[F1 - PP] That Level Gap Though [Secret Medicines of the Forest] (Jomei, Freyd)

[Aquan 0]

Aquan strolled through the town, not really aware of much that was going on around him. Ever since he started leveling more with Firm Anima and getting his barings in the world, he started to feel a lot better about what he could do, and what the world could help him with. He knew he was still a bit of a lower level still, only at level 5, so he decided that his best bet would be to seek out others that could help him, and hope that it would be enough. He heard of the Nepents and the Secret Medicine of the Forest quest that was on the first floor. He didn't think he could handle it alone, but if he were to do it with someone higher leveled, he could probably get through it without major issue.

Aquan wandered up to a job posting board and placed an ad on it, hoping it would draw people in.

Low Level Player looking for help in the Secret Medicine of the Forest boss Quest. One or Two people are prefered, at least level 5 or up.

Aquan nodded and sat on a bench near the bulletin board. He was hoping someone would pick it soon so he could get back to creating this better build for himself.

@Jomei@Freyd - The Whisper in Shadows

Spoiler

Level: 5
HP: 100
EN: 10
LD: +1
Stealth Detection: +1
DMG: +1
EVA: +1

Skills
Searching, Rank 1
1 HSS Rank 1

Equipment
Uncommon Tier 1 Light Armor: Evasion
Rare Tier 1 1 HSS: Paralyze, Bleed (12 Unmitigable DMG for 2 Turns)

Guild Buffs
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

 

Edited November 19, 2020 by Aquan

[Jomei 0]

Why was he on the first floor, he never knew. Being a member of the boss raiding party and a higher level than many of the players who spent there time here, there were so many other places he could visit without the fear of being attacked or killed. Floor Twenty Five was just as peaceful, if not more so.. Twenty Four was like a vast ocean. So much to see on these Twenty Five floors of Aincrad.. and Jomei chose to relax on the very bottom of this mysterious, flying castle. Why? Maybe old habits died hard, all the time he had spent down here when the game first launched. The familiarity of it all was just comforting and nostalgic. That, and the ginger was always open to helping out new faces, as many had done for him before. Escorting low leveled players out into the wilds to take on one of the field bosses, or just to find some of their first materials for crafting. It filled Jomei with a sense of worth.. unlike fighting on the frontlines where he just felt like a burden. 

The tree Jomei sat in offered a nice vantage point where he could people watch. With his back against the trunk of the tree, he let one leg dangle below him as he looked out over the menagerie of people set out on their daily tasks. His eyes wandered to a man who approached the bulletin board, used by many players to either find a quest, or seek help for a quest. He wondered which it was, and decided to guess based on his next actions. After a short moment standing at the post, he made his way to a bench that sat idly just under the tree Jomei sat in. From what he could assume, he was looking for assistance. 

Swinging his other leg over the tree branch, the ginger dropped to the ground behind the bench where the blonde sat alone. His palms pressed into the back of the bench as he leaned over so his face was within the other man's peripherals. "I take it you're looking for some help with something?" He would smile politely once the man's attention was gained, before vaulting over the back of the bench and taking a quick stroll towards the job posting. "Hm... Secret Medicine of The Forest... I actually don't think I've ever taken that quest yet," he spun back around and retreated towards the bench yet again, "I guess this will be an experience for both of us then." 

 

Spoiler

Jomei: 1570/1570 HP | 167/167 EN | 17 DMG | 36 BNR | 36 BLT | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 43 MIT | HB 16 Healing | 79 B. Healing

 

Level: 77

HP: 1540 /(1570)

En: 167

SP: 6/424

DMG: 17

Burn:  36 [9-10]
Blight: 36 [9-10]
EVA: 3

ACC: 4
MIT: 43
Holy Blessing: 16 HP 
Battle Healing: 79 HP

 

When with Telrenya
+1 LD
+90 Overhealth

 

   Reveal hidden contents

 

Skills:

Grandmaster Rapier Skill (+5 DMG)

Grandmaster Light Armor Rank 5 (+25 mit)
Charge Rank 5 (+5 DMG)

Energist (+5*Tier EN)

Battle Healing Rank 5 (5% HP Recovery)
Parry (50% DMG rounded down)
Extended Mod Limit (10 SP)
Howl(8 EN +2 Hate up to 4 enemies)
Hiding Rank 3 (+3 Stealth Rating)
---

 

Extra Skills:

Concentration (+1 BD when used)
Martial Arts Rank 4 (+5 DMG Unarmed)
Survival (+15*Tier HP Out of battle & Not effected by environment)
Meditation (5*Tier EN,reduces to 3*Tier if hit before next turn.)
Familiar Mastery: Fighter (Rk.3) (+3 * Tier DMG)

Mods:

Rapier Ferocity (+1 DMG to Sword Arts )
Rapier Finesse Rank 3 (+5*Tier En)
Athletics (+1 DMG, +10*Tier HP)
Precision (+1 ACC)
Sprint and Acrobatics (+1 EVA)
Stamina (-1 EN all Attacks)
Bull Rush (Charge stuns for 1 round)
---

 

Housing Buffs:
Rested (-1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat)
Clean (The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20%
   Filling (Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.)
Relaxed (Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.)

   Reveal hidden contents

 

Equipment:

Weapon: Jack's Rapier T3(Burn, Blight, Cursed)

Armor: Vestige of St.Patrick T2 (+18 MIT, +2 EVA, +1 Holy Blessing)

Accessory: Alateron's Will (+3 ACC)

Familiar: Adere the Tawny Owl (+9 DMG)

Extra: Mask of the Lovers (+1 LD, +90 Over Health) 

[Only active when in a thread with Telrenya]

 

Edited November 19, 2020 by Jomei

[Freyd 0]

"...and there I was, standing like some sort of idiot, surrounded by disintegrating dragon bits.  I'd one-shotted the damned thing - super cool, right? And yet, I couldn't even manage to string two words together to tell her how I felt!  Uuuuuughh!" 

Freyd sighed, pressing his forehead against his fist in frustration at unrelated recent events as he sat in his favourite spot, venting everything he couldn't manage to voice aloud to Marv.  The NPC gate guard was as stoic as always, staring straight ahead and doing nothing to acknowledge Freyd in any way, save to deliver a pre-programmed yawn every sixty seconds or so.  The two had been living out this one-sided relationship since Freyd had first dared wander from the Town of Beginnings, and he returned to purge, chat, brainstorm or otherwise spew any thought that came into his head but couldn't be said elsewhere.  Marv took it all in stride, regardless of the baggage.  'What a good guy he is,' Freyd always told himself, admiring the guard's composure.  There was no one better to talk to when you just needed someone to listen.  The scene was rendered even more absurd by his dark, sinister garb and trademark black cowl that made him look like he should be stabbing people in dark alleys rather than chatting up the local constabulary. 

*PING*

The message notification clipped short his rant, as he read the request.  He'd made it a habit to help new players who were still starting out, given that he had also gotten a late start.  This one was a fellow guild member to boot.

"Thanks for the chat, Marv, as always.  Duty calls!"

Marv just yawned.

"Yo!  Aquan!"  he called across the courtyard.  "I'll give you a hand, bud.  We stomping nepents?  Won't be a problem.  Just watch out: they tend to splurt if you squish them the wrong way."

 

Vanity Tag: @Elora

***

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1590/1590 | EN:171/171 | DMG:20 | MIT:79 | EVA:2 | ACC:5 | Abs.Acc | KEEN 1 | LD:5 | BH:79

Spoiler

Name: Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows
Level: 78
HP: 1590/1590
EN: 171/171

Stats:
Damage: 20
Mitigation: 79
Evasion: 2
Accuracy: 4
BH:79
VAMP OFF:159
HLY:6
FLN:6
LD:5

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Grave Injustice (T3-2HSS, ACC 1, Keen 1, Abs. ACC)
Armor: Skirmisher's Garb (T3 LA, MIT 2, EVA 1)
Misc: Night Shades (T3-Trinket, ACC 3)

Skills:
2H Straight Sword [Rank 5]
Light Armor [Rank 5]
Searching [Rank 4]
Battle Healing [Rank 5]
Parry [Obtained]
Energist [Obtained]
Charge [Rank 5]
Extended Mod Limit R3 [Obtained]
Hiding [Rank 4]
Martial Arts [Rank 2]

Extra Skills:
Disguise
Familiar Mastery: Fighter 3
Survival
Meditation

Mods:
Precision
Finesse - Rank 3
LA Athletics
Ferocity
LA Sprint and Acrobatics
Night Vision
Vengeful Riposte

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystals*5
Gungnir Shard: Haniel's Modesty (T3 Perfect HP Rec [Instant]*5
Flash of Rejuvenation (Mass HP Rec [Instant] (+30*Tier HP)*5
Fruit-Infused Tea (T3 HP Recovery)*5
Imugi's Inspiration (T3 Mass HP Recovery)*5
Mega-Duper... Sauce (Antidote 3)*5
Samael's Pride (T3-2HSS, VO 1, HOLY 1, FLN 1)*1

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Skylight (Searching): +1 Rank to the Searching skill.
Angler: +1 material gained when fishing
Advanced Training: +2 SP to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor [Potted Tanabata Bamboo Tree]: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild:
Kumatetsu Statue: +1 Base Damage for a thread

Wedding Ring: n/a

 

[Aquan 0]

Aquan let the soft sunlight wash over his body as he sat on the bench. He began to wonder if someone could get a sun burn from the sun. So far he could not think of anything that would point him to yes, but it was still something he would like to find out eventually if that is for sure. "Well so far it is a no, so I shouldn't try to-" He gasped and sat up as a man with ginger hair came into view. For a moment he thought he was going to be attacked, even though he was in a safe zone, but quickly calmed down when the stranger began to talk about giving him assistance. "O-Oh.. Yeah I would appreciate getting some assistance with that quest." He paused and looked at the man, "I'm surprised you have not completed that quest, you seem to be a higher level so it's strange. Usually higher leveled character would complete all the quests below them in order to level up faster, it is the smarter approached." He did not mean it as an insult as his words slowly faded away.

He quickly snapped back to Freyd walking up, boisterous and full of life, offering to help the player as well. "Oh, did not expect two people to assist. But I'm happy to have two higher levels to assist me when I need it." He paused again, looking between the two players. "I'm Aquan, I believe you are Freyd, I recognize you.... And you are?" He turns to the ginger man who startled him half to death.

Edited November 19, 2020 by Aquan

[Jomei 0]

"Usually higher leveled character would complete all the quests below them in order to level up faster, it is the smarter approached."

The statement hung in the air for a short moment before Jomei felt the embarrassment creep in. Sheepishly chuckling, he brought a hand up to rub at the back of his head. "W-Well.. guess this one just snuck out from under me. I probably would have done it if I had realized it even existed." Jomei's spark of self shame was broken as another player walked up to them, addressing the player he conversed with as Aquan. The other man, who's equipment definitely put him at a similar, if not the same, level as Jomei's also offered his assistance in helping out with this quest. Would they really need two frontline-leveled players to help with what may have been a first level quest? The ginger could not help but smirk at his own thoughts, for he thought it would definitely be interesting to see how quickly they could complete this with their skills. That, and it would feel good to get Aquan through without any issues. 

"Sorry. Jomei. Pleasure to meet you both." The Irishman introduced himself with a polite bow of his head. 

[Freyd 0]

A pair of reddish-tinged brown eyes concealed beneath the edge of a charcoal-coloured cowl assessed the taller carrot-topped player in the same manner one might evaluate the tailoring of a person's suit, only to suddenly realize that this was precisely the case.  The lanky, darkly-clad stranger appeared to be evaluating his gear as some sort of  measure, as he had similarly done.

"Freyd," he said factually, with a slight nod of respectful acknowledgement.  His stance was relaxed and sure of himself, yet his tone and every bit of hit kit suggested that he was a pragmatist.  There was nothing even remotely frivolous or impractical in his appearance.  Snug black leather armor, deliberately covered or patched by black cloth was cut and fit for quick travel and ease of movement, including lightly soled black boots for silence and black gloved hands.   Only the bottom half of his face was exposed, and the lower rim of his eyes, the rest exposed by shadow or perhaps some other mask.

"I make it a point to try and help new members of our guild," he added, directing the comment to Aquan and revealing himself as a senior member of Firm Anima.  "Nepent-hunting, are we?"  He chuckled lightly.  

"With this much firepower, this won't take long."

[Jomei 0]

"Guild?" Jomei said briefly to himself, his eyes looking to the other two. "Firm Anima.. Can't say I've heard of you guys before.. but then again, I haven't been to keen on checking in on guild affairs." he said with a smirk. Jomei would be lying if he said he was not curious about this guild of theirs. Especially after disbanding the Holy Dragon Alliance, he wondered how other guilds worked and kept their members active in guild affairs. Maybe it would make for some travel talk to kill the time later on. With introductions out of the way, Jomei clapped his hands together in front of his person, "So," he looked to Aquan, "This is your quest after all, lead the way." With an expression on his face that showed forgetfullness, Jomei turned towards the tree he sat in and let out a sharp whistle. Bursting from the foliage, a brown owl draped in a green scarf descended to Jomei's shoulder, folding her wings into her feathered body as she perched on his arm. "Alright, now I'm ready." 

[Aquan 0]

Aquan nodded when Freyd mentioned that it wont take long for the quest with the two of them helping him along. He was about to take a step out towards where he believed the Nepents to be, but a bird stopped him. Aquarian's eyes went wide as he watched the creature, his face lighting up when the owl fluttered and landed on the man's arm. "I-I that owl is adorable. Do you know what breed it is? It looks to be a female but I can't tell the exact breed. Barred owls are usually brown, but they can sometimes be mixed with spotted owls because of their similar habitats. What floor did you get her, and what is her name? It could be an Elf owl, those are more endangered so they would be a lot more difficult in order to actually get ahold of. You'd be lucky if one got close to you. What did you do to lure it towards you? The type of food can sway the creatures in different ways. Like meat for example.." At this point his words slowly fade away until he is inspecting the owl but not saying anything. His facial expression shows that he is still calculating everything, but just in his mind.

After a full minute, Aquan stands up straight and nods to the other two people, not really realizing his silence. "Okay, lets head out. I'm not positive how far away the Nepents are. I appreciate you two coming along." Aquan looked back at the two and smiled before continuing the trek into the floor. After a short period of time, the three came across the normal spawning grounds. Because they were in a party of three for this quest, three Nepents spawned. "I'm not experienced with combat. I will go first and you two assist with combat?" He turns to them, Trying to see if that would work. He runs forward, but the Nepent he was targeting already begins to back up.

ID: 178329 BD: 4 [Miss]

Aquan 100 HP | 8/10 EN | 2 DMG | 1 Stealth Detection | 1 EVA |
Jomei
Freyd

Nepents:

• Nepent 1 7 HP
• Nepent 2 7 HP
• Nepent 3 7 HP
• Nepent 4 7 HP
• Nepent 5 7 HP
• Nepent 6 7 HP
• Nepent 7 7 HP

 

Edited November 21, 2020 by Aquan

[Freyd 0]

"We're mostly a crafting guild," he clarified, for Jomei's benefit.  Mostly.

Nodding his acknowledgement to Aquan as he raced forward, he admired the man's courage and didn't want to do anything to dissuade it.  Reaching into an unseen pocket, Freyd pulled his arm back and drew a gleaming steel bastard sword with a brass cross guard decorated like a pair of scales.  

"Why don't I thin them out a bit and save us some time?"

Striding forward, Jomei and Aquan could practically see the darkly clad mind calculating all of the angles and variables in play.  His black cowl tilted only slightly, following the movements of his eyes as he took in the scene and the wobbling, awkward motions of the writhing plants as they waddled to meet him.  An awkwardly long lunge speared the first one's bulbous body and gave him the position he required.  Swinging the bright blade in a wide arc, three more nepents exploded as if the shards of their first companion had become some kind of fragmentation grenade, its death throes causing theirs.

Spoiler

Blast (x2 AoE, +8 hits) = 10 EN - (Rested 1/2, Finesse 3) = 6 EN

ID: #178333 | BD: 3+5=8 (hit).  Freyd deals (2*20=40) damage to Nepent 1
ID: #178334 | BD: 5+5=10 (hit).  Freyd deals (2*20=40) damage to Nepent 2
ID: #178335 | BD: 1+5=6 (hit).  Freyd deals (2*20=40) damage to Nepent 3
ID: #178336 | BD: 3+5=8 (hit).  Freyd deals (2*20=40) damage to Nepent 4

Keen triggered.

Aquan 100 HP | 8/10 EN | 2 DMG | 1 Stealth Detection | 1 EVA |
Freyd | HP:1590/1590 | EN:165/171 | DMG:20 | MIT:79 | EVA:2 | ACC:5 | Abs.Acc | KEEN 1 | LD:5 | BH:79
Jomei

Nepents:

• Nepent 1 0 HP
• Nepent 2 0 HP
• Nepent 3 0 HP
• Nepent 4 0 HP
• Nepent 5 7 HP
• Nepent 6 7 HP
• Nepent 7 7 HP

 

[Jomei 0]

Freyd answered Jomei's unspoken curiosity about their guild, calling it a mainly craft focused build. "Ah, I see. Not my forte then." he said with a smirk. "I have a shop, I'm a performer, but I mainly took the profession for the more...vanity and entertaining perks, rather than writing songs for combat buffs."

It seemed Aquan was interested in Adere.. very interested. The man had quite a knack for owls, though he suspected that knowledge may stem to animals in general. Rapid fire questions spewed from his mouth, hypothesizing Adere's type and all that. Jomei could not help but let out a small laugh, "A curious lad, aren't ye. This is Adere. She is a tawny owl. I met her on the second floor, just outside of Urbus. Uhh I believe I lured her out with sliced rabbit meat... thats her favorite" he said with a smile, scratching at her feathered chest. 

Finally, the group set off for their adventure to hunt down these Nepents. A quest that both Aquan, and surprisingly, Jomei, would be completing for the first time. It did not take long to get to their destination, which was a short walk outside of the Town of Beginnings. Truly a beginners quest... why did Jomei decide not to complete it again? The strange, large mouthed, plant like creatures wandered the forest, soon taking notice of the players approach. Freyd was able to take out a majority of the group, leaving another 3 for Jomei and Aquan to take care of. 

With two simple slashes, Jomei's sword cut through the Nepent like a hot knife through butter. Its health bar went from green to a shattered mess in the blink of an eye. Returning his rapier to his scabbard after his single kill, he turned his attention to Aquan, "Come on, lad. Give it another go."

ID 178341 | BD 5(+4) | Rip Ravine vs Nepent 5
2 x 17

Aquan 100 HP | 8/10 EN | 2 DMG | 1 Stealth Detection | 1 EVA |
Freyd | HP:1590/1590 | EN:165/171 | DMG:20 | MIT:79 | EVA:2 | ACC:5 | Abs.Acc | KEEN 1 | LD:5 | BH:79
Jomei 1570/1570 HP | 166/167 EN | 17 DMG | 36 BNR | 36 BLT | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 43 MIT | HB 16 Healing | 79 B. Healing

Nepents:

• Nepent 5 0 HP
• Nepent 6 7 HP
• Nepent 7 7 HP

Edited November 21, 2020 by Jomei

[Aquan 0]

Aquan smiled at the information he was getting from the man with the owl. He made a mental note to look into Tawny Owls, he did not know much about them. After the group got to where they were and Aquan made his first failed attempt, he stepped back to let the other two take care of them. In a quick flash of sword fighting and swinging, 5 of them were gone. Four from a senior Guild member Freyd, and one from the ginger man.

Aquan took a deep breath after the 5 of them were gone. Now he was face to face with only two Nepents, both of which had less than 10 percent of the amount of health he had. Jomei prompted him to go in for the strike, and he worriedly gave the man a simple nod, not sure how to go in to attack it. I know I wont be able to kill it unless I get a really powerful swing in, but maybe I can just cut it down enough to make it somewhat weakened so another AOE can take it out? But, the original AOE could take it out at full health... Hmm. He shook his head, trying to get out of his head.

Aquan ran forward and activated the sword art [Snake Bite], learning how to do this after his training with Valentine doing the Dragon Hunter Quest. He struck once and spun out of the way of an attack, counting his steps like he was dancing. He struck again and again in rapid succession, completing the sword art. The Nepent he struck lashed out at his leg, but he was able to jump over the strike, going back a few feet after he landed. He had a small smile on his head as he held his sword out in front of him. "Okay, you're up Freyd. One more AOE attack and they'll be gone."

Aquan 100 HP | 6/10 EN | 2 DMG | 1 Stealth Detection | 1 EVA |
Freyd | HP:1589/1590 | EN:165/171 | DMG:20 | MIT:79 | EVA:2 | ACC:5 | Abs.Acc | KEEN 1 | LD:5 | BH:79
Jomei 1570/1570 HP | 166/167 EN | 17 DMG | 36 BNR | 36 BLT | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 43 MIT | HB 16 Healing | 79 B. Healing

ID: 178343 BD: 8: 3 x 2 = 6 Damage
ID: 178344 MD: 2 - 1 = 1 [Missed Aquan]
ID: 178345 MD: 9 - 2 = 7 [1 Damage to Freyd with Mitigation]

Nepents:

• Nepent 6 1 HP - 1 Hate on Aquan
• Nepent 7 7 HP

Edited November 21, 2020 by Aquan

[Freyd 0]

One of the surviving nepents had elected to get excessively frisky, having wrapped its long, slick tentacles all around Freyd in a vain attempt to crush and strangle him.  These things reminded him of those disgusting yogurt tube things that had been a fad back home, so very long ago.  Tearing the length of his sword against the constricting vines, he both sliced and shredded his way out of its grasp, slapping the main body with the flat of the blade to knock it over.  Prone as it was, he stabbed it in the head to open the top of the toothpaste tube, then stomped on the bulk of its long, tubular body.  A pasty gum shot out the open wound and showered the lone remaining nepent, which promptly slipped in the gore of its kin and likewise fell to the ground.   Freyd stepped out of the first nepent as its corpse dissolved around him and proceeded towards the second, looking down upon it with a cocked cowl.

"Sorry, bud."  Raising his sword's hilt high, he drove the blade down and ended it with a single piercing blow.

"The variant should be here shortly," he said, signaling Jomei and Aquan to stand ready.  "Be sure not to target the nodule, or we'll have to do this again."

Spoiler

Freyd recovers 1 HP from BH

Blast (x2 AoE, +4 hits) = 6 EN - (Rested 2/2, Finesse 3, Turn Recovery) = 1 EN

ID: #178394 | BD: 9 (crit +1).  Freyd deals (2*21=42) damage to Nepent 6
ID: #178395 | BD: 2+5+1=7 (hit).  Freyd deals (2*20=40) damage to Nepent 7

Keen triggers.

Aquan 100 HP | 6/10 EN | 2 DMG | 1 Stealth Detection | 1 EVA |
Freyd | HP:1590/1590 | EN:164/171 | DMG:20 | MIT:79 | EVA:2 | ACC:5 | Abs.Acc | KEEN 1 | LD:5 | BH:79
Jomei 1570/1570 HP | 166/167 EN | 17 DMG | 36 BNR | 36 BLT | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 43 MIT | HB 16 Healing | 79 B. Healing

Nepents:

• Nepent 6 0 HP
• Nepent 7 0 HP

 

[Jomei 0]

Aquan landed a hit his second go around, though the damage output fell just a tad bit short of finishing off the monster. Jomei offered a smile, it was still a good attack nonetheless. He remembered being that level and doing little to no damage. Freyd, on the other hand, was able to free itself from one of the nepent's grasp and finished off the remaining two with ease. "Well, that takes care of that", Jomei said, taking a quick look at their surroundings to make sure they had truly gotten them all. However, according to his new companion, the fight was not over yet. A variant of the nepent, with some sort of nodule, was prompted to appear after the death of the regular nepents. That was their true target. "Right." Jomei said with a nod, awaiting their final enemy to take form. The ginger took a quick look over to Aquan, who seemed a bit nervous with his last attack, "How are you holding up, you alright?" 

[Aquan 0]

Aquan turned and looked at Jomei, his eyes still analyzing the fight. "Yeah... Yes I'm okay. Fighting is still something I'm new at. I haven't fought a lot of monsters around my skill level because of it. I have putting more of my statistical benefits into gathering resources and loot items for myself and other people. I know fighting can come into it, I'm just not very capable on that front unfortunately. I know as I practice more at combat I will develop the skill further, but right now I am still below my normal capabilities." He shrugged.

His little speech to Jomei distracted him from the variant coming forward to surprise the three of them. A tentacle came into view and Aquan tried to quickly strike it, missing it and whacking a tree. "Oh no." He muttered and saw that his sword was wedged into the tree. "Freyd, it is your turn." He muttered, a sign of slight irritation in his voice as he fought with the sword in the tree.

ID: 178400 BD: 3 [Miss]

Aquan 100 HP | 6/10 EN | 2 DMG | 1 Stealth Detection | 1 EVA |
Freyd | HP:1590/1590 | EN:164/171 | DMG:20 | MIT:79 | EVA:2 | ACC:5 | Abs.Acc | KEEN 1 | LD:5 | BH:79
Jomei 1570/1570 HP | 166/167 EN | 17 DMG | 36 BNR | 36 BLT | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 43 MIT | HB 16 Healing | 79 B. Healing

Variant Nepent 15/15 HP | 5 MIT | 10 DMG |

 

Edited November 21, 2020 by Aquan

[Freyd 0]

"Don't worry about it, Aquan," Freyd said as he watched the Nepent field boss weave and bob unnaturally to escape the man's strike.  He knew full well what it was like in the earliest days of leveling, having been there not so long ago himself.  "A bit of gear and some more experience is all you need, and we can help you get both.  Just ask others around the guild hall.  We're a supportive bunch who help each other out regularly." 

He reached out with his left hand, urging Jomei to step back a bit.  The variants were also a bit too sensitive, and it didn't take much to cause their ovules to shatter along with the rest of them.

"Sorry, I think I had to kill three of these things the first time I did this quest, so I tend to get a bit overcautious about how we bring them down."

The strange creature burbled as it bobbed around strangely.  And those teeth were really disturbing on a plant.  

*STAB*

*POP*

Freyd reached out a hand with lightning reflexes and nabbed the bright red ovule from atop the thing's head, even as the rest of it was already disintegrating.

"There!"  He handed the quest object over to Aquan, offering him a small smile.  "Why don't you do the honours of handing it in?"

 

Spoiler

Basic Attack (-1 EN)

ID: #178423 | BD: 2+5=7 (hit).  Freyd deals (20-5=15) damage to Variant Nepent

Aquan 100 HP | 6/10 EN | 2 DMG | 1 Stealth Detection | 1 EVA |
Freyd | HP:1590/1590 | EN:164/171 | DMG:20 | MIT:79 | EVA:2 | ACC:5 | Abs.Acc | KEEN 1 | LD:5 | BH:79
Jomei 1570/1570 HP | 166/167 EN | 17 DMG | 36 BNR | 36 BLT | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 43 MIT | HB 16 Healing | 79 B. Healing

Variant Nepent | 0/15 HP | 5 MIT | 10 DMG 

Loot Roll: 

ID #178424 | LD: 15+5=20 - Nepent's Ovule found!

 

[Jomei 0]

With an encouraging pat on the back, Jomei stepped past Aquan, "You'll get there, it just takes time." Freyd offered his two cents as well, being that they were in the same guild. Wait.. he mentioned a guild hall. Just how big was this Firm Anima? The last guild that he knew of that owned a guild hall was the Azure Brigade.. and that was due to them being some of the strongest players at the time. Not even the Knights of The Blood Oath had a place the guild could call home, as far as he knew. 

Before long, a slightly larger Nepent made itself known from behind a tree, its teeth slightly sharper, and a bulbous, red nodule bobbing from atop its head. "I take it thats the variant.." Jomei said, reaching across his hip towards the handle of his rapier. However, before he could jump into the action, Freyd beckoned the ginger to step back. With precision and ease, the man stabbed into the monster while also ripping the bulb from atop its head, like watching Indiana Jones swapping out a jewel with dextrous hands. "Nice work." the ginger said, standing upright and crossing his arms. From what it seemed, they job here was done. 

[Aquan 0]

"Oh.. Okay." Aquan blinked and watched the man cut through the Variant Nepent with ease, and then got the item with ease as well. "Well... Yes I suppose we shall head back to finish the quest." Aquan takes the item from Freyd and places it into his own inventory. "On the topic of help from the guild, I believe I remember having assistance from Chase, Valentine, and Grimm from the guild. There are a few others that I recognize, but I have not interacted with them much of all." Aquan shrugs and begins his walk back to the town.

He checked his map and realized that it was going to take a little while for the three of them to get to town. "What do you two usually do? I normally hang out on this floor and look at the flora and fauna that populates this floor. I look up different quests, start requesting assistance from others to assist me, and in general finish everything that I need to do on this floor. With you two being much higher level than me, what floors are you both mostly on, and what is it that you two usually do on them?"

[Freyd 0]

"It's a bit of a false assumption to think that floor levels correspond to their difficulty.  Some of the game's hardest known quests can be found on the lower floors.  Make sure you know what you're getting into before accepting a quest.  And bringing in a few ringers is always a good idea."  It was clearly meant only as advise, and not a criticism.  Aquan seems "Most of my time is spent gathering information, keeping guild members and newbies safe and off to a good start, and hunting down... threats."  The last word was deliberately left hanging.  Freyd didn't generally advertise his role and function in the guild, but the answer seemed sufficient to explain without actually explaining anything.

"With the floor boss fight looming, things have also been a tad hectic of late, making last minute preparations, and the like."  His sword vanished from his side, seeming to blend into the shadows beneath his arm as he walked.

"What about you, Jomei?  Will you be heading to floor twenty-five soon as well?"

[Jomei 0]

The ginger nodded his head in response to Freyd's question about the next boss fight. Jomei had told himself, as he told Telrenya, after the past few boss fights that the previous one would be his last.... he's been saying that since Tesseleth, and now here he was, 4 boss fights later still fighting. Letting out a small sigh, "Aye. I'll be there. I had given it some thought, and I wasn't entirely sure of myself.. but I've put so much devotion into fighting alongside the raid team. I can't let them down now." 

Turning his attention back to Aquan, he decided to answer his question as well. "Honestly, I haven't been doing as much lately. Had a bad run in maybe a month ago, and spent a lot of time home with my fiancee. But since I've been getting back out there, I've been just doing a lot of higher level questing. Don't want to be left behind by all the new frontliners joining us." he said with a smile. "I did have a guild once that took up most of my time... still do, technically. But all of the members have gone their own separate ways.. I do feel kind of bad that I haven't reached out as their leader. But maybe its best to let them do their own thing." his genuine smile faded, though the one he wore was forced as to not dampen the mood. Quickly changing the topic, Jomei took a few steps in Aquan's direction. "I'll go with you to turn that nodule in, so that I can mark this quest off of my list as well. I do appreciate you letting me tag along." 

[Aquan 0]

Aquan's eyes went a little wide when the two of them began to discuss the boss battle. He knew obviously that is was a big thing and the most important thing to do in order for everyone to get out of the game alive. However, it was still stressful to think about. "I'm hopeful that I can continue to work with the guild in order to develop my skills and abilities with everyone apart of it. I know front lining may or may not be my specific interest, but I do believe I can assist others in the guild and outside of it." He paused and nodded to Freyd, finishing that statement.

Jomei mentioned walking with Aquan to turn in the quest. "Sounds okay to me. Goodbye Freyd, I may contact you for help in the future." He smiled and gave a small wave to Freyd before walking with Jomei to where he has to turn in the quest. "I'm sorry about your guild. I've been lucky to not go through hardships, but perhaps they are walling themselves off? When you feel like you do not have someone to talk to, you speak to the darkest parts of yourself in order to have company..... It's nice you have a fiancee! I have only encountered one other couple in this game so far... Oh, and we are here for the quest. Thank you for the assistance Jomei. I may contact you in the future for assistance." And with that, Aquan leaves Jomei.

Rewards
4 SP: Aquan, Jomei (2 From Quest, 1 From Thread, 1 From Event)
2 SP: Freyd (1 From Thread, 1 From Event)
166 Col (Jomei, Freyd)
167 Col (Aquan)

Edited November 22, 2020 by Aquan