Aaphi

Aaphi had started to feel like he was accomplishing things. He wanted more of that. He wasn't going to go back to grinding. Grinding sucked. 

"I'm going to break from the party to do quests on my own. We can still meet up and do them together, but the next thing i'm doing is a quest. You can grind all you want. To completion, even."

Kuro crinkled his nose. "Did you just tell me to go screw off?"

"In a very polite way, yeah. i think we can both relate. I'm slowing you down a lot, and you're keeping me from keeping my own pace as well."

"Well, then... I... Don't know what to say... I'll call you?"

"If you want." Aaphi replied. "I might call you for a hand some times. But its best that we split up and go our own separate ways. Tell each other what we find."

Yeah, whatever shorty.

I go where i want. 

Where i want.... where do I want to go? Why would i want to go there?

And why would i say i have feelings?

I'm just a MoB. i don't have complex code like that. I shouldn't.

Whats happened here? why am i having such inquiries?

"Alright, alright. Well. if we're all just fine with how things are, we can get moving." said Aaphi equipping himself for the day. "More quests. More things." He got up. "What about the traveler quest. Between the three of us, and maybe a friend, we could pull it off."

Kuromado tsk'd. He got up as well and selected his set equipment profile.  "I know you've got your mind on quests, but i suggest we continue mashing random mobs and grinding." he said, leaving the room.

Aaphi and Riff followed. "How long?!" Aaphi growled "I I think its time i made a statement."

Kuro turned on him, "Oh yeah, and whats that?"

"I know all about it. i've been looking at the skills and how much each one costs in points. But i've also been looking at the possible stat increases. Overall, when in the long run, i can still level up those stats eventually, and also have the extra stat bost that comes with having Riff. So i'm better off keeping the scaly beast."

Kuro and Riff both stared at Aaphi for a brief, awkward moment. Amazement. He'd actually thought about this. Stat bonuses...

"But its not the only reason." he said fiddling a finger under Riff's bottom jaw.

Good. 

I guess i'm snug, then.

The stat boost is somewhat worth the drain on skill points.

But, whats the other reason?

"Oh well then, OKAY. FINE. I guess you don't have to get rid of it." kuro said "But i'm telling you right now, it stays offa me. theres a line that thing can't cross. and i'm on the other side."

"Plus, its a hindrance." Kuro stated. "You don't know what you're doing to yourself game-wise."

"I know i'm gonna be a badass serpent tamer and kick monster butt with a giant snake." Said Aaphi, quite 'mater-o-fact'ly.

Kuromado  sighed. "Its a strain on your skill points. The familiar isn't a member of the party its a part of your avatar. you have to feed it your own skill points for it to level up. which means you'll level up more slowly. Things you want to put skill points in for you will have to wait. you're putting you're own life on hold for one dependent on yours. Its harder with a familiar in the picture. raising a familiar is a big responsibility."

Uh-oh.... He's right...

I'll be a burden on my tamer. Its possible he won't be able to handle it. 

Afterall.... he did just kinda walk blindly into my quest and did it out of pigheadedness.

its not like he planned for it... its not like he planned for me...

If thats true... maybe he can get rid of-

"I know that." Aaphi declared. 

"What do you have against Riff?" Aaphi asked

Kuro groaned, "Its snakes, man. I hate em. They're weird. They're all..." he waved his arms around "And they bite, and they don't have things."

Aaphi cocked his head a bit, clearly unsure of what kuro could mean by.."Things?"

"You know! things! Arms, legs, tentacles,. Its them and no things and it creeps me out."

"Hey, snakes have a lot of things. They have eyes, a tongue, a head, a tail. And riff has horns, and wings."

"Not to mention teeth, cold blood, psychotic temperament, and slimy, scaly - and sometimes flaky - skin." kuro pointed out.

And feelings.

Don't forget about those feelings. 

Yeah, totally here and listening to every word.

As i bob my head back and forth between them, i can't help but notice the loud one get a bit anxious when my eyes are on him. 

I have decided to do this often.

"See, its creepy, isn't it?" said kuro. sitting up in his bed. 

Aaphi crossed his arms "It was just a bad dream." he lied, "I like having Riff around. its not creepy at all. I always thought snakes were cool. I never thought i'd be cool enough to have one, but rock star status earns me a snake i think. Anyway, what are you doing up so early?"

"Look, kid, you keep flashin' around this 'rock star' business-" Kuro started in but cut himself off. " Nevermind, I didn't get any sleep because i didn't want to wake up like you with that thing pressed up against me."

Oh please, don't flatter yourself, shades.

is that a beard on your jaw or do you have a ferret familiar that lives on your face?

"that thing":1

That Idiot:0

Aaphi awoke to the tingling of a soft caress. It crept along his body and made him shiver. Its nice to wake up to the touch of someone from time to time. Seeking the comfort of another person's bed was gratifying and reminiscent of the real world. Truely a stroke of genius to alow certain... functions to the game that made life more real. Though he was sure there were religious groups a plenty instantly rallying against VRMMO's just for including it.

It took a minute for him to remember that he had went to bed alone.

"YEESH!" Aaphi yelped, jumping out of the bed as if it were on fire. He looked down to see his mystery bedmate. "Oh, oh its just you..."

It was Riff. The snake was almost 4 feet in length and blue -  well, blue for now. He could change his color and happened to have chosen the light, robin's-egg blue of the bedsheets. Never had Aaphi ever thought he would be relieved to lift up the covers on his bed and find a snake. 

There was a soft 'ding' announcing his arrival as Aaphi stepped into the tailor's shop. It was fairly well put together. The racks were neat, the cloths on display weren't out of place. If you needed something, assuming it was here, it would be easy to find. That in mind, he scanned the room for jackets and coats. After his last quest on floor 4 he had the notion to ad a layer to his wardrobe. Not a thick one, by any means, but something to add a little cover. He didn't plan on going to floor 4 again for a while anyway, so something heavy would be too much.

He was still thinking to himself about the needs he had for his new piece of equipment when he accidentally bumped into the tailor who ran the shop.

"Oh, sorry." he said, "I should watch where i'm going. Are you the owner?"

pixel art items?! Why didn't i think of that?! I might have to commission one or two at some point.

And i'm calling bullsh** on what you said in my thread, your feet are just fine. Barefoot characters are hell for some people to draw, but i think you nailed it.

Aaphi's eyes widened at the word 'Minotaur'. A boss. today would be interesting. They had yet to go toe-to-toe with a real boss. 

"Are their things we should get before we go after this thing?" Aaphi asked mari, interested in hearing how the strategy for fighting a boss would be. Up until now, it was just enough for them to tag-team low-level monsters.

Kuromado reached overhead to stretch his arms. "She'll probably bum-rush it while we pick at it and take a collective damage." he said. "Its the only way i can see us working."

"Oh well," Kuro sighed "Theres no fighting it now. THough i'm keeping my eye open while i sleep from now on. Speaking of sleep, lets hit the hay."

Aaphi grinned and looked at his new wyrm friend. "The room is paid for for another night. We can stay and be off tomorrow. I'm pretty bushed too."

With that they retired to their room at the inn. All three of them.

It was an interesting day, to say the least. 

I never dreamed a tamer would come along and scoop me up from that prison surrounded by ice.

Though, as happy as i am, i can't help but wonder what it is, exactly, i've gotten myself into...

Kuro glared at the scaly insult to nature. He was blown away that Aaphi had gone off and completed a quest without him. And became a beast tamer. He didn't know which one surprised him more. He didn't want to admit it, but a winged snake was pretty metal. He hated snakes, but there wasn't anything lame about what he did.

"Alright, fine. So where did you go to find something like that, anyway?" Kuromado asked. "Not much of a nurturing place for the cold blooded."

Aaphi didn't know where to start. "First of all, i just went where the gypsy told me." he explained, "i just walked north. Eventually i hit some area where the weather was different; warm. When i finished the quest it all vanished."

Kuro thought for a moment. "I've never heard of any warm quests on this floor." he said, "Whatever you found must either be new or some error."

Aaphi scratched his head "I don't know about any of that, but it was fun. I almost died, but y'know, fun." 

"CHEESE AND CRACKERS!" Screamed kuromado, as he turned pale and leaned back in horror. "Is that a familiar?!"

"Yep. His name is Riff." Aphy replied with a grin "WHat do you think?"

"I think you're fu**ing nuts, man! Why the hell would you want a snake as your familiar?!"

"Its actually a funny story..."

"You're getting rid of it."

Oh no he's not.

Riff hissed and snapped at Kuromado, threateningly. 

"Oh no i'm not."

Aaphi approached the source of the commotion and listened.

"Listen lady, you've got a good thing goin. I be you can lure all kinds of dopey nitwits into your quest with a top that low cut, but i've got no patience to drag around some stupid MoB pet." He ranted. "So you can take your quest and stick it up somebody elses-..." He looked over at Aaphi who was standing beside them at that point.

Kuro looked him up and down. "And just where have you been all day?" he asked "That thing with the famous alchemist was a bust, i have to learn from somebody else. So i've been back here at the inn waiting on you to show back up. Looked on my map and it said you weren't anywhere."

"Oh i was somewhere, alright." Aaphi assured him. "Look what i found". He then opened his shirt let Riff out. And out the serpent slithered. Up and around Aaphi's neck, resting its coils on Aphi's shoulders. 

Aaphi wrung his hands, shuffling for warmth as he made it into town. " Brrrr, its a relief to be back in town. I can't wait to get in the bed at the inn and curl up into a ball. My HP is low and my body temperature is lower." 

He was comming up on the inn when he heard a familiar voice.

"You will find it by the mountain. Where the stone castle fell." rang the soft, inviting cords of the gypsy woman's voice. "You have the look of a man who demands obedience of lesser creatures."

Another familiar voice followed it and prompted Aaphi's attention further. "Oh, a familiar quest?!" laughed Kuromado.

Riff began to loosen and shiver around Aaphi's shoulder. It would come to reason that he wouldn't do well in the cold. 

"Here. get inside." he said, pulling his shirt collar down. "This shouldn't be too weird."

The sleepy serpent did as beckoned without hesitation. Down Aaphi's shirt it went. 

This... This isn't bad, actually. This is cozy. 

I had my doubts when this baffoon took me in, but i could get used to this treatment.

Fish. Warmz. Foolish player to judge and mock. Eventual freedom from the 4th floor. Oh, how I've hated it here.

Aaphi squirmed. It was a sensation he would never have imagined having to experience. You could say he wasn't familiar with it at all.

"OoooOh... Wow... Thats new. Never going to get used to that." He said beginning his long trek back to town.

MORE UPDATES!

Due to the return of familiars, i'm having a special event. The first 5 requests for familiar artwork will get the regular rate (1500) in half (700). Can't wait to see what you all come up with!

NOTE: This quest must be successfully completed and familiar must be acquired before making your request. The discount is a prize extended to the first 5 to do so AND post their request. Only doing this because i think its wrong for people who are actually working on their threads to get second seat to someone who might not even start one. 

Heres an example of one i recently made.

A rumble interrupted the time of bliss. While Aaphi celebrated, he didn't notice how cold it was getting. The frost crept into the spring forest like a burgler in the night, stealing the life and beauty from it. turning it cold and hard. Its features twisted from bright green and orange, to nothing but white and gray and the black of cold death.

the rush of the blizzard was brief. As it settled the image of the forest lay mangled by frostbite and buried in snow. Assimilated to the environment of Floor 4.

Aaphi observed these none-to-familiar surroundings. Just as they were but swallowed by ice. In a way he felt bad. There was something beautiful here, a quirk in reality, and by completing a quest he destroyed it. Now he was back to the cold. thrown out of paradise for feeding a snake. 

"I wonder what i'll do with the new skill point..." Aaphi continued getting himself 'familiar' with everything. "I sure do hate being hit... but on the other hand, i'd like to hit a little harder..." 

Riveting.

Anyway,

As you can tell, none of thisss has dawned on the bessst and brightessst over here.

Now, there are questions one would be asssking themselves:

What happens to the quests that get completed in an area like this?

What happens to the area?

What happens to the players in that area?

All sssimply put: No one knows.

The ones that mimic quest locations are rare and buggy.

Most of the time, you can't even acccept the quest.

Not him, you. The people lissstening in.

This pretty, lumbering goon is now my tamer. I guesss its alright.

He won't know it, but i'll be taking a moment of your time to share my thoughts with you.

This seemingly quiet, unlikely little oasis on <<Floor 4>> May seem like a designed and intentional environment made for a quest.

​But its existence is happenstance. A small glitch in the game's files for this area of <<Floor 4>> caused a whole in the map.

As a precaution to these events, a copy of an area of map from another floor will replace the lost section of environment files. 

"Alright!" he hooted in victory. His first solo quest completed. He had a right to be utterly stoked. After feeding his new companion, he reviewed his new set of options. Among other things were information about the Wyralisk. Basic stats, current level... Skills.... Too soon for all of that. There was the added bonus he could exploit from his highly effective taming attempt. And a name fIeld...

Name: Riff

Like a guitar riff. Jesus Hudson James Christ, thats clever.

"Its official, baby. You and i are real familiar now." The cleverness continues...

If snakes could roll their eyes... I would.

Yeah, yeah you heard me.

Aaphi stood stunned that something so off-the-fly actually worked. Partially stunned because he expected to die and didn't know what was next if he lived. It took him a moment to collect himself. Help came from a nudge of the snake-like creature now virtually attached to him. 

"OH!" he half-shouted at the fact that there was a snake - a snake that had almost ruined his quest and killed him - now perched peacefully on his shoulder. It flicked it's tongue and changed colors. Having once been a forest green with red wing and tail, it was now white with black and purple accents. "You have good tastes my friend. " He said. "Here, would you like another?"

As he opened his menu to select another piece of fish, an announcement popped up 

Quest Completed!

Aaphi: The Serpent Tamer

Aaphi screamed. Searing pain jolted from his head to his toe as more vital life points escaped him. His resolve to kill the creature was gone. He had only the will to survive it. To live whether he defeated it or not. It had gotten out of hand and fast. He needed a plan of action. The battle had to stop, but how? Something desperate and crazy had to happen.

His hand shook as he opened the menu. He selected the fish from before and held it in an outstreached hand. "Here snakey, snakey. H-heres some nice tasty fish."

Confusion would be putting it lightely to describe what the Wyralisk had been expressing. It backed up, anticipation another attack. It was about to lash out once more, and would have, but took notice of Aaphi's defensive stance and - more importantly,- the food in his hand. Its rapid, angry fluttering slowed to a low rhythmic pulse. the world slowed down as Aaphi stuck his hand closer and the beast was close enough to feel the beat of its wings.

It took the food, savoring the morsel as it slid down its gullet. When the bite was gone, instead of attacking, the serpent coiled around Aaphi's arm and perched on his shoulder.

Aaphi Tamed Wyralisk

ID:8542

Wyralisk familiar buff: +1Evasion

+1 skill point

Aaphi Thought for a moment. His resolve faltered in light of the difference in level. He had determination before, but that last attack seemed to do almost nothing. These thoughts cascaded into doubt. Something he couldn't afford to have. He shook off the doom and gloom and readied himself for another go. He gripped his spear and swung it with all his might, only to whirl around and hit the earth behind him.

The wriggling wyrm tensed up and took offense to the advance. It lashed out once again jamming its painfull pronging teeth into Aaphi's back.

Aaphi missed Wyralisk. Wyralisk 11/15

Wyralisk hit Aaphi for -3DMG. Aaphi: 5/11

ID:8541

Aaphi opened wide and released a silent squeal of pain. The little snake was fluttering about like a black bird with a long tail, dodging left and right. Aaphi was determined now, to lay this one down. It was a couple levels higher than he was and had more attack power. But he wanted it dead for interfering. For the experience, if nothing else.

"You'll make pretty boots!" Aaphi said jabbing a second time, leaping for reach. 

The beast hung in mid air snapping at Aaphi and missing after being skewered.

Aaphi hit Wyralisk for -2DMG. Wyralisk: 11/15

Wyralisk misses Aaphi. Aaphi: 8/11

ID:8540