[F24-OP] Something rotten, must be Denmark <<Floor 28 Pre-Raid Meeting>>>

[Arabelle 0]

arabelle waves as koga points her to... the man quite literally beside him. "hello! congratulations and best wishes to you and your wife." (wouldn't it be funny if one of you simply up and died in the boss raid?) "and a spectacular one it is," she confirms to koga. "my own offering seems so awfully quaint in comparison. perhaps next floor i'll bring an entire food truck. better late than never, right?"

 

the next proffered hand, she takes with ease.

"good to meet you, star."

she lifts her head to look this one in the eyes properly and recognition hits her like a bolt.

"...?" a small confused noise escapes her, unbidden. arabelle's hand lightens in their joined grip milliseconds before they're meant to draw back and her lips part in faint surprise. "did you say your name was star?" up close, the association is far too easy to make. a faker or an obsessed fan is a possibility, but the man has a face destined for the big screen and what pretender would possess his level of casual ease? she almost can't take her eyes off him. what a day. what a day. to think that all those years ago--

of colorless springs, summers, and autumns, and the light of a theater. uncountable weekends. that docile lamb would

--in reality, it would've only been a brief but noticeable pause. arabelle clears the air with a soft bashful laugh before she makes a fool of herself. "oh, sorry. i've seen you before," she clarifies, falling back on a cordial smile. it's difficult to tell if morningstar is keeping it under wraps or not, but the topic could no longer go unacknowledged. the woman resorts to saying, vaguely, "i loved your work."

 

players keep flocking into their circle.

she did right, guessing at the popular crowd. she can't even talk to them all. arabelle internally files through the people she had met so far. three newcomers in a gathering of this size? she'll check her timepiece, but with koga talking to her and another arrival, she couldn't do it without appearing bored and rude. "mm, well, arguments are inevitable with everyone's futures at stake. what matters is that they're productive. hello, astralin." the one addressed is taller than her, like almost everyone else in aincrad, but she has a girlish look to her. could not be any more older than she is. in her hands is a massive bound tome and she's all too happy to flip through it as she explains what she can do. barring whatever... healing categorizes as, magic spells don't exist in aincrad. players can style their arts to resemble it, but it isn't magic. it's sheer creativity, testing the absolute limits of the system and dazzling one's opponents so spectacularly that they can't tell what's coming at them.

in other words, it is a performance. (do you hear the strings?)

others may dismiss astralin's claims as delusional. arabelle only finds herself curious. she can more or less match everything in the girl's list to a standard skill or enhancement, but what does it actually look like? is it all fluff or has astralin herself found a way around the system's limitations? arabelle leans in close to peer at the scroll the 'mage' last unraveled, trying to decipher the sword art it's depicting. "this is all interesting. i prefer a scythe myself. it's non-traditional, or so i've been told. i'd love to hear more about your spells some other time.

"for now, though." she shifts the bag of donuts to her front, holding it up like a present. the way to everyone's heart: free food and an irresistible smile. "they won't take offense if i drop this off at the refreshments table, right? i didn't know there was going to be catering, and i thought snacks could help lighten the mood. they're honey-glazed; homemade."

Edited October 6 by Arabelle

[NIGHT 0]

"i said officiating, not official."

night had been seated beside yuki the entire reception since the start of the wedding. the two of them appeared to be dressed differently than expected -- and all of it was night's fault, for not completely getting the details as concrete as they should've been. there was the heat at the beach, sure, so most had dressed down for the occasion... but it was heat that night was entirely used to, either via survival or her natural inclinations, and hence she'd showed up in a full tuxedo, formal as ever.

poor yuki, she would've thought. but her friend didn't seem to mind, likely from experience of wearing thick armor time and time again. night watched her plus-one jump at the chance to greet the groom, unsure of what to say in addition to her shield's words.

on their behalf, she'd made the lucky couple a set of music boxes, with basuke's help. vanity, each of them, but she hoped they made for decent enough gifts. "she's right," night began, a hand to yuki's back. the wedding present was gestured to for collection, albeit subtly. "i'll vouch for her to look after your well-being. crow's just as lucky to be her other half. here's hoping for a happy, lasting marriage, both of you."

| NIGHT  | Lv. 147 >> P. 114, Lv. 33  | Status: //  Notes:  //

Spoiler NIGHT | HP: 1100/1100 | EN: 148/148 | DMG: 21 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 4 | MIT: 44 | LD: 5 | BH+HB: 109 | FLN/HLY: 16 | Stealth Rating: 6 equipped oathkeeper. FLN II, HLY II regards. EVA II, HB II signet. ACC III, EVA battle-ready inventory Teleport Crystal (3) | TELEPORT imugi's inspiration. (5) | MASS HP RECOVERY skills Spoiler mod count: 5/7 STRAIGHT SWORD | RANK 5/5 focus, stamina, precision shift: aoe CLOTH ARMOR | RANK 5/5 athletics, nimble COMBAT MASTERY: DMG | RANK 3/3 SEARCHING | RANK 3+1/5 BATTLE HEALING | RANK 5/5 emergency recovery ENERGIST QUICK CHANGE CHARGE FIGHTING SPIRIT HOWL focused howl SCOUTING FAMILIAR EXTENDED MOD LIMIT extra SURVIVAL CONCENTRATION HIDING untraceable, vanish, surprise attack-t buffs Spoiler statue BIALAS | +TAUNT MOTHRA | +1 EN Recovery TANOS | +25 MIT MORETSUNA | +50 HP OROCHI | +1 LD KUMATETSU | +1 DMG consumables - - - - - - paragon Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread. Lv. 10 | +1 LD to looting. sword arts Spoiler en cost matches multiplier unless stated otherwise. shift underlined. ST | x12 -> x15 | x20 AOE | x15 -> x18 TECH-A | x12 | STUN | 13EN TECH-B | x12 | DELAY TECH-D | x12 | SHATTER TECH-F | x8 | AOE STUN  TECH-G | x12 | BURN misc. Spoiler housing Dimensional Backpack, Item Stash | +2 Battle-Ready Inventory Slots. Well Rested | -1 EN for the first three expenditures of each combat.  Relaxed | +(5 * Tier) HP per out-of-combat post. Full energy restoration occurs after two turns out of combat. Squeaky Clean | -25% DoT damage taken from the first DoT applied to this player in a thread. Skylight: Searching | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cooldown of 30 days to reassign. Multipurpose | +1 LD/Prosperity/Stealth/Detection to one post per thread. Can be applied after a roll. Filling | +1 T1 slot to a food consumed by this player in a thread. Can exceed Cook enhancement caps. Col Deposit | +5% col from loot-minimum mobs, +10% col from treasure chests. foraging | r2 | xp: 69/150 Greenhouse | +2 G.EXP, +1 CD&LD to gathering attempts. Familiar: Profession | +2 G.EXP Demeter's Cornucopia | +1 CD to gathering attempts.

 

[Macradon 0]

A piercing gaze connected to his, a familiar face, a face he hadn't seen in a while, a face that gave him confidence in frontlines. The knight returned the nod and awaited the arrival of his battlebrother. @Bahr was a warrior, no, a character, no, a player … no, a person Macradon respected. They met a long time ago, when Bahr first began treading into the battlefield, he was the one Macradon wanted to imbue the legacy of legendary greatsword wielders, the legacy of his old mentor, the legacy of his own accomplishment to the next generation of frontliners to come, and boy did that legacy bear fruit. Bahr was an amazing combatant and was an asset the frontlines would be more than happy to have in their arsenal.

Macradon would widen his smile as his friend came close, his arm extended in response to Bahr’s. He would go past the hand and got straight to the forearm, gripping in a clasping his other hand on on top of Bahr’s in a warrior’s handshake “I am glad to see you as well.” he responded

[Freyd 0]

There were simply too many gathered for him to greet everyone personally, Better to keep things moving. Every gathered soul in this room had congregated for the same purpose and he had no desire to waste any more of their preciously fleeting time.  Kayaba’s clock was ticking relentlessly against all of their lives and today’s business was meant to help dislodge them from that madman’s delusions, or at least delay his chokehold a while longer.

“Friends,” Freyd called out, his voice booming surprisingly loudly for a man who’d come to be known as ‘The Whisper.’  “If you could each find a seat.  It may be best to get started.”  

While the rest milled about, tying off the loose threads of their varied conversations, Freyd’s form shifted to don a more casual set of clothing than any present would ever have seen him wear.  Gone was the priest-like cassock from the wedding, replaced not with his perpetually spoopy armor, but simple daily clothes as might once have worn in a world some might slowly be forgetting.  That was the point.  No cowl.  No meme-worthy edgelord paraphernalia.  This was as real a scene as he could set, putting it all on the line, as they were being asked to do.

The large tent-like pavilion had flaps and fabric draped about it, enough of them unfurled to grant some modicum of privacy, but with comfort.  Agents of Firm Anima’s O&I division stood vigil outside to safeguard the event, though none could stand against the prowess of those inside.  These were the best of best: the players’ of the Frontlines, or at very least qualified aspirants for those who’d not yet had their raid cherries popped.  That would all change, soon enough.

Taking a seat among his peers, Freyd had seen to it that no position took prominence over the rest.  This was a discussion among equals, where every voice mattered, and none stood above the others.  His only goal was to share what little was known, mostly speculative at best, and see where things stood in the common mind.  

“Thank you all for making the time to join us here today.  Many of you I already know.  Some I do not, and look forward to making your acquaintance as time permit.  For the latter, my name is Freyd.  A short while ago, a group of us stumbled by happenstance into combat against a twisted beast in the heart of the Fire Woods near Glyndebourne on Floor 28.  By good fortune, we managed to slay the malignant beast only to confirm that it was, in fact, the labyrinth guardian for that floor.  It had the appearance of a stag, or elder elk, but twisted by some subtle darkness.  Owij’be the Indomitable - except not quite so much, as it turned out."  A wry grin creased his lips as he recounted the battle, highlighting the roles played by the other participants in the fray.

“Tricolor_Mina, Hirru and Morningstar did most of the work.  I just fell over a lot and gave it my best Kung Fu Panda impression.  We were fortunate.”  A brief bit a levity injected to lighten the mood before delivering less palatable news.

“Once the guardian was slain, we were able to investigate the chamber beyond, if only to a limited extent, as might be expected.  It stank of decay, like diseased Autumn on the verge of plague-ridden Winter laden with endless, all-consuming night. Something rages beyond that threshold, its anger tenacious and unrelenting.  It will not yield to reason, as Gebrandr did.” A few of them would recall the tense moments beneath Ladonia that had nearly pit the Frontlines against itself over the NPC’s regent's plight. Best to move on before the memory settled too firmly in anyone’s minds.

“Whatever is within sounded large and heavy.  The forest floor shook from its movements, even at a distance, though the chamber beyond seemed no larger than the battleground in the Colosseum, near Scalabis. There were also bodies - human remains - bloodied and torn to shred, their armor rent apart as if by powerful jaws.  I would have expected them to have disintegrated if they were players, and can only assume that the system left them deliberately as a clue to what peril we will face.”  Freyd spared a moment to look at the others in the room who’d been with him that day.

“Lastly, there were whispers in our minds that called with increasing pain and urgency the longer we lingered, yet no screams were to be heard in the fetid breezes wafting the foulest imaginable stench from the bowels of that place.  We have our work cut out for us, as always.”

Clearing his throat, and allowing himself a sip of his vanilla-scented coffee, Freyd looked at each attendee in turn, as if appraising their reactions to his tale.

“I will volunteer to tank for the first group to be formed, and welcome others to state their favoured roll in the battle, assuming you mean to join us.  I wish we knew more, but we play the cards dealt to us, and we're going to need your collective strength if we're to keep on moving forward.”

***

Note: Going to impose a deadline date for this thread to end on October 5th.  In other words: I'm going to close it sometime on Sunday the 6th-ish, to keep us moving, so please get your posts in.  

Edited September 22 by Freyd

[Wulfrin 0]

Wulfrin listened intently to the info being provided by Freyd. He had pulled out a note pad and was scribbling down notes just about as fast as the info was being given. In the page margins, was quite a bit more chaos. There were arrows, question marks, and other symbols accompanied by small blurbs of short hand, his inner Dungeon Master working overtime to try and decipher the information. The boss was supposedly large and heavy. That could also mean it was slow and easy to hit, but at the same time a massive hip point sponge. Given the forest backdrop, Wulfrin began to lead towards a bear or some other similar large beast, almost like another Kumatetsu from Scents of the Wild. The mauled bodies definitely supported bear though.

The whispers were the most concerning part, as they implied way to many things to really draw a definitive conclusion. The same could be said about the putrid air and foul stench. Though that was a bit more easily explained. To him it screamed black or green dragon lair, acidic, rotting bodies, and other generally dark and gross themes. That meant they could  be dealing with acids and poisons. two things with out a solid counter, save for antidotes and those had limited charges.

"Thanks Freyd," Wulfrin chimed in. "Large and heavy might be in our favor a bit. Though could also mean the thing is going to be a damage sponge, a less than promising thought for someone who specializes in damage output like myself. To that end this will be my first raid, so any general tips on final load outs would be very much appreciated. I look forward to working with all of you."

[Katoka 0]

As more and more people began to file in, Katoka felt her anxiety rise more and more. She had felt fine at first, keeping her focus on the few people she knew, but now it was becoming difficult to keep a straight face. She felt her hands tighten on the handkerchief that Freyd had handed her as he called to everyone to take a seat.After a deep breath she glanced down at the piece of cloth in her hand, noticing something embroidered on the edge. Unfolding it were two simple words, "Don't Panic". A small smile pulled at the corners of her mouth and she took a deep breath to calm herself. The samurai's eyes scanned the room quickly before she managed to find a chair to plunk herself down in. She had hopped that no one had thought that she was rude by not introducing herself more, but it was already to late for that.

The Whisper began the meeting, explaining the encounter their group had in the Fire Woods. A slight shiver went down her spine when she remembered her own encounter. There was no guarantee that what her and Freyd were currently investigating had anything to do with the labyrinth boss and she hoped that it stayed that way. The description of the upcoming boss room sounded... pungent. The fact that there were bodies littered about, rotting in whatever various stages of decay made Kat's stomach churn.

The description made the blonde think of some sort of disgusting bear's den. She wouldn't put it past Cardinal or Kayaba to have some freaky zombie goop bear in the chamber. Her anxieties melted away as her gamer strategy switch was flipped into the on position. Raising her hand slightly she spoke aloud, "Given that the labyrinth bosses of the past have all had some sort of mechanic that the floor bosses seem to use in the same sort of way, did Bambi's deadbeat dad do anything we should be aware of?"

Edited September 22 by Katoka

[Morningstar 0]

"Astralin, hi—good to see you. Same old, same old," he said, split between many conversations at once. He turned back to the ashen-haired newcomer. "Star, yeah. Short for Morningstar."

New faces filtered in, and a few attempts at pulling Morningstar's attention were made; however, he was locked on Arabelle. They held their handshake long enough for it to be considered awkward. Her eyes were stuck to him as though he were an old acquaintance, or perhaps a ghost. He didn't know what to think.

"oh, sorry. i've seen you before," she clarified, breaking the tension. "i loved your work."

There was a slight tilt to his head, his lips barely parted. "Oh. Thank you," he spun it into a surprised smile. Now, he didn't know what to say. In a sea of people, someone remembered who he had been. And for the first time in a long while, that felt good.

 

The meeting began right away, and Morningstar took a seat alongside the other frontliners. Freyd expertly explained their encounter with Owij'be, bringing back vivid memories of the labyrinth. The beast fell in a battle of endurance, leaving them to explore the boss room's entrance and everything leading up to it. He distinctly recalled the rot that Freyd described. 

He squatted low, peering beneath the helmet of an unidentified human. They weren't a player—at least, he didn't think so. He had seen items and corpses remain beyond the point where they should have disappeared. It was Cardinal's doing, he supposed, to keep them thinking. It was an NPC, brutally mangled to show them that the next hurdle in their race to the top was not one to take lightly. It was ferocious; a beast that only knew hunger, and death. Blood soaked his clothes and painted the ground surrounding, but it wasn't the same pixelated blood that escaped a player's body after an injury. It was real. Too real. Half of the corpse was missing. He had died quickly.

Investigation ended quickly, with the party concluding that the risks of trekking deeper into the chamber were too high to justify. Morningstar was glad to be gone from the place.

"I'm a DPS," Star offered, in a tone more casual than Freyd or Wulfrin. "Happy to join any group that needs me."

He then considered Katoka's inquiry. "Every time we hit Owij'be, it's mitigation increased. Stuns didn't really work as they do against normal mobs, but they did counteract its mitigation buffs," he answered.

[Jomei 0]

"Always a pleasure, my friend." he would say in response to Koga, the warmth of his smile matching the salty, always-summer air. "Beautiful setting for a wedding there, sad to have missed it.. Actually, now that I think about it, don't think I've ever been to a wedding here." He pondered on the past years - or however long it had really been - trying to remember any semblance of a wedding. He had crashed one.. an open door celebration of two players he had never even met before. So he didn't really count that time. "Something to look forward to then, yeah?" his smile returning once more. 

"Hello Astralin, its always good to see you" his greeting to the blonde, mage-like player was softer, a tad bit more formal as he gently bow his head. "And respectfully speaking, you look nice as well."

There was not much time to greet or introduce himself to the other players in the small gathering they had created, as Freyd called upon the meeting proper. Before finding a place to plant himself, Jomei would follow the girl with hair like ash carrying two boxes of, what he heard as, homemade honey glazed donuts. Just the mere thought of how those must taste had his mouth watering. Once the treats were set down he would take one for himself, "These sound delightful, thank you lass." he would say to the woman in passing with a polite smile before squeezing past to find a seat. Making sure to pass by his old friend, Macradon, he would bump the butt of his fist against the man's shoulder. "Mac, good to see you again. Been awhile." 

Finding a place to sit, he would help himself to a bite of the donut, using said pastry and his hand to hide the fervent expression on his face. With that out of the way, he would listen carefully to what Freyd had to share. From the elk-like labyrinth guardian to the detailed description of the boss' lair itself - even though, for the most part, it sounded rather plain. A dark forest with shadows lingering at the furthest end of their eyesight, the acrid smell of the dead ever present. The bodies torn asunder staining the earth with their blood was not an image he had on his bingo card. The level designers had left them clues to shed a light on the savage nature of bosses before, sure.. but never to an intensity like that. It had been so long since he had seen real blood - given any sign of wounds on their body were just 'animated' and wireframe. And the whispers, increasing in intensity the longer they waited. Maybe it was a way to push them away, cut their time short as to not overstay their welcome. Or some sort of test of their mentality that they haven't seen yet. The donut didn't taste as sweet anymore.

"We should be weary of any additional mobs." Jomei spoke up, raising his free hand first to allow attention to be called. "You said you smelled something acidic, something like death.. And those bodies on the ground. Could be a warning, or might be some sort of reanimated corpse situation." He switched gears to what could be drawn from the information. "Star brings up a secondary point with that mitigation vs stun quirk. A number of these new bosses have hidden tactics. A use of a skill in an unusual way, like actually healing the boss as we saw last time. I'm not sure we can draw much from what you gave us on what that could be, but we should keep that in mind when the battle starts." 

He took a breath for a moment, before stating his own role in the fight. "Also, I will be offering myself as a tank for this fight. I can help with some damage when need be with tech strikes.. but my main focus will be keeping the boss' eyes on me." Allowing his shoulders to fall, he felt his body sink back into his seat. To say he was afraid of putting himself in front like that was an understatement. "Wish me luck..." he would say to himself, under his breath.

[Ariel - The Crowned Lion 0]

Ariel listened intently as Freyd recounted the events of the scouting mission, her silver eyes narrowing slightly at the mention of the stench of death that had filled the chamber. The description of bodies, torn apart and left intact by the system, was unsettling, and her mind wandered back to the floor 25 labyrinth boss, where something similar had occurred.

At the mention of Gebrandr, her lips tightened, and a flicker of irritation passed through her usually calm demeanor. She winced slightly, remembering how her advice had been ignored during the situation with the regent. She had wanted to kill the NPC, believing it was the only safe course, but ultimately, the decision was made to spare Gebrandr and continue forward. She had believed it was a mistake, but in the end, she had to live with the choice of the group and excused herself from what came after.

Then Jomei spoke up, pulling Ariel back into the present. She nodded slightly, aligning with his thoughts. The scene Freyd had described felt far too ominous to overlook. The bodies left intact, the whispers that filled their minds, and the oppressive atmosphere—it all pointed toward something worse than just a singular boss.

"I agree with Jomei!" Ariel said, her voice quiet but firm. "If those bodies haven’t disintegrated like player remains normally would, it could very well mean they’re likely to reanimate at some point after we step inside. We’ve seen it before on earlier floors... undead or cursed entities that rise again. In our case, it was a possessed dragon!" She paused, her mind working through the implications as she remembered the events on floor 25.

"We should prepare not just for the boss, but for whatever reinforcements may come to its aid. If the whispers are as strong as you say, they could also have an effect on our morale and focus during the fight. That, and the 'all-consuming night' part can hint towards some sort of debuff or penalty on the raid party, perchance?" Her gaze moved between the others gathered, gauging their reactions.
Letting out a small sigh she added, half raising her hand in front of her, her tone a bit more relaxed: "After that description, I for one am adding my Night Vision mod to the arsenal. I'd like to see whatever's lurking in the dark before it decides to make a move on us."

Edited September 23 by Ariel - The Crowned Lion

[Koga 0]

"We'll definitely have to catch up sometime, after the meeting," Koga said to Astralin with a smile. She'd always been a bit of a strange one in his eyes. Excitable, curious mannerisms, but a good person nonetheless. But for now, they had more pressing matters to tend to...and the fact that Astralin's attention shifted to a woman Koga hadn't noticed slip in whom he did not recognize.

As Arabelle and Morningstar...interacted...Koga couldn't help but quirk a brow in curiosity. Even if she was attempting to suppress it there was a certain amount of admiration for Morningstar that leaked out of the smaller girl. Koga would have to ask about that later.

Because Arabelle just brought out the only bribe that always worked. Food. "Honey, you just made everyone here your best friend," the man said, eyes locked on the bag of donuts.

The meeting began soon after, and everyone made their way to find seats. Walking alongside Morningstar, Koga nudged the man with an elbow and whispered, "Dude, are you, like, famous or something IRL?"

Anyways. Raid Meeting time.

Koga sat down, his shoulders visibly sagging. He was not built for that much socializing, and while he faked it decently well (or at least so he thought), his battery was quickly draining. His usual faint frown was worse than usual. Just needed to get through the meeting now. Koga took a donut. Fuel would help.

The swordsman paid rapt attention as Freyd explained the situation at hand, and various other Frontliners chimed in with their own insights and thoughts, scarfing down the donut all the while (delicious). Stuns reduced MIT, but didn't stun...strange, but shouldn't be too much of a problem for most of those present. Everyone had a stun, as far as Koga knew. If that extended to any cannon fodder though was another question. Then there was the acidic stench and possibility of facing undead.

"I agree with the last two," Koga said gesturing to Jomei and the woman, who's name he realized he'd never learned, despite having seen her at other raids. "If corpses are being left behind when they'd normally disappear, as we're all accustomed to, there's a chance they're meant to reanimate," Koga took a deep breath, knowing he might be stretching a little with his theories here, but it was a possibility worth mentioning. "If the Stun-MIT mechanic extends to any mobs that the boss potentially rezzes, we'll need AoE stuns to help manage them." He frowned, "Alternatively, the 'acrid and acidic' might also mean our MIT will be reduced. Which would mean any MIT tanks lose their primary method of absorbing damage, leaving them fucked." So many unknowns as always. "That being said, I know I usually fulfill a DPS role in these raids, but I've made some changes to my kit, and will be offering myself up as a tank, if need be for this one."

@Astralin @Arabelle @Morningstar

[Bahr 0]

Bahr smiled as his arm interlocked with Mac's, but it was to be a short reunion. No sooner had they coalesced their recognition with one another than the meeting started underway in earnest. Bahr quickly found his seat alongside Mac, and buckled in for the explanation from Freyd and any relevant information he may have seen fit to share. He listened intently as the man shared his experience with the crowd, waiting for some actionable intel to land, and then it just... didn't. 

Apprehensively, Bahr's mismatched eyes darted back and forth, looking for reactions from his comrades. It was such a brief and ambiguous description that almost nothing meaningful could be gleaned from it. Though, it seemed Bahr was alone in his concerns. One after another, the Frontliners piped up, sharing their theories as to what might be waiting for them in the boss chamber. It seemed that everyone had landed on some sort of reanimation gimmick, but Bahr couldn't see it fitting the theme of the floor. Had there been anything else throughout the floor to suggest zombie shenanigans were afoot? All they knew for sure was the creature was big, and liked to take a bite out of people.

Liked to take a bite...

He cleared his throat. "Hey folks, I'm Bahr. Off-DPS, sort of a bruiser-type build. I can alternate with tanks using the Switch mechanic for small windows of time to allow for heals if things get dicey." He cut the introduction short there - no need to get into the weeds with it. "It's possible that we're looking at reanimation, but I'm not sure I'm totally convinced that's the case. The only parallel I could see in the floor's motif that would connect to it would be the season of Fall representing 'death,' but I don't know. It just isn't clicking. There aren't any undead anywhere else on the floor."

He allowed for a brief pause to allow for any responses, as well as to take a brief gander at those around. Sometimes, going against the grain didn't land well.

"You said this happened in the Fire Forest, right?" Bahr asked, directing both the inquiry and his attention to Freyd. "There are a lot of mutated animals there. The floor boss may be the source. Now, I'm not sure if there have been reports detailing these mutants as more aggressive than your typical mob, but there is something off about them. I'm not sure if this contributes to our speculation, but might be worth keeping in the back of our minds if anyone here has seen anything strange in relation to the albino mobs."

"More importantly," he continued, "It sounds to me like the boss was feasting on the corpses there. It's possible that there may end up being a mechanic where to boss consumes the bodies to grant itself higher MIT, or heal off damage, or both." Another brief pause allowed the point to land, before he summarized. "Whether or not we're looking at resurrection, or some sort of feasting mechanic, I think we can all agree that the corpses being present instead of pixelized stands out as something we should be paying attention to. Do we think it might be worth it to have someone try to target the corpses upon entering the arena, with something that might be able to destroy them? The only thing that comes to mind would be the Burn Enhancement - of which I am a practitioner, and surely others here are as well."

Edited September 24 by Bahr

[NIGHT 0]

"why not extend that to the possibility of using every other tool on hand to bypass mitigation?"

night perked up, elbow against the top of her seat. she'd found the information just as unintuitive to work with, even after taking down notes on her interface, and was starting to scribble -- or doodle -- images unrelated to them, but pertaining to their scenery instead. she tapped at the screen with an impatient tempo. "and not to mention hearing of odd voices being a factor to become aware of... unless it's something most of you have somehow become accustomed to, in which you might have some explaining to do. last i remember, i'd not been besought by the unconscious of the castle, and i doubt many here have had that happen to us, either. so before you brush it aside as a 'trick of your imagination', we should be wary about what that could mean for us."

were they signing up vocally? she wasn't interested in taking too long. "night, dps. i'd be right behind yuki, unless that's too much to ask for. i can operate on crowd-control... but i think that's a bit much for the fight, with how unreliable they usually are."

"so, the whispers," she continued, fidgeting with her interface, missing the feel of a pen in her hand to spin whilst they were in midst discussions, "does it matter if there should've been screams? were they simply tension, or were there actually words worth remembering and responding to?"

[Freyd 0]

Freyd listened to those gathered offer insights.  Just as in Firm Anima, all voices here were equal.  His role here was purely as facilitator and one of several witnesses.

"Owib’je’s abilities were similar to Wushen’s, from the last raid, in that their interactions were many and complex.  Traits normally voided by immunity became clutch, albeit discreetly.  Don’t underestimate the values of debuffs and like secondary effects.  We’ve seen stuns and paralyze working in recent raids, even locksmithing proved its worth against Gabrandr's scathers.  Our strengths are varied, and we’ll need them all to synergize."

Gauging those gathered, Freyd paused to offer a bit of advice to newcomers and potentials.

"To those new to the raid, or considering joining, you should know that you're expected to come prepared. These are the big leagues, and will likely be some of the toughest, most demanding challenges you have ever faced.  It deserves to be understood without any sugar coating.  Many here will be generous with their time and efforts, providing for the whole, but the expectation is that we each come prepared.  Bring various means of healing, for yourself and others if you’re able.  We ran short on energy by the end of the last raid, so vitality potions, the meditation skill or other similar means of restoring your energy will likewise be prudent."  He coughed, trying not to embarrass anyone, but didn't want any deaths on his conscience. "And, for goodness sake, please make sure you have multiple teleportation crystals.  We’ve previously had people forget to bring them."

Grumblings and doubts roamed about the group, frustrated by the general lack of detail.  They weren't wrong, though assumptions made on tepid evidence could prove deadly.

“I realise this isn’t much to go on, but it’s all we have.  Educated guesses are about as far as we will get, and most will be speculative at best - though the raging beast motif seems a strong possibility.  Poison, blood and decay were common themes, from what we saw.  I’d strongly recommend antidotes as a staple in every kit, and probiotics if you can - certainly for the tanks. Ariel’s suggestion about night vision is prudent, but even one player with a few glowstones in their pocket can make a difference.  Empty battle ready slots are a liability. to you and your teammates.  Fill them with something."

Aincrad's shops would be busy.  Hopefully the various foraging groups and hunting parties pulled together would bolster their collective arsenals, if they completed their goals in time.

"We might also start planning our groups.  Call this our session zero, if you like.  Pairing tanks with off-tanks is a good idea - NIGHT having it right pairing her strengths with Yuki.  Healers and supports can then join each pair, with DPS to fill in the ranks.  Mix up your damage over time effects, if that’s your thing.  We work against ourselves if everyone in the same group wields the same effects.  Even mixing up your shift specialties would give each group more options.  To Jomei’s point, at least one AoE expert in each group could be a benefit, though the same is equally true for TECH and ST.  Our odds improve with versatility."

Turning to a relative stranger, an unexpected offer was made.

“Bahr, if you’re an off-tank, we should consider teaming up to form the core a second team. I like where your thoughts are going and can buy you the time you'd need to test your theories, if you're willing."

To NIGHT's further questions, he could only give words to a feeling.

"There were definitely screams from within that place, though it was hard to tell if they came from one source or many, and whether the boss or other potential victims.  Those whispers we mentioned felt like a pressure trying to get into your head after each cry.  Maybe some sort of sonic attack, or even a boss version of howl?  Who knows?  Shadow the Malevolent's incessant disembodied  nattering is the best comparison I can offer, if that helps, though probably not.  I regret that there’s so little concrete information to offer, and conjecture will only get us so far before it becomes counterproductive."

Placing a hand on each knee and straightening his back like he was about to go formal in some way, Freyd pursed his lips, wondering whether to even suggest his next thoughts.

"If you’ll indulge, there was one other notion I hoped you would all consider: that each of us try joining groups with others we might not know well.  Raids require us to work as a unit, including across groups.  That can’t happen if  we always fight alongside our partners, closest friends or guild mates, and ultimately limits our ability to cooperate.  Take it as food for thought and... can I have one of those donuts?  They smell absolutely divine."

Edited September 24 by Freyd

[Pinball 1]

Raid meeting, raid meeting, raid meeting; when was the last time he had been to a raid meeting? 

And what was with the decorations? 

It was fairly presumptuous, in his opinion. Who were these people supposed to be, again? Pinball had never seen them before in his life. Whoever they were, they certainly thought highly of themselves, centering such an event around their wedding. Maybe he was just being sour, but it left a bad taste in his mouth. And it wasn't because he hadn't been invited. 

Pinball had snuck into the meeting. It was the easiest way to enter -- the only way to enter. Although a good chunk of the frontliners knew of them, he was always worried his cursor would derail the conversation. Sometimes it did. Other times it didn't, but the looks remained. The glances. The eyebrows raised. Pinball liked that even less. No, his way was better. Enter quietly, explain yourself after if needed. 

He found himself standing next to Bahr. Pinball did nothing to reveal his presence, but stood leaning against a chair, invisible to the naked eye. Amongst all these people, it was only a matter of time before he was discovered, but by then, it wouldn't matter. He was sure Bahr would back him up, if nobody else did. 

Pinball listened carefully to the conversation of what the boss might be, what mechanics it might have. NIGHT, a player Pinball didn't know too well, said that she would be joining Yuki's party. Freyd, though he agreed it was a good idea, suggested that if they were to work better together, that they should entertain the idea of working with those they didn't know well. Pinball frowned. What was the point of that? He disagreed. Wasn't it better to fight alongside the people who know you, could predict how you fight? He shook his head, but remained silent. He wasn't sure who they would want to group him up with, if they let him in, but it would have to be with Bahr. 

***

Stealth: ID#233429 LD: 6+9+1 (Multipurpose) = 16 Stealth Rating 
Pinball: 860/860 HP | 122/122 EN | DMG: 20 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 4 | BH: 37 | LD: 6

Sheet: 

Spoiler

Pinball: 860/860 HP | 122/122 EN | DMG: 20 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 4 | BH: 37 | LD: 6 

Level: 33 (Paragon Level 43)
Health: 840 | Energy: 120
DMG: 20  | ACC: 2  | 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] Hellfire: Burn, Blight, Static, Bleed
»[Equipped] [Perfect] Black Cloak: +3 EVA 
»[Equipped] [Perfect] black mamba.: +3 Sneaky

Battle Ready: 
» [Soundtrack] Sound of the Wild {Instant Incarcerate} 
» [Soundtrack] In memoriam miserae {Instant Perpetuate} 
» [2x] Lacrimosa - HP Recovery III Crystal {Instant}
» [Demonic TW] Cold Fervor: +2 Freeze, Phase
» [Demonic TW] Astral Blade: Holy, Fallen, Phase, Damage
» [Perfect Trinket] Warrior’s Focus: +3 ACC 
» [2x] Teleportation Crystal 

Housing Buffs: 
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 24 by Pinball

[Arabelle 0]

after freyd calls the meeting, arabelle floats over to the refreshments table to drop off her donuts. she tucks the plastic down to the boxes’ side and cracks open the top carton. a player from their circle whom astralin had called jomei trails after her and avails himself of the first sweet treat, but being in a rush to find a seat herself, arabelle simply gives a polite nod at his thanks. she swipes a hot drink and squeezes into a seat just as freyd begins to talk.

so this is how it goes: aincrad’s strongest guessing at vague impressions in the dark. at least two players appeared to be taking notes but arabelle simply listens, serenely sipping from her cup. glyndebourne as a floor is almost entirely peaceful. it is locked in an eternal autumn and the greatest threats to its inhabitants are woodland creatures and the occasional mass murderer. the nature of its floor boss isn’t as readily apparent as the previous ones had been. “is the implication here that our floor boss is disproportionately large in comparison to its area? i’ve seen that arena beside scalabis. i don’t think a giant would give us a great deal of space to work with,” she says, thoughtful, “or even in general... it seems a little cramped. investing in evade might also be worthwhile, at least to lessen the chances of any of us getting pinned to a corner.”

arabelle lowers her cup, and in a somewhat delayed gesture, flutters her fingers in a little wave. the earlier pep in her voice is gone -- of course she understands time and place -- and she reintroduces herself in a more subdued tone for the benefit of the players whom she hadn’t spoken to earlier, “i’m arabelle and i’m new to the frontlines. slot me into the aoe dps role. actually -- why don’t we start writing it down?”

	TEAM 1	TEAM 2	TEAM 3?
TANK	Yuki	Freyd
OFF-TANK		Bahr
SUPPORT
DPS	NIGHT
DPS
DPS

Participants: the groom (i didn't catch your name, sorry ;3) [DPS], Morningstar [DPS], Jomei [Tank] Koga [DPS/Tank], Arabelle [DPS-AOE]

"hm, no one's called support yet...?" behind her screen, arabelle tilts her head. she sends it off as a proximity-targeted message anyway, then she picks her drink back up and she lets her red eyes wander over the players gathered. one, two, three...

fourteen.

not enough to fill three parties.

 

-> stealth detection: 233434: LD 5

Edited September 24 by Arabelle

[Alkor 0]

To be frank, he wasn't interested in the social aspect of the meeting. 

That was always the case with Alkor, though. Whenever it came to the real meat and bones of Aincrad, the bloody stuff where people could get killed and never come back, he didn't even pretend. The mask that he donned mostly for everyone else's sake came off long before he entered the room, a grim expression and bags beneath his eyes evidence that he had spent far too long contemplating the coming trial. The last boss fight had spent him, sending him into a deep and dark depression that he still had yet to come to grips with entirely. His golden gaze was riddled with red, bloodshot and hazy. He looked both out of sorts and out of place, especially given the scene that had unfolded prior to his arrival. It was decorated for a fabulous, happy event- one that Alkor had not been invited to, frankly, and had no interest in attending. A boss meeting wasn't a happy event. The two things coinciding was more bittersweet than anything.

Beautiful as it was, he didn't spare the time to regale with tidings of joy or congratulations. He didn't have the energy, the desire, or the wherewithal to care that it might seem confrontational. Instead, he took his place near the entrance against the wall, watching, listening as others bantered and then finally started to talk strategy. His head dipped slightly, eyes closed as he exhaled. The tension that came with discomfort abated as the scene finally shifted in paradigm toward his element. His Stygian armor swallowed light from above, rather than reflecting it, in stark contrast to his blonde mop of hair. With arms crossed, he tried to glean as much information as he could before he tried to offer up any input.

In the end, it sounded that things were pretty well in hand without him chiming in.

There was talk of working together with new people... old people... to Alkor, it hardly mattered. They were all of them, in his eyes, people displaced from their homes in a dangerous place. They all deserved protection and safety, equally. At that point, he spoke up, finally resolved in his decision.

"Alkor," he said his name, for what it was worth, "Tank, Off-tank, either way."

 

Spoiler

Alkor:

920 HP 136 EN
Base Damage: 9 Mit: 170 Acc: 4 Eva: 0 Blight: 32  Bleed: 48 Paralyze Battle Healing: 92 increase to healing received
Total EXP:  272,145
Total SP: 205
Current Level: 33
Paragon Level: 50

Inventory

Equipped: 

Item Name: Witchfang
Item Tier: 4
Item Type: OHSS
Item Enhancements: CURSED / BLIGHT / BLEED / PARALYZE
Description: "Forged from the fang of a massive Black Dragon slain by a nameless hero in ancient times, it was given
as offering to placate a Sorcerer intent on bringing low the Kingdom. He struck a deal with the hero, in exchange for
a reprieve in his generation, the fang would return to haunt their world one day. Witchfang promises ruin to those who
are struck by it. The weapon's edge is fashioned of Obsidian and invested with myriad afflictions. 
One of Aincrad's Cursed Weapons, its very presence inspires fear and invokes the chill of darkness."

Item Name: Titan's Ward
Item Tier: 4
Item Type: Heavy Armor
Item Enhancements: Mitigation 2, Taunt
Description: very long 

Item Name: Eye of Osiris
Item Tier: Tierless
Item Type: Accessory
Item Enhancements: ACC III
Description: A pin fashioned in the style of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, depicting the eye of the god Osiris.

Consumables: 
Imugi's Inspiration | MASS HP RECOVERY [157448]
Fruit Infused Tea | HP Recovery III [158815] | [158819] | [158822]
Gold Star Stickers x1
Tier 1 Unique Consumable | Charges: 1/3 | Untradable. +1 DMG, +1 LD or +15MIT for one thread. Stacks on top of other food/alchemical consumable buffs, but does not stack with Scent of the Wild totems.
<<Lightning Rod>> Grants a weapon a one turn paralysis effect on a critical hit. Lasts for one thread. Takes a post action to apply.
Cerberus Soul: Adds 12 Burn damage for two turns to a weapon on a Natural BD roll of 8-10 for the duration of the thread. Does not stack with the Burn Enhancement.
Memory of Battle
Double the bonus from Scents of the Wild totems for one thread
[170465] Well done steak [Protein 2]
[164405] Lemon Berry Palmiers [+3 LD]
[167323] Liquor of Light [+3 DMG]
x3 Demonic Shard
x3 Gleaming Scale

Skills

R5 Heavy Armor
-[Mod] Impetus
-[Addon] Iron Skin
R5 Battle Healing
-[Mod] Emergency Recovery
R5 Straight Sword
-[Addon] Stamina
-[Addon] Precision
-[Addon] <<Straight Sword>> Focus
Combat Mastery: Mitigation 
Energist
Fighting Spirit
Howl
-[Addon] Focused Howl
TECH specialist
(Extra skill)Parry
- [Mod] Vengeful Riposte
(Extra skill) Survival

 

[Pinball 1]

More conversation. From Arabelle, of all people. He wasn't sure why he was surprised. She seemed to have her eyes on the frontlines for a long time. But seeing her take an active part in the conversation regarding the raid and team compositions was a little surreal, after all the time that had passed. 

Then came a visitor. Pinball recognized him, but couldn't remember if he'd had a proper conversation with him before. If he had, Pinball doubted that it had been a friendly one. He hadn't had friendly interactions with most of the people gathered. Pinball continued to listen. He wanted to know what the team compositions were going to look like by the end of the meeting, and he wondered if they were going to account for the people who weren't able or weren't willing to attend. He was also aware of the sheer lack of people playing support. Some things never changed. 

***

Stealth: ID#233536 LD: 14+9= 23 Stealth Rating (better) 

Edited September 25 by Pinball

[Zandra 0]

Zandra slowly rolled onto the other side of the bed as the sun shined on her eyes. She woked up with a smile on her lips. So what was she gonna do toda… she suddenly froze in her bed, her eyes wideopen and filled with panic as she looked at the time. “Åh nej. Nej nej nej!!!” she shouted as she darted out of her bed. “Alltså vafan! Får ett tillfälle att äntligen komma tillbaka och vad händer?” she opened up her inventory and quickly swapped to some decent clothes as she shot out thru the front doors of her mansion. “Jupp, jag f***ing försover mig!!!” she opens up her inventory, takes out a teleportation crystal, crashes it and ends up in the center of floor 22, few seconds later up on floor 24. She rushes towards Raitoboru bay where she have got informed the meeting would take place.

As she finally arrives a bunch of players is already there. She slows down and carefully approaches the meeting. She dosent want to interrupt if they in an important discussion. But well, it isnt the easiest way to sneak towards a meeting when it is on the beach. Few of them probably have already seen her, it would look weird to arrive sneakingly, so she went in normal walk and stops at an outer spot of the planning group with a kind of nervous smile on her face. She stays quiet and listens to a good moment to excuse her late arrival and ask if she had missed something.

Zandra | HP: 900/900 | EN: 108/108 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 0

Spoiler

Zandras outfit:

 

[Morningstar 0]

Possession, reanimation. No concern was invalid when they were working with such little information. Unlike last time, they had no diagrams, nor any secret phrases. They were blind, speaking purely figuratively. Still, it didn't sit right with him. Owij'be was simple. Sure, he had an arsenal of gimmicks and he was immensely difficult to face; however, he was only a beast. There were no undead resurrections or anything of the sort. Maybe it was more straightforward than that.

Arabelle, the new girl, put forth the idea to begin team formation. He liked the initiative. If Freyd was suggesting to party up with people they didn't previously have experience with, his best choice was...

"Team 3. I'm experienced with TECH, although I've been running AOE to grind recently. Happy to fill if required; but if not, then I'd prefer to switch back to TECH." He scribbled his name under the empty list.

	TEAM 1	TEAM 2	TEAM 3?
TANK	Yuki	Freyd
OFF-TANK		Bahr
SUPPORT
DPS	NIGHT		Morningstar
DPS
DPS

---

stealth detection -> pinball | ID233598 LD: 12+7=19 | failed grr

[Zajcica 0]

"i said officiating, not official."

Night’s words would go right over her shield’s head. She would look confusedly to her sword and simply ask. “What does fish have to do with a wedding NIGHT?” Yuki was about to continue before being interrupted by Freyd. “Hello Freyd. I know I haven’t been seen around for a while… I simply needed some time after the Shadow fight.” She didn’t need to explain herself to other, but the paladin was a vulnerable and honest person.

Everyone was soon seated and without hesitation things got going fast. She was ready to return to the fight but she had forgotten just how terrible she was with theory crafting. During the conversation, she would find time to speak on her role. “Hi everyone, I’m a returning player as some of you might know already. I’ll be your resident pink-wall tanking in the frontline. My build specializes in culling add-type enemies and absorbing as much damage as possible head on. Please put me in a place to my strengths.” She’ll try to keep it short.