[PP-F14] <<Cull of the Dead>> The day we chose to die

[Baldur 0]

Floor 14: Stonewall
Sunset
BGM

Baldur had never returned to this floor for a reason.

The 14th floor was an oppressive, monochrome red that only continued to press down on you the more time you spent on this floor. While maybe it felt good to the goths and emo kids, Baldur was not only neither, but this floor had special meaning to the handful of players who were there. This wasn't just a floor, this was a floor where he died. It was the last time someone had died to a floor boss itself. But it wasn't just someone who had died, it was Azide. And how the future of the tower was woven because of that death.

How different would everyone's lives be if Azide had survived? How many changes would have taken place? Would Opal still be alive? Who else? Would they have already cleared through the 40th floor, instead of just touching on the 30th? How many murders wouldn't have happened? Zel and Dom would likely have still be alive. Oikawa would have bloodied his hands.  Manta and the others too. So much hinged on that single death and the echoes reverberated through the tower still in ways that many people probably couldn't even see without the breadth of vision granted to those who had seen so many boss fights.

But here he was. The near death of Freyd and Wulfrin had been a push. Baldur needed to adapt and press forward, so he was back to collecting. Consumables; yes, but also techniques. And in the bowls of this floor was a technique he could make use of. <<Restorative Strike>> It was a good skill and would serve him well.

The quest could be a bit challenging though, so he needed help. Thankfully, help was easy for him to come by.

---

@Cordelia @Macradon

Stats:

Baldur | HP: 1098/1098 | EN: 132/132 | DMG: 26 | MIT:78 | ACC:8 | AA | KEEN: 1 | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:55 | REC: 8 | BRN: 56 | FRZ: 64 | LD:5 | FLN: 8 | BLT: 32/-20

Spoiler

Name: Baldur True Tier: 10 Level: 34 Paragon Level: 65 HP: 1098/1098 EN: 132/132 Stats: Damage: 26 Mitigation: 78 Accuracy: 7 Evasion: 2 Battle Healing: 55 Loot Die: 5 Stealth Rating: -2 AA KEEN: 1 REC: 8 BRN: 56 FRZ: 64 Equipped Gear: Weapon/Armor/Trinket: - Etheral Tether - Zanshin AA/Keen/Freeze/Burn Armor/Trinket: - Jade Magatama - Acc/Acc/Eva/Recovery Shield/Armor/Trinket: - Monstsuki Haori - Mit/Mit/Eva/Recovery Combat Mastery: - Combat Mastery: Damage R3 Combat Shift: - TECH Shift Familiar Skill: - Custom Skill: - Skills: - Battle Healing R5 - Charge - Energist - Extended Weight Limit - Fighting Spirit - Katana R5 - Light Armor R5 - Quick Change - Searching R5 Extra Skills: - Concentration - Meditation - Forgotten King's Authority - Parry Inactive Extra Skills: - Survival Addons: - Ferocity - Precision - Resolve - Reveal - Stamina Mods: - Detect - Emergency Recovery - Meticulous Inactive Mods: Battle Ready Inventory: - Basic Teleport Crystal x5 - Group Heal Crystal x7 - Hypnosis x1 - Bear Trap x1 - Medium Vitality Snack x5 - Misperception x1 - Muramasa or Zanshin x1 - Safeguard Potion x2 - Warden's Fury x1 Housing Buffs: - Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat - Basic Kitchen: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30. - Storage Closet: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot - Dining Room: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Lesser Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread. - Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. - Fishing Pond: +2 Fishing EXP per fishing attempt - Mega Slime Farm: +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post. Guild Hall Buffs: Scents of the Wild Totem: Wedding Ring: Crafting Profession: - Appraising[exp] R5 Gathering Profession: - Fishing[exp] R1

Quest Info:

Spoiler

Floor 14
<<Cull of the Dead>>
Party Limit: 4 | 20+ Posts
Repeatable for standard thread rewards, and additional attempts at unlocking <<Restorative Strike>>.

Quest Rewards:

• 2,250 Experience Points
• POTENTIAL REWARD | Defeat <<Lilith, The Undying>>
  • Unlock <<Restorative Strike>> Extra Skill

Requirements:

• Roleplay encountering Lilith and speaking to Captain Harkens of the Red Cloaks.
• Roleplay traveling to the Ashen Keep.
• Defeat 3 Red Cloak Revenants per player in the thread and any Ancient Mechanical Constructs they activate (Further information in outline).
• Retrieve Sanctified Sword (T3 Demonic [Weapon of Choice] | Holy 2 | Burn | Blessed)
  • Only ONE acquired per thread.
  • Blessed: Weapon transforms into the weapon type of the user's choice and becomes the Tier of the weapon's carrier. This weapon is destroyed at the end of the thread.
• Travel to the Vampire Castle, Razsak, and defeat Lilith and her 2 vampire attendants.
• Roleplay speaking with Beelzebub.
• Escape the area.
  • (Option) Fight <<Lilith, The Undying>>. (Potential Reward!)
• Return to Captain Harkens at the Red Cloak Outpost.

The quest begins on the outskirts of Stonewall, where the players find several red-cloaked NPCs engaged in battle with a stunning red-eyed woman wielding a dagger. Upon closer inspection, it appears the woman is winning. The dark-haired beauty single-handedly dispatches several NPCs. Their shattered red shards circulate into the air before being syphoned into the girl, mending any wounds the men had managed to inflict. Another soldier falls before a tall man wearing worn steel armor steps forward. His hair is a silvery grey, a disgruntled look plainly splayed across his face. He reaches behind his, retrieving a large two-handed war axe and charging forward. With the help of a few soldiers acting as distractions, the man deals a great blow to the woman, gashing her left side. Unheard words are exchanged before the woman retreats, leaving the soldiers to tend to their wounded. 

As the party approaches the scene, the man standing protective watch, and clearly identified as the red cloaked soldiers' leader, disregards them entirely until someone asks him what happened. "Lilith tested us again. She's retreated for now, but will return. She does a damn good job keeping us on the ropes." The captain returns his weapon to his sheath before casting an eye to his men. "She managed to get a couple of my men and a few of the local guards. I managed to chase her off, but she is near-immortal without a holy weapon." He points towards the distant South. "The only one I know of is within the Ashen Keep. However, I don't have men to spare to retrieve it. Stonewall won't lend me any assistance either." Once the party offers assistance, Harkens will raise an eyebrow. "You'd be willing to delve into an old keep, battle whatever may be inside and claim the weapon? If you are capable of that, you might as well try your luck at killing Lilith then. Careful though, she is a tricky one." Captain Harkens and his remaining Red Cloaks begin their journey back to their outpost, leaving the party to their quest.

Arriving at the Ashen Keep, the players find the site worn down and abandoned. Most of the area has been reduced to rubble and torn Red Cloak apparel and weapons litter the ground. Luckily, the underground entrance remains easily accessible. The keep's interior is much as one would expect. Cell-like niches with rusted, wrought iron gates surround a long, winding hallway. Some contain bones from prisoners left to decay, long ago. Further in, the party enters an area that seems to have once served as some sort of courtyard. At its center, in the hand of a skeleton, lays a sword, somehow impossibly free of rust. Glistening, it appears to call to the party as the object they are here to retrieve. However, as they step into the courtyard, groans are heard from all around.

Out from behind several large hunks of metal come the decayed bodies of soldiers long-since dead. Still wearing the tattered remains of their Red Cloaks, their hollow eyes hunger and delight at the sight of a new challenge. Instead of attacking, however, they begin to feel around the metallic debris. Only now do you spot the similarities between them. All of them are engines of war: Deactivated Ancient Mechanical Constructs. Should the party give the Revenants too much time, they will activate these constructs and set them loose.

After defeating the undead and any constructs that they successfully reanimate, the players retrieve the Sanctified artifact. The sleek weapon gleams in the dim light keep, transforming into a weapon type of the player's design. A white aura surrounds it like a low flame. Claiming the weapon adds it to the player's inventory as a quest item. 

___________________

The party must then travel to the Vampire castle, Razsak.  As they approach, it becomes apparent that the castle itself is in good repair, having somehow been spared the ravages that have afflicted the rest of Floor Fourteen. Your entrance is unopposed, and seemingly expected or even welcome.  The smell of death is thick in the air as a substance akin to dried blood stains the timber floor. The enemy awaits, seated on a throne of red stained wood. Despite her earlier wounds, Lilith's appearance shows no evidence of injuries. 

"So you've come." She states, a sadistic smile spreading across her face, revealing a pair of elongated fangs. "I don't quite know who you are, though you seem familiar with me. I can also feel the power of the weapon you are carrying. It has been some time since I've actually been threatened by its like." 

A snap of her fingers brings a pair of vampire minions to her side, each baring its teeth. "Now, shall we begi-" 

An authoritative male voice interrupts her. 

"One moment." The entry gates close as the new figure enters. Stepping forward is a lean man of average height and wiry build with angular features. His eyes gleam like crystals and a barbed tail protrudes from his rear. "Quite sorry. Always seem to be late to this kind of thing." He clears his throat, eyeing the room's various occupants.

Beelzebub ignores the players for a moment and speaks directly to Lilith. "Are you feeling well today? Your sickness isn't bothering you now is it?" Lilith shakes her head. "I hardly ever notice it these days, thanks to you, M-Master!" Despite earnestly speaking to the man, her body trembles for some unknown reason while facing him. "Excellent. Now, don't mind me. You can't keep your guests waiting too long now." 

___________________ 

As the final blow is placed on Lilith, her body falls to the floor. Defeated, she grasps the air in the direction of the monster that has sat and quietly watched on. A moment passes before Lilith breaks into pixelated shards that fill the area. An amused chuckle fills the room followed by a slow clap of Lilith's Master's hands. "Look at that. You managed to defeat one of my pawns. She'll come back after a little bit, but would that really be any fun?" A mischievous glint fills the monster's eyes before he waves his hands through the air as if conducting a symphony. Lilith's pixelated shards start re-assembling. Of course, with some of the shards having gone missing, the mob isn't quite what she was before. 

A new creature, reborn, Lilith stands more like an actual monstrosity. On all fours with an elongated tongue and gaping mouth filled with razor sharp teeth, she  pounces upon the enemies. Long nasty claws as sharp as knives rake at her opponents. Beelzebub stands back, more interested in the fight than before. Lilith's HP bar reappears; however, her name has changed. <<Lilith, The Undying>> glitches in and out of reality above the monster's head. 

The party, as a group, must choose to either face her, or flee. 

If the Party escapes:

Finding that escape is the best option from the re-constituted boss, the party flees out the main door. Sprinting away at full speed, they will soon find a wall of flame blocking their escape. Stepping out the door to the building, Beelzebub sneers at the party. 

"Leaving so soon? Without saying goodbye? How rude." Giant swords of pure flame form above the players, prepared to strike down and melt them where they stand. However, they fade as quickly as they appeared along with the wall of fire. "It wouldn't do me any good to slaughter you."

He steps past the players, shooting them a devilish grin. "I'll be seeing you, I suppose. There is simply nothing that I love more than observing the reactions and interactions of players." He shoots a look at Lilith who is immediately defeated. With a snap of his fingers, Beelzebub's entire body catches fire, incinerating in moments. All that remains of him are his ashes.  

If the Party fights: 

Lilith's ruthless attacks cannot be ended by any normal attack. She simply cannot be reduced below 1 HP unless the final blow is dealt with the Sanctified Sword. When she is finally felled, a powerful light washes over the room, gathering into the Sanctified weapon and arcing to the woman's body. Streaks of lights appear from her veins and her body slowly begins to crumble, then falls to dust. The weapon itself burns away leaving the player holding nothing but a mist of fine white pixels. 

Beelzebub's smile fades as he seems to re-assess the players that felled his servant a second time.  "Interesting..." he says, before snapping his fingers and bursting into flames, vanishing within his own immolation and leaving naught but ash behind.

Outline: 

NPCs:

<<Captain Harkens>>
Captain of a small group of Red Cloak soldier's. He is known for being strong, however equally stern. He speaks with a stern demeanor and has no patience for those trying to create more of a mess than what there already is.

 

<<Beelzebub, Bringer of Flame>>
A mysterious mob that identifies himself as the Floor Fourteen boss. Claiming to have used Cardinal to increase his own power, he travels the fourteenth floor and observes the players on it to gain a better understanding of humans.

---

Enemies:

<<Red Cloaked Revenant>>
The remains of a people known as "Red Cloaks". Typically found in ruins and crypts, they still understand how to work their ancient constructs.

HP: 1000/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity

Abilities:

• Undead | The Holy enhancement is twice as effective against this mob. Vampiric (Offensive and Defensive) enhancements are only half as effective in combat with this mob.
• Activate! | This mob will passively seek to engage the <<Ancient Mechanical Constructs>>. When a Red Cloaked Revenant attacks, use the CD value from that roll to determine how much to increase the activation score of an Ancient Mechanical Construct. CD:1-6: +5 Activation Score, CD:7-12: +10 Activation Score.  When the total activation score reaches 30, one of the Ancient Mechanical Constructs enters the fray.  Additional constructs will activate at each multiple of 30 until all Red Cloaked Revenants are dead.
• Unrelenting Swarm | Red Cloaked Revenants will replace their fallen allies immediately after they are defeated. This will continue until all of them have been dispatched. 

<<Ancient Mechanical Construct>>
An old construct created by the Red Cloaks to protect themselves from the countless monsters and undead that prowled around the floor.

HP: 1250/1250 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3 | EVA: -3

Abilities:

• Metal Body | Immune to all Status Effects.  Cannot be healed.
• Inactive | Ancient Mechanical Constructs will not participate in the fight until Activated by <<Red Cloaked Revenants>>. After gaining a total of 30 Activation Score from the Red Cloaked Revenants <<Activate!>> ability, it will join the fight. This can be done any number of times until all Red Cloaked Revenants have been defeated.  

<<Lilith>>
A Master Vampire that spends her time keeping the human NPC's on the floor on their toes. She serves but one master and is known as queen to all vampires on the floor. She fights rather aggressively, relying on her powerful regeneration, and Damage Over Time effects to defeat each opponent that she faces. All Red shards that pool from wounds in this fight travel to her instead of dissipating in the air.

 HP: 2000/2000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | Bleed: 48 (3 Turns on BD 8-10)
This quest mob uses its own BD roll when attacking.

Abilities:

• Undead | The Holy enhancement is twice as effective against this mob. Vampiric (Offensive and Defensive) enhancements are only half as effective in combat with this mob.
• Vampire | Suffers triple damage from Burn, Flame Aura, and Flame Thorns. Restores own health by 25% of final damage dealt to opponents or 50% against targets suffering from Bleed.
• Vampire Spawn | Lilith always begins combat with two <<Vampire Spawn>> in tow. When rolling for Lilith's attack, on an LD of 18+, two more Vampire Spawn will be added to the fight. 
• Bloodbath | On MD rolls of 9-10, Lilith's attack becomes an AoE that automatically strikes all players, dealing 75 unmitigable damage to them and preventing Battle Healing from activating for two turns. This replaces her normal attack.

<<Vampire Spawn>>

HP: 500/500 | DMG: 125 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | Bleed 48 (2 turns, on MD 9-10) | Bloodclot

<<Lilith, The Undying>>
A Master Vampire that spends her time keeping the human NPC's on the floor on their toes. She serves but one master and is known as queen to all vampires on the floor. She fights rather aggressively, relying on her powerful regeneration, and Damage Over Time effects to defeat each opponent that she faces. All Red shards that pool from wounds in this fight travel to her instead of dissipating in the air.

HP: 3,500/3,500 | DMG: 350 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | Bloodclot
This boss uses its own MD roll when attacking.

Abilities:

• Boss Room Effect | All players immediately regain full HP and EN at the beginning of this battle. Active cooldowns are unaffected.
• Undead | The Holy enhancement is twice as effective against this mob. Vampiric (Offensive and Defensive) enhancements are only half as effective in combat with this mob.
• Vampire | Suffers triple damage from Burn, Flame Aura, and Flame Thorns. 
• Blood Frenzy | All foes in combat against Lilith, the Undying suffer a constant Bleed effect corresponding to their tier.
• Bloodbath | On MD rolls of 9-10, Lilith's attack becomes an AoE that automatically strikes all players, dealing 125 unmitigable damage and preventings Battle Healing from activating for two turns. This replaces her normal attack and is considered a bleed effect that triggers the benefits of Restorative Strike.
• Crazed | Immune to disabling effects of Stun, Paralyze, and Freeze. Lilith the Undying's EVA will reduce by 2 for 2 turns for every Disabling effect that hits her, to a minimum of 0.
• Undying | Cannot be reduced below 1 HP, except by a blow dealt using the <<Sanctified Sword>>. 
• Restorative Strike | Whenever any player suffers Bleed damage from Lilith's attacks and abilities, Lilith regains an equal number of HP. 

---

Epilogue:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Edited December 28, 2024 by Baldur

[Cordelia 0]

 

Spoiler  [ Cordelia [LVL34/PGN31]:  - HP: 840/840 | EN: 118/118 | DMG: 27 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 5 | ACC: 7 | BH: 44 | AA | HLY BLS: 17 | HLY: 16 | PHASE ] EQUIPPED GEAR: <<Carver of Demons: Onimaru>> | T4 Katana | PHASE/HOLY/HOLY/ABS. ACC <<Empress' Kanzashi>> | T4 Trinket | ACC/ACC/ACC/EVA <<Bastille's Downfall>> | T4 Cloth Armor | EVA/EVA/HOLY BLESSING SKILLS: R5 Katana R5 Cloth Armor R5 Battle Healing Energist R3 Combat Mastery: Damage EXTRA SKILLS: Survival Disguise R5 Hiding Meditation Forgotten King's Authority Familiar: Grappling MODS: Ferocity Athletics Resolve Combat Shift: ST Specialist CONSUMABLES USED:  Udon Bowl: 2 ACC Ramen Bowl: 2 EVA Liquor of Light: +3 DMG BATTLE-READY:  > x5 Potions of Mass HP recovery 10% > Teleportation Crystal > Bear Trap BUFFS: Kumatetsu Statue: +1 DMG

The shrill caw of an overhead crow signaled the swordswoman’s arrival into Stonewall. 

Cordelia emerged from the settlement’s teleportation gate with a heavy sigh, her familiar in towe as the corvid landed on her shoulder with a flutter of black wings. Floor Fourteen was an incredibly dreary place, something that the frontliner did absolutely not need after coming face to face with death itself. The fight with Callisto seemed to have physically drained Cordelia in the days that followed the battle with the decaiying beast, especially with the scare she had with Freyd’s near death.

Just thinking about it was enough to send her thoughts in a downward spiral.

She quickly shook her head, shooing them away before both the environment and her brain could get to her. Cordelia came her to do a quest and she’d be damned if something like death was enough to scare her off from completing such! 

Just as she neared Stonewall’s entrance (if you can really call it that), a mop of brunet hair stole her attention. “Baldur?” Her eyes lit up at the sight of her mentor and friend– it had been some time since they’d last interacted after all. Outside of a few subtle glances during the raid fight, it must have been months since she found herself outside his estate like a wet dog. 

“It really is you!” Cordelia exclaimed, walking up to the man with a grin. “What brings you to Floor Fourteen?”

Edited December 29, 2024 by Cordelia

[Baldur 0]

"Cordelia." The old samurai's face split into a smile that could not contain the pure joy expressed there. In fact, there seemed to be something in his eyes that sought her out, an old haunting that lurked there, and Cordelia's presence was an unexpected comfort. Like a life raft thrown to a drowning man.

"It is so good to see you." Whenever Baldur had been about his business, his eyes were always a stately steel blue in color. Focused. Measured. Refined.

A swirling tempest of ocean was in his eyes, an unease that she had probably never seen from him before. A slight set to his shoulders she had never known.

"I came here for a quest. I asked @Macradon to join me as well. It seems there's a special condition that lets you unlock a sword art here, and after what happened at the boss fight... well I'd rather have it available to me."

He walked over to the girl, and after a bit of non-verbal communication to make sure she was okay with it, he gave her a welcoming hug of an old friend.

"By the way, you did good at the boss fight. You seemed a little disheartened at the end... and I think everyone was given what happened, but... and I don't mean to take credit for your hard work, your skill is your own doing... but you did me proud. I still remember our first quest together... Kai'ron I think it was. You were already talented then, but to see how you've grown... it's impressive. Good work, the Frontlines needs you."

Edited January 3 by Baldur