Gambit

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"Aw man, what? That's so lame..." 

No fight? Gambit was crestfallen... but he recovered quickly. Not five seconds after the news, he was back with a fresh bounce in his step. There was no way there was a dragon quest without there being a requirement to slay a dragon. Not in a fantasy game like this. He had to give himself a mental pat on the back for piecing that together, though -- but he was careful not to come off as too smug. Gambit would keep it to himself for the meantime. They'd catch on sooner or later. 

He couldn't help but pick up on the weird vibes the two girls were giving off. Did they know each other? They spoke to one another with that sort of stiff, awkward tone to their speech that you only really heard in the strictly formal conversations of adults in a stuffy workplace. It was a little annoying. It definitely couldn't hurt for them to lighten up a bit. 

Gambit whistled loudly as he walked, taking large, stompy strides to keep pace with the group. 

Thread Summary: 

510/5 = 102 * 1 = 102 + 300 (Quest Reward) = 402 EXP 

Familiar submitted for evaluation here

Music? Bells? A small pleasant chime, and light. Flying into view was a perfectly spherical winged sprite. It seemed... happy to see him? It flew around him in circles, leaving evanescent globules of light in a trail behind it. Gambit snorted. "I guess you're my familiar, huh?" He cupped his hands and the sprite landed gently in them. It hardly weighed a thing. "Well, I can't imagine you'll be doing much in combat, but..." 

It was kind of cute, wasn't it? Gambit smiled. "That's fine, though. Alright!" He pulled away and the sprite flew up beside him, hovering around his shoulders. Gambit was happy to discover that it had no trouble keeping pace with him. Where it flew, music followed, and it made him want to join it. He was no good at singing, however, and even if that wasn't the case, he could hardly risk anyone overhearing him, elven wilderness or not... 

What he really ought to do was get an instrument -- or better yet, a house. 

He'd return to the gypsy as required, completing the quest and pondering the name of his little familiar all the while. 

Taming Familiar: ID#247493 CD: 11 (Success) 

Deep in the elven wilderness, Gambit couldn't help but feel a little bit out of his element. There was a primal fear that had rooted itself firmly in the pit of the brave warrior's stomach, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. "Well, here I come!" He announced it to the empty space between the trees, and only an echo was the forest's response. Still, it made him feel a little bit better. He sat there and waited. He wasn't sure whether or not the consumable was actually going to work, though. The light had already faded, and still there wasn't any sign of any animals in his immediate proximity. Had he messed up, somehow? It hit him then that he probably should have used it in front of the animal he'd meant to tame -- that made the most sense to him. A panic began to set in. And then... 

Taming Familiar: ID#247492 CD: 7 (Failure) 

"Whoops, totally forgot!" He transferred the money and slid the ring into his pocket in one smooth motion. "Need this. Thanks!" 

He was out the door in a flash. 

purchasing elden ring.: LD III [231522]
-500 Col to @NIGHT

"Scouting a dragon's lair, eh?" Gambit smirked. "Nothing I can't handle."

Ever since he'd killed that Floor One Field Boss, Gambit had been on a roll. When a seemingly helpless fighter handily dispatches the terror of an entire floor, said fighter would obviously earn a well-deserved boost in confidence. And a well-deserved boost in confidence Gambit had, and then some. Nothing could stop him. He had a new sword, a flashy little plushie dangling from the pommel of aforementioned sword, and a bad attitude to match. This Ariel fella needed help dispatching a few winged lizards? Leave it to ol' Gambit. He'd get it done in no time at all. 

With his weapon on his back and a smile on his face, he strode out to the meeting place with unabashed boldness. The woman's practiced demeanor did nothing to dissuade Gambit's approach. He waved furiously. 

"Hi! Hello!! I'm here to help kill those dragons or whatever!" 

Gambit | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 13 | ACC:4 | EVA:3

Player Stats (the long way): 

Thanks!! 

Just now, Andromeda said:

Yeet.

Devaloka Fragment (1) | Consumable
Allows its user to skip the searching portion of the <<Feeding your Enemy>> quest. If the player fails to tame the creature, they will have to find it again by the searching rules in the quest. Can also be used to change a familiar’s appearance to a form of itself based on illusory light. Single-use item. | [>>]

Suffice to say that Gambit did not find any crystals. 

Well, he hadn't really been looking for them, either. Despite what he'd told the lady who'd (uninvited) joined him in digging his hole, Gambit wasn't in it for the rewards in the slightest. He was in it for the love of the game. The lady had left him alone for the most part, and that was just fine for him. He didn't know or even wish to know about the treasure hunt the others were embroiled in. He had greater plans. 

But greater plans would have to wait. After wordlessly toiling away at his hole's excavation, Gambit had struck rock. The harsh impact of spade on stone was all it took for the shovel to shudder and completely shatter in his hands, leaving Gambit woefully empty-handed. With a huff and a sigh, Gambit clambered up and out of the hole, leaving the steadily growing group of players behind him. 

They just didn't get it. 

"Crystals?" Gambit asked. Was there something going on at the beach that he didn't know about? "What crystals?" 

He looked up from his digging and cast a cursory glance at the people gathered at the beach. They all seemed like they were scouring the sand for something. His mind immediately went to seashells -- but the nice lady (@Acanthus) who'd approached him had mentioned something about crystals. He looked down into the hole he'd been digging, now quite a bit more than ankle deep. The only thing in it that he could see were his own sand-covered feet. "Uh, no crystals." 

When she asked him if he wanted to help her dig holes, he squinted. Holes -- plural? As in more than one? Gambit thought about it. 

"I kinda just wanna keep digging this one. But I'll let you know if I find any, uhh -- crystals! I'll let you know if I find any crystals for you." 

<<THREAD SUMMARY>> 

Gambit Receives: 

Gambit | [Word Count: 3539/10 = 353.9] * [True Tier: 1] * [Group Factor: 1] = 354 + 100 (Field Boss) + 1,500 (Quest Reward) = 1,954 EXP 
1,000 Col 
x2 Materials
<<Concentration>> Extra Skill 
x1 Nepent Ovule 

There was a small, quickly forgotten moment during his thinking that Gambit realized he actually felt sorry for the Gemini. He couldn't be sure of it, of course; but were its eyes not shockingly human? He wondered if the frontliners thought about stuff like that. Gambit realized that there might be a difference in NPCs, and for the first time, the idea of NPC consciousness occurred to him. The very thought seemed preposterous. How could that be? Well, he reasoned, Cardinal (he believed it was called) was supposed to be some self-sustaining system, constantly adjusting game balance, adding new quests, and generating new bosses for the players to face. It had to be pretty intelligent to do all that. What if it got so intelligent that it became capable of creating AI that was truly self-aware? 

Just the thought of it made his head spin. By the time he'd worked his way through his own logic, Gambit found himself back on the first floor in a cafe. Somewhere between the 6th and 1st floors, his appetite had returned to him. He helped himself to a veritable feast of soup. He figured he'd earned it. 

Gambit stood there a moment, processing what had just happened. It was a lot to take in, especially for him. After standing there for a couple of minutes, he scooped up his sword and sheathed it across his back. Although he'd come to the 6th Floor to scavenge for something to eat (potatoes, my beloved), Gambit found himself with no real appetite to speak of. He started the short walk back to the safe zone. He hadn't made it very deep into the jungle, and he figured he wouldn't want to try to get any deeper again anytime soon. He had a lot to think about, and he didn't know where to start. What was that supposed to be? A quest? He never accepted a quest. Why did it look just like him? Were NPCs people? Why the heck was that Field Boss so difficult to kill? Could he even find potatoes on this floor? 

The Gemini stared at him.

And then the quiet broke, and he (it?) laughed. Gambit was shocked. His laugh was genuine, almost musical. The white hair and colorless eyes suddenly didn’t seem so menacing. Gambit sighed, relieved, and shook his head.

“Well,” Gambit said, “I guess it’s alright if you keep me wondering…” 

He checked the stranger’s health and saw that there was still only a sliver remaining. He didn’t dare yank his sword out. “Sorry,” he apologized, “I didn’t mean to get you so low.” 

The Gemini, still looking quite amused, shook his (his) head. His body began to glow, and Gambit for a split second thought that he was going to explode. But that wasn’t the case – at least, not entirely. As the light enveloped them, their body was swept away by an invisible breeze, leaving no trace of the stranger. Gambit’s weapon fell to the jungle floor with a soft thud. 

Gambit was up first. He stumbled over to the stranger, who laid there motionless since he’d collapsed. He hadn’t died. Which was a good thing, maybe? Gambit’s sword was still stuck in his gut, and Gambit wasn’t too sure if it was the best idea to pull it out. His heart was hammering in his chest and he struggled to find the words. 

But the Gemini stared intently at him, its colorless eyes wide and curious. Gambit fought to catch his breath. There was something about the way the stranger watched and reacted to him that didn’t feel like the other NPCs that resided in safe zones, or handed out quests. There was something about him that felt strangely human. It was certainly an alarming thought. He had only started adventuring recently. Were NPCs normally like this? Gambit frowned, concerned, and spoke, every syllable a concentrated effort. 

“Are you… real?” 

The stranger forced himself to his feet. Gambit let him get up. He was no longer shaking. He began to feel that same confidence that had compelled him to hunt the wolves, the boars, and the Nepent Variants. He could do this – he was good at it. He suppressed the urge to smile. Celebrating early would do him no good. 

The stranger smiled for him. He readied his sword and Gambit did the same. Time seemed to blend together as they clashed. The stranger went high and Gambit blocked high. Gambit went low and the stranger parried that, too. The stranger ducked, going to sweep his legs, but somehow Gambit predicted that, too, and hopped backwards, then rushed forward with a heavy downward swing. Their swords connected and they were on equal footing again. 

Another brief skirmish followed. The stranger had the upper hand. He pressed his sword down, and though Gambit held him at bay, the stranger’s power was overwhelming his own. Gambit grit his teeth. Mustering up what strength he had left, Gambit risked his neck and slammed his forehead into the Gemini’s nose. The stranger’s attention wavered as it recoiled from the strike, and in one swift motion, Gambit disarmed him. Whirling around like a madman, Gambit swung his sword brutally, like a baseball bat, and buried the weapon in the stranger’s gut. The momentum ripped the blade from Gambit’s hands, but he reckoned it nearly cleaved the Gemini in two. The stranger collapsed and Gambit, off balance and exhausted, fell to his hands and knees. 

*** 

ACTION TAKEN: [ST-I] [-10 EN] 
The Gemini: ID#235610 MD: 9 {Stunned} BD: 7 (Hit) -> 10*10-10= 90 DMG 

Gambit: 55/100 HP | 8/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA 

The Gemini: 1/150 HP | 40 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | 10 MIT {STUN IMMUNITY: 1/3} [DEFY DEATH]

Gambit was shaking. The Gemini stood across from him. He hadn’t realized it, but the Gemini must have retreated back across the stream after his attack. Had Gambit not been paying attention, or was the stranger just that quick? He thought about running, about trying to send a message out to somebody, anybody, but he somehow knew that it wouldn’t work. This fight was something he had to do alone. Gambit shook. He breathed in. He shook. He breathed out. 

Steadier, steadier still. Focus. Breathe. Focus. Breathe. 

The stranger smiled.

In an instant the distance was closed, but this time, Gambit was ready. He parried the strike. Sparks flew and metal shrieked. He had put the stranger off balance. Gambit fought the urge to retreat and instead pressed closer, grabbing his sword by its blade and using that leverage to bash the stranger’s face with his sword’s hilt. 

The Gemini staggered backwards, clutching the digital, splotchy red mark left on its face by Gambit’s blunt swing. Gambit felt a rush of relief as the Stun gripped the stranger’s limbs and forced him to take a knee. 

Steadier, steadier still. 

*** 

ACTION TAKEN: [TECH-A] [-11 EN] 
The Gemini: ID#235605 MD: 1 (Miss) BD: 8 (Hit) -> 10*10-10= 90 DMG 

Gambit: 55/100 HP | 17/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA 

The Gemini: 60/150 HP | 40 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | 10 MIT {STUNNED} 

Gambit shuddered. Something about that smile… 

He hardly had time to process the situation before the Gemini was suddenly in front of him, sword ripping through his chest. Gambit shouted. Again, that dull vibration, the sinking feeling in his chest as he watched his HP plummet. But this wasn’t like the Nepent Variant. Not at all. This wasn’t a wolf or a boar or a monster… What was it? A fight was hardly the place to think about it. If he didn’t keep himself sharp, he was going to get himself killed. Gambit opened his mouth to speak but the words wouldn’t form. The Gemini stood across from him, quietly, no longer smiling. He seemed to be waiting for something. Gambit frowned. He raised his sword defensively, exhaling, trying to breathe the nerves out. Gambit was shaking and it made it hard to hold his weapon steady. The Gemini tilted his head. He did not seem satisfied.

*** 

ACTION TAKEN: [SURPRISED] 
The Gemini: ID#235601 MD: 7+4-3 (Hit) - 40 DMG to Gambit 

Gambit: 55/100 HP | 28/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA 

The Gemini: 150/150 HP | 40 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | 10 MIT 

But the figure did not speak, or even react to Gambit’s screams. It simply walked forward. For each step towards him it took, Gambit took a step back, slipping and nearly falling into the stream. “H-hey man, what’s up?” Gambit stumbled as he pushed himself out of the water. “You, um… find any… potatoes around here?” Somehow, Gambit knew that the stranger wasn’t there for potatoes. 

With a delicate touch, the stranger removed his cloak. Standing across from him was Gambit’s own spitting image. The teen paled. “What…” 

There were some differences, of course. While Gambit liked to wear greens and browns, earthy colors, the stranger seemed to prefer a few shades of black. Gambit’s hair was black, and his eyes were a deep green; the stranger’s hair was white, and his eyes were similarly devoid of color. Gambit reached for his sword but the stranger was quicker, unsheathing his blade faster than Gambit had even touched his own. Gambit hesitated. 

He drew his sword. 

The Gemini smiled.

*** 

HP Recovery: +10 HP 
EN Recovery: 3/3 

Foraging: ID#235597 LD: 2 CD: 12 (Failure) [+3 EXP]

The jungle was hot and humid and he hated it. Gambit had hardly walked for five minutes before he’d started sweating like a pig. He almost wanted to quit, but he had a terrible hankering for some potatoes, and he was absolutely convinced that he would find some in the jungle. He hadn’t seen any players for a while. Not that that was surprising. He felt like he never saw many players, unless he went down to the first floor or visited higher up in the later teens and twenties. That suited him just fine. He didn’t mind being alone. 

He was crossing a small stream when he heard it. A rustle in the bushes. Gambit whirled around, his heart leaping in his chest. Standing not fifteen feet behind him was the hooded figure of a player(?) wearing a long dark cloak. 

 “WAHHHHH!!” Gambit nearly jumped out of his skin. 

*** 

HP Recovery: +10 HP 
EN Recovery: 2/3 

Foraging: ID#235587 LD: 8 CD: 5 (Failure) [+3 EXP] 

Gambit pushed himself to his feet and spat out a mouthful of dirt and Nepent juice. “Could have gone smoother,” he grumbled. He wasn’t sure what had gone wrong there. A buggy Nepent, must have been. Gambit sheathed his sword and sighed. “Probably enough excitement for one day.” 

He shifted his attention to other, more important things. Namely, to what he was going to eat for dinner. He gave his stomach a couple of pats and started walking back to the safe zone. Gambit was feeling like it was a soup day. Something hearty and filling. He already had some leftover meat in his inventory; all he really had to do was gather some herbs and vegetables.

“The sixth floor probably has a bunch of vegetables,” he thought out loud. It was all jungle there, and he could have sworn there were a bunch of plant monsters roaming around. He could probably forage something pretty tasty to toss into a stew if he made his way up there. Tastier than anything he could find on the first floor, anyways.  

*** 

HP Recovery: +10 HP 
EN Recovery: 1/3 

Foraging: ID#235586 LD: 4 CD: 4 (Failure) [+3 EXP] 

How did he want to play it? Defensively? Aggressively? Which had worked better? Gambit wasn’t sure either of them had been working. Did Field Bosses get harder to fight the more you fought them? It certainly felt that way. But it couldn’t be true. He wasn’t buffed – that probably played a role in it, right? He grit his teeth. Okay: breathe in, breathe out. The Nepent Variant shuffled forward. Gambit ran forward to meet it. The Nepent Variant lashed out, first with its vines, and then, surprisingly, with its teeth, its gnashing mouth opened wide. Gambit dodged it all. He slid from one side to the other, dodging the vicious lashes as they came. He leapt into the air. The Nepent Variant opened wide. Gambit, with his blade outstretched, descended into the dark and slimy maw of the plant monster… 

…and in four distinct flashes of light, cut his way out of its belly. Gambit emerged first from a hole in its stomach, and then fell to the ground as the Nepent Variant was destroyed in a brilliant explosion of light. His last attack had done it. Gambit laid there for a while, face in the dirt. He’d finally done it. Victory tasted like wet grass and vegetables.

“Ughnmhnf.”

***

ACTION TAKEN: [ST-I] [-6 EN]
Nepent Variant: ID#235582 BD: 10 (Crit!) -> 12*6-10= 62 DMG 

Gambit: 65/100 HP | 0/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Nepent Variant: HP: 0/200 | MIT: 10 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 1 |  EVA: 0

• Plant Frenzy | On MD 9-10, the Nepent will strike all party members for 35 DMG.
• Photosynthesis | On CD 9-12, the Nepent will restore 15 HP and gain 5 MIT until its next turn.
• Weapon Lock | Only Sword Arts of Rank 2 or lower may be used against this boss.
• Tier Lock | For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 1. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]

Looting Nepent Variant: ID: 235585 | LD: 10+0=10 | CD:3+0=3 | Col:1000, Mats:2, [235585a] T1 Uncommon Consumabe

Alright, enough was enough! No more Mr. Nice Guy! And all those other things corny old cartoons used to say! Gambit was getting pretty tired of this Nepent Variant, pretty darn quick. Based on his health, his energy, and the Nepent’s health, he only had about two attacks left in him before Gambit was in serious trouble. That meant he either had to buckle down and really focus, for real this time, or he was going to have to get the heck out of dodge. He tightened his grip on his sword’s handle. Gambit chose the former. He rushed in, cleanly dodging two quick whips of the Nepent’s vines. He was getting close. Closer. There! Gambit unleashed a wicked slash at point blank range, crimson sparks flying as he loosed the Sword Art into the Nepent Variant’s soft belly. The laughing certainly stopped, then; it shrieked, its vines flailing violently as it staggered backwards, its health plummeting to a point of no return. Gambit wasn’t looking too great either, though. He was huffing and puffing, perhaps not from the simulated exhaustion, but certainly from the stress of it. One more. He just needed one more attack, just like that. 

***

ACTION TAKEN: [ST-I] [-6 EN]
Nepent Variant: ID#235577 BD: 3+3 (Hit) MD: 1 (Miss) -> 10*6-10= 50 DMG 

Gambit: 65/100 HP | 5/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Nepent Variant: HP: 15/200 | MIT: 10 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 1 |  EVA: 0

• Plant Frenzy | On MD 9-10, the Nepent will strike all party members for 35 DMG.
• Photosynthesis | On CD 9-12, the Nepent will restore 15 HP and gain 5 MIT until its next turn.
• Weapon Lock | Only Sword Arts of Rank 2 or lower may be used against this boss.
• Tier Lock | For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 1. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]

Screw patience! Patience wasn’t getting him anywhere! As soon as Gambit had both feet back on the ground, he rushed the Nepent Variant as aggressively as possible. Who was he kidding with all that patience nonsense anyways? The best offense was a good offense! Sword held overhead like a caveman, Gambit let loose a wild downwards swing, his sword aglow with a deep blue light. The blade slowed, as if cutting through water, until it stopped just inches away from the skin of the Nepent Variant. “Huh?” Gambit glanced up. About half of his sword was wrapped firmly in the vine-like appendages of the Nepent Variant. It had caught his sword?! Gambit could hardly believe his eyes. He held on tight as the Nepent, using its grip on his weapon, whirled him around and flung him across the forest clearing. Gambit hit the ground hard, but to his credit, refused to let go of his blade. He felt ill. He pushed himself up to his feet. The Nepent made a weird, repetitive gasping sound. Was the Field Boss… laughing at him?

***

ACTION TAKEN: [ST-I] [-6 EN]
Nepent Variant: ID#235575 BD: 7 (Hit) MD: 4-2 (Miss) -> 10*6-10= 50 DMG 

Gambit: 65/100 HP | 10/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Nepent Variant: HP: 65/200 | MIT: 10 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 1 |  EVA: 0

• Plant Frenzy | On MD 9-10, the Nepent will strike all party members for 35 DMG.
• Photosynthesis | On CD 9-12, the Nepent will restore 15 HP and gain 5 MIT until its next turn.
• Weapon Lock | Only Sword Arts of Rank 2 or lower may be used against this boss.
• Tier Lock | For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 1. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]

Patience, he reminded himself. Patience was key! The Nepent Variant tiptoed around the clearing on its little leafy feet, inching towards him. For every five steps the Variant took, Gambit took a careful step back (which was more than enough to keep the space between them, apparently). Was he losing? Despite only being in the company of a mob, Gambit shook his head no. He wasn’t losing. He just wasn’t winning. Yet. The boy set his jaw and repositioned himself. He took a wider stance, his blade outstretched. No, that wasn’t right. He took a more defensive stance, his blade held close to his chest. That didn’t feel too great either. The Nepent Variant lashed out again, and Gambit skipped away, accidentally activating a Sword Art as he did. In such an improper position, the light of his sword faded as quickly as it had begun to glow. The attack fizzled out. “Crap baskets,” Gambit cursed. He was really starting to get annoyed at himself now.

***

ACTION TAKEN: [ST-I] [-1 EN]
Nepent Variant: ID#235574 BD: 2+3 (Miss) MD: 2 (Miss) CD: 9 

Gambit: 65/100 HP | 15/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Nepent Variant: HP: 115/200 | MIT: 15 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 1 |  EVA: 0

• Plant Frenzy | On MD 9-10, the Nepent will strike all party members for 35 DMG.
• Photosynthesis | On CD 9-12, the Nepent will restore 15 HP and gain 5 MIT until its next turn.
• Weapon Lock | Only Sword Arts of Rank 2 or lower may be used against this boss.
• Tier Lock | For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 1. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]