Acanthus

Freyd’s hands started to act oddly. Something about the space around them seemed to, well, it disappeared entirely. Acanthus had the distinct feeling she was watching something that she should only observe indirectly, because her mind was having a hard time understanding it. Finally, the paradox seemed to settle, and his hands glowed with a purple miasma. Acanthus felt both relieved and concerned. Freyd’s adjustment meant that things weren’t out of control just yet. Although… the edge pressing into his voice was noticeable. Maybe it was anger, or annoyance—Acanthus had a hard time deciphe

Nymoria had seemed genuinely calm in response to Acanthus’ failure. She tried her best to reassure herself that it came from a place of genuine acceptance. She thought about all the times mistakes had been “acceptable” at work until it was convenient to dredge them up for a quick jab. Not everyone is like that, she told herself. Give her the benefit of the doubt. It’s the least you can do. Steadying herself, she placed the performance crystal back in her bag, and settled down on a rock next to Nymoria. Silently, she began to scan the area around them for any usable materials, but had no s

“Hubris?!” Uso-Tsuki sputtered. “It’s not hubris to be right.” Doing his best to avoid your attacks, your <<Concentration>> manages to punch through his defenses, striking a telling blow. Your attack leaves him winded. Staggering backwards, he does his best to put space between the two of you. “That’s the problem with you hero types. You’re not willing to see the big picture. So what if I have to break a few eggs here and there?” Uso-Tsuki continues rambling, hoping to catch his breath before you begin another offensive. “Power is a necessary evil to wield. You’re doing it rig

Acanthus had barely returned from her trip with Nymoria when she stumbled into what seemed like a confrontation. She witnessed a player confidently talking to some NPCs. “Hey, idiots. I heard you have an ape problem. I’ll take care of it.” Ape problem? Acanthus perked up. She had meant to tackle this quest ever since she had unlocked her TECH shift. The ability would be a powerful one to add to her arsenal. Not to mention she was enjoying the atmosphere of floor eight. It was calm and green, and full of life—she’d take any excuse to prolong her stay here. She wasn’t exactly keen on her u

Crafting for 9/7/2024 Langue de chat consumed (Ambition). +1 EXP per craft (+2 total from Trinket | Tuning Fork) EXP: 930/2559

Crafting for 9/6/2024 Langue de chat consumed (Ambition). +1 EXP per craft (+2 total from Trinket | Tuning Fork) EXP 839/2559 Crafter's Respite used! (228995). Daily attempts reset. EXP 890/2559

“So you’re the one that bested my enforcers.” Uso-Tsuki pulls back, looking for openings in your defense. “The outsider here to save the Chief from the consequences of his own rule.” He continues to circle you, eyes darting. He licks his lips. “The Chief’s position should have passed to me by right. Did he tell you that? But he decided to cast me out instead.” Uso-Tsuki gave a mock pout. “The poor old man. He refused to keep up with the times. Why play nice with the lands outside of Marsonia? We have all the strength we need without them.” Without warning, he darts underneath your sword a

Crafting for 9/5/2024 Langue de chat consumed (Ambition). +1 EXP per craft (+2 total from Trinket | Tuning Fork) EXP 742/2559 Crafter's Respite used! (228973). Daily attempts reset. EXP 787/2559

The guard gives you one last salute. “I will protect the Chief with my life.” The few remaining guards appear to be restoring order, a group of hidden rebels already tied up and awaiting whatever punishment the Chief finds fitting. Solaris’ birds-eye view comes in handy, as it only takes a few minutes for him to locate the action. Signaling to you down below, it appears that the lieutenant is indeed on the south side of the island. And the closer you get, the more frantic the noise becomes. You hear the sounds of battle, steel on steel, and the yelling of men, both in combat and in pain.

The guard gives another salute. “I will notify you the moment we lay eyes on him. He can’t have made it far. I believe the lieutenant was looking to corral him on the south side of the island, but that may be subject to change.” The guard then disappeared back into the crowd. The Chief, standing shakily, addresses you. “I… I feel that it is important to continue the commune. I have to show my people that I am strong. Besides,” the Chief glances to the forest beyond, “if Uso-Tsuki is on the run and his enforcers have been dispatched, I have nothing to fear. The contingent of my honor guard

“Sounds good.” Just one pack? I think we could take a few more easily. She stormed through the ghasts as they hung stunned in the air. The last few quests had left her wondering what she’d ever been afraid of. Kumatetsu and the Leech Lich both had been brief encounters. But be careful. You know that the boss fights only get harder. But the ghasts left something to be desired. Slashing to her heart’s content, all four burst like confetti into multiple shards. She walked back to Pinball, dusting her hands. “That seemed simple enough. I’m surprised we got any loot from them.” Part

Acanthus rushed toward Nymoria as the shards disappeared. “Nymoria, I am so sorry. I was distracted, and I allowed you to get hit. Are you ok? I think I have some healing crystals somewhere…” She opened her menu frantically, pushing buttons for various crystals. “That’s not it, no, no, where are they…” Crystals appeared and dropped to the ground around her. One shattered and played an inappropriately jaunty tune, and a buff appeared around Acanthus. “I’m—I’m sorry, they were right here. Let me…” She trailed off as she stooped to the ground to gather the scattered performance crystals. “I know

With the enforcers both dead, the commotion begins to subside. Uso-Tsuki is currently nowhere to be seen. The Chief looks up at you with eyes full of grief. “I knew it would come to this, but still… I was not prepared for such devastation. The ceremony is interrupted, and Uso-Tsuki has fled.” A Marsonian guard approaches and stops at a safe distance. He salutes the Chief before turning to you. “I bring word from the lieutenant. He says that he is working on trapping Uso-Tsuki on the island. The docks are quarantined, and we have fleets circling the island, watching for any attempts to sli

Crafting Finale: Sound of the Wilds She had a long day ahead of her, but Acanthus knew it was the home stretch. She closed the shop early, bought an extra round of pastries from the shop across the street, and prepared for the marathon of crafting. (Note: I was sloppy and did not include whether my crafts were Support or Debuff in my spreadsheet, so the links to my crafting page fail to specify "debuff song." I have, thankfully, specified in each of the rolls on the site. I think one or two might have been left blank when I fat fingered "submit" trying to select the third box. In tho

Crafting for 9/4/2024 Langue de chat consumed (Ambition). +1 EXP per craft (+2 total from Trinket | Tuning Fork) EXP 648/639 Crafter's Respite used! (228972). Daily attempts reset. EXP 694/2559

Your powerful blow sends Purotekutā flying off the stairs and into the dirt. He stands with a weakness that belies the conviction in his eyes. “Barbarian,” he says with a dead voice. “Nothing but a brute. Uso-Tsuki could have made you more. And yet you choose weakness.” He brings his katana up, wincing from his wounds. Even from a distance it is easy to see that he is clinging to life. He approaches you wearily, ready to finish this. “Even when you beat me, you will be no match for Uso-Tsuki. His is the might of rulers. He will kill the Chief, and with him, the childish dream of prosperit

Nymoria dashed off after another teasing remark. Acanthus was surprised to hear herself laughing, “Not if I have anything to say about it!” Hot on her heels, she had already drawn Meteor, preparing to strike. How long had it been since she had done something like this? She thought of all the times she visited friends on sunny days in the real world, and all the laughter they shared as they laid out blankets and talked until the sun touched the horizon. She’d been so preoccupied leveling up and surviving, that some days she forgot this was her life. For better or for worse, she had to enjo

Acanthus stumbled into Demian’s cart on her way to the shop in the morning. She was stunned; could shops move? She hadn’t considered that possibility. And if this one moved, how did it keep a consistent customer base? Although, she thought to herself, this is my second time here. Either the cook knows where to go, or they simply have enough customers all over Aincrad that they can afford to wander. The timing was serendipitous. She was doing her best to close out the final leg of her crafting, and she needed all the help she could get. “I’ll need about two weeks of langue de chat. I’m try

Crafting for 9/3/2024 EXP 582/639. Crafter's Respite used! (ID 228986-2). Daily attempts reset. EXP 610/639

She recognized the shallow nod. Stepping up to the Lich’s bowed head, she raised her blade above her head in both hands and posed exactly like the first Stygian Warrior she had fought. The Lich Leech struggled and howled, just like Kumatetsu had in its last moments, but it was easier to harden her heart this time. The thing in front of her wasn’t human—it was, without question, a monster. Meteor formed a soft red light as she felt the final sword art charge. The Lich gave one final cry as she brought her blade down in a wide arc. It was a clean kill. Acanthus sheathed her sword and a

Acanthus heard the knives whistle, but never saw them. The new Stygian Warriors barely made it out of the river before Pinball put them down. What was it that Koji always said? “Goals,” I think. With a horrifying bellow, the Leech Lich tore past Acanthus to swing at Pinball, but with the smallest of movements, he avoided every one of the Lich’s attacks. Studying the fight carefully, her eyes widened. There it is—an opening. She darted in on the Lich’s flank, and struck the back of the its leg. With a groan, the Lich buckled to one knee, stunned by the surprise strike. Acanthus felt conflicted.

She was learning the game lingo. When Nymoria spelled out “AoE,” she knew exactly what she needed. And this time around, Acanthus was prepared. As Nymoria finished her attacks, Acanthus stepped in. Although all three snapdragons were grouped up, she kept her attack conservative. At the rate the first snapdragon was bleeding, it wouldn’t be a threat. With a particularly targeted strike, Acanthus sliced through one of the monsters, vaporizing it immediately. She danced with the second snapdragon, weaving around its attack to deliver one final blow. As she finished, she turned to the final s

Again, with the evasive answers. It was almost like being home. Her father had trained to stop asking questions when she sensed reluctance, and so she didn’t press any further for details. She occupied the silence with some more idle foraging while the two traveled. She found some half-buried crystal shards nestled at the base of a tree. With some polish, they would work well as recording crystals. Pinball made have been dangerous in the past but… His cat is named Pinball. He has a cat back home. She clung to this strange little tidbit to humanize him. But… The Monument of Life? She’d pas

Acanthus didn’t mind the repetition. She found it calming in an odd way. Here I am, fighting for my life, and finding it calming. She almost gave a dry laugh as she dodged through the snapdragons, looking for openings. I think I feel safe because I at least have Nymoria here. Between the two of us, we can keep each other safe. Following Nymoria’s lead, she cut through the snapdragons. The more she fought, the more she recognized the dragon’s patterns. She had previously worried about what might happen if the two of them weren’t able to stun them all, and they managed to sneak in an attack

From the tip of your blade, Purotekutā’s stare is nothing short of murderous. He gives one last look to his fallen comrade, then struggles to turn his gaze to you. His voice shakes with rage. “Why? Why do you care about any of this? You’re just some traveler—an ignorant vagrant. What do you care about our struggles? What do you know about the chief’s failures? Do you even care?” He fails to force himself up, too weak to strike. “Uso-Tsuki wants what is best for Marsonia. He despises the weakness of the Chief. Year after year, concession after concession, the Chief has relinquished our grasp on