Morningstar

Many exited their houses as the scene unfolded. The body of the snake was now gone and Morningstar remained, victorious. The mayor sped out his front door, his wife shocked at the man's enthusiasm. He thanked Star for his help and promised whatever riches and rewards he desired, to which the swordsman profusely declined. "I already told you, Mayor. No reward necessary." As the words came out, he noticed a shield-like orb grow around the city. Only he appeared to see it. It formed quickly and then disappeared. A pop-up followed shortly after. He was now allowed to use Rig as a safezon

12.04.2023 IDENTIFICATIONS

11.29.2023 ITEM IDENTIFICATION

11.29.2023 | IDENTIFICATION

The serpent, despite its agony, managed to muster a feeble defense, weaving its remaining head to and fro in a desperate attempt to shield itself. Morningstar, determined and resolute, pressed forward, determined to end the threat once and for all. The townspeople, peering cautiously from behind their barricades, held their breath as the final confrontation unfolded. The air was thick with anticipation as Morningstar's weapon arced toward the serpent's last lifeline, marking the decisive moment in this intense battle of survival. A red streak shot from the toppling body of Amphis Serpens.

Morningstar could not help but notice that, similarly to himself, Takao was a straight sword user. Morningstar's blade was slung over his shoulder and still remained inside its scabbard. "I suppose I'm a little tanky," he started, "but the goal is damage. I'm solo, for the most part, so I like the extra cushion." He shrugged. "I've seen other players run lighter-weight setups for the extra evasion but I've never tried it myself. Might be better." The campsite was quite a lot further than he remembered; albeit, it had been some time since his last crack at the quest. Maybe his m

Morningstar thought back to his own start. Rough was one way to put it; although, he would have described it as shocking. He thought that he had transitioned quickly enough, considering the circumstances. Fourteen days of grief followed his entrance into Aincrad and then, off he went into the fields of the first floor. "Yeah," he started, "I suppose it's a touchy subject for most of us. I don't blame you." His hand moved to his inventory. He scrolled through it, looking to see if he had any items to offer Kyo. Instead, he stumbled upon a granola bar, got distracted, and summoned it i

Morningstar watched idly as Takao spoke with the two NPCs. He vaguely remembered the dialogue and fit the pieces back together in his head. Something, something, Darian, blah, blah, strongest among us, yada yada. The green-haired man returned promptly with directions and an invitation to his party. Star, accepting the request, agreed to accompany him on the mission. He hoped that his previous experience would come in handy. "Yeah, 'course. Let's head out. We might make it back in time for festivities," he said, peeking at the quest marker that had appeared on his map. They embar

The distraction worked. Amphis Serpens' focus was locked on the wooden container. It reeled back, dodging the box, but Morningstar had already closed the gap between them. He leaped and in a horizontal arc, he struck the snake on it's neck. He cleaved through it's thick scales like butter and watched as it crashed to the ground. It was gone only moments later. Two heads had been reduced to one. Amphis Serpens writhed in pain and deafening screeches emitted from its mouth. Morningstar spotted the mayor covering his ears and shutting the blinds. A few other townspeople did the same. On

Morningstar was suddenly thrusted to the side as the serpent swatted him with its tail. His graceful landing turned to a bounce and roll. Picking himself up, he retrieved his blade. He was mildly annoyed by his mistake. The twin-headed serpent slithered toward him, its doubled fangs sparkling in the sun's rays. He matched its speed. The sword in his grasp emerged from its steel case. Purple sparks bounced along its face, dispersing from the tip. A quick slice across Amphis Serpens side caught it off balance, causing it to move away from him and to the side. The successful dispelling

The serpent erupted from the ground and dirt and rocks flew through the air. A few specks landed on Morningstar's brand new white shirt. He frowned. He was fond of the shirt. Two heads glared at Morningstar. Amphis Serpens, as it was written above the quest boss' health bars, was fearsome in appearance. He could see why it had caused the mayor so much trouble. Each body had a set of wings, although they were far to small and weak to grant it flight. He was glad; dragons were not his forte. At the drop of a pin, the fight began. Morningstar made the first move, beelining towards Amphi

In the distance, he could hear a rumbling sound. It was almost like something was burrowing through the dirt nearby. That was his queue, he thought. He nodded to the mayor, who was still watching from the window. He ran out side immediately, shouting to the townspeople to return to their homes. Morningstar was thankful that they did so without question. This was clearly normal for them, as there was no panic or confusion. Efficiently, the people of Rig gathered in their houses, leaving the streets eerily silent but for the sounds of the serpent's approach. He placed his bag to the si

It talked to him, sometimes. He tried to ignore it. Part of him thought that he was losing it and the other was a tad bit interested. He thought it better to avoid conversing with his murder-hungry weapon, though. For the most part, it made strange hissing noises that only he seemed to hear. On rare occasions, it would actually whisper to him. One time, when he could not help but tune into its madness, it had mentioned a castle. It had not gone into much detail; Morningstar was not even sure whether it had intended to speak to him or not. A yawn escaped his weary lips. Some of the village

He took a final bite of the fruit, tossing the core aside and watching as it turned to pixels before him. The only thing within his bag that was not loot was a small bottle of water that he kept close by. He hated having to pull it out of his inventory every time he felt a little bit thirsty, so into the bag it went. He withdrew it, taking a quick swig before returning it to the backpack. He could feel the blade on his back growing restless. He was not sure where Freyd had found it, but it had proven to be a real piece of work. Had it not been so powerful, Morningstar would have switched

Another crunch of his apple sent his tastebuds into a spiral. It was not native to the seventh floor. Morningstar had found it on the first floor the last time he had visited. He did not find himself there very often anymore. There was simply no time, considering that there was little left down there that he had not found. From dragons to dueling tournaments, he had seen it all. There was too much elsewhere that he still wanted to find. This quest in particular was one of those things. He had heard through the grapevine that Rig was the place to go if you wanted a relatively simple, snake

His long, wooden walking stick leaned against the wall of the front porch of the mayor's house. He left it there; it would only get in the way during the battle. Adjusting his dark grey trousers, he waltzed onto the dirt road. A wooden crate sat off to the side and he moved it into the middle to use as a seat. There was no telling when the legendary two-headed serpent would appear and he had no intention of standing all day, if it took that long. He pulled off his backpack, opening and sifting through it. It was full of mostly random junk that he had discovered on his long journey through

He returned the book to the shelf, turning his attention to the mayor, who was already thanking him for his help. He said nothing, instead offering a warm smile and a nod. The stairwell was long and led him back to the bottom floor of the house. "We can discuss your reward after the beast is dead!" The mayor called after him. "No need, Mayor. No reward necessary." A swish of his wrist pulled open his menu. He navigated to his inventory, scrolling through it until he came across his gifted blade and a perfectly ripened apple. He summoned both, slinging the sword around his should

Sunlight shone over the humble town of Rig. While some of the townsfolk were enjoying the weather, others were hard at work. They tended to their shops and their gardens; one man even had a few chickens to feed. The mayor looked down at the main street, troubled as he watched over his people. "It appears at random," he said, scratching his greying beard, "and with little warning. It isn't often that I see everyone outside like this; we've all been forced to live more carefully." "I'm sorry to hear that," Morningstar replied. The pair reentered the large house, the mayor taking t

"There's definitely some level of pain here. Catch fire a few times and you'll see," Morningstar chuckled. He had been through the ringer as of recently and was, frankly, tired of it. He had been beaten, stabbed, and burned; usually, it was a combination of at least two. They hung around him like they were his friends. They weren't his friends. Vigilon's knowledge of the floor was more than adequate, he thought, and included things that Morningstar had not known of. It was perplexing to him—he took pride in his awareness of the secret little locations that were scattered around the v

Morningstar met Takao's hand. "Good to meet you too." He led the green-haired player back into the frosty city, waving to the shopkeeper as they exited the Blended Blizzard. The atmosphere had yet to change much; setup for the festival continued and snowfall remained light. They passed a few early-risers—people who had come to the floor ahead of schedule, hoping to be first in line for their favorite stands. "I did it once, yeah. Only the beginning, though. Can't blame you for not knowing anything, really. I don't think the quest is super well-known," he assured Takao, "I only found

"Grow out the mustache," Morningstar said to Freyd, "live a little." Those who had stayed in the Town of Beginnings for the majority of their time in the game were always the most interesting to Morningstar. So much had happened since opening day and he could not help but wonder how much of it they were aware of. Vigilon reminded him of the many times they had been in the same vicinity. Of course he knew about the Knights of Cinnabar. He was there, of course. Operation Pompeii sure was crazy. "I was on my way home," he explained with a shrug, "I'm here by coincidence. Either th

Mick served the man his drink with a smile, placing it on the table in front of him. A menu appeared before Morningstar, prompting him to pay a small fee. They prided themselves on affordable coffee, which the blonde would have appreciated more if col was more difficult to come by. He tipped the café owner generously and took a cautious sip from the uncovered mug. It was the perfect temperature; he hated coffee that was too hot to immediately drink. They chatted while Morningstar enjoyed his peppermint mocha. Mick told him about the float that had been passed down through his family for g

11.21.2023 ITEM IDENTIFICATION

11.21.2023 | IDENTIFICATION

After sunrise, preparations for the Warm Sun Solstice began. Brilliant lanterns illuminated the city of Snowfrost, their orange glows softening the harsh winter snow. Tents were raised, as well as merchant and game stalls, and the finishing touches were being added to floats in the center of town. The festival was renowned for its entertainment, particularly the live performances from musicians. Even more exceptional was the food, served by the many cooks that made their livings in Snowfrost. The trilogy of the solstice was a time for celebration—a chance for the community to come together and