[PP-F10] The Fall

[Vigilon 0]

Dazia tired to grab the vials, but for some reason she could only grab one. After Dazia added the red one to her inventory, the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard.

It was as if Dazia vanished and suddenly everything was darker. Vigilon began waving his arms about, hoping to find something. Instead, he ended up tripping over nothing because it was just too dark for him to watch his footing. When he got up, he saw Astralin coming in from the other room. He could mainly tell because of that glow-in-the-dark amulet she wore these days. She called out to her party that the area was safe, that Vigilon was here. Two players followed Astralin in. One was Krysta(maybe it was good that Dazia vanished, it would have been bad if he was seen with her), and the other was a woman he didn't recognize.

Astralin asked Vigilon which vial he took. "I haven't yet. I do know that someone was here, took the red vial, and vanished." He answered. Astralin then became interested in the vials herself and took the one with purple contents.

Krysta then came over to Vigilon, asking him if he was training. "I came over mainly because of the stuff going on around the floor. Surprisingly, most of the monsters were cleared out by the time I got here, so I got the feeling I wasn't alone." He answered. Krysta then asked what the vials were. "No clue." Vigilon admitted. Krysta then examined and took the vial with the cyan contents.

The woman Vigilon didn't know tried to grab as many as she could, but like Dazia, she only managed to get one, the vial with the blue contents. She then looked to Vigilon and introduced herself as Yona. "Well, nice to meet you, Yona, I'm Vigilon, as you probably know by now."

Time for Vigilon to get himself a vial. There were three left to choose from. Orange, Green, and Yellow. Vigilon took the one with the Orange contents and examined it...

Spoiler

<<Orange Essence>>

A mysterious compound, few know what it truly is. A Player may carry only one Essence at a time.

"Keep moving forward, the end is in sight."

Huh...neat.

ID# 200915 LD: 1(not even a +6 modifier can save this roll)

Edited November 5, 2021 by Vigilon

[Dazia 0]

Dazia remained hidden and saw the players enter, one by one. "Damn it, Princess is here." She thought. She took the opportunity to get away when all three players were distracted by Vigilon and the vials Dazia couldn't take, and began making her way out by the ladders leading to the structure's upper story. She'd see a bunch of tiles covered in holes, and one tile was sunken and had a stone on it. She saw another stone on a sunken tile that spikes seemed to be coming from.

A Puzzle. She didn't have time for this. She looked around her, and thought that some of the junk laying about could be used to help her out. She managed to find a method involving two old wooden boards to get across without any punctured feet, and the boards she used were removed from the tiles as soon ans she got across. Might as well give herself more time.

Sitting there in the doorway was a frog, staring at Dazia. She pulled out her weapon and thrust it downwards at the creature. The frog shattered, for it was merely endemic life and too weak to count as a monster.

She then heard a voice. "what did that little guy ever do to you?"

Dazia looked in front of her, and saw a short skeleton wearing a blue hoodie...wait, that looks familiar...

Another frog was on the skeleton's shoulder. It hopped off, and into a small hole, safe from the scene. Dazia looked at the skeleton rather cautiously, and it spoke again. "something wrong? don't you know how to greet a new pal?" The skeleton asked as it offered its hand to shake, though something seemed off...

Dazia decided it was close enough to the description that unusual NPC had given. "Target sighted." She thought.

She attacked immediately, but her target was somehow beside her all of a sudden. 

"huh...guess not." The skeleton remarked. Looks like Dazia will have to be clever to handle this target. The stones below her started shaking as the skeleton's left eye socket suddenly had something glowing blue within. Seems that Dazia would have to dodge as well. Dazia jumped back as the stone flooring suddenly shifted, as if to knock something away, right where she was standing prior to her own dodge. Better strike back before the skeleton tries anything else. How it even pulled this off didn't matter to Dazia, what mattered was if she could take her target down. Her eyes darted around the area, and she saw an opportunity. She made a false, sudden step forward, and then sidestepped before continuing her advance. Sure enough, the environment seemed to shift in the direction of the false step she'd made, leaving the target open just enough for Dazia to strike, and it worked this time.

"you don't, by any chance, know a different hooded lady, do you? You seem much quieter than her, though, maybe a bit less excited, too." The skeleton asked. Dazia believed she knew the answer due to her earlier encounter with Haimi(or whatever her username was), but she wouldn't speak aloud about it. The ground shifted below Dazia, tripping her and giving the skeleton a chance try and get away. Dazia turned around, but with her blade swinging in the direction of said turn in the process, just barely hitting the target again. It practically bounced off the skeleton, or so it appeared to Dazia.

"man, i come out here to have a good time and honestly i feel so attacked right now." The skeleton remarked. "I don't care." Dazia responded. The skeleton shrugged. "alright, suit yourself."

Immediately Dazia was hit with enough force to send her flying out the doorway, and out of the structure entirely. She didn't know exactly what hit her, but it apparently had that kind of force. She got up, and dashed back inside, though the skeleton was nowhere to be seen, and the other players were probably back by now. "Damn it."

She turned around to leave again, and she started with a sprint. When she slowed down and took a deep breath, she began to walk back towards the settlement. She kept her eyes open for any potential threats...

But nobody came.

 

ID# 200936 CD: 5(miss)

ID# 200937 CD: 11(HIT!)

ID# 200938 CD: 10(HIT!)

Tags acquired: 2(10 materials, +5% Exp for the thread, <<Unidentified Perfect T4 Straight Sword>> x3)

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by Dazia

[Astralin 0]

Vigilon revealed that he hadn't taken any vials yet, that he saw someone take a vial with red contents and vanish. After speaking with the other two players in Krysta's party, Vigilon would pick the Orange Essence. There weren't enough players to get a hold of the Green and Yellow Essences, so there was no choice but to leave them for someone else. "Guess we'll have to solve the mystery without the other three essences...I don't know what these are, but I really want to find out...the description is waaaaaay too vague..." Astralin remarked. There could be differences that cause the substances to be different colors...or maybe they're all the same, just differently colored? Astralin hoped to find out sooner or later.

 

Astralin followed the party up the ladder, for there was nothing more to be found here...or so Astralin thought. When she reached the surface story of the ruins, she noticed that there were two boards on the other side, even though not even Yona had used those boards...someone had just been here. She then saw at the end of the entryway(the two rooms were directly connected) a familiar figure...wait, was that Dazia??

The hooded player suddenly panicked and fled, but it was impossible to chase after her without getting pincushioned underfoot. "Wait, we can't rush or the spikes will get us! ...I think I might remember how it went, I'll try and guide us!" She warned the other players.

While she managed to remember the safe tiles, she had to flip the mental image around since the party was going back the way they came.

What she expected the least, however, was the skeletal figure standing near the exit, ever so casually, with his hands in his pockets. Unlike the one who guarded the entrance, this skeleton was not only kind of short, but he wore a blue hoodie.

"is everybody trying to get here or something? almost nobody ever comes in here. there used to be an overly serious guy outside...haven't seen him recently, though, and he's never left 'his post'. ...i wonder what happened." The Skeleton spoke.

Astralin knew who this skeleton was talking about...the Skeletal Guard that was fought earlier. Under normal circumstances, this usually led to problems...but little did she know that she was about to make it a problem. "Uh oh..."

"are you alright? you look tense. is it past or present?" The skeleton asked.

Sometimes, the best defense was a good offense. This was not one of those times, but she thought it was. "Aahh-a-arrekona!" She called out as she prepared to "fight back" at what wasn't exactly life-threatening. Her attack missed. The skeleton sighed. "so, this is how it's gonna be, then?"

Astralin wasn't expecting the very environment to suddenly become active. She was under a sudden, non-damaging assault that she needed to dodge as much as she could. What other arts did she have for her current set of handwraps...ah, that's right! "Kiherrei!!" Astralin attempted a sweeping attack to not only ward off the flying objects and animated mushrooms, but in attempt to land a freezing hit on the skeleton. No luck, for she missed again. "Xalvahisa! Ikioka! Casiviika!!!"

Nope, nothing seemed to work...at all. She was then swatted by a bunch of stones and sent flying about three yards, where she rolled for about one more yard and tried to curl up, though she was kind of fatigued trying so hard to avoid and strike. "Why did...I have to sudd...suddenly be so...useless...?"

She closed her eyes, she couldn't take any more. The only way she was getting out was if someone carried her, or if someone dragged her out. At least this little problem wasn't lethal in the slightest!

ID# 200964 CD: 6(miss)

ID# 200965 CD: 6(miss)

ID# 200966 CD: 2(miss)

Tags acquired: 0

Edited November 5, 2021 by Astralin

[Yona 0]

Vigilon introduced himself in response to Yona's introduction, and he also responded to what the other girls were asking him. He seemed to be equal height to Krysta, so Yona was still the tallest player here. Yona smirked at the knowledge that she was the tallest among them. While not taller by much, she was still taller...maybe she was older, too?

The players, now having their vials of Essence, began to make their way out. It wasn't like there could be anything else this Vigilon person hadn't already seen by now, anyway, so if he was paying any attention, exchanging intel would be a breeze. Astralin helped the Party plus One get their way across the tile puzzle again, using her memory to assist her in the effort. Next thing the players knew, there was a hooded woman in the doorway who fled upon being spotted, and then Astralin noticed a skeleton casually dressed in a hoodie, and he didn't seem to be speaking eerily. In fact, he sounded pretty chill.

Astralin, however, was unnerved by the skeleton's words, and after the skeleton cracked a bad joke, Astralin attacked...and missed. Yona pulled out a cupcake from her inventory, and proceeded to eat it while watching Astralin fail pretty badly. Astralin stopped rolling in front of Yona, and Astralin seemed to be upset over how useless she'd been in combat throughout the whole trip so far. Maybe she deserved a sweet, too. Yona pulled out a popsicle from her inventory, opened Astralin's mouth, and placed said popsicle in there with a smile. Hopefully she wouldn't end up choking on it. Now it was Yona's turn to deal with the skelly.

Yona took position behind her target while one of the other players were busy distracting it, and once that was done, Yona took this moment to make an attempt on this guy. She swatted at his skull using the flat end of her blade, and attempted two rapid slashes. Only the swat managed to make contact.

"nice try." The skeleton noted. "Well, I've only made two strikes, and a hit, so I'm not out of the game just yet." Yona responded. With the left eye aglow, the skeleton waved his arm and suddenly, due to the floor rising up and swatting her, Yona was sent flying out the door. Literally, out.

"now you're out." The skeleton remarked.

Yeah, Yona wasn't ready to compete with this just yet. "Alright, I admit defeat."

...for now.

ID# 200979 CD: 12(tag.)

ID# 200980 CD: 6(miss)

ID# 200981 CD: 8(miss)

Tags Acquired: 1(10 materials, +5% Exp for the thread)

Edited November 6, 2021 by Yona

[Krysta 0]

It was time to leave, for there was nothing more that could be learned here, now that Vigilon was around to speak of whatever he'd found. Upon reaching the surface level, a familiar person was sighted at the entryway...one who Krysta knew as an enemy. "Dazia!"

Krysta drew her weapon, Dazia fled, and Astralin warned the players not to rush, lest the trapped tiles deal damage to the party. After the players managed to cross the tile puzzle once more, there was one last obstacle...or so it seemed to be.

A short skeleton wearing a casual blue hoodie seemed confused over what may have been a sudden increase of players entering the structure. Half of which was probably Krysta's party. The skeleton then spoke of a missing person. Based on the given description, it seemed that it was the Skeletal Guardian whom Krysta had slain, and Astralin realized this.

Astralin was unnerved enough to initiate combat, but it seemed that either her target was rather evasive, or she needed to practice her sword arts a bit more, for everything she tried ended up failing. Astralin, to Krysta's surprise, took no damage, but from what Astralin had said before passing out, she had been humiliated.

All the while, Yona was having a snack at a time like this. She pulled out something for Astralin, too, so she'd saved herself from a potential scolding from Krysta over not caring.

Krysta advanced towards the skeleton, hoping to make sure that Astralin's failure was not in vain. The skeleton seemed fairly ready for Krysta's assault, however, pushing her back over and over, using the environment around him to do so. She needed a different tactic if she was to succeed. She tried all she could, but she could only land one strike against the skeleton before she became too fatigued to continue on against this perplexing opponent. "all that for one meager scratch." The skeleton remarked before sending her back once more.

Yona attempted an assault of her own, starting with a surprise attack that worked, but her following attempts were not so lucky. She too, was pushed back and away from the skeleton. Krysta went to Astralin's side, so nothing happened to her while she was unconscious. It was all upon Vigilon now...

ID# 201068 CD: 7(miss)

ID# 201069 CD: 4(miss)

ID# 201070 CD: 12(tag successful)

Tags acquired: 1(10 materials, +5% Exp for the thread)

Edited November 6, 2021 by Krysta

[Vigilon 0]

As soon as Vigilon placed the Essence he'd picked out into his inventory, the others were already leaving. Vigilon decided that he might as well leave with them.

The party reached the upper floor just to witness Dazia flee, and then Astralin did what she could to take the lead as to solve the spike tile puzzle in order for the players to cross safely. Once the players managed to reach the other side of the puzzle... wait, was that a skeleton with a casual hoodie? ...Wait, doesn't it look similar to the description given by that unsettling kid...?

The skeleton mentioned someone who may have been guarding the ruins, based on the given description, and Astralin became nervous.

Oh, they killed whoever he was talking about, didn't they...

Vigilon kept trying to find a time to jump in, but instead ended up watching his girlfriend, a friend, and an acquaintance fail to land more than one hit, with Astralin completely missing on everything she tried. "Well I uh, guess it's my turn now...?" Vigilon guessed.

"you know you don't have to." The skeleton noted.

"Well, you kinda hurt a friend of mine...as well as my girlfriend...and now an acquaintance, too... so...well I guess we're doing this." Vigilon replied.

The skeleton sighed. "try it, it'll go just as well as it did for everyone else."

Vigilon had to go about this carefully. The skeleton was just waiting for him to do something at this point, and just about anything would fail first try...or would it? He'd forgotten how at this point, but somehow he'd rushed in, leaped over a small stone wall that rose up all of a sudden, and landed a hit with the flat of his blade.

The rest of this attempt would go downhill from here. Vigilon made another attempt using the same strategy, but after he jumped the first sudden wall, another sudden wall came downward from above and Vigilon collided with it face-first.

And let's not forget that after this, he tried once more and got sent flying over to the tile puzzle, where he landed hard on his back...on the spike tiles.

Maybe this guy was out of his league. "Heh...you've dealt with a ton, haven't you?" Vigilon guessed.

"a skele-ton." Came the reply.

Vigilon couldn't help but chuckle at the pun. 

"i understand you were just standing up for your friends...but sometimes you gotta ask yourself, though...is violence always the answer?" The skeleton said.

Vigilon got up, still getting poked by the spike tiles in the process, but the skeleton was nowhere in sight. Yona was outside, having been knocked away during her attempt, and Krysta was beside Astralin, who was passed out and had a popsicle in her mouth, courtesy of Yona. Vigilon had to do something about it. He may be shorter than her, but he'd at least try to help her out. Hopefully Krysta wouldn't mind this course of action. He slowly picked her up, then looked over to Krysta. "If level was the deciding factor, would I be right to assume you're the party leader, Krysta? If so, um...lead the way." He said with a somewhat awkward smile, seeing that he was still carrying Astralin at the moment...and it would be even more awkward if Astralin woke up in his arms.

ID# 201107 CD: 9(tag.)

ID# 201108 CD: 1

ID# 201109 CD: 1

Tags acquired: 1(10 materials, +5% Exp for the thread)

 

 

The Green and Yellow Essences remained in their vials, still within the dark room that was dimly lit by the Essences' glow, waiting for any intrepid players who choose to claim them....

 

Thread Summary:

Total Word Count: 11553
Exp. value: 1925*Tier
Pumpkin Seeds: 38
[log]

 

Vigilon(T5):

12993 Exp | 9625 * 1.35
6750 col | [(XP * 0.15) + (2500 + 160)] * 1.3
33 Materials | (12 + 10) * 1.5

<<Unidentified T1 Perfect Curved Sword 200642a>>,
<<Unidentified T1 Perfect Cloth Armor 200642b>>, 
<<Unidentified T1 Perfect Consumable 200642c>>, 
<<Unidentified T1 Perfect Consumable 200642d>>

Tags: 1
Pumpkin Seeds: 38

 

Dazia(T4):

+10395XP | 1925 * 4 * 1.35
+2235col | [(XP*0.15) + 160] * 1.3
15 materials| 10 * 1.5

<<Unidentified T4 Perfect Straight Sword>> x3[tag]

Tags: 2
Pumpkin Seeds: 38

 

Astralin(T3):

+7796XP | 1925 * 3 * 1.35
208 col | 160 * 1.3

Pumpkin Seeds: 38

 

Krysta(T4):

+10395XP | 1925 * 4 * 1.35
+5620col | [(XP*0.15) + 160 + 2604] * 1.3
15 materials| 10 * 1.5

Tags: 1
Pumpkin Seeds: 38

 

Yona(T1):

+2598XP | 1925 * 1 * 1.35
+208col | 160 * 1.3
15 materials| 10 * 1.5

Tags: 1
Pumpkin Seeds: 38