[F22-PP] Wide Awake

[Sam 0]

Each wall in the living room covered in papers, red thread linking what she knew and no links to what she didn't. Some covered in words of possible locations, others with a giant question mark. A few parchments of names that may ore may not have been relevant, ones that were mentioned in the under-dark. With those names was the weapons they used and tactics that were used to murder another player. Torn notes littered the floor, with black sheets. Pens of different colors, and note books of assorted colors. 

Counter tops in the kitchen had coffee spills and stains that looked like they'd been there for days. Wrappers of granola bars and rations lay upon the marble as crumbs had since fallen to the floor.

Windows were covered with sheets on every front from every room you would walk into. Samantha had made her home into a dark room. The woman even went as far as placing multiple locks down the inside of her door.

Pouring another cup of coffee, pulling her long hair into a messy pony tail. Wearing a long sleeve black shirt with shorts. Nothing about her said a shower had been taken in days.

Now that prep for what Sam knew was done, it was time to get someone who knew more. Opening her HUD, sending a message to Freyd.

Quote

To: Freyd
From: Sam

My house now. Bring the book that R gave you.

With the chime of a send, if the man was smart he would know what she was talking about. Leaning against the counter staring back at the walls wondering what she could be missing, waiting for a response or knock as she sipped that coffee slowly.

Sam | HP: 800/800 | EN: 118/118 | DMG: 23 | MIT:20 | ACC:3 | AA  | PHASE | EVA:1 | REC: 8 | LD:9 | PROSP:1 | QTY: 2

Spoiler

Sam, The Raven
True Tier: 8
Level: 34
Paragon Level: 31
HP: 800/800
EN: 118/118

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 20
Accuracy: 3
Evasion: 1
Loot Die: 9
Stealth Rating: 5
AA
PHASE
REC: 8
QTY: 2

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket:
  - Bhafel, Decree of War (PROJ-T4-Demonic): Absolute Accuracy, Accuracy 2, Phase
Armor/Trinket:
  - Raven's Fickle Fortune - Solera:Loot Dice 2, Recovery 2
Shield/Armor/Trinket:
  - Anathema's Merit:Quality 2, Loot Dice 1, Prosperity 1

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
  - AOE Shift

Familiar Skill:
  -

Custom Skill:
  -

Skills:
  - Cloth Armor R5
  - Energist
  - Projectile Weaponry R5
  - Quick Change
  - Searching R5

Extra Skills:
  - Hiding R5
  - Concentration
  -
First Aid R3
Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:
  - Ferocity
  - Nimble
  - Precision
  - Stamina

Mods:
  - Athletics
  - Surpise Attack: Trickster
  - Tracking
  - Vanish

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - Acolyte's Light (T4-Perfect-Cloth Armor): Evasion 1, Recovery 2 x1
  - Bhafel, Strand of Vengeance (PROJ-T4-Demonic): Envenom 1, Bleed 1, Frostbite 1, Static 1 x
  - Gold Promise - Din's Flame (T1/Perfect):Accuracy 1, Evasion 2  x

Housing Buffs:
  - Basic Kitchen: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30.
  - Storage Closet: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
  - Dining Room: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Lesser Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.
  - Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
  - Attic (Bedroom): +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cannot boost a skill without ranks, or increase a skill past its maximum rank. Cannot boost a skill the user has not learned yet. Ranks obtained using this buff will make the mods of that rank available for purchase. Mods obtained this way are unusable if this buff is removed until the skill is returned to the appropriate rank by way of SP purchase.
  - Fishing Pond: +2 Fishing EXP per fishing attempt
  - Herbalist Hut: +2 Gathering EXP per gathering attempt
  - Basement: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
  - Guest Room: Players can have one «Amenity» in a «Guest Room» and the «Amenity» cannot be recovered. Players are allowed to change which «Amenity» is in the «Guest Room». Multiple instances of the same «Amenity» do not stack. This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.
  - Master Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
  - Master Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
  - Extended Workshop: +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
  - Mega Slime Farm: +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post.

Guild Hall Buffs:
  - Trading Hall: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters and Rank 4 merchants/performers receive +1 crafting/identification attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters and Rank 5 merchants/performers receive +2 crafting/identification attempts per day.
  - Treasury: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:

Gathering Profession:

                                                               

Edited Saturday at 02:10 AM by Sam

[Freyd 0]

The ink was still just barely dry. Left with a trusted ally, without the poor lad ever knowing it or its terrible purpose, Freyd hadn't been sure he'd return from the raid to collect it.  Wrong raid, but the sentiment hadn't been far off.  Now, here it sat, silently open with the last of its illicit contents disgorged and digested.  it felt as nasty as it sounded.  The book was a necessary blight, depending on your point of view. In some ways a manifestation of the concept of mutually assured destruction.  It could nuke people, or lead others to do so, delivering destruction with naught but a written word.  In short: too much power.  Even worse, too many people knew the bloody thing existed, rendering to too much of a liability.  Rai (obviously), Mina, Mari, Nisa... the list went on and on.

"Time to close the chapter on this thing."  Slipping shut the black leather cover left a palpable and paradoxical dread at what was about to happen.  So much agonizing. It had sat in his inventory for months while Freyd debated whether to act upon its potential.  What would Rai think of his choice?

"He gave it to me," Freyd repeated aloud, as if he'd held this debate internally so many times that he already knew every facet by heart. Nothing made it easier.  Squeezing the leather cover one last time, Freyd felt the potency of what he was about to do.  Eyes drilling into the tanned and cured flesh of some unknown origin, he pursed his lips with disciplined will and determination, and flung it into the fire.

Crackling in the flames, demonic gouts of green unleashing anguished eldritch spirits might have been expected.  But, no.  Paper and leather just burned, as ignobly as the contents within.  Orange yellow light flared slightly as dense patches of ink set themselves ablaze, wiping out countless miserable tales and sorrows.  Freyd felt his features melt against the searing light, like roiling  shadow casting its own cowl over him of its own accord, claiming what it wanted and needed. 

"So much for the Faceless Lord..."

Words spoken as a honey bun found a pair of bearded lips fallen deep beneath the cloak of an unbidden cowl.

*PING*

A message read.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me..."

Moments later, a message acknowledged and a foot stepping through dark corners in a crazy mind's dorm room.

"This had better be good."

***

Vanity Tag: @Raidou

Note: CS (Shades of the Gemini) and CSA (Beckon the Void) are in use.  If any other player objects to these, please state in first post and it will be considered inactive.

Freyd shared and consumes, because narrative and always:

Gungir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Smokin' Hot Honey Bun Tray | ACC 2 | EVA 2 | Feast (6/6) + ACC filled

Freyd | HP: 1300/1300 | EN: 162/162 | DMG: 21 | MIT:152 | ACC: 8 (incl AA)  | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:4 | BH:72 | VAMP-D: 72 | VAMP-O: 143 | PARA-V | LD:5

Spoiler

Name: Freyd, Bara no kuro kishi
True Tier: 18
Level: 34
Paragon Level: 144
HP: 1300/1300
EN: 162/162

Stats:
Damage: 21
Mitigation: 152
Accuracy: 4+2+1+AA
Evasion: 2+2
Battle Healing: 72
Loot Die: 5
Stealth Rating: -5
AA
TAUNT
VAMP-D: 72
VAMP-O: 143
PARA-V

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Veritas | T4 Katana) | AA, PVO I, VO I, Taunt
Armor/Trinket: 
  - Negare Omnia | T4 HA | MIT III | VD I
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Night Shades | T3 Trinket | ACC III | EVA I

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
  - AOE Shift

Familiar Skill:
  - Grappling Familiar

Custom Skill:
  - Shades of the Gemini (CS)
  - Beckon the Void (CSA)

Skills:
  - Battle Healing R5
  - Charge
  - Energist
  - Extended Mod Limit
  - Extended Weight Limit
  - Fighting Spirit
  - Heavy Armor R5
  - Howl
  - Katana R5
  - Quick Change
  - Searching R4

Extra Skills:
  - Disguise
  - Survival
  - Meditation
  - Hiding R5

Inactive Extra Skills:
  - Brawler
  - Forgotten King's Authority
  - Lady Luck
  - Photosynthesize
  - Assault Mode
  - Frozen Hide

Addons:
  - Focus
  - Focused Howl
  - Iron Skin
  - Precision
  - Reveal
  - Stamina

Mods:
  - Detect
  - Emergency Recovery
  - Impetus
  - Night Vision
  - Tracking
  - Untraceable
  - Vanish

Inactive Mods:
  - Surprise Attack: Assassin

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - Bear Trap (Reusable 1/combat) x1
  - Bear Trap (Reusable 1/combat) x1
  - Crystal of Divine Light (Reusable 1/thread) x1
  - Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+10% HP) x7
  - Meathook (Reusable 1/combat) x1
  - Ordsea Crystal-B (Reusable 1/combat) x1
  - Ordsea Crystal-B (Reusable 1/combat) x1
  - Rhino's Horn (Reusable 1/combat) x1
  - Samael's Pride | T4 Katana | FLN II | HLY II x1
  - Teleport Crystals x7

Housing Buffs:
  - Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
  - Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
  - Basic Kitchen: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30.
  - Storage Closet: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
  - Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
  - Attic (Bedroom): +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cannot boost a skill without ranks, or increase a skill past its maximum rank. Cannot boost a skill the user has not learned yet. Ranks obtained using this buff will make the mods of that rank available for purchase. Mods obtained this way are unusable if this buff is removed until the skill is returned to the appropriate rank by way of SP purchase.
  - Basement: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
  - Guest Room: Players can have one «Amenity» in a «Guest Room» and the «Amenity» cannot be recovered. Players are allowed to change which «Amenity» is in the «Guest Room». Multiple instances of the same «Amenity» do not stack. This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.
  - Extended Workshop: +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
  - Ornate Fishing Pond: +2 Fishing EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to fishing attempts.
  - Dining Hall: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed. Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.
  - Mega Slime Farm: +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post.

Guild Hall Buffs:
  - Guild Hall I: Allows a Guild the ability to create one Guild Quest. Narratively, it also allows players to teleport back to the Guild Territory when using Teleport Crystals.
  - Storage Vault: Allows a guild to create a Storage Vault in their Guild Page. Members can use this thread to store and withdraw items. Any items that have trading restrictions cannot be moved to a Storage Vault.
  - Trading Hall III: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (9+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters and Rank 4 merchants/performers receive +1 crafting/identification attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters and Rank 5 merchants/performers receive +5 crafting/identification attempts per day. Appraisers gain an initial additional reroll per identified item at no cost.
  - Treasury: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.
  - Laboratory I: Once per charge, when receiving single-use consumables from Quest Rewards, if a Guild Treasurer were to receive additional tokens, one guild member may claim 1 x (Additional Token / 2) copies of the consumable.
  - Bureau II: Once per charge, if two or more Guild members are present in a thread, allow two dungeons to be spawned/explored in that thread, regardless of Dungeon-searching cooldowns. This buff may only apply once per thread.
  - Library I: Once per charge, if a Storyteller is eligible to claim a Guild Token, their character gains +10% bonus EXP at the end of the thread. This buff may only apply once per thread.
- Armory II: Once per charge, players may submit a Skill Refund evaluation regardless of the 30 day cooldown window. In addition to Armory buffs, when submitting a Skill Refund evaluation, guild members have the option to pay an additional Token to refund up to 30 additional SP.
- Menagerie III: Guild members undertaking <<Feeding Your Enemy>> gain +1 LD to familiar searching rolls and +1 to familiar taming rolls. In addition to Menagerie II buffs, the maximum number of familiars guild members can tame narratively is five (5). Guild officials may also appoint a familiar mascot, shared between their guild members to accompany them narratively in their threads.

Scents of the Wild Totem:
  - Tanos
Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:
 - Appraising[3478exp] R5
Gathering Profession:
 - Fishing[576exp] R5

 

Edited Saturday at 07:25 PM by Freyd

[Sam 0]

"What is that smell," sniffing around the kitchen, nothing then to under her arm. "OH my fuck," saying making a horrifying face. Setting the cup down, there was still no response from Freyd so a quick shower was very much next on her to do this. After a few minutes, a few clothing were chosen. It was rather warm so something simple for now. A black T-shirt and shorts. Walking out, grabbing her cup as a knife gets caught on her shirt and drops to the ground. Taking a breath, Sam was starting to feel the tired. Chugging the rest of the coffee in the cup, starting to brew more. This place was a mess, to be expected though, three days of non stop.

Sam suddenly stops seeing a figure in the darkened corner of her living room. Rubbing her eyes making sure it wasn't her vision fucking with her, blinking a few time then quickly scrabble to the front door, grabbing her bow from the wall mount. Aiming it toward the figure, "State your name, or this goes to your head." It was stern sounding, pulling an arrow back getting ready to shoot it. How did they find her already, Sam had not yet been to the under-dark place to ask questions. It was all very confusing.

[Freyd 0]

"You called me, Sam.  Seems like poor cricket to knock an arrow towards my face."  Stepping out of the shadows, the Whisper kept his hands at his sides, in plain sight.  She was wise to be careful.  Appearances could too easily be altered in this world, and one poor choice could quickly cascade into calamity.

"Freyd.  You know.  Your friendly neighbourhood PK exterminator?"  Leap taken, but nobody ever asked about that damnable book unless the subject of player killers was involved.  "What's all this about?  Your message made it sound urgent." Swiping a gauntlet over the darkness in his wake, whatever doorway lay there closed as silently as it had opened.  Seeing the room in its current state did little to assuage his concerns.  The rest of O&I had picked up the slack in the aftermath of her breakup with Katoka, willingly sharing the added burden while she took time for herself.  No grudges.  Everyone understood, at least to the extent that they could understand her circumstances.  Sam had always been a very private person.

Realizing that the timing of her request had put him on edge, likely without cause, Freyd forced himself to relax and let the edge in his voice fade. "Sam.  You've been AFK for a bit.  Why don't we start with where you're at and how you're doing.  The last time I saw you, with Lium, you ran off into the woods raving like a... well, you know what you sounded like.  He's been worried.  I have been too.  Fill me in, please."

[Sam 0]

The second Freyd's voice came to light, the bow went down. "For this to make sense I have to start from the beginning," turning, placing the Silver-ish White Masterpiece back on the wall mount. Walking to the kitchen to grab coffee, she would need it. The room itself may have looked like Sam was going crazy but it was very much the opposite. Grabbing another mug from the cabinet, she was unsure if Freyd drank coffee. It was not something that Sam ever payed attention to, it was time to start though. Leaving the glass on the counter then glancing to the man, signaling that it was there if he wanted it. Sitting on the sofa after pushing some things off. Curling her legs up holding the caffeine in both, taking a sip, Sam seemed oddly calm.

Thinking of how long she's actually of been gone, going through the events that brought her to this moment. Not looking at the man directly, "I was a Leader for 7 years to Lium and our friends," it was a start. "At first it was just me and Lium playing RPG games in the real world. Found me to be a bit bossy and then he had this great idea to bring his friends in. Tak, Simon, and Luke, from that point forward we were a team and I was their Leader," taking another sip of the coffee, thinking about all the fun times they had. "We beat every game that we played 100%." Combing her wet hair backwards, part of those bangs fell back against her forehead. "Even though I was going through a hard time in my life back then, they seemed to always make it better." There was a bit of sadness in her voice while she continued. "When SAO came out, it was going to be like every other game, beat it, have fun, move on. When I couldn't find them in the middle of the town of beginning I started thinking the worst." A pause as she got up from the sofa to make another cup.

Pouring, "A year went by and everything I knew and had was shattered. No more leading, no more friends coming to me for advice, tactics, planning for quests all gone. Thinking that maybe I was a bad leader and that they didn't want me any more. This was when Firm Anima found me." Another sip of that fresh black coffee as she leaned against the counter looking in Freyd direction trying to get a feel for what the man was thinking but the expression was blank. "A broken toy trying to find out where they belonged again." Tracing the rim of the glass with a finger, "Following every order, doing grunt work, calculating inventory, I felt empty. So when Katoka came along, I felt wanted again. Like I was needed, when she told me she was joining the front liners, I felt like that could be taken at any moment again and I was pissed, hurt, sad." Sam understood now why Kat made the decision she did. That thrill of being in a fight, to help, make a difference. It was what Sam felt when she was Leading the small group of four. "I did not mean to hurt Kat and I hope one day she can forgive me. I was with her for my own selfish reasons and that was on me. I was trying to fill a hole that was impossible to make full again." A look to Freyd, if he was paying attention he could see that sadness that held in Sam expression.

"That brings me to Lium," speaking as she finds a seat on the sofa again. "Coming back with the -I love you's and I'm so sorry's- then telling me how our friends died in an ambush in the fields at night. Started telling me that our friend didn't like me and they didn't want to find me, and that he's been in a cage all this time," anger rolled over her eyes saying this. The grip on her mug got tighter, "Made me start doubting myself even more, asking myself why Luke Tak and Simon didn't say something in the past." Taking a deep slow breath, "Nothing made sense anymore. SAO took everything from me, even the memory of who I really was. Threw it in the back of my head like it didn't matter and sent into the void so it was forgotten." Spoken as the truth, because for a very long while it was. "I went into the woods to find myself again, to think where it all went so wrong so fast. To figure out how to be actually happy again..." those words cut off as though Sam's mind fell elsewhere.

Setting the cup on the floor now, placing her feet on the floor, still no direct eye contact with Freyd, "In those said woods I found a mirror, fighting with myself, maybe a bit with Tuatha. Eventually I realized why I was not happy, simply put I was not leading anymore. That lead me to an open door of one true memory that to my surprise was a lie when it was first told to me BY Lium and what happened that night he got captured." This made Sam turn to meet Freyd's eyes now locked. "They went through stolen goods, a bomb went off. Tell me does that sound familiar?" Both hands on her knees looking at the wall, "You said it yourself, PK exterminator, Captain of O'I of Firm Anima. Lium is in his own little world, living on a ship enjoying his life. I know him, he wouldn't just let his captive go, unless..." dropping the sentence before looking back to Freyd, "Unless he told someone the truth so they could do it for him. Please for the love of god do not lie to me, I will do this with or without your help and that I can promise." Taking that cup off the floor, getting up and walking to the one name that mattered to her right now on the wall. Staring at Rosaria's name as she sips that coffee.

Without looking back, "To answer your first question, I have been doing better than I have been since coming into this hell." Sam knew Freyd would get the game reference. Everyone called it something different but for Sam this was her own personal hell.

Edited yesterday at 07:07 PM by Sam