[F5- PP] Legends Unearthed <<Arabian Nights>>

[Typhoonflame 0]

The Cave of Wonders was once but a legend, said the people at the Town of Beginnings. More experienced players loved going to early floors and filling the ears of young, hopeful adventurers with stories of magical places they would see if they ventured out. personally, Ty was of the opinion that anyone who was younger than 18 IRLhad no place on any battlefield and urged the kids to stay in the early towns to stay safe. Some listened, some didn't...And such was the case here. Looking away from the market stall where she was conversing with an NPC, Ty saw a group of kids surrounding a slightly older guy.

"Information trickled in that a man by the name of Ali would lead others there, on the condition that they retrieve his brother first and foremost, having been stolen away for extortion of valuable information." he was saying as Ty came near. What were they talking about?
"The Cave of Wonders, my friends, is truly a miracle! You must see it!"

This again, seriously? Ty thought to herself, rolling her eyes, then walked up to the guy. 
"If it's so great, why don't you go yourself and leave the kids alone, eh? This isn't a game anymore!" she snapped.
The guy just shrugged. "It's perfectly safe, they'll have an NPC guide!"

Ty grumbled. She had to prove to this guy that it wasn't safe, had to get these kids out of this mess...but how?

 

Spoiler

Typhoonflame | HP: 380/380 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 8 | PAR: 2 | 32 MIT | EVA 1 


SP: 5 available (75 total)

EXP:  8813

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.

<<Forgotten King's Authority>> Extra Skill

Cost: Complete <<Betrayal of the King>> with Unlock Conditions
Action: Free Action
Energy Cost: 5 EN
Cooldown: 7 Turns
Effect: Dispel any disabling effects on yourself. This can be done while disabled.
Description: Through sheer force of will you can exhibit extraordinary command over your body.

 

► Light Armor- Rank 5
Passive
Effect: Gain Mitigation based on your rank in Light Armor. You can only benefit from one armor skill at a time (the respective armor type must be equipped). Your mitigation is capped at 2 enhancement slots and Your Evasion is capped at 2 enhancement slots.
Rank 5: 30 MIT
Description: You have become proficient in Light Armor with leather or scale armor and few metal plates, allowing you protection as well as some maneuverability.

 

Sword Arts:

[x12] ST-I (12 EN) | A single-target sword art.
[x15] ST-II (15 EN) | A powerful single-target sword art. 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 (20 EN) | A devastating single-target sword art. 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.
[x11] AOE-I (11 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once.
[x14] AOE-II (14 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A powerful sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. 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.
[x12] TECH-A (13 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.
[x12] TECH-B (12 EN) | DELAY | A single-target sword art that, on a successful strike, applies [Delay] on the enemy. [Delay] is a debuff that reduces the enemy’s ACC by 1 for one turn.

Inventory:

2 Guild Token [Firm Anima]

(3) Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)
32850 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

1x Glow Stone | While holding a Glow Stone, the area around you is illuminated. You and players near you do not suffer any penalties for darkness or low-light conditions. Cannot wield a weapon while holding a Glow Stone, but it can be swapped out and and back in to continue its effect. Effect lasts for one thread.

New Character Bundle: 
Support Package

Equipment

T4 Rare Weapon 223975a

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

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

Skirmisher’s Garb (T2 Perfect Light Armor – MIT 2, EVA 1) Acquisition ID: #154523 | Identification ID: #156208, #156209, #156210
Tight-fitting black traveling leathers with a weatherproof coat, designed to be worn by scouts at the forefront of battle, and the first into the fray.

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

T4 Rare Consumable 223975b
T4 Rare Consumable 223975c

 

Edited December 25, 2024 by Typhoonflame

[Freyd 0]

An older man dressed in desert garb with a decidedly Japanese flair sat on a small outcrop just beyond Fortaleza's walls.  Thick, unruly white hair swayed slowly in the scorching desert breeze, but did not discomfort him.  Something else had already done that.  His features more worn than they were just days ago, half his face now covered in a wispy beard tainted with signs of grey, Freyd looked solemn and pensive as he sat and stared out into the arid red landscape.

A small black porcelain bowl sat on a tiny wooden tray, preciously laid out before him.  His legs folded beneath him, the man seemed to be performing some sort of rite.  Pouring some  white gaseous substance into the vessel, Freyd uttered a few private words, he watched with saddened eyes as a gust consigned them to the winds for all eternity.  Bending forward, the warrior pressed his forehead to the dusty ground in homage to the memory of his fallen friend, holding the pose until the bowl itself had emptied.

"Goodbye, my little mongoose and partner.  And, thank you."

Swallowing hard and sitting up once again, Freyd slowly packed up his things and donned his armor again with a few wayward taps of his hand into the air.  The bowl he left as a memento, before turning away and returning to town.  

"Ty?"  It was clear that he wasn't expecting a familiar face to be right around the corner, watching as she argued with another.  The young woman had grown in both strength and confidence of late, reminding him of his own early ascent through the floating castle.  Still distracted by his farewell, Freyd didn't even seem to recognize the NPC she was speaking with, nor connect what she might be getting herself into.  To be honest, the man looked uncharacteristically lost, beyond just his older appearance.

***

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:

Gungir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Smokin' Hot Honey Bun Tray | ACC 2 | EVA 2 | Feast (6/6) - takes 1 portion [filled - ACC only]

Freyd | HP: 1300/1300 | EN: 162/162 | DMG: 21 | MIT:152 | ACC: 8 (incl AA) | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:4 | 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+2+1
Evasion: 2+2
Battle Healing: 72
Loot Die: 5
Stealth Rating: -5
AA
TAUNT
VAMP-D: 72
VAMP-O: 143
PARA-V

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Veritas | T4 Katana) | AA, PVO I, VO I, Taunt
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:
  - [Unavailable]

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
  - Elusive
  - Impetus
  - Night Vision
  - Press the Attack
  - Rally
  - Tracking

Inactive Mods:
  - Emergency Recovery
  - Inspiring Speech
  - Steadfast

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

[Typhoonflame 0]

Ty was glaring daggers at the guy in front of her, not knowing or really caring, whether he was an NPC. Anyone who treated others like tools for selfish self-entertainment was an enemy of hers.

Once again, she felt that rage she'd felt before with the bats and found herself wincing. She was so absorbed in the conversation and trying to tell this asshole off, that she didn't even notice her guild leader's approach until he spoke.

She started. "Oh, Freyd! What brings you here? I haven't seen you in a few days. Can you believe this guy?! He wants to send kids to explore a myth at their peril!" she hissed, pointing at the still shrugging guy.
He didn't seem bothered by her outburst at all, while the kids stared between them, wide-eyed and unsure who to believe at this point. They glanced back and forth between the arguing parties and a small group formed behind each of them.



Typhoonflame consumes Gungir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Smokin' Hot Honey Bun Tray | ACC 2 | EVA 2 | Feast (6/6) - takes 1 portion [filled - ACC only]

New stats: Typhoonflame | HP: 380/380 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 8 | PAR: 2 | 32 MIT | EVA 3 | ACC: 4|  

Edited December 31, 2024 by Typhoonflame

[Freyd 0]

Ty's complete oversight of his changed appearance was endearing, but then he could already change his form so casually that she might have assumed he was simply doing it now.  Either way, it shook him out of his sorrow enough to draw attention to the subject of her ire.

"Ali?!"  He groaned, suddenly recognizing exactly where this was leading.  "You're scamming kids now?  What is it with NPCs on this floor?  Between you and Abdullah, you're giving the entire settlement a bad name."  The crafty charlatan seemed to wilt before Freyd's accusations, unsure how to counter or defend himself.  He wasn't accustomed to being so openly called out, let alone by two players.  

"Hey, Ty," Freyd resumed, keeping his eyes on the merchant while shooing the kids away with the lure of some fresh coin and promise of treats from a vendor across the square.  "I just got back from the raid. You may want to wait a bit before considering heading up to the new floor, by the way.  It's.. a bit of a nightmare.  But, in the meantime, why don't we go fetch Cassim so that this fool doesn't enlist newborns to try and do it for him."

Ali smiled awkwardly, his mouth half filled with gold teeth, making Freyd's hard tone seem only more valid by the glaring guilt behind his grin.

[Typhoonflame 0]

Ty glanced between who was apparently an NPC (for which she wanted to facepalm, she'd managed to mix up an NPC and a real person again) and Freyd. How did the two know each other? She supposed Freyd knew most of the NPCs, though. 
Then she fixed her glare on the man called Ali again. So she'd been right! The man was a pure fraud! She'd been more than right to call him out and set an example for the kids.

She turned to Freyd. "Wait, this is about that? He wants kids to not only explore it, but actually find Cassim? And who's Abdullah?" The questions poured out of her, one after another. The men were obviously of Middle Eastern descent, or at least an equivalent of that in SAO, but she couldn't quite pinpoint the exact nature of their relationships. "Also...what happened at the raid? You look, um...well, down? Sorry, you don't have to tell me." she added quickly.

[Freyd 0]

Smiling at the near-frantic barrage of questioning, Freyd looked noticeably older than her had, yet also less... something?   Maybe he just stood straighter or with better posture and looked taller?  

"Let me try to take each one of those separately," he offered, chuckling lightly.  "Ali wants us to rescue his brother, Cassim.  But, what he really wants is access to the Cave of Wonders, and the rumoured treasures within.  And he's more than callous and conniving enough to send children in as his agents if he thinks it will get him what he craves."  Shooing the last of the kids away, he led Ty away from the town and into the desert proper.  Somehow, the heat didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.  

"Survival skill," he offered, by way of answer to the unspoken question.  "You can unlock it here in a separate quest.  Comes in really handy in extreme weather and climates, which is likely why it's placed on this floor."  A full canteen was offered to her, as compensation matched with understanding eyes.  "Cassim isn't in the cave.  He's been taken by a rival gang of bandits who basically want him for the same reasons, at least so far as I've ever managed to understand.  They could just be trying to extort Ali, which is a sick joke because he's the cheapest bastard I've ever met in the game, and would sell out his own brother in a heartbeat."  

A random bird of prey called out in the skies above, drawing their attention to several more circling over nearby cliffs.  They clearly knew something, or were hinting towards it.

"Abdullah is the mob boss," he paused to chuckle, "who thinks he's the hottest thing in Fortaleza.  He'd basically a fop and a gangster rolled into one, and a bit of a joke.  I taunt him relentlessly for it, just to see what might come of it.  Sadly, speaking with him is also a mandatory part of picking up the quest for Terra Firma - otherwise known as the Bloodstained Land quest, dubbed the Sharkbait Training Program among players.  I really can't stand even being near him.  Fortunately, we... shit."

Pausing to facepalm, Freyd just realized who it was that likely hired the bandits behind Ali and Cassim's woes.  

"I can't believe I never thought of it sooner."

Groaning, he resumed their trek towards the emerging fortress nestled into a rocky desert cliff face, protected by a deep overhanging rock face that offered protection from view and the sun alike.

"As to the raid.  Let's just say that things very nearly went wrong, and carried some consequences."

[Typhoonflame 0]

Ty studied Freyd for a moment, noting that he looked somewhat...wiser, older...changed, at the very least. She wondered what had happened. 

She almost felt sorry for hitting him with the barrage of questions when he said he'd take them one at a time. She really knew how to come off like a curious teenager. 

Ty followed Freyd into the desert, wincing as the hot climate made the first beads of sweat form on her forehead. "I see...That's complicated, which was intended, I suppose, to confuse the kids. I still can't believe he'd go to such lengths! I could definitely use that survival skill, though...Take me there after this?" she asked, chuckling tiredly, taking a large gulp of water from the canteen he offered her. "Thanks."

"Don't all mob bosses think they're the hottest people around? It's usually what gets them killed in stories." she commented nonchalantly. Ty was someone who read a lot of books and watched crime shows.  Her eyes widened when he mentioned Terra Figma. "That thing...you spoke to a mob boss to get that quest?! No wonder it almost killed us! Well, me!" she half-snapped, memories flooding back, memories of her and the party being almost unable to land any hits. "Do you think he'll remember you?" she asked, deciding not to blame Freyd for what had happened, especially since he seemed to think he was at fault. He had been, in a way, but nobody had forced Ty to be foolish enough to join that quest as a newbie.

[Freyd 0]

"I might send Foyle along with you, if you don't mind? He's another O&I agent and training as a scout.  The skill would be a great asset for him too."

Listening to her comments on mob bosses as he climbed up a hidden rise to gain them a better vantage on the fortress, its battlements were looking more and more like ruins as they approached.  The main gates had desiccated and turned to dust ages ago and most of the mortar binding the individual blocks forming the walls had followed.  Signs of heat-inflicted decay were everywhere.

"I wouldn't say I'm an expert on real-world mob bosses, but there's a certain truth to it for mob bosses in here, in the digital sense.  If not the 'hottest', certainly the most important. Megalomaniacs and narcissists abound.  Abdullah is overqualified for both.  Ali is the low-end wannabe model, like a Pacer aspiring to be a Porsche?  Sorry.  Not sure if you're a car person of not.  It was just the first comparison that came to mind."

Shrugging the conversation to a close, he turned his attention back to the crude encampment barely visible beyond the crumbling castle walls.  At least a half dozen men and women lurked around it, their equipment branding them as waste scavengers, and a surly bunch to boot.  They definitely looked like the type of muscle Abdullah would employ, especially based on past encounters.

"Alright.  I'm thinking we do this the messy way.  I can rush in and take out the first group, drawing their attention.  That will give you an opening to pick off stragglers.  We can't be certain if there are more on watch or scattered in the surrounding ruins, so we'd best make this quick.  Sound good?"

[Typhoonflame 0]

Ty nodded quickly when Freyd suggested sending another agent in with her. More people often meant better results, after all, and she'd been thinking about how she needed to meet more guild members anyway. "Sure, always down to help another trainee like myself."

"Eh, I know enough about cars to get the comparison, don't worry." she chuckled as they approached the fortress. It looked so worn down by the heat that Ty could relate to it. She too, felt the heat draining her willpower to do anything.

She blinked at Freyd when he suggested the messy way. "So much for O&I, eh? I mean...are you really okay to fight?" she asked carefully, studying Freyd's new appearance.
He looked as if he'd lost years of his life somehow and it worried her. Was this what awaited her at the Frontlines? She'd known it was risky, but had never really thought about it in more detail, knowing she'd only spook herself.

[Freyd 0]

Freyd turns and glances sideways towards his companion, a old, familiar grin forming slowly beneath his new features. Silently drawing his katana, Freyd stepped sideways into the umbra provided by the rocky outcrop behind which they were hiding.  Vanishing into the darkness, he reappeared an instant later on the far side of the fortress gate, having somehow slipped through the void between two shadows to emerge behind their watchtowers and defenses.  The bandits cried out in surprise - those that didn't die instantly in his opening assault.  Another's fractals were smeared across the sand before he could fully draw his blade.  The last of those visible to Ty from her vantage managed to pull and lunge with his blade, only to have his arms severed at the elbows by a gruesome downward stroke.  The rest of the him shattered two seconds later as Freyd plunged his blade completely through his torso.

"I did mention assassination, didn't I?  This would be that part... kinda." Freyd's hollered voice re-raised the same alarm that died on the bandit's lips in the face of his devastation.  "I don't know about alright, but it looks like all the bits still work properly.  Now, get over here so you can take the next wave!"

***

Spoiler

Note: Typhoonflame stats in opening post to be corrected and include ACC consumable.

Post Action | AoE-I (x15, 11 EN, +2 shift, +2/hit): 21 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 18 EN.  
Free Action | None

ID #239477 | BD: 3+8-1=10 (hit).  DMG (15*21=315-25=290) vs Arabian Bandit 1 | CD 8 | ST-B/BtV Locked
ID #239478 | BD: 1+8-1=8 (hit, AA).  DMG (15*21=315-25=290) vs Arabian Bandit 2
ID #239479 | BD: 2+8-1=9 (hit).  DMG (15*21=315-25=290) vs Arabian Bandit 3
ID #239480 | BD: 7+8-1=14 (hit).  DMG (15*21=315-25=290) vs Arabian Bandit 4

Typhoonflame | HP: 400/400 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 15 | MIT:54 | ACC:7 | EVA:1 | PARA 
Freyd | HP: 1300/1300 | EN: 144/162 (162-18) | DMG: 21 | MIT:152 | ACC: 8 (incl AA) | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:4 | BH:72 | VAMP-D: 72 | VAMP-O: 143 | PARA-V | LD:5

[0,2] Arabian Bandit 1 | Curved Sword | HP: 0/250 (250-290) | DMG: 130 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
[0,2] Arabian Bandit 2 | Curved Sword | HP: 0/250 (250-290) | DMG: 130 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
[0,2] Arabian Bandit 3 | Curved Sword | HP: 0/250 (250-290) | DMG: 130 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
[0,2] Arabian Bandit 4 | Curved Sword | HP: 0/250 (250-290) | DMG: 130 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1

Sword Arts | This enemy uses Sword Arts. Look to the table below to determine the art they use in battle. 

• The sword arts used by this enemy are affected by cooldowns. These cooldowns will hence be affected by [Delay]. Refer to the resources list [here] to view each art’s respective cooldowns. Should an Art be on cooldown, the list cycles upwards until a Sword Art is found to be available for use.
• Please state the bandit’s weapon type alongside their names in the die roller.

Note: Sword art cooldowns are an obsolete mechanic.  For the sake of simplicity, the enemy mobs will be assumed to all be wielding curved swords and spamming the Legion Destroyer SA for (10x13=130 DMG).  Mob combat stats have been adjusted to reflect this.

 

Edited December 29, 2024 by Freyd

[Typhoonflame 0]

Ty watched in awe as Freyd stepped into a shadow, then reappeared on the far side of the fortress gate. How had he done that?! 

She watched the bodies fall in horror. How could Freyd just...kill so easily? She'd judged herself for wanting to kill a bat, and here he wasm doing this. Nobody even had a chance to counter, and Ty mentally noted she should never get on this man's bad side, before the horror returned. Freyd had called her to his side. This was what they did here, what they had to do to survive and get out. These weren't real people, just NPCs. And yet, that thought didn't calm her racing heart as she forced her legs to move and follow her leader. 

Freyd had mentioned a next wave...just how many enemies were there? And how would she take them all down? Was any of this right? She supposed it didn't matter now. "Alright...but we should talk after."

[Freyd 0]

By the time Ty reached the crumbling fortress gate there were signs of another quad of fallen mobs, their fractal essences drifting off in the breeze.  Freyd, his face focused and alert for more incoming guards, slid Veritas' black blade against the sheen on his matching armor, as if cleaning it in some ceremonial manner.  Scanning the remains of their camp site revealed little.  Hot steaming cups of something acrid now sat unattended.  Some unlucky game bird slowly burnt over the open spit with no one left to turn it.  Sparing a quick glance towards his companion to assure himself she wasn't injured, Freyd's eyes were otherwise scouring the remaining ruins for signs of... prey?

"They've tucked Cassim away somewhere in the rest of the ruins."  The tip of his katana pointed to drag marks on the ground, about the size one might expect for a body equivalent to Ali's size.  Cassim likely had about the same build.

"Wait a minute..."

There were more trails by the first one.

"They have more than one prisoner here."

Freyd seemed genuinely surprised and concerned by the discovery, brow furrowed and eyes more alert than ever - the same look from when they had recovered Koko in the cave.  As much as he might resemble an edgelordy murder-hobo, the man's colder side was clearly linked to his survival instincts, and were likely part of whatever had managed to get him through to this extent in the game.

"Alright...but we should talk after."

Something in her tone made him pause and turn with concern.

***

Spoiler

Freyd regains +4 EN

Post Action | AoE-I (x15, 11 EN, +2 shift, +2/hit): 21 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 18 EN.  
Free Action | None

ID #239533 | BD: 7+8-1=14 (hit).  DMG (15*21=315-25=290) vs Arabian Bandit 5 | CD 1 | ST-B/BtV Locked
ID #239534 | BD: 6+8-1=13 (hit).  DMG (15*21=315-25=290) vs Arabian Bandit 6
ID #239535 | BD: 4+8-1=11 (hit).  DMG (15*21=315-25=290) vs Arabian Bandit 7
ID #239536 | BD: 6+8-1=13 (hit).  DMG (15*21=315-25=290) vs Arabian Bandit 8

Typhoonflame | HP: 400/400 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 15 | MIT:54 | ACC:7 | EVA:1 | PARA 
Freyd | HP: 1300/1300 | EN: 130/162 (144+4-18) | DMG: 21 | MIT:152 | ACC: 8 (incl AA) | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:4 | BH:72 | VAMP-D: 72 | VAMP-O: 143 | PARA-V | LD:5

[0,2] Arabian Bandit 5 | Curved Sword | HP: 0/250 (250-290) | DMG: 130 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
[0,2] Arabian Bandit 6 | Curved Sword | HP: 0/250 (250-290) | DMG: 130 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
[0,2] Arabian Bandit 7 | Curved Sword | HP: 0/250 (250-290) | DMG: 130 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
[0,2] Arabian Bandit 8 | Curved Sword | HP: 0/250 (250-290) | DMG: 130 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1

Sword Arts | This enemy uses Sword Arts. Look to the table below to determine the art they use in battle. 

• The sword arts used by this enemy are affected by cooldowns. These cooldowns will hence be affected by [Delay]. Refer to the resources list [here] to view each art’s respective cooldowns. Should an Art be on cooldown, the list cycles upwards until a Sword Art is found to be available for use.
• Please state the bandit’s weapon type alongside their names in the die roller.

Note: Sword art cooldowns are an obsolete mechanic.  For the sake of simplicity, the enemy mobs will be assumed to all be wielding curved swords and spamming the Legion Destroyer SA for (10x13=130 DMG).  Mob combat stats have been adjusted to reflect this.

 

Edited December 31, 2024 by Freyd

[Typhoonflame 0]

Ty approached the spit with the poor bird, coughing as the smell of burnt meat hit her nose. "Ew!" she exclaimed, wrinkling her nose. She crouched and blew out the fire. "There, nothing will be accidentally set on fire now. These people really should have been more careful, leaving a fire out in the open like this." 
She shook her head in disapproval. "I guess they weren't expecting to die, though."

She stood and walked back to Freyd's side, looking down at the trails he'd pointed out. "You're right...This is concerning. Maybe they took some people with them alongside Cassim for collateral or something..." Ty frowned in thought. It was a possibility. All her time watching police detective shows came back to her and she started thinking of potential theories. However, she knew next to nothing about these people, so she was stuck. 

When Freyd paused at her comment, she raised her hands. "Don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong, I just...had some thoughts, is all."

[Freyd 0]

Pursed lips and a nod, acknowledging her words and shuffling the issue down the road, Freyd turned his attention back to the matters at hands.  

"I should be able to track... nope.  Why am I not surprised?  Ali and Cassim were always a slippery pair.  It figures that they would be untraceable. So much for that particular shortcut."  Glancing off in the direction of the drag marks, they led towards a series of old outbuildings.  Possibly barracks or mess halls?  An abandoned wagon nearby implied an answer to Ty's question.  

"There's little difference between bandits and raiders.  Whoever owned that wagon or traveled by it might have fallen victim to their charms.  And... thanks for thinking to put out the fire.  Many people forget those sorts of details."  An easing of his hawkish features confirmed his sincerity, her captain an odd mix of casual brutality and consideration that she hadn't quite yet figured out.  Truth was, he hadn't either.

"I'll take point.  Stay close and keep any of them from sneaking up behind us.  There are bound to be a few more left we haven't found yet, possibly including a leader.  And it wouldn't hurt if we could find some proof to link this all back to Abdullah.  Anything to shake his grasp on Fortaleza would be a good thing."

Without another work, Freyd skulked towards their destination, sword in a high, near guard in case of close quarters fighting.

[Typhoonflame 0]

Ty frowned when Freyd said he was unable to track Cassim. She wondered if that was a result of the kidnappers' intelligence or just a happenstance. She wagered it was a mix of both. But where could they have gone?

"If we can't track them, how are we supposed to ever get to them?" she asked. This seemed rather futile. 
Still, she smiled when Freyd thanked her for putting out the fire. "Just because they were bad guys doesn't mean this place has to burn down, y'know? But yeah, this is quite worrying..." she commented. 

With a quick nod, Ty stuck close to Freyd and walked forward. She kept an eye out for any enemy soldiers, raiders and the like. However, she ended up closing them every few steps, deciding her good hearing would be a better sense to rely on than her sight. They had to make sure they weren't surprised. 
 

[Freyd 0]

She noticed before he did.  The 'shushing' of agitated prisoners shifting against painful bonds made awkwardly painful by dearth of having been dragged to their current vantage.  Up ahead and to the right, in a smaller watchtower, high up inside the main courtyard.  Freyd nodded his awareness after spotting her closing her eyes, his mind puzzling slowly to figure out why.  When he heard it, he understood.

"There's an exit over there. I'll rush them from the west.  Just keep them from escaping and this should be over shortly.  Judging by the packs and bedroll count un the main camp, there can't be more than two of three of them left out here."

Skulking into the shadows, Freyd blended into the darkness, but his armor made more than enough of a racket to declare his approach.  Ty was certain it was deliberate, having heard the Whisper be more than quiet enough when he wanted.  Panicked cries from within the stub tower confirmed their suspicions.  Spooked mobs worried that the players were closing, heated debate exploding between them about whether to fight or flee.

"Are you crazy?  See what they did to the others?  That will be us!"

"We have hostages. Let's use them."

A black booted foot slammed into the rickety door securing their hidey-hole, hard enough that the entire leaf just gave up the ghost and folded inward, abandoning its hinges.  The figure emerging was akin to a nightmare, both bandits gripping their scimitars with white knuckled grips. A half dozen slumped forms lay in the chamber corner, behind them - one recognizable as Cassim.  Most were beaten and bloody, time's passage since the plundering of their caravan hadn't been kind.

"I don't suppose you two might consider surrendering?  It's a perfectly viable option."  Freyd's face showed a mix of ennui and disinterest, mostly hoping they'd just try to run.

[Typhoonflame 0]

The 'shushing' of agitated prisoners shifting against painful bonds made awkwardly painful by dearth of having been dragged to their current vantage.  Up ahead and to the right, in a smaller watchtower, high up inside the main courtyard. Ty's brows furrowed and her face took on an angry expression. How dared these people trap innocents like that?! Her eyes opened to find Freyd nodding to her. He claimed there were only a few enemies left and she sincerely hoped he was right. All she had to do was keep them from escaping. That sounded easy enough. 

She winced when Freyd's armor made noise, as if she'd been the one making it. He'd surely be spotted now! Unless...that had been his plan all along. Freyd was no stranger to crazy and dangerous ideas, after all.

That was when she heard the NPCs squabbling about their next course of action. They truly wee cowardly...then again, what brave men trapped others and used them as bargaining chips? she stood behind as Freyd had told her, ready to attack if they tried to flee.

[Freyd 0]

Yelling was followed by the sounds of a violent scuffle from within and the clashing of steel on steel.  It ended quickly, with the barred door next to Ty exploding outward with a spray of what was once a kidnapper - now nothing more than shards.  Freyd's head popped out an instant later, turning to search for stragglers and also ensure that she was safe.

"That should be the last of them, I think."  A waving hand beckoned her inside where a half-dozen NPCs were slumped against the stone walls and floor.  One looked familiar, certain telltale features matching those of the man who'd sent them here in the first place.  "Cassim?"  A quick tug pulled down the gag and mask over his mouth.  "Yeah.  That's him," Freyd confirmed.  "But who are the rest of you?"

Loosening similar bonds over the mouth of the other NPCs, it soon became apparent that they were a family of desert nomads or traders - likely the owners of the pilfered wagon left out in the courtyard.  After assuring himself that they were not a threat, Freyd cut the ropes on their arms and legs, pulling food and water from his inventory and offering it first to the children.  There were two girls and a boy, all between the ages of eight and twelve, by the looks of them.

"Thank you," rasped their father, still too hoarse to mutter more than two words.

***

Spoiler

Freyd regains +4 EN

Post Action | AoE-I (x15, 11 EN, +2 shift, +2/hit): 17 EN - (Rested 2/2; Stamina) = 14 EN.  
Free Action | None

ID #239755 | BD: 2+8-1=9 (hit).  DMG (15*21=315-25=290) vs Arabian Bandit 9 | CD 8 | ST-B/BtV Locked
ID #239756 | BD: 4+8-1=11 (hit).  DMG (15*21=315-25=290) vs Arabian Bandit 10

Typhoonflame | HP: 400/400 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 15 | MIT:54 | ACC:7 | EVA:1 | PARA 
Freyd | HP: 1300/1300 | EN: 120/162 (130+4-14) | DMG: 21 | MIT:152 | ACC: 8 (incl AA) | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:4 | BH:72 | VAMP-D: 72 | VAMP-O: 143 | PARA-V | LD:5

[0,2] Arabian Bandit 9 | Curved Sword | HP: 0/250 (250-290) | DMG: 130 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
[0,2] Arabian Bandit 10 | Curved Sword | HP: 0/250 (250-290) | DMG: 130 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1

Sword Arts | This enemy uses Sword Arts. Look to the table below to determine the art they use in battle. 

• The sword arts used by this enemy are affected by cooldowns. These cooldowns will hence be affected by [Delay]. Refer to the resources list [here] to view each art’s respective cooldowns. Should an Art be on cooldown, the list cycles upwards until a Sword Art is found to be available for use.
• Please state the bandit’s weapon type alongside their names in the die roller.

Note: Sword art cooldowns are an obsolete mechanic.  For the sake of simplicity, the enemy mobs will be assumed to all be wielding curved swords and spamming the Legion Destroyer SA for (10x13=130 DMG).  Mob combat stats have been adjusted to reflect this.

 

Edited January 5 by Freyd

[Typhoonflame 0]

As Ty watched, loud noises came from within and she gritted her teeth anxiously, hoping everything would turn out alright. A moment later, the barred door exploded and what she assumed was the kidnapper became mere shards, sprayed out everywhere to be forgotten, at least until he respawned, if it was an NPC.  Freyd's head popped out after, saying there were no more enemies. 

She raised a thumbs-up. "Yep, nothing out here either!" she said, nodding. She walked inside, wincing at the sight of so many people who'd been trapped here. How could anyone be such a monster and kidnap people?! They were lucky she hadn't gotten to them. Once again, she reminded herself to keep a cool head as Freyd un-gagged the man they were looking for, then the rest of the captives. It soon became apparent that they were a family of desert nomads or traders.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that..Your wagon is still in the courtyard, if you want to use it. We'll escort you wherever you want to go." she offered, standing back to give the people some space to recover.

[Freyd 0]

Helping the captives back out into the open courtyard took several trips.  They were in rough shape.  Each severely dehydrated and emaciated, they were weak and had to be helped to the wagon with baby steps.  Freyd carried the children in his arms, each of them too tired to make the short journey on their own.  All were grateful for the aid and their rescue.  Cassim was a bit of a different story.  Furtive and cagey, his eyes shifted in every direction as if shadows were ready to jump out at him.  They weren't.  Freyd checked, just to be sure.

"Do you think it might be best to keep him tied?"  The quiet question directed to Ty to solicit her thoughts.  "Who knows that they might have done to him.  Though it might just as easily be that he's paranoid of what his brother will do when he's returned.  There isn't much beyond the reach of Ali's avarice."  Searching around, Freyd fetched him something suitable to serve as a crutch - an old rib bone from some titanic desert beast... maybe one of Terra Firma's relatives?

"We'll need to drive the wagon back to Fortaleza for them.  They're in no shape to do it themselves, and I'd feel better just knowing they made it safely. Any objections?"  His hands were already busy hitching up some lizards kept in a corral at the back of the courtyard.  "You can tell me about whatever it is you wanted to speak to on the way."