[F22-OP] The Gilded Princess (BOSS BATTLE)

[Snow 0]

Notice

This thread is open to players of all levels and is safe for all players including those with orange markers. During the events of this thread, PKing is strictly forbidden. This thread is player-ran by @Snow. The boss in this event is managed by them and will be written in a separate post by them once "discovered". This boss is intended to respond differently to players of varying tiers. Once discovered, boss turns will occur every 72 hours (Snow's time depending) before another post is made. There is no punishment for missing a turn. The rewards of the thread will be standard SP, Col, etc. Vanity items designed by Snow will also be given out in the thread's summary to players as a reward. Afterward, participants will be invited to Snow's Rotating Sushi Bar for some free sushi.

A rumor. It all started with a rumor. The <<King of Lakes>>, at one point, existed only as a rumor. Then, a lucky or foolish player landed the massive beast. Since then, players from around Aincrad flocked to the 22nd floor to fish for the regal creature. The materials from the monster appeared in many of Aincrad's finer restaurants from stews, to steaks, and even sushi. The rumor faded into fact, and the rarity of the beast became commonplace for some. The uniqueness of its flavor also faded and the <<King of Lakes>> became no more than a standard hunt.

But rumors breed rumors.

A small girl clad in blue plated armor and wisps of white linen walked alone along the glimmering waters of the Lake of Reflections. Colors danced across her fair skin from the sky above and the gentle breeze from the moving castle danced between long strands of flowing blonde. Snow, a young adventurer determined to make a mark on Aincrad for the sake of her late friend, Daire, sought a different goal today. The blue of her eyes rivaled the clear waters as she stared out over the lake. Slithering shadows beneath the shimmering surface slowly swam, and the young Snow brought a slender finger to silent lips.

"The Gilded Princess," she muttered to the wind.

For what Kingdom does not have a princess? In a lake as large as the Lake of Reflections, to think only one mystery swam in its depths would be an insult. Thus, the rumor of a new, elusive catch took to the message boards. Unlike the King, this mysterious fish shone brilliantly. Some said, The Gilded Princess was a figment of the imagination born from long hours at the water's edge. After long enough, the sun plays tricks along the ebbs and flows of the water, nothing more. A user on the boards by the name of <<Angler>> believed otherwise. His messages detailed a massive, golden princess of the water who's scales alone shone brighter than diamonds and opals.

"Does she really exist?" Snow crouched near the water's edge where small minnows and water bugs fled from the loom of her shadow.

When pressed for proof, <<Angler>> only said he was unable to land her. He did, however, post an image capture but the brightness of the light resulted in no more than a vague blur of white and orange. Teased and dismissed, <<Angler>> insisted it existed and that if caught, would yield materials to rival that of the King.

As Snow's thoughts drifted into the possibility, she watched the little fish near the water's edge move listlessly in the constant push and pull of the wind on the water. Then, suddenly, the sound of what she could only assume was a cannon or explosion ruptured in the distance. A plume of water shot higher in the air than any building she knew in Aincrad. Snow shot up to catch the faint blur of gold and the iridescent shimmer of something. Her eyes grew wide. Was it real?

"Is that...?" Snow's chest fluttered.

With the fastest her fingers could move, she pulled up the message boards and found the rumor of The Gilded Princess. She entered only one line in all caps.

SHE'S REAL! THE GILDED PRINCESS IS REAL!

Snow dismissed her UI and broke into a jog along the water's edge. As a single player, what could she do? Still, the budding Valkyrie wanted to see the rumor come to light. She wanted to see <<The Gilded Princess>> in all her majesty.

Spoiler

The Gilded Princess must be found. To find her, post a search roll. As a hint, those with talent in fishing may have a better chance.

Housing Buffs: || Rested || Relaxed || Clean || Tasty || Angler || Hard Working ||

 

 

Edited March 3, 2021 by Snow

[Watcher 0]

[   A L I C E   ]

Hide contents Watcher | HP: 20/20 | DMG: 4 | ACC: 2 | LD: 3 equipped [marseilles.] 2HSS T1E2  |  ACCURACY II A black greatsword. Simple. Lighter than the typical model. Look no further; there is n̵o̷t̴h̶i̷n̴g̷ else to see here. Red Onamori TRINKET T1E3 | LOOT DIE III A small charm made with red fabric and tied up in gold string. -- battle-ready inventory item#1 skills Spoiler 01. R1 Two-Handed Straight Sword data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== buffs data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Spoiler     data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

The [King of the Lakes]? The [Gilded Princess]? Can you eat those?

Well, despite the dominion they held over the waters of the Lake of Reflection, the prized beasts were only just another sort of fish in Aincrad: numbers to be beaten by bigger numbers -- albeit too expensive, too exotic and deadly for an ordinary woman's palate but point withstanding, the second player to arrive at the scene was unfortunately just as unimpressed as she was clueless. Floor 22 was cleared ages ago; the tide of hustle and intrigue that followed the frontline as it advanced had come and gone, leaving the fishing village to mostly mid-levels and other entities on miscellaneous business like her, and would it not have uncovered such a simple secret along with it? The lake was in plain sight of the settlement.

Sketchbook clutched protectively between folded arms, the player tilted her sunglasses upward to assess the scenery from where she stood. [Gilded Princess] or none, this was her destination for the day. The waters lapped at the footprints she left on the soft sands of the shore, the wind that urged it forward tousling her pale hair and the ruffles of her blouse and bringing with it the scent of the forest from the opposite bank. It was too lacking in elements to make for a good painting, but she found it delightfully calm.

Skimming her gaze over the surface of the water, Alice shielded her eyes from the sudden glare of the reflected sunlight.

185158: BD 10, CD 6, LD 12, MD 1

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala
Level: 21
HP: 420/420 | EN: 42/42 | DMG: 9 | ACC: 3 | BLED: 12 | MIT: 9 | REGN: 5 | Light Momentum: 1

Equipped:
» Yurushi [Demonic T1 Katana [Cursed // Bleed // Bleed // Paralyze]]
» Black Wolf Necklace [Perfect T1 Necklace [Accuracy // Accuracy // Accuracy]]
» Mythic Jacket [Perfect T1 Light Armor [Mitigation // Regen // Light Momentum]]

Battle Ready Inventory:
» (1) Fast Healing (HP Recovery Instant Support Song)
» (3) Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

Skills:
» Katana - Rank 4

Extra Skills:
» Fighter - Rank 3

So, a boss on the twenty-second floor? That didn't sound too horrible. She left Yukiro a message stating that she was going to go and check out this boss, and even left an invitation if he wanted to join. She wasn't about to make him join after just, hopefully, making things better between the pair of them. She made sure that she had everything that she needed and looked Akame, "Come on then, do you want to walk or hide in the necklace?" The wolf was tired and Tala could tell, so the black wolf vanished, but the eyes on Tala's black wolf necklace could be seen moving, and a bright red color now.

That meant that she had everything, and with her engagement ring back on her hand where it belonged, she started to walk toward the teleporter, soon arriving on the floor. Now was the moment that she realized that she's never been here before, but hey, there's a first for everything at this point now right. She walked over to the Lake of Reflections, and she looked around, soon spotting others. She walked over to them and smiled warmly. "Anyone find her yet?" She was curious, and well, the only true way to beat curiosity was to ask the questions.

Here's just hoping that curiosity doesn't kill the wolf. Tala took a moment to attempt to look over the water, and flinched at the strong reflection from the sunlight.

Spoiler

ID: 185160
BD: 5
CD: 6
LD: 5
MD: 7

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Tala

[Yukiro 0]

Spoiler

LEVEL - 29 | HP - 580 | EN - 58 | DMG - 8 | MIT - 44 | EVA - 3 | REG - 1 | BLT - 1 | BRN - 1 | FRZ -1

Equipment: 
Jack's Purgatory | T2 Demonic 2HSS | CRSD/BRN/BLT/FRZ
Briar Cloak | T2 Demonic LA | CRSD/MIT/MIT/REG
Ravenfeather Treads | T1 Perfect LA | EVA/EVA/EVA

Skills: 
Light Armor Rk 2 (+8 Mit)
Two-Handed Straight Sword Rk 5 (+7 Base Dmg)

Items: 
Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP) x3
Crystal of Agile Dragon Wings (Teleport crystal) x2
Tier One Health Potions of Uncommon Quality (+40HP) x5

Why was that idiot going to fight a boss on the 22nd floor? Well, it sounded like there would be plenty of others there to help keep her safe, so he shouldn't be worried. He closed the message and continued to go about attempting to cook. Failing quite miserably, but trying.
...Perhaps I could get some free experience out of such a boss myself. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to go. 
After quickly cleaning up the mess he'd created, Yukiro reopened the message and sent a reply saying he was on his way. Quickly donning his usual gear, he rushed out the door with a brief explanation to Koga. 

The weather on floor 22 was idyllic. Upon arrival Yukiro glanced around to take in the scenery. He'd only been here once before, and it had been night then, so this was a nice change of pace. Several players had already gathered, including Tala. He jogged over, a process made quicker by his massive height. "Did I miss anything?" he asked, slowing to a stop and glancing everyone once over. Giving Tala a nod and a smile, he turned to squint at the lake. The sun seemed to reflect completely off it's surface, making it difficult to keep his eyes on the water's surface. "Do we know anything about what we're up against?"

Spoiler

ID# 185288
BD: 9 
CD: 1
LD: 6
MD: 3

 

Edited March 9, 2021 by Yukiro

[Plini 0]

"Why am I still here just to suffer-"

Has it been an hour? No, it was just his sensory time going haywire. At what seemed to be a calm lake was a certain guy who was lured in by a rumor, the Gilded Princess. It may sound like a description for a girl born of royalty, hair that reaches down to her hips, skin white as snow, and lips red as blood but Plini quickly picked up from the info as soon as the lake was mentioned, and now here he is staring at the lake.

A sling bag on his right shoulder and his curved sword strapped behind him, his eyes followed the movements of the fish visible near the shore but clearly the Gilded Princess was and is a much more fancy fish.

"Nothing will happen if I just watch them" Plini took off his shoes, lowered his sling bag, and tightened the strap of his sword on his back. He took a few steps forward, eyes wary, and his hand on the hilt of his weapon. "I can still approach it... maybe" he rolled up his pants and walked closer, his feet now gone down in the water. Will the fish appear? who knows, maybe luck can at least bless him or the players behind him for today.

Plini	"I'd spend my solitude with you."
Hide contents notes [none] Plini | HP: 140/140 | EN: 14/14 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 9 | ACC: 0 | EVA: 3 | LD: 2 | Savvy: 2 equipped Destrezas [vanity weapon] Aegirian Polymer jacket EVA I | Savvy II Caenis Fist MIT I | Regen II Siesta Shirt [AUS] LD I | EVA II battle-ready inventory // skills   Hide contents One-Handed Curved Sword [R1] Searching [R1] data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== buffs   Hide contents   data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

Edited March 22, 2021 by Plini

[Snow 0]

Spoiler

ID# 185939 results: Battle: 7 Craft: 8 Loot: 17 MOB: 10

The blonde ran along the water's edge, trying to get along its massive outer perimeter and closer to the epicenter of the ripples. The water stilled itself after a few minutes, but the arrival of more players filled her with hope that they might actually find the Gilded Princess together. Running out of breath, she slowed to a halt and gripped her knees. As her chest heaved and sweat beaded on her forehead, movement in the water caught her eye. Through the mirrored surface, she struggled to see what exactly it was, but the reflected sky sparkled with the glimmer of gold. As quickly as she made out its sheen, the surface undulated and distorted the painted scenery upon still waters.

She pointed. "There!" The word left her lips heavy from her sprint.

Snow stood, slowing her breaths and finding her strength again. She took a moment to equip her spear from her inventory and stood by the water's edge with its length held at the ready. She had never tried throwing her weapon, but perhaps it would give her a way to track the thing it hit -- like a shark fin above the water's surface.

Spoiler

The Gilded Princess has not yet been found, but signs of her presence are clear.

To find her, post a search roll. As a hint, those with talent in fishing may have a better chance.

 

Edited March 21, 2021 by Snow

[Alkor 0]

Rare though it was, some Players did send emphatic responses to rumors over the Message Boards. When that happened, aside from the Information Brokers losing their minds about not getting there first, people quickly raced to the scene of a purported finding and looked for clues. They tended to seek truth over excitement because in Aincrad new things were dangerous. If there were a Gilded Princess like the Player posited, the chance that someone could get caught in the line of fire was high. It was for that reason that the moment he saw the message, Alkor hurried to the Twenty Second floor to see for himself. When he arrived, there were already a number of Players who doubtless saw the same message he had. Fortunately for them, the Princess was nowhere to be found.

Or at least, she hadn't been found yet- only seen. 

There!

Alkor's gaze snapped toward where the female Player had pointed. Something distorted the water's surface. A trick of the light, perhaps? Or was that strange reflected gold not from the sun? Alkor watched as a shadow slithered just out of view. "Careful," he said to the group of people near the lake edge. "Don't get too close. You could get pulled in and you definitely don't want to deal with a dangerous enemy in the water." He equipped his curved sword and eased himself into a relaxed guard, hopeful that someone with the Fishing skill might attempt to wrest the beast from the water and onto dry land. They had better chances if they didn't have to fight on this thing's terms- whatever it was.

The golden haired youth tensed, eyes glued to the lake in front of him as he waited for any sign that the creature might break the surface and attack. If that happened, even if he wasn't a tank, he wanted to be able to get between it and any of the others. There were some pretty low level Players around, from the look of them. 

Alkor 

level 52 1070/1070  HP  119/119 Energy

15 DMG | 12 MIT | 3 EVA | 4 ACC | 24 BLT

t3 Demonic Curved Sword [Blightsteel 2 DMG/1 BLT/Cursed] t2 Perfect Light Armor [Cowl of the Wandering Warrior 3 EVA] t1 Perfect Trinket [Eye of Osiris 3 ACC]

r5 Curved Sword | r3 Light Armor | Athletics | Precision | r3 Ferocity | r3 Fighter Familiar | Energist | Suvival | Extended Mod Limit

 Roll to find the Gilded Princess: ID# 185940 BD: 3 CD: 5 LD: 12 MD: 4

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

ID# 185949 Battle: 4 Craft: 8 Loot: 17 MOB: 2

She smiled when she saw Yukiro's marker show up on her map. She had a feeling that he wasn't going to let her go at this boss alone. She looked at him and smiled, before shaking her head, "Nope, you haven't missed anything and I haven't heard anything about the boss other than its name, Gilded Princess."

She looked over at the others as they started to shout about seeing signs of the boss. Okay, so we were getting somewhere. She also heard a warning about being too close to the water, and as of right now, she figured that she was safe. Besides, wasn't that her moving in the water. "We are trying to get that out of the water." She pointed to the movement, trying to figure out just how they were going to get the boss out of the water.

She wasn't going to have to fight in a boat or on the water right? She really hoped not, she didn't need a repeat of that stupid quest on the first floor.

Edited March 21, 2021 by Tala

[Yukiro 0]

Moving quickly to the edge of the lake thanks to his long strides, Yukiro's crimson eyes scanned the area that a golden-haired player had just pointed out. He could see that something was there, but whatever it was hadn't revealed itself to him yet. He motioned for Tala to keep close to someone of higher level whenever possible; he wasn't about to let her risk herself now that he had her back, even if that meant letting someone else protect her. 

Drawing his stygian sword and holing it in a relaxed guard Yukiro approached the player that had called everyone's attention to the water's surface. It would be safer further back, no doubt, but the boy wasn't going to simply accept a useless position. "Be ready to jump away from the water; we don't know how aggressively it might engage us," he calmly warned, his eyes fixed on the water, "The only thing that may be worse than being off guard would be being unarmed."

Casting a glance at another player that issued a similar warning, Yukiro nodded to him and took a few steps back. He was right; better to take the precaution than risk the fallout. 

Spoiler

ID# 185959 | LD: 8

 

Edited March 21, 2021 by Yukiro

[Watcher 0]

So this rumor was quite the popular one.

Unfortunate.

A blonde player stood by the lakeshore, a single hand pointed towards a rippling in the water not too far from the land. Alice traced her steps back to where the small group of curious passersby was gathering, a hand still held up to cast a shadow over her red eyes. She stopped a considerable distance from them, her oft-vague expression tugged downwards into a scowl; Alice couldn’t afford any more setbacks on her commission, and the rabble was not only an unwelcome element to the landscape but also a glaring dent to her concentration.

This was only because she neglected to be diligent even when the request involved a public place–

And that’s entirely her fault, not the bothersome bunch in front of her–

After a hesitant pause, she inched closer to the shoreline.

“If someone hasn’t brought it up already, the fish won’t come to the surface unless you guys draw it out with bait…” You couldn’t go wrong with basic fishing knowledge, she’d thought to assure herself, but at the same time, it was so obvious someone might have mentioned it from the get-go. Alice side-eyed the girl with the spear – she’d stopped close enough for them to hear her, but still stood slightly apart from the group. “I mean, that’s how it works in reality. So it might work here too, right?”

186170: BD 1, CD 1, LD 4, MD 3