F01-OP Blackbook, Grand Opening

[Oscar 0]

Rain.

On every Floor.

All at once.

Scraps of black paper, trimmed in gold filigree, etched in blood-red. Words written in with a sweeping hand, large swirls, cut deep into the dark cardstock. Invitations cascading down from on high, blocking out the sun for just a moment like darkened storm clouds.

Quote

 

You are cordially invited to a Masquerade Ball.
Tonight.
The Blackbook.

Orange Players may seek Ascalon outside of town for admittance.

 

The stunt worked. Players from all over filed into the building. The only price of admission? To accept a mask - black or white - at the door. Tables lined the walls, set with fine wine, champagne, and hors d'oeuvres. Enough to keep the night going, but not loud. Elegant, not overstated. The shadows were long, the room lit with a soft red glow. In the center was the dance floor. Dark tile, trimmed a glowing red. Oscar stood upon his perch - a balcony placed above it all. Already his desired outcome was taking effect. Masked patrons pairing off, intimately close. Taking to corners and sofas as the soft orchestral music filled the air.

There wasn’t so much chatter as murmurs. Whispers. Sweet nothings, sinful promises.

He could not help but smile at the outcome. It had rather been the point of it all.

Quote

 

Upon Entry to the thread, all Players obtain a Black <<Sinful Mask>> or a White <<Sainted Mask>>. There is no bearing here beyond cosmetic.
Players may choose to remain <<Unmasked>> or to don their mask and gain the <<Masked>> Status.
While <<Masked>>, your name and your cursor are hidden.

Stepping onto the Dance Floor while <<Masked>> applies the <<Dancing>> condition. <<Dancing>> Players are paired up at random and their partners switch every three posts. While it is perfectly acceptable to intuit who your partner is, please try to respect the theme and endeavor to maintain the necessary air of mystery.

Further events will take place throughout the evening, at random.

 

Spoiler

"Name: Oscar
True Tier: 11
Level: 35
Paragon Level: 72
HP: 1040/1040
EN: 136/136

Stats:
Damage: 24
Mitigation: 127
Accuracy: 3
Evasion: 1
Battle Healing: 57
Loot Die: 5
Stealth Rating: -5
AA 
PHASEVAMP-O: 172
REC: 4

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<Kyūketsuki>> T4 KATANA//ABS.ACC/PHASE/VAMP2 | 200925                                                                                        
Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<TACTICAL UNDER ARMOR>> T4 HEAVY ARMOR//MIT/MIT/MIT/REC
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<IVORY GOLD LEAF RING>> T1 TRINKET//ACC/ACC/EVA/EVA

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
  - AOE Shift

Familiar Skill:
  - 

Custom Skill:
  - squabble up. 

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

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

Inactive Extra Skills:

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

Mods:
  - Detect
  - Impetus
  - Night Vision
  - Tracking

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - <<CRYSTAL OF DIVINE LIGHT>> ID: 236066 x1
  - <<DARK SERAPHIM>> T4 HEAVY ARMOR - VAMP.D2/HOLY BLESSING 2 x
  - <<DIVINE RANCOR>> T4 KATANA - HOLY/HOLY/PHASE/BLIGHT | 228663 x
  - <<GLOVES OF CAERUS>> T1 LIGHT ARMOR//3 LD x
  - <<IMUGI'S INSPIRATION>> MASS HEAL x
  - <<RHINO'S HORN>> ID: 236068 x
  - <<SANCTITY'S RUIN>> T4 KATANA - FROSTBITE/BLEED/BLIGHT/BURN | ID: 228657 x
  - <<TELEPORTATION CRYSTAL>> x
  - <<TIGER'S BALM>> ANTIDOTE 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
  - 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
  - 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
  - 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.

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:
  - Kumatetsu
Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:

Gathering Profession:
"                                                                                                                            

 

[Mari 1]

*STILL WRITING GETTING THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PLACE*

A party? Really?

The idea of celebrations....with drinks and light banter didn't sit well with Mari. She had too much to do. She didn't have time to relax. Not to mention how difficult it would be to do so , with it being in the middle of a safe zone. Mari stood on the outskirts of the  main settlement - black scrap of paper in hand. Mari had to admit..when Oscar did shit like this, he went all out. Even the edges were gilded in gold. The writing, gold and embossed. Fancy. She couldn't help but offer the invitation a slight, weary smile. It was ....heartwarming to see. The amount of effort - the drive to make sure everyone here connected in ways that weren't fights, quests and meetings. "This...may be complicated." The woman said with a sigh.

Mari wasn't in a partying mood. She had just failed Redemption but a day ago. The only reason she would even attend such an event was because Oscar had asked her, rather he implied she needed it. You need to chill the fuck out and put the breaks on - or something like that. The woman was paraphrasing. Still... it was nigh impossible for Mari to say no to Oscar. Maybe it had something to do with their midnight dalliances in the past, or maybe it had something to do with the simple fact that he had a special place in her heart. So with a  tentative hand, she knocked on the small unassuming rock - apparently this was some sort of underground entrance to his -

The sound of stone scraping against stone distracted Mari - a rather dour looking man towered over her, casually leaning against the side of the hidden entrance. Dark eyes glanced up and down her form and he smirked, lips twisting into a crooked smile as he exhaled with a snort. "It's a formal event, Mari." 

"I'd rather change inside the tunnel." Mari commented, leaning to glance behind him. It looked like someone had quite literally dug it out - oil lanterns lined each side of the walls in even spaces. Oscar really did all of this? Mari stepped forward ready to move past the man but he shifted in front of her - blocking her path. "What?" She asked, tilting her head up at him. This was already proving to be too much.

"Formal event." He responded again, a mischievous note in his tone. He held a hand out to her, his nails painted black. "Ascalon, by the way." 

Mari sighed, she went to bat his hand away but Ascalon was too quick, he grasped her hand in his - swallowing it as he shook it. Mari pulled her hand away and opened up her inventory; finally donning the only formal outfit she owned. An orange dress with a slit up the middle. "Happy?" She muttered.

Ascalon whistled in approval, then stepped to the side, even offering her a small bow. "Excellent. This way." 
Mari stepped into the tunnel. A slam behind her caused Mari to jump, fingers tensed and ready to pull out her weapon. This did not go unnoticed by the tall man beside her. "You're safe here Mari."

Mari appreciated the sentiment, although she never felt truly safe. Not without Lancaster by her side. Still...Mari followed along a few paces behind Ascalon. He too held an orange marker above his head. Mari wondered how he had gotten it, but the question as to why was normally a social taboo. So she bookmarked it for later. He had a distinct scent of black pepper and cedar wood. He had his hands shoved in his jacket pockets as he walked. She could hear a faint jingle of metal and chains - from his jewellery. The man was a looker, but she had better waiting for her at home.  It was a shame that her husband would not attend such an event. Her mind wandered to a scene where they'd be sitting at a table, away from the crowds, wine glasses in hand - her head on his shoulder...a pleasant waltz playing in the background.

Foolish dreams..

"Just one more thing, before you arrive." Mari blinked, her attention falling back onto Ascalon. The man would tap her nose then offer her two options. A black mask in one hand, and a white in the other. Where the hell did he pull them from? Was she supposed to pick one? Mari looked up at the man, who simply offered her a smirk in return. Alright. Mari reached out and grabbed the black mask. "Aight." Ascalon turned and placed his hand on a large wine barrel behind him. With a small series of clicks itd open up to a larger room - The Blackbook.

"Enjoy yourself."

"You too, I guess?"



*description here>}


Mari nervously wrinked the mask in her hand, eyes sweeping over the empty room. How was she always the first one to arrive at these sort of events? That was terrible. Maybe this was a terrible idea... Mari made a beeline toward the bar, carefully pulling herself up onto a barstool. Mari folded her dress underneath her. Should she put the mask on? She knew Oscar would chastise her if she didn't. So Mari tied the satin ribbon up behind her head. Once the mask was covering the upper part of her face a condition came up.

<<Masked>>
Your name and Cursor are hidden.
<<Dancing>> Players are paired up at random and their partners switch every three posts.

Dancing? Partners? Oh... HELL NO.

Mari quickly ripped the mask off and tossed it onto the bar. She was not comfortable with that. She'd have to apologize to Oscar later.

Mari signalled the bartender. "Uhm, do you have any Whiskey? Neat?"

Edited 1 hour ago by Mari