[OP-F3] Rob from the rich, and give to the elves

[Calyx 0]

OOC- my rough thoughts for the direction of this topic's arc: shopkeeper in Deliah mentions that another shopkeeper in town has gone missing, and he's worried the man went for materials in the forest of wavering mist and never came back. Players venture into the forest and (maybe after a small, attention-drawing battle,) are knocked unconscious and wake up in a lively, robin-hood-esque bandit camp in the middle of the forest. they find the shopkeeper here, who apparently had been kidnapped, but now wishes to stay and live with the bandits. players are told they can't leave either, and must decide how to proceed

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Calyx and Lockheed strolled the streets of Deliah, taking in the sights and scenery of the new floor. Calyx had spent a little while in Urbus, on Floor 2, but eventually became tired of it and decided to move on. He had heard there were elves on Floor 3, and knew elven architecture tended to contain some of the most beautiful structures fantasy designers could come up with. So, he followed the next group of frontliners up to next floor, excited to get a look at what they had cooked up. Little did he know that Deliah looked more like one of the old stone settlements on the outskirts of Urbus rather than an elven paradise. It hardly even seemed like a city; more like a loosely collected bunching of houses in a field. Still, it was pretty, and Calyx was sure there was something interesting to be done here. The designers wouldn't have made a completely boring floor...

[Calyx 0]

Calyx eventually found his way to what looked like a market, and browsed the local NPC merchant's wares. As he knew he would, he soon came upon the local crystal and potion vendor, and stopped to admire the man's goods. Calyx was an alchemist himself, but in the past week he hadn't managed to make a single usable item; so he was developing a keen appreciation for others who could perform the craft.

[Calyx 0]

The shopkeeper caught Calyx eyeing his wares and began his sales pitch, "Gi suilon, traveler. Have you interest in my wares? They are of the best quality in the village, and the lowest in price. Now that Memnon is gone." "Oh, no, I'm just looking. What happened to Memnon? Friendly competition get a little unfriendly?"

[Calyx 0]

"Memnon has not been in our midst for some time. None of us is sure where he went, but it is suspected that he ventured into the Forest of Wavering Mist to acquire ingredients, and never returned." "Is the forest dangerous?", Calyx asked. "Quite; many an elf has entered its boughs and never been heard of again. I fear Memnon's voice has been heard amongst our people for the last time.", the elf said in a sad, but somewhat detached voice.

[Calyx 0]

Calyx smiled at the clear quest lead-in. "Huh. Maybe someone should look into that." "If you mean to suggest yourself, traveler, our people would be grateful to you for such an act." Calyx began to raise his hand up to hit yes even before the box that said, "Quest: Merchant in the Forest. Would you like to accept? [Yes] [No]" appeared in the air in front of him. He gave a slight bow to the shopkeeper, who returned it, and headed toward the dark wall of trees he had seen on his way into the city; which his map confirmed was the Forest of Wavering Mist.

[Calyx 0]

Calyx stood at the edge of the forest, looking up at the trees before him. There was a thick wall of fog that wrapped the dark trees, but Calyx was more mesmerized by where the fog wasn't than where it was. It looked almost as though there was a glass wall surrounding the forest; and the fog, as high as it rose, couldn't settle beyond the treeline into the adjacent field. The mist simply hung there over his head, resting against the air above him as though it were impassible to all things.

[Calyx 0]

The dense fog was also likely what was making the forest so dark; despite it being midday and sunny out, the space a few meters in front of him looked like it was cast in early evening moonlight. Clear zone divisions were a common thing in most MMOs, but as immersive as SAO was, the developers had been careful not to leave any obvious level boundaries like that in the game to keep from shattering the experience. But this was as clear a boundary as Calyx had ever seen in first person; in fact, that was probably the point. The designers wanted players to notice this, it wasn't supposed to be easy to miss. This boundary was a warning, and the message was clear: DO NOT ENTER.

[Calyx 0]

"Whaddaya think?", Calyx said to Lockheed. "What do you mean what do I think? I think you have an objective, and I think I'm wondering why we're still standing here." "So you don't think it's too dangerous and that this is a bad idea?", Calyx said, transfixed by the dark forest before him. "Just don't do anything stupid, and kill anything you come across and you should be fine.", the dragon thought with indifference. Calyx looked up with an incredulous face at the creature wrapped around his sword. "...... you realize that if I shatter, you probably shatter with me, right?" The dragon closed his eyes and rested his head against Kaeseras' pommel. "I'm not terribly concerned about it.", he said with genuine apathy. Calyx shook his head and sighed before he took one last deep breath and plunged into the awaiting darkness.

[Calyx 0]

The boy and his dragon had been carefully making their way through the ominous forest for the better part of an hour, and had yet to find any trace of Memnon, or anyone for that matter. It seemed that everyone that lived on or came to this floor heeded the implicit warning and left well enough alone. Calyx's head was mounted on a permanent, paranoid swivel; and even Lockheed felt a little on edge. The visibility within the forest was near zero, and Calyx could only manage to see a few meters away at any given time. As he began to think about giving up and heading back, he walked past a tree and a hooded man stepped out from behind it and began silently closing in on Calyx's back.

Battle initiated

Battle dice 2

Elf attacks for 0 damage

Calyx health: 17/17

Elf health: 10/10

The hooded man pulled a dagger out from beneath his cloak and raised it toward Calyx as he inched closer. Fortunately, the dragon above him happened to look around as the man did, and sent Calyx a mental "Behind you!", giving him just enough time to dodge forward, out of the way.

[Calyx 0]

[Calyx's turn]

Thoroughly startled, Calyx wondered how the man had snuck up on him when he was being so careful. As he turned and moved away from the man's initial attack, Calyx reached back and drew Kaeseras. Lockheed glided up to a nearby tree and clutched onto the side of its trunk; foregoing the higher branches to keep within sight of the action. Determined to make the hooded man pay for his attempted shenanigans, Calyx quickly brought Kaeseras around in a slash at the man's head.

Battle dice 1 (+1)

Calyx attacks for 0 damage, blocks 0 damage

Calyx health: 17/17

Elf health: 10/10

The man moved with inhuman speed, and easily dodged Calyx swing. Kaeseras struck the tree the man had just come out from behind, and became shallowly embedded in it, leaving Calyx open to the man's next attack

[Calyx 0]

[Elf's turn]

Seeming to have orchestrated this opening, the man seized his chance and rushed forward at Calyx, knife in hand. As he did, Calyx yanked Kaeseras free of the tree and hoped he would be able to deflect the man's attack in time.

Battle dice 3

Elf attacks for 0 damage, blocks 0 damage

Calyx health: 17/17

Elf health: 10/10

[Calyx 0]

[Calyx's turn]

Battle dice 2 (+1)

Calyx attacks for 0 damage, blocks 0 damage

Calyx health: 17/17

Elf health: 10/10

Calyx was able to bring his elbow across just fast enough to deflect the man's attack, and then followed through by swinging Kaeseras at the man's now-exposed back. In anticipation of the coming obvious attack, the man quickly ducked, and dodged Calyx's attack entirely. As he did, though, the man's hood fell and Calyx saw that he was not a man at all, but an elf. He supposed that made sense; most of the NPC's on this floor were elves, and it certainly explained the heightened speed and agility the man seemed to possess.

[Calyx 0]

[Elf's turn]

Battle dice 5

Elf attacks for 0 damage, blocks 0 damage

Calyx health: 17/17

Elf health: 10/10

The elf hopped back up on the other side of Calyx's blade and spun around in a backwards slash, narrowly missing Calyx's face. As he retreated in preparation of Calyx's next attack, Calyx saw something unexpected in the elf's eyes: excitement. This man was genuinely having fun, and didn't seem to realize he was in a fight for his life...

[Calyx 0]

[Calyx's turn]

Battle dice 4 (+1)

Calyx attacks for 0 damage, blocks 0 damage

Calyx health: 17/17

Elf health: 10/10

Wary of what the elf might be so excited about, Calyx took another reserved swing at the man, but he was too slow again. The man deftly dodged yet another attack, smiling ominously as he did so.

[Calyx 0]

[Elf's turn]

Battle dice 6

Elf attacks for 2 damage, blocks 0 damage

Calyx health: 15/17

Elf health: 10/10

As soon as he had dodged Calyx's swing, the cloaked elf dashed toward him quicker than Calyx had seen any player or creature in SAO move before. The elf dragged the blade through the air beside him, slashing straight for Calyx's face.

[Calyx 0]

[Calyx's turn]

Battle dice 5 (+1)

Calyx attacks for 3 damage, blocks 4/2 damage

Calyx health: 17/17

Elf health: 7/10

Calyx raised his forearm just before the dagger reached his cheek, causing it to glance off to the side. Tired of this dancing, Calyx was determined to hit something other than air and trees this time. He held Kaeseras out until it began to glow blue, and then let the System carry his attack into the elven man's back, finally making contact.

[Calyx 0]

[Elf's turn]

Battle dice 4

Elf attacks for 0 damage, blocks 0 damage

Calyx health: 17/17

Elf health: 7/10

The man was thrown off by missing his attack and then actually being struck, and stumbled forward, absent the grace he had shown moments prior. Seemingly agitated, the man turned and slashed at Calyx haphazardly, but came up short of his target.

[Calyx 0]

[Calyx's turn]

Battle dice 1 (+1)

Calyx attacks for 0 damage, blocks 1/0 damage

Calyx health: 17/17

Elf health: 7/10

Startled by the man's abrupt change in attack pattern, Calyx lashed out a rapid followup to the man's failed effort, but only succeeded in missing as well. Lockheed looked on, unimpressed by the two men's elegant and increasingly frantic ballet.

[Calyx 0]

[Elf's turn]

Battle dice 2

Elf attacks for 0 damage, blocks 0 damage

Calyx health: 17/17

Elf health: 7/10

Soothed by yet another of Calyx's missed attacks with his slow, bulky sword, the elf regained his composure and struck in a more calculated fashion this time. But given that Calyx was already on his toes from the recent shift in tactics, he was ready for anything and sidestepped the man's advance.

[Calyx 0]

[Calyx's turn]

Battle dice 5 (+1)

Calyx attacks for 3 damage, blocks 4/0 damage

Calyx health: 17/17

Elf health: 4/10

This time Calyx was ready; and when the elf came at him, Calyx sidestepped and immediately brought Kaeseras up into the man's back again, knocking him forward into the mist.