Merlin

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Summary:

Hearing the clanking of armor behind him, he turned around to find a knight in shining armor, metaphorically and literally. Thanking whatever was watching over him, he smiled and held out his hand to shake.

"I am, and company is always welcome. My name is Aden, and in game name is Merlin. Yours?"

After her response, he would send her a party invite. Turning around, he reactivated his "Search" skill and found the Nepents still in the distance, idling. They were quite a distance away, so accidental aggro would not be a issue. However, a bitter taste began to rise in his mouth as he looked onto the monsters, though not from disgust. He placed human life over others, yet that did not make the thought of killing something living any less appealing to him, medicine or not. Placing his morals to the side, he hardened his heart and drew his blade. Pointing with his free hand towards the murderous plants, he spoke up.

"Theres a group of targets in the distance. Take the first step and I will follow."

Merlin sighed in relief as he stepped into the shop. This would be his final stop for gear and he could retire for the night. Waving towards Hei in greeting, he would head over to the request sheets and prepared his request and handed over the col instantly, trusting Hei. Before he left, Merlin spoke up.

"I'm glad I can buy items from you this time."

[Traded 1100x Col]

Merlin grimaced as he walked into the forge, though it was not the fault of the shop. It was the home of the blade that allowed him to venture through the upper floors after all. Instead, he was hesitating because of the nature of his next order. He looked to finding something that was meant for combat. He realized that to explore Aincrad further, he would have to go on quests with combat as their main focus, which didn't sit well for the red head. But, his desire for magic outweighed his morals for now.

He forced his wavering spirit to harden, and headed for the request sheets. He filled them out quickly and quietly. Once finished, he would look for Macradon, and traded the materials to him directly, trusting him after his last order. To his credit, he would give Macradon an apologetic smile for his behavior. Then he began to walk out, trying to clear his mind.

[Request #1]

[Request #2]

[Traded 7x Materials]

Merlin paused for a moment, to observe the dimming sky through the harsh sands. He turned to her when she began to speak, his eyes becoming unreadable as she spoke of her family. Behind his collar, was a small frown. He felt empathetic to her situation, however he always had his parents behind him, causing a drop of uncertainty in his heart. Distracting himself with her next words, his grimace softened into a grin and pulled down his mask.

"Your company is always welcome. And settle in before me, I have something I must do."

When Tsu was in the tent, he opened up his inventory, placed his water in there momentarily, and summoned a piece of bread. He kneeled and placed the bread down in front of him, heedless of the sandstorm buffeting him. Then, through the roar of the storm, a soft melody rang through. Gaelic verses blew through winds accompanied by the howl of the desert. And as the last drips of sun light began to fade, so did the song. 

Pushing himself up, he entered into the tent and brushed off the sand to the best of his abilities. Hoping that his sand didn't fall upon Tsu, he sat down, a thin layer of dust still remaining on him. Unperturbed, he pulled out his bottle of water and began to sip his drink.

"This is quite convenient, where did you purchase this?"

[Sandstorm Damage]

ID: 104982 

CD: 7 [Success]

It was early morning, and a light breeze blew through the "Town Of Beginnings." On it's streets was a red haired and amber eyed player. He was dressed up in a dark suit and had a curved blade by his side. Merlin was currently flipping through his menu and took a glance at his quests. Purposely ignoring the "Second Lesson" quest for boar related reasons, his eyes settled on "Secret Medicine Of The Forest". He didn't know where he got it from, though as he read though description he grimaced at the combat related side of it. Though his frown did soften when he read it was required for medicine.

Unsure what to make of it, he decided to travel to the familiar forest. Walking along the stone laden streets, he exited through the gate and began to head towards the wooded area of floor one. Once he got there, he searched around and eventually saw his targets in the distance. Opting to observe, he briefly wished that he brought back up.

[Declared Inventory]

[Declared Skills]

@Katagawa

Continuing along, he saw a object in the distance that alerted his "Search" skill. Changing his course once more, he took a brief glance at Tsu, breathing a sigh of relief when she became decent. Seeing her hop along, his previous curiosity was sparked once more, especially when she spoke of her environment back home. Wondering if she was truly a frog spirit, her next question was a gift.

"When you joked earlier at the bar, you referred to me as human. Do you not see yourself as one?"

The object he was traveling towards became clearer, revealing itself to be the abandoned caravan. Goods wrapped in cloth and tied together with rope lay around them. He gave a smile in relief, and let out a small cheer. Sitting down, he pulled down his collar and opened up his inventory. He passed a bottle to Tsu, and began to sip from the remaining one. 

[Sandstorm Damage]

ID: 104911

CD: 5 [Success]

[Traded 1x Water]

[Consumed 1x Water]

Placeholder Post

[Gathering Normal Materials]

ID: 104894

LD: 3 (+5) = 8 [Fail]

Realizing that his oncoming homesickness wasn't going away any time soon, he sat down in the snow and relaxed. There was a plant next to him, a rose of ice with a blue stem, that he overlooked. Letting his hands work away, he continued to come to terms with his situation.

He was very homesick, especially with the cold weather reminding him of his home. He felt anxious, unable to contact his mother. Loving her, while she still says he was adopted. Perhaps knowing that she cared for him even if he wasn't flesh and blood made his bond even stronger.

It made his heart untangle, knowing his family was still out there. Perhaps he was unable to contact her, but he believed in the confidence that was given to him by her. Smiling, he cut off the rose, and placed it into his inventory. Pushing himself up, he kept a eye out for his quest objective, a familiar.

[Gathering Normal Materials]

ID: 104892

LD: 10 (+5) = 15 [Success]

[Gathered Materials #: 5]

As he stood up once more, Merlin began to wonder about other branches that he hasn't explored fully. Alchemy, Mysticism, and Feng Shui. The former two were ignored by him due to lack of materials that was required to explore them. And for Feng Shui, the last time he set up his home to manipulate the energies, his mother scolded him for messing up her organization. It hasn't stopped him from messing around in his own room, and he briefly wondered if the room he laid in adhered to those principles.

That thought caused him to remember about his current condition. That he was stuck in a video game, most likely on a hospital bed. Unable to talk to his mother who most likely is worried sick for him. His heart twisted. Sighing, he tried to dispel his thoughts, but they remained fixated on his family. Using a plant as a distraction, he poorly cut into it, and it's pixels was whisked away in the snow.

[Gathering Normal Materials]

ID: 104891

LD: 1 (+5) = 1 [Fail]

Running his hand along the rock, Merlin attention remained firmly on the rock. Needless to say, he missed the physics engine acting on Tsu. Though he was facing away from her, he was listening to her. His blush momentarily grew as she began to question him about his reactions towards her. But he swallowed his embarrassment once more. After she finished her piece, he would begin to search for the side of the rock which protected them from the winds.

"It is simply the heat. I lived in a cold area outside of the game, making me vulnerable to these temperatures."

Finding a area where they were partially protected, he settled down and leaned against the rock. His gaze wandered to the sky, where the sun was beginning to set. While never personally experiencing the desert night, he has studied meteorology to find out the perfect place to cast rituals. Hoping that this game mirrored real life in this instance, he held her shorts out to her.

"Yes. Keep it, it will help against the cold of the night."

[Sandstorm Damage]

ID: 104888

CD: 4 [Success]

Observing the formation, he realized that this was a land mark for travelers. As he studied it further, his focus solely remained on the rock. When offered her shorts, he thanked her and used it to wipe his brow before comprehending what she gave him. His attention was placed fully on her. He focused on her eyes and dared not to look down. Though from the corner of his eye, he noted that her under wear matched. Continuing to distract himself, he spoke up.

"Yes, however heat isn't my only concern... It does seem pointless. Though if there was a skill that could nullify all this dust blowing around it would be welcome, especially for exploring."

Unsure what to do with her shorts, he handed it back to Tsu. His eyes began to wander, though not for normal reasons. Merlin was wondering how all of that sand wasn't irritating her bare skin. At any rate, he was starting to accept the nudist tendencies of his companion, though that didn't make it anymore distracting. Prying his gaze away, he began to look around for anything that may lead them to the abandoned caravan.

[Sandstorm Damage]

ID: 104841

CD: 8 [Success]

Reassured by Tsu, Merlin began to believe that this was similar to one of his normal wanderings, just with a hint of spice added. Continuing to listen, he was impressed by her level and began to wonder about floor ten. Hearing her complain again, he turned next to him to check on her.

For a moment, he believed that he was hallucinating. But after a second glance, he tried to rationalize the situation. Reasoning to himself that if there was a frog spirit laying within her, it wouldn't concern itself with clothes. Though he began to counter that argument with the fact that she wore clothes in the first place.

As he waged an internal conflict, he realized that he was staring and looked away. Further loosening his tie, a new source of red bloomed on his cheeks. Attempting to relax, Merlin began to focus at the task at hand. Turning on his "Search" skill, he looked around for anything which stood out. Seeing a peculiar rock formation, he changed his course towards it. Now relaxed, Merlin started to chat.

"I would also prefer if we can talk without sand getting into our mouths. This quest, what are the rewards?"

[Sandstorm Damage]

ID: 104839

CD: 8 [Success]

After having his fill, he placed the materials into his inventory and continued onward. Continuing to think about the weapon at his side, he wondered about the morality of killing monsters. After researching about native american culture for their rituals, Merlin has always leaned towards respecting nature, especially for the favor of the spirits that he believed existed.

If Merlin had to choose between a branch of magic, shamanism that did not involve cannibalism would be his preferred choice. Witchcraft rituals disturb him at times, and astrology seemed weak to him. Instead, singing songs to invoke the spirits of ancestors and animals appealed to him, which made unnecessary killing bitter to him. Though he has dabbled in the others, those types of rituals were favored by him. 

As his focus dimmed, he found another plant and half halfheartedly cut into it. Letting his mind run amok, he wasn't able to handle the plant gently enough, and a shatter rang out across the forest.

[Gathering Normal Materials]

ID: 104837

LD: 3 (+5) = 8 [Fail]

Agreeing with her complaints, he continued to listen to her. Admittedly he was distracted by Tsu using her tongue to catch flies, and started to believe she had the spirit of a frog placed inside her. Clearing his mind of his stray thoughts, he pulled down his collar to reveal a smile.

"I refuse to back out now. Let's head out.

Turning back around, he took his first steps into the sandstorm. Bracing himself, he pulled up his collar again. Pressing into the desert, he realized that the winds weren't as bad as they looked. Mumbling thanks, he continued to press onward. While trekking through the storm, he kept a close eye on both his and her health, and his level caught his eye once more. His next words were muffled, though still discernible through the winds.

"From your words, this should be a simple quest as I'm level five. On that note, what is yours?"

[Sandstorm Damage]

ID: 104835

CD: 9 [Success]

Calm, his mind began to back track to his encounter with the Elk. He grimaced as he looked down at the blade at his side. Drawing it, he looked at his reflection across the worn blade. While his eyes slowly grew chaotic, his thoughts instead began to reach a conclusion.

"Even if I could kill them, there is no point in harming creatures that are simply wandering around. Perhaps for a quest or self defense, but not wandering creatures who simply retaliate if you encroach upon them."

Lowering his dagger, he found himself next to a snow drop flower. Mirroring the previous dandelion, it's bloom was completely made out of ice. Briefly wondering how all of these plants pollinate, his knife fell upon the stem of the flower. With practiced motions, he cut through the plant and soon harvested the petals. Though before he placed it into his inventory, he looked through the petals, admiring the light shining through them.

[Gathering Normal Materials]

ID: 104832 

LD: 17 (+5) = 22 [Success]

[Gathered Materials #: 4]

Sheathing his knife, he glanced around at the wild life nearby. Elk,moose, foxes, wolves, and the occasional grizzly bear. There were also birds which flew over head, though they didn't seem to be aggressive. He briefly wondered which animal would he be able to tame for the quest. Though all of this was a distraction from his previous thoughts, unable to confront them quite yet.

It was a sobering time, yet ironically, the sun has reached its peak. Warming up, Merlin's thoughts relaxed and took on a more positive note. He began to think of the times he tried to bind a familiar to him. To him, they were happy times. He remembered capturing a crow much to his mother's distaste, and kept it as a familiar. His parent even relented, filling out the permit to own it. 

Nostalgic, he wandered until he found a snow berry bush. The fruit was a bright blue and was easy to harvest. Knife undrawn, he placed the berries into his inventory and continued on his way.

[Gathering Normal Materials]

ID: 104828

LD: 12 (+5) = 17 [Success]

[Gathered Materials #: 3]

Accepting the quest for both of them, Merlin followed suit and stood up. He rolled his eyes at her comment, but his smile didn't fade as he stepped through the doorway. Until the heat hit him once more, and making him groan internally. Despite that, he was in a good mood meeting Tsu. Following a path out of town, he came to the sandstone gates of "Fortaleza". That is when he heard the sand storm brewing outside of the walls. They were protected in town, but outside...

He felt a moment of hesitation, but it was dispelled. Determined to not let dust blowing around get in the way of his exploration and by connection his research, he hailed one of the guards standing around to open the gate. The sight lay before them was hued in orange, with the sharp rocks jutting out of the land being ominous shapes in the distance. Merlin stepped through the gate and pulled his collar over his mouth.

Before treading further, he would wait for Froppy till he took the next step.

He waved her off when she apologized about the tongue, paying no mind to it other than interest.. As Froppy brought up level, he took a glance at his level in the corner of his eye. Displayed in white was "Level 5". Though he was unsure what decently leveled entailed and if he fell into that group, he responded nonetheless after she finished.

"Yes. For next time, I'm bringing my casual clothes. Now that you mention it, there is a npc that I wanted to talk to. Specifically, the hooded person sitting..."

Shifting his gaze, he realized that the cloaked woman was standing behind them. She gives her quest spiel and the notification appears in front of Merlin. He was about to press yes, but he stopped, remembering something. Opening up his menu, he sent Froppy a party invitation, and a small grin appeared on his countenance.

"Up for searching for this?"

Merlin hummed in thanks for the support. Going through his inventory for another water, he was interrupted by the sight of her tongue. Doing a double take, he confirmed to himself that this wasn't a illusion. However, instead of a normal reaction, Merlin's eyes glimmered in curiosity. Yes, he placed studying magic and by extension the supernatural on a back burner for the sake of exploration, but that didn't stop his thoughts from wondering.

"They're are either curses in this game, or in real life. Though from her demeanor she's lacking the "Going Insane" part of most curses. Maybe a spell? Or just born with it?"

For the moment, he placed his thoughts down and accepted her handshake. Meeting her eyes, the glimmer of interest still hasn't faded from his pupils. Breaking the handshake, he gave her a smile, perhaps trying to make up make up for her almost formed one.

"My name is Aden, Merlin in game. Likewise."

His attention was shifted from his glass to next to him. Unsure whether the ribbits he heard were caused due to dehydration, he took her greeting in stride. Taking a glance at her demeanor, Merlin began to relax. Loosening the tie around his suit and rolling up his sleeves, he smiled as the tavern's shade cooled him down. He raised his bottle as a greeting to Froppy.

"I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't dressed up for this type of place. But I've stayed on floor one for a few years now, and it's time to move on. You?"

While waiting for Froppy to answer, Merlin continued to sip his drink. It was lukewarm by this point, but he didn't seem to mind as he finished up his drink, listening to her all the while. Though, in the back of his mind, the hooded figure still remained and his gaze would wander between Froppy and the back booth.

"Too hot..."

Merlin was sipping a bottle of water as he wandered around the settlement of "Fortaleza". He was out of his element here, coming from a cold area in real life. But he wanted to explore the lower levels, and the design of the blade did hail from a region in the desert. However, that didn't make the heat any better.

Trying to avoid being fried, he entered into one of the many taverns in the area. Letting out a sigh of relief from the cooler temperature, he found himself at a bar stool. Hoping that outside drinks were allowed, he let himself enjoy the comfort of the bar and the protection from the sun.

Relaxed, he glanced around and took note of a hooded npc at one of the back booths. Curious, he resolved meet them after his drink. But as he slowly drained his bottle, Merlin felt a little lonely. He's only talked to NPC's for his two years, with only brief questions to other players for research. Shaking off that depressing thought, he continued to sip his drink.

[Declared Inventory]

[Declared Skills]

[Consumed 1x Water]

@Froppy

Twirling his knife around, Merlin examined his weapon. For a long time he only considered it as a tool, but now he begins to realize what the purpose of this game was in the first place. Combat has never been on his mind, actively avoiding encounters with wild life for around two years. After tussling with a boar and being gutted a few times, gathering materials is the extent of game mechanics he pursued.

Now, he had skills to assist him in killing. And beyond that, he realized that the creatures that he fled from were meant to be slain, leaving a odd taste in his mouth. It wasn't like he was a conservationist, he has used dead creatures in rituals before. But he's never been one to take a animals life. 

As his thoughts wandered, he found a dandelion made of frost. Resisting the urge to blow on it, he delicately cut off the head and placed it into his inventory.

[Gathering Normal Materials]

ID: 104719 

LD:  16 (+5) = 21 [Success]

[Gathered Materials #: 2]

Stepping away from the scene, he took to wondering once more, though this time it was on topic. A few of his thoughts ranged from what type of monsters could he tame, and if they could fight or assist him. While his thoughts continued, he spotted a elk up ahead.

He unsheathed his knife and glanced at it. Before he dare adventure beyond the first floor, he spent points into upgrading his combat stats. After playing around with sword arts for a few days, Merlin decided to come up here. Soon, he realized that he was tensing up, and let out breath to calm himself. Whether it was the cold or his nervous, he sounded shaky as he relaxed himself. Placing his knife back into his sheathe, he passed by the elk and moved on.

Finding a distraction in a nearby plant, he began to harvest it without the grace he normally has. Then fate decided to be cruel, and he spotted a elk ahead of him, similar to the one from earlier. Deciding to abandon the flower, he walked away, unsure.

[Gathering Normal Materials]

ID: 104718

LD: 1 (+5) = 1 [Critical Fail]

He sunk into the blanket of snow with each step, and snow softly dusted his face as he continued to ponder life's pointless questions. Unsurprisingly, they began to take the tone of magic and it's relations to the stars.

"There are floors without sun light, but I wonder whether or not they have a sky. And spells affected by the stars, would they work here? Or are there unique spells for each floor due to the individual skies. Are there different constellations for each floor? And if so, are their different zodiacs?"

While thoughts wandered, his feet unconsciously followed suit. Soon, he realized that he was lost. Though he wasn't too worried. While yes the snowfall covered his tracks awhile ago, he already survived a night outside in the first floor. He felt like he would endure blazing a trail for a few hours. Besides, it was still morning and he had plenty of daylight to spend.

Completing assuring himself, he found another weird mushroom. Unfamiliar with this type of plant, he tried a similar approach from awhile back. Yet the materials in this floor seemed finicky with its cuts, and soon his hand was bathed in glowing shards.

[Gathering Normal Materials]

ID: 104717

LD: 7 (+5) = 12 [Fail]