Yukiro

With a slight feeling of dread, Yukiro entered the Town of Beginnings again. Parties of people became more and more common the further he went into the town the more people he could see wandering around, speaking with other players or haggling with shop NPCs. Yukiro did his best to ignore the clamor around him. Despite his best efforts, it still made him uncomfortable to be in crowds.
Yukiro cut into an alleyway to breathe for a moment. It wasn't that he was scared. But it certainly made him nervous to be among large groups of people. Still, he knew what to do. Just stay quiet, don't draw attention to yourself. If you can do that you can bypass crowns. 
Steeling himself for the journey through town, he exited the alley and started to walk briskly down the cobbled path. He reminded himself that the quest was almost over. All he had to do now was use his materials to forge a sword. Knowing his luck, of course, it was going to fail somehow. 
Well, all it would mean is that he would have to fight more. Too bad his hobby is exactly that.

Yukiro felt good about how he was doing. He'd fought a small bit, he'd found what seemed to be a rare item of sorts, and he finally managed to gather some ore! The increasing amount of col that was accumulating wasn't bad either. All he had to do now was head back to town and forge a sword. He had to wonder, how would that work? Forging was not an easy process... but that could be saved until later.
Yukiro looked around. He was nearly as the city gates, but he happened to be passing by a gathering point. Smiling, Yukiro crouched down and picked through the rocks to get at the mineral that was hidden beneath.
As he unearthed the crystal he got an uneasy feeling. This one was going to shatter, wasn't it? He suddenly became very aware that his good luck would not hold up for long. Still, he'd come this far.
Moments after he'd grabbed the ore his fears were confirmed. The crystal shattered in his hand.

Yukiro continued on his way to the Town of Beginnings, pleasantly surprised at the sudden turn of events. As he drew near the city gates, his mind began to wander.
It would be a waste to simply leave without having fought to my heart's content, he figured. Perhaps he should face another boar, just for the fun of it.
Drawing his sword, he approached a boar. To his surprise, it looked up and snorted at him. The previous one hadn't reacted at all. Or maybe it simply had no time to do so. The boar shook it's head a bit and charged. Yukiro waited until the last second to move aside from the beast's charge. When he did, to his shock, the boar wheeled around in an impressively sharp turn and managed to gore his leg with its tusk. 
Tsk. 
Yukiro didn't bother waiting for the boar to stop. He started his attack and waited until his sword art initiated, using it to lunge toward the boar and cleave through it in one stroke. The boar squealed and burst into pieces. 
When the little menu of rewards popped up this time, however, Yukiro let out a cry of surprise. The boar had dropped a weapon!? Why did the boar have a weapon? And why was the boar's weapon even more powerful than his? Yukiro shook his head. Not important. All that mattered was that he had it now. 

And some more boar hide.

Yukiro whipped his sword back and forth in one hand, accustoming himself to it's weight and feel. He was feeling pretty good. He'd just gotten one boar tusk and some boar hide. If the bones could be forged then, he supposed, so could a tusk. and leather would make a good handle wrap, so that was almost definitely a usable material. The only question that remained was, could he forge a sword without metal?
He stopped to debate. Did he want to try and get more bones and teeth, and risk finding out he couldn't make a sword without metal? Or should he continue to try and get an ore so he could eliminate the possibility of not meeting the requirements? 
Either way, it would be much longer if he spent to much time thinking about it. Deciding that he'd rather not have to walk back through town pointlessly, he looked around for the nearest pile of rocks. 
Upon seeing a nearby glint in the ground Yukiro walked over, still swinging his sword in front of him, and stared down at his nemesis. Still not wanting to waste time, he sheathed his sword and reached down towards the ore. He paused just before touching it to take a deep breath, then grabbed it and hoisted it up with speed. 
To his utter amazement, it didn't shatter. It didn't break or disappear. Internally celebrating, Yukiro tapped the crystal and it entered his inventory.

Yukiro wandered, almost aimlessly, towards the entrance to the Town of Beginnings. He watched boars graze and grass shudder in the wind. The ores continued to glint mercilessly at him. He didn't bother trying to gather them. It was a lost cause. He knew the result. 
A party of players ran by. I hope they go to the cave, Yukiro thought, I hope they fail to get a single piece of ore. All he had managed to get were some wolf bones, so he was somewhat bitter. 
Wait. Mobs drop materials. Boars were everywhere. He could just go get some items from them. Yukiro scolded himself for yet another late realization before looking around at the available boars. The closest one was simply eating grass. A perfect target to blow off steam.
Yukiro drew his sword. I know how the sword art tries to move now, he thought, I can use it. 
He entered a stance more appropriate for the sword art, an open low stance. He lifted his sword up and to the side and paused until he heard the sound of the sword art activating. He lunged forward with the sword's movement and swiped down, targeting the boar's head. The sword entered easily through the boar's face and out its backside, leaving a long red stroke across its body. The boar didn't even react; it simply shattered into pieces. 
Yukiro held his sword up and looked at it, smiling. Perhaps sword arts aren't so bad, he decided. Maybe. 

Yukiro crouched down at the entrance to the cave, looking carefully around the entrance of the cave. Yukiro found it difficult to see any glowing spots. The light from the sun drowned out any possibility of the relatively faint glow of the crystal through the ground. He let out a tired sigh and stood up, turning away from the hopeless endeavor. Then he saw it.
A pile of rocks. Not very big, but not terribly small either. and among them, the glint of a crystal-like ore stood out like fireworks in the midnight sky. 
How had he missed this on his way here? Was he really that oblivious? 
If so, it was a little sad.
Deciding not to dwell on it, Yukiro jogged over to the rock pile and inspected it closer. The ore was literally sticking out of the ground, only somewhat covered by the rocks surrounding it. 
Yeah, it was definitely sad that he had missed it.
Yukiro was able to simply pick the ore up. No digging. He stood up with the ore in his hands. 
It shattered. Yukiro watched the familiar fragments disperse.

Yukiro continued to wander towards the cave's exit. He did not find any more wolves, which half relieved him and half dismayed him. No matter. He would find plenty of boars when he exited the cave. 
He also found only one glowing spot, one gathering point. He had decided that maybe, just maybe, he could get some ore. He had dug around it, careful not to touch it, until it was nearly free of the earth. He felt so relieved when his fingers clasped it's smooth, hard surface.
He could not get some ore. It shattered immediately following his retrieval of the crystal. This had sent him into a short period of lamenting his lack of ability to pick up minerals.
After relieving himself of his brooding Yukiro stood up and continued towards the cave entrance. Had he really gone this deep? Had he taken a wrong turn? 
He went around a corner and much brighter light stung his eyes. The cave's glowing lights suddenly seemed dim when compared to the light of the sun. 
Once his eyes had recovered, he marched to what was now the exit to the cave.

Yukiro looked over the money and items he had just gained. Are wolf bones able to be forged? How would that work? It didn't matter, he supposed. It is a game, there must be some way it will work. Right?
Yukiro sighed and sat down, leaning back against the wall. He would have to get used to the odd combat systems of this world. And learn how to use sword arts to his advantage. If his memory served correctly, the sword arts would attempt to assist his movement. Considering this, it may lead to wasted movement though. He hoped whoever designed the sword arts had the attention to detail to make the efficient. 
A soft glow started next to where Yukiro was sitting. He stared at it for a moment before sighing heavily. "Better metal than bone for a sword," he decided before setting to work uncovering the hidden treasure. 

It shattered when he picked it up. 

The wolf snapped at Yukiro's feet. He took a half-step back, just enough for the wolf to miss him. The wolf bit at his shins again. He continued to narrowly side step the animal's attempted attacks, testing to see how his own actions influenced the mobs. He took a bigger leap away and wawtched as the wolf crouched in preparation for a lunge. Yukiro waited for the wolf's jump before briskly moving aside. The wolf, once again, ailed past him. It landed closer than usual, and instead of preparing another lunge it turned to rush at him again. Yukiro made a mental note that the proximity of the mob affected the mob's response. 
This time, rather than moving away, Yukiro kicked the wolf, ramming his boot through it's mouth. Unsurprisingly, the wolf bit down on Yukiro, who watched his health drop a little further. Without wasting a beat, he one-handedly swept his sword down and through the wolf's throat. The canine released his limb, writhed a moment, and shattered into small fragments.
"Shameful, to struggle so much against such a minor foe," Yukiro berated himself, "But I suppose I have a sort of talent for making things break..." 
A small window appeared, displaying rewards for killing the beast. Some money and two wolf bones. 
Well, a victory is a victory.

Yuriko began to dodge instead of attack, learning to read the creature's movements. Very soon, he was able to recognize the basis of its attack patterns. He hadn't noticed it because wasn't used to having an opponent with such an obvious repetition of attacks, but the mob's movements were based on a repeating pattern. He stepped away as the wolf snapped at his legs, twisted away as it jumped at his arms, and jumped to the side when it lunged. He was getting to the point where he could nearly do it subconsciously.
The wolf lunged. Yukiro stepped aside, and the wolf sailed harmlessly past him. That was the third lunge. So now it would pause again before attacking. As it landed, Yukiro stepped forward and made to stab it, holding his hefty sword in one hand. To his surprise, the wolf hopped away. Odd, he thought, it hasn't done that before. Perhaps it is able to dodge when it pauses? 
Or perhaps he was simply too lazy in his attack.

Yukiro sighed at his own foolishness. "If I must act in such an idiotic manner, I might as well take advantage of it." He adjusted his stance, putting one leg further out and waited for the wolf to lunge.
The wolf waisted no time this time around. Turning sharply it snapped it's jaws one and lept towards Yukiro again. Yukiro calmly raised his knee to his chest and leaned forward. The wolf plowed into the leg and bit with an unexpected amount of ferocity. Yukiro pushed off the ground with one leg, shoving his other leg forward with all his might to send the wolf flying away from him in an upward arc.
Taking advantage of the wolf's air time Yukiro swung his sword in a full ark, cleaving down through the wolf's torso. The wild dog hit the ground with a heavy thud, a large red line through its center. Slowly, it rose up and growled at him again. 

Yukiro slowly turned to glare at the wolf. He took a deep breath and raised his sword. He closed his eyes, trying hard to calm his temper. 
"This isn't a person, it should be easy..." he whispered to himself. Yukiro slowly raised his sword, then quickly opened his eyes.

He opened his eyes just in time. The wolf was already mid lung for a second attack, not sparing much time to think. Yukiro instinctively twisted away from the attack and attempted to swing at the wolf, but it was difficult to swing in the opposite direction of his rotation, so he aborted the strike in favor of regaining proper form.
Stepping away from the wolf as he turned to face it, Yukiro raised his sword over his head for a classic high guard stance. Despite the methodical movement, he was seething at his folly. Closing his eye's in the midst of battle? He might as well ask to be bitten. 

Nearly half an hour later Yuriko was no closer to obtaining any sort of material. It was getting on his nerves. This was supposed to be a quick, easy quest right? Then why has he been hunched over in a cave for nearly an hour!? This is ludicrous! Slowly, Yukiro got to his feet. 
"Fine then. I don't care," he muttered to himself before turning and storming towards the exit. When he got halfway back he began to hear a growling sound behind him. Stepping away from the noise as he spun around, he saw a dog. No, a wolf. 
Yukiro couldn't help but grin. He'd been waiting to cut something. And this was a perfect chance to try out one of those 'sword skills'.
Drawing his sword, Yukiro didn't bother with a stance. He took a stance and waited until his sword started to glow. He grinned as the wolf crouched. 
As Yukiro moved to swing his sword, however, it suddenly lurched forward, pulling Yukiro at an awkward angle. Tripping with the unexpected movement of his weapon, Yukiro landed face-first in the dirt. The wolf launched itself over his head as he swiftly pulled himself back up. 

Gritting his teeth in frustration Yukiro tightened his grip on the sword. 
"I... really don't like sword arts."

Yukiro crept deeper and deeper into the cave. He found several ores, each of which shattered as he held it. He was beginning to get annoyed with the ordeal, which he knew was a bad sign. If he couldn't defeat a rock, he wasn't going to make it very far. 

As he thought this Yukiro came across another distinctive spot of light. He rubbed his hands together, breathing slowly and deeply. "Surely, this time, I will get the rock."

He dug around the fragment more slowly, more carefully than before, hoping that maybe the technique would help his chances of obtaining the item. He resisted the biting urge to pull the crystal out until the item was fully uncovered. Finally, after nearly three minutes of careful digging, a small, round hole encompassed a shining piece of material. Yukiro breathed a tired sigh of relief. 

Then the item shattered. Yukiro stared down at the place where it had once shone. "..." 

"I hate this game." It was all he could say to keep himself composed. 

Yukiro glanced scrutinizingly around the entrance to the cave, looking for something that stood out. Ah! Something was shining through the dirt just a few feet away. Stepping towards and crouching next to the unusual light, he shifted the dirt to discover some kind of glimmering mineral! He began to dig around it in hopes of pulling it out. Eventually, he managed to wrap his hand around the item and pull it free of the earth. It was more crystalline than metallic, but Yukiro couldn't help but smile. It was literally just laying in the dirt.

Suddenly the item began to glow in his hand. Yukiro watched the item in absent surprise. Then it shattered. 
"Ack!" Yukiro grasped at the fading pieces of the mineral. He sat there, dumbfounded, for nearly a minute before sighing and rising to his feet. 
"I suppose this isn't going to be as simple as I anticipated..." he muttered to himself as he began to stalk deeper into the cave. At least he knew what to look for now...

Yukiro wandered down the streets towards the open fields where he would gather materials. He stole glances at other players; some laughing with friends, others walking alone like him. It pained his heart a bit to see the cheerful parties, but he knew better than to dwell on it. Instead, he simply walked faster.

The number of people began to thin as he approached the open plains. Yukiro reached the edge of the town and stared out at the grassy fields. No, no time to waste. Finish quickly and move on. He jogged out of town to figure out how to find materials. Glancing around as he ran, Yukiro noticed a small cave. Right, the place the blacksmith. He slowed down as he approached. It was clear that he should be more careful as he approaches such landmarks. In the interest of time, he decided he'd rather avoid combat. Glancing around to make sure nothing, and nobody, was around he edged his way into the cave. 

Yukiro rubbed the base of his neck. So this is how you find a quest? It seems straightforward enough. Kinda rough, not knowing how such a world operates. He shouldn't be wasting time complaining though. This is his first quest. He should be listening to the rambling NPC in front of him. 

"... should be plenty in the caves past the southern forest--heck, you may even find some layin' around half-buried in the dirt! Just bring 'em here and we'll make you into a proper blacksmith," the large, bearded man finished with an animated laugh. 

Right. I guess that means my job is to go out and find something to make into a sword. That means some kind of metal, right? Would he really find ores lying around? Is that how games work? Odd.

"I will return shortly, with the required metals," Yukiro said much more boldly than he felt. He had a feeling he was getting into a little more than he could handle. 

<<Inventory>> 

<<Weapons>>

• <<Equipped>> 2H Demonic 2HSS [1 Fallen, 3 ACC] (Gift from Kityusia)
• Sterondight (T1 Perfect 2H Straight Sword)
  DMG III 

• Jack's Purgatory (T1 Perfect 2H Straight Sword) 
  BRN I // BLT I // FRZ I // CURSED
  Spoiler

  Cursed - This item automatically adjusts its Tier to the player it's equipped to 
  Burn - Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 deal 12 unmitigated burn damage each enemy turn for 2 turns. Burn damage does not stack, but can be refreshed. [Must hit to activate the status condition.]
  Blight - Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 deal 12 unmitigated blight damage each enemy turn for 2 turns. Blight damage does not stack, but can be refreshed. [Must hit to activate the status condition.]
  Freeze - Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 remove the enemy’s action on their next turn. Frozen opponents lose any evasion properties. Striking a frozen enemy before the effect ends will end Freeze and deal an extra 12 unmitigatable damage. [Must hit to activate the status condition.]

• Cross of Regret (T1 Rare 2H Straight Sword)
  ACC | DMG

<<Armor>> 

•  Partial Plate Armor (Vanity Light Armor)
• CLOAK OF TWISTED WORLDS
• Spoiler

  Name: Cloak of Twisted Worlds
  Your Profession: Tailor
  Your Rank: 8
  Roll ID: 124923
  Roll Result: CD11 / LD10
  Item Type: Light Armor
  Tier: 1
  Quality: Rare
  Enhancements: +2 EVA
  Description: "He who desires but acts not breeds pestilence."
  Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/17882-f1-r8-tailor-the-crusty-bahrnacle/?do=findComment&amp;comment=582825

  LEGGINGS OF SHATTERED TORMENT

• Spoiler

  Name: Leggings of Shattered Torment
  Your Profession: Tailor
  Your Rank: 8
  Roll ID: 124924
  Roll Result: CD9 / LD6
  Item Type: Light Armor
  Tier: 1
  Quality: Rare
  Enhancements: +18 MIT
  Description: "While thy branches mix with mine, and our roots together join."
  Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/17882-f1-r8-tailor-the-crusty-bahrnacle/?do=findComment&amp;comment=582825

   Nightmare Overcoat

• Spoiler

  Name: Nightmare Overcoat
  Your Profession: Tailor
  Your Rank: 8
  Roll ID: 125661
  Roll Result: CD13 / LD19
  Item Type: Light Armor
  Tier: 1
  Quality: Perfect
  Enhancements: +18 MIT | Regen 1
  Description: "To see the world in a grain of sand, and to see heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hands, and eternity in an hour."
  Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/17882-f1-r8-tailor-the-crusty-bahrnacle/?do=findComment&amp;comment=583288

   

  <<Equipped>>Ravenfeather Treads

• Spoiler

  Name: Ravenfeather Treads
  Your Profession: Tailor
  Your Rank: 8
  Roll ID: 125662
  Roll Result: CD12 / LD6
  Item Type: Light Armor
  Tier: 1
  Quality: Perfect
  Enhancements: +3 EVA
  Description: "Without contraries is no progression. Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, are necessary to human existence."
  Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/17882-f1-r8-tailor-the-crusty-bahrnacle/?do=findComment&amp;comment=583288

  Witcher's Vambraces <<Equipped as Vanity>>

• Nightmare Nebula

• Hero's Hakama
• Spoiler

  Name: Hero's Hakama
  Your Profession: Tailor
  Your Rank: 5
  ID: 120291
  Roll: CD12 / LD9
  Item Type: Light Armor
  Tier: 2
  Quality: Perfect
  Enhancements: +36 MIT | Recovery 1
  Description: "Designed to keep the wearer in the fight, this article of clothing will allow you to take hits and retain the energy to dish them back."
  Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/17882-f1-r6-tailor-the-crusty-bahrnacle/?do=findComment&amp;comment=577857

   

<<Equipped>> Briar Cloak

<<Trinkets>>

• Lion Pendant

• Spoiler

  Name: Lion Pendant
  Your Profession: Merchant
  Your Rank: 3
  Acquisition Roll ID: 
  Identification Roll ID:
  126116 | LD20 = ACC
  126117 | LD12 = LD
  Item Type: Trinket
  Tier: 1
  Quality: Rare
  Enhancements: ACC 1 | LD 1
  Description: "A pendant in the sahpe of - you guessed it - a lion."
  Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/18214-f10-r1-merchant-youve-hit-the-jackpot/?do=findComment&amp;comment=583597

  Luck of the Danish

• Spoiler

  Name: Luck of the Danish
  Your Profession: Merchant
  Your Rank: 3
  Acquisition Roll ID: 
  Identification Roll ID:
  126118 | LD19 = EVA
  126119 | LD10 = Taunt
  Item Type: Trinket
  Tier: 1
  Quality: Rare
  Enhancements: EVA 1 | Taunt 1
  Description: "That's the irony. The Danish aren't lucky."
  Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/18214-f10-r1-merchant-youve-hit-the-jackpot/?do=findComment&amp;comment=583597

  Amber Clover Pendant

• Spoiler

  Item Name: Amber Clover Pendant
  Profession: Artisan
  Rank: 4
  Roll ID: 127708
  Roll Result: 11
  Item Type: Jewelry
  Tier: 1
  Quality: Rare
  Enhancements: Loot Die, Loot Die
  Description: A four-leafed clover, preserved cast in resin, fashioned as a piece of amber and made to be worn as a pendant. Made to be one of a few. Has tiny gold flakes inside, making the piece glisten gently in the dark.
  Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/18303-f01-r4-artisan-the-evening-star-closed/?do=findComment&comment=584900

   

<<Skills>>

<<Items>>

<<COMPLETED ROLEPLAYS>>

Yukiro

Appearance

Yukiro is extremely tall but relatively thin. His unusual white hair and red eyes became a source of pride thanks to his half-brother. A small scar can be seen on his right arm, though it's rarely seen as he prefers to keep it hidden. Often seen in wildly extreme moods, Yukiro suffers from Bi-Polar leaving him in either upbeat, can-do mania or deep depression. Being around people helps him think clearly, however.

Virtues // Flaws

Virtue/Flaw; Yukiro will unfailingly help others. Whether saving their life or escorting them home, he will do everything in his power to give aid to those he sees as in need. This does lead him to avoid the front lines and not associate with the stronger players much, as the lower level players tend to need more help, but it also makes him a very reliable ally.

Virtue/Flaw; Instinct. Years of fighting in real life gives him an uncanny edge for combat. He can read combat situations well, judge an opponent's skill (apart from their stats), and adjust his tactics to suit unexpected situations. This allows for Yukiro to plan quickly and fight efficiently, however this also causes Yukiro to focus on what he should be capable of realistically, and forget about what the game allows for him and others to do. 

Virtue; Loyalty. Yukiro never turns his back on a friend, and never gives up on someone he trusts for any reason. He’s the kind of person to be willing to give everything he has if it helps protect his friends. Not only that, but he believes wholeheartedly in their capacity for good. Even if he were to learn they had done, or were currently doing terrible things, he would still believe that they will change for the better.

Virtue; Honor. Having been raised with a strict code of conduct, holding onto his honor is immensely important to Yukiro. When he interacts with others, he feels he has no choice but to try and be perfectly polite, honest, and loyal. It is hard for him to turn down a challenge and may even accept quests that are clearly above his abilities should he be requested to do so. He specifically honors the rules of engagement in combat and sees dirty tactics and ambushing as the lowest of the low.

Flaw; Yukiro is slow to open up to people. His belief is that being open and vulnerable is to show weakness, and that showing weakness of the mind is disgraceful. This causes him to be slow and difficult in making real friends and leads him to isolate himself. He can eventually open up to people, but the process is so slow and tedious most who try to befriend him give up before they grow past the point of being allies. Through his time spent in Aincrad, he has begun to develop a small group of trusted friends, and though he would never openly admit it, wants to make many more. 

Flaw; Trauma. Having lost multiple people in his life, both before SAO and within, gave Yukiro a deep fear of losing someone. Being reminded of this makes him very emotionally unstable; pushing his sadness, anger, even sanity at times to the limit. This has caused him to act irrationally, disregarding his chivalry or lashing out unintentionally. Through his time in Aincrad, he's become more willing to go against his moral codes for the greater good, but he's also developed a secret sense of self-loathing for doing so.

Profession: Blacksmith | Shop