[PT | F21 | PP] The Return of the King | <<Betrayal of the King>>

[Sakura 0]

Betrayal of the King

The twenty-first. How long ago it had been opened to them, Aoi couldn’t quite say. The frontlines seemed to ebb and flow with their progress, and though she’d continued her own training and advancement, she’d still fallen short of joining the continuous upwards press that would allow them to break free of the world of Aincrad. Not without her own efforts placed, of course. She had been working as hard as she could – but where others had quickly surged to the forefront of it all, Aoi had lagged behind.

’Your information had been be good, Cervais…’ Aoi mumbled under her breath as she stepped off the teleporter pad and down into the settlement of Tomoika proper. The moment she had done so, the alert – a notice which bespoke of the Betrayal of the King – appeared before her. Almost instantly she accepted the quest, a smile flickering across her face as she checked her equipment once more. Crossbow, vambrace quiver and her thigh holsters of various goods and items were all where they should be, and Aoi nodded in satisfaction.

Turning aside from the entryway, she began making her way towards a nearby exit – only to be stopped by a pair of large individuals who bore an aura of ill will. Aoi glanced up towards their faces – two men, taller than her by a good quarter metre, and built as if they were designed to be warriors – with a look that bespoke annoyance, but a willingness to listen. She shifted her weight slightly, allowing her hip to stick out on the left side like many men seemed to enjoy. When she spoke, her voice took on a soft, lilting tone – as if trying to sound seductive and dangerous at the same time. ’My apologies, did I interrupt something important? I was only trying to make my way through here quickly.’

’We saw you accept that quest. The Forgotten King…it’s a dangerous one. And from the looks of you, you need some help…help that we can provide.’ The grin on the man’s face told Aoi that any help they were offering was likely best avoided – though from their stance and posture, she knew that any denial could prove as fatal as attempting the boss on her own. Indecision flittered across her face briefly as she contemplated her options, her eyes darting around quickly as she took in the bustling area around them.

---

Playtest Options 185 SP & No Selected Skills

Sakura | Lv. 18 | P. 0 | HP [360/360] | EN [54/54] | ACC [4] | DMG [9] | EVA [4] | MIT [20] | LD [6] | SD [2] | Keen [1] | Paralyse [8-10] | S.LD [5] | S.CD [6]   Hide contents Notes [Theme] Tier 2 | Tier 2 Equipment Vambrace Crossbow [Hand Crossbow | Tier 2]  Enhancement: Keen [1 Slot] Enhancement: Paralyse [2 Slot] Combat Uniform [Clothing | Tier 1]  Enhancement: Loot Die [3 Slots] Raven Pendant [Trinket | Tier 1] Enhancement: Accuracy [3 Slots] Battle-Ready Inventory Starter Healing Potion {3} [Potion | Tierless | Heals 50 HP] Big Bertha Braciole {4} [Snack | Tier 1 | Vitality II] [ID-NIL] Zackariah's Special Draught {1} [Potion | Tierless | HP Recovery III] [ID-NIL] Teleport Crystal [Crystal | Tierless | Post Action to Teleport to nearest Town.] Spyglass {2} [Reduce Posts to Locate Dungeon/Familiar/Field Boss by 5.] Skills   Hide contents Utility Skills Searching [Rank: 2. Active: Passive. Effect: +1 LD per rank, +1 Stealth Detection per rank.] Night Vision [Rank 2 Searching Mod. Active: Passive. Effect: Ignores any penalties from low light or darkness. Negates the bonus Stealth Rating from low light or darkness.] Combat Skills Skill [Active: -. Effect: -.] Weapon Skills Projectile Weaponry [Rank: 5. Active: Passive. Effect: +7 DMG] Stamina [Rank 5 Weapon Add-on. Active: Passive. Effect: Reduces EN of all attacks by 2.] Precision [Rank 5 Weapon Add-on. Active: Passive. Effect: +1 ACC.] Armour Skills Cloth Armour [Rank: 5. Active: Passive. Effect: 12 Mitigation.] Athletics [Rank 3 Cloth Armour Mod. Active: Passive. Effect: Gain +1 base Damage.] Nimble [Rank 5 Cloth Armour Add-on. Active: Passive. Effect: Gain +1 Evasion while wearing Cloth Armour. Gain +1 LD.] Extra Skills Skill [Active: -. Effect: -.] Combat Mastery Evasion [Rank: 3. Active: Passive. Effect: +1 EVA per rank.] Familiar Skills Skill [Active: -. Effect: -.] Specialised Skills Keen Sight [Rank: 5. Effect: +2 LD to Searching, Gathering, Detection and Loot Checks.] Discerning [Rank: 6. Active: Passive. Effect: +2 CD to Crafting, Gathering and Loot Checks.] Sword Arts   Hide contents [x12] ST-I (12 10 EN) | A single-target sword art. [x15] ST-II (15 13 EN) | A powerful single-target sword art. Only available for use when ST-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if ST-II had been used and had missed the previous turn. [x20] ST-B (20 18 EN) | A devastating single-target sword art. Can only be used if the sword art used the previous turn is not ST-B and had rolled a natural CD9+. When performing an AoE attack, use only the first roll. [x11] AOE-I (11 9 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. [x14] AOE-II (14 12 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A powerful sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. Only available for use when AOE-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if AOE-II had been used and had missed all intended targets the previous turn. [x12] TECH-A (13 11 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy. [x12] TECH-B (12 10 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that, on a successful strike, applies [Delay] on the enemy. [Delay] is a debuff that reduces the enemy’s ACC by 1 for one turn. Estate Buffs   Hide contents   [Home] Room [Effect.]

 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Sakura

[Freyd 0]

Tomoika had many, many shadows.  More shadows than light, as any of its denizens might readily confirm, and each of them held perils better suited to the confines of infinite night.  Yet, Tomoika brimmed and bustled with life all the same, even if a majority share of it wasn't always the most prim and proper, or even legal.  It also tended to attract the seedier specimens of Aincrad's varied player base.  Freyd spent many a moon here, or would if it actually one to see.  Point was, it was very much fitting his niche and his needs, both in gathering information and dolling out a little unsanctioned justice when people took thing s a little too far.  And the side tunnels had long been ideal for grinding.  So much grinding.

But today's visit was different, and also completely unplanned. As tides of Spectral Knights rose, swarming across every floor from the twenty-ninth down, he'd been crazily busy fending off the damned things only to watch a second one spawn from the tiniest fragments of another.  

While accustomed to slipping between shadows, this had to be the first time he'd been forcibly thrown through one against his will, and was more than a little disturbing. Manifesting behind a stack of water barrels neatly tucked against the side of city's main, but narrow, thoroughfare, all became splinters, water jets and the stray dregs of dead mobs that had followed him through the void.  Both hooligans accosting Sakura were swept back and slammed against the far wall cursing in soggy surprise and the reckless audacity of what they deemed the most unwise of pranks.

Freyd, meanwhile, black armor and cowl soaked head to toe and covered in a layer of floor twenty-nine grit and debris, stumbled back to his feet with grumbling surprise.

"What?  Tomoika?!  How did I end up... oh.  uh..."  Blue eyes blinked realizing the startled woman before him was staring.  "Sorry.  Did I interrupt something?"

***

Note: Picks up at the end of this thread - https://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/42158-ev-pp-f29-other-peoples-messes/?do=findComment&comment=696802

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.

GUILD RANK 4 (+4% col, +4% EXP

Freyd consumes:

Elixir of Wrath (Potion) | Tierless Perfect | Damage 3 | 196666b
[Draught of Safeguard] - T4 Perfect Potion | Mitigation 3 | 218137
Field Rations - https://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/20786-general-merchant/?do=findComment&comment=640849

Freyd consumes and shares:

Gungir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Smokin' Hot Honey Bun Tray | ACC 2 | EVA 2 | Feast (6/6) - takes 1 portion + Filled ACC

Freyd | HP: 1501/1501 | EN: 166/166 | DMG: 36 | MIT: 212 | ACC: 8 (incl AA) | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA: 4 | BH:83 | VAMP-D: 83 | VAMP-O: 165 | PARA-V | LD:4

Spoiler

Name: Freyd, Bara no kuro kishi
True Tier: 19
Level: 34
Paragon Level: 151
HP: 1501/1501
EN: 166/166

Stats:
Damage: 21+3+12
Mitigation: 152+60
Accuracy: 4+2+1+AA
Evasion: 2+2
Battle Healing: 83
Loot Die: 4
Stealth Rating: -5
TAUNT
VAMP-D: 83
VAMP-O: 165
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
  - Energist
  - Fighting Spirit
  - Heavy Armor R5
  - Howl
  - Katana R5
  - Searching R3
  - Biting x6 (Specialties Playtest)

Extra Skills:
  - Disguise
  - Survival
  - Forgotten King's Authority
  - Meditation

Inactive Extra Skills:
  - Frozen Hide
  - Lady Luck
  - Photosynthesize
  - Brawler
  - Assault Mode
  - Frozen Hide

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

Mods:
  - Impetus
  - Night Vision
  - Tracking

Inactive Mods:

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) x5
  - 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
  - Teleport Crystals x5

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 II: Allows a Guild the ability to create up to two Guild Quests. 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 7 hours ago by Freyd

[Sakura 0]

The explosion of wood and watery substance blew the two men away from her, leaving them sprawling on the ground for mere seconds before the leapt to their feet in anger. Aoi could see the shadow covered man standing before her, his figure confusing and somehow confused at the same moment. She tilted her head in confusion slightly, her expression likely showing the same lack of understanding before something clicked within her. The question broke through her mind fog, and she sudden smirked as she turned towards the two men who had accosted her mere seconds before.

’Now, friends. You were mentioning about needing help…you see, I picked up this unique summoning skill not too long ago. It allows me to summon powerful entities from the ether and bring them to my position – regardless of where they were.’ She flicked a look towards the hooded man, who was anything but a figure she had summoned. Still, she knew that if she could play it off well enough, she might be able to save her own hide in the future with a simple lie. ’Now, I’m not suggesting that he’ll be able to end you here and now…but I’m also not suggesting that he can’t hunt you down later. Isn’t that right, Akomdeus?’

Another grin spread across her face as she turned back to the two men, seeing the confusion, doubt and a mixture of growing fear in their faces as she continued talking. Now, she knew, was the moment where she could make or break the lie – entirely dependant upon how the man who had suddenly appeared reacted. ’I was going to face the Forgotten King by myself, but now that you’ve gone and made me summon him, perhaps I’ll simply have Akmodeus obliterate you two, and then the King for me in turn. What do you say boys, do you want to stick around and see how real power is handled?’

---

Sakura consumes Gungir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Smokin' Hot Honey Bun Tray | ACC 2 | EVA 2 | Feast (4/6) - takes 1 portion + Filled ACC

Updated Statblock
Sakura | Lv. 18 | P. 0 | HP [360/360] | EN [54/54] | ACC [6] | DMG [9] | EVA [6] | MIT [20] | LD [6] | SD [2] | Keen [1] | Paralyse [8-10] | S.LD [5] | S.CD [6]

[Freyd 0]

Picking up on the scam without missing a beat, Freyd instantly loved the girl's raw balls and balderdash playing circumstance for advantage.  She'd catch sight of a momentary grin as his features folded inward beneath his cowl, form suddenly swelling in size by the height of two heads as his hood turned in best Nazghul fashion towards the two prone thugs.  Overhead, his green icon crumbled, vanishing as if it were but a veneer, a pretense to facilitate passage among mere mortals unworthy of serving as anything more than fodder for the void.  

"Are these the ones you promised?" The voice was hollow and distant, as if the umbral cloud beneath its swollen hood were a portal to a place players would never, ever wish to approach.  Tilting his head sideways, like a great cat evaluating a potential meal, the heavy thud of armor cloaked in roiling shadows echoed off the cobblestone.  "They seem... soiled..."  Sniffing sounds creepily added to the looming figure's menace, both men's pants instantly confirming the assert before, eyes wide, they ran screaming like a pair of frightened little girls.  Freyd just chuckled.

"Akomdeus, eh?  Where'd you pull that one from?" His form slowly shrunk back to normal, cursor returning from the netherworld to re-establish his adopted player identity.  It wasn't often he got to cut loose like that.

"Freyd," he offered, by way of introduction.  "And that was very well played."