Morningstar

"I see that you two found each other," Nemo said, not looking up at the pair. The gardener seemed agitated, as if he was less than pleased to see them.

"No thanks to you," Joaquin said, to which he received a punch in the shoulder from Morningstar.

"That's true, I suppose. Originally, I had intended on showing you the full extent of my garden. But you have done nothing but desecrate it since you arrived," Nemo began to grow in size the more he spoke, his health bar following suit. A new name appeared above his head: Nemo, the Wind of Gaia

His cursor turned red, signaling hostility. Their guide had suddenly become their enemy. Morningstar rushed in first, without a second thought. Joaquin followed suit quickly. They each attacked from their own side, forcing Nemo to choose who to defend himself from. Either decision was erroneous, though. He blocked Joaquin's attack with his wings, canceling out the burn effect but leaving himself open to Morningstar's equally devastating stun.

"I mean, what's worse—dying or going to prison?" Morningstar lunged at a pirate, decapitating the skyrat in a single swipe. "Actually, don't answer that. Also, I'm about 40% sure that it's definitely enterable. I see no other reason to be so specific about people not entering."

Morningstar looked up at his stats when Nari brought up her energy. His health bar was slowly rising but his energy was falling as well. He only had a handful of sword arts left in him. "I don't remember my broker telling me about any of these mobs during our conversation. I'm running out of juice too. Maybe it's time for me to let your thorns take over for a while."

Nari howled, dragging the attention of all the remaining pirates towards her. Their eyes locked onto her as if they were in a trance. They ignored Morningstar, giving him a chance to recuperate while she tanked their oncoming stabs and slashes.

***

Combat
Morningstar | HP: 655/828 | EN: 38/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 80 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | REC: 4 | BLD: 48 | FRSTBT: 40 | Pros: 3 | +4 EN +39 HP | -10 EN
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 1,006/1,081 | 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 +59 HP | -2 EN -33 HP | Howl [0/2]

[1,5]Sky Pirate 3 | HP: 0/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] 2/3  
[0,3]Sky Pirate 4 | HP: 306/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1| StunImm[P] 2/3
[0,3]Sky Pirate 5 | HP: 472/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
[0,3]Sky Pirate 6 | HP: 600/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1
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.

ID219951 | Recovery Failed
ID219952 | BD: 10 | CD: 9 (ST-B available) | Major Crit: [(26+2)*12-70] = 266 Damage to Sky Pirate 3

Ol' Hookless Hand crumpled to the ground with one last swing of Morningstar's blade. Bleeding Giant cut through him like butter, and then it was on to the next opponent. He focused on singling out the pirates one at a time, taking each one down with as few movements as possible. It got exhausting, swinging that big old sword around. He was built for shorter fights, and usually preferred to go one-on-one rather than two-on-one-million.

"Look at this guy," Morningstar said, locking blades with a skyrat who was exerting far too much energy trying to best him. "Does he look afraid to you? These guys are mindless."

The pirate seemed to take offense to that last comment, becoming more and more agitated until he flew off the rails, using only his own anger to fuel his swings. Thankfully, it made him even more predictable.

"Just don't get us arrested. I still have some breaking and entering to do on this floor and I'd rather they didn't know my name and face beforehand."

***

Combat
Morningstar | HP: 616/828 | EN: 44/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 80 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | REC: 4 | BLD: 48 | FRSTBT: 40 | Pros: 3 | +4 EN +39 HP | -13 EN
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 980/1,081 | EN: 31/106 | 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 -101 HP

[1,2]Sky Pirate 2 | HP: 0/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] 1/3
[0,2]Sky Pirate 3 | HP: 388/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 50 | ACC: 2 3 | EVA: 1 2 | StunImm[P] 1/3 | Frostbite [40 DMG | -1 ACC | 1/2] | Blood Frenzy Activate
[0,0]Sky Pirate 4 | HP: 474/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 50 | ACC: 2 3 | EVA: 1 2 | Frostbite [40 DMG | -1 ACC | 1/2] | Stunned | Blood Frenzy Activate
[0,0]Sky Pirate 5 | HP: 600/600 | 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.

ID219943 | CD: 1 | Recovery failed
ID219944 | BD: 7+6-1 = 12 | <<Tech-D vs Sky Pirate 2>> | Hit: [26x16-50] = 366 damage

Morningstar slammed his fist into the face of the final dock guard, knocking him to the ground, dazed. He spun his sword coolly, sticking into the mobs gut. It exploded in defeat, leaving them with only skyrat pirates to deal with. He continued his battle with Hook Hand, listening to Nari simultaneously.

"Hey," he swiped threw the pirate's wrist, turning him into Hookless Hand, "I recall you wanting to stand and fight! Worst comes to worst... well, we die, but yeah."

The skyrats were far more eager to join in on the fun combat session that had begun. Morningstar danced past a few pirates who had ignored him completely and gone straight for the purple-haired tank. "They really like you," he jested.

"Not sure about the Art of War, but that does sound like valid combat advice. Advice that we possibly... should have taken," he paused half way through his last sentence, grunting as he swung at No-Hook once more. The pirate stepped back, dodged the attack, and picked up his hook with the hand he still had.

***

Combat
Morningstar | HP: 577/828 | EN: 53/110 | 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 | -13 EN -30 HP
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 1,043/1,081 | EN: 44/106 | 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

[1,4]Corrupt Dock Guard 1 | HP: 0/600 | DMG: 220 | MIT: 100 80 | ACC: 2 | THORNS 30 | SHATTER I (1/3)StunImm[P] 2/3 
[0,2]Sky Pirate 2 | HP: 514/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] 1/3
[0,2]Sky Pirate 3 | HP: 526/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 | StunImm[P] 1/3
[0,0]Sky Pirate 4 | HP: 600/600 | 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.

D219935 | CD: 7 | Recovery Proc | +4 EN
ID219936 | BD: 5+6 = 11 | <<Tech-D vs Corrupt Dock Guard 1>> | Hit: [26x16-80] = 336 damage | Shatter (-20 Mit) | Thorns: 30 damage

So long as the bulk of the pirates were kept off of him, Morningstar could gradually bring them down. "I don't mind at all. I'm not Freyd, but I'll do my best," he chuckled. The stun began to wear off and the guards and pirate shifted eagerly. He put down two of them without much effort; however, that was all that he could get to before the others were fully functioning again. 

The other pirates were beginning to look hungry for blood, drawing a variety of rugged weapons from dirty scabbards. A pair of skyrats took the places of the ones Morningstar had killed, leaving them with four adversaries once again.

"Keep it up, they're focused on you!" Morningstar said, repositioning himself to target a specific pirate better. He singled out the strangest looking one: a fellow with a hook for a hand and a single tooth made of gold. He swiped at Nari but Morningstar caught his hook (his hand?) with the edge of his blade. "Not today, ol' chap."

***

"Glory guts over here rushed in before we could consider things."

Morningstar turned his head, chugging a liquor of light. He wiped his lips, quenched by the vitamin D. "What? I could sense that my number one pupil was in terrible danger."

Nonchalantly, he restored the rest of his consumables in preparation for the fights to come. He approached Wulfrin with a pat on the shoulder. "These places get progressively harder the deeper you go. Keep a crystal close by. I'd rather not see you get squished in here," he smiled, holding back the urge to smack him upside the head. Entering a dungeon two tiers too high was a foolhardy move. Even at his level, Morningstar avoided dungeons without a solid group (and he was hardly risk-averse). Instead of saying so, he congratulated the man on his first completed wave. "Good hits, by the way. I caught a glimpse on our way in."

Half-worried, he nodded to Freyd. At least he was there. "Ready when you all are."

***

Morningstar consumes:

Gugnir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Crème Brûlée Tray | ACC 2 | Feast (5/6) - takes 1 portion [filled]
Liquor of Light | DMG III
Mortal Instants | MIT III
Shadows Withal | OH III
Breakfast Fry | PROTEIN II

Battle-ready inventory:

Healing Salve | HP III
(x5) Health Potion | HP I
(x5) Teleport Crystal
Magdalyn's Cuckoo

Updated Stats:

Morningstar | HP: 828/828 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 28 | MIT: 60 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4

The combination of Nari's assault and lingering status effects reduced Calas dwindling hit points to zero. She fell just as Ryland had: without a peep. Her guards charged at the woman that felled their captain, rage consuming them. Morningstar silenced their shouts with a quick and accurate stun, swiping each warrior with the tip of his sword before they could even come near his friend.

"Hmm. They're pushovers without the lady. Too bad," he shrugged, tipping one of the paralyzed men over with a gentle kick. "You okay? Noticed you take a bit of damage there."

The strongest among their adversaries had been defeated, leaving them with the eleven that remained. The skyrats at the other end of the dock seemed to hesitate, wondering whether they should join in on the fighting or leave it be and escape with whatever loot intended on stealing. He had thought they were a problem for another time, until one charged at him brandishing a cutlass. An upward slash took off the pirate's arm.

"It's a shame about Ryland," he said, ignoring the man he had dismembered and looking at the spot where the dockmaster had met his end.

***

Combat
Morningstar | HP: 637/828 | EN: 74/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 80 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | REC: 4 | BLD: 48 | FRSTBT: 40 | Pros: 3 | +4 EN +39 HP | -14 EN -90 HP
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 925/1,081 | EN: 70/106 | ACC: 4| DMG: 12 | MIT: 239 189 | 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 -156 HP | Old Blighty [-50 MIT | 1/2]

[1,2]Corrupt Dock Guard 1 | HP: 344/600 | DMG: 220 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 2 | THORNS 30 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] 0/3
[1,2]Corrupt Dock Guard 2 | HP: 264/600 | DMG: 220 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 2 | THORNS 30 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] 0/3
[1,2]Corrupt Dock Guard 3 | HP: 344/600 | DMG: 220 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 2 | THORNS 30 | STUNNED | StunImm[P] 0/3
Old Blighty | Targets struck by a Corrupt Dock Guard have their mitigation reduced by 50 for 2 turns.  This effect does not stack

[1,0]Skyrat Pirate 1 | HP: 358/600 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 70 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 1 (0) | STUNNED | StunImm[P] 0/3
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.

ID219914 | CD: 6 | Recovery failed
ID219911 | BD: 6+6 = 12 | <<Tech-F vs. Corrupt Dock Guard 1>> | Hit: [26x12-100] = 212 damage | Thorns: 30 damage | STUN PROC
ID219912 | BD: 6+6 = 12 | <<Tech-F vs. Corrupt Dock Guard 2>> | Hit: [26x12-100] = 212 damage | Thorns: 30 damage | STUN PROC
ID219913 | BD: 7+6 = 13 | <<Tech-F vs. Corrupt Dock Guard 3>> | Hit: [26x12-100] = 212 damage | Thorns: 30 damage | STUN PROC
ID219919 | BD: 3+6 = 8 | <<Tech-F vs. Skyrat Pirate 1>> | Hit: [26x12-70] = 242 damage | STUN PROC

Morningstar squinted at the oncoming poison snapper. He hadn't exactly considered what to do when the wolf eventually did come his way. The beast lunged at him, ripping into his arm with its toothy maw and scratching up his coat with its claws. He pounded it on the forehead and it let go, dropping to the ground and shattering to blue dust.

His jaw widened. He hadn't hit it that hard, had he? "Eh," he scratched his head awkwardly, "sorry 'bout that. The intent was to get it off me, not to kill the damn thing. You did great, though, so good work."

He waved for the caravan to continue on its path, examining the brand new holes in his coat as he followed alongside it. "A nice old fellow gave me this thing. He'd have a heart attack if he saw it now."

"We're almost to our destination. Any plans after this is done?"

***

"The things the brokers don't tell you," Morningstar shook his head, listening to Ryland's shouts. Distracted, he suffered a light grazing to his left shoulder. He winced, glancing down at the red particles that floated off of him, signifying the damage he had taken. Calas, uninterested in the pair of players, pushed her way through their defensive wall. Morningstar stumbled back, caught off balance while she raced towards the dockmaster.

"Enough of that!"

There was not a chance for Ryland to respond to Calas' assault. She bombarded him with strikes, stabbing him through the torso multiple times. His death was quick, sudden, and without a final chirp from the dockmaster himself. Morningstar's eyes widened as he watched the NPC break into blue shards, floating away with the breeze.

It was not entirely unexpected. The fool had engaged in combat without even bringing a weapon. He was a weight on their shoulders; logically, it would have made sense to let him kill himself far sooner.

And yet, Morningstar was disheartened by the fact he was gone. He knew the dockmaster would respawn, as quest NPCs always did. Still, it felt as though he had failed. In a flash, he blasted forth, slashing Captain Calas across the back, eager to avenge their fallen party member.

***

Combat
Morningstar | HP: 688/828 | EN: 84/110 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 80 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 6 | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | REC: 4 | BLD: 48 | FRSTBT: 40 | Pros: 3 | +4 EN +39 HP | -9 EN -106 HP
Nari-Lanreth | HP: 1,080/1,081 | EN: 83/106 | 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

[0,2]Corrupt Dock Guard 1 | HP: 556/600 | DMG: 220 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 2 | THORNS 30 
[0,2]Corrupt Dock Guard 2 | HP: 476/600 | DMG: 220 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 2 | THORNS 30
[0,2]Corrupt Dock Guard 3 | HP: 556/600 | DMG: 220 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 2 | THORNS 30
Old Blighty | Targets struck by a Corrupt Dock Guard have their mitigation reduced by 50 for 2 turns.  This effect does not stack

[3,2]Guard Captain Calas | HP: 92/1000 | DMG: 250 | MIT: 100 80 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2 | Bleed [48 DMG | 2/3] | Burn [56 DMG | 1/2] | Shatter [-20 MIT | 2/3]
Officer Training | While Guard Captain Calas remains in combat Corrupt Dock Guards are immune to disabling effects.
Ready Riposte | Begins combat with Parry and Vengeful Riposte in effect.  Once expended, Calas will regain those benefits on a CD 9+ when making an attack

ID219903 | CD: 6 | Recovery failed
ID219902 | BD: 7+6-2 = 11 | <<ST-I vs. Guard Captain Calas>> | Hit: [26x12-80]/2 = 116 damage
Morningstar takes 76 damage from Vengeful Riposte | [26*12]/2-80=76 damage
Morningstar takes 30 damage from Thorns

"You're not the first to have been hunted down by those guards. Strange times, strange times indeed," Henry said, pouring tea from a floral pot. He set down a mug for Morningstar, who's nerves were already settling down. The backroom, while small, was quite homely. He assumed that the old man lived there after hours. A carpeted stair case spiraled around the corner, and the blonde imagined a bedroom or a more private living space up above. He sipped his tea. Jasmine. The warmth was an unexpected but not unwelcome change.

"Strange times?" Morningstar framed it as a question, as if he were completely unaware of what the old man meant. "What do you mean?"

"The people, of course. They're changing, one by one, completely sporadically and without any explanation. Their voices get all... all distorted, as if multiple people are speaking at once but from a singular mouth. I witnessed it myself, once," he turned away, his voice darkening. "There was a man, just outside the butcher's shop. He got himself into some trouble—a fist fight, I think, with a larger fellow in one of them red coats. Nobody else seemed to notice."

Henry was visibly shaken up by the ordeal, but continued his speech nonetheless. "I didn't say anything or try to intervene. I took it that the redcoat had it under control, that the other man was just some thug looking for a fight. And then, I heard his voice. Bloody demonic."

Before another word could come out, a bell rang by the front entrance. Someone had entered the cozy little shop. The shopkeeper and his guest shared a look of panic, each thinking the same thing: a guard had wandered into the shop, intent on interrogating Henry and prodding for details about the criminal who had vanished from an inescapable alleyway. Carefully and quietly, Morningstar stood from his seat. The old man was intelligent, pouring out the contents of Morningstar's mug and tossing it in the sink. One less drink on the table would make the soon-to-be empty workspace far less suspicious.

"Quick," he whispered, "upstairs."

Morningstar did as he was told, tiptoeing to the top of the staircase, where he waited and listened. Henry took a deep breath, dusted himself off, and stepped out from the back to greet his customer. "Hello. How can I help you?"

Wulfrin did well in combat. He was fully capable of holding his own and showed no fear in the face of danger. He was improving quickly. The path of his sword was straight and precise when he swung and his footwork was also quite good. It was a testament to his real world training, Morningstar assumed. When Wulfrin offered him the final strike against the poison snapper, Morningstar shook his head. "Nah, all yours. You need the experience!" He laughed, sheathing his blade. He pulled a bag from his jacket pocket. It was full of rocks that he had collected for the sole purpose of stealing hate. "I'll keep him focused on me, but I refuse to take the kill."

He flicked a pebble at the wolf, who's stun had worn off. It reacted with a low growl, bearing its venomous fangs. Curiosity had gotten the better of him. Arms crossed, he continued to test Wulfrin.

***

He ducked underneath the doorway, covering his unadjusted eyes from the burning sunlight. He patted the burning cinders that stuck to his jacket, a remnant of the fallen blazing treant left behind in the catacombs. Bleeding Giant remained in his grip, although there was no danger in sight. In the forest once more, he smiled and turned to his friend.

"Another day, another dungeon," Morningstar said, swiping open his inventory to examine his loot. There was nothing special among its contents but items were items. If he had no use for them, someone else surely would. To his right, quite a ways away, he noticed something sparkle. It was red, perhaps a gem of some sort. He pointed towards it, squinting. "Over there—is that sand? In the forest?" The thought of the combination fried his brain. 

He nudged Freyd, who was locked onto his dungeon rewards. "Hey, look."

They took a closer peek at the strange cave and came to the quick conclusion that it was a Cave of Wonders. "Never seen one in person. Got enough energy for one more? These have increased loot odds, I think. Didn't realize they were naturally spawning, though."

It took them very little time within the rocky, sandy tunnel to discover their first enemies—and, some friends. "No shit! Small world!" He exclaimed at the sight of Nari and Wulfrin. It took him a second before he questioned the latter's appearance there. Unless he had gained thirty levels since the last time they had met, he was in a dungeon far above his tier. He had balls.

With a tap of his boot, Morningstar activated charge and zoomed into the fight. The three nearest cave guardians took the brunt of his attack, which was just short of a simultaneous KO.

***

[ lv. 50  ->   l. 33 / p. 17 ] MORNINGSTAR | HP: 720/720 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 4 | BH: 39 | LD: 5 (6) | BLD: 48 | FB: 40 | REC: 4   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 healing salve | HP III (x5) health potion | HP I (x5) teleport crystal magdalyn'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  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

"Of course not! I won't suggest it until we're about to die."

He dodged one quick stab and deflected another with the flat end of his sword. Calas was skilled, something he found rare in opponents (or perhaps he was too accustomed to fighting alongside Freyd). She left few openings and those that were visible were swiftly covered. They stepped quickly and methodically, weaving around each other's jabs and slashes, blades clashing and sparks flying.

Meanwhile, Nari had taken the aggression of the three dock guards, elegantly fending off the group with her war spear and shield. First and foremost, he was worried about their safety; however, Ryland stood behind them, weaponless. His only line of defense was them and while he was fully capable of respawning, Morningstar hated the idea of letting him die at Calas' hand.

He scooted back behind his tank, allowing her to control the fight.

***

"Yes, sir," Morningstar saluted. Bleeding Giant emerged from its scabbard and in a flash, he was gone. Two wolves approached from their flank. They were smaller than he had anticipated, and far less threatening. The wolves, wild and quick, had yet to realize that their presence had been noticed, nor that one caravan guard had already pressed the attack. Red streaks were painted across their body following the path of Morningstar's blade. They shattered into dust, returning to Cardinal.

He skidded through the mud, halting his assault and redirecting his efforts onto the final wolf. This one was larger and, as he gathered from previous warnings, poisonous. Preferring not to be afflicted with toxins, he treaded carefully, calculating his swing to avoid being hit in return.

The Poison Snapper flew from its feet and into the boggy water, struck by Morningstar's attack. Just enough health was leftover for Wulfrin to finish it off. Morningstar, swatting some grime off his hand, spectated with great interest in the man's capabilities. How would he approach the wounded wolf?

***

"Almost Tier 3, huh? You're climbing levels quickly. I feel like it took me forever, back in the day. Still is, really," he laughed. "I'll have some Tier 4 uniques ready for you when you get to that point."

Another alligator scale lay in his path, and so Morningstar scooped it up and stored it in his inventory. He was determined to find some use to them, whether through alchemy or blacksmithing.

"Appraising is mostly a gamble, specifically when rerolling enhancements. The cost just gets higher and higher until eventually you're broke with the same enhancement that you started out with. There are items and potions that increase odds, but even still, it's difficult to get what you want. Most items that drop from mobs end up being the same old weapon with a different name and appearance. Sometimes, you get lucky and their hiding something special on them. Appraisals add up, though. Within a month, I've probably spent half a million col."

***

Morningstar chuckled, dodging a suspicious looking mud puddle. "Yeah, me too. I used to wear heavy armor but it's just too clunky and hard to move around in, especially in places like this. Not my style."

Along the path, something caught his eye, hiding from plain view behind strands of long grass. He  knelt down, taking a closer look. It was a prowler scale. Not a bad find, he thought, stuffing it away in his inventory for safe keeping.

"How's that sword treating you? It was a pretty lucky find, considering its enhancements. I don't come across many blight weapons. Everything seems to be paralytic venom these days," Morningstar rolled his eyes, constantly annoyed with his unique appraisals. His last few had come up entirely dry and before them, nearly everything he had uncovered had been converted straight into mystic essence. Fallen weapons, antifreeze armor, and all the rest of his wish list were no where to be seen.

***

3.9.2024

appraisals

this thread directly follows "the endless maze" ft. freyd & morningstar

***

Like magic, the face of his friend morphed into that of his enemy. The last thing he noticed before passing around the corner and out of sight was the Whisper's vanishing cursor and a trio of armed Glyndebourne guards stopping to make sure "she" was okay.

He clambered up a short set of stone stairs, bumping into NPCs and players alike, desperate to avoid his pursuers. More guards had caught wind of the chase and decided to join in. He stopped just past an intersection between four streets, panicking at the sight of the shouting, spear-wielding soldiers that had began to point in his direction. He spun, intent on back tracking, but saw that the path behind him was blocked by more of the same. He cursed aloud. The crowd of passersby were not great enough in size to obscure him from sight. He was out in the open with few places to run—his last resort being a dark and possibly damning alleyway. Out of time, he committed to it, dashing into the shadow of the street. From behind, he could hear the guards plotting the end to their chase.

"He went in there!"

"It's a dead end! There's no where left to run!"

"The magistrate wants him alive!"

It was impossible to tell from his perspective outside, but they were correct: the alleyway was a dead end. Face to face with a towering and unclimbable wall, he had reached the end of his ideas. He drew his sword, conflicted by the thought of fighting his way out of the city. What would the outcome of such violence be? He imagined the colour of his cursor changing from green to orange, inexplicably forcing him to live his life branded with the mark of a murderer. He pictured dead guards littering the streets of the city, disintegrating beneath the setting sun while he escaped into the wilds of the twenty-eighth floor. Where would he go? How would he even get off the floor? Were there teleporters in places unrestricted to orange players? Metal boots clanked against stone as the guards closed in on the alley.

"Hey, you! In here!" A hushed voice called.

It pulled him out of his own head. The words came from a hole in the wall, large enough to fit a human.

"Last chance!" The voice came again.

With little choice but to listen, he dropped to all fours and shimmied his way through the hole. A man, a little over six feet tall and balding, waited on the other side. Before saying another word, the man crawled back through the hole and covered up the evidence with a large cardboard box that sat in the alley.

It was a small space that he had found his way into. He looked about at the odds and ends that lined the tall displays and immediately realized that it was a tailor's shop. Clothing, as well as light armor, was set up on cheaply crafted mannequins. Do-it-yourself tailoring kits had their own section directly beside the entrance. The man rejoined him, pushing him into the back room and offering him a seat at what looked like a workstation. 

"You're bloody lucky you found your way here. They'd just about caught you," the man said, his accent more clear now. "What's your name, son?"

"Morningstar," he replied, still dazed from the adrenalized chase. "Who are you?"

"Oh,  just an old man who's concerned with the state of his city. My name is Henry."

[ lv. 50  ->   l. 33 / p. 17 ] MORNINGSTAR | HP: 828/828 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 28 | MIT: 60 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 4 | AA | BH: 39 | LD: 8 (9) | VO: 118 | REC: 4 | PHASE   Hide contents notes.   Hide contents equipped soulcursed blade VO II, AA, PHASE red longcoat EVA II, REC I sapphire ACC III, EVA I battle-ready inventory healing salve | HP III (x5) health potion | HP I (x5) teleport crystal magdalyn'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 mortal instants | MIT III smores | EVA II shadows withal | OH III gelato | LD III mousse | Prosperity III breakfast fry | Protein II paragon Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread. Lv. 10 | +1 LD to applicable rolls 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

"Yeah, I think that's considered stealing," Morningstar said, eyeing the distant dockworkers. A woman among them, dressed importantly, handed over a hefty cloth bag. An armored entourage surrounded her. Before he could ask who she was, Dockmaster Ryland blurted out the answer.

"Calas!" He steamed, pulling the attention of every neutral NPC on Span 17.

Calas muttered incoherently to her guards, who drew their blades immediately. A dozen floating cursors turned red to indicate their hostility towards the trio. They were badly outnumbered, with Calas and her corrupt dock guards covering her front. Could they take on all of them at once? He glanced at Nari, only to be interrupted by the voice of the dockmaster once again. “Get to that ship,” Ryland cried out, pointing to the far end of the span. The rickety service skiff in the distance listed heavily to one side as it floated in its grungy berth.

Hesitation glued his boots to the floor. Ryland wanted to run; mathematically, they stood little chance at besting twelve armed opponents on their own. It was logical to race to the skiff and get the hell off the span but a piece of Morningstar yearned for the fight.

Dammit—fine.

He heeded Ryland's command, bolting in the direction of the unsteady ship. Ryland followed closely behind him, weaponless and eager to return to safety. He did not turn to check where Nari was and only assumed that she was on the same page.

A dagger whizzed by Morningstar's face, grazing his cheek. It clattered to the floor in front of him and he spun around, shocked by the accuracy of the attack. The far-off pirate who had thrown it smirked. Another few inches to the left and it would have hit it's mark.

Much closer, Calas and her guards had bridged the gap between the two parties. Morningstar cursed, tossing his already broken sheath aside as he pulled Bleeding Giant out of it. The skiff was too far—they had no chance of making it before the corrupt guards caught up with them. Allowing Ryland to pass him, he switched directions, beaming straight into the fray and clashing blades with the guard captain herself. They each marked each other once, although Calas' parry stopped Morningstar from gaining any upper hand in the duel.

The guards, who were far slower than their captain, eventually joined her in combat. Surrounded and left with few other options, Morningstar chose to fight.

***

Wulfrin took the lead, conversing with the NPC like he had done it a million times before. The man was quick to gain confidence and Morningstar respected that. They went on their way, beginning their trek through the swampy wetlands of the eighteenth floor.

Hiding beneath the bog, shallows prowlers lurked, awaiting their misstep into their sunken territory. The alligators watched the caravan crew carefully, but Morningstar had spotted them forever ago. He knew of their predatory tricks and how to avoid them. Even so, he kept his hand near his blade, careful not to let them get too close to his friend or the NPCs, who would have little chance of survival if dragged into the marsh.

The putrid aroma seemed to swell around them magnetically. Morningstar remembered why he avoided the place. It was gross and wet and full of oversized monsters. There were better locations to spend your time. He kept an eye on their surroundings, looking as far into the distance as he could, searching for the forewarned wolves.

***

"Yeah, I feel you. Scraping the bottom of my col and mat reserves myself. That's life, I guess. I'd take you through a dungeon today if I could guarantee your safety. They're no joke, though. There'll be mobs along the way, I expect. We can try to loot those."

Morningstar was glad to see that Wulfrin was acclimating well to his new lifestyle as an adventurer. He had observed so many level one players who had started their journeys only to give up the next week. It made him happy that there was another strong-willed person among the dwindling crowds. He'll be a good asset to the frontlines someday, Morningstar thought.

He nodded in agreement with Wulfrin's plan. He was logical, which was a good sign. Walking along the caravan would stop them from being caught of guard along the way. It was essentially a guarantee that they would be attacked; it would not be much of a quest, if that were not the case. "Monsters for sure. Eighteen's got some exotic critters—most of which, I prefer to steer clear of. Alligators, giant worms, snakes, fish. Steer clear of deep water and you'll be okay. I did research before coming here. We're to expect wolves, but we should watch out for any random mobs that spawn along the way."

He opened the doors to the outside world. "Let's get going," he said, eager to see how Wulfrin would perform.

"I would say it's natural for us to try and discover what we don't know."

That was all Morningstar needed to hear. He would break in someday, he decided.

He looked in the direction of the fur-caped man. The dockmaster was strong-framed and tall. His hair was short, unkempt and dark. Scars marked everything his armor left uncovered and a giant of a sword hung by his side. He was rugged, with the appearance of someone Morningstar might have avoided on a long bus ride.

"Yeah, that's our guy. Does he really need our help? The dude's bigger than both of us combined. He's the one I'd expect to do the distressing."

“Something must be done,” he declared, slamming down his ledger.

Morningstar rolled his eyes, making his way over to the dockmaster. "Hey, can we help you out with said something?"

Ryland turned, surprised to see the red-coated swordsman suddenly in his business. With a sigh, he immediately gave in, spilling an enormous amount of NPC quest dialogue that Morningstar only half listened to. The things he did absorb included pirates, Span 17, and a reward. It was good enough for him. Prompted to take on the quest by a small menu pop-up, he tapped the accept button.

“We'd best get going at once," Ryland said, his cape swaying behind him as he took the lead, "their meeting will begin soon."

Morningstar raised an eyebrow at Wulfrin's new coat. "Nice jacket. Good taste."

He summarized the quest that he had accepted for the two of them. Gyrard, the Merchant, had purchased their aid for a fair sum of col. Their job was to protect his caravan from wolves on the long road to Serpent's Pitch. "Flotsam and Dross, the bazaar in Serpent's Pitch, will be starting soon, so he's on a time crunch," Morningstar explained. "I'd normally be fine on my own for a job like this, but I thought you could use the experience. Think of it as training for the big leagues."

"Allow me to prepare the Caravan and I'll meet you outside the front gates to the city," Gyrard said, standing. He left he pair at the table, allowing them to prepare themselves for the quest to come.

"Glad you could make it. Sorry about the location," he whispered, out of earshot from the rest of the crowd. "It's not Aincrad's finest establishment, nor the nicest town. But, anyways, how've you been? Keeping well?"

***

Applying the following:

Elven Armor Salve (t1 reusable consumable) | Misses generate 1 hate, hits 2 hate, and crits 3 hate

Morningstar, much like the majority of his group mates, did not have tracking. He was perfectly happy with taking the proper road. While he was not against playfully throwing his friend under the bus, he refrained from announcing that he knew for a fact Freyd had tracking. He was pro-drama, in moderation.

Krysta and Vigilon took the lead, leaving some space in between the two pairs. The tension in the air was a bit laughable, considering the circumstances. Forty-five minutes away from a boss fight, four frontliners strolled through the hills of the twenty-seventh floor, hunting Team Magma members in order to stop their plans of summoning Groudon.

The couple ahead of him were odd, he thought. Vigilon seemed like a regular fellow, although there was a hint of unpredictability that caught Morningstar off guard. Krysta reminded him of a coworker he had once had while filming a fantasy movie years before. They spoke the same, acted the same, and even looked eerily similar. He almost wanted to ask if it was her, but then recalled that she had been about five inches taller and ten years older.

"You know," Morningstar nudged Freyd, "you don't need to stick around if you don't want to. I'm sure these two will find their way to the labyrinth in time for the fight. What they do in their own free time is up to them, really. I get that by arriving late, they entirety of the frontlines is effected; but, they'll have an easier time adapting if you're there in comparison to us. DPS folk are great and all, but it's the tanks and healers that keep the parties alive."

"It's just a thought," he shrugged, finding a place for his hands in his pockets. "It's a long road. I imagine we'll find things out of the ordinary along the way. I hope you don't feel obligated to stay and protect us from whatever unnecessary danger we find ourselves in."