Galilea

"Agreed," Galilea responded with a nod as Snow quickly stepped around her to investigate the newly opened door. Light barely crept in from the mosaic stained glass arched high above them. The wooden pews were aligned perfectly in two rows with the walkway splitting them down the middle. Snow's soft tone nearly startled Galilea as they had both waltzed in awe and silence.

"Err-rm ...honestly I have no idea what I did. I was told there was a riddle to get in the church, but like most things it was rumored to be a myth." Placing her hands on her hips, she traced the steps leading to the chambers and what she would assume was the pastor's office. Gesturing towards the doorway with a slight nod, she continued. "But obviously that rumor was also a rumor. That being said, I wouldn't put it above Cardinal to play a crude trick on us here and ambush us with some floor fifty level monsters," she explained with a groan tinted behind her words.

"Wanna continue still?"

@Snow

"Naturally, practice will be needed. But you have the drive so I do foresee you excelling nonetheless," Galilea admitted. Shye looked around just as puzzled as she. Galilea sighed then chuckled as Shye mentioned asking for help from the local players. Great more charity,  she thought as Shye offered her a handful of materials. While still inclined to deny them, she would be rude in doing so and still wanted to make a good impression on her new friend.

Collecting the materials offered to her, Galilea winced as Shye mentioned feeling bad for her. There it was again. Pity. She hated being pitied. Thinking better of it. Galilea returned the materials. "I appreciate the thought, but you earned these fair and square. You should keep them," she explained as she placed the materials back into her hand.

Turning on her heel, she spied a little sign just north of them with the symbols of music etched into them. "Perhaps that way?" she asked gesturing tot he sign. "I'll meet you over there," she said softly before taking off with her head down.

Eventually I'll have to get over it...but I hate being pitied...

@Shye

A grin found its way to her features, as the familiar icon of Jacob's Ladder sat pleasantly at the edge of health bar. "Ahh so you chose the worse bunch of ragtag to join eh," she razzed her teasingly. "And something small wouldn't be too bad I suppose. I have become fond of the idea of getting one myself. Perhaps a goblin snake. I've always liked those," she mused before returning her sights to the skull before her. An inscription, though unreadable, carved itself into the skull. Her hand glossed over the lettering. Suddenly the ground rumbled, and the door of the church slowly slid open, the statue had spun around and now seemed to be facing the open doorway.

Glancing to Snow, Galilea shrugged. "I'm not sure if your familiar is in there but might as well take a look since we're here no?" At least one thing was certain, the church being closed was proven to be a rumor if you knew what to do. Though she imagined this was still far too simple and began to wonder if this was a just a moment of choice circumstance enabled by Cardinal.

The bubbly girl quickly entered the shop. Galilea had half a mind to just wait outside, but the sounds of failed potions caught her interest. Peering through the window, she watched as Shye attempted craft after craft before finally managing to create what looked like a pheromone potion. Pushing through the wooden door, Galilea went in to congratulate her. Evangeline seemed to have the same sentiments as they both clapped in unison.

"Nice one Shye," she managed to mutter out. Galilea did not often compliment others. Insults being far easier to come by but by having guildmates, she figured her attitude would need to change to some extent.

"Alright, lets go do yours now. It would only be fair for me to help you with yours."

Galilea simply nodded. She still disliked charity but in a way, she had asked for it with her earlier comments. Holding the door open for Shye to pass through, she gave Evangeline a slight bow before exiting the shop. Looking around, she searched for signs leading to Alyssa Singular's studio. Having little luck, she turned to Shye.

"Any idea where the Performer shop is?"

"I'm searching for clues about how to get into this damned church," she answered simply. Rotating the piece in her hand, she looked for any inscriptions. Turning up empty handed, she focused back on Snow. She did not want to bore her with the details unless she asked. As it was probably just a rumor for a reason.

Curiosity took over the purple-haired girl as Snow mentioned she had figured out what she wanted to do. "I assume this is in regard to your build," she questioned. She looked over the skull piece quizzically before placing it back where it belonged. As she did, the skull glowed briefly. Glancing back towards the blonde, Galilea was surprised to hear she was undertaking the quest to obtain the familiar. Though, she had contemplated it herself, her skill set made searching for one harder at this level. But she commended Snow for it nonetheless. "What familiar did you have in mind? How's your searching going so far?"

Roll:

ID: 151187 LD: 17 (14 + 3) [Clue Found]

3/3 Clues Found [Clues Found on a LD of 12 or more]

@Snow

Galilea nodded at Shye. "No worries. Better to be safe than sorry." Advice that should live by but so often did the opposite. As the girl managed to collect yet another bushel of materials, Galilea all but decided to give up on her own search. Today just wasn't her day and she needed to accept that and move on. Sighing, she quickened her pace to follow  Shye back to town. Her guildmate still needed to craft before the quest was officially over but the hardest part was complete.

The town quickly bobbled into view. The well traversed path ingrained from months of exploring differed vastly from the lush greenery that surrounded it. Looking up, she remembered that she still needed to re-take this quest as well. Passing through the entrance, Galilea turned to Shye. "Hey is it possible you could help me with the Performer equivalent of this quest? You seem to have a real knack for gathering materials and I will need that knowledge for my quest if you're up for it? We can talk it over more once your done though," she stated gesturing to Evangeline's shop.

Gathering:

ID: 151186 LD: 7 (4+3) [No Materials Found]

Materials: 1

Editing

"Hmm"

Rising to her full stature, Galilea peered towards the entrance of the church pathway. Emerging from the light, blonde curls bounced into view. "Snow?" Galilea was surprised to see the girl since they had not spoken since their last encounter. Pushing the feeling aside, she embraced her with a brief hug. "Seems you've decided to adventure past the first floor huh. What brings you to the Defiled Church?" She would let the question hang while continuing her search for clues. The riddle seemed more like sagely advice than a clue, but it had to allude to something relevant in the area, or so she hoped. Glancing around there only seemed to be the remains of statues scarred by the force of the forest surrounding the church. However, only one of the statues had a missing piece.

"I wonder if this is what it meant by 'peace of mind'," she explained as she collected the fractured marble piece of missing skull form the ground around the statue.

Roll:

ID: 150644 LD: 20 (17 + 3) [Clue Found]

2/3 Clues Found [Clues Found on a LD of 12 or more]

"What is it with locations being locked behind riddles?"

Agitated as usual, Galilea continued to pace back and forth in front of the church. Though pristine in appearance, the overgrowth surrounding it had diminished its rather uniquely beautiful exterior. With each pass, her brain racked itself for answer. The statue remained un-wavered and un-bothered by her constant frustration. Taking a breath, she stopped. Allowing the fogged air to pass through her several times before she opened her eyes and focused on her surroundings. there had to be clues somewhere. If this was truly a riddle, maybe it had already started. She needed to offer it something. The outstretched palm was seemingly a deterrent, but Galilea was under the impression there was more to it than that. Inspecting the statue first, she scoured the Buddha for clues towards what it desired. And for once she was in luck. Inscribed on the backside of the outfacing palm, was a small description.

There is no greater wealth in this world than peace of mind.

"What does that mean?" she questioned.

Roll:

ID: 150201 LD: 22 (19 + 3) [Clue Found]

1/3 Clues Found [Clues Found on a LD of 12 or more]

HIT/ COBRA CRIT

MISS/ COBRA CRIT

"Hmm fair enough," grumbled the purple-haired woman as she continued to inspect the surround patches for materials. Perhaps she is right. Your path is what you make it. Don't let the steps of your predecessors ruin the stride you plan to take, she thought. Though like most things, they sound good in your head but usually are hard to manifest out loud. But Shye had a point. In the end, she should do whatever makes her happy. Whether that is video game design or something else, she was unsure. But there was no reason to sell herself short on her dreams before giving it a try.

Shy continued to collect items by the bushel. At this point it was just plain pathetic to try and even remotely keep up. Whether luck was completely on her side, or the skills she invested in were carrying the load mattered not. What did matter was that she was well beyond the needed limit for the quest and maybe heading back would save Galilea some of her pride. "Perhaps she we should begin to head back. You still have to craft the item and that may take a while if you're unlucky."

Gathering:

ID: 149730 LD: 8 (5+3) [No Materials Found]

Materials: 1

@Shye

She would have to let it go however and focus on the task at hand. The pup squirmed and scampered about the tiny clearing. Drawing in a deep breath, she held the air for a few moments. Focusing on the erratic movements of the pig, she lost her focus and expelled the breath in a large huff. She couldn't focus, not with Titan's sudden disappearance weighing on her mind. This loss in concentration left her wide open however as the boar pup slammed into her side. The damage was negligible but the principle still remained that she had let her guard down and allowed the up to land an attack.

"Tch. Well that's bothersome," she muttered as the hit registered as a critical strike and thus not activating her Thorns. Glancing back to where Titan had disappeared to, she slapped her cheeks together and shook her head. She needed to focus on clearing the quest, then they could search for Titan.

Galilea simply nodded. She needed no thanks because everyone deserved compassion and understandment. At least that's what she chose to believe. But with the matter of materials resolved, that only left the crafting.

The town was moments away. The brisk walk back took little time as mobs continued to stay at bay and prying eyes kept their distance. Having already ran the trials of this quest, Galilea opted to wait outside for Snow as she completed the quest. From the sounds inside, she reasoned it went well because within minutes the Blonde stepped out holding the item she would need to deliver to Lyle; the chain quests NPC.

Giving her a thumbs up, Galilea rapped her finger against the friend request menu and sent one to Snow. With a reassuring smile, she turned to leave. "Don't hesitate to contact me if you need someone to talk to or another questing partner. Until we raise our ranks we'll always be seen as target-able. But we're stronger than that and have much more to offer."

Galilea began to stalk off before pausing once last time.

"Also, Jacob's Ladder awaits you when you're ready. Bye for now!" And with that she headed home.

Galilea never meant to imply that the girl wasn't scared or aware of how dangerous this situation was. She merely noted that despite all of this, that she decided to let her outward appearance not be dictated by what she felt inside. But Shye had already hit her stride and rolled right into her next topic after collecting another grouping of materials. Galilea agreed with her sentiments however. With stronger players like those in Jacob's Ladder, they as a guild could collectively help the community and themselves to get everyone out. Something she was sure everyone wanted. Failing to gather a material for what felt like the eighth time, Galilea's brow rose as Shye mentioned her school plans once she got out.

"Cosmetics isn't a bad profession and I would never look down on someone for following their passion," she admitted. "As for myself. I'm unsure. I wanted to be a video game designer or director. Create something as monumental as this," she stated while gesturing to the assets around them. "But after being stuck in here, I'm not sure I want this to be my path anymore. It's as you said, a life changer."

Gathering:

ID: 149527 LD: 10 (7+3) [No Materials Found]

Materials: 1

@Shye

Her answer was what Galilea expected. Especially from someone who held these hardships close to her heart. At the very least, she wanted to put the thought and option out there for her in case she ever changed her mind. Nodding, Galilea simply replied, "I understand." As with most things, the delayed response of the system caught them off-guard as Snow received the notification, she had completed the first of two objectives. With all the materials collected, all she had left to do was craft the potion with Zachariah. Though her tone changed, the feelings behind her words didn't. The twinge of sadness seeping through her hushed words. But Galilea would let it be for now.

"I shall follow you," responded the girl as Snow began to head back towards the town. Her words once again catching Galilea by surprise as they traversed.

"Take your time. You're comfort and feelings are what matter most. Don't pressure yourself if you don't need to. You're strong remember?" Grabbing one last material from the patch of plants she stood in, Galilea quickened her pace to catch up to Snow.

Gathering:

"Easily said when you're finding them by the bushel," retorted the girl as she managed to find her first material since they had embarked on this quest. Listening to Shye, Galilea could only wonder if she regretted putting on the nerve gear. But rather than ask that, she posed a different question. "You're rather upbeat for someone who was put here by accident. That said, I can respect that you don't let it get you down." She twirled a lock of hair behind her ear. The idea of searching for more materials was becoming less lucrative the more she tried to do it.

"What are your plans once we make it out of here? Do you still have goals and ambitions, or do you think you'll be a different person once you come out of this?" Galilea posed this question a lot to herself and she always found the answer hard to b certain. But she liked hearing other people's perspectives.

Gathering:

ID: 149465 LD: 23 (20+3) [Materials Found]

Materials: 1

"Weak is subjective," she chimed in. "Everyone pulls weight in their own way and even though the guild is open, they still sought you out and asked you to join. That has to count for something right?" Galilea assumed that was all there was to it, until Shye mentioned having never played a video game before. "Uwah? You've never gamed before this?" The news was rather shocking to her, but not unheard of. That being said, it was the cruelest of pranks to be stuck in here because of one. "I'm not sure I should be scared for you or mad for you honestly. The prank while light-hearted one could assume, the results are anything but given our circumstances. Nonetheless, you seem to be doing well enough in here so jokes on them," she countered while staring at the lack of materials in her collection.

"Is the <Gathering> skill really that beneficial, or is it more so the LD bonuses? Because this is pitiful," she voiced aloud.

Gathering:

ID: 149274 LD: 4 (1+3) [No Materials Found]

Materials: 0

A sense of loss filled the air around them. The somber look on Snow's eyes as she revealed her past ties, was enough for Galilea to to not pry further. That makes three times I've managed to to bring up a topic that stripped her of her cheery demeanor. My social awareness is extremely out of sync today.

Berating herself internally, she let the comment melt away. But perhaps this is an opportunity... "You know Snow, you look like you could use a friend or two. You've gone through a lot in your time here and it wouldn't sit right with me knowing I didn't at least try to reach out. So here it is. Join Jacob's Ladder with me? The guild's members are headed by esteemed frontliners, although two are orange, their cursor is of no cause for alarm. You may have heard of or even met one of them. But Shield, Baldur, Mari and Oikawa are all good company from what I heard and the rest of the members are players like us. Mostly lower leveled or barely tier two."

She didn't want to say more for fear of scaring her off, but hopefully the names mentioned would spark some interest at the very least.

Gathering:

@Snow

"I see," nodded Galilea. "We're nearly two peas in a pod," she shook her head. "Or however that saying goes." Shye managed to collect yet another grouping of materials. Easily surpassing the needed quest amount. However, rather than return to town, she offered to converse and gather more materials with Galilea. Though Shye was much more chatty than Snow or Titan, Galilea wasn't too opposed to her company. After all, they were guildmates.

Curiosity then bested her, as she transitioned to a separate patch of plants in hope of finding a material. "So what made you join Jacob's Ladder? Who recruited you?" She was genuinely curious. Even Galilea herself hadn't met most of the guild members. Having only really known Calrex and Oikawa, she hadn't met the other three Pillars or any of the non-Pillars save for Titan, who had mysteriously run off during their first meet-up.

Gathering:

ID: 149228 LD: 4 (1+3) [No Materials Found]

Materials: 0

"Er.. don't think too much on it," Galilea mentioned. "The build is definitely more complicated than even I thought it would be." Laughing it off, Snow suddenly walked past Galilea and collected another material.

"Four out of five!"

"One more then huh? If I recall correctly, you still have to talk to Zach? Zachary? Zachar- w-what's his name again? Either way you must go craft a potion with him. So, I'll see to it you make it back to his place safely," she explained with a reassuring grin. Though Snow wasn't the company she expected today, she was more pleasant than most and Galilea found it hard to not want to help the girl out. Galilea looked around and managed to find a material for herself from the same cluster of plants Snow did. 

Glancing towards Snow, Galilea asked her question.

"Have you ever considered joining a guild?" Though I don't plan on being in it for long, giving her the chance to prosper and attain her goals is the least I could.

Gathering:

@Snow

"Oikawa? No. I'd hate to be confused with idiot," she joked. Taking a second, she quickly rattled out. "Ah he and I go a little way back, so pardon my words. We often tease each other. But yes, I am Galilea. I'm not sure who Beat is though." She was unsure on how she had received the message meant for Oikawa but shrugged it off as an error with Cardinal. Focusing on Shye as she led the way, Galilea was intrigued to hear that another healer had joined the guild. "That's interesting. I too plan to a be a healer though more of a 'Berserk Healer' than your traditional one. But I plan to support as a Performer rather than an Alchemist since I can still create Mass Healing and Instant Healing recording crystals as well. I can also have De-Buffing recording crystals, which serve better in my support role as half-time damage dealer." Trying to keep pace with Shye, Galilea quickened her own step to stay in stride.

"You already seem to be hitting stride with this quest collecting three materials in a row. I still need to re-take this quest myself to switch over from artisan."

Gathering:

ID: 148976 LD: 14 (11+3) [No Materials Found]

Materials: 0

@Shye

Arms crept towards the ceiling as Galilea belted out an unnaturally loud yawn. Long blinks attempted to accustom her to sunlight bestowed up on her as she sat up from her grassy perch. Naps were not usually on her list of 'to-do's' and even less likely to be outside. But the warm glow of the sun was welcoming and for once she succumbed to her need for a recharge. Sitting up properly, she took notice of the flashing message icon just on the edge of her view. Scanning it's content's, Galilea's brow furrowed. Can't say I've heard Oikawa mention her before. Perhaps she is a new addition as well, she mused.

Pressing up into a standing position, Galilea dusted her clothes as she began heading her short walk back into town. Typing a quick response, she flicked the menu from view and stopped to make sure her appearance was in order. Satisfied with her cascading purple strands, she entered town only to nearly stumble directly into the girl she was supposed to be meeting.

Catching herself, Galilea glanced over to ensure the other girl was fine.

"Uhm.. sorry about that. Didn't even see you there. Shye right?" She gestured to the ginger.

"Who said I needed your power or knowledge?" jeered the amethyst haired woman as she managed to locate yet another boar. Though the creature scampered just out of the reach of her blade, Galilea remained close enough to keep it engaged in combat. The poor thing didn't dare attack her. She kind of wished it would however as it would save her the trouble of having to hit it since her thorns would be more than enough to kill it. Glancing back to the boys, Galilea's brow raised as Oikawa seemed to be staring off to the edge of the clearing. Titan was missing and Galilea was unsure whether she should be concerned or not. "I'm guessing he had something to attend to, right?" Galilea wasn't fond of people that bailed on their friends. Even if they had only just met, they were to be a part of the same guild. To say it touched a nerve was an understatement.

@Oikawa

THREAD COMPLETE

2 SP (Quest Incomplete + 1 Page + Quarantine Bonus)

6 Tier 1 Materials

850 Col