Morningstar

The old man was strange, but not completely unpleasant company. Morningstar was primarily confused as to why he was there in the first place. What had brought a man in his early to mid seventies to Sword Art Online? He supposed it was not impossible that he was simply an elderly gamer. It made sense that there would be a few hanging around Aincrad, purely statistically.

"Do you have kids? Grandkids?"

"Yes, lots."

"Are they here with you?"

"No, just me."

"You a big virtual reality fan or something?"

"Virtu-what now?"

"Never mind."

They walked in silence for a while. Morningstar thought up theories of who the old man might have been before the new world and what his deal was. Kingsley was focused on the task at hand, sometimes the thought of a nice cold drink wandering into the mix.

"Any thoughts on where you'll open up shop?"

"Mmm. Good question. Wherever business is booming, I think. The Town of Beginnings has a rather busy market; although, perhaps there's too much competition," the old man chuckled. "Where would you suggest?"

"My shop's located in the middle of the forest. Wouldn't recommend it if customers are what you're hoping for."

Kingsley laughed again. "No, I should think not."

"Taft isn't as big as the Town of Beginnings, but still a decent choice. Or maybe Glyndebourne, if you like the 'autumn country' theme."

***

Morningstar knew better than to argue with hunches, especially when they came from wise, experienced old hobbits like Waxton Kingsley. A boar charged straight in their direction; however, the old man was not worried. He continued shifting through the bush, ignoring the beast's assault. Morningstar shrugged, ripping through the boar with a single swipe of his blade. It was almost like a simple quest for a local NPC, although (in spite of how the man looked) he was working for a real person. It was a win-win, really, considering that Morningstar was receiving loot in the process. He only hoped that the village of Horunka was not being burned alive by a ferocious dragon while he killed a dozen of nearly-harmless pigs.

"Anything in the bush?" Morningstar asked, curious as to why the man had not moved on after deciding that the berries were worthless.

"No," the old man said bluntly.

***

"It has a lovely emblem of a Morningstar on the back, I'm a...fraid."

Down the carpeted steps and around the bend of the private workstation came Morningstar, who was either walking straight into a trap or had deciphered a painfully obvious code sent by his transfiguring friend. He peeked around the corner and saw the grey-haired old man putting down a trinket of some sort. Henry denied seeing a jacket with anything on the back, kindly but defensively, fully aware that by doing so, he had become an accomplice in whatever this was.

Before the stranger could leave, Morningstar showed himself, now face-to-face with the pair of old timers. "It's okay, Henry. I think he's with us."

Neither of the players had used each other's names, as far as he could remember. It seemed unlikely that anyone unaffiliated with them would know to refer to them so specifically. Since he did not know the man, the only plausible case could be that he was an associate of Freyd.

"I take it we have a mutual friend," Morningstar crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. "I imagine he's okay? We were separated in the commotion."

3.16.2024

some uniques from today's appraisals, all paid for:

Name: Vampire's Gown
Your Profession:  Appraiser
Your Rank: Rank 5
Roll ID: 220108, 220109, 220110
Roll Result: 17, 14, 2 (Unique found! BD: 10 CD: 9)
Item Type: Cloth Armor
Tier: T4
Quality:  Perfect
Enhancements: Loot Die, Vampiric (Defensive), Evasion
Description: A black cape with a velvety red underside.
Link: URL
Acquisition ID: 219722b

Name: Might of the Sky
Your Profession:  Appraiser
Your Rank: Rank 5
Roll ID: 220115, 220116
Roll Result: 20, 8 (Unique found! BD: 10 CD: 8)
Item Type: Polearm
Tier: T4
Quality: Rare
Enhancements: Static, Bleed
Description: A golden halberd. Its attacks echo with the sound of thunder.
Link: URL
Acquisition ID: 219203

Name: Durable Vest
Your Profession:  Appraiser
Your Rank: Rank 5
Roll ID: 220119, 220120
Roll Result: 9, 16 (Unique found! BD: 10 CD: 8)
Item Type: Cloth Armor
Tier: T4
Quality: Rare
Enhancements: Bloodclot, Loot Die
Description: A light and puffy vest incapable of being pierced.
Link: URL
Acquisition ID: 219106

3.15.2024

The old man was fast despite his age, height, and walking stick. Morningstar trotted along behind him, perplexed by how he had been looped into the quest. A dragon terrorized the northwest and there he was, stuck running errands with someone else's grandfather.

"No offense, but aren't you a little old to be playing a game like this?"

"You're damn right I am. But, what can you do. Even at seventy-seven years old, I can't take a break. Or was it seventy-two...?"

"I'm Star, by the way," Morningstar's introduction was immediately cut off.

"Yeah, yeah, I know who you are," the old man said. "You're that actor kid that my grandkids obsess over. Simon Star... or Sawyer Star..."

"Stephen Star," Morningstar corrected.

"Sure. The name's Wax," the old man said. "Waxton Kingsley, founder of Kingsley Slate Company."

"Good to meet you, Waxton Kingsley, founder of Kingsley Slate Company."

The road took them to the edge of town, out the gate, and past the invisible line that marked the safe zone. The rolling fields outside the walls of the Town of Beginnings stretched as far as they eye could see, littered with weak boars and the few players that hunted them. Kingsley strolled into the plains without any hesitation, which made Morningstar question his state of mind, considering the old man did not carry a proper weapon nor the experience to defend himself. Morningstar was thrown into the position of defender while Kingsley scanned for potion making materials.

Must be their leader, Morningstar thought, reading the name "Ulric Drell" in his head. The pirate's health bar was significantly larger than the rest of the crew's individually and despite Nari's meditation, their energy pool was running dry.

"Mm. Does anything ever hit you too hard? I'd think that would be scary, when you don't expect it anyway. Basically every hit is scary for me though, so maybe I'm just naturally uneasy at the thought," Morningstar said, stepping away from the edge and back into the ring with Drell.

The blonde attacked before Ulric Drell could make a move, eager to get the show on the road. With limited resources, he intended on dishing out as much damage as was possible before he was out of juice and needed to step back. His first hit was deep, passing by the skyrat's sword and stabbing him straight through the shoulder. The counter-swing was anticipated and Morningstar evaded, repositioning himself with a step to the side.

Ulric winced, covering his wound with his free hand. "You're better than you look, swordsman."

"That was a bit backhanded, don't you think?" He asked Nari.

***

Combat
Morningstar | HP: 828/828 | EN: 17/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 80 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | REC: 4 | BLD: 48 | FRSTBT: 40 | Pros: 3 | +4 EN | -13 EN
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 1,081/1,081 | EN: 23/106 | ACC: 4| DMG: 12 | MIT: 239 | F.AURA: 16 | B.Healing: 59 | STEALTH: -5 | FRSTBT: 40 DMG; -1 ACC | THORNS: 72 | PARA: 8+| HM: +4 B.DMG | DoT: -36 DMG | IMMOLATION: 40 | +4 EN | -14 EN | Meditation [3/3]

[1,2]Ulric Drell | HP: 1,534/2,000 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 75 55 | ACC: 3 1 | EVA: 3 2 | Frostbite: 40 DMG, -1 ACC (1/2) | Bleed: 48 DMG (1/2) | Shatter: -20 MIT (1/3)
Poisoned Blade |  On MD 9-10, apply Toxic Venom 30 to the target for 3 turns.  If already active, the effect refreshes.  
Whirling Dervish | On CD 11-12, Ulric Drell’s attack becomes an AoE effect that includes Dockmaster Ryland and all players in the party.
Oddly Resilient | Ulric Drell heals 100 damage at the start of each of his turns, and reduces the duration of Bleed, Blighted, Toxic Venom and Envenomed effects by 1 turn.
Captain’s Nerve | Ulric Drell cannot be disabled.  But, each disabling effect instead reduces his ACC and EVA by 1 until the start of his next turn. This debuff can stack.

ID220068 | CD: 4 | Recovery Failed
ID220067 | BD: 8+6-2=12 | <<Tech-D vs. Ulric Drell>> | Hit: [26x16-55] = 361 damage | Frostbite Proc | Bleed Proc | Shatter Proc

Mob's turn
Ulric Drell heals 100 HP from Oddly Resilient
Ulric Drell takes 40 DMG from Frostbite & 48 DMG from Bleed
ID220069 | MD: 3+1=4 (Miss)

Morningstar smiled. "Alright then, if you insist."

He evaded the snapping jaw of the shallows prowler, stuck his sword into its back and watched as the loot rolled in. "You're kind of a natural. You'll be a beast with some levels on you," he told the red-coated swordsman. "Listen, I've got a project that I'm working on but it's still a few weeks away from being a real proposition. I called you out here today out of personal interest, admittedly; I think you'd be suited to what I have in mind, but I needed to make sure. I can't really be any less vague at the moment," he chuckled.

"In the meantime, I'm stopping by the market while we're here. Need to see if I can replace this thing," he stuck a finger through one of the many holes in his coat. "Tag along, if you'd like."

And then, he went on his way.

***

***

Morningstar receives:

2,850 EXP (Word Count [6715/10*5*0.7] + Quest [500])
8,171 col (1 page [200] + Loot [5,544] + Quest [2,000] + 15% P5 Reward [427])
4 Materials (Loot [4])
Bizarre Antidote [Quest Reward]
T4 Rare Consumable 219999a
T4 Rare Armor/Shield 219999b
T4 Rare Armor/Shield 220063

Wulfrin receives:

1,440 EXP (Word Count [6715/10*2*0.7] + Quest [500])
27,148 col (1 page [200] + Loot [24,948] + Quest [2,000])
18 Materials (Loot [18])
Bizarre Antidote [Quest Reward]
T4 Uncommon Consumable | ID 220058
T4 Rare Armor/Shield | ID: 220059
T4 Rare Trinket | ID: 220042
T4 Rare Trinket | ID: 220043
T4 Rare Trinket | ID: 220045
T4 Uncommon Consumable | ID 219983
T4 Rare Weapon | ID 219984a
T4 Uncommon Consumable | ID 219984b
T4 Rare Consumable | ID 219986a
T4 Rare Weapon | ID 219986b
T4 Perfect Consumable | ID 219988a
T4 Rare Trinket | ID 219988b

"Fair concerns," Morningstar replied. "While I'm confident that I wouldn't lose aggro, my plan's not foolproof. If I did get dragged under and you weren't in a position to stun, or if it were in the middle of stun immunity, it's not impossible that it would go after you while I was out of commission. Maybe it's a 1% chance, but when you need it most that 99% is sure to fail you, in my experience. So, you're probably right. Besides, it's not like there aren't lots of these little guys around," he said, tapping a sleeping alligator with his blade. It awoke, trashing at him until his stun disabled it.

Three more lunged at him from the water, all of which receiving the same treatment as the first. Once again, it was setup perfectly for Wulfrin to pick up the last hits. "Nah, my rule is that if you get the last hit, you get the loot. I may be an extremely unprofitable business owner but I still have dungeons to rake in the big bucks."

***

Morningstar always thought the best of situations, even when things looked grim. It was a virtue of his, one might say. Once, his optimism had been compared to a bright light, guiding the way for the hopeless. He hoped that in this moment, for Wulfrin's sake, he could be that light.

The moment they stepped into the second mob chamber, it lit up. Two golems erupted from their slumber, a wall barricading them from proceeding to the final boss of the Cave of Wonders. Freyd could see over it, however. His body was a blur as his instincts kicked in. He pummeled one of the bronze golems, crushing it in seconds.

"With me," Morningstar called to Wulfrin and Nari, following after the remaining golem. 

The split second decision to pin it down led the blonde to proccing a stun, zapping the bronze automaton. Its movements halted just long enough for his party to shut it down indefinitely. He left room between himself and the golem for the rest to charge in without worrying about hitting him in the process.

***

Morningstar shrugged. "I'm indifferent. I can always come back for him another day. Best to keep you in your comfort zone, I think."

Spotting another group of gators, Morningstar dashed forwards. He abused the same trick as before, stunning the entirety of the platoon, before backing up a distance from the waterside. Wulfrin could have the kills, he decided. The blonde understood well enough how valuable loot was at an early level. Besides, picking up kills would boost his confidence, even if they were on weakened opponents. It had done the trick for him, and it would do the same for many to come. He thought that he had lowered their health bars enough for Wulfrin to one-shot each of them, but the man's capabilities were still a bit unclear. Morningstar watched from the sidelines, pondering an idea that had been on his mind for some time.

"All you, boss."

***

"Yeah, that'll happen a lot with Freyd around. No complaints from me," Morningstar admitted. He had seen the Whisper take down dungeon bosses with little effort. The man had earned his respect even before deciding to play tank against Wushen. He laughed. "I meant the two-shotting but now that I think about it, the disrespect is pretty consistent too."

Energized and ready to jump back into the fight, Morningstar stood from his seat upon the log. "Ok, might as well fight a little bit more while we're out here. It's not every day you find yourself in a swamp like this. I'd hope not, anyway."

He thought for a moment, staring down the field boss in the distance. "If we're really careful, I can maintain the Prowler's aggro. If I stun it and you drag it out of the water, it'll be significantly easier to take down. It'll try to drag me back in, so if it does and things are looking rough just try to like... teleport or something. I'm really good at holding my breath," he lied.

"Only if you're down, of course."

***

EN Recover (2/2) - 110/110
Consumes Matriarch's Stinger - +1 to SA Multiplier for 1 thread.

"Potion Seller! I'm in need of your strongest potions!" Morningstar burst through the door to Evangeline's shop, the flier in one hand and a bag full of col in the other.

The alchemist gawked at his sudden entrance, and then smiled politely. "I'm sorry, but you couldn't handle my strongest potions."

Morningstar raised a brow. "I'm not sure you understand. I'm going into battle and I want only your strongest potions."

"My potions would kill a dragon, traveler. You cannot handle my potions." Evangeline said frankly.

Morningstar, intent on arguing, thought for a moment. "Actually, that sounds like what I'm looking for. I'm hunting a dragon, you see."

Evangeline laughed. "Oh! Well, why didn't you say so? I'll be right back," she skipped into the back cheerfully.

"Hey, you."

Morningstar looked around, wondering if the voice had been real or his imagination. There did not appear to be anyone else in the room with him. He peeked into the back, thinking that Evangeline might have called him. She was busy digging through a cupboard full of elixirs and salves.

"Down here, idiot."

He met the eyes of a short old man, arms crossed and scowling. "I believe I was in line before you," the old man stated.

Morningstar tilted his head. "Would it be rude if I said that I didn't see you down there?"

"Yes, entirely."

***

Offers Kingsley 1 Gelato | LD III

"This is exactly what I'm looking for," Morningstar grinned, eying a flier posted on a bulletin board.

A dragon had been sighted near Horunka, terrorizing anyone who entered its territory. Players and villagers alike were too afraid to leave the settlement and were worried that it might grow discontent with the size of its home and look to expand further into Horunka's borders. Someone had put out a call for help, requesting a player of suitable strength and experience to take down the dragon and save their hometown. A sum of col was listed at the bottom of the page as a reward, which Morningstar hardly cared for, considering it was less than a single appraisal would cost him. He was happy to do it at no fee whatsoever, half for the honor of saving a village and half for the glory of slaying a dragon.

He picked up the page and went on his way, in need of supplies for the journey to Horunka.

[ lv. 50  ->   l. 33 / p. 17 ] MORNINGSTAR | HP: 720/720 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4 | Pros. III   Hide contents notes.     Hide contents equipped bleeding giant BLD II, FB II red longcoat EVA II, REC I sapphire ACC III, EVA I battle-ready inventory teleport crystal x5 magadalyn's cuckoo 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  liquor of light | dmg III gelato | ld III mousse | prosperity III 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 TECH-B | x16 | DELAY | 15 EN TECH-D | x16 | SHATTER | 15 EN TECH-F | x12 | AOE STUN | 11 EN 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

"That's a heavy burden," Morningstar commented. "DPS is easy work. It's the tanks and healers that are the real carries."

Morningstar locked his blade with one of the remaining two pirates' weapons, placing enough pressure on his enemy to disarm him. Using that opportunity, he sliced the pirate in half. With a quick turn, he dueled the last man standing to the edge of the skyport, where he tipped him over with a hearty kick.

"That's that," he said proudly.

Their victory was short-lived, however, as a voice called to them from the other end of the platform.

"Where's Ryland?"

Morningstar turned. A young-looking pirate in dark clothing stepped across the span, expressionless while staring down the dying skyrat that Morningstar had cut in two.

"Dead? That's a shame. I distinctly remember ordering Captain Calas to take him alive," Ulric Drell drew his blade. "No matter. I'll take you in his place."

***

Combat
Morningstar | HP: 828/828 | EN: 26/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 80 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | REC: 4 | BLD: 48 | FRSTBT: 40 | Pros: 3 | +8 EN | -13 EN
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 1,070/1,081 | EN: 33/106 | ACC: 4| DMG: 12 | MIT: 239 | F.AURA: 16 | B.Healing: 59 | STEALTH: -5 | FRSTBT: 40 DMG; -1 ACC | THORNS: 72 | PARA: 8+| HM: +4 B.DMG | DoT: -36 DMG | IMMOLATION: 40 | +4 EN | -17 EN | Meditation [2/3]

[1,5]Sky Pirate 6 | HP: 0/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 1 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] (3/3) | Frostbite [40 DMG | -1 ACC | 1/2]
[1,0]Sky Pirate 8 | HP: 0/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 1 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] (1/3) | Frostbite [40 DMG | -1 ACC | 1/2]
Poisoned Blade | On MD 9-10, apply Toxic Venom 30 to the target for 3 turns.  If already active, the effect refreshes.
Blood Frenzy | While subject to any DoT effects, a Skyrat Pirate gains +2 ACC, +1 EVA and -20 MIT.

ID2200011 | CD: 9 | Recovery activates | +4 EN
ID220010 | BD: 7+4-1=11 | <<Tech-F vs. Sky Pirate 6>> | Hit: [26x12-70] = 242 damage 
ID220009 | BD: 10+4-1=8 | <<Tech-F vs. Sky Pirate 8>> | Major Critical Hit: [(26+2)x12-70] = 266 damage

Morningstar, like just about everyone else, had thought about his physical body outside of the game. It had held out this long, so he had hope that it could survive a few more years.

"Wildest quest... That's a good question, and difficult to answer, I'll add," he pondered his many adventures over the years. "Well, the last boss fight was also my first. It was a huge dragon with like, five heads or something. Set us on fire at one point. And then there was "The Traveler," a brutal quest on the fifth floor that has you walking through the desert... The Forgotten Time King almost killed me once... Oh, yeah, I took on a bounty to take down some player killer a while back."

"Most recently, I spent a few days in the rough mountains on floor two. They were... well, rough."

He held out the same question for Wulfrin, although he realized that the man likely had fewer tales to tell. "What about you?"

EN Recovery (1/2)

Morningstar nodded, listening to his answer. It was clear to him that Wulfrin had thought about the subject at least a little bit. He recalled the man mentioning his dream of owning a shop some time before, specifically on the twenty-second floor. He had not yet found the time to stop by and visit. When the question was directed back at him, Morningstar looked up, as if in thought.

What did he want? It was difficult to put it into words. "During the early days, I was living day to day, just trying to get by and cope with it all. And then, for one reason or another, I left the Town of Beginnings and never looked back. You meet people, you lose people, and things change."

His attention turned to the swamp, where alligators rested just beneath the top of the water, their brown-green scales poking out of the murky water. "I joined the frontlines on a whim. One day, I saw a flier for a raid meeting and showed up for the hell of it. Ended up signing onto a team of people I didn't really know, completely sporadically and with no experience. I've continued down that path ever since."

The mosquito landed on his hand and he smacked it with extreme speed. "I think I just want balance, now—some sort of healthy mix between the frontlines and a home life. And I want to explore. I guess I've always wanted that. To see the ends of each floor and everything in between sounds like a nice dream," he chuckled.

***

"No worries, we can rest a while. We've been traveling all day anyways, so I wouldn't mind a break myself," Morningstar said, taking a seat upon a large fallen log. It was surprisingly dry, considering where they were. He thought it might have been the only dry thing in the swamp.

A mosquito buzzed around his ear, attempting to land on his neck for a nonconsensual blood-stealing session. He tried to smack it midair but missed completely, losing sight of it amidst their dark surroundings. The swamp was quiet but for the low croaking of frogs and the chirping of cicadas. If it were less humid, Morningstar might have enjoyed the environment more. It was not his cup of tea, though.

Morningstar took a look at Wulfrin. "What're your goals here?" He asked bluntly, curious to hear his answer. Most would say "the frontlines." Some might have a deeper interest in a craft or profession. Some just wanted to live whatever semblance of a normal life they could. There was a point to his question, although he was purposely vague in his delivery.

***

Morningstar shrugged. "They started it, to be fair. How do they know we're not pirates?"

The blonde was also unversed in pirate code and refrained from lecturing his partner on the legalities of one pirate spilling another's blood. It seemed in character to him, though. A dagger flew through the air, narrowly missing Morningstar's skull once again. He picked it up from the ground and tossed it right back at the pirate who had thrown it. It embedded itself in his chest, dealing little in terms of damage but obviously creating severe discomfort in the skyrat. Nari voiced an idea that Morningstar could not help but laugh at. It was clearly meant to be facetious but left him wondering if it were actually possible to hire the pirates outside of the quest.

"Have you been a tank since the start? You're quite good at it," Morningstar said, dodging a swing that was meant for Nari.

***

Combat
Morningstar | HP: 828/828 | EN: 31/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 80 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | REC: 4 | BLD: 48 | FRSTBT: 40 | Pros: 3 | +4 EN | -17 EN
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 1,081/1,081 | EN: 29/106 | ACC: 4| DMG: 12 | MIT: 239 | F.AURA: 16 | B.Healing: 59 | STEALTH: -5 | FRSTBT: 40 DMG; -1 ACC | THORNS: 72 | PARA: 8+| HM: +4 B.DMG | DoT: -36 DMG | IMMOLATION: 40 | +4 EN +59 HP | -17 EN | Meditation [2/3]

[0,3]Sky Pirate 5 | HP: 28/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] (1/3)
[0,5]Sky Pirate 6 | HP: 198/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] (3/3)
[0,2]Sky Pirate 7 | HP: 82/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] (3/3)
[0,0]Sky Pirate 8 | HP: 284/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] (1/3)
Poisoned Blade | On MD 9-10, apply Toxic Venom 30 to the target for 3 turns.  If already active, the effect refreshes.
Blood Frenzy | While subject to any DoT effects, a Skyrat Pirate gains +2 ACC, +1 EVA and -20 MIT.

ID219985 | CD: 1 | Recovery failed
ID219990 | BD: 5+6-1=10 | <<Tech-F vs. Sky Pirate 5>> | Hit: [26x12-70] = 242 damage 
ID219991 | BD: 6+6-1=11 | <<Tech-F vs. Sky Pirate 6>> | Hit: [26x12-70] = 242 damage
ID219992 | BD: 5+6-1=10 | <<Tech-F vs. Sky Pirate 7>> | Hit: [26x12-70] = 242 damage
ID219993 | BD: 6+6-1=11 | <<Tech-F vs. Sky Pirate 8>> | Hit: [26x12-70] = 242 damage

Nari was back, her energy restored. Immediately, she returned to a fighting stance and took to battle. Morningstar chuckled. He nodded in agreement, pushing the thought of the crime field trip to the back of his mind and hoping he would remember it for later.

A heavy slam fell down upon the fourth sky pirate, his eyes growing wide as Bleeding Giant forced him to the ground. A yelp escaped his mouth before he blew up before Morningstar's eyes. "Four to go," he muttered to himself.

"You know, I'm now realizing that of the quests we have done together, two of them involved pirates. Coincidence or is pirate-hunting our calling? Maybe we should become pirates?" Morningstar joked, poking at one of the pirates with the tip of his blade. They danced around each other for a while, both sides looking for openings in the other's defenses. "Nah, maybe not. These guys look dirty."

***

Combat
Morningstar | HP: 828/828 | EN: 44/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 80 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | REC: 4 | BLD: 48 | FRSTBT: 40 | Pros: 3 | +8 EN +39 HP | -10 EN
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 1,081/1,081 | EN: 42/106 | ACC: 4| DMG: 12 | MIT: 239 | F.AURA: 16 | B.Healing: 59 | STEALTH: -5 | FRSTBT: 40 DMG; -1 ACC | THORNS: 72 | PARA: 8+| HM: +4 B.DMG | DoT: -36 DMG | IMMOLATION: 40 | +4 EN +59 HP | -15 EN | Howl [2/2] | Meditation [1/3]

[1,5]Sky Pirate 4 | HP: 0/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1| StunImm[P] (1/3)
[0,3]Sky Pirate 5 | HP: 344/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
[0,5]Sky Pirate 6 | HP: 526/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] (1/3)
[0,2]Sky Pirate 7 | HP: 398/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] (1/3)
Poisoned Blade | On MD 9-10, apply Toxic Venom 30 to the target for 3 turns.  If already active, the effect refreshes.
Blood Frenzy | While subject to any DoT effects, a Skyrat Pirate gains +2 ACC, +1 EVA and -20 MIT.

ID219972 | Recovery activates | +4 EN
ID219971 | BD: 2+6-1=7 | <<ST-I vs. Sky Pirate 4>> | Hit: [26x12-70] = 242 damage

"You know, now that you mention it, I've never met anyone who's gone to prison here. I just assume they exist. But, I don't know, they might be equally as bad. If the game's your prison already and you get locked away inside of another one, it's prisonception. I'd go mad." he mumbled, stopping to take a break from all of the mindless combat. He pulled a flask from his inventory. Inside contained a reddish liquid that smelled of cough syrup. He chugged it, wincing slightly at the taste. His health bar immediately rose, and his energy did as well from the lack of movement.

"That's it! Our next mission will be breaking in to prison. Bet nobody's ever done that in here."

Nari sat down to focus on replenishing her energy. Meditation was a skill that Morningstar was due to collect. All that worried him was the quest itself. Through the grapevine, he had heard of the horrors that could be seen whilst meditating beneath the Waterfall of the Sage. It was specific from person to person. He did not want to imagine what—or who—he might encounter.

***

Combat
Morningstar | HP: 818/828 | EN: 46/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 80 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | REC: 4 | BLD: 48 | FRSTBT: 40 | Pros: 3 | +8 EN +163 HP
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 1,043/1,081 | EN: 53/106 | ACC: 4| DMG: 12 | MIT: 239 | F.AURA: 16 | B.Healing: 59 | STEALTH: -5 | FRSTBT: 40 DMG; -1 ACC | THORNS: 72 | PARA: 8+| HM: +4 B.DMG | DoT: -36 DMG | IMMOLATION: 40 | +20 EN +59 HP | -22 HP | Howl [1/2] | Meditation [0/3]

[0,3]Sky Pirate 4 | HP: 306/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1| StunImm[P] 3/3
[0,3]Sky Pirate 5 | HP: 344/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
[0,3]Sky Pirate 6 | HP: 600/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
[0,0]Sky Pirate 7 | HP: 472/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
Poisoned Blade | On MD 9-10, apply Toxic Venom 30 to the target for 3 turns.  If already active, the effect refreshes.
Blood Frenzy | While subject to any DoT effects, a Skyrat Pirate gains +2 ACC, +1 EVA and -20 MIT.

Morningstar uses Healing Salve | +124 HP

"Scents of the wild, hey? Never done that one. Heard the totems are useful though."

Interrupting the pair, Gyrard climbed out of the caravan with a jolly grin resting on his face. "You have done it! Those pesky wolves won't be bothering me or any other merchants anymore! I figured you could just scare 'em off! This is excellent! Here, let's head into the city and I can hand ya your reward there. Give you a little somethin' extra for your hard work." 

Upon arriving at the town, Gyrard stopped in front of a small cottage. At the sight of the caravan, two kids burst through the front door. "Daddy!" Each of them cried, wrapping themselves around the man. 

"Oh dear me, after all that time I had forgotten about you!" He said in a playful tone. 

"No you didn't silly!" One of the children replied.

"Alright, I have a couple of things to do, run along and I'll meet you inside real soon." He turned to Wulfrin and Morningstar. "Here is the money as promised." He handed each of them a bag, instantly transferring col into their inventories. "And for permanently fixin' my problem, here is a little something for your troubles." He handed each of them a <<Bizarre Antidote>> before turning to move inside. "Once again, thank you for you help today!" He waved before moving into the cottage. The quest had come to an end.

"All in a day's work," Morningstar grinned, tossing the antidote in his inventory. "Walk with me. I'll introduce you to the locals before you go."

***

Exiting Serpent's Pitch, they returned to the swamp. With his sword, Morningstar pointed towards a group of alligators sleeping by the edge of the boggy water. "I'm hesitant to bring you over to that big guy over there," he said, referring to the field boss in the distance, "but these ones are harmless enough."

He took the lead, launching himself at the four alligators and setting up the fight for Wulfrin.

***

Thread Closing:

Morningstar receives:

2,455 EXP (Word Count [4910/10*5*1])
88679 col (1 page [400] + Loot [87,911] + 15% P5 Reward [368])
80 Materials (Loot [80])
T4 Perfect Consumable 219427a
T4 Perfect Consumable 219427b
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 219427c
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 219427c
T4 Perfect Weapon 219434a
T4 Perfect Trinket 219434b
T4 Rare Trinket 219441
T4 Rare Trinket 219442
T4 Rare Trinket 219443
T4 Rare Armor/Shield 219458
T4 Rare Trinket 219459
T4 Perfect Consumable 219460a
T4 Perfect Consumable 219460b
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 219460c
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 219460d
T4 Perfect Consumable 219462
T4 Rare Consumable 219477a
T4 Rare Armor/Shield 219477b
T4 Rare Trinket 219478
T4 Rare Armor/Shield 219479
T4 Perfect Consumable 219482a
T4 Rare Trinket 219482b
T4 Perfect Weapon 219522a
T4 Perfect Weapon 219522b
T4 Perfect Weapon 219522c
T4 Perfect Consumable 219523a
T4 Perfect Consumable 219523b
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 219523c
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 219523d
T4 Rare Trinket 219524
T4 Perfect Consumable 219525a
T4 Rare Trinket 219525b
T4 Perfect Weapon 219529a
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 219529b
T4 Perfect Consumable 219529c
T4 Perfect Consumable 219529d
T4 Rare Consumable 219544a
T4 Rare Weapon 219544b
T4 Rare Trinket 219545
T4 Perfect Consumable 219546a
T4 Perfect Consumable 219546b
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 219546c
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 219546d
T4 Rare Consumable 219548a
T4 Rare Weapon 219548b

Stunned, Nemo dropped to the ground. They had taken their victory without a scratch on them. Their synergy was good, a testament to their long-lasting friendship and span of experience together. When the stun wore off, Nemo admitted to his defeat.

Nemo collapsed to the grassy meadow, the dragon crumbling away to reveal his human form once more. Managing to sit up, he stared at Morningstar and Joaquin with tired eyes. "You're strong, aren't you..?" he mumbled, rubbing his neck sheepishly. The swordsman were shocked to hear the words leave the gardener's mouth. "I'm not used to being beaten up like that, and you practically did that without breaking a sweat..!"

Nemo stood up and walked towards the fountain, beckoning for the players to follow him. "..You can come back, if you want." he said, looking the players in the eyes. "It gets lonely here... that's why I bring people here. I don't want to be on my own... I want someone to talk to me, and come keep me company if they could." he sighed, a dejected look on his face. It was as if his character had changed entirely. Was this truly the dragon whom they had just fought? Was it the same man who had led them to the garden to begin with?

"Even if you don't want to talk to me, I'll be ok as long as someone can visit me... Can... can you do that for me?" he tapped the ground with his foot, revealing a beautifully made warp panel, formed from a blue-green material that glittered in the light. "Oh! before I forget, here you go!" Nemo tossed a bluish-green crystal over to the players. "You can use that on this panel to get back to town." He called out, smiling.

"I'll be waiting where you first found me if you want to come back. All I ask is that you make sure to help clean up any mess you make!" Nemo waved goodbye to the pair, before moving off deeper into the garden.

***

Back in Taft, Joaquin and Morningstar sat in silence upon the bench where the former had first met Nemo, the Wind of Gaia.

"That was crazy. You think you'll go back?"

"Yeah, probably. Nice guy, Nemo. Nice guy."

***