Teselmar

Feeling more and more like it was all about just hitting the stupid thing until it fell, Teselmar grew more and more comfortable in his discomfort. Even though there was no way that he was actually sweating and straining, he was starting to feel the mental effects of doing the same thing over and over. He tried to funnel his stress into the next punch, willing it to make a deep furrow on the face of the unmoving stone. 

ID# 43380 results: Battle: 5

His fist didn't do much, bouncing off the rock with a dull noise. Teselmar took a moment to clear his thoughts. No use working yourself up, Martin. Calm down...

Deciding to try something a little bit different this time, Teselmar stepped back. Sure, this would probably make him look goofy, but come on, this was a game! He could afford to look a little bit foolish. He wound up, then unleashed a spinning hook kick at the boulder. It was a move that was taught in many martial arts classes; not the most practical, but very showy (and very Teselmar, at that).

ID# 43378 results: Battle: 9

A little bit of showboating seemed to be doing the trick. For the first time since he'd started, Teselmar could see a tiny, permanent fissure beginning to form across the surface of the rock. Nothing significant, but it was something. "See that, you big dumb rock! You bled first!" He shouted, a wild expression on his face.

-Boulder HP- 39

Once more, unto the giant-#$$ rock... Teselmar wound back, driving his front two knuckles into the boulder, anticipating the resonating feeling of impact. 

ID# 43377 results: Battle: 5

His fist was deflected by the boulder's obstinate exterior. "Come on, take it like a man!" He growled at the unflinching hunk of stone in front of him.

Switching hands, Teselmar grunted with exertion as he threw another punch. This time, it was a looping hook, designed to knock someone out in a sport like boxing. Less effective against large pieces of mountain, I'd imagine. He smirked wryly at the thought of boxing a mountain.

ID# 43376 results: Battle: 9

Apparently this mountain had a glass jaw, because he was rewarded by the sight of another piece of mountain flying off. That punch felt solid, really connected. I'll have to keep it up!

-Boulder HP- 41

 

Teselmar decided to try a different approach. Sizing up the boulder, he swung his hand over his head and brought it down hard, like a hammer fist maneuver. It was a traditional way to break boards or cinder blocks when training in martial arts, and one he'd learned in the police academy. Perhaps it would work here.

ID# 43375 results: Battle: 8

Success again, as another piece crumbled off. Though he was pleased, Teselmar doubted that it was the technique that mattered when attacking this object. It was more about staying determined, and to keep hitting it even when it didn't seem to do anything. Ignoring the shaking in his fist, he smiled.

-Boulder HP- 43

Deciding to try another elbow, Teselmar readied himself. With a leap, he spun past the boulder, then turned at the last minute. His elbow shot out, and he tried to drive it home into the well-worn surface. "Die rock die!" He shouted, still grinning. As frustrating as this little chore was, he was honestly having fun making a game out of it.

ID# 43374 results: Battle: 3

Elbows didn't seem to be doing anything. Then again, neither did the vast majority of his attacks. Teselmar didn't see a lot of folks forsaking their weapons so they could punch things, so this was a bit perplexing why the game would even have this as a challenge.

Feeling a bit better now that his efforts were showing a bit of fruit, Teselmar decided to mix things up a little. Instead of a punch, this time he threw an elbow into the rock. Closing the distance, he spun on his toes, letting his elbow crash into the hard surface. 

ID# 43373 results: Battle: 3

Well that did less than I'd expected... This time the boulder didn't budge. Ah well, try and try again, as they say.

Encouraged by his latest success, Teselmar drew back his left hand this time, wanting to give the dull ache in his right a break. Shooting it forward, he twisted his hips like a boxer, trying to get momentum into the strike. "You're gonna fall down eventually, big guy!"

ID# 43371 results: Battle: 9

Again, a small piece fell off of the giant rock. The usual grin returned to Teselmar's face, though he internally warned himself to avoid becoming too giddy. This is still gonna take a while... 

-Boulder HP- 44

If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. A good code to live by, unless you were discussing skydiving. Settling himself into a deep martial arts stance, Teselmar rocked back, then forward as he punched the boulder once more.

ID# 43370 results: Battle: 8

Yes! Another small piece of rock crumbled under his fist. Now that he knew that his initial success hadn't been a fluke, Teselmar wasn't going to get discouraged, no matter how long this process took him. For all that he'd seen in his short time in this death game, the game maker had been nothing but fair. This was no unwinnable challenge, he just needed to stick with it.

-Boulder HP- 46

Teselmar narrowed his gaze, focusing one one spot in particular on this rock. Come on... concentrate... He slammed his fist into the spot where he hoped he would do some damage.

ID# 43369 results: Battle: 4

Nothing. His fist glanced off of the rock's surface yet again. Teselmar shook his head, trying to remove the thoughts of giving up buzzing like flies in his mind. Come on buddy, you've put down bigger guys than this little old rock, right?

Okay, nice and easy... maybe the secret to making this thing fall over is to be gentle? Teselmar threw a light jab this time, lighter than his last few attempts.

ID# 43365 results: Battle: 5

So that didn't work either... Teselmar was beginning to think that only dumb luck and time spent whacking away at the great boulder would do any good. He sighed, the impact not causing him any pain, but definitely making his arms feel some sort of uncomfortable sensation as feedback.

Determined to try again, Teselmar drew back his fist once more. This would probably take him all day and all night, but so help him God, he was not going to go down the mountain and live with whiskers on his face for the rest of the game. Taking a deep breath, he readied himself, attacking once more.

ID# 43364 results: Battle: 4

Another failure, as his fist bounced off the surface of the rock. Teselmar grimaced, knowing that this was going to be a long and arduous process.

Readying his fist, Teselmar drew back again, ready to throw another punch like the last. Hopefully, the boulder would break before he did. With a yell, he let fly his fist.

ID# 43363 BD 5

This time however, his fist seemed to bounce off of the enormous rock, doing seemingly no damage at all. "!#$%, there's gotta be some trick to this..." 

"Return to me when you have finished your task. Remember, traveler, that determination is more useful than might." With that, the NPC returned to his hut, leaving Teselmar to face the boulder. Well... I guess it's just you and me now, boulder. Let's get this over with... Cracking his knuckles, Teselmar unequipped his Basic Rapier, returning it to his inventory. Boy did that rock look bigger up close. "Okay big guy, here it comes!" Winding up, Teselmar threw a gloved hand at the rock, giving the punch all he had. 

ID# 43361 BD= 10!

FWOOM! A good start to be sure, as Teselmar's fist flew strong and true, chipping a tiny piece from the boulder. He still had a long way to go, and the impact had jarred his arm, but he grinned as he drew back his arm for another strike. "That was a great way to kick off this party!"

-Boulder HP- 47

"Greetings, traveler. Have you come to learn the secret art of the mountain monk?" This gave Teselmar pause. Didn't seem like a trap. Although, the best traps never do. "Okay old man, I'm game. What's this secret art?" When the quest marker for <<Breaking the Unbreakable>> popped up, Teselmar swiped YES, and listened for the old man to give him the quest. The NPC turned, beckoning Teselmar to approach the boulder. "The key to learning the ancient techniques of the mountain monks is very simple, yet few accomplish it. To learn this art of combat, you must break the rock, using only the weapons you were born with."

"Only the weapons I was born with...?" Suddenly it made sense to Teselmar why the girl had been punching the rock. She wasn't allowed to use her weapon. "Whew, tough order old man. That rock looks pretty sturdy." Examining the boulder revealed it to be incredibly durable. He now saw why very few had completed this quest. "One more thing..." started the NPC. Before Teselmar could react, the old man's hand shot out, streaking twin lines of quick drying paint across each cheek. "This is the mark of the initiated. It will remain upon you until you have unlocked your true strength, and broken the rock you see before you." Teselmar blinked, raising a hand to his cheeks. "Oh. Ooooohhhhh... #!$%."

The more Teselmar pushed ahead, the fewer and fewer people he seemed to encounter. The air was almost quiet, and still. Then, rounding a corner on the path, he was met by the sight of a small hut on the side of the road, as well as an enormous boulder behind it. In front of the boulder, a girl was steadily pounding her fists into the rock, as if trying to break it with her bare hands. Teselmar stopped and watched for a moment, until the girl, heaving with effort, finally turned away and began descending down the path. He watched her go, noticing the whisker markings on her face. Wonder what that's about...

Teselmar turned aside, approaching the hut. It was about 3PM, by his HUD's readout, and he had nowhere to go in particular. Hopefully this isn't a trap of some kind... I'd feel really dumb if it turns out to be one. As he approached, an old man emerged from the hut to greet him. He wore a rustic, homespun cloak, and the tag above his head marked him as an NPC.  

His only defense against the hostile world that sought to kill him was the <<Basic Rapier>> he'd chosen as a starter weapon at the game's beginning. It was simple, unadorned iron, and he only had the energy to perform a single Sword Art with it. He'd be better off just swinging the thing wildly at this point. What few skill points he had, he'd placed into making his weapon do a bit more damage, so hopefully he'd be able to do more than just tickle any monster that got in his way.

As he continued forward, he noticed other travelers passing by him, most coming back from the top of the mountain. What stood out the most about some was the painted on whiskers that adorned their faces. They all seemed a bit dejected, too. Teselmar's curiosity got the better of him. He waved a gloved hand at a young man who was making his way down the path, whiskers adorning his face. "Hey, buddy! What's with everybody wearing cat whiskers around here? Some kinda fashion trend?" The young man grimaced as he drew up the hood on his head, pushing past Teselmar. "Yeesh, sorry I asked..."

Rocks. Why did it have to be rocks?  Teselmar's feet were getting tired of traversing the uneven and craggy surfaces of Taran Village's outlands. Everything in sight was made of stone, although he'd heard tell of a meadow near the top of the mountain. Right now it was beginning to look like a pipe dream. Although the dust and the dull brown surroundings were all virtual, he still felt a bit weary of looking at the same old thing. Cliff after cliff passed as he soldiered on, determined to progress onwards. This is a real pain... I probably should have stayed on the first floor. At least there was some variety in the scenery there... 

His cloth suit, similar to the one he wore in real life but with a bit more of a "medieval" twist, offered little protection against the monsters and perils of the death game. So far, he'd been able to outrun the mobs, and avoid any truly life-threatening confrontations until he could get stronger. Teselmar was no coward, but neither was he an idiot; 4 HP wouldn't last for 4 minutes against even the weakest of opponents. He needed to get stronger, fast. 

 

I accept this Quest.

Hey everybody! I'm new to such a complicated system of RPing, but I really think I'm going to enjoy it. This isn't my first RP, but I'm looking forward to having a lot of fun and making some new friends!

<<Teselmar>>

Profile/Personality
Username: Teselmar
Real name: Martin Tremane

Nationality: American
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 190 lbs.
Age: 25
Blood Type: A+
Profession: Private Security Contractor
Motto: "Do it right the first time, and you won't have to do it a second."
Dream Date: Rhonda Rousey
Friends: Opal, Ishida
Enemies: None in Aincrad... Yet
Favorite Movie: Pulp Fiction
Favorite Author: Robert Greene
Favorite Music: No Doubt, Andrea Bocelli
Favorite Course: Filet Mignon
Favorite Sport: Skydiving

Other Hobbies: Reading self-help manuals, people-watching, working out, yoga.

Likes: Hot tubs, Smoking, Smoking in hot tubs, Sarcasm, People who do their jobs well, Redheads, Blueheads, One raven-haired bombshell in particular, Roller Coasters

Dislikes: Cold showers, Fish, Crossword Puzzles, Horror Movies, Stakeouts, Old Money @#!$s

History

Martin Tremane is an American, born to Trevor and Grace Tremane. They took part in the great New England tradition of sending their child off to boarding school, so Martin only saw his parents during summer vacation most of his childhood. His family could be called ruthless in corporate warfare, having capitalized on an inheritance by implementing cut-throat business strategy. Having a family that cared so much about appearance and tradition weighed heavily on Martin, and he often struggled with being the perfect son.

During the school year, his status and family reputation made it difficult for him to make close friends, so young Martin threw himself into his studies, excelling in both academic and athletic pursuits. Whereas his parents took pride in their reputation as a powerful family, Martin began to take more and more pride in his personal accomplishments, shunning the more "high society" aspects of his family life. After high school, he defied his family's wishes by enrolling in a Police Academy. For the first time in his life, Martin was cut off from his parents' money, and lived in a one bedroom apartment, barely making ends meet. But he felt free for the first time, knowing that everything he received, he had earned. 

Police work suited Martin; the risk of  made him feel alive in a way that he had never experienced before. He remained on the force for several years, taking more and more dangerous assignments, until he was offered a job by a private security firm. Trading in his blue uniform for a suit and tie, Martin began working for clients across the globe. Bodyguard, investigator, scout, the more dangerous the assignment, the more Martin embraced it.

His latest contract had taken him to Japan, and after the assignment had finished, he'd been given a Nerve Gear and a copy of Sword Art Online by the client as a bonus gift. He'd never really been terribly into video games, but it was something new and exciting, so he tried it out. Now he's trapped in the game like the rest of them. For Martin, this isn't as frightening as it would be for most. Aincrad is a world where danger is constant, and the mind is as powerful as the body. A place like this suits someone like him just fine. Still, he isn't immune to the suffering going on around him, and his conscience demands that he put in the effort to help his fellow man. Not that he won't belittle or antagonize them along the way, but he'll try not to let anyone die. Hopefully, he'll make it out alive, and have quite the story to tell. Martin's name in this world is now Teselmar, and he'll face the challenges of SAO as he does with all other challenges in life, with a cocksure grin.

Virtues:

Fearless: Martin had such a tame and sheltered upbringing that he is now addicted to the adrenaline that comes with dangerous situations. He has little concern for his own safety, and will gladly put himself in danger to get the job done.

Adaptive: Intelligent and capable, Martin relies more on his ability to improvise than on following a strict plan. He's more of a battlefield tactician than a strategist. Keeping an open mind and memorizing where the exits are in any given building has served him better than complicated planning.

Independent: Liberating himself from the stigma of his family's bad reputation, Martin is more than capable of taking care of himself. He prides himself on his ability to get a job done, and when given a task, it is a matter of personal pride for him to see it through.

Flaws:

Reckless: While he will avoid putting his clients at risk, Martin will sometimes put himself in more danger than is strictly necessary, just for the thrill of it. Many injuries and accidents have resulted from his thrill-chasing ways.

Arrogant: Martin believes in himself, perhaps more than he ought to. While he is incredibly competent at his job, he can come across as snarky and prideful. He only shows respect to people that he feels deserve it (or are paying him to be civil).

Lonely: Capable as he is, Martin's attitude and reliance on luck as much as skill have prevented him from forming very many lasting relationships. It's possible this will change in the face of his current situation, but while he cracks wise and smirks in the daylight, at night he often feels alone. He fills this hole in his life with adrenaline and pride, and hopes that it doesn't bottom out faster than he can fill it.

Skills

UNSPENT SP: 7

Non-combat:
»

Passive:
»Light Armor: 5 (RANK 1- NOVICE)

Combat:
»

Weapon skills:
 » Rapier: 23 (RANK 3- EXPERT) 4 Dmg

Extra skills:

» Martial Arts: 0 (RANK 0- UNSKILLED)

» Disguise: You may add +1 to the result of your BD, and subtract -1 from your opponent's BD during any turn by briefly transforming into your opponent. 12 post cooldown.

Sword Arts

Inventory

~

» <<Crucible>> (Rapier: +3 DMG) EQUIPPED

» <<Basic Light Armor>>: (Allows use of Light Armor Skill) EQUIPPED

» <<Hawk-Eye Shades>> (Trinket: +2 ACC) EQUIPPED

» <<Pinprick>> (Rapier: +2 ACC)

~

» x2 +20 HP Recovery Crystals
» 1x +2 Dmg Potion

» x1 Safeguard Potion: Protects from the first attack that lands. Good for one battle.
» x1 Teleport Crystal: Teleports you out of an area in the field, back to a safe zone of your choice. Takes a turn to use.

~

» Bread/Water

» 1x Pack of Menthol Cigarettes

»  Snowfrost Salve: Apply to armor, wearer takes 1/2 DMG from Burn status effect for 1 battle

» 1x Immolation Potion: Rank 2 thorns. (Opponent suffers 6 DMG on opponent BD: 6-8 if you were a target of their attack and are hit.) Duration: 5 Posts. Requires a post action. 

» Sand Armor Potion: Increases armor's MIT rating by 3 for the duration of one battle.

Roleplays

Me or the Rock <<Breaking the Unbreakable>> Complete!

The Cold Hard Truth <<Avalanche>> Complete!

The Grind Pt. 1- Complete!

The Grind Pt. 2- Complete!

The Grind Pt. 3- Complete!

The Trouble With Doubles <<The Gemini>> Complete!

Back to the Past- Complete!

A Friend Perhaps- Complete!

Buggin' Out <<Long Live the Queen>> Complete!

The Trouble With Doubles <<The Gemini>> Complete!

More Farming! -Complete!

We're Gonna Need A Bigger Dune Buggy <<Blood in the Sand>> Complete!

First Date in the Snow- Complete!

Arts N' Crafts-<<Earning a Living>> Complete!

Every Moment Counts- Complete!

Going Batty <<Let There Be Light>>- Complete!

Second Date: Under the Table- Complete!

Long Road Ahead- Complete!

KoB Recruitment Gathering- Complete!

~

Valentine's Date- In Progress!

After the Journey- In Progress!

A Coffee Shop Stop- In Progress!

Arts N' Crafts Pt. 2 <<Earning a Living>>- In Progress!

The Paragon and the Pugilist- In Progress!

A Time to Socialize- Braving the Desert of Awkwardness <<The Traveler>> In Progress!

The Beginning of a Legend! -In Progress!
From the Bottom- In Progress!

Learning How Not to Die- In Progress!

 

Relationships 
Ishida: A friend who's becoming more like a younger brother. He respects him immensely.

Opal: His girlfriend and Vice Commander.

Brax: Acquaintance.

Grave: Guildmate.

Ayumu: Acquaintance.

Ssendom: Instructor.

Helios: Acquaintance.

Codexx: Acquaintance.

 

Story Thus Far 

Teselmar had floundered for a bit, unused to the rules of a game world where his physical prowess and muscle memory didn't mean anything in the face of a world where 1s and 0s determined who lived and who died. After wandering for a bit, he came across the giant boulder on floor 2, and shattered it after battering it for 20 hours straight. In return for this act of almost stupid persistence, he gained the <<Martial Arts>> Extra Skill. Also on the second floor, he has come across a mob of 3 boars, and prepares to fight for his life. He is undergoing additional training on floor 1, under the watchful eye of Ssendom, Commandant of the Azure Brigade. On the same floor, he attempted to grind some levels, but picked some monsters who were too high leveled, and was forced to withdraw. He prepared to try again that night, and encountered Codexx outside the city wall. The pair went hunting for experience, and monsters, by taking to the woods at night. Bad luck struck when Teselmar took on some wolves, but Codexx lent a hand and mops up the beasts. Teselmar thanked the young man, and they went their separate ways. The first floor was dangerous to other players as well, as he encountered a young teenaged boy named Chreon about to die in combat with a boar. Teselmar intervened, drawing the beast's attention and saving Chreon from a porcine death.

On floor 4, he encountered the enigmatic Opal, and the fellow rookie Ishida. They set out to gain some experience by watching Opal deal with the Quest monster, <<Avalanche>>. The foe was defeated quickly by Opal, and they set out to find another monster to deal with. They found one in the form of a field boss, the Wasp Queen, on floor 2. The trio each contributed to the fight, and slew the beast. After a break for farming, they sought out a dangerous field boss that left blood in the sand. It too fell quickly to their combined strength, and Teselmar made the bold move of asking Opal out on a date. She agreed, and the two met in Starglade Town for a night under the stars. They revealed their true names to one another, and agree to see where their relationship was going. Their date went very well, and after a brief but memorable sparring match on the 11th floor, Opal agreed to a second date with Teselmar. Over a romantic, candlelit dinner, Opal agreed to be Teselmar's girlfriend, and the two confirmed their feelings for each other. Teselmar would later have an interesting conversation with Grave, a man who'd had similar feelings for their Vice Commander.

 Earlier, he had encountered the swordsman Helios briefly at the blacksmith Ayumu's forge, "The Phoenix's Trove", on the ninth floor. Now he has encountered Helios once more when he takes a late night walk through the streets of Urbus. They hit it off, and decide to grab breakfast. They discussed a number of topics, including the possible formation of a guild. Helios took his leave, and it was back to the grind for Teselmar. He defeated an armored snail mob monster called an Escaggro, and farmed some materials successfully. 

On the sixth floor, Teselmar headed out into the jungle to seek out an extra skill. What he found was the doppelganger NPC, Gemini. The two dueled in the rainforest, with Teselmar handily winning the engagement, thanks to a potion from Opal. For his trouble, he learned the <<Disguise>> Extra Skill, but was troubled by having to kill someone with his own face. He battled a trio of giant bats inside of a cave and saved a small NPC child while doing a quest on the second floor. Teselmar even opened an artisan's gallery and cafe on floor 4, in Starglade. He'd become rather fond of the small town. After all of this, Teselmar attended a meeting to express his interest in joining the Knights of the Blood Oath, a guild that Opal was the Vice Commander of. Taking his own form of a Blood Oath, Teselmar was proud to stand tall amongst the Knights of the Blood Oath's members. On the 5th floor once again, Teselmar and company set out across the desert to train their Survival skill.