Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 #1 Share Posted February 9 (edited) Link to Quest On a bench in the dark, Acanthus bounced her leg restlessly. Trickles of sun inched through the bars, teasing her with their warm rays. The swordswoman ignored the light, head bowed in thought as the clamor of the coliseum rose. The bars reminded her of time in the bandit's keep, and someone else's memories flashed in her mind's eye. A scared girl had fallen into the bandit trap looking for a scared NPC, and the two of them fought their way out of the enemy's stronghold. Or rather, one of them had. Acanthus had torn through the men like they were paper figures. It was the first time she had killed something human. They weren't human, she stubbornly reminded herself. They were made to look like humans, made to talk like humans, but they were created by a computer. They were created by a computer to be killed by a human. A real one. I'm real, they aren't. The mantra soothed her. She recited it every time she remembered their scared faces as they shattered and died. They didn't die. I'm real, they aren't. Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 98/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:55 | ACC:5 | AA | BH:46 | LD:12 | PROSP:6 | QTY: 2 (Current Stats) Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 98/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 (Keeping this to copy paste when I swap to sweaty equipment after a round of grinding) Spoiler Equipment and Consumables Spoiler All enhancements reflected in the stat block unless otherwise specified. Equipment Weapon. botan. AA | ACC 3 Trinket. Worthless Ring | LD 3 | QTY 1 Trinket. Empty Avarice | PROSP 3 | QTY 1 Unequipped (For reference when I equip later) Armor. Enduring Thistle VAMP-D | MIT | REC | FIREPROOF Shield. Fractured Heart | Holy Blessing II | Flame Aura Consumables Ass-Kicking Absinthe | DMG 3 | 231994-2 Bingsu | T4 MIT 3 Breakfast Stir-Fry | Protein 2 (Filled) Gelato | LD 3 Imperial Chocolate Bar | PROSP 3 Abilities (Skills, Shifts, Masteries, Add-ons, and Mods) Spoiler Combat Mastery and Shift Combat Mastery: Damage R3 TECH Shift Skills Battle Healing R3 Light Armor R5 Addon: Precision Addon: Resolve Mod: Meticulous (1/5) Searching R4 + 1 (Skylight: Searching) Mod: Night Vision (2/5) Mod: Tracking (3/5) Straight Sword R5 Addon: Ferocity Addon: Stamina Extra Skills Forgotten King's Authority Survival Photosynthesize Block R5 Mod: Shield Bash Inactive Extra Skills Assault Mode Disguise Addons Ferocity Precision Resolve Stamina Mods Shield Bash Meticulous Night Vision Tracking Battle Ready Inventory (7 Slots) Dimensional Backpack + Item Stash Spoiler Lama Sabachthani | 236687 | Consumable - Soundtrack | Hypnosis 2 | Lullaby 2 (Instant) Pain deeper than words, engraved by a hand that does not know its own heart. Edict's Threnody | 236686 | Consumable - Soundtrack | Perpetuate (Instant) If my suffering will not end, then neither will yours. [Empty] [Empty] [Empty] [Empty] [Empty] Housing Spoiler House Name: Villa of Coruscating Flowers (The Villa) Location: Floor 24 - Paradise Islands Description: See above Plot Size: Estate - PK Accessible Rooms: Listed below. All rooms are assigned to Acanthus. Master Bedroom Well Rested | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat. Greenhouse Green Thumb | +2 Gathering EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to gathering attempts. Extended Workshop: Recording Studio (25,000 col) Hard Working | +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day. Mega Slime Farm Advanced Training | +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post. Living Room: Relaxed | Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Attic (Bedroom) Skylight (Searching) | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill (Searching). Cannot boost a skill without ranks, or increase a skill past its maximum rank. Cannot boost a skill the user has not learned yet. Ranks obtained using this buff will make the mods of that rank available for purchase. Mods obtained this way are unusable if this buff is removed until the skill is returned to the appropriate rank by way of SP purchase. Basement: Multipurpose | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll. Storage Closet: (10,000 col) Item Stash | +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot Master Bathroom: (25,000 col) Squeaky Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down) Crafting and Gathering Spoiler Performer | Rank 5 Apollo’s Metronome | Crafting Tool | Meticulous: +1 CD when crafting in one’s workshop. Forager | Rank 5 Demeter's Cornucopia | Gathering Tool | Bountiful: +1 CD to gathering attempts. Edited February 10 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #2 Share Posted February 9 (edited) The iron bars in front of her shuddered and groaned. Acanthus shot out of her seat, thankful for the quest to move forward. Ducking through the rough stone gate, the gladiatrix stepped into the light to the sheers of the crowd. Acanthus blinked as her eyes adjusted. She was in the coliseum on Floor 24. She had heard the commotion from her shop, but she had never been so close. She was now part of the storm wall fueled by bloodlust and violence. The stands may have been populated by NPCs, but she could pick out individual voices. "Fuck them up, girl! I want to see some blood." "Auron's going to kill you!—" "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Acanthus closed her eyes to block out the noise. She would have killed for a mute button. Or a way to visually remove the NPCs. She was not comfortable with attention that wasn't on her terms. Which, for Acanthus, was most of the time. Spoiler Post Action: TECH-F -> Bestiarii 1-4 (-16 EN) (82/98 EN) 240683 | BD 10 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240684 | BD 2 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240685 | BD 8 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240686 | BD 5 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. Bestiarii 1 348/696 Bestiarii 2 348/696 Bestiarii 3 348/696 Bestiarii 4 348/696 Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #3 Share Posted February 9 (edited) Just when she started to ignore all the voices, the gates at the far end of the area screeched open. Out into the light stepped four lithe, nameless figures. They wore light leather armor that covered their lower half, but left their well-muscled chests bare (and oiled) to the crowd. It seemed like a foolish oversight, but the crowd seemed to love it. Acanthus drew botan and began to walk towards the enemy. It was time to begin. Or so she thought. The four men drew their spears and faced outward towards the crowd, ignoring Acanthus. Uncertain, she held position, waiting for whatever secret attack was about to come. "Morituri te salutamus!" Came the proud cry from each of the gladiators. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Col, flowers, and gifts showered the four men. The gesture annoyed Acanthus. She had places to be. Why was the game prolonging the quest with its weird little rituals? She continued her approach to the gladiators as they basked in the crowd's cheers. Without a word, she leapt on the nearest gladiator, tearing him to pieces with botan. The crowd reacted instantly; gasps, jeers, and boos resounded as the three remaining gladiators scrambled to form ranks. "Hurry up," she growled. "This isn't even the last thing on my to-do list for the day." Spoiler Post Action: TECH-F -> Bestiarii 1-4 (-16 EN) (70/98 EN) 240687 | BD 4| Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240688 | BD 3| Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240689 | BD 8| Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240690 | BD 1 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. Bestiarii 1 0/696 HP Bestiarii 2 0/696 HP Bestiarii 3 0/696 HP Bestiarii 4 0/696 HP Looting ID: 240690 | LD: 9+12=21 | CD:12+2=14 | Col:11692, Mats:2, [240694a] T4 Perfect Trinket ID: 240691 | LD: 5+12=17 | CD:5+2=7 | Col:6577, Mats:4, [240693a] T4 Rare Consumable, [240693b] T4 Rare Armor/Shield ID: 240692 | LD: 10+12=22 | CD:9+2=11 | Col:11692, Mats:2, [240692a] T4 Perfect Trinket ID: 240693 | LD: 14+12=26 | CD:12+2=14 | Col:9500, Mats:0, [240691a] Gleaming Scale (1) or Demonic Shard (1), [240691b] Random Dungeon Map Current Totals 39,461 col 8 Materials 1 Demonic Shard [240691a] 1 Dungeon Map [240691b] T4 Perfect Trinket: [240694a] [240692a] T4 Rare Armor/Shield: [240693b] T4 Rare Consumable: [240693a] Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #4 Share Posted February 9 (edited) The bestiarii surrounded her with spears, trying to keep their opponent at bay. Acanthus stalked their makeshift confine, testing its limits with swipes from botan. When one swipe knocked the spear just far enough away, she seized on the moment. Like a flash, she vanished from the center of the circle, cutting down one of the gladiators. More boos from the crowd. That's fine. I'm real. They aren't. The two remaining gladiators now took the offensive in tandem. But at half strength, they proved weak. Even with the benefit of range, Acanthus batted away their stabs. They were strong together, but as individuals… One of the gladiators mistakenly stepped too far from the other. Acanthus bull-rushed him, sending him flying into the ground. By the time his partner arrived, he was nothing but blue fragments on the wind. She gutted the final gladiator without a second thought. The crowd was starting to behave oddly. The jeers and boos were disappearing, replaced by encouraging shouts. Spoiler Post Action: TECH-F -> Bestiarii 5-8 (-16 EN) (58/98 EN) 240694 | BD 9 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240695 | BD 6 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240696 | BD 3 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240697 | BD 3 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. Bestiarii 5 348/696 Bestiarii 6 348/696 Bestiarii 7 348/696 Bestiarii 8 348/696 Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #5 Share Posted February 9 (edited) "Look at her go! She doesn't give a damn—" "Killed 'em right during the salute! I love a good bad guy—" "Ugh, woke games featuring unattractive females—" Okay, so the crowd wasn't totally won over. But her display of power had shifted something in the stands. And as much as she despised her feelings, she enjoyed it. Maybe she could tolerate the attention for now. Four more bestiarii entered the coliseum. They did not make the mistake their predecessors did. Forsaking the crowd, they proceeded immediately to an offensive formation, keeping Acanthus on her back foot. Patiently waiting for an opening, she allowed the fighters to drive her back until one of the overreached. Sure enough, the spearman on the end lowered his shield a few centimeters too far. Reaching out, she tore the scutum out of his hands with a savage pull. The remaining spears could not twist around to her, now being so close to their ally. The phalanx's strength had been turned into its weakness. The first bestiarii's cry was cut short by botan. She whirled around, capitalizing on her momentum, quickly dispatching two more in the blink of an eye. A calmness entered her body. Acanthus was finally starting to warm up. Fights were like swimming in a cold river. The initial dive was the worst, but once she was in, the experience was therapeutic. She rode the crowd's shouts like a wave as she slipped past the last gladiator's defenses with a killing blow. One more round. Then the real fight begins. Spoiler Post Action: TECH-F -> Bestiarii 5-8 (-17 EN) (45/98 EN) 240697 | BD 4 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240698 | BD 5 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240699 | BD 3 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240700 | BD 10 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. Bestiarii 5 0/696 Bestiarii 6 0/696 Bestiarii 7 0/696 Bestiarii 8 0/696 Looting ID: 240706 | LD: 16+12=28 | CD:1+2=3 | Col:8038, Mats:2, [240706a] T4 Perfect Consumable, [240706b] T4 Perfect Consumable, [240706c] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [240706d] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield ID: 240705 | LD: 13+12=25 | CD:6+2=8 | Col:13154, Mats:2, [240705a] T4 Perfect Weapon, [240705b] T4 Perfect Weapon, [240705c] T4 Perfect Weapon ID: 240704 | LD: 10+12=22 | CD:2+2=4 | Col:9500, Mats:0, [240704a] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [240704b] T4 Perfect Weapon ID: 240703 | LD: 7+12=19 | CD:6+2=8 | Col:8038, Mats:2, [240703a] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [240703b] T4 Perfect Trinket Current Totals 78371 col 14 Materials 1 Demonic Shard [240691a] 1 Dungeon Map [240691b] T4 Perfect Weapon: [240705a][240705b][240705c][240704b] T4 Perfect Trinket: [240694a] [240692a][240703b] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield: [240704a][240703a] T4 Perfect Consumable: [2407061a][240706b][240706c] T4 Rare Armor/Shield: [240693b][240706d] T4 Rare Consumable: [240693a] Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #6 Share Posted February 9 (edited) Acanthus prowled the edges of the arena, waiting for the iron bars to raise one more time. The last round of beast tamers barely had a moment in the light before Acanthus was on them. She pounced, ripping the spear away from one who had not even raised his weapon, eyes bulging in surprise. She impaled the disarmed man, tore the spear from his gut and hurled it at the second. He faltered while dodging the haphazard spear, reeling while Acanthus closed the distance. In three large steps, she was inside his reach, smiling joylessly as botan sliced him apart. The people around her roared in a mixture of shock and excitement. The sound, once frustrating, grew steadily more intoxicating. It helped her block out thoughts and doubts. Anytime she worried about her next step, she let the crowd inside to shout away whatever was bothering her. What had she even been worried about in the first place? She barely remembered why she had decided to come here. Oh, that’s right. She needed to get used to killing people. She turned to the remaining two bestiarii, ready to learn. Spoiler Post Action: TECH-F -> Bestiarii 9-12 (-17 EN) (32/98 EN) 240703 | BD 3 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240704 | BD 8 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240705 | BD 5 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240706 | BD 6 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. Bestiarii 9 348/696 Bestiarii 10 348/696 Bestiarii 11 348/696 Bestiarii 12 348/696 Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #7 Share Posted February 9 (edited) The crowd had already forgotten her earlier transgression, and was now fully on her side. They screamed for the death of the last two men. No, not death. I'm real, they aren't. Her blade cut clean through the first man's temple. I'm real. They aren't. They last man vanished in a gasp of pain as she pulled her sword slowly through his torso. She stood victorious and untouched. Someone did, at least. A girl that looked strikingly like Acanthus, talked like her, and thought like her. Almost like her, that is. But it was someone else. Acanthus wasn't capable of this, after all. Whoever it was, they savored the crowd's praise like a dark red wine. It felt good to be good at something, having someone on your side for no other reason than you were the best. It was the most affirming thing she could imagine in that moment. Spoiler Post Action: TECH-F -> Bestiarii 9-12 (-17 EN) (19/98 EN) 240706 | BD 7 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240707 | BD 6 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240708 | BD 1 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. 240709 | BD 7 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. Bestiarii 9 0/696 Bestiarii 10 0/696 Bestiarii 11 0/696 Bestiarii 12 0/696 Looting ID: 240718 | LD: 3+12=15 | CD:8+2=10 | Col:9500, Mats:2, [240718a] T4 Rare Armor/Shield ID: 240717 | LD: 13+12=25 | CD:7+2=9 | Col:6577, Mats:4, [240717a] Gleaming Scale (1) or Demonic Shard (1), [240717b] Random Dungeon Map ID: 240716 | LD: 18+12=30 | CD:8+2=10 | Col:9500, Mats:0, [240716a] Gleaming Scale (1) or Demonic Shard (1), [240716b] Random Dungeon Map ID: 240715 | LD: 12+12=24 | CD:11+2=13 | Col:12423, Mats:2, [240715a] T4 Perfect Consumable Current Totals 116371 col 22 Materials 3 Demonic Shard [240691a][240717a][240716a] 3 Dungeon Map [240691b][240717b][240716b] T4 Perfect Weapon: [240705a][240705b][240705c][240704b] T4 Perfect Trinket: [240694a] [240692a][240703b] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield: [240704a][240703a] T4 Perfect Consumable: [2407061a][240706b][240706c][240715a] T4 Rare Armor/Shield: [240693b][240706d] [240718a] T4 Rare Consumable: [240693a] Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #8 Share Posted February 9 (edited) What had she despised about fighting in the first place? It was everything she loved. Fighting shunned the social niceties she struggled to navigate. Acanthus had ignored the gladiator's salute, and the crowd didn't care. She didn't care! All this time she thought she would never be able to get out of her own head, but it turned out she just needed a way to escape. And combat was the perfect avenue. It was a simple, primal thing that turned off the most debilitating parts of her hesitance. But it didn't turn everything off. To the contrary, fighting was far from thoughtless. A good fighter wasn't just strong: they looked for openings, exploited weaknesses, knew when to strike and when to pull back. And so far, Acanthus was learning that she wasn't just adapting to fighting. She was *good* at it: she had joined the frontlines in the span of a month and had survived a floor boss with only a few scratches. It's a kill or be killed world. And I am still alive. Post Action: Swap out equipment worthless ring. -> Resilient Thistle empty avarice. -> Fractured Heart New Stats: Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 98/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #9 Share Posted February 9 The crowd waited for Acanthus to make her next move. All eyes were on her. Their chests rose and fell with one collective soul, breathless with anticipation. And I am ready to give them the show they deserve. "Iuguoli te salutamus!" She bellowed to the crowd. She was disappointed that she didn't recall much from her brief dive into Latin. "Iuguolo" wasn't the root word she was looking for, but it was the only one that had come to mind. It was like a bomb had gone off. The stands erupted in a cacophony that shook the stones beneath her feet. With a single phrase, Acanthus had moved from the storm wall to the eye of the hurricane. All around her was death, and vibrance, and hate. But she stood triumphant and calm in the center, ready to kill. The voices grappled with her, pulled her down into the pit of violence she had skirted for so long. And the less she fought it, the more the voices cheered. Recovery. Two posts elapsed. HP and EN fully recovered. Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #10 Share Posted February 9 (edited) The more Acanthus delved into the system, the more fascinated she grew with it. What she had initially perceived as cascading series of binary finality was really something more lifelike. Cardinal could be cajoled. It could be imposed upon, pleaded with, even argued with. She noticed it most in the sword arts. To a novice, the arts were rigid, mandatory paths that created Cardinal-sanctioned combos. A player comfortable with those combos could mold them: hold a stance for a second too long, or twist a stab into a slash. By the time her sword stopped glowing, Acanthus could change the art into something almost entirely different. So long as she avoided the limits of the art, Cardinal gave her free reign. Take the stunning art, for example. A gladiator charged her with reckless abandon, closing the gap between them with a confident alacrity. Acanthus dodged the telegraphed cleave, and began a counterattack of her own. She infused botan with the power of a stunning strike, but before the sword could fully draw into position, she unleashed. Spoiler Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 98/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Gladiator | HP: 536/1000 | DMG: 140 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 Post Action: TECH-A -> Samnite (-13 EN) (85/98 EN) 240719 | BD 4 + 6 - 1 | Hit! 29 * 16 = 464 damage. Stunned. Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #11 Share Posted February 9 (edited) "Are you done watching this man fight for his life?!" She barely had to raise her voice; the acoustics of the coliseum and the game itself carried her voice. Her eager fans could barely contain themselves. So what if they were all NPCs? They loved her. "I hope you aren't, because I'm not done making him work for it." The gladiator raised his weapon to strike, but she tore the trident from his hands. With a flourish, she lifted the weapon above her head and brought the butt down on the man's jaw. The crack of his bones barely sounded above the raucous crowd. He collapsed into the dirt. Acanthus tossed His trident back to him. "We aren't done entertaining them. Pick it up." Somewhere in the back of her mind came a flurry of thoughts. This isn't like you at all. Where was the girl that was so scared she stayed at work three hours late to avoid drinks with her coworkers? Where was the office worker that was so quiet people forgot she existed? Spoiler Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 795/840 | EN: 77/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Gladiator | HP: 64/1000 | DMG: 140 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 [Stun Imm. 1/3] Recovery. 240721 | 6 CD | 4 EN Recovered. Post Action: TECH-D -> Samnite (-12 EN) 240721 | BD 4 + 6 - 1 | Hit! Shatter Applied. (There's no MIT to chew through you stupid fuck) 29 * 16 = 464 damage. Monster's Turn 240722 | BD 7 + 1 | Hit! 140 - 95 = 45 damage. Gladiator takes 8 fire damage. Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #12 Share Posted February 9 (edited) How is that not clear? I killed her. Over and over again, I killed her, until the only thing left was the part of me able to clear the game. The gladiator stood weakly, gripping his trident. His face remained hidden, but his stance told her everything; he had already given up. It's not my fault that whatever remains enjoys this. She stood back, preparing to kill the man with a move that would appease the crowd for sure. A deep vermillion warmth radiated along the blade, pouring from the tip of her sword. Rose petals rose and fell on an invisible breeze, and the cheers of the crowd fell to a whisper as they watched. Cardinal, guide my hand. In a storm of roses, Acanthus struck out viciously, tracing the lines of a spider lily across the backpedaling gladiator. His ineffectual strikes were lost in the whirlwind of blows, and the clang of steel subsumed by the frantic bloodlust of the audience. Spoiler Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 85/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Gladiator | HP: 64/1000 | DMG: 140 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 [Stun Imm. 1/3] Recovery. 240723 | 11 CD | 92 (46 + 46) HP recovered. 8 EN Recovered. Post Action: Please the Crowd 4060 col gained. Monster's Turn 240722 | BD 4 + 1 | Miss. Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #13 Share Posted February 9 (edited) In an opening that lasted only a fraction of a second, Acanthus cut through the gladiator's torso in two brutal strikes, causing him to vanish before the thud of his body on the floor could satisfy the crowd. They cheered for her anyways. Acanthus buried the tip of botan in the sandy ground. It was a careless way to treat the gift, but the audience loved a careless spirit. Feigning a wipe of her brow, Acanthus looked around the empty arena floor. "Was that it? I'm not even warmed up. Tell them to send me another!" Acanthus wondered if there were any real players in the stands, watching her histrionics. Given the hundreds of faces, almost all of them had to be NPCs generated at the beginning of the quest (and exiled at its end). But she knew the stands were accessible to players as well after wandering into them once while taking a stroll around Scalabis. She wondered if anybody ever stayed nearby to watch players on this particular quest. Spoiler Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 84/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Gladiator | HP: 0/1000 | DMG: 140 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 [Stun Imm. 1/3] Recovery. 240724 | 8 CD | 92 (46 + 46) HP recovered. 8 EN Recovered. Post Action: ST-1 (-9 EN) 240723 | BD 2 + 6 - 1 | Hit! 29 * 16 = 464 damage. Looting ID: 240727 | LD: 3+9=12 | CD:10+0=10 | Col:10500, Mats:2, [240727a] T4 Rare Armor/Shield Current Totals 126871 col 24 Materials 3 Demonic Shard [240691a][240717a][240716a] 3 Dungeon Map [240691b][240717b][240716b] T4 Perfect Weapon: [240705a][240705b][240705c][240704b] T4 Perfect Trinket: [240694a] [240692a][240703b] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield: [240704a][240703a] T4 Perfect Consumable: [2407061a][240706b][240706c][240715a] T4 Rare Armor/Shield: [240693b][240706d] [240718a][240727a] T4 Rare Consumable: [240693a] Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #14 Share Posted February 9 (edited) There was a reason for all of this, she repeated to herself. After talking with Baldur and some of the other veterans, she realized there was a kind of experience did not have: the experience of fighting other players. It was foolish of her to assume that her toughest opponents would always be monsters, or beasts, or other nonhumans. Bandits and low-level mobs didn't count: they could be dispatched in a swipe or two. But should a floor boss—or even another player—ever try to kill her, she would have little experience to defend herself with. A grasp of the sword arts and game mechanics would not be enough. She would need real-world concepts, like footwork or the flow of battle, or even psychology. This quest formed a bridge between her current experience and her objectives. The gladiators proved barely more than a loot-minimum mob, but the bosses would be somewhat of a challenge. And they had weapons and complex attack patterns as well. It wouldn't be enough to rely on raw strength or stats to best Auron, or any of the other named contenders. On the other side of this bridge lay a new tournament, player pitted against player. She had been assured that death was an impossibility, and so she signed up for the chance to learn. If she could defend herself against the best the frontlines had to offer, she would consider her education progressing at an acceptable rate. If she could "kill" them, even better. Spoiler Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 79/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Gladiator | HP: 520/1000 | DMG: 140 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 [Stun Imm. 1/3] Recovery. 240729 | 11 CD | 8 EN Recovered. Post Action: TECH-A (-13 EN) 240728 | BD 9 | Minor Critical! 30 * 16 = 480 damage. Stunned. Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #15 Share Posted February 9 (edited) Her second opponent stepped spritely into the ring. He was much more compact that the broad-chested trident user, sporting only a loincloth and an ungainly helmet to hide the important bits. Acanthus initially thought he had been sent out into the ring weaponless, until she saw the leather straps wrapped around his hands. A boxing match, then. With a theatrical shrug, she tossed botan aside, and the crowd gasped as it tumbled in the dirt. Breathe. In, and out. Acanthus swung her leg back and bent her knees, adopting the solid footwork imparted by the master on floor two. The boxer's helmet hid any kind of facial expressions, but the figure seemed to pause for a moment as botan skidded to a halt. It crept in slowly, like a mouse approaching a baited trap. Acanthus waited patiently. There was no need to adopt an offensive posture; her goal was not to kill, but to give the crowd a good show. She had no skills or ranks in martial arts. If she wanted to actually end the fight with her fists, they would be here until nightfall. All she wanted was to show the boxer—and the crowd—that she was perfectly capable at holding her own on the his terms. When she was satisfied the man was properly humiliated, she could return to her sword and kill him quickly. Spoiler Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 93/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Gladiator | HP: 520/1000 | DMG: 140 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 [Stun Imm. 1/3] Recovery. 240730 | 11 CD | 8 EN Recovered. Post Action: Please the Crowd 4060 col gained. Monster's Turn 240731 | BD 1 | Miss. Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #16 Share Posted February 9 (edited) Without a sound, the boxer ducked into range, elbows tight and high. He jabbed fast, aiming for the head. Acanthus pivoted back, raising her forearms to block the flurry. Her body tingled as the pain indicators sounded their pathetic alarms. The rock had hurt more than this. The boxer continued his assault, throwing some lower shots into the mix. Acanthus' armor made it harder to move, but also blocked the brunt of the boxer's beating. As he wound up for a low hook, Acanthus seized the moment. Palm out, she wrapped her arm around the boxer's outstretched hand, struck his chest twice, and used his momentum to toss him away. The boxer stumbled, unprepared for the counterattack, and the crowd cheered at the turnabout. That was not as easy as I'd hoped. The Cestus has some teeth to his attacks. Spoiler Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 795/840 | EN: 97/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Gladiator | HP: 512/1000 | DMG: 140 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 [Stun Imm. 1/3] Recovery. Not rolled (am lazy). 4 EN recovered. Post Action: Please the Crowd 4060 col gained. Monster's Turn 240732 | BD 6 + 1 | Hit! 140 - 95 = 45 damage. 8 damage sustained. Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #17 Share Posted February 9 (edited) Acanthus had hoped to impress the crowd a little longer, but she needed to save some effort for the final fight. Health aside, her stamina was beginning to wane. The boxer, a figment of Cardinal's imagination, had no such restrictions. It continued its assault against Acanthus, who weathered the blows as best she could. But her luck was giving out, and the crowd knew it. They were now cheering for this nameless nobody. It infuriated her. Botan lay in the dirt just a few meters behind her. Turning entirely would expose her to a potentially quest-ending rain of blows. But more importantly, it would look bad. The crowd hated a fighter that showed weakness. For her to have tossed the blade away and then go running back to it would be admitting fault. She was not allowed to have those. The leather straps cracked against her bracers. A vicious hook glanced off her left forearm, causing the armor to shatter and disappear. The boxer drove her backwards, never stopping to catch his breath, or reassess. He was a machine, literal and figurative. What hope did she have against something that never gave up? Spoiler Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 89/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Gladiator | HP: 8/1000 | DMG: 140 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 [Stun Imm. 1/3] Recovery. Not rolled. 83 HP (46 + 37) recovered. 4 EN Recovered. Post Action: ST-1 (-9 EN) 240733 | BD 10 | Major Critical! 31 * 16 = 496 damage. Monster's Turn 240734 | BD 7 + 1 | Hit! 140 - 95 = 45 damage. 8 damage sustained. Edited February 9 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 9 Author #18 Share Posted February 9 (edited) As she backed up once again, something heavy caught her left foot. Her head bounced as she fell flat in the coliseum. The crowd was eager for her to die. They cheered the boxer's name loudly. "Ramos! Ramos!" He appeared to have no interest in the whims of the crowd; instead, he approached to finish off Acanthus. She cursed her clumsiness—of all the times to trip. And on what? The ring was nothing but sand… The pieces clicked together in her mind. Eyes locked on the boxer's impending haymaker, she seized the object under her feet and lashed out, puncturing the sky. The boxer's fist halted limply a few centimeters from her face. He looked down at his chest, caved in by the weight and force of running into botan. She was so close to the man she could glimpse his face through his helmet. A mixture of anger, and pain cascaded over his face before he disappeared. The crowd fell silent for a split second to register what had happened, before exploding into screams and applause. They had gotten their show; and for all they knew, the underdog act had all been a part of it. She raised botan in the air, tired but triumphant. Her calls for the third opponent were weaker than before. She needed to conserve her energy. Spoiler Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 79/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Gladiator | 0/1000 | DMG 140 | ACC 1 | EVA 1 Recovery. Not Rolled. 83 HP (46 + 37) recovered. 4 EN Recovered. Post Action: ST-1 (-9 EN) 740735| BD 9 | Hit! 30 * 16 = 464 damage. Looting ID: 240736 | LD: 9+9=18 | CD:8+0=8 | Col:8400, Mats:2, [240736a] T4 Rare Consumable, [240736b] T4 Rare Armor/Shield Current Totals 135271 col 26 Materials 3 Demonic Shard [240691a][240717a][240716a] 3 Dungeon Map [240691b][240717b][240716b] T4 Perfect Weapon: [240705a][240705b][240705c][240704b] T4 Perfect Trinket: [240694a] [240692a][240703b] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield: [240704a][240703a] T4 Perfect Consumable: [2407061a][240706b][240706c][240715a] T4 Rare Armor/Shield: [240693b][240706d] [240718a][240727a][240736b] T4 Rare Consumable: [240693a][240736a] Edited February 10 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 10 Author #19 Share Posted February 10 (edited) Cardinal loved nothing more than a good story, and it adopted the rule of threes as well as any human. Acanthus prepared herself for the last fight to be the worst of all, and Cardinal was happy to oblige. Her next opponent appeared to be more wall than human: massive, draped in finery and coated in armor, with a massive shield and sword to match. The game had forsaken historicity for fantasy with a sword that easily dwarfed Acanthus. She prepared herself mentally. There would be no time to please the crowd. She would fight as she could, and it was up to them to enjoy it or not. One swipe from the gladiator's blade sent her flying into the wall. Her head snapped back, cracking on the sandy stone guarding the crowd sitting above. She was now close enough to the pick out voices. "Oh man, it's over for her! There's no way she'll fend off Flocci!" "There goes all my money…" "I hope its messy—" Spoiler Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 70/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Gladiator | 536/1000 | DMG 140 | ACC 1 | EVA 1 Recovery. 4 EN recovered. Post Action: TECH-A -> Gladiator (-13 EN) 240737 | BD 6 + 6 - 1 | Hit! 29 * 16 = 464 damage. Stunned. Edited February 10 by Acanthus Link to post Share on other sites
Acanthus 0 Posted February 10 Author #20 Share Posted February 10 She coughed, her body reflexively clearing the nonexistent blood from her lungs. If this were real life, that hit would have killed her. Worse, she was losing the crowd. Pulling a crystal from her belt, she unleashed Edict's Threnody to unbalance the monstrosity, but even the wailing cries of her crystal were lost in the wall of sound. Her opponent lumbered towards her, hefting the human-sized sword for another attack. Blocking again was out of the question, but she had dug her own grave when she dropped her evasion for other stats. Stats?! She screamed at herself. Fuck your stats, just roll out of the fucking way! The fighter leveled the blade, bringing it around at her head like a baseball bat. Acanthus dropped to her knees in a flash, bouncing briefly on the sand. Chunks of stone exploded overhead as the sword buried itself in the wall. Several members of the audience screamed. Spoiler Acanthus | Level 66 (34/22) | HP: 840/840 | EN: 65/98 | DMG: 29 | MIT:95 | ACC:5 | AA | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:46 | HB: 37 | VAMP-D: 46 | REC: 4 | LD:6 Gladiator | 188/1000 | DMG 140 | ACC 1 | EVA 1 Recovery. 4 EN recovered. Post Action: ST-1 -> Gladiator (-9 EN) 240737 | BD 6 + 6 - 1 | Hit! 29 * 12 = 348 damage. Stunned. Link to post Share on other sites
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