Mari

The sound of a crate snapping and a sudden exclamation. “Ah, fuck me.” There were more of them? Mari instinctively threw the little yellow sphere in the direction of the sound. It landed just before what looked like …Oh shit. It was the kid who was supposed to be appraising her stuff. Was he done already? Was that why he was here? Mari’s eyes darted to the town gate; she had been too close - two guards were running toward her. “Shit..” Mari pulled her plague doctor mask out from her inventory, darting toward the kid she shoved it over his head. “Keep that on.” She hissed.

"Well, hello to you too." Mari said plainly. She stood, carefully placing the bottle of wine down on the large rock before dusting off the extra col from her lap. She should have expected as much from him. The shouting, the clicking of his fingers at her - as much as it annoyed her, she missed it. "It would have been hard to message you, considering I was in fucking prison for two years. Two years. No sun, no communication, nothign but stale rations and falling asleep to the sound of screaming people and mobs alike, so yeh. My fuckin' bad. That I didn't reach out." Mari had to take

"Thanks." He would think about throwing the line out once more, but the talks were starting to get more and more involved. Also, what was going on in that last part. "I've been told that by everyone else too, and that I shouldn't hold it against myself. To not let everyone else's opinions affect me. So, I think I can joke about it a bit here and there, but I don't think it would be a great conversation starter either." He would give a slight snicker before addressing the request that Mari would make of him. Looking at his list of runic inscriptions, he would eye ball things

Mari watched Hirru play with his headband, and how it would ignite into a light, shimmery glow. He talked about how he helped a floor boss. Another bleeding heart? "Huh.." Mari said. She turned her attention to the lake. She was quiet for a moment before finally giving a shrug. "Yanno. I really don't give a fuck about NPCs." It was crass, but it was honest. "I'd knife them down by the dozen. I don't care how human they appear to be. They're not." The last part was spoken with a very clear and distinct bitterness. She once thought they were capable of so many things. But in the end...they didn'

*picked up weapon * "Easy. Here is money." A tilt of her head. "Here is what I am looking for, if you can help, that'd be great." A small piece of paper slipped over to him. "I'll make it worth your while if you can help." Not that he would need it, if their last outing was anything to go buy. Armor [Heavy] | Flame Aura I | Mitigation 3 Trinket | Accuracy 3 | Fireproof Another stack of items. This time weapons. "Same deal, let me know if any uniques - if not scrap them." Perfect Weapon ID:249760, ID: 249761, ID: 249762, ID: 249764, ID:2497834 ID:2497833 ID

**BANG** The door practically came off its hinges as Mari practically burst into the store; her tattered scarf wrapped around the lower half of her face, her halberd in hand. Black Miasma dripping from its blade. She hastily slammed the door shut behind her. "Oops." The force rattled the entire store. Mari pulled her scarf down revealing freckled features and with a flash her weapon disappeared. Mari pulled a piece of paper out from her pocket, mumbling under her breath, "PK accessible my ass..." Mari glanced up at the shop keep. He looked like a teenager. Great...just great. "Arcant

Mari tilted her head at Oscar calling both her and Lancaster cute. "Cute?" Her eyes shifted to Lancaster. Well...Oscar wasn't wrong, there was something irrevocably charming about the man beside her. Mari would reach out and brush his red fringe from his face before leaning in to kiss it, then turning to Oscar with a small smile. It was a relief, knowing the host of the party was okay with Lancaster being here. "He's...my obsession." Mari said with a cheeky grin. If Oscar did recognize who he was, he didn't immediately mention it. Mari gave the man a small wave as he was preparing to leav

The 26th damn floor... Mari had gone to the store since Arcanthus had recommended it to her; but was it really worth going up so many levels - and traversing a safe zone? Mari wasn't sure. Time would tell if the kid would be useful or not. If he wasn't, Mari would simply not bother returning. The weather was nice, and the floor itself posed no problems. Beyond the fact it was the first time she really explored the place. Maybe Mari should, it'd take the a while to appraise the items. Mari told herself she'd do a lap of the perimeter of the city; maybe check out the nearby forest as s

One more wave and Mari was home free, she could see the threshold now - marked in an almost too obvious manner, a treeline that ended to open fields - and dirt to grass. A very clear divide, all that stood in her way were four scrawny ants - well...three. One of them looked a little more bulbous than the others. A quick activation, and a horizontal strike and all of them exploded. Mari dropped her weapon on the floor as the last wave was annihilated, one ant had practically exploded on her; its innards landing all over her face and torso. "Gross...." Mari muttered as she wiped the mu

Mari had her HUD opened again, going through all the spoils of this short outing. Piles of Materials and Col...still unsure of what to give to Oscar; a part of Mari hoped he'd ask for materials, as col would be required to pay for the mass amount of items she needed to have identified. Mari doubted the cost would put a dent in her earnings, but it was better to be safe than sorry. She also needed to fireproof a few more items in her home...buy food for her and Lancaster to be able to eat for the month.... The woman sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. Budgeting...why the hell was sh

Mari was still awaiting a reply from Oscar, which was fine - she was in no rush Mari was making her way out of the forest after all. And it felt like every time she took a step; another wave of ants would encroach on her. It was a good thing she didn't decide to go deeper in; else she might actually be in trouble. Dammit I just want to go home and have a shower now... Before the wave of ants could even attempt to descend on her Mari activated another AOE skill and with a practiced motion she tore through them all in a single swing. It was almost too easy. It'd be nice to do this with

Just as she fell one group, another scrambled to take their place. "You'd think I'd be covered in sugar, or something..." Mari lifted up her arm and gave it a small sniff. Nope. If anything she smelt like citrus. She had taken a lengthy shower before coming here. Her brows furrowed, nope. No sugar. Maybe a hint of honey. that'd probably do it. Another lazy swipe, and all four of the antmen fell, one losing a head, another, its entire torso - it mattered not. The end was all the same. Mari stepped forward, over the bodies as the cascade of col burst forth from them and fell into her invent

Mari blinked. Damn...he really wanted that weapon, huh? Mari stared at him for a moment - "I'll take that deal either way but if you throw in a demonic shard or two...that'd be even better! Kinda need them for a build I got brewin'... since even with my fishing and gathering I'm barely able to find them...." Mari sighed as she bought up the trade option - "Honestly...feels like those professions are practically useless in lieu of fighting." Giving Orgoths Legacy to Morningstar The creatures weren't an issue; hell - even Mari's EN wasn't an issue. With a quick gl

PASSIVE: En Recovery + 4 Her Energy reserves were running a little low; so Mari thought it best to slowly backtrack out of the ant-men territory. Doubling back she looped around a large tree, only to run into another wave of them. Huh. The mobs were smarter than she gave them credit for...Mari didn't expect them to attempt to block her exit. These ones seemed weaker than the others though - they wore no armour, and only held sharpened sticks as weapons. Clearly the runts of the pack. Another quick activation of her skill, and a arcing slash across exoskeleton abdomens and they

Standard Recovery +4 EN, Inspirational {Shiina} +4 EN BH+57 Turns out they were not done.... Out of the dungeons and into the proverbial frying pan. Mari shot some members of the group a curious look as she was practically dragged with them all into the coliseum to fight a giant...rhino? "Well..." Mari gripped her weapon. If they wanted to fight more she'd oblige, although her EN was running low. Mari nudged @Raidou again glancing at Setsuna. She lowered her voice, so only the two of them would hear. "Ya gotta tell me what the deal is after this, yeh?" Stepping a

Good thing they all dodged. Mari wasn't sure she'd survive such a hit from the boss - at least not without significant damage. "Right..." She said quietly. This entire fight she was hall-assing it. Her heart wasn't in it. It wasn't in the frontlines, it wasn't in fighting side by side with her comrades it wasn't even in defeating Belragor - she was simply going through the motions of what she should be doing. What was the right thing to do. Of course...Mari didn't want to see anyone here die, she wasn't a psychopath but...Her grip tightened on her polearm. "Sorry guys..." She muttered qu

PASSIVE: En Recovery + 4 One person actually came to Mari's mind. And it was only because of her recent run in with Alkor. Corvo It was...a surprise to see him at the Crab Boil, and Mari wished she had a better chance to pull him aside and ask how he was, but she had her hands full with keeping an eye on Lancaster, not to mention everything else that seemed to be happening at the event. She almost didn't recognize him with his blonde hair - but the man held himself in a certain type of way that was hard to dismiss. Funny really... If he appeared in her life just a few months e

Master Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat 3/3 En Recovery + 4 Another wave of ants chattered and chattered as they stormed over to her, but just as quickly as they would charge at her - Mari would sweep her weapon across their abdomens, slicing them clean in half. This was only the third wave, and she had managed to make enough money back to feed both her and Lancaster for several months. "I thought my trip with Star was profitable but this...." She tilted her head as she stared at the Col that was scattered around on the floor. This was...far

Master Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat 2/3 En Recovery + 4 Another wave of soldier ants came marching through, they were half Mari's height - but their beady black eyes still bore up at her - tiny and spindly legs brandishing weapons they grabbed from fallen soldiers. It didn't concern her - with a flash of her weapon and a sweeping horizontal blow they all shattered. How much should Mari give Oscar? A tilt of her head to the side; what would he need more of? Col? Materials? She doubted he would have any need for the unidentified items

Master Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat 1/3 -- Mari only needed to take a few steps into the ant's territory before she was swarmed by 4 large warriors. Some wore helmets, one even had a chestplate strapped to its abdomen, however it wasn't tied up properly. The ants kinda lacked opposable thumbs. Still. It meant they were smarter than regular ants - they had the ability to adapt to their surroundings. Even had the mind to loot fallen soldiers and potentially even players. Mental note: Ask Freyd or Oscar if anyone has died to ants on that memorial

Post Action: Used 1 x Hellstorm Potion | (T2/Consumable/Single Use); Apply an additional (20*Player's Tier) unmitigated damage to every attack for a single thread. "Guah....I hate hotdogs..." Mari muttered. Mari was thankful that she was able to gain the Custom Skill from Oscars store...but, did she have to gain it in the form of....a hot dog... Mari didn't really like them. She didn't like the taste, she didn't like the whole shebang - at least, with Oscar being the professional cook he was...it hadn't been half bad. "Squabble up...huh..." Mari said as she stared at her HUD. Going

"I felt like that too. Not knowing if the reason you're doing something is right the call." Mari tried to sympathize - but it was difficult. She had to make that decision so many times. The weight of those lives and choices once weighed so heavy on her shoulders to the point where she collapsed under the sheer pressure. Now? She was somewhat desensitized to it all. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but the sting of those lives no longer bothered her. Mari cast out her line, continuing to listen to Hirru, how he felt that his own reason wasn't good enough. "So?" came h

Mari sat cross legged on a small boulder; not too far from the path into the main settlement - normally she’d do her best to keep out of sight from passerby, but she was waiting for Corvo and needed to be in a more obvious area, lest he walk past. Not that Mari thought Corvo would be the kind of person to do that… actually…he would be the person to do that. Just to spite her, considering their last proper conversation before her incarceration. So much for trying to keep in contact. At least she saw him at the crab boil. Not that Mari had the time to be able to really talk with him all that muc

"S'pose that's part of the reason why so many people stay in safezones. Hard to know who to trust out here." Mari snorted, If only he knew. Another flurry of snap dragons came out, and Mari had to kick one of them away as they tried to gnaw fruitlessly at her boot. It gave a yelp which was drowned out as with another slash of her halberd, it's cries died out, along with its brethren. It...was almost too easy doing this. Her EN was slowly dwindling but the amount of col and loot she had gained from this small expedition more than made up for it. "Can't blame people for that, really. Proble

Somehow, this conversation felt nice. There wasn’t any terse word spoken between them. No bitter misunderstandings, just truth. Granted, some of it hurt - but it was the two of them finally being honest. Finally being able to face each other. It felt like a weight was being removed, one Mari didn’t know was there. It felt like she could breathe a little easier. It felt like she was able to actually look at him, even if Thom didn’t know who he was yet - it felt like Mari was finally seeing a part of him. Not the part that told her he loved her, not the part that would hold her in an attempt to