Jomei

-♫-

Raising an arm to shield his face was hardly enough to block any of the sludge from coating his person. He thought Callisto's lair smelt bad enough as is, but now he was getting an up close and personal sniff. Fighting to hold off a gag, he dismissed his disgust. Now wasn't the time to worry about stench or appearances. They had a battle to win. "Could be." Jomei would respond to Bahr as he brushed a splash of grey mud from his cheek and hair. "I think we've faired far too lucky so far.. Im worried if he's got another phase up his sleeve, we'll be in for a world of hurt." Best they be ready for anything.

Every muscle within his body shuddered, as if he could feel his heart pound throughout his entire body. The poison wasn't going to make fighting easy, and it did not seem like a simple potion would be the cure. Although, his natural regeneration should be enough to keep the ever draining health bar from being a true concern. He would simply need to wait it out and do what he can to ignore the ice cold feeling in his veins. Or was it heat. Raking a hand from his forehead and through the bangs that fell in front of his face, he inhaled deeply through his mouth. The stale, putrid air littered with dirt kicking up from the battle around them tickled his throat and spawned a cough.. but he was over it.

Turning to check over his teammates, his gaze stopped on Lessa for a moment. He waited to catch her gaze, the worry in her deep, cerulean eyes apparent even from the distance apart they stood. The smirk he wore was confident, contrary to the weariness in his eyes - though caring, as always. Without a sound leaving him, he would mouth 'We've got this.' to her. Taking a stance beside Bahr, he would offer his thanks while placing his violin back onto his shoulder. "Thanks for that, I'm good to switch back out." A single finger would pluck at a string, setting the opening pace for his next song. The dull note would resonate in the air around him, peeking out from over the sounds of battle. "I'll catch his attention again, so hit him hard for me." With a pull of the bow across the strings, he would play out a stark, high chord that contrasted the chain of single, plucked notes. He shouted to his party behind him, "This fight has not been easy. We are far from finished, and don't know what else is in store for us. But have hope, he is almost at half health. Hit him with everything you've got, and we'll all make it out of this one with no scars, but stories to tell!" 

The speed of his song would pick up, cloak of brilliant green dancing behind his back as the energy from his Howl skill activating boomed out from where he stood. Though Callisto's eyes and focused were drawn to the other players for the time being, he saw the bear's ears perk up in response to his music. 

A sickly, purple bile seeped from the corners of Callisto's maw as its tongue lapped at its oversized claws. Jomei's head cocked to the side curiously, though his defense never dropped, watching what appeared to be a wounded animal tending to its paw. When he finally noticed that the sizzling, discolored saliva had been coating the rotten claws, it was already too late. The bear rushed forth at Jomei, ignoring the rest of his squad. The ginger attempted to dodge out of the way, but Callisto anticipated the player's movements. Jomei was left ravaged by the attack, bright red gash marks on one side of his jaw traveling across to his hip. He could almost feel the hot, putrid breath of the beast on the back of his neck as he was thrown to the ground. 

The attack attempts from their comrades partied up in other groups was enough to get Callisto's attention off of the struggling Jomei as he pushed himself up onto his knees. His entire body felt numb, though the attack did not do as much damage as it could have. Slowly, his battle healing did the work to push the bar back up into a safer zone.. until his stomach lurched. Raising a hand to his face, he felt almost all the contents he had consumed before the fight regurgitate, and vomit spewed from his mouth. "Ugh thats.." he managed to get out as he shakily managed to get to his feet.. barely. "That's not good.." 

Everything felt a bit fuzzy, his head spinning. Whatever disease Callisto was infected with, it had managed to infect Jomei with it.. hopefully for a short time. "Im fine.. Urk-" he swallowed back another upchuck. "I'm fine." Trembling hands would pull another antidote from his pockets, this one mundane in comparison to the first he had consumed before the fight, the one that was probably in the pile at his feet. "Bahr" Jomei called out to the ashen haired man, "You got my back?" He turned to look over his shoulder in his direction.. heavy bags under his eyes, wiping a bit of bile from his lip. "I'll grab his attention back in a few just.." he eyed the antidote bottle, "Need to take a minute..." 

Bottoms up, hope it stays down, he thought to himself as he chugged the bottle. It was no pepto bismol, but it would do.

The beast's overgrown, rotten claws tore through the lot of them. Like an oncoming train, Jomei watched as Callisto's attack barreled towards him, after leaving the rest of his party in the monstrosity's wake. Barely a moment to react. The quickly falling health bars of his comrades in the corner of his eye dropped a pit into his stomach. How could it do so much damage to them, a single attack that hit all of them. His anxiety spiked with the severity of Callisto's bane, but he could not allow himself to falter. The second before the bear's claws made mincemeat of him, a blade rose to intercept. 

The defensive duelist struggled against the power of the massive beast of prey. Digging his boots into the dirt, he held his ground against Callisto, his rapier held straight up and down and other hand applying force towards the center of the blade. The razor claws of the bear still managed to pierce Jomei's side, but his quick parry had managed to avoid a much more possibly fatal hit. He winced as a rush of heat rushed into his body from the point of impact. His vision began to blur while a vortex of venomous thoughts filtered through his mind. But in an instant, it had vanished, all thanks to the antidote he had consumed earlier. Glancing over at his comrades, all recovering from that last strike, he only hoped they prepared in a similar fashion.

The claw dug deeper into his hip, and Jomei knew he needed to act or else he would lose his ground. Turning his back foot, the ginger would plant himself into the ground, the dirt and stone around his soles cracking in a web-like fashion. Using Callisto's own weight against him, Jomei would twist his blade and riposte the initial attack. A quick slash and he was free from under the might of the beast. It retreated and glared across at him and the others, planning its next strike.

A small exhale escaped him, as the panicked state died down and his health slowly recovered. The others were not nearly as lucky as he was, dropping  to under half their total health - if not, close to it. Was it Jomei's doing that caused this, or just their shite luck? Couldn't let that get to him, they were still depending on him to defend them all. He did not plan on letting them down.

Pulling a quick crystal from his pockets, he would raise it over his head and crush the object within his grasp. The green and blue energy that was released, gravitated towards each of the players to recover some of that lost health. "Safety is our top priority!" Jomei shouted to his group "We won't be taking this thing down if it takes us down first."

"Antidotes, refresh them if you need to. Looks like they're saving us from something extra from each hit."

"Less, Bahr. Use your healing crystals if you can! He hasn't been paying you two much attention, should be able to pop them off."

"I'm going to try and hit it with a sword art.. see if I can latch a debuff onto 'im. Anyone else attacking, follow my lead!" 

Raising his rapier, he would quickly close the distance between himself and Callisto. Thrusting forth with his momentum propelling the blade, the tip of the rapier plunged into the bear's rear thigh. Not as much damage as he was used to, but still helpful nonetheless. As the others followed suit and landed their own strikes, Jomei fell back into his position on the battlefield, serving as their ever dodging shield. Olive eyes looked at each of his party members, mostly strangers and his closest friend, checking to see how they were doing. Physically, of course, but mostly mentally. 
 

Not a word had left Jomei's lips - hardly even a gesture of his hand, offering the stranger a seat next to him - before this Acanthus began opening up to him. He had recognized her from the raid meeting not just a couple days prior, a new face on the frontlines. She was very quiet and to herself, a usual result of the anxiety and fear of the impending raid battle. Nonetheless, despite the fact that Jomei did not even have a chance to introduce himself, he allowed her to speak. 

He listened, as he was always taught. 

She spoke of her family, and their trips to the beach. Her worrisome mother and straight-faced father, who took those opportunities to unwind. And a sibling, what he would give to have that relationship with a brother, or sister. Especially now, someone he could trust to take care of his mother and even his father. He was sure this situation wasn't easy on either of them. 

Though they may have been the babbling words of one stranger to another, it would tug at his heartstrings. 

Homesick wasn't a feeling he had felt for a long time.

"H-Hey" he shrugged it off with a chuckle, gesturing a gentle hand in Acanthus' direction as she quickly stood and apologized. "No need to apologize. I wasn't over here burying myself in my woes or anything like that. I just enjoy watching the waves, feeling the sun on my skin. There weren't too many beach trips in my youth, if any at all. Not really a thing where I'm from. So getting to enjoy this here.. its just nice." Whether she had decided to sit back down or not, he continued to speak until she inevitably decided which path to take. "Thank you for sharing. It's been awhile since I've heard someone talk about their home, and their family. A nice reminder of what we're fighting to get back to." 

"And I'm Jomei, by the way. Its nice to meet you as well. You're one of our newcomers on the frontlines, yeah?" 

@Acanthus

As he depart from the elven city, a traveling party of players crossing his path warned him of taking the main road through the valley. They didn't say much other than "Not a good time." Since Jomei was pressed for time to meet with Wulfrin, and did not want to have anything lurking in the valley to delay him, he figured not to press the warning any further and went on his way. Seeing as he had quite the path ahead of him, Jomei would unlatch the violin that hung from his hip and rested it on his shoulder. Diving into a melody that he had been composing in the back of his mind, a bow grasped in his hand would gently glide along the strings. The mix of the image of serenity -- lush green trees and a gentle summer breeze -- and the gentle notes that rose from his violin made for quite the pleasant journey. 

Where Ellesmera was a city of elves surrounded by trees, Baobab was a city of trees surrounded by even bigger trees. The treants were such monstrous creatures, but with so much beauty to them. Each hulking step sounded like a tree collapsing, but its body movements more like branches, leaves rusting in the wind. Each stood at a towering height, Jomei even needing to tilt his chin upward to look at even the smallest. Sunken eye holes atop their expressionless, wooden face filled with a vibrant green energy, looking both cautious and curious. Hopefully there were no hard feelings between him and the treants after their last encounter..

Having received a reply from Wulfrin, Jomei decided to hang in wait at the city's entrance. It was not long before the familiar face showed up. "Nah, not yet." he would shake his head. "Tried asking the elves, but they were having some kind of funeral.. didn't want to interrupt. Just got here and decided to wait for you." His gaze shifted to look at the passing treants, just going about their day as any other NPC would. "I suppose we could have gone to Florenthia but this was closer." Leaning a bit closer as he spoke in a hushed tone, "Hopefully they'll be willing to talk to us, I had to fight off a couple of them to help some elves some time ago. But that was..." he would scratch his head as he struggled to place the thought, "a long time ago. Before the Shadow, before everything.. uh.. 'updated'?" possibly the best word to describe the feeling. 

"Anyway, figured we could start by asking the locals? Or we could head into the center of town and ask the Great Deku Tree himself." his reference would cause a chuckle.

The voice of a man clearly tired and out of options addressed them, the quest giver that was patiently standing around as the three - now two - conversed revealed the details of his plight. The prior foreman of the Yōgan mines had taken up arms, building a band of thugs and ruffians to terrorize the village, most likely out of revenge for his 'forced early retirement.' The ginger simply nodded along, allowing Siren to speak for the two of them. In the meantime, Jomei took care of officially accepting the quest as the prompt appeared before him and creating a party consisting of himself and his pink haired companion. "Alright, sounds like we are good to go-" the arm of the woman hooking around his own took him by surprise. A rather forward approach for a duo who had just met. 

With a soft clearing of his throat, he rose the arm that Siren had taken to point towards the outskirts of the city. "I-Its been a long time since I've done this quest, but judging by where Kirk is telling us to go, their camp didn't move much." Yōgan Village was not the largest of settlements, and it was not a long walk before the two found themselves passing through the invisible barrier of safety. A casual elbow rested on the pommel of his rapier, keeping a vigilant eye for any unexpected dangers. If what Siren said was true, and she did not have much experience with combat, then the same went for her defenses as well. "So, what made you decide to go out looking for quest partners on this floor?" he asked curiously, "I know there are a bunch of quests that don't require combat, or are a bit simpler for those without many levels under their belt." His shoulders rose and fell with a shrug, "Not that I have a problem taking this one with you, I was hoping to get this one done myself anyway, just curious." 

Jomei the emerald duelist

Spoiler notes Level: 33 | Paragon: 74 | Tier: 4(11)  Jomei | HP: 960/960 | EN: 134/134 | DMG: 21 | MIT: 44 | ACC:3 | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:4 | BH:53 | HB: 42 | VAMP-D: 106 | BLI: 32/-20  | LD:1        Equipment: Vicious Mockery : ACC II | Taunt | Blight  Fencer's Regalia - Trepidation: Vamp D II | HB | MIT  Token of Serenity: HB| EVA III   equipped Vicious Mockery Fencer's Regalia - Trepidation Token of Serenity battle-ready inventory   Smores EVA II Bingsu MIT III Teleportation Crystal Creme Brule ACC II skills Spoiler Skills Rapier R5 | TECH Spec. Combat Mastery DMG R3 Cloth Armor R5 Charge B Healing R5 Energist MA R2 Howl Fighting Spirit Quick Change Extra: Concentration Survival   Parry Forgotten King's Authority Assault Mode  Lady Luck Meditation Mods Athletics Emergency Recovery Vengeful Riposte Justified Riposte Addons Stamina  Focus Precision Nimble Focused Howl data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== buffs Spoiler Housing Buffs:  Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat     Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)     Dining Room: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. Living Room: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Kitchen: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps.  data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

Consumables Used: 
>Smores - FILLED EVA 2(+1)
Jomei | HP: 960/960 | EN: 134/134 | DMG: 21 | MIT: 44 | ACC:3 | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:7 | BH:53 | HB: 42 | VAMP-D: 106 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD:1  

So the quest wasn't going to make it simple for them. 

Tapping his chin with an inkling of curiosity, olive eyes looked over the menu screen. Very little details about the quest listing were given to them, aside from the objective to find Kumatetsu - and ultimately defeat them. No clues on their whereabouts, nor any sort of destination marker that would normally appear in the center of his HUD. 

"Hm.." he would hum to himself, before swiping a hand through the illuminated screen, distorting it for a moment before it dismissed into the ether. "Guess I have to do this the old fashioned way." 

The main settlement of Ellesmera seemed like the best place to start, since it was the default location on Floor Eight that players would teleport to. The elves of Ellesmera held themselves in high regard, and that sophistication and elegance was reflected in their architecture. The amount of detail that went into every building that Jomei walked past was extraordinary. One could get lost following the vine-like curves that must have been painstakingly carved into the woodwork around every door and window, or the beams of bridged that seemed to twist and bend in ways no mere man could recreate with some magical ability.  

With hundreds of years behind many of the still living men and women, and an understanding of the life that flows through the forest, Jomei could easily assume that they would know the whereabouts of his quarry... If he could actually locate anyone to speak with. Ellesmera was strikingly quiet, even the falls that cascaded over the cliffs and fell to the valley below seemed to give off almost no sound until he concentrated on it. A bit of exploring and the Irishman would eventually stumble upon a gathering of what seemed like the entire settlement in the center of town. A single voice speaking over the bowed heads of the masses, who each wore black outfits that contrast starkly from the earthy colors that decorated their town. 

It didn't take a genius to realize that he was interrupting some prayer service - or memorial for the fallen. 

He could wait around for this ceremony to end.. but he was not knowledgeable enough in the elven culture to know how long that would take. 

Opening a message to Wulfrin, he would send his comrade an update on his search.

Quote

To: Wulfrin
Subject: Kumatetsu

Hey Wulfrin,
Im heading to Baobab to ask if they know where to find the first Keeper of Nature. 
If you're free, meet me there.
-Jomei

// Quest Details

The greeting from his friend seemed rushed, as if he was trying to juggle ten other things at once. Maybe it was unwise to try and spark up a conversation with someone who was being spoken at by a number of other people. With pursed lips, his hands gently slid into the pockets of his jacket while he stepped back away from the ground. Perhaps another time then, he thought to himself as he turned from Morningstar and the others.

Now came the awkward part of any gathering - finding somewhere to fit in. The blonde haired woman had invited him to join them, but they had since left their blanket to go on the scavenger hunt Zandra put together. Already a larger group, filled with players he was unfamiliar with. A small sigh escaped his lips as he turned once more, this time with a drink on the mind. 

The bottle was unmarked, aside from a simple label pasted onto the darkened glass, leaving him to wonder if it was supposed to be alcoholic or not. With a crack, the ginger removed the bottle cap by popping it on the side of the table. The taste was pleasant, reminiscent of a beer but with a sweet hint of honey to make up for the lack of the effects of the alcohol. It'll do, he thought to himself as he took another sip. 

Jomei found a spot on the beach close to the water, not enough for the crashing waves to engulf him, but just so the occasional wave would wash over his feet as he sat staring out at the seemingly endless blue. 

The sour note that shrieked from his violin as Callisto suddenly turned its eyes on Jomei and lunged forth may be in the running for the worst sound he had ever heard. His breath caught in his throat, the sudden reminder that HE WAS THE TANK. The days of being the quick moving DPS poking his rapier out from behind the safety of a heavily armored tank were gone. He was the first line of defense. The pit of fear suddenly burned away, as he was filled with purpose; Protect your comrades. 

The instant after Jomei's musical mishap, he fell back into step. The epic medley of strung notes that provided a back track to their battle suddenly became a waltz as Callisto raised its claws at Jomei. With steps like dance moves, Jomei's swift feet would keep him out of harms way. Ducking and bobbing, all while keeping the bear's attention with his music. As the boss exhausted its final attacks on the ginger, to no avail, Jomei found his opportunity. An opening in Callisto's defenses, as it retracted its massive, decaying claw back to the ground. Gliding his weapon across the surface of the violin, he would hold his fingers down on the strings to allow the chord to ring out. The rapier would continue forth and barely pierce the muscle of Callisto's shoulder. Not enough to deal any lasting damage, but that wasn't his goal.

After pulling his rapier back, he would raise a leg and deliver a quick kick into the diseased face of the bear to create some distance between it and his group. "What's wrong?" Jomei questioned, "Can't keep up?" Jomei's song would continue once more, waiting for the bear's next move. 

Cordelia. Finally a name to put to the face. A name that, thinking on it, he did not remember in the slightest. In one ear, out the other, when he first heard it. Maybe it was because the two hadn't even said two words to each other, except for maybe a noodle order. He wouldn't admit it, but he probably lumped her in with NPCs based off of that brief shopkeeper-customer meeting. 

"Yes! Right! I remember now. It was on the tip of my tongue." he awkwardly laughed. "Yeah, it has been awhile then. Probably would have seen you more often if Baldur, Mac and I held through on our dinner meeting plans." 

A bummer, really. He would have enjoyed making better friends with Baldur and Macradon.

"Like I said.. a cave spider on its own might send a chill down my spine.. but its doable. This was a dozen, maybe more. Some bigger and hairier..." he shuddered at the mere mention of the hairy ones. Disgusting. "But I'm going to be honest with you.." his eyes looked off past Cordelia, staring at nothing in particular. A gloved hand scratched at the hair on the back of his head, knocking a couple leftover webs loose. "With that whole.. debacle, I don't even remember." It was embarrassing to admit, but the fear that the spiders instilled in him - followed by almost falling into, what could have been, the endless abyss - really short circuited his short term memory. Tapping the side of his temple with an index finger, as if that would jog his memory, he took it upon himself to open up his menus to see if past Jomei left future Jomei any clues. 

Simply enough, he saw the contents of a job listing copied into a message sent to himself. A quest, perhaps. Good enough reason as any to visit a floor like this. "Ah, here we go. Looks like I was coming here to response to a posting I saw on the job board. Someone in Kalanaes reaching out for help from 'surface dwellers' .. guess they mean players like us." Swiping a hand to dismiss his menu, he looked over at Cord. "There aren't many quest listings up on this floor, as far as I know. You wouldn't happen to be heading in the same direction, would you?"

It was easy to forget that they were within a towering labyrinth spanning between the Twenty-Eighth and Twenty-Ninth floors. The mangled corpses of thick barked trees seemed ever consuming, and what the naked eye could perceive past that was just ominous clouds of fog in the darkness. It was not until the gathering stumbled upon a set of doors made for a giant. Silence fell upon the frontliners, tension so thick it could barely be cut with their blades. Broken abruptly by the ominous creaking of hinges, the large doors - that last moment of safety and security - opened to reveal the theater of battle within. 

The forest before was dead -- this was putrid, decaying. 

Their foe revealed themselves, heavy foot falls crunching long, overdried roots of fallen trees in its wake. Its fur matted with blood, unknown whether it was its own or its previous victims', and all sorts of weaponry jammed into its back like some demented porcupine. All to no avail, made obvious by the still living bear - if it was at that. Looking closer, it was infected. With what, he had no clue, but some of its flesh was rotten to the bone. The usual, piercing red eyes of previous floor bosses was absent, and even within this darkness, he could see the corrupt eyes glazed over. Gray and blind. But that did not seem to hinder it at all in being able to sense exactly where the players stood. Exactly where he stood.

It was time. And God only knew whether he was truly ready or not, but there was no turning back. Calisto approached with slow, predatory steps, darkened drool oozing from a growling snarl through whatever was left of its lips. Jomei slowly inhaled through parted lips, the air tasting of rot and decay. Lowering his rapier hand to the side, his free hand would slowly unlatch the violin from his hip. Raising the instrument to his shoulders, he would slowly breathe out an exhale. The thin strings that followed along the length of his blade would glide along the face of the violin. Wait. He stopped for a moment, moving the violin from his shoulder to tune the a string. A small pluck with his finger tip. Perfect. 

A smirk spawned from the sudden instilling of confidence within himself. Suddenly, he felt as though this is the role he was meant to play. Combining his musical talent with his combat prowess. Starting with a string of sustained notes to get the feel for the weapon-instrument combination, Jomei slowly worked up the tempo. The ballad he played was powerful, loud. Distracting. "Oi, Pooh Bear!" The ginger would shout at the beast, his voice booming as he activated his Focused Howl "I thought we were supposed to be fighting some big fella, not Yogi Bear's, dryshite cousin!" He could feel those dead eyes shift in his direction, his mockery catching the bear's attention. "That's right, come get me." Jomei would say to himself as he fought to keep the beast's attention with his music. 

"There's an old Irish saying. Translates to about.. 'May you be in Heaven a full half hour before the devil knows your dead.'" He looked at each of his comrades once more, "We're all from different walks of life, so not sure if my heaven is the same as yours, but, if this thing goes sideways and we all end up there--meet me at the bar. I'm buying." His smirk would ignite into a grin as he turned once more to face Callisto. "Watch out for each other, we'll talk again on Floor Twenty Nine!" 

>> Focused Howl | +4 Hate (+1 FS) | -4 EN

Olive eyes turned their attention towards Cordelia, who was jogging over to where he stood with a small smile on her face. Returning the smile with a small wave of his hand, he confirmed what his teammate had thought. “Mmhm” he would hum with a nod, “Team Four. Glad to have another familiar face on the team.” As Cord and Arabelle introduced themselves to each other, the ginger would turn his attention once more as a head of green hair - with supporting red bandanna - walked by. “Aye, that’ll be me.” he would respond to Hirru’s query about him tanking with a slight bow. “We’ll see how well that goes.” added in jest.

A small nudge to his shoulder and a familiar voice in his ear, he felt a warmth bubble up inside until it expressed itself as a smile on the outside. "Gave me a fright there Less. Didn't think you were going to show. Wouldn't've blamed you, to be honest.." he would remark with a slight shift of his head to look at her. New armor and equipment that certainly looked the part, though the expression she wore on her face said otherwise. "You and me both." he mumbled in return. "Hey. If anyone can do this, its you." The gentle squeeze of his arm, just as reassuring to him as it was to her. They were a team, they made it through whatever this game had thrown at them so far, and they'd do it again. He spoke to her in a soft, low tone, only meant for her ears. "I'll keep you safe, I promise. And everyone else I guess.. Can't go playing favorites." he'd tease her with a wink. Jomei distracted himself from his thought, and the sudden silence, by adjusting his cloak. After mustering up some courage to speak again, he took in a breath.

"Hey, I-" “I’ll be right back.”  

"Oh, yeah sure. We'll talk later." Maybe that'd be better. He watched her wander off for a minute before bumping into another long lost face. Good, he came after all. Jomei would think to himself as he watched Baldur emerge from the tree line and approached Freyd. A tiny exhale of relief released through his nostrils. If he would catch the samurai’s attention, he would offer a smirk and nod of his head. Probably had plenty of preparing to do with the little time left they had. No need to distract him with conversation.

Jomei slowly looked over his comrades as they began to converge onto each other. Within the final moments before all hell broke loose, all last preparations being made, last conversations to be had. None of them knew what lurked in the darkness, but they all knew it would be the toughest thing they've had to face yet. "We've got this.." he said softly to himself, before his eyes would find his teammates. "We've got this." More from the chest, more confident. 

"I.. won't let you down." 

 Slowly, he would pull his rapier from its violin-scabbard-hybrid latched to his waist. The sound of metal scraping against the surface, joined by others who readied their weapons in tandem. Beads of sweat began to dampen the nape of his neck as his breathing began to pick up. Each inhale carrying with it the sickening smell of decay. He shook it off, he had to. For their sakes. Shifting his feet, he would place himself before his comrades - his friends, and ready a defensive stance.

**Will add any additional RP interactions tomorrow.

// Parry activated
- Vengeful Riposte - Justified Riposte

Final Stats: 

Jomei | HP: 1152/1152| EN: 134/134 | DMG:8 | MIT:169 | ACC:5 | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:7 | BH:63 | HB: 50 | VAMP-D: 127 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD:1 | DOTE (3/3) | Rested (2/2) | Clean  | Parry

Battle Ready Inventory:

• Mass HP Recovery Crystal x10
• Teleportation Crystal
• Scintillating Blade III
• Antidote x5

Just now, Raidou said:

1x King's Core [201722b]

@Jomei

Accepted, thank you

Accepting, thank you.

Selling previous home for equity

On 10/8/2017 at 9:13 PM, Jomei said:

House Name: Jomei's House
Location: Floor 11/ Eastern part of Taft

Description:
One of the larger homes offered on Floor Eleven to players. Among the rows of houses, all looking mostly similar, aside from slight difference in size or color. This two story house's outside walls are brown with a flat room and a small balcony overlooking the main road leading out of the city. (Picture) After moving in, Jomei set up the workshop in his house to serve as his shop as well. Just next to the door, a small, hanging wooden sign depicts a picture of a lute.

Plot Size: Starter Home (Donated, but don't want the full 15 Room Estate)
Rooms: (6/7 used)

1st Floor:

• Basic Kitchen and Dining Room (connected, but are 2 separate rooms for stat purposes) 
  • 
    • Dining Room assigned to Jomei 
• Living Room
  • 
    • Assigned to Jomei 
• Basic Workshop
  • 

2nd Floor:

• Basic Bedroom 
  • 
• Basic Bathroom
  • 

Room Upgrade(s): N/A 
Total Cost: Donated

New Player Home

Quote

<<Château de Feu>>
Floor 28 // Fire Forest
PK Accessible Plot

With the eternal autumn of Floor 28, the trees erupt in fiery shades of crimson and orange, their leaves dancing in the gentle breeze like flames flickering in the wind. The air is crisp, filled with the earthy scent of damp soil and the sweet aroma of pine. The lake, a glassy mirror reflecting the vivid canopy above, shimmers under the warm glow of the sun, inviting visitors to dip their toes into its cool waters.

Nestled deep within a vibrant forest, the two-story cottage stands serenely by the lake, a charming haven amidst nature's spectacle. Its weathered wooden exterior is cloaked in rich hues of deep green, harmonizing with the surrounding foliage. A stone path winds through a carpet of fallen leaves, leading to the front porch, an open air sitting room with a fire pit in the center.

The estate interior radiates warmth and charm, with rustic wooden beams overhead and soft, earthy tones throughout. A charming mix of Japanese and European furnishings wrapped in a cozy package. Passing through the genkan, a crackling fireplace serves as the focal point, surrounded by plush armchairs and a thick, woven rug that invites you to sink in.

Natural light pours in through large windows, framed by simple linen curtains. Shelves are lined with pottery, recording crystals and vintage books, adding character and personality. Snapshots from encounters with friends he wanted to remember framed around multiple string instruments, mounted to the dark oak. A low coffee table holds a few well-loved trinkets and a steaming teapot. 

In the kitchen, open shelves display colorful dishes and fresh herbs in small pots. A round dining table, topped with a vase of wildflowers, is perfect for intimate meals.

A spiraling staircase leads to the highest point in the estate, the study. A reading nook in the corner features a comfy armchair draped with a soft throw and a wall of books behind. The overall atmosphere is inviting and serene, perfect for relaxation and unwinding.

 

Rooms Used 6 | 15 

Kitchen	Bedroom	empty	empty	empty
Dining Room	Workshop	empty	empty	empty
Living Room	Bathroom	empty	empty	empty

 

 

 

Stories Slots 0 | 6

empty	empty
empty	empty
empty	empty

Yard Slots 0| 3

empty

empty

empty

 

A response to his query was answered rather quickly. The shorter, dark haired visage of NIGHT walked over to him, procuring the ornate looking crystal from her virtual inventory. As if receiving a perfectly wrapped gift, part of him didn't want to use the item. However, he knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Thanks" More of a sigh of relief left his lips rather than a response. 

"Definitely out of my usual element." he would add with a soft chuckle, "So I'll take the extra protection over my max damage any day." A bit of pressure was all that was needed to apply the crystal's effect, as the item ceased to exist in a small eruption of golden flakes that rained down onto his form. While his weapon appeared to loose a bit of its natural sheen, the filigree within the interior of his cloak pulsed with a similar gold hue to the crystal before dying down once more. "I appreciate the help, Night. I owe you one." 

As the conversation with the slightly younger player went on, the chime of a message hitting his inbox caught his attention. He waited for the conversation to cease with NIGHT before reading over the contents. So he had gotten his message, and was ready to assist at a moment's notice. Opening up a secondary page from his inbox, he looked over the list of teams that had been put together for the day. All filled up, no blank spaces. Taking a quick look around at those in attendance, he made a mental note. At least if they had a no show, he could easily fill in. A weight lifted off of his shoulders, a bit of relief that they had that back up plan.

While snacking on another pleasant looking, yet tasteless lunchbox of rice and vegetables, another player had approached him. He recognized the ashen hair and soft, crimson eyes from the raid meeting; specifically, the girl who supplied the honey glazed donuts. "Pleasure to meet you, Arabelle." the Irishman greeted her warmly with a smile and a respectful, outstretched hand. "Glad to have you on the team, I'm Jomei. I'll be tanking for our team today.." he looked down at his choice of attire. Not the heavy armor one would expect on a tank, "..believe it or not." 

"Just finished up my prep as well." brushing his hands together as the empty bento box shattered with its charge depleted. "I'm pretty sure the team is all filled up, so now we just sit and wait." His head tilted ever so slightly as he hands slipped into the pockets of his trousers, "Is this your first boss raid? I don't recall seeing you at one before." A smile returned, this one mixed with confidence.. whether forced or not, "I'll do my best to keep the boss off of your back. Just make sure to land some nice hits for us." 

@Arabelle

***
> accepts Duality from @NIGHT

Consumes:
king's core | T4/Unique/Consumable| OH 20% MIT +80, DMG -10
^{The user gains +20% Overhealth and +80 MIT at the cost of -10 DMG. This item does not stack with Overhealth consumables}

 duality | DEFENSIVE | MIT +30, DMG -3
^{a reward only available at the Champion's Hall for those who are worthy.}

Jomei | HP: 1152/1152| EN: 134/134 | DMG:8 | MIT:169 | ACC:5 | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:7 | BH:63 | HB: 50 | VAMP-D: 127 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD:1 | DOTE (3/3) | Rested (2/2) | Clean 

***
Offering to @Lessa
bingsu. | TIER 4 DESSERT | MIT III 
^{shaved ice. chopped fruits. syrup and milk. tasteless}

 bento. | TIERLESS MEAL | OVERHEALTH III
^{seaweed rice. two sides. pickled vegetables. tasteless.}

"Aye, guess it would be asking for a bit much for them to be completely unprepared for darkness." he whispered in response with a breathy scoff. "At least it sounds like the traps we set did a little bit to help us out." Glowstones, another simple item that Jomei never considers buying when picking up supplies. He groaned at his own foolishness, "Must've left them in my other cloak." he joked, though slight frustration was apparent by his tone of voice. But now was not the time for light, they needed to use the darkness to their advantage. Attempt to, at least. 

Jomei could feel where Freyd was trying to guide him. The slight tug on his shoulder in a direction that should put them out of sight from the incoming patrol. He could just barely make out the silhouettes of heavily armored individuals turning the corner.

They were out of time. 

He did not know what direction was safe to move in. One wrong step and he could tumble into a pit a bit too deep to survive the fall. Blindly and frantically, his outstretched arms would search for a wall, or some surface to ensure him he would not fall. Once he felt the rocky surface beneath his fingers, his knees would hit the ground as he pressed himself against the wall. He tried to make himself as small of a target as he could be - for someone of his stature, at least. Would that be enough?

The green of his cloak must have stuck out to one of the knights. As the patrol seemed to pass by them, they suddenly came to a halt. The shriek's of their weapons being drawn echoed off the walls, making their numbers sound even greater than they may have been. A gloved fist jabbed into the cavern wall, "Dammit." cursing to himself as his knuckles tingled from the impact. "Sorry Freyd.."

Stealth Attempt #2: ID 236065 | LD 6 | Failed again

Contrary to the information Freyd had shared, the sounds of a raging beast lingering in the darkness was absent. Perhaps their foe knew of the imminent attack, and it now waited quietly out of their sight. Ready to strike at any moment. Anxiety inducing silence, only broken by the sounds of boot falls, sloshing through muddy puddles. Each breath he took slowly became muffled by the heightened thrumming of his heart.

Everything else mentioned, however, was only inaccurate in the fact that even words couldn't describe the death left in the creature's wake.. and the smell. The anxious pit that sank into his stomach suddenly rose up towards his throat, the stench nearly making him loose the little food he had eaten. "Eugh..that's gonna make this difficult." Even bunching the collar of his cloak against his mouth and nose didn't do much to mask it. As long as he kept his stomach steady, and didn't puke all over the battlefield, he should make it through alright. 

Aside from the actual dangers the boss presented, at least. 

Thankfully, the food items he had picked up from a shop a week or so earlier didn't have much of a taste. On any other day, biting into a smore and tasting basically nothing would be upsetting. At least the sweet flavor wouldn't be spoiled by the taste of the air that inevitably clung to his tastebuds. Weird that the antidote he drank to wash all the 'sweet' treats down had more of a flavor.. even if it wasn't exactly pleasant. 

Before him, he could see a handful of players already gathered. Last minute preparations took place, as his comrades poured salves over their weapons, and put food in their bellies. Stopping just out of sight of most of those in attendance, the ginger would softly raise a finger to open his menu. The sign up sheet was mostly full, but their team held a barren spot. For a new tank and support leading the charge, that wasn't necessarily ideal for the two of them to feel comfortable in their latest roles. It was a long shot, for sure, but opening his messages, he contacted a friend he hoped he could count on.

Sending off his message, he would finally exhale and release the breath he did not realize he had been holding. The green clad duelist defender stepped out into the open, taking one last look over his equipment and stats to make sure he was ready. "Yo." he would say with a forced smile and nervous wave of his hand, "I've got an extra Crystal of Divine Light for anyone who could use it. Don't think it'll do me much use today." [For Cordelia, not actually up for grabs] 

"Though, if anyone has anything that can help out with my mitigation a bit more, it would be most appreciated."

***

Jomei | HP: 960/960 | EN: 134/134 | DMG: 21 | MIT:59 | ACC:5 | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:7 | BH:53 | HB: 42 | VAMP-D: 106 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD:1 | DOTE: 3/3 | Rested (2/2) | Clean 

* Looking for extra King's Core + Duality *

Lends to @Cordelia:
crystal of divine light | T3 | REUSABLE |
^{After having rolled for attack, the user may activate the item to deal a slot of Fallen or Holy damage equal to their Tier if their BD allows it. During their next turn however, they will take double damage. Usable only once per thread. This effect does circumvent the standard enhancement cap for Fallen/Holy. [Usable to deal Fallen damage on BD 6-8, Holy damage on BD 9-10.].}

Consumed
crème brûlée. | TIERLESS DESSERT | ACC II
^{porcelain jar. custard filling. caramelized shell. tasteless.}
smores. | TIERLESS DESSERT | EVA II | FILLED
^{firm crackers. melted chocolate. toasted marshmallows. tasteless.}
bingsu. | TIER 4 DESSERT | MIT III 
^{shaved ice. chopped fruits. syrup and milk. tasteless
3/5 Crafted Consumables}

bizarre antidote | Quest Reward | Antidote 3 Charges + EVA 1
^{This vial, when consumed, will provide the player with the same effects as a regular Antidote of Perfect quality. In addition, the player will feel lighter, granting them an additional point of EVA. This effect can stack with other EVA consumables. Effect lasts one thread, or until all Antidote charges are consumed.}

Four, pearlescent objects fell to the ground in The Ancient's wake, each of them giving a soft, yet bright glow. Nearly matched the energy his sword had given off during that last attack of his. One crystal for each of them - or for whoever required its buffs during the raid. Looking over the item and its benefits for a moment, as the others continued on about cooking classes and food, he would eventually surrender the crystal to his inventory. "I personally have no preferences, and would be open to anything either of you suggest." he chimed in with a smile. "Although.. all this talk about cooking has gotten me curious how your meals taste, rather than just the quick combat consumable. I would not mind hosting if any of you wanted to put on the chef's hat. I'll even supply the ingredients." 

"But," he reassured them with a small shrug, "If we prefer to wait for after the raid, lets do that."

___

+1 Crystal of Divine Light

"No, completely blind." a response so quick and blunt that it almost spurred a chuckle out of him, "Can't see a damn thing. Never felt much of a need for the skill, so I never took it." Jomei had lobbed the Night Vison mod into the same bucket as skills that helped a player out with gathering. Since he was not much into selling his craft, he felt the slog of gathering materials wasn't necessary to him, therefore the skill as well. Times like these, where not even a shred of light permeates the darkness, were rare. But they still left him wishing he could see his own hands in front of his face. "Lucky that one of us decided to come to the pitch black caves prepared." he chuckled at himself. 

If the two ended up in a tussle with whatever Dragon Knights remained, Jomei would absolutely be at a disadvantage. He prided himself on his precision strikes.. not exactly a simple feat when he couldn't even see what he was trying to hit. "I'll be swinging wild out there, that's for sure." with a small sigh, he thought about his options. Sit that one out, or hope for the best. "Just make sure to maybe keep out of the line of fire." a joke to lighten the situation. "I'll try relying more on hearing, if that'll be possible." 

If there was a chance the knights could see in the darkness as well, it would make this whole ordeal that much more difficult. Many of their distractions relied on the darkness. The traps had sprung and diminished their numbers, but that still left an unknown number to deal with. A guiding hand led his own to Freyd's shoulder, as a way to guide the blind Jomei to a spot where they can hide and wait. Each step was careful, making sure to follow any of Freyd's guides so he did not trip into a pitfall. "That.. wouldn't exactly be the most ideal way to end the day." 

A slight misstep, and the tip of Jomei's boot would snag on a piece of fallen debris. A slight stumble and a would be bruised shoulder as he collided with the cavern wall. "Shit. Sorry. Bad time to point out I don't exactly have stealth skills anymore either?"

He really was dropping the ball on this one.

Stealth Roll: ID 235965 | LD 7 | Failed

Turn 4/5

"Cooking classes, eh?" Jomei chimed in with a smirk, "If you're offering, then allow me to be your student, sensei." a deep, overly acted out bow really sold the act. In the end, it would probably benefit him more if he was the one cooking for himself. "Maybe once we take down the floor boss, of course." They wouldn't be cooking meals ever again if they didn't focus and prepare properly for whatever the guardian of Floor 28 had for them.

Relative to the original size of The Ancient's health bar, there was only a sliver of red that remained. And with the others creating an opening for a clean shot, Jomei had the opportunity to land the killing blow. If he didn't completely whiff it like his last attack. "On it." Jomei would a comment with a nod before a blur of green rushed forth. Massive boulders for muscles twitched and strained as the giant fought against the stunning effects placed on it. With no way to combat the saw like attack from Mina's fan, its defenses were left wide open. 

White streaks of holy light trailed behind Jomei's blade with each strike, lingering as the duelist finished his attack. One final thrust of his rapier drove the tip deep into the core of the golem, the kickback from unleashing the rest of the divine energy would knock The Ancient onto its back, all life drained from its mountain-like form. Once the resulting quake of the floor around them to cease, the image of the Field Boss would shatter like glass. The tiny fragments of data raining to the ground around them, vanishing into the grass. "Sorry Koga, looks like there's nothing left to bite into. Look's like we'll have to take Mina up on that offer." 

"Others more than myself but.." a sigh snuck out between words, "still more than I'd like to admit." 

With Freyd agreeing on visiting the topic once they were finished here, Jomei simply left it at that. The obligation to see this through remained clenched withing his fist, hesitant to let out more than a drop, a grain. Maybe this would help him finally close another chapter of his life he wanted to move on from. And maybe then still, he could proceed to let go of more recent memories he wish he'd leave in his wake. 

Help would be nice. Even someone to tell him that they were nothing but a ghost, always haunting him just out of his sight. Reassurance, more than anything, would lay the past to rest. 

"Well now." he chuckled, "That's a neat trick. Don't know if I've ever seen a familiar like that before." His gaze followed the smoky trail of the shade as it darted up to the ceiling amongst the stalactites, lying in wait for the knights to cross by. "Might make them believe its a cave in.. could even take a few down in the process. Maybe even enough to get them to turn tail." 

By this point, they were standing in near pitch black. All of the torches leading in Charko's direction had been extinguished, leaving a path of traps and distractions behind them. Jomei looked down a dark secondary tunnel that led to who knows where.. as long as it wasn't Charko. A dim torch a couple meters down, could be enough to get them to follow that path. "Just in case.. think I've got just the thing.." Standing there for a moment, Jomei would summon his inventory menu, where he began scrolling, searching for a specific item. Freyd continued their conversation from earlier regarding Elora. Green hair and elf ears were definitely among the less common things he'd seen on a player. "Hah, so I'm not the only one?" the fellow Irishman chimed, "Now I've definitely got to meet her."

With a chuckle, he finally spoke. "Heh, Fool's Gold. Ironic." Tapping on the screen before him, it would shrink down and vanish while a palm sized diamond fell into his hand. A warm tap of his finger on the surface would bring it to life, floating an inch from his open hand and giving off a dull, orange glow. The sound of strings being plucked, creating a simple, one-mad melody began to fill the space. "Could help lead them away, if they hear it coming from down there." Gripping the recording device in his hands, he would cock his arm back. A large step forward and the ginger would toss the item into the dark. The song softly bounced off the walls, easily mistaken for some traveling musician within the dark. 

ID 235920 | Nat. LD 10  (Total: 59+10 =69nice)

Turn 3/5

"They once operated on the Fourth Floor." Jomei finally answered after pondering whether he should open the case deeper, or let it be. "Held a stronghold in the center of a blizzard. One around a mountain. But.." Hands shoved into the pockets of his trousers as he looked at the ground in front of each foot fall. "Last I had gone to scout them out, they weren't there anymore. Nothing but some old, stone castle. Haven't had a sound lead since. I can only hope that they disbanded, so I can just put that all to rest, but if they're still out there-" a nervous tick, his the tip of his thumb would find the way to his teeth "I don't want them hurting anyone else."

"We can talk more about it after we ensure Charko is safe, if you want." 

He could not hold back the fist that rose to his lips as he stifled a chortle. "Nari? No, no we were never-" The ginger paused, recollecting all of what Freyd had mentioned. Wushen, the last boss, had split the raid party into smaller factions. His own group tanked by Nari. "Right, you meant.. you meant in the same raid party.." A forceful palm smacked into his forehead, embarrassment setting in, he would speak again after clearing the knot from his throat. "My misunderstanding" chuckling it off. Elora was a name that wasn't familiar to him, aside from being a slot filled in on the raid party list. "Well, we all deserve that happiness. I'm looking forward to meeting her one day."

The impending threat of the approaching knights became real as the sounds of heavy steps and armor knocking into itself cut the silence, echoing off the walls. Freyd was quick to point out small shrines made of stone. A waypoint or just the product of an artist, it did not matter, for it was still a sign of life. With a strike of his blade that he was barely able to see with the naked eye, the cairn was no more. Ever closer the knights drew, they would need to retreat soon. "Speaking of tools, I think I saw a wheelbarrow of old pickaxes and shovels back the way we came. Just off the side of the path. If we move them more into their sight, maybe they'll think its an abandoned tunnel, a dead end." Starting to move back the way they came, Jomei would snuff out another torch before retrieving the rusted equipment from its storage. Planting them on the ground and leaning on the wall, he looked back to Freyd. "That should hopefully do it. Still.. it doesn't hide the fact that the cave still carries on a bit more.." 

ID 235908 | Nat. LD 2 (Total: 45+2=47)

Turn 2/5

Jomei nodded in response to the mention of Aincrad's favorite alchemist, who also happened to be an ex-girlfriend. Weird how that worked. "Yeah. Z is good for that. Isn't around outside of her shop and boss raids anymore but, she's always willing to hook up the raid party." The ginger chuckled as he gently scratched at the side of his nose with an index finger. "I'm very irresponsible when it comes to combat consumables. Never end up picking them up before I need them.. and I usually pay for it." A heavy sigh would break up the statement, the weight of the reality the words brought crashing down on his shoulders. "Callin' it luck that I'm even still alive, at that." That was far too true.

"Perhaps you're right. Best to give us time to prepare for the bear, just in case something goes wrong." Even though they had both come to the conclusion that the fight with Kumatetsu should be no issue for a pair of frontline fighters such as themselves, they needed to air on the side of caution. Jomei had never played the role of tank before, so what if he had miscalculated and either one of them takes a heavy hit from the boss. No, purchasing consumables before hand was probably the best bet. 

"Maybe in the next day or two I'll send you a message. I'd like to test things out on a formidable boss-like monster before the actual boss. For now, then, I'm going to head back to town, do a little shopping. I take it you'll keep at it out in the wilds here?" 

"Keep things fresh?" he would respond plainly with pursed lips, raising his shoulders in a shrug. "Even though its a world we inevitably want to escape from, its still a world with plenty of stories to tell." His own opinion on the matter, of course. Many would see it as pointless content that served them no purpose. But to Jomei, he thought to fall in and embrace the world they've been forced to live in and immerse himself within it. Make due with a bad situation.

Freyd prodded about the guild Jomei had been tracking. He hadn't shared the information about them with mostly anyone really. The few involved with the original encounter, and a handful of select others. There was no need for the secrecy, especially since the hammer of the frontlines' finest would wipe them out. Perhaps he felt it was his own obligation to shut them down, in the name of those friends who were no longer around. Or maybe he was after vengeance. "Ehh." a slight groan in his voice, "The difficult thing is that they aren't an official 'guild'" he gestured the air-quotes with his fingers "No guild tag, keeps them off the radar. Clan.. or Guild of The Four Pointed Star, they call themselves.. a mouthful of a name. They're trouble, but I'm starting to suspect they called it quits with the rise in Frontliner activity. Couldn't hurt to keep a note of the name but.. they've been quiet."

"I can't exactly say that my extra free time was voluntary." he answered sheepishly. Splitting up from a fiancé would do that. Though, it had been quite some time since he and Telrenya went their separate ways, Jomei was only just now coming to terms and getting back into the world. "Just getting over a split is all. No need to feel sorry" Jomei would reassure him with a wave of his hand, "It's been a bit since but, you know how it is." Jomei shifted gears quickly, as to not dwell on the topic any longer. "That, and I feel the raid party needs more seasoned veterans fighting with them. Make sure to show them how its done." he teased with confidence. Many of the newcomers had already far surpassed him, but he felt his seniority count for something.. at least in his mind. "But I'm glad to hear things have turned out well for you." he would smile sincerely, patting the man on the shoulder. "Finding that connection gives us the closest thing to a home in a world that is not ours." He thought he himself had found that bond, maybe he'll stumble on it again soon. He could only hope. "Who's the lucky lass, anyone I know?"

With their destination in sight, the two players switched back into planning mode. Their objective; mislead the patrolling knights away from the tunnels leading to Charko. With how little light permeated the tunnels connecting settlements and caverns, that should not be too difficult. "Any thoughts on how we can get them off the path?" Jomei asked as the two came to a stop. "We should probably kill any light sources leading this way. Even if they have their own torches, seeing a darkened path may not entice them to follow it." 

_____

ID 235887 | LD 6 | Total 6