{PP - PT - F04} Chance Encounters

[Reytac 0]

"I'm sure she did want something. But that's the problem with being sneaky and secretive and not saying what's going on - other people don't know what your motives are, and can only guess. And sometimes that guess is wrong." Reytac shook his head sharply. The purple haired woman had seemed friendly enough at the broil, so he hadn't thought anything of it at the time. But now, he knew he'd been sent to the shop of a pker. Luckily it was Mari, who wasn't a relentless killer, but who knew if the purple haired woman he couldn't remember the name of had known that? Or...

"Or she knew you weren't as bad, and wanted to help you." He muttered this more to himself before shaking his head and focusing on Mari as she stood back up. It was pointless to bring up that he had missed the stories about her so he was judging her just off their interactions. He'd have to look intk these stories and rumors when he got a chance, and see just what kind of picture they painted of her. Even if she didn't want to say it, they clearly hung on her. But as for her last question.. 

"Yes. That's the goal. Help get there, help push. Help get us out. At least those of us who want to leave." It was still a little hard for him to wrap his head around the thought that there were people who didn't want to leave - but at the same time.. People had spent years in here now, living their lives, fighting to be free, or accepting what had become of them. And he couldn't blame them. Rey nodded once, firmly. Becoming a Frontliner and getting out. That was the goal. 

 

Spoiler

Reytac total loot:

Materials: 1

Perfect Trinket T1 [4] 252271 , 252272 ,252273 ,252274

Perfect Trinket T1 [4] 252275, 252276, 252277, 252278

Perfect Trinket T2 [4] 25234, 252350, 252351 ,252352

Perfect armour T2 [8] : 252353 ,252354 ,252355, 252356,252365, 252366, 252367, 252368 

 

 +1 Mon

 

 

[Mari 1]

"Whatever the reason...." Mari began as pulled her weapon out of her inventory again. "I'll figure it out. " The man was right, the woman could simply know Mari wasn't bad and despite her prickly nature - Mari did tend to help those who needed it. It's why Mari didn't deny Reytacs word earlier. They were, partly true. Mari was helping him, but not out of any sense of justice, or need. Just because he seemingly was in the right place at the right time. It would be an issue if he died around her home.

"I mean - there isn't exactly a choice - I imagine." Mari said as she gestured for him to follow with a wave of her polearm. "Once the place is cleared- I imagine everyone who is alive is booted from the game. I doubt there'd be some kind of popup asking people if they wanted to stay. It wouldn't make sense. But - thats why guilds like Laughing Coffin Exist I suppose." Mari had to wonder if the man even know what that meant, or entailed. 

The moment they trudged past the treeline a pack of wolves pounced - one aiming straight for Reytac but Mari drove the blunt end of her polearm up through its jaw - piercing its skull with sheer strength - the others were dealt with a wide swing, exploding into hot embers. Once again, Mari would leave the items for Reytac to pick up - as she pocketed the material and the gold.

"There are guilds dedicated to slowing the progress of clearing Aincard. But there are others - dedicated to helping people like yourself. Guilds like Jacobs Ladder - if you wanted a place to join. I am technically in it, but am unsure how long for."

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post Action | [x15] AOE-I (11 - 2 [Stamina] + 2 [Shift] + (2 * 4 Targets = 8) = 19 EN+1 Well Rested= -19 EN)
ID: 252737| 6 + 5 = 11 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID: 252738| 1 + 5 = 6 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID:  252739|  5+ 5 = 10 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID:  252740|  4+ 5 =9| Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage

Ice Wolf #29-32 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #29-32 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #29-32 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #29-32 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124

Squabble up In effect!
40,000 Col
12 materials
Perfect weapon T2 (4): [252737] , [252738] , [252739], [252740]
     -Weapon passed to Reytac

EN+4
Mari | HP: 680/680 | EN: 81/100 100-19=81 EN | DMG: 26 | MIT:163 | ACC:4 +1AA| AA  | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:37 | BRN: 56 | ENV-O: 32 | PARA-V | LD:5 

MARI TOTAL LOOT:
+1 Mon
280,000 Col
84 Materials

 

 

Edited yesterday at 01:36 PM by Mari

[Reytac 0]

At this point Reytac almost wasn't surprised by the fact that Mari was able to demolish these wolves with barely a thought, even the one that went for him was death with by piercing it with the blunt end of a weapon. He didn't know if Mari herself was someone who could be counted as a 'frontliner' but she was clearly strong herself. But it was Mari's words that had almost made him freeze up, something that he hadn't even wanted to think of being an option. 

He knew about Laughing Coffin. Even as head in the sand as he had been, he knew about the infamous Pker guild. He hadn't ever thought of them as deliberately trying to 'slow' their bid for freedom. That there were people who were not only accepting their fate in this world, but actively trying to slow down others from trying to get them free... It blew his mind. While it was a nice enough place, it was meant to be a game, a game that people could leave. He shook his head once, sharply - he was thinking everyone wanted to get back out, again, when that was clearly not the case. 

In a way, it made sense that the pkers wouldn't want this game to end. Then their freedom of murdering come to an end. The repercussions of their actions would be hanging over them. He took a deep breath and exhaled as Mari passed him over the unidentified weapons, and mentioned her own guild. A guild dedicated to his goal - getting to the front line. It was a tempting offer, and one he hadn't ever considered. The thought of joining a guild had never crossed his mind before this.

"Huh. I hadn't looked into any guilds yet, aside from staying as far away from Laughing Coffin as I could. Is... would you be able to bring me in or introduce me to others from it? Trying to get to the front lines is..well." Rehashing what they'd already talked about was probably something that would frustrate Mari. Reytac looked down as his foot caught on something buried in the snow. And for a half moment he thought he was lucky, seeing a 'material' tag on whatever was buried. And then he saw it shatter after flashing as 'ruined' and his face fell. He really would have to look into those consumable buffs for searching and gathering that Mari had mentioned.

 

Spoiler

Roll ID: 252736 LD: 3 (1+2) Fail
Forage EXP: +3

Forager Profession EXP: 23/49

Reytac Total Loot:

Materials: 1

Perfect Trinket T1 [4] 252271 , 252272 ,252273 ,252274

Perfect Trinket T1 [4] 252275, 252276, 252277, 252278

Perfect Trinket T2 [4] 25234, 252350, 252351 ,252352

Perfect armour T2 [8] : 252353 ,252354 ,252355, 252356,252365, 252366, 252367, 252368 

Perfect Weapon T2[4]:[252737] , [252738] , [252739], [252740]

 +1 Mon

 

Edited yesterday at 01:44 PM by Reytac

[Mari 1]

"I could invite you to Jacobs Ladder right now. I doubt any of them would mind if it comes from me. I was one of the leaders before being thrown in prison. I know a few of them are...." Mari tilted her head and tapped her lip. "Busy. But the guild is on the smaller side - compared to a few of the others out there. Firm Anima - and Trackers. Both could probably offer you more than Jacobs Ladder." Mari freely gave Reytac the information so he could make a decision. "You could join, get what you need then fuck off to one o the bigger ones for all I care." Mari said with a shrug as she opened up her HUD and flicked him a guild invite. "As for the coffin...."

Mari paused. There was so much she could say on that. The people in that guild, at least the ones she had met - didn't seem all that bad. Hell, she ended up Marrying one of them.  Mari knew the truth behind the Coffin, but it was one she could not tell anyone. Ever. Not even Lancaster.  Mari drummed her fingers on the handle of her weapon. Tybalt was an absolute madman, Lancaster was...well, undoubtedly feared. The strange Shinsengumi - didn't want others to die - he just wanted people to slow down. Mari assumed to stay with his own child. How close would she have been to joining them just mere years ago?   "Best keep your judgements quiet, and to stay way." 

She barely lost her focus even as another pack of wolves would attempt to strike them down, Mari was leading him away from her home - shifting her course to escort him back to the safety of Snowfrost.

"Once you're in the guild, you could probably introduce yourself - most guilds have a messaging system."

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post Action | [x15] AOE-I (11 - 2 [Stamina] + 2 [Shift] + (2 * 4 Targets = 8) = 19 EN+1 Well Rested= -19 EN)
ID: 252741 | 1 + 5 = 6 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID: 252742 | 8 + 5 = 13 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID: 252743 | 9+ 5 = 14 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID: 252744 | 9+ 5 =14 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage

Ice Wolf #33-36 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #33-36 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #33-36 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #33-36 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124

Squabble up In effect!
40,000 Col
12 materials
Perfect weapon T2 (4): [252741] , [252742] , [252743] , [252744]
     -Weapon passed to Reytac

EN+4
Mari | HP: 680/680 | EN: 85/100  85-19=66 EN | DMG: 26 | MIT:163 | ACC:4 +1AA| AA  | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:37 | BRN: 56 | ENV-O: 32 | PARA-V | LD:5 

MARI TOTAL LOOT:
+1 Mon
320,000 Col
96 Materials

Edited yesterday at 01:59 PM by Mari

[Reytac 0]

"Considering I've been...useless, for so long, joining a smaller guild would probably be a good idea. I.. Well, I accept. Don't know if I'd be leaving, though, just abandoning a guild that's helped me feels wrong on several levels. But that would be a concern for the future. Maybe I'll end up kicked out." Reytac let out a small laugh at he thought. Mari had a bit of a lackadaisacal attitude towards her guild, but that didn't mean that everyone in the guild would be as accepting of him suddenly joining as she was. Still - he pulled open the invite that she had sent his way, and pressed the 'accept' on it. It felt odd, tying himself to a group, but - progressing alone would be difficult. Not impossible, but difficult. 

"You're a good case in point for not listening to rumors or jumping to conclusions, so I'll heed that advice." He turned with her, following the slow turn in the direction that they were walking. He watched as she burnt her way through another group of wolves that tried to get in her way - flesh and fur were highly flammable for the odd way she used her fire, it seemed. He did hesitate, though, on just sending out a message to the guild. Then he grit his teeth and sent out a simple 'Hello' to the guild chat.  

As they walked he did try to harvest a branch of berries that he saw in between the wolf attacks. But even as he reached out to pluck it from the branch, he watched as the image of the berries distorted and vanished, leaving behind only a barren stick. Rey felt one eyebrow twitch as he took a deep breath and exhaled it through his nose. 

Spoiler

Roll ID: 252745 LD: 3 (1+2) fail

Forage exp +3

Forager Profession 26/49

Reytac Total Loot:

 

Materials: 1

 

Perfect Trinket T1 [4] 252271 , 252272 ,252273 ,252274

Perfect Trinket T1 [4] 252275, 252276, 252277, 252278

Perfect Trinket T2 [4] 25234, 252350, 252351 ,252352

Perfect armour T2 [8] : 252353 ,252354 ,252355, 252356,252365, 252366, 252367, 252368 

Perfect Weapon T2[4]:[252737] , [252738] , [252739], [252740]

Perfect weapon T2 (4): [252741] , [252742] , [252743] , [252744]

 

 +1 Mon

 

Edited yesterday at 02:40 PM by Reytac

[Mari 1]

Mari watched, nonplussed as Reytac accepted the pop-up invitation to the guild. It was an odd feeling. She didn't feel pride, nor happiness. To her, it just felt almost...not quite like a chore - but it felt like she was simply going through the motions of it all. Mari didn't really have any words of encouragement for the man. "I'm sure the others would be more hospitable than I. She tapped at the snow with a booted foot. "I'm the only Pker in the guild after all." That was probably the best Mari could muster, she wasn't really meshing well with the man - maybe it was in part to her reluctance to be anything but cordial to him. Maybe it was due to her focus being shifted elsewhere.
Between the constant wolf attacks and the strange foosteps which Mari had noticed again - heading in the direction of her home - she didn't exactly have the capacity to play nice. "Baldur. The leader, runs a sort of....dojo I'm sure he'd be delighted to know there are people willing to join the frontlines."

They were away from the treeline now - but the wolves continued to attack from behind - Mari had become so very used to this that she didn't even need to look back as she swung her halberd around full circle- barely missing a beat as she continued the conversation with Reytac like it was nothing - he'd have to jog to keep up with her if he collected the items.

"If I hadn't been kicked out. You won't be either." Mari assured him. "Bout the only thing that would have you kicked out is killin' another member- and you wouldn't do that now, would you?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post Action | [x15] AOE-I (11 - 2 [Stamina] + 2 [Shift] + (2 * 4 Targets = 8) = 19 EN+1 Well Rested= -19 EN)
ID: 252846| 6+ 5 = 11 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID: 252847 | 3 + 5 = 18 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID: 252848 | 5+ 5 = 10 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID:  252849 | 7+ 5 =12 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage

Ice Wolf #37-40 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #37-40 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #37-40 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #37-40 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124

Squabble up In effect!
40,000 Col
12 materials
Perfect weapon T2 (4): [252846]. [252847] , [252848], [252849]
     -Weapon passed to Reytac

EN+4
Mari | HP: 680/680 | EN: 70/100  70-19=51 EN | DMG: 26 | MIT:163 | ACC:4 +1AA| AA  | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:37 | BRN: 56 | ENV-O: 32 | PARA-V | LD:5 

MARI TOTAL LOOT:
+1 Mon
360,000 Col
108 Materials

Edited 6 hours ago by Mari

[Reytac 0]

The fact that Mari was the only Pker in the guild actually served to reassure Reytac that he was right in his belief that there was more to her than most people thought. It'd be one thing if she was just one more orange player in a guild of them - but to be the only one in a guild of greens made it much more likely that there was a reason behind the deaths that she was responsible for. He felt another inch of the anxiety and tension in his spine relax at that. 

Rey did notice that her eyes kept spinning, darting around, after glancing downwards again, not exactly where they were walking along the snowy ground, but nearby. She hadn't been that way at first, but he was definitely getting the feeling that Mari had somewhere else she needed to be. Or that she needed to look into something - she was still easily obliterating the wolves that tried to mess with her, but her attention was clearly split. He flicked open his map for a brief moment - they were heading towards Snowfrost, and were not terribly far from the town. 

"I'll make sure to let them know I'm a member now - and no. No, I wouldn't be killing another player." He took a deep breath. "If you need to go do something, Mari, go ahead. We're getting close enough to Snowfrost that I can make it back on my own."  As they walked, he knelt to scoop up the weapons that Mari ha left behind for him, the amorphous Unidentified items dropping into his inventory. He also saw another bundle of herbs - some vivacious roots that looked like they'd be good in some kind of potion, maybe. He reached out to pull them from the ground, but as he tugged the roots tore in odd ways, strings and lumps falling apart, and he let out a sigh as the material shifted to ruined before shattering. 

Spoiler

Roll ID: 2525818 LD: 11 (9+2) Fail

Forage Experience +3

Forager Profession 29/49

Reytac Total Loot:

Materials: 1

 

Perfect Trinket T1 [4] 252271 , 252272 ,252273 ,252274

Perfect Trinket T1 [4] 252275, 252276, 252277, 252278

Perfect Trinket T2 [4] 25234, 252350, 252351 ,252352

Perfect armour T2 [8] : 252353 ,252354 ,252355, 252356,252365, 252366, 252367, 252368 

Perfect Weapon T2[4]:[252737] , [252738] , [252739], [252740]

Perfect weapon T2 (4): [252741] , [252742] , [252743] , [252744]

+1 MON

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Reytac

[Mari 1]

"I've been filling the guilds bank with coin and materials where I can." Mari began, "But I"m just one person. I can't do it all. Honestly...I got better things to be spending money on." She said, a little frustrated as she ran her hand through her hair. The guild was barely hanging on - Mari was doing her best to help where she could - but she had to keep reminding herself to take steps back. To focus on herself. She had a life now, a better one. A husband, with refined and expensive tastes - and she wanted to actually enjoy herself. No more denying herself anything and everything. "Lets see...Macradon, a good man - if I were you I'd offer him some kind of peeps - or strawberries when greeting him. Trust." Mari furrowed her brow when she watched him fail to collect another group of herbs. "You won't get anywhere like that. I'll make a note to make something to help. You can pick it up another day. It takes a while for me to get around." 

Mari slashed at another pack of wolves, all but one went up in flames - the final wolf went to snap at her face and Mari simply held her hand up, her fist clenching over its maw - the poor canine howled in pain as it tried to writhe out of her grip before its face exploded in a plume of fire - ending its life. Mari sighed as she brushed the ash off her shoulders, then wiped her face with her tattered scarf. Oh how the tables had turned. Normally it was Lancaster who would come home covered in ash and soot, now it was her. Mayhaps she should make a trip to the higher floors, and burn a bottle of whiskey, to round it off. If only it wouldn't take her the better part of an entire day to do so. 

"Rey-" Mari began - leaning down beside one of the footprints. She pointed at it so he could see what she was referring to. "To your knowledge were you followed? Do ya think it might have something to do with whoever sent you to me? Like, are you being watched?"

It wasn't said in an accusatory manner, Mari was curious - and slightly paranoid. She doubted the Coffin had sent him, he was far too green - even so, to her knowledge she still had the 'do not touch her' status from their current leader.

"I always need to be mindful of things like this, so don't take it to heart when I act the way I do. Normally, I'd leave you here, but I don't trust that we're alone. I'll take you as far as I can."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post Action | [x15] AOE-I (11 - 2 [Stamina] + 2 [Shift] + (2 * 4 Targets = 8) = 19 EN+1 Well Rested= -19 EN)
ID: 252850 | 10 + 5 = 15 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID: 252851 | 6+ 5 = 11 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID: 252852 | 6+ 5 = 11 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID: 252853 | 9+ 5 =14 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage

Ice Wolf #41-44 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #41-44 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #41-44 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #41-44 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124

Squabble up In effect!
40,000 Col
12 materials
Perfect Trinket T2 (4): [252850] , [252851] , [252852] , [252853]
     -Trinkets passed to Reytac

EN+4
Mari | HP: 680/680 | EN: 70/100  70-19=51 EN | DMG: 26 | MIT:163 | ACC:4 +1AA| AA  | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:37 | BRN: 56 | ENV-O: 32 | PARA-V | LD:5 

MARI TOTAL LOOT:
+1 Mon
400,000 Col
120 Materials

Edited 3 hours ago by Mari

[Reytac 0]

Rey frowned, turning that over in his head. The guild was barely hanging on? It sounded like people had drifted away, perhaps, like she'd suggested that he do, to move on to a bigger one. So at least there was something he could do to help others as he was being helped. "I'll make it a point to come by your store again in a while then, to see if you've had a chance to make anything. Constantly failing these blasted searches is disheartening, even if I know that's literally how the game is designed." He let out a soft snort before stepping back as more wolves charged at her. 

It was kind of artistic, watching Mari unleash a slash that scorched the air, sending the wolves caught in the strike up in flames. The swirls of red, yellow, and orange that lit the air around them clashed sharply against the whites and blues of the snow-laden forest, and the gray of the ash that was left behind by each strike. Then he stepped closer when she called him by a shortening of his name, and looked down. 

A footstep, one distinctly different from his or hers. Smaller than his own, but bigger than what he'd seen of Mari's. He straightened up and considered her question, turning it over in his mind before shaking his head. 

"No. Not to my knowledge, not unless they've been following me for a while. I didn't exactly have anyone to tell I was coming this way, and coming up here was spur-of-the-moment anyway. Not planned out or anything." He let his eyes scan the treeline around them casually as he spoke, tightening and relaxing his grip on his hammer as he did. "There's an outside chance that it's connected to me being sent to your shop, but - they'd have to have been following me for days on the off chance I'd come here. And if that's the case, then whoever is looking into you is either obsessed, or very short on options if they were relying on stalking me to lead to you. Running into you was pure coincidence, I had no idea you were here." 

As for escorting him back as far as she could, Rey just accepted that that was going to happen at this point. If someone was out here stalking him, stalking them, then the chances that he could handle it if it came to a fight were slim. And Reytac was finding he disliked being helpless. 

Spoiler

Reytac Total Loot:

Materials: 1

 

Perfect Trinket T1 [4] 252271 , 252272 ,252273 ,252274

Perfect Trinket T1 [4] 252275, 252276, 252277, 252278

Perfect Trinket T2 [4] 25234, 252350, 252351 ,252352

Perfect armour T2 [8] : 252353 ,252354 ,252355, 252356,252365, 252366, 252367, 252368 

Perfect Weapon T2[4]:[252737] , [252738] , [252739], [252740]

Perfect weapon T2 (4): [252741] , [252742] , [252743] , [252744]

Perfect weapon T2 (4): [252846]. [252847] , [252848], [252849]

Perfect Trinket T2 (4): [252850] , [252851] , [252852] , [252853] 

 

+1 MON