[PP-F9] <<Bandit Camp>> Cut to the Chase

[Teion 0]

One might assume that the misery of the searing heat permeating the air of a never-ending volcanic landscape wouldn't be too far off from the beating of sun rays cast down over the rolling dunes of desert sand. Teion disagreed. The moment she stepped out of the teleport gate to Yōgan Village, her mental real estate was flooded with how uncomfortable each breath felt in her lungs and she grimaced. "I gotta get out more." She muttered, stepping down from the marble platform to properly walk along the village streets. She was here on a mission, and although she didn't know exactly where that mission started, the way she looked around at the surrounding NPCs, buildings, and other scenery, clearly displayed her sense of purpose.

She'd heard about a quest on this floor that offered a good method of col farming, but more importantly, awarded a special skill. Unfortunately, that summed up the extent of her knowledge. No quest-giver, location, nor objective was clear in the rumor, and so she was left to the only tried and true method of tackling this sort of problem: asking around. Now she just needed shift her search to separating player from NPC.

Teion reached behind her neck and peeled the hair away from her skin. As she walked, she went through the motions to pull it all up into a ponytail and retrieved a simple blue ribbon from her inventory to keep it there. Then her matching eyes landed upon a couple of figures with green cursors floating over their heads who seemed busy with no more than idle conversation. She loathed to interrupt, but as the most approachable people she'd spotted so far, their fates were sealed. "Excuse me," She walked up to them without hesitation, only pausing to find the soonest break in their conversation. "I'm looking for a quest on this floor that gives a skill. Have you heard anything about it?" She took her chances, casting a quick glance to the side as if planning the next direction to move in should these two brush her off.

@Morningstar @Acanthus 

[quest info] Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 90/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3  NOTES   Hide contents   THREAD INFO   Hide contents equipped »Requiem (+12 DMG) »Waning Crescent (+2 ACC, +4EN Recovery) »Amethyst Set (+48 MIT, +4EN Recovery)   battle-ready inventory »Sand Armor Potion (Parry next attack) »Bottled Banshee Scream (Stun all enemies for one turn) »*Potion of Fallen Strength (+3 DMG, -9 MIT) »Banner of Command [3 Charges] (+1 ACC to your party until start of your next turn) »Monkey's Agility Potion (+1 EVA) skills »Axe R5 (+7 DMG) »Light Armor R5 (+30 MIT, -2 Stealth) »Battle Healing R5 (38 healing per turn) »Searching R3 (+3 LD, +3 Stealth Detection) »Charge (+3 DMG -1 ACC attack | 3 post CD | 8EN) addons »[Axe] Precision (+1 ACC) »[Axe] Ferocity (+2 DMG) »[Axe] Stamina (-2 EN) »[Light Armor] Resolve (+1 ACC, +40 HP) mods »Meticulous (+1 DMG) »Emergency Recovery (Heal 76 when brought below 190 | Once per thread | 10EN) »Night Vision (No penalties from low light/darkness) »Detect (+2 Stealth Detection, +1 LD to dungeons/labyrinths) »Bull Rush (Charge may stun instead) buffs Spoiler »

Edited December 30, 2024 by Teion

[Morningstar 0]

Survival wasn't a strong enough skill to alleviate Star's hate for Floor 9. On a stone bench, he sipped from a flask, parched. "I'm firing Bistro. And everyone else. And then I'm going to Floor 4 and digging my grave in the snow," he groaned, in a deep state of overreaction.

Four hours prior, Bistro had hand delivered a rumor to his office. When he saw its location, he immediately tried to pawn it off on someone else, only to find that the two of them were alone in the guild hall. According to his treasurer and (at the moment, least) favorite broker, it was time sensitive and too dangerous for the bulk of his guildmates. This meant that he had to go.

He cocked his head at Acanthus, who was sitting to his left. "Have you ever heard of the Furnace of Stylahm? Apparently it's a boss in the big volcano, but I searched every corner possible without jumping in, and I couldn't find it."

Maybe jumping in was the answer. If Survival couldn't protect him from the weather, it wasn't going to save him from lava. He still had Koga's fireproof wallet, and for a second, he humored the idea of using it. Okay, maybe not.

"Ugh. I hate it here."

| MORNINGSTAR  | Lv. 73 >> P. 39, Lv. 34  | Status: [ hating ]  Notes:  //

Hide contents Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 120/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | 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 data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== buffs   Hide contents statue # | # consumables imperial quarter blend | DMG III breakfast fry | PROTEIN II paragon Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread. Lv. 10 | +1 LD to looting. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== sword arts   Hide contents en cost matches multiplier unless stated otherwise. shift underlined. ST | x12 -> x15 | x20 AOE | x11 -> x14 TECH-A | x16 | STUN | 13EN TECH-B | x16 | DELAY TECH-D | x16 | SHATTER TECH-F | x12 | AOE STUN TECH-G | x16 | BURN data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== misc/housing buffs   Hide contents Dimensional Backpack | +2 Battle-Ready Inventory Slots. Well Rested | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat. Squeaky Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down). Filling | Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30. Tasty | Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Lesser Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread. Relaxed | Increases out-of-combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Multipurpose | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll. Skylight (Searching) | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill.  fishing # data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==   data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

 

[Acanthus 0]

“We bump into each other a lot. I just want you to know that I’m definitely not learning your schedule so I can follow you around,” Acanthus told Morningstar confidently. That would hopefully clear up any confusion. 

It was a small comfort to meet him here, and a greater one to see he shared her dislike of this level. Trips to Floor Nine were reserved for the days she missed crafting, or failed to go out and grind enough col to support her little side project. Most of the time, the self-imposed threat was enough to get her out and moving. But not yesterday, so her weekly(ish) ritual of waiting in town for Kirk to appear was her penance.

But Morningstar made the time pass in his own charming way. He chatted about a newly discovered quest. “I actually haven’t looked at that quest. My usual sources said it was too dangerous to even scope out. But if you’ve heard it’s in the volcano…” Maybe you have to jump into the volcano? She immediately dismissed the idea one only a fool would consider.

She opened her mouth to commiserate with Morningstar about the floor when a stranger took advantage of the lull. A short, purple-haired girl approached them confidently. 

"I'm looking for a quest on this floor that gives a skill. Have you heard anything about it?"

Information mode: activated. Acanthus adopted a friendly tone akin to an automated kiosk. “There are two—three, technically—quests on this floor that unlock skills or sword arts. The sword art, TECH-G, is part of a two-quest chain that is started in Knorlit Village. The Brawler skill is unlocked by meeting Kirk, leader of the miners here in Yōgan Village, during a random encounter.” She paused for a moment to take a breath. “The third is part of a much longer quest chain that spans multiple floors, but I’m assuming you aren’t asking about that. And you said skill, so I’m going to assume I just rambled through half an explanation concerning a sword art you don’t care about.” Her informational tone began to fray at the edges with hints of anxiety. “I didn’t mean to imply you didn’t know the difference—you seem quite capable, I just got carried away.”

Acanthus meant it too. Whoever the girl was, she seemed comfortable, both on this floor, and as a player in general. Her stance and equipment suggested to Acanthus that Floor Nine would pose very little threat to her.

“If you are looking to clear Bandit Camp, please let me know. I’ve been trying to find Kirk for weeks, and I never seem to bump into him. I think maybe he’s avoiding me after I mentioned to some of the miners that I’d rather pass through Terra Firma’s gastrointestinal tract than live here.”

-----

 Acanthus | Lvl 62 (34/28) | HP: 820/820 | EN: 96/96 | 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

1. Lama Sabachthani | 236687 | Soundtrack | Hypnosis 2 | Lullaby 2 (Instant)
2. Edict's Threnody | 236686 | Soundtrack | Perpetuate (Instant)
3. [Empty]
4. [Empty]
5. [Empty]
6. [Empty]
7. [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 28, 2024 by Acanthus

[Teion 0]

The immediate, comprehensive paragraph of information that was delivered back to her had Teion's eyes reflexively flicker up towards the stranger's cursor to make sure she hadn't gotten mixed up and just gotten an NPC interaction. Then the woman's tone began to shift and she seemed to shrink down in her seat with some verbal backtracking. Teion's brows raised slightly. Despite her uncertainty at the end, she sounded more well-informed than some of those brokers she'd heard about. And much more free with that information, too. "Oh." Teion had to think for a second about the quest she had mentioned, but she spoke up about it again rather quickly. "Yeah, sounds like that's the one I was after. Random encounter, huh..." She brought her fingers up to twist a lock of hair between them while she frowned. That meant it was up to chance whether or not she could even find it.

Still, this person was quite friendly. Teion's brows turned up along with the corner of her mouth. Acanthus' last comment got her to let out a heavy breath through her nose in a silent, singular chuckle. "Well, I guess that is what I'm looking for." She admitted. Her lips pursed to one side. She didn't exactly like going solo for anything, especially quests, but she felt a twinge of uncertainty about putting together a party so suddenly, even in spite of Acanthus' direct request. "Well... Yeah, I wanna try to find him, I suppose." How was this supposed to work? She could add them as a friend and send her a message if she ran into this guy while searching the town. Although...

Her eyes shifted to the blonde man who had been sitting beside the helpful woman this whole time. She was never good at reading people. Was it rude not to invite him along as well? Was she actually inviting anyone to anything? She had to stop herself from sighing over her internal dilemma, lest it seem like she thought his very presence tiring. "If either of you want to try going for that one..." She still wasn't sure how to approach it even as the words were coming out of her mouth in an even tone. "I'm going to find this Kirk guy, then. Um... my name's Teion, I can message you, or stop by here if I find him...?" She settled for pitching the first course of action that came to mind and just seeing what they said.

[Morningstar 0]

When the purple-haired woman of average height approached, Star let Acanthus do the talking. Teion, as she had introduced herself, spoke a prompt that activated Acanthus' neural network and enabled her search engine. Out came a flood of information related to Floor 9's quests. Star really needed to hire her.

Without commenting on Acanthus'... comment, Morningstar replied to Teion's. "I think Bandit Camp's supposed to be kind of tough. The boss, at least," he shrugged. He figured that going alone was a bad idea. "Maybe we could join you? I mean, if you want. I'm Star, by the way."

He needed a second to think. Random encounters took time and good luck, neither of which were on Star's side. A grid overlayed his vision for a moment while Tracking activated. Footprints, highlighted in green, littered the ground every which way, each pair impossible to discern from the rest. NPCs and players stood out against the buildings and volcanic terrain, identified by nameplates. If Kirk was around, Morningstar would see him.

There were too many people to count; he spotted an alchemist, a group of day-drunk dwarves, Jomei, a miner—

"There," Star pointed. "Black hair, scar, miner's outfit. That's our guy."

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus nearly slapped herself when she saw Morningstar activate tracking. Didn’t she have the exact same skill? This is why Morningstar was the one running guilds, and Acanthus was the one running out of energy.

Morningstar pointed out Kirk after a brief scan, and Acanthus confirmed his profile. “It must be our lucky day. So…” she trailed off. Acanthus looked over to Teion (she seemed much taller on second glance). Teion did not move towards Kirk. Acanthus then turned to Morningstar. He appeared to be idly cataloguing each character in the village. Helplessly, she glanced at her teammates one more time. It fell to her to start the quest.

“Hello, Kirk.” Immediately, she received an earful from the man. “Yes, I know. Yes, I’m sorry. No, Yōgan Village is not ‘seated in a circle of hell reserved for war criminals.’ It was a, um, figure of speech.” She struggled to get a word in, settling for speaking over his tirade with a raised voice. Anything to activate the quest. “Bandit camp. Bandit camp, banditcampbanditcamp BANDIT CAMP.”

Finally, the miner relaxed, settling into a comfortable monologue. “Oh, thank goodness you’re here! The leader of the bandits is the previous foreman. That lazy drunk got mad when I was handed the mantle of leadership, so he took over the mine. I feel a little responsible for everything, but if there’s any way you could restore order in the mine, I would really, really appreciate it.”

Acanthus spun on her heel and walked briskly back toward the pair. She was eager to clear the village before Kirk’s Cardinal-mandated friendliness wore off. “Alright, party invite sent” —swipe— “Party invite sent” —swipe— “and it’s time to go questing.” She was almost at the village entrance already, shouting over her shoulder. “Should be south of here. I’ve placed a quest marker on the map. Once we arrive, the slaughter begins.”

[Teion 0]

It was a pleasant surprise that two strangers in the middle of the volcano town were willing to help her out like this. 'Well, a skill's a skill.' She reasoned. "Thanks." A small smile appeared as she nodded towards Star after his offer and introduction. It had been a while since Teion had partied up for a quest, but she wasn't in the habit of soloing, either. In fact, she hadn't taken on a boss--quest or floor in some time, so she began to feel like she'd be shaking the rust off once they got to drawing their weapons.

Teion blinked in surprise, following Star's finger and turning to where he pointed out the NPC in question. She wasn't sure if she was more impressed by Star's eyes or their collective luck. Acanthus exchanged a glance with each of them and then took it upon herself to make quick strides and engage the NPC. Teion caught the end of her nearly shouting at the man, which caused her to let out another breathy chuckle, and it wasn't long before the redhead was back to corral them all to the quest objective. She accepted the party invite and almost had to jog a moment to avoid being left in Acanthus' dust. "Got it." She kept a brisk pace and did her best to multi-task, navigating her menus while the small party passed the threshold of the safe zone. If it was a combat-heavy quest, she had to make sure all of her gear and consumables were in check.

Once she felt comfortable with her loadout, she focused on traversing the wilds ahead of them. Yōgan Village was safe by definition but barely tolerable in spirit, which made the open pools of lava and craggy molten rocks they had to hike near to and over feel like a stifling heat wave. «Survival» skill be damned. Thankfully, the entrance to the mines weren't too far of a journey out from town, and the camp marked on their maps was close by. Teion could hear a ruckus as they got closer. She squinted, but couldn't yet see much past the thick heat waves that distorted the jagged mountains they came up beside. "Any idea how many of them we're running in to?" She asked, reaching behind her to grasp the long wrapped handle of her battle axe. Acanthus was clearly leading the charge, but there wasn't a clear indicator on the quest details of how many bandits they'd have to cut through before the leader showed up. Teion's bottom lip stiffened along with her grip. She was getting nervous, and she didn't like it. It really had been too long.

[Morningstar 0]

"Not sure. I think they just spawn endlessly. We can leave after we kill the boss, or stay and farm the weaker mobs. I'm indifferent," Star said.

Through the volcanic smog, Star could see the silhouettes of four men and the orange hues of a fire. Wooden fence posts had been established around the camp, with tents forming an incomplete circle inside. Animal skulls and untanned hides hung from fence poles, feeding into its barbarian aesthetic. Morningstar, comfortable with fighting in camps like this, took the lead.

Around the fire, the bandits ate their dinner: roasted lizard meat with a side of more roasted lizard meat. They talked and laughed about nothing of importance. One of the four wore jewelry that looked too expensive for the likes of them to own.

Star tiptoed through the front entrance, using smoke as cover. Interrupting a bandit in the middle of a story, he lunged, sticking his longsword through the mob's back. The grins around the campfire extinguished, turning to shock and then to rage. Star pulled back, and the bandit's body dropped face first into the fire pit, smothering the flames and leaving both parties in the dark.

They clashed, short bursts of light emitting with each sword art Morningstar activated. Glimpses of brutal faces and barbaric weapons turned quickly to blue pixels as he cut through each bandit.

When all four had fallen, their leader spawned.

Spoiler

POST ACTION | TECH-F

ID239548 | BD3+6=9 | 27*12 = 324 DMG -> Bandit 1
ID239549 | BD10 | 27+2*12 = 348 DMG -> Bandit 2
ID239550 | BD9 | 27+1*12 = 336 DMG -> Bandit 3
ID239551 | BD7+6=13 | 27+16*12 = 516 DMG -> Bandit 4

EN: -16

Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 90/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Acanthus | HP: 820/820 | EN: 96/96 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA  | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5
Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 104/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Bandit 1 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 2 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 3 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 4| HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125

Abilities:

• Better Than One | The damage of this mob is determined by the total number of players that are present at once. When four are present at once, the damage is at its maximum. When only one remains, it is weak.

 

[Acanthus 0]

“Once we arrive, the slaughter begins.”

It was a crass way to think. Acanthus tried telling herself that she was seeking out the additional bandits for the col. It was just business. Her bank account in game would reveal the statement for the bald-faced lie that it was. She hadn’t been low on col ever since her cold rampage through the thirteenth floor. And that was even taking into account the large sum she had dropped on Eulogy to fund her side project. If Acanthus had been willing to be honest with herself for a moment, clarity would have sounded the real reason she left the Bandit Leader alone.

It was more fun this way.

Swooping in behind Morningstar, she cut down the first bandit before he could ready his spear. The second turned toward her, bellowing as he raised his axe, but Acanthus had already closed the distance, opting to strike where the weapon was not. A quick knee to the groin caused the man to drop his weapon and fall down, only to vanish in a mist of blue sparks as botan flashed through his neck. Bandits three and four (as if they deserved names) prepared to flank her, spreading out to either side. She found herself taunting them.

“If you’re going to spread out, do it right. None of this ‘one left and one right’ stuff they do in the movies. Try and get all the way around me.” Bandit three glanced over to her counterpart with a suggestion of confusion. That moment’s hesitation was all Acanthus needed. She fell on the distracted woman before her partner could even yell.

Rose petals spattered on the rock, leaving the fourth bandit alone.

To his credit, the bandit seemed unaffected by the overwhelming odds. Cardinal had not given the thing the capacity to fear. Perhaps necessary, given that his entire existence served to be stuck on the end of a stranger's blade for a pittance of two-hundred and fifty col. Acanthus batted away his fearless blows casually before taking an opening to drive botan through his chest. Bandit four sputtered, issuing one last cry before dying.

Acanthus gave the leader a wide berth. If one of the others wanted to start the fight, she’d join without question. But why rush things? Players didn’t always have a chance to let loose. She relished the few times she felt in control of Cardinal, rather than the other way around.

More bandits appeared. Acanthus greeted them silently—and eagerly.
 

Spoiler

Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 90/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Acanthus | HP: 820/820 | EN: 80/96 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA  | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5
Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 104/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Post Action: TECH-F -> Bandits 5–8 (-16 (19 - 2 - 1) EN
239685 | BD 8 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 damage.
239685 | BD 2 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 damage.
239685 | BD 4 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 damage.
239685 | BD 3 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 damage.

Bandit 5 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 6 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 7 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 8 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125

 

 

Edited January 1 by Acanthus

[Teion 0]

The other two broke off, darting into the fray quickly and efficiently. They were fast. Stealthy. Whether one slunk through the cover of the shadows and campfire smoke, or the other taunted them with words, they each took advantage of every moment of weakness and every second of distraction to cut down their enemies. Teion breached the camp's opening behind them, walking with steady strides and wielding an axe that seemed nearly as big as she was. Speed wasn't exactly her strongest suit.

She stopped, eyes washing over the battlefield. Star and Acanthus wasted no time in cutting down mob after mob. She watched health bars drain in an instant and pixels scatter in the wind. Nearly two groups were already down. She exhaled. There. Teion spotted another cluster of them. The group looked as though they'd just been roused to attention, scrambling for their weapons and knocking over simple furniture as they took up arms. Teion's boot kicked a half-charred log as she walked past what was left of the main campfire. She picked up her pace: took a wider stride, choked up on her weapon, rolled back her shoulder...

The crash of steel rang out alongside the shouts and screams that littered the battleground. The weight of her axe head slammed down against the single shortsword that had shot up to meet it and fell into its wielder with a single, wide bright-red gash across his torso. Her blade crashed into the packed volcanic sand with a dull shunk, and she quickly glanced to either side to see where the counterattack would come from. She led to the right, taking a step to the side and twisting the axe head. She braced herself, ready to build momentum, and clenched her jaw as she swung in a wide arc around, taking two more out in one heavy slice across. She let out a breath, catching the weight and steadying herself again. One more in front of her. He held up a wooden shield in front of him and a curved sword off to one side. She scowled lightly. But, the direct approach was typically what worked for her, so...

Teion took two strides to close the distance between them, then lifted pulled her polearm in close and lifted her knee high. She planted her boot square in the middle of the round shield and kicked hard to shove the bandit off balance. It got him to stumble back and fall to the ground, and as she planted her foot back on the ground she wound her arm back, bringing her weapon up and over her shoulder. With a heavy grunt of effort, Teion wound up and drove the axe down hard. Like splitting a log of firewood, the sound of the shield splitting in two around the blade let out a satisfying CRACK. Underneath it, the bandit's HP dropped rapidly until the bar completely emptied and both he and his equipment vanished. Teion sighed. The others were right: as soon as she looked up she could spot two, three more groups of these guys replacing the ranks they'd just wiped out. She quickly glanced back at Star and Acanthus taking on their own sets of bandits. 'They don't seems worried, so... Guess we just keep fighting.'

OOC: Realized we can't spawn the boss until we kill 20 goons ToT

»Combat Post Action: [R5] AOE-I (19EN) vs. Bandits 9-12
ID: 239859 | BD: 5+4=9 [Hit] | MD: 10 | Bandit 9 - Dealt [23 * 15] = 345 DMG
ID: 239860 | BD: 5+4=9 [Hit] | MD: 2 | Bandit 10- Dealt [23 * 15] = 345 DMG
ID: 239861 | BD: 2+4=6 [Hit] | MD: 7 | Bandit 11- Dealt [23 * 15] = 345 DMG
ID: 239862 | BD: 10+4= [Major Critical Hit] | MD: 4 | Bandit 12- Dealt [(23+2) * 15] = 375 DMG

Spoiler

Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 71/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Acanthus | HP: 820/820 | EN: 80/96 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA  | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5
Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 104/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Bandit 9 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 10 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 11 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 12 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125

Edit: updated sword art used, damage & energy cost

Edited January 9 by Teion

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar darted past Acanthus, cleaving through a bandit on her side. He tore through another, relaxing for a moment to throw a comment her way. "Not as a bad as Snowfrost, hey?"

He felt cool in spite of the heat. Sweat dripped from his brow, but he hardly noticed. He was focused, barreling through his enemies without the possibility of being shut down. The bandits raged, but their numbers dwindled. The three players cleared the camp efficiently, taking down bandits in small groups and making room for their leader to enter the fray. 

A bandit bumped into him from behind, backing away from the axe-wielding player. Morningstar was quick to turn, and suddenly the bandit was missing his head. Stepping over the crumpled body, Morningstar approached the quest boss. He was careful, dipping his toes in the water to see if it would bite, but it made no move his way. The bandits nearest Acanthus still lived. He figured that the leader would not attack until all had been wiped out.

---

Spoiler

ID240311 | CD3 | Recovery Failed

Post Action | Tech-F vs Bandit 13-16

ID239548 | BD10 | 27+2*12 = 348 DMG -> Bandit 13
ID239549 | BD5 | 27*12 = 324 DMG -> Bandit 14
ID239550 | BD8 | 27+16*12 = 516 DMG -> Bandit 15
ID239551 | BD10 | 27+2*12 = 348 DMG -> Bandit 16

EN: -16

Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 71/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Acanthus | HP: 820/820 | EN: 80/96 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA  | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5
Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 92/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Bandit 13 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 14 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 15 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 16 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125

 

[Acanthus 0]

Quote

“Not as bad as Snowfrost, hey?”

“Not as many,” she grunted back. She eyed the four nearest bandits. They would have to do.

Acanthus ripped the sword art from the clutches of Cardinal, determined to bend it to her will. The need to stop and settle into position, or wait for the damn thing to “charge up”; it was all thoughtless obedience to her unsure beginnings. Before she knew how to handle a sword, Acanthus would pause thoughtfully, conditioned to hear the chime before allowing the system to finish the strokes. The game knew best, after all.

Except it didn’t. Sword Arts settled into routines at the cost of efficiency. Acanthus found the area impact arts always wide and sweeping, constantly rotating the players like ballerinas. The single-target arts involved lots of small steps and fast cuts, alternating up and down. And the TECH arts were a bit of a grab bag—some felt flashier than others, others consisted of a few simple overhead strokes. In all of these arts, players could move and shift somewhat. But it never felt like enough for Acanthus.

So after her first stroke cut a ragged line across the first bandit’s dissolving torso, she felt the predictable pull. It demanded she turn and bring her sword down on the bandit to her right. Cardinal could chart a mathematical course, but it couldn’t see reality: the wild-eyed man bearing down on her left; spittle flying, every muscle in his body twitching with murderous intent. And so Acanthus refused. Feeling like she was derailing a train with her bare hands, she tore her sword from its path, dragging it across and to the left. The murderous stare quickly turned to shock as botan cleaved him from neck to thigh, turning him around from the force of the impact. Botan now hummed violently, reluctant to have strayed and just as reluctant to return to the bandit on the left. To buy time, Acanthus pulled her left hand free and grabbed the standing bandit’s face. He clawed desperately at her grip, forgetting his footwork as he struggled to free himself. Acanthus knocked him from his feet and drove his head to the ground. The bandit stopped moving. And then he dissolved as well.

The last bandit approached, and the sword art began to sputter as it recalculated its final path. Instead of fighting the system this time, Acanthus gave in. She couldn’t always reject the paths Cardinal laid out. Despite the realism that surrounded them everyday, their existence was ultimately binary: hit and kill, or miss and die. Ones and zeroes washed over her, deciding their fate together.

Acanthus came to, standing above the quickly-disappearing corpse.

Spoiler

 

Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 71/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Acanthus | HP: 820/820 | EN: 80/96 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA  | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5
Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 92/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Recovery. 240389 | CD 2. +4 EN.

Post Action: TECH-F -> Bandits 5–8 (-16 (19 - 2 - 1)) EN
240390 | BD 2 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 damage.
240391 | BD 4 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 damage.
240392 | BD 8 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 damage.
240393 | BD 3 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 damage.

Bandit 17 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 18 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 19 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 20 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125

 

 

Edited January 24 by Acanthus

[Teion 0]

This wasn't so bad. With the rate at which the three of them were felling bandits, Teion never felt outnumbered for long. She only hoped she could keep up with the other two. It wouldn't look great if she'd burned herself out before the boss showed up. They each had split off, taking their own clusters of enemies as soon as they'd spawned. Teion strayed from her new party members just as much as was necessary to find new opponents, but a quick glance over her shoulder left her feeling uncomfortably isolated. She planted a boot on the shoulder of a freshly-slain bandit, not waiting for his body to disappear and instead freeing her axe herself with a hard pull. She turned, starting to jog back and position herself closer to Acanthus and Star, when a sudden force behind her caused her to lurch forward.

A discomfort throbbed in her chest. Her eyes shifted downward to fall on the tip of a curved sword that sat plunged square through her torso. The crossguard was surely planted against her back, along with the weapon's owner. Adrenaline surged through her with the initial shock, but Teion's health bar hadn't plummeted too far. The surprise attack looked worse than it actually was.

Even so, a shrill laughter erupted behind her, like a hyena's. Before Teion could remove herself from the attacker's blade, a heavy shove pressed into her spine and knocked her fully off balance. She fell forward, throwing her arms in front of her to brace as she landed and tumbled on the craggy volcanic floor. Her axe clattered to the ground with the tang of metal on rock. "Shit." She muttered in a short breath, a curse oozing with annoyance. The fall was almost worse than the impalement. Irregular footfalls approached, and the bandit camp's boss came fully into view with another howling laugh. "How was that, huh? A bit of payback, huuh?" The Bandit Boss brandished his curved sword out to one side, leaning forward and tilting his head to one side. His eyes were wild--two pinpricks of red against the whites held wide open. His teeth were ground together in a wide taunting smile stretching across his soot-covered cheeks. "A few pieces of trash are stinking up my camp..." His voice was scratchy, almost hoarse. "Hmmmm if you like to kill so much you must not be afraid to die!"

Choosing to let Bandit Boss act first with a separate MD roll
»Bandit Boss attacks Teion
ID: 241201 | MD: 6+3=9 [Hit]
Bandit Boss deals 225 - 78 MIT = 147 DMG

»Combat Post Action: ST-I vs Bandit Boss
ID: 241203 | BD: 2-2=0 [Miss] (-2EN)

Quote

Teion | HP: 613/760 | EN: 70/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Acanthus | HP: 820/820 | EN: 80/96 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA  | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5
Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 92/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Bandit Boss | HP: 1300/1300 | DMG: 225 | MIT: 100(+75) | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2

• High Value Target | Defeating this boss adds an additional 5000 col and 500 EXP to the quest rewards.
• Brawler | This boss gains 75 mitigation when attacked by a Rank 5 Sword Art until the end of the rotation. Damage calculation for the attack will take place after the buff is issued. This effect can stack.

 

Edited Monday at 09:56 PM by Teion

[Morningstar 0]

Things were looking good. The lesser bandits were falling without putting up much of a fight, the party's energy reserves were high, and Morningstar was finally getting into a rhythm. Without exerting himself, he deflected the attack of a spear-wielding bandit and poked him full of sword-shaped holes. On the other side of the camp, Acanthus had just finished off her group of mobs as well. Star took his eyes away for only a moment while he parried the remaining bandit on his end. A fierce kick to the stomach put him in his place, and a sword art finished the job.

"Shit."

The thud of Teion's axe drew Morningstar's attention. Wild-eyed, he raced to her aid, locking blades with the Bandit Boss. Sparks danced off the tips of their weapons with every clash, the sound reverberating in the air. Morningstar weaved in a sucker punch, dazing the boss, and stabbed him through the gut. "Shush, you."

The stun would last long enough for the trio to regain their poise. Teion's wound was no where near lethal. Still, he reached out to check on her anyway. "Feeling okay?"

Spoiler

+4 EN to MS
241215 CD 1 | Recovery Failed

Post Action | TECH-A
Free Action | Lady Luck

241216 | LD 15 | Lady Luck: PARA-V -> DMG
241217 | BD 5 | 28*16-155 = 293 DMG -> Bandit Boss

EN: -18

Teion | HP: 613/760 | EN: 70/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Acanthus | HP: 820/820 | EN: 80/96 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA  | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5
Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 78/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Bandit Boss | HP: 1007/1300 | DMG: 225 | MIT: 100 80(+75) | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2 | Shatter: -20 (1/3)

• High Value Target | Defeating this boss adds an additional 5000 col and 500 EXP to the quest rewards.
• Brawler | This boss gains 75 mitigation when attacked by a Rank 5 Sword Art until the end of the rotation. Damage calculation for the attack will take place after the buff is issued. This effect can stack.

 

[Acanthus 0]

She could hear the rhythm of the fight rising. Feet shuffling in the sand. Metal scraping against metal. It was a driving beat, one that made her happy to move from bandit to bandit. Move, dispatch, move, dispatch. The next group: move, dispatch, move, dispatch. The rhythm of the fight would have won out even if she hadn’t been fighting it. But times like this let her cut loose. Besides, none of it was real.

The beat changed when the bandit king boss materialized. "Hmmmm if you like to kill so much you must not be afraid to die!"

Oh no, I’m terrified, Acanthus thought lazily, slicing through another group of bandits. Meanwhile, the boss appeared preoccupied with something just out of sight. Probably taunting Morningstar or something unimportant. It could wait. Drawing in the energy of her blade, she surveyed the surrounding area for more bandits. They were running low, she realized with a frown. Disappointing. She liked wading through the easy kills, but still... “I want something fun.” She murmured. “Cardinal, give me something interesting.” The energy inside her blade howled, begging to be released, and Acanthus was ecstatic to oblige. She exploded from her spot, a mindless steel cyclone.

The sword’s path led her to the boss first. Three quick strikes was all it took to knock his axe aside and score a deep, stunning blow. “Disappointing!—” The rhythm was weakening. She needed to keep the momentum going—force it, if she had to. Tearing botan free from the boss, she let the sword score a lightning path towards another group of enemies. The first vanished in a flash of red, dodging the blade neatly. She grinned, almost turning back to see what kind of mob could dodge botan’s bite. No, I’ll savor that surprise for later.

Two more bandits fell as she crashed through their pathetic defenses. Bringing the blade high for its final strike, she exulted in that final, penultimate feeling of conquest. There was only one bandit left, perfectly positioned for the kill.

“Disappointing!!” Sparks showered the two as they clashed in the sand. Steadily, the bandit began to push back. Maybe Acanthus had spoken too early. This miniboss has a strength well above the rabble she’d already killed. Jubilant, she forced the blade down on the axe as hard as she could. “A good fight,” she whispered to her opponent. “I’m curious if you shatter into nothingness like the rest of the bandits, or if you can live long enough to bleed.” botan inched downwards, creeping towards the girl’s collarbone, yes—YES—I bet I could kill her in one hit! Let’s see Morningst—

“Her.”

Color came back to Acanthus' vision. Strands of purple hair splayed out in the sand, attached to a horrified (I can change this word based on your reaction) girl. Behind the axe was not a bandit, or a miniboss. It was Teion. Startled, Acanthus collapsed backwards, speechless at her actions. The rhythm of combat had ended with an abrupt and unexpected notification.

<<Infraction detected. Another infraction may result in a permanent marker change.>>
 

Spoiler

Teion | HP: 613/760 | EN: 70/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Acanthus | HP: 820/820 | EN: 76/96 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA  | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5
Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 78/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Recovery. 241229| CD 12. +12 EN.

Free Action (Item). Lama Sabacthani -> Bandit Captain. -2 ACC | -2 EVA

Post Action: TECH-F -> Bandit Boss, Bandits 21-23 (-16 (19 - 2 - 1)) EN (Yes, I know spawning more bandits is not the most efficient choice. But I'm writing her killing more bandits and it doesn't make sense for them to have a different stat block (i.e. a negligible one). It's called RP, *mom*. You wouldn't understand)
241228 | BD 2 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 - 80 (TECH-F not a Rank 5 SA so no increase right?) = 196 damage. Stunned.
241229 | BD 3 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 damage.
241230 | BD 8 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 damage.
241231 | BD 8 + 6 | Hit! 23 * 12 = 276 damage.

Bandit Boss | HP: 811/1300 | DMG: 225 | MIT: 100 80(+75) | ACC: 3 1 | EVA: 2 0 | Shatter: -20 (1/3) | Lullaby 2 (1/3) | Hypnosis 2 (1/3) | Stun Imm. (0/3)

Bandit 21 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 22 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125
Bandit 23 | HP: 0/250 | DMG: 125

 

Edited Wednesday at 05:17 AM by Acanthus

[Teion 0]

Star had rushed in to not only halt the Boss’ advance, but also stagger him with a solid, stunning blow. Teion let out a steadying breath just as he’d come to make sure she was alright, and she gave a single nod while propping herself up on one arm and reaching for her weapon with the other. Before she could voice a ‘thanks’ and get back to her feet, something cut between them. Star had vanished, and a glint of metal shone in Teion’s eyes as a blur of Acanthus’ form shot by them. Had he been in her way? She watched, transfixed, while the woman went on to slaughter another handful of nearby bandits as Teion sat stunned, unsure of what to think. She fought differently than Star. Different from anyone she’d seen before.

But then Acanthus turned back to her and their eyes met. Those wild, blood-hungry eyes that bore through her caused Teion’s expression to harden. Her fingers curled around the handle of her axe and began to pull. ”Acan—“ The name hadn’t left her lips when her eyes went wide and she yanked her weapon in front of her. The broad side of the axe head was able to catch botan just in time. Teion was shoved back down hard, her other hand flying up to brace against the flat of her blade and struggle to stop the sword from slicing into her cheek. As her arms trembled to keep her attacker at bay, her eyes flickered past the metal to land on Acanthus’ face as violent musings spewed out of her. A dozen possible scenarios raced through Teion’s head, all while her gaze was impulsively, immovably locked on Acanthus’ face like a cornered rabbit staring into the maw of a starving wolf. She was different from the other PKers.

Teion almost lurched upwards when Acanthus suddenly retreated. Her legs kicked, heels digging into the rock where they could find some purchase, and she pushed herself a few inches away before turning and scrambling to get to her feet. Planting steady, she brandished her axe first towards Acanthus, then her eyes desperately searched for Morningstar. The boss. She had to find all of the pieces on the board. She was surrounded now.

She had to survive.

Were there any more bandits spawning? Who was the boss targeting? Morningstar was fast. She probably couldn’t outrun either of them. She didn’t have any teleport crystals.

She had to survive

Were there others? If these two were green lures, why would Acanthus attack? She remembered that look in her eyes and her grip tightened, steadying the trembling of her hands for now. Why did she look so…normal now? Why had they killed so many bandits, instead of just letting her drown?

“What the hell was that about?!” She growled loudly, eyes back on Acanthus. Doubt was nibbling at the edges of her brain and that put her even more on edge. She spotted the small, spinning cursor above her head. It didn’t make sense. Her heart beat wildly inside of her chest and the sound of her pulse thrummed in her ears. She thought about grasping for an item, but it would mean taking a hand off the handle of her heavy axe. She would have to wait. One of the other pieces had to move first.

»Bandit Boss is Stunned!

»Recovery...
ID: 241347 | CD: 9 - +8EN
»Combat Post Action: Simply being alarmed (none)

Quote

[0] Teion | HP: 613/760 | EN: 79/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
[1] Acanthus | HP: 820/820 | EN: 76/96 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA  | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5
[1] Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 78/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Bandit Boss | HP: 926/1300 | DMG: 225 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3 1 | EVA: 2 0 | Lullaby 2 (1/3) | Hypnosis 2 (1/3) | Stun Imm. (1/3)

High Value Target | Defeating this boss adds an additional 5000 col and 500 EXP to the quest rewards.
Brawler | This boss gains 75 mitigation when attacked by a Rank 5 Sword Art until the end of the rotation. Damage calculation for the attack will take place after the buff is issued. This effect can stack.

Edit: Added 115 back to the Boss' health from the MIT he gained from my attack, lasting until the end of the round, plus Shatter not applying from Star's attack

Edited Wednesday at 04:05 PM by Teion

[Morningstar 0]

Teion's reply was cut short by the flash of a sword art. Acanthus, like a wild animal, shot past them. The suddenness of it all overloaded his mind, muddying his movements. A wide explosion of a sword art culled the remainder of the bandit peons, and Morningstar only dodged it by the skin of his teeth. The boss, who had yet to recover from Star's first stun, was already being pummeled by another. 

The rhythm of the battle turned harsh; frantic in its intensity. The frenzied strikes, the bloodlust in Acanthus' eyes... had he ever seen her act that way before? In his mind, she was cool-headed and collected--a smart, though odd voice of reason. Something was wrong.

She spun around in search of her next enemy and then, the moment froze.

Teion's face twisted in horror as Acanthus' blade came dangerously close to her throat, a shimmer of steel that could have cut her down in an instant. Morningstar's heart stuttered. He hadn't seen it coming. There was no pattern or hesitation in Acanthus' movements, no warning.

The sound of metal meeting metal, the clash of axe on blade, surged Morningstar back to life. He didn't even think. In the span of a half-second, he raised his sword and moved in to counter the attack.

But there was no need.

Acanthus' sudden retreat caused him to stop. His eyes locked onto her, and his voice cut through the air.

"Acanthus."

It wasn't a shout. It didn't need to be. The look in his eyes said it all. He demanded an explanation but didn't have the luxury of waiting. Without warning, the boss' scimitar dug into Morningstar's side. His breath caught in his throat, unable to register the danger in time. He stared down at the blade, hilt deep and agonizing in his torso. As the bandit wrenched it free, Star reeled and stumbled back.

A low growl rumbled in Morningstar's throat as he regained his balance. His grip tightened on his sword and he lunged forward, slashing through the air with a roaring blaze that ignited the space between them. The fiery arc of the sword art collided with the boss. Smoke rose from his burned chest.

Spoiler

+4 EN to MS
241431 CD 5 | Recovery Failed

Post Action | TECH-G
Free Action | 

241432 | BD 1+6=7 | 28*16-100 = 348 DMG -> Bandit Boss

EN: -13

[0] Teion | HP: 613/760 | EN: 79/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
[1] Acanthus | HP: 820/820 | EN: 76/96 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA  | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5
[2] Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 69/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Bandit Boss | HP: 578/1300 | DMG: 225 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3 1 | EVA: 2 0 | Lullaby 2 (1/3) | Hypnosis 2 (1/3) | Stun Imm. (1/3) | Burn: 56 (1/3)

High Value Target | Defeating this boss adds an additional 5000 col and 500 EXP to the quest rewards.
Brawler | This boss gains 75 mitigation when attacked by a Rank 5 Sword Art until the end of the rotation. Damage calculation for the attack will take place after the buff is issued. This effect can stack.

 

[Acanthus 0]

“Acanthus.”

Electricity crawled through her nerves. Everything sounded louder, sharper. She heard the sand shifting as the Boss Bandit moved towards Morningstar. She felt the texture of botan in her hand, and the blood rushing through her body as she recovered from… whatever had just happened. Numbly, she waved her hand through her player marker, as if it would revert her status.

She glanced at Teion, uncertain what to say. Sorry? Not enough. It was a mistake? Acanthus wasn’t sure she believed that herself. Something had swept her up in the flow of battle and deposited her in a haze that left her unable to tell bandit from player. And Morningstar. Acanthus had never seen him with that look in his eyes. It was a firm, wordless question. Locking eyes, she responded with a small, frightened nod.

Her mouth opened. Movement creeped from the edges of her vision. The Bandit Boss. “Morningstar, behind you!” The blade dug into his side, and the Bandit Boss howled with laughter. Morningstar struck back with a fiery attack, his face set in a grim scowl. I’m going to get them killed. I can’t keep sitting here. She scrambled to her feet, casting a long, firm glance to Teion. Calm. Breathe in. Breathe out.

“I don’t deserve your trust right now, but I won’t harm you anymore. If you are still concerned—and you have every right to be—please stay back and I will finish this.” The thought of a response terrified her right now, so she quickly turned away, moving back towards the fight. She passed Morningstar on her way to engage the Bandit Boss, making sure to stay far out of his reach. She avoided his gaze this time.

The Boss Bandit had recovered from its stun, and appeared unperturbed by the smoking crater Morningstar left in his chest. The boss hefted his weapon, ready to strike her down. That’s not allowed to happen, she thought defiantly. I have to survive so that they get an explanation. Even if I’m not sure I have one.
 

Spoiler

[0] Teion | HP: 613/760 | EN: 79/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
[1] Acanthus | HP: 820/820 | EN: 75/96 | DMG: 23 | MIT:54 | ACC:5 | AA  | EVA:2 | BH:24 | VAMP-D: 41 | REC: 8 | LD:5
[2] Morningstar | HP: 840/840 | EN: 69/120 | DMG: 27 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 46 | LD: 6 | REC: 8 | FLN: 16 | AA | PARA-V

Bandit Boss | HP: 290/1300 | DMG: 225 | MIT: 100 80 | ACC: 3 1 | EVA: 2 0 | Lullaby 2 (2/3) | Hypnosis 2 (2/3) | Stun Imm. (2/3) | Burn: 56 (1/3)

Recovery. 241474 | CD 11 | +12 EN

Post Action: TECH-D -> Bandit Boss (-13 (15 - 2)) EN
241475 | BD 2 + 6 | Hit! Shatter Applied. 23 * 16 = 368 - 80 = 288 damage.

 

 

Edited 18 hours ago by Acanthus