible." There was some cursing coming form behind him. He turned to find a caravanner struggling to free themselves from the muck. Wulfrin managed to free the NPC allowing them to return to their arduous trip. 

* * *

Spoiler

Post (2/6)

Gathering:
ID: 219862 | LD: 5 + 2 = 7
Nothing found

 

Edited March 10 by Wulfrin

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar chuckled, dodging a suspicious looking mud puddle. "Yeah, me too. I used to wear heavy armor but it's just too clunky and hard to move around in, especially in places like this. Not my style."

Along the path, something caught his eye, hiding from plain view behind strands of long grass. He  knelt down, taking a closer look. It was a prowler scale. Not a bad find, he thought, stuffing it away in his inventory for safe keeping.

"How's that sword treating you? It was a pretty lucky find, considering its enhancements. I don't come across many blight weapons. Everything seems to be paralytic venom these days," Morningstar rolled his eyes, constantly annoyed with his unique appraisals. His last few had come up entirely dry and before them, nearly everything he had uncovered had been converted straight into mystic essence. Fallen weapons, antifreeze armor, and all the rest of his wish list were no where to be seen.

***

Spoiler

Post (3/6)

Gathering:
ID: 219863 | LD: 12 + 5 = 17
1 material found

 

Edited March 10 by Morningstar

[Wulfrin 0]

"Sword's been a fantastic addition to my arsenal," Wulfrin replied. "It's a slight downgrade from my current tier of gear, but the blight damage has been making up for it. I've started work on my Tier 3 blade even though it's a ways down the line, and at that point this blade will likely find itself a new wielder. It would be a nice find for a newbie should they need a weapon." Wulfrin tought back to his start in the Town of Beginnings. He had come a long way from that day. Then he wouldn't have dared step foot outside of a safe zone, now he was actively seeking danger out in the wilds of Aincrad's floors.

"Sounds like appraising is big on gambling," Wulfrin smirked. "If I've learned one thing being in here, its that Cardinal likes finding ways to skew the RNG. At least that's what it feels like." Wulfrin shrugged before briefly opening up his menu. "I'll keep coming by, if I can get some more Col. Right now I have neither unidentified items or the money to pay for the service." Wulfrin dismissed the panels just as quickly as he had opened them. It was like second nature at this point, and he was starting to worry that the habit might carry over to the real world when it was all over.

The current leg remained uneventful. A handful of small snakes and alligators off in the distance, but nothing posing immediate danger.

* * *

Spoiler

Post (4/6)

Gathering:
ID: 219865 | LD: 6 + 2 = 8
Nothing Found

 

Edited March 10 by Wulfrin

[Morningstar 0]

"Almost Tier 3, huh? You're climbing levels quickly. I feel like it took me forever, back in the day. Still is, really," he laughed. "I'll have some Tier 4 uniques ready for you when you get to that point."

Another alligator scale lay in his path, and so Morningstar scooped it up and stored it in his inventory. He was determined to find some use to them, whether through alchemy or blacksmithing.

"Appraising is mostly a gamble, specifically when rerolling enhancements. The cost just gets higher and higher until eventually you're broke with the same enhancement that you started out with. There are items and potions that increase odds, but even still, it's difficult to get what you want. Most items that drop from mobs end up being the same old weapon with a different name and appearance. Sometimes, you get lucky and their hiding something special on them. Appraisals add up, though. Within a month, I've probably spent half a million col."

***

Spoiler

Post (5/6)

Gathering:
ID: 219866 | LD: 14 + 5 = 19
1 material found

Loot total:
2 materials

 

Edited March 10 by Morningstar

[Wulfrin 0]

"Still a bit of a trek to get there," Wulfrin replied. "I've still got like seven or eight levels to go, but I figured since I was grinding my blacksmithing may as well get ahead."

Wulfrin listened to his companion's explanation of their craft with great interest. A wave of sympathy washed over Wulfrin on the comment about mob drops. "Just like any other game," he said with a chuckle. "I bet it can get a bit depressing when you've been searching for something and just can't seem to find it." In a way he felt a bit sorry for Morningstar. Whether for personal use or just to say he got it, Morningstar had a goal that seemed just as tedious as hunting for materials in a field. "Keep your chin up though," Wulfrin tried his best to fire up Morningstar. "I'm sure they'll turn up eventually."

Wulfrin stopped in his tracks and motioned for the caravan to stop, his senses going into high alert. The sound of moving brush and the shallow foot falls of some kind of beast slowly prowling towards the caravan entered his ears. Something was coming from the right, the left, and from behind them. Quickly Wulfrin drew his blade, its sickly looking blade matching the swampy terrain far too well. "Somethings closing in form our three, six, and eleven o'clocks. If you want to move to defend our six, I'll cover the front. If you need back up say so." Wulfrin crept his way forward, ready for whatever was coming to strike.

* * *

Spoiler

Post (6/6)

Gathering:
ID: 219867 | LD: 6 + 2  = 8
Nothing Found 

 

Edited March 10 by Wulfrin

[Morningstar 0]

"Yes, sir," Morningstar saluted. Bleeding Giant emerged from its scabbard and in a flash, he was gone. Two wolves approached from their flank. They were smaller than he had anticipated, and far less threatening. The wolves, wild and quick, had yet to realize that their presence had been noticed, nor that one caravan guard had already pressed the attack. Red streaks were painted across their body following the path of Morningstar's blade. They shattered into dust, returning to Cardinal.

He skidded through the mud, halting his assault and redirecting his efforts onto the final wolf. This one was larger and, as he gathered from previous warnings, poisonous. Preferring not to be afflicted with toxins, he treaded carefully, calculating his swing to avoid being hit in return.

The Poison Snapper flew from its feet and into the boggy water, struck by Morningstar's attack. Just enough health was leftover for Wulfrin to finish it off. Morningstar, swatting some grime off his hand, spectated with great interest in the man's capabilities. How would he approach the wounded wolf?

***

Spoiler

Post Action | TECH-F (x12, 17 EN): 17 - (Well Rested 3/3; Stamina) = 14 EN
Free Action | None

ID: 219868 | BD: 4+4-1=7 | DMG: 26*12-45=280 to Poison Snapper
ID: 219869 | BD: 9 (crit +1) | DMG: 27*12-25=299 to Wolf 1
ID: 219870 | BD: 10 (crit +2)| DMG: 28*12-25=311 to Wolf 2

Morningstar | HP: 720/720 | EN: 96/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 260/260 | EN: 44/44 | DMG 12 | MIT 44 | ACC 3 | REC 1 | LD 3 | Stealth -2 | Stealth Detection +2

[2,0]Poison Snapper | HP: 220/500 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 45 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] 0/3

• Venomous Bite | On a MD 9-10, Poison Snapper sinks its fangs into the target with the highest hate. This deals 50 unmitigatable poison damage each turn for 2 turns as an ailment effect.
• Revenge | If a <<Wolf>> dies while Poison Snapper is still alive, on the turn after its ally falls, Poison Snapper shall make an attack on the player who killed it before making its normal attack.
• Destroy | If no target has hate on <<Poison Snapper>>, it shall attack <<The Caravan>>
• Ambush | Activated by <<The Caravan>> (see above), the pack shall ambush without warning, acting first in the rotation and with absolute accuracy on this attack, before the players can even get a turn. 

Wolf 1 | HP: 0/200 | DMG: 75 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1
Wolf 2 | HP: 0/200 | DMG: 75 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1

• Destroy | If no target has hate on <<Wolf>>, it shall attack <<The Caravan>>.
• Ambush | Activated by <<The Caravan>> (see above), the pack shall ambush without warning, acting first in the rotation and with absolute accuracy on this attack, before the players can even get a turn.

No loot rewards due to insufficient stats.

 

Edited March 10 by Morningstar

[Wulfrin 0]

Morningstar simply saluted with acknowledgement then became a blur. Wulfrin didn't even have time to blink. In a flash Morningstar leapt into battle, making use of the skill they had picked up together on the mountain. An AoE stun attack that instantly felled two of the wolves. Their alpha however, still hung on but fell victim to the stunning effect. Morningstar stepped back leaving a clear path for Wulfrin to continue the onslaught.

With a streak of glowing blue light, Wulfrin charged Poison Snapper. His blade sinking deep into the creature's hide. The beast seemed to shrug off part of Wulfrin's attack. The blight effect that Blighted Fang didn't seem to find purchase either. Wulfrin bulled back putting himself between the beast and the caravan. His strike left a sizeable dent in the HP guage of Poison Snapper, but it wasn't enough to bring the beast down. "Hit 'em partner!" Wulfrin shouted over the panicked caravanners.

* * *

Spoiler

Recovery Roll: none
Recovery: none

Post Action | ST-1 Vs Poison Snapper (-10 EN)
Free Action | None

ID: 219882 | BD: 7+3-1=9 | DMG: 12*10-45=75 to Poison Snapper

Morningstar | HP: 720/720 | EN: 96/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 260/260 | EN: 34/44 | DMG 12 | MIT 44 | ACC 3 | REC 1 | LD 3 | Stealth -2 | Stealth Detection +2

[2,1]Poison Snapper | HP: 145/500 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 45 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] 0/3

• Venomous Bite | On a MD 9-10, Poison Snapper sinks its fangs into the target with the highest hate. This deals 50 unmitigatable poison damage each turn for 2 turns as an ailment effect.
• Revenge | If a <<Wolf>> dies while Poison Snapper is still alive, on the turn after its ally falls, Poison Snapper shall make an attack on the player who killed it before making its normal attack.
• Destroy | If no target has hate on <<Poison Snapper>>, it shall attack <<The Caravan>>
• Ambush | Activated by <<The Caravan>> (see above), the pack shall ambush without warning, acting first in the rotation and with absolute accuracy on this attack, before the players can even get a turn. 

* * *
Mob Turn

Poison Snapper is stunned

Morningstar | HP: 720/720 | EN: 96/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 260/260 | EN: 34/44 | DMG 12 | MIT 44 | ACC 3 | REC 1 | LD 3 | Stealth -2 | Stealth Detection +2

[2,1]Poison Snapper | HP: 145/500 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 45 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] 1/3

• Venomous Bite | On a MD 9-10, Poison Snapper sinks its fangs into the target with the highest hate. This deals 50 unmitigatable poison damage each turn for 2 turns as an ailment effect.
• Revenge | If a <<Wolf>> dies while Poison Snapper is still alive, on the turn after its ally falls, Poison Snapper shall make an attack on the player who killed it before making its normal attack.
• Destroy | If no target has hate on <<Poison Snapper>>, it shall attack <<The Caravan>>
• Ambush | Activated by <<The Caravan>> (see above), the pack shall ambush without warning, acting first in the rotation and with absolute accuracy on this attack, before the players can even get a turn. 

 

Edited March 10 by Wulfrin

[Morningstar 0]

Wulfrin did well in combat. He was fully capable of holding his own and showed no fear in the face of danger. He was improving quickly. The path of his sword was straight and precise when he swung and his footwork was also quite good. It was a testament to his real world training, Morningstar assumed. When Wulfrin offered him the final strike against the poison snapper, Morningstar shook his head. "Nah, all yours. You need the experience!" He laughed, sheathing his blade. He pulled a bag from his jacket pocket. It was full of rocks that he had collected for the sole purpose of stealing hate. "I'll keep him focused on me, but I refuse to take the kill."

He flicked a pebble at the wolf, who's stun had worn off. It reacted with a low growl, bearing its venomous fangs. Curiosity had gotten the better of him. Arms crossed, he continued to test Wulfrin.

***

Spoiler

Recovery Roll: none
Recovery: none

Post Action | ST-I vs Poison Snapper (x12, 12 EN): - (Well Rested 2/3; Stamina) = 9 EN
Free Action | None

ID: 219888 | BD: 1 (crit miss)

Morningstar | HP: 720/720 | EN: 86/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 260/260 | EN: 34/44 | DMG 12 | MIT 44 | ACC 3 | REC 1 | LD 3 | Stealth -2 | Stealth Detection +2

[3,1]Poison Snapper | HP: 145/500 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 45 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 (0) | STUNNED | StunImm[P] 1/3

• Venomous Bite | On a MD 9-10, Poison Snapper sinks its fangs into the target with the highest hate. This deals 50 unmitigatable poison damage each turn for 2 turns as an ailment effect.
• Revenge | If a <<Wolf>> dies while Poison Snapper is still alive, on the turn after its ally falls, Poison Snapper shall make an attack on the player who killed it before making its normal attack.
• Destroy | If no target has hate on <<Poison Snapper>>, it shall attack <<The Caravan>>
• Ambush | Activated by <<The Caravan>> (see above), the pack shall ambush without warning, acting first in the rotation and with absolute accuracy on this attack, before the players can even get a turn. 

 

Edited March 11 by Morningstar

[Wulfrin 0]

Wulfrin saluted with his free hand. He followed his extremely rudimental single hit sword skill with a more sophisticated one. He chained strike after strike before the 4th strike sent the snapper slamming into the ground. for a brief moment a square split off the pack alpha. Vertical Square was still a relatively new skill in his pocket, but it served a wonderful way to deal heavy damage to an opponent. As Wulfrin leapt back from his prey, it stood up weakly. Poison Snapper focused its attention on Morningstar despite the large amount of damage Wulfrin was dealing. The alpha charged Wulfrin's partner with its fangs bared. Wulfrin watched as a portion of Morningstar's hp gauge faded. It wasn't much, but it was still more than the players he had been traveling with. The damage wasn't too much, but if Wulfrin or Morningstar could land even a single hit, it would surely fall. 

"Sorry," Wulfrin apologized. "Feel free to get revenge. If not I've got him dead with one more hit."

* * *

Spoiler

Recovery Roll: ID: 219899 | CD: 2 no additional
Recovery: +2 EN

Post Action | ST-II Vs Poison Snapper (-13 EN)
Free Action | None

ID: 219900 | BD: 5+3-1=7 | DMG: 12*13-45=111 to Poison Snapper

Morningstar | HP: 720/720 | EN: 96/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 260/260 | EN: 21/44 | DMG 12 | MIT 44 | ACC 3 | REC 1 | LD 3 | Stealth -2 | Stealth Detection +2

[3,2]Poison Snapper | HP: 34/500 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 45 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] 1/3

• Venomous Bite | On a MD 9-10, Poison Snapper sinks its fangs into the target with the highest hate. This deals 50 unmitigatable poison damage each turn for 2 turns as an ailment effect.
• Revenge | If a <<Wolf>> dies while Poison Snapper is still alive, on the turn after its ally falls, Poison Snapper shall make an attack on the player who killed it before making its normal attack.
• Destroy | If no target has hate on <<Poison Snapper>>, it shall attack <<The Caravan>>
• Ambush | Activated by <<The Caravan>> (see above), the pack shall ambush without warning, acting first in the rotation and with absolute accuracy on this attack, before the players can even get a turn. 

* * *
Mob Turn

Poison Snapper attacks Morningstar
ID: 219901 | MD: 8 | BD: 9 (minor crit +1 DMG) | DMG 100-20 = 80

Morningstar | HP: 640/720 | EN: 96/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 260/260 | EN: 34/44 | DMG 12 | MIT 44 | ACC 3 | REC 1 | LD 3 | Stealth -2 | Stealth Detection +2

[3,2]Poison Snapper | HP: 34/500 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 45 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] 2/3

• Venomous Bite | On a MD 9-10, Poison Snapper sinks its fangs into the target with the highest hate. This deals 50 unmitigatable poison damage each turn for 2 turns as an ailment effect.
• Revenge | If a <<Wolf>> dies while Poison Snapper is still alive, on the turn after its ally falls, Poison Snapper shall make an attack on the player who killed it before making its normal attack.
• Destroy | If no target has hate on <<Poison Snapper>>, it shall attack <<The Caravan>>
• Ambush | Activated by <<The Caravan>> (see above), the pack shall ambush without warning, acting first in the rotation and with absolute accuracy on this attack, before the players can even get a turn. 

 

Edited March 11 by Wulfrin

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar squinted at the oncoming poison snapper. He hadn't exactly considered what to do when the wolf eventually did come his way. The beast lunged at him, ripping into his arm with its toothy maw and scratching up his coat with its claws. He pounded it on the forehead and it let go, dropping to the ground and shattering to blue dust.

His jaw widened. He hadn't hit it that hard, had he? "Eh," he scratched his head awkwardly, "sorry 'bout that. The intent was to get it off me, not to kill the damn thing. You did great, though, so good work."

He waved for the caravan to continue on its path, examining the brand new holes in his coat as he followed alongside it. "A nice old fellow gave me this thing. He'd have a heart attack if he saw it now."

"We're almost to our destination. Any plans after this is done?"

***

Spoiler

Post Action | ST-I (x12, 12 EN): - (Well Rested 1/3; Stamina) = 9 EN
Free Action | None

ID: 219904 | BD: 7+4-1=10 | DMG: 26*12-45=267 to Poison Snapper

Morningstar | HP: 640/720 | EN: 91/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 260/260 | EN: 21/44 | DMG 12 | MIT 44 | ACC 3 | REC 1 | LD 3 | Stealth -2 | Stealth Detection +2

[4,2]Poison Snapper | HP: 0/500 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 45 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] 2/3

• Venomous Bite | On a MD 9-10, Poison Snapper sinks its fangs into the target with the highest hate. This deals 50 unmitigatable poison damage each turn for 2 turns as an ailment effect.
• Revenge | If a <<Wolf>> dies while Poison Snapper is still alive, on the turn after its ally falls, Poison Snapper shall make an attack on the player who killed it before making its normal attack.
• Destroy | If no target has hate on <<Poison Snapper>>, it shall attack <<The Caravan>>
• Ambush | Activated by <<The Caravan>> (see above), the pack shall ambush without warning, acting first in the rotation and with absolute accuracy on this attack, before the players can even get a turn. 

 

Edited March 11 by Morningstar

[Wulfrin 0]

"No worries," Wulfrin shrugged returning Blighted Fang to its scabbard. "Wolves and alpha are dead, hopefully that will be the last of the issues we might face. Though I wouldn't turn down a few more that we maybe we could loot for mats and cash." 

The duo helped get the caravan back moving after the brief altercation. The bog was still made travel difficult, but for the most part they were left to travel in peace. Morningstar seemed concerned about his coat. The true casualty of the combat was Morningstar's drip. Wulfrin felt the pain. The aesthetic of a player was one of the few ways they could customize their appearance aside form hair style and eye color. Wulfrin patted Morningstar on the back as the caravan started to move again. The trip wouldn't be too much longer. 

"Not many plans after this," Wulfrin replied. "Probably going to team up with Nari and take on the first fight of Scents of The Wild. I think it may be taking place on floor eight."

[Morningstar 0]

"Scents of the wild, hey? Never done that one. Heard the totems are useful though."

Interrupting the pair, Gyrard climbed out of the caravan with a jolly grin resting on his face. "You have done it! Those pesky wolves won't be bothering me or any other merchants anymore! I figured you could just scare 'em off! This is excellent! Here, let's head into the city and I can hand ya your reward there. Give you a little somethin' extra for your hard work." 

Upon arriving at the town, Gyrard stopped in front of a small cottage. At the sight of the caravan, two kids burst through the front door. "Daddy!" Each of them cried, wrapping themselves around the man. 

"Oh dear me, after all that time I had forgotten about you!" He said in a playful tone. 

"No you didn't silly!" One of the children replied.

"Alright, I have a couple of things to do, run along and I'll meet you inside real soon." He turned to Wulfrin and Morningstar. "Here is the money as promised." He handed each of them a bag, instantly transferring col into their inventories. "And for permanently fixin' my problem, here is a little something for your troubles." He handed each of them a <<Bizarre Antidote>> before turning to move inside. "Once again, thank you for you help today!" He waved before moving into the cottage. The quest had come to an end.

"All in a day's work," Morningstar grinned, tossing the antidote in his inventory. "Walk with me. I'll introduce you to the locals before you go."

***

Exiting Serpent's Pitch, they returned to the swamp. With his sword, Morningstar pointed towards a group of alligators sleeping by the edge of the boggy water. "I'm hesitant to bring you over to that big guy over there," he said, referring to the field boss in the distance, "but these ones are harmless enough."

He took the lead, launching himself at the four alligators and setting up the fight for Wulfrin.

***

Spoiler

Morningstar regains 4 EN
Morningstar regains 39 HP
Recovery ID: 219961 CD: 8 | Morningstar regains 4 EN

Post Action | TECH-F (x12, 19 EN): - (Well Rested 3/3; Stamina) = 16 EN
Free Action | None

ID: 219957 | BD: 6+4=10 | DMG: 26*12=312 to Shallows Prowler 1 | STUN PROC
ID: 219957 | BD: 10 | DMG: (26+2)*12=336 to Shallows Prowler 2 | BLEED PROC | FROSTBITE PROC | STUN PROC
ID: 219957 | BD: 6+4=10 | DMG: 26*12=312 to Shallows Prowler 3 | STUN PROC
ID: 219957 | BD: 4+4=8 | DMG: 26*12=312 to Shallows Prowler 4 | STUN PROC

Morningstar | HP: 679/720 | EN: 83/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 260/260 | EN: 21/44 | DMG 12 | MIT 44 | ACC 3 | REC 1 | LD 3 | Stealth -2 | Stealth Detection +2

Shallows Prowler 1 | HP: 84/396 | DMG: 132 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] (0/3)
Shallows Prowler 2 | HP: 60/396 | DMG: 132 | ACC: -1| BLEED: 48 (0/3) | FROSTBITE: 40 (0/2)| STUNNED | StunImm[P] (0/3)
Shallows Prowler 3 | HP: 84/396 | DMG: 132 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] (0/3)
Shallows Prowler 4 | HP: 84/396 | DMG: 132 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] (0/3)

Edited March 13 by Morningstar

[Wulfrin 0]

"Not a problem sir," Wulfrin responded to the NPC's thanks for completing their escort. He was tossed a small potion vial, a <<Bizarre Antidote>>. Morningstar decided to take the kind NPC and his kids on a quick tour. Wulfrin tagged along for nothing more than the information that Morningstar had to share. The two completed their travel through Serpent's Pitch and Morningstar led their two man escort crew back into the swamp. He pointed out the field boss in the distance and said the duo were going to avoid it. Instead they set their sights on a group of alligators in the shallows not far from their current location.

Morningstar was the first to act. In the blink of an eye, he had struck all four of the swampy prowlers leaving them in a daze. Seizing the opportunity, Wulfrin charged in with his blade glowing with the brilliant light of his sword skill. With speed and precision he finished off the prowlers yielding a nice handful of col, materials, and unidentified items. As the shower of polygons faded, Wulfrin returned his blade to its scabbard. 

"Well that was quick and easy," Wulfrin said a bit winded. "But before we go fighting anything else, I'll need a moment to get my energy back. Those AoE attacks are very draining."

* * *

Spoiler

Wulfrin regains 4 EN
Recovery ID: 219978  CD: 7 | Recover additional 2
Total EN Regen: 6

Post Action | AoE - I (x9, 17 EN)
Free Action | None

ID: 219979 | BD 10 (major crit +2 DMG) | DMG: 14 * 9 = 126 | Blight Proc 8 Blight Damage | Keen proc +1 BD
ID: 219980 | BD 2 + 3 + 1 = 5 | DMG: 12 * 9 = 108 | Keen Proc +1 BD
ID: 219981 | BD 9 (minor crit +1 DMG) | DMG 13 * 9 = 117 | Blight Proc 8 Blight Damage | Keen Proc +1 BD
ID: 219982 | BD: 7 + 2 + 1 = 10 | DMG 12 * 9 = 108 | Keen Proc +1 BD

Morningstar | HP: 679/720 | EN: 83/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4
Wulfrin | HP: 260/260 | EN: 10/44 | DMG 12 | MIT 44 | ACC 3 | REC 1 | LD 3 | Stealth -2 | Stealth Detection +2

Shallows Prowler 1 | HP: 84/396 | DMG: 132 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] (0/3)  (84 -126) dead
Shallows Prowler 2 | HP: 60/396 | DMG: 132 | ACC: -1| BLEED: 48 (0/3) | FROSTBITE: 40 (0/2)| STUNNED | StunImm[P] (0/3) (60 - 104) dead
Shallows Prowler 3 | HP: 84/396 | DMG: 132 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] (0/3) (84 - 117) dead
Shallows Prowler 4 | HP: 84/396 | DMG: 132 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] (0/3) (84 - 108) dead

Loot rolls:

Spoiler

Shallows Prowler 1:
ID: 219983 | CD: 2 | LD 5 + 2 =7
Col: 1,188 + 792 (CD even) = 1,980 col
Mats: 2 (LD odd)
T4 Uncommon Consumable | ID 219983

Shallows Prowler 2:
ID: 219984 | CD 7 | LD 10 + 2 =12
Col: 1,188 + 792 (LD even) = 1,980 col
Mats: 2 (CD odd)
T4 Rare Weapon | ID 219984a
T4 Uncommon Consumable | ID 219984b

Shallows Prowler 3:
ID: 219986 | CD 2 | LD 14 + 2 =16
Col: 1,188 + 792 (CD even) + 792 (LD even) = 2,772 col
T4 Rare Consumable | ID 219986a
T4 Rare Weapon | ID 219986b

Shallows Prowler 4:
ID: 219988 | CD 2 | LD 17 + 2 = 19
Col: 1,188 + 792 (CD Even) = 1,980 col
Mats: 2 (LD odd)
T4 Perfect Consumable | ID 219988a
T4 Rare Trinket | ID 219988b

Edited March 14 by Wulfrin