Acanthus

Acanthus watched as Nymoria seemed to disappear inside herself again. Part of her wanted to reach out and hug her. But that felt like a gross overstep for someone she had met earlier this morning. She struggled to find comforting words instead, worrying that they sounded hollow. “I’m happy we met as well. I’ll be sure to stop by your shop and say hello sometimes. If we don’t meet on any other quests, that is. And my shop is always open if you want to stop by and just talk. It's on floor 24, just a few blocks west of the teleportation plaza.” She stood up brusquely and rifled through some

“I agree, not everyone is for the frontlines. But I would like to contribute however I can. If nothing else, I can keep crafting songs to help out.” Acanthus shook her head. “But I’d prefer not to think of it like that. I’ll keep leveling up I can’t, and if I can’t keep up with the frontlines… then I’ll think about alternatives. But I’m ready to be done with this game, and I’m starting to accept that involves some amount of danger, no matter what." She listened to Cordelia talk about Pinball for a bit. Her voice seemed strangely neutral. It reminded her of how Acanthus’ father talked abou

Your first strike changed Difendā’s demeanor instantly. Any trace of smugness was gone: hatred leaked from every pore of his body. This had become personal. “One lucky hit, and the pup thinks he is a wolf.” He spit blood on the steps and readied his blade. “Purotekutā, let’s go.” The two approach as a single unit with a practiced ease that shows their deadliness. But they are no match for you. They swap in and out, feinting for strikes, attempting to land a blow—something, anything. But their attacks fail, again and again. Purotekutā growls, bleeding from Solaris’ wounds. “The C

She regarded Nymoria with a hint of sadness. “I’m sorry you’ve been alone. I think I know what that feels like. When I realized that I was stuck here, I… I didn’t handle it very well. I shut myself off and didn’t let myself form any friendships. I was… scared about not being good enough. I thought that everyone I met would leave me behind as they climbed the floors faster than me. Or,” her voice deadened, “they would die.” “I know it’s not the same as your loneliness. What I’m trying to say is that you’re not alone in being alone. If that’s helpful at all.” She also busied herself with tr

Item Fusa-palooza Acanthus eyed the growing pile of crystals in her workshop. She hadn't performed any fusions before, so the process seemed daunting. Because it was daunting, she had put it off for as long as she could. But Pinball had been waiting for over a week since he'd put in the order, and she needed to show some signs of progress. Acanthus sighed, stood up from her desk, and rolled up her sleeves. (Fusing crystals wasn't something you really *needed* to roll up your sleeves for, but it was more about setting the proper frame of mind). Item Date Links 8/24 Crafts | 8/25 Cra

Crafting for 9/2/2024 EXP 529/639. Crafter's Respite used! (ID 228986-1). Daily attempts reset. EXP 550/639

“Take Point.” She didn’t hesitate. Starting off at a trot, she drew her blade as the Stygian Warriors detected her presence. They screeched, and she broke into a full sprint, blade close to the floor. The warriors had long, wicked blades of their own and tattered black robes that obscured everything except their skeletal hands. Their appearance reminded her of minions from a movie her friend had shown her once: King of the Rings, or something like that. The one in front slowly raised the blade above its head, preparing for Acanthus to close the distance. She thought about Nymoria’s l

Anticipation hangs heavy over the ceremony. Nature seems ill at ease; the normally raucous sound of animal life from the forests beyond has dulled to near silence. Heavy gray clouds approach Confluence Isle with the promise of storms, and the people in attendance are already scouting for cover. For the most part, the audience still remains eager for the ceremony, but their anticipation is colored with excitement and hope for a spectacle. The ceremony promised exactly that. Although rituals celebrating Jandis are often more reserved than those of the other gods, they are no less an event f

Acanthus drifted in from the cold damp of floor thirteen. She hadn’t seen this shop the last time it was here. “Must be new,” she whispered to herself. She pulled up a stool near the bar and pulled her cowl down. She studied the menu with quiet intensity. “Good evening. I’d like to sample some of your memory-whisking whiskey. I’ve got quite a large order of performance crystals to get out, and I think this could be a big help for me.” After finding the price on the menu, she reaches for a pouch of col. “I’d like five bottles please. I can pay upfront.” She drops the col on the counter. "I

Crafting for 9/1/2024 EXP: 504/639

Acanthus swung around, ready to dispatch the remaining snapdragons. But all she saw was Nymoria in a sea of shimmering blue shards. She’d dispatched them all so quickly. “Nym… Nymoria, that was incredible.” Her hands rested on her knees as she struggled with the words. She hadn’t realized how out of breath she was after the last few fights. “I think… You’re onto something with finesse.” She exhaled, trying to catch her breath. “I’m barely doing half the work, and I’m winded. Meanwhile, you’re over here taking on the world and not breaking a sweat.” Speaking of winded, Acanthus took note o

not all the other npcs were as frightening as the gypsy for you... were they?" GO ON. TELL HER. She shivered. Not yet. That story felt a little too personal to share. “No, not all of them. I’ve actually had many wonderful interactions. I stayed and talked with Mayor Dorian after the beginner quest, and he took me on a tour around Tolbana. It really brought the town to life.” Acanthus placed a single finger on her chin as she pondered. “But as far as other NPCs, she’s the only one I’ve seen that was that frightening.” Technically true. Thankfully, the conversation was interrupted

Not long after you arrive, the lieutenant walks out to the docks, also sporting his full battle regalia. It appears more ornate than the armor he was wearing the day before. The helm was patterned with coral motifs, and the iron armor was polished to a shine. “It’s for the ceremony,” he explained. “The annual communes with the gods are important, high-visibility occasions. All the more reason for Uso-Tsuki to attack so brazenly.” He gestured over to a large, pristine trireme in dock. “We’ll be taking her over to confluence isle. I believe you’ve already met our captain.” As if on cue

Acanthus breathed a small sigh of relief. The braciole was safe for another encounter. Maybe she could eat it while Nymoria started the fight. Acanthus felt guilty for considering leaving her alone for a round of combat. Not that she didn’t seem capable, it just seemed like a poor thing to do to a person she’d just met. Nymoria had a devilish look in her eyes after glancing at a nearby pack of snapdragons. She signed with her right hand. You can stay if you are scared. I have this. “Scared?” Acanthus huffed. But Nymoria was gone in a flash, racing toward the small drakes. Is she… tea

They followed the winding river for a long time. They ducked under mushrooms, stepped lightly around monster spawns, and brushed past the weeping shades. As a small shade cried out for its mother, she shivered. I have a hard time believing floor nine could be worse than this. She decided against pressing Pinball for details. If he thought floor nine was worse, then it was worse. It wasn’t a competition of preferences. They had spent most of the trip walking in silence. Normally, Acanthus enjoyed the shared quiet, but something felt off today. Maybe it’s just this floor. She looked around

Crafting for 8/31/2024 EXP: 475/639

The Chief nods, reassured by your confidence. “Thank you. A bittersweet memory he will be.” The Chief’s eyes mist over for the briefest of moments before his vision becomes steel. “But we will all play our part, and do what we must. For Marsonia.” With that, the lieutenant calls the meeting to an end. He makes an effort to seek you out and offer a firm handshake. “I apologize for my previous behavior. When the Chief asked that we request help from outsiders, I was doubtful. But he was right, as always.” The Lieutenant turns around to make sure the Chief is out of earshot. “And he is troub

[You’ve been invited to a party by Cordelia. Accept? [Y/N]] Acanthus pressed [Y] and offered another quick bow. “Thank you, I promise not to be too much trouble.” "Stay close. It's easy to get lost in there." She could see why. The tall trees choked out most of the sun, and the undergrowth made following any path difficult. She waded through brushes and shrubs, close behind Cordelia. At the mention of the frontlines, Acanthus made a face. “I don’t know anything about the frontlines, really. I suppose that’s the direction I’m heading, but so is everyone else. Aside from the idle

<<Storyteller System in effect, Acting as Storyteller>> Discovering Uso-Tsuki’s plan has done little to lift the spirits of Marsonia. The Chief’s honor guard now works double and triple shifts to ensure the Chief’s safety. The new lieutenant holds constant meetings with the war council to prepare for every uncertainty. The Chief sits in these meetings to pay attention and offers curt advice, but he spends the better part of these meetings deep in thought. You, being the sole reason the information was obtained in the first place, are offered a right-hand seat at the table for

Not… Not a frontliner? Acanthus looked over the swordswoman’s gear again. She carried a particularly deadly-looking katana, and carried herself with what seemed like a practiced ease, at least to Acanthus. The woman reminded her of Pinball in some way she was unable to put her finger on. If she wasn’t a fighter on the frontlines, then the gulf Acanthus had to cross seemed wider than it ever had been. “You can get to pick if you want. Just let me know when you're ready to head out." Acanthus opened her menu to access more of the quest information. She quickly scanned through all the detail

Nymoria’s attack hit all four of the dragons, but only three went down. The last snapdragon shrugged off its wounds and rumbled a deep, menacing growl. Last one was all hers. If she missed... Well, thinking about missing was the fastest way to miss. She switched back to her single sword art and braced herself. The snapdragon howled, and then dove. With a yelp, Acanthus released to sword art right as the Snapdragon’s momentum built to an unstoppable speed. The dive took the two of them to the ground and knocked the wind right out of Acanthus, but the Snapdragon appeared dazed as well. Wrig

Acanthus smiled and gave a quick bow. “My name is Acanthus. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I hope you will permit me to tag along. It’s been a rough few days, and I think a change of pace might be what I need.” Acanthus idly watched the people of Baobob as the woman opened her menu to check a few things. Acanthus adjusted her armor absentmindedly. Still wasn’t quite the good fit of her previous armor, but she was learning to move with it. “It’s called <<Treant Rivalries>>– or something like that. Shouldn’t be too hard…” Acanthus fidgeted with the pommel of her sword while Cordelia hu

Crafting for 8/30/2024

You slip expertly out of camp and back to the shore. You don’t need to wait long—Ben-Goshi arrives almost immediately after you do. He offers a hand to help you on the boat. “Your bird there makes for a mighty fine signal. I might’ve gotten lost if you didn’t have a portable signal flare for a friend.” Once in the boat, he begins to work the sails and ropes with unnatural haste. “Hope you don’t mind the rush,” he explains as he ties down the sail, “but I’d really rather not stay here for long. The thought of crossing the old lieutenant is pretty low on the list of things I’d like to do today

“A—Aliens?! Nymoria, what do you—wait up!” But Nymoria was already racing off to the next pack of snapdragons. She grabbed for her sword, but remembered that she apparently had food on her fingers still. This game is going to kill me—if not the monsters, then at least embarrassment. By the time she caught up to Nymoria, she had already whittled most of the dragons down to half health. Finesse. Finesse. She chanted the word to herself as she felt the wave of energy rising. She did her best to channel it, but the art overpowered her thoughts. She dove into the fight, hacking and slashing wh