[F2-PP] Embers Fanned into Flames

[Freyd 0]

Sitting in the living room at Witherwind Rest, Freyd stared ponderously at an idle bit of crimson crystal in a bell jar sitting at the centre of the heavy oak table.  He'd been staring at it for nearly an hour, packaging and unpackaging every bit of data his labyrinthine brain had every squirreled away about an existential threat that had marked his own rise to the ranks of the front lines, and also nearly cost hundreds of fellow players their lives.  Katoka would have received his invite by now, coordinates provided with a request for discretion.  Though he hated the necessity, Freyd wasn't about to take unnecessary risks with their lives.  Elora meant too much to him.  

Forsaking his hermit's life in a sterile underground dungeon, they had found this place together, on the edge of the High Fields of Crossing, upriver from Urbus.  Isolated, scenic, surrounded by cascading waterfalls and lush greenery against the backdrops of limestone cliffs, they had both agreed that it was perfect.  And so, they built a home.  Its details mirrored traits from both of them, some elements in stark contrast and others in harmonious balance.  It was so them, that Freyd smiled every time he discovered another sign of its presence.  The house felt warm, and full of life.  So did he, which made the threat Katoka had carried to his doorstep all the more poignant.  Realizing what truly matters means facing the potential to lose it.  Freyd's original, clinical solution, had been to allow himself nothing to lose. It maintained his existence, but he was never truly allowing himself to live.  Elora had taught him that, with her vibrancy and passions, ebbing and cresting all at once.  What a majestic, furious storm she was - and unimaginably appealing to the steady rocks upon the shore. Given enough time, even they were worn down and forced to realize and admit to themselves how much they loved the sea.

Two steaming cups of tea simmered on the table, scented with a dab of vanilla he'd acquired from a vendor whose shop was nearest Marv's post along the wall at the Town of Beginnings.  It was the scent he most closely associated with peace and tranquility, and they would need both based on the threat sitting bare and defiant before the Whisper's inquisitive gaze.

***

@Katoka

Vanity Tag: @Elora

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.

Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1] - Used 2024.06.26

Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 156/156 | DMG: 21 | MIT: 45 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 3 | BH: 64 | LD: 6 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | V.D.: 129

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows
Level: 33
Paragon Level: 130
HP: 1180/1180
EN: 156/156

Stats:
Damage: 21
Mitigation: 45
Evasion: 4
Accuracy: 3
Battle Healing: 64
Loot Dice: 6
FLN: 16
HLY: 16
REC: 8
V.D.: 129

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Samael's Pride | T4 MA | FLN 2 | HLY 2  
Armor: Black Cowled Traveling Garb | T4 CA | VD 2 | REC 2
Misc: Fight O'er Flight (ACC 2 | EVA 2)

Combat Mastery: Damage R3
Combat Shift: AOE
Familiar Skill: Grappling Familiar
Custom Skill: 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
Forgotten King’s Authority
Hiding R4

Inactive Extra Skills:
Meditation
Frozen Hide
Brawler
Photosynthesize

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:  Shadowed Rose (ACC 3 | Para.Imm.) 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] - Used 2024.06.26
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 June 27 by Freyd

[Katoka 0]

The urgency of Freyd's invitation to his and Elora's home was something that cause Katoka to think that maybe her trip through the Fire Forest just last week had been something a bit more pressing. While the message he had sent had simply invited her over to talk over tea, deep down she knew that the items she had left with him had spurred a much more visceral reaction than she had thought. The blonde had spent the morning tidying up around her home, mostly busy work to keep her anxiety in check. She kissed Sam goodbye, only exchanging a few words before she finally left.

Her relationship had become a bit, strained as of late. Kat had found herself keeping the information of her last few close calls from her fiancé, certain that the news would cause her more distress than she was already feeling. She hated keeping things from her, but she didn't need her to worry more than she already was. With a sigh she began her walk towards the teleport gate, making sure to double check the route she needed to take in order to find her friends home.

Half an hour later she was knocking on the door to a beautiful home that had seemed like it was out of a magazine. When she had first set foot into the area she had felt her mouth drop at the gorgeous waterfalls and lush greenery of the area. It was both secluded and foresty, both perfect for Freyd and Elora. After a few moments the door opened and she flashed the brother of her found family a bright grin. She could tell that this new life was doing him good.

"Well, I wish my first visit was here under better circumstances, but regardless thank you for having me over."

----

Katoka | HP: 780/780 | EN: 112/112 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 78 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 5 | BH: 42 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8

Spoiler

Katoka,
Level: 33
Paragon Level: 20
HP: 780/780
EN: 112/112

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 78
Evasion: 1
Accuracy: 5
Battle Healing: 42
FLN: 16
HLY: 16
REC: 8

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Muramasa's Legacy | T4/Demonic/Katana | Holy II, Fallen II
Armor: Oni Haori | T4/Demonic/Light Armor | MIT 2, REC 2
Misc: Aquamarine | T4 Demonic Trinket | ACC III, EVA I

Custom Skill:

Skills:
Katana R5
Light Armor R5
Battle Healing R5
Energist

Active Mods:
Meticulous
Vengeful Riposte

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Ferocity
Stamina
Resolve
Precision

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

Inactive Extra Skills:

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleportation Crystal x5
Starter Healing Potion x1
Tincture of Recovery | HP Recovery x5

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
Basic Training: +5% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]

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

Scents of the Wild:

Wedding Ring:"

 

[Freyd 0]

Showing his friend into the living room, without grand ceremony or any semblance of a tour, it was blatantly obvious that Freyd didn't entertain, didn't care too, or - more likely - didn't have a clue that people did such things.  That he'd even thought to pour her a hot beverage was progress.  Gesturing for this fellow captain to take a seat, the Whisper practically flopped into his own, his eyes flickering repeatedly back to the crystal on the table.  

"You're looking good, as always, Kat, but something tells me you haven't been getting much sleep lately."  Any subtext was left as such - whether a reference to her revealed escapades on floor 28, added duties as captain, or less obvious tensions with Sam.  Freyd would not say and merely put it out there that he recognized the telltale signs.  "I've been meaning to check out that floor myself, after certain, odd and recent reports.  There are questions, but perhaps you can answer them just by filling me in on what happened, and where this came from."  If eyes could grimace, his were surely doing so, glaring angrily at the shard as if its very existence was a source of displeasure.  Kat knew him well enough to know his ire was entirely focused on the stone, and though his manners were curt, he was thankful that she'd informed him so swiftly.

Settling into his chair, Freyd pulled his own drink to his lips, slurping silently while waiting for the tale to begin.

[Katoka 0]

A long sigh escaped from Katoka's lips as she sat down opposite of Freyd. She rarely could keep her feelings hidden from him, which was ironic considering he rarely displayed his outwardly. Forcing a grin that didn't reach her eyes she shook her head, "That's a story for another time. For now I feel like this is a more pressing matter."

Despite her being a captain for their guild she still saw herself as the Whisper's subordinate. He was much more active than she was and he was several steps ahead of her in strength. Her hand rested reflexively on the hilt of her katana in an attempt to comfort herself. She would catch up. Especially with his new sword. After a moment she cleared her throat and began to give Freyd her formal report on her trip.

"Last week I set out into the Fire Forest on floor 28." her voice was bit shaky at the start as she wasn't very good at 'public speaking', "I initially was just planning to explore the floor itself to see if there were any hidden quests or objectives that hadn't been reported just yet. I know that information gathering is your expertise but I like to do my own from time to time. " now her tone had settled into something a bit more formal. Her mind distracted by the replay of the events in her head. "At first there was more of the same. Just your ruin of the mill animals, mostly albino like the info brokers all put out."

As she spoke more she eventually made eye contact with Freyd, her face serious and no longer held any traces of her initial anxiety. "I heard voices in the forest, off the main road that I had been following. I let my curiosity get he better of me and looked for the source, wanting to see if it was NPCs with any information or just players doing much of the same." Her mouth formed into a thin line as she inhaled through her nose, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing.

"It turned out to be a couple of players. Just two guys that seemed to be putting... Something together. I couldn't really make it out at the time. They were anxious though, well one of them was. The other was more concerned with finishing with whatever it was that they were assembling. They mentioned having a boss I think?" she shook her head as she bit her thumbnail for a moment, attempting to remember the details in the correct order. "I couldn't make out what they looked like unfortunately. The anxious one was short and a bit on the plump side, wearing a skull mask, and the other guy was tall and hooded. Once they finished up they both used teleport crystals to get the hell out 'before it spreads' I think one said."

"I could only make out one's destination, Tolbana. The other was too hard to hear." the samurai felt her skin begin to crawl as she remembered the next part. She looked away for a moment and rubbed her arms in an attempt to calm herself. She leaned forward to take hold of her cup, taking one more sip of tea before continuing. "It was... meat. They were spreading cuts of meat around the tree and hanging a jar above it to drip down. There were crystals, weird looking crystals that were resting on top of the cuts and the potion was dripping down onto them."

"One of the guys left that jar behind so I grabbed it, and I corked that potion bottle to try and stop it. Unfortunately it was too late. A few wolves had come out of the woods and some of the pieces had fallen into place. They were luring the mobs of the forest with whatever this stuff was."

"There were only three of them so at the time, while freaked out by this gross potion, I still thought I had things under control." she eventually met the Whisper's eyes once more. "I was wrong Freyd." she shivered but continued, "The first one was covered in crystals, growing out of it like a weird infection, but they were different than the ones in the jar. These ones looked wrong, like they themselves were corrupted. And even though I killed it, the damn thing didn't stay dead."

"While we fought the other two wolves ate the meat trap and just fell over dead, but they eventually got up again. They all had the same growths and every time I killed them they didn't shatter, they turned into this blight goop and the crystals slurped them up like they were a dog smoothie and just made them whole again." her voice was beginning to shake again and her eyes were growing wide. "I eventually figured out that destroying the crystals before they could spit the wolves back out again was the strat, but they were wearing me down. Their bites... They hurt so bad. And they were resistant to the blight effects of my old weapon."

Kat finally fell silent, her breathing ragged and her eyes slightly moist. She spoke one final time, "I don't know what the hell those things were, but I'm sure of a few things after that. The first? Those guys wanted people to get hurt by those things, they made it seem like that wasn't the only monster lure they had set up. The second, they were acting on someone else's orders, so they probably have been planning this for a while. Hell they have probably been doing this on other floors for all we know! And finally, when I left those woods? It felt like I was being watched by someone or something. I don't know which of those scares me the most."

With a final sigh she slumped back into her seat, drinking the last remaining bit of her drink.

[Freyd 0]

“I had really hope that Firm Anima had put an end to Lun’Rael’s foul curse,” Freyd muttered, having listened in stillness and silence to the fullness of Katoka’s story.  Like a sponge, he’d soaked in every detail, building a memory model in the bag of conniving cats - or maybe mongooses - that passed for the  ever-spinning wheel of a Whisper’s mind.  But it was the other half at play, not the goofy agent of chaos constantly flirting casually with doom, but his colder, calculating self that was the truly terrifying part of the guild’s head of O&I.  Tempered by the influence of his friends, Katoka chief among them, Freyd had learned to harness that analytical machine for better purposes than sheer ruthless calculus.  Caring could go a long way.

“These players you mentioned, did either of them use or give up a name, even in passing?  That would be enough for us to track them.”

Examining the vial of tainted pheromones, accessing the item properties via his appraiser’s menu, the wily spymaster gleaned for them their first clue. 

"Crafted items often bear a tag revealing their creator as a means of boasting and promotion.  Few ever remembered the feature even existed. That oversight granted an opening, which might be all we need.  Pride goeth… or some such. Based on your tale, I’d say the best place to start would be Tolbana.  I’ll have someone look further into the Fire Forest, then follow up myself when we’re done elsewhere.  Thanks for bringing this to me, Katoka.  This.. thing,” he added, jerking his thumb to the red crystal shards.  “I have a long history with it.  One I would really rather close, if only to ensure that it can’t hurt anyone else again.”  

Freyd leaned forward, uncharacteristic concern in his eyes.  “Are you okay to do this, or would you prefer that I investigate on my own?”  He didn't doubt her abilities or ferocity, but the Curse of the Sundered Spire twisted things upside down, even occasionally inside out - literally.  It led to the sort of experiences even veteran players couldn't casually dismiss.  Her reactions had already revealed as much.  First and foremost, Freyd was worried about his friend.

[Katoka 0]

"An end to who now?" the samurai arched a brow at the name, wondering where she had heard it before.

Her hands felt slightly clammy as Freyd spoke, her anxiety doing its best to grab hold of her and not let go. She wiped her hands on her legs and shook her head, "No, I didn't hear any names used unfortunately, only them arguing in a panic before leaving as quickly as possible."

Her eyes drifted to the jar of crystals and rested there for a moment, "Whatever these things are, I really don't like the fact that players are going out of their way to try and hurt people. It's... wrong. Cowardly and horrible and just..." she let out an angered sigh before looking up at the Whisper with a fiery gaze, "I can't look the other way knowing what I do now. I'm apart of this whether I like it or not and I plan to see whatever this is through until the end."

She crossed her arms and waited, her determination unwavering despite her knee bouncing nervously.

[Freyd 0]

"Lun'Rael?"  Freyd often forgot that others didn't indulge... no... gorge themselves on Aincrad's lore to the same extent that he did.  "Uh... dark elf queen from floor twenty-three.  It's all background info to the floor raid, and before my own active time on the front lines, but..."  Freyd's features twisted as he struggled to convey all the raw data in a more concise manner.  "Suffice it to say that she seems to have been the source of the Sundered Spire's red crystal curse.  Raidou and I led a large contingent of the guild against her, once we'd confirmed it and found her hiding place, and thought we'd finally put her down for good.  I really hope that hasn't changed."

It was reassuring to her his companion's fierce determination flare once more.  She'd been rattled, it was clear, and that sort of thing could be difficult to help her deal with.  "Good," he said, simply, once she'd found her resolve.  Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, a muted smirk and nod were all he offered.  She'd know their worth.  Freyd didn't give his respect or approval easily, and she'd earned it in spades.  A few taps into the air dismissed the two object into the air.  He was too worried that Elora might think they were neat and let Boris snuggle up to the crystals like some sort of igneous stuffy.  Elementals were weird.  More importantly, he didn't relish having to put down her familiar if it somehow became infected.

"Alright.  Tolbana.  Our quarry's there.  I can find them, but still don't have a name, so we should play this smooth.  It's not like we'll be able to do much in the safe zone anyway."  A hint of concern played plain across his features.  "And be careful. Neither of us wants to earn an orange marker by accident.  That would really ruin the weekend."

[Katoka 0]

"Other than the height and weight differences between the two, and their clothing choices, I don't really have much else on how the looked unfortunately." she shrugged as she stood up. "I guess we're headed to the first floor then."

Katoka helped Freyd clean up the tea and tea cups from their talk before the two set out for the teleport gate on the second floor. It would take them a bit to get there, however she was certain they could make the time pass quickly. "What do you think they were up to? Do you think they're trying to kill people on purpose? Or maybe it was just a prank gone wrong?" she tried to imagine how two people could go as far as making nearly undying monsters as a way to play a joke on someone. "Scratch that last one, probably not a prank."

The samurai held her chin with her thumb and forefinger as she began to think out loud. "What benefit would they even get from killing players like that? I guess a work around for not becoming an orange name? What a sick way to get your rocks off." She shook her head in disgust. Just the thought of killing someone here made her stomach churn. Even if there was not blood or a body the was left behind, you still killed the person out in the real world.

"Oh, are you able to appraise the gross pheromones that I found while we're moving? Maybe we can at least get a name off of them."

[Freyd 0]

Grunting an acknowledgement, Freyd didn't appear to buy the prank theory either.  His machine-like mind was already dissecting the evidence provided by Katoka and pairing it like sets of misshapen puzzle pieces in his head.  Did anything fit with what he'd previously gleaned about the Spire?

"My greatest concerns about the curse of the Sundered Spire, or other similar digital - let's call them plagues or viruses - that they might somehow one day manage to infect a player.  That could spell all of our doom.  We already don't have the numbers to field consistent raid parties.  The frontlines have grown weary, even exhausted.  Many of the older members have stepped back, and it's difficult to blame them for it.  Raids can get under your skin."  Flashbacks swarmed his mind's eye of the raid against Shadow, Freyd plunging his sword into the tainted minotaur guardian under the boss' control.  The things he'd seen and felt in that moment haunted him still in ways that would terrify even his closest friends.  Thank goodness for Elora and Mina, and others too.

"I'm not sure this is that, but it smacks of the same sort of malevolence, baiting ambushes for unwary players.  Floor 28 would be an odd choice, since it was only recently unlocked.  Newbies would free range there so soon, unless they had a death wish.  Could this be a plot against the Frontliners? Vigilon and Krysta stumbled onto a similar vendetta just prior to the last raid."

Walking and talking, Freyd led them back to Coral and its teleportation arch, rambling speculations as he went.  It was rare for him to do so openly, often preferring silence, but he wanted Katoka to hear this meandering thoughts in case they jarred something else in her memories.

"Tolbana."  Cowl in place and precautions taken, Freyd's trusty mob-eating mitts were once again wrapped firmly about his fists, probably trying to eat his hands away every moment that he wore the dangerous artifacts.  "I already scanned the pheromones while we were chatting.  We're looking for an alchemist named Veradine.  I suggest we start by asking Zackariah or Evangeline.  People forget that everyone starts their profession training in the same places, and these NPCs have excellent memories."

***
Vanity tag: @Vigilon for the Operation Pompeii reference.

Freyd uses Tracking on Veradine.

Edited July 25 by Freyd

[Katoka 0]

Thoughts of her alchemist quest replayed in her head as they entered the first floor. She cringed remembering the failed attempts at gathering materials for brewing. "I suppose it's not too far off for them to remember stuff I suppose. I tend to forget that some NPCs can retain info just as much as I forget they they aren't actually people." she scratched her head as her thoughts overflowed, "This game really is something else. I can only imagine how far off we are from Cardinal making a world indistinguishable from real life."

As the two walked Kat felt her mind jumping from on thing to another when she settled back on the fight with the wolves again. "Hey, did the guys you fought ever seem like they weren't affected by your weapon effects? I found it odd that the blight from my old sword did nothing to them but maybe it had something to do with the pheromones that dripped all over the meat?" she was only making assumptions at this point but it was better than letting her mind wander to what was happening at home, or not happening was more like it. "If these people are finding a way to make nearly unkillable monsters that are immune to some of our status effects, then we might be in more trouble than we think."

She turned to the Whisper as they rounded a corner, a familiar building that many new players visit coming into view. "What are we going to do once we find this person? Something that doesn't involve us getting orange names." she felt her hands begin to get clammy, "Do you think they're just going to run? Are we going to have to fight them?"

[Freyd 0]

"If there's one thing you can count on in here, it's that no two NPCs truly operate alike.  Which is really weird, when you think about it.  Don't they operate off the same base code?  Shouldn't they be generic, robotic mimicry machines?  Bugs in the machine. Random bits of code.  Call it what you will.  One downside to Kayaba's grand plan is that he can't actually afford a reboot without losing all of his captives.  Who knows how long the servers have been running by now?  And given the AI in the background, who knows what quirks could develop?"

Freyd strode with purpose through the main plaza and boulevards of the Town of Beginnings, random players spotting the pair and parting a path before them as if reading some sort of ominous undercurrent at play.  Grey storm clouds smothered the skies, churning unpredictably.  It roused plenty of chatter, but no one could tell which way the wind was blowing.  It mirrored the two companions' moods perfectly.

"Can't say I recall Spire troops being especially resistant or immune to any elemental damage effects."  A montage of different twisted mobs played out in the Whisper's mind's eye, each of them felled by a certain sword that flexed around his hands in its newest, latest form.  "Each had unique properties, but nothing consistently unique. The tainted pheromones might have interacted with the effects of Blight specifically, or for those wolves.  We'd need a larger sampling to be sure.  I think you'll agree that that's best avoided."  Smirking, Freyd nodded subtly to a certain familiar guardsman as they exited the gates to the open roadway.  Tolbana wasn't far.

"Let's not jump to conclusions about unkillable foes.  That sort of talk breeds panicked exaggeration and girlish screeching, both of which we can live without.  Besides, you've already proven that these things can be beat." 

By the time they reached Tolbana, Freyd's appearance had completely changed.  Shorter, stockier, dressed in common starting gear familiar to every player in Aincrad, he was the epitome of the standard issue newb.  "Oh, we're not here to find Veradine, just yet.  We're her to find out about Veradine: what she looks like, her quirks and interests, maybe even who she hangs out with, and where.  Remember what I said about NPCs?  Most people think they also forget everything, but not if they haven't rebooted either."

The face was different.  But the grin was exactly the same.

Edited July 31 by Freyd

[Katoka 0]

Katoka came to a complete stop as she observed Freyd's new appearance. She looked down at herself and then back at him before violently pointing in his direction, "Wait do I need a disguise too?!" she panicked as she opened her inventory and scrolled through trying to find something, anything, that would change her appearance. After a few minutes she let out a sigh and closed the menu, "I was not prepared for this. I've never done a stake out before." Her eyes flashed with realization as she reached up and let her hair down. "There! How's this?"

As the two walked the streets of Tolbana Katoka continued to speculate on the individual they searched after, "So once we find this Veradine, what are we going to do? Do we try and capture them? Or do we just, kind of follow around and see what they do?" while she spoke she looked around, seeing if anyone seemed to stand out as an evil potion maker. She made sure to cover her mouth a bit and whisper the name in case anyone they passed was their target. Kat was beginning to think that she was not the person to have been brought along on a reconnaissance mission like this. There was a reason she wasn't in O&I after all.

[Freyd 0]

"Yeah, see, this is where things get kinda tricky." Making a face halfway between a grin and grimace, the implication was that any method would be far from foolproof or results guaranteed.  "Aincrad doesn't really facilitate this sort of thing very well, unless you know what you're doing.  For now, we gather what information we can from Zackariah and Evangeline.  Hopefully they remember those odd little details like: who Veradine might have partied with, quirks of behaviour, assorted slips of the tongue, whether she exhibited any unusual traits or carried odd items, etc.  It's always best to go after prey knowing as much as you can in advance."  

Leading them through the familiar streets, the Whisper spared several glances towards the skies, wondering if rain might be in the mix.  Katoka's curious camouflage attempts aside, the easiest way to avoid being seen or noticed was to keep people from looking your way in the first place.  A timely storm might just fit the bill.  Contingency onions were already building layers in his mind.

"I'm hoping to learn something we can use.  Is she a loner?  Was she skittish or brash?  Did she have allies we should know about, or indicate that she was part of a guild?  Anything can help us decide our next steps.  If we spook her and she runs, we might be facing more trouble than we expected.  Better to just play this safe and see what she's up to when she thinks no one is watching. Then we see if we can trick her into revealing something.  If she has friends, I can also do my thing and try to pass off as one of them."

Pausing, as if hesitating to bring it up, Freyd decided it was just best to put his worst fears on the table.

"And, if she has any of these crystals or pheromones at her disposal, we need to be extra careful.  We have no idea what they could do to NPCs, or what mobs they might draw into the village.  I don't relish what might follow."

There was clear concern in his eyes as a pair of young children ran by, carrying makeshift wooden boats as they dashed towards the nearby creek.  The stakes were suddenly starker than they had been mere seconds before.  Spontaneously spawning a sum of col into his hands, then tossing them into bin at the local wash lady's place, Freyd had clearly come this way with an extra objective in mind.  Grabbing a tattered peasant's dress and apron, he held them up in front of Katoka. Nodding to himself, he shoved the newly acquired if slightly smelly clothes into his companion's unsuspecting hands.  A quick thumb pointed over his shoulder towards a nearby tree pretending to offer faint cover and privacy.

"There.  That should do the trick.  Hopefully the size will suffice."

[Katoka 0]

Nodding along Katoka took the clothing she was handed and let her mind sift through what Freyd had said. She stepped behind the tree he had pointed at and equipped the clothing while her mind wandered. All they had to do was walk to the NPC and see if they could point them in the right direction. It seemed like a simple enough task, however there were probably several other factors that fed into that simple task that would alter the outcome in any way, shape, or form. Once she was finished changing Kat walked back over to Freyd and looked down at her clothes. "Well? Do I look disguised enough?" the samurai felt ridiculous in the peasant's clothing, but she felt a little more incognito than before. "Did you have to pick the ones that stunk so bad? Jeez."

The two disguised Firm Anima Captains pathed their way to the build in which Zackariah resided. As they entered Kat was met with the familiar smell that filled her shop from time to time. Drying herbs, bubbling elixirs, and what seemed to be the faint hint of some sort of food. An old man behind the counter turned to the both of them and grinned, opening his mouth the begin his usual speech. Kat cut him off as she cut him off, "Sorry Zack but we're not here to make potions with you today."

The older man stopped, his eyebrow arching, "Oh? Would you still like to have a bit of my fondue?" he gestured to a small pot behind him. "I-- No, no thank you. We wanted to ask you a few questions about someone that passed through here before. Someone that went by the name Veradine?"

Zackariah reached up and stroked his beard as he mumbled to himself, "Verdine. Veradine. Hmmm, the name does sound familiar. Why might you be asking about her Katoka?"

The blonde looked at her companion ever so slightly, they now knew that she was a woman now "Well-- Wait, you remember me?"

The alchemist chuckled, "Of course I do. I remember all my protégées." his eyes seemed to twinkle as he winked at her. Once Kat recovered, remembering what Freyd had said about the NPCs being able to recall more than she thought.

"Right, of course. Um. We wanted to know anything you could tell us about her because she seems to be making some rather, unsightly concoctions." Katoka nervously rubbed the back of her neck, "We think she might be trying to hurt people on purpose."

The old man arched a brow once again, reaching for a ladle nearby and turning around to stir the contents of the pot behind him. After a moment he turned back around and sighed, "Veradine, at least at the time, was a bright young woman. She had beautiful blue eyes and lovely white hair, much nicer than mine." he grinned as he gestured at his head, "She struck me as a bit odd, not really talking to many folks back then. Now when I see her every so often she seems to have a few friends with her." He waved at his shop, "She stops by every now and again to pick my brain on the interactions of certain items, but she is never alone. Always some large brutish man and a tiny little one with her, hurrying her along for some reason."

Katoka was surprised with the amount of information that the old man was able to provide. She could feel her heart rate accelerating as be spoke. "On other thing, she had pointed ears. Much like your elven friend Elora that I taught not long ago. Funny how there are a few of the elven folk that leave their homes to join us here isn't it?"

Kat inhaled deeply and turned to the Whisper near her. She almost jumped up and down on the spot at the literal treasure trove of information he was willing to give them. Gathering all her will power she turned once more to Zackariah, "When was the last time you saw her?"

He held his chin for a moment, taking his time to think. "I'd have to say a week or two ago? That was when she last stopped by. She will hurry about Tolbana from time to time so it would not be surprising to see here at any point in time." With that Katoka bowed and thanked the man profusely for telling them everything he could. He smiled in a way that seemed almost sad, "You can thank me by stopping the girl from hurting anyone. I don't like to see my students fall from grace."

With that the duo left the shop and found a nearby bench to sit on where they could discuss some of the info they managed to receive. "I didn't think there were other players that went the elf route like Elora. Also, this disguise must not have worked very well, Zackariah clocked me like instantly."

[Freyd 0]

"Never underestimate the value of authenticity when preparing a disguise.  Also, yes."  A manic grin confirmed suspicions that he was likely messing with her on at least some lesser level.

Freyd perused Zackariah's shop while his copilot conducted the interrogation, scouring the place for random inspiration has he half-listened to their conservation.  Eyes glanced askew at Katoka's once a name was dropped.  A lead.

"What kinds of items has she been seeking, if I may ask?"  The NPC's insights might connect dots linking Veradine more directly to the embers or toxic pheromones his colleague had brought him for inspection.  "If we know what she was after," he whispered, we might decipher where else she might appear or associate with.  The smaller clues could unravel even the most tightly wound conspiracy, if you just kept pulling at stray edges.  

"Oh, umm... smelting slag from Tealeaf and some strange crystals that looked similar to those found in the Crystal Caves, nearby."  The cave was familiar - part of a now defunct portion of one of the game's starter quests.  Only someone who forayed into the field early would know about it. Though he was no alchemist, Freyd's role as an appraiser required him to be a jack of all trades when it came to item creation.  "These sound like plausible raw materials for what you brought me, Katoka."  Zackariah continued his exposition in the background.

"Elven ears..."  That narrowed things down considerably.  Reaching into the shadow of a nearby bookshelf, Freyd pulled forth an infamous tiny black book and flipped through its laden pages in search of particular references.  The comparison to his beloved sent shivers down Freyd's spine, though he couldn't quite explain why.  Certain sensations were still too new.  Slipping a pencil from the same void, Freyd scribbled a few extra notes on a particular page, his visage lost in thought and the calculus of a potential ambush.  Snapping the small volume shut, he returned it and his writing instrument to their shared hidey-hole and followed Katoka out the door.

"Don't sell your disguise short...er." Another grin quickly barreled over by continued explanation.  "Zack's more astute than he looks, as you just saw.  I long ago came to appreciate his insights.  What NPCs can you think of that have probably interacted with more players than those offering the first lessons."  He paused, stunned for a moment.  "Hannah.  She used to be the quest giver for that particular lesson, if memory serves."  Brows furrowed, Freyd summoned a loose sheet of paper covered in charcoal - a memory from early days and a quest now rendered little more than nostalgia.  Katoka would see a heartwarming smile cross her friend's face, and the shaking of his cowl at his own dense idiocy.  He should have known then.

"We need to see Hannah and go to the cave.  If we can cut off their crystal supply, we stifle the threat.  All that will remain is dealing with the alchemist and any remaining products.  If nothing else, it mitigates the risks if she runs and gets away."

Spoiler