[F4 | SP][PT] Cold Shoulder | <<Absolute Zero>>

[Acanthus 0]

Link to Quest

Surely Cardinal had not made *all* of the players this dense?

"Terrible weather we're having in Snowfrost." It was Alex's surefire opener. Every time he spoke those magic words, players would look up. They would look up, and then see the icon above his head, a glowing reassurance that talking to him was worth their time. Their faces would brighten, and they would inevitably pick up on the hints that led them outside of town to deal with the threat of <<Absolute Zero>>. The players got to slay the beast and save the day, and Alex got to give them their quest rewards. As satisfying an ecosystem as there ever was.

The girl didn't seem to think so. Her eyes remained fixed on a point past the bar, and her hands fidgeted with the glass, as if she couldn't find a good grip on the rim. Alex knew the glass was not too hot to the touch, because his spiced cider recipe was nothing short of perfection. The statement was more fact than hubris: Snowfrost's signature "Warm Apple-Currant Cider Reserve" was a product of intensive research, feedback, and experimentation. He may have inherited the original recipe, but he was not beholden to it. The result was nothing short of magical.

She took a sip of his homemade spiced cider, and made a face. Alex did not allow himself to be rude to customers, but he considered making an exception. Gritting his teeth, he offered another lead to his quest.

"It's been quite a snowy week for us here. Must be something in the mountains."

"I see." The player went for another sip of the cider; another face. Alex observed notes of confusion around the lips, and the play of disappointment in her eyes. Alex found some relief that disgust was not a factor in her reluctance, but found himself almost immediately incensed that he card. So what if he'd finally found a player without any taste? Even perfection had its detractors.

She was halfway through the glass, and had not even glanced away from the far spot in the wall. Alex wondered if a good throat clearing might snap her awake and make her realize that he wasn't just any bartender-he was a *quest giver.* The most noble of callings. She would look up any moment now, see his bright halo of purpose, and she would apologize, oh she would be so effusively apologetic over the misunderstanding, and he would be gracious—

"Excuse me."

Here it comes.

"The cider... you took out the wheat spirits, didn't you? I think Blue Rose grainol is the choice for this floor."

"I, um. Yes. I had a few complaints about the flavor profile. Sorry about that." How did he end up apologizing?! The girl had caught him unaware with her pinpoint accuracy. Blue Rose was the spirit of choice for many of the drinks on the floor, but the players often complained about the burning aftertaste. After enough testing, he had settled on a sweeter version of the cider.

"I see." The girl took another small sip of the cider. Whoever this player was, she was programmed to have fewer lines than most of the NPCs in Snowfrost.

Alex didn't have to give her the quest. Being a quest-giver meant accepting that some players would not bite. Maybe they were the wrong level for the quest, or maybe the rewards weren't good enough. But it was not Alex's place to refuse anyone-even a player devoid of tact and taste alike. He graciously extended his quest yet again. "Snowfrost has been plagued by snowstorms blowing down from—”

"—I'm very sorry to interrupt."

Alex felt a twinge in his neck muscles as his jaw clenched down automatically. The girl was finally looking up at him from her seat. Her eyes passed briefly over the space above his head. And she proceeded to ask, "do you mind adding a double?" The nearly empty cider glass scooted across the bar towards Alex. He took a moment to look from the glass, to the player, and back to the grainol.

What he wanted to say was something along the lines of: "Are you kidding?! Of course I'm not putting Blue Rose in your half-finished spit cup! Warm Apple-Currant Cider Reserve is a careful chemical concoction that blurs the line between cooking and artistry! The recipe is the result of painstaking years to find something that will appeal to every single player that stops by. And you, you-you are taking that delicate sweetness, that deft touch of culinary expertise, and you are suffocating-no, you are DROWNING IT, as-as one would drown a sack of puppies-in TWO shots of wheat spirit?! I will not oblige. I will uncork a bottle of the Urbus swill and invite you to drink straight from the bottle, you absolutely unsalvageable woman."

What he settled on was, "Of course. Allow me." His beautiful signature cocktail was now swimming in more Blue Rose than Cider. It was all he could do to keep his composure.

"Thank you." The girl retrieved the glass, took another sip, and made another face. This time, a happy one. "This is delightful. I can see why the other players are fond of it. I apologize again for interrupting. What were you saying?"

Summoning up every ounce of decorum he possessed, Alex smiled on last time, speaking through his teeth. "There is an ice monster north of town. Kill it. Come back here.”
 

NOTE: Custom Skill (Disabuse System) is active. The skill will be considered inactive once any player requests in a subsequent post.

Acanthus | True Tier 11 | Lvl 101 (34/67) | HP: 1000/1000 | EN: 132/132 | DMG: 23 | MIT:160 | ACC:7 | AA  | EVA 2 | FL.AURA: 16 | THORNS:532 | BH:53 | HB: 42 | LD:6

 

Spoiler

Equipment and Consumables

Spoiler

All enhancements reflected in the stat block unless otherwise specified.

Equipment
Weapon. botan. AA | ACC 3
Armor (Heavy). Corpse Flower's Kiss  MIT II | Thorns II
Shield. Fractured Heart | Holy Blessing 2 | Flame Aura 2

Consumables
Creme Brulee | ACC 2 Filled!
Immolation Potion | +40 Thorns

Abilities (Skills, Shifts, Masteries, Add-ons, and Mods)

Spoiler

Custom Skill
>run_cmd swap(int *x int *y) (Disabuse System) | Whenever you activate [Assault Mode], instead swap two of your core stats as though you just activated Temporal Distortion (Quest Reward from <<Down the Rabbit Hole>>).
A skill that can only be learned when the truth of the game is confronted: you are lines of code in the same way that your enemies are living, breathing creatures. Did Kayaba foresee the denial of his reality blossoming into its confirmation?

Totem (bold indicates in use)
Kumatetsu Totem: +1 base DMG.
Yamata no Orochi Totem: +1 LD.
Mōretsuna Totem: +50 Overhealth.
Tanos Totem: +25 MIT.
Mothra Totem: +0.5 * Tier (rounded down, minimum 1) Energy recovery per turn.
Bialas Totem: +1 Taunt.

Combat Mastery and Shift
No Shift or Mastery Taken

Skills

• Straight Sword R1 (4 SP)
• Heavy Armor R5 (30 SP)
  • Impetus (4 SP)
  • Iron Skin (6 SP)
• Battle Healing R5 (30 SP)
• Energist (8 SP)

Extra Skills

•  
• Forgotten King's Authority
• Photosynthesize
• Assault Mode

Inactive Extra Skills

Addons

• Impetus

Mods

• Iron Skin

82 SP Spent before specializations.

Specializations
Reflective x15 (150 SP)

232 SP total.

Battle Ready Inventory (7 Slots)
Dimensional Backpack + Item Stash

Spoiler

1. Lama Sabachthani | 236687 | Consumable - Soundtrack | Hypnosis 2 | Lullaby 2 (Instant)
   Pain deeper than words, engraved by a hand that does not know its own heart.
2. Edict's Threnody | 236686 | Consumable - Soundtrack | Perpetuate (Instant)
   If my suffering will not end, then neither will yours.
3. Bear Trap | Consumable - Reusable | As a free action, set target's evasion to 0 for one turn.
4. Meat Hook | Consumable - Reusable | As a free action once per combat, apply a single stack of [Shatter] to one target of your choosing (No roll required).
5. [Empty]
6. [Empty]
7. [Empty]

Housing

Spoiler

House Name: Villa of Coruscating Flowers (The Villa)
Location: Floor 24 - Paradise Islands
Description: See above
Plot Size: Estate - PK Accessible
Rooms: Listed below. All rooms are assigned to Acanthus.

• Master Bedroom
  • Well Rested | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat.
• Greenhouse
  • Green Thumb | +2 Gathering EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to gathering attempts.
• Extended Workshop: Recording Studio (25,000 col)
  • Hard Working | +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day.
• Mega Slime Farm
  • Advanced Training | +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.
• Living Room:
  • Relaxed | Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
• Attic (Bedroom)
  • Skylight (Searching) | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill (Searching). 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:
  • Multipurpose | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll.
• Storage Closet: (10,000 col)
  • Item Stash | +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
• Master Bathroom: (25,000 col)
  • Squeaky Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
• Basic Kitchen (15,000 col)
  • Filling | 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.

Crafting and Gathering

Spoiler

Performer | Rank 5
Apollo’s Metronome | Crafting Tool | Meticulous: +1 CD when crafting in one’s workshop.

Forager | Rank 5
Demeter's Cornucopia | Gathering Tool | Bountiful: +1 CD to gathering attempts.

 

 

Edited 42 minutes ago by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

That bartender really didn't seem to like me. The thought trailed Acanthus as she hiked the southern slope of the mountain. Absolute Zero's location was common knowledge at this point: accepting the quest had been a formality. She did not care to stay and listen for directions.

Maybe that was why he didn't like her? Or maybe that she'd asked for the whiskey in her cider. (Oh, excuse me: the "grainol." The game's desire to replace perfectly normal terms with fantasy ones annoyed her endlessly.)

The strategy guide mentioned Alexander was a warm and intelligent NPC, though a little standoffish to some players. The guide also mentioned not equipping the survival skill on this quest. It made the quest harder, but unlocked a new skill. Maybe the quest was harder, but to Acanthus, leaving survival unequipped meant something far more important.

"It's so fucking cold." The system number her legs and fingers in an attempt to simulate the sub-zero temperatures. The true feeling was something like chill mixed with her limbs falling asleep. She did not realize that there was a sensation she could hate worse than the cold, but she had found it.

From the Mountain's ledge, Absolute Zero roared and tumbled down into the pass. Acanthus jumped up and down a few times to get the blood flowing. "I'd like to make this quick, Mr. Zero. I'm trying to make it back to the White Rabbit before closing."

Spoiler

Combat Begins!

Post Action: RAW-A -> Absolute Zero (-9 EN)
258694 | BD 7 + 8 + 2 | Hit! 548 * 2 = 1096 - 250 = 846 damage. Acanthus takes 50 frost damage.

Monster's Turn: Attack -> Acanthus
258695 | BD 7 + 3 + 2 | CD 1 | Hit! 200 - 160 = 40 damage.

Acanthus | True Tier 11 | Lvl 101 (34/67) | HP: 910/1000 | EN: 123/132 | DMG: 23 | MIT:160 | ACC:4 | AA | EVA -2 | FL.AURA: 16 | THORNS:532 | BH:53 | HB: 42 | LD:6
<<Absolute Zero>> | HP: 1000/1000 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 200 | ACC: 3 | EVA: -2 | Freeze (8-10)| (+50 DMG on natural 9, +100 DMG on natural 10)

Abilities:

Grand Slam | On a natural CD of 12, this boss will raise its arm and crash it against the ice of the lake, sending a ripple through toward all of the players, dealing 200 mitigatable damage and Freezing everyone in place. This attack automatically hits.
Zero-Degree Weather | This boss changes the weather of the area into a blisteringly cold blizzard, lowering the EVA of all Players by -2. This effect can be ignored with the <<Survival>> skill.
Frozen Hide | If this boss is faced without Survival, the Player(s) will find it biting cold to the touch. It will gain 50 mitigation against attacks made by players without <<Survival>>, and deal 50 Frost Thorns damage on successful attacks - regardless of critical status.

 

Edited 28 minutes ago by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

The girl stumbled back into the Tavern, heading immediately for the fireplace.

Alex couldn't keep the smugness out of his voice. "Looks like you're back for those directions, aren't you? Maybe the quest is a little bit out of your league. I think Kindle needs some extra firewood if you want a simple gathering quest."

"Kindle? No, I think I've done that one already. And I'm not here for directions. I killed Absolute Zero."

"...Really." The seemed far too disinterested to be lying to him. The system provided concrete proof, marking her as eligible to turn in for quest rewards. "But you barely had time to leave Snowfrost. Were you running?"

"That seemed unnecessary." The adventurer continued to warm her hands by the fire without a word. Alex, stunned, allowed the girl a few minutes to herself before...

"... So, are you turning in the quest?"

"The—oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry to make you wait. You have a lovely tavern, is all. I wanted to warm up before going back out. I don't suppose I could get one more round of the Cider? With the grainol this time, please."

What a strange adventurer.

 

Spoiler

Recovery. +4 EN. +95 HP.

Post Action: RAW-A -> Absolute Zero (-9 EN)
258696 | BD 7 + 8 + 2 | Hit! 548 * 2 = 1096 - 250 = 846 damage. Acanthus takes 50 frost damage.

Acanthus | True Tier 11 | Lvl 101 (34/67) | HP: 1000/1000 | EN: 112/132 | DMG: 23 | MIT:160 | ACC:4 | AA | EVA -2 | FL.AURA: 16 | THORNS:532 | BH:53 | HB: 42 | LD:6
<<Absolute Zero>> | HP: 0/1000 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 200 | ACC: 3 | EVA: -2 | Freeze (8-10)| (+50 DMG on natural 9, +100 DMG on natural 10)

 

 

Edited 28 minutes ago by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

THREAD SUMMARY

Experience | 1344 / 5 = 268.8 * 11 = 2956 + 1500 (quest) = 4,456 experience.
Col |  0 (yes I'm ignoring laurel wreath sue me) + 2500 (quest) = 2,500 col.
Items | Zero Degree Icicle | T2 Rare Spear | Freeze | Accuracy I
Other. 1 mon. <<Frozen Hide>> Unlocked.

Edited 32 minutes ago by Acanthus