[PP-21-PT] A Measure of Mettle <<Betrayal of the King>>

[Freyd 0]

News of the pending training mission had gone out to all members of Firm Anima.  The guild would be facing its old nemesis: The Time Forgotten King.  The proud and terrifying mob seemed to have lost of its luster, from the hey day when Raidou had famously fought it to a standstill, only to have the rest of the guild swarm the monster and bring it to ground.  Freyd knew it to be one of his friend's greatest triumphs and a validation of the principles upon which the guild had been founded.  

Waiting just outside the gates of Tomoika, Freyd had encouraged newer members of the Operations & Intelligence division to participate.  He hadn't spent as much time watching over their activities, of late, and wanted to ensure he got to know the crew which he was tasked to oversee.  Chatter with the guard confirmed that mob activity throughout the twenty-first floor had been relatively light of late.  People were either grinding to keep the local wildlife in check, or something else was brewing.  The latter was his bailiwick, and O&I's.  Prevention, investigation, spycraft, and all manner of clandestine shenanigans were their purview, and that required talented, brave and capable individuals.  Freyd made a point of making sure those within its ranks were as well-prepared as possible.

Standing like a silhouette in the dim lights of the adjacent settlement, he waited like some sort of sentinel to see who would come out of the woodwork this time.

***

Note: CS (Shades of the Gemini) and CSA (Beckon the Void) are in use.  If any other player objects to these, please state in first post and it will be considered inactive.
Note: Freyd has previously completed this quest.

Freyd Consumes and shares:

Gugnir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Crème Brûlée Tray | ACC 2 | Feast (6/6) - takes 1 portion [filled]
Elixir of Wrath | Tierless Perfect Potion | Damage 3 | 195522b
Draught of Safeguard - T4 Perfect Potion | Mitigation 3 | 218167
Troll's Blood | 202544f

Freyd | HP: 1260/1260 | EN: 158/158 | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD

Spoiler

Name: Freyd, Kuro bara no kishi
True Tier: 18
Level: 33
Paragon Level: 139
HP: 1260/1260
EN: 158/158

Stats:
Damage: 21
Mitigation: 152+60
Accuracy: 4+2+1
Evasion: 2
Battle Healing: 69
Loot Die: 5
Stealth Rating: -5
VAMP-D: 69
FLN: 16
HLY: 16

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Samael's Pride | T4 Katana | FLN II | HLY II 
Armor/Trinket: 
  - Negare Omnia | T4 HA | MIT III | VD I
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Night Shades | T3 Trinket | ACC III | EVA I

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
  - AOE Shift

Familiar Skill:
  - Grappling Familiar

Custom Skill:
  - Shades of the Gemini (CS)
  - Beckon the Void (CSA)

Skills:
  - Battle Healing R5
  - Charge
  - Energist
  - Extended Mod Limit
  - Extended Weight Limit
  - Fighting Spirit
  - Heavy Armor R5
  - Howl
  - Katana R5
  - Quick Change
  - Searching R4

Extra Skills:
  - Disguise
  - Survival
  - Parry
  - Meditation

Inactive Extra Skills:
  - Forgotten King's Authority
  - Lady Luck
  - Photosynthesize
  - Brawler
  - Assault Mode
  - Frozen Hide
  - Hiding R3

Addons:
  - Focus
  - Focused Howl
  - Iron Skin
  - Precision
  - Reveal
  - Stamina

Mods:
  - Detect
  - Emergency Recovery
  - Impetus
  - Justified Riposte
  - Night Vision
  - Tracking

Inactive Mods:
  - Untraceable

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - Crystal of Divine Light (Reusable 1/thread) x7
  - Dagan Crystal-B  (Reusable, 1/thread) x1
  - Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+10% HP) x1
  - Meathook (Reusable 1/combat) x1
  - Ordsea Crystal-B (Reusable 1/combat) x1
  - Rhino's Horn (Reusable 1/combat) x1
  - Teleport Crystals x7
  - The Bonded Word. | T4 Demonic Trinket - ACC III, REC I x1
  - Veritas | T4 Katana) | AA, PVO I, VO I, Taunt  x1

Housing Buffs:
  - Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
  - Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
  - 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 (Bedroom): +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.
  - 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.
  - Extended Workshop: +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
  - Ornate Fishing Pond: +2 Fishing EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to fishing 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:
 - Appraising[3478exp] R5
Gathering Profession:
 - Fishing[576exp] R5"                                                                                                                            

 

Edited October 19 by Freyd

[Typhoonflame 0]

Firm Anima. That name resonated with Ty now, for it was the name of the guild Kiluia had invited her to. She decided to join because she needed someone to help keep her safe and teach her how to contribute to the community of players at large. After some time of mulling it over, she decided to join the guild's Operations and Intelligence division, deeming it to be the most suitable for her skillset and allowing her to bring the most value to the guild. 

It was only a few weeks into her joining that she received a notice about a training mission for all members. Immediately, she felt nervous, but left her shop on the 4th Floor to participate. She knew nothing about the boss they'd be facing, but she assumed the guild would fill her in. After learning where Tomoika was, she headed there quickly and arrived as soon as she could. She'd never been in this area, which made her feel even more anxious, but she had to press on. 

Walking out of the woods, she noticed a lone figure. They'd been told the O&I leader would be waiting for them. She'd met him in passing, but Ty's nerves didn't lessen for that. 

"Hello, Freyd. I received the call, what's going on, sir?" she asked quickly, glancing around the area. 

 

 

Typhoonflame| Lv. 9 | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 1 | PAR: 2 

 

Spoiler

Skills: 

Rapier Skill: 
PASSIVE, Rank 5
Effect: At Rank 1, gain +3 DMG. At Ranks 2-5, +1 per rank (max of +7 DMG for R5 Weapon Skill). At Rank 5, unlock the ability to specialize in a Combat Shift.

Inventory:

(3) Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)
4,700 Col
(36) Materials
Zachariah's Special Draught | Tierless Potion | HP Recovery III
Initiate's Draw | T1 Perfect Straight Sword | #, #, #
5x Big Bertha Braciole | T1 Rare Snack | Vitality II
Standard <<Alchemist>> Shop
[Rare] Crafting Salve

 

New Character Bundle: 
Support Package

Equipment

T4 Rare Weapon 223975a

Rapier (named Sparkflare) (Accuracy 1, Paralysis 2)

Consumables: 
(3) Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

T4 Rare Consumable 223975b
T4 Rare Consumable 223975c

 

[Freyd 0]

"Ah.  TyphoonFlame, yes?  We faced off against Terra Firma not too long ago, as I recall."  Dresses in black on black armor, Freyd's welcoming smile was an odd pairing to the strangely slick surface like roiling fog over a sleepy lake in the wee hours of dawn,  "The others have been called away on other matter, so it looks like the two of us will be making this trek on our own."  A casual gesture suggested their route through the fungal forest the clung to the edge of Tomoika.  Being underground, this murky growth of moss, lichen and other unpleasant-smelling flora served as the town's primary source of food.

"I hope you've been doing well since we last saw each other?" A quick scan from azure eyes cloaked beneath a soft ebonweave cowl confirmed that she still had no armor, only a weapon at her hip.  "Did you want to stop at Ren's shop while we're here and pick up some equipment?  The wilds can be unpredictable and dangerous to navigate unprepared.  Better yet, if you know what you want, why don't I simply have him send a runner to us.  Call it 'Skip the Dishes' for medieval MMO warfare."  Her captain seemed genuinely concerned, though he was making a concerted effort not to worry her at the same time.  Opening up an interface, he quickly cycles through what looked like reams of data, tightly crowded and partially encoded to deter prying.

"Here.  Try these.  They'll help you with accuracy, and are pretty much standard requirements for any player.  If you can't hit, you can't win.  Simple as that."

Appraising her further, Freyd reconsidered his approach.  

"Those will last you forever, but you'll be too low level to do much against this foe.  Same rules of engagement as before.  But, afterwards, we should come back here and get you kitted out with some next tier gear.  Rencesvals' shop is in town, and he likes helping people with that sort of thing."

***

Freyd gives TyphoonFlame: 

Glasses | T1 Perfect Jewelry | ID: #231543 | ACC III | A glasses frame lacking lenses.

Edited October 20 by Freyd

[Typhoonflame 0]

Ty nodded, smiling. "Yeah, we did...Wouldn't want to relive that. I missed so many strikes back there, sorry, sir." 
Knowing she'd be in a forest area today, Ty chose to wear a black jacket over her usual purple long-sleeved shirt. It was the warmest piece of clothing she had here. Luckily, she also had some black boots, which meant she wouldn't be getting her feet wet. 

She frowned when Freyd said others had been called away. "Everyone? But...well, I know we're not a huge guild, but still! What happened? Is everyone okay?" Confusion quickly shifted to worry on her face.

Ty had to admit she felt somewhat judged under Freyd's gaze, probably because he was the guild leader. "Um, yeah...I haven't had time to get a better weapon or armor yet. I've been busy setting up my shop on Floor 4! But, if you're offering to help, I'd be more than grateful. I think just some basic leather armor would do, no?" she asked, taking the offered glasses and letting her HUD analyze them. "Wow, those are really good! Thank you...I know my accuracy's been, well, not great." She chuckled, replacing her glasses with the new ones, tucking the old ones away in her bag. When she blinked, it seemed that the new glasses helped with her eyesight just as well and adjusted to her. The joys of gaming. 

"I'll be too low level?! Why am I here then? I mean, if this is like Terra Figma..." She shuddered. "We came close there, sir. Had we kept missing...And with just the two of us...Shouldn't we wait for the others?" She didn't want to sound weak, but she also wasn't comfortable with always being carried either.

~*~

Typhoonflame equips Glasses | T1 Perfect Jewelry | ID: #231543 | ACC III | A glasses frame lacking lenses. 

 

[Freyd 0]

"Actually, Firm Anima is one of the larger guilds. We're just scattered all over the place doing all the stuff that needs doing, at virtually all hours.  You'd be amazed.  And Freyd is fine, or 'hey you'.  I answer to a lot of different names."  She had no idea how many, but time would reveal all things, unless he did his job right. Then it would only reveal the appointed things at their appointed times.  Time could be a really uncooperative bitch about such things.

"Do you go by any other nicknames?  TyphoonFlame is lovely, but also a bit of a mouthful.  Ty?  Flame? Ty-fly?  Work with me.  I'm just spitballing."  

Freyd listened as she voiced her concerns, hands searching for pockets his new armor no longer afforded.  Setting for a casual stride instead, he kept his eyes open for wayward mobs that might have wandered too close to town while she said her peace.  

"One of the things you're going to learn about being in O&I is that we're always a little closer to the knife's edge than any of us would like.  Not enough allies?  Short on gear?  Lacking experience in the randomly assigned task at hand?  Welcome to the club.  We have cookies, and invisible t-shirts that no one can ever admit to wearing.  Look, this is kinda the point.  Don't like to be carried?  Don't blame you.  I wouldn't either.  But facing impossible odds comes with understanding what it means to be completely outclassed by your enemies.  As much as we all hate it, loss is a valid and possible outcome.   Face that here, and you'll be good to step out into the world on your own terms."

Leading them through the fungal forest and into one of the larger side caverns, her guide pointed high up along one of the side walls.  There, an ancient fortress sat buried and consumed by an endless maw of stalactites and stalagmites, pinching down to swallow it in the slowest chew of all times.  The place looked, quite appropriately, forgotten.

[Typhoonflame 0]

Ty nodded at Frey'd explanation. It was true, the guild was large and many of its members were people she'd never met, given that they ended up being on missions at different times. 
"I'd rather not refer to my guild leader with "hey, you", thanks." She chuckled. "But okay, Freyd then." While she found Ty-fly hilarious, she only laughed. "Whatever you prefer, I respond to everything too. Ty or Typhoon, most commonly, but I accept anything."

She walked alongside Freyd, keeping her ears and eyes open as they talked for any unusual sounds. She'd joined O&I thinking she'd be further away from combat and able to provide support, but it was turning out to be the exact opposite...However, there was no time to complain now. She had to do her duty if she and her fellow players were to leave this world and resume their lives in reality. 

"I see...Well, I'll do my best to keep up then. This wasn't what I expected, and I wonder if I'll be able to keep up due to my disability."
She laughed when he mentioned invisible shirts. "Aw shame, I was hoping to get a cool badge or something! But...understood." she said, getting more serious again. "Loss is fine...as long as my HP is above 0 and I learn something."

She looked up at the fortress, following Frey'd gaze. "That our destination? I see...Any intel?"

[Freyd 0]

"Alright then, Ty.  Keep this in mind too: we're fixers, which means that O&I are also home to support-style players.  Healers, leaders, and the like, fall under our protective umbrella.  None of us can stand alone against everything.  We need each other.  Whether that's crawling around some dusty dungeon, a back alley, or even the front lines.  We're all working together, even when we're apart.  And, occasionally, that means helping the newbies face something that would otherwise be impossible." A subtle gesture set them on a rocky trail up to the shattered ruins, climbing along precarious crags towards a deliberately uninviting destination.

"The Forgotten Time King, or FTK for short, is basically a giant bag of hit point that's immune to most status effects."  Ramming his shoulders into a series of fallen timbers cleared enough of a path for them to enter through the broken gates that once guarded what looked like an ancient fortress, now buried and half-digested by the surrounding stones.  "He's good for training because he doesn't have any area attacks.  Once I get him mad, he'll spend his time wailing on me and ignore you completely.  I'm curious to see how you choose to use that time."

Pausing for a moment, he'd nearly missed the elephant sprinting through their conversation, nothing obvious catching his usually sharp senses.

"Oh, and what disability?"

Navigating the corridors with uncanny familiarity, it was clear that Freyd had been here before, likely many times.  They approached a final chamber, with a pair of once-ornate doors in a stone archway that long-ago held some form of sculptural relief.  Little remained, most of the detail having been worn away over years.  Pressing a finger to his lips, Freyd pressed his gauntleted hand against the wood and pressed.  The hinges groaned in protest, loud enough to wake the dead.  No, literally.  Barely through the opening, a large, gaunt, skeletal figure in tattered robes and wielding a massive rusted axe was already rising from the dregs of a throne.  

In a single step, Freyd seemed to vanish among the shadows swirling in blobs separate by eerie pale light that shone through broken clerestory windows above.  Reappearing at the king's side, his blade slices for its head, but managed only a deep gash and to send its crown clattering across the floor and rolling along to stop at TyphoonFlame's feet.

"Hey, Bob," Freyd began, with a deep mocking tone as he assumed his combat stance.  "Did you miss me?"

***

Spoiler

Post Action | AoE-I (x15, 11 EN, +2 shift, +2/hit): 15 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 12 EN.  
Free Action [Item] | Ordsea Crystal-B (+5 hate)

ID #236258 | BD: 5+7=12 (hit).  DMG (15*24=360-100=260) | CD 7 | ST-B/BtV Locked

Freyd | HP: 1260/1260 | EN: 146/158 (158-12) | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[7,0] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 2740/3000 (3000-260) | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

 

Edited October 23 by Freyd

[Typhoonflame 0]

Ty struggled along the precarious terrain, but did her best to keep up, finding foothold after foothold, while listening to Freyd. 

"I see. So it's not like we're spies or something, we're more like...the backup, the information gatherers." she mused, continuing the trek. "And as for my disability, it's just cerebral palsy."

She listened to Frey'd explanation of the boss, brow furrowed. She didn't quite love the idea of an HP sponge, but other than that, the boss sounded relatively harmless to her, as long as Frey'd kept it busy, She'd have to focus on attacking. There was no way to stun her way out of this one, which did kind of scare her. Still, she followed Feyd through the corridors, gripping her rapier. Upon seeing  the skeletal form of the king, she almost froze, but forced herself to remain alert.

And then she definitely froze when his crown fell at her feet. Taking a deep breath, Ty observed, waiting for a chance to strike. Once she saw the king was focused on Freyd, she stepped up, trying to land a hit  on the skeleton with her rapier, aiming for his legs. 



 

Spoiler

Post Action: Basic Attack vs The Forgotten Time King

ID #236390 | BD: 10+4=14 (hit).  DMG: 8

Freyd | HP: 1260/1260 | EN: 146/158 (158-12) | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[7,0] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 2732/3000 (3000-268) | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

 

[Freyd 0]

"That's a neurological thing, isn't it?"  Medicine and biology had never really been his strong suit, though he recalled that it could be quite debilitating. A flash of concern across his face was soon suppressed.  That sympathy struck him at all was remarkable, though perhaps best set aside to be considered when a giant undead quest boss wasn't trying to kill him.

"Does it have any impact in here,  or have you basically been freed from its effects?"

Yup.  Big mistake. Seizing on his distraction, the Forgotten Time King slammed him back with the flat of his axe. Partially parried, Freyd didn't take much damage, but was forced to refocus on the battle first and foremost.  Launching himself back at their foe and sliding low under the monarch's guard, another wicked slice delivered yet another tear in the mob's mesh - another glaring orange scar where his weapon had cut through.

***

Freyd's Action:

Spoiler

Note: Add 1 damage to FTK from TyphoonFlame's successful basic attack.  Added hate for successful crit attack.

Freyd regains +4 EN

Post Action | AoE-II (x18, 14 EN, +2 shift, +2/hit): 18 EN - (Rested 1/2; Stamina) = 15 EN.  
Free Action | None

ID #236722 | BD: 3+7=10 (hit).  DMG (18*24=432-100=332) | CD 3 | ST-B/BtV Locked

Freyd | HP: 1260/1260 | EN: 135/158 (146+4-15) | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[9,2] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 2399/3000 (2731-332) | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

Enemy's Action:

Spoiler

ID #236723 | MD: 9 (Crit +1).  DMG (276-212=64) vs Freyd

Freyd | HP: 1196/1260 (1260-64) | EN: 135/158 | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[9,2] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 2399/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

 

Edited October 26 by Freyd

[Typhoonflame 0]

She nodded. "Yeah, it's neurological. Though, honestly, it often feels very physical, way more than neurological." she admitted. "However, the game world lessened my disability somewhat, so I at least have better balance and can walk on my own. Still slow, knees still slightly bent, but I can. And the mental side stayed, of course."

She winced when the King slammed back at Freyd, but her worry seemed to have been for naught, as Freyd managed to deliver a far fiercer blow. She loosed a breath, glaring up at the skeleton. How dare it be so smug, it was an inanimate object! She couldn't do much to stop it, but she would try. 
Using the fact it was still distracted by Freyd, Ty steadied her rapier and tried to hit it again. However, just as she was about to strike, the King reeled in pain from Frey'd latest attack, snarling. 

Ty cursed. "Damn, sorry Freyd...this one's all yours!"

 

Spoiler

Post Action: Basic Attack vs the King

ID: 237234  BD: 5 (+4=9=Miss)

 

Freyd | HP: 1196/1260 (1260-64) | EN: 135/158 | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[9,2] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 2399/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

 

Edited November 1 by Typhoonflame

[Freyd 0]

"It's alright," he replied.  "You kinda get used to ~OOF!"

The butt end of the king's axe handle smashed into Freyd's abdomen, lifting him a good two feet off the ground with some appreciably uncomfortable hang time before he stumbled backwards to find the ground with his ass.

"Ughhh... I hate it when you do that, Bob."

Rolling sideways to avoid the mob's follow-up swing, the Whisper soon regained his footing to the tune of a shrieking banshee as Samael's Pride loosed its wards to unleash the black void within.  Swinging low, taking advantage of his own compromised position, Freyd managed a devastating riposte, tearing away a good chunk of the undead ribs in the process.  A glaring gash was all that remained of the mob's lower left side, in the sword's wake, though the effort proved equally draining on the swordsman.

"I really need to lay off the troll sauce."

***

Freyd's Action:

Spoiler

Freyd regains +4 EN
Freyd regains 69 HP from BH

Post Action | AoE-I (x15, 11 EN, +2 shift, +2/hit): 15 EN - (Stamina) = 13 EN.  
Free Action [item] | Crystal of Divine Light

ID #237246 | BD: 8 (Crit +1, Fallen +24, Troll's Blood).  DMG (15*49=735*2=1470-100=1370) | CD 9 | ST-B/BtV Unlocked

Freyd takes double damage until his next turn. Freyd cannot attack next turn.

Freyd | HP: 1260/1260 (1260+69) | EN: 126/158 (135+4-13) | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[12,2] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 1029/3000 (2399-1370) | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

Enemy's Action:

Spoiler

ID #237247 | MD: 5+3-2=6 (hit).  DMG (275*2=550-212=338) vs Freyd.

Freyd takes double damage until his next turn. Freyd cannot attack next turn.

Freyd | HP: 922/1260 (1260-338) | EN: 126/158 | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[12,2] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 1029/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

 

Edited November 2 by Freyd

[Typhoonflame 0]

Freyd definitely didn't sound used to it as he grunted. If it wasn't a scary battle, Ty would've laughed. But there was no time for that, even though Freyd was throwing out quips. She couldn't understand how her guild leader could be so calm in the face of such a fearsome enemy. Sure, she wasn't a shaky mess, but her eyes kept darting between Freyd and their enemy, just waiting to step in and try to do something, anything to help. The gash in the king's side remained a reassuring sight for the young fighter, and it only grew larger with Freyd's next swing. 

Despite wanting to attack, Ty knew her strikes wouldn't do much here at all, so she drew back to the edge of the room. There was no point in putting herself in harm's way. If things went south, she could help. Hand reaching for her pocket, she felt one of her healing items.  

"Feyd! I'll stay back here, shout if you need help, I have heals!

[Freyd 0]

The King advanced, seemingly convinced that he had Freyd on the ropes and the initiative was his to command.  One resounding step after another brought with it the clash of steel on steel as the mob's massive greataxe swung down like a guillotine blade intending to slake its thirst of player blood.  A rumbling, raspy cackle wheezed from the villain's undead throat.  It hadn't felt this glorious in ages, and reveled in the rare sensations of euphoric vigor, pressing its advantage to the fullest.

Freyd, meanwhile, seemed unusually calm, giving ground gradually as he measured his breathing and focused on recovering his balance after that last devastating blow.  Sparing a sideways glance to Ty, a curt wave from his gauntleted hand was all he could offer by way of gesture.

"I'm fine.  Don't worry," he reassured her.  "This is just a side effect of a buff I took to help with the fight.  Watch my health bar.  As much as he thinks he's winning right now, he can barely keep up with my healing.  This fight's already over."  A brief, wily grin spread across the Whisper's face.  "He's just too dead to realize it."

***

Freyd's Action

Spoiler

Freyd regains +4 EN
Freyd regains 69 HP from BH
CD 5 (No VD proc) ID #237303

Post Action | Meditation (+8 EN, CD 0/3)
Free Action | None

Freyd cannot attack this round because Troll's Blood triggered on his last post.

Freyd | HP: 991/1260 (922+69) | EN: 138/158 (126+4+8) | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[12,2] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 1029/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

Enemy's Action:

Spoiler

ID #237304 | MD: 8+3-2=9 (hit).  DMG (275-212=63) vs Freyd.

Freyd | HP: 928/1260 (991-63) | EN: 138/158 | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[12,2] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 1029/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

 

Edited November 3 by Freyd

[Typhoonflame 0]

It really seemed like the King was winning, or was at least even with Freyd. That axe certainly didn't look harmless, and even Freyd was meticulously dodging its blows, which meant that, as confident as he was, this opponent was no slouch. Or maybe Freyd was just giving the King some glory before he killed him again. If that was the case, Ty couldn't help but feel uneasy, since this had stopped being a game to her long ago. 

With a wave of his hand, he claimed this was just a side-effect of a buff, and Ty certainly hoped so. She'd hate having someone else's blood on her hands on account of not being able to do much in combat yet. she gritted her teeth and nodded determinedly. 

"Oh I'm watching your HP bar indeed! And I'll be ready to toss health potions into your mouth if needed, it's all I can do!

[Freyd 0]

Mental images of a version of himself jumping through the air, gobbling healing Scooby-snacks out of the air, spread a goofy grin across the Whisper's face.  Such absurd moments were always the best.  But it was time he properly shattered Bob's ambitions, snatching away any dreams of victory the mob might actually have allowed itself.  Sidestepping the latest swing of its massive, rusty axe, Freyd's blade parried and offered a swift counter with an upward strike.  Samael's Pride loosed its reigns once more and shrieking filled the stale ruin's air as the black sword carved a swath through the mob's armor like it was made of butter.

From a fleeting moment of hope to the inevitable doom of another impending downfall, the Time Forgotten King's gaunt undead face faltered in its momentary glee as its health bar plummeted deep into the red.

"Don't worry, Ty.  I think this fight might be just about over."

***

Freyd's Action:

Spoiler

Freyd regains +4 EN
Freyd regains 69 HP from BH
CD 10 (No VD proc) ID #237337

Post Action | AoE-I (x15, 11 EN, +2 shift, +2/hit): 15 EN - (Stamina) = 13 EN.
Free Action | None

ID #237338 | BD: 8 (Crit +1, Fallen +16).  DMG (15*41=984-100=884) | CD 11 | ST-B/BtV Unlocked

Freyd | HP: 1066/1260 (928+69+69) | EN: 129/158 (138+4-13) | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[15,2] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 145/3000 (1029-884) | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

Enemy's Action:

Spoiler

ID #237339 | MD: 2+3-2=3 (miss) vs Freyd.

Freyd | HP: 1066/1260 | EN: 129/158 | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:7 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[15,2] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 145/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

 

Edited November 5 by Freyd

[Typhoonflame 0]

Strike after strike, the battle turned in Freyd's favor, bringing Ty a sense of relief. It wasn't that she'd doubted Freyd or anything like that, it was just that she knew how unpredictable this game's enemies could be. Not from firsthand experience, of course, but from rumors and conversations she'd overheard at taverns and the like. Some of those had certainly been tall tales, but Ty still considered them a valuable source of information, so her tight grip on the rapier wouldn't relax until she saw the King felled. It certainly seemed he was close to that point, looking at his health bar....and his expression. 

There was a surge of smugness in Ty's heart upon seeing that, but she squashed it quickly, for she hadn't been the one who'd done the damage. She had to wonder whether she'd be tasked with killing such mobs as part of her job at I&O. If so, she really had to be ready...

"I suppose this is good training by observance, yeah?" she called out.

[Freyd 0]

Clashing steel against shadow, Freyd spun and switch wielded Pride for Truth instead, the more tangible blade emerging as if from the former.  A swift, unexpected kick to a known weak point in the King's shin guard snapped a brittle bone, made vulnerable by age or frozen in that static state by the ravages of undeath.  Either way, the mob's leg snapped, toppling him sideways and right into the arc of Freyd's downward swing.  Foot stomping against hard flagstone, itself broken by time and design, Veritas returned to a guarding stance out of habit more than necessity.  A skull rattled by, turning over and over until it came to a stop by Typhoon's feet, the greenish glow from its eye sockets fading to void before it burst apart in a scintillating shower of shards, along with the rest of the fallen corpse.

"There.  Sorry, Bob.  Hate to do that to you, and we'll see you again soon, I'm sure."  Sparing a quick glance about the ruined throne room, the Whisper returned his attention to his ward, and her comment.

"That's the intention, I suppose.  So, tell me, what did you observe today.  I'm curious to hear your thoughts."

***

Freyd's Action:

Spoiler

Freyd regains +4 EN
Freyd regains 69 HP from BH
CD 2 (No VD proc) ID #237353

Post Action | ST-B (x20, 20 EN): 20 EN - (Stamina) = 18 EN.  
Free Action [System] | Quick Change (CD 0/3) - Samael's Pride replaced by Veritas

ID #237354 | BD: 4+8=12 (hit).  DMG (20*24=480-100=380) vs FTK.  Dies.

Freyd | HP: 1135/1260 (1066+69) | EN: 115/158 (129+4-18) | DMG: 24 | MIT:212 | ACC:8 (incl. AA) | F-SPIRIT | TAUNT | EVA:2 | BH:69 | VAMP-D: 69 | VAMP-O: 138 | PVO | LD:5 | TRLBLD
Typhoonflame | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 2 

[18,2] The Forgotten Time King | HP: 0/3000 (145-380) | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

• Forgotten King's Authority | This boss is immune to debuffs and disablements.

Loot FTK: ID #237355 | LD: 11+5+1=17 | CD: 8
+2 materials (+2 LD odd)
16,500 col (HP[3000]*5 - incl. +2 CD even, +10% [Col Deposit & Treasury])
T4 Rare Consumable 237355a
T4 Rare Armor/Shield 237355b

Edited Friday at 05:04 AM by Freyd

[Typhoonflame 0]

The King suddenly topped over after a strike to his shin and Ty found the skull of their enemy rolling across the floor to rest by her feet. She cringed as she stared down at its empty sockets, still looking on with malice, as if they could come alive again at any moment. Thankfully, that didn't happen, as the skull vanished soon after and Ty loosed a breath of relief. 

At Frey'd question, Ty pondered it for a second. What exactly had she observed? She paused, recounting the battle in her mind before responding, keeping in mind this could be some kind of test, even in Freyd claimed he was just curious.

"Well...You seemed to know this mob's attack patterns quite well, which clearly gave you an edge in battle. You knew his weakpoints as well, judging by that last strike. You were also able to dodge and weave in attacks really well, which means you have lots of agility and accuracy. It's all about timing in fights like these, right?"

[Freyd 0]

Freyd took in Ty's response with little more than a curious raising of his left eyebrow.  There was no right answer.  Everyone picked up something different.  The point was to be able to answer with any kind of insight at all, otherwise, he'd have just taken a beating for no reason.  Sheathing his blade, the Whisper returned to his ward's side, seemingly content.  Their goals had been achieved, and she'd be stronger for it the moment they left this frigid, stagnant hall.

"As long as you learned something," he merely replied with a smile, dusting off dregs of old mob dust from his armor.  "Each mob has its own patterns and rules, as you say.  Usually, they stay consistent.  A few change with phases.  Know what you're facing in advance, and it may improve your odds of success.  The alternative," he added, running a mailed hand along a few new dents and rends in his armor, "can leave a mark."

Nudging them back the way they came, back through the fungal forest, he trusted that Ty would be familiar with the route, should she ever need to return.  "Come on.  This place can be a bit dark and drab, after awhile, especially near that boss lair.  Let's go drink something warm and cozy to wrapped things up.  My treat."