[F1 | PP] [EV] Friend of a Friend | <<Fatal Error>>

[Acanthus 0]

Habits returned slowly, both in the real world and Aincrad. In her struggle to reclaim the “new old,” Acanthus had learned it was easier to start routines than it was to restart them.

Before her hiatus, Acanthus exercised dutifully. Mostly running and bodyweight exercises, as Aincrad’s fantasy setting did not include any kinds of gyms. (She had no doubt some player had created some facsimile of a gym here, but did not care enough to confirm her suspicions.) For running, she started with jogs around the estate. She progressed to running the streets of Scalabis, but found the cobblestone roads too uneven for her liking. Perhaps they would help training footwork in the heat of combat, but simple endurance was the game. Acanthus settled on running laps around the Town of Beginnings.

She rounded a series of squat buildings, and the morning sun assaulted her vision. Maybe a cloudier floor would be preferable. But as a creature of habit, she could only handle small changes at a slow pace. The first floor was familiar enough that she would simply have to tolerate the sun in the name of her routine.

It was not her routine alone. Other NPCs and even players exercised in the morning as well. A few of the faces were still emblazoned in her memory: an old carpenter on his morning jog that doubled as an excuse to dip out on work, a merchant’s daughter running to and from her mother’s market stall, and a young player who ran a similar routine to hers. Acanthus was always careful to avoid eye contact with the player whenever they crossed paths. She was exercising and did not want to be bothered; she assumed the young man felt the same. It was easy enough to feign exertion while running (though she missed the clear signal of “don’t talk to me” that earbuds provided), and with that plausible distraction, she had avoided broaching conversation with the kindred exerciser.

After all this time, she was surprised to see him still running the same route. His dedication was admirable. Acanthus wondered if he had dreams of joining the frontlines someday, or was content in his journey.

You could ask him. Friendliness nagged at her, and she nearly managed to shake the thought from her head. So politeness stepped in to finish the job. He hasn’t seen you for a few months. He might be wondering where you had gone. It would at least be a kind gesture to wave and show him you remember his face.

Her jog slowed just a second, and she looked up to see the boy approaching. Acanthus nodded at the boy and offered a curt, polite wave. Hopefully that would be enough pleasantries to be polite, without encouraging conversation. (OOC note: Acanthus is a hermit, but author says: talk to her anyways)

 

 Acanthus | Lvl 75 (34/41) |  HP: 880/880 | EN: 120/120 | DMG: 23 | MIT:160 | ACC:4 | AA  | FL.AURA: 16 | THORNS:72 | BH:48 | HB:39 | LD:6

 

Spoiler

Equipment and Consumables

Spoiler

All enhancements reflected in the stat block unless otherwise specified.

Equipment
Weapon. botan. AA | ACC 3
Armor (Heavy). Corpse Flower's Kiss  MIT II | Thorns II
Shield. Fractured Heart | Holy Blessing 2 | Flame Aura 2

Consumables
None Taken

Abilities (Skills, Shifts, Masteries, Add-ons, and Mods)

Spoiler

Combat Mastery and Shift
Combat Mastery: Damage R3
AoE Shift

Skills

• Battle Healing R5
• Energist
• Heavy Armor R5
  • Addon: Precision
  • Addon: Iron Skin
  • Mod: Impetus (1/5)
• Searching R4 + 1 (Skylight: Searching)
  • Mod: Night Vision (2/5)
  • Mod: Tracking (3/5)
• Straight Sword R5
  • Addon: Ferocity
  • Addon: Stamina

Extra Skills

• Forgotten King's Authority
• Survival
• Assault Mode
• Block
  • Mod: Shield Bash (4/5)

Inactive Extra Skills

• Photosynthesize
• Disguise

Addons

• Ferocity
• Iron Skin
• Precision
• Reveal
• Stamina

Mods

• Shield Bash
• Meticulous
• Night Vision
• Tracking

Battle Ready Inventory (7 Slots)
Dimensional Backpack + Item Stash

Spoiler

1. Lama Sabachthani | 236687 | Consumable - Soundtrack | Hypnosis 2 | Lullaby 2 (Instant)
   Pain deeper than words, engraved by a hand that does not know its own heart.
2. Edict's Threnody | 236686 | Consumable - Soundtrack | Perpetuate (Instant)
   If my suffering will not end, then neither will yours.
3. [Empty]
4. [Empty]
5. [Empty]
6. [Empty]
7. [Empty]

Housing

Spoiler

House Name: Villa of Coruscating Flowers (The Villa)
Location: Floor 24 - Paradise Islands
Description: See above
Plot Size: Estate - PK Accessible
Rooms: Listed below. All rooms are assigned to Acanthus.

• Master Bedroom
  • Well Rested | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat.
• Greenhouse
  • Green Thumb | +2 Gathering EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to gathering attempts.
• Extended Workshop: Recording Studio (25,000 col)
  • Hard Working | +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day.
• Mega Slime Farm
  • Advanced Training | +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.
• Living Room:
  • Relaxed | Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
• Attic (Bedroom)
  • Skylight (Searching) | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill (Searching). 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:
  • Multipurpose | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll.
• Storage Closet: (10,000 col)
  • Item Stash | +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
• Master Bathroom: (25,000 col)
  • Squeaky Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
• Basic Kitchen (15,000 col)
  • Filling | 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.

Crafting and Gathering

Spoiler

Performer | Rank 5
Apollo’s Metronome | Crafting Tool | Meticulous: +1 CD when crafting in one’s workshop.

Forager | Rank 5
Demeter's Cornucopia | Gathering Tool | Bountiful: +1 CD to gathering attempts.

 

 

[Sable 0]

Routine.

This had been what kept Sable somewhat sane. After all, what else would you do when you were trapped in a place like this?

Ever since high school he had gotten up first thing in the morning and ran. It was hell at first. Sure he was fast, but there's a difference between running in short bursts, and running. With time it became easier, and he could go farther and longer. Joining the track club had helped immensely. By the time he graduated it had become a habit. And now here he was, imprisoned in a virtual world, and he was still getting up at dawn to run. It was almost easier here though. Sure you got tired but you almost felt lighter, able to move faster.

He wasn't the only one it seemed. He would pass various other people, more often than not they were NPCs of the town, but sometimes there was the familiar icon of a fellow player. One such person he grew familiar with. Not familiar as you would having a conversation with someone, spending time with them, becoming their friend. This was a familiarity that you would develop with a person in passing. A cashier at the grocery store, the post man, the person at the gym you frequent on the weekend. Sable was fine with this. He didn't need to talk to the jogging woman. He looked forward to passing her as they both did in opposite directions, no eye contact, not words spoken. Just two people enjoying a nice morning.

There were times that he didn't see her. These mornings were fine too. Though much more boring in his opinion. After one particularly long period of time, she seemed to show back up again. This time was different. This time her pace slowed ever so slightly, just enough for her to acknowledge him with a wave and a nod before passing him like she always did. This moment staggered him. Sable slowed to a stop and looked back at her, watching as she got farther and farther away. Feeling his mouth hanging open he did something that he hadn't expected. He turned and ran after her.

"Excuse me!" he called, his footfalls much more panicked than before. "Miss!"

Catching up to her he matched her pace, jogging alongside her. "I'm sorry for running after you but I just wanted to..." he trailed off. What had he wanted to do? All she did was essentially say hi to him. Was it really so odd for her to do so? "I um. It's good to see you back. Running that is. You were gone for a while and it's nice to know that nothing... Happened."

He didn't want to say it was good to know she hadn't died. He didn't know her, not really, but how sad would it have been for someone you saw so often to disappear without a trace?