[PP-F3] Labyrinthian Larks <<Search for the Hoya>>

[Yona 0]

              Aryut turned out to be a strange place. It was more nature than structure. Yona had heard rumors about something, though, so she had the full intent to investigate. However...the question was, where would she even start? Not only that, but the NPCs in this settlement didn't seem to be humans. Some of these NPCs looked at her with distain or prejudice, but the majority simply looked at her like she was an unusual sight, looking at her either curious or perplexed. Yona blinked as she began to feel a bit lost. This place wasn't exactly her cup of tea, but it sure was someone's. "If I could just find some semblance of a hint to that rumor..." She thought aloud. When there weren't many of these unusual NPCs around, the Binding Stone then shook, signaling that Shaxus wanted to talk. She tapped the stone a few times to signal that it was ok for him to come out.
                         Shaxus emerged from the Binding Stone, and the shadowy wisp seemed to have something important to say. "The air here...as normal as it may seem, I'm getting some kind of...familiar sense. It's coming from a certain direction. I can't quite place it, but if you're up for the task, I suppose you might be willing to do me a favor and search for whatever the source might be? I'm sure it's in this realm somewhere, so I doubt you'll be looking for too long."
                    Yona was nearly deadpanning. "Floor 3 is still a big place. If we happen to get warmer during my own search, just let me know...silently, if at all possible. I'm not about to look through this entire floor over a hunch." She replied. Shaxus wasn't able to shrug in his current form, but if he could, he would have done so. "Fair enough, but if you do want answers, or more helpful assistance, it would do you well to hold up your end of our little bargain..." Shaxus countered, before returning to the Binding Stone. Yona sighed, and continued wandering this Town. There had to be a clue somewhere...

                Yona's eyes darted left and right, looking for something, or someone, that was more out of place like herself. "There's gotta be something different around here..." She thought aloud.

 

Stats and Equipment:

Spoiler

Level: 15

 

HP: 300

Energy: 48

Base Damage: 15(CS R5[7], CM: Damage[6], Athletics[1])

Mitigation: 27(Moonsliver Veil[12], Cloth Armor Rank 3[15])

Accuracy: 1(Resplendent Falchion)

Evasion: 2(Moonsliver Veil)

Loot Die: 3(Thuban's Eye)

 

 

Equipment:

[T2]Resplendent Falchion(Curved Sword, Accuracy, Bleed, Paralyze)

[T2]Moonsliver Veil(Cloth Armor, 1 MIT, 2 EVA)

[T1]Thuban's eye(Trinket, 3 LD)

 

 

Consumables:

Teleport Crystal x1

Starter Healing Potion(Restores 50 HP) x3

 

 

Skills:

Curved Sword Rank 5(30 SP)

Cloth Armor Rank 3(14 SP)

Combat Mastery: Damage(13 SP)

 

 

Mods:

Athletics(4 SP)

 

[Wulfrin 0]

Wulfrin had heard tale of some quest that started up on floor 3. Something about a labyrinth? Details were unclear, except for that it started in Aryut. It was an odd place with many of the NPCs there taking the form of various forms of Faune. HE wandered aimlessly through the streets, receiving odd looks from the citizens. Being that he seemed to be the only "human" roaming the streets was only the start. His knee length red coat with its added metallic armor plates were doing him no favors. At his hip was a new blade he had recently forged, Thunder Fang, a longsword with a more lightning based theme given its ability to paralyze its targets. He was starting to get fed up with his luck, as when he would attempt to approach anyone, they tended to avoid him like the plague. He let out a sigh, his red eyes closing briefly in defeat.

"Once," Wulfrin said dejectedly. "Just once, can finding the start of these vague rumor quests be easy to find. I'm tired of wild goose chases. I don't even have a description of the quest giver." He continued to search the area for anyone who would at least give him the chance to ask some questions. Somewhere within these walls was someone who would point him in the right direction. Perhaps he could even find another player seeking to clear the same quest he could teem up with.

* * *

Stats:

Level 13 | HP 260/260 | EN 44/44 | DMG 16 | MIT 44 | ACC 3 | REC 1 | LD 2 | Stealth: -2 | Stealth Detection: +2

Equipment:

Thunder Fang | Tier 2 One-Handed Straight Sword | Fusion ID: 219823 | DMG 1 | Bleed 1 | Paralyze 1
This longsword was crafted using a unique style of Damascus Steel. The pattern resembles arcs of lightning bolts moving up the flat of the blade towards the point. Just as it tears through it's targets, its properties sometimes also leaves the target paralyzed. Just above where the blade meets the ornate hilt is a phoenix with its wings outstretched in flight. The firebird also acts as the origin for the bolts that spiderweb outward towards the blade's edge.

Dioscuri. | TIER 1 JEWELRY | ACC III | ID:  #210452-5
[desc.]: a pair of ear cuffs fashioned from precious stone.

 

Hunter's Coat | T2 Perfect Light Armor | MIT 2, REC 1
Fusion ID 219737
A leather coat with attached armored plates at the shoulders and forearms. It's design offers plenty of protection while sacrificing very little of the wearer's mobility.

Skills:

• <<Straight Swords>> Rank 4 (+6 DMG) 22
• <<Light Armor>> Rank 4 (+20 MIT -2 Stealth) 26
  • R4 Mod: Meticulous (+1 DMG)
• <<Searching>> Rank 2 (+2 LD and +2 Stealth Detection) 11
  • R2 Mod: Night Vision (unaffected by low light and darkness penalties. Negates enemy bonus to stealth in low light or Darkness)
• <<Combat Mastery: Damage>> Rank 2 (+6 DMG [1+Tier per rank (+3 per rank)] Uses 2 DMG Enhancement Slots) 5

Battle ready inventory:

• 3 Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 hp each)
• 6 T1 Uncommon Health Potions: Heals 5% of Maximum HP.
• 4 Teleportation Crystals

[Yona 0]

    Yona would keep up her pace, until she spotted another human being. At first glance, he looked a bit like Vigilon, but the hair was too dark and the outfit the person wore didn't seem to match. Yona would then approach the player, who she now confirmed to be taller than Vigilon as well. Yeah, this guy was definitely different...but now she was curious as to what might happen if the two were ever to encounter each other.

         "You seen any NPC humans around here?" Yona began. "I've been looking for one for like, an hour, and at this rate I might just give that little dimwit a talking to for telling me the guy with the rumor was here when he really wasn't."
    Though, if the guy turned out to actually be a "Faune", then that might complicate things a bit differently...

                      Oddly enough, a great, booming voice proceeded to solve Yona's problem. "Hail, fellow travelers!"
           Yona nearly jumped, but it turns out that she wasn't the only one who was staring. The nearby Faune NPCs were more confused about this person than they were of Yona. The person in question, who was in fact human, began to approach the two players. "Speak of the devil..." Yona thought.
              The man, standing strong and tall, looked to the two players as he spoke. "You would not believe how rife with tales yet to be told these lands happen to be. One such being, have either of you heard the Legend of the Hoya?"

    Well, this was gonna be interesting...right? This had to be the rumor, right?

[Wulfrin 0]

"Sadly no," Wulfrin sighed not even having noticed the other player approaching. Finally he turned to where the voice had originated from. "I take it you're here for the same reason I am, overheard some rumor and are here to follow up? Seems we're both having bit of low luck going for us. Might be best we team up, we could likely cover more ground and our quest logs will also update at the same time."

As it turns out though, their luck might be turning around. A burly 6 foot 2 human, a stark contrast from the non-human races that populated the town. Hailed the duo and was asking about their knowledge of something called a Hoya. None of this info was covered by the NPCs Wulfrin had heard the rumor from, but that just helped grab his attention. He always leapt at the start of a new adventure, even more so if there was something new to learn or find.

 "Can't say I've heard that one," Wulfrin replied to their new NPC acquaintance. "Why don't you recount it to us?"

"Certainly!" The NPC beamed. "The Hoya is a hero of sorts amongst the Faune famous for their hunting of Minotaurs within the Forest of Wavering Mist. Supposedly there are two of those beasts still lurking within the Forest of Wavering Mist. Each of the beasts carries a pendant on them acting as a spoil of war."

Spoil of War, that was a term Wulfrin was very familiar with. Often times in mythologies, monsters or enemies defeated by heroes typically left behind something of theirs as a trophy. The closest thing within SAO proper was the loot panel that would show any item, col, crafting materials, and/or experience points awarded upon the monster's death. These however seemed like either high power unique drops or just a simple vanity item they might be picking up. Either way, Wulfrin's interest was peaked.

"What do you think?" Wulfrin asked the unacquainted player that had approached him not but a few short minutes before. "You up for a bit of monster seek and destroy?"