[F23-PP] Scouting floor 23

[Hestia 0]

I walk up the mountain along side you towards the very top as i walk with you towards the top and sees the same nothingness over the mountain besides the vast mountain ranges and forests intermingling on the sides and in the middle. I just shrug not seeing the immediate tower like we thought we would see as i see you slide down the mountain as i nod my head and quickly joins Shield sliding down the mountain making sure it is in a controlled fashion till we hit he bottom of it and then looks towards you as i shrug my shoulders. I mean we could try to find a elven village or something of the sort to at least get a general layout of the floor for where players could go for to safety during grind sessions? I offer towards the tank with a nod of my head. Wondering if he is going to wish to do so, or focus solely upon the boss door finding only.

[Shield 0]

"If it's something that can be done along the way, by all means,"  Shield replied, his jaw more set and determined after the long and arduous trek. "But. We are on a mission right now. There are countless players who will be expanding into the new floor, looking for the very things you're looking for. However, the biggest thing that front-liners must keep in mind is to advance the front lines."  He gestured to the floor around them, looking up into the sky, as if trying to pierce the graphics of the distant ceiling to spy the floor above. "After so much struggle, we're not even one quarter of the way."

His eyes dropped back down to Hestia, fixing her with a very sobered gaze. "There are a finite number of players, and time is running out for all of us. For some of us sooner than others. We're all laying in hospital beds, hooked up to tubes and monitors... How long do you think we can all be sustained that way? How weak and frail will we be when we wake up?"

Shield took a long breath, letting his shoulders rise and fall with the inhale and exhale. "Are you familiar with entropy?"

[Hestia 0]

I nod my head at the simple logic of players looking for what i am searching for as i gaze towards my notebook and then holds it close knowing that if i can get this info out towards info brokers i can make it easier for players to transition onto this new floor without worrying about any bad deals or tricks happening to them because of NPCs or quests that could be leading into traps or anything of the such. Trying to find the safe zones to make sure not one player is left running and then dying because of a wrong turn on this floor. However, upon hearing the reality of what is occurring outside i immediately avert my gaze not wanting to meet the gaze of the tank that is taking things much more seriously then i am obviously. Taking progress towards trying to get out as fast as possible while i focused more so on the adventuring aspect of this world. I would rather not talk about that if possible please. I say in a soft tone of voice at the mention of entropy and the fact we're practically going to be frailer then anything. All because of a simple fact of not being able to escape fast enough. Already having two years behind our backs and not having much to show for that at all. I feel my fists tighten and tears threaten to spill at such thoughts. Of knowing that so many things will be different when i escape this...whenever i escape this.

[Shield 0]

Shield did not know how to handle tears out of adults. With children, the solution was easy enough. There wasn't a problem in the world for a crying child that couldn't be dealt with by stepping in and picking them up, holding them until they cried out the worst of it. It might not make the problem go away, but it was a start. There was no such solution for adults and teenagers. Shield averted his eyes as well.

"That tells me you know enough then." He did not press the matter. His point had been made, and there was no point pressing it further. "There are already info brokers exploring this floor. You saw, or rather did not see, Hikoru back in the fight, right? He's one of the most mobile players I've seen, and he's also one of the top info brokers around. He's no scout, but he'll find the basics. The settlements, the safe zones you mentioned for grind fests. He's got his network."

[Hestia 0]

I just nod my head as i fight back any of the tears and steals my emotions not letting a single tear slip as i calm my emotions as i just nod towards the tank and says in a very calm tone of voice. Then lets continue searching Shield. We don't have time to waste on tears or anything of the such. I say in a calm and serious tone of voice as i look around the landscape knowing i wouldn't find anything of note that would display in trying to help myself find the location of the labyrinth as i just take into consideration where he have traveled and points in the opposite direction of where we had come from in terms of the tower being our center point. If it isn't this way there is no harm in checking the other side of the floor for anything and everything that could end up being a clue for the location of our field boss Shield. I say as my familiar walks beside me and nuzzles up against me gently as i smile gently down towards him and pets him. Rather happy he seemingly can tell when i am upset and knows when to comfort me.

[Shield 0]

Shield gave a nod, extending a fist to Hestia. It was an odd gesture for the purpose of comforting someone, but it was almost a universal sign of approval and support among gamers.

Only a group of people terrified of physical touch would adopt the fist bump as the universal gesture of approval.

"Let's keep moving then." The mountain range turned out to be a considerable obstacle. While they had been traveling before by trodden paths, all of which likely spider-webbed out from the entry point, they were winding their way around the outside where paths were not as vital. Furthermore, the landmarks were less and less promising. One peak began to look like every other peak, and distinguishing location became next to impossible without the use of navigation and mapping as Shield was now beginning to use with greater and greater frequency. "I knew this would be an arduous task, but I did not expect this when we first started our way out from the boss fight."

[Hestia 0]

I see you extend a fist as i smile and returns the fist bump with a grin and a nod of my head. yeah lets going there is still plenty of floor to explore both on this surface and probably a lot more within the underdark. it is almost hard to tell where you're meant to search. I guess Cardinal didn't like that you guys found it so quickly last time so he create basically two floors in one for us to search now. I say towards the other tank in a joking sort of tone of voice as we make our way alongside beat towards wherever the Labyrinth is going to end up being. As we continue to travel i calmly continue to note thing and creating a map even still of the general floor layout making sure to do my best to draw things to scale as a rough sketch for what i have as i gaze around. Trying to find mobs and other creatures to write down if we pass them by in our search knowing that mobs could be everywhere without us even knowing.

[Shield 0]

Shield rolled the possibilities around in his head. There was still the far peak to explore. It had been taller than the last one they had checked, though with less 'supporting' evidence. Still, taking the linear route back eliminated much of the chances of an accidental discovery on the way there, so a slightly slower, though hopefully more productive route seemed best. Shield, though much effort, began forcing himself to let go of the notion that he could predict where the labyrinth was going to be. It had, after all, already failed him twice.

"Once you have eliminated the impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth," he mumbled to himself, barely above a whisper. It was a quote he remembered from Sherlock Holmes. It had been borrowed and abused and recycled in countless films and television shows since, but the origin of the quote, as far as Shield knew, was famous for overcoming the insurmountable. "There's got to be something we're missing... Or something we're assuming... Or something we're just over-thinking."

[Hestia 0]

I walk alongside you towards whatever direction we are traveling as i am back to just mapping and writing down as much information that i can for my own personal collection at this point trusting that Hik and his brokers can go in and get the info that we need as fast as they can to make sure that players don't go rushing into fights on this floor thinking they could be superior. Once i hear your words i just give a small shrug of my shoulders as i gaze toward the tank. Well if we don't find it on the surface in our travels at the moment maybe it is one of those things that it is the place where we didn't give much thought or glance to, and just ended up back where we started. I say with a small shrug of my shoulder unsure of where this labyrinth is going ot be but knowing if it isn't on the surface away from the tower. It is possible whatever is in the tower is our option, or that it resides within the underdark. The two places where we have begun this journey. Like those stories where they say the treasure was friendship all along because the spot they ended up was back where they begun.

[Shield 0]

"So we're basically living out the old anti-war protest song, One Tin Soldier, then?" Shield chuckled a little to himself. "I've always hated stories like that. There are rare examples where the means justified the ends, where they really made it a good story throughout and the little plot twist at the end made sense. Usually though, it feels phoned in, like they just wanted to trick the reader, so they strung together a weak plot like some gimmicky episode of The Twilight Zone." 

He was letting his age show now, but he didn't mind so much. The conversation was interesting at least, if not a little frivolous. It felt a little like a big road trip, though a lot slower. Still without pain, there were no reasons to fear sore muscles or joints from too many steep hills. It was just a matter of mental fortitude to keep pushing. "I wonder what the big plot twist will be when we finally find the stinkin' labyrinth."

[Hestia 0]

I chuckle a bit at hearing that as i just give a smile not really knowing the protest song, but definitely knowing what you mean by a episode of the twilight zone. Oh yeah definitely such stories i don't like that much either when it comes to a conclusion, but for myself if they can at least make the characters interesting and have them face some personal struggles then i will at least like it to some degree. I like seeing things like people overcoming themselves and improving in the very. I say with a small shrug of my shoulders and a smile on my face as i walk along with the taller player smiling a bit as i am glad that i get to spend time actually talking to the player and trying to get to know him even if it is to a small degree. Who knows what the plot twist will be, but honestly i hope we spend some time before the boss gathering information on the floor and what has happened to it. That or at the very least some information if there is some kind of leadership within the dark elf or those forest elves on this floor. I am kinda curious how they run as a community if it is like democracy, king, dictator, etc. You know what i mean? I say towards the tank.

[Shield 0]

"Well, I can't tell you much about the forest elves," Shield said, quickly diverting the conversation away from spending extra time. "After all, elves exist in so many forms and iterations that the creators could have borrowed from any source material. Most likely they have some ties to nature and perhaps natural deities, but that's about the best I can speculate. The dark elves are easy enough. They're likely modified some from their original appearance in other works, but generally they are a tyrannical government run by the church of Llolth, who is the evil deity also known as The Spider Queen."

Hestia seemed to enjoy the experience of the game, which unfortunately was very much in line with Beat's philosophies. Keeping the two of them on the task at hand might be a little difficult if she were to distract Beat too much from their mission with other aims on the floor. Besides, there was already a plan in place. There was some wiggle room... but not a lot. Time was a factor.

[Hestia 0]

Sooo in terms of forest elves expect something like shrines to nature which might be lacking considering the destruction of what the dark elves could've brought upon the area near that tower, and in terms of the dark elves expect some kind of religious worship of some queenly being? I say towards the tank to make sure i got my facts straight as i walk along with him in the direction of trying to find this labyrinth upon this floor. Knowing that there really isn't any point in me trying to search having gathered enough that it is really well hidden and would requires some really sharp eyes to spot even a hint of the labyrinth's entrance or anything of that sort for players to go against. I look towards the tank knowing that considering his luck with finding chests and other things this is most likely just a cake walk for him considering he probably has many searching skills and items to help him accelerate the process of finding things.

[Shield 0]

"Er... yes, something like that, I suppose," Shield said. "However, I doubt that they'll use the same terms. I think words like 'Llolth' and 'Drow' are all trademarked by the company behind those stories and games. They'll likely find some other gimmicky sounding names, but that's likely the right idea."

They were nearing a potential destination once again. Occasionally, over the ridges and peaks of one mountain or another, Shield could spot a familiar skyscraper of a mountain, its peak much like the last being completely lost in the clouds. If there was a remaining place to hide a tower to the next floor, that would be it. "It's got to be somewhere. I mean... I suppose it doesn't have to. This last boss room didn't have a labyrinth. It was just a straight shot to the top from the floor itself. That may be a possibility, that there's just a time and space defying gate somewhere that voips us straight to the top. I doubt they would do so twice in a row though..."

[Hestia 0]

I nod my head in understanding of that as i make a small note for possibility of how to interact with the two races by writing down their potential forms of a control system that they use to govern their people. Myself just wanting to try and understand there culture ever so slightly to make communications between the two groups as smooth and easy as possible. Like learning a country's etiquette and things that are not and are socially acceptable before going towards it. To make sure that you don't get any weird looks or anything of the such. Well anything is possible Shield. Anything is possible until proven otherwise really. I say towards the man with a smile on my face as i continue walking alongside him as i whisper a bit silently towards the tank. SOoo is beat normally this silent, or is he having a off day because of the whole Bialas thing? I ask you silently.

[Shield 0]

Shield looked at Beat over his shoulder before turning back to Hestia. "To be perfectly frank, I think he's taking the results of that fight a little hard. I'm honestly pretty unhappy as well, but there's nothing that can be done at this point. We worked hard to prepare, and when it came down to it, the last hit went to one of the players who beat us out on the last major prize that we really felt compelled to fight for. Beat and I have never been lucky. We've worked hard to get where we are. I think Beat preaches a gospel of laissez faire, but when push comes to shove, he's a gamer, and he has that ego and competitive drive behind it."

In a way, he was wondering if that was the big reason that Beat had been so eager to follow Shield's lead on their current course of action. He figured it was at least part of it, but knowing the full motivations was impossible. He and Beat spend much of their time together, but there was still much they did not know about one another.

[Hestia 0]

Well do you think there was any point in the boss fight where you made a incorrect call that led to you not getting the results you had wanted? I ask the tank curiously rather curious that so much prep went into it, but fully believing it also since Beat was taking out chunks of health seemingly with every strike that he did against the unicorn without any hesitation. Until some point where he had simply stopped attacking for one reason or the other seemingly or was constantly missing from the facts that the same big chunks weren't happening. Not really sure which it was, but that is what occurred and nothing can change that now at this point. I gaze around the area trying to get an idea if there is any real labyrinth around the area to be found, but for myself spotting nothing right away that could give any hint at all about what one could be seen.

[Shield 0]

"That was the comment he made about the health bars," Shield said, sighing as he pinched his nose. "I'm a statistician in the real world... looking at those health bars and their movement gives me about all the information I need to work out how much life an enemy has left. Something... went wrong. We ended up with some impossible options, and so I was forced to make guesses about what had gone wrong with the health bars. By my best estimations, Bialas should have survived a full extra round and some change."

He sighed, doing his best to let go of the frustration. Holding onto it would only slow them down on this new leg of the journey. They were off to bigger and, hopefully, better things. The base of their destination was finally beginning to come into view, and as they mounted the nearby peak, Shield once again made sure to test their steps carefully before placing his full weight. The going was slow, but it was still faster than going all the way around.

[Hestia 0]

I nod my head in understanding my mind not clicking immediately what a statistician was within my mind until you mention how that applied as i nod my head in understanding now of what that entails and how it could be rather annoying to say the very least to have what you would assume is basic knowledge and the idea of what would work. Then to have all of that ripped away by incorrect showings of a health bar or some kind of damage not being done that wasn't their originally. I just then kinda shrug my shoulders not knowing if what is being is said is true or not just figuring i will go with the flow on this. So then Shield how likely do you think what we're searching for is just beyond this mountain slash hill thing we're climbing? i ask the tank before we even get over the mountain to be able to view whatever is going to be on the other side.

[Shield 0]

Quote

Searching for Labyrinth

ID# 100470 results: Loot: 17+11=28 - Labyrinth Found!

Before Shield could muster an answer, a gust of wind blew the clouds momentarily aside. There, stretching into the sky at the top of the mountain, was the beginnings of a great tower that faded away into the blue of the sky, undoubtedly connecting with the floor above. His normally stern, stoic face cracked a wide grin. "About one hundred percent," he sighed, taking a moment to enjoy the fruits of their hard labor for a few long moments. Beyond the point where the clouds had obscured the mountain. The door to the labyrinth stood open, no doors to speak of. From the other side of the mountain, the clouds began to move once again to cover the entrance and the labyrinth itself. Shield strode forward, pushing through the foggy obstruction.

"Hestia, you have no obligation to stick around," Shield began. "But Beat and I are determined to keep pressing onward. Within the labyrinth is a field boss that will winder our forward movement. We're going right through him and continuing until we get to the outside of the boss room on the other side. We'd welcome a healer, but only if you're up for a challenge."

Spoiler

Guarding the wrought iron door at the end of the hall, stand two guards donned in ornate black and gold armor. Their halbreds stand taller than their frame, which is already larger than the average human. 

<<The Bleakswords>>

(Note: Fight two Bleakswords at the same time)
Each Bleaksword receives a separate roll from the player controlling them.
HP: 1150
DMG: 425 
MIT: 75
ACC: 1
EVA: 1

• Dark Bomb (MD 9-10): Impales the player with the highest hate with the tip of their halbred, dealing 500 DMG and stuns the target. A shockwave of dark energy launches out in all directions from the stunned player, dealing 275 DMG to every other player Players cannot be affected by stuns more than one turn in a row

 

Edited May 1, 2018 by Shield