[F28 - EV] Trick-or-Treats & Hoofbeats

[Lessa 1]

It didn't take much to decorate the Farm for Halloween. The other 364 days of the year, the ambient sound on her costal property was enough to send a shiver up a spin: the steady crashing of the waves on the rocks, the whisper of the wind through the dried cornstalks, the mournful cry of the foghorn. The old barn, with its shadowy hayloft and dusty sweat smell certainly didn't help matters. Set out a few jack-o-lanterns, and rig a stereo to play spooky music, and Lessa had the makings for an extra creepy stop on the the trick-or-treat trail.

The truth was, Lessa wasn't actually into the scary stuff - at least, not the manufactured kind. She hated jump-scares, didn't really see the appeal of gore, and detested that weird state of anxiety that Halloween always seemed to put her in. If she wanted horror, she could just reflect on her first year in Aincrad. Halloween certainly ranked near the bottom of her "favorite holidays" list. But the rest of Aincrad, and most importantly, her friends, didn't seem to share her dislike of all things dark.

Which was why she stood on her front porch, her hands on her hips, her fedora pulled low over her eyes. She could tough it out for one night, especially if she incorporated elements that she enjoyed. A bonfire crackled pleasantly between the barn and the house, its flames sending shadows dancing across the dark lighthouse tower. A table stood beside it, loaded down with s'mores supplies, candy, and a crockpot of caramel apple cider. 

Oh, and horses.

Half a dozen horses stood patiently along the fence, each tacked and ready for their riders. Anyone brave enough to swing up into the saddle could explore the moon-drenched forest-trails, race across the nearby Thessacoln Pastures, or simply be led around the pasture (no shame in that).

Was there too much for a simple trick-or-treating stop? Probably. But if Lessa expected people to walk all the way to the coast to visit her, the least she could do was give them a good time. Adjusting the coiled whip that hung from her belt, she sat down on her stoop.

Spoiler

Welcome to The Farm! 

Feel free to take a horse out at your leisure - just treat them well, and try to return them by the end of the night.

Take any creative liberties with color/name/personality/etc.

You're welcome to ask Lessa for help with the horses at any time.

Have fun!

Spoiler

Name: Lessa, Guardian of Aincrad
True Tier: 11
Level: 34
Paragon Level: 76
HP: 1040/1040
EN: 136/136

Stats:
Damage: 18
Mitigation: 127
Battle Healing: 31
Stealth Rating: -5
HB: 42
MENDING: 2 REC: 8
HLY: 8
Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Arcael's Might (T4 THSS - DMG DMG DMG HLY)                         
Armor/Trinket: 
  - Vega's Panoply (T4 HA - THNS THNS HB HB)
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Red Tide Beacon - Venus (T4 TRINKET - LM LM REC REC)

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Mitigation R3

Combat Shift:
  - ST Shift

Familiar Skill:
  - Rending Familiar

Skills:
  - Battle Healing R3
  - Energist
  - Extended Weight Limit
  - Heavy Armor R5
  - Straight Sword R3

Extra Skills:
  - First Aid R5
  - Leadership R5

Addons:
  - Field Medic
  - Hyperactive
  - Iron Skin

Mods:
  - Inspiring Speech
  - Energize
  - Large Pockets
  - Press the Attack
  - Purify

Inactive Mods:
 - Barrier

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - Blessing of the Wood x4
  - Chocolate Truffles (T4 Vitality II Desserts) x13
  - Congealing Ale (Tierless Antidote Salves) x4
  - March to the Dawn (Instant HP Recovery 3) x14
  - Rumbling Rum Party Favor (Tierless Mass HP Recovery Crystals) x10
  - Teleportation Crystal x14
  - Tiger's Balm (Tierless Antidote Salves) x1

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 (Storage): +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
  - 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.
  - 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)
  - Greenhouse: +2 Gathering EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to gathering 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.

Crafting Profession:
 - Blacksmith[465exp] R6
Gathering Profession:
 - Forager[0exp] R1                                                                                                                       

 

[Adelyte 0]

"OHMIGOSH! HORSES!"

Came a shriek from, what could have been, half of a mile away from the homestead. Two, ghostly blue pigtails flailed behind her as she ran down the path. Her shout, and the dust cloud that rose from where her boots pounded into the trail, were beginning to spook the animals - restless movements and some snorts, looking around for means of escape. Immediately, Adelyte realized she was at fault and slowed to a brisk walk. "Sorry! Sorrysorry." she apologized, to the horses, to their owner. To whoever really. 

Sidestepping past now the now much calmer animals, she would stop in front of each one - gently petting the bridge of each of their noses. "You are all so handsome and beautiful and I love you. Keep up the good work." she would remark to the horses before continuing the rest of the way to the house and the blonde standing on the porch in wait. 

The wide smile on her face, excited for the holiday - excited for the candy - diminished ever so slightly as she took a moment to take in the scenery. This entire floor had been amazing, the fall foliage, the cute little country towns. The sound of the waves crashing against the cliff face below the lighthouse, and the cool, salty breeze that blew in from over the sea. Adelyte felt completely at peace.. and that could have been enough of a treat. She could see why Miss Indiana Jones picked this spot. 

"You have a beautiful home here." Adelyte greeted Lessa with a calmness in her voice. "And all of those horses, are they all yours? I knew you could tame little animal friends but.. I didn't know you could own a horse! Multiple horses!" she corrected herself. 

"You may be the coolest person I have ever met. I'm Adelyte." she girl extended a nub of a sheet in greeting, before realizing and shaking her hand free.

 

 

   

   ♦Lv1 Adelyte

Spoiler Adelyte | HP 80/20 | EN 26/26 | DMG 7 Lv. 4 | T. 1 equipped 2H Warhmmer DMG|DMG -- -- battle-ready inventory 3x Potion (+50 Hp) skills HAMMER | Rank 2 buffs Pretty buff

Edited yesterday at 03:06 AM by Adelyte

[Acanthus 0]

“Now this is trick-or-treating.”

Lessa stood amongst a treasure trove of traditional activities. There was a large bonfire, an array of desserts including caramel apples and smores. Horses milled about the pasture, which intrigued an overeager 3ulogy.

“I don’t think they’ll like you dressed like that, 3ulogy.”

“They’re just horses, Acanthus. You’re such an anxious mess sometimes.”

She just shrugged. He was an adult, he could handle himself. Acanthus decided, given her scare at Jomei’s house, could do with something a little more relaxed. She walked to the porch, poured a tall mug of warm caramel apple cider, and sat with Lessa.

“This is all very cozy, Lessa. Thanks for hosting us.” The Glyndbourne air was brisk, the perfect spice to the warmth of the beverage. Acanthus took long pauses to appreciate the vapors of the drink inbetween sips. “Jomei’s house was impressive, but… after Floor 29, I think my nerves were a little too frayed to appreciate it. Don’t tell him that, please,” she added hastily. “He did such a wonderful job putting it together. I don’t want to ruin it.” She considered adding her panicked swap into armor just before the Pumpkin Lord’s reveal, but Lessa probably would just laugh at her. Maybe I am an anxious mess.

Right now, she felt like anything but. The night settled over the pasture like a velvet curtain, with the starts of Floor 28 dappling the sky in a dizzying array of patterns. Acanthus could look at them forever.

“Sometimes, it’s hard to believe we’re in a video game that’s going to kill most of us.”

What a terrible way to start a topic.

“Sorry. I think that came out wrong. I mean…” What did she mean?

A feathery mass flew by the porch, flapping off the end of a spirited horse like a loose flag. “aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—”

He was right. “What I’m trying to say is that this is fun. I’m really happy when I get to see people living like they aren’t stuck here. All the fall decorations and horses—”

—3ulogy soared over the nearby fence, a red hoof-print embedded on his chest—

“—I feel like I’m meeting you in real life. And I really like it.”

More thoughts floated around her head. They weren’t nearly as pleasant, so she wished them away for the time being. I can always be anxious later. I think, for right now, I’d like to enjoy the moment.

[3ulogy 0]

FUCK YEA.

3ulogy went airborne a third time. His most recent opponent, a brown and white horse with an attitude and a mean set of legs, threw him clear across the fence. 3ulogy bounced like a rubber ball and skidded to a halt against a sturdy oak.

“It’s like a roller coaster, but it hates me.” The mask barely hid 3ulogy’s giddiness. Something about tussling with the horse awakened something primal in him. He felt like the first caveman to tame fire, reaching his hand into the flame over and over to unlock its secrets.

“Let’s go, big guy!” 3ulogy yelled as he tried to leap onto the horse from behind. He wanted to yell “Yeehaw!” like the cowboys in old westerns, but he had an air of mystery to maintain. How could be a super serious edgelord Raven yelling “giddy-up” and “Yippee”?

A leg flashed into view, and 3ulogy’s world went dark again. He opened his eyes five meters away from the stupid horse, his vision purple with a familiar notification: <<You cannot harm a player in a safe zone.>> 3ulogy cackled like a grade schooler who had tasted glue for the first time.

* * *

“3ulogy. 3ulogy. 3ULOGY.”

The hoof-induced haze wore off, and 3ulogy found himself staring up at Acanthus’ face. It bordered somewhere between annoyed and concerned.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying getting kicked over and over, but you need to stop by and say hi to Lessa.”

He rolled over and groaned. Acanthus raised an eyebrow, but 3ulogy waved her off. “Yea, yea. I’ll be right there.”

Lessa seemed nice. Her horses were fun, at least.

3ulogy stepped up to the porch where Acanthus and Lessa sat. He took the mask off before Acanthus scolded him. “Hey, you’re Lessa right? I like your horses. They’re extra crafty.” The final boss, a palomino smarter than most players, snorted and gave him a side-eye. “I don’t know her name, but I’m gonna get in that saddle at some point. I’ve watched enough YouTube shorts to figure it out. Anyways,” 3ulogy quickly put the mask on. He was uncomfortable being nice, even if he was just being nice about the horses. “Your house is nice, and your horses are mean. Ten out of ten.”

“3ulogy, the horses are being mean because you’re trying to jump them behind like you’re making a getaway in a movie. And failing miserably.”

“Yea.” 3ulogy giggled. “It’s great, isn’t it?”

As he jogged off, he swore he could hear Acanthus make a frustrated sigh.

3ulogy entertained himself for long enough that he completely forgot to take some candy when he left. It would likely go unnoticed by anyone, but it was high praise nonetheless.

Edited 4 hours ago by 3ulogy