Acanthus 0 Posted September 13 Author #21 Share Posted September 13 (edited) Acanthus paused briefly before opening the chest. It had unidentifiable markings on it; clearly, it belonged to the people of this floor. It made her think twice. This is probably a cache left for the Sandborn to weather storms. I could be putting their lives at risk if I move or steal it. She realized how ridiculous she sounded. They aren’t people! They’re just routines in a prison you’re trying to escape. Even if they die, they all just return. Besides, it’s not like you’re killing them. Maybe they have a harder time weathering the sandstorm without this—and you’re assuming that’s what it’s out here for. Treasure chests spawn for players. So what if they dress it up like something else? Acanthus’ conviction grew firm as she felt the lightness of her pack. After all the food they had taken, it was only fair that she get something in return. With bated breath, she opened the Sandborn treasure chest. Sandstorm | 231404 CD 12 Spoiler Post Action: Searching for Treasure Chest 231275 | LD 20 + 11 | Chest found! Edited September 14 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted September 13 Author #22 Share Posted September 13 (edited) Acanthus needed the extra patience for the return journey. The ore seemed depleted, and Zamek now slowed down nearly every hour to read some new letter from his collection. She once had to run after the papers after they blew away in the wind. And the Sandborn has only become more persistent as she had given them food. It was like chumming the water; sometimes three or four would approach, and the asks slowly devolved into demands. Their travel rations depleted, Acanthus was having to exhaust her personal stash just to meet the requests of the bandits. Not to mention that the Sandstorm was as bad as it had ever been. She could barely see Zamek from a hand's length away. She tried to dig for her rope to tie them together again, before she realized she had given it away. Some of the Sandborn had requested it after one of their sleds broke down. She nearly cried. Acanthus yelled back at Zamek over the howl of the wind. “Zamek, am I able to drop you off in Saharda instead?” Zamek pleaded. “I’d much rather go back to Fortaleza. It’s where I lived with my wife.” “I understand that. But we’re out of rations, and the sandstorm looks like it’ll be even worse tonight. We may have to seek shelter.” Zamek looked distraught. “I want to go home, not to Saharda!” She noticed he wasn’t saying that he couldn’t be dropped off there. After a quick consultation with the info broker’s guide, she confirmed that any safe area would work. “And if you hadn’t given all those handouts to the bandits, then maybe—” Acanthus was past her limit. She stormed up to Zamek. “I do not care. We are going to Saharda. You can find someone else to take you back to Fortaleza, or you can make the trip now—alone.” Zamek shut his mouth quietly. After a pregnant pause, Acanthus stomped off, picking up her pack one last time. She was tired, she was exhausted, and she was ready to be done. Sandstorm | 231405 CD 1 Spoiler HP 640/660 Post Action: Opening Treasure Chest 231276 | LD 16 | 5 * 200 = 1,000 col. (10) materials. (2) T4 Perfect Weapon, (1) T4 Perfect Consumable Loot Total +274 foraging EXP (551) 14500 col gained (49) materials 1 demonic shard T4 Perfect Weapon | 231276a 231276b T4 Perfect Consumable| 231276c Edited September 14 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted September 13 Author #23 Share Posted September 13 (edited) She was ready to be done, but Cardinal was not. At the final chokepoint before Saharda, a wall of bandits stood between her and the quest’s end. In each hand was a spear, or axe, or sword. “Adventurer,” the front bandit stated gruffly. “You have been kind to us over the last day.” Exhausted, Acanthus nearly nodded. The bandit continued. “But not kind enough. My people live a harsh life, and we require more food. Grant it to us, and you may pass.” More food! She nearly screamed. Did the game want me to pack an entire pantry for an overnight trip? She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m all out of food. Even my personal stock has been depleted. I have nothing more to offer you.” The leader stepped forward. “I do not believe you. Give us your food.” “What food??” She laughed feverishly. “You ate it all. You, and that old man over there. I’ve barely had two meals over the last two days between your bandits and his gluttony.” Zamek appeared hurt, but didn’t say anything. “If you do not have food,” the bandit mused, “then we will need something else. Col, or valuables. You have been so good to us before, surely you can endure one last kindness for our sake?” The bandits all seemed to have the same face. It was a wall of greed, begging one last time for something, anything. It was Zamek who interrupted. “I… do not have much, but perhaps I can offer something as compensation?” He withdrew the gems from the folds of his robes. The bandits appeared starstruck. The speaking bandit clapped once with approval. “A splendid trade. Give us the jewels, and we will let you both go.” With that final demand, Acanthus felt all her feelings bubble up at once. Exhaustion, annoyance, sadness, rage, pure vitriol—they folded over into each other until she couldn’t tell them apart. She looked at the leader and offered a single, furious, defiant, “No.” Zamek looked uncomfortable. “Young miss, please don’t trouble yourself. I can replace the jewels, and they have no interest in the letters, which I count as the real—” “I said. No.” Acanthus spoke through a clenched jaw. The atmosphere shifted suddenly as tension overwhelmed the pass. The front bandit brandished his spear. “I am done with this quest, I am done with you, and you, and—” she drew her sword. “I am walking through the pass. If you are still there when I walk the distance between us, you will wish you hadn’t been.” A few of the bandits chuckled. “Adventurer, there are dozens of us. Don’t make this hard on yourself. We have no intention of killing you.” Acanthus continued walking, sword readied for combat. “Dozens? All I see are health bars. Small ones, at that.” Sandstorm | 231406 CD 3 Spoiler 640/660 Post Action: Gathering Materials 231276 | LD 1 + 11 | CD 1 + 1. Success! (1) material gained. +10 EXP Acanthus: 640/660 HP. Exhausted. Loot Total +284 foraging EXP (561) 14500 col gained (50) materials 1 demonic shard T4 Perfect Weapon | 231276a 231276b T4 Perfect Consumable| 231276c Edited September 14 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted September 13 Author #24 Share Posted September 13 (edited) It was a slaughter. The moment she stepped within reach of the first bandit, she lashed out. In a heartbeat, he was nothing but fragments. The remaining bandits lept into action. Channeling what she’d learned from mass combat at Faultwarren, she weaved through the fight, untouchable. The rare times a bandit did connect, their weapons bounced off her armor. “It’s no wonder you need the help,” she mocked one bandit as he collapsed. A single thrust through the temple, and his body dissolved. “Two dozen bandits, and you can’t even kill a single girl.” She hopped away from a rear strike before popping up to unleash a sword art on the nearest four bandits. They quietly fizzled as the sword art finished. “I tried being kind. I tried!” She yelled to no one in particular. “I gave you the last of my food. I gave the old man the only tent in my bag. And I’m tired of it!” She punctuated her last word with a thrust that spun one bandit around. Another slash finished him off. “The shirt off my back isn’t enough for you, is it Cardinal?” She tried charging a sword art, only to realize she was out of energy. But she didn’t feel exhausted as she had when she fought the ghasts. Resentment drove her past her limits, and the sword danced as she weaved brutally through the battlefield. With her damage multipliers gone, the bandit’s deaths were prolonged. Many of them now had time to cry out before the snap or slash that ended their brief, artificial existence. Acanthus shook with rage and sheer exhaustion as the final two bandits flanked her. She screamed at Cardinal. “You take my whole goddamn life away from me, and here you are, needling me for scraps of digital food in a world that doesn’t even EXIST!” She wheeled around, catching the rear bandit with the back of her fist. He slumped to the ground, and with a sharp kick, he stopped moving. Her fist came down again, and again, beating the bandit until he disappeared. Feeling the familiar vague sensation behind her, Acanthus brought her blade around in time to catch the incoming axe. The two struggled together for a moment before Acanthus viciously headbutted him. The bandit fell back, and she took advantage of the reprieve to leap into him, tackling him to the ground. She brought Meteor down one, two—three times. Four times. Five. The battle was over. Acanthus took one shaky breath, and looked up to Zamek. “Get moving. We have a quest to complete.” Sandstorm | 231407 CD 3 Edited September 14 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted September 13 Author #25 Share Posted September 13 (edited) THREAD SUMMARY EXP: 500 (Quest) + ((5310/10) * 1 * 4) = 2,624* 2 = 5,248 EXP +284 foraging EXP (561) Col: 14,500 (gathering) + 400 (page) + 500 (quest) = 15,400 col (50) materials (1) Demonic shard T4 Perfect Weapon | 231276a 231276b T4 Perfect Consumable| 231276c Edited September 13 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
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