[F05-PP] Shark Bait Training Program v2.0 <<Bloodstained Land>>

[Freyd 0]

It had virtually become routine for Freyd to visit Fortaleza's sweltering heat in recent weeks.  In truth, he did it so that Persi could visit her family's den in the desert.  His tiny shadow mongoose familiar was a surprisingly familial creature, though you would never have guessed it by her arrogant attitude.  Actually, that wasn't quite accurate.  She was only arrogant and pretentious towards him.  Everyone else got nuzzles and cuddles.  Freyd was convinced that she was just trying to scam anyone she could into parting with their snacks.  Being made of void and shadow apparently meant an unending appetite.  Who knew?

 Routine visits also meant repeated opportunities to pester the local gang boss, some preening fop named Abdullah who thought himself above the rest of the residents in floor five's backwater streets.  Backwater?  Like there was even such a thing in a place like this.  Barren, crusted earth, searing winds and scouring sands were about all this place amounted to.  Barely a waypoint for local trade caravans, the local capital's only real claim to fame was the presence of its teleportation arch, making it the primary source of player traffic.  Its deep and ancient wells were likewise essential for what scrabbling sustenance was possible here. Abdullah controlled those wells, at least Freyd suspected he did, wielding them as weapons against the local populace and lavishing in wealth while the rest wallowed.  So Freyd prodded and taunted him regularly, under the guise of accepting one of the local quests that mandated some interaction with the gaudily dressed mob mobster.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it.  Kill the mutant sand shark, thingy.  It's not exactly rocket... err.. camel... science?  Nevermind."   Waving a hand dismissively even as he slid surreptitiously through the beaded curtains that served as barbicans to Abdullah's abode, his appearance was all wrong.  Deliberately, actually.  Freyd had irked Abdullah enough to provoke him sending his goons after he and Wulfrin during his last visit.  They'd trounced the thugs, of course, but Freyd had taken on one of their appearances and fooled their boss into thinking they had succeeded.  As far as Abdullah was aware, Freyd was dead, and it tickled him to no end to maintain that deception.  There were other reasons, but those were his own business and never openly shared.  

And so he stood, wandering about the central square, dressed like some Bedouin scout, and looking entirely native to the area, a large placard propped up against a nearby building that read:

Shark Bait Training Program  Sign up with mongoose, if you can find her.

If he was going to have to keep doing this quest in order to push Abdullah's buttons, some other players might as well benefit along the way.  Persi, meanwhile, hand already mangled someone's woefully unprotected leftover kebabs.

***

@Oli  @Bee

Freyd consumes:

Gugnir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Crème Brûlée Tray | ACC 2 | Feast (5/6) - takes one portion and shares the rest with the party [filled]
Armageddon Juice (Potion) | Damage 3 | 197173
Madlad Muffin | Tierless Rare Meal | EVA 2 | 216701
Divinity's Wait (Meal)| T4 Mitigation 3 | 188391-1

Freyd | HP: 1160/1160 | EN: 154/154 | DMG: 24 | MIT: 105 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 7 | BH: 63 | LD: 6 | HLY: 16 | FLN: 16 | PARA IMMUNE | REC: 8 

Note: CS (Shades of the Gemini) is in use.  If any other player objects to this, please state in first post and it will be considered inactive.

Spoiler

"Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows
Level: 33
Paragon Level: 126
HP: 1160/1160
EN: 154/154

Stats:
Damage: 21+3
Mitigation: 45+60
Evasion: 2+2
Accuracy: 4+2+1
Battle Healing: 63
Loot Dice: 6
HLY: 16
FLN: 16
PARA IMMUNE
REC: 8

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Samael's Pride | T4 MA | FLN 2 | HLY 2   
Armor: Black Cowled Traveling Garb | T4 CA | VD 2 | REC 2
Misc: Shadowed Rose (ACC 3 | Para.Imm.)

Combat Mastery: Damage R3
Combat Shift: AOE
Familiar Skill: Grappling Familiar
Custom Skill: Shades of the Gemini

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

Active Mods:
Night Vision
Tracking
Athletics
Emergency Recovery
Untraceable
Detect

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Focus
Precision
Nimble
Reveal
Stamina
Focused Howl

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

Inactive Extra Skills:
Frozen Hide
Brawler
Photosynthesize
Hiding R2

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystals x7
Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+10% HP) x7
T4 Vitality (+16 EN) x7
Crystal of Divine Light (Reusable) x1
Rhino's Horn (Reusable) x1
Hmr.Pk:  Hope's Covenant - Resolve +4 (T4 Demonic Weapon (MA) - AA, Phase, Frostbite, VO)  x1
EWL:  The Thing Behind All Lies (T4 Demonic MA, AA, Blight, Static, Para.Ven (Off)) x1
EWL:  Fight O'er Flight (ACC 2 | EVA 2) x1

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

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

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

Wedding Ring: n/a

Fishing: Level 5 | 576XP

 

Edited September 29 by Freyd

[Bee 0]

Her usual attire, consisting almost entirely of dark fabrics, proved to be a mistake. It was made for mild temperatures—nothing too cold and nothing too hot. She did not have an alternative for desert climates so instead, she suffered. Her skirt made it somewhat bearable. She welcomed what little breeze there was and grew miserable every time it passed. No price would have been too much for an ice cream cone from a specialty street cart or a cold plunge in the ocean. Unfortunately, the only ocean around was made of sand and ice cream on one of Aincrad's hottest floors seemed like an unlikely find.

Sweat and discomfort aside, she was excited. It took thirteen months, but her appointment with a local healer had finally gone through. Rosa, who liked to advertise herself as a top three support who worked with some of the most powerful guilds in the game, owned a small shop at the edge of town. It was there that she took on students of varying skill levels for the insignificant fee of 25,000 col an hour. Bee had already paid up front for a three hour lesson in medicine and looked forward to learning from a certified hero of the frontlines.

She knelt on a cushion on the floor of the shop. The small space would not have fit more than a few people at a time, comfortably at least. It was decorated rather poorly. Rosa preferred bare walls and surfaces, except for a framed award that dubbed her "Healer of the Year." Bee had yet to meet Rosa. She had spoken to her assistant, albeit briefly and ages ago, but never the master support herself. She could hear her though, laughing from the opposite room. Via eavesdropping, she gathered that behind the large red curtain across from her was a lunch room, where Rosa was finishing off a large plate of leftover spaghetti from the night before. Also, she had found herself in a pile of debt and was strapped for cash (mind you, Bee had transferred over 75,000 col a few days prior).

After much patience, what Bee thought was a voice call ended and Rosa swooped through the red curtain, jumping at the sight of the blonde. "Oh!"

She followed her surprise with confirmation that she had forgotten about their scheduled appointment. "Can I help you? If you're here about mentoring, I can give you my assistant's name. The waitlist is quite long at the moment," Rosa smiled awkwardly.

"Actually, we were supposed to meet today? I'm Bee?" She stood up, hands on her hips, speaking each line as if she, herself, was unsure.

"Bee? Bee... Bee... Bee..." the woman tapped the tip of her boot against the sandstone floor. "Oh, yes! Bee! Of course! How could I forget! Unfortunately, I won't be able to meet with you today but contact my assistant—she'd be happy to help you reschedule!" She proceeded to guide Bee out the front door.

"But—"

"Bye bye now!" 

The door slammed before Bee could protest. Like clockwork, she found herself out on the streets of Fortaleza. Grumpier than ever, she glared at the tiny shop, not noticing the critter at her feet until it wrapped around her leg. Her instinctual scream startled them both. Persi unattached herself from Bee, far less afraid than the latter was. The shadow mongoose scurried a few feet away and then turned back to the girl. They stared at each other for a moment before Bee spoke to her.

"Do you want me to follow you?" She asked.

Persi, who was presumably a non-English speaker, did not reply. Instead, she scurried away, leaving Bee to chase the sandy trail the mongoose left behind.

***

Bee consumes:

Gugnir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Crème Brûlée Tray | ACC 2 | Feast (4/6) - takes one portion. [filled]
Bee | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20 | DMG: 2 | ACC: 2

Spoiler

Bee
Level: 1
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 20/20
EN: 20/20

Stats:
Damage: 2

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: N/A
Armor: N/A
Misc: N/A

Skills:
Axe R1

Battle Ready:
x3 Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

 

[Sora 0]

Sora was having.. a bad day, he has not eaten, he has nearly died four times, he has been lost for hours, and frankly… he has no idea what he is doing. He was sent out here, told by another player that there is an NPC by the name of Abdullah, and that all he has to do is speak to him for a travel quest, which wouldn’t require any combat.

Of course Sora believed them, why would he not? He did not expect people to lie, considering the situation they all share. He still has yet to find any sort of shelter, nor has he seen a single player or NPC. He just walks slowly through the blistering heat, dragging his sword through the sand, making a long trail with the tip of the steel blade. His body can’t feel this heat, but he can only imagine how much he’d be sweating right about now.

“Oh lord.. if you’re going to trap me in a game why did it have to be this!?” He says, feeling parched.. it’s a good thing he can’t actually feel the need for fluids, or else he’d probably collapse. He stares off at the horizon, watching the rippling heatwaves wriggle in front of his eyes from the sandy dunes. “Hmm.. another tumbleweed, guess that makes eight.” He says to himself, it seems he has been keeping track to pass the time. 

About thirty minutes later, when he had almost lost hope… until, he saw a glimpse of the top of an old building in the distance. He walks over a mound of sand and tumbles, rolling down the hill with his sword and laying out at the city entrance, flat on his back. He sits up, teary eyed. “Could it be? H-have I found it?” He asks himself, looking up to the sky, as if speaking to a GM. Only to be blinded and quickly look back downwards. “Ow-” He takes to his feet and begins walking forward, his Claymore strapped to his back in its manky, old scabbard.

He roams the city streets before coming to a stop, he sees the skirt adorned girl chasing after what he could only presume to be a rat. He jogs after her, hoping she could provide some assistance on where this Abdullah individual might be. “Hey! Please, stop running!”  

Spoiler

 

Sora
Level: 1
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 20/20
EN: 20/20

Stats
Damage: 3

Equipped Gear
Weapon: Steel Claymore
Armor: N/A
Misc: N/A

Skills
Straight Sword R1

Battle Ready
x3 Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

 

 

•  

 

[Freyd 0]

Persi rounded the nearest street corner while devouring the last of her pilfered snack, ensuring that no evidence remained of her shenanigans.  Half-expecting an angry merchant to be chasing after her, Freyd was pleasantly surprised to find a pair of youngish looking players instead.

"What have you found there, Persi?  A pair of wayward souls in Fortaleza?  They'll fit right in," he added with a charming and sympathetic grin.  Dressed in a more dusty version of his normal if spoopy attire, he'd allowed himself to go a bit local over time.  Visits here had become a staple, of sorts, fulfilling a purpose and need to which few still paid attention: filling the ranks with capable, competent players.  For those few still occasionally trickling out from the Town of Beginnings or other shelters, this was a daunting world - as it had been for him.  A stranger had helped him, and he'd been paying that practical gift forward ever since.

"You're looking a little parched there, my friend," he added to the male.  "Can I offer you some refreshment?"  Conjuring a glass of ice-filled lemonade, it crackled and popped the instant it appeared as the floors oppressive heat immediately attacked its alien contents.  "Don't linger.  It won't last long around here.  You look like you might have just wrapped up the survival quest, or perhaps just underestimated the intensity of the local climate?"

Persi wrapped herself affectionately around Bee's leg, providing an oddly cooling sensation as the void within her drew tentatively against all ambient heat.  She was made of shadows, after all.  Typically aloof, bordering on snobbish, his familiar wasn't usually one to offer such gestures.  Freyd immediately took note, still wondering if she might be the kebab merchant.  Bee definitely didn't look the part, but appearances were frequently deceiving and meant nothing to the Whisper.  "And who might you be?"  Manners were always a preferable option.

[Bee 0]

Slow down, ya damn mongoose, came Bee's inner voice.

They rounded a corner, past a museum and what might have been a pawn shop. She had almost run straight into the dark-haired man on the other side, stopping just in time. Another player joined them as well. She hadn't noticed the guy following her—or maybe he was chasing the familiar as well.

The mongoose seemed to have taken a liking to Bee, for some reason or another. The shadowy form wrapped around her leg, coiling like a much cuter version of a snake. "I'm Bee," she introduced herself without looking up from the strange familiar. "Is she yours?"

Bee's first observation was not of Persi's perplexing body, but of her eyes that sparkled like crystal. Her second observation came from within—a growing envy that tightened in her chest. She wanted one too. Bee bent down, reaching towards the shadow creature. It climbed up her arm like a slinky, spiraling to her shoulder where she perched, staring Freyd in the face with a tilted head.

"Oh, and, hi," she said to the other man.

[Sora 0]

He takes the glass of water from Freyd’s hand, smiling brightly. “T-thank you… so, so much.” He pours the water down his gullet, swallowing the ice cubes whole. “Huh? What? Oh- yeah, I didn’t expect it to be so hot. I’ve never been here before but some rando said I have to speak to an NOC named Abdullah. That he will give me a letter which I’ll then have to deliver to another NPC. Any idea where to find him?”

He says, adjusting the blade on his back due to it being a bit crooked in the straps of his armor. He nods his head at Bee, then looks at the animal on her shoulder. “Woah what the heck is that thing!? It’s.. adorable! Can I have one? Where do I get myself a stoat?” He then slowly reaches his hand up to touch the back of the weasel’s head. His eyes wide and his mouth. Agape as he prepares to pet such a gorgeous creature.

“The fact that these animals can bond with players and replicate human emotions and animal behavior is truly remarkable. Kayaba knew what he was doing with this game, huh?”

 

[Freyd 0]

"Too well," Freyd replied with regret, addressing Sora's last statement first.  "Persi's people can be found in the deep desert on this floor, though they are very reclusive.  It took quite a bit of persistence to find her."  Emphasis was clear, suggesting that he name might have been inspired by the same word.  "Familars can be found just about anywhere.  It depends on what you want.  If you're looking for a stoat, search the biomes where you might expect to find them in the real world, but consider any more fantastic elements that pique your interest.  An elemental stoat, for example, might be found anywhere you might find its preferred affinity.  Search the fire fields of floor thirteen, for example, or perhaps the poisonous swamps of floor twelve for a venomous variety."  Lazily flicking a finger towards the door, he conjured a second glass with ease and nudged it across the table with a casual press of black-gloved fingertips.  

"If you're looking for Abdullah, his place is across the street.  Look for the beaded curtains with the letters 'F.U.' built into their pattern.  The man is an arrogant git whose only purpose is to leech the life out of the other residents in this town and hand out a quest or two.  If it wasn't for the latter, I'd just as soon never deal with him again.  Unfortunately, there is an abnormally large and ferocious sand shark that tends to spawn near Fortaleza from time to time, devasting the lives of the already impoverished locals.  Persi and I make it a point to wander by and clear the thing out when it does, which is why we're here today."  He watched with interest as Persi slunk up Bee's arm, melting into the folds of cloth around the young woman's shoulders like she was made of liquid.  Inky shadow was more accurate, but the effect was basically the same.  Freyd imagined that her doing so would have a cooling sensation that would be most welcome in this heat, also noting that she'd never given him the same benefit.

"She must like you," he added, looking surprisingly amused.

"And, my name is Freyd, to continue with our introductions.  You're both quite welcome to come with us when we face off against Terra Firma.  Just be aware that it is a particularly nasty, deadly mob.  You'll want to let it focus its nibbles on me, unless one of you is an especially competent tank. I always prefer not to lose newly met players on my watch."

Edited September 1 by Freyd

[Bee 0]

Bee wasn't sure who this Abdullah fellow was, nor was she familiar with the sand shark referenced; however, if combat was her long term goal then this seemed like a good place to start.

"She must like you,"

Bee smiled, not sure what to say. The shadow that engulfed her shoulders was soothing. It almost felt like the temperature had become normal, like she wasn't smack dab in the heart of a desert city. Freyd's invitation was a kind gesture. She would never have had the courage to take on a creature like Terra Firma alone. Not that it was a bad thing—it would kill her in a heartbeat. "I'd like to join you," she said, her eyes finally leaving the inky weasel.

She knew she would be little help in the coming fight and that there was always some level of risk leaving a safezone, even with the strongest players around. Still, she wanted to try.

And after Rosa, she was happy to have someone offer to teach her for free, even if it wasn't specific to healing.

"I might need some direction. I've never actually fought anything before," she admitted.

Edited August 22 by Bee

[Freyd 0]

[Note: No reply from Sora, who appears to have dipped from site.  After five months, we are moving ahead under the assumption that the player will not be returning.]

"You'll be fine," Freyd offered in his most comforting tone, "Provided you let me do the fighting for you.  Just being near the battle will suffice, and should provide you with a substantial level boost once the mob is taken down.  There's literally nothing more to the quest, though related troubles have occasionally followed."  A dismissive wave of his hand implied there was no need to worry, the limb limned by inky black wraps so dark that they seemed to swallow light itself.  "I wish there was another option, but if you plan to travel beyond the Town of Beginnings, the odds of avoiding combat aren't great.  Tagging along should help you with that.  And, if it does, I'll consider it a day well spent."

Leaving Persi to her perch, he guided them towards the twin sandstone obelisks marking Fortaleza's outer gates.  A low rubblestone wall extended around the settlement from this point, but offered little more than the token illusion of protection.  This place was poor in nearly all respects, from wealth to water to hope.  All remained in short supply, which was why the Whisper always felt compelled to return.  Something about the mobs here called to him on some inexplicable level.  Maybe it was just the time he'd spent searching for Persi, but it felt like more than that.  Extending a party invite to Bee confirmed his suspicions about her system capabilities - total noob.  Sora, meanwhile, had wandered off somewhere distracted by merchants' cries from the local market.

"Looks like it will be just us.  Suits me fine."  Stuffing his hands into a pair of invisible pockets, concealed by the many layers of fabric wrapped loosely about his shoulders, Freyd sauntered casually towards the familiar basin where the mob routinely spawned. "You're a bit off the beaten path to have ended up here with no weapon, nor any combat experience.  Were you looking for something else?  Fortaleza doesn't see a lot of tourists."

[Bee 0]

To tell another soul that she had been denied (and quite frankly, scammed out of several thousand col) by a woman who was supposedly a top tier support on the frontlines was far too embarrassing. Instead, she lied, plainly offering a tale that, oddly enough, made more sense than the truth. She fumbled her words. "Museum," she blurted out. "I was looking for a museum."

Okay, so maybe it didn't make much sense. Bee wasn't even sure there was a museum in Fortaleza. "I'm a bit of a history nerd," she chuckled, committing to the fib. What was she even talking about? She didn't know two things about history; whatever she'd learned in school was left in the bland old textbooks she'd only ever skimmed. And what history was she even referring to? Fortaleza was like, a second old.

She accepted his party invitation. Despite her calm, if slightly awkward appearance, she was rather enthusiastic about her first quest—particularly "you'll be fine" part. Whether she carried a weapon or not, she was confident that she would die to the first mob she came across. She would work towards autonomy over time; for now, a bodyguard was exactly what she needed.

"Are you on this floor a lot?"

She asked because she sort of hated it and couldn't imagine anyone staying for longer than they had to. It was hot, and she was overly cautious about sunburns (whether they were a thing or not, the sun sure felt like it was burning her). She didn't much like the food either, and there was sand in her shoes.

[KnightinGale 0]

"I hope that blacksmith was right." KnightinGale said to herself as she over looked the basin Wulfrin had told her about when she mentioned her "predicament." "This training program thing better be worth it."

There she stood clad in heavy plate armor adorned with the Phoenix symbol of Sentinel Armaments. The armor was practical and uninspiring, more importantly not her style. She was used to wearing simple tattered clothing that would cling to her form, that was often better for motorcycling anyway. This armor was bulky, heavy, and more importantly restricting her movement. This was all a small price to pay for a fast track to higher numbers and finding her sister. After a few hours of waiting, KnightinGale spotted a pair of players aproaching, one of which matching the vague description she was given by Wulfrin.

"You that Freyd guy?" KnightinGale asked the one clad in all black. "Heard from a blacksmith on 22 that you punch a shark out here fairly frequently. Mind if i ride your coattails a bit?"

* * *

KnightinGale consumes:
ACC 2 - Freyd's Gungnir

KnightinGale | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | MIT:26 | ACC: 5 | TAUNT | THORNS:18

Spoiler

Name: KnightinGale
True Tier: 1
Level: 1
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 20/20
EN: 20/20

Stats:
Damage: 1
Mitigation: 26
Accuracy: 5
Stealth Rating: -1
TAUNT
Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Vanguard's Hammer | T1 Hammer | ACC 3
Armor/Trinket: 
  - Vanguard's Shield | T1 Shield | Taunt | Thorns 2
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Vanguard's Heavy Plate | T1 Heavy Armor | MIT 3

Combat Mastery:
  - 

Combat Shift:
  - 

Familiar Skill:
  - 

Custom Skill:
  - 

Skills:
  - Heavy Armor R1

Extra Skills:

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:

Mods:

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:

Housing Buffs:

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:

Gathering Profession:                                                                                                                          

 

Edited September 29 by Wulfrin

[Tiye 0]

Tiye popped a slice of a tangerine in her mouth as she strolled out of the confines of Fortaleza. This floor was the closest to home as she could most likely get, and even that was a stretch. It was hard not to grimace as she passed by the stereotypical trader or merchant as she made her way through the desolate town. Perhaps she was too hopeful coming here, but the promise of an easy carry was enough to sway her transgressions against the developers of this game, even if only for a while. 

Floor Five was no Cairo, but the sun was a helpful reminder of her roots. It bore down almost menacingly as she approached the supposed meeting spot for this supposed ‘Shark Bait Training Program’. She had heard of the quest they were supposed to be tackling from word of mouth and the occasional rumor from a passerby, but she was left relatively clueless about its actual contents. Apparently, it’s supposed to be difficult, so she guessed that was a plus– knowing that she would never have to do this again, even at a higher level. 

Tiye apparently showed up at just the right time– convening with a group of players she had never ever seen before. “Yo,” she said simply, offering a lazy wave to the incoming people. “I’m here for the… Shark Bait Training Program or whatever.” She hoped she recalled that right.

Tiye popped another tangerine slice in her mouth. “I don’t really do much, but I assume that’s what you’re expecting.”
 

---

 

Spoiler Tiye | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | +1 LD EQUIPPED GEAR: > > > SKILLS: > R1 Searching > > EXTRA SKILLS: > > > MODS: > > > CONSUMABLES USED: > > >

 

Edited September 29 by Tiye

[Freyd 0]

"History buff?  Museum? Shouldn't you be carrying a whip and wearing a fedora for that sort of thing?"  It was an old reference, but if her claims were legit Bee would know what he was talking about.  Persi pounced after a random bit of tumbleweed carried by the wind as they crossed the desiccated town's paltry gates, making their way towards an all-too-familiar destination.  Nestled in the crook between two merging sandstone spits, Freyd had come to know the silty basin all too well.  Shaped remarkably like an arena surrounded by rough, near-vertical cliff walls, the bowl housed on of the floor's more menacing denizens: a mutated sand shark known as Terra Firma.  Ironic, considering how much it preferred to slink beneath the shifting sands.

"Yes, I do spend a fair amount of time here, though mostly, recently, it's been all about hunting down this particular beastie, and helping fresher players along in the process."  No air quotes were required, but it was plain that he meant those who by whatever quirk of fate or circumstance had only just begun their leveling journey through the twisted hellscapes of the floating castle.  "Looks like we have another pair of potential candidates waiting for us."

Both seemed to size him up as Freyd and Bee approached the wall's edge.  The Whisper wasn't especially threatening at first glance, wearing neatly tucked traveling garb that made him look like a cross between a university lounge lizard combined with a Dune movie Fremen extra.  Hands casually stuffed into a pair of hidden pockets, and cowl pulled tight over his head to keep out the worst of the blowing dust, he simply tilted his head as they closed the distance between them.

"Yeah.  I'm that 'Freyd guy'.  Remind me to talk to Wulfrin about his sales pitch. He makes it sound like I'm some terrified schoolboy running about the desert in his pajamas."  Looking down, reality forced him into a certain degree of agreement with the conjured mental picture.  "Maybe he's not entirely wrong on the latter part," the Whisper was finally forced to admit.

"Look, if you want in, that's fine, but you both need to understand that shifty, down there," a large brownish-grey fin crested the silt as if on cue, "will not hesitate to lacerate you into a thousand shiny little pieces.  I'd prefer to have you ladies grow up to be all big, buff, epic warriors and all, but that will only happen if you let me piss this thing off more than any of you might hope to manage.  You pull aggro from me, you could have a permanently bad day.  Wait for my signal, then come at it with whatever attacks you can manage.  Even a basic attack can help you unlock the special skill it offers.  Consider it an Easter egg that you can add to your collection.  Capiche?"

Once each of them had provided some version of an affirmative response, Freyd promptly kicked the tumbleweed that had followed Bee from town, sending it sailing into the centre of the basin.  Terra Firma pounced instantly, the giant sand shark turning into a whirling mouth full of serrated, gnashing teeth, hell-bent on ravaging the disturbance of its illusory peace.  Persi, Freyd's little shadow mongoose companion, did not take well to the mauling of her latest toy.  Streaking like a missile made of pure midnight, she streaked across the dusty ground with startling silent speed, crashing into the beast with enough force to send it sprawling into the far wall with a thunderous thud.  Persi bristled from atop her precious ball of improvised yarn, the rest of them imagining her hissing fiercely and protectively, were she able.

"Nice one, girl." Stepping into an adjacent shadow cast by a wayward pillar of sandstone, Freyd vanished from sight, only to reappear from Terra Firma's own umbral silhouette, driving his fist so hard into its flank that the mob's chitinous plates shattered audibly from a hundred feet away.

A black-gloved hand, still trailing broken fragments from the creature's hide rose up from its far side, beckoning the trio to join, if they so wished. That would be 'the signal.'

***

Spoiler

Post Action | AoE-I (x15, 11 EN, +2 shift, +2/hit): 15 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 12 EN.  
Free Action [skill] | Grappling Familiar (CD 0/5)

ID #233887 | BD: 8 (Crit +1, Fallen +16).  DMG (15*41=615-150=465) vs Terra Firma.  F-Stun applied. | CD 11 | ST-B unlocked.

Freyd | HP: 1160/1160 | EN: 142/154 (154-12) | DMG: 24 | MIT: 105 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 7 | BH: 63 | VAMP-D: 121 | LD: 6 | HLY: 16 | FLN: 16 | PARA IMMUNE | REC: 8 [GRAPPLING 1/5]
Bee | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20 | DMG: 2 | ACC: 2
Knightingale | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | MIT:26 | ACC: 5 | TAUNT | THORNS:18
Tiye | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | +1 LD

[3,0,0,0] Terra Firma | HP: 485/950 (950-465) | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4 [F-STUNNED]

• Move Swiftly | This boss is impervious to benefits provided by the Concentration skill. Additionally, all players suffer a -1 penalty to BD when attacking this boss.
• Hard-Scaled | Paralysis, Paralytic Venom, and Freeze are ineffectual against this boss.
• Deaf | This mob has no ears, and therefore is immune to the effects of debuff songs.
• Weak Spots | On a Player's natural BD of 9 or 10 when attacking this creature, they will gain 50% Phase for that attack. This does not stack with the Phase enhancement.
• Assault Mode | If a Player has exploited one of Terra Firma's <<Weak Spots>> during the battle, Terra Firma will activate <<Assault Mode>>. On an LD of 11+, this mob will identify stealthed Players. Its ACC and EVA will swap for the duration of its attack, then revert to normal. It will gain 50% Phase on a BD of 9, and 100% Phase on a BD of 10 or higher. BD modifiers such as ACC can activate these Phase attributes.

 

 

Edited September 29 by Freyd

[Bee 0]

Why a whip? And what was a fedora? She laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, maybe." She had no idea what he was talking about.

What a day. Very quickly, Bee went from falling into a lie, to adopting two (extremely pretty) new girls, to watching Freyd beat a blind shark half to death with his bare hands. He just punched it... and cracked its armor...

She frowned, weaponless. The expectation that they were to also contribute puzzled her. She couldn't do what he just did. She didn't think anyone could do what he just did. She rolled up her sleeve and charged at the beast anyway, replicating Freyd's attack with a fierce jab.

"Ow!" Bee shouted, shaking her fist.

She wasn't even sure if it's health depleted at all. A point, maybe, if anything. "You made that look really easy," she said to Freyd, scowling at her throbbing hand and massaging her knuckles. 

Spoiler

Post Action | Basic Attack

ID #234154 | BD: 7+2=9 | DMG: 2-150 = 1 vs Terra Firma

Freyd | HP: 1160/1160 | EN: 142/154 (154-12) | DMG: 24 | MIT: 105 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 7 | BH: 63 | VAMP-D: 121 | LD: 6 | HLY: 16 | FLN: 16 | PARA IMMUNE | REC: 8 [GRAPPLING 1/5]
Bee | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20 | DMG: 2 | ACC: 2
Knightingale | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | MIT:26 | ACC: 5 | TAUNT | THORNS:18
Tiye | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | +1 LD

[3,1,0,0] Terra Firma | HP: 484/950 (485-1) | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4 [F-STUNNED]

• Move Swiftly | This boss is impervious to benefits provided by the Concentration skill. Additionally, all players suffer a -1 penalty to BD when attacking this boss.
• Hard-Scaled | Paralysis, Paralytic Venom, and Freeze are ineffectual against this boss.
• Deaf | This mob has no ears, and therefore is immune to the effects of debuff songs.
• Weak Spots | On a Player's natural BD of 9 or 10 when attacking this creature, they will gain 50% Phase for that attack. This does not stack with the Phase enhancement.
• Assault Mode | If a Player has exploited one of Terra Firma's <<Weak Spots>> during the battle, Terra Firma will activate <<Assault Mode>>. On an LD of 11+, this mob will identify stealthed Players. Its ACC and EVA will swap for the duration of its attack, then revert to normal. It will gain 50% Phase on a BD of 9, and 100% Phase on a BD of 10 or higher. BD modifiers such as ACC can activate these Phase attributes.

 

[KnightinGale 0]

"Yeah that's the one," KnightinGale sighed. "But yeah I get it. Don't piss off the giant land shark or you're chum."

Eve wasn't the person to just wait around, though given the circumstance, she figured it was better to go against the norm. This fact was only solidified by what emerged from the sands. The description she had been given made the beast seem like some easy to topple shark with legs. What was actually in the basin made even her hardened will shudder. She had seen plenty of things most people would wish they hadn't, but this Terra Firma was way beyond anything she had seen. Flailing and thrashing over the tumbleweed was an absolute unit of a heavy shark with interlocking plates as hard as rock for skin. It clambered around on its four trunk like legs. Their instructor, Freyd, had in a spit second appeared below the beast and planted his fist firmly through the rocky plates of armor.

Damn. Dude's got an arm on him.

The signal came and KnightinGale jumped into the arena. She ran forward, shield out in front, as she raised her hammer to strike. The blow sent a rocketing pain up her arm as her bludgeoning attack seemed to have no effect. Her arm felt numb, like she had just done a full day of riding down a bumpy backroad.

* * *

Spoiler

Post Action | Basic Attack

ID 234155 | BD: 4+5-4=5 miss

Freyd | HP: 1160/1160 | EN: 142/154 (154-12) | DMG: 24 | MIT: 105 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 7 | BH: 63 | VAMP-D: 121 | LD: 6 | HLY: 16 | FLN: 16 | PARA IMMUNE | REC: 8 [GRAPPLING 1/5]
Bee | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20 | DMG: 2 | ACC: 2
Knightingale | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | MIT:26 | ACC: 5 | TAUNT | THORNS:18
Tiye | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | +1 LD

[3,1,0,0] Terra Firma | HP: 484/950 (485-1) | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4 [F-STUNNED]

• Move Swiftly | This boss is impervious to benefits provided by the Concentration skill. Additionally, all players suffer a -1 penalty to BD when attacking this boss.
• Hard-Scaled | Paralysis, Paralytic Venom, and Freeze are ineffectual against this boss.
• Deaf | This mob has no ears, and therefore is immune to the effects of debuff songs.
• Weak Spots | On a Player's natural BD of 9 or 10 when attacking this creature, they will gain 50% Phase for that attack. This does not stack with the Phase enhancement.
• Assault Mode | If a Player has exploited one of Terra Firma's <<Weak Spots>> during the battle, Terra Firma will activate <<Assault Mode>>. On an LD of 11+, this mob will identify stealthed Players. Its ACC and EVA will swap for the duration of its attack, then revert to normal. It will gain 50% Phase on a BD of 9, and 100% Phase on a BD of 10 or higher. BD modifiers such as ACC can activate these Phase attributes.

 

Edited October 1 by Wulfrin

[Tiye 0]

Tiye gave a half-assed salute at Freyd’s instructions. “I’m actually just here to watch,” she supplied dully, already in the middle of plopping herself down on a nearby rock. “Not really interested in whatever special skill you’re talkin’ about. The EXP is all I want, but you all can do whatever you’d like. Just imagine I'm not here.”

She had just made herself comfortable on what was a subjectively uncomfortable seat when the sand shark emerged from the ground, spraying bits and dust of the desert with it. The rest of the party went at it, throwing punches and strikes that had already withered down the mob’s HP to half. What’s the point of punching in a game called Sword Art Online? She wondered, popping another slice of a tangerine in her mouth. Tiye chewed on it thoughtfully. Did people just start bitching about how their punches did nothing that they just had to implement a martial arts skill? She scoffed, shaking her head. Stupid ass beta testers.

“Woo. Go team,” she cheered with the enthusiasm of an eroded rock.

Spoiler

 

Freyd | HP: 1160/1160 | EN: 142/154 | DMG: 24 | MIT: 105 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 7 | BH: 63 | VAMP-D: 121 | LD: 6 | HLY: 16 | FLN: 16 | PARA IMMUNE | REC: 8 [GRAPPLING 1/5]
Bee | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20 | DMG: 2 | ACC: 2
Knightingale | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | MIT:26 | ACC: 5 | TAUNT | THORNS:18
Tiye | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | +1 LD

[3,1,0,0] Terra Firma | HP: 484/950 (485-1) | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4 [F-STUNNED]

Move Swiftly | This boss is impervious to benefits provided by the Concentration skill. Additionally, all players suffer a -1 penalty to BD when attacking this boss.

Hard-Scaled | Paralysis, Paralytic Venom, and Freeze are ineffectual against this boss.

Deaf | This mob has no ears, and therefore is immune to the effects of debuff songs.

Weak Spots | On a Player's natural BD of 9 or 10 when attacking this creature, they will gain 50% Phase for that attack. This does not stack with the Phase enhancement.

Assault Mode | If a Player has exploited one of Terra Firma's <<Weak Spots>> during the battle, Terra Firma will activate <<Assault Mode>>. On an LD of 11+, this mob will identify stealthed Players. Its ACC and EVA will swap for the duration of its attack, then revert to normal. It will gain 50% Phase on a BD of 9, and 100% Phase on a BD of 10 or higher. BD modifiers such as ACC can activate these Phase attributes.

 

[Freyd 0]

His previous run had gone on for ages, the blasted beast playing a confounding game as the two of them had danced around each other for what seemed like ages.  This time would be different, and he'd ensure it by doing the very last thing the mob expected.  Freyd stood still.  One hand outstretched, he beckoned the scaled monster to come at him.  His other fist he kept concealed behind him, slowly building up the necessary power for a single, devastating strike.

"Oh boy," he groaned, half-expecting Fate to turn against him and leave him mauled on the sands.  She was a fickle bitch, after all. 

But, not this time.  This time Terra Firma did exactly what was expected and Fortune smiled in the form of a keening wail sharp enough to wake a sleeping banshee mother with triplets.  As row upon row of serrated teeth crested the sand, fully intending to gnaw on his tender bits, Freyd spun and smashed with his hidden hand.  Hot knife met butter.  The analogy was eerily apt as the Whisper's hand craved the giant bulette in twain, the gaping maw of oblivion wrapped around his fist devouring every last shard of the disintegrating beast until nothing remained to litter the basin floor.

"Nuts.  No extra skill, I guess, but we can still make the breakfast special at Himala's, if we hurry.  Congrats, gang," he added with marginal enthusiasm.  "You have just completed your sharkbait training program.  Congratulations on achieving level whatever.  Please come again soon."

Stuffing his hands into pockets his clothing didn't seem to have, Freyd leap to the top of the surrounding cliff wall with little effort and casually headed back towards Fortaleza.

***

Spoiler

Freyd regains +4 EN
CD 7 (+8 REC proc) ID #234599

Post Action | ST-B (x20, 20 EN): 20 EN - (Rested 1/2; Stamina) = 17 EN.  
Free Action [item] | Crystal of Divine Light

ID #234600 | BD:7+7-4-1=9 (hit, Fallen +24).  DMG (20*48=960-150=810) vs Terra Firma.  Dies.

Freyd | HP: 1160/1160 | EN: 137/154 (142+4+8-17) | DMG: 24 | MIT: 105 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 7 | BH: 63 | VAMP-D: 121 | LD: 6 | HLY: 16 | FLN: 16 | PARA IMMUNE | REC: 8 [GRAPPLING 2/5]
Bee | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20 | DMG: 2 | ACC: 2
Knightingale | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | MIT:26 | ACC: 5 | TAUNT | THORNS:18
Tiye | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1 | +1 LD

[5,1,0,0] Terra Firma | HP: 0/950 (484-810) | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4 [F-STUN-IMM 1/3]

• Move Swiftly | This boss is impervious to benefits provided by the Concentration skill. Additionally, all players suffer a -1 penalty to BD when attacking this boss.
• Hard-Scaled | Paralysis, Paralytic Venom, and Freeze are ineffectual against this boss.
• Deaf | This mob has no ears, and therefore is immune to the effects of debuff songs.
• Weak Spots | On a Player's natural BD of 9 or 10 when attacking this creature, they will gain 50% Phase for that attack. This does not stack with the Phase enhancement.
• Assault Mode | If a Player has exploited one of Terra Firma's <<Weak Spots>> during the battle, Terra Firma will activate <<Assault Mode>>. On an LD of 11+, this mob will identify stealthed Players. Its ACC and EVA will swap for the duration of its attack, then revert to normal. It will gain 50% Phase on a BD of 9, and 100% Phase on a BD of 10 or higher. BD modifiers such as ACC can activate these Phase attributes.

Loot Terra Firma: ID #234601 | LD: 12+6+1=17 | CD: 1
+2 materials (+2 CD odd)
4,987 col (HP[950]*5 - incl. +2 LD even, +5% Col Deposit)
T4 Rare Consumable 234601a
T4 Rare Weapon 234601b

Edited October 4 by Freyd

[KnightinGale 0]

Having failed to deliver a meaningful blow, KnightinGale prepared to strike again. The beast disappeared beneath the sands from which it came. Silence befell the arena as the group waited in anticipation. Well except for the pajama man. He seemed to track the unseen boss to where it would eventually emerge. They simply stood, one fist clenched behind their back while the other extended forward goading the boss to strike at him as if it was some drunkard in a bar that just called him some derogatory term. That or he was having fun. It was impossible to tell with how much of his face was covered. The sand shark dived bellow the sands again before emerging, toothy maw wide open to devour its meal. Instead of accepting fate, the clenched fist moved forward causing the beast so split straight down the middle.

"Brutal," KnightinGale said in bewilderment. "Note to self: Don't piss off the Sharkslayer."

With a simple coagulations, the warrior leapt out of the arena leaving KnightinGale with the other players alone in the sandy basin.

"Wait!" KnightinGale shouted out. "The fuck's an extra skill?" But their escort had already dissapeared into the sandy wastes. "Damn it. Left with more questions than answers . . . again."

[Bee 0]

Bee continued to rub her knuckles, watching intently as Freyd pummeled the sand shark back into the ground. It exploded. She had never seen anything die before. The corpse turned into blue sparkles, floating away from Freyd's fist. She could do nothing but stare in awe. Is this what the frontlines are like?

With their quest complete, the group immediately began to split up. Left alone with the two women, Bee panicked and scurried off. "Oh, ok bye," she mumbled, hurrying back to Fortaleza.

A new to-do list replaced the old. Screw Rosa. She didn't need her. She needed a weapon, some form of protection, and a whole lot of experience. Where better to start than the beginning? To Floor One she would go, in search of quests, combat, and people to heal. She jogged through the hot city, her shoes full of sand, and climbed aboard the teleporter.

"Town of Beginnings!" Bee called.

[Tiye 0]

The quest was done faster than it took them to even arrive at the location, and Tiye had to bite back a groan, already having to get back up after she had just sat down. “Yay,” she said rather unenthusiastically, bumping up her first in the air before she closed it over her mouth for a yawn. With a sigh, she rose back up to her feet, patting off the sand on her lap.

“Thanks,” Tiye said simply, giving the party’s sole carrier another mock salute just before he left. 

She didn’t even catch the mystery man’s name before he was off into the night– or the desert, she guessed. It worked for her, at least. No unnecessary words. No hassle. Really, all interactions should be like this. “Alright. Later, I guess.” Tiye gave the rest of the party a noncommittal wave as she retraced her steps back to Fortaleza, ready to conk out for the rest of the day.