[OP-F29] Ope wide the gates! (Post Raid Thread)

Baldur · December 24, 2024

((This thread is open to all participating members of the floor 28 Raid, and takes place immediately following the defeat of Callisto))

((Official Floor Music))

Spoiler

Name: Baldur
True Tier: 10
Level: 34
Paragon Level: 65
HP: 980/980
EN: 132/132

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 78
Accuracy: 5
Evasion: 1
Battle Healing: 54
Loot Die: 3
Stealth Rating: -2
AA KEEN: 1
REC: 8
BRN: 56 FRZ: 64
Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket:
- Etheral Tether - Zanshin AA/Keen/Freeze/Burn
Armor/Trinket:
- The Bonded Word - Acc/Acc/Acc/Recovery
Shield/Armor/Trinket:
- Monstsuki Haori - Mit/Mit/Eva/Recovery

Combat Mastery:
- Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
- TECH Shift

Familiar Skill:
-

Custom Skill:
- Katsujinken

Skills:
- Battle Healing R5
- Charge
- Energist
- Extended Weight Limit
- Fighting Spirit
- Katana R5
- Light Armor R5
- Quick Change
- Searching R3

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

Inactive Extra Skills:
- Parry

Addons:
- Ferocity
- Precision
- Resolve
- Stamina

Mods:
- Emergency Recovery
- Meticulous

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
- Basic Teleport Crystal x1
- Group Heal Crystal x1
- Horn of Battle x5
- Max Vitality Snack x3
- Med Antidote Rare T2 x5
- Medium Vitality Snack x5
- Muramasa or Zanshin x2
- Safeguard Potion x1
- Warden's Fury x1

Housing Buffs:
- Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
- 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
- Dining Room: 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.
- Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
- Fishing Pond: +2 Fishing EXP per fishing attempt
- 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:

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:
- Appraising[exp] R5
Gathering Profession:
- Fishing[exp] R1

**This is temporary stats, I am in the middle of respeccing Baldur**

Typically, when you emerged from the floor boss lair, you were greeted by the blinding light of a new day, or perhaps a bright moon in the sky. Even nights in Aincrad, unpolluted by modern city lights, were brighter than a floor boss dungeon. The floor that always hovered above them in the sky did little block out the beautiful sky box, stars glittering in uncounted multitudes, showing off a sky that rivaled any he had seen in the most remote mountains of the real world.

Instead, as Baldur stepped out directly onto the dilapidated, wind swept streets of the new settlement the only real change was the weather and the music. The background music, ever present, changed from that of the boss room ambiance to a more somber, almost gregorian chanting music of the new floor. It was very atmospheric, but not in the good way. Well, some people like these kind of floors. Were our lives not on the line, I might like the atmosphere it generated. But this reminded Baldur too much of other floors in ways that were never good.

He looked back over his shoulders and moved forward into the rain to make way for the others. Rain and wind both battered him in a way that would make him colder were it not for <<Survival>>. It reminded him of the winter he had spent in Aomori visiting a friend. Cold and wet made for the deepest, bone chilling cold. It felt inescapable.

"Wait a second," he glanced around as people moved into the plaza with the teleport circle and someone spoke to the group. "The Teleport Gate is right there, so this has to be the main settlement. But... unless I'm missing something, we're not in a safe zone. Is that right? Is something broken? Or, God, what is the chance that there are no safe zones here?"

Before Baldur could respond to the unfounded theory, they heard a massive sound bellow through the city. He covered his ears, but it did little to stop the overwhelming roar. Red lightning forked through the sky, and for a moment the moon seemed to peak out, illuminating something he had never seen before.

A giant, Lovcraftian behemoth towered in the distance, moving along the horizon in what appeared to be the ocean of the floor.

And that was when it clicked for Baldur what this floor would be.

"Shit." It was going to be one of those floors.

Morningstar · December 24, 2024

They'd won—and without cost.

Morningstar bumped Koga on the shoulder, wasting no time as he sped toward the grand staircase leading to the next floor. Clear of expectations, he trailed behind his colleagues, each and every one desperate to see the reward they had fought so hard to obtain. The unending slog that none of the present party wished for, and yet all of them had signed up for, offered few gifts in return. The items they received were of undeniable value. Even more exciting was the thought of open access to a new zone. In return for overcoming one arduous challenge, they were granted a hundred more arduous challenges. Riveting, if not exhausting.

Truly, it meant progress. One more step up the ladder, another day closer to the world as they knew it. Star was disciplined and kept himself from thinking too far into the future, particularly when it came to what would come after. In that moment, however, he was giddy with anticipation. There wasn't a bind strong enough to contain his emotion. And so he climbed.

He saw the sky first. It was dark, not unlike floors he had traversed before. Red bolts splintered overcast clouds; lagging behind, thunder crackled. Rain pattered against the top of his lifted hood, occasionally sprinkling down onto his face. They had discovered the first of their hundred arduous challenges. Ilridge was bare except for the curiously lit lanterns that hung along the edges of the streets. He peered into what was once a tavern, entirely missing the black form that twisted through the shadows inside.

Players could physically feel the transition from the wilds to a safe zone. Morningstar had expected that feeling when he crossed the threshold of the twenty-ninth floor. When it didn't come, he wanted to curse; thankfully Baldur had done that for him.

"Shit is right," he replied, his eyes locked on the thing in the ocean.

Inaudible murmurs came from behind him.

"What?" Morningstar turned, assuming someone was talking to him. Given the furrowed brows and confused expressions, he gathered he was wrong.

| MORNINGSTAR
| Lv. 73 >> P. 40, Lv. 33
| Status: [ // ]

Notes:
//

Hide contents

Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 120/120 | DMG: 22 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 43 | 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

skills

Hide contents

mod count: 4/5

STRAIGHT SWORD | RANK 5/5
- precision, stamina, ferocity
- shift: tech
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

buffs

Hide contents

statue

# | #

consumables

#
#

paragon

Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread.
Lv. 10 | +1 LD to looting.

sword arts

Hide contents

en cost matches multiplier unless stated otherwise. shift underlined.

ST | x12 -> x15 | x20
AOE | x11 -> x14
TECH-A | x16 | STUN | 13EN
TECH-B | x16 | DELAY
TECH-D | x16 | SHATTER
TECH-F | x12 | AOE STUN
TECH-G | x16 | BURN

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==

Arabelle · December 24, 2024

for His last act, callisto had looked to the sky. they thought Him mindless, a puppet, a corpse cursed to sate its once-soul's rage, but in the end, what little that remained had finally bid the body to lay itself to sleep and His eyes searched for comfort in dispassionate stars.

He had no place among them.

after, arabelle, standing distant from her party after her last attack, collapses. the water is still there, and with her legs folded beneath her and her palms braced on the hard ground, almost half of her ends up soaked.

it's over. she killed the bear.

she's trembling uncontrollably.

it's over? she had followed the call on a whim. smiled and laughed through some insane display of narcissism. she had witnessed everything despite her resentment with a mind cursed to remember. the numbers were impressive in review but they needed only topple them with their own. and the floor boss, one of two felled per year, had just died?

her hands come up to the sides of her hair, heedless that they were drenched in foul waters still. she feels a tightness beneath her sternum, numb everywhere else.

this was all that we wanted.

"oh god," arabelle sobs, "oh god, oh god, oh god..."

she -- had taken weeks of patient guidance to execute a single sword art -- said i'd be frontline capable by the next fight if i threw myself fully at their training program, of course i didn't want to leave margaret and, jean, you idiot, you could have snuck them in with you, not margaret; they'd have her thrown out in -- paralyzed by the thought of death and what lay beyond yet still wished to -- knew from first sight that those two would cure your urgency, stop saying that or the one listening at the door might actually believe it ... margaret? -- walk by their sides, to whichever heights they -- what in the devil do you mean you're sick? ---- you're lying to me! get up! -- wanted to reach, so much that she -- ara, is it so hard to believe that i'd rather just forgive you? -- tore apart --

eventually, she pulls down her hands, forcing them still against the tremors.

"give me a moment," she mutters to her teammates. her head tilts upwards, bearing a strained smile. "one moment. what on earth? is it normal to, er, feel so overwhelmed after finishing one's first floor boss?"

she lingers at the grounds until the last frontliners approach the gates. pulling herself up, appreciating the feel of an energy bar fully restored, arabelle fishes up poor amaterasu from the water and shifts into dry clothes with a flash of light.

she is naturally curious about the floor they won.

she follows.

"any chances this is where the corruption came from? our old friend had his lair right at this floor's gates, after all."

raining. the skies of floor 29 are blackened, and under the sickly light of the moon, the woman's ashen appearance has gone from dull to foreboding. her eyes are still red. she has surveyed the streets, stopped checking the insides of buildings after finding the first few empty, and regrouped with a vanguard delightfully sapped of triumph. serendipitously, this brought her next to morningstar, and looking at the indescribable monstrosity walking the ocean is far better with the sight of a movie star at one's periphery.

"scary," arabelle indifferently hums.

...? must be the wind.

Spoiler

LEVEL 43 (BASE 34; PARAGON 9):
HP: 680/680 | EN: 106/106 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 20 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 1 | FLN: 8 (6-8) | BLI: 32 (9-10); -20 MIT / 2 | BLD: 48 (9-10) | RSK: 8 | BH: 5% | VD: 10% | HB: 4% | LD: 5

skills

Spoiler

| skills

mod count: 2/5

SCYTHE (AXE) | RANK 5/5
- [BASE: Proficiency] +7 DMG
- [ADDON: Ferocity] +2 DMG
- [ADDON: Precision] +1 ACC
- [ADDON: Stamina] Reduce EN of all attacks by 2.
- [SHIFT: AOE Specialist] +4 to multipliers and +2 to EN cost; AoE-I, AoE-II.
CLOTH ARMOR | RANK 5/5
- [BASE: Proficiency] +20 MIT
- [MOD: Athletics] +1 DMG
- [ADDON: Nimble] +1 EVA, +1 LD
COMBAT MASTERY: DMG | RANK 3/3
- [BASE: Proficiency] +12 DMG
BATTLE HEALING | RANK 5/5
- [BASE: Proficiency] Restore 5% HP per turn.
- [MOD: Emergency Recovery] | Passive (10 EN) | Once per thread, when HP falls below 25%, recover 10% of maximum HP.
ENERGIST
- [BASE: Proficiency] +20 EN
SEARCHING | RANK 4/5
- [BASE: Proficiency] +4 LD; +4 SD

| expenditure

Spoiler

Total SP: 170 | Spent: 169 | Unspent: 1

SKILL: Axe (30)
1. ADDON: Stamina (4)
2. ADDON: Precision (2)
3. ADDON: Ferocity (4)
4. SHIFT: AOE Specialist (10)
SKILL: Cloth Armor (30)
1. MOD: Athletics (4)
2. ADDON: Nimble (6)
SKILL: Combat Mastery (13)
SKILL: Battle Healing (30)
1. MOD: Emergency Recovery (6)
SKILL: Energist (8)
SKILL: Searching (22)

equipment

Spoiler

amaterasu
CURSED, FALLEN, BLIGHT, BLEED

TIER 4 DEMONIC AXE | [state]: fused
description_not_found.

saint-germain
RISKY II, VAMPIRIC (DEFENSIVE) II

TIER 4 DEMONIC CLOTH ARMOR | [state]: fused
a silk wrist cuff upon which a corsage of pure white roses is pinned.

fleeting words
ACCURACY II, HOLY BLESSING II

TIERLESS DEMONIC TRINKET | [state]: fused
a weightless spread of large white feathers cast in plaster and set upon a lapel pin.

inventory

Spoiler

| dimensional backpack

(5) Teleport Crystal | [>>]
(5) cookie | +16 EN.
--
--
--

sword arts

Spoiler

st

[x12] ST-I (10 EN)
[x15] ST-II (13 EN) | Only available for use when ST-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if ST-II had been used and had missed the previous turn.
[x20] ST-B (18 EN) | Can only be used if the sword art used the previous turn is not ST-B and had rolled a natural CD9+. When performing an AoE attack, use only the first roll.

aoe

[x15] AOE-I (11 + [2 * targets] EN)
[x18] AOE-II (14 + [2 * targets] EN) | Only available for use when AOE-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if AOE-II had been used and had missed all intended targets the previous turn.

tech

[x12] TECH-A (11 EN) | STUN
[x12] TECH-B (10 EN) | DELAY | [Delay] is a debuff that reduces the enemy’s ACC by 1 for one turn.

buffs

Spoiler

--

| paragon

LAUREL WREATH | Earn Col equivalent to 15% of player’s EXP earned in thread.

| house

DECOR: DIWALI DIYA | Upon thread closing, obtain an additional +3 * loot minimum mob HP Col for every 5 authored posts.
ADVANCED TRAINING | +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.

Edited December 26, 2024 by Arabelle

Wulfrin · December 24, 2024

"Not an off base assumption Ara." Wulfrin chimed in as he over looked the desolated town before them his weapon still drawn and ready for a fight. "Wasn't Callisto supposed to be some sort of protector for the denizens of Floor 28? If that's the case, we might have actually just prevented this corruption from spreading to lower floors."

Wulfrin's survey of the land. The towering behemoths shambling around, amorphous blobs of blackened ooze moving from alley to alley, and other more outlandish creatures filled the 29th's lifeless expanse. Wulfrin looked over to his Guild Leader, Morningstar and he began to think about the lower level players that may get curious.

"We need to get word out," Wulfrin suggested as he moved toward the front of the gathered group. "We'll have to treat this floor as a quarantine zone. We've no idea how strong these creatures are, for all we know each one is another Callisto ready to maul the first thing they see. Only players at the level cap or higher should even think of stepping foot on this floor."

With a heavy heart and an audible sigh Wulfrin drafted up and sent a message to his wife waiting for him at home.

To: Ciela
From: Wulfrin
Subj: Raid Completion.

Sorry but I can't come home right away. The boss is defeated with no casualties (mostly). The next floor though is going to be a tough one. There are no safe zones (at least the main settlement isn't) so I'm going to do my best and try and set up some sort of Base of Operations. There aren't any typical NPCs, so players will have to be the main source of maintenance on Floor 29.

Be back as soon as I can.

* * *

Wulfrin | HP: 780/780 | EN: 112/112 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | AA | PARA-IM | BH:26 | FRB: 40 | FRZ: 64 | LD:4

* * *

Spoiler

"Name: Wulfrin
True Tier: 6
Level: 34
Paragon Level: 18
HP: 780/780
EN: 112/112

Combat Mastery:
- Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
- TECH Shift

Familiar Skill:
- Rending Familiar

Custom Skill:
- Shades of the Gemini

Skills:
- Battle Healing R3
- Charge
- Energist
- Light Armor R5
- Searching R4
- Straight Sword R5

Extra Skills:
- Disguise
- Forgotten King's Authority
- Survival
- Meditation

Inactive Extra Skills:
- Frozen Hide
- Brawler
- Assault Mode

Addons:
- Ferocity
- Focus
- Precision
- Resolve
- Stamina

Mods:
- Meticulous
- Night Vision

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
- Bear Trap x5
- Crystal of Divine Light x5
- Imugi's Inspiration | Mass Healing x2
- Popcorn | T4 Vitality 2 x1
- Rhino's Horn x1
- TP Crystals x2

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
- 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
- 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:
- Treasury: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:
- Blacksmith[2250exp] R8
Gathering Profession:
- Fishing[509exp] R5"

Acanthus · December 25, 2024

The fog lifted from fields and minds alike as Callisto died. His form took one final, defiant pose, flaking away against the morose background as the players watched with a mixture of emotions. Acanthus, for her part, felt an exhausted kind of relief. Everyone had survived. She had survived. For just a moment, the worry and the fear subsided. She had hoped they would make room for some kind of rare peaceful feeling. Instead, the space left by anxiety left an empty, dull feeling. Her mind began moving forward, calculating exactly what needed to happen to prepare for the next floor boss. She tallied the consumables she used, ones she saw used by others, and formed a mental list of the things to kill before the frontlines moved to the floor boss. And that wasn’t even considered the search for the labyrinth, a vital part of the frontlines she had no experience with. The empty, dull space in her heart quickly refilled with fresh worries and fears.

Acanthus glanced over the players. Wulfrin already appeared to be formulating a strategy for surveying and conquering the floor. She made a mental note to visit with him later and ask if she could help. Morningstar appeared lost in thought, then whirled around for no reason at all. It wasn’t the oddest thing she’d seen him do, but in the post-raid tension, it was unsettling.

Another player, a girl from another team, appeared to be trembling. Acanthus recognized her as she got closer; it was Ara from floor nine. Her hands went up and grasped her matted, wet hair, before she reverted to a straight posture with some consternation. Acanthus overheard her talking to her team.

Quote

"one moment. what on earth? is it normal to, er, feel so overwhelmed after finishing one's first floor boss?"

Acanthus’ heart plummeted. She knew it wasn’t her place to reach out. If anything, she risked bothering the poor girl as she worked through whatever emotions she was feeling. But she hated the thought of not saying anything.

“Ara, I’m, um, sorry to interrupt.” Acanthus lightly touched her shoulder to get Ara’s attention. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Acanthus—we met on floor nine.” She paused awkwardly for a moment, uncertain of what to say. “You… I… I also feel a little emotional?” No, she couldn’t hide from herself right now. “No, I’m overwhelmed. I’ve never done this either and… Everything feels strange. So whatever you’re feeling… you’re not alone, I think.” Her ears burned the more she spoke. Acanthus hated this kind of talking, and quickly broke contact. Ara probably thought she was being condescending. “Anyways, uh, I’m really sorry to bother you without asking. I’ll leave you alone, but if you want to talk about it later—or now, I guess—just, um, send a message.”

Pushing her worries aside, she cleaned and sheathed botan, approaching the samurai that had taken the lead. Pushing open the unlocked doors, she peered over his shoulders at the nightmare that awaited them.

The floor felt uneasy in a way that promised madness and horror. Red lightning flashed across a sickly sky, illuminating a town seemingly abandoned long ago. Rain bashed against broken windows and leaking roofs, disquieting the quiet streets. A peal of thunder lingered just a little too long before Acanthus realized—that wasn’t thunder.

A monstrosity, so large Acanthus couldn’t comprehend it, groaned in anticipation of the players’ arrival. The deep, reverberating sound rattled the pebbles all around her feet and shook her to her core. It was clear the thing spoke no language, offered no thought the players could understand, save for one. It was hungry.

Acanthus shivered. It was simply the cold, she told herself. And the fact she had <<Survival>> equipped didn’t matter. It was just cold.

But at least the town was—

Quote

—we're not in a safe zone. Is that right? Is something broken?—

Overhearing the samurai, Acanthus froze. Her eyes frantically darted around her HUD to confirm. Sure enough, no confirmation of safety awaited her eyes. Botan appeared in her hand as she inched closer to the man in the front.

Quote

“Shit.”

“Shit.” Acanthus agreed. “I hope you don’t mind if I stick close by. Safety in numbers.” After a beat, she introduced herself. “I’m Acanthus, by the way. It’s nice to meet you. ...Although I could think of better places to meet.”

Acanthus | Lvl 61 (34/27) | HP: 740/740 | EN: 88/88 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5

Spoiler

Equipment and Consumables

Spoiler

All enhancements reflected in the stat block unless otherwise specified.

Equipment
Weapon. botan. AA | ACC 3
Armor. Enduring Thistle VAMP-D | MIT | REC | FIREPROOF
Trinket. Evasive Charm | EVA 3 2 (Light Armor q.q) | REC

Consumables
None Taken.

Abilities (Skills, Shifts, Masteries, Add-ons, and Mods)

Spoiler

Combat Mastery and Shift
Combat Mastery: Damage R3
TECH Shift

Skills

Battle Healing R3
Light Armor R5
- Addon: Precision
- Addon: Resolve
- Mod: Meticulous (1/5)
Searching R4 + 1 (Skylight: Searching)
- Mod: Night Vision (2/5)
- Mod: Tracking (3/5)
Straight Sword R5
- Addon: Ferocity
- Addon: Stamina

Extra Skills

Disguise
Survival
Photosynthesize
Parry
- Mod: Justified Riposte (4/5)

Inactive Extra Skills

Hiding R5
Assault Mode
Forgotten King's Authority

Addons

Ferocity
Precision
Resolve
Stamina

Mods

Justified Riposte
Meticulous
Night Vision
Tracking

Battle Ready Inventory (7 Slots)
Dimensional Backpack + Item Stash

Spoiler

Lama Sabachthani | 236687 | Soundtrack | Hypnosis 2 | Lullaby 2 (Instant)
Edict's Threnody | 236686 | Soundtrack | Perpetuate (Instant)
Instant HP Recovery 3 | 236074, 236071, 236070, 236090, 236088
Bear Trap (Am I allowed to use this yet? I'll ask before I drop it into combat)
[Empty]
[Empty]
[Empty]

Housing

Spoiler

House Name: Villa of Coruscating Flowers (The Villa)
Location: Floor 24 - Paradise Islands
Description: See above
Plot Size: Estate - PK Accessible
Rooms: Listed below. All rooms are assigned to Acanthus.

Master Bedroom
- Well Rested | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat.
Greenhouse
- Green Thumb | +2 Gathering EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to gathering attempts.
Extended Workshop: Recording Studio (25,000 col)
- Hard Working | +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day.
Mega Slime Farm
- Advanced Training | +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.
Living Room:
- Relaxed | Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Attic (Bedroom)
- Skylight (Searching) | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill (Searching). 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:
- Multipurpose | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll.
Storage Closet: (10,000 col)
- Item Stash | +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Master Bathroom: (25,000 col)
- Squeaky Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)

Crafting and Gathering

Spoiler

Crafting Profession:
- Performer[2638exp] R5
Gathering Profession:
- Forager[779exp] R5

Edited December 26, 2024 by Acanthus

Katoka · December 25, 2024

The walk up the steps to the next floor had been a quiet one. Nothing but the sound of echoing footsteps filled Katoka's ears as the frontliners ascended to the location that they had fought so hard to open up to everyone, only to find themselves in a desolate and eerie town. The lot of them seemed to spread out, ready to inspect the storefronts and find a local NPC to converse with, but there was nothing. The only people there were the lot of them.

Kat felt the hair on the pack of neck stand up as she saw an odd shape move into a local alleyway out of sight. She turned to the others and noticed that there was in fact no safe zone notification. "No way, surly there has to be one somewhere, right? Like this can't be the only town." she chuckled awkwardly. The samurai made a point to stick close to other people, they would all need to be cautious of what this floor had to offer. She had wanted to step over and exchange a few words with Freyd. To make sure that he was alright or if he needed anything. Whatever had happened back with Callisto had shaken all of them to their core in one way or another.

Instead the blonde stepped over to Mina, lightly bumping into her with her own shoulder to get her attention. "Hey, how you holding up?" she asked softly. She gave her a soft smile as Kat peered into the broken window of a long abandoned shop. "Man someone really let this place go huh?"

A flash of lighting illuminated the sky and drew the short woman's attention up, her hand instantly gripped the saya at her side tighter. "Holy hell. What did we get ourselves into."

----

Katoka | HP: 820/820 | EN: 116/116 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | EVA:1 | BH:45 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16

Spoiler

Name: Katoka, The Cerulean Storm True Tier: 6
Level: 34
Paragon Level: 26
HP: 820/820
EN: 116/116

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 78
Accuracy: 5
Evasion: 1
Battle Healing:
Stealth Rating: -2
REC: 8
FLN: 16 HLY: 16
Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket:
- Muramasa's Legacy | T4/Demonic/Katana | Holy II, Fallen II
Armor/Trinket:
- Oni Haori | T4/Demonic/Light Armor | MIT 2, REC 2
Shield/Armor/Trinket:
- Aquamarine | T4 Demonic Trinket | ACC III, EVA I

Combat Mastery:
- Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
- ST Shift

Familiar Skill:
- Rending Familiar

Custom Skill:
-

Skills:
- Battle Healing R5
- Energist
- Extended Weight Limit
- Katana R5
- Light Armor R5

Extra Skills:
- Concentration
- Forgotten King's Authority
- Frozen Hide
- Parry
- Photosynthesize

Inactive Extra Skills:
- Survival

Addons:
- Ferocity
- Precision
- Resolve
- Stamina

Mods:
- Meticulous
- Vengeful Riposte

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
- Crystal of the Blood Dragon Horde | Mass HP recovery 10% x
- Rhino's Horn | 235487c x
- Teleportation Crystal x
- Tincture of Recovery | HP Recovery 15% x

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.
- 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
- Slime Farm: +5% 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:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:
- Alchemist[1817exp] R8
Gathering Profession:

Crozeph · December 25, 2024

Callisto's downfall had its up and downs, Freyd went down but he went back up. For the raven-haired samurai, the fight was the same as the other boss fights he was involved with and the only difference is "I joined that fight without lube" he muttered. Baldur and the others have made their way to the newly unlocked floor. It seemed to have piqued his curiosity but also he needs to reunite with his beloved.

"Making my way downto..."
Alas, Yuki is nowhere to be found

"If this is a running joke, it better start walking soon" he muttered again. The annoyance starts to seep in again, He turned around and saw that Baldur is already making his way up, blue haori fluttering as if sea breeze was about to ruin its smell. He tapped his foot repeatedly, hoping that Yuki would resurface amidst the players making their own decisions to proceed or teleport out; there's no way his blue eyes would miss her pink hair.

And then an idea blossomed in his thought, a thought similar to the desert of Beer Lahai Roi

"She may have went up-" Crozeph darted and followed Baldur, whatever the next floor holds, he doesn't care. Out of the exit, he was introduced to a floor so different or rather much more desolate than where he's holding his shop currently "oh boy, I wanna move my shop here" he uttered, like a man who discovered a new element. He turned his head to @Baldur.

"Shit"

the only word he heard from his guild leader but to him "this is the shit! friendship has ended with Stygian River!" and with zero hesitation ran forward and ignored the girl who seemed to be overwhelmed by something "huh? cake hair girl?" he said and then continued to where the behemoth was going.

462570730_3785498311704107_4589877583136080464_n.png.9f3dc05269485f180a2726497974edad.png

Edited December 25, 2024 by Crozeph

Jomei · December 26, 2024

Jomei
the emerald duelist

Spoiler

notes

Level: 33 | Paragon: 74 | Tier: 4(11)

Jomei | HP: 960/960 | EN: 134/134 | DMG: 21 | MIT: 44 | ACC:3 | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:4 | BH:53 | HB: 42 | VAMP-D: 106 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD:1

equipped

Vicious Mockery
Fencer's Regalia - Trepidation
Token of Serenity

battle-ready inventory

Bizarre Antidote
Smores EVA II
Bingsu MIT III
Teleportation Crystal
Creme Brule ACC II

skills

Spoiler

Skills
Rapier R5 | TECH Spec.
Combat Mastery DMG R3
Cloth Armor R5
Charge
B Healing R5
Energist
MA R2
Howl
Fighting Spirit
Quick Change

Extra:
Concentration
Survival
Parry
Forgotten King's Authority
~~Assault Mode~~
~~Lady Luck~~
~~Meditation~~

Mods
Athletics
Emergency Recovery
Vengeful Riposte
Justified Riposte

Addons
Stamina
Focus
Precision
Nimble
Focused Howl

buffs

Spoiler

Housing 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)
Tasty: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps.
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Item Stash: +1 BRI slot
Advanced Training: +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.

The wave of swirling blue energy washed over Jomei’s form, filling in the tiny recess in his health bar that seemed to escape his recovery abilities. While unneccessary, it was appreciated. However, while he could have shared his thanks with their party’s healer, his gaze and attention were fixated on Callisto’s form. The once, proud beast taking in its final breath, ceased to exist. Another floor boss felled, another notch on his belt. But it was not only their victory that left Jomei speechless, it was his own accomplishment of keeping his comrades alive. Turning over his shoulder he looked to each of them; Cordelia, Pinball, Arabelle, Bahr, Lessa. They were all lucky to have made it out of this. One wrong move and he could have easily ended up in the place Freyd was nearly banished to.

The realization of how close to death he could have been hit him. Callisto’s toxin seemed like a tummy ache compared to the weight he felt sloshing in his gut. All those times the boss tossed him about. It could have been his own last moments.

Olive eyes watched from behind as one after another crossed the threshold that they had to rightfully earned, another floor to explore. More adventures to be had. Jomei’s boots remained planted in the muck and finally, after a number of the frontliners had either gone home or traveled up that grand staircase, he would finally move. Slowly lowering into a crouching position, he would wrap his arms around his knees, locks of orange hair - wet with toxins, sweat, and dirt - cascaded over his face. Long slow breaths in and out, an attempt to quell the adrenaline that caused his heart to beat like a drum. That, and the anxiety that came with his first time tanking a raid boss. He could vomit, if he hadn’t already lost most of his lunch at the beginning of the battle.

He did not look up to see if anyone remained in the ruined grove, and did not want to linger much longer. Finally picking up his feet, he would traverse up the stairs.

Maybe he should have stayed in the grove, or went home even.

Rain carried by the wind pelted him in the cheeks, even the hood of his cloak did little to keep him from eventually being saturated. Abandoned buildings lined the road they stood upon, barely illuminated by the flickering light of nearby lamp post. No other bodies could be seen, save for the monstrosities in the distance that the others pointed out. “Guess we can’t always expect sunshine and rainbows..” Jomei would add in, bringing the open ends of his cloak together to fight off the rain.

Freyd · December 26, 2024

Emerging from the Labyrinth, Freyd was still very much in a haze. Events had all transpired so quickly that he'd barely managed to catch his breath, let alone piece together the jigsaw puzzle that had just been made of... everything? Lingering sensations burnt across his chest and back, memories of fatal claws and bite festering just as vividly as the 'real' ones had. The nightmare realm they found on the freshly unlocked floor certainly wasn't helping. Lightning crackled overhead, casting the barren urban landscape in its crimson hue and doing little to improve its pervasive sense of dread.

"Another devastated floor? Is this anything like what happened on thirteen?" Having settled on the zombie-plagued post-apocalyptic floor long after whatever tragic events had transpired, he didn't know the fully history. The details seemed too different, at a glance, and vague recollections were that Angel's Point had involved player agency, to some degree. Overly taxed and drained by recent inexplicable experiences, Freyd's shoulders slumped despite best efforts to the contrary. His mind finally permitting itself wandering broadly across all the potential repercussions.

"Elora!"

Eyes suddenly wide, his first instincts upon respawning - or whatever had happened - were to keep everyone else around him alive. Oh... gods. What could have happened? What would the system do or tell her?! This could break her heart. What I almost did... would have...

Pain at the realization tore him apart from within; the impossible dilemma of consigning Ciela or Elora to the same soul-annihilating grief. He'd acted purely out of instinct. Whatever fate had spared Wulfrin and himself had likewise spared the women they loved from overwhelming sorrow. There was no right action. No out. Every choice had a bad end. Except, it somehow hadn't?

As others emerged, most visibly or audibly troubled by their findings, the Whisper roused himself and marched purposefully across the desolate square to the portal arch. Someone had to test and ensure that it actually worked.

"Fortaleza."

A gush of warm wind accompanied his disembodiment, only to remanifest a moment later, already covered in a light haze of reddish desert dust. "Safe zone or not, the portal works, though I don't relish how obvious an ambush point this place might soon become."

Sparing only a few words for the rest of his team to thank each of them for the part they played, he urgently needed to be elsewhere. Whatever horrors waited in abundant nooks and crannies could linger a while longer. They'd all be as safe here, in force, as could reasonably be made possible.

"I need to rush and check on someone, but will return as soon as possible." There were plenty of veterans around, capable of taking charge of the situation, and his heart was pounding so hard in his chest over unspoken possibilities that he couldn't possibly deny its impulses. Dark gauntlet meeting the arch once more, Freyd paused to lean against it for a moment, half-turning to call his frolicking familiar to his side. The breath expelled died before the words could actually form. Nothing remained to answer. Pursed lips and a clench jaw failing to mask a brutally harsh truth to swallow, the man's blue eyes cast downward. A reckoning for that loss was sure to follow, just... not yet.

"Urbus."

And he was gone.

***

Vanity Tag: @KnightessCiela @Elora

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.

Freyd | HP: 1300/1300 | EN: 162/162 | DMG: 21 | MIT:152 | ACC:4 | AA | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:72 | VAMP-D: 72 | VAMP-O: 143 | PARA-V | LD:5

Spoiler

Name: Freyd, Kuro bara no kishi
True Tier: 18
Level: 34
Paragon Level: 143
HP: 1300/1300
EN: 162/162

Stats:
Damage: 21
Mitigation: 152
Accuracy: 4
Evasion: 2
Battle Healing: 72
Loot Die: 4
Stealth Rating: -5
AA
TAUNT
VAMP-D: 72
VAMP-O: 143
PARA-V

Combat Mastery:
- Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
- AOE Shift

Familiar Skill:
- [Inaccessible]

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
- Lock Picking R1
- Quick Change
- Searching R4

Extra Skills:
- Disguise
- Survival
- Leadership R5

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

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

Mods:
- Detect
- Impetus
- Night Vision
- Inspiring Speech
- Steadfast
- Rally
- Tracking

Inactive Mods:
- Emergency Recovery
- Press the Attack
- Elusive

Battle Ready Inventory:
- Bear Trap (Reusable 1/combat) x1
- Crystal of Divine Light (Reusable 1/thread) x1
- Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+10% HP) x7
- Meathook (Reusable 1/combat) x1
- Ordsea Crystal-B (Reusable 1/combat) x1
- Ordsea Crystal-B (Reusable 1/combat) x1
- Rhino's Horn (Reusable 1/combat) x1
- Samael's Pride | T4 Katana | FLN II | HLY II x1
- Teleport Crystals x7

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

Crafting Profession:
- Appraising[3478exp] R5
Gathering Profession:
- Fishing[576exp] R5

Edited December 26, 2024 by Freyd

Baldur · December 26, 2024

The gaijin samurai nodded as the others came up alongside him and echoed his thoughts. He remembered @Morningstar only barely. He had been at the tournament Baldur hosted a long time ago. He was already on the Frontlines? That was truly an impressive feat. Baldur would need to keep his eyes on this Morningstar.

The girl, @Arabelle, who came up and voiced her thoughts next was unknown to Baldur, but she had done well in the raid. So many new faces I need to learn.

"any chances this is where the corruption came from? our old friend had his lair right at this floor's gates, after all."

Baldur nodded at her words, "That's a good point. Whatever happened here could have leaked down to infect the boss of the lower floor."

His steel blue eyes swept the floor, "Just keep an eye out for any fish-people. I imagine that's what happened to the NPCs. They were dragged into the waves."

The markers were clear to Baldur.

"And if anyone sees a man in yellow, run. Don't wait, just get off the floor."

"We need to get word out. We'll have to treat this floor as a quarantine zone. We've no idea how strong these creatures are, for all we know each one is another Callisto ready to maul the first thing they see. Only players at the level cap or higher should even think of stepping foot on this floor."

That wasn't a bad idea, but Baldur felt better having Wulfrin up here with them as well. Freyd had gone straight for the portal, but while Wulfrin was still a new face to the samurai, they had fought a floor boss together in the same party, and that made them brother's in Baldur's book.

"That's not a bad idea @Wulfrin. Usually the lower floors are waiting anxiously when there's a new floor unlock. It's a pressure release valve for them, but as soon as the portal is unlocked by someone using it, the throngs of those who don't flight will start flooding out of it."

It was then that he realized Freyd had used the portal. That would unlock the doors for every other portal. There wasn't a global announcement, but as soon as anyone noticed the raid team leaving, they'd start teleporting in.

“I hope you don’t mind if I stick close by. Safety in numbers... I’m Acanthus, by the way. It’s nice to meet you. ...Although I could think of better places to meet.”

Baldur looked over at another new girl, though this one introduced herself as @Acanthus and he was surprised, and pleased, to see that she was actually a woman close to his own age. He felt an immediate rapport with the woman. It was comforting to know that there was another adult here. He spared her a slight smile as his eyes continued to scan the streets. They all converged on the town square, but that meant there were a lot of places to keep an eye on, as well as the massive monster in the horizon.

"The name's Baldur, hopefully we can meet somewhere nicer next time."

"Holy hell. What did we get ourselves into."

There was suddenly another girl there, @Katoka,but this was the one who had caught his eye during the raid. She wore a haori that was the spitting image of his, wore a katana, and even a magatama like the one around his neck. He would have thought they were together had he not, you know, been one of those two people. He would have to get all the new names, but at least everyone here seemed to have a katana. No, Wulfrin used a straight sword, didn't he?

Then @Jomei and @Crozeph rolled up behind him, and Baldur felt a tightness in his chest release that he didn't know he was holding. It was good to have two old friends at his side. Known entities when it came to something like this. Cro may be an odd duck, but Cro was his odd duck, and the man had fought through hell and back with Baldur. It was new to the gaijin samurai, seeing Jomei in the tank role, but he had told the ginger a long time ago that leadership fit him as well as the green. He was glad to see him embracing the role.

"Alright everyone, we need to establish a perimeter. Any moment now, hundreds of players that haven't fought anything harder than a bunny on the first floor are going to start pouring through that teleport portal. Since there's no safe zone, we need to make it safe, and we need to know what we're... what we're..."

Fog rolled in like the tide, coming from every direction, but especially from the waterfront. It undulated like it had a current of eels swimming through it. Rolling down the street with a languid inevitability that only existed in horror stories.

"Don't go anywhere alone. Pair up, pick a street, but don't leave sight of the Teleport Gate. Information is more important than winning a fight. Look for NPCs, but especially look for mobs. We need to make sure we identify any danger and keep the non-combatants away from it. If you find any NPC vendors or quest givers, make sure you note where they are on the map. Those are likely to be high traffic points for tourists."

He was going to let people pick their partners, they had all just survived a raid together, but Baldur wanted to make sure everyone had a vetern with them if they could, or very least someone Baldur knew specifically.

"Sorry I don't know everyone's names yet. Jomei, take her" Arabelle he identified by pointing at her, "And go inland."

"Crow, you take Morningstar and go East, parallel to the shore."

"Wulfrin, you go with the other haori and go west parallel to the shore." he gestured to Katoka and tried to give her a friendly smile of encouragement. This place was already a lot for people.

"I guess that leaves you and me." He gave another half smile to Acanthus, "Hope you don't mind I'm giving us the more dangerous direction."

"Remember, you see anyone in yellow, or talking about the <<King in Yellow>> you get back here right away."

The fog was almost upon them, rolling in from every direction. It hugged the ground making the floor seem alive, or like they were wading through the underworld. It only came up to his knees, but he was taller than most, and it was difficult to see through.

Each of the paths leading away from the teleportation square were littered with abandoned buildings, the amber light of the torches casting dim light in the dark, raining night. As abruptly as the wind came, it stopped.

Only the patter of the rain, and the ominous background music lingered, and the music was more atmospheric, accentuating the rain and the silence.

"Come on, we should get started." He lead the way down the path that headed straight towards the water. "All we need to do is make sure the area immediately surrounding the square is safe. We should be fine, but if anything jumps out at us, better the Frontline finds it than some tourist." He gave her another uncertain smile as he tried to project confidence. He wasn't worried about the trash mobs that were here, he was more concerned about triggering an event. If there was something like that here, it could trap players in it. With the groups they had, it should be fine. The gaijin samurai was certain they could defeat anything that jumped out.

"So, how do you feel about horror games?"

Arabelle · December 26, 2024

"not an off base assumption ara--"

"arabelle."

"--wasn't callisto supposed to..."

she listens, her red eyes following the man as he appears to assume headship of the group, but where wulfrin fully loses her is in the second part of his guess. not to mention how pretentious it is to think their hunt had any bearing. even when cursed, callisto had done nothing but sit pretty in His lair, maul the occasional unlucky hunter or animal, until the frontlines had gone and poked the proverbial bear. would anything have changed in a month? a year? oh, this was the one that brought a raid meeting to his wedding reception, wasn't it? "just one thing," she offers, "or, two? the guardian is dead and the gates are blasted open. let's hope it doesn't come to that, hm?"

to the other point, she finds herself more receptive. as more frontliners who had finished emotionally recovering from their first look of the floor come to join their group, the screen of her messages flickers in front of arabelle. she splits her attention between informing the girl she had left tending to her shop of her obvious survival and the new floor's first impression and asking her to spread the word among their contracts and talking. "unfortunately for some, forbidden fruits taste all the more sweeter.

"anyone entering this floor would likely be exposed to its dangers as soon as they step out the gate. we need to release our initial findings as soon as possible, within a day, maybe. have them posted around the teleport gate where anyone can read them. maybe someone here is good at making posters...?"

she closes the window without waiting for a reply from the recipient, turning her focus now to the man dressed like a samurai whose name she hadn't caught. she was ready to head out by herself if they had sat around and talked more, but as it is, she sees no benefit in insisting her manner when the samurai had swiftly taken over the group and partnered them all up. she makes a note to herself to learn this one's name and also -- "acanthus," she calls out to the doe-eyed woman who had found her way to the man's side. at least acanthus is an adorably clumsy newcomer. she had excused herself so quickly earlier that arabelle almost found humor at the awkward woman's expense. opposite to her, arabelle rarely feuds with herself over her own words, but her voice is warm when she simply wishes her, "thanks for earlier. stay safe."

she finds jomei. in any reality where he hadn't been her party member, so long as he pulled that stunt with the violin, she could have picked him out of any crowd regardless. the rain batters ceaselessly at their hoods. "hello again!" she greets with a two-fingered salute. the movement of her hand flicks up her own hood. "i am sure it doesn't need to be said given we all survived, but you did great defending us during the fight! you said it was your first time tanking, yes? if there had been any doubt about your role, it should be much clearer now. do you know where the others got to, by the way? we should invite them."

as the samurai had instructed, their direction is further inland. if his theory about this land's people being claimed by the ocean is correct, they are actually heading opposite the danger.

but the sickness has gripped every last inch of this town.

"i hope at least some of them got away."

she sees it. flickering lights in empty windows. broken wagons. possessions spilled on roads, left behind. she doesn't bother entering every abandoned establishment they come across, favoring getting as far as possible despite the samurai's warnings, but she humors her partner if he so chooses to. from one such structure, a human with her back turned to them leans heavy against the door frame. her clothes are tattered and dirty and she is breathing abnormally hard, like there is something constricting her throat.

she spins the key in her hand and brings amaterasu out in its full form.

"red cursor," she says, "let's find out how strong this floor's enemies are. right now. and forgive my enthusiasm as a newcomer, sir," an innocent smile pulls up the corners of her lips, "i kind of want to claim first blood, too."

regardless of jomei's response, she lets a sword art propel her gracefully forward, her scythe angled for a wide swing. as the ~~human~~ turns to meet her, arabelle's red eyes glimmer with g̶̹̊l̷̠̮̱̓͂̑ȇ̴̥̊ě̴͖̜̭̋͝.

-> POST ACTION: AOE-I vs Shambler.

Spoiler

_{preemptively rolling md in case jomei doesn't want to join combat.}
POST ACTION: AOE-I vs Shambler [11 + (2 * 1) = -13 EN]
239237: BD 5 + 3 = 8: 23 * 15 = 345 DMG -> Shambler: MD 8 - 1 = 7: 136 - 20 = 116 DMG -> Arabelle

Arabelle | HP: 564/680 | EN: 93/106 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 20 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 1 | FLN: 8 (6-8) | BLI: 32 (9-10); -20 MIT / 2 | BLD: 48 (9-10) | RSK: 8 | BH: 5% | VD: 10% | HB: 4% | LD: 5 | [RSK]

Shambler | HP: 63/408 | DMG: 136

Edited December 31, 2024 by Arabelle

tricolor_mina · December 26, 2024

Violet was still lightly trembling, her hand gripping Ember with a tightness that she hadn't expected. The fight had shaken her, badly. At first, she lingered behind the rest of her team, before slowly starting to maneuver her way up the stairs. She had to try and steel herself before she made it all the way up, though. "Just... just a little longer, violet. you can do this..!" she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut. when she opened them, the playful ember that she lit when she was out on the higher floors had returned. Not in full, but enough that her eyes still had that meager amount of vibrance that the others would have come to expect from her. Tricolor_Mina was a vibrant, exuberant person... Violet on the other hand, was painfully withdrawn, and obviously weighed down by something. Right now, Mina was what she needed.

So, when Kataoka asked her how she was holding up, the blonde woman's hand resting on her shoulder for a moment, she gave her a crooked grin. "Maa... I'd say I'm holding up pretty well, all things considered~!" She said, carefully peering into the busted storefront like her friend was doing. "Huh... this place kinda looks like it'd be a paradise for player killers. A floor that has a main settlement that doesn't have a safe zone? that's pretty dangerous!"

The floor itself was rather gloomy, and the monsters that seemed to be roaming about were some sort of eldritch creatures, and rotten beasts. It was just as disgusting as the room that Callisto had been held within. it was unsettling to say the least.

Stats and Inventory

Tricolor Mina | HP: 800/800 | EN: 114/114 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | AA | PHASE | REC: 8 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | BRN: 56 | FRB: 40 | LD:3

Spoiler

Name: Tricolor Mina, The Guiding Light True Tier: 6
Level: 34
Paragon Level: 23
HP: 800/800
EN: 114/114

Stats:
Damage: 21
Mitigation: 78
Accuracy: 5
Loot Die: 3
Stealth Rating: -2
AA PHASEREC: 8
HLY: 16 BLI: 32/-20 BRN: 56 FRB: 40
Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket:
- Everlasting Ember (T4 Demonic War Fan: Phase/Holy II/A.A.
Armor/Trinket:
- Archduke Battle Guard (T4 Demonic: REC II, MIT II)
Shield/Armor/Trinket:
- Mask of Rose (T1 Perfect Trinket: ACC III)

Combat Mastery:
- Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
- ST Shift

Familiar Skill:
- Hunting Familiar

Custom Skill:
-

Skills:
- Charge
- Energist
- Light Armor R5
- Lock Picking R3
- Quick Change
- Searching R3
- Thrown Weaponry R5

Extra Skills:
- Assault Mode
- Frozen Hide
- Photosynthesize

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:
- Dismantling
- Focus
- Precision
- Resolve
- Stamina

Mods:
- Meticulous
- Night Vision
- Tracking

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
- Briar's Lost Lament (Cursed/Blight/Burn/Frostbite) x 1
- Crystal of Divine Light x 1
- Imugi's Inspiration (Mass Healing Crystal) x 3
- Imugi's Inspiration (Mass Healing Crystal) x 5
- Popcorn (T4 VIT) x 5
- Popcorn (T4 VIT) x 5
- TP Crystal x 5

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
- 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.
- Fishing Pond: +2 Fishing EXP per fishing attempt
- Extended Workshop: +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
- 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:

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:

Gathering Profession:

Edited December 26, 2024 by tricolor_mina

Morningstar · December 26, 2024

"maybe someone here is good at making posters...?"

Morningstar's fingers already raced across his virtual keyboard. "I'll send word to my guild."

ms: floor 29 is open. steer clear for now. please announce to all major settlements that it is not currently safe to visit. as far as we know, there are no safe zones available. more info to come.

He hovered over the send button for an extended moment, re-reading his text a few times over. With a click, it was delivered. It wasn't a small request, but he trusted his team would see it through. While he typed, Baldur was forming pairs for scouting. Crozeph, his new partner, was the strange dark-haired fellow who had fallen in next to Baldur. Star approached the player.

"We haven't met officially. I'm Morningstar," he offered a hand alongside his introduction. "I guess we should move."

East, they went, towards the shore—which meant they had the best view of the behemoth that walked across the ocean floor. "Fighting giant bosses is one thing," he noted, "but fighting them in the water...?"

Where Star went, the whispers followed. They were subtle, almost inaudible under the sound of their footsteps. But they were there, just below the streets they walked upon. He ignored them to the best of his ability, but when he couldn't any longer, he brought them up to Crozeph.

"Do you hear those voices too?"

He sounded insane, he realized, but wasn't sure how else to phrase it. Whether they were atmospheric or held a deeper meaning, he did not know. Either way, he found them unsettling. A crash came from a home parallel to them. He gave Crozeph a confused look and with his sword drawn, they headed in the direction of the noise.

Crozeph · December 26, 2024

"Understood, will bring back some samples for you" he replied to Baldur who was already giving out instructions to anyone nearby. It was a good thing to have the Gaijin Samurai around, Crozeph would've toured the whole area like a kid. The no safe zone situation is new to them, Cro needed to gather as much info and Baldur just gave him one. "Nice to meet you" he shook @Morningstar's hand as a way to return the gesture, if Baldur trusts the guy, Crozeph will also trust the guy. "Looks like I'll be actually chasing a behemoth" he was about to dart away if it wasn't for the task and now he's with another player.

Morningstar moved, Crozeph sprinted around. The <<Acrobatics>> and <<nimble>> effects were clearly seen. He goes in a house in shambles, utensils crash and break, then he'd pop out with a bread. Molds everywhere, one couldn't say which came first, the bread or the mold.

As they finally stand near the sea and he is about to finish the last moldy bread he scavenge, they both saw the behemoth and the sea. He knew how the atmosphere was nowhere near what boars want. The NPCs are nowhere, unless he processes the existence of the shambles walking just behind them. He took a step back and scooped up a lantern rolling towards them with his feet. He picked it up and began punching the item, pixels flying everywhere and it miraculous lit up. He held it up, like some kind of port man providing light for incoming ships but this time to a behemoth who cares less about them.

"Either way, we need to find out what's with this place being every corner dangerous. No safe zone is a hassle for us in terms of preparation. The voices are faint but it might be a good bit of info to work with."

Lessa · December 27, 2024

Lessa
guardian of aincrad

Spoiler

notes

Level: 34 | Paragon: 56 | Tier: 4(9) | Using Slime Farm

Lessa | HP: 960/960 | EN: 128/128 | DMG: 13 | MIT:127 | THORNS:72 | BH:29 | HB: 38 | MENDING: 2 | REC: 8 | HLY: 8

equipped

Arcael's Might (T4 THSS - DMG DMG DMG HLY)
Vega's Panoply (T4 HA - THNS THNS HB HB)
Red Tide Beacon - Venus (T4 TRINKET - LM LM REC REC)

battle-ready inventory

Teleportation Crystal x4
Tierless Mass HP Recovery Crystals x13
T4 Vitality II Desserts x4
Tierless Antidote x14
Tierless Antidote x13
Instant HP Recovery 3 x14
Blessing of the Wood x1

skills

Spoiler

Skills
ST Shift
Combat Mastery MIT R3
Rending Familiar
Battle Healing R3
Energist
Extended Weight Limit
Heavy Armor R5

Extra:
First Aid R5
Leadership R5

Mods
Barrier
Energize
Inspiring Speech
Large Pockets
Press the Attack

Addons
Field Medic
Hyperactive
Iron Skin

Battle Ready Inventory:
Blessing of the Wood x5
Chocolate Truffles (T4 Vitality II Desserts) x15
Congealing Ale (Tierless Antidote Salves) x4
March to the Dawn (Instant HP Recovery 3) x15
Rumbling Rum Party Favor (Tierless Mass HP Recovery Crystals) x15
Teleportation Crystal x14
Tiger's Balm (Tierless Antidote Salves) x1

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

buffs

Spoiler

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)
Living Room: Increases out of combat HP 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
Slime Farm: +5% 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.
Basement: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

As Callisto exploded into shimmering fragments, Lessa felt Jomei's eyes on her. She shifted to meet his gaze, and expected to see joy or relief inside them. Instead, it was a strange sort of panic that swam in the green depths. Her grin dropped even faster than the massive bear had. She took a step toward him, hand outstretched and lips parted, both to offer comfort. When the tall, charismatic, stalwart tank crouched, wrapping his arms around his legs, she hesitated. That wasn't the body language of a man wanting comfort. Needing it, maybe. But not wanting it. So she simply walked by him, fingertips trailing gently over his shoulder as she passed. If he felt it through the haze of emotion, at least he would know he was not alone. And she kept a careful eye on him as she made her way toward the open door. Only when he'd found his feet again did she finally cross through-

- and into the pouring rain. Despite everything, the smile returned. "Ahhh, the rain," she sighed contentedly to no one in particular. "I love the rain." The thunder that rumbled overhead seemed to hum in her chest, and a little shiver of pleasure went through her. "I love storms, too."

Noticing that the Frontliners had slowed their pace, the blonde peeled off to peer around the small crowd. She expected to see a standard fantasy town, its occupants tucked up inside around a warm fire. Or maybe a more modern setting, with shoppers running to and fro, umbrellas held aloft to protect against the elements. When she found none of those things, some of the joy gave way to confusion. "That's weird," she muttered. Jogging up to the nearest building, Lessa lifted a gauntled-clad hand to knock on the wood. After only the first strike, it swung open, hinges protesting loudly. "Hello?" came Lessa's hesitant call, before she took three short steps inside. She had found a small apothecary shop, from the look of it. Pretty bottles that once surely shone in the sunlight, dulled by a layer of grime. Some had tipped, now laying on their sides, while their companions had long-since crashed to the ground. Though the faintest scent of dried herbs hung in the air, the look of the place gave the distinct impression it had been abandoned many years before.

No NPCs, Lessa mused as she walked back toward the gathered Frontliners. And if her HUD was to be believed, no safe zones, either. She wasn't sure which one unnerved her most.

The group suddenly split like balls scattered by a cue shot, and unsure of where to go, Lessa claimed a spot on the nearest team. "I actually love horror," she informed Baldur as she moved up behind her old friend. She fell into step beside him, then added, "I've seen Cloverfield probably half a dozen times, so I'm something of an expert." She stared up at the enormous creature silhouetted by the flashing lightning. This time when she shuddered, it wasn't from excitement. But she shoved it back, and offered the samurai her biggest smile; the rain streaking down her face and into her eyes didn't help the sunny expression. "Besides, someone of your advanced age shouldn't be going anywhere without at least two chaperones. What happens if you fall and can't get up?"

Acanthus · December 28, 2024

"thanks for earlier. stay safe." Ara was probably just saying that to make the awkward platitudes stop. Acanthus didn’t really blame her.

As the gathered players congregated, Baldur took control of the situation and directed players to explore in pairs until only she and Baldur remained.

Quote

“Hope you don't mind I'm giving us the more dangerous direction.”

“Won’t be a problem. Thanks for the heads up.” A better player would have been able to crack a joke or offer a dismissive comment about the trash mobs up here. To the rest of the frontline players, humor was second nature. She didn’t know how. In a game where you only got one chance, Acanthus found little space for jokes in the face of the unknown. But she could at least be confident.

Uncertain as to where exactly they were going, Acanthus watched Baldur's lead for directions. Staying within visual range of him, Acanthus occasionally traveled out a few meters to warily peer through broken windows and shattered doors. Every empty house concerned her more and more. No vendors, no quest NPCs, nothing. Was this the only floor without an actual settlement around the crystal? How were the players supposed to clear the floor if they didn’t have access to a base of operations? No Floor 29 equipment, or consumables, or experience meant that they’d be fighting a floor higher with none of the benefits.

The mist thickened as they ventured down to the water. Night vision could cut through darkness, but it did nothing against the fog lapping eagerly at their feet. It was like the haze was eager to eat them up and spit out their bones. Dramatic. Stupid, dramatic girl. It’s just fog.

Then, the fog behind them started moving. Acanthus tapped into her searching skill instinctively, listening intently to the footsteps of the player behind them. They weren’t trying to hide—most likely another player from the frontlines. Sure enough, Acanthus recognized the approaching woman as one of the last-minute shoppers at A Familiar Tune. Acanthus breathed a sigh of relief, and gave a brief wave to their reinforcements. She felt much safer now.

Quote

“So, how do you feel about horror games?”

As Lessa finished responding, Acanthus noticed her staring into the distance during a flash of lightning. The swordswoman’s face flickered for a brief second before beaming at the samurai. Acanthus thought she recognized the look: a “let’s process that later” kind of stare, and she felt an instant kinship with Lessa.

Quote

"Besides, someone of your advanced age shouldn't be going anywhere without at least two chaperones. What happens if you fall and can't get up?"

There it was, that confident frontlines humor. Acanthus felt a twinge of envy at their camaraderie, and Lessa’s ability to laugh on a lifeless floor.

Trying to distract the group from the unsettling nature of the floor, she also responded to Baldur’s question.

“Horror as a genre never made sense to me. Why do people get emotionally invested in media that’s supposed to scare or upset them? It feels like paying someone to pop out of my closet and chase me around my own home.” As the fog creeped up past their knees, she tried to soften her words. “I’m sure it has a lot to offer. It’s just not for me.”

She felt bad offering such a negative opinion after Lessa. Acanthus struggled to form her opinions tactfully sometimes, but she thought it better to be honest than evasive. Changing to a more constructive approach, she added, “It’s not all bad. And whether or not it makes sense, I need to learn about it. If it’s not too much to ask, what exactly is a king in yellow? And why can we not fight it?”

Edited December 28, 2024 by Acanthus

Hirru · December 28, 2024

At last, the final hit was struck upon the foul creature, and they were free to continue on to the next floor. Leaving behind a sole tree to help rebuild the grove, he would follow everyone else. A silent affair, as people would collect their thoughts about the whole situation that had transpired in that dying grove. Would no one stop and talk? No, the stairs were far too narrow to do something like that, especially for the group that was coming through like this. They would all have to continue until the light of the next floor would encourage them and welcome them to a whole new story.

That wasn't what they got.

"What is this place?"

The main thing that he could feel was the torrential rains that seemed to weep through the streets of this ramshackle town. He no longer kept survival on, so the chilling cold was heavily apparent. He would shiver under the armor and take off his helmet to keep the drumming of the rain from going deaf. It would do little to help him, as he was now getting his hair drenched. The water felt thick, almost slime like, or was it just him? There seemed to be something off about it all.

The buildings around the area seemed about like the ones that were on the previous floor, but there was an eerie void about them. Lights would occasionally flicker and fade within some of the buildings, but there was nothing. Hirru couldn't feel nor ping any signs of life on the floor. It wasn't until Hirru switched around his skills and mods that he started getting something. Pings in random directions all over the place, but very nearby. Several ground level, but there was some that were below and something... above? It was then that lightning flashed in the background and the shadow of something would block the light, and illuminate its silhouette.

"We truly are not in a safe zone. Multiple hostile signatures in several directions."

Baldur would start taking direction and having everyone start co-operating and securing the perimeter of the area. The hunter would have wanted to join with someone, but there was a need to stay here. Someone needed to be the guard and hold the fort. Keep their home base safe.

"I will start setting up base camp, then. If we can't keep safe, then we'll need a place to hold our own in."

28108480_anime_art_of_short_green_haire(3).jpeg.0f67700fb63d983f532d124728c7939b.jpeg

The hunter called out to the surveying groups. Some would already be much too far to hear him, or already be in combat. He would start off by looking around, the hunter would find a building that wasn't as dilapidated as the others. So far, there wasn't anything hostile near it, but that could always change as time goes on. They would need to defend this place, if they were to continue on through the floor. A place to heal, a place to sleep. Then he would need something that some people could easily recognize or distinguish as a safe marker. Looking through his inventory, he would find just the thing he needed. The object would appear in his right hand, a long staff with a torch attached to the top. Igniting the torch upon summoning, the flame that would flicker from the occasional rain droplets, but otherwise, it was protected under a canopied entrance. The light of the torch had a minor effect to draw the attention of players to it. A funny little thing, but it was something that could lead them back to where home would be.

"That should do it. What do you think, Merchant"

As soon as the torch is lit, the shop would materialize outside of the building that it was situated in. A decently sized wagon with a canopied top would spawn before the building. Shelves and cabinets that extend out from the inner workings would start to come up, but a simple wave would cause them to go back. The wave would come from an odd little merchant NPC. The man was covered head to toe in a purple hooded cloak. Barely able to tell the mans face from under the hood. He would get down from the wagon and pat the visage of something invisible, but the rain would show its true self: a large chameleon.

"Get dry Liz. You are not made for the cold."

The Merchant would speak before looking to Hirru.

"Rune Scribe, I assume that we will be making shop here?"

"Aye, the area isn't safe though. We will need guards for the time being."

"I can't promise what I can't do, but we can spruce up the place, for a high price."

Hirru would sigh.

"Do as you will."

He would look out to whomever would have joined them from the front.

"We'll need volunteers to help keep this place up! There will probably be constant need for fighting and pressuring mobs away from the forward base. Will you help me here!"

Spoiler

Hirru | HP: 980/980 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 127 | BH: 49 | HLY BLS: 39 | MENDING: 2 | REC: 8 | THRNS: 36

Hirru Lvl 34 (PL 64)
True LVL: 98
True Tier: 10

980 HP
110 Energy
1 Base Damage
127 MIT
5% Battle Healing
4% Holy Blessing
8 Recovery
36 Thorns
20% Life Mend
5 + 3 (+3 dungeons) Luck Die

Equipment

Paladin's Oath ..................... // +4% Holy Blessing / +20% Life Mending
Light's Embrace .................... // +8 Recovery / 36 Thorns
Favor of the Golden Dragon ......... // +3 Loot Die
~~Blades Cloak ....................... // Vanity~~
Lun'Rael's Insignia ................ // Unique Vanity | Floor 23 Raid Unique
Fates Armament (Shield) ............ // Unique Vanity | Floor 26 Raid Unique
Dimensional Backpack ............... // +1 B.R.I Slot

Battle Ready Inventory

<Teleportation Crystal> x5 ......... // Teleport to a town / out of a dungeon [Uses 2 posts: 1 for use, next to teleport]
<March unto the Dawn> x4 ........... // +15% ST Insta-Heal
<Dear My Friend> x5 ................ // +15% ST Insta-Heal
<Mass HP Recovery Crystal> x5 ...... // +10% AOE Insta-Heal
<Blessing of the Wood> x2 .......... // 250 Damage Reduction Barrier (party)
<none> ............................. //

Skills

Heavy Armor ........................ // Rank 5: +40 MIT
Battle Healing ..................... // Rank 5: +5% HP each turn
Search ............................. // Rank 5: +5 Loot Die / +5 Stealth Detection
Quick Change ....................... // Rank 0: Change items in B.R.I to equipment (Free Act)
Combat Mastery: MIT ................ // Rank 3: +72 MIT

Extra Skills (Max 4)

First Aid .......................... // Rank 5: +20% ST-H / -15 EN
Leadership ......................... // Rank 5: Command the Front w/ Buffs

Skill Mods / Addons (Max 5 Mods)

Iron Skin (Add on) ................. // +15 Mit / +60 HP
Field Medic (Add on) ............... // +25% AOE-H / -15 EN / 3 turn Cooldown
Hyperactive (Add on) ............... // +3 EN Regen for 3 turns / -5 EN / 3 turn Cooldown
Reveal (Add on)..................... // +2 to Dungeon, Labyrinth searches / Post 10 searches / 3 turn Labyrinth Cooldown

Barrier ............................ // -15% Dmg shield AOE / -15 EN / 2 turn Cooldown
Energize ........................... // +8 EN ST / -10 EN
Inspirational Speech ............... // -1 Cooldown -> Party / -10 EN
Press The Attack ................... // +(Target Tier) Dmg / -10 En / 5 turn Cooldown
Detect ............................. // +1 to Labyrinth searches | +2 Stealth Detect

Housing / Buffs

Rested ............................. // -1 EN for 2 uses
Relaxed ............................ // OOC HP regen 5*tier Rec EN after 2 turns
Filling ............................ // Increase food by +1 T1 slot
Multipurpose ....................... // +1 LD, Stealth, Dection, or Prosperity to 1 post
Ambition Scales .................... // +1 EXP per crafting attempt (Appraiser)
Practiced Angler ................... // +2 EXP & +1 LD & CD to fishing attempts
Amphitrite's Net ................... // +1 CD to fishing attempts

Edited December 30, 2024 by Hirru

Baldur · December 28, 2024

In response to his question, he heard Lessa's voice pop up. A welcome addition to their merry little party, in this delightfully welcoming floor. Still, he couldn't help but cast a lopsided smile at their very different answers. One embraced, and one abstained. But then Lessa had to make another crack about his age. Her teasing helped cut some of the tension out of the mood of the floor, but he would have to return her teasing with a bit of Star Wars.

"When 900 years old you reach, look as good, you will not."

While the two ladies moved to investigate the little allies and buildings they came upon, Baldur held his ground in the street, always keeping himself in the position where he could see both of them. This was a place where he expected disappearances to start occurring.

"At least if I've got to have chaperones, I've got two very pretty, very well armed ones." he gave a slight laugh and hoped the compliment would get a blush out of them. Levity would help with morale here.

"I'm not much of a horror person, but that's more because what I find scary isn't what's covered in horror movies. If it can be fought, then I'm not scared of it. And when you grow up pretending to be a Paladin, then even supernatural monsters can be fought." he shook his head in chagrin, his dark brown hair swaying with the movement. He kept his posture casual, his large frame and wide shoulders lending an air of self-assured power that he often tried to downplay. Now, however, he stood straighter as if accentuating his size in a way that made him look more intimidating, but without the grace that normally said he was ready for a fight. It was a tightrope walk, but one he had practiced.

"The king in yellow.."

Baldur took a moment to think about how he wanted to explain it.

"As soon as we came out here, I could clock that this floor was themed for the cosmological horror that is best known as Lovecraftian. Cthulhu and the like. In Lovecraft, he writes about the town Innsmouth, which is up in the Northeast US and there a dying sea town started making human sacrifices to a group of fish people in return for prosperity. Some would breed with the fishpeople, making kin who looked human but would eventually turn into fish people. They served a god who lived deep under the sea, similar to that shape we're seeing in the distance."

He would pause as they ladies looked into more buildings, and speak when their attention wasn't distracted. He didn't want anyone to be surprised by something in a building by having their attention pulled.

"In this 'cinematic universe' there exists a play called 'T̶̲͍̽̃̑̈̒̒͝͠h̴̘̭̙͙̀͒͋͛̾́̑̃̀͘̚͜͠ë̴̢̢͎̞͓̪͚̟̜́̋́ ̴̭̰̙̙͊͐̈́͘K̵̞͕̤͚̩͇̠̎̈́̐̅̓̓ị̵̠͕̖̩̬̣̤̭̋̀̍͂́̅͝n̶̫̩̳̟͎̱̩̠͙͖̩̩̆̄́̕g̵͔̯̖̮̎ ̷̠̖̻̯͎̬̞̃̊i̵̢̗͚͖͚̋̌̇̀ń̶̘̤̩͇̬͈͋̋̀̍͑͆̕͝͝ ̶̠͚̯̙͒̅̇͒̆̽͘͝y̸̯̠͔̟͇̖̦̤̼͆̐̃̈́̔̒͋͊͌̕͜e̷̢̟̠̝͙̦̩̖͕͛̒̀̓̄̿̆͌͘ͅl̵̡̛̮̺̘͍̍͆̈́͊̑͋͝l̴̡̠̭͍̠̝̟̃̆̆̓ő̸̧̹̲̺̟͖̪̲̦̯̪̋͋͑̊͝w̶̰̻͙̃̿̀̔͌͊́͝' and any who read it go mad. The author of the works predates Lovecraft, but they're often interwoven. The Ṱ̵̢͂̓ͅȟ̸̡͚̰̑e̵͎̰̙͝ ̶̬̖͝K̷̨̝̠̜͙͑i̷̢̔͐̀͌͜n̴̛̼͓͙̈̔̓͜g̷͎̈́̓ ̵̝̌̋̃͛̇̈́į̵͘͘n̷̪̣͍̓̔ ̵̠͉̿͐̑̊́͋y̵̨̧̞͔̮̖̌͛̊̌̈́ë̶̘̙͕͇́͜l̷̦̠̝̃͑͑̕͝l̴̠̈́̕ọ̴̢̭̞̔͌̀w̴̻͙͕͝ is a terrible and unknowable creature. I think of the play as the inspiration for the Necronomicon. The King himself, however, resides in Carcosa. A place outside of time, outside of life and death, but where the final chapter of everything has already been written. If there is a boss of this floor, I would not be surprised if it was him, or Dagon."

Though really, if there was a K̴̖͍̞̗͈̙̩͈̘̀͂͛̔͗̋͋i̶̢̢̨̧̝̺̦̣͚̩͓͙̩͓͓͎͑͂͗̒̓̍̀̆̕̚ͅn̵̡̪̹͉̳͚̯̫̙̹̬̹͉̱̟̬͐̃̆̉͛̓͐̊̌̆͛ͅģ̷͔̖͙͂̑̽̔͐̍ ̴̛̛͕̣̮̘̬͉͙̝̯̀͋̐̀̆̈́̿̈́̌̉͒̊͂͝͝ì̷̛͍͓͕̫̈́̂̿́̉̉͋͗͐͘͠ǹ̷̢̧̺̭̻̙̥̩͕̹͈̫̊̊ ̵̧̪͈̰̖̻̻͍̪̲͉͛̅̈́͌̈̃͜ỵ̶̢̟̥͙̳̲̞͇̱̳͍̞͕́͛̓̑͂̑̃͠e̶̡̧͉̳̗͔̩̣̣̠̬̞͍̓̉̌̃̂̈̃͊̀̔͋́̓͑͑͠ͅl̵͇͈̘͖̾̆̔̉̃̋̕ĺ̶̡̢̡͍͉̗͖̰̝̞̙̞̠̠͓̹͖̇̇͂̚͝͠͝ó̷̞̗͎̯̈͗ẃ̵̧̮͓̞̣̞̖̯̺͖̬͇̤̲̓͜ in this tower, he would have thought that was The Shadow. What Baldur didn't want to tell them was that if they did come across him they were unlikely to know it. The way he was describes was more dreamlike and unknowable, but he didn't want to unnerve his partners more than he already might have.

Baldur's blue haori was growing darker by the minute as the rain soaked him, and the white flames on them began to grow dingy with the mud of the wet streets. Suddenly, the samurai furrowed his browns. "Does that look like a pub to you? Is there anyone inside?" He pointed to a sign that seemed to read:

Quote

HP's Tavern

Maybe there would be some NPCs in there.

Edited December 28, 2024 by Baldur

Morningstar · December 28, 2024

Broken dishes covered the dirty floor of the rundown kitchen. Morningstar was left alone inside. Whatever had caused the plates and bowls to fall had long since run off. He took one last look around the house and left to reconvene with Crozeph.

They stood at a dockyard at the edge of town, looking out over the ocean. The Black, it was called—an apt name, he thought. He wondered if the waves were ever calm, deciding that rough boating was likely the norm on Floor 29. Then, there was the behemoth, towering above the world, moving haphazardly along the horizon. He put it out of his mind. It was a problem for another day.

The worst part about scouting a new floor was not knowing what to expect. So, when the fish people began to emerge from the water, Morningstar wasn't sure how to react.

"The fuck are those?"

The system answered his question by throwing him into combat. The name "Deep One" hovered above each of their heads, and red cursors identified them as enemies. He drew his sword in time to block the webbed hands of one of the creatures, pushing it towards Cro to finish off. Star moved towards the backline of the group, eager to test the limits of the fish-frogs they had discovered. He gritted his teeth, jetting to one Deep One after another, nicking them in spots he thought wouldn't immediately kill them.

The four of them froze, crippled by Morningstar's stun. They appeared to function like any other regular mob. He moved closer to one, taking a mental picture for his notes. "Gross."

-> POST ACTION: TECH-F vs Deep One 1-4

Spoiler

ID239420 | bd3+6=9 | 22*12 = 264 DMG + Stun -> Deep One 1
ID239421 | bd3+6=9 | 22*12 = 264 DMG + Stun -> Deep One 2
ID239422 | bd5+6=11 | 22*12 = 264 DMG + Stun -> Deep One 3
ID239423 | bd10 | 24*12 = 288 DMG + Stun -> Deep One 4

EN: -16

Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 104/120 (120-16) | DMG: 22 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 43 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V
Crozeph | 800/800 | EN: 98/98 | DMG: 20 | MIT: 44 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2 | FLN: 16 | PHASE

Deep One 1 | HP: 336/600 | DMG: 140 | STUNNED
Deep One 2 | HP: 336/600 | DMG: 140 | STUNNED
Deep One 3 | HP: 336/600 | DMG: 140 | STUNNED
Deep One 4 | HP: 312/600 | DMG: 140 | STUNNED

Crozeph · December 28, 2024

Ereshkigal always responds to the flow of battle, what was once the power of Shadow is now Crozeph's arsenal. While the weapon never really talks, the amorphous black liquid hovering and slithering on Crozeph's arm is an indication of how it makes its intention known.

"I might take down some, we better get some samples for shishou" he told Morningstar. The guy was good at setting it up, fish like humanoids froze after the attack and it was the perfect opportunity.

As the waves rose up, two of the Deep Ones collapsed. Crozeph was already standing on the shoulder of the Deep One and buried his katana on its head. He then twisted his weapon tearing the head off, two more quick slashes struck the remaining three. As the fourth one's health shriveled, Crozeph dashed towards it and buried his katana on its neck and immediately chewed off its jaw. The creature fell, not even a fight to give. Crozeph loosened his bite and the jaw landed on his hand "hey Lucifer, think this is enough?" he asked holding the jaw up but after a few seconds it shattered, it seems that wasn't their loot or sample "damn."

ID: 239441 BD: 7 + 4 = [success] dealt 22 + 16 x 15 = 570 damage to Deep One 1
ID: 239442 BD: 5 + 4 = [success]dealt 22 x 15 = 330 damage to Deep One 2
ID: 239443 BD: 1 + 4 = [success] dealt 22 x 15 = 330 damage to Deep One 3
ID: 239444 BD: 2 + 4 = [success] dealt 22 x 15 =330 damage to Deep One 4

Deep One 1 | HP: 0/600 | DMG: 140 | STUNNED
Deep One 2 | HP: 6/600 | DMG: 140 | STUNNED
Deep One 3 | HP: 6/600 | DMG: 140 | STUNNED
Deep One 4 | HP: 0/600 | DMG: 140 | STUNNED

-17 EN

Crozeph | HP: 840/840 | EN: 85/102 | DMG: 22 | MIT:44 | ACC:4 | AA | PHASE | EVA:2 | BH:46 | REC: 1 | RISK: 8 | FLN: 16 | LD:1
Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 104/120 (120-16) | DMG: 22 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 43 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Edited December 30, 2024 by Crozeph

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[OP-F29] Ope wide the gates! (Post Raid Thread)

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