Baldur

Cleaved in two by the trail of azure light the mob may have been, but while it was a killing blow outside of the game, inside it only took the creature into the red, not killing it right out. The giant goat leaped into the air and kicked Baldur square in the chest with both of it's legs before landing in the narrow trail.

"Aiyah!" Baldur roared, pushed forwards towards the mob and raising it's blade. It tried to move away, but Baldur's sword became a blade of blue light as he retraced his first slash and tore through it once again. As its health bar dropped to zero Baldur held the blade out and tapped the Tsuka with his fist before flipping the blade around vertically, and sheathing the sword into his saya with a backhanded grip. He had trained for those narrow hallways, but had never felt that such a form would really be useful in such a way, until he had been stuck in this narrow, rocky path.

[iD: 8216 BD: 4+2=6 LD: 16] 7 DMG

<<Baldur>> 19/22 HP

<<MGA>> 0/14 HP - drops 70 Col & 1 Mat

Welcome! Our characters definitely won't get along, but hopefully we can! :D

As Baldur made his way up the mountain, he saw what he at first thought were billy goats, grazing peacefully on the mountainside. However, that quickly proved incorrect when one of those "billy goats" suddenly stood up on its hind legs and leaped an incredible distance to come crashing down where Baldur was hiking up a steep path. The <<Mountain Goat Ambusher>> crashed into Baldur's chest with hits curled horns. Baldur was sure that if he didn't have this armor he would have heard his ribs crack. Or you know, if this wasn't a video game.

He stumbled backwards, but came to a stop ready to draw. Because of how steep the hill was, and the rockiness of the terrain, Baldur couldn't do his signature draw, so instead he rushed the creature and turned sideways, pulling the Tsurugi forth in a vertical draw and slashing downward at his ambusher, slicing it from head to toe.

[iD: 8208 BD: 10 MD: 10]

<<Mountain Goat Ambusher>> Hits Baldur for 3 DMG - 2 Mitigation = 1 DMG

<<Baldur>> hits <MGA> for 9 DMG

<<MGA>> 5/14 HP

<<Baldur>> 20/22 HP 

In one continuous motion from when he stopped moving, Baldur brought the Katana down with both hands through the back of the <<Minotaur Commander>>, the azure light trail following his blade had never stopped moving from where it began a dozen yards away. As the mob died in a shower of shards, Baldur took in a deep breath. The entire fight with the creature had only lasted a single second.

[iD: 8188 BD: 10 LD: 2] 9 DMG

<<Minotaur Commander>> drops 1 mat

With practiced grace, Baldur whipped the sword to the side and then proceeded with his notto, the ceremonial sheathing of his katana at his side. His eyes raised towards the end of the ravine where he now found himself. He grabbed a few rocks and scrambled to the top. Considering how quickly he had dispatched them all, it would be a while before any of them began to respawn. His eyes focused then on a trail which seemed to be going higher and higher towards the peak of the mountain which contained the city of Nimbus. With an already exhausted sign, Baldur began to climb the mountain.

Baldur was half way through the small, rocky ravine and the final Minotaur was the toughest looking. It was considerably larger than either the <<Mountain Minotaur>> and the <<Mountain Minotalwar>>. It wielded a s sickly looking trident, with horrible fish-hook points on each prong.

"Ouch, that looks so painful..." He felt a shiver run down his spine at the thought of being hit with that weapon.

"Well... the bigger they are, the heavy my bag of Col."

Baldur tapped the toe of each boot onto the ground one after the other, before dropping into his customary crouch. The system began to recognize his manuver and just as it kicked in, Baldur whispered "Nukiuchi."

He and his sword were a wave of blue as the <<charge>> flew him through the enemy <<Minotaur Commander>>. The blow struck him with such concussive force that it staggered the mob, it's own blow flying wild and off coarse as Baldur repositioned to get ready for a follow-up attack.

<<Baldur>> 21/22 HP - Hit's Minotaur Commander for 10 DMG (7 base + 2 crit + 1 Charge)

<<Minotaur Commander>> 7/17 HP - Misses

Baldur was quick to move, his body spinning as he rose from the ground and his katana, Tsurugi, cutting through the back leg of the <<Mountain Minotalwar>>. Unfortunately for the creature, this was the end of it. Multicolor polygons floated through the air behind Baldur, twinkling out in his peripheral vision. 

[iD: 8182 BD: 6+2=8 LD: 18] 7 DMG

<<Mountain Minotalwar #1>> Drops 70 Col & 1 mat

Again the inventory icon popped up in the corner of his field of vision. With a downward swipe, Baldur pulled up the loot menu and claimed the drops. He had always given his mats to Tyger, and between the two of them, they had been able to keep her well stocked. Now that he had his own shop, they had to divide the materials, so it became more difficult. They really needed to bring in as many mats as possible.

<<Baldur>> 21/22HP

With a careful and practiced step, Baldur stood up from his Charge powered Nukiuchi, brought the blade horizontal, thrust forward with it, driving the blade through the back of the <<Mountain Minotaur>> and then with a firm step drug the blade sideways and out of the minotaur in a powerful but controlled slash. The minotaur let out a bull like cry, and then shattered into polygons floating through the air. Whipping the blade down to his side, and then drawing the back of it across his hand which once again held the saya, he sheathed the blade and looked down at his menu.

[iD: 8165 BD: 4+2=6 LD: 13] 7 DMG

<<Mountain Minotaur>> Drops 55 Col & 1 Mat

With a downward gesture of his two fingers, Baldur pulled up the menu and looted the 55 Col and 1 material which dropped from the creature. Down the path a dozen yards, Baldur saw another <<Mountain Minotaur>> glaring at him with red eyes, but this one had a mean looking Talwar.

"Come on then." Baldur dropped back down into what would be considered his signature move. He crouched low, one hand on the saya, one hand on the Tsuka. As the thumb of his left hand pushed the Tsuba forward and revealed that inch of glowing blue blade, Baldur launched into a <<Charge>> as he whispered, "Nukiuchi." He and his blade rocketed forward, drawing and slashing in the same motion while they cleared the dozen yards in under half a second, the light trail cutting the <<Mountain Minotalwar>> through the middle.

But the Minotalwar had made a giant slash, unlike the axe wielding Minotaur which had made a chop. The <<Minotalwar>>'s swing carried through and the tail end of the strike caught Baldur in the back, knocking him to the ground.

[iD: 8176 BD: 5+2=7 MD: 6]

<<Baldur>> Hit <<Mountain Minotalwar>> for 8 DMG

<<Mountain Minotaur #2>> Hit Baldur for 1 DMG

<<Baldur>> 21/22 HP

<<Mountain Minotalwar>> 6/14 HP

Baldur slide down the rocky slope of the ravine to reach the bottom where there was better footing. His actions attracted the attention of the nearest minotaur, but as soon as Baldur was almost to the ground, he switched into his crouched position, with his left hand on the Saya and his right hand loosely on the Tsuka. His thumb pressed against the Tsuba, pushing it free and the inch of bared blade glowed blue.

"Nukiuchi." He said aloud, though quietly as he felt the system assist kick in and he flew towards the minotaur, an azure trail of light slicing through the air as his blade was drawn and cut in a single motion, landing him behind the <<Mountain Minotaur>>  as it's HP bar went almost to red in a single hit. The Minotaur's swing of its two-handed axe hit the ground where Baldur had been a moment before.

[iD: BD:9 MD: 2]

<<Baldur>> 22/22 HP - <<Charged R:1>> the Minotaur for 9 DMG (1 base + 2 skill + 3 weapon + 1 Athletics + 1 Charge + 1 Critical)

<<Mountain Minotaur>> 2/11 HP - misses

Baldur started down the slope of the mountain, enjoying the clouds which seemed to linger at their peak. While the view was pleasant rolling hills, where the tunnel mouth came out was rocky and steep. Baldur had to be careful as he picked and chose his way down and around some protruding rock formations. Much of this would be impossible in the read world, the geology was nonsensical, but that was why Baldur loved it so much. It was a fantastic landscape unlike anything you could see in the real world.

Finally, Baldur found himself down a ravine where several minotaur looking creatures roamed, but these were grey and seemed to have much more leather, crag-like features. He focused his vision on the nearest one and the targeter popped up. <<Mountain Minotaur>> was the name of the creature. He would have to be lucky or quick, because if they were BAF mobs, he might get over-whelmed quickly, and this was a higher floor than he had soloed before.

By the time Baldur made it close to the entrance, his eyes had adjusted to the dimmer light of cave, so seeing the white light streaming in was painful to look at until he got closer to the mouth of the cave. He had to shield his eyes from the sun for several moments before they had adjusted to the light.

What he saw was breathtaking to him.

Baldur took a deep breath; the air outside of the cave was crisp and clean and rejuvenated him. He thought the underground city was beautiful, but the open air here felt free, while in the depths of the caves it felt stagnant. The BGM also changed, from something more soft and dark, with low brass instruments to something more whimsical with woodwinds. High above, he heard the cry of a hawk as it fly effortlessly across the valleys. He was seven floors up, but it hardly seemed like they had really gotten smaller. But then, the Town of Beginnings took up massive real estate on the first floor and the ones above it did not have that problem.

Baldur decided he should take what he had over to the Merchant Exchange. The box he threw together was rather poor looking, however, now that the rush of players purchasing gear for some big boss fight had departed. He hoped that he would at least be able to get something for all of this.

"Ohayo!" He called out to the <<Warehouse Manager>> who looked more like he should be battling on the front lines than manning a warehouse.

"I brought some more goods by." He placed the box of supplies down on the ground, and looked up at the man with hopeful eyes. He knew he couldn't ask for much with this.

​The burly man shook his head, "I've tried to help you out since you're just getting started, but nothing in here is usable. You could leave this out on the street and no one would take anything from it."
 

Baldur frowned. "Nothing you can do with it?"

The make shook his head, "I can throw it away for you, that's it."

Baldur let out a sign and turned to leave.

[iD: 8155 CD: 2] -1 Mat +1 XP

[iD: 8156 CD: 4] -1 Mat +1 XP

Baldur had stood there in the middle of the square for a while, and other than Tyger, he hadn't seen anyone even approach him to join. He was becoming disheartened. He had hoped that this would be a good way to meet adventurers who were wanting to move to the front lines, but had been left behind by the assault team. Eventually, if they wanted to join the front ranks, it would be helpful to have a party of people who had already worked together, and understood how to operate in a group. Just when Baldur was about to give up hope, a young man approached him and greeted him with a handshake.

"I am Baldur, it's nice to meet you as well."

In answer to Raeyliff's other question, Baldur gestured to Tyger with his right hand.

"This is Tyger. She'll be tanking for us today. Having her around should cut down on any injuries, and keep our casualties to 0."

He smiled proudly at her, then returned his attention to the young man.

"We would love to have you along. Do you have any healing items, or a teleport crystal? The road is long an dangerous, and while I'm reasonably certain it will be safe, I'd like to have a backup plan. I brought spare health pots along just in case."

Baldur's form resolved into the town of Nimbus. All the building of the city were hewn from stone, and the only light given to the cavernous city were from the glowing crystals protruding from the roof of the cave above and lights in the windows of the building and along the streets.

Most of this floor was either underground, or on mountainous terrain. Baldur had grown up in the mountains for a time, however, and was curious to explore the area and see what could be found.

The teleportation gate was located in a square under the very apex of the city's cave, but buildings loomed up around it on all side, with the road running straight from the square to the exit of the cave. A small underground river ran through the village at one point, and the main path arched over it with a bridge which had been worn by time and shaped by hands into a beautiful, slender, curving roadway. The town itself seemed sparely populated, both from adventurers and NPCs alike. The NPCs which were there seemed to dressed as miner's and had helmets with small candles built into headlamps. The effect was almost comical if it hadn't seemed to practical for a dark environment. If Baldur traveled deep into any of the trickier caves, he would have a difficult time seeing, which is why he planned to head outside onto the slopes of the mountain.

This is my FB profile picture from my friend's wedding.

I'm pretty sure if you attack a green player, you become orange, if they die or not. If you're defending yourself, you stay green (e.g. you didn't make the first attack).

Duels are a separate thing and don't count.

Also, I believe I remember reading in the rules, that PK needs to be agreed out of character between players.

So I was wrong, see below.

 

 

• Player Killing is allowed but will result in the killer as being marked orange

The other point I was making is:

 

 

Important: PVP in sao-rpg is still a consensual activity.  Both players must agree to participate out of character.  There is no 'ganking' from an OOC perspective.

All PvP needs to be consensual, right?

Also, wouldn't the attacking player go orange when they attacked another player? And defending against an orange player doesn't cause you to go orange yourself.

Baldur smiled at Tyger's joke about keeping his scrub butt safe. Well, Baldur mused, it's not really joking when it's true, is it? He smiled and kissed her back as he wrote down in his ledger, both for her purchase, and one he was buying for himself.

Tyger's Purchase:

+100 Col Teleport Crystal

+0 Col Healing Potion

+80 Col Field Rations

+1XP

Baldur's Purchase:

-800 Healing Potion x2

-1000 Teleport Crystal

-120 Field Rations

-50 Good Item (leather long coat)

+1

+180 Col

-1970 Col

Total balance -1790

Baldur hated all the talk of PKing, but Kiru was right. Being that she was level 40, it wouldn't be a problem for her to wipe someone out and suffer no consequences. She was one of the strongest people in the game right now, if she wasn't bluffing about her level. But he just kept his silence and sipped on his sake. People were treating life too insignificantly around here, but then that was easy when all you ever knew was the first floor, or had never been close to death. When he finished his cup of sake he waved at the player behind the bar once again.

"A warm glass now please."

He watched the bartender was an appraising eye. He was probably low level as well, but he served a function here. There were many people who contributed to the clearing of the floors, the progressing of the game, to getting them all out of here. There were ways to do that without combat. This was just as essential. If you were in life and death situations constantly without any stress relief... well.. he had seen the effects of many players who snapped and couldn't take it anymore.

((Couple of ground rules: Please don't be lower than level 5, nor higher than 10. I will spawn the mobs. Col and mats will be divided as evenly as possible. This is going to be a long thread, aiming for around 6 pages, which would guarantee everyone 400 col each just from page completes. We will also be going for tougher mobs, which will generate a higher amount of col as well. Players are encouraged to have of 1-2 healing items, and a teleport crystal. All high LD rolls will be for extra mats, not extra items (if you are in need of an uncommon item, this may be too hard for you. Also, hate mechanics will be used.))

Baldur appeared on the final floor of his journey. He had gone to each floor starting at the first, and working his way up to Florenthia Village, the main settlement on the 8th floor.

As he stood there, he drew his Katana, Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, and stabbed the tip into the wood floor and then clapped his hands together as he shouted out over the teleportation gate plaza.

"I am Baldur, level 7, and I am putting together a party to delve deep into this floor in search of experience, material, and wealth. I want to form a party of like minded and leveled adventurers who are willing to brave a long journey through the floor and into its dungeon.Please, no one less than level 5, and no higher than level 10. Loot will be distributed equally. If you are interested in joining me, please let me know."

With that, he looked around the plaza and waited. It was possible some people on lower levels had heard him and were getting supplies before joining him here. Considering how long the journey there and back was, they had to make sure they had enough pots and crystals to keep them up long enough.

He rested both his hands on his sword. Tyger should be along any minute as well once she finished grabbing the last of her supplies.

Baldur shook his head, still unable to understand how she could have reached the conclusion she had come to. It made no sense. 0. None. Nada.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the <<Hoarfrost>> roared and brought a two handed blow down on Tyger's shield, causing a loud ring to interrupt Baldur's words and his thoughts. Annoyed, he grabbed his sword from out of the ground and slashed through the creature in an almost annoyed, nonchalant way, and then stuck the tip of the blade back into the ground as the mob exploded into polygons.

"Like what I was trying to say. How can you even think that? I've been going on and on about how I couldn't survive here without you, and you've given me everything I'm wearing, including the thing I've wanted more than anything else." He gestured to the katana. "And you're in the game with me, which I just said sometimes I like better than real life. So how could you be a problem, if you're with me, and I like it better here?!" He shook his head in confusion, picked the katana up, whipped to the side as he sheathed it again, then started to walk back to the village.

"Come on, I think we're done here. We're not gonna get anything killed like that."

He stopped abruptly, "And for the record." He grabbed her, dipped her a kissed her, before standing her back up on her feet. "I love you."

He shook his head in confusion and led the way.

[iD: 8116 BD: 6 LD: 11 MD: 6]

<<Hoarfrost>> Misses due to -2MD from Tyger's Block skill

<<Baldur>>  Hits for 6DMG

<<Tyger>> 

<<Hoarfrost>> 0/11 HP - drops 55 Col & 1 Mat

<<Baldur>> 22/22 HP

<<Tyger>> 22/22 HP

Baldur stuck the tip of his sword the ground and put both of his hands over his face in confusion, shaking his head silently while the <<Hoarfrost>> wailed impotently against Tyger's shield.

"Oooh my god... I don't... how... You're in the game with me. If you were the reason there was a problem with life outside the game, how would I like the game more when you're still with me inside of it... that just.. how... how does that make any sense?!"

The look on Baldur's face was one of pure and complete incomprehension.

[iD: 8114 MD: 7 (-2 Tyger's block skill = 5)]

<<Hoarfrost>> Misses

<<Baldur>>  (didn't attack)

<<Tyger>> 

<<Hoarfrost>> 4/11 HP

<<Baldur>> 22/22 HP

<<Tyger>> 22/22 HP

Baldur signed at the red heads arrogant attitude, but if he was going to let the arguement die, so would Baldur. He didn't want to argue here either. He came here to relax. The kid's strings were a bit sloppy because of the <<Drunk>> debuff, but having music that wasn't the BGM to listen to was pleasant. The bartender brought his sake by, and Baldur picked up the small box and sipped from it, but felt a spike of annoyance when the red head berated the player again.

"Hey, it's a game. Different alcohols have different status effects. Your constitution IRL doesn't effect how quickly or slowly you get drunk, only the alcohol you drink."

He shook his dark mane and went back to the small box and drank another sip. He cast his glance to the side over at Lessa. She looked familiar. She had helped he and Tyger out when they were still new, but for the life of him he couldn't remember her name.

Baldur turned to face the Mini-avalanche as it engaged Tyger. She had sucker punched the think with her scimitar and now had its entire attention. As he moved to attack it, though, she asked him a question out of the blue. The creature swung at her, but it's claws only rang loudly when it hit her shield.

"Hopefully not because of anything i've done?"

Baldur's sword lost all power and went wide. He was completely taken off guard by what she said.

"Wait-- what? Why... What would that have to do with anything we were talking about?"

He gave up attacking as he was so thrown off guard and just stood there, his head cocked to the side and confusion covering his face.

[iD: 8112 BD: 2 MD: 3]

<<Hoarfrost>> misses

<<Baldur>> misses

<<Tyger>> 

<<Hoarfrost>> 4/11 HP

<<Baldur>> 22/22 HP

<<Tyger>> 22/22 HP

Baldur walked on with her in silence a bit further.

"Yes and no."

He was silent for another few steps, "I don't forget this is a game. There are just same days where I like it better."

Baldur blushed, but the cold wind of the floor had already made his cheeks a rosy red.

Thankfully, before Tyger had a chance to respond, a monster attacked them.

Was that a strange thing to think?

A mini version of <Avalanche> rose up out of the snow and lurched after Baldur. It's sharp claws lashed out at him, but in a single smooth motion Baldur had drawn his sword and stuck as well, and the two attacks collided, knocking the two of them away from eachother.

"Look, it's a mini-snow cone!"

[iD: 8110 BD: 1 MD: 5]

<<Hoarfrost>> Misses

<<Baldur>> Misses

<<Tyger>>

<<Hoarfrost>> 11/11 HP

<<Baldur>> 22/22 HP

<<Tyger>> 22/22 HP

Baldur shook his head. The man had inferred anyone who died to a boar deserved to be dead, but he wouldn't argue semantics with the man. What really bothered him was his hypocritical attitude to people who were out there fighting to get, when he sat in here, pretending to be above it all.

"If you don't plan on staying inside of this game, then you should be more appreciative of the lives spent trying to beat the game, or should learn to cooperate with others so you can take part in the assault team. You're just a hypocrite otherwise."

Baldur waved to the player who was behind the bar acting as bartender. Had he missed that profession? Maybe it was a subset of skills under the cooking profession.

"Cold sake please."