[F05 - SP] The First Night <<Arabian Nights>>

[Bahr 0]

Spoiler

• LEVEL: 31
• HP: 620 / ENERGY: 62
• EVA: 3 / MIT: 48 / ACC: 3 / DMG: 14
  
  HOME BUFFS
  » RESTED
       ➥ -1 EN FOR THE FIRST TWO TURNS OF COMBAT
  » RELAXED
       ➥ +10 TO OUT OF COMBAT HP REGENERATION
       ➥ FULL ENERGY REGENERATION AFTER TWO POSTS OUT OF COMBAT
•  
• SKILLS
• EXTRA SKILLS
  » DISGUISE
       ➥ FREE ACTION
       ➥ +1 EVA UNTIL START OF YOUR NEXT TURN
            ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
  
  WEAPON SKILLS
  » TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD R5
       ➥ +7 DMG WHEN TWO-HANDED WEAPON IS EQUIPPED
  
  ARMOR SKILLS
  » LIGHT ARMOR R3
       ➥ +12 MIT 
  
  SWORD ARTS
  » [X2 AOE] BLAST
       ➥ 2 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X2] STRAIGHT
       ➥ 2 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X3] SCOOPED
       ➥ 3 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X4 STUN] LIGHTNING
       ➥ 7 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X4] CYCLONE
       ➥ 4 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X5] BACK RUSH
       ➥ 5 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X6 STUN] FIGHT BLADE
       ➥ 9 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X7] ASTRAL HELL
       ➥ 7 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X8 AOE STUN] TEMPEST
       ➥ 8 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X12] CALAMITOUS TRAGEDY
       ➥ 12 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X13] GALAXY DESTROYER
       ➥ 13 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X12 AOE] CALAMITY DISASTER
       ➥ 13 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE

INVENTORY
ARMOR
» [EQUIPPED] "COAT OF THE BLOODEDGE" - LIGHT ARMOR (T1 - PERFECT)
     ➥ +3 EVA
» [EQUIPPED] "HERO'S HAKAMA" - LIGHT ARMOR (T2 - PERFECT)
     ➥ +36 MIT
     ➥ RECOVERY 1

WEAPONS
» [EQUIPPED] "SCARECROW'S SICKLE" - TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD (T2 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ +6 DMG
     ➥ BLEED

FAMILIAR
» [EQUIPPED] SWINE BAJESUS R3
     ➥ +3 ACC

BATTLE READY ITEMS
» T1 POTION OF UNCOMMON QUALITY (3)
     ➥ HEALS 40 HP

When it came to drinking in Aincrad, there really wasn't a right or wrong way to do it. Since you couldn't get drunk anyway, you really only did it for the flavor and nostalgia. Bahr envied those who seemed to become inebriated as a purely psychosomatic response, as he had been known to enjoy his whiskey after a hard day at work. Still, he found himself visiting the various bars and taverns that littered Aincrad, sampling each of their custom brews and spirits as a way to treat himself after a long day hunting of completing quests. Some habits died hard.

On one particularly lucrative day of adventuring, Bahr found himself capping off the evening at a tavern in Fortazela, a town located on the fifth floor. Why had he returned to Aincrad's nightmarish furnace, you ask? Well, funnily enough, the place actually cooled down quite a bit once dusk began to settle upon the floating castle Aincrad. More than that, the bars in these parts sported some of the most unique blends of any of the "alcoholic" beverages he had sampled in this virtual world.

(HERO ROUTE)

Edited August 12, 2019 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

Whilst swirling a swig of beer between his teeth, Bahr couldn't help but feel that the overall atmosphere of the evening was being somewhat ruined by that guy at the bar. No, not that one, the other one. Yes, that one, exactly the one you're picturing in your mind's eye. He sat at the counter adorned in Arabic garb, a pretty typical getup around these parts, nursing his drink with the most pathetic look on his face. Evidently unable to control his helpful nature, Bahr sighed and stood from his table, approaching the bar and sitting next to the man.

"You know, that's the sort of thing most of us would do in the comfort and privacy of our own homes," the crimson marauder mused as he took another swig from his mug, swallowing the sweet yet bitter liquid while waiting for a response. 

"You don't understand. You see, I've just returned from a most extravagant excursion. A secret cave littered with gold and wondrous trinkets," the man confessed, gingerly placing his mug on the counter.

"Is that so? If that's the case, shouldn't you be celebrating or something?" Bahr opined, taking another swig of the beer and grimacing as he did so. He was reaching the bottom of the mug, and the drink was beginning to go flat and warm. He gestured for the barkeep to bring him another.

Edited August 10, 2019 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

"But you see... We already tried that..." the man uttered between quivering lips. Bahr rolled his eyes, scooping up the replacement mug that had been placed on the counter in front of him before responding.

"'We?'"

"My brother, Cassim and I. We didn't know at the time, but the cave belongs to a group of thieves, and they captured my brother as we attempted to pilfer the cavern. It all began with a couple of words..." the man divulged, his eyes widening and his body language suddenly becoming more stand-offish. Bahr side-eyed him as he took another large gulp of the intoxicating liquid, ahhing in delight after it had slid down the back of his throat. "I don't suppose you could-"

"Save your brother?" he guessed with a monotone croak, downing the last of the beer in his mug and accepting the quest that had populated in front of him. "Sure, whatever."

"Really!? Oh, you would have my most grateful thanks! I'll pay you handsomely for this! When you come back, look for Ali - that's me!"

"Right, right," Bahr retorted as he waved his hand dismissively, standing up. Without another word, he turned from the man and walked out of the tavern.

[Bahr 0]

He should have known that it was an NPC. The longer he hung around in this world and interacted with its virtual denizens, the more the line between real and fake was blurred. He used to be able to discern them so easily, but with time they became practically indistinguishable from one another. Regardless, a reward sounded nice - even if it was coming from some measly AI and likely wasn't anything extravagant.

It didn't take him long to reach the beacon that had appeared on his map. He dismissed the panel and looked up, an unremarkable desert cave hollowed out into a mountain sitting before him. Warm light poured out from the cave in a welcoming fashion, though Bahr knew that it was anything but. With a sigh, he unsheathed his sword and walked in.

Immediately, he was accosted by four bandits - each wielding their own Curved Swords and wearing Light Armor. Bahr wasted now time charging up his blade and slashing into the lot of them, causing three to combust into clouds of blue pixels. Only one remained.

Spoiler

Encounter: Thief 1
HP: 135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1

Encounter: Thief 2
HP: 135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1

Encounter: Thief 3
HP: 135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1

Encounter: Thief 4
HP: 135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 620/620 | EN: 62-19=43/62 | DMG: 14 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 48

Bahr used [x12] Calamity Disaster, -13 EN

Thief 1: HP: 135/135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1 | ID: 121243 | BD: 6+3=9, Hit for 14x12=168-25=143 DMG | Thief 1 defeated | -2 EN
Thief 2: HP: 135/135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1 | ID: 121244 | BD: 4+3=7, Hit for 14x12=168-25=143 DMG | Thief 2 defeated | -2 EN
Thief 3: HP: 135/135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1 | ID: 121245 | BD: 7+3=10, Hit for 14x12=168-25=143 DMG | Thief 3 defeated | -2 EN
Thief 4: HP: 135/135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1 | ID: 121246 | BD: 2+3=5, Miss | THIEF 4'S SAVVY ACTIVATES
-19 ENERGY TOTAL

Thief Roll
ID: 121247 | BD: 4+1+1-3=3, Miss 

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

"Looking for someone you captured. Goes by the name of 'Cassim.' Came here with his brother earlier. Sound familiar?" The final thief stood before him, cowering as his comrades were reduced to blue dust that dissipated into oblivion. He sheepishly shook his head to the negative, and Bahr gave him a disappointed frown in response. "You sure?" Bahr inquired sternly as his blade began to glow once more. The thief shakily extended his arm and pointed further into the cave, his entire body now trembling in fear. "Thanks," Bahr concluded with a nod, releasing the pent up Sword Art into the thief's neck and decapitating him instantly. The severed head and its body burst into clouds of blue fractal polygons before coming into contact with the floor.

'What a waste of time,' Bahr thought to himself as he sheathed his blade against the small of his back, loud boot knocks against the hard cavernous floor reverberating through the corridor. He knew he could take a gaggle of Floor Five thieves, but he didn't expect it to be this easy.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 620/620 | EN: 43+3-12=34/62 | DMG: 14 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 48
CD: 7 (2 extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x12] Calamity Tragedy, -12 EN

Thief 4: HP: 135-143=0/135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1 | ID: 121277 | BD: 6+3=9, Hit for 14x12=168-25=143 | Thief 4 defeated

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

The cavern was rather short, and dead-ended not far from the entrance. Sitting at the end, blindfolded and bound was his target - or at least who he assumed to be. "Cassim?" Bahr inquired, his voice echoing off of the walls.

"Mffmmmrp-krrgrmmrrfrp!" was the response through the gag the man was wearing. Bahr shrugged and ripped away the blindfold, gag, and bounds, which decomposed into blue polygonal fractals that dissipated into nothingness. 

"Speak."

"Yes, I'm Cassim. Who are you?" the man rasped breathily, shakily raising to his feet.

"I'm the merc your brother hired to save your sorry ass. Hurry up and get ready,. We need to get on the move, no telling how many more there are. I can take them fairly easily, but you're an easy target." He delivered his commands with authority and precision, each syllable sharp as a whip with an impatient undertone. Cassim offered him a hesitant nod, and the pair were on their way.

[Bahr 0]

As they meandered through the corridor on their way back to the opening, Bahr noticed a glint out of the corner of his eye. When his crimson and verdant hues shifted to trace the sparkle, they fell upon Cassim's hand as he equipped a golden ring of some sort. It looked powerful. "Is that what this is all about? A stupid ring?" Bahr inquired crudely, a tinge of irritation in his voice. Cassim remained silent, averting his eyes and shifting his sleeves to hide his hands. "Hmph. Suit yourself."

Come to think of it, something didn't seem right here. Ali had described the cave of wonders as belonging to the thieves that had kidnapped his brother. From what he could tell, this dingy place had no such riches to behold. It was a little hard to believe that a group of thugs had the entirety of their spoils hidden off-site, and especially so soon. The more he thought about it, the more it didn't add up. Had they captured Cassim for something else, and the pile of loot was merely a lie?

[Bahr 0]

Unfortunately for Bahr, he didn't have much time to contemplate all of the possibilities surrounding this bizarre quest. Up ahead, near the exit of the cave, were two more thieves. They were indistinguishable from the first batch, except for the fact that there were fewer of them and they carried Daggers as opposed to Curved Swords. They regarded Bahr with an upward nod, as though acknowledging him as a formidable adversary, but that their conflict was inevitable. Bahr returned the gesture before unsheathing his blade and planting a palm firmly against Cassim's chest, pushing him back. "Let me handle this."

When he stepped forward, the two thieves swooped in, dashing forward and arcing in different direction to attack Bahr from both sides. He charged his sword and swiped it in a large, circular arc, managing to drive the blade straight through the torso of one and cause it to explode into a puff of blue triangular pixels. The other managed to backstep in time to avoid the attack, but lost its footing and tumbled backward.
 

Spoiler

Encounter: Thief 5
HP: 135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1

Encounter: Thief 6
HP: 135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 620/620 | EN: 62-15=47/62 | DMG: 14 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 48

Bahr used [x12] Calamity Disaster, -13 EN

Thief 5: HP: 135/135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1 | ID: 121279 | BD: 2+3=5, Miss | THIEF 4'S SAVVY ACTIVATES
Thief 6: HP: 135-155=0/135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1 | ID: 121280 | BD: 9, Hit for 15x12=180-25=155 DMG | Thief 6 defeated | -2 EN
-15 ENERGY TOTAL

Thief Roll
ID: 121281 | BD: 1, Miss 

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

It was equally as frustrating as it was impressive that the second thief had managed to avoid the sting of Bahr's blade, albeit clumsily. He allowed the NPC time to pick itself up off of the floor and assume its battle stance, giving it a slight nod. It returned the gesture. Bahr charged his blade and dove straight in, delivering several jabs and slashed toward his opponent. To his surprise, the thief managed to either dodge or block all of the attacks masterfully, retaliating with a strike of its own once Bahr's Sword Art had reached its conclusion. Bahr lurched backward as the blade zinged past his face, placing his palms against the stony floor of the cave and cartwheeling backward to put some distance between himself and the mob. 

"I can honestly say I wasn't expecting that," he chortled as he spun his blade whimsically in one hand, beginning to pace in a nonchalant manner. The thief seemed stiff in comparison, its blade ready and still maintaining a battling pose. "What's wrong? You look nervous."
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 620/620 | EN: 47+3-2=48/62 | DMG: 14 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 48
CD: 6 (2 extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x12] Calamitous Tragedy, -2 EN

Thief 5: HP: 135/135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1 | ID: 121282 | BD: 2+3=5, Miss 

Thief Roll
ID: 121283 | BD: 2+1+1-3=1, Miss

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

"And you should be," he concluded in a grim tone as he charged his blade once more, sailing forth and slicing into the thief several times before it burst into a cloud of triangular blue polygonal fractals, which slowly dissipated into oblivion. With no more hostile mobs in sight, Bahr flicked his sword as though casting away any would-be blood before sheathing it against the small of his back and turning back to Cassim.

"Sorry about that - just a minor bump in the road. Let's get going," Bahr said, gesturing for Cassim to follow. He simply nodded enthusiastically and cast a sheepish smile toward Bahr before following along. Side by side, the two walked out of the cave together and made their way back into the desert. For some reason, Cassim couldn't see to stop himself from fiddling idly with the hand he had placed the golden ring on earlier.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 620/620 | EN: 48+3-12=39/62 | DMG: 14 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 48
CD: 12 (2 extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x12] Calamitous Tragedy, -12 EN

Thief 5: HP: 135-143=0/135 | DMG: 6 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 1 | SAV: 1 | ID: 121284 | BD: 4+3=7, Hit for 14x12=168-25=143 DMG | Thief 5 defeated

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Bahr

[Bahr 0]

Before long, they had made their way back to Fortazela and into the very tavern in which Bahr had accepted in the first place. This adventure had been a quick one and done, with a simple to and from pattern marking the entirety of the quest. Bahr had actually almost forgotten he had fought any thieves at all, given how easily they had been dispatched. Then again, this was only the Fifth Floor. He supposed he could cut the mobs a little slack given the circumstances.

"Brother!" Ali exclaimed as they walked into the bar, scrambling clumsily out of his seat and rushing over to embrace his kindred. The two stood there for a moment, hugging one another as Bahr stood by awkwardly, waiting for his reward. He cleared his throat to remind the brothers of his presence, which seemed to prompt them to terminate the embrace. Ali produced a sack of col and practically slammed it on the counter next to Bahr, which was a surprise for the crimson marauder. When he thought of the quest rewards, he imagined a few thousand tops. This was definitely more than that.

[Bahr 0]

"I can't thank you enough for this. I won't forget what you did for me, please accept this as a small token of my gratitude," Ali said with a humble bow. Bahr eyed him precariously before taking a peek into the col sack. There had to have been at least 15000 col inside. The more Bahr thought about the transaction, the less it made any sense. Where was a man like this getting all of this col, and where had Cassim found that ring? It just wasn't adding up. By all means, they appeared to be just ordinary NPCs - nothing regal or extravagant about them. 

"Where'd a guy like you get all this col?" he inquired pointedly, staring daggers into Ali. Suddenly, his demeanor changed from that of an overjoyed brother to a sheepish snake, almost physically dodging the question. Bahr's eyes narrowed as he attempted to decipher the man's mannerisms, now skeptical of his every move and word uttered. He was hiding something, and not well. But Bahr couldn't put his finger on what, exactly.

[Bahr 0]

"Let's not worry about that, my friend. The important thing is that my brother Cassim has returned safe and sound, and its all thanks to you. Enjoy the col, and thank you again!" With what needed to be said out of the way, the brothers scuttled away and out the front door of the tavern as quickly as they could, seemingly eager to get away from the situation. It seemed too fishy for Bahr to ignore, and his curiosity was getting the better of him, so he promptly maneuvered through the crowd of bar-goers and made his way to the door as well. By the time he had exited the tavern and looked around, the pair had already vanished into the night without a trace.

Confused, Bahr returned to his original seat in the tavern and ordered another mug of ale. Perhaps if he sat down and thought about it for a moment over a nice pint of frothy liquid, he could come to some conclusions about the mystery that had unfolded before him. 

[Bahr 0]

Bahr took a swig from the mug and rolled it around in his mouth as he contemplated the possibilities. He couldn't help but feel like there was more to this quest line. It was as though the quest was begging him to keep going and unearth the truth, leaving breadcrumbs of evidence for him to follow to the ultimate conclusion of the tale. But what was this conclusion? What did it all mean? The answers to these questions were as elusive as the very men they spawned from.

The col couldn't have just come out of thin air, and he doubted that the pair of brothers were simply frugal businessmen. No, they had acquired that col and the golden ring at the wondrous loot-filled cave that Ali had mentioned before. But was the cave in which Bahr encountered the thieves and rescued Cassim the same cave? It seemed doubtful, considering how scarce it had been. No, it was much more likely that they had found the cave, taken some of the loot, and then gotten captured by the thieves afterward.

[Bahr 0]

Yes, it was all starting to come together now. Quite the complex conspiracy for a quest line and a group of NPCs. Perhaps Bahr hadn't been giving Kayaba enough credit - this quest went above and beyond anything he had encountered to this point. There was a lot of nuance and reading between the lines, which was something that Bahr admittedly wasn't usually good at. But with this, he felt like a detective slowly uncovering the dark truth behind it all. A regular Sherlock Holmes, all he was missing was the pipe.

Which got him thinking. Maybe there was an even bigger conspiracy behind this. Perhaps Ali hadn't actually cared about Cassim's safety so much as he feared his brother would spill the beans about the true location of the treasure cave. Then it wouldn't be exclusively his anymore, and there would be others capable of plundering it. Sure, he was probably motivated to at least some extent by the danger his brother was in, but really he just wanted to keep all of the information about the treasure to himself.

[Bahr 0]

What a selfish git, honestly. To think that Bahr had felt that he was doing something good for this poor NPC and his helpless brother. Well, really he hadn't because he didn't actually care about NPCs and whatever their version of family and community was. But still! It had been Bahr's "good deed" for the day, and really all he had done is helped a crooked charlatan keep his brother's mouth shut. What a riot. He couldn't wait to tell all of his friends about this.

Or maybe. Just maybe. He could keep it to himself. If he found a way to continue the quest line, he could track down this cave of wonders and keep all of the riches for himself. Did that make him just like Ali and Cassim? Well, perhaps, to some extent. Would it make him filthy freaking rich? Absolutely. And then he could share his riches with his friends, of course. But on his own terms. No need to muddle things up with loot division and such. Bahr was just a man, and men were allowed to get greedy from time to time.

[Bahr 0]

He chugged the remainder of the tantalizing liquid in his mug as a plot began to form. He'd start really paying attention to the NPCs in Aincrad. Ali and Cassim were smart enough not to spill the beans about the true location of the cave, but they hadn't been smart enough to prevent Bahr from figuring it out. And Bahr was dense. Like, really dense. Like, didn't get laid until he was 17 even though girls were practically throwing themselves at him dense. He still mentally kicked himself every time he thought about that. Though, in the end, it had been for the best.

If Ali and Cassim could figure out where it was, and Bahr could learn of its existence through them as proxy, you just knew that others had to know about it. If he could keep his eyes leeled and find anyone else who knew about the cave - be they NPC or actual player - perhaps Bahr could get a slice of the pie. Preferably the whole pie, but lets be realistic here. He was probably only going to get a slice. Or was he?

[Bahr 0]

Nah, he could have a whole slice. He was Bahr! The Bloodedge! He took what he wanted and gave nothing back! Which was absolutely and totally false, but whatever. He could afford to let the pirate saying from Pirates of the Caribbean be his motto for this one venture, at least. Oh! He could totally tailor a pirate have for the occasion, too. And a new coat that had more of that piratey trench coat feel. He could see it now, his new title in the world of Aincrad being the Crimson Marauder, replacing the old Bloodedge moniker and filling his life with a new sort of infamy. Most fearsome pirate in all the Seven Seas.

Wow, was this ale getting to him? No, that was impossible. Perhaps it was a psychosomatic response? Wow! Now he understood the countless other he had ran into in his life that seemed to have this very problem. He couldn't explain it, but he felt inebriated, his thoughts bouncing from place to place without him having much of a say in the matter. 

[Bahr 0]

He felt so compelled by this mysterious feeling, in fact, that he actually opened up his status panel to make sure he hadn't been poisoned. Nope, this state of mind was all him. Splendid! He dismissed the panel and stood haphazardly, swaying a bit as vertigo crawled up his spine. If he was going to be pseudo-drunk, for however long it chose to last, he was going to enjoy it. It was time for a night out on the town! The dry, sandy hellscape of a town. Probably not a suitable getaway for some, but to an inebriated Bahr it was a tan playground filled with the most wondrous of things.

That is until the door to the tavern closed behind him and he instantly felt sober again. He tried to bring the feeling back, but it was gone. It appeared that part of indulging in the psychosomatic inebriation was actually staying inside of the bar. Which made sense, given that the environment was likely part of the reason the feeling had been provoked anyways.

[Bahr 0]

Probably for the better. It had already been late when Bahr accepted the quest, and it had only gotten later. In fact... was that the sun? Bahr's eyes flickered to the server time and widened when he learned that it was around five thirty in the morning. Sweet merciful Cardinal, how had he allowed himself to stay up so late? He had to get home and get some shut eye if he wanted the following day to possess even a modicum of productivity.

He meandered listlessly to the teleport gate at the center of Fortazela, issuing a command to take him to the tenth floor and disappearing in a flash. Once there, the familiar homely dankness of the underground cavernous floor filled his nostrils. One of the good things about living on the tenth floor was that it was always dark, no matter what time of day it was. He wouldn't have any problems sleeping and could get a full night's- er, morning slash afternoon's rest.