[E3][PP-F21] <<Nature's Treasure>> Fishing Pole-ar Opposites [Shield & Mari]

[Shield 0]

Quest

Spoiler

Floor 1, 11, or 21
<<Nature's Treasure>>
Recommended Level: Any | Party Limit: None
Repeatable: Yes
Credit: @Itzal

Rewards:

• The Materials Gathered

Summary:

Marking the beginning of each tier (Floors 1, 11, 21, etc.), these levels of Aincrad in particular each seem to have various locations among the floors that are bursting at the seams with crafting materials. They are easier to find than other hunting grounds on comparable floors, with short respawn rates to make them the best locations to hunt for materials.

If the floor is vegetated, players can find a <<Garden>>. If there are a lot of buildings on the floor, players can find a <<Courtyard>>. If the floor is underground, players can find a <<Cavern>>. Many NPCs give away these farming locations, telling players about this amazing opportunity of extra materials, whether it be from plentiful monster drops or from the safer areas outside of town that make for easy, peaceful fishing and gathering.

Searching:  LD rolls of 11-14 give 1 material.  LD rolls of 15+ give 2 materials.  Gatherer skill is added to this roll as well.

Fishing:  Monsters and bosses never spawn.  Fishing receives no bonus materials.  CD 12s require a LD of 15+ (modifiers allowed) to fish up a treasure chest.  If 1-14, players receive 4 materials.

Treasure Chests:  LD of 1-3 does not result in a mimic, but drops (Floor * 25) col and one material.

Looting Mobs: Mobs that satisfy the loot minimum always drop (HP * 4) col and 1 material as default drops.

Requirements:

• At least one [1] Page (20 or more posts)
• Mobs MUST meet or exceed the loot minimum parameter.

Event

Spoiler

Event will run until April 22, 2020

The Easter Bunny has scattered Chocolate Eggs all around Aincrad. Eg, Egg, n Eggy - three children of dubious morals and ravenous sweet-tooths (teeth? teeths?) - need your help to find as many Chocolate Eggs as possible! Chocolate Eggs may be found by hunting mobs, gathering materials, or even fishing! Bring enough to Eg, Egg, and Eggy in exchange for amazing prizes!

Chocolate Eggs may be found via looting slain mobs on a LD9+
CD1-3: 2 Eggs
CD4-6: 3 Eggs
CD7-9: 5 Eggs
CD10-12: 6 Eggs
Chocolate Eggs may be found via gathering on a LD6+
CD1-3: 1 Egg
CD4-6: 2 Eggs
CD7-9: 3 Eggs
CD11-12: 4 Eggs
If gathering with Full Energy:
CD1-3: 2 Eggs
CD4-6: 3 Eggs
CD7-9: 5 Eggs
CD10-12: 6 Eggs
Chocolate Eggs may be found via fishing on a CD3+
LD1-5: 2 Eggs
LD6-10: 4 Eggs
LD11-15: 6 Eggs
LD16-20: 8 Eggs
Chocolate Eggs are a bonus drop and will be obtained in addition to any other items.

Loot Tables

Spoiler

Fishing

• CD 1: Fished up a boss monster!
• CD 2-3: Fished up a monster with loot minimum stats
• CD 4: Nothing seems to be biting...
• CD 5-6: 1 Material fished up!
• CD 7-8: 2 Materials fished up!
• CD 9-10: 3 Materials fished up!
• CD 11: 4 Materials fished up!
• CD 12: Treasure Chest fished up!

Chest

• [1-3] = A <<Mimic>>
• [4-7] = 1200 Col, 2 materials, 2 uncommon consumables
• [8-11] = 1800 Col, 3 materials, 2 rare consumables
• [12-15] = 2400 Col, 5 materials, rare weapon, 2 rare consumables
• [16-20] = 3600 Col, 8 materials, perfect armor/shield, 2 rare consumables
• [21-23] = 4800 Col, 10 materials, 2 perfect weapon, perfect consumable
• [24-25] = 6000 Col, 12 materials, perfect weapon, perfect armor/shield, 2 perfect consumables

Shield

Spoiler

» Shield, The Immovable Object

• Modified HP:
• Modified EN:
• Modified MIT:
• Modified ACC:
• Modified DMG:
• Modified EVA:
• Battle Heal:
• Search:
• Temp Buff:
• Temp Buff:
• Temp Buff:

» Base Stats

• Base HP: 1710
• Base EN: 162
• Base MIT: 169
• Base ACC: 0
• Base DMG: 2
• Base EVA: -1
• Battle Heal: 85 HP
• Search: +5

» Items Equipped:

• Seeking Aura - +3 Search
• Raw Passion - +3 Prosperity
• Hammerspace Backpack (HB) +1 BR item (allows stacks up to 7)

» Battle-Ready Inventory:

• Golden  Keys ^x7 | Unique Item | +2 Search on Chests
• Golden  Keys ^x3 | Unique Item | +2 Search on Chests
• Basic Teleportation Crystal ^x4 | Good Item | Teleports player to the Town of Beginnings
• Safeguard Potion ^x3 | Perfect Tier 1 | Safeguard
   

» Skills:

• Searching | 5 Ranks | +5 Bonus to LD, +0 to Stealth Detect
• Battle Healing | 5 Ranks | While in combat, recover 1% per rank (85HP) at the beginning of your turn
• First Aid | 5 Ranks | +4% HP per rank (+20% HP) on Post Action
• Picking | Purchased | +3 LD when opening chests
• Heavy Armor | 5 Rank | +35 Mitigation
• Energize | Purchased |  Restore 8 EN to target
• Block | 5 Ranks | +25 Mitigation
• Howl | Purchased | +2 Hate against each opponent (up to 4)
• Fighting Spirit | Purchased | +1 Hate when using Howl or Focused Howl
• Parry | Purchased | 3 Turn Cooldown | 5 Energy | Reduces incoming damage by 50%
• Fishing | Purchased | Fish for equipment and gain prestige among old men

» Extra Skills:

• Concentration | No Ranks | Gain +1 BD for a single attack | 5 Turn Cooldown
• Familiar Mastery: Healer |  3 Ranks | +135 HP (Does not require post action)
• Martial Arts | 1 Rank | +1 Base Damage per slot with Unarmed Weapons
• Meditation | Purchased | Recover an additional 15 EN on Post Action | 3 Turn Cooldown
• Survival | Purchased |  Increases out of combat health regen to (15xTier) 45 per post

» Mods:

• Athletics: +1 DMG +30 HP
• Focused Howl: +4 Hate against single target on Post Action
• Dismantling: +2 LD when opening chests
• Stone Wall: +Gain 10 MIT and 45 HP from heavy armor. Reduces DOT by 25%. -1 to Evasion.
• Justified Riposte: A successful Parry also stuns the target for 1 turn. | 3 Turn Cool Down
• Vengeful Riposte: A successful Parry returns 50% of DMG back to your opponent - mitigatable. | 3 Turn Cool Down

Roll

Spoiler

ID# 139261 results: Craft: 12 + Loot: 17 [Treasure Chest found] [8 Eggs found - inside of chest for RP purposes]

Total Loot:

Eggs: 8

This lake was starting to feel a lot like home, never mind that it was what seemed to be miles 'underground,' as much as anything twenty one stories up could be considered underground. The dim light of the bioluminescent fungi and the crystals scattered along the walls and floor gave a feeling vaguely like that of a darkened, ground-lit movie theater back in the real world. This thought was amusing to Shield, in a dry, ironic way, as what his eyes saw all around him was the modern equivalent to a projected image. Only in this case, the movie was a death trap and the exits were blocked until the film ended, one way or the other.

Shield's heavily booted feet rang out on the stone of the cavern floor as he approached the side of the lake and set up his tackle. His entire existence the past few days had been nothing but tromping back and forth between here and his home several floors below, emptying his hoards into storage, restocking supplies, and returning to fish again. In his sleeve, the vibrantly colored bush viper, Lilith, twined around his forearm, gleefully absorbing his warmth through her cool, scaly skin. He took a seat on the broken stalagmite that he had taken to using and cast his line into the inky black water.

As he reeled in, his line snagged. He quirked an eyebrow and tugged. Something heavy drug at the end of his line. It was not fighting him... and his fishing skills had grown to the point where the game no longer hooked boots or logs or other junk items to his line. With renewed fervor, Shield hauled, dragging what soon revealed itself to be a chest from the depths of the water.

@Mari

Edited April 2, 2020 by Shield

[Mari 1]

Small footsteps crunched as Mari walked along the river, her rod in hand as a float bobbed in the water beside her. Macradon had thanked her for her time, said something very Macradon-ish about going with her gut - whatever that meant - before flittering off again. Proclaiming that he'd be the victor and gather twice as many eggs as her. A small shake of her head and a tiny smile crept across her features as she walked. What a dork. Still, she really admired that about him. It seemed that no matter what Macradon did, or said - he was able to lighten her mood.

A small tug on the rod caused Mari to pause, reeling in the line she managed to obtain a few more garishly coloured eggs and materials. "These kids really be out here eatin' eggs that were sitting in the bottom of some lake...." She said with a sigh.

After reeling in her rod Mari paused. She saw a figure just ahead, by a gushing waterfall. She hadn't heard him - thanks to the aforementioned water. A quick cerulean  gaze around the scenery told her this was...an interesting place. Tiny lights flickered and danced as they bounced off the shimmering water. Whilst this floor was dark, various areas were illuminated like this place. Soft light hit a head of dark hair and equally dark eyes.  Had Mari interrupted something?

"Uhm...." Mari began. She had planned to fish here, but this tall rugged stranger - she doubted he wanted to have anything to do with her. Mari forced her eyes shut thinking of Zandra, and the fear she had. The rumours she spat out, like blackened bile that sank into her skin and chilled her bones. Rumours that were terrifying and cruel, and ones that people believed. Mari was going to ask him if she could join, but how could she?

"S-sorry, I see this spot is taken." Mari said as she quickly went to turn away.

Trust her gut? The hell was she thinking...

 

ROLL:
ID:139262  CD:11  LD:2
+2 Eggs  +4 Mats

❤Mari's Eggscelent Loot ❤
-2 Eggie Weggies
-2 T3 Materials

 

@Shield

STATS

 

General
Level: 61 | HP: 1250  |Energy: 122

STATS
DAM: 14 | EVA 3  | MIT 43 | ACC 4 | 

SKILLS
Rank 5 Weapon (+5 DMG)
-Weapon Mod: Precision (+1 ACC)
Rank 5 Charge (+5 Damage -1 ACC)
Charge Mod BULL RUSH: Successful charge stuns target 1 turn
Rank 5 Light Armor (+25 MIT)
SURVIVAL
Rank 5 Battle Healing (5% of total health rounded down start of each turn)
Familiar Mastery Expert - +1 (*Tier) Damage - +9 Damage
 

EQUIPPED
Name: Kusanagi | Item Type: Dagger | Tier 2
Enhancements: Bleed 2 | Burn 2
'Bleed Damage of 24 for 2 turns on a roll of 8-10'
'Burn Damage' of 24 for 2 turns on a roll of 8-10 - Unmitigated

Name: Beacon Necklace | Item Type: Pendant | Tier 2
Enhancements  +3 ACC 

Name: Infernal Shadow | Item Type: Light Armour | Tier 3
Enhancements:  +2 Eva | +1 Flame Aura
'Effect: Prevent (6 per slot * Tier) damage per slot from successful attacks against you. Successful non-critical attacks against you deal (5 per slot * Tier) unmitigated burn damage to the attacking enemy.

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by Mari

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 139264 results: Craft: 5 [1 Material found] Loot: 19+8=27 [8 Eggs found]

Total Loot:

Eggs: 16
Materials: 1

The voice he heard was not a surprise at this point. So many people were flocking to fishing spots that there was no sense fretting over trying to keep his reemergence under wraps anymore. Without turning his head, he sat himself down, reached down and patted the ground beside him. "Plenty of lake for everyone. It's a safe zone here. Mobs don't even spawn. There's no need to be apprehensive of one another." He pulled back and cast his line once again, leaving the chest where it was for the time being. He was a little more eager to pull in some eggs and add to his running total.

"If you're shy about joining strangers, you're going to have trouble finding solo fishing spots," he continued, his middle baritone voice echoing slightly off of the reflective surfaces of the stone and water around them. "I normally have this spot to myself, but you're the third player in two days." His line went taut, but this time, it darted from side to side - a sure sign of a fish as opposed to a chest. He stood once more, reeling in hard until a small fish bounded out of the water. It slapped the ground once and shot into the air, slapping Shield in the face with its tail, turning around midair, blowing a loud raspberry in his face, spitting out a mesh bag of chocolate eggs, and flipping back into the water. Shield stood dumbfounded, not sure what to make of what just happened.

Edited April 6, 2020 by Shield

[Mari 1]

"Ah...n-no its not that..." Mari began as she pursed her lips. Freckled cheeks puffed as she inhaled, trying to figure out a way to explain to him that her apprehension wasn't because he was a stranger, but because of a myriad of inexplicable and indescribable scenarios. Thousands of them, that ran though her head daily. But, it could easily boil down to the single, angry, crystal floating above her head.  "It - nevermind." Mari said as she sat down just a few feet away from him. Crossing her booted legs beneath her.

 

Mari turned to shield to say something but the words were lost, instead she snorted and laughed. "Pfft I -ahaahaha what th- I can't..." She wheezed as she slapped her bare thigh. "I c-can't...what the heck was that...." Mari said with a laugh as she threw out her own line. Well, that was one way to break the ice she supposed. Mari hadn't laughed like that in a long time. Tiny giggles still shook her body as she tried to breathe. "I-I needed that holy hell..." Her pale cheeks were red as she tried to hide a toothy grin at the same time as keeping a hold on her fishing pole. When was the last time she laughed like that?

Her line was quick to bounce, but unlike Shield she didn't get slapped in the face - instead she fished up a nice haul of eggs and materials. Even with all the eggs Mari had fished up thus far...along with the pittance she had collected on her way over here...she doubted she'd be able to collect enough. Mari had originally planned to try and nab 400 eggs, but with the amount of materials she had been gathering just from fishing alone, she doubted she needed to bother exchanging the questionably sourced chocolate treats.

"So..." Came her quiet reply, stifled as she tried to not laugh at the poor man again. "What do you plan to do with all the eggs? Materials? One of those stamps?" She tilted her head to the side to get a better glance at the man, ginger hair fell over her shoulder in a neat little cascade. "Or...do you plan on a sub dungeon?"

There was a pause as she realized it would be best she introduce herself. "Mari. I'm Mari."

@Shield
 

ROLL:
ID:139265  CD:6  LD:16
1 Material  8 Eggs

❤Mari's Eggscelent Loot ❤
-10 Eggie Weggies
-3 T3 Materials

Edited April 2, 2020 by Mari

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 139268 results: Loot: 14+7=21

Chest Loot [Accounting for +3 Prosperity]

[1-3] = A <<Mimic>>
[4-7] = 1200 Col, 2 materials, 2 uncommon consumables
[8-11] = 1800 Col, 3 materials, 2 rare consumables
[12-15] = 2400 Col, 5 materials, rare weapon, 2 rare consumables
[16-20] = 3600 Col, 8 materials, perfect armor/shield, 2 rare consumables
[21-23] = 4800 Col, 10 materials, 2 perfect weapon, perfect consumable
[24-25] = 6000 Col, 12 materials, perfect weapon, perfect armor/shield, 2 perfect consumables

Total Loot:

Eggs: 16
Col: 4,800
Materials: 11
Perfect Weapons: [139268a] [139268b]
Perfect Consumables: [139268c]

Shield dusted himself off and wiped the muck off of his face from the unexpected fin slap and knelt down beside the chest he had fished up previously. Reaching up to his belt, he loosed a ring of keys and held one made of gold up to the lock. It vanished, leaving a small cascade of golden glittering dust and a faint found of rich metal ringing out, like the jangling of coins, and the lid popped open. A display window appeared, listing the contents of the chest. "All of it," came his answer. "I plan to get the cap amount of each limited item, and then spend the rest on dungeons and the like. Once your build reaches a certain point, particularly with equipment, chances to change things up and improve become harder and harder to find."

He tapped the option to empty the chest, and once its contents were gone, so too was its durability, and it burst like a dying mob. Shield straightened up and returned to his spot, picking up his fishing pole once more. He glanced over at the newcomer again, realizing it might be best to not just think of her as 'newcomer.' "I'm Shield. I'm a tank, so the weapons I found are far less useful. If you find any chests, I'd be very interested in potentially trading any armor you find for weapons that I find."

Shield hadn't paid much attention to her crystal at first. Although he was not particularly trusting of red players, he had known many friends who had been labeled as such for a time. However, after several long moments, the name clicked in his mind. He remained stoic, facing forward, unblinking. "I know your name. Are you the same Mari whose name is all over the first floor monument?" There was not judgment in his voice. In his mind, this was an opportunity for Shield. He had never heard someone speak of Mari before. This was a chance to learn from her directly what led to the slaughter in years past.

Edited April 6, 2020 by Shield

[Mari 1]

"PFft. All of it!?" Mari asked with a laugh then waved him off. "Man, I'd call that greedy if I wasn't wanting the same thing. I'm not quite at the max level but I'm quickly getting there - I don't really care for all that fancy junk and stuff - I just want it on hand in case someone needs it."

Another tug on her line signified more of these strange 'eggs' that magically seemed to replace Aincrads natural resources. A few of the eggs fell off her line, sinking beneath the waters murky surface- but she was still left with some. Mari picked them off the line. "Shield, and a tank. Well. Guess you picked a pretty decent name then."

Mari was affixing the fishing line to a small float, lifting her gaze at Shields offer. She lowered the rod to rest in her lap."Eh? I-I guess...although addendum to that offer."  Mari said as she held up a single manicured finger. "You can have the armour and weapons, but I'd like the consumables."  Mari was an alchemist, but she was a lazy alchemist. So she found the consumables to be far better than anything else that would be in the chests. "Do we have a deal?" Mari asked as she extended her hand for him to shake.

She winced at his mention of the monument. Her shoulders fell and any jovial feelings vanished, quickly being replaced with an uneasy weight in her chest. Tight feelings that threatened to suffocate her. Ones she were all to familiar with. "Yeh..." Came Mari's dejected reply. "I'm that Mari." Her hand lowered and retracted. "If ya want me to leave, I get it. I will. No harm no foul."

Everybody deserves a chance at redemption

Baldur's words echoed in her mind, and whilst she felt they reigned true; it didn't mean she could continue so frivolously, she wanted to try and be understanding of others. So she offered Shield the same thing she did to everyone else she met. A chance to walk away from the complete and utter wreck that was Mari

@Shield

ROLL:
ID:139269  CD:5  LD:11
2 eggs  1 Material

❤Mari's Eggscelent Loot ❤
-12 Eggie Weggies
-4 T3 Materials

Edited April 2, 2020 by Mari

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 139270 results: Craft: 8 [2 Materials found]  Loot: 10+8=18 [8 Eggs found]

Total Loot:

Eggs: 24
Col: 4,800
Materials: 13
Perfect Weapons: [139268a] [139268b]
Perfect Consumables: [139268c]

Shield had already begun reaching for her hand, and even as she retracted it, his own remained extended. "Fortunately, I am in a position where I can afford to take chances. The only way you'd have a chance to PK me before I teleported was if you somehow stunned me first, and good luck depleting my health before the effect wore off." His face was business-like, but his calculated eyes were more curious than they were stern or judgmental. "And I will accept your offer, conditional on whether I feel you are trustworthy at the end of our conversation. I will honestly be making out better than you if we're trading one for one consumables to equipment, so I'll also offer you the appraisals at cost. I am a merchant, and have long since maxed out my crafting tree, so it's a good offer."

Regardless of the answer, Shield was here to fish, and fish he intended to do. He turned after to the lake once again, casting out his line and slowly reeling it in, giving his bait more of an illusion of life to draw out the fish that might be hiding in the depths. There was still no clear answer as to whether this actually accomplished anything in game. it could be entirely RNG, but regardless, it had worked when Shield fished in the real world, so he did not intend to mess up his juju now.

"I take it from your response to my question that your past is one that you are not quick to discuss," he continued, prefacing what was to come. "Still... my business is protecting people in this game, and that means assessing risks. In my mind, you are a risk, though one I am willing to take at the moment until I understand better. You may share as much or as little as you choose, but I would ask you to share why. Why did things happen the way they did?"

Edited April 6, 2020 by Shield

[Mari 1]

"Regardless of your position, I understand my presence can be..." Mari shifted her gaze away- staring at the waters before them. She wished she could enjoy the way the lights danced across the shimmering surface and how it looked like the water was made of thousands of miniature diamonds. But now was not the time. "Bothersome to others." Mari continued, it was not quite the word she was looking for but it suited. "I don't wanna hurt you, or anyone really - but my words are worth very little and I get that. Actions speak louder than anything I could ever really say."

She turned her eyes back to him, they widened as Shield's dark calculating gaze never once wavered from her. Giving her a conditional offer. It was...and odd offer to say the least, there was nothing stopping him from keeping everything he grabbed - but Mari guessed the same could be said for her. All she had to do was get them identified at his store? "Err, yeh - ok. But..." If his store was in a safe zone that'd be hard. "Yeh, okay." Mari said, deciding they could work out the logistics later.

Mari threw her own line in, watching the tiny red and white float bob among the waters. "It's not something I like to discuss - but I know that if I want anyone to understand, or even give me a chance I need to be able to talk about it. It's very hard for me...but I'm open with it." She shifted her gaze to him briefly, "I don't lie - its too hard to keep track of, but I know you may not believe me still..." Others hadn't...Zandra was convinced Mari had killed people she had never heard of, draind the 'lifeforce' of others and laughed, Mari had never done anything of the sort - but those were the type of rumours going around.

"THat's...quite the question." Mari mused as she felt a tug on her line, she began to reel it in - "That's like asking me to tell you everything and whilst I would - it'd be easier to narrow sh*t down, right?"

SHe lifted up a string of eggs, reeling them in she let the rod sit at her side as she plucked them off one by one. "If I started from the start - you'd probably wanna kill me here." She said quietly, rolling around a pastel coloured egg in her hand. "I know I feel that way about myself every day." Her daughter. Evelyn would have loved an event like this.

"A crazy man, who just so happened to be the corrupt lawyer my ex husband hired to f**k me over was....he was torturing kids. Specifically my kid. So I charged in, attacked. He threw her into the line of fire and I ..." Mari thought she would be able to talk about this. She thought it'd be easier than this. She swallowed, her throat feeling dry, her voice wavering. "It's - how I got my crystal."  It took a lot of strength to hold it together, to not shake - to not feel her eyes burning. She had cried enough.

She'd explain things...one bit at a time.

@Shield

ROLL:139272 CD: 4 LD: 19
8 Eggies

❤Mari's Eggscelent Loot ❤
-20 Eggie Weggies
-4 T3 Materials

Edited April 3, 2020 by Mari

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 139278 results: Craft: 1 [0 Materials found]

Total Loot:

Eggs: 24
Col: 4,800
Materials: 13
Perfect Weapons: [139268a] [139268b]
Perfect Consumables: [139268c]

"I am full defense in my build, which is part of why I am so hard to kill," he explained at the mention of him potentially wanting to kill her for the things she was to share. "But neither can I kill you. Proceed. You are safe from harm."

Shield listened, his bobber unattended on the waters, which was just as well as it did not move. He was aware that his questions were broad and sweeping and that they placed the onus, perhaps unfairly, on Mari to decide what to share. Her first punch, so to speak, was a low blow, implying that she had inadvertently slain her own daughter. Shield turned his head away, not in disgust at her action, but to keep his own composure. He let a little bit of air enter the conversation, making his mind up. He had a gambit he could make. A peace offering. It was not without the risk of harm, but by nature of how much he was asking, it would be unjust to demand without offering anything in return.

"The reason I am as strong as I am... is because I have my own kids to get back to in the real world. If I were to get out and find something had happened to them, I don't know if I could hold myself responsible for what I might do in the aftermath," he said, soberly, his voice so far absent of judgment. "I am perhaps in a more unique position to understand you than many other players in this game." The stalwart tank paused before adding, "You are now one of three players who knows I have kids in the real world. I do not share that in case I make enemies in here who might seek me out to harm them in the real world. Please do not take advantage of that information. Anyway... continue."

Edited April 3, 2020 by Shield

[Mari 1]

"What!?" Mari's head snapped to Shield, dots of wet tears spotting at the corner of her eyes. "Why the hell would anyone even think of hurting people like that?"

Her grip on her rod tightened and the thin steel shook in her tiny fists. She hadn't even realized the hypocrisy in her own words. That the man she had tried to attack had done just that. That she had too - although it were never her intention. Mari had always blamed herself for her daughters death. If she had better control of her emotions - then she'd be the one to have died. None of this would have happened. And her daughter may very well have been alive. "S-sorry I Just...." She fiddled with the rod, taking a few moments to steady her breathing. Shield seemed to understand, keeping silent and waiting for her to start talking again. "I don't have anything left in the real world." Mari said weakly. Her daughter. Her daughter was the only thing she had left. She shook her head. "So - I don't... don't want anyone to be in that same position. I won't say anything about it to anyone."


Mari slowly, with shaking hands tried to attach another float to her rod - she had to keep her hands busy. "So...After that I tried really hard to hold it together, but my anger problems only got worse. Argumail - he was laughing and attacking my friends, licking tears off their faces and - he...he literally thought he was part demon, and that he was the king of demons. Looking back...he was probably just some poor kid cracking under the pressure but...if I hadn't...then those three girls woulda died."

The second, of 8 kills.

Mari tossed her rod into the river. Continuing. "I can't justify my actions for that...because a life was still taken."  Almost as soon as she had tossed in the line she had to reel it back in again. Taking a few more eggs and materials.   "Then there was Tom; he got messed up in a guild called the Azure Brigade, its leader a bastard. He put a high bounty on Tom's head wanting him to suffer. I came to help him but he begged for death. SO I -" Mari shook her head. "I shouldn't have. I just - I wanted to die to and I thought if I asked for swift death verses a life of relentlessly being hunted...I shoulda just protected him instead, but I wasn't in a good state of mind. My best friend at the time...started acting weird - started trying to tell me everyone on this world was nothing more than a cancer- weird sh*t like that."

The third.

@Shield

ROLL: 139340  CD10:  LD:13
6 eggies 3 materials

❤Mari's Eggscelent Loot ❤
-26 Eggie Weggies
-7 T3 Materials

Edited April 3, 2020 by Mari

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 139341 results: Craft: 1 [0 Materials found] [0 Eggs found]

Total Loot:

Eggs: 24
Col: 4,800
Materials: 13
Perfect Weapons: [139268a] [139268b]
Perfect Consumables: [139268c]

There was a lot to take in. So much so that judging each new piece of information individually was not entirely realistic. It was possible that this was fast-talk. Just a flood of information designed to mislead. He had no specific reason to doubt her yet. At the moment, he assessed this as a passionate mother who had lost much of her will to live but had gone on living despite what must have been unbearable sorrow.

At the end of his line, his bobber bobbed uselessly, his bait unnoticed by any of the fish what may have lurked below. Shield wound up his line with the reel and scouted a new spot, tossing it out onto the dark depths to hopefully draw more attention. The former frontliner continued to listen, reading as best he could between the lines. It was jumbled and messy in its recounting, but he didn't know how any situation that led to player death, particularly when the player in questions is someone known personally, could be anything but messy. This was clearly not rehearsed, though if it was, it was done masterfully, with intent to appear disjointed. While not impossible, it seemed increasingly unlikely the further she went on.

Edited April 3, 2020 by Shield

[Mari 1]

She felt nervous with the silence; was he judging her? Probably, who wouldn't? Hell. Mari wasn't even sure if she was really worthy of the redemption that Baldur and Macradon were trying so hard to help her with. Tarnished. Right. That's what she was....

If you're tarnished than I am just as bad!

Macradon's voice shouted in her head, ringing in her ears. Mari shook her head to get the obstinate man out.  "Sorry...I don't really know how to word this stuff properly, I ain't really eloquent." She reeled in her line, only a little, to make the float move. To coax the fish toward her lure. "The next two were a group of kids - they chased me down..er...no..up three floors. I was done fighting I was done..." Her rod lowered slightly as she loosened her grip. "At least I tried to be done. They wouldn't stop attacking me, then they started to attack each other. One fell to their death - I'm....f**k I'm really f**ked up huh?" Mari said.

The fourth, and fifth.

Mari almost lost her rod, it was tugged out of her hands and she struggled to catch it and reel in the eggs. One by one. She wasn't even counting them nor the materials at this point. "Yanno...I normally like silence but..." This unnerved Mari. "Do-do I stop?"

@Shield

ROLL: 139342 CD:9  LD:17
8 Eggies 3 Materials

❤Mari's Eggscelent Loot ❤
-34 Eggie Weggies
-10 T3 Materials

Edited April 3, 2020 by Mari

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

 ID# 139343 results: Craft: 5 [1 Material found] Loot: 17+8=25 [8 Eggs found]

Total Loot:

Eggs: 32
Col: 4,800
Materials: 14
Perfect Weapons: [139268a] [139268b]
Perfect Consumables: [139268c]

"You don't need to stop talking," Shield said, giving her a sidelong glance. It was hard to listen to, and he was currently choosing to believe that by 'kids,' she meant teenagers or young adults of some sort or another. From what he could tell, she was not painting herself as the type to target children, even in self defense. "I merely did not wish to interrupt. It's a lot, and I figured it was kinder to allow you to get it out quickly rather than draw it out with commentary or questions."

The air in front of him was split by the whirring of his fishing rod, and he jerked his arms back. Whatever was fighting him on the other side was not substantial enough to do so properly. It lost the contest of strength quickly, and the little tiny gummy fish that emerged flopped on the shore, somehow filled with over half a dozen chocolate eggs despite its diminutive size. Shield stashed all of the above and recast his line before turning his head to face the woman fishing beside him. "Or would you rather I allow you a reprieve from your tale?"

Edited April 3, 2020 by Shield

[Mari 1]

"Yeh..." Mari said in agreeance. "I don't like...I mean, who would like talking about this sort of thing?" She questioned. "I just, I guess I don't really get a chance. Not many people outright ask me to. They either assume or let things lie in the past. I can't really blame any for their actions. I do have some level of notoriety, though I never really knew why." Her words were quiet as she fiddled with tying another lure to the end of her line. At least these ones weren't filled with sharp jagged spikes. Even if they were, it's not like it'd cut her.  "Mac told me its cause I was the strongest player at the time, and a frontliner - it made me an easy target. But I don't know if I believe him."

Mari cast out her line. 'Plop'

"I think it's in part because I didn't have a handle on my emotions. I was dealing with too much death. The loss of my daughter, my friend who had literally stabbed me in the back, froze me in place and tortured me relentlessly - I didn't handle things well...that's entirely on me." She shook her head when he offered her a reprieve, she'd rather get it all out at once.

"Echo - he was trying to get involved, initiate battles to the death. I tried to de-escalate the situation, there were others there, so many people. I didn't want anyone else to die. But...he didn't listen no one did. I admittedly lashed out. Because he was attacking others, others who would have died if he did, but did that make me any better?" Mari asked Shield. Then, she answered for him. "No. It doesn't. I'm no different."

The seventh.

One to go.
 
The ginger haired woman half-heartedly reeled in her line, expecting to see nothing on the end - she had planned to recast it, instead two tiny eggs hung on. She plucked them off and cast a little further out from where she had been.

@Shield

 

ROLL:  139344  CD: 3  LD: 4
2 Eggies

❤Mari's Eggscelent Loot ❤
-36 Eggie Weggies
-10 T3 Materials

Edited April 3, 2020 by Mari

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 139345 results: Craft: 6 [1 Material Found] Loot: 9+8=17 [8 Eggs found]

Total Loot:

Eggs: 40
Col: 4,800
Materials: 15
Perfect Weapons: [139268a] [139268b]
Perfect Consumables: [139268c]

"Though I'd never call killing the best solution, motive does play a role," he interjected, not allowing Mari the opportunity to get in a free hit against herself at his expense like that by proffering a rhetorical question. "Killing to save is not the same as killing for fun or killing out of malice, so if you are being truthful about the situation, it's unjust to compare your actions to his. Rash, perhaps. Malicious or malevolent, no."

At this, he concluded his objection and allowed her to continue uninterrupted. His mind continued to work on the things that she shared.

It's clear that she does not glorify the death she's caused. There is remorse, and a shame that she wears outwardly, even as early as when she first appeared. She was apologetic merely for having the color cursor that she does.

Another whine of his reel spinning to unwind, and again, he caught it and worked it back onto the spool in the middle, winding up the fishing line to draw in his catch. This one was just as puny as the last, and again, just as overly full of eggs. It was a wonder the thing was able to move at all, much less swim.

Edited April 3, 2020 by Shield

[Mari 1]

Mari had opened her mouth to interject -but he quickly talked over her and her jaw clamped shut. Malicious...malevolent...maybe she was? Mari had killed people. Multiple people. At what point does that turn from rash to right up cruelty? Mari shook her head. She wouldn't verbally disagree.

"Aubrey..." Mari whispered the name. "A sweet woman, she really didn't deserve anything." Mari said. "She was nothing more than an innocent bystander who I lashed out at. I uh..." Mari shuffled away from Shield a few inches. "I broke down. It became too much. I completely and utterly broke down. I unno what you'd call it, a psychotic breakdown maybe? Something worse? So many people were ganging up on me...my closest confidant - I thought they had died in the hydra fight - and everyone I  cared about had either died or turned on me. One even trying to kill me just so they could take my Demonic Weapon, that he couldn't even use. They were a lot rarer back then...I just...I lost it, lashed out and she died. After that..."

Mari sighed as she reeled in her rod; it was almost second nature to her now. She had fished a lot back home too. "After that I went into isolation, I shut myself away for almost two years. I wanted death but was too cowardly to end it myself. I came back out half hoping someone would just take my life. Instead - I met people like Macradon and Baldur."

After pocketing the large group of eggs Mari rubbed her arm. "I dunno what else to say now really... that's kinda a summary of things I guess."

 

@Shield

 

ROLL:  139347  CD:4   LD:16
8 Eggies

❤Mari's Eggscelent Loot ❤
-44 Eggie Weggies
-10 T3 Materials

Edited April 3, 2020 by Mari

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

 ID# 139348 results: Craft: 9 [3 Materials found] Loot: 10+8=18 [8 Eggs found]

Total Loot:

Eggs: 48
Col: 4,800
Materials: 18
Perfect Weapons: [139268a] [139268b]
Perfect Consumables: [139268c]

"Well, that settles it, then," Shield said, releasing his rod with one hand and clapping her hard on the shoulder. It was a rough gesture, but he felt like it might be good to pull the woman out of her own head long enough to hear his thoughts. "It sounds like you were pushed to the limit, and that most of those were either accidental, self-defense, or some manner of misunderstanding. Could be a lie. Doesn't seem to be. But-" He turned his head once again to face her properly, punctuating the following words. "If Baldur did not see you as an enemy, then neither do I."

Shield began reeling in to cast his line out once again, but as he did so, his pole jerked away from him toward the water, the handle barely staying in his grasp. Unlike the last two catches, this one knew how to fight back, and he had to dig in his heels. The end of the rod's handle he set against his hip and gripped further up the bent neck of the pole, craning his body back to fight the fish part way back to shore before reeling in that slack as he let his pole back down. He then pulled again and reeled, pulled and reeled... each time inching the fish closer to where they stood. Finally, he pulled it out of the water, and there it flopped until it shuddered and fell still.

"In any case, I do not consider you safe necessarily just yet," he said, picking up the fish and banishing it to his inventory to join the other spoils. "However, not all risks are bad ones, and if one of my dearest friends in SAO could see good in you, then I will trust his judgment just as I have when battling alongside him during floor bosses."

Edited April 3, 2020 by Shield

[Mari 1]

"OOF" Mari coughed when she felt the hard slap on her shoulder, she dropped her rod and had to scramble, dipping her hands beneath the water to catch it before it became lost. She wasn't sure she could go and buy another one, especially since she couldn't walk into town. "Y-yeh..." Mari tried to recover, a little distracted by the sudden pull on her rod. She reeled it in, hands dripping with water- only to fish up a tiny anchovy lookin' fish with eggs trailing behind it's tail. Mari pulled it toward her.

"I don't lie. But I don't expect you to trust me either." She unhooked the fish and placed it in her inventory. "I don't really trust all that many people. I could count them on my left hand." She opened her mouth to name them, but instead of words sounds like 'ha-ba-ma-fa' Came out instead. Did he just say?

Mari quickly shoved her hand into her lap and cleared her throat. "B-Baldur is definitely one of the people I trust." She quickly muttered. Why did she have to meet someone who was apparently one of Baldur's closest friends in this game? What were the odds? Especially after the discussion her and Macradon had prior.

Dammit

"If you're someone Baldur holds in high regards - then you're not all too bad." Mari mumbled. "T-though you could work on your left hook a little more." She tried to joke. It felt out of place, given the serious note of their discussion. "I-...Shield." Mari turned to him and offered him a weak smile. "Thanks for listening. Not many people do."

@Shield

 

ROLL: 139349   CD: 10  LD: 13
3 Materials 6 eggies

❤Mari's Eggscelent Loot ❤
-50 Eggie Weggies
-13 T3 Materials

Edited April 3, 2020 by Mari

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

 ID# 139350 results: Craft: 1 [No Materials found]

Total Loot:

Eggs: 48
Col: 4,800
Materials: 18
Perfect Weapons: [139268a] [139268b]
Perfect Consumables: [139268c]

Shield returned her sentiment with his characteristic nod, turning back to the lake. "Well, I'm used to cuffing men twice your size. I might need to practice pulling punches. In any case, don't mention it," he went on, steering back to the topic at hand. "People underestimate the value the simple act of listening has." His mind wandered briefly back to a night from before Cardinal had been patched to remove the effects of alcohol from the game, and in particular to a night where the soft-spoken Piera had been the listener that he himself had needed. "Macradon... I knew casually before I left. We were cordial. Friendly even, but no real personal connection. Baldur on the other hand..." his face changed at the mention of the man, his features warming slightly. "He was the first person I allowed to see me out of hiding, a probably the player I missed most. For a while, we were even going to start a guild together, but one by one, those we had assembled peeled off and went into isolation... It wasn't a good time for the front lines. Still isn't," he admitted, though it pained him to do so.

His line remained slack, and with a sigh, he reeled and cast once again, hoping to find a fresh spot that might have some fish left. "I'm not sure what the samurai told you, but we're down to only two true tanks and one healer," he said, wincing slightly at his own words.

I did what Baldur did and counted myself among the frontline tanks. Dammit, I still haven't made up my mind, but I'm starting to act like I already have...

Edited April 3, 2020 by Shield

[Mari 1]

Mari gave a faint smile as Shield spoke fondly of Baldur. "Yeh..." She watched the red and white bauble as it floated listlessly atop the water. "He's...really something isn't he? His presence just has this strong warmth to it. It makes you feel human. It calms you. I feel like all those self hating voices in my head, the unwavering tidal wave of tubulance I deal with, it all washes away just with a smile from him."

There was a pause, and Mari realized the words she had been saying. Ah crap titty f**k Mari coughed and quickly changed the topic.

"S-So the frontlines? I was once on them too but got chased away - told if I were to return I'd be killed - but those people are gone now. I'm returning as a DoT but from what I've been hearing, we could really use more tanks and healers. So yeh that sounds aout right..." Mari tapped her rod with her index finger. "Are...you returning to the frontlines? We could really use a Shield."

During the conversation she had reeled in another fish, attached to it - several eggs. Mari should probably take a break and count them, but not now - later.

@Shield

ROLL: 139351 CD: 11  LD: 5
4 Mats 2 eggies

❤Mari's Eggscelent Loot ❤
-52 Eggie Weggies
-15 T3 Materials

Edited April 3, 2020 by Mari