[F01 | SP] Secret Tunnel | <<Scents of the Wild: Keepers of Nature>>

[Morrigan 0]

Scents of the Wild: Keepers of Nature

Morrígan held the information broker’s gaze, the man withering slightly even though he toward over her. His words had been half-truths, and she’d become frustrated with his behaviour as he’d continued speaking; a fact which was becoming clear in her continued glaring into his facial features.

’That’s all I have! Really! I can’t give you anything I don’t have, and all that we know is that there’s some sort of tree that you have to decipher!’ He withered further as she took a partial step towards him, her arms held calmly in front of her; the left hand gently folded over the right. There was nothing immediately menacing in the stance, as far as Morrígan had noticed with it, yet it had been taught to her as one of the poses that could be used to strike fear into those less inclined with terms and habits of negotiation. ’Okay! Okay! There’s one more thing…this is just the start of a quest, and there’s more you’ll do later! But that’s it! I swear!’

She lifted her left hand and waved slightly, dismissing the man that she knew she’d never be able to come to again for information. Or, at least, she’d never want to come to again. He’d withheld information on numerous occasions, and Morrígan had become infuriated with his behaviour, considering she was paying a minor sum in order to retrieve and receive the details that could keep her alive when she’d taken on a quest.

’He is disingenuous, and should not be trusted.’ Phantom cawed quietly in agreement with her assessment of the information broker. She’d learnt a decent amount from him this time, mostly due to her sudden transition from the kind and welcoming woman who came to him for expertise, to one who would no longer accept his silver tongued sales; a fact that had clearly scared the man. She knew that he had never bargained with the upper levelled players; obvious in his lack of confidence in his abilities to face her. Still, she had gotten something from him, and as she glanced at the quest line in her menu once more, she decided that it was at least worth taking the first steps towards its completion. ’These totems sound beneficial, and this part of the quest is entirely safe, supposedly. It’s located on the first floor, so it should be safe enough.’

She wasn’t entirely convinced. The location of the quest on the first floor certainly leaned towards it being safer than other quests, but she’d also learnt that hidden areas within a floor could contain creatures far more dangerous than those she had faced in higher areas. ’If things become too dangerous, I’ll retreat and return to this with assistance at a later time. Simple as that.’

Her decision made, she made her way from the small alleyway that she had met the information broker in, heading for the teleporter pad. She wanted to get a start immediately on the quest, leaving nothing to time and the future.

Statblock

Hide contents Notes [Theme] Morrígan | Lv. 11 | P. 0 | HP [220/220] | EN [40/40] | ACC [3] | DMG [11] | EVA [0] | MIT [6] | Thorns [18] | Paralyse Tier 2 | Tier 2 Equipment Halberd [Polearm | Tier 1] Enhancement: Accuracy [2 Slot] Enhancement: Damage [1 Slot] Breastplate [Light Armour| Tier 1] Enhancement: Mitigation [1 Slot]  Raven Shield [Shield | Tier 1] Enhancement: Paralyse [1 Slot] Enhancement: Thorns [2 Slots] Dark Cloak [Vanity | Tier 0] Enhancement: Nil [0 Slots] Battle-Ready Inventory Starter Healer Potions {5} [Potion | Tierless | Heals 50 HP] Spyglass {2} [Search Post Dungeon/Familiar/Field Boss reduced by 5] Zackariah's Special Draught [Potion | Tierless | HP Recovery I] Big Bertha Braciole (4) [Snack | Tier 1 | Rare Vitality Consumable] Skills   Hide contents Utility Skills N/A Combat Skills Polearm [Rank: 5. Active: Passive. Effect: +7 DMG] Stamina [Rank 5 Weapon Add-on. Active: Passive. Effect: Reduces EN of all attacks by 2.] Precision [Rank 5 Weapon Add-on. Active: Passive. Effect: Gain +1 ACC.] Ferocity [Rank 5 Weapon Add-on. Active: Passive. Effect: +2 Damage when using the weapon of your choice.] Armour Skills N/A Active Extra Skills N/A Inactive Extra Skills  N/A Combat Mastery N/A Familiar Skills N/A Estate Buffs N/A Sword Arts   Hide contents [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 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. Housing Buffs   Hide contents TBD [Home] TBD [TBD.]

Edited Sunday at 02:50 PM by Morrigan

[Morrigan 0]

A soft shimmer, and Morrígan found herself standing on the teleporter pad within the courtyard that made up the central entryway to the Town of Beginnings. She quickly stepped down from the pad, moving away for those who came behind her even as she heard the hum of their arrival. The area was busy, far busier than Morrígan had seen it in some time. She made a mental note to check, at a later point, what was going on, before making her way towards the gates and the exterior of the town.

Whatever event was occurring, it seemed limited to the main courtyard, the side streets and pathways out of the town were near empty; a few NPCs wandering around, but otherwise little in the way of obstacles to hinder Morrígan’s progress as she left the area behind. She waved towards the gate guards as she passed, receiving a greeting in kind before leaving them behind as well. Her focus remained on heading towards the single marker on her mini map, the destination provided by the quest itself.

’Go on, I’ll be fine.’ She gave her shoulder a soft pump in order to push the raven off and into the sky, watching as Phantom sprung away and stretched her wings, allowing her to rise on currents of air that were invisible to her eyes. Content that Phantom would follow from above, Morrígan continued along her path towards the eventual start of the quest. She’d learnt from the information broker that the marker would bring her to a small range of hills and caverns, and that she would be required to find the correct tunnel from there – the first challenge within the quest’s plethora of challenges that she would face. ’A challenge that I can face head on, at least. I can certainly handle a few puzzles, if I can fight the monsters and creatures that one finds in this world.’

The sunlight shone down upon her as she smiled, content that she had finally found something that didn’t have her risking her life immediately for the return of something small and pitiful in comparison. ’As nice as it is to be able to destroy portions of this world, it’s also quite enticing to test one’s own logical capacities against a system designed from, one would assume, some of the more brilliant minds available to the industry.’

[Morrigan 0]

The location had been easy enough to traverse towards. Few monsters of any kind fell upon her path – the roads relatively safe, if one avoided the more obvious ambush points along its route. She’d made good time, only a few hours having passed since she left the Town of Beginnings behind. But as she stood before the collection of tunnels before her, Morrígan found herself wondering how she was supposed to pick the correct one.

’They all look exactly the same…’ There was no frustration in her voice, thankfully hidden behind her façade of acceptance and calmness. That, however, didn’t stop Phantom from cawing in annoyance herself, clearly aware that the only way they were going to find their destination’s end was through the traversing and exploration of the caves in depth. Wandering through their dark interiors, until they came across the supposed tree within the rocks, which would be covered in secrets awaiting their deciphering. ’You could stay out here, you know. You don’t have to come with me.’

Morrígan knew, even as she began to speak the words, that the raven wouldn’t consider them an actual suggestion worth noting. In many ways the bird carried a similar attitude and mindset to the redhead companion it had joined on adventure; neither of them would abandon the other, a fact that they knew even if it was never spoken aloud. Shaking her head at her own suggestion, Morrígan instead waved her hand towards the three closest tunnels, smiling as she spoke again. ’Alright, fine. I’ll leave the decision regarding our next step forward to you, then.’

Phantom turned her head slowly, looking at each area in careful detail. Morrígan waited patiently, halberd resting in the crook of her elbow as the shield quivered slightly – the only sign of impatience and a desire to move forwards again. Moments passed before Phantom made a movement, turning towards the left most tunnel and heading inside, forcing Morrígan to step after the bird quickly. ’You could give a warning before you simply take off. It would be the polite thing to do, so that I don’t have to chase after you.’

[Morrigan 0]

Moments had turned into hours as Morrígan had wandered through the underground tunnels, following Phantom as the raven led her onwards. Small gaps in the rocks, leading towards the surface, had provided enough light to push back the darkness that threatened to take over the entire area. It provided just enough light that Morrígan was able to see the path in front of her, and more importantly Phantom ahead of her. She hadn’t thought ahead, considering the fact that the darkness found within tunnels might have limited her vision in some way – and she was happy that she hadn’t been forced to stumble blindly due to her own failure to plan accordingly.

’It would be nice if we had some confirmation that we were heading in the right direction.’ Her words echoed softly against the walls of the corridor, bouncing back into her own ears. She came to a stop only steps later, realising that she had arrived upon a dead-end. ’Phantom? This seems to be the end of the tunnel.’

She realised, suddenly, that Phantom wasn’t in front of her. Turning slightly, she glanced back down the path she’d taken, worried that she had missed a turn along the way. Nothing stood out to her in the semi-darkness of the tunnel, however, and she found herself biting her lip and digging her right foot into the ground slightly. Turning her attention back to the wall before her, she glanced over it, looking for any sign that she could slide through it, or push it open. Placing her hands upon it, she gave a hard shove, confirming that it was solid.

Solid, and flat. This isn’t naturally occurring rock. The smooth surface was too smooth, as if tooled into existence. Morrígan ran her eyes over the remained of it, noticing notches and signs of tools upon its surface. Indentations around the door stood out to her the more she looked – her doubt about what the thing before her disappearing the more she investigated it. These almost look like places you’d put…keys? Like a puzzle lock, that opens the door. Maybe I need to find the keys? She turned back the way she had come, knowing for certain now that she had missed something along the way. I just need to head back and find it. Should be simple enough.

[Morrigan 0]

Retracing her steps showed her a side tunnel that she had missed originally, Phantom seated upon a stone at its entryway. There was a measure of annoyance in the raven’s form, visible even within the dim lighting that sourced through the tunnel. Morrígan couldn’t quite discern, however, whether the annoyance was at her own lack of awareness of the correct turn, or Phantom’s failure to mark it more clearly.

Satisfied that she had managed to find her companion again, she pushed passed the raven and into the open expanse within the pathway; immediately noticing how the light brightened slightly due to the hole in the ceiling of the expanse. Water trickled down, the sound of it echoing as it hit the stones below. In the centre of it all stood a large tree – it appeared to be an oak, or similar species, as far as Morrígan could tell. Curiosity overcoming her, she moved towards the large fauna, glancing over it and looking for the markings that needed deciphering.

That broker’s information had better be worthwhile, otherwise I’ll find him and make him return the funds. She scorned herself internally as she searched, vowing never to reach out to the man again if she could avoid it. Her eyes passed over the words originally, coming back only as her mind belatedly registered what they were. As she focused on them, however, she realised that they couldn’t quite be considered words, but rather a collection of symbols that were clearly designed to display a language used once within this world.

’And there’s the tablet itself.’ Seated upon a podium just beneath the cipher, the tablet had blended almost perfectly into the darkness, to a point where Morrígan hadn’t noticed it until Phantom had landed upon its top edge. ’And here it is. This should take some time, if you want to explore a bit while I work on it, Phantom?’

The raven gave a soft cooing sound, before settling into the podium more. Content with the answer, Morrígan picked up the item and flipped it over, noticing the symbolisms that matched the door’s etchings that she had found earlier, and the message on the opposite side. ’Alright, time to get to work. It looks like a minor cipher has been unencrypted here, now I just need to finish detailing the work, and translating the message. Let’s do this.’

-

Post Action: Deciphering The Tablet
ID239769 | LD: 9 | <<Decipher Attempt>> | Result: 9/60

Edited Sunday at 06:19 PM by Morrigan

[Morrigan 0]

The growl that escaped her was unlike any of the formal teachings she’d received throughout her life. Morrígan glared at the cipher, trying to determine exactly what foundations it was built upon, and how to best apply it to the task at hand. She’d managed to – barely, if she was being entirely candid – make a small start on the information provided to her, but she found herself becoming more and more frustrated as the translations continued to evade her.

’Well, this one looks like it goes here…which means it would match this, but then this would actually be…’ She passed between tablet and cipher, making notes on her digital notepad as she worked. Phantom remained silent, seated upon the podium that the tablet had laid on until Morrígan had arrived, the raven’s eyes watching as Morrígan worked to uncover the meaning behind the words on the tablet.

Mere moments had passed since she’d began, and already Morrígan could tell it was going to take some time before she made any real headway into the deciphering process. She leaned back slightly, stretching her back as she realised she’d been hunched over in her excitement. ’I should probably take a seat…but first let’s copy all this information over so I can settle in better.’

She spent the next few moments collecting the cipher from the tree, copying it into her menu’s writing pad in order to be able to take it with her when she moved to a more comfortable area. She knew she’d likely have to return once or twice, but taking the majority of the notes would limit her delay in cracking the code before her.

-

Post Action: Deciphering The Tablet
ID239792 | LD: 13 | <<Decipher Attempt>> | Result: 22/60

Edited Monday at 02:59 PM by Morrigan

[Morrigan 0]

The simple act of carrying over the cipher to her own notations had helped Morrígan immensely, and as she glanced at the information before her once more, she began to see the connections between the two different pieces of writing. A slight smile came to her, and she focused on trying to break apart the individual pieces of each word, to bring more meaning to them even as she fought to translate the item into something more legible.

’If this really is another language, it may not hold the same linguistical rules as our own forms of communication, which means I’ll have to ignore some obvious grammatical misconceptions…that shouldn’t be too hard, I think…’ She moved between the two items once more, seeing a more obvious error in her work and correcting it before it could become a problem. She needed to refrain from trying to localise the piece, to make more sense to the ways that she had been taught to speak and write.

Time passed slowly as she worked, but she began to feel more confident as another collection of letters became obvious – a sign that she was, still, making progress on breaking down the message. She glanced up as Phantom cawed slightly, before smiling and nodding towards the bird. Morrígan knew that the settled position was only comfortable for so long, and as she watched the raven took to the sky once more, taking small laps around the tree before slowly expanding the circle. She doubted Phantom would leave the cavernous expanse, but there was more than enough room to fly within the area – so long as Phantom was careful.

-

Post Action: Deciphering The Tablet
ID239793 | LD: 4 | <<Decipher Attempt>> | Result: 26/60

Edited Monday at 03:11 PM by Morrigan

[Morrigan 0]

Morrígan erased the notes that she had been working on the last few moments, a swish of her hand in aggravation and annoyance the only outward sign of her pure frustration at the task. She’d realised an error in her work, which caused doubt and plausible errors in everything that came after, meaning that she was reduced back to a point she had been prior to the original findings.

Well, that was an entire waste. I can’t believe I did something as trivial as mixing up those two combinations. She scolded herself as she closed her eyes, knowing that she needed a few moments of respite from the work, lest it overcome her and drive her into a demise of failure and ineptitude. Enough. I can still overcome this. I just need to return to where I know I had it, and step off from there. This puzzle is solvable, it’s just meant to be difficult. I shouldn’t be surprised that I falter once in a while.

She knew she wasn’t infallible, that she was bound to make mistakes like any other individual would. Whether on purpose, or not, her lessons growing up had at least engrained that much into her. She’d never been perfect at everything, and for better or for worse her teachers growing up had ensured that she was well aware of her strengths and weaknesses, and how to use both to her advantage.

Once I decipher this, I’m going to sit back and laugh at the idiocrasy that floated around while I was working on it, and how silly it was to consider myself a fool for not solving it immediately. Smiling at the thought, she turned back to her work, knowing that she was getting closer with each simple step she was taking.

-

Post Action: Deciphering The Tablet
ID239794 | LD: 9 | <<Decipher Attempt>> | Result: 35/60

Edited Monday at 04:42 PM by Morrigan

[Morrigan 0]

Realigning herself paid off as Morrígan spotted the error she had made originally, noticing the way in which she had shifted slightly too far along the ciphering, and misinterpreting the conceptual connection between the two. She re-arranged her original error in order to incorporate her new findings, smiling as the words came together in a slightly more logical sense.

’And if that is an e, then this…yeah, that makes a bit more…at least it’s somewhat more legible now. I just need to figure out what these are, and then I’m making some real headway on this.’ She mumbled to herself as she adjusted her notes and continued to look for further clues that would bring her towards the end of her consistent work. She already could tell she was getting close, the pieces falling into place ever so slowly as she struggled to understand the differences and nuances of the items before her.

Those two connect. Maybe that’s a…no, too many vowels then. She felt her teeth touching her bottom lip, pulling the flesh inwards as she tried to focus her mind more, hoping to make some sort of breakthrough that would launch her towards completion and freedom. It was foolish, she knew, only her hard work could get her there. That didn’t stop her from hoping for something to simply jump out at her, however.

-

Post Action: Deciphering The Tablet
ID239795 | LD: 17 | <<Decipher Attempt>> | Result: 52/60

Edited Monday at 05:11 PM by Morrigan

[Morrigan 0]

Her spring of luck flashed before her as the pieces began to flow together. Morrígan’s hands moved quickly as she strove to write down everything that came to mind. She could see the words coming into existence as she continued working through each piece; the more she deciphered, the faster they came to her.

’If…seeking power…wisdom and…resilience? That seems right, I think. Find…ye? Who says ye? Is this some pirate quest?’ She shook her head, knowing that the translation was likely correct, but wondering at the terminology that was making itself known before her eyes. She knew that there would be some sort of clue towards the future of the quest – there would be more to complete, that much was obvious – but whatever the message was trying to say, was still beyond her understanding and comprehension at this point.

Knowing there was no choice, she continued working on the message, falling silent as she pieced together further pieces of it. In the distance, she could see Phantom sitting once more upon the podium. Perched, watching over the area; keeping an eye on Morrígan as much as the surrounding cavern as if some lurking danger waited for her watchful eyes to pass over and beyond it, before striking out.

’Alright…if seeking power, wisdom and resilience…find ye those…witch? No, which…embody nature’s grace?’ She sat back and stared at the sentence. None of it made any sense to her, and although she knew there was still more to the message to be decoded, she couldn’t help but think there’d be a further deciphering required once it was translated.

-

Post Action: Deciphering The Tablet
ID239796 | LD: 3 | <<Decipher Attempt>> | Result: 55/60

Edited Monday at 05:28 PM by Morrigan

[Morrigan 0]

’ If seeking power, wisdom and resilience, find ye those which embody nature’s graces: The fiercest of beasts with unmatched strength; a sentinel to the afterlife bound by the Stygian river; a wise and wily water-borne predator; the unmoved titan who is callous and free; a sly shadow high in the branches of the forest; and lastly, that which prowls and safeguards the sky.’ Morrígan tilted her head as she stared at the words, trying to make sense of them. There was only a part of a single sentence left, but she’d found herself distracted by the main body of it all. Something about it felt familiar, in a way, and she couldn’t quite place it in her mind; a fact which was bothering her more than it likely should have in the moment.

’It feels like a list, of some sort. But a list of what?’ She glanced at the remainder of the puzzle, knowing that final sentences probably explained what came before, or at least gave a better clue towards what the next steps would be. ’Sitting here playing guessing games at unknown variables won’t get me anywhere. Best I just finish the deciphering, and figure out exactly what the entire thing insinuates.’

The irony of her commentary wasn’t lost upon her as she turned back to her work. Not that it stopped her from smiling at the small jest within the direction, or the way in which she looked at the work anew. She was close to being finished with it all, and knew that she would be content only once it was done and behind her.

-

Post Action: Deciphering The Tablet
ID239797 | LD: 12 | <<Decipher Attempt>> | Result: 67/60 | Deciphering complete!

Edited Monday at 05:39 PM by Morrigan

[Morrigan 0]

Morrígan stared the deciphered message, her eyes scanning over it twice as she tried to take in the entirety of the message and understand what it all meant. The tablet had, following her translation, transition itself to mimic the verbiage noted on her own digital screen, confirming to her that she had completed the deciphering of the message – and in turn, this aspect of the quest.

’What the fuck.’ The words came out as a growl, startling Phantom whom had never heard Morrígan swear before; her demeanour entirely broken as she reviewed the message on the tablet once more, assuming she had missed some greater detail. Whatever it was, it eluded her even now. ’Criptic messages that mean absolutely nothing. I spent this long, only to be left in the dark about the meaning of…whatever this is.’

It wasn’t worth getting upset over, she knew that through her more logical sense of awareness, but the emotions bubbled up and through her as the amount of wasted effort was displayed before her. The words were gibberish, at best, and although the quest may have been completed, Morrígan felt more in the dark than she had been when she first arrived; information before her, entirely useless due to her own lack of understanding and knowledge.

’I’ll just have to find someone who can decipher what this means.’ She hissed to herself, packing away the tablet and turning towards Phantom. The raven hesitated for a single second, clearly uncertain whether it was the target of the fury, or something else was. But by the time she had made her decision, Morrígan’s emotions had reconciled themselves, and she had returned to her regular composure. ’Apologies, Phantom. It was just a moment of exhaustion following the work. I’m alright now, although I could use a rest once we return back to the shop.’

[Morrigan 0]

Retracing her steps was easy enough, even without the guidance of Phantom. The raven had taken flight again as it became clear they were making their way back out of the tunnel, and although Morrígan kept an eye on both the companion, and her surroundings, she’d taken time to consider everything that had come with the completion of the deciphering. She hadn’t lied, she’d felt a measure of exhaustion following the completion of the decipher – but there had also been a frustration at the obvious not simply falling before her; the learning that she would have to do more work to obtain the answers to the tablet’s riddles.

’Maybe I’m just used to getting what I want, without effort.’ She whispered to herself as she continued along the path, hating the idea as much as she could see it being accurate and honest in assessment. She forced herself to consider it, truly, as a part of the reason why she had become so upset following the completion of her work. It was a fair and honest assessment, as far as she could see – and it aligned with her previous experiences in life, to some degree. ’Whether it is accurate or not, doesn’t matter. I should strive to keep it from happening again. I’m better than that.’

It was a simple decision, but one that was important to Morrígan. It would decide her behaviours in the future, and she didn’t want to simply cast off the importance of it all. She would strive to be better, which meant that she would focus on not allowing the outbursts of such negative feelings impact herself, or others, again.

’Not too far ahead, Phantom.’ She called out to the raven, realising that her internal musings had forced her to fall behind; her steps slowing as she thought more and more intensely. She could see the shape of the bird in the distance, perched on an outcropping and awaiting Morrígan’s return to their departure from the caverns.

[Morrigan 0]

The sunshine was welcoming as Morrígan stepped out of the tunnels, leaving behind the dank, dark of the subterranean areas that she had passed through for the quest. Even the air smelt better here, although Morrígan wondered if that wasn’t just her mind telling her that the outside was better than the inside she had escaped. Whether or not it was entirely psychological, she felt better being out of the darkness and back underneath the false sun of the first floor – a feeling that was clearly shared by Phantom, as the raven took to the skies with an excited cry.

I guess neither one of us enjoys being locked away in the dark for extended periods of time. It’s nice to see her taking such joy… Morrígan watched for a few moments as Phantom circled in the air above her, the raven taking comfort in the freedom it had now that it was back outside. The black form shifted lazily around her in circles, waiting for Morrígan to head back towards the town. Right, no point in standing around here all day. As much as she enjoyed watching the bird above her, Morrígan knew that it would only be a waste of time to remain standing in the fields. There was further work to be done, and she needed to look into her shop and make sure it was still standing. Lots to do.

[Morrigan 0]

The way back to town had been littered with various beastly forms, many of them seemingly waiting for her to approach them. Morrígan had managed to avoid a few, but a couple had managed to get close enough to engage her – causing her to halt and put them down before continuing onwards. It had caused severe delays towards her continued returned to a safer zone, and Morrígan was beginning to become partially frustrated by the hindrances and interruptions in her path.

She stopped as another pair of wolves appeared before her, stepping into sight and blocking her path. She knew without looking behind her that another pair would be blocking the way she had come, ensuring that she had no way of escaping. She’d come to dislike the creatures for their ability to plan ahead and ambush players – a sound tactic, but one that was annoying her more than it was benefiting them.

Bringing her halberd down and into a ready position, she angled the weapon to meet the pair before her, glancing behind and confirming that the other two had begun to prowl back and forth, a clear sign that they were going to wait for their brethren to make the first move – that was, assuming that they followed the same behaviours of the previous groups she had encountered. Let’s just get this over with already.

-

Combat

Morrígan | Lv. 11 | P. 0 | HP [102/220] | EN [29/40] | ACC [3] | DMG [11] | EVA [0] | MIT [6] | Thorns [18] | Paralyse | -11 EN | -118 HP
Wolf 1 | HP: 132/132 | DMG: 44
Wolf 2 | HP: 132/132 | DMG: 44
Wolf 3 | HP: 11/132 | DMG: 44
Wolf 4 | HP: 11/132 | DMG: 44

ID239802 | BD: 1+3 = 4 | <<AoE-I vs. Wolf 1>> | Critical Miss. | MOB: 10 | Major Critical Hit: [(44+2)-6] = 40 damage
ID239803 | BD: 2+3 = 5 | <<AoE-I vs. Wolf 2>> | Miss. | MOB: 9 | Minor Critical Hit: [(44+1)-6] = 39 damage
ID239804 | BD: 4+3 = 7 | <<AoE-I vs. Wolf 3>> | Hit: [11x11] = 121 damage | MOB: 9 | Minor Critical Hit: [(44+1)-6] = 39 damage
ID239805 | BD: 3+3 = 6 | <<AoE-I vs. Wolf 4>> | Hit: [11x11] = 121 damage | MOB: 5 | Miss

Edited yesterday at 01:28 AM by Morrigan

[Morrigan 0]

Things were looking back, Morrígan knew that as she fell back and wiped at the place where the wolf had managed to slash her across the shoulder. She’d taken a beating as the pair behind her had snuck up, her focus on the two in front of her distracting her from the danger behind – a mistake that had cost her dearly. She’d watched in a measure of concern as the health bar dropped significantly, the wolves tearing into her literally, and her eyes watching as the damage was done. She managed to fight them off, eventually, but they avoided most of her strikes – the two rear ones falling into her strikes through mere luck on her own part, rather than any skill.

She stood, breathing heavily, as she wondered whether she had walked into something she couldn’t quite handle. She could feel the halberd shaking in her hand, and just as she was pushing back the thought that she had, in fact, made a grave mistake, a voice called out to her – one which distracted both her, and the wolves for a brief moment.

Standing on a nearby hill was a purple haired woman in heavy plate armour, a spear in hand and a sour look upon her face as she glared down at the wolves, as if taking a personal afront to their treatment of the player. Morrígan wasn’t sure what to make of the scene, but she knew an opportunity when one presented itself. Before the wolves could react, she’d begun moving; driving her halberd forwards and aiming for the closest as she tore into them, hoping to destroy some semblance of their existence.

-

Combat

Morrígan | Lv. 11 | P. 0 | HP [102/220] | EN [15/40] | ACC [3] | DMG [11] | EVA [0] | MIT [6] | Thorns [18] | Paralyse | +1 EN | -15 EN
Wolf 1 | HP: 0/132 | DMG: 44
Wolf 2 | HP: 132/132 | DMG: 44
Wolf 3 | HP: 0/132 | DMG: 44
Wolf 4 | HP: 0/132 | DMG: 44

ID239820 | BD: 10+3 = 13 | <<AoE-I vs. Wolf 1>> | Major Critical Hit :[(11+2)x11] = 143 damage | Wolf 1 destroyed.
ID239821 | BD: 2+3 = 5 | <<AoE-I vs. Wolf 2>> | Miss. | MOB: 5 | Miss.
ID239822 | BD: 8+3 = 11 | <<AoE-I vs. Wolf 3>> | Hit: [11x11] = 121 damage | Wolf 3 destroyed.
ID239823 | BD: 7+3 = 10 | <<AoE-I vs. Wolf 4>> | Hit: [11x11] = 121 damage | Wolf 4 destroyed.

Spoiler

Loot
ID239824 | LD: 2 | CD: 8 | Result: 924 (396+264+264) col
ID239825 | LD: 1 | CD: 7 | Result: 396 col, 4 materials
ID239826 | LD: 7 | CD: 5 | Result: 396 col, 4 materials

Totals
1,716 col
8 materials

 

Edited yesterday at 01:36 AM by Morrigan

[Morrigan 0]

 Her weapon tore into their sides, catching them entirely by surprise as she smashed into, and eventually through them. She made no noise as she fought, focusing instead on keeping herself moving to avoid any retaliation should any be left standing – a tactic that served her well as she felt the claws of the lone remainder passing her throat, mere centimetres from tearing into her once more.

Got you. She turned to face the creature, seeing the hesitation in it as it realised its companions were gone. Alone, it seemed far less enthusiastic about the fight before it, and Morrígan questioned for a moment whether it would flee the fight or not. She was not, however, so lucky. The thing leapt forward suddenly, and she barely managed to get her shield up to deflect the half-hearted attack that came with its weight; driving the thing off to the side and stepping back to centre her weight once more.

She could see the warrioress moving down the hill, travelling slowly now as the fight lost its urgency, the two remaining combatants on equal footing – as much as could be equal footing within this world. She pushed the other person out of her mind for the moment, focusing instead on the threat before her, rather than the possible one approaching from behind. End this one, then deal with that one.

-

Combat

Morrígan | Lv. 11 | P. 0 | HP [102/220] | EN [1/40] | ACC [3] | DMG [11] | EVA [0] | MIT [6] | Thorns [18] | Paralyse | +1 EN | -15 EN
Wolf 2 | HP: 0/132 | DMG: 44

ID239827 | BD: 7+3 = 10 | <<ST-I vs. Wolf 2>> | Major Critical Hit :[11x11] = 121 damage | Wolf 2 destroyed.

Spoiler

Loot
ID239824 | LD: 2 | CD: 8 | Result: 924 (396+264+264) col
ID239825 | LD: 1 | CD: 7 | Result: 396 col, 4 materials
ID239826 | LD: 7 | CD: 5 | Result: 396 col, 4 materials
ID239828 | LD: 3 | CD: 1 | Result: 396 col, 4 materials

Totals
2,112 col
12 materials

Edited yesterday at 01:43 AM by Morrigan

[Morrigan 0]

The last of the wolves exploded, leaving Morrígan alone save for the approaching armoured woman. Turning to face her, she brought her halberd down and directed towards the approaching player, her face stoic as she prepared herself for another fight, should it come to that. Cautiously, keeping her eyes on the woman’s motions, she called out in a voice that was far less welcoming than it could’ve been. ’Stop right there if you know what’s good for you. Who are you, and why are you here? If you think you’ll find an easy kill in me after the wolves, you’re wrongly mistake.’

’An interesting way to great someone who may have just saved your life.’ The woman’s face brushed from frown to a smile almost instantly, so fast that Morrígan wondered if she hadn’t imagined the entire shift. Morrígan relaxed the halberd only partially, an obvious movement meant to show a measure of ease between the two, but her guard remaining up. From everything she could tell of the woman before her, the other was well suited to combat and conflict, and would likely know the meaning of the movement – or at least be able to guess at it. ’My name is Nari-Lanreth, although you may call me Nari. And no, I have no interest in fighting you. I’m glad you’re okay.’

Morrígan paused, considering the woman’s words. There was no sign of lie in her expression, and she saw no ill intent in the other’s posture or movements. In fact, if anything, she would say the other looked relaxed. ’Say I believe you…what is it you want, then?’

[Morrigan 0]

’Want? I guess I don’t want anything, really. I wanted to make sure you were okay, mostly. Those wolves tore into you badly, and it looked like you were…hurt. So I wanted to make sure you’d be okay.’ The words were hesitant, but somehow Morrígan had the feeling that wasn’t due to anything directly related to herself. In fact, the woman had looked away when responding, a sign that she was hiding something – but nothing about the woman’s actions made Morrígan think that there was any ill intent behind them.

Silence passed between the two for a few moments, before the warrior woman spoke again. Her voice was soft and low this time, and there was a collection of emotion behind her words that seemed to be fighting to get out, to get free and be heard. ’What is your goal in this world? What do you hope to achieve?’

’I want to help everyone to get free.’ Morrígan was surprised by the question, and found herself answering almost immediately without thinking. She frowned, only slightly, as she heard the answer with her own ears. It wasn’t necessarily wrong, and yet somehow she felt like it wasn’t the truth that this woman wanted to hear. The truth behind Morrígan’s continued fighting. ’That’s not entirely it, though. I want to get back at Kayaba for what he did here. For locking us away. I want to free everyone…because I want revenge against him, against all of them. My way of winning, of getting that revenge…is to make sure as many players get out alive as possible.’

The woman seemed to nod slowly, her eyes on Morrígan for a while after as the silence fell between them once more, and Morrígan pondered if she had happened upon some oddity of a player. She wasn’t dangerous – not to Morrígan at least, that much was clear. But there was certainly something off about her, some oddness that bespoke of a deeper story, one that she couldn’t quite understand. Not yet.

[Morrigan 0]

’I had a reason to fight, once. Many reasons, actually.’ The woman spoke suddenly, her voice soft and low once more. Morrígan could see the way her eyes glazed ever so slightly, lost in thought; whether about something past, or present, she couldn’t quite tell. ’Those reasons are gone now. Nothing more than a part of my history, leaving me with no reason to push onwards.’

Morrígan remained silent, as unsure about what to say as she was aware that the woman didn’t necessarily want to hear her response. Instead, she waited for the woman to continue her thoughts, or leave – whichever came first.

’My time here is done. I’ll find somewhere to hide away, to become one with Aincrad. But others still fight, and…and I’ll support them however I can.’ The woman moved suddenly, her left hand raising and causing Morrígan to jump in response, the halberd jerking as she prepared to receive an attack – one that never came, as her own menu responded to the sudden transfer request that had been sent. ’This isn’t much, but it will help you to succeed a little bit, I hope. Use it to fight your way to freedom; for all those who can’t anymore. It’s an unfair burden to place upon your shoulders, but…it doesn’t really matter, does it? All that matters is that you have the resources to help you as much as you can, and that you continue towards that goal.’

Morrígan was left speechless as she stared between woman and notification, slow to accept the request and the proffered goods, her brain not quite believing what she was seeing. Everything about it seemed like an odd dream, and for a brief moment Morrígan wondered if she were dead. When she did find her voice, she spoke loud and confused, calling out after the warrioress who was now retreating back up the hill. ’Wait! Why? Why would you give up all of this? Why can’t you continue fighting?’

The purple haired knightess turned, eyeing the player below her for a moment with a soft, sad smile before answering in a voice that was almost carried away on the wind. ’To survive a fight, one must have a reason to carry on. It’s that determination of will, that desire to succeed, that ensures your triumph. Without it…you’re nothing more than a danger to those around you. And I am that danger.’

She said nothing more, turning and leaving Morrígan standing on the road, more questions than answers in her mind as she tried to piece together everything that she had just been told, and what had occurred. The entire tablet pushed from her mind, as she reconciled the name in her mind, belatedly realising she had heard it before, somewhere. Nari-Lanreth…I’m Nari! An image of a familiar face, one which had spoken to her in the Town of Beginnings on that very first day appeared, and Morrígan felt a single tear reach the corner of her eye as the memories of her very first friend in the game replayed in her mind.

-

Thread Summary
Word Count: 6,373
EXP: 6,373/10x2x1 = 1,274 [Progression] + 500 [Quest] = 1,774 EXP
Col: 400 [Progression] + 2,112 [Loot] = 2,512 col
12 materials
Nature's Tablet [Non-Transferable]
<<Scents of the Wild>> quest line unlocked.