[F10-PP-PT] River of Woe

[Vitreous 1]

The nigh silent outcry of liquid in motion, like rain from a gutter that whispers as it pours. Rough and jagged walls glisten in a bold crimson as the scent of copper fills the air. A facet of a much larger birth, one of malice and decay. The stench, the ripeness, the color. Who in their right mind would ever step foot here? A long bill that protrudes from brackish silhouette, unbothered by the gore or what it stood for. Emerald colored lenses hung just above, a sickly light that broke the void. A small basin to where the river had offered its bounty, a long ragged looking coat opens to reveal a thick leather glove that crunches as it unfurls. A small metallic sphere the size of a baseball in an opaque silver, covered in slots and bands dropped will roll before it springs to life. 4 long rods of iron deploy and cut into the earth, lifting the device about a foot from the ground. A small tube escapes from beneath as it starts to lap greedily at that old crimson.

That unebbing visage maintained its tight-lipped stare, removing a single pocket watch from a pocket on its chest by pulling on the gilded chain. It clicks open, revealing the spinning arms beneath and allowing time to exist where it did not. Another snap, and that deployed spider pops a small vial out of its top. A glass offering that is plucked like a fruit from a tree, a squeak of leather as its grasped with an index ring and thumb with a ginger twist. The glass is hot, angry that it was being exploited in such a way. Yet the compound would hold better then any before it.

What manner of vitrol stirred within it? What possibility did such a dastardly substance carry? A roll of a sleeve on the doctors arm, shows a contraption that this vial slots into. It breaks into song, as pumps and wheels begin to turn. An escape of steam, a release of heat. The red rivers of Sygian. What secrets did you hold?

 

 

 

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Assist System Engaged
Level: 3
Paragon: 0
Tier: 1
True Tier: 1

Final EXP: +0%

---

Event:
Free SP | 185
Taken | Reflective (18)

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Vitreous | HP: 60/60 | EN: 24/24 | DMG: 1 | MIT:18 | Thorns: 156

Spoiler

Name: Vitreous, The Grim Physician
True Tier: 1
Level: 3
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 60/60
EN: 24/24

Stats:
Damage: 1
Mitigation: 18

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - 
Armor/Trinket: 
  - Vanguard's Heavy Plate | T1 Heavy Armor | 232786 | MIT 3
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - 

Combat Mastery:
  - 

Combat Shift:
  - 

Familiar Skill:
  - 

Custom Skill:
  - 

Skills:

Extra Skills:

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:

Mods:

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:

Housing Buffs:

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:

Gathering Profession:

 

Edited 4 hours ago by Vitreous

[Mari 1]

Floor 10…

For such a long time, this place was home to Mari. She revelled in the darkness. Navigating the floor with ease compared to others, at the time being one of the few people who had invested in Night Vision. It bought back some bitter memories. A time where she had made a canocopy of potions and cocktails - ones that dull the senses. Uppers, Downers, ones that drew your deepest desires to light… Why did she do all that again? Did she find some kind of enjoyment from it?

…Maybe.

Mari did have a fascination with experimenting on and with things. Back then, she had fallen so far that she didn’t care who it affected - including herself. But it changed, somewhere along the line that was the breaking point. So far - so tarnished and unabashed that any sort of redemption was nigh impossible. “Heh…” How time changed things. Still, it was no surprise that some that knew her from back then - would never truly forgive her.

So why back here? If the memories were that painful?  Beat. He was why. This was a floor he came to frequent. Like her, he’d often find himself sitting by the bioluminescent river, or the void.

The Void.

A place Mari had flung herself into, a time where she hoped she would endlessly fall - in the abyss was where she had planned to hide, to drown in that darkness. But, as luck would have it, the golden eyed youth had followed her, holding her close - stripping her of that will to leave. Such simple actions. 

She missed him.

Her first stop was the Stygian river - Mari noticed a figure in the distance and quickened her pace - the first thought being Beat- because…who else would ever come here? With the smell of fetid rot and the tinge of iron blood? Her footfalls slowed when it wasn’t him.

Of course it wasn’t him.

Her eyes narrowed. An orange crystal danced silently over a fully cloaked figure with a long beak. His…Her? Their visage clearly resembling a plague doctor. “Dangerous work that.” Mari said quietly - making her presence known. “One tiny slip - and you’d lose an arm.”

Mari pulled her spear from her inventory, and jammed it into the ground. Hard. She gave it a few tugs to ensure it wouldn’t move. “This river never used to be so….” She paused, sapphire eyes dancing over its rippling surface. “Toxic.” She swung her body round to face the river in its entirety. Leaning down she reached out her hand - allowing it to dance just above the waters surface. “A few years ago - one was able to swim in it. I’d…not recommend that. It didn’t feel very nice. Nor did it taste nice.” 

Why was she spilling all this to a stranger?

Spoiler

 

Mari | HP: 70/70 | EN: 29/29 | DMG: 12 | MIT:30 | ACC:3 | KEEN: 1 | EVA:2 | BH:4 | HB: 2 | FLN: 2

Name: Mari
True Tier: 9
Level: 3
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 70/70
EN: 29/29

Stats:
Damage: 12
Mitigation: 30
Accuracy: 3
Evasion: 2
Battle Healing: 4
Stealth Rating: 3
KEEN: 1
HB: 2
FLN: 2

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket:
- Darkened Bore | T4 Perfect | ACC I | Keen I | Fallen I
Armor/Trinket:
- Infernal Shadow | T4 Perfect LA | EVA II | Holy Blessing
Shield/Armor/Trinket:
-

Combat Mastery:
- Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
- AOE Shift

Familiar Skill:
- Rending Familiar

Custom Skill:
-

Skills:
- Battle Healing R5
- Charge
- Energist
- Light Armor R5
- Polearm R5

Extra Skills:
- Survival
- Hiding R5
- First Aid R2

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:
- Focus
- Precision
- Resolve
- Stamina

Mods:
- Meticulous
- Surpise Attack: Trickster
- Untraceable
- Vanish

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:

Housing Buffs:
- Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
- Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:
- Alchemist[exp] R10
Gathering Profession:

 

 

 

Edited 4 hours ago by Mari

[Vitreous 1]

The screech of leather would find itself bested, as the machine on his arm stopped being the only thing creating noise. That long beak conveyed an abrupt turn, sharp and ready to pounce. A knife glimmers as it slides out of its right sleeve, finding its sight locked immediately to a sharp contrast of bright orange hair that sprung cleanly from the black. A battle the thing did not want, was not prepared for this time. Yet instead of blades and blood, it instead began to speak... friendly. Yet could be a trick. That notion dismissed the moment the girl chose to disarm herself, and silently Vitreous began to weigh his options. Was she worth plucking, the hassle? It was the more competent sort that would end up in such abysmal and dangerous surroundings. Was she worth capturing?

On edge, it would palm the blade sliding it deeper into the confines of its shredded black rags before sliding it into an awaiting sheathe. Waiting for a call to mercy to dispense its payload. Those beady little eyes still glow above that protruding length of white, as the thing would turn its head. Confused, intrigued. Another bleeding heart of Aincrad, one stuck in a malaise of emotional turmoil and baggage. One that stemmed on the fact that they were all too reliant and pathetic to do anything, brawn over brain. The woman would prattle on and on about her history, her experiences as if they were relevant. Vitreous would turn, sliding that thing on his wrist to the side in a heavy thunk. A turn would see the vial free spilling a bit, lifting it out in front of him. That thick leather mitt, like a pair of blacksmithing gloves.

A presentation was in order, a show of strength and wisdom. Lifting its hand, it would show it with fingers moving to draw attention. Then down it pours the vial over it, causing a rush of steam to billow up as the stuff razed against the treated leather dispensing its acid. After a few seconds, it would present the hand again. Still dripping with the viscous toxins but unfazed, given it could withstand all manner of acids. The power of dedicated inoculation. But perhaps she was stupid and this problem would solve itself. A flick of his arm sends the droplets off, smattering the stone beneath him with it. A tap of two dials and a twist of a knob sees an excretion of steam. Analyzing the results, the chemicals contained drew even further interest.

[Mari 1]

The other player didn’t talk. Mari felt the hairs on the back of her neck stick up- fear? Odd. She hadn’t feared anything in a long time. Not death. Not Prison. Not the blade of another plunged deep into her heart.

One hand wrapped tightly around her spear - lest the other player attempt to push her into the river. She wasn’t going to be that easy of a mark. Mari pulled her hand back away from the Stygian River, and silently watched him work.

Was he another alchemist? Her eyes shifted to the strange almost steampunk like device as it chugged and turned. Spitting out a small vial filled with the Stygians acidic water. Mari tilted her head, watching in morbid curiosity as the other flicked open the vial - “Oh.” She said quietly as he demonstrated the power of his leather - it was able to withstand the Stygian acids? Her eyes lit up with that same morbid curiosity. How strange - to find a mute man silently collecting such things. Mari had yet to recall seeing anyone die to acids - or to the stygian river on the monument of life. So…what was his game? Antidotes? He was a doctor after all. It’d make sense.

“You know.” Mari began. “To the north of the void - there is a bioluminescent river. It’s not…acid but its highly toxic.” Mayhaps he was simply researching things, like she once did. The woman was tempted to tell him all about her previous experiments.

Honeyed potions and Starry Eyed Illusions…but from his silent demeanour - Mari could take a pretty strong guess that he did not care.

[Vitreous 1]

The prattling on an on began to fizzle, and with it breathed an obvious interest in his display. A tilt of his head off to one side like a hound, this girl was definitely an odd one. It actually would dig at his pride and self worth, albeit briefly to feel acknowledged. It had been a long time since a chalkboard, a classroom with eyes that matched hers for that brief moment. It was a muddied expression, given her clamp to that weapon of hers hardly went by unnoticed. Blades at the ready, in there spring loaded sheathe beneath his sleeves. Pushing hard causes that device to fold back, and his sleeve to descend to conceal it. He had his sample, ready to dig deeper once he could begin to separate it out into the baser components. The delightful thoughts of such a potent weapon once concentrated and mutated found him bordering epiphany, a jubilant fact that had him feeling generous. She'd live, but mainly given the fact that she was more trouble then she was worth and that marker of hers wasn't going to make anyone believe her anyway.

Orange players made for excellent prey, given no one misses them and no one looks for them.

Down to his tiny spherical spider, he'd rip it clean and press a button. The legs retract and allow it back into a pocketable shape. It would need a chemical bath lest contamination or breaching could occur. Packed up, he was ready to escape this harpie and yet.

'there is a bioluminescent river. It’s not…acid but its highly toxic.'

Footfalls run dead as he moves to pass her by, the rhythmic joy halted by an inquisitive mind abuzz with possibility. Blade come out from his wrists in a sudden jerk, and the sacrificial long knife finds itself pressed to the girls neck where her heartbeat bounces down the handle. A threat as if to convey 'this better not be a trap.' the knife is slid against that flawless freckled peach skin, tracing the carotid artery as it digs in enough to cause the skin to bulge but not enough to break it. The other hand grabs her wrist and pulls her arm straight. He'd smell of harsh chemical, mainly leather and sulfur that would cause eyes to water and nostrils to burn. 

[Mari 1]

The strange contraption spluttered - and with a small puff of acrid smoke which caused Mari to cough several times it had managed to fold itself up into something that one could easily carry. The curiosity grew. There was no way to hide it. Mari was entranced by the device. The doctor - ever silent he quietly worked. It was clear she had many questions. How did it work? Was he going to separate all of that down? “Like a centrifuge…?” She mused to herself. He didn’t answer her.

The man packed his things and made to walk away. Their conversation finished there. Mari was going to let him be - she had no interest in bothering someone who did not want to be bothered. Especially one who clearly meant little harm. Her eyes shifted away from him to rest back on the bubbling Stygian river - the scent of fetid flesh bristling her nostrils. It was nostalgic. Mari closed her eyes and exhaled softly.

That’s when it happened.

She felt the cold tinge of a blade against her neck. Her heart beat hard against her chest as the cool blade repositioned, a threat? Did he consider her a threat? Ah…She had her weapon out the entire time. Mari’s intention was to use it as an anchor - not to harm him. But she could see why he’d feel threatened. If he knew who she was - he’d have a right to be afraid.

When was the last time someone had done that to her? Threatened her so brazenly? 

“I ain’t even planning on following you so you can -URGH!”

Mari felt herself being pulled up, she looped one leg around her spear - again using it as an anchor. He wouldn’t be able to tousle her around so easily. She was closer to him now. Her eyes narrowed as her tired, blue gaze - once filled with curiosity were steeled with a wary caution. With her free hand she drew up her scarf to cover her mouth and nose. He smelt acrid. Like harsh cleaning chemicals. It burned.

“I have no qualms with you, doctor.” Mari said evenly. Voice muffled by her scarf.

[Vitreous 1]

Arm held aloft with a hand that damn near made the girls wrist disappear, the knife kept itself pressed against her throat as he'd reach into his rag cover. On an belt, a number of vials and sprays much like a bandolier strung across his waist. A simple bottle with an opaque grey liquid that swirled inside, slid out of its loop as he'd release her wrist. Pressing his index into the top nozzle, he'd start to spray a mist of the stuff onto her skin. An unorthodox recreation of immolation potions and all manner of chemical created a precursor to the final goal, one that he'd hope to perfect one day. It would smell of flame, of sulfur and of ash. A horrid scent that would take the woman three baths to remove, provided she'd scrub hard enough to chaff her flesh. Once he'd finish dashing her up and down with the junk, he'd flip the knife and toss it into the stone with a solid *thunk*. Proving that he had quite the arm (cough throwing weapon skill cough). A leather mitt finds itself over her eyes and mouth, before he'd hose her fiery topped head.

Letting her flail about, he'd not turn his back to her as he'd rip the knife from the ground. He'd turn the bottle on himself and start to spray his arms and shoulders, even lifting his boots to drench them. It would help them cut through the disease known as Aincrad, a countermeasures to the systems antibodies that always found themselves being festering nuisance that did nothing but hinder his work. Blade held, he'd lift the opposing hand out in front of him pointing to the woman first, then to himself. Then flipping that hand upside down, he'd wiggle his index and middle finger like feet. Then point out the cavern. As if to convey 'show me'

[Mari 1]

There was a strong silence between the two. Mari pressed skin against his blade - just enough so the smallest trickle of red crystalline data fell. She wasn’t afraid. Confused. But not afraid. The weight of the floor bore down on her though, bringing the sins of her past to the forefront of her mind. The tantalizing array of concoctions, the confusion. Mari forced her eyes closed and had to remind herself to breathe. Slowly. Else it’d swallow her up.

Once she opened her eyes again she noticed movement - vials strung along his torso. And her curiosity peaked again. Just what was he doing? When she first approached - there was that mild hint of fear - but he seemed placid - then the threat - now…

“Did you-” Mari coughed, waving her arm back and forth in front of her face as she coughed again. “Stink spray?” She asked incredulously. Mari couldn’t tell if this man was dangerous or not. A gloved hand covered her face, as he continued to spray her hair. Was he mad???

Right…

There was no way this man could be dangerous if his biggest threat to her was a simple knife, followed by making her smell bad.

Then - he started to spray himself. Mari stared at him. No. Not stink spray then? Some kind of repellant? Her mind began working in overdrive as she straightened herself, patting down her hair. So - it wasn’t an act of aggression then?

Odd.

Mari watched him essentially play a game of charades. And it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know what he wanted. She nodded. “Aight.” Despite the constant upheaval of emotion Mari was feeling, the man hadn’t exactly done anything to warrant concern from her.

She gestured with her head for him to follow, reaching out she pulled her spear from its position in the ground and put it safely away in her inventory.

Mari began to silently lead the man through the cavern - practised motions. As though she had walked the path hundreds of times before - since - she had. Mari held out an arm warning the doctor of a steep crevice and started to move around it. During their trek - Mari couldn’t help but notice something.

There weren’t any mobs around. No - that was wrong. Mari stilled as she watched a skeletal creature lift up a sword - several feet away. ONly to begin to disintegrate the closer it got to her. Before its sword could land any sort of blow on the woman - it had melted away entirely. Nothing more than ash.

Oh.

Ohhhh how interesting.

Mari turned back to the man, eyes wide. She had so many questions for him. “You’re interesting.” She opted to say - rather than bombarding him with questions he could not answer.

 

Another several minutes of silence and they neared the Void. Echo flowers dotted it. And, if the two listened real hard - some of them mimicked Mari. Crying. She hoped he could not hear that. “Little further.” Mari said, quickening her pace.

Then - there was a cave - just as she said - north to the void. Within it was a bioluminescent pool - surrounded by various mushrooms. Fireflies danced upon the waters surface. But the water itself? Still. Very, very still. As if any life that came within contact to it, had ceased.

“There. Happy?”

Edited 2 hours ago by Mari

[Vitreous 1]

The simple jaunt to a glowing pool. Creatures of many continue to slide in from every hole and rock they could clamber themselves out of, dying readily as they'd evaporate as the contagion set in. It worked, but again its longevity and efficiency left much to be desired. Something that only lasted a few hours and worked in a radius was borderline useless for the primary dispersal. The experience pings he received from the ones that were brazen enough to move for him confirmed the effect, now it just needed a slower death period and better yet transfer medium. 'Stink spray', oh how a wonderfully mundane and single minded way of understanding. The transmission was inefficient, but the result:

*pop, pop, pop*

Should be plain as...

“You’re interesting.”

Finally it might have sunk through that thick skull. The array of flowers screamed obscenities into the void, clearly players loved to yell cuss words and sexual innuendo/phrases into the abyss. A garbled voice sprouting from a nearby Echo flower screamed "Alabama Hot Pocket~" at the man as he'd pass. Such was the folly of mankind, a moronic blundering of bottom feeders foolishly banging their face against every orifice and complex they could find. Destroying everything they touched as their vegetative idiocrasy adhered to limitless bounds. Staring at the back of the womans head, and he'd find absolutely the irony. Had clearly no clue his thoughts, a fact that he found sweet to the tongue. Playing guide and bringing him right up to the possible precipice of his magnum opus. Her pace would hurry, and it caused his attention to become more potent. Not only to keep an eye on her, but his gaze would travel around. A trick, a trap lay ready to sprung.

An echo flower sobs, and then another sparing the truth in her tone.

Understanding the pathetic circumstance, no trap. Just the human condition. Another spurned love, or failure. The condition? embarrassment, and the diagnosis? Unknown. The Cure? A foolish attempt to conceal it. 

“There. Happy?”

That long beak tilts left and right, taking in its surroundings in a silent observation. A hand moves out of those rags, as if dividing a canopy. A pinched finger and thumb grab the edge of that broad rimmed leather hat and crinkle it softly as if to convey agreement. The same little ball from before, tossed underhand toward the glowing liquid as to suck up another sample. His left sleeve begins to raise, as he rakes his right across it. The contraption on his left wrist has his hand wrap around it, and with a solid tug a chunk pops free. Into his jacket its pushed into place and another mechanical click sees it reloaded almost like a gun. The vial inside laced with clearly water, as its returned back to station.

[Mari 1]

“Mari.” Came her quiet response as she watched him work. “I’m Mari.” She’d probably never know his name - with him being mute and all, but she’d be remiss if she didn’t at least tell him her own name. Cautious eyes watched the man to see if the admission sparked any sort of reaction. But there was none.

Of course - she was only guessing the doctor was a man - partly due to his tall stature, but everything else about him was an enigma. Mari had planned to leave him to his own devices, but - they had already passed the void - and there was no sign of her former companion.

She found a spot on the far corner of the cavern and made herself comfortable, pressing her back against the rough, cold surface of stone. “Those flat topped mushrooms…” She began, idly pointing to a set of fungus growing by his knee. “Have paralytic effects.” She shifted her finger to another section of the cave. “That moss - when dried. Its powder form in small quantities can alleviate symptoms that cause difficulty in breathing. In small quantities. Too much and it causes shakiness - heart tremors. Headaches.”  

She fell silent; watching him work. That strange spherical device worked quickly, collecting sample after sample. Her head tilted as he seemed to have another contraption - spring loaded? A vial of water spring loaded into his jacket? Curious.

“No doubt you’re sick of my voice.” Mari began. “But I lived here -  I experimented. A lot. So - if you need help developing cures for whatever you’re looking for. I might be able to help.”

She decided not to mention exactly what her experiments where. If he knew, and he knew her - then there was little that needed explaining. If he didn’t…well, that was just one less person who knew of her messy past. “Not just this floor. Others too. The sulfur pools, nepents drool. It’s insane - how much Aincrad has to offer.” She mused as she allowed herself to close her eyes, just for a moment. “I admit…its nice…watching someone else work. It fascinates me.”

[Vitreous 1]

The placated whirring of gears as his equipment would continue to drill and concentrate the contents of all that it would lap up. Evidently with a final escape of steam from both sides, the mechanical spider would pop a tiny glass tube out the top and he'd take it before shoving back into his wrist bound condenser. The woman offered her name, causing a brief pause of his fingers as he spun the dials. What was this? Trust? Misguided comradery? Such the trivial slinging of expectation and interpretation on one another, a confederacy of hoping to connect with everyone they met. Led by emotion and not by logic, this woman didn't know a single thing about him and yet, here she was.

"Those flat topped mushrooms…"

Trying desperately to connect, to seek out common ground. To not be alone. What was it, this sickness that seemed so widespread among not only her but the other citizens of Aincrad that made them so helplessly desperate? Even those that sprung into harsh scenarios or scampered around unending always sought some sort of expectation and value from their peers. Panicked solutions to an underlying problem that they couldn't even begin to fathom. The irony in believing that the game did this to them, all it did was stopped holding their hands. Once the rug was pulled out beneath them, they turned into wounded children all scrambling around, forgetting all sense and relying on handouts. Greedy good for nothing children, the entire lot. A glance down toward the mushroom next to his knee, it rubbed a bit of blue on it like dirt. A tap of a glove, then a spray of an aerosol disinfectant to kill any transfer.

"But I lived here -  I experimented. A lot. So - if you need help developing cures for whatever you’re looking for. I might be able to help." 

What an pitiful notion, trying to match this places half ass skill assisted cave man style alchemy to actual biochemistry. Tools alone took him the better part of the last 3 years to build, out of scraps of garbage and a lot of trial and error. The simplest tools, like a microscope being damn near impossible to replicate in any meaningful fashion. Yet, he found her offer bold although misguided. Those big doe like eyes, like some of his own students that would fail half their exams. His colleagues that would feel sorry for them for their inability to succeed. It was so, bittersweet.

Into his jacket, he removes a single vial of the oddest pinkish purple liquid almost like nail polish. Ripping the paper tag off with a sharp tug, showing the 'strands' inside as it moved. He'd grab another and tie it to it, tilting it in a way that he could write on the side of the squared vial. Then he would pass it to the girl before making his leave, having collected all that he needs.

On the vial, the paper tag reads:

Spoiler

You have three days to decipher what this is. Return here
~ Good Luck, Rebyonok

A only and final word through a heavily modulated mask, a thick Russian accent ripped through the air like a razor.

"Atan."

 

Edited 32 minutes ago by Vitreous