[F11-PP-PT] A day away

[Raidou 1]

The clicking of heels would beat across white stonework, wide streets where all manner of players would continue to rush along down the pathways toward shops and stalls. The air smelled of coffee and tea, of bread and pastries as a somber wind would cause the folds upon pinstripe umbrellas attached to white top tables to stir. The gentle tap of cups upon china, as all manners of patrons would grace the outside platforms. At hurried paces, waitresses in yellow dresses adorned with tan aprons would slide to each party and collect orders upon notepads before rushing off or be wandering out with large chocolate colored disk trays sporting plates and cups balanced carefully on one hand.

The nomad would sit idle upon a table of his own with three empty chairs, a singular tan book held gingerly in his left hand. A page turns as he'd stare somewhat blankly at its contents, taking to a small cup and lifting it to his lips between every few. On his back, nothing more then a simple set of black clothing with his fingers poking out from a pair of gloves. An honest break from a constant droning against all manner of foe. Not many did what he did, took on the sheer volume of tasks that he would. The world was a safer place, yet his tired feet would match tired hands. "Thank you." the man would muster toward the waitress as she looked at him with a flustered expression, the constant droning of work driving her virtually insane. "Yep, enjoy." the woman would murmur with an exhausted sigh. On the binding of his reading material, it would read: 

The Man of the Crowd - A retelling of works by Edger Allan Poe 

Its recreation was rather poor given it was recalled from memory alone. Even still, this man would find a semblance of silence upon a wary day

---

Spoiler

Name: Raidou, The Agent of Time
True Tier: 14
Level: 33
Paragon Level: 103
HP: 1060/1060
EN: 144/144

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 117
Accuracy: 2
Evasion: 4
Battle Healing: 58
Loot Die: 6
AA
VAMP-D: 117
REC: 8

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Auric Sunlight - Finality of Faith [T4/Demonic/2HSS] +3 Damage, AA
Armor/Trinket: 
  - Red Wanderer's Resolve - Sympathy [T1/Demonic/Cloth] 2 Evasion, 2 Vampiric Defensive
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Vision of Wisdom - Whisper [T4/Demonic/Trinket] Evasion 1, Recovery 2, Accuracy 1

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Mitigation R3

Combat Shift:
  - TECH Shift

Familiar Skill:
  - 

Custom Skill:
  - Ill Omen in Red

Skills:
  - Battle Healing R5
  - Charge
  - Cloth Armor R5
  - Energist
  - Fighting Spirit
  - Howl
  - Quick Change
  - Searching R5
  - Straight Sword R5

Extra Skills:
  - Survival
  - Parry
  - Forgotten King's Authority
  - Concentration
  - 
  - 
  - 

Inactive Extra Skills:
Photosynthesize
Brawler
Frozen Hide

Addons:
  - Ferocity
  - Focused Howl
  - Nimble
  - Precision
  - Reveal
  - Stamina

Mods:
  - Athletics
  - Detect
  - Justified Riposte
  - Tracking
  - Vengeful Riposte

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - Crippling Composition - Lullaby [Tierless/Rare/Debuff/Instant] Hypnosis 2 | [224055] x1
  - Ebon Star - Vanguard Revenant [T4/Demonic/Straight Sword]: V.O 2, Taunt, Blight 1 x1
  - Random Dungeon Map | [226637b] x1
  - Teleport Crystal x1
  - Vocal Augmentation - Resonation [Tierless/Perfect/Support/Instant] +15% HP [160898][161641][161642][162018][162529] x5

Housing Buffs:
  - Basic Kitchen: 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.
  - Storage Closet: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
  - Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
  - Attic (Storage): +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
  - Basement: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
  - Guest Room: Players can have one «Amenity» in a «Guest Room» and the «Amenity» cannot be recovered. Players are allowed to change which «Amenity» is in the «Guest Room». Multiple instances of the same «Amenity» do not stack. This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.
  - Master Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
  - Master Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
  - Extended Workshop: +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
  - Greenhouse: +2 Gathering EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to gathering attempts.
  - Dining Hall: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed. Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.
  - Mega Slime Farm: +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post.

Guild Hall Buffs:
  - Trading Hall: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters and Rank 4 merchants/performers receive +1 crafting/identification attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters and Rank 5 merchants/performers receive +2 crafting/identification attempts per day.
  - Treasury: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild Totem:
  - Tanos
Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:

Gathering Profession:

 

[Koga 0]

k o g a the elder wolf Spoiler notes: none Koga, Lvl: 33/61 | HP: 940 | EN: 128 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 30 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 2 | BH: 52/103 | HB: 21 | VD: 103 | FALN: 16 | BRN: 56 | LD: 3 equipped battle-ready inventory Tsuki no Hikari | Demonic T4 Katana | CRSD, BRN, FALN II Shuku-ro Coat | Demonic T4 Light Armor | EVA II, VAMP-D II Hirameku de Tatamu | Demonic T4 Trinket | ACC III, HB I None skills Spoiler | UTILITY Gathering: Fishing I | Successfully forage for materials on a LD 14+ | 42/49 EXP  Searching III | Passive | +1 LD per rank. +1 to Stealth Detection per rank. | 14 SP Night Vision | Passive | Ignores any penalties from low light or darkness. Negates the bonus Stealth Rating from low light or darkness. | 3 SP | COMBAT Combat Shift: Single Target | Passive | For the following Sword Arts, +3 to multipliers and +2 to EN cost; ST-I, ST-II, ST-B. No other Shifts may be taken. | 10 SP Mastery: Damage III | Passive | Gain 1 * Tier Damage per rank | 13 SP Battle Healing V | Passive | Recover 5% (rounded down) of your maximum HP at the start of your turn | 30 SP Emergency Recovery | When non-fatal damage would leave you with 25% or less of your maximum HP, recover 10% of your maximum HP after the attack resolves. Effect cannot occur more than once per thread.  When activated if the player has lower than 10 energy remaining, simply reduce the player's energy to 0. | 6 SP 10 EN Energist | Passive | Increase Base Energy by 5 * Tier | 8 SP Charge | Action | Perform a single attack/Sword Art with +3 base damage. Charge attacks have a -1 Accuracy debuff and cannot be affected by any auto-hit effects. | 10 SP 2 EN * Tier, Cooldown: 3 Posts Howl | Action | Adds +2 Hate each against up to 4 targets. | 10 SP 2 EN, Cooldown: 2 posts Focused Howl | Action | Adds +4 Hate against a single target. | 5 SP 4 EN, Cooldown: 4 Posts | WEAPON Katana V | Passive | +7 DMG when equipped with a Katana | 30 SP Stamina | Passive | Reduces the energy of all Katana attacks by 2 EN | 4 SP Precision | Passive | Gain +1 ACC. | 2 SP Ferocity | Passive | +2 DMG when using Katana Sword Arts | 4 SP | ARMOR Light Armor V | Passive | +30 MIT when equipped with Light Armor, -2 Stealth | 30 SP Meticulous | Passive | +1 DMG when equipped with Light Armor | 4 SP Resolve | Passive | +1 ACC and +10 * Tier HP when equipped with Light Armor | 6 SP | EXTRAS Familiar Master: Rending | Free Action | You and your familiar attack in tandem, applying Rend [7*tier unmitigatable damage] to the target that lasts for two turns. | 10 SP Cooldown: 5 Turns Survival | Passive | Increases Healing effects received from all sources by 10%. Grants immunity to all damage dealing environmental attacks/effects. | 0 SP Parry | Action | Apply the energy cost upon proc, not activation. Reduces the final damage of the next successful attack against you by 50% (rounded down) and negates stun/paralysis effects of that attack. If hit by multiple attacks, only apply parry to the first attack against you. Parry lasts for three turns. Cooldown starts when the player activates the Skill. If the player is hit when using Parry, the cooldown is reset to 3 turns. | 10 SP 9 EN, Cooldown: 3 Turns Vengeful Riposte | Passive | A successful Parry also returns 50% (rounded down) of the raw damage that would be dealt to you back to your opponent. The reflected damage can be mitigated by the opponent. | 6 SP Cooldown: 4 Turns Justified Riposte |  Passive | A successful Parry also stuns the target for 1 turn. | 5 SP Cooldown: 4 Turns Frozen Hide | Free Action | As a free action, apply one slot of Frost Aura and one slot of Frost Thorns equal to your tier to yourself until the start of your next turn. | 0 SP 5 EN, Cooldown: 4 Turns Lady Luck | Free Action | Replace a single enhancement slot on your weapon with a random enhancement using the Appraiser’s Identification roll until the start of your next turn. | 0 SP 5 EN, Cooldown: 5 Turns Meditation | Action | Recover an additional (4 * Tier) energy. Cooldown: 3 Turns buffs Spoiler | PARAGON REWARDS Lv. 5 | Earn Col equivalent to 15% of player’s EXP earned in thread. Lv. 10 | +1 LD to Looting | BUFFS <<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. <<Item Stash>> | +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot <<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. <<Practiced Angler>> | +2 Fishing EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to fishing attempts.

It was a free day for Koga. Kasumi was out today, something about punching crabs? Koga didn't ask, too afraid of whatever the answer might be. On the bright side, it meant that they'd be eating well tonight. Given that little tidbit, the swordsman had hung up his coat for the day and decided to go grocery shopping, picking up some missing spices, and some vegetables for sides for tonight's meal. But before that, he needed some caffeine. Not that it actually did anything in Aincrad goddamn it, Kayaba but the flavor alone was worthwhile.

There were a number of cafes and teahouses around Taft, and the area around the market was prime real estate for those kinds of establishments. But it was a shockingly busy day today and they were all utterly packed. It was almost impossible for Koga to find a free seat at one, let alone a free table. He was just about to give up when the last establishment he tried offered to seat him, on the condition that he take a seat with another patron.

Desperate, Koga agreed. And found himself sitting across from a man reading a book. Koga smiled and nodded at him as he sat down, uttering an apology. "Sorry, the waitress sat me with you. Packed house today. Hope you don't mind?"

@Raidou

Edited October 22, 2024 by Koga

[Raidou 1]

The ripping surroundings worked to make all manner of speech quite troublesome, the simplistic facsimile of life bled on in a constant droning display of frugality. Bags a plenty sat to the left of chairs, as bodies that sourced them devoured readily the food that was ordered. Within this rabble not many cut from a refined cloth and yet in its standard thoroughfare, its life would reward a sense of success. A fold of that book as the raking of a chair across tanned stone would shriek quite quickly in a harsh tone. A few moments after as they sat in an uncomfortable silence, the waitress would return and look eagerly to the both of them. Each sat across a four person table in opposed sides, allowing the backdrop to burn away at that question as the man would finish the current page.

"What can I get you?" she'd plead to Koga as if beneath those words she was begging for a break, perhaps counting on the pudding she had at home and was dreaming of a late date night with.

"Perhaps some tea, unless he's all full up on strawberry parfait" The man would cut through the statement like a scalpel through a sternum. His eyes locked to the page as the waitress would begin to scratch, an assumption that perhaps these unknowing patrons in fact knew each other. It was good enough for her, faster in and faster out. A huff as she'd wrestle the ragged mop of brunette hair into place then scamper off to retrieve the order. "Ever read, In Two Gentlemen of Verona?" the man would ask folding the book and setting it gently next to a cup of tea, wrestling the small cup from it and helping it to his lips with a smile that did not convey the demons beneath that visage.

Raidou was no stranger, and he was no fool. Kasumi was more then frugal with information that she'd think he could not hear. Moreover the man to which she was referring was also the very same that he'd heard the name a time or two, and wasn't one to forget a face. Now, the question still stood. Why in Taft, was this man holding up, near a bunch of cute waitresses in uniform instead?

[Koga 0]

The man did not respond, merely flipping through the pages of his book as Koga took his seat. 'Okay...' the ronin thought to himself as he leaned back in his chair and picked a spot elsewhere to look at as he waited to order some coffee and then be on his way.

Thankfully, the silence did not last too long as a particularly beleaguered looking waitress finally arrived and asked for the man's order with a strained smile. Surprisingly, the silent, brooding man with the book cut-in before Koga even had a chance to respond. And he sent a chill down Koga's spine.

"Coffee, black, with two sugars, please," Koga said to the waitress, smiling up at her kindly, though it did not reach his eyes. His hands retreated beneath the table as the woman left, and Koga's attention turned to the man, examining him. He recognized him. Vaguely. One of the Frontliners, that much Koga was certain but beyond that...

Either way, Koga was seriously wishing he'd invested in Quick Change.

"Ever read, In Two Gentlemen of Verona?" the man asked.
"Can't say I've had the pleasure," Koga replied, weighing his options. Unarmed, but not incapable. He probably couldn't put up much of a fight if he drew a weapon, but this was a safezone. Still, Koga wasn't quite ready to test the Cardinals limitations (and with his luck they'd just flat out fail). Table could provide enough of a distraction to make space, or run away all together. Give him time to equip his gear.

@Raidou

[Raidou 1]

"Quite the sweet tooth." the man offers as he'd take the tea offered into a cup and it causes the lenses on his brow to become opaque with heat. "Best be careful, too much sugar can be the death of you." The clatter of a tea cup back to the platter, the tension could be felt like a thick blanket pulled taught. Sounds of their surroundings begin to slowly fade, becoming a faint memory of existing like an whisper down a long corridor. Here and now, despite it all they were alone. Busy streets, nothing more then a painting in motion. "In Two Gentlemen of Verona. A tale of two men, as the title implies." He'd instruct, helping him to tea to not fully convey his cards before the sweep.

"Thurio and Valentine. A Dukes progeny, destined for greatness. Valentine sought a foreign land, to become a well kept man. Thurio found himself courting a girl by the name of Julia." The red wanderer continued, quickly finishing his tea and pouring out another. The waitress walking up to the table, yet given the intensity backs away after looking to both gentlemen. "Valentine was shortly joined by Thurio, after of course he took Julia's hand. A married man, to a foreign land." A message screen blinks, and Raidou dismisses it. Another quest, or monster. These drills seemed unending yet now was not the time. He had a point to make. "It was here, where they both found Silvia. To which both boys found themselves infatuated. However Thurio was already engaged. Yet he'd pursue, and at the end of it all he'd end up with nothing. A moral to honor and dignity, and integrity. Valentine had his success, for he sought only Silvia." A moral made clear, hopefully at the ready.

The waitress returns, and places the cup upon the table as a bit of yogurt oozes down her apron. "Enjoy."

Raidou would cut in "Yes Koga, Enjoy." taking the pleasure of pouring him a cup gently to the helps surprise. A smile on his face as he does. "Oh, Right, pardon my manners. I'm Kuzunoha Raidou. I'm Kasumi's cousin." He'd slide over the bowl with sugar cubes. "Should really cut back on the sugar, one cube should be more than enough."

[Koga 0]

"One of the few times I have sugar," Koga stated, even voiced as his eyes rested on the man again. Was the irony in being concerned about Koga's health meant to be ironic? The swordsman was only slightly less than amused.

The world had seemed to shrink around them as the mysterious frontliner spoke. Koga attention was fixed, listening to the rather intentional seeming words. The particular choice of story. There was a lesson there, as there often was. Loyalty, faithfulness. The same old song and dance, the one that humanity never seemed to tire of. But there was one thing Koga couldn't figure out...

What in the fuck did any of this have to do with him?

The waitresses return seemed to shatter through the illusion of isolation that had settled over the two men. Koga turned and gave the woman a polite smile, nodding as she set down the pot of coffee and the cup, only for his eyes to flicker over to the other man again as he lifted the pot.

The man began to pour.

"Yes Koga, Enjoy."

Koga's eyes narrowed at him. Wait a moment...This was guy was at the Gabrandr fight. This was-

"Oh, Right, pardon my manners. I'm Kuzunoha Raidou."

Holy shit.

"I'm Kasumi's cousin."

Koga stared blankly for a moment or two as Raidou pushed the little container of sugar cubes towards him, the metal quietly scraping across the tabletop.

Koga started laughing, the tension not quite leaving his body as he threw his head back in his chair. "Oh my god, I'm sorry," the man apologized, grinning now, a hand falling on the table to rest. "Shit, dude, I thought you were a PK'er or something, sorry." Koga took a moment to compose himself. "I'd introduce myself, but yeah,Sounds like you already know who I am."

The swordsman dropped a cube into his coffee with the tongs. He paused before grabbing a second. He'd expected a much larger cup, truth be told. He set the tongs aside. "Are you always this intense when you go through the whole interrogation thing with your cousin's- uh..." Koga trailed off. They weren't dating. But Koga would've liked to believe that they weren't just friends either. And clearly, Raidou had heard something through the grapevine. "Actually, uhm, what have you heard about me and Kasumi?" The boy asked somewhat sheepishly, leaning back into his chair again as he lifted his cup. "What'd she say to you?"

@Raidou