[PP-PT-F21] New Teammates, New Adventures | <<Trouble in the Mines>>

[Morningstar 0]

Tomoika: one of many underdark settlements on the twenty-first floor. Star avoided it when he could; he wasn't a fan of the air quality, nor of the dwarves that lived there. Of course, this meant that quests accessible in the area were left incomplete, and he could only stand that for so long.

It just so happened that his need to clear one coincided with the forming of raid parties, and Morningstar was grouped with a player he did not know. It was Freyd's idea of improving coordination and fostering camaraderie between the frontliners. While some disagreed with the sentiment, Star fell in the middle. He saw both perspectives. On one hand, boss fights were not the safest place to try new things. There were already too many unknowns involved, so why add more?

On the other hand, how many of the frontliners actually knew each other? Star could probably count those he could name off the top of his head with two hands. Why not build some relationships?

He shot a message to Alkor. 

ms: hey.
ms: running a quick quest on f21. care to join?

| MORNINGSTAR  | Lv. 68 >> P. 35, Lv. 33  | Status: [ teambuilding exercises ]  Notes:  //

Hide contents Morningstar | HP: 943/943 | EN: 118/118 | DMG: 22 | MIT: 60 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 8 | BH: 51 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V equipped Dying Sun FLN II, AA, PAR VEN Inner Focus EVA II, REC II Sapphire ACC III, EVA I battle-ready inventory Magdalyn's Cuckoo Teleport Crystal skills   Hide contents mod count: 4/5 STRAIGHT SWORD | RANK 5/5 precision, stamina, ferocity shift: aoe MARTIAL ARTS | RANK 5/5 precision COMBAT MASTERY: DMG | RANK 3/3 SEARCHING | RANK 4/5 (5) night vision, detect, tracking, reveal BATTLE HEALING | RANK 5/5 UNHINDERED ENERGIST CHARGE extra (active) SURVIVAL FORGOTTEN KING'S AUTHORITY LADY LUCK DISGUISE data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== buffs   Hide contents statue # | # consumables armor tempering tequila | +60 mit shadows withal | +123 hp creme brulee (filled) | +3 acc paragon Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread. Lv. 10 | +1 LD to looting. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== sword arts   Hide contents 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 | x12 | AOE STUN TECH-G | x12 | BURN data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== misc/housing buffs   Hide contents Dimensional Backpack | +2 Battle-Ready Inventory Slots. Well Rested | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat. Squeaky Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down). 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. Tasty | Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Lesser Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread. Relaxed | Increases out-of-combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Multipurpose | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll. Skylight (Searching) | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill.  fishing # data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==   data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

 

 

[Alkor 0]

When the message came, Alkor was sat in the lazy rays of late afternoon orange that bled down over the 24th floor. The endless crash of waves from far below flowed together like a symphony, singing mind-numbingly beautiful Oblivion to someone desperate for silence. This was one of the few places he could isolate himself, on the property that he owned and did not have to share with anyone else.

Sadly, the respite was to be short lived. After the boss meeting, there was a short window where they could do what they needed to prepare. For Alkor, that meant the rest and solitude he needed to calm his frayed nerves and refresh himself for the fight. That peace was ended when be saw the message from Morningstar.

...it's a fair request, at least.

He gave an inaudible sigh. Though he could have refused, the thought of going into the next massive battle without any sort of understanding of how his teammates functioned was... well, Koga had spoken for the both of them. It was a liability, and this was an opportunity to rid themselves of it.

He scrawled out a message that sent just as he donned his armor and set out toward the teleport gate that would take him to the destination. They'd be able to talk details once he arrived. 

Quote

A: Floor 21? I'll be right there. Meet you in Tomoika?

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

 

[Morningstar 0]

When Alkor arrived in Tomoika, Star was haggling with a dwarf over a vial of Watcher's Extract. The dwarf, a heavy fellow whose beard had gone grey, scowled at Morningstar. Both parties were irritated, obvious from the way they argued.

"What do you mean you don't take col? What else is there to take?"

"Gold, boy! Sixty-five grams of gold—no less!"

"Who in their right mind has sixty-five grams of gold on hand?"

"Anyone with more brains than a rock golem!"

"Whatever," Star dismissed him with a wave, stepping away from the stall.

"Your mother was a rust monster!" The dwarf shouted in his gruff accent.

Star flipped his favorite finger and waltzed off.

He found Alkor coming from the teleporter. Star had already prepped his gear and located the quest-giver; all he needed was his party-mate. "Hey! Thanks for coming. Hope you don't mind killing baby dragons. Drakes, actually. I guess they're different."