[F16 | PP] Fishing for Answers | <<Scents of the Wild: Part Four>>

[Acanthus 0]

At Cordelia’s urging, Acanthus had visited the Monument of Life.

Belial. Kirbs. Roulette. Sugutsuya. The names repeated in her head like a broken record. Belial. Kirbs. Roulette. Sugutsuya. Part of her wished she’d never learned what the orange marker meant. Why did she have to ask Cordelia about Pinball? Idle conversation had turned her world upside down. After all the time she spent trying to set her worries aside, they threatened to break her down once more. Belial. Kirbs. Roulette. Sugutsuya.

She had spent the entire night reading the info broker’s guide on orange player cursors, PKers, and anything else she could get her hands on. How had she not seen this before? Even with her late start, she should have known. She should have read the guide front to back so she could have been prepared for anything. Belial. Kirbs. Roulette. Sugutsuya. Bags under her eyes indicated her exertion and stress.

And despite the new information, she found herself waiting for Pinball, outside the safety of Venrough. Belial. He has a cat named Pinball. Kirbs. If he wanted me dead, it would have already happened. Roulette. There has to be more to this that I can see. Sugutsuya.

Her mind flowed endlessly with thoughts and concerns that drowned out everything else. But when Pinball arrived, all she offered was a solitary “hello.”

Spoiler

 

Acanthus Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 82/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:8

Equipment (RP Note: I'm using my shiny new equipment but I'm RPing using the old equipment) Ajisai | T4 Bastard Sword | BLD 1 | PARA 2 Resilient Thistle | T4 Light Armor | MIT 2 | REC 1 Vow of Return | Trinket | ACC 3	Skills Straight Sword R5 Addon: Focus Addon: Precision Light Armor R5 Addon: Resolve Mod: Meticulous Searching R5 Mod: Night Vision Hiding R4 Combat Mastery: Damage R3 TECH Shift
Battle-Ready Inventory Zackeriah's Draught (T1 Healing 3) (3) Big Bertha's Braciole (3) Starter Healing Potions Consumables Used None

 

 

Edited September 13 by Acanthus

[Pinball 1]

And much like every meeting they'd had since starting the quest line, Pinball joined Acanthus on the outskirts of the Sixteenth Floor's safezone. The next quest had them fighting a fish, but first they'd have to go and fish it up. Swell. Pinball had once been one of the few people with the Fishing skill, back before it had been turned into a profession -- and now he also held the profession, although he never found much reason to use it. Apparently, though, it would make their time on that boat a little bit easier for them, and so he was grateful for that. 

Acanthus greeted him simply, and Pinball responded in kind. "Hello," he replied. If she was acting any differently, he did not yet realize.

"Come on. There's a boat down by the water already." 

*** 

Player Stats: 

Spoiler

Level: 33 (Paragon Level 43)
Health: 840 | Energy: 120
DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 
Shift: Tech

Skills:

Combat Skills:
► Battle Healing [22/30]
► Energist [8/8]
► Combat Mastery: Damage [13/13]

Weapon Skills:
► Thrown Weapons [30/30] 
    Add Ons: 
►Focus 
►Precision 
►Stamina 

Utility Skills:
► Quick Change [8/8] 
► Searching: [22/30] -> (Skylight: R5) 

Extra Skills:
► Disguise
► Survival
► Forgotten King’s Authority 
► Hiding [30/30]

Familiar Skill: 
► Rending Familiar [10/10]

Armor Skills:
► Unhindered 

Modifiers:
► Sneak Attack: Trickster 
► Vanish 
► Tracking
► Untraceable

Miscellaneous: 
► +1 LD to Looting, Searching for/Opening Treasure Chests (Paragon) 
► Earn Col Equivalent to 15% of player’s EXP earned in a thread (Paragon) 

Inventory:
»[Equipped] [Demonic] Cold Fervor: +2 Freeze, Phase, Cursed 
»[Equipped] [Perfect] Warrior’s Focus: +3 ACC
»[Equipped] [Perfect] Black Cloak: +3 EVA 

Battle Ready: 
» [Soundtrack] Sound of the Wild {Instant Incarcerate} 
» [x1] [Instant Incarcerate] Grasp of Tartarus 
» [x2] Teleportation Crystal 
» [x2] Lacrimosa - HP Recovery III Crystal {Instant}
» [Demonic TW] Hellfire: Burn, Bleed, Blight, Static
» [Demonic TW] Astral Blade: Holy, Fallen, Phase, Damage
» [Uncommon TW] Tyrfing: Absolute Accuracy  

 

Housing Buffs: 

Spoiler

\Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30.
Relaxed: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Item Stash: +1 BR Slot 
Skylight (Searching): +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cannot boost a skill without ranks, or increase a skill past its maximum rank. Cannot boost a skill the user has not learned yet. Ranks obtained using this buff will make the mods of that rank available for purchase. Mods obtained this way are unusable if this buff is removed until the skill is returned to the appropriate rank by way of SP purchase.
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt 

 

 

Edited September 14 by Pinball

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus followed him down to the waterline. The sky was overcast, and the weather was a touch too humid, but she would take this any day of the week over the drab darkness of floor ten. Belial. Kirbs. Roulette. Sugutsuya. The names rotated through her head again; she did her best to block them out. If they had to talk, it could wait. If she mentioned them before the fight, it might rock the figurative boat.

The boat by the water left much to be desired. It was a large dinghy that barely had enough room for the two of them. Was there not a larger vessel? It would be awfully cramped, and that wasn’t even considering the fight they were about to start. She briefly considered that they would have to leave the boat, but that seemed like suicide. Everything will be fine, she reassured herself. It will be fine.

She distracted herself by making small conversation. She hated it, but it was small talk or unsettling thoughts, and she chose the former. “It was unexpected to see you in Snowfrost the other day,” she began as she readied the boat for departure. “Do you often travel to the fourth floor?”

[Pinball 1]

They set up the boat quickly. Pinball was fairly eager to set out. Not out of any particular sense of excitement or urgency, but rather for the sole act of completing the quest. After doing different quests for so long, there came a point in time where a good chunk of them began to feel like a chore. He already had the stats, he already had the gear -- and still, progress on the frontlines were slow. He helped out when he could. He was helping out right now. What more could he do? 

He lost his train of thought as they loaded into the dinghy and cast off into the water. Pinball was silent, as was his wont, until spoken to. "Once upon a time," Pinball replied. He would have said more. He probably should have said more. But he didn't. A flood of memories came pouring back and it was all that Pinball could do was to keep rowing. He rowed, tight-lipped, his eyes on the water. They needed to reach some point deeper before they were able to start fishing. Apparently the boss they were hunting today preferred deep water. All the better to drown you in, Pinball supposed. 

[Acanthus 0]

“Once upon a time.” It was another one of his evasive answers. She almost pressed him for more. She was becoming desperate for something to latch on to. But she saw how focused he was on rowing, his mouth pursed in concentration.

“...Ok.”

Pinball rowed them out to the middle of the water. Without land nearby, Acanthus started to become unsettled. “Pinball, how do we find the fish? It’s one thing to track bosses on land, but are we supposed to… get in the water?” She glanced nervously into the black water.

“Pinball, please stay settled in the boat. I don’t want to fall in. Pinball… Pinball?” She turned to Pinball. Whatever was happening, it wasn’t him. The boat rocked slowly, then more, until it became so violent she couldn’t stand up. The water around them churned.

“Oh ff—”

The ocean erupted in a furious splash of water, and Moretsuna appeared. Acanthus fell backwards out of the boat, her thought cut short by the sudden dive. She quickly righted herself before lashing out underwater, hoping to catch the fish. She felt her blade connect with something, but could barely make out shapes in the darkness.
 

Spoiler

 

Combat Begins!

Post Action: TECH-A -> Fishie (-16 EN)
232091 | BD 8. Focus Critical! 21 * 16 = 336 - 125 = 211 damage. Stunned! Bleed applied.

Acanthus | Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 66/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:8
Pinball | Lvl 33 (Paragon Level 43) Health: 840 | Energy: 120 DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

<<Mōretsuna>> HP: 889/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 125 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Mōretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Mōretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Mōretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

 

 

Edited September 18 by Acanthus

[Pinball 1]

Eventually they rowed the boat out into deep waters. There was no land in sight. He let the oars go slack and let the boat just drift. It didn't take long for the boat to begin to wobble. Pinball frowned. The fish was there already? 

Moretsuna erupted from the water like a geyser, drenching the two of them in their boat and nearly capsizing them. Pinball let out a brief hissing noise through his teeth. Without stopping to aim, he hurled his knives towards where Moretsuna's body was -- where he thought it was. Pinball knew that if he tried really hard, he'd be able to kill it. It was just difficult in such strange conditions. His blade flew into the water and sank into darkness below. He couldn't be sure if they landed or not. Pinball produced a new pair of blades in anticipation of Moretsuna's next appearance. 

Around them, the water grew still. The fish was trying to lull them into a sense of false security, no doubt. 

Spoiler

Post Action: TECH-D -> Fishie {Well Rested} (-13 EN) 
232380 | BD: 3+5 (Hit) - 20*16= 320-105= 215 DMG

Moretsuna Attack Roll ->
{Stunned} 

Acanthus | Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 66/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:8
Pinball | HP: 840/840 | Energy: 107/120 | DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

<<Mōretsuna>> HP: 674/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 125 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 [1/3, SHATTER I] {Stunned}

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Mōretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Mōretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Mōretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

 

Edited September 20 by Pinball

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus felt the water around her flowing. She tried her best to concentrate on that, rather than her inability to see. Preparing her sword yet again, she struck out with all her strength. Her blade brushed past the fish’s oily skin, but did absolutely nothing. Maybe I shouldn’t be fighting in the water.

Clambering back into the boat like a wet dog, she stood back up and flung her hair out of her eyes. It didn’t work. “The water is cold,” she offered, bringing her blade back up. “I would recommend not getting thrown in. Unless you like being cold, I suppose.”

She gauged the now-calm waters. Moretsuna was not done with them, she was sure. She waited patiently for the waters to stir, eager to take the boss down. This one might have been her least favorite yet, but she was positive there was worse in store. “Pinball—”

The boat rocked ever so slightly, causing her to lose her concentration yet again. Then again, asking about the Monument of Life should probably wait until after the fight.

Spoiler

 

Recovery. 232475 | CD 11. +8 EN.

Post Action: TECH-B -> Sadgikarp (-2 EN) 
232474 | BD 1. Critical Miss.

Acanthus | Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 72/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:8
Pinball | HP: 640/840 | Energy: 107/120 | DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

<<Moretsuna>> HP: 674/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 125 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 [1/3, SHATTER I] 

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Moretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Moretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Moretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

 

 

Edited September 21 by Acanthus

[Pinball 1]

Though Acanthus had taken a tumble into the water, Pinball still remained in the boat. 

"The water is cold,” she offered. “I would recommend not getting thrown in. Unless you like being cold, I suppose.”

Pinball nodded solemnly. "I think you should get back in the boat." 

She didn't seem like she planned on getting back in, though. At least not yet. Fighting a fish in the water was a bold strategy. They'd see how it worked out soon, Pinball supposed. There was a moment during that silence that Acanthus looked like she was going to ask him something. He waited, but the moment didn't come. 

His eyes went to the calm water beginning to stir. Back in the day, when Fishing was still a skill, he had used his spear to catch the fish in lieu of a proper rod. It was impractical, but made the activity a bit more interesting. This was just like that... just with knives, instead of a spear, and the fish was three times the size of him. He hurled the knives into the water. The water began to calm again. He hoped the blades had found their mark, and shifted his attention to balancing precariously on the dinghy. 

A blast of water exploding at him like a geyser sent him flying off of it. 

Spoiler

Post Action: TECH-D -> Sadgikarp {Well Rested} (-13 EN) 
232585 | BD 5+5 (Hit) - 20*16= 320-85= 235 DMG

Moretsuna attacks ->
232586 | BD: 8+2-4 (Hit) - 200 DMG to Pinball 

Acanthus | Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 72/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:8
Pinball | HP: 640/840 | Energy: 98/120 | DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

<<Mōretsuna>> HP: 674/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 85 (-20, -20) | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 [1/3, SHATTER II] 

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Mōretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Mōretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Mōretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

 

Edited September 21 by Pinball

[Acanthus 0]

Moretsuna circled the boat, eager for one of them to fall back in. Pinball seemed much more sure on his feet, but the boss took that as an invitation to test him. With a targeted blast of water, Pinball flew backwards off the boat. “Pinball!” Acanthus yelled as he disappeared under the water. The brief moment without anyone listening encouraged her to open up and voice her deepest thoughts.

“Shit.”

She leapt back into the water.

This time, she was used to the cold, and her night vision helped her adjust to the dark depths. She vaguely made out the shape of Pinball—nope, that wasn’t Pinball. Acanthus scrambled for her sword, powering up just in time to unleash a glancing blow on the fish. With a kick of its fins, the fish sped away, likely circling around for another attack. I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, she thought to herself as she whirled around in the water. At least I’ll never have to do this again.

Spoiler

Recovery. 232672 CD 3 | +4 EN

Post Action: TECH-B -> Sadgikarp  (-16 EN) 
232673 | BD 5 + 5 - 1 = 9. Hit! 21 * 16= 336 - 85 = 251 damage. Delay applied.

(H: 3) Acanthus | Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 72/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:8
(H: 2) Pinball | HP: 640/840 | Energy: 98/120 | DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

<<Moretsuna>> HP: 423/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 85 (-20, -20) | ACC: 1 [Delay] | EVA: 1 [1/3, SHATTER II] 

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Moretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Moretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Moretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

 

 

Edited September 21 by Acanthus

[Pinball 1]

He saw dark shapes in the water but nothing more. His first thought was one of annoyance -- how had he let this fish knock him off the boat? His second was that Acanthus had been right. It was cold. But there was no use in dwelling on it. He began to ascend, swimming for the surface, looking to recover his place on the dinghy. 

But something big swam by him. He pulled his knives out. He felt it swimming towards him, some shift in the water warning him. He swam up and as it passed he buried both knives into the sides of it. Air bubbles escaped through grit teeth as the fish thrashed beneath the water, trying to shake him off, but Pinball held on, like the weirdest rodeo you'd ever seen, his face twisted in concentration. He wasn't sure how much air he had, but he told himself that it didn't matter. He didn't need it. Not until the fish was dead. 

*** 

Spoiler

Post Action: TECH-D -> Sadgikarp  {Well Rested} (-13 EN) 
233286 | BD: 2+5-1= 6 (Hit) - 20*16= 320-65= 255 DMG

Moretsuna attacks ->
233294 | BD: 4+1-4 (Miss) 

(H: 3) Acanthus | Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 72/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:8
(H: 3) Pinball | HP: 677/840 | Energy: 89/120 | DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

<<Moretsuna>> HP: 168/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 65 (-20, -20, -20) | ACC: 1 [Delay] | EVA: 1 [1/3, SHATTER III] 

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Moretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Moretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Moretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

 

 

Edited September 23 by Pinball

[Acanthus 0]

The fish leapt over the boat in a grand arc. Acanthus, in an equally grand fashion, stood in the boat and stretched Meteor as far up as she could, pointing straight up to the sky. In another life, she might have been gently guiding the great beast out to blue waters, freeing the large fish from captivity.

But this was not another life. Her blade connected with the underside of Moretsuna, ripping it open like a wet garbage bag. By the grace of Cardinal, the two were showered in a downpour of blue triangles, rather than fish guts. The boss vaporized, leaving a heavy air of anticipation in its wake.

She waited for the quest completion notification. And waited a little longer. Ping. She breathed a sigh of relief.

[Loot obtained from Moretsuna: 6,600 col, 2 [large fish scale], Rare Trinket (Unidentified)]

Her excitement pivoted to anxiety immediately. Those were common drops. Scrolling back to the quest journal, her objective remained unchanged. [Fish for Mōretsuna]. But that’s what we just did. We killed Moretsuna.

No. Wait.

Carefully reading the loot notification, she compared it to the quest objective. When she finally caught it, she swore. Composing herself, she prepared to break the news to Pinball—assuming he had not already figured it out himself.

“I believe we made a mistake.”

Spoiler

Recovery. 233349 | CD 1. +4 EN

Post Action: TECH-B -> The Great Imposter  (-16 EN) 
233350 | BD: 6 + 5 - 1 = Hit! 21 * 16 = 336 - 65 = 271 damage.

(H: 3) Acanthus | Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 60/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:5 (This incorrectly accounted for an unequipped trinket)
(H: 3) Pinball | HP: 677/840 | Energy: 89/120 | DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

<<Moretsuna>> HP: 0/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 65 (-20, -20, -20) | ACC: 1 [Delay] | EVA: 1 [1/3, SHATTER III] 

Loot For Moretsuna
ID: 233351 | LD: 2+5=7 | CD:7+0=7 | Col:6600, Mats:2, [233351a] T4 Rare Trinket     

Loot Total (Acanthus)
6,600 Col
(2) materials
T4 Rare Trinket | 233351a

 

 

Edited September 23 by Acanthus

[Pinball 1]

He had soared through the air atop the fish's back, his blades digging deep into its sides. Acanthus raised her blade and disembowled it, and suddenly, Pinball was riding nothing, and he again slammed into the water's surface. But the most important thing was that the beast was dead. Pinball swam up to the dinghy and climbed back into the boat. He was soaked. He hated it. It was cold, and he was miserable. 

Pinball was wringing out his cloak when Acanthus spoke up. 

"What?" 

A mistake? How could they make a mistake? The quest hadn't updated, true, and the tablet hadn't changed, also true, but -- 

-- Pinball peered over Acanthus's shoulder and stared at her rewards notification. 

"No way." 

Exhausted and exasperated, Pinball collapsed back into the boat. The dinghy rocked bobbed a bit beneath the surface from the sudden change in weight, splashing them with more water. Not that it mattered anymore. They were dripping wet and they'd be wetter, too, by the end of it. Pinball opened his menu and retrieved his old fishing rod. It had been a long time since he'd felt it in his hands, and if his mood hadn't already been soured by the revelation, he might have felt a little nostalgic. He wasted no time, and cast his line into the water. 

He waited a moment, and a moment more. Pinball scowled. No dice. Great.

*** 

Fishing for Moretsuna -> 
233540 | CD: 2+2 = 4 (Failure) 

Edited September 25 by Pinball

[Acanthus 0]

The air in the boat had noticeably soured. To Acanthus, the sourness didn’t feel directed at her, nor was her anger targeted at him. It was two people who should have read the quest directions a little closer. As a result, the already miserable quest dragged on. If anything, it was Cardinal’s fault. What kind of system puts a common mob in the same lake as a quest boss? She felt like the butt of one cruel joke after another sometimes.

“I didn’t realize you were clinging to the fish’s back,” Acanthus said. “I probably would have been a little more careful had I realized.” Her mouth curved upward dryly. “I would have let you ride the fish back into the lake for another lap or two. Maybe the real Mōretsuna would have seen the commotion.”

She realized Pinball had already started fishing; suddenly, her hands felt awkwardly empty. “I don’t have a rod,” she said flatly. Opening her inventory, she found a small catching net, and placed it in her hands. “This will have to do.” With a dull *plop*, she dipped the miniscule net into the water and waited.

Spoiler

Post Action: Fishing for Mōretsuna
233597 | CD 6. Failure

 

Edited September 26 by Acanthus

[Pinball 1]

Pinball's line bobbed lazily on the surface of the tranquil, undisturbed, still, perfect water. His frown grew deeper. The best part about fishing was the treasure chests. The worst part about fishing was the actual fish. Most of the time, they didn't want to show up. Pinball exhaled through his nose and leaned back in the boat. If they were going to be there for a while, it wouldn't hurt to get comfortable. He was still completely soaked to the bone, and his cloak was still off and spread out on one of the dinghy's seats to dry. It wouldn't take long. Things dried fairly quickly in Aincrad. But every second he spent in that boat dripping water felt like an eternity. 

He replied to Acanthus to pass the time. "Hm." If his sense of humor had survived the possibly years spent in exile, he might have riffed off that. 

Instead he stayed quiet until Acanthus produced and cast her net. "Net should work fine." 

*** 

Fishing for Moretsuna -> 
233600 | CD: 4+2 (Failure) 

Edited September 26 by Pinball

[Acanthus 0]

She leaned precariously over the side, intently holding the net with both hands. It was a big fish; she’d likely need a firm grip.

“Pinball, I…” The words caught in her throat. How was she supposed to ask, Pinball, why did you kill four people? Did they do something to you? Did they deserve it?... Who’s next?

“I… have enjoyed doing this quest with you. I’m sorry that I lost confidence back before our fight with Kumatetsu.” She hadn’t spoken about it before, even though she knew he had seen her brief panic. She wasn’t sure why this was bubbling to the surface. She was here to grill Pinball; instead, she was spilling her own secrets. “I didn’t have a lot of trust in other players at that time. I don’t really know that I managed to trust a lot of people in the real world. So when you disappeared without a warning… I can be a ‘worst-case scenario’ kind of person.”

She waited for a moment. “But it wasn’t a worst-case scenario. So thank you.”

In the middle of her monologue, she had lost her concentration on the net and relaxed her grip. Something massive passed quickly under the boat, catching the net and ripping it from her hands. It disappeared into the water.

“...I’m not a fisher.” Pulling a similar, but slightly smaller net from her inventory, she returned her attention to fishing up the boss.

Spoiler

Post Action: Fishing for Mōretsuna
233597 | CD 8. Failure.

 

Edited September 27 by Acanthus

[Pinball 1]

His line was slack. He waited. Pinball was nothing if not patient (most of the time -- actually, no, this is false). He ran his fingers briefly through his hair. Almost dry. He almost didn't want to fish it up. In the meantime, Acanthus spoke to him about their first meetings. He stayed quiet and listened. 

"I understand. And don't thank me." He didn't want thanks. Didn't deserve it. Pinball shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He wasn't used to people being so genuine around him. He kept his eyes locked on the water and wrestled with it for a while. Finally, after a pregnant silence, he spoke. 

"This game beats people down. It's hard to trust people." Pinball's face contorted, as if he was in pain. His face was burning. It was probably the most he'd spoken in their entire time together. He pushed through it, though his voice grew quieter by the second. He dropped the last few words like they'd burned him. "Don't let it beat you down." 

Just then, there was a sharp tug on his line -- thank god -- and Pinball gripped the line with all his strength. Planting his feet firmly against the dinghy, he pulled, putting his back into it, reeling the fish in... and in an eruption of water, Moretsuna -- the real Moretsuna -- was pulled to the surface, soaring over their boat and, for a split second, blocking out the sun. It flew over the boat and landed in the water on the other side of them. 

Pinball wasted no time and dove into the water after it, though if he did it to try and get a hit on the fish or just to escape his first conversation with Acanthus longer than two sentences was its own mystery. 

***

Action: Fishing for Moretsuna -> 
233754 | CD: 9+2 (Success!)

Edited September 27 by Pinball

[Acanthus 0]

In a flash, Pinball dove in after the boss. “Dammit, Pinball.” She wasn’t sure if she was saying that for his recklessness or the fact that he evaded her question yet again. Either way, she needed to shelve the thoughts. It was time for combat.

She watched the murky water intently. The benefit of the imposter fish was that it seemed to act almost identically to the real one. She recognized a few of the swimming patterns it was engaging in. She felt the boat bump as something from behind her brushed up against the side. That means—

She readied her sword like a baseball bat, and sure enough, the fish leapt from the water, trying to knock her off the boat. Acanthus ducked under the splash of water and swung as hard as she could. A large scar form from the tip of the fish’s mouth to its gills, and it dove back into the water, sputtering and shaking. 

 

Spoiler

(+2 EN from out of combat posts.)

Combat Begins!

Recovery. 233826 | CD 10. +8 EN

Post Action: TECH-A -> Fishie (-16 EN)
232091 | BD 9. Minor Critical! 22 * 16 = 352 - 125 = 227 damage. Paralyze Applied. Bleed applied.

Acanthus | Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 54/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:8
Pinball | Lvl 33 (Paragon Level 43) Health: 840 | Energy: 120 DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

<<Mōretsuna>> HP: 873/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 125 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | Paralyzed; BLD 48 [0/2]

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Mōretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Mōretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Mōretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

 

 

Edited September 27 by Acanthus

[Pinball 1]

He wasn't going to waste any more time. He saw the fish in the water. The fish didn't see him. 

Pinball raked its sides with his knife. He dug deep. The blades sunk into its flesh and carved sickly black lines across the fish's flank. Moretsuna was big, and strong, and as soon as it had the chance to wiggle free it did, thrashing about and swimming swiftly into the depths. But that was just fine. Moretsuna was already dead -- it just didn't know it yet. As Moretsuna vanished from his view and disappeared into the shadows of the lake, Pinball ascended and broke the water's surface. 

He climbed back into the boat like a wet dog, clinking to the cheaply made boat as if in a panic. He managed to pull himself a board and sat squarely in his seat. Wet. Again. "Should be it," he said. "We can get going, or you can try finishing it off before it bleeds out." 

*** 

Spoiler

Free Action: [QUICK CHANGE] - {Cold Fervor} -> {Hellfire} 
Free Action: [VANISH] [-5 EN] - 233885 | LD: 14+6= 20 Stealth Rating 
Post Action: {Well Rested} [TECH-D] [-12 EN] ->
233885 | BD: 6 (Hit) - 20*16= 320/2= 160-85= 75 DMG, Status Effects Applied, REND 
Free Action: {INSTANT INCARCERATE} Sound of the Wild

Acanthus | Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 54/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:8
Pinball | Health: 840/840 | Energy: 103/120 | DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

<<Mōretsuna>> HP: 390/1100 (873 - 75 - 408) | DMG: 200 | MIT: 85 (-20,-20) | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | Paralyzed;  [BlitReduc: 1/2] [Shatter I, 1/3] [96 BLD: 1/2] [64 BLT: 1/2] [112 BRN: 1/2] [80 STC: 1/2] [56 RND: 1/2]

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Mōretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Mōretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Mōretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

 

Edited September 29 by Pinball

[Acanthus 0]

Pinball looked miserable as he climbed back into the boat. No, Pinball always looked miserable—he looked more miserable than usual as he climbed back into the boat. But he had done work in the water. As the boss crested above the water, Acanthus saw the litany of status debuffs on the quickly dwindling health bar.

Quote

"Should be it," he said. "We can get going, or you can try finishing it off before it bleeds out."

Acanthus weighed her options. She looked back at the cold water, and the rapidly dying boss. She wasn’t really needed at this point. Part of her thought about sitting down and asking about the Monument of Life, but she suspected Pinball might jump out of the boat. He probably preferred being wet and miserable than being questioned and dry. Acanthus tested the heft of her blade as she thought through her next action. “I know you don’t really need the help, but I think that if you have to be cold and wet, then it’s not fair for me to stay dry in the boat.” Without waiting for a response, she leapt into the icy water.

The surface of the water boiled as Acanthus fought the fish. After some time, she surfaced again, gasping for air. She clambered back into the boat again like a half-drowned cat. “There,” she said. “Now we’re in the same boat. Literally and figuratively.”

Spoiler

Recovery. 233900 | CD 1. failure. +4 EN

Post Action: TECH-A -> Moretsuna (-16 EN)
233899 | BD 10. Major Critical! 23 * 16 = 368 - 85 = 283 damage. Paralysis applied. Bleed refreshed (higher damage kept)

Acanthus | Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 42/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:8
Pinball | Health: 840/840 | Energy: 103/120 | DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

<<Mōretsuna>> HP: 107/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 85 (-20,-20) | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | Paralyzed; [BlitReduc: 1/2] [Shatter I, 1/3] [96 BLD: 0/2] [64 BLT: 1/2] [112 BRN: 1/2] [80 STC: 1/2] [56 RND: 1/2]

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Mōretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Mōretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Mōretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.

 

 

Edited September 29 by Acanthus

[Pinball 1]

Pinball got to work wringing out his cloak. Whatever path Acanthus was going to choose, the fish would be dead. He was looking forward to having his feet back on dry land. This quest had been longer and unecessarily more complicated than all the others, although he didn't want to admit to himself that it was, in part, his fault for not paying closer attention to the quest description. 

Then Acanthus dived into the water. Pinball's face betrayed his confusion. Acanthus climbed back into the boat. She'd just finished dried off. What was wrong with her? He stared, incredulous, as Acanthus explained herself. 

Pinball snorted. The smallest smile came and went in an instant. "Okay," he said, "sounds good." 

He picked up the oars. He started rowing back to shore. It'd take them a while, but they'd make it back in one piece. In the lake below, Moretsuna slowly bled out and was no more. The rewards menu would appear in front of them as they returned to the lakeside, and Pinball would pay it no mind. 

***

Spoiler

Post Action: none

Acanthus | Lvl 32 (T4) | HP: 680/680 | EN: 42/82 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | REC: 4 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:8
Pinball | Health: 840/840 | Energy: 107/120 | DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

<<Mōretsuna>> HP: 0/1100 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 85 (-20,-20) | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | Paralyzed; [BlitReduc: 1/2] [Shatter I, 1/3] [96 BLD: 0/2] [64 BLT: 1/2] [112 BRN: 1/2] [80 STC: 1/2] [56 RND: 1/2]

Abilities:

• Drown | On a CD of 10+, <<Mōretsuna>> will attempt to drag down the player instead of attacking. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist being dragged down. If the player fails, they lose their current turn and are dunked deep into the water, where they take 150 unmitigatable damage. The damage repeats at the start of the player's turn until they spend a post action to return to the boat.
• Splash | On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with its basic attack, <<Mōretsuna>> will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and stunning them their next turn.
• Struggle | On an attack roll of natural 1, <<Mōretsuna>> will flail and automatically hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deals 50 unmitigated damage to itself.