Morningstar

Before the treant could steal too much from the trees, the swordsman cut it down. A final slash through its midsection did the trick, severing perfectly in two. It decayed before his eyes, and the wood crumbled to blue dust. It floated in the wind, up towards the sky, disappearing in the sun's light.

The sword's aura vanished. He returned it to the sturdy scabbard at his waist, taking one last look at the empty grove before retreating. His victory was not fruitless; he had been rewarded with a rare item. Blessing of the Wood was its title, and its effect was similar to the rooting ability the Wicked Wood had used. The difference was that he would not be thieving another's health. Not only could he help himself, but the entirety of his party in addition. It sounded too good to be true, and yet it was not.

He found his horse fighting off some antmen scouts at the edge of the trail. He shooed them off and, thankfully, they listened, skittering off into the woods. The swordsman clambered onto his horse's back and trotted leisurely along the path back to Taft.

The evil feeling did not pass, coursing from his blade and through his body, shaking his very soul. The swordsman did not despise it in the same way he did his previous sword. The other took away his control; from him, it stole his mind.

This blade, however, worked with him. It was an otherworldly source of power, but asked nothing of him but to be wielded. And so, in return for its strength, he did wield it, and would continue to until their communion no longer served either of them a purpose.

Today, they were one, sword and swordsman. An upward stroke took a portion of the treant's face. It had dragged over its eye, blinding it. On a human, it would have left a scar, but the treant simply regenerated using the lifeforce of the forest around it. Rather than retaliate, it dug its roots deep into the earth, sucking the energy from the plants and trees.

It almost looked like cannibalism; but, the swordsman realized that treants were not trees, but monsters. While they shared appearances, their wills and values differed greatly.

Zandra explained her history as a frontliner, sharing that her role and build had changed significantly over the years. "Healers are cool. I don't meet all that many," he told her. "I'm a DPS."

The amusing conversation ended abruptly with the arrival of a wave of mobs.

Their first encounter with the hell hounds was lackluster at best. The party made light work of the infernal trio, defeating them in a single rotation, ordered Freyd, Zandra, and then Morningstar. The blonde swooped in last, picking up the last hit on one of the hounds and feeling displeased with the lack of a loot drop. Every reward came with a hit of dopamine and more unidentified items for him to gamble all his col on.

He was turning into a real appraisal addict. His wallet would not appreciate it in the long term.

"I think I could pull off a dress," Morningstar said, reigniting Freyd's last comment. "Smooth skin, y'know?"

The fight began immediately. A dozen more tentacle-like roots poked out of the ground, flying towards him like javelins. He deflected a few with his sword while dodging the remainder. The gap between them was closed with a lunge. The swordsman grappled with his opponent, clashing against the silver-blue blade the treant wielded. Their weapons flashed, sparks flinging off the metal with each hit. They traded blows, but none of their shallow wounds could keep either at bay.

Many times before, he had found himself in that exact position with a variety of differing foes. Whether it was a monster, a beast, or a human mattered not to him. From his perspective, they all fell the same.

A vile, dark feeling crept over the swordsman; however, it came from himself. An ominous and black aura engulfed the swordsman's blade, invisible to the eye but not to the heart. With a single swing, he broke the treant's poise. It stumbled backwards, catching itself with its own rising roots.

Twisting roots threatened to tangle the swordsman, regrowing every time he cut them down. They spiraled around him, clinging to his arms and legs. His movements were restricted by the tightening roots. They crept up his body, fully engulfing him with their wrath. Enclosed in the heart of the forest, he suffocated slowly.

Over and over, a single command repeated in his mind until a burst of red light cracked through his wooden cocoon. It ripped and tore through roots, exploding at the authority of the Forgotten King. The forest would obey him, or face death.

The swordsman chopped, cut, and sliced through roots, sharpened into spears and expelled from the ground in his direction. Back and forth, he swayed around missile-like attacks. His clean evasion led him straight to the source of the barrage.

A lone treant stood at the center of a grove. In its grip was a longsword, artistic in design and structure. It had a hallowed look to it, but the swordsman new better. Throughout the world, it was known as the Wicked Wood, an apt name for a creature with a wicked soul.

[ lv. 54  ->   lv. 33 / p. 21 ] MORNINGSTAR | HP: 851/851 | EN: 112/112 | DMG: 28 | MIT: 60 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | REC: 4 | FLN: 16 | AA | PAR VEN | PROS: 3   Hide contents notes.     Hide contents equipped dying sun FLN II, AA, PAR VEN red longcoat EVA II, REC I sapphire ACC III, EVA I battle-ready inventory magdalyn's cuckoo teleport crystal x5 dewdrop salve | HP REC III popcorn x10 | VIT II skills.   Hide contents mod count: 3/5 2HSS | RANK 5/5 precision, stamina, ferocity shift: tech CLOTH ARMOR | RANK 5/5 athletics, nimble COMBAT MASTERY: DMG | RANK 3/3 SEARCHING | RANK 4/5 (5) night vision, detect BATTLE HEALING | RANK 5/5 ENERGIST CHARGE extra SURVIVAL FORGOTTEN KING'S AUTHORITY LADY LUCK DISGUISE buffs.   Hide contents statue n/a consumables  imperial quarter blend | DMG III creme brulee | ACC II mortal instants | MIT III smores | EVA II gelato | LD III smores | PROS III hearty soup | OH III breakfast fry | PROTEIN II paragon Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread. Lv. 10 | +1 LD arts.   Hide contents en cost matches multiplier unless stated otherwise. shift underlined. ST | x12 -> x15 | x20 AOE | x11 -> x14 TECH-A | x16 | STUN | 13EN TECH-B | x16 | DELAY TECH-D | x16 | SHATTER TECH-F | x12 | AOE STUN misc.   Hide contents Well Rested | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat. Squeaky Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down). Filling | Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30. Tasty | Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Lesser Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread. Relaxed | Increases out-of-combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Multipurpose | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll. Skylight (Searching) | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill.  gathering n/a

The tea shop was still setting up stock, but Kingsley had asked Morningstar to stop by sometime before opening day. For his assistance on floor one a few days prior, the old man had prepared a gift. Morningstar took a step inside the tea shop and was instantly greeted by the multitude of aromatic teas. It was a quaint little store, and cozy at that. Kingsley had done a fine job decorating and setting up the store's layout. "G'morning," Star called through the shop, unsure of where he might find the little old man.

"Ah, you're here! One moment!" Kingsley called back, rummaging through some boxes in the back.

He came to the front to greet Morningstar with a package in hand. "Here you are," he said, handing it over to the blonde. "Three specially crafted tea blends. I put this recipe together on the twenty-sixth floor, in Ladonia. I expect you will enjoy this one," he said with a wide grin.

***

morningstar is taking x3 | imperial quarter blend | TIERLESS PERFECT POTION | DAMAGE III
^{Smoke and gunpowder, with lingering scents of exotic jasmine and bergamot. Razwell himself would enjoy this blend.}

also gives 100 materials as a startup donation

"Another happy landing," Morningstar quoted with a grin.

He helped Nari to her feet, ignoring the obviously missing chunk of her health bar. She would heal it back up, eventually. "That was exciting. Skydiving's fun, yeah? We'll have to do it again sometime," he patted her on her plated shoulder. "C'mon. Let's go play heroes."

Leaving her to follow, Morningstar jogged recklessly atop the midair ship. Near its back end was a way into the ship. Normally, it would have been sealed off during flight but whatever door was once there had been blown of its hinges. The blonde peaked inside. Only flames lit the downward path. He took the first few steps down the ladder, watching his path below carefully.

Inside, it was pure chaos. The ship's mechanisms were mostly out of commission. Smoke filled the hull, as did fire. They didn't have much time to waste; Morningstar was worried they might explode if they took too long.

"We should find the crew and make sure they're okay," Morningstar called to Nari, ducking low to avoid the pressurized steam escaping from a busted pipe. Beyond the steam, Morningstar noticed a pirate-looking fellow, dressed similarly to those they had encountered earlier that day.

Name: Hearty Soup
Your Profession:  Appraiser
Your Rank: Rank 5
Roll ID: 221350
Roll Result: 20
Item Type: Meal
Tier: T4
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: OH III
Description: A soup made with beef and various vegetables.
Link: URL
Acquisition ID: 220854b

Name: Dewdrop Salve
Your Profession:  Appraiser
Your Rank: Rank 5
Roll ID: 221352
Roll Result: 16
Item Type: Salve
Tier: T4
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: HP Recovery III
Description: A small vial filled with a clear liquid. It tastes like water, but with a hint of cherry.
Link: URL
Acquisition ID: 220854c

Name: Zombie Farmer's Sickle +5
Your Profession:  Appraiser
Your Rank: Rank 5
Roll ID: 221353, 221354, 221355
Roll Result: 9, 1, 4
Reroll ID: 221367, 221368, 221369, 221370, 221371
Reroll Result: 17, 15, 15, 16, 12
Item Type: Curved Sword
Tier: T4
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: Bleed II, Blight
Description: A farming sickle dropped by a zombified farmhand somewhere near Demon's End. The short handle is made of low quality wood and the blade has rusted along the once-sharp edge.
Link: URL
Acquisition ID: 220948a

4/5/2024

fusions

ids

junk sale

Total Cost: 150,240 - 17,300 = 132,940 col

Morningstar thought he knew the black-haired swordswoman in reference, but the relevance was unclear to him, so he remained quiet. "If we're getting dinner, then the place better have karaoke. I want Nari to serenade us while we eat."

Excluding Wulfrin made sense. He was probably the most broke of the four and they were grinding specifically to fund his short-term endeavors, not so they could bankrupt him with their poor eating habits. It likely wouldn't matter, though. Something told Morningstar that he would be the one paying. His luck was simply awful when it came to things like this.

He did what he could and took down two of the Spooky Looters and with a prayer, left one remaining. His wallet would remain full one more day--at least, he hoped it would. Freyd had a shadow creature for a pet and Morningstar was not keen to find out how much it cost to keep her fed. The thought prompted the question--was the mongoose's stomach an endless void?

Pulling himself from the wreckage, Morningstar gave a half-hearted thumbs up. "Yeah," he groaned. "A-okay. How's your health bar?"

His was perfect, under the circumstances. He did a quick scan of their surroundings. There was no world where the pirates on Span 17 managed to follow them, but who could say what new enemies were waiting for them on the ground below the sky port. "Excuse me," Morningstar called to a nearby NPC. "Where abouts are we?"

The NPC alongside, alongside a few others who had gathered around the crash site, ignored the question. The growing group seemed far more fascinated with their survival, repeatedly asking if they were hurt or in need of medical attention.

"Just a ride back into the city, please."

They left their destroyed skiff behind, boarding an aerial taxi that was functioning as intended. It even came with comfier seats and a properly trained driver. "Thanks," Morningstar climbed into the sky car, promising to Nari that the ride was on him, an apology for his poor flying skills earlier. "It's been a while since I've flown," he admitted. He had never flown anything before.

On their way over the skyway (like a highway, but in the sky), something caught the driver's attention. Morningstar's eyes were drawn to it as well. Smoke and flames rose in the air. The source was a cargo ship flying above the city. Small skiffs circled it like sharks about to feed. A new quest prompt appeared before the players, and nothing could make Morningstar believe it was a coincidence.

"Here we go again," he muttered, accepting the quest on behalf of the party. "Driver, would you mind pulling up to that ship down there?"

"What—you mean the burning one?"

"That's the one."

"No way! I ain't gettin' near that thing!"

"You don't need to board it. Just hover a distance above and we'll jump."

"Jump!? Are you insane!?"

He might have been, but the driver did as requested anyway. It was not the safest distance from the ship (for the players, anyway), but it would do. Morningstar popped open his door first and for the second time that day, dropped out of the sky.

Diving past a flock of birds was one of the highlights of his day. He tore through the air, landing upon the airship in a tumble, safe and sound.

"Good," Morningstar grinned, steering his horse out of town. "Let's get going."

The path they traveled was exactly as Morningstar had described. The bumpy plains outside of the Town of Beginnings stretched as far as the eye could see. They traversed them together, with Star in the lead. Eventually, Horunka came into view. Instead of stopping or passing through, they took a detour, circling around the settlement and passing it entirely. Along the way to the Stone Valley, they rode through three separate forests, and then one large one on the way into the valley.

When they arrived at the cave, it was nearly midday. Morningstar leapt from his horse's back and tied it to a thing tree nearby. Staying on foot would be the best course of action inside the cave. It was too cramped for an animal as large as a horse, and mobs were always a possibility outside of safe zones.

"C'mon," Morningstar gestured for Etherial to follow as he entered the cave.

It was shallow. At the end, where a wall once sat, was an opening. Morningstar had been to the cave before, years ago, before the wall had opened. He had been brought there to train during a time when he needed it most. He couldn't remember what mobs spawned there at the time, only that Lexa would make them look like fodder. Now, it was empty and quiet, but for the pitter-patter of water droplets against the earthy floor. Through the opening, he could see a tree. It was beautiful and large. He wondered how it could even grow in such a place, quickly realizing that they were in a video game. Anything was possible. Upon its body was a tablet.

"That there is our quest," Morningstar pointed.

He stepped up to the tree's base and took a seat, leaving room for Etherial to do the same. Before he could even begin to read the cipher next to the tablet, a quest prompt appeared before him. He accepted it and moved on, beginning the questline known as Scents of the Wild.

Morningstar returned within thirty minutes, his bag about fifteen pounds heavier than it had been when he left. "You're quick," he laughed, stepping up to the counter to retrieve his sword. It looked even better than he had expected. Wulfrin was growing into quite the blacksmith. Star was impressed. "Nice twist with the bird," he said, in reference to the Sentinel Armaments logo engraved on the blade's guard. The vines matched the other item's he had ordered from NIGHT, as did the brass. It was a fine addition to his collection.

"Thanks. Got a quest in mind with your name on it, by the way. I'll ring ya in a little while," he said on his way out.

+1 laurel straight sword.

"Nonsense. You'll be fine," Morningstar assured the girl. "I've been around the combat block a few times. If anything does show up, I'll take it out."

Morningstar took the position of guide for the party. He knew the floor like the back of his hand and had done his research before showing up for the quest. He knew where the cave was located and the best route to get there. "If we go by horse it'll be quickest. It's not protected, but we should be safe along the road. We can ride past Horunka, towards the Stone Valley. The trip's not so bad. We'll cut through the forests; the cave isn't too deep in the valley."

He led Etherial to the local stables, near the Town of Beginnings' gate. Tossing a few col to the stablemaster granted them horses for the day. The brown steeds were walked out of the stable for them. Morningstar straddled one, offering the other to his partner.

"Ever ridden a horse?"

The next point of his journey was Sentinel Armaments, the abode of Wulfrin. Morningstar entered through the front door and greeted his friend. At the counter, he filled out a custom order. He needed a straight sword, and rather than appraise his own, he thought it would be nice to commission someone else for a change. "Think you can do this?" He asked, listing the single enhancement that he needed.

"I've got some more errands to run, so shoot me a message whenever you're finished. I'll watch my mail," he smiled, leaving Sentinel Armaments behind.

He checked his list to see where his next appointment was.

***

Item Name: laurel straight sword.
Item Type: Straight Sword
Item Tier: 1
Item Quality: Perfect
Draft Item Description: a longsword with precise thickness and length. brass is used along the hilt in conjunction with silver. it is ornamented with leaves and vines.
Requested Enhancements: ACC III

- 500 col

"Hi, NIGHT."

He was dressed in a tan button down, probably made from linen. The top three buttons were left unused. A bag hung over his shoulder, full of what would appear to be random knickknacks to any onlookers. It was old-fashioned; he had an inventory, but sometimes he still liked to use bags. He took a short look over her wares before picking out an item. His choice was a bit feminine, but he wasn't one to care. He liked the brass and the leaves and the vines.

"This and this," he said, sliding over a custom order and sending a small sum of col her way.

***

Purchasing

laurel earcuffs. | [#220904] | TIER 1 JEWELRY | LD III
[desc.]: brass earcuffs fashioned with the imagery of leaves and vines.

Ordering

• Item Name: laurel ring.
• Item Type: Jewelry
• Item Tier: 1
• Item Quality: Perfect
• Enhancements: Prosperity III
• Description: a smooth and simple brass ring. the leaves and vines that wrap the outside match the laurel earcuffs.

- 1000 col

"Good to meet you, Zandra."

Morningstar gently shook the glass. Ice cubes slammed against its walls, clinking as they bumped into each other. "You make a good point, Freyd. It's not very appetizing," he stole a portion of Gugnir's Shard and in quick succession consumed it and the amber liquid. It burned his throat on the way down. It was much worse than he expected and probably would not pass a health inspection. He slammed the glass back on the counter, and got up from his uncomfortable seat at the bar. "Okay, let's get to work. Cerbie's a tricky one," he explained to Zandra, "I've been told that you need to get all three heads to low HP before you can kill any, if you want the Sword Art reward."

The fire gator snapped at them as they abandoned the bar, spitting fireballs at Morningstar's feet in particular. He felt like turning it into a nice new jacket but, instead, settled for glaring. He turned to Zandra, interested in getting to know the player. He thought he recognized her face from somewhere. The last boss fight, maybe, or at least the raid meeting. "What sort of build are you running?" He asked, more for curiosity's sake than for proper team building. The quest was difficult, but no so much that he cared about filling meta roles.

Consumes:
-Gugnir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Crème Brûlée Tray | ACC 2 | Feast (6/6) - takes 1 portion [filled]
Total: +2 ACC

Adjusted Stats
Morningstar | HP: 740/740 | EN: 112/112 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | REC: 4 | FLN: 16 | AA | PAR VEN

"Intruders!" A guard shouted.

"After them!" Came another.

A small squadron of Fae worked on extinguishing the fire that Morningstar had strategically set. The two that could step away from the burning tree chased after him and Oji, who were racing to the large door that was now unguarded.

Oji rushed through first, with Morningstar following from the rear. He shut the door behind him, drew his blade and used it to jam the handle. Oji was busy looking around at the room they had waltzed into. Organic tubes ran across the ceiling and upper walls, fitting neatly into large pods. They reminded him of cocoons. Purple liquid flowed through the thick tubes and into the cocoons, slow like molasses. He took a closer look, almost poking one with his nose as he tried to take a peek at what was inside it. It's green shell was slightly translucent, granting some light passage through.

Morningstar spun, content with the pseudo lock he had prepared. The guards smashed against the door from the other side, but they wouldn't break through. The wood was too thick, even for their swords and spears. He didn't expect they'd be setting their own home on fire, like he had.

He was met with Oji's horrified expression. It stopped him in his tracks. They stared at each other for a moment before Oji finally gestured to the humanoid shape within the pod.

His blade fell upon a spectral looter with a heavy slam. The weight and shape of Bleeding Giant caused rough severing rather than clean slices. The looter crumbled away like dust in the wind.

He must have taken down a bad looter because it dropped nothing of value. Maybe it was new to the hoarding hobby.

His attention turned to Freyd. "The High Fields of Crossing are probably among my top ten places in the game. Beautiful place. I haven't been in forever," he droned off, reminded of the past. There were places he no longer visited for reasons he tried not to think about. The High Fields of Crossing were one of these places, plagued with what was. Another was the Starglades of Floor Four. He had almost settled down nearby once, and now he never went near them.

"You're a performer? I didn't know there were any, to be honest. You're the first I've met," he stretched gently. "Y'know, I almost became a performer. Didn't pan out, in the end."

"Woah. You guys look cool. I'm just a smoke machine," Morningstar said, green mist spiraling his limbs. He didn't mention Kat's hair. It looked fine, but he preferred the blonde.

He was most jealous of her bow. Sure, Death's scythe was the most wonderful thing he had ever held, but how many people could say they'd used a bow in game? There's always next time, he thought.

No socialization time would be permitted, however, as Nari had begun their next fight: the Apocalypse, or something. Two Blightbound Monstrosities shot out of the ground, immediately stunned by the purple-haired knightess' assault. Morningstar and Doom followed her lead, his brand new scythe reaching out far. He swept wide, catching a Blightbound Monstrosity as he galloped by.

His adjusted numbers alone were incredible. He had never hit a mob that hard in his life, even with buffs. He pulled Doom's reigns, circling around and speeding in for another swipe.

An order for Wulfrin:

Junking the following unids:

T4 Uncommon Consumable | IDs: [220058] [219983] [219984b]
T4 Rare Consumable | IDs: [219986a]
T4 Perfect Consumable | IDs: [219988a]
T4 Rare Armor/Shield | IDs: [220059]
T4 Rare Trinket | IDs: [220042] [220043] [220045] [219988b]
T4 Rare Weapon | IDs: [219984a] [219986b]
T2 Rare Trinkets [220243] [220233b] [220231] [220439]
T2 Perfect Consumable [220233a]
T2 Rare Consumable [220443a]
T2 Rare Weapon [220427c]
T2 Rare Armor/Shield [220276] [220406b] [22044b]

Return: 17,575 col

Junking the following failed unids:

T2 Perfect Weapons [220061a] [220061b] [220472a] [220472b]
T2 Perfect Armor/Shield [220061c] | [220276] | [220406a]

Return: 5,250

Unique:

Name: Duergar Battle Plate
Your Profession:  Appraiser
Your Rank: Rank 5
Roll ID: 221043, 221044, 221045
Roll Result: 16, 18, 11 (Unique on 221043. BD: 10: CD: 8 LD: 16)
Item Type: Heavy Armor
Tier: T2
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: Flame Thorns, Mitigation, Thorns
Description: Forged deep below the surface, this black steel plate armor is fashioned with various spikes making it a guarantee that attacks will hurt the attacker more than you.
Link: URL
Acquisition ID: 220061d

Total ID Cost: 9,600 col

TOTAL PROFIT (to morningstar): 17,575+5,250-9,600 = 13,225 col

"Oh, hey," he said as a pile of unidentified items showed up at his doorstep. "So," he confirmed, "this pile is identification and this pile is junk sale? Okay. Give me three."

His fingers danced away in his menu as he efficiently identified all of Wulfrin's loot. It ended up being a pile of junk, but it came with a single piece of gold. The Duergar Battle Plate was the sole unique in the batch. The red-coated swordsman was lucky to find himself a set of armor with Flame Thorns.

"No good for you, I suppose, since you run light armor. But it would make a nice gift," Morningstar said with a smile.

FOR WULFRIN

"What'll ya have?"

"Something cold."

With a nod, the bartender stepped to the shelf, grabbing two unlabeled bottles and combining the contents into a single, unhealthy looking drink. He slid Morningstar's "something cold" across the counter. Two ice cubes jangled in the golden liquid. Refreshing.

"What is it, exactly?"

"Whiskey and Yōgan Special. On the house."

"I'm grateful, but what in the world is Yōgan Special."

The bartender simply laughed and wandered off, replaced by the voice of his friend. Morningstar spun in his seat, pleased to see that Freyd had turned up in response to his request. He could have sent a direct message, but felt bad for calling the Whisper every single time a quest was too big a task to solo. "I believe," he leaned back, "that this is the last TECH Sword Art on my list. It's about time I got it, I think."

"Gator is that guy's. Real piece of work," he said, gesturing to an evidently intoxicated NPC across the bar. He wore a cowboy hat and a light brown leather jacket, despite the heat.

Another joined them. It was a girl whom he did not recognize. "We do, in fact, have some room left over. Name's Morningstar. People call me Star, aside from him," he pointed to Freyd.

At first, Morningstar thought that the red thread had been some sort of insect that had buried its way in the jacket. It leaped so quick that he had hardly noticed it. The colour had given it away; crimson against an otherwise plain background. He didn't know what it was, but he had a feeling he had seen its effects before.

Foyle sprung into action, relinquishing the tailor of his apron. The thread lunged from the backside of the falling apron to Henry's chest, where it slithered around.

"Get it off him!  Quick!"

Decisively, Morningstar reached for the thread. It wove itself into the fabric of Henry's turtleneck, evading the blonde's desperate pinches. It was too small and thin to grab hold of, and on top of that, it was fast. It squirmed its way beneath the surface of the sweater and vanished, reappearing a moment later as the same growing circle as was on the apron.

He was too late. As it expanded, Henry's cursor recoloured itself from emerald green to bright orange. A sudden kick to Morningstar's gut winded him. The mob twisted out of Foyle's grip, reaching for a pair of tailoring scissors across the way. He charged at the old man, but found himself diverted off course an instant later. Henry was pinned to the wall, wriggling but unable to move.

A smile crept over the old tailor's wrinkled face. A vile laugh, corrupted by the parasite that had taken control, left his hoarse throat. "We fooound you," it hummed.

And then it broke free, pushing Morningstar aside with more force than the tailor ever could have produced on his own. The scissors that had fallen to the floor were back in the mob's grip. It lunged, poised for his throat.

The swordsman was ashamed of what he did next—what he had to do next. Red burst from Henry's torso, a single diagonal line in its wake. The man who had saved Morningstar's life crumpled to the floor, and his health points depleted to zero.

Quest

Morningstar hated the ninth floor. The combination of bad memories and infernal temperatures put him in a bad mood, exemplified by his attitude when ordering ice cream from a local shop. When the server got his order wrong, he scowled bitterly. He didn't have the energy to point it out, nor did he have a rude bone in his body, so he accepted it and left the shop without leaving a tip. It melted no more than a minute later, spilling down the cone and over his hand. A napkin would have solved his problem, but the server had forgotten to give him one of those as well. He tossed the cone away as soon as it became a nuisance and washed the ice cream off his hands with a canteen he carried around in his inventory. Who's idea was it to run an ice cream shop on the hottest floor anyway?

The town's request board was nearly empty, but for a for a couple odd jobs and a hiring announcement. An NPC's pet hellhound had run away, someone needed help clearing a den of fire salamanders, and an alchemist was looking for a summer apprentice. He didn't realize the ninth floor had seasons. He had only experienced one: "hot."

He setup a request of his own, short and simple.

[ lv. 53  ->   lv. 33 / p. 20 ] MORNINGSTAR | HP: 740/740 | EN: 112/112 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | REC: 4 | FLN: 16 | AA | PAR VEN   Hide contents notes.     Hide contents equipped dying sun FLN II, AA, PAR VEN red longcoat EVA II, REC I sapphire ACC III, EVA I battle-ready inventory teleport crystal x5 magdalyn's cuckoo popcorn x10 | VIT II skills.   Hide contents mod count: 3/5 2HSS | RANK 5/5 precision, stamina, ferocity shift: tech CLOTH ARMOR | RANK 5/5 athletics, nimble COMBAT MASTERY: DMG | RANK 3/3 SEARCHING | RANK 4/5 (5) night vision, detect BATTLE HEALING | RANK 5/5 ENERGIST CHARGE extra SURVIVAL FORGOTTEN KING'S AUTHORITY LADY LUCK DISGUISE buffs.   Hide contents statue n/a consumables  n/a paragon Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread. Lv. 10 | +1 LD arts.   Hide contents en cost matches multiplier unless stated otherwise. shift underlined. ST | x12 -> x15 | x20 AOE | x11 -> x14 TECH-A | x16 | STUN | 13EN TECH-B | x16 | DELAY TECH-D | x16 | SHATTER TECH-F | x12 | AOE STUN misc.   Hide contents Well Rested | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat. Squeaky Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down). Filling | Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30. Tasty | Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Lesser Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread. Relaxed | Increases out-of-combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Multipurpose | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll. Skylight (Searching) | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill.  gathering n/a