Lessa

5 hours ago, Jomei said:

Jomei and Rai haven't spoken much. But he'd def come if he was invited.
Unless he's brought as a +1 instead 

He's being brought as a +1. :3

Lessa and Jomei will be there!

The world tilted, and with a shriek, Lessa stumbled forward. Her boots slipped across the pebble-riddled battlefield, and though her arms pinwheeled, she could not find her balance. With the clang of armor, and an altogether unladylike grunt, the Guardian crashed to her knees. Even that did not provide the necessary balance, and she continued to pitch forward, coming to rest with her hands supporting her upper body. "Ouch," she ground out, though a glance at her health bar showed only a small chunk gone. Still, a small chunk was far worse than no chunk at all.

As she climbed to her feet, Riker bounded over, his stardust eyes wide and searching. The wolf nuzzled her arm, then wound himself between her legs until she patted his side. "I'm fine," she assured him, though her fingers itched to fish out a healing crystal. Not yet, her logical side insisted, but she still hated the idea that she'd taken any damage at all. Just that much closer to having all of my health depleted.

With a firm shake of her head, Lessa rid herself of such thoughts. "Taking damage is a part of the game," she muttered under her breath, as if to scold herself for the unnecessary anxiety. Imagine how tanks feel.

Rolling her shoulders, Lessa once again faced Wushen. "That wasn't nice," she called out to him, already pumping power into her massive sword. "Now it's my turn."

Bounding toward the floaty snake, she made the split-second decision to bring out the big guns. Energy preservation had been her game plan, but Wushen deserved a good smack after that last attack. He totally started it, after all.

Even as she rolled her eyes skyward, feigning exasperation, she felt the small laugh bubble up from her core. Even in the face of danger, and a situation as stressful as a boss fight, Jomei could lift her spirits. That was one of the many things that she liked about him. "Just alright," she echoed, giving a toss of her blonde hair. As it tumbled down her back, she cocked an eyebrow in the ginger's direction. "That feels like a challenge." She watched the man charge the dragon, spearing it with his skinny blade before dancing back out of harm's way. Then she flashed a smile, narrowed her eyes into blue slits, and declared, "Challenge accepted."

Whether or not she could actually deal more damage than the Emerald Duelist, she couldn't be sure. She was built for stocking up power, while he was quick on his feet, and capable of dealing devastating single blows. Could she manage an equally impressive one-off attack? Only one way to find out.

As Jomei returned to her side, Lessa sprang forward, closing the distance to the boss with game-assisted speed. She hacked like she was splitting logs, balancing the golden sword over her head before letting it drop. It skittered across the hard scales, but still left a faint red trail behind. That had to mean something, right?

With her gauntleted hand, Lessa snapped Nari a smart salute. A hard, fast, single-target attack was something that she was more than capable of. In fact, that was exactly why she'd chosen the ST Shift Specialty to begin with. There were certainly days when she wished for more AoE damage - wiping out waves of mobs while grinding would be super convenient. But at that moment, she was more than satisfied with her decision.

At Krysta's mention of energy, Lessa let her gaze flick up to her energy bar. When it only crept up the slightest bit, she blew out a hard breath. No recovery proc, she decided. Only passive energy regain. "That's alright," she heard herself say, both to herself, and to their healer. "We'll be alright. We'll just try to be conscious of our energy usage." She risked a quick glance over her shoulder, flashing the fellow blonde a small smile. "Your healing will be more than enough, when the time comes."

Hefting her massive sword, Lessa squared off against the floating Avatar worm. It's last attack had scattered rocks across their party, and she kicked at one with the toe of her boot as she stroke forward. "Here we go again," she muttered, "and this time, I'm bringing out the big guns." No more tech attacks for her. Finally, she'd get to bust out the explosive single-target hits that she loved so much. As if in response to her enthusiasm, Arcael's Might's warmed in her hand. And as she brought the mighty sword down, metal hissing across the thick scales, the weapon emitted a vibrant golden light. A holy proc. Nice. She may not have scored any additional energy, but she'd take some extra damage.

@Oji @Senno @Mishiro @Faerie @Pinball @Van

I’m excited to invite you to the roundtable! I’m taking all six of you because I’m a pushover. Further details will follow soon.

@Demian @Astralin @Aoda

The three of you have been placed on the waiting list, in that order. Thanks for your understanding!

I look forward to our adventure together. :)

His voice startled her out of her scheming, and Lessa nearly leapt out of her armor. "Oh," she replied dumbly, before feeling a grin spread across her flushed face. "Yeah, I'm alright. I'm good. Just thinking." Her gaze left his face to scan their surroundings, taking in the crystals, the cavern, and the other Players. If she didn't know the truth, it might look like a neat place for a rave. There were certainly enough lights and colors. But unfortunately, she did know the truth. And despite everything, even Jomei's sturdy presence at her side, her stomach flipped.

"It's so weird," she stated suddenly. "I mean, look at everyone. Chatting, laughing, snagging food from NIGHT's fold-up table like this was some sort of college party. But it's a boss fight." Her tone darkened as she concluded, "People could die in the next few minutes."

Before silence could fall between them for too long, she added, "But hey, they won't. They could, but they won't, right?" When her gaze found his again, only a trace of the darkness lingered in her lake-blue eyes. "Because yeah, we've got this."

As he moved away, he left her with parting words that seized her heart like a vice. 

I believe in you.

"I won't let you down," she breathed to his retreating form, but if he heard, he gave no indication.

As the dragon emerged, and drew high above them, Lessa drew her own sword in a flash of color and a hiss of metal. She let Nari's pep-talk wash over her, the words a cold rain against the mounting fire of nerves in her gut. "Together!" she heard herself echo, pushing off her back foot to launch herself toward the boss. All around her, other Players did the same; they swept toward the Warlord like a tidal wave. Whether they might be that powerful, or that deadly, would be decided over the next few minutes.

"I'll try to use a delay on it," Lessa called to her party, "see if I can't get it to slip up." Would a single hit be enough to slow something the size of a small skyscraper? She'd have to find out. Lunging forward, Lessa dropped to one knee, and sliced at the space where the snake's body met the ground. She figured she couldn't actually 'take it out at the knees,' since it didn't have any, but this was a close second. "Come on," she growled through gritted teeth.

ID 215084 | BD 2 | TECH-B vs Wushen | DELAY APPLIED | 12 x 28 = 336 - 281 = 281 DMG
- 11 EN (Well Rested 2/3 Remain)

Hello and welcome to the companion event sign-ups. If you are interested in joining, please post here on the character account that you plan to use. We will take entries on a first come first serve basis, but priority goes to those who do not have a character in the boss fight. As a reminder:

1. This event will move quickly. Please expect only 24-48 hour posting windows.
2. We will be taking 5 people, but will pull from the wait list if anyone decides they can’t keep up.
3. Anyone can sign up, but priority will be given to writers not participating in the boss fight.
4. Characters in the boss fight cannot participate, as the events run at the same time IC.
5. Reading the Mysterioua Divide questline is a prerequisite. You do not have to actually do the quest, but you must be familiar with the lore outlined in the quest description.
6. Your efforts will have a tangible affect on the Frontliners and the boss fight.
7. This may be a trainwreck.

If you have any questions, just ask them here, or snag me on Discord.

"Dang," Lessa breathed appreciatively, emitting a low whistle as the images above the boss room door came alive. Each symbol burst into color, and it took her a few seconds to recognize them as the crystals from each territory. "Huh," she added, tilting her head slightly at the sudden connection. Maybe she should have paid more attention in the boss meeting. Maybe she should have actually finished the Mysterious Divide quest. A few weeks had passed since she and Jomei had concluded the first, and he hadn't mentioned continuing since then. Without conscious thought, her gaze flicked over to where the redhead stood nearby. Should she mention it to him, just to test the waters, and gauge if he's even interest in continuing? 

No, what she should do is pull a Troy Bolton and get her head in the game.

Deliberately turning away from the Irishman, Lessa strolled over to NIGHT, and the folding table that she was currently stocking. "You're amazing for doing this," she said simply. She suspected that NIGHT didn't care to be showered with praise, but it did need to be said. "I really appreciate it, because I'm pretty horrible at preparing on my own." It was true, in so many ways. When was the last time she'd stocked up on consumables? When was the last time she'd trained - seriously trained, and not just farted around with lower-level mobs for extra col? She honestly couldn't remember.

Snagging five of the items, the Guardian popped them into her mouth as she moved past the defeated golem. Ae she moved past, she was smacked with a sudden, overwhelming sense of regret. It reminded her a bit of walking through clouds of Axe Phoenix in her middle school days - completely sudden and undeniable, but not quite tangible. What did she have to regret? Using NIGHT's consumables, or not talking to Jomei? Or joining this boss fight at all?

Head in the game, she chastised herself, downing the Liquor of Light like a shot. It went down like peach whiskey, and reminded her of home, and seemed to chase away the negative emotions as she slipped into the boss room. Thoroughly expecting the usual dimly lit chamber, Lessa had to squint against the violently bright light cast by the crystals. "Guess we won't be needing Night Vision," she mused aloud. Rolling her shoulders, she placed a hand gently on the hilt of her Claymore, as if to assure herself that it was still there. "It'll be fine," she heard herself state, completely out of the blue. "We'll be fine."

Lessa | HP: 1035/1035 | EN: 122/122 | DMG: 27 | MIT: 82 | ACC: 4 | BH: 56 | H.M.: 8 | HLY: 8 | REC: 8 | THRNS: 72 | Antidote: [3/3]

Lessa consumes the following (from NIGHT):
1. Liquor of Light | DMG 3 | +3 Base Damage
2. Mooncake Gift Box | ACC 2 | +2 Accuracy
3. Peking Duck Skin Platter | OH 3 | +15% HP
4. Sou Platter | PRO 2 | +2 Base Damage & -40 MIT
5. Tigers Balm | Antidote 3

Lessa uses the following:
1. Mega Slim Farm (+10% EXP)

[431]

Only after the pair had exited the cave did Lessa began to breathe normally. The tunnel itself hadn't bothered her too much, but watching Jomei shimmy into that hole, and imagining doing so herself, had taken its toll. Still, with the night air cool against her flushed face, and the sounds of relief all around her, she couldn't help but return her companion's smile. When she turned to face him, the expression deepened, amusement flashing in her dark eyes. "You're a mess," she informed him matter-of-factly, reaching up to brush some of the dirt from the top of his head. The feel of his shaggy hair beneath her fingers caught her off-guard, as did the sudden urge to wipe away the dust on his cheeks. Instead, she busied herself with patting the dust from his shoulders in a very casual, certainly not at all romantic, probably a bit too forceful manner. Then she turned back to the crowd, partially to admire their work, partially to hide her blush.

"It does feel good," she agreed after a long moment of comfortable silence. "We did good. But we're not done yet." With a small nod of her head, she motioned back toward the way they'd come. "Lets go see Tie-beer-ee-us, and get that phrase we were promised."

They found the man seated at his desk, clearly far more at ease than he'd been an hour before. "I appreciate the work you two did," he said by way of greeting. And that was it. Lessa hadn't been expecting to be showered by praise, but didn't rescuing a classroom full of people deserve a bit more celebration? Even as she thought it, Tiberius spoke again.

"My people are in need of healing supplies. Some are gravely injured, beyond what we are capable of treating. Will you travel to Srona, and ask them to send us their most potent salves?"

Lessa merely blinked at him. Only after she remembered this was a quest, and quests have natural progressions, did she heave a sigh. "Sure. Can you tell us about any special words of phrases associated with Dagan first?"

Now it was Tiberius' turn to stare. "What?" he asked simply.

Lessa regarded the man in silence, her blue eyes focusing as if she looked at him, truly saw him, for the first time. Nearly thirty seconds passed after his final statement, and she knew that if she didn't say something now, the silence would drag on for too long. But the words simply would not align themselves properly in her head. Instead, too many thoughts, too many memories, buzzed around her like annoying flies. She tried to mask her sudden speechlessness with another long drink of cider, but after she'd swallowed, she was no better off.

Finally, she shifted back to face the bar again. With a sideways glance toward Raidou, she simply opened her mouth and let the pieces fall where they may.

"That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. Honestly, it is. You both have something so special. Not only your relationship, which is great and all, but your knowledge of how precious it is. How fleeting that kind of thing can be." 

She breathed in, long and slow, recognizing the way the oxygen filled her chest. She listened to the crackle of the fire in the hearth, and acknowledged the nostalgia it always brought her. She took another sip of her drink. Then she said, "I understand though, about those bits of string. I feel so disjoined, all the time. Maybe it would be like this in the real world, too, and I just hadn't reached the age where it really applied. But I don't know who I'm supposed to be, or what I'm supposed to be doing. Sometimes, I'm a friend. Other times, I'm a Frontliner. I've been a teacher, and a coach, and a therapist. For a while, I was a girlfriend. I'm pretty sure I spent some time as someone's arch nemesis."

The faint flicker of a smile appeared, but it held little humor. "I'm wearing a lot of hats, but none of them ever seem to fit right. I've done so much since getting locked in here, but none of it has seemed to add up to anything. If I couldn't point at our clearing the floors and say 'here, progress,' I'm not even sure I could prove to myself that I've accomplished anything at all."

"I know I've changed. But I don't know if its made any sort of difference, in the big scheme of things."

Even the dead end couldn't suck the joy out of the situation. The cries of the trapped NPCs lit a fire in Lessa's heart, and her face glowed with the warmth of it as she beamed at Jomei. "They're alive," she stated, the words tumbling from her lips like a prayer. "They're alive. They're alive!" Though she'd wanted so badly for them to live, doubt had begun to worm its way into her mind. She certainly wouldn't put it past SAO's creators to give them such a messed-up quest. But now? None of that mattered.

Still humming with excited energy, Lessa dropped to her knees beside Riker. Tossing her arms around his wide neck, she tugged him in for a tight hug. "Good boy," she mumbled against his thick, cocoa-colored coat. "You did so good." 

Finally pulling away from her familiar, but still on her knees, Lessa reached for the nearest rock. "So now we just move these around?" she asked, not paying any attention to her partner. "Dig them out, and-"

"I think she found a way in through the ceiling.."

Lessa's heart plummeted.

Slowly finding her feet again, she straightened just in time for Jomei to thrust his belongings into her arms. "Uh, yeah, sure," she answered halfheartedly, the elation she'd felt only a moment ago reduced to nothing. In its place was a cold, bone-deep unease. Absently, she clutched his things to her chest as she forced herself to gaze up at his retreating form. When she could no longer see him, her unease exploded into full-fledged fear. Riker, recognizing his friend's change in mood, padded over to brush alongside her leg. 

"Hope no ones claustrophobic!"

Ha, fuck.

Lessa drew a series of long, slow breaths. Only when she was fairly confident that she could speak without stammering did she finally call back, "I'll help them through on this end, Jomei. You just guide them through. Sound good?"

꧁༺Lessa༻꧂   Lessa, Guardian of Aincrad Level: 31 Paragon Level: 54 HP: 820/820 EN: 120/120 Stats: Damage: 28 Mitigation: 142 Accuracy: 4 Battle Healing: 45 H.M.: 8 HLY: 8 REC: 8 THRNS: 72 Equipped Gear: Weapon: Arcael's Might (T4 THSS - DMG DMG DMG HLY) Armor: Empress Armor (T4 HA - HM HM THNS THNS) Misc: Neutron Star Necklace (T4 TRINKET - ACC ACC REC REC) Skills: Straight Sword R5 Heavy Armor R5 Battle Healing R5 Energist Fighting Spirit Charge Active Mods: Impetus Emergency Recovery Justified Riposte Addons: Iron Skin Ferocity Stamina Active Extra Skills: Parry Survival Battle Ready Inventory: Teleportation Crystal x5 Mass HP Recovery Crystal x2 Housing Buffs: Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down) Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1] Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll Guild Hall Buffs: Helping Hand: Lowest-leveled guild member receives +10 bonus Exp at the end of the thread. At least half of the thread's participants must be guild members. Limit one use per month, per character. [1/1]

It was no accident that Lessa had positioned herself in the back of the room. Just getting to the meeting had been a Herculean task, given the emotional pit she'd called home for the past year. Even now, after talks with close friends and a few "coming to Jesus" moments, depression still nipped at her heels. She'd done her best to ignore it as she'd sped north across the Town of Beginnings, but the moment she entered The Scarlet Line, doubt crashed into her like a wave on the rocks. "Shit," she heard herself mutter, even as she flicked a quick, two-fingered wave in Oscar's direction. Then a nod for Alkor, and a flash of a smile for NIGHT. It wasn't until the Guardian's gaze came to rest on Jomei that some of the tension drained. Not all of it, of course, which was why she dropped into a seat in the back, and did her best to pretend that she didn't exist. Once upon a time, Lessa might have led a meeting such as this one. This time, however, she shuddered at the idea of any additional responsibility. The woman could hardly look after herself, let alone anyone else.

So she remained silent as the conversation flowed around her, fingertips absently tracing the edges of the card NIGHT had provided. Only when she'd read the words a dozen times did a question finally emerge. "Ah, sorry to interrupt," she began, tone and expression indicating that she was, indeed, truly sorry. "But I just had quick clarifying question. These words of power you mentioned - how did you get those? Did they just show up in your quest log or something?" Her eyes flicked to Jomei, then back again, before she'd continued. "I started the quest, but haven't finished it, so I'm not exactly sure on the specifics."

Suddenly painfully aware of the many sets of eyes on her, Lessa shifted in her chair, crossing and uncrossing her long legs. "If the whole elements leading to each other thing has showed up twice, I feel like it has to be important."

Was NIGHT playing with her? The other woman's attacks lacked the flair that Lessa had expected from someone so adept at swordplay. Lessa could hold her own, sure, but NIGHT had accomplished feats on the fighting ground that Lessa couldn't come close to. So why, then, did each strike feel more like a kiss than a bite? Frustration bubbled in Lessa's gut, a purely emotional response to her guildmate's apparent taunting. Her wooden blade slipped along NIGHT's with a sound strangely reminiscent of a beast's warning growl, and the Guardian inhaled sharply. She was making a lot of assumptions about someone she knew, trusted, and cared about.

As if to emphasize the point, NIGHT's weapon found Lessa's unprotected shoulder. The blonde winced, though less from pain, and more out of frustration at her own stupidity. Who cares if NIGHT is pulling her punches? Lessa's more logical side demanded. While it was a tiny voice, and came around quite infrequently, it occasionally rose above the constant din of her unbridled emotions. You're turning this into something it isn't, all for the sake of-

What, exactly? What did Lessa have to gain from psychoanalyzing NIGHT from the get-go? Why was that still her default whenever she interacted with someone else - even her closest friends?

Automatically, Lessa rolled her shoulder, then shifted the practice weapon from one damp hand to the other. "My definition of fun involves wine coolers and Nic Cage movies," she finally replied, letting a small smile quirk her lips. "But since I haven't been able to indulge in that for a very long time, my backup plan would just be to not sweat this fight. Maybe even catch up a bit. We haven't really talked in a while."

Before she knew what was happening, she'd added, "That's my bad." But the words were true, weren't they? Hadn't Lessa withdrawn from the world, from her friends, from her life in general? Messages going unanswered, meetings missed, promises broken? "I'm sorry."

n: 1 | l: 0

"You're right," she began. Then, with a hard exhale that sent her blonde bangs flying, she added, "Again. I'm not sure why this quest has me so messed up. I've just spent so much time with NPCs over the past year that it's getting especially hard to see the lines between us and them, y'know?" She lifted her hands, then let them fall again, helpless. "We've been in here forever. I sometimes forget that its a game, and quests like this are going to follow the standard MMORPG formula." Despite all of her apprehensions, when Jomei bumped her, she couldn't help but smile up at him. "I'm glad you're here, though. It makes this easier." The statement was out of her mouth before she fully understood it, but she didn't regret giving her thoughts voice. She meant every word.

A moment later, it was as if a lightbulb suddenly flipped on over Lessa's head. Eyes widening, she rounded on Jomei. "I'm so stupid," she declared without preamble. "If it's a quest with game mechanics, it probably requires other game mechanics to progress! Just calling for them isn't going to be enough." Even as she spoke, Lessa was settling into her battle-ready stance - feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent slightly. She pointed a finger at her own ear, then told her companion, "You may want to cover your ears. I'm not sure how loud this'll be in the cave."

Closing her eyes, Lessa activated <<Howl>>. It took only a second for the power to build within her, the force of a volcano ready to explode. When the skill finally erupted, sending sound and energy pulsing in all directions, her hair streamed back from her pale face. Lessa's eyes snapped open, radiating an electric blue that faded only once the skill concluded. "There," she said finally. "If they didn't hear that, they're either dead, deaf, or-"

A faint call from deeper within the tunnel interrupted her, and a joy even more powerful that the skill she'd just executed lit Lessa's face. "Did you hear that?" she practically screeched, grabbing Jomei's arm and giving it a frantic tug. "Did you? I think that was them! I think they heard me!"

Rather than bursting into pixels as expected, Stoneheart took a painfully slow step backward. Then another. Then another. Finally, with a crash that shook the small space and sent pebbles skittering, the guardian fell backward. He came to rest in front of the opposite door, his back pressed squarely against it. Even in death, the golem protected the human from the horror that awaited her inside. 

Silence and stillness fell across the room. If brave enough, one could pick their way across the battlefield toward the resting giant, peering over its shoulder to get a better look at the carvings. Perhaps they might provide some insight as to how to shift the golem, as it appeared far too heavy to move by traditional means.

Lessa studied the shattered gems for a long moment, expression as hard as the rocks that surrounded them. Finally, she loosed a small sigh, and shrugged a single shoulder. “I mean, I guess,” she conceded. “It could have been the result of the cave in. It probably was.” She paused, then nodded, as if to convince herself. “I’m sure you’re right, Jomei. And I can’t figure out why anyone would want to smash the crystals.” Still, doubt swirled in her eyes as she continued studying the wreckage. She looked as though she might say more, but then thought better of it.

Jomei’s question seemed to shake Lessa out of her trance, and her gaze snapped to his face before she answered, “No, I don’t, but it really could come in handy right now.” Night Vision was a mod she’d honestly given very little thought to, as it didn’t really fit with her play style. Now? She had half a mind to move some skill points around.

Lessa felt Jomei stiffen beside her, and instinctively, she did so as well. She only relaxed when she realized the big monster was Riker. “That’s a great idea, actually,” she told Jomei, before squatting down beside Riker. Though she wore her heavy gauntlets, she still managed to give the wolf a thorough skritching as she murmured gentle commands and reassurances in the pup’s ear. When she stood again, he trotted a few paces ahead. “I’m not sure how much he’ll be able to do in the dark, but I have to assume even in-game wolves can see better than humans can.” Flashing the owl a quick smile, she added, “Still, I’m sure Adere will be a huge help.” 

As the familiars took off, the muted slaps of paws and flaps of wings growing steadily softer, the pair were plunged into silence. Lessa was the one to finally break it. “I figured we’d hear them yelling or something,” she confessed. “I can’t help but worry that...” Her voice trailed as she turned to peer deeper down the tunnel. “This game is super screwed up, in every way possible, but would they really just send us on a quest to find three dozen dead bodies? Because that would be a new level of screwed.”

The door swung open to reveal a small, unremarkable room. Though the ceiling hung a good fifteen feet up, the earthen walls closed in on all sides, providing limited space to move. Speckled sunlight filtered in from somewhere above, fighting weakly against the darkness that clung to the corners. Opposite the entrance stood a second door, the same as the one just entered through. Something appeared to be etched above the frame, but the dim light made it difficult to know for sure. The view was also obstructed by a giant stone golem, standing at attention in the center of the room. He hunched on boulderesque knuckles like a rock-encrusted ape, unmoving as the Players filed inside. All that moved, aside from the dust motes in the pillar of sunlight, was the shimmering gem at the center of the golem's chest. It shone with its own internal light, casting a kaleidoscope of blue, yellow, white, green, and red across its body. Only when the door snapped closed did the guardian's black-abyss eyes snap open. Though its mouth never moved, a single word seemed to reverberate around the cramped space. Protect.

Overview

• The Labyrinth Guardian battle will begin when all four players have posted an introductory post, including their stats/equipment.
• The scouting party may contact outside help, and swap out for a different Player.
• Once all four participants have posted, the boss stats will be edited into this post, and the fight will begin.
• Players will control the boss.
  • It will have its own rolls, but does not necessarily need its own posts.
  • Questions concerning the boss (stats, abilities, etc.) should be directed to staff.
• Stats from the scouting thread (buffs, equipment swaps, etc.) may be carried over to this thread.
  • Equipment changes can still be made, and consumables taken, during the introductory round as well.

Boss

Stoneheart, Protector of the People
HP: 5000 | MIT: 300 | DMG: 300 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 0

Abilities:

• Sturdy: Any effect that would cause Stoneheart to lose an action, instead will make it become ‘Exposed’ as per the effect listed below.
• Elemental Resistance: Stoneheart is immune to the status effects of: Envenom, Burn, Frostbite, Blight, and Static.  See ‘Vulnerable’ effect listed below.
• Impervious: While Gem-Studded Core has more than 0 HP, Stoneheart takes 50% Damage from Thorns and similar effects.
• Crash: On MD 9-10, Stoneheart will instead use an AoE attack, targeting all players for 300 mitigatable Damage (350 in Overdrive).
• Heavy Fists: If Stoneheart misses an attack, all players in the active rotation take 100 Unmitigatable Damage (150 in Overdrive).
• Faithless: Holy and Fallen enhancements only gain half their benefit against Stoneheart.
• Overdrive: If Gem-Studded Core is destroyed, Stoneheart’s DMG and MIT permanently increase to 350.

Gem-Studded Core
HP: 3000/3000 | MIT: 100 | DMG: N/A | ACC: N/A | EVA: 4 | Untargetable

Abilities:

• Exposed: Allows the ‘Gem-Studded Core’ to be targeted until Stoneheart’s next action, or until 1000 damage has been dealt.  Any damage over 1000 is not dealt to Gem-Studded Core while it is exposed.
• Vulnerable: As damage is dealt to the Gem-Studded Core, Stoneheart’s abilities of Elemental Resistance and Impervious change, as follows:
  • 2500 HP: Stoneheart loses immunity to Static.
  • 2000 HP: Stoneheart loses immunity to Frostbite.
  • 1500 HP: Stoneheart loses immunity to Burn.
  • 1000 HP: Stoneheart loses immunity to Envenom.
  • 500 HP: Stoneheart loses immunity to Blight.
  • 0 HP: Stoneheart takes double damage from DoT and Thorns effects.  This stacks with Incarceration.
• Small Target: Immune to AoE Sword Arts.
   

"Drinking myself stupid in a bar I can't get drunk in," she echoed, then snorted out a laugh. "Yeah, that's about right."

Lessa turned back to the bar, pressing against it as she rest both forearms on the scuffed surface. She cupped the warm mug between her hands, watching the steam rise lazily into the air. "It could be worse," she said flatly. "And we've been in here... god, we've been in here a really long time. So I know I've had plenty of time to just get over myself." Pausing again, she chewed on her lower lip as she considered her next words. For whatever reason, her story had burst from her like water through a broken dam. Now? Piecing each sentence together took tremendous effort. If her dad had been there, he'd have reminded her that complaining is the easy part - making a plan, and acting upon it, is harder. 

"But it gets old, you know? Waking up in the same bed. Fighting the same mobs. Knowing there are still seventy-some floors between here and home." One fingertip delicately traced the rim of her mug, circling over and over and over. "Having a relationship felt kind of good. It was fresh, and new, and it just sort of gave me something to look forward to."

Lessa's lake-blue eyes tracked Alexander's wife as she moved up beside him, shifting onto her tiptoes to whisper into his ear. The burly man's rough exterior softened, and with a small laugh, he dusted an absent kiss across his woman's forehead. Lessa's heart ached.

"I don't need anyone else. It would just be nice to not feel so alone all the time."

After another beat, she glanced back to Raidou. "So no, I haven't told him. Maybe I will though. Anyway, how about you? Someone special waiting back home for you?"

"A cave in?" Lessa echoed, frowning. Accidents such as these were common in Aincrad. The NPCs faced the same hardships that normal humans might in the real-world, and the universe wasn't always fair or friendly. Still, an event of this magnitude wasn't something she'd seen in a long time. One or two people trapped, maybe, but an entire group of farmers? That was definitely cause for alarm. Putting voice to her thoughts, she asked, "How many people are we talking?"

Tiberius' face lost even more color, as if that were possible. When he finally spoke, it appeared that the short answer pained him to say. "There are thirty one people missing."

Lessa winced. As a teacher, that was a number she was well acquainted with. An entire class's-worth of people, trapped. "We'll take care of it," she assured the mayor, seconding Jomei's promise. "Don't worry."

The man's expression darkened, and he opened his mouth to speak - likely to say something along the lines of 'how can I not worry?' - but Lessa turned and strode out the door. Only when she'd left the town limits, and she felt Jomei fall in step beside her, did she finally speak. "I really hate quests that put NPCs in danger just for the sake of giving us something to do." Lips drawn into a tight line, Lessa stomped down the path, her cobalt cape flaring behind her. Her pace wasn't exactly a jog, but any increase to the speed might push it into that territory. "It just sort of pisses me off, y'know? These are people. How long have they been trapped in this cave, waiting for someone to stumble across the quest? How many times have they been saved? It's really shitty, when you stop to think about it."

A handful of NPCs stood at the mouth to a large cave, their faces stricken, their hands wringing anxiously. "Hey," Lessa greeted warmly, pumping extra warmth into her voice, and locking away the earlier annoyance. "We're here to help. Is this the entrance?" One woman, her face red, puffy, and streaked with tears, nodded once. Lessa's heart shattered. "We'll get them," she promised, reaching out to place a gentle hand on the townsperson's shoulder. "Just wait here, we'll be right back."

With a small nod to Jomei, the blonde slipped into the darkness. It took only a moment for her to notice what caused the lack of light. "Look at this," she murmured, motioning to the remains of smashed crystals that littered the dirt path. They still glowed with a faint yellow light, but it was hardly enough to actually see by. "Maybe I'm being paranoid," she began, "and turning this into something it isn't. But if this were the work of a cave in, why would the crystals be smashed like this while the walls and ceiling are fine?"

Alexander returned a moment later, placing matching mugs in front of the two adventurers. Raidou's contained his unsweetened green tea, while Lessa's steamed with the sickly-sweet smell of hot caramel apple cider. "Thank you," Lessa said, and this time all silliness had dropped from her tone. The NPC studied her for a moment, head cocked, as if the shift caught him off-guard. Then he nodded, gave a soft "mhm," and returned to his cleaning. She was genuinely grateful for his kindness, even if they took shots at each other most every day. She was also grateful for his seemingly endless supply of apple cider and caramel.

"It's neat that you've done so much," she stated, shifting back to her bespectacled companion. "I haven't done much of anything. I bet I haven't finished half of the quests in the log." But why did that matter? The fact wasn't one that really upset her or anything. She didn't lose sleep over her lack of tangible progress in the game. She just lost sleep over, you know, everything else.

Beneath Raidou's stare, the blonde finally heaved a sigh. "Yeah yeah," she muttered, curling in on herself as he pointed out how delightfully unconvincing he was. "Look, it's been a wild couple of years." She brought the mug to her lips, sipped at it, set it down again. And then, for some reason, she simply unloaded. "My ex-boyfriend disappeared on me, and when he showed up months and months later, he didn't know who I was. I have no idea how to talk to my best friend, because he's all sorts of conflicted, and I approach delicate situations with all the finesse of an M1 Bazooka. My self-worth is kinda shot, as I had one guy fake his own death, one guy get amnesia, and one guy actually kill himself after associating with me. And that's pretty crappy, because now I'm crushing on someone, and instead of doing something about it, I'm hiding in a tavern with my comfy NPC family... and I'm sulking."

Alexander flicked one finger across his temple in an I told you so gesture.

“I thought so,” Lessa confirmed, nodding once as Raidou admitted to, indeed, being Raidou. As the patron seated directly beside the Red Wanderer vacated his stool, Lessa claimed it for herself. Then, setting her stolen mug on the bar top with a solid thud, she gestured to the empty container. “Another please, bartender.”

Alexander paused in his cleaning to stare at her for a full five seconds. Then, he heaved an enormous sigh. “You’ll be the death of me,” he informed Lessa before turning to Raidou. “Can I get you anything?”

Once he’d disappeared into the kitchen, the Guardian shifted on her stool to face Raidou. The warm fire crackled cheerfully, tossing dancing light across his features. He, in his long-sleeved shirt, and she in her hoodie. All things considered, the pair looked completely out of place in the snowy tavern. Like the two normies wandering through an anime convention, or a ren faire.

“Yeah, I’m good,” she answered mechanically. “Riker’s good, I’m good, everything’s good.” She propped her elbow up on the bar, leaned her head against her closed fist, and gave a smile that betrayed the lie she’d just told. “But what about you? Still out there questing, or have you done it all by now?”

The barkeep glanced toward the newcomer, the lift of one bushy eyebrow the only expression on his weathered face. “Aye,” he answered, “that would be me.”

But before he could say more, the barrel-chested man rounded on another patron. “I’m cutting you off.”

His victim, a blonde in a pastel pink hoodie and black yoga pants, stared back incredulously. “But there’s no alcohol in these.”

”Doesn’t matter,” came the NPC’s reply. “No more.”

Even as the man grabbed for her empty mug, the Player snatched it back, cradled it against her chest, and snapped, “I’m not drunk, you know. I can’t even get drunk. It’s honestly a real pain in the ass.”

Alexander leveled her with a glare, though faint traces of humor swirled in his dark eyes. “I know you’re not drunk, but you’re sulking. You’ve been sulking for too long.”

Again, the blonde argued, shaking her head. “I’m not sulking! Maybe a brood, at best, but definitely not sulking. I’m just thinking.”

”You should think about sulking somewhere else. Or better yet, doing something to change your situation so you don’t have to sulk anymore. Now, out you go.”

She gasped, feigning offense, even as she slipped from her barstool. “This is discrimination!”

”It’s really not. And leave the mug.”

“You can’t make me.”

Behind Alexander, his wife rolled her eyes, as amused by the exchange as she had been the dozens of other times it played out this way.

Before she stomped away from the bar, precious mug held tight to her chest, the woman studied the man who sat nearby.

”Raidou, right?” Lessa asked, her free hand jabbing a finger in his direction. “It’s been a long time.”

With a self-deprecating snort, Lessa replied, "I don't think I've left the house more than twice in the past month. My routine doesn't even involve putting pants on. If Aincrad had Doordash, I'd have put on fifty pounds of Whoppers, Crunchwrap Supremes, and Sausage and Cheese McGriddles." For a moment, silence hung between them. Then, even the wry humor left her expression. She pressed the pad of her hand against her right eye; there were no tears, but it still felt raw. "I don't even know what paradise looks like anymore." The admittance sounded so melodramatic, like something her middle schoolers might say while trying to be edgy. But in the moment, for Lessa, it was God's truth.

Her gaze moved away from Alkor, and with a practiced flick of her wrist, she called up her HUD. "Sorry," she mumbled automatically, "just got a message, and it's flagged urgent." She paused, appearing to hold her breath as she read the words, composed a message of her own, then dismissed the window. "Sorry," she repeated, as if unaware she even spoke the word. "An acquaintance has asked to meet with me. She said it's important, and she's not usually one to exaggerate stuff like this. I told her I'd wait here, by the bridge, and she said she'd be here in ten."

Shifting her weight from one boot to the other, the woman hooked her thumbs in the many belts that crisscrossed her hips. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting." Three times. "If you want to go on, you can. It's just that Kyra is working with the survivors from the whole Sanctuary deal. She's a therapist in the real world, I guess, so she's better equipped to help them cope. If she said there's an issue, I really want to make sure everything's okay."