Bahr

"I'm done."

All other emotions Bahr had experienced up to this point had given way to a palpable sense of annoyance. He no longer had the impression that this bear was some sort of indomitable force that threatened their lives. There were now Players virtually suplexing it - such was not the mark of a fearsome beast.

The whiplash between Freyd having died (if that was even real) and now was so stark, it didn't even feel real. Literal minutes ago, everyone was shaking in their boots in the face of a powerful enemy. Now, Bahr didn't even feel threatened by it. He wondered how many of his peers felt the same.

He simply couldn't bring himself to pour any further emotional investment into the fight. The system had already decided the Players had won. They were now only going through the motions of knocking down yet another obstacle placed in their path. Bahr obliged destiny with yet another swing of Dawn's Demise to bring the skirmish to its ultimate conclusion.

---

Recovery?
ID: 239078 | CD: 6, no proc.

Post Action.
ST-II vs Callisto the Tainted, -15 EN.
ID: 239079 | BD: 3, Hit, 24x15=360 damage inflicted against Callisto the Tainted

Bahr was so mortified he could laugh. But he knew if he started, he'd never stop. What cruel games was death playing with them? It seemed that whatever damage Freyd had sustained had been reversed. Bahr was starting to believe that death was anything but permanent in this realm. Kayaba's announcement on launch day was surely nothing more than a ruse.

However still. Bahr wasn't keen on being felled just yet, supposing he could be wrong.

His form would flicker before taking its place at Callisto's feet, a line traced with the edge of Dawn's Demise cleaving directly through the monster's dilapidated form. A couple more like that, and we'll be through with this thing.

---

Recovery?
ID: 238779 | CD: 11, +4 EN.

Free Action.
Vanish, -5 EN.

Post Action.
ST-I vs Callisto the Tainted via Surprise Attack: Trickster, -12 EN.
ID: 238780 | BD: 4, Autohit, 0 damage inflicted against Callisto the Tainted due to Stride the Spirit Realm.

 

Bahr swallowed hard at the inquiry, but otherwise maintained a neutral expression as best he could. "'Fraid not," Bahr responded. "We're sinners in search of worse." A poignant statement that, were it not for Bahr's embarrassing attempt to swing himself horseback, probably could have seemed really cool. Instead, he followed up this cryptic declaration by placing one boot firmly within the stirrup, hoisting himself up and over, said stirrup catching his boot being the only reason he didn't go too far over and find himself face-first in the dirt. He didn't bother to look to see if the others had noticed his brush with (ego) death. He knew they had.

"Can't say I know of nearby churches," the stablemaster divulged in a thoughtful exhale, his piercing eyes narrowing as the gears turned. "'Sides the one here in town, anyhow. Doesn't much sound like that's what yer lookin' for." There was a beat of silence as hi eyes shifted from one Player to the next, before concluding, "Could be they know somethin', though. Can't hurt to ask." He looked past them to the street leading north. "Follow the path and you'll find it." Their business concluded, the pair offered the man a nod and their thanks before departing.

"I'd be surprised if they're brazen enough to occupy a church in the middle of town," Bahr started as they made their way north, "but it might be something we should prepare for. If it were only Dominic we needed to worry about, then I wouldn't think twice about it. But who knows if his surrogate has conflicting proclivities?" But as the pearly ivory structure revealed itself and was imposed against the townscape, any concerns Bahr may have had were assuaged. Here, it seemed, the patrons were encouraged to practice any denomination of faith they desired. These were holy grounds, fit for any and all spiritual fulfillment. Though nonreligious himself, Bahr couldn't help but admire the social cohesion and sense of community.

"Hello," he called, trying to get the attention of one of the church-goers. A young woman turned and regarded them.

"Yes?" she asked upon approach.

"We're looking for a church - not this one - where we have reason to believe some suspicious things are happening. We were wondering if you or anyone here might practice at other churches we could go visit."

"Ours is the only church in the expanse," the woman replied, the softness of her tone complimenting the equally soft smile of the lips it came from. "That's why our congregation is mixed. Regardless of whatever one may worship, they should have the right and the space to do so."

Bahr cast a glance to Lessa out of the corner of his eye. If eyes could talk, his would say, "I like this place."

"That being said..." Her voice stole Bahr's attention back. "There's some hills, not quite a mountain, to the west of here. Not long ago, people started hearing bell tolls - the kind like you might hear coming from a church - coming from the peak. Since we know there's only one church, nobody has had the guts to investigate."

The glance Bahr now cast toward Lessa was sharper, knowing. This was the sort of lead they'd been looking for.

"Alright, thank you. We'll investigate, so please, advise the others to stay away as you have been."

The rhythmic clops of hooves against hardened earth carried the pair to the edge of town, then beyond. Bahr could sense that Lessa was itching to go faster, to feel the wind in her hair, to close the distance between them and Oliver. And while Bahr wanted to get to Oliver, too, there was an apprehension that held him back. When it came to riding horseback, he possessed all the grace of a divorced walrus trying out tap dancing to ease its woes. While Lessa was right at home, Bahr was once again mired in territory he wasn't sure would ever start to feel familiar. 

"We might want to start considering how we want to approach this once we get there. That is, assuming this is them, and not something else." For all Bahr knew, they were simply getting themselves involved in an exotic quest. "Last time, we had the advantage of being unknown. This time they'll recognize us. We have to consider the possibility that they may be hostile." He turned to better face her, but the movement was stiff and robotic. He was focusing more on keeping his hands on the reigns and keeping things under control. "What non-lethal means do we have to deal with these guys? The best I think I could do is a Stun Sword Art, and that still might do more damage than intended depending upon the level of the target."

"Hoo." Jomei let loose once they'd cleared the monster's area of influence. "I owe ya one."

"Sure," the Kingslayer managed as he finally found solid footing, eyes still affixed against the hulking mass of rotten bullshit that had been abusing them for the past hour or so. Their retreat hadn't been the most elegant, but survival rarely was. "Let's just hope you're a little more graceful than me when it comes time to cash in."

In response to Cordelia's inquiry, both Bahr and Jomei - in unison - raised a thumb to the affirmative. It was honestly a little weird, and Bahr dropped his hand quickly, hoping nobody had noticed.

No sooner had Bahr and Jomei concluded their unflattering escape than they found themselves in the clutches of their blonde support, her owlish azure orbs boring into the pair as she discerned their status. “You’re okay,” she finally managed, “You’re both okay. Okay. Good.” One suspiciously manic laugh later, and she seemed to have regained some semblance of composure. “That was scary. Really really scary. Fuck.” She grasped her own visage between gauntlet-clad mitts, a self-soothing technique Bahr had witnessed before.

As endearing as Bahr found Lessa's quirks, there was an uproar not far off that he found himself distracted by. When he had opened his mouth to respond, the clamor seemingly stole the words right out of him. His eyes shifted away from hers and focused on the commotion. Squinting didn't seem to reveal much, but whatever it was, it wasn't good based on the reaction of their peers. Finally, he caught a glimpse of cerulean pixels wafting on the breeze, and he knew.

”Seriously. I’m not sure I could have moved that fast. And - yeah. I don’t know what might have happened.”

"Maybe something like that," he remarked grimly, visage contorting with horror as the true nature of their situation dawned on him. A single outstretched index finger would guide their eyes toward the source of the cacophony, as well as the rapidly dissipating miasma of fractal shards. A poignant, albeit crude, gesture. One motivated by Bahr's desire to spread awareness of the situation to the rest of the party, while himself not entirely sure how to process it in a way that made it more palatable.

Perhaps such methodology eluded him because death wasn't meant to be palatable.

A rally cry rose above the rest of the noise, one he recognized as belonging to Macradon. Had it really been Freyd that had died? Bahr had never been terribly close to the guy, but his power was unmistakable and recognized throughout the Frontlines. Out of any and all who could have fallen victim to this clumsy oaf of a floor boss, Freyd was one of the last Bahr would have expected, especially after having fought alongside him in the past and having bore witness to his technique. The weight of it sat heavy on Bahr's chest, despite the fact that Freyd had not been his to grieve. If people like him were going down, survival wasn't guaranteed for anyone. 

Tunnel-vision would be an understatement in describing how Bahr felt, and what he saw. Thick gray seeped in from his peripheries and chipped away at corporeal reality, gradually blocking out all external stimuli until all that remained was Bahr and the remaining fractal stragglers that had yet to fully evaporate.

“You didn’t even like him,” Bahr muttered, a dry bitterness in his tone. “You barely knew him.”

“You mourn what he represents,”

came the cold, measured voice behind him, like a whisper in his bones. Bahr didn’t startle. He’d felt Death’s arrival as a chill that cut through the warmth of Aincrad’s artificial autumn. Death was not a stranger to him, nor was its presence unexpected. 

“Yeah?” Bahr asked without turning. His arms crossed over his chest as he gazed into the patch of muck the plume of pixels had risen from. “What’s that?”

“Finality.”

Bahr’s lips twisted into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Seems like you’d be used to that.”

Death moved forward to stand side-to-side with Bahr, the sound of its steps eerily absent. It stopped just at the edge of Bahr’s vision, a faint, shifting silhouette like smoke against the vibrant forest backdrop.

“It is not I who struggles with finality, Bahr. It is you. Always you.”

Bahr exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as his gaze dropped to the ground. Slowly, his eyes shifted leftward, burning with something caught between anger and exhaustion. The cold apathy of empty eye sockets returned his stare. “I know how this works. One misstep, one overreach, and that’s it. I get it. I’ve seen it before. But this... this feels different.”

“Different?”

Death’s tone was cool, neutral, though there was something probing in it.

“He was one of us. One of the strongest among us. Possibly the strongest. Stronger than me, for sure.” Though it may have pained him to admit it. He ran a hand through his hair, the ivory strands falling back into disarray. “First one of us Callisto’s managed to take out. Feels wrong, doesn’t it? Like the system made a mistake.”

Death was silent for a moment, its shadowy form still as if considering. Its presence was oppressive yet strangely calm, like the weight of inevitability itself. Finally, it spoke.

“The system does not err. It only enforces the rules it was built to uphold. Freyd faced the end, as all must.”

“Really?” Bahr spat, turning his gaze on Death. “And what about me? You took me - what was it? Two dozen times? More? What’s the rule there? Why do I get to keep coming back while Freyd’s just… gone?" Death’s laugh in response was soft, almost pitying.

“You speak as though I choose. The threads of life snap when their time is due. I am but the ferryman for those who cross.”

“Bullshit,” Bahr snapped. “You’ve taken me before. Again and again, in that fight against the Forgotten Time King. You came every damn time, and every time, that bastard rewound everything and forced me back.” Death tilted its head slightly, the motion fluid as oil, a gesture that may have communicated curiosity.

“You know the answer, Bahr. Your defiance of death was not your doing, nor mine. Time itself was twisted against its natural course. I only collect those whose journeys are complete. A cruel kindness, wouldn’t you agree?”

Bahr’s teeth ground together. "Cruel’s one way to put it. You make it sound so clean. So simple. But it’s not, is it? Freyd’s journey didn’t feel complete. Not to him. Not to me.”

“It is the nature of life to end.”

There was a faint note of finality in its voice.

“Even those who fight against it, as you have, will eventually fall. Freyd’s thread has run its course, just as Callisto’s hunger demanded it. That is all.”

“That is all,” Bahr echoed bitterly, pacing now, his boots crunching through the brittle leaves and squelching into sopping earth. "You say it like it’s nothing. Like he was nothing. He deserved better than to be torn apart by that-" His words broke off into a growl, the image of Callisto’s monstrous form still fresh in his mind.

Death regarded him silently for a long moment before speaking again.

“You’ve danced on the edge of my scythe more times than I care to count. Yet here you stand. Not through your own strength or cunning, but through forces beyond your control. Time was your shield against me, Bahr. Freyd had no such luxury.”

“That’s a hell of a thing to say,” Bahr said, his voice low, a dangerous edge creeping in. “If you’re trying to make me feel better, you’re terrible at it.”

“Comfort is not my role. Truth is.”

Bahr turned away, his fists clenched as he stared into the treeline. Callisto was still rampaging, its grotesque form undoubtedly moving toward its next victim. “Freyd deserved better,” he said finally, his voice rough but steady. “So do the rest of them. I’m tired of carrying ghosts. I’ll deal with Callisto, and it won’t be for revenge. It’ll be to make damn sure no one else has to cross your path because of that thing.”

Death's expression was a difficult one to discern, for obvious reasons. But Bahr could have sworn he saw a twinkle of pride in its eye.

“Your defiance remains intact. Perhaps that is why you continue to elude me.”

Bahr huffed a humorless laugh. “Don’t get too attached. One of these days, you’ll get me for good. Maybe even sooner than you think.”

“Perhaps.”

Death’s form began to waver, fading like smoke caught in a sudden breeze.

“But not today.”

Freyd may have been gone, but Bahr wasn't. That means this stupid fucking bear's days are numbered.

Pixels still hung in the air - the last remnants of Freyd’s existence dissolving into oblivion. Then the roar came. Callisto swiveled its massive, decayed head toward their party. The paleness of its deadened eyes radiated malice, and ichor dripped from its fungal-thatched maw as it studied their formation, looking for its opportunity to strike. The grotesque mass of mismatched flesh stood now as a monolith of death, its frame still twitching with the violence it had just unleashed.

Bahr’s grip tightened around the hilt of Dawn's Demise, his crimson eyes locking onto the beast with intensity such that he was surprised the monster did not catch flame. His chest burned, not from exertion, but from something raw and unfiltered - a mix of rage, grief, and cold, seething purpose.

“Freyd...” Bahr muttered under his breath, the words barely audible over the sound of Callisto’s guttural growls. “Leave this one to us.”

He didn’t wait for the bear to make the first move. With a single step, Bahr propelled himself forward, the force of his acceleration leaving a faint, rosy trail in the air. The world around him became a blur - trees, shadows, even the fading remnants of Freyd’s fractals - all fading into insignificance. There was only Callisto. His blade gleamed as it left its scabbard, the motion as fluid and natural as breathing. In his mind, there was no hesitation, no doubt. He aimed for the creature’s clavicle, the weak spot where rotted flesh met the exposed bone of its ribcage.

Bahr’s leap was perfectly timed. The bear reared up on its hind legs, its massive claws swiping through the space Bahr had occupied only moments before. But Bahr was already airborne, his blade coming down in a vicious arc. The slice was clean, precise. Crimson steel met decayed flesh, carving through the corrupted tissue with terrifying ease. Blackened ichor sprayed into the air, a foul rain that hissed and bubbled where it struck the ground. Callisto let out a choked roar, staggering backward as its body convulsed.

Bahr landed in a crouch, his boots digging into the slimy gunk as he rose, his sword still pointed toward the monster. His breathing was steady, his gaze unflinching. The bear thrashed, its hulking frame buckling more with rage than pain, but Bahr didn’t dare look away. Even as the monster wavered, Bahr’s instincts screamed at him to stay alert. The beast wasn’t dead - not yet. And Bahr had no intention of letting Freyd’s death go unanswered.

“Come on,” Bahr growled, his voice low, challenging. “You’ve taken one of us. Let’s see you try to take me.”

This wasn’t just vengeance. It was justice.

---

Note from the author:
The segment with Death is internal monologue - Bahr isn't standing there just audibly talking to himself. Those wishing to interact with that section would just see him zone out while watching Freyd's death fractals dissipating.

Recovery?
ID: 238648 | CD: 11, +4 EN.

Post Action.
ST-I vs Callisto the Tainted, -12 EN.
ID: 238649 | BD: 4, Hit, 28x15=420-45=375 damage inflicted against Callisto the Tainted.

 

"H-HEY NOW!" It seemed the glorious goober had deigned to scoop up their party's tank and take him for a ride. As humorous as Bahr was certain this would all seem once they were on the other side of this, they sorta needed their tank for this fight, and he couldn't imagine that Jomei was having any fun being ragdolled around in the clutches of that hulking mass of rotten flesh. Bahr sheathed Dawn's demise and leapt toward the creature, managing to grasp hold of a few clumps of fur attached to the monster's massive arm. As the boss' enormous frame swayed and jilted around with each movement, one of those clumps of fur ripped straight clean from the hide of the bear, and Bahr was forced to dangle by the grip of his other hand's grip. This was righted by Bahr leveraging the bear's own thrashing motion to swing himself closer toward Jomei and wrap the now-free hand around one of the paw's subduing the party's tank.

"Seems like a shitty situation," Bahr suggested with an unflattering grunt as he planted two feet against one paw and his shoulders against the other, pushing with all of his might until enough space was made for Jomei to maneuver his way out of Callisto's grasp. "Ghrrrnnn- let's get the fuck outta here."

Once their viridescent virtuoso had freed himself from the boss' clutches, Bahr shrugged to give himself an extra smidgen of space before rolling out of the way of the creature's paws, allowing them to smash together clumsily as he beat a hasty retreat. Uncoordinated footsteps which half-tripped over one another brought Bahr back toward the line with the rest of his crew, keeping a wary eye on the bear for any unforeseen punitive response that it may have had in store for them.

---

Post Action.
Freeing Jomei from Reckless Ensnare.
ID: 238484 | LD: 18+5=23, Success!

From the earthen depths emerged a lattice of roots which grabbed hold of the party, slithering its thorny appendages into the chinks and creases of their armor and anchoring them in place. Having faced similar traps in the past, Bahr knew that one of the worst things one could do when bound was to struggle and writhe against that which bound them. He took a deep breath and carefully assess the situation, fighting against his every urge to buck wildly against the ropey tendrils in a vain effort to free himself.

After a few moments, something clicked. Bahr placed a single hand gently on ones of the veiny roots, and it caught ablaze beneath his palm. The smoldering blemish rapidly spread to include the entire network of roots which had encompassed the party. They'd find the woodsy appendages banished to an ashen state, now disintegrating at even the gentlest touch.

"Yeah, think we're all good here," Bahr finally responded. "That felt like a... quick time event? But like you couldn't see what you were trying to time. Weird."

---

Recovery?
ID: 237999 | CD: 8. +4 EN
Oh my god I remembered Recovdery for once.

Post Action.
Nature's Fury roll.
ID: 238000 | LD: 20+4=24, Hit, 30/30 against Nature's Fury.

 

Bahr couldn't well say he disagreed with Jomei's assessment.

They'd been exceptionally lucky. Given the way that thing had been thrashing about, it was nothing short of a miracle that they'd only sustained the damage that they had so far. They'd had, what, one scary scrape with the beast? Easily mitigated by way of Mass HP Recovery items and Lessa's heals. When had she transitioned into a support role, anyway? A question that could be answered later, perhaps. This raid had Bahr all sorts of upside-down on who was doing what, but he'd faced worse before and under worse conditions.

A carefully executed slice carved a red line into the bear's hide with surgical precision, the blow delivered so elusively that Bahr had time to reset fully in preparation for any retaliatory action. When none came, his gaze slipped uneasily toward his comrades. Something wasn't feeling right about this at all, but he couldn't figure out what was out of place. 

What was missing?

---

Post Action.
ST-II vs Callisto the Tainted. -15 EN
ID: 237735 | BD: 5, Hit, 28x18=504-45=459 DMG inflicted against Callisto the Tainted.

 

Name: Coveralls
Your Profession: Tailor
Your Rank: 10
ID: 237651
Roll: 11
Item Type: Cloth Armor
Tier: 1
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: EVA III
Description: This blue jumpsuit is reminiscent of a jean mechanics uniform, though it seems more worn then new. It bears olive green patches on the knees and elbows of the garment as well as 13 outward facing star buttons. The cinch mechanism has been replaced with a sturdy leather bet.
Post Link: https://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/17882-f1-r10-tailor-the-crusty-bahrnacle/?do=findComment&comment=690879

What a tiny little thing, Bahr thought to himself as the newest guest to his humble boutique floated in like a specter. It seemed they desired the interaction no more than Bahr did in the end, though the necessities of Aincrad compelled them to put one foot ahead of the other. By the time that they reached the counter, Bahr was already prepping to get started on a new piece.

They produced the form in timid fashion, and Bahr inspected it silently. After a moment, he offered a nod, then waved a hand lackadaisically through the air as though to dismiss some notion he'd disagreed with. "No payment needed - newbies get stuff for free here." He hoped his observation of his interlocutor's low level hadn't offended them.

He retreated to the little workshop cordoned away from the showroom to get to work. After a few moments, the finalized work was ready for inspection. He brought it back out to the showroom, where his customer was still patiently waiting, and laid the piece over the counter so they could have a look.

"Would something like this work for you?"

 

"hello! nice to meet you! i have not observed anything that requires us attackers to act differently. ah, cordelia?"

"... Arabelle. We've met." But she was already gone, off to hand Cordelia some medicine. Looked like the poor girl could use it.

Things were starting to go downhill - just not fast enough that it merited panicking. Yet.

While their first round had been a resounding success, the second round had humbled them. Now, the most recent round had put Jomei down for the count, which had the potential to leave the rest of the party vulnerable. Bahr knew that he could step in as a stand-in tank for a round or two if needed, but he wasn't deluded enough to believe that he could straight up replace their tank if the situation called for it. He simply hadn't kitted himself out for such a role.

"Bahr," he heard the tank speak, after having emptied the contents of his stomach into the mire and muck of the arena's grimy floor. "You got my back? I'll grab his attention back in a few just... Need to take a minute..." Then, he allowed to the Antidote to do its work. Bahr set his eyes back to their shared adversary.

"You got it," came Bahr's simple reply. His grip adjusted around the hilt of Dawn's Demise, the familiar shape and weight of the weapon serving as a totem to anchor him and steel his resolve toward the coming waves of attacks. Seemed it was time to make good on his promises of being an off-tank if the situation called for it.

A stray claw made its way toward their party as the beast rampaged against another target. Bahr placed himself between the beast and Jomei and swung Dawn's Demise toward the razor-sharp series of keratin daggers, the collision spawning sparks and a thunderous clap which emanated from the point of impact. When it was all said and done, Bahr had only managed to divert the destination of the attack by a smidgen, but that was enough to send the paw squelching into the muck at their feet beside them rather than into the Players themselves. Putrid filth showered Bahr and Jomei (as well as anyone else unfortunate enough to be hovering around nearby) and a small chip of damage carved its way in against Callisto's health bar.

"Is this thing picking up steam, or am I crazy?" Bahr inquired calmly, voice barely audible over the chaos of war. "Doesn't look like we've even gotten it down to half health yet. A little worried about what a second phase might look like if there is one."

---

Adjustments.
Apologies to staff for forgetting about my EN the previous round! I appreciate y'all checking that. I think the numbers for expenditure are a little skewed, though. It'd be -17 EN for ST-II, which would then be reduced by 2 to -15 EN with Stamina weapon addon. So if I'm interpreting the math correctly, it'd be: 116 + (4+1 (Well Rested?)) = 121 - 15 = 106. My math could be off here, but I can't think of anything other than the Well Rested buff which would give me that extra 1 EN!

My stat block should also include stuffs for Dawn's Demise (Holy 2 / Fallen / Phase) instead of Forgotten King's Spite (Fallen / Burn / Blight / Bleed), due to a Quick Change a few rounds ago. I think I forgot to make those adjustments in my block right away, but they're present now.

Post Action.
ST-I vs Callisto the Tainted. -12 EN
ID: 237401 | BD: 2, Hit, 24x15=360-45=315 DMG inflicted against Callisto the Tainted.

 

A blur replaced the scene before Bahr's eyes before Pinball would answer him, world turned upside-down from a side swipe delivered by one of the monster's oversized paws. As Bahr's health bar (and those of his teammates) swiftly ticked backward in response to the strike, it appeared Bahr's suspicions had been confirmed. This was the sort of raid where everything would be okay - until it wasn't. Bahr's airborne frame twisted and contorted as it spun furiously, making reaching into his pocket to retrieve a healing crystal difficult. Difficult, but not impossible. After some unflattering fumbling, he located the elusive gem and crushed it in his pocket, doing his part to revitalize both himself and his teammates. Bahr bore witness to the party's health bars starting their slow ascent back toward safety, then blackness.

- - -

His senses came back him slowly, and one at a time. The first to find its way back to him was his sense of sound. Everything was low, dull, and muffled at first. Pitch, tone, and clarity seeped into the mosaic of noises until it resembled something more coherent, but Bahr still found it difficult to parse much. Someone was shouting something. Lots of people, in fact, were shouting. That damnable beast was still rampaging about, its enormous appendages unleashing thunderous impacts which drowned out all other sound each time they struck something. Eventually he could feel the earth shaking in tempo with these booms, at first pin pricks against sleeping nerves which slowly grew into full fledged sensations. With time, even sight would come back, indecipherable fuzz into grayscale into full color. Now, if only he could fucking move.

Bingo.

After the first twitch, the NerveGear finally gave him clearance to operate his avatar again, and in a blink he'd kicked off from his entombment within the rubble and started closing the distance between himself and the boss. Normally he'd have some sort of quip prepared to deliver here, or at least a clumsy one-liner he could let tumble from his mouth on the fly. But his jaw still wasn't quite working right, and his tongue felt like a dry sponge, so he thought better of it and let his actions do the talking. As the space between himself and his grotesque abomination collapsed, he wound into as fast as spin as he could muster, punctuating the motion with a gleaming slash across the bear's throat across the same laceration he'd made earlier. He landed in the creature's view and quickly dashed to depart, making his way back toward the rest of his team.

A cursory glance at his HUD revealed that most of them were in good shape - although Arabelle's condition was concerning. "Everyone doing okay over here?" he asked as he arrived alongside Jomei, squinting into the chaos in search of familiar names. "Have you seen anyone since that AoE?"

---

Free Action.
Bahr uses Rumbling Rum Party Favor, Mass HP Recovery Crystal. Party members gain the following:
Jomei: +0 HP (FULL)
Arabelle: +82 HP
Cordelia: +101 HP
Pinball: +113 HP
Lessa: +108 HP
Bahr: +104 HP
Action garners +4 Hate.

Post Action.
ST-II vs Callisto the Tainted. (-14 EN, reduced via Well Rested)
ID: 237319 | BD: 9, Critical Hit. Holy activated, Phase activated. 46x18=828-23=805 DMG inflicted against Callisto the Tainted.

 

Bahr studied the beast's movements as it darted about, trying (but failing) to maul some poor fool who'd garnered its ire. It seemed that its eyesight was lacking, something that admittedly made the thing slightly less intimidating than it had been only moments prior. If Bahr could elude detection via its other senses, there was a good chance he could make it out of this encounter unscathed. And it would be the same for the rest of his comrades - hopefully they would make the same connection.

"Its senses are weak, dulled. Perhaps withered away altogether," he announced to the others once the bear's micro-rampage had ceased. For a brief moment, he allowed his eyes to wander, to connect with those in his party. But once those orbs found Lessa's, they were hurriedly redirected back to the task at hand. Distraction was weakness, and Bahr didn't quite trust himself to not get distracted with her around. Luckily, Pinball was there to emerge from the inky black beside him at just that very moment and steal the show.

A few knives flew toward the creature like darts, sinking silently into the monster's flesh without so much as a twitch to signify registry. Bahr squinted, leaning over toward Pinball so his voice could be heard over the rest of the commotion. "Too easy so far," he observed. "Seems weird, right?"

---

Free Action.
Bahr uses Quick Change to swap equipped weapon (Forgotten King's Spite | T4 Demonic @ Burn/Blight/Bleed/Fallen) with BRI weapon (Dawn's Demise | T4 Demonic Straight Sword @ Holy II/Fallen/Phase)

Post Action.
ST-II vs Callisto the Tainted. (-1 EN for miss, reduced via Well Rested)
ID: 237147 | BD: 1, Miss.

 

Bahr's lips spread into a grin as he bore witness to his teammates' boisterous declarations and camaraderie. Who would've thought he'd land himself on a team with Lessa and a musician? And was that Arabelle? He was pretty sure he hadn't been on a squad with her since the Star-Crossed Lovers event some years ago. He wanted to greet each of them, but his stealthy approach precluded him from such pleasantries. The show was starting, and there was scant time left for anything that wasn't purposeful to the task at hand. Even within his own party, they'd noticed it, and each had loosed their own contribution to taking the monster down.

From the canopy above, he lingered like a phantom - a silent wraith draped in shadows cast by the skeletal limbs of autumn-stripped trees. A chill had settled over the forest, biting through the air, sharpened by the faint stench of rot which crept up from below. His eyes had traced the creature's movements as the Frontlines loosed their initial barrage, knowing it wasn’t quite an animal anymore. Its movements were jerky, laced with a wrongness that clashed against the natural rhythms of the forest.

The bear - or what was left of it - ambled forward, its hulking frame twisted, plagued by crystalline growths that burst through matted fur, their cumulative form constituting a jagged mosaic which refracted whatever meager light could find it. Its eyes, perhaps once piercing and intelligent, were clouded and vacant, any light replaced by the eerie glow of parasitic life spreading inside it. It moved in unnatural bursts, its breathing a rattling wheeze as the foulness of rot drifted from its mouth.

Bahr didn’t hesitate. He dropped from the branch, his body a streak of red and black, falling silently through the chilled autumn air. For a fraction of a second, he was suspended above the creature, his eyes locked onto the blackened fur and mottled minerals along the neck. The blade of Forgotten King's Spite glinted, catching the scant light that filtered through the thinning trees.

Then, with a fluid, practiced motion, he brought the edge down across its throat.

The steel parted flesh and crystal growth alike, sliding through the corrupted veins of the creature with deadly precision. He landed in a crouch just beneath the hulking mass, jump-rolling away almost the moment he landed to avoid an oversize paw which clambered down onto that position only a moment later. A twist brought his perspective right with his team, where he paused and held his ground. Every muscle tense, watching and waiting for the creature’s next move.

---

Post Action.
ST-I vs Callisto the Tainted. (-11 EN via Well Rested)
ID: 236904 | BD: 6, Fallen activated, 32x15=480-45=435/2=217 DMG inflicted against Callisto the Tainted.
Burn, Blight, and Bleed are re-applied.
Envenom Offensive and Paralyze inflicted.

 

Name: Ink-Stained Battleskirt
Your Profession: Tailor
Your Rank: 10
ID: 236322
Roll: 12
Item Type: Cloth Armor
Tier: 1
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: EVA II | MIT I
Description: What at first glance appears to be leather is, in fact, cleverly disguised soft cloth. It has been dipped in a magical ink which possesses rubber-like qualities, reinforcing the fabric while maintaining a matte black appeal. Form-fitting.
Post Link: https://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/17882-f1-r10-tailor-the-crusty-bahrnacle/?do=findComment&comment=690054

Mismatched orbs traced the youth as she meandered clumsily through his store. She was clearly new, and confusion seemed to cross her expression in equal measure to the wonder and ambition that also rode her visage. Her attention affixed to the order forms just moments after asking for them verbally.

So close. Maybe I need to put them closer to the door.

He inspected the order form as she submitted it. Seemed she had enough faith in his chops as a tailor to allow him most of the creative freedom with this piece, which was exactly what he had been looking for. There was a new, experimental fabric he had yet to try.

"Alright, no problem. I'll have this done in a sec."

After about five minutes, Bahr emerged from his little workshop in the back and produced the finished garment, placing it atop the counter for his customer to scrutinize. "Will this work?"

 

As energetic as ever.

The youth dissolved into a puddle of blackness which ebbed away as briskly as it arrived, and Bahr sighed. How many times could a conversation go like that? Bahr does all the talking, gets a single word in response, and in the end? Probably gets watched from the shadows, too. How many minutes - hours, had Pinball inspected Bahr while he couldn't see the guy?

Oh look at me, I'm a stealthy boy, I can turn iNvIsIbLe.

The words beat against his frontal lobe like cylinders of hickory against high-tension plastic, and though he may have mouthed them with a pursued lower lip, he dared not utter the words aloud. Then he'd just look like an immature dweeb to whoever may have been watching. No, Bahr had matured to a point where he could express his pettiness it more competitive ways. He opted for pizazz, walking around a nearby tree and disappearing in the breeze before reaching the other side. Bahr's disembodied voice whispered on the winds, "It's lasagna night."

Stealth Roll
ID: 236248 | LD: 17+4= 21 Stealth Rating

"Bro, hello?"

Bahr waved an open palm in front of Pinball glazed-over orbs, fishing for any semblance of a response out his seemingly comatose cohort. When a glimmer of recognition finally found the youth's eye, it gravitated toward the mismatched pair on the other side. The nonchalant tone in Bahr's voice betrayed the overall seriousness of their shared task. The weight of what lay ahead found its way squarely onto the shoulders of the young swordsmen who trudged toward an uncertain fate through the tangerine mosaic that stretched on before them. Whatever lies his lips told, his expression would communicate in earnest.

Don't get spacey on me. This shit's serious.

How much easier it would have been to have left the Frontlines behind, like he'd decided before. What were they doing out here? Trying to fulfill some perverse obligation foisted upon them by a glorified shuffling machine? Just mad enough to be true.

He turned, setting his sights on the dense swarm of players congregating not far ahead. "Come on. I want to be done in time for dinner."

---

Guide:

• "Crafted" consumables. (There's also a General Merchant consumable thrown in there.)

1. Quest consumables.

Consuming:

• Congealing Ale
  • Antidote III [ID: 236113-1]
• Mini Cheesecake
  • MIT III [ID: 188425-A]
• Liquor of Light
  • DMG III [ID: 184479-B]
• Nanaimo Bar >>[FILLED]>>
  • ACC III [ID: 204958-B]
• Evasion Dog
  • EVA II [ID unknown, acquired here]
• Berry Crumb Bar (I heard this one is outside the 5 "crafted" consumable limit.)
  • LD III [ID: 192706-A]
• Field Rations (This one, officer, this one is the General Merchant consumable.)
  • +12% Overhealth [No ID, acquired here]

1. Snake Venom
   • Applies Envenom (Offensive) I to Forgotten King's Spite [No ID, acquired here]
2. Filet of Kings
   • +135 HP [No ID, acquired here]
3. Bottled Banshee Scream
   • Applies Paralyze I to Forgotten King's Spite [No ID, acquired here]

Adjusted Stat Block:
Bahr | HP: 1159/1159 | EN: 124/124 | DMG: 24 | MIT: 163 | ACC: 7 | EVA: 4 | LD: 5 | Recovery I | BH: 57 | HB: 23 | FLN: 8 | BRN: 56 | BLT: 32 | BLD: 48 | ENV.O: 32 | PRLZ | DOTE: 3/3 | Well Rested 3/3 | Squeaky Clean | Spooky Amenity
Yup mhmm this stat block sure does still look like this, damn.

 

Bahr accepts, and offers the following to his teammates.

For @Pinball:

• Chocolate Truffles [x5] (T4 Vitality II Desserts)
  • IDs: 188691, 188692-A, 188692-B, 188697-A, 188697-B
• Black Cloak [Tierless Demonic Cloth Armor] (HB | EVA III)
  • ID: 236109

 

For @Lessa:

• Chocolate Truffles [x4] (T4 Vitality II Desserts)
  • IDs: 188699, 188700, 188702, 188703

Buying Field Rations (-1000 col sent to Banker).

No time for chatter. Bahr needed something, and he needed it quick. As much as he loathed the prospect of needing to rely on his neighbor's hearty meat cylinders yet again, he saw little in the way of alternatives in his frenetic dash to make it to the Frontlines in time for the raid. He burst through the swinging door, slapped his col on the counter, and with an aggrieved expression, regarded the shopkeep with an upward tilt of the chin.

"Need an Evasion Dog. Extra time in the deep fryer, please."

He assumed the fryer oil was what made the flavor pop so good.

Purchasing:

 

Combining the following:

Black Cloak | [#225015] | TIER 4 PERFECT CLOTH ARMOR | EVA III 
[desc.]: A dark hooded cloak made for comfort.

Big Blue Poncho | [#228814] | TIER 4 PERFECT CLOTH ARMOR | HB, EVA II
[desc.]: A big blue poncho.

into -> [+1 demonic shard, +1 gleaming scale sent to banker]

Black Cloak | [#236109] | TIERLESS DEMONIC CLOTH ARMOR | HB, EVA III 
[desc.]: A dark hooded cloak made for comfort.

It wasn't a surprise that Pinball was here, in the final hour, scrambling to get the last of his raid gear cobbled together. Much the same, it seemed all of Aincrad was abuzz with raid prep, trying to squeeze every last molecule of efficacy out of their equipment that they could. The time for bolstering their stats with EXP and levels had come and gone - now there was only time enough to refine that which they already possessed.

It was a simple matter to give Pinball what he had come for, especially considering one of the constituent pieces was a craft of Bahr's own design. Within a matter of minutes, the tailor had the final product ready for inspection. "This ought to do it."

 

A horrendous screech reverberated off the walls of the hovel which entombed the party, the grating noise of Forgotten King's Spite dragged across the mineral aggregate that composed the floor. There were a fair number of swordsmen who'd find the prospect of tarnishing such a sacred relic appalling. Those same were the sorts who hadn't the cunning nor raw talent to inherit such an heirloom themselves. There was a certain finesse which encompassed an all-out brawler's strategy, learned only through eating countless knuckle sandwiches and soil hors d'oeuvres through spectacular failure.

Surviving was the trick, the great teacher. Misdirection was one of its lessons. Being willing to take a good hit to deal back an even bigger one was its reality. Avoiding that hit in its totality was merely a bonus - the sprinkles atop a meat-grinder sundae served hard and cold to one's adversaries via laceration-induces liquefaction. Of course, it was always possible you'd need to kill a few brain cells with some good thwacks to the noggin before even considering any of the above advice to ring true.

The beast heard, and resented, the howl of the blade's scrape against uneven cobble. It craned its repulsive head Bahr's direction as the swordsman approached, readying itself for the inevitable upswing which would threaten to rip its underbelly asunder. An armored appendage shot out from the creature's bulbous body it intercept the weapon before it could dig in, but found now contact. Instead, Dawn's Demise manifested in Bahr's free hand in a ribbon of light, falling from above and cutting clean through one of the joints attaching the monster's outstretched appendage to the main body.

Ah, sprinkles.

 

The shriek that warbled from the monster's gullet rang like a siren song in Bahr's ears. At the edges of his lips, the faintest upward quirk signaled his approval for the grotesque amalgamation of mismatched body parts that now stared down the party. It was nowhere near the most fearsome creature he'd faced, but it was a hell of a lot closer than anything he'd com into contact with in a long, long time.

A knowing glance shot a signal to Freyd - if played correctly, they could have the beast slain before it managed an meaningful counterattack. His gaze next connected with Circe, then Omen. Their roles were no different than before, but - should the larger of the two allow it - they could serve to make their initial rush more expedient. 

As Omen rushed forth, so too did Bahr, matching pace with the tank as he lunged forward and clonked his axe against the the periphery of the freak's skull. Knives sailed past the pair and buried themselves into the reinforced chitin of the monster's appendages so as to extend its recoil. As Omen brought his axe down, Bahr pushed his back against Omen's, rolling up and toward their shared adversary as the larger of the two men turned. The momentum of the action carried Bahr's sword into the visage of their foe with increased speed, the blade cracking against the side of its head in the exact same spot that Omen's axe had struck only moments before.

Their joint attack concluded, both would double back and regroup with the others, leaving the mob still reeling.

 

Combining the following:

saint-germain | [#233633] | TIERLESS CLOTH ARMOR | LD | RISKY | VAMP-D
[desc.]: a silk wrist cuff upon which a corsage of pure white roses is pinned.

satin. | [#233639d] | TIERLESS CLOTH ARMOR | LD | RISKY | VAMP-D
[desc.]: a sheet of fabric that catches the light. incredibly glossy.

into -> [+1 demonic shard, +1 gleaming scale.] [sent to banker as iris.] [she may have overpaid?? i believe she sent 2 gleaming scales when only one should have been required]

saint-germain | [#234698] | TIERLESS CLOTH ARMOR | RISKY II | VAMP-D II
[desc.]: a silk wrist cuff upon which a corsage of pure white roses is pinned.