[F03 | SP] The Maze | <<Search for the Hoya>>

[Nymoria 0]

Search for the Hoya

The labyrinth was, by some measures without comparison, an awe-inspiring sight for one to behold if they’d never seen it before. It certainly couldn’t compare to the labyrinth that swathed the expanse of the twenty-fifth floor, yet Nymoria had to admit that the labyrinth before her held a measure of aura to it that was, if nothing else, eye-capturing. The walls spread into the distance, just barely in sight for where she was standing, and she could see it winding and twisting in ways that she knew would cause her to quickly become lost and confused if she wasn’t careful.

From what little I could gather, I need to find at least one of these minotaurs. She’d spoken to the NPC – a man named Larbrook – for as long as she could managed to politely follow his conversation. She had, just recently, decided to ignore the man beside her and focus on the labyrinth itself instead. She could tell that he was still talking, likely about the hunt that was to come – a hunt which he seemed overtly interested in, in ways that Nymoria found almost disturbing. She had, however, also learnt that the final prize she was looking for could only be obtained if the man accompanied her through the maze.

With a sigh, she turned towards the entrance, determined to at least get started on searching for the creatures that she was now bound to hunt down and exterminate. If nothing else, I’ll get a nice walk through the maze as I complete the quest. It should alleviate any boredom through pure frustration of walking into continuous dead ends with no sign of resolution or end. Another sigh escaped her as she crossed the threshold, knowing it was far too late to turn back and return to the comfort of her home, to forget this quest even existed in the first place.

Musei poked his head out long enough to confirm that they had shifted their environments, the sun that had been beating down on them moments ago disappearing behind the walls of the maze, leaving them in a measure of darkness and cooler temperatures. A twitch of his nose was all Nymoria needed to confirm that the weasel was as displeased about their current location as Nymoria was; but both knew it was simply something that came with the role. They’d need to focus on finding the minotaurs as quickly as they could if they wanted to escape the coolness of the maze, and return to the comfort of their home.

 

Statblock

Spoiler Notes [Theme] Nymoria | Lv. 33 | P. 2 | HP [680/680] | EN [104/104] | ACC [5] | DMG [22] | EVA [4] | BH [+37] | Bleed [36] | Keen [+1 BD] | LD [+1] Tier 4 | Tier 4 Equipment Repressed [Rapier | Tier 3] Enhancement: Bleed [2 Slots] Enhancement: Keen [1 Slot] Ring of Evasion [Jewelry | Tier 1] Enhancement: Evasion [3 Slots]  Hearing Aid [Trinket | Tier 1] Enhancement: Accuracy [3 Slots] Battle-Ready Inventory Uncommon Health Potion {5} [Potion | Tier 1 | Heals 5% Maximum HP] Spyglass {1} | Reduce Search Posts x5 [Dungeon, Familiar, Field Boss] for one thread bento {1} [Meal | Tierless | Oveerhealth III] Teleport Crystal {1} Honey Cookie {5} [Snack | Tier 1 | Vitality II] Chocolate Truffles {4} [Dessert | Tier 3 | Vitality II] Dear My Friend {3} [Support Song | Tier 4 | HP Recovery III | Instant] Crystal of Support | [3/3 charges] | Heals the user and each party member for (50 * Target's Tier) HP. Requires a Post Action to use.  Skills Spoiler Utility Skills Extended Weight Limit [Active: Passive. Effect: +2 additional Battle-Ready inventory slots.] Combat Skills Battle Healing [Rank: 5. Active: Passive. Effect: While in combat, recover 1% per rank of your maximum HP (rounded down) at the beginning of your turn.] Energist [Active: Passive. Effect: Increase base Energy by 5*Tier.] Weapon Skills Rapiers [Rank: 5. Active: Passive. Effect: +7 DMG] [Rank 5 Weapon Addon] Stamina [Active: Passive. Effect: Reduces EN of all attacks by 2.] [Rank 5 Weapon Addon] Precision [Active: Passive. Effect: +1 ACC.] [Rank 5 Weapon Addon] Rapier Ferocity [Active: Passive. Effect: +2 DMG when using the weapon of your choice. Players cannot use Focus and Ferocity at the same time for the same Weapon Type.] [Rank 5 Shift] AOE Specialist [Active: Passive. Effect: For the following Sword Arts, +4 to multipliers and +2 to EN cost; AoE-I, AoE-II. No other Shifts may be taken.] Armour Skills Unhindered [Active: Passive. Effect: +1 Accuracy, +1 Loot Dice, +1 Evasion, +5*Tier HP. Your mitigation is capped at 0 equipment slots.] Active Extra Skills Leadership [Rank: 1. Active: Passive. Effect: Gain access to Leadership Arts every rank. In order to use a Leadership Art, it must take up a mod slot. Each Leadership Art takes up a different mod slot. Leadership Arts from different sources do not stack.] [Rank 1 Leadership Art] Elusive [Active: Post Action. Energy: 4 EN. Cooldown: 2 turns. Effect: Increase the Evasion of all players in your party by 1 for a single turn.] [Rank 2 Leadership Art] Rally [Active: Post Action. Energy: 6 EN. Cooldown: 2 turns. Effect: Increase the Accuracy of all players in your party by 1 for a single turn.] [Rank 3 Leadership Art] Steadfast [Active: Post Action. Energy: 8 EN. Cooldown: 3 turns. Effect: Status Effects that would be applied to the party for the next two turns would instead be applied to the user instead (normal rules for how status effects refresh instead of stacking apply).] Survival [Active: Passive. Effect: Increases Healing effects received from all sources by 10%. Grants immunity to all damage dealing environmental attacks/effects.] Inactive Extra Skills  Concentration [Active: Free Action. Cooldown: 5 turns. Effect: As a free action, gain Absolute Accuracy on your next attack. In the case Absolute Accuracy is already present, increase your Accuracy by 1 instead. Effect lasts until the start of next turn.] Frozen Hide [Active: Free Action. Energy: 5 EN. Cooldown: 4 turns. Effect: As a free action, apply one slot of Frost Aura and one slot of Frost Thorns equal to your tier to yourself until the start of your next turn.] Combat Mastery Damage [Rank: 3. Active: Passive. Effect: Gain +1 * Tier additional Base Damage per rank. Ranks of this Skill obey Damage enhancement caps.] Familiar Skills Hunting Familiar [Active: Free Action. Cooldown: 5 turns. : Effect: Your familiar has a nose for treasure. Roll LD/CD (without bonuses) as if you had slain a loot-minimum mob.] Estate Buffs N/A Sword Arts Spoiler [x12] ST-I (12 10 EN) | A single-target sword art. [x15] ST-II (15 13 EN) | A powerful single-target sword art. Only available for use when ST-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if ST-II had been used and had missed the previous turn. [x20] ST-B (20 18 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, this CD check applies to only the first roll. [x15] AOE-I (13 11 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. [x18] AOE-II (16 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 11 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy. [x12] TECH-B (13 11 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. [x8] TECH-F (8 6 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE STUN | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. All struck targets are stunned for one turn. Housing Buffs Spoiler Shizuka [Home] Master Bedroom [-1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat.] Living Room [Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.] Atelier (Extended Workshop) [+2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt & +1 crafting attempt per day.] Greenhouse [+2 Gathering EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to gathering attempts.] Storage Closet [+1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot.] Attic (Storage) [+5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests.]

Edited February 1 by Nymoria

[Nymoria 0]

At least the maze appears to be empty. It would be a lot worse if I were having to fight all sorts of- The thought was cut off as the shifting of shadows at the next corner caught Nymoria’s attention. She felt herself reaching naturally for her sabre, partially drawing the weapon in preparation of whatever was about to come bounding out of the area towards her and Larbrook. Nymoria cautiously approached the area, only to find it completely void of any creatures – although she could still feel a tingling in her neck, a feeling that she had come to rely upon in order to keep herself alive. Her eyes passed over the various areas around her, trying to decipher the worry she was feeling, as much as to convince herself that she was overreacting. Something about this place is unsett-up!

She glanced in a flurry of speed that would have left her neck feeling sore for days in any other situation, and found herself staring into a collection of eight eyes, a pair of pincers opening as if to grasp on to her. Nymoria’s body moved without thought, the blade leaving its scabbard and slashing into the mandibles before her feet moved her from the spot, carrying her away from the giant arachnid and into the maze’s depths. A quick glance back confirmed that Larbrook was following, and beyond and above him were a collection of various spiders that seemed intent on catching their pray. The scene was enough to drive Nymoria into a greater speed, her sabre in hand pumping as she urged herself away from the disgusting things.

She rounded another corner, and her blade came up in a defensive posture as a pair of feet and claws swiped out towards her, barely deflected by her reflexes. She followed the parry up with a slash that cut away one of the legs – black and hairy, it dropped to the floor with a twitch – before she stabbed outwards into the thing’s many eyes. The resulting screech was anything but what Nymoria had expected – the vibration felt through the lack of sound giving her insight into the thing’s cry of pain and horror. It didn’t stop her assault, and as she pulled back from her stab, she lunged into a flurry of slashes meant to bring the thing down, revelling as it exploded into shards only a moment later.

[Nymoria 0]

She had no time for celebration, however, as she turned and saw Larbrook standing beside her with his great axe in hand, cutting swathes into a group of the spiders that had caught up to them when she’d been forced to stop and fight. She joined the fray, sliding in beside the larger man and swooping beneath and around claws and feet, tearing into the spider’s flesh and hacking them into nothingness with her companion as they fought to drive the things back – or to the point of death. Her blade already felt heavy in her arm, and Nymoria knew that they had only just entered the maze, a sign that she would have more fights ahead of her obvious even as she pushed the thoughts away.

It took the two of them far longer than Nymoria would have expected to tear down the spiders, Larbrook’s frenzy of attacks appearing far more powerful than they actually were, and Nymoria found herself having to work around his chaotic manner of attack in a way that would allow her to avoid being smashed by his assault, as much as by the spiders themselves. When we find these minotaurs, I’m going to have to ensure that he stays well out of the way…otherwise I may be in more danger than if I simply faced them alone.

A parry from the most recent spider sent her stumbling a step, and Nymoria shook off the thoughts, pulling herself back into the fight before her as she refocused herself and returned the strike with a collection of six strikes, causing the spider to explode into shards and disappear from sight. Her eyes shifted across the Larbrook, confirming that he was still battling with two of the creatures, but holding his own. Instead, she checked their surroundings, seeing no other creatures rushing towards them.

Only once she had checked the area again, did she move towards Larbrook, her blade coming up and slashing into one of the spiders, ending its existence before moving on to the next. She found herself once more dashing around the crazed, brutalist strikes of her companion as she tackled the spider. Forced to lunge in and around in order to land a strike, and avoid being struck by her own companion; making combat an interesting weave that was almost challenging in and of itself. As the last strike landed, and the spider disappeared, Nymoria gave a soft sigh of relief, knowing what would have to come next.

[Nymoria 0]

You need to be more careful. You almost hit me instead of the spider. Her hands moved in a flurry of motion that gave sign to her anger at the situation, if the NPC had been paying enough attention to take her own feelings into consideration. Instead, he seemed to beam a smile towards her, and launched into a commentary of bravado that only left Nymoria more frustrated.

’You worry too much! That was a breadth of bloodshed that could be felt among the annals of time! If any had laid witness to our conflict, they would have sung poems, songs and glories of our fight! Come, the real challenge awaits us!’

Nymoria found herself shaking her head, knowing that there would be no talking to the man, no explaining her concerns. When the time came to face something more dangerous, she would simply have to remove him from the fight through some other means. Sighing softly to herself, she took off down the pathway they had been heading, turning another corner as she gave up on the idea of trying to make herself safer in the fight to come.

The walls rose above her, towering over her in ways that reminded her of the imposing presence that some areas of Aincrad still commanded. Even at her level, with her skills, she found the area almost fear inspiring; a small measure of her wanting nothing more than to turn and retreat back to the safety of her home. One of the many wonders of Aincrad, this world can still make us feel. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not, considering their situation within the world. If the game had been a regular game, Nymoria knew that it would be, with certainty, a major selling point for the immersion that one could find in Aincrad. Now, however, with the chance of death at every point in their lives, she wasn’t so sure it was something to be grateful or excited for; not if one wished to survive long enough to return to the real world.

[Nymoria 0]

Traversing through the maze was anything but exciting, a fact that Nymoria was quick to learn. Over an hour had passed since they’d defeated the spiders, and although they’d seen movement in the shadows numerous times over, and heard the cries of wolfen creatures somewhere in the depths of the walls, they’d come across no further resistance towards their continued forward progress. She still wasn’t sure if that was a good sign, or a sign that they’d been travelling in the wrong direction.

I said there should be some creatures nearby if we are going in the right direction. That is all. She signed with exaggerated movements, an air of exasperation and frustration covering her movements and features. She’d explained numerous times over that she felt they’d been going in the wrong direction – an idea that Larbrook had denied vehemently whenever she’d mentioned it.

Turning another corner, she caught sight of her companion, his mouth moving in an obvious attempt to speak with her and communicate some newfound idea of his. She turned away, glancing about and ignoring the man in blissful silence as she took in her surroundings. There was no immediate sign of danger, although she did notice that there was an odd change to the maze itself. She could see as the walls tapered outwards ever so slightly, as if opening up to…something. Is it just me, or does that almost look like… She picked up her pace slightly, heading towards the far end of the corridor in the hopes of finding something.

The walls curved outwards and into a large, round gallery of some form, similar to an arena from older medieval days. Empty seats seemed to stare down from above, as if awaiting the arrival of gladiators into the pit itself. Nymoria could see a solid wall on the far side, and no obvious sign of any further passages beyond the one she had just arrived from. She could, however, see the form of a horned individual standing solemnly in the centre of the arena, a shield on its left arm barely hiding the form of a sword held point-to-ground just before its legs. Nymoria felt herself drawing her sabre before she was even aware of it, holding the blade outwards to stop Larbook’s attempt to charge forward.

No. I fight alone. Honoured hero to honoured hero. She signed oddly, using only her right hand as she stepped forwards towards the creature, intending to initiate a battle between herself and it. She could see, out of the corner of her eye before he disappeared from sight entirely, the head of Larbrook bow solemnly, as if wishing her luck upon her challenge.

[Nymoria 0]

The beast waited for her to get into position, as if there was some measure of understanding to it that it was about to engage in a conflict between two honoured warriors. At least, that was how it appeared to Nymoria’s eyes. She doubted that the thing saw it that way at all. More than likely, the thing simply hadn’t registered her presence until she came close enough. It’s still a game, after all. She calmly approached, her sabre in hand as she moved closer to the minotaur, walking with a calm and controlled gait until she was close enough to charge forward.

She knew that the element of surprise would give her the upper hand in the fight, and quickly launched herself forwards into a flurry of stabs and slashes meant to place the minotaur onto the defensive as soon as they connected. The shield came up, and she felt her blade deflected away time and again as the creature stumbled backwards, the great sword stuck behind the shield as the minotaur was forced to deflect, unable to get the weapon out to return an assault of its own.

Nymoria was careful, calculating the chances of landing a blow against the benefits of simply keeping the thing at bay. She doubted she would be able to overpower it quickly; timing was everything in a fight, and she needed to time herself well if she was to walk away from this without any concern. She was aware that the creature was far below anything of concern for her, normally. That didn’t stop her from being careful in the moment, however. She’d heard of great players being brought down by hubris, and the rightly timed attack by a simple boar. Everything is dangerous, if you don’t give it the attention and care it deserves. Don’t get over confident…you’re not good enough for that. Keep it simple, keep it under control…that’s what you’re good at. Wait for the right moment.

-

Combat

Nymoria | Lv. 33 | P. 2 | HP [680/680] | EN [92/104] | ACC [5] | DMG [22] | EVA [4] | BH [+37] | Bleed [36] | Keen [+1 BD] | LD [+1] | -12 EN
Kantaras, the Eastern Hoya Minotaur | HP: 0/150 | DMG: 45 | ACC: 1 | -360 HP

ID240449 | BD: 10+5 = 5 | <<AoE-I vs. Kantaras, the Eastern Hoya Minotaur>> | Hit: [(22+2)x15] = 360 damage | Kantaras, the Eastern Hoya Minotaur defeated.

Edited February 2 by Nymoria

[Nymoria 0]

The minotaur exploded into shards as Nymoria’s flurry of stabs impaled it; a singular moment where it seemed to scream towards the sky was the last visage it left upon the world before disappearing entirely. Nymoria paused, letting the blade rest in her hand for a few seconds before she was forced to turn around and face the now eccentric Larbrook.

’-such a wondrous fight! You did amazingly! You should be proud of how you-‘ She turned away as the praise continued to spew forth from the bloodlust filled warrior, his own expressions as undelightful as his words to Nymoria. Instead, she focused on the arena around her, taking in the scenery and wondering what it might once have been; if people ever stood watch over the minotaur and watched it fight glorious battles.

Her thoughts were cut short, however. She still had at least one more of the minotaurs to find, and Nymoria wanted to be away from the man at her side as quickly as possible. There was little left here to do, anyways, now that the first of the beasts had been felled – which meant that she was free to continue upon her journey as she desired.

Signing towards the man without looking, she began making her way back along the path that had led them here. This one is done. Now we go after the one in the west. Keep up, and don not do anything to attract attention unwanted to ourselves. I will not rescue you if you become ambushed.

The words were harsh, but Nymoria had little patience for the man now, his continuous gloating of victories and a desire to enact violence having worn down what little patience she had originally contained when she’d first met him. If anything, she considered the man despicable – his attitude towards conflict despising to Nymoria’s own viewpoints. He’s simple a plant, someone who has been given a role. And he fills that role well. She knew that she was getting angry at the NPC even though it was at fault for nothing; Cardinal had created him in the way that he was, and he had no choice but to play his predisposition of a role. Maybe you’re mad because he’s too familiar.

The thought brought her back to memories of some of the others she had dealt with, throughout her life. The bullies, the ones who had enabled the bullies, all those who would praise her, only to drive her further away as someone else came after her. Similarities that were, somehow, both further from the truth in the moment, and yet all too familiar.

[Nymoria 0]

In an attempt to drive away the thoughts, she looked at the markings on the walls that they were passing, taking in the intricate designs, the ways in which they seemed both foreign, and oddly similar to her own native tongue’s written forms. They were clearly not anything legible, at least not to Nymoria’s eyes. They were, however, interesting in their existence. Probably belonging to some long lost civilisation that Cardinal designed in order to add some form of lore and history to this area. I wonder how much one can find about them…

She considered, for a brief moment, asking her escort about the markings. The idea was tossed aside, however, as she reminded herself how intellectual insufficient he’d been at other points of conversation. In fact, as far as she’d seen from his previous demeanour, his focus has entirely been upon the brutality of combat and war, rather than the more refined elements of social order and civilisation. A very focused mind, on what matters to him. Not so much beyond that, however. Her eyes passed over the lumbering form towering beside her. She saw nothing in his features that would suggest any concept or interest in the markings themselves, instead his eyes peered ahead and beyond in a clear attempt to find the next victim for his battle axe.

Nymoria gave up on the idea of communicating with her escort; she knew there would be nothing that they would see eye to eye upon, which meant he was travelling with her as little more than a shadow. At least he’s proven useful fighting the lesser mobs that we’ve come across. They’d taken down another pair of spiders during their travels through the maze, the creatures dropping in from above as they passed beneath them. Larbrook had rushed into the fray with a frenzy of fury that seemed like the man lived for the violence. The image had made Nymoria wonder how he had found a home upon the third floor; the Fae of the land preferring more neutral or non-violent confrontations. She’d given up on figuring it out, however, when it became clear that he was an enigma that she likely wouldn’t solve.

[Nymoria 0]

’-wonderful! Ab…ly wond..ul!’ The words were broken, as if coming from afar and barely decipherable. Nymoria was tempted, for a singular second, to turn and look at the man to better process what he was saying. She knew, however, that it would be a waste of her time. He’d shown the same enthusiasm every time they’d fought some of the creatures, and Nymoria saw no benefit in turning her attention away now. The spiders had dropped in from above, attempting to overwhelm the pair of them with their sudden surprise.

It might have worked, if Nymoria had been alone. Instead, Larbrook had heard their approach, and rushed to engage them all by himself. She’d been a step behind, not because she was caught off guard by the spiders, but rather because she was baffled by the man’s bloodlust and desire to fight. She’d met numerous types of personalities throughout her life, and yet she’d never come across anyone as violent as her current guide and companion. She’d watched, in odd interest, as he’d raised his battle axe with a cry and rushed towards imminent danger without a second thought, his entire form emanating an aura of excitement.

Nymoria had followed only a moment later, rushing in and bringing her sabre to bare in order to drive the crowding spiders back and away from the overwhelmed Larbrook. The man seemed unphased by the fact that he had been surrounded and nearly overtaken, instead laughing and swinging his axe in joy as he clashed with the beasts; as excited as a child in a candy shop. Shaking her head, Nymoria focused on the group of spiders before her, trusting Larbrook to keep the other part of the pack at bay while she brought these ones down.

-

Combat

Nymoria | Lv. 33 | P. 2 | HP [546/680] | EN [87/104] | ACC [5] | DMG [22] | EVA [4] | BH [+37] | Bleed [36] | Keen [+1 BD] | LD [+1] | -17 EN -134 HP
Spider 1 | HP: 330/660 | DMG: 132 | -330 HP
Spider 2 | HP: 330/660 | DMG: 132 | -330 HP
Spider 3 | HP: 315/660 | DMG: 132 | -345 HP
Spider 4 | HP: 660/660 | DMG: 132 | 0 HP

ID240453 | BD: 3+5 = 8 | <<AoE-I vs. Spider 1>> | Hit: [22x15] = 330 damage | MOB: 2-4 = 0 | Miss
ID240454 | BD: 8+5 = 13 | <<AoE-I vs. Spider 2>> | Hit: [22x15] = 330 damage | MOB: 3-4 = 0 | Miss
ID240455 | BD: 9+5 = 14 | <<AoE-I vs. Spider 3>> | Minor Critical Hit: [(22+1)x15] = 345 damage | MOB: 8-4 = 4 | Miss
ID240456 | BD: 1+5 = 5 | <<AoE-I vs. Spider 4>> | Miss | MOB: 10-4 = 6 | Major Critical Hit: [132+2] = 134 damage

Edited February 2 by Nymoria

[Nymoria 0]

The sabre in her hand drove the creatures backwards as she slashed through the first three to approach her, their limbs flailing as the blade cut and tore into their forms. Nymoria could feel the ricocheting of her blade as it struck something solid and bounced off, only to realise she had cut through one spider’s leg and into the wall behind it. Shaking her arm slightly, as much to diffuse the jolt from the limb as to realign herself, she stepped back and away from the trio of creatures.

Weren’t there fou- The thought occurred just before the claws slammed into her back, driving her forward as the surprise attack caught her and sent her reeling. She managed to keep her feet – barely – and spun to face the final beastly arachnid as she slammed into the wall. As a group, they moved towards her, pincers and claws moving in a way that made Nymoria think that there should be some sort of sound to them, but if there was it fell upon deaf ears.

She didn’t wait for them to gain the advantage. Pulling her sabre up into an overhanded stance, she sprung forward and brought the weapon to bear upon the arachnids. She knew that moving quickly, with purpose and a determination, would be what drove her to success – staying still, allowing herself to get trapped against the wall and unable to flee would bring about her death. I’ve survived this long…I’ll survive a while longer. And I won’t be brought down by a collection of spiders. The thought followed her as she moved forwards, driving the arachnids back with each step as she tried to gain control over the fight once more. The advance was slow, and she took care to cover each side; she wouldn’t allow them to get behind her again so carelessly.

-

Combat

Nymoria | Lv. 33 | P. 2 | HP [595/680] | EN [72/104] | ACC [5] | DMG [22] | EVA [4] | BH [+37] | Bleed [36] | Keen [+1 BD] | LD [+1] | +4 EN +37 HP | -19 EN -0 HP
Spider 1 | HP: 0/660 | DMG: 132 | -360 HP
Spider 2 | HP: 0/660 | DMG: 132 | -330 HP
Spider 3 | HP: 0/660 | DMG: 132 | -330 HP
Spider 4 | HP: 330/660 | DMG: 132 | -330 HP

ID240457 | BD: 10+5 = 15 | <<AoE-I vs. Spider 1>> | Major Critical Hit: [(22+2)x15] = 360 damage | Spider 1 defeated
ID240458 | BD: 3+5 = 8 | <<AoE-I vs. Spider 2>> | Hit: [22x15] = 330 damage | Spider 2 defeated
ID240459 | BD: 7+5 = 12 | <<AoE-I vs. Spider 3>> | Hit: [22x15] = 330 damage | Spider 3 defeated
ID240460 | BD: 6+5 = 11 | <<AoE-I vs. Spider 4>> | Hit: [22x15] = 330 damage | MOB: 7-4 = 3 | Miss

Spoiler

Loot Rolls
ID240461 | LD: [15+1] = 16 | CD: 12 | Result: 5,280 [1,980+1,320+1,980] col, 2 materials, Rare Trinket (1)
ID240462 | LD: [19+1] = 20 | CD: 8 | Result: 3,300 [1,980+1,320] col, 2 materials, Perfect Armour/Shield (1), Perfect Trinket (1)
ID240463 | LD: [6+1] = 7 | CD: 4 | Result: 4,620 [1,980+2,640] col, Uncommon Consumable (1)

Loot Results
13,200 col
4 materials
Uncommon Consumable (1) | ID240463
Rare Trinket (1) | ID240641
Perfect Armour/Shield (1) | ID240462
Perfect Trinket (1) | ID240462

 

Edited February 2 by Nymoria

[Nymoria 0]

Three of the four spiders were reduced to shards as Nymoria pressed her attack, the fourth caught in a flurry of slashes that tore through its own attempt to rush Nymoria’s form. It fell back with a clattering of claw and pincers, the sounds lost to the deaf warrioress’s advancement towards it. The final creature found itself backed into a corner, incapable of scaling the wall without all of its legs, and unable to run out from the entrapment due to Nymoria’s sabre.

She cast a quick glance to the side, confirming that Larbrook was still managing to take care of the group he’d been left with. She could see his battle axe swinging around, slashing another leg from a spider as he seemed to exuberate excitement and fury all at the same time; an image that was somehow repulsive and comforting to Nymoria all at once. Once she was certain that he had all of his foes under control, she turned her attention back to the spider before her.

It’s wounded and cornered, which makes it even more dangerous. Be on alert for sudden attacks. Created by Cardinal though it might be, she knew all too well that the thing was still beastly in nature, and cornered and trapped beasts tended to lash out in fear when they became locked into a corner. Nymoria chose to wait for the right moment, rather than rushing in. She was certain that it couldn’t truly hurt her, not in a way that would be overly concerning given their current situation, but she also didn’t see any reason to take a risk. Far better to be safe and alive, than exuberant and dead.

 -

Combat

Nymoria | Lv. 33 | P. 2 | HP [632/680] | EN [63/104] | ACC [5] | DMG [22] | EVA [4] | BH [+37] | Bleed [36] | Keen [+1 BD] | LD [+1] | +4 EN +37 HP | -13 EN -0 HP
Spider 4 | HP: 0/660 | DMG: 132 | -330 HP

ID240464 | BD: 2+5 = 7 | <<AoE-I vs. Spider 4>> | Hit: [22x15] = 330 damage | Spider 4 defeated.

Spoiler

Loot Rolls
ID240461 | LD: [15+1] = 16 | CD: 12 | Result: 5,280 [1,980+1,320+1,980] col, 2 materials, Rare Trinket (1)
ID240462 | LD: [19+1] = 20 | CD: 8 | Result: 3,300 [1,980+1,320] col, 2 materials, Perfect Armour/Shield (1), Perfect Trinket (1)
ID240463 | LD: [6+1] = 7 | CD: 4 | Result: 4,620 [1,980+2,640] col, Uncommon Consumable (1)
ID240466 | LD: [16+1] = 17 | CD: 4 | Result: 4,620 [1,980+2,640] col, Rare Consumable (1), Rare Weapon (1)

Loot Results
17,820 col
4 materials
Uncommon Consumable (1) | ID240463
Rare Trinket (1) | ID240641
Rare Consumable (1) | ID240466
Rare Weapon (1) | ID240466
Perfect Armour/Shield (1) | ID240462
Perfect Trinket (1) | ID240462

 

Edited February 2 by Nymoria

[Nymoria 0]

Nymoria was left alone as the spider exploded, and she turned to see if Larbrook required assistance with his own batch. A singular spider remained aside from his form, and although she could see a number of cuts and scrapes upon his physical form, the warrior appeared fine. The spider, was clearly not fine. A raging red mark along its side, missing limbs and an aura of fear radiated from it as the warrior advanced with his battle axe held ready. Nymoria looked away as he collided with it, checking the area for other dangers as much as not wanting to watch whatever was about to unfold before her.

When she looked back a moment later, the spider was gone and Larbrook was leaning against his axe. She could see the way his form moved, trying to catch his breath as he recovered from the combat that had winded him. Although Nymoria had seen a drive of bloodlust and a love of conflict in the man, she had to admit that he was far from the most capable of warriors – as if he was more in love with the idea of combat, than he was at actually practicing it. Or it’s simply that Cardinal made him this way. She shrugged the thought aside, knowing that Cardinal did many things, but hindering a man like this wasn’t one of them.

Once she had confirmed that they were truly alone, she settled against a nearby wall, deciding that there was more than enough time to take a moment of rest to recover. She could see as Larbrook settled across from her, his face hidden from her beneath the mask he had donned in order to fight. Nymoria brought up her menu, checking a few items before leaning back and resting her head against the wall. She was tired, already, and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and awaken later. She knew that it was too dangerous, though, to do something so foolish in the maze. Although she trusted Larbrook not to attack her, she didn’t quite trust the NPC to awaken her if they were attacked by something else – his natural instinct seemingly to rush into a fight without a second thought towards those around him.

[Nymoria 0]

As she rested, her mind wandered. Nymoria couldn’t help but wonder if the man thought she was anti-social, or rude, through her lack of communication with him. Does he even realise I’m not communicating with him? Every time I’ve attempted to tell him anything, he completely ignores my gestures and words. It’s as if he’s not seeing them at all. Blindly ignoring them, or… She cocked her head as she stared across at the man, suddenly wondering if he had been ignoring her. She couldn’t help but think, as it came to mind, that perhaps he simply hadn’t heard her voice – a fact which would be a first for her. She’d yet to come across anyone who couldn’t decipher her signs, and yet Larbrook seemed entirely unaware of anything she attempted to tell him.

I thought it was stubborn ignorance, but maybe he’s acutely unaware of what I’ve been trying to say to him. Maybe he’s not able to understand me? The idea caused her impression of the warrior to change slightly, and she found herself glancing across towards him as the various possibilities ranged through her mind. He’s not blind, which means he can see the signs…maybe it doesn’t translate for him? But then why would it translate for everyone else…perhaps he’s illiterate? That seems most likely. If he wasn’t able to read or properly communicate…maybe? It was a mystery that she was sure she wouldn’t be able to solve, not in this exact moment at least. It did, however, mean that she found herself viewing the man in an entirely different way.

Twenty minutes had gone by quickly, and as Nymoria rose to her feet she found her muscles oddly sore. Rubbing them out slightly, she shook herself into motion, waving towards the warrior in order to call him to his feet as well. He jumped up once he noticed her own determination to get moving, falling behind her without any argument or second thought. Like a loyal dog, I guess… Nymoria smiled at the thought, before making her way in the direction they’d been heading before they’d been ambushed by the spiders.

[Nymoria 0]

The corridors of the maze carried ever onwards. Nymoria checked her miniature map once in a while, confirming that they maintained a westerly direction, as much as was possible to do with the way in which the maze continued to shift and redirect them. So far as she could tell they were continuing towards their destination – although there was no marker upon the map itself, Nymoria had heard that the two entities of the maze were directionally across from one another; a battle between the two horizons, as it were to be.

Based on the map, I should be reaching the edges of the maze…soon. I think. The map hadn’t been concrete on just how far the maze went, and with the height of the walls around her it was difficult to tell where the edges might be. Impossible, really, Nymoria admitted. There was no way to see above them and beyond without scaling the walls themselves; a task which she was not equipped, nor skilled enough to complete. At least I haven’t hit too many dead ends.

She passed around another corner, expecting to see one now that she’d brought its existence into the forefront of her mind. She was mildly disappointed, however, as the corridor continued onwards, eventually widening in a familiar way. Just like with the first minotaur. I think I’ve just found the next arena. She smiled, stepping forward with a newfound energy as she moved to close the distance between her and the far wall. The curve in its form began more prominent the closer she came, confirming more and more that she had finally found the second creature in the maze. Don’t get over confident. There’s still danger here. As if in response, she looked up, checking to see if anything was hanging from the walls in preparation to drop down upon her. Thankfully, for the time being, she was still alone with just Larbrook at her shoulder.

Should be… She’d stepped into the main arena area, her eyes passing over the sands that made up the ground underfoot. It didn’t take long to find the form of the figure standing off to the side, awaiting the arrival of whatever contestant was sent to face it next. Nymoria didn’t waste time, drawing her sabre and crossing towards the horned figure as she stepped with determination, ready to bring the quest to an end and be done with the labyrinth.

-

Combat

Nymoria | Lv. 33 | P. 2 | HP [680/680] | EN [92/104] | ACC [5] | DMG [22] | EVA [4] | BH [+37] | Bleed [36] | Keen [+1 BD] | LD [+1] | -12 EN
Govarron, the Western Hoya Minotaur | HP: 0/150 | DMG: 45 | EVA: 1 | -330 HP

ID240467 | BD: 8+5 = 13 | <<AoE-I vs. Govarron, the Western Hoya Minotaur>> | Hit: [22x15] = 330 damage | Kantaras, the Eastern Hoya Minotaur defeated.

Edited February 2 by Nymoria

[Nymoria 0]

Nymoria closed the distance quickly, bringing her weapon to bare before the creature before her could react fully to her presence. She stabbed through its defences, watching as it stumbled backwards, before disappearing in a shower of shards. It was over before it had even begun, Nymoria’s strike catching it entirely off guard and destroying the beast before it could do more than open its mouth in shock at her arrival. Somehow, it felt unappealing to her. As if she had cheated the system, or brought foul play into an otherwise fair contest.

Fair. Yeah, right. There was nothing fair about this. Just like there’s nothing fair about you. She ignored the scowling in her mind, turning instead to face Larbrook as he grasped the pendant and combined it with the first one they had obtained. A beaming smile was visible just beneath the helm he wore, though as Nymoria stared up into the smile she couldn’t help but flinch a little.

’Congratulations, you have defeated the creatures!’ His voice was booming, and although he continued to revel in her success, Nymoria found herself turning away from the man once she had received the final rewards. She turned her attention back to where the creature had once stood, considering how it and her had been similar in some ways, and yet so different in many others. It was disturbing, if she was being honest, how helpless the creature had been in its final moments – a helplessness that she was far too familiar with, personally.

’Come, let us leave this maze behind!’ Larbrook appeared oblivious to the internal struggle happening in the woman before him, content only in having seen the grand fight that he’d been hoping for – although Nymoria felt it was unfair and insulting to call it grand. Happy just to leave the area behind, she followed the man back the way they had come, determined to leave the area behind and return home once more. She’d had more than enough of the maze, and found herself shivering as she glanced up at the walls; once imposing, now simply entrapping.

Is this how the minotaurs felt? Entrapped within the maze? Their only purpose to fight and die at the hands of the players who happened upon them? It was a depressing thought, and Nymoria was quick to push it aside, lest it envelope her into more dark thoughts; thoughts that she had been attempting to leave behind. She picked up her pace slightly, ready to leave behind the maze and everything that it had been over the past few hours.

[Nymoria 0]

She’d parted ways with Larbrook in Aryut, the man continuing to praise her success within the maze and making promises that likely would never come to fruition. Not that Nymoria minded the fact that they would fall into nothing but pointless praise; she would have preferred such an event, rather than the man actually going forth and explaining to all what she had done. Leaving behind the man and the town, she’d returned to the forest with the purpose of finding respite from everything that had occurred. A quiet solitude to consider the maze, the events that had occurred within, and how that all impacted her. It had become a point of reference for her as of late; focusing on how each event affected her and changed her, before moving on with her tasks.

At least, that had been the plan. Instead, Nymoria had found herself moving through the trees in a peaceful state, lost of thought and instead enjoying the few rays of sunlight that managed to shirk past the upper foliage and into the woodland trails below. She was content, for the time being, in simply walking in silence. Eyes continuing to search the area for danger, she moved with a measure of control and ease that were familiar, and yet somehow foreign to her all at the same time.

You haven’t been this calm, this in control, in a long time. Her head cocked at the words, sensing the truth behind them and utterly perplexed at their accuracy. She had no desire to argue it, and no way of arguing it even if she had wanted to, to begin with. She had been held in a state of anxiety, of uncertainty, and of self-loathing for a very long time now. It had only been recently that she’d begun to take the steps towards reconciliation – though she still wasn’t sure she could, or even deserved, to take such steps. A part of her still felt like she was doing nothing more than lying to herself, pretending that everything was going to be okay, that she would be able to move on from her dark event. That she would be able to return to life without impact or worry.

Why do you have to? Her hand paused on the tree trunk that she had stopped at, as the words echoed in her mind. She’d been assuming that she needed to overcome her episode, to somehow heal herself and ensure that she was whole again; a wholeness that she had never been, to begin with. Why do you need to be whole, when you never have been? Would that not be lying to yourself? She frowned suddenly, knowing that the words were correct, and yet disliking that they’d been brought into existence. Shaking her head, she pushed off from the tree, as much to get herself into motion once more as to leave the ideas behind; not ignored, but simply as something to consider and move on from.

[Nymoria 0]

The solitude she’d been searching for in the woods was easy enough to find. She passed a few animals on her travels, but little else disturbed her as she pushed deeper into the woods. Nothing save from her own thoughts dared to disrupt the time she’d sought after leaving behind Aryut, although part of her wished that those had been left behind as well. They had turned darker, for a time, after her realisation earlier. It had taken all of her mental force to ignore the despair that had risen within her once more; driving it back with a force of effort that she had only recently begun to develop.

I cannot ignore it forever. It’s a part of me. Sooner or later I should face it. I won’t have a choice, eventually. She bit her lip slightly, disliking the fact that she would have to find a way to live with it. She’d been certain, after her most recent breakdown, that she had the will to carry on and overcome anything that her mind could throw at her – but she knew, truly knew, that she was barely on the border of recovery. A single wrong thought, and she could fall back into the darkness of despair that had driven her so close to ending everything. A precarious position that she had placed herself in, as much as having been placed in it. If only…

She stopped herself before finishing the thought, knowing that those who could help her weren’t here. There was no point wishing that they were, she knew as much as that. She was stuck here, alone, in the game. That meant she would have to find a way to overcome or deal with it herself; something that she had put off doing for so long. She felt a familiar disgust at her reliance on others surface, before she managed to drive it back. I can’t do it alone. I know that. But…I have to find a way.

Musei had crawled from his pack when Nymoria had come to a stop and settled in beside a small pond, content to sit and watch the movements of the fish beneath the surface. She remembered the form of Wulfrin, fishing rod in hand as he calmly cast his line into the water, before reeling it back out and seeing what he had caught – or in many cases, had failed to catch. She smiled at the memory, seeing the calming effect it could have on someone. Perhaps I should have learnt to fish as well. The thought hung in her head for a moment, and she considered the idea of taking up the profession as a means of calming herself; if nothing else it had a meditative appearance to it. She put the idea aside for the time being, deciding that was something she could look into once she had made a few other changes in her life.

[Nymoria 0]

The movement of Musei caught her attention, the little weasel’s head having popped up as something in the distance pulled his body into motion. Nymoria could see him tense up suddenly, having leapt to his feet and jerked on the spot. Her own eyes glanced over the nearby woods, but saw nothing in the trees or beneath the foliage that should have caused him to start in response. She was just about to consider asking the weasel, when he suddenly calmed and returned to her lap, settling himself into a comfortable position and closing his eyes once more.

Baffled, but without any explanation for the action, Nymoria tried to push it from her mind. Her eyes scanned the area a few more times, confirming that there was nothing in sight, before forcing herself to relax. Maybe he heard an owl, or a predator that seemed nearby. Whatever it was, it seems to have passed for the time being. I’ll keep an eye out, though. Content with her decision in the matter, she leaned back against the tree once more and settled in to rest a bit more.

At least I was able to face the minotaurs without issue. She thought back over the fights that she had engaged in with the two beasts. It had been simple, easy, but she prided herself – ever so slightly – in how easily she had handled them. She knew that most of it was simply because of her level, but even that took a measure of gratitude. That she had managed to advance to this point at all should be rewarded, in her mind, for how far she had come. I’m a bit more self reliant, at least. I don’t have to have everyone else do things for me…I can do some things myself. That’s…that’s a start, right? She wasn’t entirely sure, but some part of her wanted to believe it and she saw no harm in allowing that part to have its moment.

[Nymoria 0]

The calm aura of the pond and forest seemed to have the effect that Nymoria wanted. As time slowly passed, she found herself relaxing into the depths of an almost meditative state; her mind wandering slightly, but never quite reaching the depths of despair and disturbance that it sometimes did when allowed the chance to think for itself. Nymoria found herself enjoying the locale, and made a note to return to it if ever she needed to calm herself again.

Some people enjoy waterfalls, others flowing rivers…but this is a nice solitude, if you ask me. She closed her eyes slightly, feeling the exhaustion from the day battling against her knowledge that this would be a horrible place to fall asleep. There were far too many dangers present, which meant that she couldn’t sleep in this location as much as she may have desired to do so. Still, a part of her wanted to relax and let it all go, if only for a time being.

Not here. Time to get up. She pushed herself up into a straightened seating position, knowing that if she remained still any longer, she would certainly fall asleep. You’re done with the quest, it’s time you headed home for the evening. Perhaps even cook an actual meal to eat for once, rather than simply purchasing something from the shop. Musei would appreciate it. She looked down at the weasel in her lap, noticing how he was anything but relaxed. Her gaze stared up at nearby tree, and Nymoria noticed the tension in his muscles suddenly, as if he were preparing to launch himself into the distance after something.

Her gaze was slow to follow his own, and it took her even longer to notice the other weasel standing in the branches a short distance away from them, staring down at Musei and herself. Nymoria felt her hand shift slightly, almost reaching for the blade at her hip, before she stopped herself. The creature didn’t appear hostile by any means; if anything, it appeared as though it was preparing to run away. An odd thought crossed Nymoria’s mind, and she found herself wondering about their connection automatically.

Does it seem almost…feminine? There was nothing in its appearance that truly different from Musei, and nothing in its stance that would suggest such a conclusion. Yet as soon as the thought had entered her mind, Nymoria had latched onto it and found herself suddenly staring at Musei himself. Is that…a mate?

[Nymoria 0]

Before Nymoria could do anything more than have the thought, the other weasel had disappeared into the woods with a bound. Musei’s tension didn’t alleviate as the thing disappeared, and Nymoria found herself questioning everything that had happened even more as she tried to piece together what the connection between the two weasels was.

A tinge of jealousy had struck her at the realisation that there may be something between the two weasels, and she found herself forced to her feet almost instantly, disturbing Musei’s comfortable position and ending the calmness that had come over the area. Her hands moved as she signed towards the familiar, attempting to both apologise, as well as declare her intention at the same time. Sorry Musei. Ready to go home? We can cook something interesting for dinner tonight if we’re home soon.

The weasel was slow to react, staring into the distance for a few seconds before reluctantly making his way back up towards the pack upon Nymoria’s back, and slinking into it after one final glance into the distance where the other weasel had disappeared. The action caused another tinge of jealousy, and Nymoria found herself despairing as everything between her and her familiar seemed to be collapsing almost instantly; their connection somehow changing in that brief instant. Determined to make things right, she began the long trek back towards the town, and their path home.

I need to make things right between the two of us, once we’re home. I’ll make him something good, and then…then we’ll figure it out from there… She stepped carefully, yet quickly through the woods as she retraced her steps. All the happiness she’d felt at the success of the quest left behind as a newfound fear began to develop within her chest; a worry about her closest friend in the game, and how such a small event may have changed everything for them.

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Thread Summary
Word Count: 7,659
EXP: 7,659/10x1x4 = 3,060 [Progression] + 500 [Quest] = 3,560 EXP
Col: 400 [Progression] + 17,820 [Loot] = 18,220 col
4 materials
Uncommon Consumable (1) | ID240463
Rare Trinket (1) | ID240641
Rare Consumable (1) | ID240466
Rare Weapon (1) | ID240466
Perfect Armour/Shield (1) | ID240462
Perfect Trinket (1) | ID240462
Hoya of Minos - Only obtainable if both minotaurs were defeated and Larbrook accompanied the party. | Vanity pendant that is often used as a gift for weddings.

Edited February 2 by Nymoria